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Thursday, September 30, 2010

Workouts

This week has shown a breakthrough in my workouts, at least how I feel after I do them. I've increased my workout time to one hour and have taken my time building up my weights. I'm still not doing what I was doing before but I'm very careful about that. I've had too much experience with pain once I've first started a strength program. I am faithful to the twice weekly weight workout that I do and so far it's worked. As far as cardio, my walking workout is about 50 min. and then my stretch , which comes to about an hour. That's been getting easier for me but I still feel like it's a good workout. In my attempt to vary my sessions, I started doing the Women's Health Perfect Body DVD. The only cardio on that is a 20 (approx.) min session so I supplement it with the Core and More part and then the stretch. It had been a week since I did the core part, which is very good, by the way, and has left me doubled over and in pain the first four times. This week was different - I knew what was coming, did it and completed it with no pain - until that evening when my whole torso hurt, alot like when I had my gall bladder attack. I was fine the next morning but it put a little scare in me. It's definitely a good one! My problem now is that there are very few if any one hour cardio workouts out there for me. Most DVDs divide up the workout into cardio, strength and flexibility and it leaves me hanging. I will have to find a workout with several cardio sessions that I can combine to get a sufficient workout. It's not an easy thing to find.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Three things I'm loving today

Well, I'm going to try this again and hopefully get the hang of it. Here's three things I'm loving today.
  1. I'm really enjoying my craft room - someplace I can sneak into and work on my jewelry but not have to put it all away each time. I finally got that room under control, thanks in big part to Aunt Rita's bins and containers. I know I'll have to do more sorting later but for now it works. My light needs some help but I'll work on that, too.
  2. I'm lovin all the new shows on TV. I've mentioned this before about them giving me alot of material for my blog and besides that, I just enjoy watching them. There's almost too many of them to watch so I might have to do some in mid-season but for now I'm squeezing in as many as I can.
  3. There's only 3 months until Christmas! Some people might not get too excited about the thought of presents right now but it's giving me alot of reasons to craft. I was just thinking the other day about making my candy and other recipes I've wanted to make but didn't have the time. My head is spinning with ideas!

Well, there they are and I think I have that mastered. Unfortunately as I was writing I also thought about some cons to each of those so that might be another blog. Maybe I should do a heads and tails sort of blog so it's not too much of a downer.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

So Emotional

Yes, I'm back into my TV shows which will make for, hopefully, more interesting blog reads. Last night was Thintervention, which has been on for awhile but I realized something last night. These shows are sooooo emotional! It started with the Biggest Loser, especially with the girl who lost her husband and kids in a car accident, and every week she rehashed all the details. It's not that I'm not sympathetic but, really, every week, the same story. And of course, it got to me and I was in tears. That can be draining week after week! They seem to think that we're not overweight unless we have some emotional scar that we need to uncover and deal with. Nope, not that I know of, just pure and simple - love food, have kids, eat and gain weight. I know that I'm an emotional eater, too, but not to the extent that they think on TV. Maybe this is just their way to make better TV material to keep people interested but it's becoming a little too routine and predictable. It seems to even bother a couple of the contestants on Thintervention to the point that they are making fun of one of the girls because she breaks down every week and they're getting tired of it. Of course, when it's their turn, it's OK to have a little meltdown of sorts. So, when did being overweight go hand in hand with having underlying mental issues? And can I assume from this trend that all skinny people are completely free from any emotional issues, or at least, brought them up to the surface where they could be addressed and put to rest? If this is all it took then once you're thin, it shouldn't be a struggle to keep the weight off and we all know it's a battle for life. Maybe what this is all telling me is that I'm watching too many weight loss shows for my own good!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fresh Basil

The last couple days I've been trying to use some fresh basil I bought at Erie Co. Farms the other week. That and the fresh dill (for those green tomato pickles) were cheap - 99 cents each for a big bunch. I made a pizza Fri. night and cut up some basil and that tasted good! Needless to say, I still have tomatoes and after I used some up yesterday making chili, I thought I'd do some sauce with the leftover paste tomatoes. I cooked it down and plan on adding garlic and basil (my sister's recipe she brought back from Italy) and have spaghetti tonight. I didn't add the basil right away because I was worried most of the flavor would go up in steam. If it turns out well, I might end up making more sauce to freeze. This was pretty easy, without the hassle of peeling those tomatoes. I just washed , cut and pureed them in the food processor. I still am not too impressed with this version of paste tomatoes but I'm not in a position to be too picky. I guess I just need something to do with them as long as they keep ripening. That's been one of the problems with paste tomatoes - they are slow to ripen and they drag the season out way too long.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Everyone getting skinny

