Six Flags Over Texas

On Friday we went to Six Flags with other members of the cast and crew. A great day was had by all. We were so lucky because almost all the rides had no lines. I discovered that both my kids are fearless when it comes to rides. After being greeted by Bugsbunny and friends we began to explore the park. The teacup rides were fun for all and everybody (including Missy) was able to ride without turning green. The Pirate ship almost did in Colin but he was a trooper. His face was priceless and it was touch and go for a moment with those below him watching closely (John, Melissa and Dave) hoping he did not lose his cookies! Maria totally amazed us by going on some scary rides like the "Pirate Ship, a rRollercoster that turns sideways and is supposed to be like a scateboard, a flume rollercoaster, etc.... She giggled like mad and loved all of them. She got very upset and insulted when we hit the first ride that she was not tall enough to go on. It was a bucking flying cow ride that whipped around. At the end of the day I asked her which was her favorite ride and she told me it was the "Cow Ride." When I said, "But you weren't allowed on it," she said, "Yes, but it was my favorite." Mikey went on every rollercoaster he could find. I was very surprised that Dad was keeping up with him on the rides and then at 4pm
Dad pushed his luck to far. They both went on the batman ride and then decided to go on a second time and invited me. Let's just say you need a good lung capacity to ride because you scream the whole way and when you get off you think "What the heck just happen!" The ride is a rollercoaster where your feet hang. (No floor) You go upside down and sideways and every other way. When your on it you can't tell if your upside down or not. I survived it thanks to the tips from John and Mikey. Well, this ride finally did Dad (Mike) in. We had to leave him in Johnny Rockets to recover. When we check on him he was slouched down sleeping in the booth and all you could see from the outside window was the cowboy hat on his head. (LOL) He looked line a drunk cowboy. We ended the day with Mikey going on the "Titan" rollercoaster with Michelle five times in a row. He had to get a new partner after Batman knocked off Dad and Mom. Maria really enjoyed meeting the different characters along the way and took pictures with: Scooby, Superheroes and Taz. Maria ended the day with going on the Carousel and "El Sombrero with Dad. She also met "Tweety Bird" and was a little upset because Dad did not have the camera. She was also upset with Tweety because he did not say "Tweet, Tweet." Mikey bought red Superman Cape for him and a Pink Super Girl Cape for Maria. I was glad to go back on the bus and relieve the stress on the feet. This was just a great day!

Sixth Floor Museum

On Thursday we went to the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas. The museum is located on the floor of the building where Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK from. The boys teacher gave them papers with questions on them that they had to get the anwsers to during the visit. When we entered the museum they gave us all headphones with a recorder. As you went through the exhibit you listened to the narrator and could stop the audio on your recorder to read the displays and watch the various interesting videos along the way. The boys seemed as facinated as the rest of the country with the possibility of a conspiracy. Mikey who is nine, was totally facinated trying to understand what conspiracy meant. I tried to explain that he should review the facts and evidence and then form his own opinion instead of being swayed in either direction. There were plenty of peddlers in the street selling papers about the "Conspiracy View." He asked me if "Nana is conspiracy?" (LOL) I told him to ask her. The boys got a discount on some newspapers from one of the peddler who believed in the conspiracy because they noticed his money blowing away and picked the dollar bills up for him. It was really interesting being there on the eve of the 45th anniversary of JFK's death. You could look at the window where Lee Harvey Oswald look while shooting the President. They also had the FBI's model of the scene (buildings and all.) It was very sad especially when you reflected on the tragedies that were still to befall this family. Watching the videos that contained parts of JFK's famous speeches really gave you a sense of how he inspired a nation. We also visited the grassy knoll and stood on the spot where the President was killed. They have an "X" spray painted in the street on the exact spot. We also saw the jail building where "Jack Ruby," the man who killed Oswald was incarcerated until his death of cancer three and half years later. This trip was a school field trip for the boys and because of that we all really read everything and went slowly through the museum at times helping them find anwsers to their assignment. We all agreed this was the first time we really read everything in a museum. It really took time to get the anwsers but in the end we all enjoyed learning so much. Then we visited the shop on site and Maria bought a stuffed doll of Jackie and Mikey picked out little JFK and Jackie figures. Of course when we got back to the room they both created an "Opera" led by Mikey with their toys. It was a little disconcerting hearing four year old Maria singing with her Jackie doll "My husband's been shot." I guess they will retain what they learned for a long time.

Howdy from Dallas!

