New job and Summer Fun Jar

I have been teaching Yoga and Zumba at the Warrior Fitness Center on the Nellis AF Base.  I recently accepted the contract manager position so I create the monthly fitness schedule, hire new teachers, and complete payroll.  On my second day of holding the title, I received a call from a Master Sargent at the Fitness Center.  He was so formal, constantly calling me ma'am, and filling me in on the politics of the base fitness center.  I wanted to tell him, "Wait, I am just a mom who loves to teach yoga!"  Sometimes when I receive emails always, addressed to "ma'am" with lots of acronyms and titles at the end of the email, I feel out of my league.  I do not know how to respond properly.  Can I just say Hello?  I need to create a title for myself:  Master Mother Ashtanga Lieutenant.  (Can I put that on the house under the Captain Turner sign?) I took the job so that I could schedule myself more classes.  I did not realize that I would be in contact with the Air Force on a weekly basis.  I am used to working as an independent contractor so I will have to get used to working with a huge military facility.  This is just another little culture switch for me.

For the last few summers I have created for my kids the "Summer Fun Jar."  Every week we would some activities out of the jar to fill the long summer days.  In Utah we did things like picnics in the park, hike up Hobble Creek Canyon, fish in Salem pond, visit the farm at Thanksgiving Point, play in the Springville Splash pad, etc.  None of these things apply to Las Vegas.  When I attended the Heart Link meeting (orientation for new military spouses), I received a booklet of things to do around Las Vegas.  We have been slowly working through them, trying to find out about our new surroundings.  Truthfully, most of the time we end up at the pool but I do get sunburned no matter how much sunblock I put on, so I need a break every so often.

Today we picked the slip, "M & M World."  Ok, seems easy, it was on the strip but we left at 10:00am, so I thought it would be fine.  Everything is 20 min away from us so we had some travel time.  Then we had to find parking. Why did I think I could find some parking and walk right in?  We found a spot after 10 min in the MGM Grand Hotel parking garage.  Then we took a 20 min walk through the hotel, no joke, I timed it.  By the time we got to the M & M World, the kids were already saying they were hungry.  The M & M World is free but I should have known better.  It is just a big advertisement to buy the product.  After watching the 3D movie and starting to get hungry myself, I bought into the marketing ploy.  Then we had to walk back to the car.  Remember, 20 min through the hotel, 10 min to get back to the freeway, and 20 min home. I threw up my hands and said, "We are going to the Rainforest Cafe!" because it was in the MGM Grand Hotel.  These are the kinds of outings that I have in Las Vegas.  I used to be the mom that would pack our lunch everywhere, find a bit of grass to sit on, and eat.  All in all though, it was really a fun morning.  The kids loved the M & M World and the Rainforest Cafe and I have noted that the "M & M World" slip will be removed from the Summer Fun Jar for further summers.  Once is enough!

Race Car the M & M World. Pants is already clutching her desired purchase

Rainforest Cafe at the MGM Grand.  The whole time I was reminded of the Animal Kingdom in Disneyworld, one of my favorite places!