“For my birthday, I want…”
Mom was turning the big 70, yet no one ever believes it when I tell them. She looks like my older sister graced with good genes. I am one lucky gal to look like her when I reach my prime.
Over an Italian dinner out with our family and her friends, she excitedly replied without hesitation, “to go to Vegas with my two daughters!”
I looked at my husband Sean and said, “Well, guess I can’t argue with that! Vegas, here we come!”
When your mom tells you she wants a Vegas trip for her birthday, you do not decline. You pack your bags and willingly head to Sin City!
My sister Sasha flew in from Northern California and away we went one Friday morning on a much-needed road trip to celebrate Mom’s milestone birthday.
Leading up to the trip, I racked my brain figuring out what to get my mom – a woman who has everything she needs in life. She and my dad recently divorced, she was a retired nurse from the VA hospital, and if she wanted to travel around the world, nothing was going to stop her.
I loved her sense of adventure, but more importantly, I loved that I got to spend more time making memories with her. As I’ve shared in a previous rule of life lesson, tomorrow is never promised. You’ve got to make the most of today.
So back to my dilemma. What to get her for the BIG 70.
Rather than get the usual gifts that stockpile in her house and never see daylight (i.e., chocolates, clothes, wine, gift cards), Vegas wouldn’t be Vegas without something risque to ring in 70 and so, I bought the three of us tickets to…
Magic Mike Live! 
When the second movie came out, I took Mom as my date and watched her giggle like a teenage girl amidst other baby boomers in the theater swooning over Channing Tatum’s abs. Oh yes, it was quite comical, but all sorts of girly fun.
Seeing that they now had a LIVE show in Vegas became the PERFECT EXPERIENCE to gift Mom who had no idea that’s what she was in for, only that we were going to see a tasteful show. Or, at least that’s what I told her.
When we arrived at the Hard Rock Cafe, I shouted, “Happy Birthday, Mom!” Her face lit up and she smiled from ear to ear and that’s when I knew. I had rocked this birthday gift experience! 
Throwing pink flamingo dollar bills at the dancers and sipping on margaritas, my sister, Mom and I had the BEST TIME making memories together and creating one helluva experience that will go down as my favorite Vegas vacay of all time. Which just goes to show you, experiences will always trump things. It doesn’t have to be the most extravagant experience on the planet. It truly is spending quality time with the ones you love.
Rule of Life #104:
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