Building Dreams,Friendship & Memories Part 2

Woke on Thursday to one of my girls feeling worse than she did when I tucked in bed Wednesday night.  Her body ached, her skin hot to the touch and the bones aching. She clearly would not make it from the bed.  I called the band nurse, who herself was sick-sick-sick--but carried on as nothing was wrong. We filled our kid full alternating doses of Tylenol and Ibuprofen, TUMS and a bedside table of ice chips and fresh fruit, tucked into bed again with a prescription of rest-rest-rest.  The principal stayed back to nurse her and others.  I checked in often.

We handed out uniforms.  Dressed the kids in bids and warm-ups... off to practice at a local high school to practice for Band Fest. 

While the 208 kids practiced we chaperones laid out the next step of dressing (if I never see another garment bag or hat box again in my life it will not be to soon).

Clearly the lack of sleep was catching up, an order of Starbucks was in much need.  When the travel rep went to retrieve the kids who were ordered to sleep in from the day before stomach flu episodes--we talked our rep into a Starbucks stop.  Oh-ya-caffeine-baby!  Then we emerged from the warm bus catching a dose of sunshine, watching the kids work their musical magic.
       

When the kids finished practice the head band director made a speech...one that drew tears from all listening.  You see the band director has been battling cancer since last February.  He seemed to be taking the treatments quite well all during competition season, then about three weeks before the trip things took a turn.  His appearances during the trip week were sporadic. The week before it was unsure if he would be healthy enough to make the trip at all.  He spent most of his time resting in his hotel suite; as he should have been.  He came out of that room when the kids performed, dressed in suit, smiling... pretty much pretending to feel good-- for the kids.  His speech was a sort of unneeded apology for not being ever present and that he wasn't exactly where he had wanted to be health wise.  Tears. Tears. Tears.

      

  Then it was off to the 

Where the kids had a formal picture snapped to commemorate

this most honorable band moment of their lives

FACT TIME

There are 27,000 high schools in America

only 15 are chosen to march in the

Tournament of Roses Parade

Lindbergh has been chosen twice

Outside the security fence

15 of 16 of the 18 color guard girls who made the trip

(that poor sick-feverish-kid-back-bed-at-the-hotel

 missing out made me sad)  

snapped a group picture with the guard directors...

and then one of me and my girly.

We visited another float decorating tent

where I spotted the Grand Marshall vehicle

all spruced up with its flowers...

and tons of flowers waiting to be placed.

 Next it was off to Pasadena City College

for a nibble of California tradition 

and

  where the kids performed a simplified field show
to their parade music selections...

and our band director

 who exhibited a display of dedication for the kids 

got the customary Band Fest participation trophy

All the hard work and lack of sleep
called for a party!
So in those marked carry-on (gift) bags
were party clothes.
What girl doesn't like a reason to wear
a fun little dress and a pair of stilettos.

We waited for some new friends to arrive from
 Owasso High School - Owasso, OK
to share the dance floor...
since they were really late the Flyers
owned the dance floor.

 I am sure at some point in my life video will surface

 of Tina and I owning the dance circle

during do da Stanky Legg.

The other chaperones enjoyed 

playing the wall flowers... 

Not Tina and I, we filled our own dance cards.

Then it was back to the hotel to check on my sick kid,
prepare for another fun filled day on a mini dose of sleep.

To be continued...


  

Building Dreams,Friendships & Memories Part 1

Today's blog is sponsored by Cover Girl concealer stick.  The bags under moi's eyes are as wide as Texas and as dark as the night.  Every now and then jet lag grabs hold of me, I am suddenly so tired I wonder how I am going to make it through the next hour of work--some how I do.

Nellie told it is time to blow the dust off my keyboard and start recapping what was a most exciting week we had.  So, this one's for you Nellie!  I am fortunate to have experienced the parade from both sides--in 2005 as a parent just enjoying California while Princess A marched down Colorado Blvd and in 2011 as a chaperone with M marching down that same blvd.  I wouldn't trade one experience for the other; both were perfect!

The view from the plane window was lovely...

I stretched my head past the  booming deafening engine

 to catch a glimpse of the mountain range.

I don't know how I got to be such a lucky be-otch...

it seems that American Airlines seats 31F and 31D are both in the lavatory.  The good point to these glorious seat assignments is--I didn't have to travel far to relieve myself of all those complimentary Diet Coke(s).  I must make myself a note to thank the travel company for the best seats in the plane. 

THEN

I hopped off the plane at LAX

with a dream and my cardigan

welcome to the land of fame excess, (woah)

am I gonna fit in?

Jumped in the cab,

Here I am for the first time

Look to my right and I see the Hollywood sign

This is all so crazy

Everybody seems so famous

Do you know who that is that M and her friend

spotted at the Farmer's Market?

Sorry I got ahead of myself here...back peddling...

When we arrived in California we headed to Santa Monica Pier ...

where we were able to dip our feet in the Atlantic Ocean;

some of the kids seeing the ocean for the first time  

Tuesday we went on a tour of Hollywood...

stopped at Grauman's Chinese Theater

to see all the hand and foot prints in the cement

and the Hollywood Walk of Fame...

For a moment I thought I spotted Eddie Murphy reprising his role in Trading Places...

but it was just another wily street con artist

 pretending to be celebrating New Year's Eve [on December 28].

Then to the Farmer's Market for lunch.

My roomie and I gawked at the fruit bowl,

 

 wishing we would have picked it for a side

 to our yummy Magee's corn beef sandwiches 

(best corn beef I ever ate!)

