Clan Chronicles: Where to begin?

I am so behind in posting now, I don't know where to begin. Sigh.
Like Maria in the Sound of Music, I guess I need to "start at the very beginning...it's a very good place to start." :o) I am singing that song because last Saturday, Katelyn and I were privileged to go to a dinner theater to see the Sound of Music. A friend's daughter was Marta, one of the children in the play. We went to the Riverside Dinner Theatre in Fredericksburg, VA. It is a beautiful facility and we had great center tier seats, discounted because we were the friend of an actress. (The other dinner theater that we took Mom to for her 75th birthday, was not as grand as this one. That one is in desperate need of updates and refurbishing.)

When we arrived, our places were set with a salad and we were told who our waitress was going to be. I opened the program and found out that she was the woman who would be playing Maria! Often the actors wait the tables at the Dinner Theater so that they can earn more money in tips. The Dinner Theatre administrators encourage you to tip generously. They do make a salary each night, but I imagine it's not very much since the daughter we knew in it only makes $10 a night.

"Maria" was a good waitress, and an even better actress. What an amazing voice! Reading the notes in the program, we found out she also choreographed the play. Very talented! She had played the part of Maria six years ago at the same theater, so she knew her part very well. Kylie, our friend's daughter, was superb as well. She has been delighted being in this production, and is already practicing for another one in March. That one is the Wizard of Oz, and will be in their Children's Theater.

Kylie's mom encouraged another friend to try out for Ragtime, the next production that this theater is doing after Sound of Music, and she got the part! So we may have at least two MORE excuses to go to the dinner theater! :o)

Accompanying us to the play was another friend and her daughter, one of Katelyn's best friends. Also there were my Mom, two sisters, and brother-in-law. It was fun to be able to go out with them.

My brother-in-law is expecting his first daughter in May, and told me that he made a comment under his breath to their cautions before the show. The announcer said that anyone with small children that get noisy should take them out...to which he jokingly added under his breath, "and beat them." I can tell all ready he is gearing up for being a Dad. LOL Little does he know that his daughter will be having the last laugh when he is wrapped around her little finger. ;o) He is so excited at the prospect of being a Dad...reading all kinds of books, going to the ultrasounds, and excitedly sharing the new developments as they happen. I'm pretty excited, too! This makes grandchild #16 in my side of the family.

Here are some pictures from our fun-filled evening:
Our view of the stage