Vegas

Wow, it's been a crazy week getting caught up on everything after my Vegas trip. I finally have a few minutes to sit here and post about it! I had SO much fun! It was so nice getting away for a few days (kid-free!) and just having fun.

We headed up Thursday morning. We got in to Vegas at about 4-ish, I guess, I don't really remember. We stayed at the Rio that first night. Let me say, the room was HUGE! I'm used to staying in Motel 6 type places so this was a big treat for me! We at dinner at the buffet at the Luxor. It was pretty good. I got my fill of prime rib (my favorite - YUM!). Then we walked around a little. We went to New York, New York, Mandalay Bay, Excalibur... I'm not even sure where else. We saw where Rascal Flatts filmed the video for Me and My Gang.
Then we went back to the Rio and crashed.

Friday morning we got up and had brunch at the buffet at the Bellagio. It was very nice. We walked around the Bellagio and checked out the Chinese New Year display they have.

Then we went to the local Walmart to get sign making supplies for the concert. Then we went and checked in at the Paris. The room was a lot smaller but was nicer, IMO. The Paris is such a beautiful hotel! We spent the afternoon and evening in the room making our signs then we went out for a late night dinner at Raffles Cafe at the Mandalay Bay. I had a prime rib sandwich... did I mention that prime rib is my favorite? LOL! Then we stalked (lol) the valet parking lot hoping to catch Rascal Flatts on their way in from Salt Lake City but we didn't. Oh well!! We got back to the room late (like 3am) and crashed.

Saturday we got up and got dressed up for the show. We had a long day ahead of us and we weren't going to be coming back to the room until after the show. We had lunch at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. I wasn't too impressed with the menu. I just got a salad and we shared these yummy gorgonzola cheese fries. Then we got in line at the convention center at about 1:00. The doors didn't open till 7:00 but we had to be there early to line up for pit passes. It was a looooong afternoon to say the least! But it was all worth it in the end when we got our pit passes!

Now, if you've been in the pit at a Rascal Flatts concert, you know that usually passes for Joe Don's side go like hot cakes and usually it isn't a problem getting passes for Jay's side. Well, apparently there were a lot of friends and family of the band attending this show and Jay's pit was designated as the friends and family pit. So by the time I got up to the table, there were only passes for Joe Don's side available. I was a little bummed, to say the least. So we got to Joe Don's pit and Belle was over on Jay's side all by herself. She sweet talked the security guard into letting us switch sides so we went over to Jay's side and all was good with the world (for now...).

The show started and Kellie Pickler came on stage. She was pretty good. I don't really know any of her songs so it was kind of boring... But her show in itself was good. American Idol was there to tape a couple of her songs to air on the show. The night started to take a downward turn when I was videoing one of her songs and the security guard told me I couldn't take video, only pictures. :( I have NEVER been told that before. I was so bummed...

Kellie finished up and it was time for the guys to come out!! They were awesome as always!! Of course I was bummed that I couldn't take any video - I especially wanted the new songs: Still Feels Good, No Reins and Bob That Head - but on the other hand, it was kind of nice to be able to pay more attention to the show instead of videoing. I got hand grabs from Gary, Joe Don and Jim (the drummer). Jonathan (the guitarist) threw a pick into the pit (for a specific girl) and it landed by my foot. I was going to pick it up and give it to her but he threw her another one so I kept the first one.

Then, the highlight of my night... I had made a sign for Jay asking for a pick.

I was kind of chicken to hold it up so finally during the last song of the encore I knew it was now or never. So I held it up as he walked down the catwalk. He saw it but kept walking... So I held it up again when he walked back up the catwalk. Again, he saw it but kept going and walked over to his side of the main stage. Then I put the sign down because I figured he already saw it so either he was going to give me one or he wasn't - I didn't want to seem like I was begging. So he stood there at the corner of the main stage and the catwalk just kind of looking at me with this look on his face like "well, do you want it or not?" LOL! Then he walked over to me and handed me one. THUD!!! I was so excited!! I finally got my Jay pick!!
Someone actually got it on video too! If you skip to the last 30 seconds of the video (at the very beginning of Life Is A Highway) you can see Jay leaning down into the pit... he's handing me the pick!

Rascal Flatts Mandalay Bay Las Vegas 2008

Then the show was over and we tried to go back to the buses but were stopped by security. Oh well! We went up to some friends' room at Mandalay Bay and hung out for a while then hit the McD's drive through on the way back to the hotel. We got back at about 3:30 or so, ate and crashed.

Sunday morning we checked out and then went to the brunch buffet at the Rio. It was huge and very good. Then we headed home. We got back in at about 5:00 or so.

So that was my Vegas adventure! I can't wait to do Northern California next month!! And then we possibly will be going back to Vegas in May for the ACM awards. We'll see if I can swing that one or not, lol.