Whoa.......

WHAT the CRAP happened to ME!? Honestly...what's really funny about it all is that Thursday night, or early Friday morning, I woke up out of DEEP SLEEP and started laughing...thinking to myself, "SELF! You haven't blogged in over a week! And not only that...you FORGOT ABOUT IT!" And then I got an email from my mom later that day that said, 'WHERE IS GUSSY!?' So - I guess some of you noticed. Sorry about that.

We are just kind of zipping along here in the Midwest...and it's been such a crazy week with all of our moving and shaking, I guess I just put blogging on the back burner. Since we left Cleveland, we have been to Springfield Ohio, Indianapolis and Wabash Indiana, Clinton (Detroit) Michigan and now Tiffin Ohio! ALL since February 22nd! Again...WHOA. What the CRAP? And the next 3 weeks are going to be just as crazy...if not more. BUT - I will do better at keeping you informed.

Today, I'm going to catch you up on the pictures I have to share from the rest of our stay in Cleveland...and tomorrow, I will share with you the pictures and stories for our time in the rest of the cities. Don't worry - NONE of them are as involved as the Cleveland report!

THE REST OF CLEVELAND...

Here's the Cleveland Browns Stadium...which sits right on Lake Erie. So...that's fun.

During our stop in Cleveland, Steve and Jonny did an interview at a local television station...and got a pimped out ride to the station! I've said it before, and I'll say it again...we are BIG TIME Children's Theater Stars. PLEASE make a note of it!

One night in Cleveland, we got tickets to see CHITA RIVERA: A DANCERS LIFE at the Palace Theatre...part of the complex we were performing at. Here are some pictures of Jodi, Felicia and Rachel, all dressed up and enjoying martini's before we headed out to the theater.

ANOTHER NIGHT OUT WITH 'ALICE'

The cast of ALICE came into the city for a second night...and it was another night of fun! Here are Felicia and Dionne...who quickly labeled themselves the Black Girl Mafia. LOOK OUT!

Fun at the table...at Cleveland's local Irish Pub!

Part of the fun for Roe in Cleveland was being in town the same time her cousin! And for the rest of us, part of the fun was them joining us at Flannery's!

Best friends forever...TO THE MAXXXXXXXXX!

A final farewell outside Flannery's!

KIRTLAND, OHIO

So what's the deal with this 'Kirtland'? Well, Kirtland is a historical stop along the Mormon history trail! And since it's right outside of Cleveland, I took an afternoon to run out and check it out...with Jeffrey and Jonny in tow! It was cold...we were the only people there (note for future reference: WINTER...not a real tourist-time for the Mormon history sites)...but it was pretty interesting, I think, for both Mormons and non-Mormons alike. For me it was a pretty cool to see a part of the actual HISTORY of where my faith and beliefs came from. And part of it was a deeply humbling reality check for me...just to realize that who I am really does have a real, profound, rich, interesting history. And I'm proud of it.

Um. A picture at the visitors center.

So....it was pretty snowy...and cold. But OH so beautiful.

Some of the buildings on the grounds. Upper L: The Whitney Store. Upper R: The Johnson Inn. Lower: The Whitney Home with Jeffrey passing by in front.

Various scenes from inside the Whitney House...complete with Jonny and Jeffrey listening to our tour guide for the day. He was very informative...and a bit chatty...but still....VERY informative. But chatty.....

Jeffrey invites us along....out the front door of the Whitney House across the street to the Whitney Store!

Scenes from inside the Whitney Store. Um....I could swear Jonny was shopping for bonnets in that first picture. And, Easter IS fast approaching...but still....OH! AND...there is our tour guide, informing us along the way....and chatting....

A couple of random shots from the store. L: B&W of the shelves. R: A fun little corn cob checkers set. Don't worry, I didn't touch.

Some scenes from upstairs in the Whitney Store...where the Prophet, Joseph Smith lived with his family during part of his time in Kirtland. Upper L: The general living area. Upper R: The School of the Prophets room...where Joseph Smith taught other leaders of the church. Bottom: Looking in to the room used for the School of the Prophets.

Saying good-bye to the Whitney Store AND to our informative, chatty tour guide!

And we bid the Kirtland Visitors Center a fond adieu!

Some scenes from our QUICK stop at the Kirtland Temple...which was not open to tourists...due to the whole WINTER lull in tourism for the area.

On our drive out of town, I snapped a quick drive-by picture of the last house Joseph Smith and his family lived in...before they headed West.

'A CHRISTMAS STORY' HOUSE

That means exactly what it says! Our final HURRAH in Cleveland was visiting the recently renovated house used in the filming of 'A Christmas Story'. What we learned at the new museum? Only the exterior of the house was really used...since the interior at the time was a duplex. (Although the scenes of the Leg Lamp in the window ARE in the house....with the dad looking at it from across the street.....) But regardless, we had a BLAST visiting it and reliving our favorite moments of the show! PLUS! We ate lunch at C&Y Chinese - where the family had dinner. FA RA RA RA RA! They DID recreate as much of the interior of the house as possible, for the $5 museum fee...and you can check it all out by clicking HERE!

I got nothing....

Here it is! And here we are! And there is everyone jumping! And we were all just so excited! But who wouldn't be?

Electric Sex...GLEAMING in the window.

Mike and Jeffrey both enjoy their time with the Leg Lamp.

It's a major award! FRAGILE? It must be Italian!

Roe re-creates the Pink Bunny PJ's scene. Well done, Roe.

Rachel celebrates Christmas morning with the family.

The cast...and Jodi.

L: The Shed. (Don't remember? Think BLACK BART!) R: A look down the street out front of the house.

A couple of things from the Museum/Gift Shop across the street from the house that delighted me.