A Day at the Theatre

My father thinks I MUST be rich and famous since my name is in a book and all. He keeps asking me when I'm going to be on Book TV and reminding me that when that day comes, I need to ask them to "send a car" to pick me up. I haven't asked him who "them" is and why on earth they would send me a car.

The fact that he gets so excited about such things is why he is such an amazing dad. I keep telling my husband I need to sell a few more essays before I'll be convinced the one about my dad wasn't just a fluke. He is such an interesting character and it surly didn't take much skill to write a worthy essay about this more than worthy man.

Still, I decided to do something "fun" and more importantly, out of our normal budget with the money I earned from the essay about my father.

As my writing has slowly (but surly) taken off over the past year I have taken to using the profits for family fun time. The rewards of this are many fold. Firstly, not having to budget in family entertainment to our normal monthly budget leaves more room for other things and, I don't have to feel badly when using this "writing fund" money for FUN!

So what does the sale of a 1000 - 2000 word essay buy a family of 4? Here's the answer in picture form:

2 plain (pink) T-shirts on sale for 50 percent off at Hobby Lobby.
2 child size shirts (from the gals' closet)


1 package of iron on transfer paper for our printer. (Dora images were found FREE online)
1 package of fabric markers (purchased with Hobby Lobby's weekly 40 percent off one item coupon)

4 Dress Circle Tickets to Nickelodeon's Story Time Live! show.

(Dress Circle Tickets were purchased due to the young age of my children, I thought they needed to be close for the 90 min. show to hold their attention.)

1 $6 drink with a straw that could be taken into the theatre (this was a MUST as the knowledge of having something that could bribe the girls to hold off a melt down was needed for this mama!)

2 adults meals

1 child meal

1 milk shake from Fuddrucker's

The chance to take our girls to their first live show was worth a million dollars! Joseph and I are both huge lovers of the arts and especially, the theatre. It was amazing to watch them run about the lobby, exploring this grand place full of so much creative energy!

Anna Clare screamed with joy and threw her hands in the air every time a character she recognized began to sing.

Tessa was out of her seat and dancing and singing along with the entire show. And, although the place with packed with little girls, we received many comments from the ushers on how happy Tessa was to be singing and dancing.

Not only did I get to witness my girls falling in love with something so dear to my heart, I got to watch the joy their daddy had in his face as he watched them watch the show. He did it all with a huge grin of pride, love and joy and he did it all in a PINK shirt with a silly Monkey on the front and Dora and scribbled pictures from his gals on the back. The best part, I didn't even have to ask him to wear pink. He said if everyone else in the family was doing it - he would have it no other way.

Updates on Life, Love and Writing!

Although it was not my intention to give up blogging for the Lenten season, the act of drawing inward for reflection and prayer pushed my blog to the back burner.

The Spirit of discernment is back in full swing in the Rutchik home and really, what's new?! We love the transition we've made to a smaller town and slower pace of life. It is now time to discern some bigger life issues such as careers, family size and schooling for the girls, just to name a few! It's a good place to be, but boy are we tired!

Although I was absent on the blog, there are still a few things I need to document from this season in our lives. Since my first vocation is to wife and mama, and this blog helps me document this vocation, I apologize to my regular readers if I fill up your news feeds with family updates and adventures this week.

My first update: I recently received my contributor's copy of A Cup of Comfort for Fathers. My story, Even as He Gives his Daughter's Hand, can be found on page 251.

The arrival of this book was much anticipated in the Rutchik homes as it is the first (of what I hope to be many) time I have been published in book form.

I was sitting in a T-shirt, on the phone with my friend, Krissy, when Mr. UPS rang the doorbell. I shouted for my husband to answer the door as I bolted into the bedroom.

"Shoot! Get the door, babe! you have to get it, I'm not wearing any pants!" I yelled.

I'm humbling myself enough to share that yes, sometimes I sit on my sofa in my nightshirt while talking on the phone in the mornings. I feel the need to share because I have often given a not- so-nice look to those who tell me I am so lucky to work from home, writing all day while wearing my pajamas. Clearly, this is not an option as sometimes the outside world comes right up to your front door.

Note to self/stay at home moms/work at home moms/writers: ALWAYS WEAR PANTS!

Lucky for me, my husband was home to answer the door and on the other line of my phone conversation was my best friend. She enjoyed the fact that I wasn't wearing pants and didn't judge me for screaming that fact into the phone in the middle of a conversation!

Test

This is a test. I know that sounds lame - but it really is!