Is It Naptime Yet

To say I was excited to see Wicked is an understatement. I was so very, very, excited to go, and almost cried from joy as Lilah and I found our seats in the very front row.

We were not going to take the girls to see Wicked. Both girls wanted to see Wicked, and are very familiar with the music because we have a Wicked CD, which we listen to on our trips. Eden expressed that she wanted to see Wicked for her show with me at The Smith Center, but that wasn’t going to happen. ( Her choices were Beauty and the Beast and Shrek.) For a few days I tried to convince Jon that we should purchase two extra seats and take them to see Wicked, but they were just a little bit too pricey for us.

A little before Wicked opened, I saw a Facebook post that the Smith Center would be doing a Wicked Ticket Lottery before each show. If your name was drawn you could purchase a limited number of orchestra seat tickets, read 1 to 2 tickets, for just $25 a piece. The seats are normally sold for $109. The rules: Show up 2 1/2 hours before, put your name in a drawing, then at 2 hours before the show they’d draw the winners, who need cash in hand to buy their one or two tickets.

I didn’t think too much about the Wicked Ticket Lottery because I was already going twice, but as our day to attend approached, I thought it would be cool to get Orchestra seats and sit up close. Jon thought it would be cool too, so he was fine with indulging me and my desire to put my name in a drawing and win. His one question: What would we do with our seats if we won the chance to purchase the $25 tickets?

I thought I could call up a friend who might be interested in buying our regular seats, and if they couldn’t go, post it on Facebook. Jon was skeptical that I’d be able to get our seats sold so quickly, so I joked we could always just bring the girls.
He said, “Well, I know which one of us would get to sit up close, but how do we decide which child sits in the good seat with you for the show?”
I replied, “We could switch at intermission.”

As we got in the car to leave, we decided that it would be better to take the girls with us, rather than try to sell our seats, and we’d just switch at intermission. The main reason we weren’t going to take them was the price, but at $25 a seat it was doable.

I dropped the three of them off at the Natural History Museum, and then I went to put my name in the drawing to get tickets for Wicked cheaply. At this point we hadn’t told the girls our plan to bring them if I won.

I got there and shortly after they explained the rules: Anyone over the age of four can have their name entered into the drawing, as long as a parent or guardian was with them. One entry per person, and at 12:00 pm the names would be drawn. You must be present to win. I filled out my slip of paper and saw a family of 6, 4 kids and 2 adults, fill out theirs. I walked around a little, and sat, then decided to call Jon.

I told him all four of us could enter, and since we plan on taking the girls, why don’t I come pick them up, so we can have a better chance of winning. He was game so with just 20 minutes till drawing I zoomed over to The Natural History Museum and picked them up. We zoomed back and they entered with just 5 minutes to spare. (It helps that The Smith Center and museum are just 5 to 7 minutes away from one another.)

As the final moments past, I was getting antsy. I’m terribly competitive and really wanted to win. They drew the first name, and it wasn’t any of us. They drew the second name and he read off: Lilah Blake.
My heart leaped and began beating faster and we high fived before we went and claimed our chance to buy two tickets for $25 a piece. The girls would see Wicked after all!

I was so excited. We had front row seats, row A seats 204 and 203. After all the names were called I could tell Eden was a little sad that her name wasn’t called. We hadn’t explained that we’d be able to get two tickets if any of our names were called, so by Lilah winning she would be able to attend also, since we already had our two season tickets for the show. She seemed to cheer up as we explained that we all could go to Wicked because I only need to buy two tickets.

We went home, explained that Lilah would sit up front with me first, then at intermission Eden would come sit up front with me. Jon was wonderful enough to allow me to sit up front the whole time, because I love Wicked so much.

With having the front row seats it was a little hard for Lilah to see the whole stage over the orchestra wall. She sat on my lap for about half of the first act. At intermission the kind woman next to me offered her cushion to us so Lilah wouldn’t have to sit on my lap, which helped Eden, since it was her turn to sit up front.

At the very end of bows Glinda noticed Eden, and I saw her wave towards her. Eden didn’t see it, but I sure did!

Wicked was absolutely wonderful! I am so happy I was able to see it, and for our stroke of luck that allowed us to be so close to the stage.

I wish I could enter at least one more time and see the show up close again, but I will be happy to go once more with my sisters and my mom later in the month.

Lilah with her pins for winning the Wicked Lottery.
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The girls and I after Wicked.
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The whole family after Wicked.

I bought the blue gingham dress at Old Navy this summer. I know I look like Dorothy when I wear it, but I liked it, it looks cute on me, and only my family teases me about looking like Dorothy. I just don’t wear it around them anymore. I decided to wear it to Wicked for fun, but not necessarily to dress up as Dorothy, but because I like the dress. It’s just unfortunate that if you have dark hair and wear blue gingham, everyone thinks you’re Dorothy. 🙂

Both:

Playing in the rain at Pine Valley. You didn’t mind, but your parents made you come inside so you didn’t get struck by lightening.

Picking all the blackberries you could, plus some that probably should have stayed on the bush a little longer.

Lilah:

“You’re walking to the mailbox. It’s not a fashion show.” (I had just said I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go outside in my house clothes, which are old yoga pants with an old shirt.)

You asked if rut was a word. I told you to look it up in the dictionary. You found this definition: the periodic sexual excitement of certain male mammals. You were surprised it meant that. We had a good chuckle and I showed you that it was the secondary definition and pointed out the primary definition.

You accidentally got a drop of nail polish on your bedroom carpet. I found out because you confessed after I asked why your room smelled like nail polish. After we were cleaning it up you said that your brain thought painting the whole carpet purple might be a way to solve the spot on the carpet. We’re all happy you didn’t try that.

You caught tons of bugs when we were at the cabin in Pine Valley. You wanted to keep a grasshopper as a pet, but I would not let you.

Being sad that it rained so much at Pine Valley. You wanted to be out exploring.

We were discussing cello practice and you said, “Cello is overrunning my life.”

Eden:

I interrupted you playing with your ponies to have you fold wash cloths. I walked by while you were folding the wash cloths and heard you still talking like you were playing with your ponies.

You give me a special smirk whenever you think I’m doing something silly now.

School. You are on it. We have a new system where at the beginning of each week I write Mon, Tues, etc. on the pages you’re suppose to do during the week in your workbooks. You’re on it right after breakfast.

You are a wonderful speller. You help Lilah spell words. You seem to take after your daddy.

You jump right up to help almost every time we ask you to do something.

Jon:

Me: “Aren’t Almond Joys you’re favorite?”
Jon: “No, I like Mounds better.”
Me: “What! I thought you like the almonds?”
Jon: “No I tolerate the nuts.”
Me: “That’s the story of your life.”

Promising me that the kitchen will be our first priority once we move in and save money to fix up other areas of the house.

Arguing with me about decorating and what I want to do. Telling me you get to do whatever you want to your library and work area in the garage. Relenting that I will probably get most of my way throughout the house. (You say you forget conversations so we’ll see if you remember this one.) 😉