The Morley family was reunited in Dallas last night. We were very happy to be together again. Maria and Mike flew on two planes to get to us. It was the first time Maria flew since she was two months old. Mike said she was good as gold and the Stewardess even smuggled some cookies to her. We dined with the Araujo's and Nims last night at "Denny's." Today we went with some of the other cast members to the Dallas Zoo. (Thank you, Clare and Will.) It was a gorgeous perfect Zoo day. It was sunny and just the right temperature. The kids and adults all enjoyed themselves. We witnessed the "Lemur's" doing something that we had to cover the kids eyes and then when another Lemur showed up it appeared that a huge arguement or "domestic incident" was happening. They were making some wild, loud and strange noises that Colin taped with his cell phone. The kids really liked going on the monorail and seeing some of the animals found in Africa. Alaggio and Chaz joined us for our last round of seeing animals and on the monorail. We had a great number of laughs with them especially when the Rhinocerous decided to poop in front of us! Maria really loved the Zebra and Giraffes. Mikey's favorite were the Pink Flamingos who were quiet when we came into the zoo and were making some real noises as we left. We also saw reptiles and some huge snakes. Maria decided she need to give Colin a personal tour and grabbed him by the hand to show him the different snakes. Elizabeth and Ira witnessed a snake ingesting a rat and filmed it. She shared the video of this with the kids on the bus ride back. (YUCK!) We then went to dinner at Sal's Pizzeria and Restaurant where I had the spiciest spaghetti sauce ever. ( I guess they make it hot in Texas!) We sat right next to a table full of Dallas Sheriffs. I could not miss this photo-op and told Mike to see if they would take a photo with him. Will post it later. Now we are relaxing in the room and just enjoying some family time. Maria and Mikey are having fun playing together and are putting on some play with his action figures. Until tomorrow.......................

Midwest City, OKLAHOMA!

"OKLAHOMA, WHERE THE WINDS COME SWEEPING DOWN THE PLAINS.......AND THE CORN IS AS HIGH AS AN ELEPHANTS EYE.............." I have been dying to write this because I love the musical "Oklahoma!" As my poor neice and nephew know. Kevin and Jess the "Cowboys and the Indians Should Be Friends!" I really loved when the cast started singing it and having fun with it on the way to the theater. There was a lot of energy on the bus tonight so the show should be very good. Mikey is getting ready for the 730 show at the Rose State College Theater and then we return in the morning for a special 10 am performance for the students. Today the bus ride was not too bad, the scenery was filled with cows, cows, cows. We stopped for lunch at "Fridays" in Tulsa, Oklahoma on the way to Midwest City, Oklahoma where we are staying the night. We had a little time to relax at the hotel before the show and now are just hanging out in the dressing room. Tomorrow after the show we will travel to Dallas where Mike and Maria will meet us for a mini vacation. That all I got!

Hello from Lebanon, Missouri

We loaded up the bus today at 730 and hit the road at 8. The travel felt really long today despite the stops. (The joints just ain't what they use to be.) The kids were happy to eat lunch at KFC and then we stopped once again to get gas. I don't think the convience store at the gas station knew what hit them. The cast raided the store, playing with the stuff animals and puppets and having a good old time. The kids just enjoy the playful cast members so much. There were different puppet show going on! We arrived in Missouri passing the St. Louis Arch again about 12 hours later. Mikey really loves that Arch and I am glad John and Missy got good photos (which I fully intend to steal ) since I did not have an oil can for my joints and could not move fast enough to take a picture. I did discover on this long bus ride that I have no control and cannot be trusted with Sweet Tarts. I ate a whole big thing of them all by myself within a half hour. After eating them my tongue felt like it got a facial with rough scrub. After school the kids and cast (that were awake) watched the movie "Wallie," courtesy of Q and John. When we arrived we quickly scouted out a place to eat and enjoyed dinner at "Gary's Catfish Restaurant" right near "Route 66." Now we are in the hotel room. Mikey is working on his homework and I finally have my legs stretched out laying on the bed writing this blog. Since I am fading fast I will say "Good Night." Kisses to Maria, Mike and Nana.

