VEGAS BABY!!!!!

The count down has been on for months and the day finally arrived...We are on our way to Las Vegas for a 4 day weekend and in the Wildhog fashion...it wasn't as smooth as one might think...

Let's see...oh we had a plan...Wednesday, August 12, everyone would met at our house for a little kick off party and to make it easier for everyone in the morning...Kemper, Emma and I would ride to the airport with Monica and Dusty and share the cost of parking. That would have worked out well...but...on Thursday morning as we were loading the truck, Dusty started the truck engine and closed the door...well...wouldn't you know, it locked, all the doors...yep with the engine going...we need to leave in like 10 minutes...so after a few minutes with Kemper and Dusty trying to jimmy the locks, with no luck (man this is a secure truck)...Garlan tried On-Star...
EXPIRED...so with no more time to spare...we left Monica and Dusty at our house with their locked truck with the motor running...to call a wrecker and hope for the best...hopefully they will make the flight.

I was so upset...no one could really know how important it was to me that they make this flight...In the airport, I'm calling Monica every few minute with their status...finally they are on their way...the airport is of course crowded with last minute summer travelers with their kids and grandma in tow... Me, Kemper, Emma, Terri and Garlan are there in plenty of time...we make our way to the gate and wait...I'm watching and hoping Monica and Dusty get there...they gotta get there. The flight boards...we get on...no Monica and Dusty...I see mom board the plane she spots me in the back and nods...they made it!!!! I instantly start to cry...the trip would not be the same without my Mon there.

The flight was good and exciting...Kemper and I were tired...maybe a little stressed...we'd had WAY too much wine the night before...but we are more sure of this trip than we'd ever been...except for if we could pull off our plan...without exposing our dirty little secret that we'd been keeping for so long...we knew it would require a few more small lies before the day was out. Emma has been in on it for some time...she was seated on the plane next to Terri and Garlan...Emma is not very good at keeping secrets...so that was an added level of stress, that she'd slip. I told Kemper about Monica hanging out in our bedroom the night before while I was still shuffling stuff around...and our rings were right there...I finally made her leave the room...leading her to believe I had packed something she couldn't handle seeing, true, but not what she was thinking...30 minutes til we land...oh the anxiety...the plane is descending....wait we are going back up and increasing speed...during the whole flight this guy across the aisle from us had been sick...he got up about 10 minutes into the flight with his barf bag in his hand, went the to restroom never to be seen again...at this point the flight attendants are giving him 30 seconds or they are coming in...we are about to land...finally somehow...and some seat rearranging...he comes out so we can land...so we thought...WE are coming in...wow, we are coming in fast...OMG!!! I have never landed going this fast before...whew...made it...oh look the Ambulance is here to get Pukie McPukerson...
NOT...the runway is lined with Fire truck's and Ambulance's...at last the Pilot comes on and announces that we came in "HOT" because the flaps didn't work. What? We nearly crashed??? The Fire truck's and Ambulance's are there because we could have had a CRASH landing????? Well that would have just been DANDY wouldn't it???!!!! But we didn't, move on...


We get off the plane, Kemper and I wait for Monica and Dusty...Monica was a wreck...it had been a rough morning so far! We took our shuttle to the hotel New York New York Las Vegas...we're starving...let's get checked in and find food. Kemper and I have been depriving ourselves of much food in anticipation of a New York Hotdog. Kemper, Mom and I had hotdogs and the rest of the gang went to the deli...after lunch everyone went to their room to get their luggage and get settled in and we'd meet back up later...There was no time for luggage or settling for Kemper and I...We'd ordered and had shipped to the Hotel, a case of wine from Pahrump Valley Winery with personalized labels saying "Bottled Exclusively in Celebration of Kemper and Kim Modlin August 14, 2009" this was to be placed in everyone's rooms while we were out this afternoon, so we had to pick it up get it bagged and take them back down for delivery. Then...Kemper and I have to tell another lie...Our story...we are going to take a cab to meet one of Kemper's "clients" for a drink, shouldn't take long we'll be back and catch up with everyone...the truth...we are going to get our Marriage Licence, we take a cab there...like 15 minutes away...we get our licence takes like 15 minutes...crap...that didn't really take long enough to have drinks with a client...if we go back now...we'll have to tell more lies...so we hangout on Freemont Street for awhile...get a drink...Kemper gambles $2 and wins $20...we get another drink...do a little shopping Mom buys us all champagne glasses so we can drink our wine in the limo on the way to the winery for the wedding.

See how great things work out in your head...like butter!...right...hang on, this is the Wildhog Blog...

We are back at our hotel...calling around trying to hook up with everyone again...we all connect and meet up with Monica and Dusty who have at some point found this place called "Dick's" and had purchased a 100oz drink for $37 (I think)...oh my...Monica's not much of a drinker...but all in fun!!

