Prom Dress Morning

 This morning we went to the Prom Dress Event hosted by Joy Closet, our very favorite thrift store EVER. They receive so many prom dress donations, they save them up and right before prom season begins, they host this day. Every girl can come and select one dress, a pair of shoes, necklace and earrings FOR FREE. 

Isn't that the coolest idea??

I found myself a chair and set them loose. 

They each for two or three to try on and waited in the long line. 

Just about every mom I know showed up that morning. It was so fun to see the girls find a dress that made them feel beautiful. We all settled in to ooooh and ahhhh and hold the ones they were considering. 

My only worry was that one of them wouldn't find something and would leave empty handed. But what do you know!! They all found something they loved! Laney and Anna found two! And they were all so different. It was fun to see what they picked and I really enjoyed seeing how confident they were in their own styles. 

This calls for a fashion show. 

It was a fun and happy morning. And Everly can't wait to grow a few inches and go in a year or two!

She's a beaut

Mark has fixed our old oven at least half a dozen times, replacing the heating element, patching corroded spots in the pipes, lighting the front burner by turning the gas on then using the back burner to spark it. 

It finally just wasn't worth fixing. 

So we began the search for a new oven. We had a few "mishaps". 

1. Mark bought one online and told me it would be delivered by the weekend. I mentioned I was hoping to be a part of picking it out. He felt bad and returned it. 

2. We drove an hour and a half for a Facebook marketplace find that turned out to be NASTY. 

3. We drove to a scratch and dent place, almost bought a gas/electric double oven before we realized that we didn't even have the right outlet to support the electric part. OY!

4. We talked to Andy to see if we could wire in the outlet. He said we could, but it would take some demolition. 

5. I resigned myself to the fact that a double oven wasn't doable. A new oven would still be great. So we drove out to a different scratch and dent place and asked to look at their single gas ovens. He wanted to show us the doubles as well. We explained that we didn't have the right set up for double ovens because of the dual source issue. He explained that there are other double ovens that are single source, both gas!

6. And two weeks after the old oven died, we bought this beautiful double gas oven! Well worth the wait. 

Killing time

At least 2 times a week I sit for almost two hours in a gravel parking lot in the middle of nowhere, Gardner. Everly is inside that warehouse building up big muscles and I either catch a nap or take a snooze.

Until today. 

I found out that her gym is just a couple minutes from The Flower Farm on Moonlight Rd. 

I think I'm in trouble.

This place is a labyrinth of overstuffed greenhouses. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface! 

Oh...but I will.
 

Kid in a candy store

 Or MAYBE an artist in a Hobby Lobby?

Mall Scavenger Hunt

Three teams....One list. 

Photographic proof of all items required. 

Meet back here in one hour.

Go!

Me and Everly were FLYING through that list. I thought for sure were gonna win. 

But no. 

It was Ethan and Anna. They locked it down by finding the most expensive item and the least expensive item. 

I challenge you to a rematch! I don't care how many years in the future we have to wait!

Homecoming with Dad

 I have a special gift for going out of town when important things are happening at home. It's ok. I torture myself to make up for it. 

Megan is went to Homecoming while Laney and I were in Utah. I took her shopping to find a cute dress before I left. She found the perfect one at Plato's Closet! And it was 12 bucks!

Which meant we had lots of budget for KILLER SHOES. 

Gorgeous.

Now remember. I'm not there on the day of the dance. Or the days leading up to it when Megan decided she should go get a haircut. From Nicole...the lady that wants everyone to have long, blonde highlights. 

It was....a little short. 

You can see exactly home much she liked it right there in her face. We thought she was a dead ringer for Aunt Jenny when she was that age. Tell me I'm wrong. 

So the day of the dance comes. Mark is chatting with Megan and he finds out that her finds are all going to dinner without her. There was a miscommunication at some point and she wasn't included in the reservations. She said it was no big deal (classic Megan) and that she would just go get a burger on her own (oh, heck no).  Mark got dressed up and took his daughter out to dinner. 

I love how she styled her hair!

Off to the park to snap some pictures. So pretty!

Making her laugh with a fart joke....

And she was off to the dance. 

He's the best dad. 

Rosemary Beach: Day 4/5

 Our final two days were all about bike rides and souvenirs. We ventured out a couple times.

A few things stood out.

1. Rosemary Beach is like a postcard. The reality lives up to the photos. 

2. Cobblestones will always be adorable.

3. Bikes are fun. Bike baskets are more fun.

4. Inlet lakes can be beautiful and full of alligators all at the same time

5. Souvenirs are best left in the shop. They will not assimilate into Kansas decor.

6. Onion Rings should not be shaped like donuts

7. Ice cream is the only way to say goodbye to a beach vacation.

8. I love my family (and I really miss Mathew)

This one was a winner! I predict another Rosemary Beach vacation in our future!