Phantom

Zach and I went to The Phantom of the Opera again on Friday night. It was soooooo awesome! We were overjoyed to see that two old men were sitting in front of us this time (although if they had started making out we would have been REALLY distracted). Our seats were a little further back than our original but that was OK because we were right below the speakers so the sound was actually better. I can't believe how much we missed last time! I really recommend seeing this show while you are visiting Vegas. It is the #1 show in Vegas. Here are some pictures of when Lissy and Tyler were up:



Turns out that Tyger is a tougher critic than Simon


Tyger and Spiderman. Tyger is quite the climber!



Tyger getting important advice from his namesake


Arnold just asked Zach, "Lets compare biceps." (Then added, "make my day")


Zach is filling in for Randy, Tyler is filling in for Paula.


After Phantom attempt #1


Oops I did it again! (Threw out my back, that is)


Oprah just asked me if Zach compares to Steadman...


The Venetian


I call I'm Bridgette!

Things that Bring Me Joy

I have decided to take Holly's challenge to post about those things that bring positive energy into our lives. In case you haven't noticed, most of my recent posts show quite the opposite. And if you subscribe to the theory of the "law of attraction" you know that I am attracting more negative things into my life. I guess I have just been overwhelmed with it all... Starting a real career, working full time, moving to Vegas, having total responsibilities. I was very comfortable in my "student" life and I didn't even realize it. Well here goes!
1. Two nights ago Zach and I were driving home from SLC with Tyger and Tatum in the back seat. They started singing early on in the drive, and by the time we were passing Park City they were both singing at the top of their lungs (and totally different songs than each other, by the way) and of course Zach and I had to join in. Zach said to me, "Did you ever think we would be driving and our kids would be singing in the back seat?" I hadn't ever thought of it. I hadn't ever dreamed of it! In the words of Plankton, "Life is good, Krabs...life is good." On a side note, Tatum's version of "Bringing Home my Baby Bumblebee" is a can't miss... especially because she doesn't know what the words are ("won't my mommy ee so owd a me!")
2. A good hearty laugh. I love to laugh. If I get into a good laugh I like to keep it going as long as I possibly can. On the way to Utah Zach and I were singing (a big part of our lives, obviously (singing AND driving) "Cocomo" by the Beach Boys. We sung, "That's where you wanna go to get away from it all! Bodies in the sand" I stopped because I didn't know the next words, but Zach continued singing without missing a beat: "Tropical beach monkey in your hand." And then he went right on to "We'll be falling in love to the rhythm..." I said, "Did you just say "tropical beach monkey in your hand?" We both burst out laughing. I don't remember the last time I laughed that hard. I'm even laughing writing about it now. By the way, the real words are "tropical drink melting in your hand," although the "beach monkey in your hand" is a better visual...
3. Home--especially small town Utah. Moving to Vegas helped me realize how great we had it! I swear I can feel the difference as we cross the border into Utah. It is home. How great is it to know that most of the people around you share your religion, and your values. And while I experience more anti-mormon rhetoric in Utah than in Nevada, for the most part, people are respectful of my religion.
4. Those special "moments" when I look at Zach and I get butterflies in my stomach. And it's not comparable to when we dated... it's so much more! True it's not a constant love and hormone fest like it was when we first got married. But now as we have grown and learned together, my love for Zach is on such a deeper level. One of the song's on Zach's album was written about us and the ups and downs of our marriage. Last summer in Hawaii we had his CD going in the car and we looked at each other and all of a sudden there were tears streaming down both of our faces. He reached over and held my hand. It was such a small thing, but a moment I will never ever forget. It's moments like those that I feel like the girl on Jerry Maguire: "I love him! I love him for the man he wants to be. And I love him for the man he almost is!" Only I love him for the man he already is, but with the same enthusiasm as Dorothy (the character on Jerry Maguire).
Well I feel better even thinking about these blessings in my life. I continue Holly and her friend's challenge to (in Holly's words), "write about those things in my life that help me, remind me to FEEL happy, to be excited, to smile, to vibrate at a higher vibration." Thanks for the challenge, Holly!

Phantom...

Well, On Saturday, Tyler and Lissy came down and together with Mitch and Angela we all went to Phantom of the Opera! It's put on in a custom built, 40 million dollar theater that is spectacular. Some of the scenes, no, MOST of the scenes I didn't remember from the movies I've seen, like the drunken make out scene below:
Yeah, didn't remember that one in the movies I've seen. OH maybe because scenes of drunk people making out AREN'T IN THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! It's just the nasty trashy people we sat behind. RIGHT behind. This couple starts making out before the play even starts. We let it go because we were sure they would stop once it began. We were wrong. They made out for at least half of the show. And not just any making out, full on, tonsil hockey making out. In between the making out they would laugh at inappropriate times (loud, raucous, drunken laughter, by the way) and in between the laughter, he would either stare at her intently until she would kiss him or nuzzle her breasts. That's right, nuzzle her breasts. And in between the chest nuzzling they would cat call to the people on stage. So Zach and I were desperately trying to hear the Phantom, but it went something like this: "Kristine, my angel of --SLURP! Sing! Sing-- HA HA HA HA HA! Is there, the Phantom of the--WOOOOOOO! YEAH!!!! slurp...." The first half of the show, we kept thinking they would stop. But they didn't. There is no intermission at this production. So after about 45 minutes of this, Zach taps the guy on the shoulder and says, "Please be quiet." They ignored him, so he asks again and also says, "We didn't pay money to watch you make out." That worked for about 15 minutes before they started up again. These people were sloshed and had sneaked in alcohol so that they could get even more sloshed. They were in their late 40's and we assume they were having an affair and that is why they had to make out in the theater. Anyway, they started up again and I was soooo angry, I was seeing stars. I couldn't listen to the play, I couldn't see the play, all I could see were these people! and then it was over. I don't think I have ever been so mad. We started walking out, but I had to say something. One thing bad about nursing is that I have become very bold about confrontation. People were leaving but they just sat in their seats looking drunk and lustful. I went up to them and poked them on the shoulder. Then I started yelling at them! I couldn't believe I was doing it! People around me stopped and stared, like "What's going on?" I said, "You two owe me $250. I just paid money to watch you make out for an hour and a half. You owe me $250 and your ruined our night. YOU RUINED OUR NIGHT!!!" They just looked at me with half opened wasted eyes and said, "Huh? What? Ohh... Ssssorry." I was so mad I was shaking. So Zach called and complained and we got 2 free tickets and will be going again on March 29th. Yay!!! So I will post again and tell you how great the show was in a couple of weeks.