Everyone seems to be getting skinny these days as I noticed this morning as I was reading the Parade magazine in the Sunday paper. Drew Carey was the last one with the makeover and before that it was Kirstie Alley - wow, she had just talked about her new show and was using her weight in the sitcom. It used to be that everyone you saw on TV and the movies were thin and that was just the way it was. We didn't ask for any more since we realized this was not reality, at least not mine. Then overweight people started to filter into our everyday viewing experience and I thought "Wow, this is great! You don't need to be thin to act." Now so many of these people are losing weight right in front of us and it really is an inspiration. Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar, then lost weight, Sara Rue had a hit show and appeared on Big Bang Theory as a doctor and love interest, then lost weight, Jeana on Real Housewives used to be a playboy model, , gained weight, got on the TV show, now she's on Thintervention with Jackie Warner and now Drew, losing weight. It almost seems like we're going back to the old days and maybe that's the way it should be. Have we gotten complacent in our view of being overweight? Maybe we need to step up our role models and be that inspiration that we all need. In that respect, Biggest Loser has really stepped up to the plate except that those results are very unrealistic (makes for good TV but still not based in reality). So my prediction this season is that Mike and Molly will be on a weight loss program by season 3, if it lasts that long.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Three things I've learned about jewelry making

  1. This is something that seems to be big right now - the things list. So I thought I'd give it a try. Oh well, I'm trying to figure this out myself. Anyway the first thing I've learned is to make something for myself first. I usually make crafts to give as gifts and then never get around to making something for me.
  2. The next thing is to use up what I have first. There's a sense of accomplishment when I get rid of somethings that's been laying around. And that really is the purpose for all this -to use it up.
  3. The last thing is to keep things simple, don't bite off more than I can chew and when my interest starts to wane, move on. Those first 7, yes 7, strands of seed beads were time consuming to say the least. I still have to put the back of the necklace on but I don't want to start a big project again on this one. So I've decided to keep it simple and just do a ribbon or something similar and tie on the side. Then I can move onto my next project.

Ok, I did this, not without some difficulty but it's a learning experience, right?

Friday, September 24, 2010

First Piece of Jewelry

I guess this isn't really my first piece of jewelry if I go back to my girl scout days. We did a whole badge on jewelry and made some very unique pieces including potato necklaces and fishing swivel bracelets. Those were the days! I think that's what intrigues me the most - using materials that are totally out of the box. Considering that previous experience, I still felt overwhelmed in my first attempt at "real" jewelry. I had been looking through magazines getting ideas and I kind of knew what I wanted but where to start - I didn't have a clue. I found myself wishing my daughter were here to guide me through it. I needed a beginners book to go through terminology and basic techniques. Most of the magazines show beautiful pieces but their instructions assume you know the bascis, which I don't. What the heck, I'm a quick learner, right? I looked at all the beads and my head was spinning. So I went shopping, bought some beginner's supplies, found some gorgeous glass beads I just had to have and used some gift cards. Of course, when I got home I still didn't know what I was doing but I vowed to do it anyway. Well, I'm on my way to making a seed bead necklace in blue metallic and learning as I go. Let's just say this is a work in progress. I really do like my idea and I hope when I'm done it doesn't all come apart and scatter in a million pieces on the floor!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Going Home

