Easter Princess

Dress: Banana Republic, Shoes: Off-Broadway, Purse and Watch: Michael Kors, Bracelets: Ivy & Leo and Target, Earrings: Martha Pinaire

Well, HelloooooThere! Long time, no see. 

My family came in on Thursday afternoon and it has been IN.SANE around here. I have stayed in sneakers, leggings, and a gym jacket for the past few days to keep up with all of the sightseeing, game playing, amusement park exploring, and wreslting. I have been hanging out with 6 kids and it has been awesome! Exhausting...but really incredible.  The first time I really got dressed since Wednesday was yesterday morning for Easter. We all went to church (we took up an entire row ourselves) and then to brunch, and before heading to my brother's pool, I stopped for about 3 whole minutes to document my first outfit in 4 days. So....here is my Easter dress. I found it a few weeks ago at the Banana Republic outlet. It was $79.00, but the whole store was 40% off that day, so I got it for a steal. It's easy to dress up with a pair of heels, or dress down with flip flops. I like it. It's colorful and comfortable, so I'm pretty sure it will be in heavy rotation this summer. I got a little crazy with the curling iron this morning and ended up with a head full of Shirley Temple curls. A bit much? Yes. A nice change though. Yes. I am trying to grow out my bangs for the summer, so I'm pulling them to the side these days. I really like the straight across bangs, but I am afraid that they will look awful for the next 4 months of heat and humidity here in the Carolinas. My hair is naturally curly/wavy, so any amount of humidity/sweat makes my hair kink up. That texture is tolerable (although still annoying) at the nape of the neck, but not so much in the dead center of my face.

I got to thinking this morning that I have not had an "Easter Dress" in about 25 years. The last time I remember having one I must have been about 6 or 7. I spotted it while walking through K-Mart with my mom. It was beeeeaaaauuuutiful. It was white, with a crew neck and short sleeves. It had a pastel purple satin sash around it that tied into a bow in the back, and a knee-length puffy skirt FULL of tulle. It was shiny, soft, bright white, and it looked fit for an Easter Princess!! It was made for twirling around til you fell on the floor dead-dizzy. I wanted it. BAD. I ohhed and ahhed about it for days and when my Mom said that she would love to get it for me, but that we couldn't afford it, I put it to rest (but prayed for it before bed every night for over a week). On Easter morning, I got up, ran around the whole house searching for my basket and plastic eggs with goodies in them and in my frenzy ran smack dab into MY dress. There it was. Hanging on the back of a dining room chair. I squealed and screeched and ran to my Mom jumping up and down. I was so excited. I put it on for church that morning and got tucked into bed that night with it still on. Later, when I was older, I came across a photo of my brother and I with our baskets (and me in my dress, of course) and my Mom told me that she and my Grandma (her mom) split the cost of that dress. She put it on layaway, and made payments on it so I could have it. I'm tearing up just thinking about how wonderful that is; and of course, it is just one of thousands of similar stories of sacrifice and resourcefulness. No other Easter dress will ever compare to that one, and I still love tulle and twirly skirts (and of course, my amazing, Mama).