Advanced Acting Drama

Imagine! Drama in Theater Arts? I mean, really, I guess it should just be expected in that class, right?

Kylee had her first 'Advanced Acting' class performance last night. They brought in a 'professional choreographer' to teach the class two dances. Then, as a grade, they were to get in smaller groups and choregraph their own routine to perform also.

Kylee had been telling us that her group was just falling apart. She was the only one doing any work, and the other three girls kept being absent. When the other three girls got back from their absenses, after the routine was due to be 'turned in', of course, they didn't like what Kylee had done. A few weeks ago when this was being discussed, I didn't realize it was for this performance, I thought it was just a class grade.

So last night the groups did their individual performances and then the two group dances. Their group performances were so fun!

Ladies Choice

Mamma Mia

Even Blaine and a little boy, who has now become his friend because his sister and in the class,got into it. They were moving and grooving right there sitting on the floor. They even threw their hands in the air a couple of times.

Did you notice Kylee had no individual dance? As she put it, their group "sucked" after everybody decided to make changes and bail on her. She was worried about it Monday night after dress rehearsal, and she told me that it was awful and it was going to be embarrassing because they sucked. Right before Tuesday night's performance, Mrs. Moore (the theater arts teacher) pulled her aside and told her she knew her group had -- and then she used a big word Kylee doesn't remember what it is and had to ask what it meant, but basically -- betrayed her. She understood Kylee had put a lot of work into the dance without any help, and then they decided it wasn't good enough. So she decided she was not going to let that group perform, when the other groups had worked hard on theirs. Because she had seen the work Kylee had put into it, she told Kylee she would receive a 95 on the assignment, while the other girls were getting zeros. To avoid drama you know, since there hadn't been any already, she didn't want Kylee to say anything to the other girls about her grade or even discuss it with them at all.

Kylee said she guesses when Mrs. Moore told the other girls they weren't performing, they freaked a little, because they were asking Kylee to just go back and practice with them, that they could get it together. Kylee just told them she wasn't willing to embarrass herself. Such drama! I'm so glad I don't teach middle schoolers...especially a middle school drama class!

It's always nice to have grandparents there to cheer them on.Papa was at home babysitting their new kitty. I guess he does baseball games, and she does dances when there's a newborn at home. (hehe)

Kylee's 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Enriquez's daughter is also in Kylee's class. We talked to her after the performance, and she said she recognized Kylee's "adorable face" as soon as she saw her on the dance floor.

And with that, the curtain closes on another performance.

Whose Gift Is It?

Did I mention the 30th anniversary party wasn't actually over? On their anniversary, we gaveDad Dad and Mom Mom a trip to Dallas to stay at Great Wolf Lodge again and go to a Texas Ranger Game.

I have to stop and give Doak major kudos here for planning and organizing this trip. He did an amazing job, and all Kyle Myra and I did was book our own family's rooms and write a check to him. So thanks, Doak!

Friday we all headed to the big D. Doak and Kyle drove their families, while the El Paso bunch flew. Kyle left earlier than Doak, and my family left earlier than Dad Dad and Mom Mom, so we got there at almost the same time.

We finally got to give McKenzie her birthday present.
She's going to be 'Sepatariat's' jockey for Halloween. Since we were talking about Halloween, I told her that Kylee was thinking about being Strawberry Shortcake. She told me to be sure I put 'frinkles' on her face.

Then we hit the water park for the hour and a half we had before it closed.This is the only picture I have from the waterpark Friday night. Kylee and Kellie took off by themselves, and the rest of us were on the tube rides with the kids. I'm not willing to risk my prized camera in the water, so this is all I got. Then Joey and I headed to the airport to pick up Dad Dad and Mom Mom while Kyle, Myra, and the kids ordered pizzaand waited on Doak's family.

The next morning, we were up and at 'em, ready to get all the time we could in at the waterpark before we went to see the Rangers play the Seattle Mariners. I got thispicture of the 'big' girls before they, once again, ditched us for their own fun. I got plenty of pictures of the littles, though,since they had to hang out with us. There was also some cominglingwhen the adults would go with the kids on the Tornado, or take the littles on the 'family ride' in one big tube, or when the big girls came to play with the baby.

After a few hours of water fun, it was time to shower and head to the ball game. We got all the girls dressed with their bowsAndrea got them, got grandparents/kids pic,(I just realized Michael is missing!! What the heck?!)took a power nap in the car,and arrived at Ranger Ballpark!
Thanks, again, to Doak, we had ah-maze-ingseats that were even in the shade, and the whole rowwas the Painter tribe! Blaine spent a lot of his time training on Dad Dadabout how this game works, while Kylee spent a lot of her time with Kellie keeping Brodieentertained. All the kids took their turn on the teeset up in the stadium. After a family picture, we left the game headed back to Great Wolf Lodge.

The kids (of all sizes) had a little more fun in the water, then there was eating
tattoos

ice cream

and dance lessons in the hallway
before bed.

Then this morning before our goodbyes, there was one more Painter tribe photo op.


As I look back at these pictures from the weekend, I wonder whose gift this really was? I mean, it seems to me the grandKIDS had way more fun than the grandPARENTS. But, ya know, I guess when you've been married 30 years and still walk into the
ballpark like this,it doesn't really matter, does it?

Not My Child

Anybody known who this child belongs too? Kylee likes her steak to moo at her when she cuts it. She wants it chewy! Not my child! Yuck!

*Disclaimer* This above story is true. I only really posted it to test my néw blogging app on my phone, though.

