MichaelandChrissy.com

We did send out a Christmas letter this year, but I wanted to post it to the web site anyway.  Who knows, maybe somebody who isn’t on our holiday mailing list would like to know what we were up to this year?  If you’re not on our Christmas card list, and would like to be, please let me know!  The “online version” is now enhanced with links back to blog posts that give more details.  Click “Continue Reading” to read the 2008 Christmas Letter.

Chrissy and I go to “Cirque Du Soleil” every time they come to Chicago.  They set up a Big Top Tent outside the United Center.  The last time we went, two summers ago, Chrissy was pregnant with Aiden.  This time, she’s pregnant with Gavin.  Luckily, we got VIP parking because we pointed out to the attendant that Chrissy was extraordinarily pregnant.  We parked literally twenty feet from the main entrance, but it cost us twenty bucks (well worth it, says the impaired mommy).

The ticket-takers are positioned strategically right in front of the concession and souvenir stands. Both were painfully overpriced, but we indulged anyway.  We get a refrigerator magnet and a Christmas ornament every time we see Cirque, but I don’t remember them being $45 before.  An additional $21 bought us a medium popcorn, two Cokes and a bag of M&Ms.  Sticker shock, considering that the tickets to get in were fairly pricey to begin with.

The show, “Kooza,” was worth the expenditures.  We had a very good time.  The seats, as usual, were way too small, but I understand the need to cram as many people under the tent as possible.  The music was awesome, and the acts were excellent.  A few of them we had already seen, like the juggler and the trapeze artist.  I’m sure that we’ve seen the contortionists before too, but the new costumes were outstanding, and you can never really get used to seeing people bend like that. The “Wheel of Death” was perhaps the best of the lot, perhaps because one performer almost fell off (scary!).

Chrissy got us excellent seats: positioned in front of the middle of the stage, towards the back so that we could see everything, even with the sound director’s pit, with no tent poles in the way, and along the main aisle (in case she had to get up).  Since our parking spot was so good, we were able to get out and into the street before the rush of people poured into the parking lot.  We talked about the show all the way home. Next time, we might try to bring Aiden, since he may be old enough to appreciate it by then.