Friday, December 21, 2012

Merry Christmas

Phew, I sure am glad the world didn't end last night.  

However, instead of cleaning the house and packing the car yesterday I decided to play with my babies all day.  

Because seriously, why would you spend the last day on earth cleaning and packing?  

Unfortunately, that means more work for me today.  



Since Clara decided it is nap time I guess I have run out of excuses and should probably get started.

Quick question:  ....Last night was the first snowfall here in Chicago (Yay!) Buehrle and I took a really long walk in it.  

When we came home he was really stinky.

(You know, like a wet dog.)  

SO how much do you judge people when you see them walking down the street with their dog who is in a raincoat?

Your answer will not change my mind of putting Buehrle in a raincoat.

  I hate wet dog smell.  

I just want to know a round about percentage of public opinion on this subject.

Have a great Holiday!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Phantom Lives Here....

In 2004 Hollywood and Andrew Lloyd Webber came out with a fantastic rendition of the classic hit show Phantom of the Opera.  In case you have not seen it before, it comes with a very handsome all-star cast that includes, Gerard Butler, Patrick Wilson, Minnie Driver and Emmy Rossum.  I went and bought the DVD right after it came out.  It was expensive (I think almost $30) and to be honest I really couldn't afford it, so for almost a whole month after that, when I wasn't working, I was at home watching my most favorite indulgence.

In 2004 Rhiannon was a whopping 4 years old.  

I'm pretty sure her favorite movie was some sort of Strawberry Shortcake, Finding Nemo or Barbie's Swan Lake.  However after watching this one time with me she was HOOKED.  It made my heart so happy to know that she loved a part of musical theatre, even if it came as a big box Hollywood sensation.

You gotta start somewhere, right?  And who was I to judge?  I loved it too!  

That year the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis had The Phantom of the Opera come through.  I bought the best tickets I could afford and made a Mama/Daughter date out of it. 

(Babies, I tell you!)



I have to be completely honest, I was worried.  

Rhiannon was only four years old.  I didn't want her to  

A. Hate it and ruin any chance of her going with me to see theatre again, or...

B. Have a meltdown and have us ruin the experience for the other patrons.  


I'm happy to report that she did beautifully!  

She was so attentive and into the storyline the entire time. 

She gasped, jumped and grabbed my hand when the chandelier fell.  

And, (one of my most precious memories of Rhiannon) at the very end, when Christine Daae is being rowed away from the Phantom, I looked down to find my sweet little baby silently crying.  

When the lights came up she looked at me and said, "I know I'm supposed to be very quiet and I'm not supposed to cry, but the Phantom was just so sad."  

What do you say to that?  All I could do was hug her tight as my heart melted.  

After that day it had became her favorite movie.  She burned through 3 DVD's before she moved on to her next phase.


Fast Forward to 2012.  The Mister and I have Amazon Prime.  A few days ago I was browsing through the free movies, desperately trying to find something else besides Diego and Dora the Explorer for Clara to get into, and wouldn’t you know it?  There was The Phantom of the Opera!  

I took a chance and told Clara that we were going to watch Mama's singing movie instead (with hopeful fingers crossed.)


Today we watched/had it on in the background for the fifth time in three days.  When she asks to watch it she says, can I watch mama's singing opera show?  Once again, this Mama's heart is happy.  (Even though I am shushed by a two year old when I try and sing along.)


(Clara's favorite part.)   
Snow, Mama!  It's snowing!

(Seriously, I think it might be mine too.  That cape is FANTASTIC!!!!!)


  



Happy Happy Tuesday To You All!

Friday, December 14, 2012

Hold Your Babies Tight...

Things Children Should Think About:

  • What Mama is making for dinner.
  • If They will get to swing today
  • If Mom or Dad will cave and read them an extra book tonight
  • Why (everything) works (with in depth explanations)

Things Children Should Never Ever Think About:

  • A Crazy Ass Person with big scary guns coming into their school and hurting their friends and loved ones.

SERIOUSLY.

History has proven that sometimes people snap under extreme pressure and do something stupid, like take the life of their own child.  

But to open fire in a KINDERGARTEN classroom?


27 dead with 18 of those being children?  

This is one of many reasons why I will never be pro guns.  

This is a perfect example on why I silently hope they will not carry out the "conceal to carry" in Illinois.  

This is very very sad.



Hold your babies a little tighter today, folks.  I know I will.