Foot Stompin' Hoedown!

Back to Disney World in a minute, but today was interesting. I took a day of sick leave to rest and ended up going to TWO school events and fitting in some Christmas shopping too.

So we get an avalanche of letters from the kids' school. Geezus, I don't remember this from my day. Buy a sweatshirt! Calendar! Field trip! Sell Cookie Dough! Buy another sweatshirt! Send all your loose change in for Carolina-Clemson rivalry! Just today we got a note that they are taking first graders to a ballet at the Koger Center.

First graders. Sitting through a ballet. Does...not.....compute... A wiggly, giggly, attention span of gnat first grader being forced to sit through pas de deux and tours jetes or whatever...I "studied" ballet but I've forgotten most of it, seeing as how my study consisted of three months before my mom got tired of taking me to lessons and it was in the days before moms could be guilted into activities.

Anyway, today was a "Foot Stompin' Hoedown!" Well just pick up a pen and color me thrilled to death. And the girls would be in two different performances, one at 9:00 and one at 1:00. Dandy.

I didn't take my camera. This picture is from "Avalanche Ranch--A Wild Ride Through God's Word!" i.e. "Desperate parents attempt to fill child's summer with Bible School activities!" No, today I decided I was SICK of creeping around like the girls were Britney Spears after several appletinis and I was the crazed photographer trying to get the money shot at school activities. This can only coincide with the fact that Nikon has out a new camera--300D--and I'm lusting after it with unholy greed. So I'm temporarily rejecting my dear old lame Nikon D70. Sorry dude you are so 2004.

So Roger dragged my protesting self out of bed and we proceeded to the 1st grade performance. It was pretty cute but it was a large auditorium and I couldn't see Meredith well, so I got out of my seat for the final line dance and a teacher encouraged me to join in.

I love to dance, especially country line dances. I just could not resist. So I did. I figured Meredith would understand. She's only in 1st grade and isn't easily embarassed, unlike Madeleine, who turned the heads of hundreds of Dora fans at age 4 when I started to gyrate to the music at "Dora Live" by screaming "MOMMY SIT DOWN!"

So then we left and went shopping and finished up Christmas. I can't tell you what we bought because I'm paranoid that Madeleine will find this post. I changed the blog listing in my favorites folder to "Snakes and Cockroach Central--Big Gruesome Photos!" AND deleted the history of my browsing since she showed me that's how she figured it out in the first place, but you never know. How about a teaser...We found one item mislabeled at Target. It should have been $29.99 and was marked $7.49 and they sold us two at the lower price, since they admitted the sign said $7.49. I was in ecstasy. The other group of shoppers who noticed it too cleaned them out real fast.

I was bummed because I didn't get to play with the 2 carat solitaire at Sam's. I love playing with it. But it was in the safe because the managers were in a meeting and only the managers could get it out of the safe. Sam's shoppers--this is Taste of Sam's weekend. Tons of great food to sample. This is not a paid commercial endorsement although Sam's? I'd be so willing to endorse you for pay. Like a 2 carat solitaire. Call me, I'm in the book!!!

Then back to school. I bowed my head and prayed out loud: "Dear Tiny Little Baby Jesus" (from Talledega Nights, movie cracked me up) Please don't let me give into the sinful temptation of dancing the country line dance again and embarass my dear child."

And the kids filed in and I waved at Madeleine happily and the look on her face indicated that she was either 1. scared that I would embarass her or 2. passing a kidney stone.

But I didn't dance.

We picked the girls up afterwards and Meredith rushed towards me exclaiming lovingly "YOU JUST HAD TO DANCE DIDN'T YOU?" and Madeleine rushed towards me thanking me in heartfelt tones for not dancing. We got in the car and Meredith started bawling because "it was unfair" that I danced with her around and not Madeleine until Roger told her to "cowboy up" and quit crying.

Sorry kid. But stay tuned, because I think you'll like what Santa got for you today!