Vegas!

20 years ago when I was 10 years old and in the 5th grade, a family moved next door & their realtor told my parents that they had 3 girls that were similar ages to me & my sisters. The weekend they moved in (September 1989) my sisters and I knocked on their door to introduce ourselves to our new neighbors. Lucky for me, the oldest girl was my age! We immediately became the best of friends & hung out everyday. And, I was especially happy to have someone to walk to & from school with!
(Me & AK at a summer camp in middle school. Aren't our fanny packs AWESOME?)
Over the years, Anna-Karin (also known as AK) and I were inseparable. We were BFF's. Best Friends Forever! You want proof? Here is a Best Friend Pact we made when we were in 7th grade.
(click to enlarge & read. It is pretty funny)

I was so lucky having my best friend live next door. I always had someone to hang out with after school. We had countless sleepovers, play cards & games all day and have competitions to see who could read books fastest. I liked sleeping over at her house because she they had crushed ice and tubs of Red Vines. She liked sleeping over at my house because my mom let us sleep in (her mom wouldn't let us sleep past 8am....brutal!)

Not only was I lucky to have AK live next door to me, but I was even luckier when we both decided on the same college! I got a soccer scholarship to the University of Colorado. AK went there also because she loved skiing & her dad lived in Colorado so she got in-state tuition! We decided not to be roommates our freshman year because we wanted to be able to meet new people. We chose to live in the same dorm & we were thrilled when the room assignments came out. My dorm room was directly below her dorm room & we had the same RA!

AK and I have been so lucky to share so many life events together. We both married people from our hometowns & we got married within 2 months of each other (and of course we were bridesmaids in eachother's weddings) We experienced miscarriages within weeks of eachother. We have gotten to be pregnant together, twice! She had her 1st son, Will 4 months before I had Kate. With our 2nd kids, we had the same due date! I had Claire on September 9th & she had Connor on September 12th! We have already decided that her boys will marry my girls so we can be in-laws. AK & her family live in Colorado (she never moved back after college), but I am grateful that we still get to see them several times a year when they visit family (and us!) in California.

Last week was AK's 30th birthday, and her husband organized a trip to Vegas for us to celebrate her birthday. We had a great time, here are some pictures of our trip:

Friday night, champagne toast in our hotel. AK & her husband Greg:

AK & I:

Kevin and I at the Bellagio water show:

This is the closest I have been to France.
(the eiffel tower at the Paris Paris Hotel)

In the limo that Johnny got us...he is over the top...ALWAYS!

On Saturday we walked around the strip & walked through some of the hotels. We stopped in the Veneitian Hotel for Coffee Bean, my favorite!!

Greg, AK, Kevin & I in front of the canal at the Venetian.
The closest I have been to Venice. *sigh*

View of Las Vegas Blvd during the day:

In the afternoon, the guys went to the roller coaster at the Stratosphere:
While they were on that, AK, Erika and I stayed on the strip & went shopping. As we were walking back to the hotel, guess who we ran into?
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.
.
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That's right people.
The one and only JERRY SPRINGER.
Of course, I love stars (even D List stars. haha!), and I told AK we HAD to get our picture with him, and he let us!

He was surprisingly very nice! He was in Vegas because he was taping America's Got Talent at the Planet Hollywood Hotel.
After our encounter with Jerry, we met the guys back at New York, New York to go on the roller coaster there! It was SO much fun. I LOVE roller coasters!
Here is a fun picture of the roller coaster that I took as we were crossing the street:

Then it was time to get ready for dinner & then go to a Cirque de Solie show!

It was fun getting all dressed up!

Me & Kev:

Really Blurry picture that a stranger took of us. oh well!

Johnny had some of the cast members from the show take a picture with AK & I since it was her birthday!

We had a fun time in Vegas, and were there for less than 48 hours! It was a whirlwind trip, but we had a great time!
Happy 30th Birthday AK! I am so glad we got to help you celebrate. Thank you for being such an amazing friend to me for the past 20 years. I am blessed to have you in my life! Just move back to California, please!