This is where I grew up

Las Vegas is my home town!  I was born in Indiana, but by the time I was two we moved to Ohio, California, and finally Idaho where my dad lived for 41 years.  After my parents divorced, my mom and I moved to Las Vegas.  My mom called Las Vegas home for 43 years, but is now preparing to move to Kentucky.  I took one last trip home to visit my people and all the places of my childhood.  My mom and I spent several days visiting the different parts of town we used to live in.  All of my old homes look completely different from when we lived in them.  They all look old and tired and all of the yards no longer have grass.  I understand with this being a desert and the city having grown exponentially over the years, but it still made me sad that hardly anything looked pretty anymore.

A view of the strip from my mom's neighborhood.

My grandparents lived in these condos my entire life!  #53 was home for them for a long time, we moved here to #66 and lived with my aunt and cousin while I was in first grade.

The neighborhood is now gated, so we couldn't get in.  I snapped these pics by putting my camera through the bars of the gate, tee hee.

After my granddaddy passed away, my granny moved to #45.  I couldn't get pictures of any of the 3 that were "ours" but you can get an idea of this "home".  I had many friends here and I loved all the green spaces where we'd play after school. 

This is the condo pool, but I thought of it as my pool!  This is where I learned to swim, and had my 9th birthday party here with friends.  In high school, many of my friends and I would come here to swim and lay out.

This is the church earliest in my memories that we went to.  Even before we moved here, when we came to visit we went to church with Granny here.

This is the elementary school I went to for the first half of 1st and 2nd grade.  (For 3 years I spent the first semester of school with my mom and the second with my dad.)

In 2nd grade we moved to this little house, but I used my grandparents' address to stay at the same school and we went to the same church.

Before 3rd grade, my mom got remarried and the 3 of us lived in this tiny old house.

My Great-aunt Ruth and Uncle Hayes lived around the corner in this house.  Their granddaughter, Andrea, and I became great friends.

We went to this chapel when I got baptized.

And I attended this school for half of 3rd grade.  Although this is a new build of the old school.

The custody arrangement between my parents changed, so I spent the school year with my mom and the summers with my dad.  This is the house I lived in from 4th grade until I graduated from high school.  My step-dad's parents, as well as one of his brothers and one of his sisters all lived in this same neighborhood.  I went to school with seven different cousins over the years.

This was my Uncle Tom and Aunt Gretchen's first house here.

And this was their 2nd.

And this was their 3rd.

Two doors down from their house was the Anderson's house.  I remember going to several events here over the years, but my favorite memory was night swimming with my cousins here back in the day.  This was the "mansion" of the neighborhood, and I still think it is a beautiful home.

This is where my Aunt Linda and Uncle Don lived, and my grandparents lived here in the basement suite.

My Aunt Janice didn't live too far away, but she was up on Sunrise Mountain.  We used to have many extended family Sunday dinners and Thanksgivings here (before our family got too big and we had them at the church).

This was my church all through elementary school.  I have tons of memories from here and the huge park that was behind the church.

The elementary school I went to for 4th and 5th grades, and it was year-round.

This was the school my mom tried to get a zone variance for, as it was a 9-month school and would be easier for the custody arrangement.  We didn't get the variance though, and I was happy to start school with my cousins at the other school, but many of my childhood friends went to this school.

In junior high, this church was built and became the new chapel we went to.

My junior high and home for 6th-8th grades.  Of course, my old school was demolished and this new one was built recently.

Baker park and pool was next to it, and we'd swim in this pool for PE.

The church near my high school, where I attended seminary for 4 years.

I think it is such a beautiful building, but it looks so different with all the grass and palm trees removed now.

My high school!  Of course, it didn't look like this then.  It was all the cream color showing now only in the trim.  We were the last graduating class of LVHS before this became the Performing Arts Academy and a new school was built to take on our name.

It reminds me of the school in the movie, Grease.  Although this was just Main Hall.  Our school was like a college campus with multiple buildings.

This was our amazing auditorium where I spent many days performing with our show choir, Spectrum.

