Since I usually wait for him to return before I can do more housework and bathe and check email etc, this schedule is very punishing on me, so a happy compromise has been made.

Anyway 20 Jan the symphony orch held a family concert at the University of Utah's Libby Gardner Hall and we went to support. Only for family concerts do they allow children under 8yo to enter, so that's why I could bring both sons. This would be similar to SSO's babies proms.

However, the difference is the concert does not allow the kids to move ard. And there are no gimmicks like clowns or balloons. It's just a regular concert, only they allow younger kids in, so they try to have a light programme. I guess I don't mind both kinds, they serve different purposes, like the SSO's babies proms, it is fun and the kids get to go onstage to conduct and to stand beside their fav instruments. We went for that for 3 yrs running. But dh doesn't like the idea of letting the kids march ard the whole hall, cos he feels that doesn't give them the correct idea of concerts and they may not learn proper concert etiquette. So a balance would be good.

This concert was entitled "The Magical Musical Weather Report", and the pieces chosen tried to depict different seasons and weather conditions. They had an emcee who was actually an anchorman from the TV Weather Channel's Channel 2. So he reported the weather conditions like he was doing a news report. then the orchestra would play accordingly.

So they played 1. Theme from "Twister".

2. Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite.

3. Vivaldi's Four Seasons (excerpts played to match the weather report: like heavy rain, thunder, hot humid summer, cold winter and cool autumn)

4. Waltz of the Snowflakes from The Nutcracker

5. Storm and Shipwreck from Scheherazade.

6. Cloudburst from Grand Canyon Suite.

For the Waltz, there were 3 ballerinas who danced like snowflakes in front of the orch who was playing. They were so adorable, all dressed in white, really like snowflakes.

I think the best thing is the price of the tickets. It is only US$3.50 for the kids, and $8.50 for adults. For the babies proms, we shelled out S$25 for adults and each kid irrespective of age. So a small family of 3 would already have to pay $75. But of course, at the babies proms, you get the clown and the balloons and the chance to go onstage and march ard. I'm just glad they have such cheap entertainment available, cos I wouldn't be able to afford the Babies Proms here.

Pics of the concert and others:

Uni of Utah (SLC)

Above centre: Concert Hall, just before concert. During concert, no photography or recording allowed (SOP).

Above right: After whole concert, when kids and I went to meet dh's fellow performers in the orch.

Above left: ds1 showing the steam cake we brought from home as a snack after the concert ended and we were waiting for dh to drive the rented car over to the hall. ds2 was also eating the same cake.

Above right: Seldom have dh with ds in pics, so just took one while having our lunch out on Sunday. It's an Italian fast food place called Fazioli's, and they have free-flow bread and drinks, so ds1 could eat all the bread he wanted and he really did eat so much we felt a bit embarrassed. Anyway a meal of pasta for me, pizza and pasta combo for dh and drinks cost US$9. The 2 kids ate the free bread and chicken from my pasta. That's still ex when compared to Spore, but very cheap amongst restaurants here, so we seldom eat out but if we do, such places are good for us. I get to drink quite a lot of Coke too, haha.

Above left: Ah ma's birthday present for ds1. ds1 has always loved riding, even in Spore. He was very sad to leave his bikes back in Spore. So it was good that grandma gave some money and asked him to get what he wanted. We got one of the cheapest in Walmart anyway, US$50+.

He insisted on riding, even though it's winter now, with snow, slippery and so cold. So I let him lah, how to ask him to wait till April, when it stops snowing?

Above right: The Ford Taurus we rented in order to send mom to airport, and we used it to go for the concert and buy the bike as well.