"Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel"

The spring season of children's theater has begun, and yesterday we greatly enjoyed seeing "Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel." Our homeschooling group buys tickets as a school group, so we get to see professional, live theater for only six dollars per ticket.

I supervised five children in the theater.

This may have been Margaret's first time being old enough to go into the theater. I was on full-time duty reminding her (at almost four) not to shout out and narrate enthusiastically. Many times I wished photographs were allowed during the performance so I could have captured the absolute magic and wonder of her facial expressions at her first big kid play.

The set

Five tots having a grand old time in the play area

While I supervised five big kids inside the theater, a friend of mine supervised five babies in the children's play area of the attached library. She was far braver than I would be entertaining one four-year-old, two two-year-olds, and two under-one-but-mobile babies.

Being a big boy

When the children were all still peaceful at the table

After the play, my friend and I walked around the block to eat lunch downtown. I am always grateful that the restaurant gives us and our nine kids a private room in back!