High School Musical 2

Too Much Fun!!! I very honestly can not remember the last time I anticipated a gathering of friends so much! That may sound sad, considering I am a grown woman with a mortgage and a car payment and the common factor around which we gathered was a Disney original movie, but you have to hear me out!

My children are not huge TV watchers, because their father and I are extremely strict in what they may and may not watch. It is not enough for us that their programming be free of immodest dress and foul language. We also don't want the undertone implying concepts in contrast to our own teaching. Obviously, nothing will ever agree 100% with our philosophies, but this show is as close as it comes to making one ourselves. It's fun and sweet and wholesome and evoking of all things Gidget and Innocent, so we were LIKE, TOTALLY ANTICIPATING the release of part 2, Oh My Goodness!

Our neighbor, who is my daughter's best little friend, five of our church girls between the ages of 6 and 9, plus one of their mothers and a super funny single gal who babysat when I home schooled all came over to watch THE PREMIERE OF HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2. For those of you who haven't seen it, it's like a very tame version of Grease for kids. Except the bad girl-vs.-good-girl-to-get- the-guy in this movie is a lot campier and not taken seriously even by the youngest girls. There is lots of singing and glitter and AMAZING dance (with basketballs in perfect sync, mind you) and fun, almost caricature-style acting.

Before the big show, all of us girls made a big pile of sleepover gear in my husband's office and moved some tables back so we could dance along should any of us get the urge. Then we were sure to light the house just right and loaded up on buffet finger sandwiches, hors de oeuvres, and a dainty array of dips while debating the dance chops of Corbin vs. Zac. Each girl drew a character from the movie for game purposes. Everyone in attendance won a cute girly prize by the end of the night. Those dressed up for HSM2 won an additional silver butterfly photo frame. Other prizes included a makeup bag, a denim teddy bear set, movie poster, disco ball, and locket bracelet. The first game was just to watch for the last character shown in scene 4 and whoever it matched up with, won. (For those curious amongst you, it was Sharpay.)

Other games throughout the night included Karaoke (of course!), Twister Dance Moves, Popcorn-In-The-Mouth Basketball (in honor of Troy, our film's main stud - this was hilarious! ) and my personal favorite - Yearbook Scavenger Hunt! Every girl or woman brought a year book of her own or her parents'. Then I gave them specific things to look up. Some were timed and some were judged by vote. I have to tell you. I was impressed with what these young girls came up with. We found the people who looked most like the movie's characters (there was a lady who looked JUST LIKE the drama teacher! Is that not HYSTERICAL?), the basketball team with the winningest record, the ugliest cafeteria. Then we did some really fun stuff like the cheesiest note written within a year book. I'm hesitant to admit that my daughter won that one with mine. And the girls erupted in roaring laughter at the 80's big hair look!

After the movie, it was dance time! The twelve of us gathered in the living room floor to try to challenge one another to learn dance steps and sing. We carried on until well past midnight, then crashed all around the living room to talk into the wee hours. Everyone was exhausted! But I couldn't help but wake them all up laughing when my girlfriend, only 2 years my junior, whispered from the couch at 3 o'clock in the morning "Oh. My. Goodness. I'm achy. My back is KILLING me. OOOOOh, my rump hurts."

That definitely would NOT have made it into the script.