2012 Photos | Week 49 | Dec 2 - 8

Claire @ Lincoln Center.

The director of Claire's ballet studio arranged an outing to see a performance of The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet, so I turned it into a mother/daughter outing.

Claire on the subway platform.

We rode the train into the city and then took the subway uptown. By the way, when you're patting yourself on the back for how well you know your way around New York, nothing humbles you like getting on the express train when you actually needed the local.

Our first stop was brunch at The Smith. Claire got a buttermilk waffle and ate the entire thing, saving the whipped cream for last.

Then it was time for the show. Afterward, Claire and I both gave it two thumbs up.

Claire on the train ride home, wearing her Nutcracker souvenir.

I let Claire pick out one souvenir each for herself and for both of her sisters. She chose a wooden nutcracker for Ella, and this tiara for herself and Lucy (even though I tried to direct her to an adorable mini snow globe instead). You don't want to know how much I paid for that tiara, but I tried to tell myself that it was all part of the experience. It wouldn't have felt like a trip into New York City if I didn't grossly overpay for something.

Back at home this week, I managed to get the tree decorated.

Our elf Buddy showed up, albeit a bit later than usual (Ella complained that several of her friends at school had elves who arrived last week). Buddy left a note explaining that he had been caught in "elf traffic," which seemed like a plausible excuse to the girls. All week he was up to typical elf antics such as getting into a tin of cookies and toilet-papering our tree.

I spotted this sweet bookmark on Ella's nightstand.

Lucy was feeling a bit under the weather this week, and then Matt came down with a horrible version of the stomach flu that left him knocked out for several days. Once he finally felt like he might be able to stomach something, he sent me the following grocery store requests via e-mail:

From: Matthew Woodbury
To: Jennifer Woodbury
Date: Fri, Dec 7, 2012 at 3:25pm
Subject: Wish List

Don't laugh.

1) Chicken in a Biskit
2) Gatorade (yellow or orange)
3) Sour Patch Kid popsicles
4) Ginger ale
5) Sour cream and onion Pringles

I only laughed a little... I guess there's nothing like sour cream and onion Pringles to settle an upset stomach. :)