A Night At the Opera...Bucket List Baby!

Of course we couldn't visit Sydney and not see the famous Opera House.  Man, this is a site I've wanted to see forever!  I love the opera house.  The architecture is amazing and so unique.  We walked up to the harbour to get a snap of both the famous Harbour Bridge and the Opera House.  What a harbour!

After hiking up zillions of stairs to the bridge, we had a seat and took in the view before walking across.

Starting to walk across the bridge.  Look at these 3...so stinkin cute.

The view from the bridge was amazing.  Most people know that the Opera House was designed to look like a huge ship with billowing white sails moving across the harbour.  It really does look like a ship.  It's just amazing, isn't it?

Lex!  What can I say?  He was so excited to see me so giddy in Sydney.  He's the best.

The grounds were so awesome.  Those huge white peaks rising up and glass windows catching the sun.  It was incredible!

View from the bridge!

On our walk to the Opera House that morning we passed through Hyde Park.  It is a beautiful park right in downtown Sydney.

I found this pic on Park's camera.  I thought it was a cool shot.  Good job, bud!

 When we got to the Opera House, we were excited to be able to go in and look around a bit at the ticket booth, the gift shop and the entrance.  Then Lex just strolled right up to the booth and asked if they had anything family-friendly playing and if there was any chance of getting tickets.  WHAT?  I couldn't believe it.  I was freaking out.  So much money-- so high on my bucket list--we weren't dressed for the opera--to see an opera in the Sydney Opera House....oh I was having inner turmoil like crazy.  The ticket lady told us they were showing Mozart's The Magic Flute and in an effort to make it more family friendly, it was translated into English and the set and costumes had been done by the producers of the Lion King.  So they were very large, colorful, puppetry type sets.  While the story was the same, she thought the kids might enjoy it.  I asked about the dress code and she said that because the Opera House is such a tourist attraction, they really can't enforce a dresscode with people flying in and losing baggage, buying tickets on a whim etc.  She said, we all looked just fine (even Park in his basketball shorts and Volcano Vista High School Hawks T-Shirt) and that she sees a little of everything.   Holy crap!  Lex bought 5 tickets to the Magic Flute and just like that...Bucket List Check!

Oooh, I love being in the middle of all of this!

Our seats for the opera!  No photography inside!

 We actually went to an opera at the Sydney Opera House.  It was absolutely amazing.  I loved every beautiful second of it.  I cried when we bought the tickets, cried on the red carpet and cried in the show.  Because, ya know-- I have the best husband ever.  It was so unexpected to actually see a show, Lex told me, "Jes, I know how you've always wanted to do this.  We won't regret it."  And man, do I not regret it. The music was amazing.  The set incredible. The kids even enjoyed it.  It was true opera and got a couple funny eyebrow lifts from the kids during those crazy high, trilling operatic solos, but they understood the story and enjoyed it.  We had told the kids, "Ok, the opera is a place for silence.  You can't talk or be noisy at all!"  And of course, there were some solid bribes including icecream made.  We knew when people saw our kids we'd get some furrowed brows.   All was going great, the kids were quiet and attentive.  I was able to whisper the plot into Oaks' ear as she sat on my lap.  Things were going smoothly, until...Oaks had to reach down to pick up her program on the floor and when she bent over to make the silent grab...It sounded like a motorcycle was revving up.  Yep, a high powered, high volume toot exploded into the high falutin' silence.  My eyes went huge as I desperately tried to think of how to rewind time and erase that burst of gas coming from this tiny, well-behaved body on my lap.  Then as she sat back up...one more slipped out (or shall I say blasted out? It would be more accurate.)  I'm frantic at this point desperately looking at Lex as he is looking at me with his lips spread and his teeth gritted in an "Did that just happen?" grimace.  And to make matters worse...her good manners did not fail her.  She said in surprise and in full volume voice (the shock had thrown off her oath to silence), "Oh wow-- excuse me!"  Weeeellll, once you excuse it-- you claim it.  It happened.  There would be no coughing or clearing of my throat or scraping my chair in an effort to make a noise that might cover up or at least throw uncertainty on the truth of the outburst.  I'm sure all those hoity-toities that had raised their eyebrows at the sight of us bringing 3 small children to an opera starting at 7:45 at night...were now losing their brows into their hairlines as they raised them even higher and shook their heads in utter disapproval.  But-- maybe just maybe-- there were a few of them that recognized her good manners and thought a child that adorable belonged on the red carpet with the rest of them!  Either way-- I could hardly contain my laughter and Parker and Sydney were crying trying to hold their giggling at bay.  I realized this ever-so-Oaklee situation would only sear the memory of this night even deeper into my mind.  I have absolutely no regrets taking my kiddos to this production.  I was glad to share this moment with the people that mean the very most to me in this world.  And in the end-- it was truly "A root-TOOTIN-good time"!  We love you Oaklee Dawn...toots and all!

 On the way home we had some great views.  I was on cloud nine.  I had just seen Mozarts Magic Flute at the Sydney Opera House.  I was walking home in downtown Sydney with my amazing three children and the man of my dreams!  Oh how I loved this vacation!!!!