The Room Where It Happens!

 In a week, we'll have an eleven year old, which seems unbelievable, but then not, because she's definitely trying to be eleven going on seventeen.

The eye make up was for a Halloween event - she does not generally look this full goth, but when she does start an angry rock band, this will be the album cover.

More like it, on picture day. The Doc Martens were her birthday present from Gigi and Grizz, which is the second time Gigi has bought Docs for a surly young lady to stomp around in.

Last year for her birthday, we went to the Grand Canyon with Lexi and Judd. This year, a more local experience - we bought tickets for the whole family to go see Hamilton up in LA, and to get there on a Friday night, we chartered a sprinter bus limo! We refused to tell the kids ahead of time what the plan was (despite having to take them all to get COVID tests, since they're too young to be vaccinated) until the very last minute on Friday night. Judd and Lexi had complained on the way over "why do we have to dress up if we're just going to the Fords!" But then they all screamed with joy, and were especially jazzed on the limo-van (the best part was that it had four captains chairs facing each other, and then a bench in the back, so the adults could be separate from their children. Sadly, not separate enough, could have used another partition.) 

Like true Southern Californians, we stopped and got In N Out for dinner, and then Kristen had brought along cupcakes for us to celebrate with. 

And then, what time was it? SHOWTIME! Like I said... showtime showtime WHAT!

It was FANTASTIC. This was the third time for both Tim and I to see it, second for Kristen, Jeff and Ellie, and first for the boys and Lexi. I thought the cast was really great - we saw the understudy in the Hamilton role, but I thought he did amazing and had such a beautiful voice. We had good seats in the balcony, including an aisle seat for Tim and his long legs. I drew the short stick and sat next to Adam, but he did mostly okay with fidgeting and wondering how much time was left (kid, you know how much time is left, you know every word to this show!) Then during the very last bars about who lives, who dies, who tells your story, he got so overwhelmed and burst into tears! My sensitive little theater patron. The girls had been completely thrilled with every minute of it - Tim reported that he had to remind them that it was not a singalong production. And then on the way home, the boys, who had been tired during the show, were absolutely amped in the car. The rest of us (other than Tim) were dozing on and off, and so thankful to not have to drive or pay attention. It was such a fun event, and such a fun celebration of these two besties.