I spent yesterday going back to my hometown to visit an aunt, brother and sister-in-law and doing some stuff on that "No more excuses" list. I've always wanted to plant daffodils at my mom's grave since she really liked them and had a bunch planted at her house. Unfortunately, I never made it down to visit at this time of year (I was probably canning tomatoes). I bought them (bulbs) at Aldi's last week and planted half at the DuBois graves and the rest at my parent's. It felt good to do this and it'll be kind of like a birthday present to her when they come up in the spring. Anyway, driving through town I saw a few changes that were positive - a couple new stores/restaurants and even a couple umbrella tables at the grocery store. I drove past the Paramount Cafe where my dad used to spend every Sat. until he broke a glass on the pool table and never went back. That was probably the best thing that could have happened. He started going up to the Chewton club for a few hours in the afternoon for a little social time and giving my mom some much needed alone time. One thing that was hard to miss was all the cars at the funeral home but no one knew who was there. That's unusual for a small town. I took some different routes between towns this time due to the bridge (over railroad tracks) in West Pittsburg being closed for repairs. I never knew the name of it was Crazy Horse Bridge. I wonder how far they had to dig to find that out! I finished my stay with a visit to Jimmy's for two pints of hot dog sauce and a trip to Goodwill where I found a tall blue jar, my corduroy shirt and some jewelry findings. After a quick stop for a free coffee, I was back on the road headed home (this home). It was a good road trip!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

More Phone Stuff

We don't get many phone calls (landline ones) at this point in our lives, especially with having cell phones. It's a far cry from when the kids were still home and sometimes we felt like the answering machine, even though we didn't have one. Now, even with being on the do not call registry, we get all the political calls, renewals for magazines and donations to charities. I guess if you've ever interacted with an agency, they have the right to call you. Why does it have to happen right when we're sitting down to eat or one of my favorite TV shows is about to start? I know the answer - they know I'm home! I have a hard time being rude despite the fact that they are interrupting me. Sometimes, if I'm not busy, I let them go on, knowing I have no intention of accepting anything - just to waste their time. Time is money for them so they want to get to as many people as they can in a sitting. One time I turned the table on someone who was selling a home security system and questioned them about what they had. She was a little taken back but was honest with me. I've thought about screening my calls with the machine but I end up doing the *69 if they don't leave a message and the charges add up. I shouldn't be the one who pays! Of course, when I get that phone call at about 7:25 and I hear "Hi Grandma" on the other end, telling me about what they got that evening, nothing else seems to matter - I'm all ears!

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Canning, Again

This has got to be my last entry about canning! I'm down to the green tomato recipes so you know I've hit rock bottom. We still have tomatoes and I can only imagine how much longer we will. In fact, the girl that does the foodie group on the Internet has asked if anyone will contribute to an article about canning. I thought for a minute but all enthusiasm for it has disappeared, all that's left are the tomatoes. If she would have asked about 3 weeks ago, I would have been on board and loving it, but now - NO! I have filled my two long shelves reserved for canned goods in the utility room and moved to the vertical shelves. It'll give me a reason for clearing away some to the tools and pans needed to make some space but I'm at the end of my rope. I even think we need to redo one of the boards on a long shelf that's just barely on the side support. I'm worried it could come crashing down. Just the thought of all my hard work ruined turns my stomach. Anyway, it's supposed to be hot today so better get to work and get my last of my salsas done.

Monday, September 20, 2010

New Week

I wasn't sure what to write about this morning and considered giving it a rest until I came up with something, but as I checked out the other blogs I'm following, it seemed like everyone else might feel the same as I do. The other ones haven't updated their blogs since last week so maybe it was the weekend. Hopefully once my husband retires, we won't have to squeeze everything into a weekend which just makes Monday morning quite a drag. I definitely went off my diet yesterday with a breakfast buffet. It started to hit me last night and I knew today wouldn't be good. Ever since my gallbladder was removed, I seem to have a hard time processing fat and even though I know this, the buffet proved too much for me. They even had french toast stuffed with chocolate and peanut butter! I only had a taste of most things but it all added up. I've become dissapointed with breakfast buffets after I did a few and found all sorts of unique and tasty recipes. Somehow the usual eggs, bacon and pancakes didn't cut it. I guess along with many of those new additions comes some high calorie high fat options. Anyway, I'm back on track now, have a list of things to do this week and even have some of my Peppermint Mocha creamer in my coffee. Life is good!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Weather

