The Gala

Several weeks ago, Mike mentioned that there would be a big gala at the theatre to celebrate their 50th anniversary. Not only were the tickets really expensive, we figured we would need to get a babysitter. So we didn't give it much thought. Then the epic "Kids spend a week up north" plan came to fruition and we realized that we were home and kidless on the night of the gala. I still hesitated because 1) crazy expensive and 2) getting home from camping that day. Then Mike texted me and asked if Amy Adams' presence would change my mind (she is an alum of the theatre). It did. It also help me recruit my sister and Cheryl to our foursome.

It really was the tale of two extremes that day. We left the campground sweaty, dirty, smelly, and gross. We made good time back to the cities, although the car felt awfully quiet without the kids. We managed to make it home before traffic got too bad - thank goodness! We unloaded the camper and started the laundry. Then all three showers in our house were employed! Em said she felt so gross that she washed her hair twice!

I used Rent the Runway for the first time (and gambled quite a bit with my dressed being delivered on Monday ... they were guaranteed by 8pm. The gala started at 6. They were delivered before we got home from Duluth ... whew!) and ended up using my back up dress. As I carried laundry baskets up and down the stairs in my fancy dress, I told my sister it was the epitome of "real life."

While Amy Adams' schedule ended up prohibiting her from attending (she did send a voice message), the four of us had a blast. We had a lovely dinner and enjoyed the entertainment. I gave Mike my notes on the show when we got home and he told me that when he listened in on the marketing department's meeting the next day, they had the same notes. We went to the reception for a little bit after the show, but realized that we were all so tired (some of us had spent the last few nights in the great outdoors) ... so we headed out fairly early.

Everyone asked us how our time without the kids was ... and honestly, it was fast. We worked most of it. But we did really enjoy getting to adult in a fancy way for a night with a couple of our favorite dates!