Madagascar!

This evening Nadia was in Madagascar, Jr. at the Millbrook Playhouse. Most of the kids were either penguins, lemur, or fossa - and four of them had one of the other leading roles (lion, zebra, hippo, and giraffe). Nadia was a penguin. She was at camp from 9:00-4:00 M-Th and from 9:00-7:30 today, and she'll be at camp tomorrow from 9:30 until 2:00. They are doing two more performances at 11:00 and 1:00 tomorrow. Unfortunately the 1:00 performance is the same time as her friend's 10th birthday party. I'm guessing she'll get to attend the last hour of her friend's birthday party. Tomorrow is a day I wish with all my heart and soul my husband didn't work on Saturdays. If he didn't work on Saturdays then I'd leave the boys with him, but instead they'll be hanging out with me somewhere (going to try a state park - hope the weather cooperates) from 9:30-1:45, in the van for 90 minutes driving her to and from camp (which is better than the last five days when they've been in the van for 2.5-4 hours a day), and then because we'll show up at the party very late, we won't have time to go home but will have to find somewhere to hang out for a bit while she's at the party. They have been troopers! Today was the first time they gave me grief during one of the drives. We've also been listening to Huckleberry Finn. We've finished half the book thus far.

When I signed her up for the camp I was figuring I'd stay in that area and only do the round trip once a day. Monday we didn't come  home but spent many hours at the Treasure Castle Playland. The other days we came home so I could do things like mow the lawn, get my fingerprints for the FBI clearance for the university, cook dinner, etc. Two years ago Paul helped with the driving when Nadia was in Annie, and those practices were held at a church a few minutes closer. Last year I had to do it all myself, and they moved to a church a bit farther away. They had far more practices, but they were shorter so the boys and I always just found something to do in that general area during her practice. Last year I said I wouldn't do that again, and so we tried this theater. I thought it would be more tolerable because it was only one week of driving compared to multiple weeks with the other theater group. Nadia loved it, but I don't ever plan to sign her up for another theater camp at Millbrook Playhouse unless Paul goes back into higher education and has the summer off and can help with the chauffeuring. Hopefully in the future I can find a musical that she can participate in that takes place in Williamsport, which is 25 minutes away.

Paul's parents joined us, which was very nice. I don't think the kids and I had seen them since June. In part Paul's mom has had to keep her distance due to various ones of us being sick. We made sure not to touch her, and she wore a mask over her face. Hopefully we didn't give her any germs tonight! Paul also come home from work a lot earlier than usual (4:40) so that he could join us, which was also wonderful. Oliver hadn't seen Paul for even one second since Sunday because this week he left for work at 2AM four days in a row and then at 3AM today, and the last four nights he got home from work between 8:15-9:00PM. I purchased a DVD of the performance plus a photo cd, but I still snapped a few photos tonight. In hindsight I should have used my 35mm lens. Live and learn!