My Sugar Plum fairy

For the past few years, Kate and I have gone to the Houston Ballet's Nutcracker the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Kate LOVES it.  Honestly, I think the ballet is good (my mind drifts from time to time during the performance) but what I really love is watching my daughter enjoy it so much.  She knows all the songs and she loves the costumes and the dancing.  She watches the orchestra from where we sit (in a loge box) and pretends to be playing violin along with them.  She takes in every single sight and sound and gasps with delight.  I never want to forget that.

Of course we had to take some photos with the good camera before we left:)

We were laughing and being silly....

    

Kate was getting tired of smiling so she was holding up her cheeks for this one...I love it.

Once we got to the theater, we looked at the giant tree and gingerbread house....

Iphone pics at the theatre.





At intermission, a few mice and toy soldiers came out to meet the children...






Then immediately after the performance, we went to the green room to meet a few of the principals.  Kate had them sign her Nutcracker book.

Clara came out first and she was so tiny.  I am not kidding.  I thought she was around 12 but I asked her how old she was and she said 25!  She was so good.











The Sugar Plum Fairy


We had such a nice time.
 It truly is a magical day for us and I am so grateful that we get to do this each year.


Kate's dress is from here.

I found the tartan skirt for me on E-bay months ago (for $24!).  It is a gorgeous raw silk from England and was completely the wrong size.  It was long and too small.  My genius seamstress remade it and I LOVE it.  I would have loved it long too but it was not long enough.