The new school that carries on our mascot and traditions.

This park was down the street from my house and where I spent many early summer mornings for cheerleading practice.

My first job was at a frozen yogurt shop that no longer exists.  My second job was working at a clothing store at this mall.

The Huntridge Theater is an icon of old Las Vegas.  In high school, my cousins, Benjamin and Tyson, played here with their band.

While I was at BYU, my parents left the old 'hood and moved to this little house in Green Valley for a year.

When I came home to visit this is the church we went to.

This house across the street became for sale and they moved here for 4 years.  This is where they lived when I got married, and Leonard and I lived in this house for a year after my parents moved into their new home.  Of course, it looked so different being beige with sage green trim, and a yard full of grass and trees.

They built this new church, where Leonard and I had our wedding reception.  It was also the church we went to when we lived in the above house.

Green Valley High, where my brother graduated from.

My parents built this new house and moved in back in 2000.  It was an amazing home for 24 years!

My favorite pool ever!

While I was home, we celebrated my Poppa's birthday.  I had to take some pictures of my niece and nephew jumping in.

And Gramma surprised us all by jumping in with her regular clothes on!

Such cuties!

This is the church we attended, as well as the seminary building Kaleb and Noé went to when we lived with my parents for a few months.

Coronado High School, my 3 youngest siblings graduated from here, and Kaleb and Noé went here for a semester.

The elementary school that Gavin, Teague, and Hiram went to for a while.

The Seven Hills sales center where Leonard and I took our engagement photos, before my parents even moved into Seven Hills.

My sister's house.

And my brothers' house.  The two of them live in the same neighborhood, with one of my cousins as well.  I would love to live there with them!

Winchell's is my favorite donut shop!  When my aunt was a teenager she worked at one, and my granny and I would sit there at night so she wouldn't be there alone after dark.

They make about 50 kinds of donuts, both yeast and cake.  I had to get a maple bar.  I was hoping to get vanilla frosting with coconut, but they were out so rainbow sprinkles was in :).

We wanted to get Luv-it's custard, but they wouldn't open for a couple of hours and it is in a scary part of town, so we didn't stick around.

We had to get one of our favorites- Hot Dog on a Stick for lunch.  I love their lemonade just as much as their corn dogs!

We got another favorite- cinnabon for dessert.

Another day we had to go to Cafe Rio!

Poppa is a gourmet cook and pastry chef by hobby.  These are the delicious croissants he makes that take 48 hours to complete!

My favorite place in Las Vegas, the temple!

Leonard and I were married here for all time and eternity!

I'm so glad my mom and I were able to serve here.

The new home my parents want to build in Kentucky.  I can't wait to visit them there!

Leaving Las Vegas

Mom and Poppa bought land in Kentucky, then made the plan to sell their home in Las Vegas and move to Kentucky and build a new home there.  I had to get home to Las Vegas one more time, to see all of my loved ones before they moved!

Love my Mom!

Love my Poppa!

So grateful for all they've done for me and my family.

Love my Mandy...

...and her sweet family!

Love my Erika.

With her Nando.

Love my Kristopher...

...and all of his family!

So grateful for family,

and each new generation.

I wish I could have also gone to Salt Lake to see Brent and his family!

I also missed out on seeing Lynn, Scott, and Harper.

Aunt Connie and her family moved to Washington, but

I was able to see Uncle Steve and Rachel at Aunt Susie's real quick.

I sure miss Uncle Jimmy and still have a hard time believing his is gone.  I look forward to seeing him in heaven someday.

Love my Aunt Debbi,

and my Aunt Gretchen,

and my sister-in-law, Janalyn.

So grateful for these wonderful friends that I have known since we were all 12!!

Grateful for my bonus Aunt Lois!

And delicious Mexican food!

While my mom and I were out one day, we ran into a lady that used to be in our ward when I was a teenager.  She now lives in Utah, and was visiting her daughter, that I used to babysit.  I love happy coincidences!

Sweet Georgey!

And Lilly Belle.

Oh, I'm going to miss my people in Las Vegas something fierce!