NYC for 60!

Ian's advanced drama class does a trip to NYC each year.  I don't need to be told that twice to know I want to go and be a chaperone.  Ian wasn't initially happy with me being on the trip with him, but he eventually came to accept my presence. He even said when the weekend was over, that it turned out ok to have me along because "I didn't get all up in his business".

The itinerary for the trip was pretty awesome. Part of the 48 hours is spent going to two Broadway shows and doing a workshop with one of the actors from a show.  As soon as we arrived, we went straight to the studio and met with the musical director and a member from the cast of "Come From Away".   The kids learned a musical number "Welcome to the Rock", along with the dance that accompanies it.   The chaperones had the option to stick around and watch or go get coffee, wander around and be back in an hour.  Are you kidding me??!! Of course, I am going to stay and watch.  I LIVE for this stuff!!

I tried very hard to be on the down low and not be obvious about taking photos/video.  However, once the kids started rehearsing, I couldn't hold myself back any longer.  I took a chair, put it in the corner of the studio and stood on it to record.  Talk about putting myself out there!  There was no going back now and hiding!

After the dance number, the kids got to do a 30-minute question and answer period with Julie and the musical director.

We made our way to Brooklyn and visited Smorgasburg, the largest open-air food market.  I was in charge of Ian and his two friends, both named Ryan!   This was interesting having to keep track of 3 teenage boys among a thousand people and these boys all wanted to go in different directions.  I survived and we had a great time!   It was such a beautiful day!!

After having lunch, we had free time to walk around Times Square.  Then it was time to go to Ellen's Stardust Diner for dinner.  Love this place!  And having a group reservation is the best way to go.

"King Kong" was the show we saw Saturday night. The funniest part of the trip was when we were getting our tickets for the show as we were walking into the theatre.  Ian had big plans to sit next to his best buds.  He wanted me to be as far away from him as possible.  Ian is quickly shuffling the tickets around, taking the ticket from one person and handing it to another person.  He had very little time to accomplish what he wanted to do.  Upon entering the theatre, the kids went straight to their seats and the adults went to the bathroom.  When I made my way to my seat, I looked at the empty seat next to Ian and realized he messed up big-time!  Ian inadvertently had me sitting right next to him!  The expression on his face as he is realizing what he had done, is priceless.  He asked if anyone around us would switch seats with me. Ha! Not only would no one switch seats, but we all couldn't stop laughing!   King Kong had great special effects. The way the creators had King Kong have facial expressions were so cool and most impressive.  But the storyline and music was very weak.

On Sunday, we did a guided tour of the 9/11 Memorial.   Even though I had been before, I learned quite a bit about the September 11th attacks that I didn't know.  Again, another beautiful day to be outside and walking around.  We had some extra time and took a walk down to Trinity Church and saw where Alexander Hamilton is buried.  So cool!

Lunch was at Carmine's and soooo yummy!   They do gluten free pasta perfectly.  After lunch, we made our way to see "Come From Away".  The play tied in nicely with the 9/11 Memorial tour and it really hit home how wonderful this town of Gander, New Foundland was to the 38 planes of people who had no choice to but to land in their town.  Their population doubled!  Without a doubt, we all loved "Come From Away" and was moved to tears.  After the show was over, we went to the stage door and hung out waiting for the actors to come out.   We got to see Julie and tell her how great she did.

Chaperoning this field trip was the best!  I am so happy I didn't think twice and not sign up to go. I am pretty sure I had more fun than all those kids put together!

Brooklyn Smorgasburg!

The skip day that almost wasn't

Each year, since 3rd grade when SOL testing is administered, I let the kids take each take a skip day from school as soon as all the testing is over.  It's my way of rewarding them for working hard all year, and being done with another year of school.

The kids each take their day separately and they get to the design the day exactly how they want to spend it.  For some reason I asked Sam more than a few times when she wanted to take her skip day and she'd pick a day and then change her mind.  And not just change her mind on which day she was going to take, but change her mind on wanting to take one at all.  What???   Hard to believe.  It wasn't until the 11th hour (we were running out of school days!) that Sam ended up picking a day to miss school and sticking with it.  Sam mapped out how she wanted to spend her day and got very exact with the timing for everything.   How cute is this note?!?!

