Goodbye to Orange, Texas!

Not to much to report. The hotel was nice but did not have any food places nearby. The hotel had a nice fireplace and couch sitting area with a Xmas tree. Next to it was the breakfast dining area. The first night we arrived we decided to make this area our home and ordered Italian Food with the Nims and Araujos. We all enjoyed sitting on a couch and watching the flat screen TV. It was nice because it felt like we were in someones living room instead of a hotel. The cast performed two shows at the Lutcher Theater in Orange Texas. The theater treated the cast really well providing home cooked meals and freshed baked:cookies, brownies and cakes. I really loved those cookies! Mikey couldn't get enough of the brownies and they seemed to give him a blast of energy while on stage. (LOL) Yesterday the cast and crew all picked the names for the "Secret Santa." We will all give secret little presents in the next few weeks and your secret Santa will be revealed at the end when we exchange bigger gifts. The kids and adults all are excited. The parents were also excited to get the laudry done. These are the little things that exicte you on tour. We bid a fond farwell to our Mr. Brownlow (Matt) who left us Sunday to join the cast of the Drowsy Chaperone. Adam did a nice job as understudy yesterday while the new Mr. Brownlow, James gets ready to take over the part. We will miss Matt, especially at any future roller rink parties! After the show we traveled 2 hours to Conroe,Texas so we would have a shorter travel to Ft. Smith, Arkansas today. Last night, Rhiannon joined the boys in the back of the bus for a DS Marathon playing Mario Party. All four DS's were in fast action with fingers flying and a lot of laughter, grunts and groans. This was good for the boys because it made the ride go by faster. They really all are amazingly good kids on the bus. I started to Christmas shop on line beacuse I will have very little time once I get home to prepare. Christmas dinner is at my house, Mikey's birthday is two days later and we have to visit our family upstate. A lot to do when we have to fly back to Sarasota, Fl on December 28th. Yikes! Trying not to panic. "Be Back Soon!"

McAllen, Texas

GOBBLE, GOBBLE, GOBBLE! Welcome to summer! The weather in McAllen was in the 80's! The first thing we did was go to the pool for a swim. It was wonderful to lay in the sun. We spent November 26 and November 27th in McAllen. The kids had a show on Wednesday night and then were off for Thanksgiving. Mikey and I along with some of the early risers in the cast layed by the pool enjoying the sun and swimming after breakfast. Of course I called some of my friends and family to rub it in since it was so cold back home. We missed Dad, Mikey, Maria, Nana and the rest of our family. Especially the homemade stuffing, turnips, mashed potatoes, etc.... Our tour Manager Clare arranged a nice dinner for the cast and crew at a different hotel. It was in an atrium. We sat at round tables with piano music playing in the background. The dinner was a buffet with a carving board for turkey and roast beef. The buffet included glazed ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, brocolli, potatoes, rice, etc.... The dessert bar had wonderful cakes and fruit. Ashley (dance captain) gave a beautful speech that was appreciated by all. Although everyone missed being home we really enjoyed eating together with our cast family. Since we had an early dinner and it was so nice out we all went back to the pool. It turned into some pool party with just about everyone getting thrown in the pool at some point. Those hiding got squirted with the garden hose. Missy was thrown in coverup and all. Efrat was thrown in chair, boots and all. It was a lot of fun. Mikey and Colin really got into it and helped plot some of the drownings. Zac and Chaz proved tough to throw in but they eventually got hosed. Michelle even tried to get Zac off his lounged chair to dance with her to give the guys an opportunity to get him. The more she danced the more he resisted. (LOL) After a really fun pool party we went up to pack for the trip to Orange, Texas. I am writing this from the bus where apparently they don't pave the roads in this part of Texas. We just had border patrol agents board the bus and ask for everyone's ID. Nobody was happy because they all had to be wakened up for this. The agents took one look at the junk on the bus and left. If was pretty funny when Stacey popped out of the bathroom and the Agent was standing right there. Well all I have left is that Texas has stretches of really flat land, very different from the mountains of the West Coast. To all my family and friends who I did not get to speak too....I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving! We miss you all. Love, Sue and Mikey PS Scroll down when reading because I added some photos on left and entries from the days I missed.

Waco, Texas

For those of you dying to know......No, I did not get to visit the "Compound." After Dallas we went to Waco, Texas for two days. The cast was not crazy about the stage because it was really small for the set. Let's just say some funny things happened at times during the show because of the adjustments needed. We got to me John's friend Max and his beautiful daughter "QQ." They came to see Q in the show and have been friends for a long time. John and Max did some male bonding in the Gazebo and payed the price a little the next morning. Missy and I did some girl bonding the night of the first show when we cut out on the guys during intermission. The kids dressing rooms were a little small so Missy and I found a nice place across the street called the "Green Room" to hang out during the second act of the show. We had intended to go back for the second act until we discovered this place. It had nice linen table cloths and small tables with candles. We enjoyed drinking from real wine glasses. (I think John was going to file a missing persons on us when he did not find us in the dressing room after the show. ) Missy and I busted two college students having dinner. They were supposed to be at the theater to watch the show as part of a class assingment. They said they weren't theater people so skipped the second act to have dinner. They pumped us for info on the show so they could write their papers. We took John to the Green Room the second night and were a bad influence on him, he skipped act two too! The kids really enjoyed the hotel in Waco because he had a beautiful atrium with a indoor pool. The pool was surrounded by plants, trees and a Gazebo. they enjoyed eating their lunch in the Gazebo and taking a swim before returning to school in the board room. I was happy because I got so wash done without having to go to a laundry mat! The weather was also fabulous.

Medieval Times, Dallas

We were a little tired on Sunday after going to Six Flags the day before so we had a lazy day in the room until dinner time. For dinner we went to Medieval Times with Colin and Missy. John and Q went to the Dallas Cowboys game. Medieval Times was really a lot of fun. The adults liked it was much as the kids. You enter this castle and take photos with the knights or princess. Your tour the gift shop and then go into the dinner theater. Mikey bought a knights shirt and wooden dagger. Maria picked a princess headband and she looked beautiful in it. It is a big arena with movie seat type chair but with a long counter in each row. We had dead center seats third row up. They were perfect. Each area is given a knight who wears a certain color to cheer for. We had the black and white knight but unfortunately, despite losing our voices cheering for him, he lost the first joust. We did not take it well. Okay, I tooked it the worst and when the other knight dared someone else to fight him I screamed "I'm Coming!" The waiter got a kick at of that. The knights are on horse back having jousting matches, sword fights, etc... Mikey turned to me and said "this is even better than six flags!" That was quite a statement since he loved six flags. The meal is served during the show in metal dishes with no forks. They try to make you feel like you are in the Middle Ages when people ate with there hands. We had half a chicken, baked potato, apple tart and ice tea. Okay....I an fibbing, the parents had beer! Perhaps that is why I shouted to the Prince at the end, " I love you Prince!" It was really fun cheering for your knight and waving your flag for him. We all had crowns on her heads and would wave our flags like crazy when our knight road by us on horseback. It was a perfect ending to our too brief vacation in Dallas. It was good for Mikey because he just studied the Middle Ages in Social Studies and for Dad becaue he is in the middle of reading Robin Hood. Maria and I just loved it!

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.......................