Last night's weather was memorable, more so for others but it still had me remembering that day in May 1985 when the tornadoes shot through this area. I was watching TV when the alert came across that a tornado warning had been issued for our area and the town of Albion was mentioned. That's all it took to take me back to that day. Yesterday had been rainy all day and no where near as warm as that day in 1985 so it kind of surprised me. I'm used to associating that kind of weather with a tornado. They also said on TV that no actual tornado had been spotted which shows the improvement in weather radar over the years. It used to be that a warning meant one had been spotted and get down in the basement as opposed to a watch which meant conditions were favorable. Now they are able to tell when a tornado has formed well up in the sky which is alot more advance warning than we used to have. Even though I've watched people outrun a tornado I'm probably not quick enough for that. So after hearing the warning, I tuned into a couple other channels to see exactly where it was headed and found that we were more than likely OK. Now that day in 1985, we had no idea what was going on. I've often commented that my youngest daughter was a bun in the oven that day and the other two gathered up their most valuable possessions (a backpack of Transformers and one with My Little Ponies) and we headed to the basement. I also had mine - I was huddled with them downstairs until the storm blew over.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Peppermint Mocha

I just received a notice from Giant Eagle that the seasonal Coffeemate creamer will soon be available in the stores. Ya-hoo!! The Peppermint Mocha is my all time favorite, so much so that the last time everyone was home, I used my new (thrift store) carafe to make a batch of my own version. It turned out pretty good but there was too much leftover chocolate just sitting in the bottom of it. What a waste! As long as I can get the real thing I'm good but if I need to make my own again, I might try a little hot chocolate mix thrown in instead of the chocolate squares. That little bit of chocolate just seems to mellow out the whole experience. I used to do the same thing with the coffee spoons - dip a plastic spoon in melted chocolate then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Those were fun to make and give as gifts and they looked so pretty,too. Heaven knows I have enough of the chocolate, white and milk, stockpiled to make a bunch. It would be nice to get rid of some of that and make room for something else. As you can tell, Christmas seems to be right around the corner, in my mind anyway.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Someone else's trash

There's a certain high we get from getting something for nothing or a dirt cheap price. I've felt that all too often. A similar high can be felt getting rid of things, maybe in the hopes of buying more. I've been in a state of continuous garage sale mode all summer but we need the space, ie. my husband can't get to his wine making supplies. I went through it all yesterday, sorted it out, and loaded the car up with Goodwill donations. Lucky for me, today starts Goodwill Days at Bonton! I've never done that before but I might try it. Of course, the thought of going to Goodwill to drop stuff off only makes me want to stop inside to see what there is for me. Isn't that defeating the sole purpose of donating? On the other hand, they might just have exactly what I've been looking for. I'm fairly selective when I shop at any thrift store and I have certain things I like to look for such as canning jars with metal spring clasps, Girl Scout tins, exercise dvds, blue glass, and a new addition for right now is nice corduroy shirts. With that list I can whip through pretty quick and be on my way to Erie Co. Farms, again! I'm sure I'll feel good no matter what and I hope the person who snatched our old ladder with the free sign on it last night feels good, too.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Up in the Air

I've had this movie for over 3 weeks now and just yesterday watched it. At first I didn't even remember where I put it - I was right in the middle of cleaning and I tucked it in the entertainment center. Admittedly I have been busy and I never wanted to spend my day in front of the TV, whether it be movies, soaps, news, weather or QVC, but after 3 weeks I started to re-evaluate my membership to Netflix. I almost got on and canceled it but thought I better get that movie ready to send back first. I didn't even think I'd like it. As much as I hate to say it, I haven't been that impressed with George Clooney lately. But yesterday while my tomatoes were cooking down into sauce, I decided to watch it and get it over with. Man, I loved it! I found myself experiencing so many emotions during a short time and having a bunch of aha moments. I think it was alot better than Crazy Hearts - that one was too predictable in a bad way. Now I'm in the process of rethinking my decision to cancel Netflix. I still don't like how they sold us out for the on demand channels but it is convenient and really don't want to have to go out of my way to the Redbox. Well, there is another option which satisfies my new frugal spirit and my love of movies - change my plan.

