The thing about the dogs is that although they’re ready for bed at 10:00 (and so am I), they tend to want to take a break from their crates sometime between 2:00 and 4:00 in the morning to go outside and do their business. More often than not, they will then return to their crates and sleep until it’s time for the rest of us to get up.
If I get up for their middle of the night bathroom break, I cannot get back to sleep. Jeff has slightly better luck with this.
Here is the current problem: Jeff is out of town.
Last night the dogs and I went to bed at 10:00. At 4:32, they asked if I would take them outside for a quick breath of fresh air. I obliged.
The minute Henry stepped into the back yard, he went batty and started barking like a 25 pound puppy with a man dog voice. Because that’s what he is. I’m horrified at the thought of the dogs waking the neighbors, so I did what anyone in my position would do. I stepped outside and began “scream whispering.”
Me (in pajamas, which is really just a t-shirt and sweats): HENry. HENry. Bananas! Bananas! Puppy treats! Stop! Stop! HENry!
The barking continued. I ran back into the house, grabbed a bag of puppy bones (the treats he isn’t allowed to have because of the food trial), ran BACK out to the yard, and frantically started shaking my bag of bones (literally and figuratively) as I danced around trying to avoid the fresh piles of dog crap.
It seemed like we were outside for at least twenty minutes. When the dogs came in and went back to their crates, I looked at the clock. 4:38.
I’ve been up since 4:38. I’m now within 15 pages of finishing The Marriage Plot, and I’m hesitating to finish it because I don’t want it to end. I have a definite picture in my mind of each of the characters, and I actually CARE about at least two of them, which doesn’t happen very often for me.
Question: How on earth does a family of four afford to see Beauty and the Beast at the Fox Theater? It occurred to me a few months back that my kids would love going to the Fox. When I saw that Beauty and the Beast would be there around Christmas, it seemed like the obvious time to go. Sure, I could go for the $25 tickets that actually cost $29, meaning I would pay roughly $120 for us to go. BUT, Meredith wouldn’t be able to see very well from those seats. For Meredith to actually see what was happening, we would probably need to go with the $52 or $66 seats, which actually cost $60 and $76. (It’s cute how the service charge goes up along with the ticket prices.) During the holiday season (or any other season, if I’m totally honest with you), I don’t have $240 or $304 to spend on an afternoon at the theater. AND, I know that I could go with a local community theater and get the same show for something like 1/10th of the cost, but I want my kids to see a show at The Fox. (Some people want their kids to have at least one hot meal every day. Please know that I know how ridiculous I’m being right now.)
I just ate a pint of blackberries. My second huge cup of coffee is in the microwave. I’m going to take some time today to think about everyone I know who falls into the category of Veteran. ‘ ‘ ‘text/javascript’>
When I was little, my mom would take us to see Tulsa Ballet’s Nutcracker every other year (I was mouse in it one year). My sister and I knew that this was part of our Christmas presents, meaning there’d be less under the tree that year. I was OK with this and I bet you’re little girls would be too. Ask them. They’ll get so much crap from relatives, but seeing Beauty and the Beast in a setting like the Fox, will stick with them for a lifetime.
oh that would be wonderful…could you take just Meredith this time and next year take Harper? Or something equally silly…that would be half the price then…but seeing Beauty and the Beast as a family would be lovely….
I like Cindy’s idea.
I agree with Cindy. We usually make an experience one of our kids’ Christmas (or birthday – my daughter’s is near Christmas) gifts. It cuts down on “stuff” and creates great memories. This year, we are giving her tickets to Wicked. She actually loves it and looks forward to thinking of fun things she’d like to do every year! Looking forward to when my son is old enough for fun activity gifts, too.
I would keep an eye on travelzoo and groupon. I love to take my daughter to the theater, just her and I and I have had good luck with that (usually closer to the opening. I think they are trying to fill in unfilled seats so you may find yourself there on a Tuesday but who cares?). I feel, too, that if this is a once in a great while experience, we shouldn’t sit in the nosebleed seats. We should at least enjoy it. You might try googling too. It may be risky but maybe people would have tickets to unload last minute, you may find them on ebay or something.
We are in solidarity over sleep loss. I have been falling asleep around 9, waking up at 1am and then my body thinks we’re good (until about 5 when I only have another hour to get in the rest of the night’s sleep). It might not be so bad if I used the time productively instead of using it to try to fall back to sleep.
You might want to call the box office and see if they do something called “rush tickets”. It’s usually 2 hours before the show, and they sell unsold tickets for DIRT cheap to fill the seats.
*crossed fingers*
If I recall correctly your dogs are getting well out of puppyhood and should be able to go the whole night without the break- really they should. It might mean a few nights of you just ignoring their requests/whining (and you may even need to move them and their kennels where you can not hear them or hear them well) so you can sleep through the next few nights. I am no dog expert, have had and trained 4 but a full nights sleep is mandatory in my world! Could you try a few nights of this (kind of like CIO for dogs) when disturbed sleep is not as critical.
Good luck!
Scream whispering. (I love you, Angie.)
I agree with Janet about the dogs. We have been wanting to go the Nut Cracker, but have the same issues.
Do I have this right? Is it still today and I’m all caught up now???
(gasp)
You should totally have run some sort of “If I have to post every day, you guys jolly well better comment every day” contest (which I would so completely be losing at this point) Angie. There’s always next year, right?
So, your dogs were barking for approximately six full minutes just after 4:30 AM, eh? Ohhhh, the neighbors are *so* going to love you!
In fact, one of them already does think you’re sort of “special”, right? Or is that an across-the-street lady?
And yeah, the theater ticket price thing :-( MAJOR bummer, especially in this economy. I bet attendance will be down, which is terrible for the arts of course, and terrible too for the kids who are at just the *perfect* age to enjoy this experience (that would be yours) but have to miss it.
Any chance they have a grandmother in the area who might enjoy taking Meredith this year and Harper next? A little one-on-one grandma bonding time??
Just a thought.
I have to go lie down now. NoMoBloPo is doing me in!
TOTALLY understand how seeing a show at the Fox is a must for their childhood. I’m with the make it part of Christmas idea.
I am going to see Paul Simon this week at The Fabulous Fox. It is pricey but so worth it. I have way too many children to even fantasize about all of us going there. But, there is a groupon for going to The Nutcracker at UMSL and that could be awesome too.
I went to The Fox wheni was in high school and thought it was amazing. I would roll it into their Christmas gifts!
Ok, now see here’s where I got off track to begin with. It’s the middle of the day — “tomorrow” actually, in relation to this post — and there’s no new post to comment on yet, but for the rest of the day I will feel like I’ve already been here…and then all of a sudden I will discover that it actually *is* tomorrow, and today will have been left behind in the dust. (Sigh)
Note to self: Check in on FP every night while brushing teeth.
Sub Note: Oh right. My keyboard and monitor are sure to love *that* plan!
I know! I live in MN near the twin cities and the Lion King is coming and it would be well over $300 to take my family… and that’s in the cheap seats!! So sad. :(