Dare to Dream

My Brown Eyed Girl is getting bigger every day. As she get's older, we are discovering a whole new world of entertainment opportunities that are opening their doors for us. I am pretty sure she is just about ready for her first movie theater experience. I am just waiting for the right movie to come out. 

I really wanted to take her to the Circus this year... but before I knew it, the Circus had packed up all the elephants and headed out of town. 

About a month ago, I saw a commercial for Disney on Ice, Dare to Dream.

Mickey, Tangled characters, Minnie Mouse, Princesses, Cinderella, Tiana... They had me at Rapunzel & Tangled. After all, my Purple Princess THE Tangled is more than obsessed in love with Rapunzel and her golden hair.I had to make this happen for her. I just knew she would love it.

SOLD - SOLD - SOLD

I really didn't care what the tickets cost, we were going!

Of course I waited until the night before Dare to Dream to let my Brown Eyed Girl know about her surprise. Lord knows I could not handle, "Mommy, are we going today?" 

"Mommy are we going to see Tangled today?"

"Mommy are we going tomorrow?"..... and so on... every day... forever....

The morning of the BIG day, I pulled up a YouTube video of Dare to Dream. I had my Brown Eyed Girl crawl up on my lap and I told her I had something special for her to watch. About :07 seconds into the video she said, "Mommy that is sooooooo cooool!" 

So I asked her, "Would you like to go watch this?"

With the biggest smile she nodded yes and asked me, "When?!?!?"

"How about today?"

"Wahoooooooo!!!" (at 5:45 am)

I took that as a yes.

We dropped Mr Blue Eyes off at daycare and off we went to meet Grandma for a Girls' Day Out.

Of course I let her wear her Tangled dress. 

And her gold shoes.

She fit right in with all the other 5,256,154,154 little princesses running around.

This was pretty neat. Cinderella's coach made completely of Lego's.

She was so excited for the show - even though I don't think she really understood what she was about to see.

The house lights came down...

And as the performance started, her eyed locked onto the ice and she was enthralled. She never took her eyes off the show - with the exception of periodically looking over at me with the biggest smile on her face. 

Every once in a while, she would lean her head against my arm and whisper, "Oh Mommy! Thank you."

Or, "Oh Mommy! They are beautiful!"

I consider that a complete success!

Worth every penny. 

Being this was her first big event, Grandma and I went all out. When I say 'all out' I mean we spent all our money until we were ALL OUT. 

Looking back at when I was younger and my parents would take us to events like the Circus, I remember asking for cotton candy, snow cones, those little light up wands and every other imaginable trinket those really strong guys were peddling off those boards and towers. Up and down the isles hollering, "Get Your Snow Cones!", "Peanuts! Peanuts Right Here!", "Caaaawton Candy! Get Your Cotton Candy Right Here!"

I hated when my parents said no...

As a first-time-parent-taking-your-child-to-an-over-priced-event, I now know why. 

As soon as we walked into the coliseum, we browsed the little trinket stands. $12.00 for a notebook, $20.00 for a Tangled brush , $20.00 for a program, $20.00, $15.00, $20.00, $20.00... Good grief!

We decided to grab some lunch before the show started. Two hot dogs, a grilled cheese, a thing of tatter-tots, two small Pepsis... "That will be $32.00 please." Excuse me?!?!

And the food was TERRIBLE!

As soon as we were in our seats, those really strong guys balancing trays and towers of over-priced goodies invaded the stands like ants. Up and down the isles. 

Wait for it....

"Mommy! I want one of those!"

A snow cone. 

"No honey. You don't need one of those."

In that very instant... I became by parents! 

I watched her eye those guys up and down the isles. 

Five minutes later, a cute little girl and her mom sat down right next to us. Of course! The girl is proudly holding her very own snow cone.

Wait for it....

"Mommy! I want one of those!"

A snow cone. 

"No honey. No snow cones."

About an hour and a half into the show, after The Princess and the Frog skit with Tiana and half of Cinderella, the lights came up and they called an intermission. With the lights... came all those strong guys carrying trays and trays and trays of snow cones. 

Wait for it....

"Mommy! I want one of those! Can I pleeeease have one of those?"

She was having to much fun. She was being so good and soooo cute. 

I knew she didn't 'need' one but I know she sure wanted one.  

You only experience your first Disney on Ice once. Right?!?

"Okay honey. You can have one."

She jumped up from her seat with glee and I waved one of the guys over to the end of our row. 

I asked two simple words, "How much?"

Already reaching for a snow cone, every other parent in the entire coliseum watching me, "$12.00."

$12.00!!!! For a snow cone? 

$12.00 for ice and water and syrup in a cheap plastic cup made in China?

There was no going back. I was committed. My Brown Eyed Girl eagerly wiggling and waiting for her snow cone. Biggest smile ever on her face. 

As I fished out $12.00 my lovely mother snickered and said, "Don't forget a tip!" 

All I could do was shake my head. 

But I made this little girl very happy. 

She dribbled chunks of ice and sticky syrup all over my jeans, herself and the floor - so that my shoes stuck to the concrete as the ice melted and dried throughout the last half of the show. 

But you can't replace this smile.

AND for the record... she ate all of about 10 bites and was done with her $12.00 snow cone. Of course...

By the time we waited in the line of cars trying to exit the parking lot, My Brown Eyed Girl fell fast asleep after thanking me for a great day - while she drew in the $14.00 princess notebook Grandma bought her.