Ballet West Nutcracker Luncheon

During the holiday season, the Madisons, Mom and I went to a very special luncheon at the Capitol Theater and we got to meet some of the star ballerinas from the Nutcracker! Ballet West has the longest running production of this magnificent ballet in America and they just redesigned and created all new costumes and sets this year! We were all so excited to see to see these stunning costumes up close!

Many of the little girls showed up in their own ballerina outfits and loved playing on the ballet bar, just like the grown up ballerinas!

When everyone had arrived, we started with a delicious lunch catered from The Village Baker, they had these adorable reindeer cookies for dessert!

Then it was time to meet all the ballet dancers!!!! V was ecstatic!

Clara came out first. She was sooooooo sweet.

Then the doll Drosselmeyer brings to the party in the beginning of the ballet came out, she showed everyone how she does her special doll make up to get ready for the matinee performance that afternoon. 

All the little girls were totally enraptured.

Then we got to meet the dancing bear! V was a little bit nervous to meet him, but also intrigued.

Then we got to meet the Nutcracker Prince! V was not nervous to meet him at all, they chatted for a long time. He was so sweet to her, and V was totally charmed by him.

Then came time to meet Vienne's favorite character, the Sugar Plum Fairy!!!

They also chatted for a long time, V was in heaven.

Her costume is breathtaking, pictures don't do it justice.

V got her picture with the doll after she was done with her make up.

This was such a fun and special afternoon! We went to see the Nutcracker a few days later with some of the other wonderful ladies in our family, this luncheon made it all the more special. It felt like meeting famous celebrities! 

Christkindlemarkt

I had always wanted to go to the Christkindlmarkt at This is the Place park, but hadn't ever made it up to see it. This year, I had a free afternoon and was at my parents house, so Mom and I decided to spontaneously go check it out!

The stalls were decorated so cute and there was German Christmas music floating through the air. We had so much fun wandering in and out of the itty bitty little stalls, and seeing all the cute stuff for sale.

These german candle arches, or schwibbogen, were in several of the stalls and I thought they were so gorgeous. I couldn't believe how intricate and delicate some of them were.

There was a stage that was shaped like a German candle arch, and there were dancers dressed in traditional German dress demonstrating several kinds of dances.

There were also several food stalls, selling all types of traditional German food and drinks.

I was intrigued by a spiced grape cider that is apparently very popular in Germany. I got a cup and it was soooooo delicious, it is now my favorite hot drink I have ever had. It was so perfect on a chilly, cloudy, winter day.

My mom and I thought the extent of the Market was just in the circular plaza, and the 15 or so stalls that lined the edge. When we reached the last of those stalls, we were prepared to go home happy with what we had seen and bought, thinking that was a nice manageable size for the market to be. Then we turned a corner and realized the market continued all the way up the main street of the park, with stalls lining each side of the street and it even expanded to some of the little side streets. We were amazed it was that big! But what a happy surprise, we could continue on our little German Christmas fairytale adventure!

There were so many gingerbread and German treat shops! We got several to try.

We even spotted President and Sister Uchtdorf! Yet another happy surprise!

Even though it wasn't super Christmas-y, this was still a fun vender to visit. They are called the Wizarding in the Wild West and had created a magical campground with all sorts of unique and magical things for sale.

More gingerbread and treat! We discovered we like the gingerbread cookies from the Gingerbread cottage the best. They were soft and chewy and full of flavor! I picked up one of their cookie mixes to make later on in the season.

As we were walking back to our car, we passed by this lady who was carrying the most adorable king charles puppy and we just had to stop and ask to pet him, he was just too sweet. Another amazing surprise!

I even got to hold him!! 

What a fun afternoon! I totally felt like I had been transported to Germany for the day, it was so fun and immersive and we bought some really cute things!