One cheer competition down...

Thank goodness Aunt Toni found some curlers in her beauty stash--Walmart was sold out by the time I got there Friday and we HAD to have curly ponytails for the competition Saturday!  And these were quite the curlers...I've never seen any like them.  I always had the pink foam ones with the plastic snap arms.  These weren't even round--square foam with wire twisties covered in a pink silky material.  These looked much more comfortable.

Little Miss was not at all sure about this process.

She was even less sure about the makeup the next day.

She got used to it pretty quick--lipstick, blush,silver and teal glitter eyeshadow, mascara...the whole nine yards.  In fact, she asked if she could wear it to school Monday.  Uh...no.

She's the first one on the left, mugging over her shoulder no less!  They were all cute...in a sort of scary way.

The coaches and mothers, including me, had "blinged out" matching t-shirts.  Six years ago, I never foresaw my future including this.  What a ride.

I just liked the sign.  But it really made me want to stunt right there in the lobby.  But they said "please" so I managed to control the urge.

Judges!!

I was pretty impressed with the little girls.  This was a BIG auditorium and a BIG stage.  But they all got right on their marks and off they went.

They didn't even drop the poor little girl that they lift (like they usually do during practice).

About half way through they got lost, but everyone ended up together.  All's well that ends well.  It was scary to watch the other teams though.  Some of those little kids must have been born with pom-poms and yelling "5-6-7-8!"  Serious precision.  And you could pick out the seasoned parents as well.  At practice tonight, the cheer moms were talking about how we need to make signs for the next competition and we need to have a chant to do from the stands...seriously.  I'm getting afraid of how far this could all go.  Note bene gentlereaders:  I wear the t-shirt, I may make a sign, BUT I will NOT, never ever, wear the matching teal glittery eyeshadow. 

All the junior competitors on the floor for the awards.  I do question the "junior" designation for some of the girls on the other teams--they had boobs and looked like they drove themselves to the events center.  Can five and six year olds really compete with that?

Doesn't she look pleased, though?  Maybe I'd do a light dusting of  glittery teal eyeshadow...for that smile...

And she was very excited that her girl cousins got to see her cheer.

 

While were eating Salvadorean food with the McKinney Bandys, she turned to me and I finally realized just who all the makeup reminded me of--Mimi from The Drew Carey Show. 

We wandered around the shopping center "village" after we ate.  It was a pretty nice place.

Lolo was ready to hit the play area, even if she had to drive herself.

And quite a play area it is.  Pretty standard playground equipment, but also...

a volleyball area, with volleyballs...

washer and horseshoe games,

and a beanbag toss game (at which my sister-in-law stomped my brother). 

There are also raised bed gardens that families can rent and grow their own "crops."  It was really a nice place to spend an afternoon--and decompress from the cheer stress (though I am apparently the only one who suffers from that!).