wicked

                                        

My mother and I celebrate milestone birthdays a couple months apart.  She's exactly, well, we're a certain number of years apart.  Let's just leave it at that.

The day after her birthday (last weekend), the kids could NOT wait for dessert so Grammy could open her gifts, so we did it before dinner.  Grace handled the wrapping.  Abby had picked out the perfect Wicked Witch of the West music card the other day to go with her ticket to Wicked:

                                 

Of course she wouldn't want to go alone, so I sacrificed and went with her.  It was rough. (You do hear my sarcasm, right?)  I can't believe the girls managed to not tell her since we listened to the music non-stop for a week leading up to her birthday.  Abby in the end didn't catch that she wasn't going and was pretty upset about it.  Someday we'll take her to broadway, but considering the cost, it might not be for a decade.

A fun blurry shot of the girls helping her blow out her candles:

                                 

Fast forward a week to last night.  We drove through crazy rain, and thankfully next to no traffic, but we managed to get there.  Here's us eating a yummy, perfectly portioned dinner at The Azalea a stone's throw away from the theatre (which is important if you understand just how miserable the weather was).  Here's us at the restaurant:

                                

We made friends with the guys at the next table (we might as well have been sitting at the same table).  They were in town for a birthday too.  Pictures all around!  I would just like to add that the bruchetta on my plate was delicious.  Seriously.

Then the show. IT. WAS. AWESOME. So much funnier than I expected.  The actress that played Glinda stole the show.  I've seen a lot of Broadway shows, but I've never been to one that instead of just clapping after a number, people actually whooped and hollared.  If you ever have the chance, don't hesitate...to see the show I mean, not whoop and hollar.  It was worth it.

And here we are in our seats.  They ended up being great seats!  I was a little worried since I got them pretty quick:

                                

Mom and I have always been close.  We see eachother almost daily, if we can help it.  But it was so nice to do something out of the ordinary together.  Happy Birthday Mom!  You know I love you.  Let's do it again next year!  Maybe In The Heights?