multiplying like rabbits

... because they are rabbits. Living in a new 'hood in the hills overlooking Las Vegas, we're no strangers to wild animals. Each evening, as the summer sun sets, little bats swoop in the skies above our house, quail run about the bushes, roadrunners run down the street and, luckily only on rare occasions, a coyote is spotted in the darkness of night. We know why the coyotes are here -- it's all those little rabbits! I'm sure they make for a tasty buffet for those coyotes.

What started out as a few cute little cotton-tailed bunny rabbits in our bushes and hopping along the sidewalks and in the grass, has blossomed into a rather large, and still growing, colony of rabbits in a very short amount of time. After all, rabbits do have a reputation for their promiscuity and resulting baby booms. I've seen a lot of babies lately, who will undoubtedly grow to be horny teenagers in the matter of months.

Z-Dub loves those little rabbits. During our evening walks he often counts how many he spots. He used to see one of two, now it's about a dozen at a time. He loves to try to get up close before they dart off.

So why does it appear that I'm complaining about these little harmless animals. Well, I have a few -- first, I hate avoiding their poop pellets during walks; second, the more bunnies, the more coyotes. I think they like to eat little dogs (watch out Lola) and little kids (watch out Z-Dub); and finally, you already know of my issues with two cartoon rabbits. It's like they're f%&king with me.

random post about weather and a contest

Like my uber-creative title? I know...it sucks. It's Wednesday and I'm already burnt out from my week, so don't make fun of it.

On to the post. Is it me or is the weather getting freaky? Just two days ago it was in the mid-80s here in Las Vegas. Then the winds came again (they've been a pain in the ass this year) and the weather chilled. Today is supposed to only reach 58. Even more shocking was the fact that when I stepped out the door this morning to head to work it was snowing. Seriously...frickin' snowing in Vegas in mid-April. There's something very wrong with that.

Even more surprising is the fact that the weather predictors are forecasting 90-degree temps by the end of the weekend. It's quite a roller coaster ride going from warm to cold to hot all in the span of a few days. Although I'm not a fan of the cold, I'm definitely not looking forward to the hot weather. I'd like a few weeks in the 70s, like in California. We're going to try to hit Disneyland again next weekend. Hopefully the weather will be perfect.

Speaking of California, the folks over at UpTake are having a contest. You can win a Napa Valley spa vacation for you and three friends. Check out the details here. It's actually really easy to enter, so you'd be a fool not to. I would, if I could. HotMomma would love some girl time in Napa Valley.

spring is in the air and wine is in the glass

It's that time of year again -- the air is warm and the sun is shining. It's spring, our favorite time of year here in the desert. It's time to enjoy outdoor eating and activities in the park.

It also means it's almost time for UNLVino. For those of you unfamiliar with this annual Las Vegas wine tasting event, it's a must attend if you're here in mid-April. Let's just say the wine is flowing and everybody lets loose and has a great time. I wrote an article about it for Uptake.com. Check it out. If you're from a land afar, you may want to book your flight and hotel reservations today and join us for a couple of days of drinkin'.

Money raised at the event supports my alma mater and they need all the money they can get these days.

wordless wednesday: dressed to impress

Anchoring the news on a Saturday night in Las Vegas.

the camera loves him, and so do the girls

Much like Mr. Lady's beautiful daughter, 3of3, Z-Dub had an opportunity to model some threads for RedSparks.com, the Web site where you'll find clothing and accessories for the cool kids. Of course, the camera loving Z-Dub had a blast taking photos, and I think I had equal fun taking them. It was great, creative, father-son bonding time.

We explored gritty downtown Las Vegas on Saturday for an urban backdrop amongst the homeless, hookers and drug dealers. I know, a little too urban for kids clothing, but I thought it was a good environment. Please don't call CPS. On Sunday we went a little more wholesome with photos at the upscale District at Green Valley Ranch, a park and our neighborhood. We literally took more than 200 photos and I don't know which RedSparks.com will be using, but here are a few unedited shots for your viewing pleasure.