However, when the day finally came to be, Samantha didn't wake up until 10:00am, which meant we were already behind schedule.  Then when it came time to play tennis, we both decided it was way too hot to be outside and shifted our focus to getting pedicures instead.

I am so happy Sam ended up skipping school.  We had a great day together!

Update on short film

Ian was emailed the script for the short film.  It is really, really short.  Like all of 7 pages short.  When he went for the audition and had a few pages sent to him to do the audition with, it turns out that was half the script!

In one of the scenes Ian's character will have his first kiss with the girl who likes him. And now it will be recorded forever.  We've been having lots of fun making jokes about this.

I guess my plans to have a screening party is no longer necessary.  This short film can't possibly be longer than 5 minutes in length.  My new plan is to post it on YouTube and send it to friends and family.   Don't get me wrong, we are all so excited that Ian got picked to star in the movie, but it could be a while before he is getting recognized out in public.

Ooops, she did it again!

Almost 3 years to the day, Samantha broke her arm.  This time it was her other arm.  It happened at school and I got a call from the school nurse that Samantha had fallen at recess and her arm was bad enough that I should come get her and have it checked out.  Sure enough, she fractured her elbow.  The orthopedist described it as significant.  After getting xrays at Fair Oaks Hospital emergency room, we went the next day to the specialist and had them put a cast on her.  For 4 to 6 weeks she will have this cast.  Ugh!  Just as the pool was opening for the Summer.  So. Not. Fun.

Samantha said it happened when she was doing a handstand on the playground.  I am sure she is not going to try that again.  We are all hoping that her arm heals closer to 4 weeks than 6.  A one-armed Samantha is not a happy Samantha.

Bucket list item!

A few months ago I found an adult beginner tap class and decided to take it!  Growing up I never took any kind of dance instruction and I guess I have felt that void for many years.   I announced at dinner one night to my family that I was going to register for this tap class. They were all shocked and thought I was making a joke.  Nope, I am 100% serious.  

I sent an email to some friends seeing if they wanted to join me. To my delight, two friends replied back almost instantaneously saying this was on their bucket list too and for years now was thinking about taking a tap class.  Wow!  When I told Jeff that Kelly and Susanne were going to join me, he couldn't believe that there was more than just me wanting to do this crazy idea. 

The tap class was offered thru our local recreation center classes, partnered with a local dance studio.  It was 8 weeks long, an hour each lesson, and a very reasonable cost.  So when I write why I will not take this particular class at this particular dance studio again, I really don't have much room to complain.   The parking lot was dreadful.  Parking was limited and the spots were tight.  The class was held in the evenings, so it being dark made the parking situation that much more troublesome.  The hallway inside the dance studio where you waited for the classroom to be open, was tight.  Very tight. Two people couldn't pass each other.  And with all the classes letting out at the same time, and all the new people showing up for the next set of classes, it was ridiculous!  Lastly, this is the worst part of it; there was a smelly girl in our tap class.  Like really, really smelly.  Her body odor wafted through the whole room and left a pungent smell in the air.  Even standing a few feet away from her made it sickening to breathe.  I ended up putting some lavender oil on my wrists and smelling my wrists when I couldn't take it anymore.  It helped somewhat, but the smell never diminished or wasn't an issue.  I am sure it was a cultural thing, but oh man, it was the worst!  

Other than my list of issues, I did enjoy taking the class. I am going to try to find another adult dance class to take, but at a different studio.  And it still needs to be beginner.  I discovered after 8 weeks, I have little to no coordination and it will be a long time before I get beyond this level.  

14 here we come!

Ian had an amazing year being 13.  He truly rocked 8th grade and had none of the issues he experienced last year when starting his new school.  Ian has a wonderful group of friends and found his groove with the theatre kids.  It is so exciting as a parent to see when your child finds something they are passionate about.  Ian has expressed interest in doing local community theatre and continue with performing in theatre in high school.  He had an amazingly perfect role for him this past year, playing Lonny in "Rock of Ages" and it really sparked the fire for seeing how far he can take this.  Ian has also started voice lessons to improve his singing.