Next on the days itinerary was float decorating.

This really was one of the highlights of the trip.

I made bundles of hay for the one of the 3 Little Pigs' House. 

The kids assigned to assembling the float were a group of Asian kids.  We thought maybe they were the band kids from Japan.  Someone mentioned they didn't speak English.  In my universal language of hand gestures I motion the hay bundles were for the piggy's house, handed it off and went back to bundling more.  On my second trip to deliver the hay I did the same hand gesture when the adorable Asian teen responds "thank you" in an accent of that from middle America.  It was a good laugh and one we laughed about the rest of the day.  We are such goofs!  

My bus mate and I then packed on the macaroon coconut

for the racoon's head on the Wildlife float.

  The coconut smelled good enough to eat.

 M and I secured the crushed pecans,

 bark and black onion seeds for the squirrels perch.

Once we had made our mark on the floats

 it was off to the "Cable Guy's" favorite eatery--Medieval Times.

There may be some dispute, but the yellow was the best...

 (the food however sucked).

Mmmmm dragon's blood soup aka Campbell's tomato soup.

~~~~~

Tina: My soup has chunks. Does yours?

Me: Nope

Tina: What do you think the chunks are then?

Me: Dragon Blood clots I suppose.

 The story line of this dinner theater is: hunky-boys-on-horses-with-long-flowing-hair.

The blue team had some cute team members

   

On Wednesday we woke to a down pouring of rain.

We had Disneyland/California Adventure fun in the rain...

the "ride buddies" slapped on those plastic ponchos and were all ready to go...

with the rain stopping around noon, and in time for a parade down Main Street.

Just before the ride buddies resumed chaperone duty...

a photo without the plastic ponchos with a castle backdrop was in order 

To end the day I snapped a photo to remember that I did in fact collect every kid I was responsible for

and only one of these eight left sick with a fever,

 bound for a night of my special nursing talents. 

To be continued....

Here's A Tease

Right there in the middle of the 

Hollywood Walk of Fame M and I

found something to sing 

Upside, inside out she's livin la vida loca

She'll push and pull you down, livin la vida loca

Her lips are devil red and her skin's the color mocha

She will wear you out livin la vida loca Come On!

Livin la vida loca, Come on!

She's livin la vida loca.

I'm trying to muster the brain cells still in a slumber to recap. 

Coming To You From The Clouds

From seat 31d, which actually is the lavatory, they pretend it was a real airplane seat to rob me of my money, and for sound effects the engine is placed next to my right ear.  What'd ya say?

Isn't this just super, I bought some on-line time in the clouds--a little entertainment to pass the flight time.  'Cause you know I haven't had enough entertainment in the past week, hehehe.  I am slightly overwrought with emotion as this-is- it.  Band consuming our home ended there on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, California.  What an ending!  But we'll get to the parade later.

I had the best time hanging with 208 fabulously crazy teenagers and most of the 26 adults.  I learned sleep is for the weak; totally overrated and "fluffy eggs" grow old after two days, that fruit is tastier in California, that my amusement park pals included the twelfth grade principal and that I am pretty darn good at nursing girls who puke and crap their pants all night.  I have never laughed so much or so hard at things that really are hardly funny and the band sounds better when they play their instruments in California. 

Because I am much to tired to think proper grammer and puncuation...I leave you with a tease of what is to come.  Or not since pictures don't seem to want to post when you are floating in the sky.

Till later....

I'm Leaving On A Jet Plane

That's right friends, I am leaving you all here in this snowy tundra and heading to the land of sunshine and green pastures--Pasadena, California.

Bet though you are wondering how the Keeper Christmas was?  So I'll share...photo style.

We baked...

lots of cookies...

then we got all dressed up for Jesus' birthday and went to church...

then came home for a yummy dinner with family...

where we were warm inside,

 the snow fell outside

while we sang "dreaming of a white Christmas" ...

and Princess A's sailor boy came with his day long hiccups; 

we tried every remedy to cure them...

(Didn't really think I was going to show off his good looks and tell stories of him? Nope not yet!) 

then in the night Santa came...

he stuffed the stockings too...

we gathered with more family where things got crazy...

all that fun is why I love my family!

Now if you will excuse me I have a few things to pack in my carry-on bag...

something tells me I'm in need of my sunglasses in California.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The reason for the season.   

I have survived the stresses and the babe in the manger is the reason.

May your day be as blessed as our family's will be.

Merry  White Christmas!

Toss the Life Preserver

Don't mind me, the auto inflatable PFD vest I'm wearing under my apron is merely a safety precaution.  I feel like I'm starting to drown...okay, sinking a little.  I have so much to do. Still.  And. I need to beat the weather to get it all done. 

I don't anticipate any fire alarms, but just in case, I have my fire extinguisher close at hand.  The whistle is clinched between my teeth in case I need to summons the emergency response team--aka sleeping till noon teenagers.

I think I will catch my breath when everyone gathers around the dining room table Christmas Eve for a feast of holiday cheer. While they will be thinking meat, I'll be thinking something stiff on the rocks.

Or. Say. This.

Santa Hat Martini
1 part Malibu Rum

3 parts cranberry juice
grenadine for extra red color
dip rim of martini glass in powdered sugar/water solution
then roll glass in coconut
add mini candy cane to glass

Straight Jacket Needed

I am beginning to

TOTALLY FREAK OUT

with holiday and Tournament of Roses obligation anxiety! 

That's all I have to say today.