The Greatest Show

The soundtrack of our lives has varied over the years to include nursery rhymes, Beatles, Showtunes like Les Mis or Hamilton, Weird Al, Disney, and Alt Rock.

But lately...lately the four of us have been enchanted, energized, and darn-right obsessed with the soundtrack to the movie, "The Greatest Showman."

Mommy and I saw the movie first; downloaded the soundtrack; and then started singing. The two of you immediately got sucked in to the magic of the music. We burned you CDs of the songs and you started learning the tunes, singing the songs, and dancing to the music. Then we took you to see the movie and your obsession only grew!

"Dad..." you asked me once, Aidan, fresh out of the shower and looking into the mirror, "How does PT Barnum style his hair?"

Julia, you memorized the words of the trickiest song, and wanted to fly through the air on the trapeze like one of your favorite characters! So you did...in the backyard!

You both couldn't contain yourselves and told everyone you saw about the movie- including spoilers...whoops!- about the movie for weeks and weeks!

And this all started back in February!

The music has kept us dancing through camping trips, spring break road trips, time apart, time together, backyard productions, and many a commute.

We even started singing "A Million Dreams" in our lullabyes and for driveway ukulele dance performances!

And I LOVE it.

In fact, I love it so much that I had you both convinced that my car ONLY played Greatest Showman music! And you loved it!

Here's a small compilation of your greatest hits!

Everyone I know in the office, our friends, our family, our neighbors all have "Greatest Showman Fever." And seeing the happiness it brings you, and me, and Mama...I'm okay if this is one fever we don't cure.

Ladies and gentlemen...this is the moment you've been waiting for.

Weinstein Family Circus

One lazy, hot, summer Sunday, Julia, you spotted a few boxes of Animal Crackers in the recycling. You pulled them out of the bin. You had an idea. You asked for scissors (and some help). Then you took your box pieces, which were now "tickets to the circus" and asked your brother if he was thinking what you were thinking. He was.

You two disappeared to your room.

About 20 minutes later, you invited me to come upstairs, give my tickets to the ticket taker, and attend the amazing, stupendous, incredible Weinstein Family Circus!

And now...presenting...the most amazing show on earth....the incredible, creative, amazing, stupendous, prolonged, hilarious, death-defying, magical, best SHOW on EARTH!

There was a strong woman...

Gymnastics Girl... 

Tight Rope Walkers...

Feats of bravery... 

And Drama, Intrigue, Dangeroisty, Curiosity and all-around AMAZING acts of creativity!

We celebrated the Circus' success with Popsicles.

Circus Maximus

Where do you the clowns go for some grade-a clownin'?

The Circus, of course.

Mimi and Pops joined us for our annual excursion to the GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH- The Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus!

And it was a really special, fun, silly day with fun brewing in all three rings of the circus of our lives!

There were elephants, and clowns...

Thrills and chills...

Popcorn and red noses...

Smiles, giggles, and awe...

Souvenirs and memories-made...

There were horses, kangaroos, hilarious little dogs, and  fake mammoths, unicorns, and peagasi...

There was hopping...

Shopping...

...and love...

The reviews are in. Both of you talked about the circus for weeks and weeks after the event.

Aidan Weinstein: "The music was terrific and the elephants were woken up and I don't want you to wake them up because they were sleeping."

Julia Weinstein: "It was fun seeing the circus, Daddy. I liked the flying horse got a pretty lady on it!"

The Greatest Show on EARTH!

Circus! Circus! Circus!

Over the summer we went to the CIRCUS - Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey- it was your first time, Julia. And your second!

It was a long time ago as I am writing this- over a half a year ago- so I don't remember very many specifics. But I do remember that we had a stupendous time, ate some delicious- not nutritious- food, had a few tears and a lot of good lessons learned, bought and returned a lot of souvenirs, and had a memorable, amazing, time as a family.

 

 

 

 

  

We were all VERY impressed by the tiger tamer, so much so that- still to this day- at the end of bath time, I become a thick-accented Russian tiger tamer and crack my whip! And ask Julia tiger and Aidan tiger some questions with very invisible treats as rewards.

The Tiger training is how we all learned our address (Country Club Poo poo drive), our city (Texas), our state (Dallas), the first president of the United States (George Washer Poo poo), the current President of the United states (Bara Mama), and how we're going to learn our middle names (working on it)! 

Julia, for the longest time, you would imitate me... "tijer, tijer...what is your city?"

At any rate, the circus is such a great reminder for me that life is too silly to not have fun at the right times, and that no matter how tight of a rope you feel like you're walking on, there's still room to just leap over 4 human beings. That's a metaphor. For what? I don't know. But I do know that you guys- Julia and Aidan- are the greatest on earth. 

This house is a three-ring circus from time to time...but the good news is that we're enjoying the craziness every day.