The Nutcracker

Just after Christmas, Elliot & I had a special date to go see the Nutcracker.  I don't get it.  I don't like the Nutcracker.  I don't enjoy the performance, and basically think that while Ballet looks really really hard, after you see a few spins and toe turns, that it all kind of looks the same, but in difference costumes.  Add to that, there is no vocal track, songs or spoken bits and I am a bit lost on the world's love of The Nutcracker.  But, Elliot's best friend was going and Elliot has a love affair with ballet all on her own that I do not want to squash, so I sucked it up and took her to see Boston Ballet's performance - because hey, if I have to suffer through it, may as well be through one that is considered the best and not some high school production of it.  Now, I am indebted to Maggie, the 5 year old with us who at least told me the story of the Nutcracker before the show began so we had some clue what was going on.  And to my friend Erica for coordinating the trip and making it bearable for all.   I did have a most excellent date with Elliot and it was really special to get dressed up with her and head to the city for our own date.  When I asked her what she wanted for lunch, she said, "you know that place?  that has the egg salad sandwich on bread with lettuce? you know, Starbucks?  is there one of those near the Nutcracker?  that is where I want to go."  Do I know a place called "Starbucks"?!   Good lord I could own my own franchise by now with the money I have spent on their lattes.

Coveting the Parker House Rolls

With Friends Maggie, Elliot, Zoe, Aiden & Emmett

With the dancing bear...no pictures allowed INSIDE the theater.

I was able to redirect her to some New England Clam Chowda and Parker House Rolls at the world famous Omni Parker House (where the rolls and Boston Creme pie were invented!).  She was quite taken with the glamour of the room - and I by how empty it was, so we had very nice service.  Even if we almost were taken down by a backpack-sized hunk of falling ice that fell from a 10+ story building and landed an arms length from our path on our walk there - heart attack for me and all passerbys who witnessed...hilarity to Elliot who thought it was funny.

The Birthday Party Circuit!

Eyeing a cupcake...

They really like cupcakes...

Michael Jordan in the making (i.e. check out that tongue!)

The Overalls Song

After lunch a few weekends ago, Elliot & Samantha disappeared.  And then reappeared in these outfits.  Done completely on their own - no help or encouragement from us (an unbelievable feat given how hard it is for us to clothe Samantha lately).  And they were giddy happy.  ANd they wanted to perform the Overall Song.   Which I believe we also video taped, but who knows how to upload that anymore?  So here are all the pictures.  Scroll quickly.  It will be just like a video!

Happy New Year 2011

We had an awesome New Year's celebration.  We went to First Night.  This is a crazy Boston tradition of spending the evening outside, viewing ice sculptures, watching performances and eating street vender food.  Kind of like a summer street festival, EXCEPT IT IS 10 degrees outside!  There are fireworks at midnight.  Really?  Who the heck thinks this is a good idea?  I suppose, only the people who would hang out in Times Square to watch the ball drop would be interested in this.  At least at First Night you are not corralled by bike racks and left to stand in a huge crowd - you are free to walk around.  After 6 years in Boston, this was our first First Night.  And, admittedly it was only interesting b/c we had a lack of better plans, our friends were going to the parade, and it was unseasonably warm in the 40s or something.  And if we were going all the way downtown, we might as well get a hotel room and make the most of it (note downtown is 6 miles away).  And if we were getting a hotel room, we should get one with a pool and make it a family fun date.  We did.  And it was.  Awesome.  One of my favorite New Years Eves.

If you would have told me 6 years ago that my idea of a good New Years Eve would be to be 8.5 months pregnant, staying in a chain hotel to use their indoor pool, walking in the freezing crowded streets for 2 miles to see ice sculptures and a parade, followed by running back to the hotel to avoid fireworks, realizing we missed the non-cranky dinner window and have no reservations and room service looks sucky and will take an hour, so we have to eat at "Champions" the hotel bar, (which admittedly was very good for what it was, and I was not sad for this option), and running up to our 2 double beds to put 2 toddlers to sleep while we all watched the ABC scrubbed version of "Wild Hogs" (with John Travolta & Wm H Macy) in bed ... and that falling asleep as the Dick Clark Ryan Seacrest special was just STARTING would be a great New Years Eve, I would have said, hand me the mom jeans and push me over a cliff.  But instead it was AWESOME.  I loved it.  Want a repeat next year.  (And incidentally I was awake for New Years at midnight, only b.c i was awake 47 times that night - and I am not exaggerating the 47 times.  I have a new Fitbit activity monitor and it told me so!)