We walk around and visit several hotels...just looking, that day we went to the Luxor, Excalibar, Mandalay Bay...just looking...they are all so cool...at the Luxor, Criss Angel has about 100 of his favorite motorcycles on display...so we spent some time looking at those...the boys thought Criss Angel was really just bragging by the time we'd seen so many VERY cool motorcycles...I think they probably were just experiencing some envy.

While walking through one of the hotels Monica is teasing Kemper and I as we pass a Wedding Chapel..."he ya go Kemper...now's your chance"...we just laughed her off...little did she know. By now Monica's voice is getting louder (yep louder) and little more shrill...and she's talking more...(yeah more)...but she's having a blast with her BIG ASS DRINk..."so what happens in Vegas"...nah...never mind...this drink was SUPPOSED to last all day...or at least that's what the toothless wonder bar tender said...but Monica and Dusty have all but finished it in about 4 maybe 5 hours...WE gotta eat!!!

We're wandering around...buffets aren't as popular in Vegas now as they once were...so we're trying to decide what we can all eat...we decide Chinese food...Chin Chin Café in the NY NY Hotel...it was yummy...before we were served, Monica had to give the wait staff a play by play of the events of our day...Kemper and I were excited about everyone going to their room to change clothes or whatever...to go out again in the night life...and knowing that the wine would be in their room and our secret would be out and we could relax a bit...in our room we wait...we wait for someone to call and say "are you serious????" we wait...nothing...finally mom calls and says my wine isn't here...great...so now it's like 8:30...Terri and Garlan have already gone downstairs...I'm calling frantic to the front desk...Kemper is running up and down just trying to find out where the wine is...then is comes back to the room with the wine in the cute little bags with their instructions for in the morning...still...no one knows...I call Monica and they are too drunk to come back out...they are going to bed...they can't go to bed before they know what the plan is for in the morning...

okay...plan B...we'll put the wine in front of their door and ding, dong, ditch them...nothing...they didn't come to the door...do it again...NOTHING...

Finally...I call Monica and say we left you a package by your door, go get the stupid thing...in just a few minutes...Monica is chasing down the hotel hall we can hear her giggle and she catches us at the elevator and says...."ARE YOU SERIOUS???"

Now during all this Terri called Kemper and caught some of his frustration...she didn't know what the hell that was all about...so he was sure he'd upset her and was sick about it...so we'll carry their bottle with us and catch up to the at the Bellagio...when we found them...Kemper apologized to Terri and gave she and Garlan the bag, they read the bag and look at us both and say......."ARE YOU SERIOUS???"...okay...done...not exactly as we planned...but it's out...the plan is in place...

Day 2...really???...just day 2?

Our Wedding Day!!!
Kemper and I are up really early...we need coffee so we are getting dressed and Kemper goes down to get us coffee...no one else is really up and about just yet. While waiting for time for the limo Kemper and I hang out in the casino just killing time. Brad (our driver) calls he will be here at 9:30...cool...it's 9 am now so Kemper and I cash out our machine and go get dressed. We meet everyone outside at about 9:25...the limo is already here...a beautiful white super stretch. This is so cool!!! Everyone is beautifully dressed...just as if they may have suspected there might be such an event.

We load into the Limo, wine in tow. Dusty does the honors of opening a bottle and we all share it...we toast to the day and to great fun and friends.

The trip to the Winery was about an hour or so...we drove through the desert and Red Rock Canyon. Garlan had to use the restroom so Brad stopped at some little biker bar dive...heehee...that was fun for Garlan...ever see PeeWee's Big adventure? We could all imagine Garlan on the bar doing the tequila dance, just trying to escape. It was all good...they let him go.

Oh I forgot to mention that Pahrump is best known for it's chicken ranches...heehee...we learned that from the cabby on our return trip from the marriage license office. I guess...I didn't really tell you much about that experience either...the marriage license office

is a place where you truly understand that there really is someone for everyone. We had been warned that you may have to wait in long lines for hours...it is Vegas...many people have this idea in Vegas...but that wasn't the case for us. We stood in line only a few minutes watching the happy couples in front of us get their paper work so they could make it right in their lives...I'm talking old people...young people...people with no teeth...people who have no mirrors obviously...wild place...funny stuff.

Anyway, back at the winery...we arrive...it is beautiful...

We are greeted at the limo by Rev. Julie and Trey the Photographer...they need our paper work...we need theirs...eekkk....so at that point I couldn't really say what all happened...I remember next being in the tasting room and signing the marriage license and watching Monica and Terri witness for us. (thanks girls, so much) they bring us our flowers and apologize that the wrong color was picked up...I didn't care, least of my concern...just get me married to this man before he sobers up and runs for the hills. Kemper and I requested to be married in the barrel room...this is a room where all the wine is made, stored and aged. It's a beautiful room, yet more of a work room than the photos appeared, since it was harvest season we even got a little tour before the ceremony began...very cool. The ceremony was beautiful and sweet, I cried of course...I do that a lot...