Ian discovered binge-watching and took it to a crazy level.  He managed to watch every show of every season of "Friends", "Cheers", and "Seinfeld".  We're talking like 250 episodes for each of these shows.

Independence was front and center this year.  Ian regularly hung out with his friends and would walk across the street for lunch or walk from his school to the local shopping center.  He made all his own plans and even went to a Nationals game with a friend and no parental units.   And he started dating!  Oh my!  Ian asked out one girl at the beginning of the school year to go to the homecoming football game.  And he asked out another girl a few times towards the latter part of the school year.

Ian continues to be considerate, caring, sensitive, and funny.  So, so funny.  He has a great sense of humor.  Most times we look at each other and break out laughing over something silly that both of us have noticed and no one else has.  This is the same way with my mom and its simply wonderful.

Ian has become obsessed with all things having to do with cruise ships.  He keeps planning a trip for us to take (that will not happen) on various cruise ships and where it will go.  He knows inside and out every ship on Royal Carribean's line, how big it is, what amenities/activities are offered and when it was most recently renovated.  He has his eyes on future renovations with other cruise ships and follows all the new developments.  He is a walking cruise ship encyclopedia. We finally had to tell him to stop talking about them.  It was getting to be obnoxious.  Think a kid with Asperger's who goes on and on and doesn't stop.  Yep, that was Ian for months on end.

Ian has decided he wants to get contact lenses.  And he plans to go to the 8th-grade dance.  Ian has lots of ideas and it's fun to see how his mind works.  I love seeing the person he is growing into.  Oh and this is the year that Ian started to shave.  We've had a few laughs over this development.

Happy 14th birthday to my sweet son.  I hope this year continues to give you opportunities to shine on the stage and let you be the amazing performer we know you are.  You keep doing you and all will be just fine.  We love you so, so much.

Ian as Lonny in Rock of Ages

First day of 8th grade!

Ian as Mr. Marshall in Cinderella 101

Billy Joel for the win!

May 24, 2019 turned out to be a beautiful night and gorgeous weather.  We got to the stadium via the shuttle from Chickie and Pete's restaurant.   Our seats were in the 300 section of Citizen's Bank Park and gave us a view from way up high!  Billy Joel started performing about 8:30pm and kept going to just a little before 11:00pm.   He played hit after hit after hit.  Sometime during the show, Sam leaned over and said she was so happy to be there.  It turned out to be a great idea to surprise the kids and we all loved the concert.

Leaving the concert was quite the scene!  The restaurant offered a free shuttle to and from the stadium so we could leave our car parked at the restaurant. Going to the concert, the crowd wanting to take the shuttle was staggered and didn't have any over-crowding issues.  But taking the return shuttle back to the restaurant, once the concert was over, was of course, everyone leaving at the same time and all wanting to get a ride.  

We were lucky enough to get on the first shuttle heading back to the restaurant and even got seats on it.  However, as the shuttle was filling up, the driver said: "This is going to get ugly."  He had to leave probably several dozen people behind and came back for them.  The shuttle driver rolled thru all the stop signs, asked a woman on the shuttle who was blocking his view if it was ok to get in the lane next to him, and then was surprised when he looked toward the back of the shuttle and saw how many people had made it on.  For sure we violated the total number allowed by easily more than double or triple.  There were bodies everywhere!  My row of 2, had 4 of us sitting on it.  The woman next to me and I was laughing hysterically over what a sh*t show this shuttle ride had turned into.  And thru the whole ride, another woman is saying over and over again, we are going to die.  I think the driver was scared to use his brakes for fear what would happen to everyone standing. Meanwhile, the shuttle driver is also taking calls on his cell phone from people asking where he is.

Oh, and the only way we manage to get on is because we walked thru the intersection he was stuck waiting to cross and got on before he could officially pull up.  It was truly a memorable ending to an awesome evening. 

The proof is in the pudding!  This was a note that Sam wrote and put under my pillow at the hotel:

I obviously will be keeping this note forever!!