Grandma will give me a ticket to the Symphony

It's been very quiet around here... at least in terms of going and doing things.  The girls have been alternately snotty so this past Wednesday was the first time in a long time that we've even all been at church. 

She thought she was big stuff eating out of Daddy's cereal bowl.

 And Bob got roped into reading ALL of Cecily's new Highlights magazine.  (I think it pretty much firmly ensconces me in the terrible parent category, but I really don't like reading out loud....)

 Little Bee was rocking two pony tails in a slightly ineffective attempt to keep hair out of her snotty nose.

 No idea.  Doesn't everyone wear church shoes with their umbrellas inside in the winter?

 Getting ready to go outside with Daddy!  Emmy is trying to put on my ski pants.

 He managed to get enough snow stuck together to make them a snow man.

 And he carried little miss I-don't-want-my-boots-to-get-snow-on-them around.

 They named him Henry.

 Bob also gave them a sled ride. 

 So my cousin Ned has been playing with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra this season... and last Sunday they had a family matinee concert: Fairy Tales and Scary Tails.  There was going to be a narrator, "captivating imagery," and a costume parade.  I waffled a little bit about taking Cecily because the stories behind the first two pieces are really kind of creepy, but we decided to try it and I'm really glad we did!  All ready to go after church... in her Elsa dress.   

 We met up with Dad & Mom, Shelly & Nathan, and Troy.  Cecily was very excited about handing her ticket to the guy at the door.  But she was really unsure about the crowds.  (She takes after me- new things make me nervous too) If we would have gotten there early they had face painting and pop corn and drinks and Princesses to meet.  She acted very shy, but I think she liked taking a picture with Anna and Elsa. 

 So then we found our seats; she's so little she could barely keep hers down.

 We were in the 1st balcony. "When I'm five I can sit down there, and when I'm six I can sit in the boxes."  Okay then. 

I had played the music for her a couple of times before we went so she recognized some of it... but she was still a little bit scared of "Night on Bald Mountain" and "Danse Macabre."  Understandably. They creep me out a little bit too. The narrator was really good and they had a slide show with pictures that fit the story... she kept whispering things (thankfully there were lots of other kids there making noise too) but we made it thru to the more benign music.  Yay Sleeping Beauty! Right before intermission they had a costume parade down on the stage that she really wanted to go do.  We all talked her out of it... such spoil sports!  And then she was a little disappointed she didn't get to eat popcorn with grandma and get a drink, but she didn't say anything until the second half was starting so I felt bad about that. 

The second half was the "Broom song," aka the Sorcerer's Apprentice, which is just fun.  Although she was worried about Mickey getting in trouble.  And "Carnival of the Animals" was the last one.  She was getting tired by the end, but she did like listening for the animals.  The "Cuckoo" song is her favorite, probably because it's easy to hear the cuckoo. Anyway, she did really well considering it was a two hour concert after a full day at church and she's only 4.  I think she enjoyed it because she's been talking about it off and on ever since. *grin* And after she gets to sit in a box (ha!  I doubt I will ever want to pay for that!) when she's seven she can ride the elevator.

I enjoyed it too, although I don't feel like I really got to listen to the music as much as I could have if she wasn't along... oh well.  Introducing her to the orchestra and great classical pieces was the whole point.  And seeing Ned play.  (She was very shy when he came out afterwards too.  Silly kid.) 
Otherwise, it's quiet around here.

Oh, and my dad took my suggestion... this story makes me cry every time I hear it...

Blessings.