Aquaman

Marina and I saw the movie Justice League last year and we both enjoyed it. Aquaman was one of the new characters introduced in it, so we were both looking forward to his movie that came our last week. We both slept in this morning and went to the theater around lunch time.

We thought about ordering our usual platter to share, but we were both really hungry, so we looked at the menu. Marina was excited about the chicken quesadilla, so she ordered that for herself. When it arrived it was very large but she managed to eat most of it.

Aquaman was full of action and humor. Marina clearly enjoyed it. After it was over she basically said she loved all the main characters. “We need to get this when it comes out on video,” she told me as we left.

Garden Lights

December has been a busy month for us. We weren’t able to go to Blossoms of Light at the botanic gardens before Christmas. The tickets sold quickly and when I got our tickets the only time slot left for tonight was 8:00 pm. That was later than I would have chosen, but I took them anyway.

It was a cold night – the temperature was only 16 degrees when we left the house. Fortunately for us we were able to find parking in the garage right away and there was no line to go inside. So we bought hot chocolate and we were on our way.

The lights were really pretty this year. Marina and I liked the color combinations we saw. Marina was even happy to have her picture taken in front of many of the displays. When we reached the end, we saw that the interactive lights were back but this year they were controlled by a touch screen. Marina was happy to give it a try.

Once we walked all the way through, Marina and I were ready to go home. We were really cold by that time.

A Night at the Nutcracker

The Nutcracker is a Christmas tradition for us. We invited our friends to join us. After we took a few pictures we saw everyone else coming through security. So we waited for them and we all went to the seats together.


Shortly after we settled into our seats, the show started. Two of our friends had never seen The Nutcracker before and they loved it as much as we do. At intermission we all went to the lobby for drinks. Marina had a Shirley Temple. Then we all went back to our seats for the rest of the show.

After the performance was over, Marina did a little browsing in the store with our friends. But we didn’t stay too long because she has school tomorrow.

Mary Poppins Returns

Last week I entered a contest for tickets for a sneak preview of the movie Mary Poppins Returns. I won tickets to see it tonight. Marina was thrilled.

We didn’t leave the house as early as we had hoped but were glad to see there wasn’t a huge line to get it. When we went into the theater, we found good seats next to a woman who had come on her own. So, we happily joined her. I bought popcorn and a drink while Marina chatted with her

The movie started late and Marina got a bit restless. But once it got started, Marina was completely engaged in it. The story had plenty of fantasy and musical numbers which she loved. At the end she said she really liked it.

Matilda

We had tickets to see Matilda this afternoon. We saw the show when it was on tour about three years ago and we were looking forward to seeing it again. We arrived early at the theater so we had sodas in the lounge before going to our seats.

The show was fun to watch and Marina really enjoyed it. She especially liked the funny performances by Miss Trunchbull. Mr. Wormwood and the acrobats. She was also pleased that she remembered so much of the story.

After the show was over, Marina was ready to go home. It was a long drive and we’d had a busy weekend.

Festive Fun with Fish and Friends

Breakfast with Santa has become an annual tradition for us. Once again, we invited our friends to join us. Marina wore her elf dress again. We all met at the aquarium.

This year our seats were in the middle of the dining room. However, several of the tables near us were not occupied which allowed us to see the tanks better. We were all hungry, so we got into line for food right away. Marina came back with a fully loaded plate!

While we were eating, Santa came by the table and we took some photos. We enjoyed the mermaid show and then Santa and his elf swimming in the tank.

We decided to go to into the Aquarium after breakfast. One of them had never been there before so he was particularly fascinated by the exhibits. We made sure he saw the flash flood demonstration and we arrived early for the mermaid show for good seats.

When we reached the end of the exhibit, everyone got photos taken with a mermaid and they touched a ray in the feeding pool. Marina and I bought tickets for the 4D theater. The show was Sharks. The experience was intense but it was fun. Once we saw the show we were ready to go home.

Colorado Christmas Concert

Last year Marina and I enjoyed A Colorado Christmas at the symphony. So I bought us tickets to see it again this year. Marina decided to wear her elf dress. I was concerned about traffic, so we had a quick dinner at home and then set off for downtown.

We arrived early so we decided to check out the activities before the show. Just like last year, Santa Claus was the there to pose for pictures. He even gave Marina a candy cane. Marina made a reindeer ornament in the craft area and them we went back into the lobby where we bought drinks before going to our seats. .

