8th grade prom. the not so pretties

Friday night was a big night for Lily, it was her 8th grade prom.

And that right there is the most ridiculous statement EVER.

Prom, is for high school students, it is a right of passage when they finish all their required formal schooling. But no, not any more now we have middle school proms too. Oh wait, the school calls it the 8th grade dinner dance and it sends letters home about the 8th grade dinner dance but the kids get "prom-prosals" and they are required to wear formal clothing. Of course they don't have to go and Lily wasn't sure if she wanted to at first and I left the choice up to her.

Many letters were sent home regarding "prom" with the many stipulations. A couple of weeks ago if you had met all the academic requirements and had paid for your meal a formal invitation was sent, it was nice touch.

When the chatter first started to increase and the dress shopping started Lily said there was even more chatter about limo's. Really? Kids were going in limos to a strip mall banquet hall for 8th grade prom? Noooooo, You've got to be kidding me. Then the besties mum asked if they wanted one and I said, no, I think we should save that one for high school, thank you very much though and Lily agreed. I told her I thought it was way to much. When you graduate high school, get a limo, it's special but now? Why do everything now? Leave something to look forward to.

The dress shopping was terrifying. Why? Because there is only one formal department, it isn't broken down into juniors and old farts.  You and I know what we should no longer wear "they" do not know what they should not wear yet. Thankfully my child has an inner nun. I don't know what some parents are thinking!!! I will end this paragraph here. really I don't. Ok I will end it here. Hoochy, dresses everywhere, OK here for sure. I have never seen so many Shorty Mcshort Short dresses. OK really enough said,  Trampy 13 year old girls. Oh yes I am endling it here! Boobies everywhere. Not commenting. Teach your child self respect!

One of the letters I received said all kids had to go to school on Friday or they would not be allowed to attend Prom but they could be picked up starting at 11.30 am so that they could get their hair, nails, make up etc done ( they are 13-14   years old,  their MAKE UP~ bite me). I panicked a little as I hadn't even thought about any of this for Lily. Um, kid, do you want to get an up do?  No thanks mum I'll do my hair myself and my nails. Well I knew she would do her own nails she has her own nail account on instagram.  Ok then, phew.  I did pick her up  early  but I was also given the option of taking Rosie, say what? Hell to the no she isn't going to prom!

I asked if she had a good time, she said she did. I was so glad. I asked if she danced, she said she observed! urgh, I wish she would dance but due to the wardrobe malfunction I gave her a pass. I asked if the food was good, she said it was OK but the waiters only spoke spanish and she asked for another glass of water and they couldn't understand so her bestie asked and they gave her a glass...just a glass, no water LOL we had a good laugh about that.


Why do we rush everything. 13 yrs old  at a formal? I bet half these kids don't even know the proper table settings and proper table manners. She said some kids showed up in jeans. All the correspondence stated FORMAL. It isn't a formal if you don't know how to act. I smell a rat and I think it is ridulous.

(Lisa, it all comes down to manners, and this is where it starts to go hellishly wrong when people let it slide.)

prom. the pretties.

Friday night was 8th grade prom. I picked Lily up early from school so that she would have time to do her nails, hair and all the other things necessary for her first formal. She didn't want any help, professional or otherwise, she wanted to do it all herself. Finally it was time and she was ready.

Time for some photos.

Holy Cow!

My baby girl is all grown up

But she's all stiff and not natural. let's go......

much better.

loosen up child

better

and we are off

and finally I put down the camera and pulled out my cell phone

here's my girl!

My favourite photos

all smiles

this is the closest this one will ever get to a long gown so I had to get a photo of her with her sis!

And then we jumped into the car and headed to the venue and Lily sent a text to her bestie, are you on your way? And the reply was, yes. We got there first and pulled into a corner of the car park we we could observe the comings and goings. The limo's and already arrived, the others were all arriving and I loved looking at their dresses. Then we saw the monster truck coming down the street, yes the monster truck. Miselas mum drives an SUV but it broke down this week and it's in the shop so that leaves the dads fun car an enormous monster truck. They know us so they pulled up next to our car and out hops the dad and runs around to help Misela get out/down in her long dress and heels. it was a sight! No sooner was she out her mum says something about her dress. Her zipper was broken. What???? Her zipper was not only broken but it was 100% stuck.

Oh no. I grab my phone and google broken zippers and how to fixes for stuck zippers but this zip is going nowhere. The dad heads to 7-11 for safety pins and we start looking for somewhere closer that might have some sort of fix. NOTHING. The venue for the prom is a "ballroom" in a strip mall somewhere on Calle Ocho ( my opinion on this is probably best kept to myself) . As we walk the strip centre everything is closed except in one corner we see a beauty salon. We go in. No one speaks ANY ENGLISH at all. Thank god Misela is Hispanic. Liberace and his partner ( only this Liberace look a like was at least 100 years older than the real Liberace ) assess the situation with such flair and finesse and then whip out a needle and thread after trying to thread the needle for five freaking minutes I take the needle from them and thread it and then Miselas mum sews Misela into her dress! The entire time Gisela, Miselas mum, is saying, Lily go to your prom you are missing so much of it and Lily is saying NO. I was so proud of Lily for not deserting her friend in her time of need.

 I don't think anyone knew I was taking photos, I really wanted to get photos of Liberace and his partner but that would have been wrong so I didn't.

a quick lesson on how to sew and Gisela took over

Misela stayed so calm

sew, a needle pulling thread

And finally, J.C. was back from his safely pin search, the dress had a band aid so to speak and the girls were ready to go but first I needed some photos. They were already 45 minutes late so a few more minutes wouldn't hurt!

besties

nutters

letting off some much needed steam

nice!

have a great time girls.

And without any more commotion J.C. took them up to the prom just in case there was any question as to why they were so late arriving etc and so forth and with his return we all left, only to return a few hours later, where we hoped we would hear that the emergency sew job held up and for the record, it did. The girls had a great time, even if all they did was sit and observe!