I married my best friend today...you know it was wonderful and I am glad we got married...but it didn't matter...We always say we've wasted 20 years wandering around aimlessly...little did we know we were looking for each other...Kemper and I, over the last 15 years or so, have crossed paths so many times...while I was working for the HOA's he was treating new homes in the same communities...probably the same day I was in the communities doing my job...like one of those sappy movies...where we just walked by...and everyone else is saying look at him...why don't you see her??? It took us a long time, and some hard roads...we are together now...we finally looked up...So many things make since now, we feel like it was paths we had to take to make the best of the best years of our lives.

After the ceremony and tons of pictures...Kemper and I wanted to treat the gang to lunch at the Winery's Symphony's Restaurant it was yummy...we are pretty sure everyone loved the food they had and the desserts were wonderful!

The trip back to the hotel was fun we had more wine and talked about what we'd do with the rest of our day in Vegas. Tonight Me, Kemper, Emma, Terri and Garlan are going to see Le Reve at the Winn hotel. Wow what a show...like nothing you can imagine...the pictures don't do it justice it was so weird, beautiful and wonderful...a must see while in Vegas.

Day 3...wow I feel good today...rested and ready to enjoy Vegas. Again I have to back up a little...we haven't done much gambling...we've been busy mostly just looking around, walking from place to place and trying to pull off a surprise wedding...but from time to time I would bum a dollar from my mom and slip away to play a little...a dollar at a time I was able to play here and there, not really winning anything but able to keep playing...Friday morning before the limo came I told you we'd cashed out our machines...I had a voucher of $2.70...I stuck it in my purse to play with later. With that in mind...it's Saturday morning and again Kemper and I are the first one's up and out...after we had our coffee I was ready for a drinkie winkie...Kemper and I can relax today and just have fun...I'll have a screw driver and Kemper will have a tequila sunrise (need our vitamin C) we sit down over in a corner at the "Price is Right Games" Kemper pulls out a $5 and I pull out my $2.70 voucher, we start to play...I'm doing okay and get to play plinko...then I get a Showcase Showdown, Kemper gets frustrated that his machine is not giving him any of the fun stuff and wanders away to find another game...a few minutes later Emma shows up...she sits down at the machine next to me and starts to play...I'm still going strong, I think up to about $10 or so now...feeling pretty good about winning...I get another Showcase Showdown...mom's machine is still not letting her play any of the fun stuff...after sometime I am up to $20, cool...them $35....OMG!!! then like $50...go get Kemper...he's gonna croak...by now the whole gang is here watching me play this silly game...I am up to $105 and have decided I'll play back down to $100 and then cashout...and that's what I did...I cashed out and ran to the cashier for my five $20 bills...woohoo...another drink please...we laughed and laughed...if this is the way this day is gonna be, look out, we are gonna have fun!!!

Well it was! This day was a blast...much vodka and tequila induced so some might be vague...but OMG!!! We had fun! Kemper and I went back to our room to get our sunshades...we met up with the rest of the gang at Walgreens just down the road...there we found them either being harassed by a security officer or harassing a security officer...not sure which way it was going or how it got started...they were having fun without us for sure. While getting my sun glasses I also brought with me these silly glasses that make your eyes look blacked out so no one can identify you...we had some fun with these...Emma put them on and this is when she almost (threatened) showed the girls...eeekkk... let's get on down the road...there are better places to hangout than Walgreens in VEGAS!!!

Okay here is were my story gets a little sad...We all had cameras...and we were all taking pictures of everything...the same things...I suggested we not all have the same pics of everything...I eat those words now...I lost the photos on my camera...but thank God, Garlan, Emma and Monica took lots...so I can make this work. Besides...pictures don't do it justice...the rest of this day...can not be explained in words or photos...I will try...but most of it...you just really had to be there...Thank you so much Terri and Garlan, Monica and Dusty and Emma for your picture contributions, they really made it so much easier to write a blog...and thank God we had a professional at the wedding...watch my facebook for those I will post some when we get them.

