I think it all started when we went to see the Nativity Story at the Sights and Sounds theater in Pennsylvania right after Thanksgiving. Everett was a fussy little boy so I took him to the “family room” for pretty much the entire show. And I seriously didn’t mind — I had brought a knitting project with me and they had a comfortable couch in there. But I think Kent felt bad that I missed the show, so he bought tickets for Adele and me to go to the Nutcracker last night. We had gone to see the Nutcracker a few years ago as a family (I think it was before Everett was born), but it was not exactly a professional production. It was cute, just not exactly what I had in mind. I would really love to see a truly professional ballet, where everyone is perfectly lined up and all the toes are perfectly in sync. I guess I’m mostly attracted to the beauty in the symmetry and perfection (which might be why I am a bit OCD about all my books lining up perfectly on a bookshelf). Anyway, this performance was definitely a step up from the last one we saw. It wasn’t the Kennedy Center, but, come on, who wants to spend a few hundred dollars per ticket for a few hours of entertainment – not me!

So, we both got dressed up and Adele even got to have her picture taken with the Sugar Plum Fairy!

The show was great! My favorite part was how excited Adele was. You see, Adele is allowed to watch very little screen time. One of the very very few things I have allowed her to watch is full-length professional productions of The Nutcracker. I allowed it because it is classical ballet, so it cultivates an appreciation of visual beauty, it’s just the Tchaikovsky music (no singing or dialogue) which cultivates an appreciation of classical music (is there a term for auditory beauty???), and also it doesn’t have the quick-moving graphics or cartoons that have been shown to shorten attention-spans of children (which I find annoying anyway). So, she’s pretty familiar with the story and has seen it on the ipad more than ten times (I think). Adele also has several books with various versions of the ballet story. There were a few things Adele told me she was especially hoping to see in this production, like the part where Clara takes off her shoe and throws it at the mouse king, which immediately precedes his final demise! So when that happened, she leaned over to me and exclaimed with glee! There were about ten or twenty things that she couldn’t help lean over to me and tell me about (natural beginning “narration” for CM’ers!), which was really my favorite part. She knew that I was seeing it too, but she just wanted to tell me about it, because she was so excited!

I asked Daddy to take our picture, since we so seldom get fancied up.Well, I didn’t really do my hair or anything except put on lipstick. I should have at least put on some mascara, but hindsight is 20/20, right – I was feeling too lazy to put on any makeup that would be a hassle to take off later.

Warning, I look a lot more than 21 weeks pregnant here. I think it’s the outfit. And no, we aren’t having twins.

So, we get home from the show to find Derm Dad playing the part of a restaurant host and asking how many in our party this evening. Then I see the dining room table set for two complete with candles, our crystal goblets, and the most adorable menus! Y’all this seriously happened!

Of course every single thing was completely made from scratch. Derm Dad is so amazing! And he totally speaks my love language: fancy foodie food! (Actually, I think words of affirmation is my primary  love language, but foodie is up there somewhere.) During the second course, our “waiter” told us that the “chef” would like to join us for the remainder of our meal. =)

I am ashamed to say that I completely forgot to take pictures of each course, but I can assure you that they were as beautiful and delicious as they sound on the menu. Derm Dad is just such an extraordinary husband!!! I am so blessed!

P.S. Do you like my new Christmas Cactus and Peace Lily on the nature sideboard? Those two wandered into my cart (stroller) at the Commissary the other day. So pretty! And I love having colorful flowers in the house in the winter, if possible.