The urban collection:

The wholesome boy:

By the way, the shirt and pants provided to Z-Dub for the photos were really cool. He really, really liked them. In fact, on Sunday night he had a bit of a tantrum when we tried to remove them for shower time.

get tugged for a $1000

No, I'm not offering any services. It's actually an offer on a billboard off I-215 in Las Vegas. I've mentioned before in written descriptions of my blog about balancing family life in the land of sexy billboards. It seems lately that the balancing act is becoming more difficult as new and very explicit billboards have popped up all over town. One porn company in particular has several billboards along the freeway offering cash to "get tugged," "co-star," "show us your package," etc. You get the picture.

I'm so not looking forward to the day when Z-Dub and The Deuce learn to read. I can already imagine the conversations in the car...

"Daddy, that girl on the sign has her hands in that guy's pants. What does it mean to 'get tugged'?"

"Oh, I think they're going to have a tug-war-competition. That girl is just making sure the guy's pants are buttoned, so they don't fall off during the competition."

"I want to get paid $1,000 to pay tug-of-war. I'm good at that game."

"Not today son."

or

"Look daddy, they'll pay you $1,000 to show them your packages. I have a package in the back of the car. We should show them and make some money."

"I don't think think your package is big enough...yet."

Here are some of the many signs.

I'll also have to explain what a gentleman's club is.

Raising a family in Vegas is interesting.

P.S. - I didn't doctor the photos to remove the phone number, so I guess feel free to call and make arrangements to "get tugged," if that's your thing or if you need the money. These are tough times, yo.

a swanky new hang out

Living in Las Vegas is great. We're home to world-class resorts, restaurants, night clubs, shopping, etc. It truly is a playground for grown-ups. Not so much for kids though. Which brings me to the point of this post. We have a brand new resort/casino/spa opening up this weekend just a stone's throw away from our home. We've watched its construction from when it was just a desert lot nearly two years ago to now. It's a truly impressive property featuring a lot of great amenities. We can't wait to hang out there.

I wrote an article about it for Uptake.com. Check it out.

mommy and daddy need a break

Valentine's Day wasn't very special this year. We just had too much going on. That, and we had family visiting as well. So to make up for it, I've made plans for a special Sunday evening with the exceptionally hot HotMomma. The reservations are made and arrangements are made to pawn the kids off with family.

It's not a secret, so I'll share. We'll first be getting a couples massage here.

We'll follow that up with dinner here.

I can't wait. Not only will it provide a relaxing and romantical evening for me and my girl. It will also provide some material for Uptake. I've been slackin' a bit with my writing. My day job has been horrifically busy, leaving me incredibly exhausted in the evening. All I've wanted to do is sleep.

I think this late Valentine's Day celebration will be rejuvenating.

wow...he actually wrote something

I finally found time to do some writing that has nothing to do with my day job. Unfortunately, it's not for this blog, but instead for the other one I write for, Uptake.com .

Actually, I'm excited about the subject of my latest piece. It's about the Dam Short Film Festival in Boulder City. It's coming up in a couple of weeks and will feature 124 short films from indy filmmakers from Nevada and around the world. Check out the article and perhaps you'll want to go.

And on a side note, because I know you'll find it funny, The Deuce peed on my new cell phone last night. It still works, but it has an odor.

a surreal morning

vegas snow pics

Snowfall is so extremely rare here in Las Vegas, so when it started accumulating it was a total surprise. They shut down my work at 3 p.m. and I arrived home at 4 p.m. By that time more than four inches of white powder blanketed our neighborhood. It's a remarkable site. The National Weather Service has issued a snow advisory for Las Vegas until 4 a.m. They expect up to eight inches overnight. With no snow plows or salt or whatever they do to clear the roads, I don't think I'll rush to work in the morning.

Anyways, here's the incredible pictures of our front yard and home.

Our neighborhood as the snow began to fall. Z-Dub sees snow for the very first time in his life.

Z-Dub and his friends play in the snow.

At around 2 p.m. a lot of snow began to accumulate.

Here's our home and neighborhood at just around 4 p.m.

HotMomma and VegasDad in the snow.

Our patio. The giant bush in the back is actually a tree that fell due to the weight of the snow.

As the sun begin to set.

I'm going to venture out and get some more snowy pictures with Christmas lights later.

This is so cool. Like I mentioned earlier, this is the first time in our lives that we've experienced snowfall. It's fun, but no fun to drive in.

