Clear Lake: Day 2

I love the vacations where you can do things on your own time! Eat, sleep, swim, read, whenever you want! If you feel like having a nap, GO FOR IT!
This type of vacation is pure relaxing.

We all started our day rolling out of bed whenever we felt like it. While I was writing to you yesterday, my brother had the urge to make mouth-watering apple pancakes!

He started with some regular pancake batter and added cinnamon, sugary apple slices.

Added a little goodness (butter) on top.

Once it was almost cooked, he popped it in the oven for a minute just to be sure.

They were delicious and didn't even need anything on top!

As we were stuffing our faces, the sun warmed up and we all headed outside.

Came back for a little lunch.

Later that evening, my brother, Mom and I went for a chilly dip!

We ended the night with a game of Rummy and a glass of wine.

Family Holiday: Clear Lake

And I am onto another vacation! 

It has been a fabulous summer and it's not over yet! My family rented a cabin in Riding Mountain National Park, Clear Lake. It is a gem in Southwestern Manitoba. The beautiful lake, quaint community and thick forests make this park a relaxing getaway!

We arrived here last night. After we whipped together a quick meal, we went for a walk around the town. 

This morning we lazed around drinking tea and coffee by the fireplace!

I used an interesting app on the iPhone to quickly edit this picture above. 

(If you are wanting to try it, it's called Pixlormatic.)

There'll be more to come from Clear Lake!

Vegas: Last Day :(

On our last day, we hit up one more buffet for breakfast, wondered around Caesars Palace shops and sipped on another tasty frozen margarita. Just before our flight home, we squeezed in one last Vegas show, Absinthe. Absinthe is a comedic burlesque show with amazing acrobatics! 

And then we were headed home...

Vegas: Day 3

We started another day at the pool finding a release from the unrelenting heat!

 

As the day went on we took a stroll and found these lifesavers! $5 frozen margaritas at Rockin Tacos! They were a perfect way to keep us cool as we walked down the Strip. 

The Cosmopolitan Hotel has these gorgeous chandeliers that I just had to take pictures of!

Instead of heading to yet another buffet for dinner, we went to this Thai food restaurant in our hotel, Lemongrass. It was a modern restaurant, the service was great and very quick, and the food was delicious!!

We had the Black Pepper Udon Dish...

...and another dish, but the name has slipped my mind.

They were both so delicious that we kept swapping plates!

After dinner, I had to get my dessert fix and I had been eyeing up this pastry place in our hotel called Jean Philippe Patisserie. So I got myself a cute little box from Jean Philippe!

And in the box...

 A beautifully designed Red Velvet Cupcake!

And boy, was it amazing!

The amazing dessert was followed by a fantastic show at Monte Carlo Hotel. JABBAWOCKEEZ!!!

It was such an inspiring show!

Vegas Day 2

After a fabulous first day in Vegas, we started the second day at the pool soaking up the sun and cooling off in the pool.

We met up with some friends who were in Vegas at the same time! While the guys went to gamble, us two girls went to the spa in Caesars Palace! We bathed in the Roman Baths, heated up in the cedarwood sauna and steam room, and then cooled off in the arctic room! It was amazing how soft my skin felt!

After all of the pampering, we meet up with the guys and headed to another buffet for dinner.

I couldn't resist these delicious desserts - dessert coma #2!

Dress - TJ Maxx

We walked off our overly full stomachs, exploring the Paris hotel! We also discovered a great invention - individual sized wine bottles!

Vegas Day 1

After driving seven hours back from Minneapolis, we jetted off to Vegas the next day to continue our holiday! The heat washed over us the second we stepped out of the airport in Vegas. And the heat lasted the whole trip at 42 degrees!

We walked into our beautiful hotel room in the Aria hotel and the curtains opened automatically looking out at the Vegas Strip!

We ate at our hotels buffet and went into a dessert coma! Then, we spent the first night walking the strip, going in and out of the hotels escaping the almost unbearable heat.

Minneapolis Part 2 - Consigning Pros

And the shopping continues...

The last two days of shopping before heading home are intense!

Saturday is our biggest day - our consignment day! 

This day is all about buying, selling and trading. In preparation, we put together all of our "unwanted" clothes. You know the clothes that are a little tight, don't fit anymore or the ones that you just don't wear. Before we sell, we organize the "unwanted" clothes into low, medium, high and emergency piles. Low clothes are ones that aren't brand name and are more worn. Medium clothes are also slightly worn clothes. High clothes are brand names clothes that are well kept. And finally, emergency clothes are designer, good brand name, well kept, and sometimes still tagged clothes. Emergency clothes are also clothes that are guaranteed to sell.

Once they are organized into low, medium, high and emergency, we then put a few items from each pile into bags. We always keep our emergency items to the side just in case we find a lot of things we want to buy at these consignment stores.

After all of this preparation we are ready to go CONSIGN!!

There are three main consignment stores that we go to in Minneapolis: Buffalo Exchange, Everyday People and My Sister's Closet!! Our favourite being Buffalo Exchange!

Here are some of the clothes that I bought with the money I made from selling my clothes!

 This is a dress that I bought from Buffalo Exchange. Orginally from Forever 21. It has it's original tag on $24.95 and I got it for $11!

A green silk ruffle dress.

A gorgeous gold detailed Ann Loft top.

A soft pink Express top with original price tag $49.95. I got it for $8!

These were only some of the pieces that I bought that day! 

Sunday we spent at the Mall of America and Ikea getting some last chance shopping in...like we needed to do anymore shopping! And then we drove home.

It is an amazing shopping trip and a fabulous time with friends, no wonder we go every year!