Was this:
This is #4 a year ago after we did the first trial run of her makeup for her school’s talent show.
One of her friends that suggested they do a version of Rock and Roll All Nite for the event. How, may you ask, did a group of fourth-grade girls come to this decision? Simple: Gene Simmons is a genius.
About two years ago, I suddenly tuned in to what #4 and #5 were singing that I’d been ignoring for several minutes.
#4 and #5: I. Wanna rockandroll all niiiiiight. And party ev-a-ree day. I.
They were six and nine at the time. I suppose I should have taken the opportunity to give an anti-drug speech, but “party” has a very different meaning to most nine year olds than it does to most teenagers. Plus, I like the band.
Me: How do you know that song?
#4 and #5: Fairly Odd Parents.
Me: Hang on.
I rifled through my CD’s and pulled out Destroyer and KISS. #5 by this time had gone off in pursuit of something shiny or else bacon, so I handed them to #4 and told her to check them out. She came back about twenty minutes later.
#4: I love this band!
If you have kids of a certain age, you probably are familiar with the cartoon Fairly Odd Parents. That May they did this heavily promoted mini series epic adventure, the Wishology Trilogy. It was all the little kids were talking about. Timmy had to do something dreadfully important in order to save himself and all of humanity and Fairyland.
Somehow, the key to the entire thing suddenly involved KISS and one of their guitars. Again, I say to you, Gene Simmons is a genius. The Big Beginning to Wishology ends with a performance by a cartoon KISS of Rock n Roll All Nite.
Back to my story. These girls decide all on their own that they’re going to do a full lip sync performance, costumes and makeup and props and the whole deal. They practiced a lot over at someone else’s house, one mom helped get outfits together, I helped find wigs and makeup, and they did all the rest. They even did their own choreography. The only thing left for the moms to do was actually apply the makeup. I think it was, to date, the most stressful thing I’ve done as a parent, not counting emergency room visits.
I only wish I had better pictures. It was awesome. See the tiny kick drum with the band logo? Sweet.
It was one of those talent shows where everybody wins, which was annoying, because they totally kicked everyone else’s ass, even if they were lip synching.
Yes, there are two Pauls (because there are five friends). Sadly, one of the Pauls had to move away before Halloween, when the whole thing was revisited. She was missed.
That Halloween was the only year that CC and I have both been off and able to take the kids trick-or-treating. Only #4 and #5 will still be seen with us.
That’s okay. We walked with #5 and watched as KISS hit every house, and dare I say it? They were rock stars. Great reactions from everyone who answered the door.
Shortly after Halloween, KISS played Madison Square Garden and I got to take #4 to her very first concert. The night that I scored the tickets online, she was already in bed. I went in and woke her up.
Me: Wake up. I have to tell you something.
#4: (blinks) Am I in trouble?
Me: No, I got you something! I got us something.
#4: What?
Me: KISS tickets! We’re going to see KISS in concert in six weeks.
#4: Everybody?
Me: No, just me and you.
#4: (starts crying)
Me: Oh no! I thought you’d want to go!
#4: I do! I do! These are happy tears!
I didn’t know kids had happy tears. I do now.
We didn’t do makeup for the concert, but we had a blast.
So let’s recap. From one Fairly Odd Parents episode that was viewed in my house, KISS grossed $180 for two concert tickets, $20 for the new CD, $35 for a t-shirt, and just over $125 for five KISS wigs. Nicely done, Gene. Well played.
Here’s another family Gene is leaving his mark on.
JM Randolph, accidentalstepmom 
BEST BLOG EVER!!!!!!!
Been in love with KISS since I was 7 years old (42 now), so glad your kids like good music!!!! Congrats and Awesome make up/costume/wig job….looks like fun, Ace was always my fav though.
Ace was my favorite too. I helped with this Ace’s makeup for the talent show. All that sparkly silver, it’s mesmerizing!
Never into Kiss. Too heavy metal for even a Led Zeppelin fan but they sure had an on stage presence second to none.
Not to mention mad marketing skills.
So Awesome! I am just trying to figure how you can capitalize on your obvious talents with hair and makeup. Imagine what you could make doing that packaged with your tech skillz. Can you say cushy retirement?
I can’t do normal looking makeup though. Only the freak stuff.
The kids look fantastic!
My dh hopes to raise a little rocker girl.
Thanks! They had a blast.
Dude your my hero!
like the credit card commercials, all the money led to “priceless”… this is the kind of memory she’ll reminisce over 🙂
I hope so!
I have no words for how totally awesome this is! Wow!
My Littlest Little Man also has a Kiss T-shirt (not so unlike his Jimi Hendrix tee). So far, he has not developed an undying love for their music, but I’m trying 🙂
As long as he’s not telling you that you look like Gene Simmons.
The makeup is great! And soooo great getting to a concert!!
It was just the best. She was blown away.
What a super mom you are!
I wish the whole thing had been my idea, but I just did what she told me to do.
Dude, if I opened my door on Halloween and saw those kids, I’d just dump all my candy into their bags and shut down for the night, because everythjng after that woukd be a letdown. Game over.
I have no words.
…except you are my hero.
…really, truly an amazing post.
And thanks for the shout out. 🙂
So much fun! Of course I had to Shout it Out Loud (sorry) back to you 🙂
The makeup and the whole band looked awesome! The happy tears frm #4 is just too funny!
I think that may be my favorite #4 quote ever.
They look fantastic! You are officially a kick-ass mom. I am impressed. My mom used to listen to Kiss full blast all the time when I was growing up. My older brother used to dress up as Paul every Halloween. After a few years, we’d beg him to be something else, ANYthing else, but he refused.
That’s fantastic! I’m wondering if she’s going to want to be him again for Halloween or not. She plays with the wig a lot, so it’s looking pretty beat up. I’m pretty sure I have a picture somewhere around here of the dog wearing the wig.
I love those pics! I don’t think I ever grew up either. One of my guilty pleasures was watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels (now I’m not sure if it’s on or not cause I’m glued to this blog all the time!). Just love him! Although I must admit when I was young is was Paul Stanley all the way.
I was a Paul and Ace girl before. But Gene’s the brains, which is more appealing to me now. The show is still on! 6th season. He is actually one of the reasons I resisted getting married for so long. He and Shannon aren’t technically married and they’re doing a good job, right? Then I realized she could buy whatever china pattern she wants, like every month, but if I want one I should do the deed. Setting my standards by rock stars and fine china.
Great costumes and even better memories. Well played. Those are the moments that stick.
Julie, I always thought you rocked, but you ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT as a MOM!!!
I think this is one of my favorite stories of yours. “Happy tears.”
Epic!!! \m/ I am totally sharing this with all my Facebook metal friends!
Thanks! I’m not gonna tell you how long I looked at your \m/ before I figured out what it was, because that’s just embarrassing.
How awesome is this!
And thanks. I don’t feel so bad that my seven-year-old know the words too. (They can also sing Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas).
I’m not even sure they know the words to Old MacDonald Had a Farm.
It’s important to be well-rounded. As for Old MacDonald, I feel that’s as it should be. His fifteen minutes is over.
I have to admit I’m not a KISS fan, but I sure am of this blog! “I didn’t know kids had happy tears. I do now.” That was so great!
Awesome job on the makeup! Very cool!
I think you need to hide the cheque book for a couple of months! 😆 but GREAT story!
I may have already told you this, and if so I am going to say it again: you’re kind of my hero. I love that you took #4 to the Kiss concert.