Nutcracker Ballet

One night in December at 6pm just as we were sitting down to dinner... there was a knock at the door. Our neighbor had 4 tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet and his whole family was sick so he hoped we could use them. Did I mention it was for that night at 7:30! I was a little reluctant to take them and asked if he for sure couldn't come up with someone else - but all the while calculating that if we eat now, finish at 6:20, start to get dressed divided by two, we'd have to leave by 6:55... ya la la ya la... we might be able to make it! And I am up for a challenge whenever it involves exposing my kids to good stuff! (By the way the "get dressed divided by two" means that I technically only have to dress one kid because Brett is there to do the other - it just makes me feel like I have less work, that's all!)

So off we went (with a little prodding for Brett) and the kids ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! They were so excited and it kept their attention the whole time. At intermission, Brett took Carolyn out for refreshments but Cameron didn't want to miss it so he wouldn't go. When they came back and found out she had a cookie... he was in a quandry as he would like a cookie, but didn't want to miss it! He did go out but only had 2 bites and insisted on coming back in!

The play went until 10:20pm. Carolyn finally gave out at 10:10pm - after sitting for most of it on the edge of her seat in anticipation! Cameron was able to stay up for the whole thing and actually started crying as the dancers came out at the end to take their bows (how he knew it was the end I don't know!). He said over and over, "I don't want to leave", "I don't want it over". When it was all over, he even got to meet the lead girl... but he was too sad... so we headed out to the car. Poor Cameron cried the whole way home that he didn't want it to be over and he did NOT want to leave.

I am glad they had such a great time! And they still talk about it often!