A funny thing happened on the way home from Vegas

We ran south to get warm this weekend. Turns out Bug is the most agreeable, wonderful road tripping baby ever born. Also, the cutest:

Seriously. Anyway, we headed to Las Vegas to watch Bug's Uncle Big play in a soccer tournament. Normally, Vegas is not my favorite place in the world, but right now any place that is warmer than the place that we live in is my favorite place in the world and I am willing to drive long distances to be in that place. The weather was wonderful, beautiful, phenomenal, remind-me-what-it's-like-to-feel-human-again good. I wore flip flops, and all was right in the world.

Last year, I cried in this hotel. See, exactly one day shy of one year before this picture was taken, Honey Bear and I were in this very hotel. We were headed to Zion's National Park because, like this year, I was furious with the cold and ready to move to Mercury because I hear it's warmer there. I was also desperate to have a baby, and practically ready to move to Mercury to get one. And on Valentine's Day 2009 at the Abbey Inn in Cedar City, Utah, we found out that a tiny Floyd was in my tummy.

This year, Floyd has long since come out of my tummy and grown into Bug. And boy, do we love her.

So, back to the trip.

Bug's Uncle Big is also my little brother, Caden. He is the reason we had an excuse to escape the frigid cold. We love Uncle Big, and here are a few of the reasons why:

Uncle Big bought Bug a rose on her her very first Valentine's Day. Let's all say it together: aaaawwwww!

Bug knows how to be shy and demure when accepting a present. What a lady.

Uncle Big washed the car. Without being asked. TENDER!

Uncle Big is calm and level-headed. He is easy-going with a quick sense of humor. Uncle Big is a team captain, and he is not easily riled or swayed by peer pressure. And, in direct contrast to his very nature, Uncle Big landed his first red card in this weekend's tournament. And boy golly, he did it in extraordinarily flashy, referee-touching, yellow card slapping fashion. What laughs.

Uncle Big is the reason we had an excuse to spend a weekend in the sun. The weekend in the sun also meant a trip to the local Children's Place Outlet, which in turn helped Grammy Lalli justify the purchase of Bug's first swimming suit. Bug looks so stinking cute in her first swimming suit that I can't even generate words for it:

And so all because of Uncle Big, we had a wonderful time in Sin City.

Oh, and now for the funny thing that happened on the way home from Vegas:

Lover Bear and I were playing a rousing game of Would You Rather on the way home when we noticed a vanity plate on a Utah car in front of us: IH8TEXS. Someone must have strong feelings about the Lone Star State to take the time and effort to order a special license plate for all the world to see.

Including, minutes later, the Camry with Texas plates cruising along one lane over.

Ha ha.