BMS Holiday Concert

Barbieville Middle School is having a Holiday Concert.  Pike and Mace bring Nikki and Taylor early, leaving Rose-Grace to herd the rest of the family.  Well, her and Candy...  

Mace: You brought the tank?  And where is your coat? 

Rose-Grace: You try to herd two teenage boys, two grown women, two children, and two babies into an SUV.  And I don't need a coat to walk from here to the school entrance.  

Mace: At least tell me it's in the tank in case you broke down or something.

Rose-Grace (annoyed): There are sleeping bags in the tank, remember?  

Esmeralda:  I do not envy you with that brood.  Ricky alone had me pulling my hair out!  

Four: Weren't you just saying you wished you had a daughter?

Esmeralda:  I do sometimes feel like I'm drowning in testosterone.  

Rose-Grace: Seeing girls through puberty isn't any easier.  That know-it-all stage?  Genderless.  

Esmeralda: Well, at least I've been through girl puberty.

Finnick:  Grandpa, what are you wearing?  

Mace: Fun.  Fun is what I'm wearing. 

Finnick: Dear God.  And my girlfriend is here.  Nakoma's actually going to see you. 

Ben: Thanks for saving me a seat, Mr. Montez.  

Joe: I keep telling you to call me Joe. 

Jenny: Mommy said you didn't never get to see Claudia sing before?  What kind of meanie bosses did you used to have?  

Ben: Sometimes bosses have to be mean.  Like tonight, it's mean to make your mommy work, right?  

Jenny: Well, that's because your boss's boss was a meanie and wouldn't let you close the store. 

Whitney: You know this entire mob is going to the diner afterwords.

Kyra: No.  I promised Wendy tonight was all about her.  She's feeling threatened by my relationship with Brent.  You don't get it because you had to grow up so much faster than she did.

Whitney: But if they need me...

Kyra: Whitney, do not make me be the bad guy here.  Just one night, okay?  

Nakoma: Hey, you made it.  Where's Anakin?

Pocahontas: At the Smith's.  

Nakoma: You're letting John babysit?  Where's my real sister?

Pocahontas: I'm letting Anakin spend the evening at his friend Roxy's house.  My history with Roxy's father has nothing to do with it.  

Taylor:  I'm so nervous!  What if a big Hollywood agent is in the audience?

Gabriella: What if Godzilla attacks during Jingle Bells? 

Taylor (laughing): You're such a brat.  

Claudia: It sucks that your mom had to miss the concert, Courtney.  Even Nikki's grandpa and kind of step mom managed to make it.

Courtney: No big deal, really.  She's been to every school thing for us.  Ben's lucky if he can make teacher conferences.

Nikki: Dad's on call just in case. 

Ricky: I still can't believe you didn't have my back when I said this concert was against our religion.

Kevin: I can't believe you're such a crybaby.  And a liar to boot!  

Ricky: He doesn't go to our church.  He wouldn't know.  

Wendy: Kevin did it last year.  I'm pretty sure the school knows what religion you guys are.  Or aren't.

Kevin: Exactly.  Thank you, Miss Darling.

Wendy (giggles): You're welcome, Mr. Eaton.  

Ricky: Whatever.  Why isn't your mom's boyfriend here tonight?  Did you get rid of him?

Wendy: He's at his sister's for Christmas.  (To Kevin)  He sent me a bunch of flowers tonight.  Wasn't that nice?  Especially after I've been so hateful to him.

Guinness leads the choir from the classroom to backstage.  Once he's sure they're all accounted for, he goes onstage and gets every one's attention.  

The eighth graders perform three songs:  Jingle Bells, Winter Wonderland, and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

The seventh graders sing Let It Snow, Sleigh Ride, and I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.

The entire ensemble then sings The Holly and The Ivy.  Those who do not wish to sing the religious verses are not required to do so.  Samantha, who is Jewish, then leads the rest in The Dreidel Song.  

Blessing In Disguise

During my annual destruction/reconstruction of my window area (aka Barbieville) to decorate for Christmas, I found something very surprising. My babies, Orlando and Samara, have survived three moves and an extended time in storage.  They survived the gentle and not-so-gentle play of many minions - including at least one real effort at decapitation.  (Well, the other dolls have heads that pop right back on, so it was a valid experiment.)

 A word of warning:  This blog contains pictures of a dismembered plastic baby.  

I put this picture here for two reasons - so the slightly disturbing image won't be on my thumbnail, and to remind y'all who I'm talking about.  Orlando and Samara originally came with Baby Doctor Barbie back in the 1990s.  They belonged to a niece but "lived at Jeanie's".  When I moved the second time, I had to downsize drastically.  I told the minions that any dolls that stayed with me would become mine.  All the Midges and Jasmines promptly moved out...  

