Is It Naptime Yet

On Monday night my family, friends, and some of my sister’s and mother’s co-workers came to the play. My mom bought 20 tickets, and I had one free ticket and every seat was filled, with a couple kids on laps too. I think we had a sold out theater this night too. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the play.

Terri, my sister’s co-worker, dragged her husband to the play because he knew he wasn’t going to enjoy it and would have rather stayed home to catch up on work. He then apologized to her Tuesday night and said he really did enjoy the play and was happy she had made him come. She of course told Carolyn and then Carolyn told me. I’m happy he enjoyed himself. We had some amazing lead actors which always makes or breaks the play, especially with such a well known play.

Monday night was a pretty normal night. The one hiccup I experienced was losing my shoe as a Winkie. The girl behind me stepped on my shoe right as we came out and I tried for a second to put it back on but I would have had to stop so I marched on and no one in my family noticed. I thought it was very obvious because it was my left foot, or the one facing the audience, but I guess the boot cover covered my foot well enough that it wasn’t so obvious. This teaches me that I should have character shoes, which have a buckle over the top of them, and not just any black shoe. I think I’ll invest in some next year.

I got pictures afterwards with my little family and Jon was a doll and brought flowers for us. Terri also brought Lilah a rose. Ever since opening night Lilah had wanted flowers, but Jon wasn’t coming till Monday, so she had to wait and I made sure he knew to buy some flowers for Lilah and of course he bought some for me as well.

A fuzzy picture of the munchkins. Most of the pictures Jon took were slightly fuzzy. Lilah has her head slightly down.

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Lullaby League: Lilah, Lexie, Allison, Bonnie, Whitney, and Elizabeth.

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The snow fairies.

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Pat pat here, pat pat there and a couple of brand new straws!

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That’s how we keep you young and fair in the merry old land of Oz!

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This is very fuzzy, I know, but if you look closely you can see me without my shoe. I’m the second from the last.

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My foot, without the shoe. Thank goodness for boot covers, though I think you can slightly see my pink toenails.

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My family.

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Lilah took this picture of me with my flowers.

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Then she had me take this picture of her with her flowers. She looks so grown-up to me.

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Jon’s mother and two younger siblings came on Friday night. Jon was going to be driving them all to the play but unfortunately around 4 am Friday morning Lilah got sick, as in throwing up in the hall way sick. Some stomach flu circulated between the cast this year and unfortunately it hit Lilah on the day Jon’s family was coming. She threw up again at 10 am, and I was so hoping she could pull through and feel better for that night. I was so sad that my MIL would miss Lilah’s performance and was in tears over it. I thought Lilah might just need some attention and was milking the sickness but she proved me wrong when she threw up at 4 pm, right before I left. I felt better about leaving her home after that and luckily she felt better and was able to perform closing night.

Friday’s performance went well and we had a sold out theater. We  also sold out for Saturday night on Friday night because we only had 4 seats to sell at the door for Friday’s performance and then only 6 seats left for Saturday’s too.

Jon’s mom loved the play and Dara and Jason thoroughly enjoyed it as well.

Dara, she made sure to hold up the program, me, Jason, and Mom Blake.

Tonight I had one of those proud parent moments. It’s one when you take pride in a decision your child makes, but know that it was completely them that made the decision and you’re just so happy to hear they did the right thing, or a nice thing.

There’s a little rivalry going on between the snow fairies and the poppies. (There are girls on stage dancing or sitting as poppies during the poppy scene and then snow fairies that sprinkle the stars with snow, instead of making it snow.) Anyways, some of the snow fairies decided to write mean notes to the poppies. Lilah told me she tried tried to tell them it wasn’t nice, but since they didn’t listen she wrote a nice note instead that said “I love poppies. Love Lilah.” she also tried to write ‘ignore them’ or ‘ignore the snow fairies’, but it was too hard so she scribbled it out.

When Lilah told me this in the car I admit I was very happy to hear that she was the one being nice, but she also knew that it might hurt other people’s feelings so that’s why she was nice. So many of the kids in the play like Lilah and are nice to her and I think it’s because she is nice to them.