----------------------------------------------------

7 p.m. Update - Nighttime descends and the snow continues. Of course, it was time to venture out and see the lights.

not in our 'hood

Yesterday was stormy here in Las Vegas. We got a winter blast, courtesy of Alaska, that brought rain and snow to the area. On the west side of Las Vegas residents were treated to several inches of white powder that actually stuck. On our side (extreme southeast) we weren't as fortunate. And that is despite our high elevation. I was hoping Z-Dub would have a chance to play in the snow.

Regardless, we did wake up to a spectacular view this morning. A ring of white encircles the entire valley. I, unfortunately, did not have an opportunity to capture a picture of it as I rushed off to work. Luckily Gini from the Tao of Gini did. She lives in our area of town. Check out her picture of the west side with the Red Rock Canyon and the Spring Mountains in the background. Incredible!!!

pardon this commercial interruption

Congrats to UpTake.com for becoming the largest travel search engine on the Internets in just six months. For those of you that haven't checked it out, it's a great site for getting information, reviews and opinions about vacations destinations, hotels, motels, camping, beaches, spas, golf courses, attractions and restaurants. It's kind of a one-stop-shop for all things travel.

As many of you are aware, because I keep mentioning it, I've been contributing to UpTake's blog for the past couple of weeks, providing information for family vacations in Las Vegas and the sourrounding region. I'm very excited to have a very, very small part in such a successful venture. I'd have a big part, but I'd probably screw it up. That's why they have the genius of Whit instead.
Feel free to check out the site and/or the posts I've written:

History and Adventure in Boulder City
Las Vegas Aquariums Showcase Exotic Marine Life
Celebrate Veteran's Day Weekend at Aviation Nation
Explore the Natural Side of Las Vegas

las vegas aquatic

Sharks, sting rays, dolphins, Jelly fish and tropical fish all live in Las Vegas. I know what you're thinking --how so given that Las Vegas is located in a giant sandy, desert wasteland? Well, I wrote an article at Uptake.com explaining it all. You should check it out. Seriously, I know you're intrigued.

where's fall?

Here in Las Vegas normally Halloween, and the week heading up to it, is quite cool. I remember several years where it was down right cold. Apparently this year "Global Warming" has kicked into high gear. Check out this 10-day forecast:

After a long, hot summer we were eager for fall temperatures. I'm tired of wearing shorts and sandals. I want to wear a comfy sweater.

I know...quit complaining.

Also, I can't frickin' believe I just posted about the weather. My kid better do something funny soon.

Oh, that reminds me. Z-Dub did shock me the other day when I accidently left the dog out in the front yard for nearly an hour. I was calling out her name as I searched the house when suddenly Z-Dub blurted out "Where's that f%#kin' dog!"

I would never say anything like that. Where'd he learn it?

weekend randomness

Here's comes a lot of randomness...

We got all into Skype this weekend. My brother introduced me to it last weekend, so we decided to register and invest in a new, though not too expensive, web cam. We got HotMomma's sister and her family in California all signed up as well. We all had a blast "seeing" each other all weekend long. Z-Dub is particularly amazed at seeing his cousins on the computer screen while talking to them. It freaked him out a little bit at first, but he quickly got on board with it and was waving at the screen. It sure saved us on long distance charges since we used it to make most of our calls. Cool!

Potty training continued this weekend. We had three peeing accidents on the floor and no toilet success. Bribing has failed thus far. We're going to have to change our strategy a bit. On a brighter note, Z-Dub may actually make an honest politician one day.

Let's see, what else? Oh, on Saturday we went to our neighborhood's Fall Festival Extravaganza. It was a good time with a lot of free food. We love free food. Here's a pic of Z-Dub and his chick, Tallulah. And, yes, his shirt says "My Daddy's A Stud Too!"

And finally, thanks to Whit, I'm now writing for the blog at UpTake.com, a really cool travel search and discovery site. I'm covering family vacations in the Las Vegas area. Yep, you heard me, family vacations in the City of Sin. Most of our readers are probably well aware that the mega casinos tried to push family travel back in the 90's, building theme parks and other attractions that appeal to families. The concept was later abandoned and Las Vegas reverted back to it's more lucrative focus on adult debauchery. However, many people still bring their families here for vacation. I'll be writing about some of the things they might enjoy during their visit.

Check out my first post here. Please feel free to leave a comment on the site and let me know what you think.