Monday, September 13, 2010

One month into retirement

Well, it's been a month - is that all? Looking back on it, I'm amazed at all that I've accomplished, at least for being on perpetual vacation (new word for retirement). It was only a little over a week ago that I was returning from Las Vegas and during that week I've managed to almost fill up the shelves in my utility room with canned goods. I have to admit I'm tiring off it! I'm longing for the fun stuff like crafts that gives me my passion. Don't get me wrong, canning is one of those passions, too, but I've nearly exhausted that one. Exercise is going good despite a slow start after the trip. Today I will use 10# wts. for the first time in forever it seems. I've been cooking more, getting things out of my system but with few successes. That's OK though - the point is to try them out. I long to enjoy this fall weather more and that used to come with picking apples which are nonexistent this year. We're closing the pool tonight which might lead to staining that deck, hmmm. I think if there is a negative side to this retirement, it's lack of human contact. I'm probably ready for a trip somewhere to talk to people - doesn't have to be far. I'll be working on that one.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Wampum carnival

Last week we went down to see the Waterford Fair, a yearly event that I've entered in the past and we've taken the kids to over the years. It's a small fair to say the least but nice and cheap and it got us out of the house on Labor Day. As we were there, I noticed a young girl I thought I recognized as a friend's daughter, and sure enough, when I saw the name plastered on the back, it was her. It brought to mind the Wampum carnival I used to go to every year when I was young. It was within walking distance to my house and I would go every night it was there. I usually invited a friend, or more likely a cousin, to stay overnight all week to enjoy the festivities with. I remember my dad buying tickets for my brother and I at work which amounted to $5, I think, for each and that lasted us all week. They had the usual rides, games, food, etc. but I especially enjoyed the fries with vinegar on them, yum! And of course, one of us had to stop at the Chewton pizza stand and bring back some for everyone. I loved the fireworks on Saturday night and the grand finale that by today's standards are tame but for me they were great. Then, as the ultimate culmination of the event, Sunday was the day for anyone with a metal detector to canvas the ball field where everything had taken place. I After I left they had a Wampum Homecoming for awhile but I'm not sure if they have anything now. It was a good place and time to grow up.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Good Fall Meal

I'm finally getting back into cooking, at least for awhile. I made stuffed peppers on Thursday which turned out really good, especially with my sweet-sour sauce that I also use for stuffed cabbage. It's funny that growing up, when my mom would make stuffed peppers, I would always slide the pepper off and offer it to someone else. Now I long for an extra pepper and think that's the best part. I also made more to freeze and eat later. I wanted a bread to go with it so I made a recipe for Potato-Chive Rolls that I've been dying to try. The dough turned out great and overall I'd say the rolls were a success. I did cloverleaf rolls besides a small loaf and all we ate was the roll. Those are frozen for later, also. My mom's favorite way to do rolls were the cloverleaf where you make 3 small balls in a muffin tin. They are a convenient size and easy to break apart. I probably won't make them again as they weren't flavored with the chives as well as i had hoped. I have another recipe, tried and true, for brown and serve rolls that are the best I've ever made and even more convenient. This was just the kind of meal I like on a fall night with a home cooked feel and using a bunch of stuff from the garden.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Canning is in my blood

Well, I've put a week in of canning, accomplished alot but I'm ready to move on. For the past year, I've been fielding attempts by my husband to buy more canning jars, saying I'm not into it much any more. We had numerous opportunities to get more jars what with his aunt's and mother's houses but I put him off. Wouldn't you know this week I had to buy some. I thought that might be grounds for divorce but he took it in stride. This was a chance to try something different and I did that in my mild and hot versions of chipotle salsas. They taste pretty good so I might do one more batch. I probably have another batch of regular juice I can do if not more. Looking back through my stash in the utility room, I noticed that 2007 must have been a great year for tomatoes. I still have some ketchup from then and I remember I made taco sauce that year. I enjoy seeing the fruit of my labor but I'm tired of the tower of boxes that hold my canning supplies littering the kitchen, such as pressure canner, squeezo, stock pots, bowls and basket with tools. At least I'm able to do this at my leisure and not squeeze it into a weekend.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Birthday Wishes

I just have to share this one that happened yesterday. I was in the kitchen on my cell phone when the land line phone started to ring. I figured I'd let that one go and hope they left a message or I'd *69. I was calling a business to inquire about some merchandise when from the living room I heard my sister's rendition of "Happy Birthday"! Needless to say, I heard nothing else from that point on. I quickly picked up the phone and we had a good laugh. It brought back some other phone memories I had. Just recently, we were at Dobbins Landing at the top of the Bicentennial Tower when I received a call from a friend. A little into the conversation the cruise ship below set out a low, billowing foghorn that seemed to go on forever. Everything stood still and despite trying to escape, I was trapped until it decided to stop. Once again we had a good laugh. Another one came years ago when we were in our apartment and I placed a call to my mother. Due to a bad connection, I could hear her but she heard nothing. Becoming a little frustrated and thinking it was a prank call, she started to scream into the phone and say "Booooooo". I had been frantically trying to let her know it was me but at that point I realized it was futile. I ended up calling her back and reciprocating the sentiment. I'm sure there are many more of these phone memories but that will be for another blog. Just to let you know, I am in no way comparing my sister's beautiful voice to a foghorn! In fact, I still have it on the answering machine. Thanks for the memories!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Erie County Farms

