Family Time

One of the things that happen as kids grow up, is that the time the family spends together is greatly reduced. Dinners around the kitchen table, vacation and weekend trips, hanging out at school events, and even shopping for clothes are no longer the way of life. What was once the most normal of things, is now a very occasional event. I guess in our case, it first started to come apart when Billy went off to college. Being four years older than Kenny and Krissi, he was starting at Ithaca College as they were starting at Mineola High School. At twelve years old, the "twins" didn't have driver's licenses nor lives of there own, and that fall, we suddenly went from a family of five to a party of four. As the years progressed, "family time" became a dim memory, and now that we are the parents of an almost twenty-eight year old, and two almost twenty-four year olds, the times the five of us are together are far and few between. The latest episode of the D'Elia Family's Family Time came Columbus Day weekend in beautiful downtown Janesville, Wisconsin – the garden spot of the Mid-West! Why, you may ask, did we choose this particular location? Well, youngest son Kenny (the actor) is starring as Sammy in "The Wedding Singer" at the Armory in Janesville, and like last spring, when the whole family rendezvoused in Philly when Kenny and the National Tour of 'Annie" was in town, we took this opportunity to combine a family weekend with seeing Kenny's show! On Saturday morning our group assembled at LaGuardia airport. Susie, twin sister Krissi, older brother Billy, Billy's girlfriend Lori, and I boarded an 8AM United flight at LaGuardia and were on our way to O'Hare in Chicago. After a couple hour flight to Chicago, it was a Hertz car and an hour and a half drive to Janesville. Kenny had a matinee on Saturday afternoon, so we took the opportunity to lunch at a Fuddruckers that was just down the road from our hotel. When the kids were little, trips to the Fuddruckers across from Eisenhower Park was almost a weekly occurrence. Everyone has missed those trips since that location closed, so it was fun to be in Wisconsin and relive what was indeed a real part of our kids' childhood! Once Kenny finished his performance, he drove over to the hotel and our family group was complete. The times we live in are the easiest there have ever been to stay in touch, and we all have been in contact with Kenny since he went to Wisconsin in August, but there is nothing that equals seeing your son in real life, in the same time zone, state, city and room! Cell phones, email, and texting are a great way to stay in touch, but nothing they do can compare with a hug! Having the whole family together is just a very special thing, and if it necessitated a trip from Long Island to Wisconsin, so be it! So once the hugs and greetings were taken care of, Kenny decided that he needed some groceries. What better thing to do with your Mom and Dad then take them to the local grocery store…where they might even pay for the groceries! Now going to the grocery store in the NY Metro area and going in Wisconsin are two different things! This store was huge! Aisle after aisle of all kinds of food - and that was after we'd already explored the warehouse sized liquor store that was attached! The best was the cheese section. I say section and not aisle as here in the Cheese Head Capital of the World, Wisconsin, the cheese department went literally for blocks! Incredible selection and incredible prices! So after spending about $150 for groceries, we left to get ready for that night's show. The Armory was just that till a couple of years ago. It was converted into a dinner theater and restaurant/lounge. The "theater" is now what was the drill hall in the center of the building, and it was good to see an old building that has some local history still being put to good use. As to the show, "The Wedding Singer"…well, if you've seen the Adam Sandler movie then you know what the basic plot is. Kenny is Sammy, Robbie's best friend and the bass guitar player in his band. Taking place in 1980s New Jersey, Kenny had some incredible costumes and a long mullet wig. The whole show was great, and they are a very talented group of performers. How was Kenny? Well, speaking with total objectivity and not at all remembering that I am his father and have loved him since before he was born, HE WAS INCREDIBLE!!! This is Kenny's first professional "starring" role, and he handed it wonderfully. I said to Susie after the show that it was so nice to see Kenny not take the first curtain call, as he has done many times in the past as a member of the ensemble. So, after the show, our instructions were to hurry into the Bunker Lounge and get a table for that night's after-show Cabaret, staring the cast of "The Wedding Singer." We did, and again we were not disappointed. The theme for the night was "Typed Out – Songs I'll Never get to Sing", and basically were performances that for whatever reason (sex, age, race, type, etc.), the performer would never be able to sing on stage. We were treated to 7 or 8 great performances by many of the talented cast of the show. Kenny was announced as having just completed two years on the National Tour of "Annie", and then did a comedic version of "Tomorrow." It was great, as were all the performances including the finale which was all the girls in the cast, as "The Jersey Girls" singing a five minute medley of the Four Season's hits! A lot of fun and well appreciated by the audience. After the cabaret, it was time for a trip around the corner to a Janesville Irish Pub where we bought the family and the cast a drink or two. What a great night…both seeing Kenny and his show, meeting his new theatrical family, and doing it with our whole family! The next day the six of us headed up to Madison, Wisconsin in the 86 degree temperatures and had a great afternoon exploring the many stores on State Street. Yes, there were a few brews consumed too, and we even had our first exposure to fried cheese curds!! Another great day, but when your kids are in their 20s, any day that you all get to spend together is a great day! As I said in the beginning, when what was once the most normal of things is now a very occasional event, you need to enjoy and be thankful for every one of them! We are…both thankful that we like the three adults our kids have become, that we like spending time with them, (and their significant others and their friends!) and that we get to have these Family Weekends!