Early Start...

Today we had a VERY early start.  Well, it all started earlier in the week when Chandler's aunt Erin asked for volunteers to model the new spring line of make-up for the students at the cosmetology school she works at, the Aveda Institute in Birmingham.  We discussed Chandler coming down and Chandler was..., well she was Chandler about it.  I asked if she was interested, she said her kangaroo was the only one IN the exhibit, but it was still mad and she felt she may have to put it down and try again.  Somewhere in there, she said, 'sure'.  Erin e-mailed back asking if I knew any other girls of similar stature and coloring who could come down with us.  Well, I knew ONE...

I called Gina about a dozen times.  This is what happens when you give people their children back, they take them off and do stuff with them and don't answer their phones.  I probably would have laid an egg if it had taken her even 2 seconds longer to finally get back in cell phone range, within 60 seconds, I had secured Britney to go along.  Egg Averted.

Chandler's outlook changed then and she went to her closet to pick out something to wear.  Then she lamented they would have to go to bed early so they did not have 'tiny squinty exhausted eyes'.  Britney voiced concern over my severe lack of coffee. We had a few discussions about hair.  Mainly, we had no idea what to expect, Erin had given me a good basic lay-out.  It's an onstage event, there would be someone to do hair and make-up, they can be barefoot and they need clean hair.  We need to be there at 8, the traffic is awful in the mornings and we would be done in time for lunch.

Let's see what happens next!

pre-dawn hustle!

 We got there with no trouble, though I had a moment of worry when Nuvi said to turn on 'gal-leria', rhymes with malaria.  It's on Galleria.  She has issues with other road names, too.  Though she says 'Grandad's Casa de Cheese Whiz' with no problem.

We are early!

 Erin arrives and gets right to work, getting the girls made up herself and picking what they would wear from an assortment of what we brought and what she brought.  The girls were excited and giggly, everyone was so nice, they took great care of them.

Britney was done up first, so she was whisked off through a glass door to have her hair fixed and I stayed with Chandler.

The second Erin had Chan done, they were off to the hair area as well, so I followed behind and took a few shots.

They did Chan in fishtail braids, which are super boring to do and even more to watch, so I took a few shots of Britney's finished self RIGHT next to the super bright window!

The girls were out in the hall PDQ because the event was starting and they had to scoot to get in there.

 Erin used the girls as a visual demo for the class, the girls showed off their first look and then there was a quick change of hair and an adjustment of the make-up to show how the make-up can be applied in different combos for different looks.

 They got a round of applause and left the stage while Erin went over a few more points about the new line and the girls and I went out into the hall where they bounced around like pinballs, that Lackey kid mainly.

 After a quick touch-up of the liner on Chan, I took several more shots of both girls.

They had a great time, as we were getting ready to leave, Erin gave us the name of a thrift store we had to check out while in town.  We had a few other ideas floating around and the girls were full of energy, so off we went to see what we could get into in Birmingham.