Lilah is just such a sensitive spirit. Granted she’s not always the nicest sister, but hey, what sisters get along 24/7? Lilah is just so sensitive to other people and has always been empathetic beyond her years. This can be hard for me at times because her sweet spirit needs a lot of love and I know I don’t always give her all the love she needs. It’s not that I don’t show her love, it’s just hard when you think you’re giving someone enough love and attention, but when they need more love they show you in interesting ways and in Lilah’s case by showing me more love is how I know she needs more love and attention.

To tell the truth I’m happy I’m home schooling her because I think public school and the world of many impolite people would be hard on her. I don’t home school her only for this particular reason, but it’s definitely a benefit in keeping her sweet spirit sweet and I hope she always tries to be nice and makes other good choices as she gets older.  I know the notes were partially in fun and not just mean spirited, but I admire her ability to think about how others might feel and do the right thing and I learn so much from my precious daughter.

We had our first sold out show tonight! My sister-in-law Annie actually got the last three tickets at 6:50 pm, or 10 minutes before show time. She loved the show and mentioned how it was her favorite movie when she was little, but it was also the only thing my mother-in-law would let them watch because they weren’t allowed to watch TV! It was so nice to have family there and I can’t wait to perform on Monday for my family, even though it’s also a little nerve racking to know you know people in the audience.

Our previous two nights were also pretty full, but it’s great to sell out so early. We have six shows next week and really need the shows to be sold out because the foundation didn’t get some grants this year, so we have to do well in order to continue to do the plays, and I really want the girls to be a part of them, plus I think they’re fun too. So please help us sell out on more nights and come to the play. Buy your tickets in advance on-line so you can be sure to have a seat!

www.rsaf.net

Sorry, I know all I’ve blogged about is the play, even though I have a list of things I need to blog about, but this is what is on my mind and I want to encourage those who read my blog and live in Las Vegas to go to the play, though most who read my blog and live in Las Vegas are my family and they’re planning on going!

Opening night went fairly smoothly until the second half, but that’s when I come on so I don’t know what happened in the first half, though I think the Tinman did almost fall over because he did some move slightly different. Anyways, during intermission the Tinman switched his ice packs from his chest to his back, the ice packs are there in an effort to help him stay cool since he literally has a suit out of tin, or aluminum, or some sort of metal, and his front was freezing from the ice packs.  I was watching this go on because you only need so many cooks in the kitchen and I was encouraging one of the cooks to go get dressed, since I was already dressed and she was not and we go on in the beginning of the act, but I didn’t want to interfere too much since it might have just delayed things longer. Well, Tinman’s right arm piece was off a little at a connecting point so it wasn’t going on correctly, so they taped it to help the velcro because he needed to be on stage immediately since intermission was over. (The arm’s aren’t tin, just his main body piece.) During the Jitterbug dance sequence the top arm piece which wasn’t fastened correctly came off. I was dancing right behind him so he turned to me for help, but I couldn’t get it, so during the partner dance he and his partner went off, still no luck fixing it, and he danced the rest of it with his arm hanging off. Live theater, it’s different every night. Well, of course they decided to remove the arm pieces and he just finished the show without them. So, you live you learn. We learned to take off the costume piece if you can, rather than fix it.

Also, earlier that night after our Oz sequence I saw the Tin man moving his elbow towards me, or really anyone who might see who was exiting, because a bracelet had gotten caught in the hinge of his arm, so I removed it for him.

So fun, and I really mean so fun. I am really enjoying the play now that we’re performing it. What’s not fun is costume malfunctions and time restraints.

And for your viewing pleasure here is Lilah in her costumes.

Lullaby League girl.

Snow Fairy.

Isn’t she so beautiful? I just love my girls and I just liked this picture.

So Glinda/ Dena was kind enough to take pictures of the two costumes I made for myself, while I wasn’t out on stage,  except I made 15 of the Winkie skirts and hats. The boots were made by a stage mom and my friend Anna made the vests.  (I would put a link to what the costume I was trying to recreate, but apparently the design has changed and you’ll just have to like what you see.)

We have cast pictures tomorrow night so I should have time to take some of Lilah. I’m just so busy curling my hair, which takes an hour, that I don’t see her at all during the night. She’s cute though, so cute.

