My mini Rebel Cheerleaders!

ALrighty, settle in... this is gonna be along one!!
After all, it's not every night that your baby girls get to cheer at the local high school football game. And our football games are no small production. we have several thousand students at WMHS, and have been in New Orleans for the state championship for the majority of the years for the past 10 or so years.

My girls were up to the challenge!

As we are getting out of the car, who is the very first weirdo we see in behind the gate?

Yep, that is our Mary Allison.

Tonight's student theme was Neon Night. And MA was the one who created the whole idea. Each week, she "announces" what the student body will be wearing to the game. Camo, all black, neon, red head to toe, etc.

I'll admit I am one of the only people in this town who doesnt' make every home game. Now, don't get me wrong, JinJIn DOES, and she maintains her set of tickets which are hard to come by, but I figure I'll have my 6 years in oh, about 10 years or so. When all my friends are retired and travelling. Or so they think!! I watch their kids at every event , so just get ready, pals!!

But when I DO go the game, I make sure we are supporting with school spirit.

JinJin said, "Mel, I guess you know that the weekly gameday shirts are more for the student section. the adults will be in navy and red." ANd my response, "NOT THIS week, JinJin!". This is Katherine. She is a Rebel Raider and was a volunteer to make our Shake for Jake items to sell this past year.

This is JinJin and Nick. Nick was Hayden's best friend when Jake was sick, so he made just about as many trips to St. Jude as we did!! It seemed the "big boys" always had a friend when we travelled. As I have mentioned, football in Louisiana is a pretty big deal! ! And in West Monroe, iit reigns! This is a very small snippet of the tailgating that goes on pre-game around here.

After a little gumbo, we headed to the field. And the very first thing we see is that nut up there leading the entire student section in a coordinated heckling/ rally cry against the opponent. I am proud of Mary Allison. She rallies the troops and is "in charge"of the theme each week (including tonight's Neon Night) for the entire student section.

It was also Senior Recognition night. As Tashia and Dakin walked with Taylor across the field, I hollered at them, "I just figured it up, and I'll be 56 when I am doing this with Gabbi Girl!".

This is Sarah and her mom, Katie and dad, Tom. They are all good friends of ours, and Sarah has been my "special helper" to get the Camp Creative going on Wednesdays.

Who? What? Where? We don't KNOW her!!

And this is about the time it started to hit home!! They realized they were on the field of a Rebel game!! And I realized I was a spectacle, as I had to chase them all over the place to rustle em up!

About the cheering thing... Well, there is a price to be paid to get to cheer with the WM Rebel Cheerleaders, and some of us crazy mamas are willing to pay it!! Cindy Lou Who was right there with me.

As for how it occurred for us, well, I was at the Drew Elementary Carnival (have all those pictures loaded up, just haven't blogged about it yet. You'll be hearing about it soon!). THey had a silent auction, and I knew I HAD to have this package. It contained first quarter cheering for two little girls. And it also included cheering at a basketball game.

I bought the package, because I knew my babies would LOVE this experience. And so far, it was well worth it!

Hey, Jake! Thanks for great nights like this one!

We got our little miniature megaphones gathered up and took them to the track with the real cheerleaders' megaphones.

Rebel man.

I wasn't sure how GG would do We had already been to the pumpkin patch, to the mall, and with no nap, she was getting pretty fussy on the way to the game. I doubted she would participate... was I ever WRONG!!

THIS one kind of stood around for the first few minutes, watching the others, hands crossed across her chest.

OH, hey!! Look who showed up!

But that little one of mine... she was ALL about it!! I don't think she ever even looked my way!! She was in her ZONE!!

The cheerleaders really included them a lot!! Even doing lifts with them.

Look at the pride on Gabbi Lou's little face. She was MORE than excited!

Ecstatic may be a better word!

Finally, Miss Thang started to warm up to the whole idea of cheering!!

I guess she just needed to be lifted up to reach her SUPERSTAR status!

By the way, that was the Barbie that she felt was her the other day... the SUPERSTAR one in the middle!

There was just JOY on Gabbi's face the whole time she was out there!

But once Ellie Sue got warmed up, there was no shortage of MOVES!! Check out that hip and pompom combo move!

Gabbi Girl had a few moves of her own!

Just to give you some idea of size of this event. Well, there is a whole opposing side, and then the two student sections on both ends of the field at the endzones. Then, if you look left, you see this....

and this to the right.

These three hung out throughout the game. Gabbi is kind of a loner, and doesnt' really mind it that way!

For instance, here, she was leaving the track to finally shake Rebel Man's hand.

And to find her mama, cause this was one WHIPPED little girl!

Meanwhile, Ellie had decided to begin her tumbling routine!!

ANd these three concocted their own routines!!

They had migrated down the track away from the big cheerleaders and were developing their own moves... like THIS one!

Or the triple splits routine!

I hope that someday when my girls are seniors and I have to round up old photos to use in a slideshow or in the yearbook, I will be able to go back and put my hands on these!! What a treasure!

Ellie. Back in the spotlight, where she seems to feel right at home.

Gabbi so admired the cheerleaders!!

and how nice of them to take special time out and pay attention to her.

This is Maggie, daughter of my good friend, Polly. She is a the drum major.

Gabbi stood on the sidelines and mimicked her every move.

While Ellie and JinJin snuggled under the blanket in the stands.

Ellie had one more thing to watch... the Rebel Raiders perform! After all, she knew her mama was once a Raider! Captain, as a matter of fact... class of '87!!

Thanks to all you cheerleaders who made this experience special for my girls!! We will never forget it!!

MO