My shopping trip to Erie County Farms brought back many memories of my first real experience in Erie years and years ago. Soon after we moved here (me pregnant with my son), we were staying with my in-laws and frequently shopped at Erie County Farms. That was a hot spot on 26th street then where all the good deals on food were and basically still is. What I was amazed at back then was how people attacked the food when it was brought out in shopping carts such as lettuce for 29cents. You really had to be careful you weren't trampled by these people. I guess that's why we let my sister-in-law go in first as she was the fastest and most agile. My mother-in-law was not as quick and hey, I was with child. I look back at that and remember how proud we were that we walked away with a couple heads of lettuce. Well, due to any number of reasons, it's not like that over there any more. They seem to have their act together as far as putting the produce out. The even have a number system for the deli and cheese sections and everyone is very polite and helpful. You just can't beat the deals over there and now that I'm home I do intend to take advantage of it. I've learned a few things since then so maybe I'd get a head of lettuce now if they go back to their old ways.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Ebay

I truly am on a mission when I set my sights on something. Right now it's about a birthday present for my grandson which I think he will love. I bid on a set of Batman Lego McDonald's minifigs that were put out in 2008 and I lost by one cent. I've had this done to me before and unless I'm perched right in front of the computer for hours, I get outbid. Well, there's alot more where those came from I'm finding out and I'm determined to get me one. This brings back memories of the beany baby promotion years ago. I was determined to get as many as I could and even recruited my husband to stop into as many McDonald's to get ones I didn't have. He was such a good sport about it. I especially liked when he would go out of town and bought totally different ones. I had visions at the time of selling them for a bundle but everyone else had the same idea. Now I have bags of beany babies, unopened, waiting for the windfall. I ended up selling some at my garage sale and the rest will either be toys for the kids or decorations. I do have an Elvis beany baby bear with a cape that I got in Las Vegas(second trip) that I keep in my bingo bag for good luck. I guess I just have to be patient but this is where that mobile Internet would come in handy. Wish me luck!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Cards

This is always a busy time of year for my entertainment center, what with all the birthday, anniversary and now retirement cards propped on top. In order to fit them all in I have them wedged in behind others so as not to neglect any ones. I enjoy looking at them and manage to get a chuckle along the way. Of course my husband manages to find funny ones and also insists on writing a big birthday number on my card (thank goodness I don't mind getter older). Last year as we received the first round of cards, they were placed on the TV. As the second round was delivered I thought, hmm, that looked familiar so as I put it up I noticed it was exactly like the one my other sister had sent. As my husband opened his two (he's often slower to open his), he noticed they were the same. We laughed and pondered whether this was planned or what. I called both of them after and since they shop at the same store, it was not out of the ordinary for them to pick the same cards. This year mine were different but I guess there's just not that many nice brother-in-law cards to pick from because he got the same one! At least now I won't have to be so particular about displaying his tow that are the same.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Las Vegas

I've been to Las Vegas three times now and each time I saw and did different things. What a place! I've gone with different people each time so it just stands to reason we would choose to see other sites. My daughter had us looking for each casino's special attraction such as the coaster at New York, New York, the gondola ride at the Venetian, Eiffel Tower at Paris, Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, the top of the Stratosphere, Madame Tousand's Wax Museum at the Venetian, lion habitat at MGM, pirate ship at Treasure Island, fountain at Bellagio, midway at Circus Circus, and the Bodies Exhibit at the Luxor. I'm sure there are still more but in two days that was all we could accomplish (quite a bit I'd say). That's what's so great about Vegas - you can experience so many countries from just one place, and they're still building more. I'm sure the next time I go, I'll see completely different things. Even when you don't "win big" you still feel like you've won.