Well, the fateful day has finally arrived, at least by the time I write and post this it will be Tuesday, or family night of the play. It’s not opening night, but it is the first night we perform in front of a live audience.

I’m so excited and nervous at the same time. I brought my camera tonight so I could take pictures but it was mostly locked upped in the hall locker with my purse, so I will bring it again and eventually you can have some pictures of the costumes, it’s just tough because we have some pretty quick changes and I don’t have a lot of time to take them. Plus, Jon may or may not being going to family night, it’s depends on whether his parents can go, so it might not be until Monday that pictures will be taken since that’s when he’s going.

I did get pictures of Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West, one of me in a mirror that’s a blurry one of my costume and one of me in my stage make-up and hair at home 3 hours after I did it. I guess you just have to come see the show if you want to see more of the costumes and the cutest munchkin in the show, Lilah.  (She’s wearing curlers in her hair during the day for the next two weeks so she can have her adorable ringlets each show. When we were paying at Mc Donald’s tonight the attendant smiled when she saw Lilah’s hair. I’m hoping to use them as a conversation starter so I can hand out flyers when we’re out and about.)

www.rsaf.net

Or however you say finish in Spanish.

I am finished with the Winkie costumes! It’s a good thing because I said I would be bringing them tonight, but I knew I’d be finished by tonight, so that’s why I said it!

I am so happy to be done with the 15 costumes! I had some frustrations and things took longer than planned, but they are done.

My mother-in-law asked me if I would do it again and I said yes, not because I like the hours of sewing and the neglecting of my house, or the stress of making sure things met the director’s approval, but because I want the play to look nice and costumes are a part of that.

Not all the costumes are being made under one person. In fact one thing I’ve learned is costumes can come out very different if two people are making them. People just interpret things differently.

Now I can relax and put the final touches on my Ozian Costume to help it look nice on stage.

I now need to take a shower and feed my children lunch.

Remember to go to the website to buy tickets, or you can purchase them that night with cash or check. Also kids who will sit on a lap are free!

www.rsaf.net

Since most of my time is spent sewing, keeping my house from becoming condemned, refereeing my girls and at times taking naps because I have a headache, not much has else happened. We did visit a friend this week and saw her chickens, and I didn’t sew anything on Tuesday due to whatever I did that day which was more important than sewing.  I thought I might get the Winkie skirts done by or on Saturday but I was proven very, very wrong. I have five finished total, not including the red and white pattern that will get done later. Plus we’re getting pictures done Tuesday for a newspaper, so I’ve put the Winkie costumes aside, since they wouldn’t have been complete anyways, and have been working on my costume so I can be in the picture and look cute. I’m selfish what can I say. Working on my costume has been a nice break from the stress of the Winkie’s. I know what I’m doing for the Winkie costumes, but everything is taking longer than planned and that is stressful. What I thought I could do one way and take 10 minutes, I couldn’t, so I had to do another way and take 30. Plus the elastic is a pain to pull through with a safety pin, it has taken about three tries on each skirt,  so I’m gonna go buy a little tool to make it easier, or borrow Anna’s. It just stinks. I’ve put in 85 hours making costumes for the play, mind you that includes Lilah’s and one other lullaby girl’s costume, and does not include mine, though I should tally that in there, so I’ve spent 90 hours on costumes. Some of it I love, other parts I don’t.

On a plus note, I should be done by the 28th and will be able to enjoy the Shark Reef on the 29th. Even if I’m not done, I’ll be enjoying the Shark Reef with my girls on the 29th as a be-lated birthday present. I turn 26 next week and I’ll be sewing that day and going to play practice that night. So fun. Practice really is fun, it’s the sewing that’s not.

Also, I finally have a teaching partner, though the person won’t be sustained till next week, so you didn’t hear it from me.

Monday watched Matilda. Did housework watched Dancing with the Stars.

Tuesday ran some errands. Found fabric for the Winkie vest very cheap, thanks Anna. Had lunch with Anna. Ran more errands came home. Did some more dishes. Had practice for the play and watched Dancing with the Stars, the results.

Wednesday. Sewed panels for the Winkie costume and ignored children. Anna and I are recreating a costume from on-line, but it’s gonna be slightly different and a lot cheaper, but only because our time is free.  My mom’s sewing machine started going a little crazy on me after I wound a bobbin. I got very frustrated when something that should only take eight minutes took thirty-five. I figured out the problem and for the most part fixed it. It still sometimes goes wonky and it still kills me.

