The Belle of the Ball

Well it's that time of year folks... the ROTC annual "spring" formal is this February 4th and I need a dress.

I'm taking any and all suggestions really.  I've been to a couple of these things already but the dress I wore last year was an overpriced HUGE mistake and I really didn't even feel pretty in it.  The dress I wore prior to that was lost somewhere between moving... sad, cause it was a keeper.  I know that for most balls a knee length cocktail type dress is appropriate but since this is in-between Army world and not real Army world... it's a little different.

All the dates tend to wear long dresses... and even though I know in the real Army it's appropriate... I don't want to be "that girl" who wore a knee length cocktail dress when everyone else wore long upscale prom type dresses... ick. I don't know, I'm still toying with the idea.  Here's what I'm thinking...

Or the standard simple, long dress.  This one has some beading on the top around the bust.  Subtle but a cute detail.

Both of these are feasible options to rent.  Yes - I said rent. From Renttherunway.com but I figured I'd get your opinion as well!  So, what do you think?  Go with the shorter cocktail length dress? Go with the safe long dress?

Better yet... do you have something you want to let me borrow?  I'm about a size 8-10 fairly short but I promise if I'm borrowing it I will wear tall shoes or figure out a way to clothespin it up at the bottom... trust me, us short people can figure it out. I'd prefer no bright colors but I'm pretty open.  My biggest factor is 1. cost and 2. cuteness.  Cost because Sgt. has not let me live down the ungodly amount of money I spent last year on a dress I do not like... and I'm just not prepared to do that again.  Cuteness factor because lets be honest... I really want to look the best. Bottom line.

Any suggestions?  All are appreciated.  Oh and like I said, if you want to let me borrow something, I'd be more than happy to e-mail you my address :)

** New details... it's almost certainly gata be floor length.  Like I said... in-between Army world can be a little bit different and the "battalion commander's" wife told me that they were making the female cadets bring their dresses in to be approved, and that people with cocktail length dresses were "sternly talked to" - erring on the side of caution.

Finally a 2010 post

I started my 2010 in review post but SO MUCH happened in 2010 that I just couldn't sit down and wrap my brain around the whole thing.  I remember there were LOTS of smiles and some tears.  2010 was without a doubt the best year of my life to date... and I only hope that the years to come will do it justice. So, without further adieu... here's MY 2010.

January:

  

    

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Still on cloud 9 from my mid December engagement.  We set a date for the wedding... and I bought every Martha Stewart Wedding, The Knot, and Brides magazine that I could get my hands on.  This trend continued through 2010.

February:

 


 

In February I was promoted and moved to a new center!  We also attended the ROTC formal... please excuse my husbands depressed and distant look... we couldn't seem to get one good picture both looking at one camera... and this is the best one from the night with both of us in it.  We also celebrated Valentines day the same way we always do - wings and a movie at home! 

March:

         

In March I took my first road trip to Memphis TN and met up with some of my best friends from college!  It was a great girls weekend.  The kitties also discovered a new lounge spot.

April:

In April Sgt. and I finished RCIA and became Catholics!

May:

May was such a BIG month!  We had our amazing engagement session (photos taken by Lindsay Gray Photography) 

   

We also survived the Nashville flood in 2010... my poor car however, was not so lucky. Small price to pay compared to many others in the area, and it turned out a huge blessing when we found out that my husband had added flood insurance to my car policy just a few months before!




May was also the month that I went dress shopping!  First store and last dress I had pulled... and I found the one. :) I still love my dress! It was so beautiful, and yes, I cried.

June and July:

Were both blurs.  I don't even have any photos from June and July!  All I remember is that I was incredibly busy at work and I was planning the wedding.

August:

  

(Sierra Kristen Photography)

August was lots to look forward to!  One of my best friends Regan (check out her blog too!) married her handsome hubby in a gorgeous ceremony near the bay in Camden, Maine.  It was such an honor to be a bridesmaid and I don't know a more perfect and gorgeous couple!

After the wedding I got to celebrate my birthday with the Husband!  Like many military couples, we've had the displeasure of celebrating lots of holidays apart. One of those being my birthday.  This was the first year we were able to celebrate together!



He made all the cupcakes himself! :) Please ignore the poor decorations and clutter.  I promise the apartment looks better now.

September:

Was spent saying _____ days until we're married!! I was also wrapping up things at work preparing for my two weeks of vacation.  And buying mason jars... LOTS of mason jars.

October:

 

 

Pre-Wedding events were a blast.  I had an awesome bachelorette party, fabulous rehearsal dinner, and our bridal party worked LONG hours putting together decorations at the wedding site.

Then came the big day. The best day ever! 

 

     

 

It was the most AMAZING day! (all images captured by Lindsay Gray Photography)

November:

Still blissfully newly married, we decided to host our own Thanksgiving dinner.  We weren't able to go home this year for the holidays but it was nice to have our first married holiday season together, in our home.




November was also the time of the abscess tooth and root canal. Fun.

December:

The air got colder and the tree went up!  We decorated our home and celebrated Christmas, just the four of us... The husband and I and our kitties.

and finally... for December 31st... we rang in the new year with a kiss, a glass of wine, and his wonderful grandparents!

 Here's to 2010!