A Dream of Mexico

Two years ago, I took Marina to see Kurious by Cirque du Soliel. She loved it, so I got us tickets to see Luzia again this summer. Since the performance was an early one, we decided to take light rail to avoid traffic.

The trains took longer than we expected and we ended up being a bit late for the show. We arrived in time to see a group of acrobats dressed as birds. The first act was filled with humor and amazing stunts. This show even had a water feature that added a new element to the performances.

During intermission, we got some popcorn and walked around the tent a bit before going back to our seats. The second act was a fun as the first. We were amazed by a contortionist and two synchronized swings with acrobats jumping from one to the other.

After the show, I asked Marina what her favorite part was and she said “Everything.” We had a less stressful trip home on the light rail.

Golden Dragon Acrobats

This summer I took Marina to see her first Cirque du Soliel show. She enjoyed that so much that when we had the opportunity to see the Golden Dragon Acrobats from China, I knew she would love it. She wore an Asian inspired dress and brought her American Girl Ivy in the Chinese New Year dress.

We arrived early for the show but Marina just wanted to go to our seats. She had a snack while we waited. Once the show started, she was completely engaged. The performance was a combination of dance, gymnastics and acrobatics. Clearly she was amazed at the skill level of the performers.

We stayed in our seats for intermission. Marina soon began a conversation with the woman next to her about her American Girl dolls.

The second act was more amazing than the first. One stunt involved an acrobat creating a tall stack of wooden chairs and performing balancing acts at the top. We were both breathless.

After the show was over, Marina ran into one of her friends from school. They spent a few minutes talking before we left.

Kurios

Marina has been interested in seeing a performance of Cirque du Soleil for some time. So this time through I made sure to get tickets. The show was Kurios, Cabinet of Curiosities. I wasn't sure what the show was about and I hoped we would enjoy it.

The performance was in a large tent. Even the decor outside made us feel like we were entering another world. We were excited that our seats were much closer than what we expected.

Before the show began some of the performers wandered around the stage and even through the audience. The show opening had a train of musicians traveling through the audience. Marina leaned over to me and said, "Thank you for bringing me here!"

Each element of the show thrilled and amazed us both. One balancing act left us breathless and we were awed by the trampoline acrobatics. Marina repeatedly said, "That's so cool!" and "He's crazy!"

During intermission we walked around the tent and browsed the gift shop. Marina had fun trying on various masks and hats.

The second act was as exciting as the first. After the show was over, I asked Marina what her favorite part was. She answered, "Everything!"

Birthday for an American Girl

Marina's birthday is five days away, but we got started celebrating early by having her party today. She is still crazy about her American Girl doll McKenna, who is a gymnast. So, we had a gymnastics party with an American Girl theme.The party was at the recreation center where Marina used to take ballet class. She had seen the gymnastics classes which are held there, so she was very excited to have her birthday party there.

We'd had gymnastics parties before, but none like this! The kids were allowed to play of the bars and beam as well as a long trampoline. There were giant balls to sit on and a large ring that the kids could sit in while their friends rolled it along. As soon as the party started, the kids wasted no time having fun. There were so many different activities it was hard to keep track of where the kids were.


After a very quick 45 minutes, it was time for cupcakes and ice cream. Since it was an American Girl party, several girls brought their dolls. We had a table set up just for them. Their plates and cups were just like the ones the kids were using.

Marina enjoyed opening her presents as well. She read each card out loud and would wait for everyone to settle down so she could be heard. She received some very nice gifts and was gracious in receiving them.


By the end of the party it was clear the kids were getting tired. They'd had fun. We were glad they all came to celebrate with us.