Kid day at the Brower's

Have you ever had days where the kids just don't get along, they yell at each other, they are rude, fighting and you just wonder why in the world you had them in the first place?

Well, when we get that way at our house, like today, we end up having a Brower Kid day, that is the day, when the kids can't play with anyone but their own siblings. I notice that when the kids have had days upon days of friend playing, they tend to need down time and spend time with each other. The first day of Brower Kid Day makes me want to tear my hair out sometimes. I always wonder why in the world am I punishing myself by keeping them at our house, when they definately don't want to be here. Well, the 2nd day makes me love Brower Kid Day! Usually it ends up being Kyler and Mckenna who need these days the most (maybe it is because Devin is at the age where he is learning that to do the things he wants he is just more pleasant around everyone so that his mother will let him go to the High School games or whatever he want to do with out having to deal with Brower Kid Day,) but Kyler and Mckenna after that initial day become the best of friends all over again. Some times they play army or animal toys. Other times, they relive their favorite video. Or sometimes they talk their mother into video taping them during a rendition of a great song and then want a music video.
Last week, they all had Brower Kid Day (they call it being grounded to each other- maybe, because I called it that once and they think it sounds meaner when they tell their friends that they are grounded) and Devin, Kyler and Mckenna played hours upon hours on the tramp and in the gully racing cars, building dirt cities, tracks for the cars. It was a blast to watch. After that 2nd day they are free to go back to the friend time, and usually, they are much nicer, more considerate and loving towards each other. But sometimes, when I am enjoying them being together and so loving and creative, I tell them they have another day of Brower Kid Day, mainly it is because I miss the relaxation of them just being little kids and playing like when they were in Georgia and they only had each other because the kids lived too far away.
I just love Brower Kid Day!!!!!

Wondering?...

I bet you are wondering where the boys or Matt are during all this time of Mckenna's dance competition and all the previous blogs? Well, being the troopers that they are the boys know that the world revolves around Mckenna and not them especially when there are no exciting events for them and there is if her. No, seriously, the boys really have been troopers. They sat for 2 days eating the snacks that I packed for Mckenna and me (cheese slices, bolognia triangles, celery, carrots, red peppers, wheat thins, bagel crisps and bottles of water, yum!) They watch Mckenna and her team mates, and then 4 hours worth of other dancers that they didn't even know for a payoff of going to Golden Corral with the Wittwers and Jackee (whom, Devin knows.) Then they spent the next day watching for 4 hours, and then waiting for 2 hours for the award ceremony where the girls just received a stupid medallion; whom everyone that participated, recieved; and then no fun dinner. As Kyler put it," We waited all this time for this?"

I think another reason that they sat watching and waiting with out a single whine (ok, until the last few minutes after the awards ceremony,) because they know that Mckenna sits through hours of their baseball games with out whining too!

Baseball is coming this weekend, so their will be more news of them! Just watch!

Okay, Here We Go.....Solo!

So, we got Mckenna's hair done and went to her 2 hour practice for her solo and team. That in it self could be a grueling time. But as it always goes with Mckenna she goes, she dances and she conquers!
Interestingly, this competition is like nothing that she has ever done before, either you came in first or you came in second. The queen position was something that you paid for. You paid $24 extra dollars for a trophy and a sash and a picture. Really dumb! Mckenna of course came in first place! We didn't care about the first place position though because really there was no one else that danced as well as she did for her age and category and it was just like SUPAF were you are judged on your own ability. But it was good for her to have the floor time and the audience to work on her presence and facial expressions (smiling, silent vowel sounds etc..) We just considered it a great practice time (even though we paid for it.)
Below are a few pictures that Devin took while I was running the camcorder. She sure was good! Hope you enjoy.
Oh, yeah, we got her judging sheets today from her dance teacher and she go a 9.9 (a 10 is a perfect score,) from all three judges! They suggested that she be moved up to the intermediate level. Her teacher and I discussed that tonight, but we have decided to leave her in the beginner since she is only 8 and if we moved her up and she won Queen she would have to go to the Advanced level and she is just too little for that level (those are usually 14 years and up.)
I was looking at the judging sheets and I was wondering where in the world this little girl came from. Where would she have gotten the love of dance? I mean, I was a girly tomboy and I didn't like taking those few tap classes that Lail Lomax mother taught in her garage. I guess Mckenna just has that competitive spirit that all of the rest of our family has and since the boys are so athletic, of course, Mckenna is too. I love that she loves to dance because she really is fun to watch. Her teacher (who is 20 years old, ) says that Mckenna will be a force to be recond with when she is in middle school and has really figuared out what makes it all click. Sortof like what she was doing in her mind during her hair appointment.
Enjoy the pictures!


Well, there she goes: this is her walk on before the music starts and she starts dancing!

What a perfect Backbend! (In the right hand corner is her teacher Mckel looking on.) She took first in this competition.

All the Frills that go with the day!

Have you ever met a little girl who got to go to the Salon 4 times a year to get her hair styled? Well that is what Mckenna is waiting to do. She has a big competition today and so we are getting her hair done.



Finally, she gets to sit in the big chair and have Carie do her hair. Mckenna loves having the Diva treatment. Since I am not into the styles of dancing and Carie is, we have her do Mckenna's hair, plus, it takes some of the stress away from me so that I know it turns out just right! As Mckenna is sitting in her chair and Carie is doing her hair you would see Mckenna making faces and moving her hands in certain rhythms. I asked Mckenna what she was doing and she said that she was going through her routine because she was afraid that she had forgotten part of her dance. I thought that was awesome! To me it means that she has realized that it takes more than just going through the motions of what her body knows to do, but to think about what she is doing so that she can take what she learns and make it the best it can be. What a great lesson to learn when you are 8 years old! I also know that she was worried about her performance and she just didn't realized it at the time when I asked her if she was nervous! I love that girl!

Aren't her curls perfect? I tried to do these again the next day and they did not work out! It could be because my curling Iron is too big or she had too much product in her hair from the day before. Either way, it still didn't work out so well for me.

My friend Andrea did Mckenna's make-up. Which was required by her dance studio. Funny thing is that we didn't know that Andrea was in the picture until I downloaded it on to the computer (she's in the background.)

Well, here she is in her whole outfit. The shirt is actually longer than it looks, but we had it tied too tight in the back so it bunched up. Isn't she cute?