Well, yesterday I found this.  Honestly, after everything these little guys have survived, I'm at a total loss.  Because she's so small, any attempt at superglue would result in an immobile doll affixed to my hand, so I had a dilemma.  I've had other characters in Barbieville make a quiet exit after the dolls became irreparable.  Kida's exit even became a story point.  But this is a Pike.  A baby Pike.

Then I remembered the Babysitters Inc line.  I got two dolls with the standard five points of articulation for less than one usually is!  Because they're much smaller, I know, but I take my victories where I can. (Update:  Slight fib.  They only have four...  the heads don't move.)

These guys are almost as big as the Kelly dolls, which I like.  I know they're dolls and so won't age like real people do, but it was annoying that they were so tiny.  Hard to pose, for starters!  There's another reason this is a good thing.

Because now they can share clothes!  No more hanging around in diapers 24/7 with the pink dress and only onesie coming out for special occasions!  

I did have to go with a much darker Orlando, but that's not a problem.  I chose the two that looked the most like the originals.  Also, I've known lots of mixed-race babies to get darker.  I even alluded to it when these two were born.  

The original Orlando will stick around in case I need a newborn at some point.  What's left of the original Samara, though, is going to have to go in the trash.  Bummer.

Rusty's Holiday Haul

WARNING!   POSSIBLE PARTIAL DOLL NUDITY AHEAD!  TURN BACK NOW OR YOUR EYEBALLS MAY BOIL!

It's been a busy day after Christmas for me and my dolls.  I already shared the fashion show and now it's Rusty's turn to be spoiled rotten.

Rusty says "Let's get this ball rolling!"

"That Santa bag is just overflowing with clothes for me!  But I know we've got to sort them out for size because I'm a 4T in height and, well, much smaller in width!" 

We got to work, first sorting the items by size group.  

The more we sorted, the more excited we got.

Finally, it was time to try things on.  

We started with "4T and up".  That skirt is very pretty, but...

...there is a waistband problem.  Honestly, I could make each leg of these pants into a pencil skirt for her if I had the talent and inclination.

The straps needs shortened a bit to avoid wardrobe malfunctions, but that I can do.  Looks like only the gingham top is going to be a keeper from this set.

On to "3T".  

Shirts are roomy, and Rusty is fine with that.   Waistbands are still too big.  This skirt is denim and way too thick for me to take in without giving Rusty a bustle.

So many double entendres...  

Waistband demo.  This skirt will go into the "maybe" pile.  

 That string-tie waistband is a lie!  But the shirt is good.  The pants go into the "Maybe" pile.  

"24 months and 2T".  These are the best fit for her, but only a couple of things came in this size.  

Gorgeous sundress.

 Rusty's on island time!  

"12 Months" is our best bet for pants.  Taking them in is far less likely to create a bustle.  Dresses are too short to be dresses, even with Rusty rocking the miniskirt, but they can be tops.  

Leopard spots, a bunch of bugs, and pretend denim.

Gingham britches, corduroy autumnal jumper, and what I suspect is a swim suit top.  That jumper is gonna get a lot of wear between Halloween and Thanksgiving!  

Pretty patterned shirt and a green mini with built in panties.

Another one for the "Maybe" pile. 

Rusty has a new Easter dress.  Check out the petticoat!  

The last set of clothes is "Less Than 12 Months".  Some of these might actually be too small! 

The bee's flight trails on the yellow say things like "bee happy".  The flowered shirt is awfully dark for my taste.  Chocolate brown doesn't speak spring or summer to me!

A tiny dress, complete with petticoats.  The red shirt may have been part of a set with the brown one above...  the flowers are very similar.  

The dress is too small in all directions.  

Overalls with snaps along the inner legs.  We aren't too keen on that, but they're adorable and the denim is in good shape.  I wonder if I could sew the inner legs or if that would make them too skinny?  I'll try that and if it doesn't work, repurpose the fabric.

These shirts are keepers.

As are these.

The sundress, baseball hoodie, and fancy dress.  I'm prone to thinking that light purple dress may have been worn by a flower girl in a wedding, it's that nice!

These will be taken in.  Anything else would end up with a bustle and Sir Mix-A-Lot is not Rusty's type.  I've not checked the overalls yet.

Very few pieces that cannot be used.  Rusty will pass them along or I will repurpose the fabric.

Rusty is quite pleased with her newly expanded wardrobe.