There was a string quartet paying outside the door to the concert hall. We were about to go in when they started playing Canon in D by Pachbel. It’s one of my favorite pieces of classical music, so Marina patiently waited so I could listen to it.

As usual, we were happy to see our favorite conductor. The lineup of songs was different this year and Marina enjoyed most of it – although she didn’t seem to like the Too Hot to Handel segment. At intermission, she got a quick photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

We really enjoyed the concert but it got out pretty late and we were tired by the end.

Red Riding Hood at the Opera

Last year we went with friends to see a production of Cinderella. This year, they were presenting Little Red Riding Hood and we all decided to go together again. Marina chose to wear a simple black dress – then she added a red cape from one of her Red Riding Hood costumes.

We met our friends at their house and we all drove together. We arrived at the theater early. When we walked in we found Santa sitting inside with no line. .

We had a bit of a wait until we could sit, so Marina and I browsed a table with souvenirs. Marina fell in love with a wolf hat that had long paw gloves attached. I knew she’d probably wear it all the time, so I got one for her. She wore it all day.

Our seats were right up front so we got a good look at the stage. It had flowers and artificial grass where we could see. It was fun to look at. The opera started a bit late, but it was a really fun one. It was an abridged version, so it was only about 45 minutes long and we all enjoyed it.

After the opera was a question and answer period. Marina answered a question correctly and won a t-shirt. The cast were in the lobby for photo so we took some. But we didn’t see the actor playing the wolf. We found him inside the theater and talked with him for a few minutes. He was very nice. We stopped for ice cream after the show before driving home.

Still Daring to Dream

I’ve been taking Marina to Disney on Ice shows for a long time. When tickets went on sale for Dare to Dream she said she didn’t want to go this year. But when one of our friends wanted to bring her niece to the show, Marina was much more interested in going. Instead of dressing as a princess, marina wore her elf dress.

We had a busy day today and didn’t leave as early as we’d hoped. We also ran into rush hour traffic on the highway. But we arrived about fifteen minutes early. We were on the club level they had fancy sodas. So Marina was happy to have a cream soda.

Our friends arrived after the show started. They had been in the wrong seats! Despite her earlier misgivings, she enjoyed the show. The first part had the stories of Belle, Cinderella and Rapunzel. Marina particularly enjoyed the aerial stunts in the Tangled portion.

Marina was hungry at intermission so we picked up some churros and popcorn. When we were back at our seats, she played with our friend's niece for a while.

The second act featured the stories of Frozen and Moana. Both had some great special effects and we all enjoyed singing along. After the show we left fairly quickly. It was a school night after all. Fortunately it didn’t take us as long to get home as it did to get there.

Family, Santa and Holiday Lights

Last year, Marina and I enjoyed going to Santa’s Village. Since her cousins live close by, we invited them to join us this year.

We decided to meet early. Right as we parked we saw that her cousins was already there and very close to where we were. Then we headed inside. Maisey was a bit timid with us at first, but Barrett immediately responded to the holiday lights.

Close to the entrance was the line to meet Santa. So we decided to get that taken care of. As we waited, Emily took the kids to hear Mrs. Claus’ story time. Maisey didn’t want a photo with Mrs. Claus, so we took one of her with Marina. When it was our turn, Maisey was not at all interested in meeting Santa. So Barrett and Marina had their picture taken with him.

After seeing Santa, we followed the path to see the reindeer. All the kids were interested in them. Then we headed inside for hot chocolate and crafts. I got hot chocolate for everyone while Marina and Maisey decorated plates. Marina was so helpful helping Maisey get the colors she wanted.

Next, we got in in for the wagon ride through the lighted trees. All the kids were very patient while we were in line. They all seemed to enjoy the ride once it was our turn. After the ride, we looked at the lights at the other end of the garden before walking to the car. We’d all enjoyed spending the evening together!

Elf the Musical

Marina loves the movie Elf. I knew she would be interested in seeing the musical – especially since our friend Adriene was in the cast. We had tickets for the performance tonight.

It was a cold night with a bit of snow, so we left the house early just to be sure we arrived on time. We arrived a bit early.