Thursday. Sewed a little. Ignored children. Went to Home on the Range so I could have some down time.  Bought milk and elastic. Sewed and let children watch PBS. Made my skirt to show director. I didn’t like it but she was OK with it. (I just think I made the panels a little too narrow but they still work.) Had practice and learned that I can’t march and move my arms in a specific way at the same time. I’m so uncoordinated.

Friday dropped children off at Sam’s. Sewed from 10:30 to 1:45 with a few breaks to play scramble on facebook and eat lunch. Ran out of thread for gray panels. Figured out that I needed 3 times the amount of thread than what I bought. (Panels use a lot of thread.) Sewed on black panels till 1:45. Went to JoAnn’s for thread, picked up children. Read to children then let them watch PBS. Sewed more panels and then made dinner and relaxed for the night, even though I should have sewn. (It’s just hard when you sew at the table and have to clean off your sewing area every time. It makes the 30 minutes of sewing not worth it.

Today I had practice. I need to prepare my lesson and then take a shower. Jon and I have a hot date to see the new X-Men movie.

Tomorrow I will sew. I know it’s Sunday but this is service so I think it counts as a worthy Sunday activity.  My goal is to finish the skirts by Saturday. We’ll see if it happens. There are also now 15 Winkie’s, not just 14.

I think the hardest thing is the panels. I’m devoting so much time but it feels like I’m getting nothing done since I don’t have any skirts to show for it, except mine, which was the sample skirt. I actually have made two sample skirts but the first one didn’t work out and thus I needed to re due some things and I just wasn’t able to start again till this week.

I think once the panels are sewn things will come together quickly. I hope anyways.

So life is busy. I’m mostly very overwhelmed with all the things I’m suppose to do, have committed to do, and want to do.

I do dishes every day, maybe I skipped one last week, but my sink has not been empty in over a week. There are always more to do.

I try to be a good mom by feeding my children, cuddling with them, and trying to get them to be nice to one another. Home schooling is on the back burner since I have so much I have to do, but I do a little each week. My friend Beth is still helping me and I feel guilty that sometimes the only school time they get is when they’re there. We do other things, but not many sit down things . I just have so much to do.

My teaching partner for Gospel Principles moved to Utah recently. I’ve taught five out of the last six lessons. She did have one lesson covered by the Elders since I had taught three in a row and we did have General Conference in there but it’s been a lot for me since I’m stressing about costumes. Hopefully someone will be called next week and I can have a week or two without worrying about teaching. The Bishop said he was extending the call to someone on Sunday and I hope they accept. I really wish it had been done sooner, but I’ll be happy once I have someone to share the responsibility with.

I’m working on the Winkie Costumes and my Ozian costume, when I get tired of the Winkie’s I do things on mine. My friend Anna said she’ll help me, but she’s in school till the 16th and so she’ll be helping me design the top and hat, but I’m on my own till then when it comes to the bulk of the sewing. It’s OK and I’m grateful for her help, but it’s daunting trying to design and sew costumes for 14 people. That’s the majority of my stress right now. We’re shopping for fabric tomorrow and hopefully some of my stress will go down once we have a plan for the top. It’s not knowing that’s stressing me.

I’m excited for the play. I’ve enjoyed learning the Jitterbug dance sequence and I think I’m finally getting it, at least in my no dance experience way. We’ll be conditioning so we can dance and sing and I’m needing to get into gear at home. I know some people exercise to relieve stress, I have never been one of those people. I’m more a ‘sit on the couch and watch pointless TV and avoid what you need to do’ kind of person. At least I do it late at night so my girls aren’t sitting around with me just watching TV.

I want to do post about us releasing the ladybugs. One problem is Google stopped doing videos and YouTube is still a little too public for me. I liked Google because they had a no search thing. I also need to edit pictures and write about Jon’s birthday.

I really want to write about the fun stuff but I don’t have a lot of time right now, except to write about how little time I have. 😉

I suppose it’s because the stuff I’m stressing over is on my mind, not the fun stuff.