Dark Chocolate is the new Black and Champagne is the new gold

[Cruise Arizona]

Hello,

 

Well we had my as promised fashion show for the family this weekend, and for a couple of reasons we decided to eleminate the black dress. I love the black dress but we decided that after 18 years and two children that it was time to retire the black dress for something that fits my figure with out a crazy diet.

 

So Mom and I went to the mall on Laborday and has the greatest time at the sales at Dillards. I went through the Sale rack and pulled everything in my size undre $100. What ended up being my final decision was a 75% mar k down item. A champagne, gold, bronzen, matte silk hour glass floor length dress with spegetti straps and a beaded bodice . Really beautiful, for $37.50. All I had to do was take up the straps about 1 inch for it to fit perfect. So that had me set for formal night.

 

For informal on Celebrity, I decided to wear my cream colored suit from the honeymoon, but that I would like some sort of cami to wear underneath instrad of pinning the double breasted jacket at the bust. I fount a cami at New York & Company with a little lace and sequins at the top, just enough that it can peack out, provide a little coverage, and still complet the look of the low cut suit jacket with out my bra showing.

 

Finally, I got a whole mix and match ensemble in the chocolate instead of black, pants, sweater sets, a puffy blouse, every thing to go with the chocolate trowsers. My Mom, who is 65, really got excited about getting me something trendy, and she is thinking about getting a chocolate outfit for herself. She is actually a good mom to shop with, because she tried to help me pick clothes my DH will also like.

 

She said he really "lit up' when he saw me in my new clothes. Anyway, I ma sure I have bored you all with my assesment of my shopping spree, but I felt really positive about the whole experience. Just 3 more months to our Hawaii trip. I am really looking forward to wearing my new clothes.

[shan&steve]

Dontcha just LOOOVe a good shopping spree?? I am a BIG believer in retail therapy!!

 

Though, not on a downer, but your post did bring a little tear to my eye....we are going on our first cruise on the 25th, and I am very excited about it. My mom passed away on Aug 14th. SHE was also a blast to shop with!! We were known to do some serious damage!:eek: She taught me at a very early age the old "THIS old thing?" trick, (which luckily I don't have to use, my husband actually encourages me to go shopping!)

 

I'm just so sad I never got a chance to take my mom on a cruise. We were planning one early next year. Treasure those moments with your mom -- the memories you have of her will one day be your most precious posessions.

 

That being said, have a great trip and I'm willing to bet you will turn some heads in all your beautiful new clothes!!

[Cruise Arizona]

My Mom lives in Dallas so we only get together about twice a year, but she loves to go shopping. Before I went on the Mercury cruise we went cruise clothes shopping all day long at the Grape Vine Mills Mall near Dallas. Got some pretty cool stuff on that trip too.

 

She and My sister, who also lives in Dallas, always go shopping for her birthday. My sister is always showing off her clothes that "Mom made her buy", which I found out usually means "Mom bought it for me because I didn't want to spend this much". My Mom is so funny about stuff like that. I really needed to build a whole wardrobe. The cool thing they had at New York & Company was sweater sets to match thier tank-tops with the built in bra. Kid of a sexier version of what Bree (the red-head) wears on Desperate House wives. So those were my "Mom made me buy them" items. I got a chocolate set, a pink set and a peach set.

 

We haven't been on a cruise together recently, but I have wonderful, wonderful memories of all those cruises we went on together as a kid.

 

We hope to go together soon, however it looks like after Hawaii it will be a family reunion cruise with my DH, MIL and thier family. MIL is pretty cool too.

[shan&steve]

Hey Suzanne -

 

I LOVE the Grapevine Mills mall! I live about 10 mins away from it. We used to have a tradition of Christmas shopping there every year. And then ending the day with one of those giant caramel/chocolate covered apples from the Rocky Mtn. Choc Company.

 

Your mom sounds kind of like my mom. Earlier this year, I think around April, we were in Sam's of all places, and I was admiring some really beautiful, heavy, excellent quality sterling silver jewelry which at the time I couldn't justify buying. She bought it, and said for me to consider it my birthday present. My birthday is in October!! She was funny that way. So anyway, even though I have to spend this birthday without her, I will have one last birthday present from her that I can treasure forever.

 

I am going to propose a reunion cruise this year for all my mom's siblings and my siblings. I think it would be a blast!!

[Cruise Arizona]

You live my old neck of the woods. My parents love over in Trophy Club, my sister in Euless, and we used to live in Frisco. Before we moved out to Tucson we sold our house in Frisco, but my husband's job didn't transfer for 6 more weeks, so we stayed six weeks with my Mom and Dad. The kids were 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 then, so my exercise was putting them in the stroller and taking about 6 laps around the mall. Then the last time we visited my family we took all the kids skating at the rink there. That mall is like a shopping experience, not just a regular mall. Anyway, thanks for your nice comments.

 

Suzanne

[lszu]

CruiseArizona - Your formal sounds fabulous!