Marina loved the show. The actor playing Buddy the Elf was really funny and Marina enjoyed finding Adriene in each scene. I texted Adriene at intermission to let her know we were there. She wasn’t feeling well, but she agreed to meet us after the show.

Marina enjoyed the second act as much as the first. When it was over, she declared that Elf was her favorite Christmas show. When I asked her what her favorite Christmas show was before she said she didn’t have one.

We went to the lobby to wait for Adriene. We gave her roses we brought as well as some pictures we took of her earlier this year. We had a nice visit with her. Marina also wanted to meet the actor who played Buddy. We had a bit of a wait, but eventually she got her chance. The two of them talked about how much they love the movie.

After we got a photo, we headed home. It was late and we were both tired.

Zoo Lights

For the past few years, we have gone to my alumni night at Zoo Lights with Chuck and Judy. We also invited more friends to join us. Marina and I arrived earlier than everyone else. When we went to buy our tickets, we were gifted two that someone else had purchased but weren’t able to use. They only asked that we sing a Christmas carol to get them. Marina didn’t want to, but I sang, “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” without her.

A few minutes later, everyone showed up. We went inside and to wait in line for Santa. Mrs. Claus had just finished story time, so we got a photo with her while we waited. When it was finally our turn, we had our picture taken with Santa and the mascot.

After the photo was taken, we were ready to see the lights. We participated in the scavenger hunt, but it turned out to be much more difficult than last year. Our friends were particularly interested in Tropical Discovery, although they were disappointed that none of the Komodo Dragons were on display.

After we got through the zoo, Marina and I left while everyone else went shopping. We have school and work tomorrow, so we needed to get home.

Tea With the Sugar Plum Fairy

The Sugar Plum Fairy Tea has become a holiday tradition for us. We invited Miss Judy to go along with us last year and she loved it. Since Bethany is in town this year, we asked her to join us as well.

We arrived a bit early for the tea, so we sat down and waited for seating to begin. When we were taken to our table we found we had the same table as the Royal Wedding Tea in May. One of the owners came by our table to say hello. It’s so nice that they remember us!

We all ordered the marzipan tea and we were ready to eat when our cottage pies arrived. And when the sandwiches, scones and sweets were brought out we happily ate those. Marina didn’t care for the spinach quiche, so I let her eat one of my sandwiches.

After we ate, we heard the story of The Nutcracker and the dancer was introduced. It was the same ballerina we have seen for the past few years. We enjoyed chatting with her after her dancing was done. Marina wasn’t interested in the crafts, so after we took photos, we headed out.

Ralph Breaks the Internet

The movie Ralph Breaks the Internet opened earlier this week. Of course, Marina and I were anxious to see it. So we decided to check it out this evening.

We had a bit of a sleet storm this afternoon so we were glad the theater isn’t too far from home. We arrived early, so we settled into our seats.

Once the movie started, we both enjoyed it. Since Marina loves playing video games so much, she really enjoyed that part of the story. And of course, the Disney Princesses showing up was something we both loved.

The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

Marina has really missed Ainsley this week. So we decided to make plans for today with her. It was cold and snowy, so we decided to see a movie. Marina and I wanted to see The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. At first, Ainsley said she wasn’t interested, but after watching a trailer with her mother, she changed her mind.

Marina was anxious to see Ainsley so we left the house really early. We were too early for the movie, so we stopped for warm drinks before the show. We arrived early for the movie, so we ordered our food.

The movie was more of an adventure than a romance. Both Marina and Ainsley loved it. After it ended we brought Ainsley over to our house where the girls worked on their photo albums for a little while and then went into Marina’s room and played dress up. After a couple of hours, Ainsley was ready to go home for dinner.

Aloha

Marina and I love the theater that presents dramatizations of international folk tales. And since we got Justine interested earlier this year, she’s been our regular guest to their shows. Their latest is Aloha – Polynesian folk tales. Marina was particularly excited because these stories centered around Maui, the demigod featured in the Disney movie Moana.

We arrived a bit later than we planned. The producer of the theater, was there to welcome us. Marina loves to sit in the front, so she sat in front of Justine and I. She was a bit impatient for the show to start. Fortunately, we didn’t have to wait too long.

The show was a fun mix of Maui stories mixed in the Polynesian dances. We all enjoyed it. Once it was over, we waited for our chance to have a photo taken with the cast. That has become a tradition.