And, finally, Chuck Westbook has put together a coalition of bloggers with a mission to draw attention to great, but overlooked, blogs. Check it out and see if you want to be part of it. It's a novel idea.

seein' stars

I know in writing this I'm going appear as though I'm bragging. But guess what? I don't care. Why? Because I'm so frickin' excited.

On Monday night HotMomma and I will be hobnobbing with stars of sports and entertainment at the Greg Maddux Celebrity Dinner at the Venetian. It's being held in conjunction with the Greg Maddux Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament happening here in Las Vegas on Sunday through Tuesday.*

The best part of it is we don't have to pay the $2,500 per person ticket price. Yep, it cost that much. Could you imagine spending $5,000 for dinner? We got a special comped invitation.

*I wonder how Mr. Maddux would have juggled this event and work if the Dodgers had made it to the World Series. I guess we'll never know.

random act of posting

First and foremost, I would like to apologize to all my friends in bloggerland for not being a good friend and visiting your blogs over the past few days. My work was insanely busy last week and continues like that this week. I anticipate the craziness to last until the end of the month. Hopefully I won't crack.

For those of you interested in knowing what the surprise was on Saturday for HotMomma's birthday, I took her to see Cirque du Soleil's O at Bellagio. We had prime seats. It was an awesome show.

I also lost her license that night, so she has to go to the dreaded DMV today to get a new one. And, yes, I'm catching a lot of flack for it.

HotMomma hits the 30 week mark this week. We're in the home stretch. Despite the fast approaching due date, we've done absolutely nothing to prepare. We haven't pre-registered at the hospital. We haven't bought even one baby item. Don't get me wrong, we're equally excited about arrival of The Fetus as we were with Z-Dub, but I think it's just different the second time around. There isn't that eager anticipation and anxiety that comes with expecting the first born. Besides, we don't have much to get because we have all of Z-Dub's stuff. That's the advantage of having another boy.

Speaking of The Fetus, he has a real name now. For the blog it will be Z-Jay. If you want to know it, just let me know in a comment and I'll e-mail you.

Completely changing the subject...I really wish Southern Nevada had better resources for recycling. We try to recycle whatever we can, but they only pick up every other week and their containers are small. We'd like to recycle EVERYTHING that's recyclable, but they prevent us from doing so.

HotMomma would like everyone to help out with this. She's very passionate about stopping pervs.

And here's the speed round:

....Z-Dub still hasn't pottied in the toilet at home...We're going to San Diego this weekend...I'm going to Salt Lake City on Oct. 6...I should stop typing now and leave for work.

a weekend in photos

Z-Dub and Chi-Lo watching some television.

Z-Dub tries on his new bike helmet.

Putting his helmet to work.

Z-Dub and his Grandma at a fountain in front of Bellagio.

In awe.

Grandma and Z-Dub ride the gondola at the Venetian.

Out after an eventful day. Chi-Lo was tired too, even though she stayed home all day.

I got an infection (I think pink eye) in my left eye. I can't wear my contacts and I'm literally blind without them. The strength of my glasses is so strong that I can't even function in them. Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself.

a cool concept?

Grab a parka and gloves and get ready to freeze your 'nads off while shivering your way through a cocktail or two. At least that's what may happen if you become a patron of Minus 5 Bar, a truly unique bar/lounge experience that undoubted falls in the category of "only in Vegas," although it got its start Down Under. Those Kiwis are crazy.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal described the concept in an article on Thursday. To sum up, it's a bar completely made of ice. It's kept at 23 degrees Fahrenheit and guest pay $30 to rent parkas and gloves. This is to prevent hypothermia I surmise. It's touted as the "coolest place to hang out in the desert!" I'm intrigued. But here are a couple of thoughts:

1. Extreme cold can cause some serious shrinkage of certain male body parts, so it may cause some embarrasment for guys looking to score (i.e. "Don't laugh! It's cold!").
2. How can single guys and girls check out each other if they're covered in bulky parkas?
3. Hot chicks + cold weather = high beams. But, again, too bad they'll be covered up with the parkas.
4. Going to and from 23 degrees Fahrenheit and 110 can cause quite a shock to the body. Be prepared for post-party illness in addition to a hangover.
5. Remember the flagpole scene from "A Christmas Story." I triple dog dare you. For reals.

Despite these, I still think we'll check it out. It sounds "cool."