January 31 - Vegas

ATV Adventure

Every January my company has it's annual National Sales Meeting to review 2017 sales and present new products for 2018. It's our biggest meeting of the year and we rotate between east and west coast. We had a fantastic 2017 so I was looking forward to the meeting. 

This year our meeting was at the Green Valley Ranch Resort in Las Vegas, a few miles off the strip. I arrived Wednesday and had meetings most of the day. One of my co-workers checked in the night before and was given the penthouse suite. So one the highlight of my week was going to see it. Over 4.2k sq ft with 2 bedrooms, 3 marble bathrooms, a piano, full kitchen, Ostrich coach and 95" tv. It was insane! Thursday and Friday morning were spent in meetings all day and then Friday afternoon was what my boss likes to call 'free Friday.' We were able to register for a different activity (golf, TopGolf, go-karting, hike, ATV) and I chose ATV. I've never been on an ATV tour before and it was quite an experience.

Penthouse Suite & the hotel pool

I didn't realize what a workout it would be, my arms (and right thumb) were incredibly sore afterwards. We had 21 people and were divided into a few groups, then followed our guide for about 2 hours. We were in rocky terrain, up and down steeps hills with rocks and some with sand. A completely unique experience!! Friday night I was invited to dinner by our sales agent based out of Redlands, CA. He brought 2 surgeons, a sales reps, some hospital staff and then a few of us from corporate. It was a delicious Italian restaurant off the strip and some of the best food I've even eaten. Yum! After dinner, it was dance time. I met up with some work friends at Umbria, a club at Ceasars, and we danced the night away like we were 21 again. 

Saturday was a day full of meetings and ending with our awards banquet. Then back to Houston at the crack of dawn on Sunday. It was a great work trip but it's great to be back with the family. 

Jillian's first time in her new carseat #notafan

My girls

Luke designed this...complete with chimney, light, 2 windows, door and the ability to mount his iPad

January 23 - Little Monkeys

Jilly sandwich!

Houston was shut down last week for 2-days due to 'winter weather.' It would be easy to laugh at that (I admit, I thought it was ridiculous at first too) but the city really isn't equipped to handle ice on roadways. There was freezing rain most of last Wednesday and it was slippery out there. Jillian was still able to go to Rachel's so I could work, while Julia and Luke were home yet again. To entertain themselves, at one point they were climbing up the door frames like ninja warriors! Then after temperatures in the teens (which I think was a new record low)...we were back up to 70 by the weekend. Crazy Texas weather!

Monkey Boy

Reading time

January 22 - Morning Schedule

I'd like to report that everyone is healthy but.....Julia now has an ear infection and JD has a nasty cold. It's nonstop people, nonstop! In good news, while Jillian is still coughing, her drainage has gotten a lot better. Julia is on day 4 of antibiotics and doing much better, while Luke and I are both healthy. 

So, let's talk about Julia. We've been watching motivational YouTube videos (some on Michael Phelps, some on how hard work beats talent) and she is ready to tackle her 'fitness.' If any of you have seen Julia in recent years, she's a lean, muscle and doesn't need to work on her 'fitness' but hey, those videos really inspired her. Two Thursdays ago, she wrote up a new morning routine for herself and posted it in her room. The next morning, I heard her alarm go off just after 6am. While I was putting in my contacts I heard the back door open. JD was out of town so I couldn't leave the house, but I waited for her downstairs for over 20min. I'd like to point out that it was 30 degrees outside with gusting winds (this run probably contributed to her ear infection). She ran with her iPod blasting K-POP and told me she was 'invigorated' and 'ready to start her day.' I told her that was great but she cannot run by herself at 6am in the morning when it's dark outside. She tried to argue that we have street lights in our neighborhood so it wasn't even dark outside. While true, I told her she had to wait for me or dad to go with her. Last week, there was no running going on with her ear infection and the ice around Houston. This morning though, we started our new 'morning routine' together and went running for 20min before school. Guys-I hate (DESPISE!) running with every fiber of my being. But I LOVE that Julia wants to do this with me. 

Love my original baby bean!

January 15 - Germs, Germs Go AWAY

Happy New Year everyone! We had a quiet NYE at home. JD is what I like to call a "New Years Scrooge" (he thinks any NYE celebration is ridiculous). We usually leave him at home and go to a friend's house. This year I was feeling under the weather so we didn't go anywhere. The kids and I watched a movie and watched a Netflix New Years countdown and I was asleep by midnight. 

Unfortunately, my 'feeling under the weather' turned out to be bronchitis and even though I've been done with antibiotics for over a week now, I'm still coughing. Not fun! Jillian started a bad cold last weekend and after still draining a crazy amount after several days, I took her to the doctor. She tested positive for RSV, which is a bad respiratory infection. She doesn't have a fever and isn't contagious, but she will be draining and coughing for week. Poor thing!

So if anyone is counting...
November: stomach flu x5
December: flu type A x2
January: bronchitis x1 and RSV x1

I have never disinfected my house and done so much laundry in my life. Come on germs, move along. The Yamo's are done being sick!