VTO

So I have worked for my company for 15 years and have never used the 18 hours of Volunteer Time they offer us.....until now. I dislike my job so much and they really try hard to get people to use this time in this department so I figured why not miss out on more work?! So Tuesday the 18th, I took 6 hours and met Presley's 4th grade class at the Iowa Hall of Pride and the Iowa State Capitol tour! I really enjoyed the capitol tour and learned so much! I don't think I have been since I was probably in 4th grade! It was worth it!

This was at the top of the building, 91 steps up.

Looking down, you can see the Christmas tree on the main level!

The staircase in the library. Did you know that anyone can use this library? Neither did I, but it would be awesome for me to spend time relaxing and reading here!

Unfortunately after this I did have to go back to work for a couple hours. That night I met Sarah and Gabby at Eatery A for dinner before our wine making night. Eatery A has the best happy hour and pizza and wine. We then made wine and then Sarah and I headed to Lynn's for another drink. We ended up there until 1 am! Mostly talking, debating and such, but it was good night even though Steve was NOT impressed that I was out that late! Oops!

Then Friday I took VTO in the morning to help with Piper's winter party and then took PTO to have the afternoon off! Piper's party was so cute, she was so excited to see me and it was fun seeing all her little friends too. I appreciate teachers so much b/c I just don't have the patience for that many kids!

That afternoon they had a school sing along. They fill the auditorium and sing holiday songs, parents can come watch but this is the first year I had really heard about it even though they have done it every year...needless to say there were NOT that many parents there watching, but I get it, if I didn't have the day off I wouldn't have gone either. However, the best part of this sing along was the 12 days of Christmas when the teachers got on stage and each had a part. It was SO funny! Presley's teacher is a slightly older lady and was one of the 9 ladies dancing...she was up there flossing and such. Her class went CRAZY seeing their teacher up there dancing like that! It was so fun to see their reaction to her being up there.

That night the girls and I joined Sarah and Collins and Jamie and Harper and two others to see Mary Poppins! We went to Flix so we did dinner there. I have been excited to see this movie and so were the girls. I thought it was really good and entertaining.

Goodbye Royalton

Wednesday morning we got up for our last day. We did some pool time had some miami vices (okay, a lot of miami vices) and tried to enjoy every last minute we had left there. The first group of us left about noon and then Steve and I were scheduled to leave at 1:30. We did some lunch and more drinks at the Diamond Club bar and completely enjoyed the last of our vacation.
As much as we tried to sleep on the flights, it just doesn't work very well for us. We actually got back in to DSM 45 minutes early at 9:45! My dad picked us up at the airport in a nice warm car and we headed home where my mom had got our kids put to bed for us.

Couple last things: Thanks to my parents and Holly and Jerry for taking our kids while we were gone! They had a blast and we always know they are in good hands with you guys!

The upgrade to the Diamond Club was worth it. A butler who would do anything for us...made our reservations, did the ironing for the guys wedding shirts, would make sure the fridge was packed with whatever you wanted. There was  special DC area with a bar, food for lunch, special beach area, and top shelf liquor. We can't wait to go back!

Thursday I was supposed to work but stepping into our house I just couldn't force myself to get up and go. I called in sick and unpacked all of our suitcases, did 5 loads of laundry and got our house under control so I wouldn't have to spend all weekend doing it. I am glad I took that time to get organized instead of going back to work.

Friday and Saturday we didn't have much going on. Steve worked a little that Saturday morning and it was fairly nice out so the girls and I went on a walk with Sarah and her kids. Piper had a birthday party that afternoon. Presley and I picked her up and headed to Wasabi in Waukee for Andrea's ISU graduation get together. We hung out there, I ate some sushi, Presley ate some edamame and then headed to Sarah's for the kids to play some more and for us moms to catch up!

DR - Day 5 Tuesday

Our last full day. :( We all just hung out with each other and enjoyed the 85 degree weather)

The resort right next door is related to The Royalton so we were able to use their restaurants (which we didn't do) and their water park. It was actually pretty cool, small but not busy so it was nice to head over there for 2 hours. They had a couple really cool kids areas too!

 I think this is Ryan, Randi, Nick and Steve.....Randi kicked their asses!

 I was glad that we went over there to see what it was all about in case we decide to go back with the kids. The girls and I hung out at the pool for a bit while the boys went back to the beach. We ended up joining them for a late lunch and some shots. Though the boys were full of shots by the time we got there!
Randi and Steve had attempted the Dirty Dancing lift in the Dominican when we went there 7 yrs ago for Nick and Sarah's wedding....well they wanted to try it again. They both had last some weight so they thought it would be easier. Oh goodness, I can't even post 95% of the pictures I took b/c most of them are of Randi's ass in the air! It was SO funny to watch them try over and over again. And then Brandon went out and did it with her, so then Steve wouldn't give up and tried even more times...eventually they did it! She was such a trooper!!!

 She tried lifting him! HA!

That night Steve and I decided that we were going to have sushi and whoever wanted to, could join us. We thought maybe eat a little there and then head to the Italian place to join the others for dinner. There ended up being 7 of us and we ate SO much that we were SO full and never did end up joining them for dinner. But it was really good and fresh. Yum!

 Our last night with our boys They were so awesome!

 Most of the gang on the last night! :(

DR - Day 4 Part 2 Monday

We waited for dinner with Oliver and Papi Papi who congratulated Brandon.

 Steve with Brandon's friends from California, they were super cool!

Then we had dinner at Grazie which is an Italian place, though we didn't have any Italian food for dinner! ha!

 After dinner, toasts and cake was over we headed back to the beach bar for most of the night.

 This was Randi's night to be a little intoxicated. She was so funny, happy and adorable!

Once the bar closed at 11, most everyone went back to their room for room service (we were all starving) but Steve and I headed back to the lobby area and met some really cool people from Kentucky, so we talked to them for a bit and then we headed back for some room service also and then crashed for the night!!

DR - Day 4 Monday

Monday was wedding day!!! We enjoyed time by the pool and the bar! The boys got some water volleyball time in, which was fun to watch.

We got some drinks and lunch, then had to get ready for pictures at 2 for the wedding at 4! Now let me tell you who the photographer was. ME! The prices at the resort were so high and Brandon knew that I always have my camera and take a lot of pictures....which is 100% true. So I agreed as a 'person with a camera', not a photographer, to take pictures of the wedding with no promises of how they would turn out.

Finding the right lighting was not as easy as I would've thought with the sun....but we managed after a couple different locations.

 After I got the boys, I headed over to the girls to take some pictures of them.

 Then it was wedding time. I knew everyone would have cell phones and Brandon had 2 video cameras so I didn't feel as much pressure! HA!

This was an accidental picture I took when I was moving the video camera as the wedding was over and they were walking back down the aisle.....but I like it!

 Then I took about 3000 pictures after the wedding of everyone.

 The whole gang, minus Kylie and Eric b/c he wasn't feeling well. :(

 Angi, Cari, Sarah, Randi, Kylie and Me!

 Then us with the bride!

We had a good hour or so before dinner so we did some more hanging out drinking and more pictures.....of course!