La Traviata

Three years ago, Marina and I saw the opera La Traviata four years ago. Tonight was opening night of another production. I got tickets for us to go with Angie. Marina got all dressed up in a hot pink floor length dress. I added a pink beaded necklace. She looked so grown up!

Traffic was crazy on the way to the theatre and when we arrived at the performing arts complex it was packed. We just managed to park, get through security and buy drinks before the opera started. Angie met us at the seats.

The first time we saw La Traviata, Marina enjoyed it. This time she seemed bored. When the opera ended, she was anxious to go home. She didn’t even want to wait for the elevator at the parking garage. Instead she hurried up five flights of stair! On the way home she fell asleep. It had been a full day!

Dia De Los Muertos Celebration

We’ve been going to the botanic gardens Day of the Dead Celebration for the past few years. Last year Miss Judy came with us and enjoyed it. So we invited her again this year. She, in turn, invited Bethany and Jeremy to join us. It was going to be particularly emotional this year as we would be remembering a family who was killed earlier this year.

The weather was cool and rainy this morning but we decided to go anyway. It seemed to take a long time for everyone to be ready to go, but we were fortunate that right as we arrived we found someone who was leaving the parking garage, so we got a good parking spot.


When we arrived we found the crafts under a large tent. Marina wanted to decorate a sugar skull, so we wall watched her as she made hers. Judy, Bethany and Jeremy went to watch the Aztec dancers while Marina created a flower wreath and she made paper marigolds which she gave to Judy and Bethany.

We all went for warm drinks and once we had them the Lucha Libre wrestling had begun. So we watched that for a while. Our next stop was the community alter. Judy and Bethany got emotional as they added a family members’s name to the display. I helped Marina with a card with her great grandparents’ names on it.

We went into the Japanese garden where Marina showed everyone the koi pond. Then we wandered around the perimeter of the garden. By then Bethany and Judy were tired, so we decided to leave. On the way home, we stopped to have tacos for lunch.

Van Helsing's Daughters

Marina and I had been interested in seeing a play called Van Helsing’s Daughters. The only performance we could fit into our schedule was tonight – Halloween. I asked Marina if she wanted to go instead of trick or treating and she said yes. The website encouraged dressing in costume, so Marina picked out a Gothic looking costume to wear with her elf ears.

The show was at an inn, which is supposed to be haunted. When we arrived, we had a conversation with a man there. He was the owner of the inn and told us a story about the ghosts there. The show was on the third floor of the building. It was a beautiful room. We didn’t order dinner but I did buy a dessert for Marina. Marina chose a seat at a table where a couple was seated. The young woman was dressed in a mermaid costume, I’m sure that is why she chose to sit there.

Marina enjoyed her dessert when it was brought to her. All the people seated at our table were fun. Marina also spent time with the actress playing the Siren and the owner of the inn.

When the show began, Marina was very entertained by it. It was staged as a presentation of supernatural creatures by the immortal daughters of Abraham Van Helsing. The creature were brought out into the audience so we could get a closer look. At intermission we were invited to the garden where we were to meet “special guests.” We went outside and a few minutes later sever giant monsters came out. Marina was impressed.


After the performance ended, we took a few photos with the cast. Marina enjoyed herself and said it was worth missing trick or treating to go.

Love Never Dies

Marina loves the musical The Phantom of the Opera. It has a lesser known sequel called Love Never Dies which is not performed often. So when a touring production stopped near us I decided we would have to check it out. At first Marina wasn’t too interested. But as it got closer, she got more excited about it.

The show takes place mostly at an amusement park on New York’s Coney Island. Marina loved the circus inspired themes throughout. The sets and the costumes were amazing to see although the music wasn’t as memorable as the original. Marina really liked the young actor playing Gustav. The ending was tragic and when Gustav started to cry, so did she.

After the performance ended, the cast announced a fundraiser which meant cast members would be collecting donations in the lobby. One of them was the actor playing Gustav, so we got a picture with him as well as a few of the circus performers.

Most exciting was you could have a photo with the Phantom. Marina and I were both excited to do that! We had to wait in a line for the Phantom photo. While I was paying, the actor immediately started talking with Marina. He started by asking her name. I took photos of her with him and then we had someone else take one of all of us.

Once our photos were over, we went to the car. We’d enjoyed the evening but Marina has school tomorrow, so she needed to get to bed.