Kylee's First Trip to the Bar

When I went to bed Saturday night, Kylee was still up. I figured she was old enough to stay up and know when and how to go to bed without me telling her to put her pajamas on and get comfortable. Evidentally, I was wrong. When I got up Sunday morning and went downstairs, thisis what I found. Maybe my attempts on backing off of her a little are premature. Maybe they aren't. Maybe I should just leave her alone, let her sleep in her clothes, in a chair, and be ok with it. This parenting thing needs a manual.

Later she had a dance performance for 'Punks For Pups'. It was held at House of Rock. We had no idea what or where this place was. When we walked in, it was a bar...like a hard-core bar. It smelled like college days. You know, like a...well, a bar. And it had concrete floors and...well, look.It's a bar. I never imagined they would be dancing for the adoption of puppies at a bar!

Before the dances began, they brought in some puppies that were for adoption. Blaine was enthralled.The news cameras were there, and everybody was so excited.

After the puppies were there and the girls had done their stretching,they danced their hearts out.My girlThey did such a great job, I totally forgot I was in a bar with my children.

P.S. The news cameras were there, and the Kylee was so excited to be on the news. I was excited for her. She has her mother's luck. When we recorded the ten o'clock news later, the event was on the news. The dancers didn't make. But Blaine did!
Click to watch Blaine on Channel 4 News El Paso
I was so sad for her. She does such a great job I wanted her to get the recognition she deserved. She didn't, and I couldn't be more proud of the way she handled. She showed no disappointment. Good girl, she is. Maybe I should be more like her. (This is becoming a them with my children and me.)

My MVP

We had our first coach-pitch loss last night. It sucked. Especially since it was to a team that was obnoxious and rude. I can't stand that. It makes me want to punch them in the face. I mean, really. That's awful, but I just get so upset. It probably doesn't help that their first obnoxious-ness was directed at my son. As Rachel on Big Brother would say, "Nobody messes with my man son!"

On Blaine's first up-to-bat, they questioned the bat. The umpire declared it an illegal bat, and called Blaine out before he even swung the bat. He cried. I fumed. The worst part was when they called the 'head' ump in, the bat, in fact, was not illegal, but the out stood. Whatever. This mom was hot.

He shook off his cry quicker than I shook off my fuming. Good boy, he is. Sportsmanlike conduct. I should be more like him. When he got on defense, he made a triple play. My boy. Then at his next at-bat, he hit the ball harder than I wanted to hit the other coaches. Homerun. That's right, folks, his first in-park home run, with two runners on base. Talk about upping his stats. Take that, Pirates! I'm not really sure who was more excited, me or Blaine. His 100-watt smile warmed my heart.In the next inning, he made a double play. He got the game ball. He deserved it. Although we lost, my MVP had an amazing game!

I love that he transitions from my baby boy who I found in the backyard this morning blowing bubbles in his flippies and cowboy hatto a team player on his team.

After the game, we went to Pizza Hut with some of his favorite players and their families. The kids got their own tables,and Kylee even brought games and prizes for the girls. She's such a nurturing soul and going to be an amazing babysitter...sooner than I'd like to think about.

It was Pat's (David Angel's mom) birthday. I told David not to bring her to Pizza Hut with the team on her birthday, but they showed anyway. So Carlo and Marina got a cake, and we celebrated with her.(On a side note, this family just lost their 19-year old cousin from sudden heart failure. His mom, Rosie, is a court reporter, and works with me at the courthouse. Please keep the Moreno family in your prayers as they recover from this unimaginable loss.)

I'm so proud of Blaine and his sportsmanship and love of the game. Today we head to another dance performance for Kylee.

Living our lives on dance stages and baseball diamonds...

Kylee's Karnival

Last night was Kylee's carnival at Walter Clarke. She is so like her Mom Mom, in that anything that comes up that somebody needs help getting things together, coordinating, working, helping, whatever, she is in. The carnival was a fundraiser for the student council.

She volunteered to make 48 cupcakes for the cake walk. Since she had dance Thursday night, she made them all Wednesday night. Then carried 48 cupcakes, her instrument, her backpack, and a three liter bottle of coke she also volunteered for the ring toss to school Thursday morning...with a little help from her not-so-happy brother, which is a whole other story.

The carnival was yesterday from 4-8, so she just stayed after school. After I picked up Blaine from Dad Dad (and more than one 'sugar' game of 'gold' fish), he and I went to check it out.

We found Kylee and Lilahworking the washer booth, so we got Blaine some tickets so he could participate in the carnival, too. His sister showed him how to get started,and we were off.

While she finished up her "shift", Blaine and I went to check out all the other stuff. He punted a football, run in the hamster ball,, went fishing, and threw a pie in Jill's face.When Kylee's shift was over, she came to play with us a while.When Blaine was out of tickets, we went home to Daddy, while Kylee stayed with her friends at the carnival.

I realize this post is Kylee's Karnival and most of pictures are of Kylee's brother. That's the problem with middle school. SHe is way too busy with her duties and friends to hang out with her family. Last night was the first glimpse I really got of her doing things on her own, and I hated it. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of the fact she's involved and secure enough in herself to be out on her own, but it hurts this Momma's heart! As I watched all those middle schoolers run around and laugh and tease and throw shaving cream all over each other and run in the school sprinklers when they came on, it seemed like just yesterday I was in 7th grade and felt so grown up and old enought to do things w/out my mom and dad. All I could think last night was, in two short years she will be in high school, and in six short years out of my house. I'm sick. I must go.

Blog Makeover, Take 2

Erin over at Designer Blogs has done it again. She redid my blog the first time and now once again.

I'm so excited about the outcome...again, and I really feel like it fits our family as we change and grow. If any of you bloggers out there are interested in designing your own, head over to Designer Blogs and check them out. You won't BELIEVE all you can do. Be sure you mention my name, so I can get some credits and keep adding styles to mine.

Thanks, Erin!!!!!!!