Keep in mind now this is Saturday...the rules in Vegas are different on Saturday than just any other day of the week. While walking from Walgreens, to I guess we were going to Bally's to get our tickets for tonight's show Jubilee, there are these guys and girls handing out these cards...like trading cards if you will, they don't speak when handling out these cards...they just slap the cards and click their tongue and teeth, if you take one then they all just start pushing them into your hands, by the time you are past them you have a huge stack of these cards...if you've never been you don't know what they are and you just take them...and then you realize you have a handful of cards with naked girls on them...PROSTITUTES!!!! For an instant the Southern Baptist in you comes out...well today we all took them...Monica decided she could do this...OMG!!!! Funniest thing you have ever seen, Monica just so happened to have on an white eyelet skirt and her hair up in a messy bun this day...so she looked a bit like a little missionary...yet she stopped on the sidewalk and started handing out these cards to the passer bys...clicking and slapping right along with the best of them...at one point some young men were giving her tips on how to do it properly...we all stood back and watched laughing like crazy...OMG!!! priceless, it ended with Monica handing her stack of cards to the young man leaving him to carry on her legacy, he hesitantly took on the roll. Keep in mind this is like 10:30 am...gonna be a long day...

We get our tickets for the show and decide we'll ride the shuttle to the Rio and have some lunch...sounds like a good plan...we'll get another drink while we wait for the shuttle...it's hot outside...oh the shuttles already here...suck down your drink!!! Oh dear...

At the Rio we are ultra silly at this point and need to eat...we go to the restauraunt and get a table...and of course order drinks!!! Kemper decides he needs to use the men's room...when he comes back, he hands me a $30 voucher from the slot machine...he just put a dollar in the machine outside the men's room on his way back to the table...cool, paid for our lunch! After our meal...all the girls went to the ladies room...we each took a dollar...I without knowing put my dollar in the same machine as Kemper had...I put my dollar in...and was kinda looking around to see if the other girls were having any luck and mine stopped...I hit cash out and let out a laugh and squeal...it was so funny when I won...we were all screaming and laughing and this old greasy guy walked up and says...I though ya'll won big...we were like "WE DID!!!" I brought back to the table a voucher for $47...heehee...

So now the Rio was our place to be for the next few hours and a fifth of vodka...heehee...Terri decided that her luck lies in her new boobs so she rubs the machine with them. We all won and lost...Dusty won $88 at one point...Kemper another $75 the rest of us just $10 here and $5 there...nothing we could really bring home ya know, but we had a blast!!!

Back to Bally's Shuttle...on the shuttle Dusty had the whole bus clapping to the beat of the music playing...it was so cool...like something that only happens to fun people on TV...it was great!!!

We visited the Ventian Hotel and Terri, Garlan, Kemper and I rode the gondola...it was fun and sweet, the boat guy was funny and could really sing nice...

Not really sure where this is from...but I am pretty sure the Rock is saying...

"Get off me bitch!" heehee...

Tonight we go to Jubilee...the last true Showgirl Show existing...you know, this is the one where the girls are topless throughout much of the show...okay here's one for the boys...We get our tickets for a table...never having gone to this I wasn't sure what that mean't...well it mean't that you are right up next to the stage and we were center stage. Our table was for 8 and there was 5 of us...hoping no one else would show up...our table guest arrived...wow...couldn't have pegged this one if we tried...3 little tiny Asian men...hum...this could be bad...Well it wasn't bad...the show is kind of hokey...but great and I'm glad we went to see it...but I'm thinking our table mates had something else in mind...not sure really what they might have thought they were gonna see...as I said before we are right at the stage...we can see everything up close and personal...this ain't Sunday School class...we laughed so hard at our Asian friends...they seemed to be afraid of feathers...there are a lot of feathers and molting head pieces...you know, bird flu...and the artifical smoke...I'm sure they thought they were begin gassed...and they are kinda jumpy and spent much of the evening covering their mouths and waving feathers and fumes away from their faces...well anyway...really one of those times where ya had to be there.

Day 4...gotta go home...Kemper and I have to get a half a case of wine home so we spend the morning packing and taping up or precious wine...we decide we'll just check it as baggage at the airport and pray it makes it. While we are sitting in the airport Kemper, myself , Dusty and Monica are wishing we had one more day...there is still so much to see and do...Emma agrees she'd stay too...Kemper makes a couple of attemps to get us bumped, but no luck...we had to go. Our fight going home was much better than our flight in, no problems...well, that we knew of anyway...we arrive home safely and jump on the shuttles to our cars...Monica and Dusty, remember, they had to park in the airport parking otherwise they wouldn't have made the flight. We are on the shuttle (with some of the Dynamo players) and I get a text from Monica that their truck won't start and needs a jump...we get off the shuttle and Garlan seems to have left his cell phone in the airport someplace...we get in our car, head North and hope these are the worst things that happen to us all. We had a great time in Vegas, Kemper and I are married...all is good. Oh and our wine made it!!!!

LET'S GO AGAIN!!!!

(Keep your eye on the blog...I'm sure I've forgotten something and will have new pictures to add)

WHAT'S NEXT????? RALLY!!!! http://www.lonestarrally.com/