The Week Before Christmas ... Hello Insomnia

As I write this I am watching an incredibly odd version of the Nutcracker. One in which Clara is kidnapped as a young child. What is wrong with the Berlin Ballet?? That said, I am never going to a non professional version of the Nutcracker again...watching this reminds me I'm a ballet snob and well, talent is important to me.

While the Christmas spirit continues to elude me, I spent the day running errands. I finally got around to purchasing the child's winter wear. I hit up LL Bean, their stuff grows with her and lasts...it should for the investment you must make to buy the stuff! Yikes. At least she'll be warm.

Pictures below of our trip to Boston last weekend for a colleague's holiday party. Arden held court and talked non-stop at the party, and then we meandered through the Prudential Center on the way back to the T. Forgive the quality of the photos...Santa should bring me an SLR this year...the iPhone just isn't cutting it for great pictures.


On the T into the city. The child's chose the mode of transport...last time I listen to her! The T on a Sunday is anything but efficient. Oh well, she was happy.


She posed for a photo opp in front of the giant ornament in front of the Pru.

In front of one of two trees covered in pictures of dogs needing homes. Lucy is still an only dog, despite A's best efforts.

She looks about 11 years old here, doesn't she? Where's my tiny baby?

The Hunt for the Christmas Spirit

I am currently on the hunt for the Christmas spirit. Maybe it's just that life is too busy and there is no time for slowing down...but at the moment I'm lifting up the corners of rugs and peeking behind curtain in a desperate attempt to find some holiday cheer. The carols have been playing in my car since before Thanksgiving and we haven't watched much else other than cheesy Christmas movies for the last month....yet still, I'm not yet brimming with the joy of the season.

I did manage to get some shopping done, what did one do before Amazon? Arden and I actually had to hit some bricks and mortar stores today to get a few gifts. That was followed by a trip to Zoolights at the Stone Zoo, and dinner with the family at Friendly's.

She is nothing short of obsessed with the giant red balls that sit outside of Target. This was a 'take my picture Mom!' moment.



Reindeer at Zoolights. She was excited to see the crowds. I'm told the antlers mean it's a she. I don't question Dora.

With Maliha and Sabrina at Zoolights

Perhaps the creepiest part of their decorations, and that's saying something. I honestly wonder what happens after the zoo shuts down for the night. The freaks come out. No. Really.

BLUE SUGAR!

There's a lot of love between these kids.

We stumbled across this Griswold-esque house on the way home. This is one side of it...

The main house. There was a moving ferris wheel and Santa's Toy Shop and Santa and Mrs. Claus on a working swing. How many days does it take to set this up?? Needless to say, even thought it was 10pm we weren't the only people sitting outside of this house.

The Nutcracker

Tonight was a big night for the kiddo .... her first Nutcracker! I surprised her ... she didn't know until we walked up to the theatre and she saw the Nutcrackers on display.

I decided to take her to a local production, rather than springing for the Boston Ballet where we'd be sitting at the tip top of the Opera House for a seriously nice chunk of change. Of course, having grown up in the Nutcracker I'm a touch on the picky side. I spent most of Wednesday night perusing the web, thumbing through photos of local (ish) productions and trying to figure out which one would pass. I finally settled on one. It was no Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo Nutcracker, but it was okay.

Most importantly, Arden loved it. And she wants to take dance! So she can be onstage....as the prince. She did see that the prince was a boy though, and is willing to take the roll of an angel if necessary. She was mesmerized (though asked about 400 times when the fight scene was coming).

She thanked me over and over for her surprise.

A few pics!

In her coat from Susan (thanks Susan for passing this along!!!)



Attempt at a nice photo

So sassy, this one

But she looked pretty cute, huh?

No Problem with Expressing Emotions

Arden got in trouble this evening. She disappeared and came back with this:

Please note the "X" through the hearts. And her name written backwards.

I don't think we have to worry about her ability to express her emotions.