Nutcracker Date!

I'm a sucker for traditions. 

And now that Josie is old enough to participate and get excited about them, I'm adding a ton this year.

A couple months ago I saw an ad at Josie's ballet class for The Nutcracker.  It was playing Thanksgiving Weekend and I decided that would be a perfect way to kick off the Holiday Season.

So we decided to make it an Annual Grandmother-Mother-Daughter Tradition!

My Mom wasn't able to make it down this year, but I talked Amber and her Mother In Law into joining us.  Olivia wasn't quite ready to sit through a ballet.  Hopefully next year.

We got all fancy and Josie got to wear her newest Purple Twirly Dress.

Andrew had a Boys Night with Gabe. 

Gabe is praying because the last time Andrew babysat he forgot to feed the baby!

She was SO excited!  I let her pick where we would eat, so of course we ended up at Chickfila!

Then we headed to the theatre.

Can you tell she was excited?!?!

The ballerinas did an amazing job. 

Even if Josie was slightly put off by the male ballerinas.  She was not a fan of them since they did not have on "Ballet Tards" (leotards). 

They in fact did not have on much of anything.

Yikes!

It ended a couple hours past bedtime.  Josie was tired but she hung in there.

I won't lie, we came home and both practiced twirling on our very tippee toes.

We may need to keep working on it!

I love spending special time with just the two of us.  Andrew takes her on dates all the time, but I rarely get to take her off with the sole purpose of making memories with her.

It was an awesome night and I am already excited to go back next year!