Hello Again from Toledo, Ohio

We are at the theater waiting for the final show to begin. This is the last of six shows here. We just came back from a nice dinner at Jeds. The Moms gave John the afternoon off so he could do manly things like watching football. This worked out well because he went to the restaurant early and placed our orders so we would all have time to eat between shows. The timing was great as the food arrived as soon as we sat. I asked John how the football games were and rubbed it in that the NY Giants were 9 and 1. Go Giants! We all really loved the "Bucko Mucho" Steak at Jeds. Mikey's insisted on getting his own steak seemed to disappear in seconds. The matinee was crowded as all the shows here were. We are truly amazed when we watch and the professionalism of the kids and other actors when things don't go exactly right. Today Fagin's chest of jewels spilled on the stage and it was something to see how he worked it into the act and later the kids picked the stuff up as if it was part of the show. Nobody would know but us because we watched it XXXXX times! Mikey enjoying sketching some of the cast between acts during the matinee. He sketeched Ashley in costume during Oom Paah Pa and Rhiannon as a mermaid. I think he hopes she gets cast as Ariel once Oliver is over. It has been nice sleeping in the same bed for a few nights but sad to say we will be back on the bus again tomorrow headed for a long trip to Midwest City, Oklahoma. We can't wait until Wednesday when Mike and Maria join us in Dallas. We miss them so much. Well got to go to the show........................

Greetings from Toledo, Ohio

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Back Another Day, the Oliver Cast wants to Play! It has been raining here for two days.....I mean really raining to the point where Q and I bought boots from the store and John bought boots and a poncho just to make the trek back to the hotel more bearable. (Poor Mikey, no boots in his size.) We arrived here Thursday, November 13th and after the show Mikey, John, Q and I went to have a bite to eat at "Jeds." Many of the cast members showed up in the same place and we really had to keep the boys at our table to give the cast some grown-up time. The boys really like hanging out with the ladies of the cast. At the recommendation of the waitress we had the best steak we had in a long time and the price was very reasonable. It was so good, Mikey starting stealing pieces off my plate and keeps asking to go back so he can have his own. (As many of you know this is a kid that doesn't like to eat that much.) The boys were really impressed with all the flat screen televisions in the place including in the booths. For a little while they deserted John and I to sit in a booth that had one of there shows on. On Friday John, Missy and I brought the kids to Friendly's for an early dinner before the show. We were all very bad in that we could not resist the desserts. Although Colin and Missy were better in that they shared their dessert. I had an Apple Pie Carmel Sunday and was not about to share with ANYONE! It was as good as it sounds. Today it was raining so hard when we trekked to breakfast at Brandy's Diner. I was very jealous of John's new poncho and wished I had bought one for myself. It is really nice being in one place for five days but we wish it would stop raining. It could be worst I guess, it could be snow.....then again, I think I rather walk in snow then this soaking, windy, rain. There are six shows here so the cast is very busy. We enjoyed having an almost day off yesterday because they did not have to go to the theater until 7pm. John, Q, Mikey and I risked getting wet and took the hike to Miejer's Department Store so the hotel walls did not close in on us. (Boy... will I appreciate my car when I go home.) The store was like a Super-Walmart and we got some good stuff that we needed (and some we didn't) including the boots mentioned above. I found a great buy on the shoes I was looking for and Mikey picked out a nice, cute, pretty gymnastic's outfit for his sister. He also made a deal with me to do an extra page of Math in a practice book I bought for him if I would get him a Star Wars set. Mikey and Q were really having fun playing with them at dinner yesterday and breakfast today. It was nice watching them just being kids and having fun. With there imaginations put together it was quite a production. They had a lot of energy in the show last night and an audience of about 2,000 really enjoyed the show at the Stranahan Theater. It was packed both nights so far. John and Q had guests in the audience and the kids really enjoyed the compliments they recieved after the show. Today, John, being the gentlmen he is, gave Missy and I an afternoon off and took the boys to the theater for us. That is why I have time to update this blog. I am really enjoying alone time in the room as I am sure my buddy Missy is. Mikey just phone me from the theater very excited to tell me that Spencer (the tour manger's 13 month old) is so cute and that he is having crawling contests with him in the hallway. He was very excited that Spencer hugged him for a long time. I think Mikey misses his little sister's hugs. Mikey and I are getting excited because Dad and Maria are flying to Dallas on Wednesday to spend five days off with us. We plan to make it like a little vacation and tour Dallas including going to six flags. I just got off the phone with Maria and she is very excited. She also has big news in that she got a new haircut today and I can't wait to see her. Today is my niece Kasey's birthday and nephew Sean's graduation so Maria is happy to be going to their party. Mikey and I wish we could be there and we called them both yesterday to congratulate them. I still can't get over how proud I am of Kasey making her High School JV Basketball Team. She is awesome! Well since I am starting to babble I will say goodbye for now.....