Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!

When I started grad school and had some time driving there by myself, I started listening to podcasts and have become quite addicted to a few over the last 3-4 years.  One that I NEVER miss is a comedy, news quiz show from NPR called "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me."  It's so funny and a sort-of decent source of news each week as well!  I found out they were going to be taping the show live in Baltimore last month and searched all over for tickets but it was sold out.  I was so bummed!  

However, on the day OF the show, I checked ticketmaster and craigslist one last time and ticketmaster had tickets!!!  I consulted Chris, prayed we'd find a babysitter last minute, and we bought them!  

Since we bought them last minute we were sure the seats would be poor but they were AWESOME.  We were in a box with 3, comfy, swiveling, velvet armchairs and no third person!  Just us!  We were looking right over the stage.  Couldn't have been more perfect.  

It was so much fun to see how they produce the show and to see some of the "voices" I hear all the time!  And Mo Roca, one of my favorites, was one of the panelists (it rotates weekly)!  The celebrity guest was John Waters who was there in person and as a fixture in Baltimore, was interviewed for much longer than they needed for the show.  He was such a character!  We were also really impressed with Peter Segel, the host, in person-he managed to be really funny on the spot and entertain the crowd as well as do everything needed to keep the radio show going (he reads all the questions from an ipad on the podium in from of him).  

Great experience and made me love listening to the show every week even more!

Our attempt at a camera-phone self portrait

our view of the stage

Princesses on Ice

Recently we joined a few friends to see Disney Princesses on Ice at the local Arena.  I'm a sucker for a good show especially if it involves Disney music.  My sister and I are known to break into our 20-year-old repertoire of Disney Songs loudly and often. "Colors of the Wind" anyone? "Part of your world"?  

So, given my penchant for a good Alan Menken tune, this show ended up being even better than I expected!  Complete with fireworks, pretty impressive figure skating in full costumes, and a dragon breathing actual fire on the ice, it was pretty awesome.  Oh, and Ella would want me to mention the enormous bag of Cotton Candy i got her at intermission.  That might have been her favorite part.  She did enjoy the show but she's a sucker for big bags of spun sugar too.  And it's ok because she's just beginning her schooling in the wonderful world of Disney Songs.  She's almost got down the lyrics to "A Whole New World."  That's my girl :-)

Disney on Ice

Yesterday we went with a group of friends to see Disney on Ice! The kids loved the spectacle of it all and were totally into it even though there wasn't as much pre-school focused action or characters as I'd hoped. Nevertheless, we all had a fun time!


The kids snacked the ENTIRE show. Good thing all four moms had full purses of goodies and they didn't confiscate them at the entrance :-)


Hope was the youngest kid there and Holly didn't know if she'd be into it but she totally was!

You can tell Lexi was just humoring me with a grin for the camera...genuine happiness came later when she saw Snow White and Cinderella!

The show was pretty impressive-complete with pyrotechnics and all kinds of fancy skating tricks.

At one point we chanted "Mickey Minnie!" over and over while clapping to free them from their laser prisons (like I said, the story was a little more fitting for school-age kids than pre-school). But Ella was totally into it! I'm so thankful to be able to do things like this with her :-)

Veggie Tales Live!

For part of Ella's birthday gift, we took her to see Veggie Tales Live. We have a bunch of the videos and she's a pretty big fan and seemed old enough to go to a real "show." Thankfully, we were right! The show was awesome (like a rock concert for preschoolers) and Ella was fascinated for the entire two hours! Such a fun trip.


curious, waiting for the show to start

Bob the Tomato & Larry the Cucumber!

Lots of dancing, singing, strobe lights, costume changes, and even a smoke machine!

Getting directions for how to do the "Boyz in the Sink" dance