First Formal Dance

Back in August when Kai started talking about her 8th grade formal, I could never have imagined what a big deal it was going to be. Then January came and the talk of dresses and shoes started. I noticed that her friends were having the same conversations on FB. She would look through websites and magazines. She went back and forth on dresses, but one Sunday she found the dress of her dreams. My friend was with us, and she convinced her to try it on. She did, and she fell in love.

I had already ordered her the dress she thought was the one. So I did not let her buy it. She talked to Buddy about it, and he thought about it. Then my friend called Buddy and convinced him that she had to have the dress. Kai in the mean time had started to gather yard sale items from her room and around the house. She asked Buddy to help her with a yard sale so that she could use the money to buy this dress.

The following week, I went and bought the dress. I came home and hid it in an old suitcase. Buddy wanted her to keep planning the yard sale and learn a little about making money to buy something that you really want. The problem was when to have this yard sale? She is so busy on weekends. She did a real good job sorting through old clothes and shoes. She put them on a rolling rack by sizes and styles. She really, really wanted this dress.

Finally on Easter morning, Buddy and I hung the dress in her closet. I had bought her earrings and a bracelet to go with the dress. She was so excited!

This last week we went shoe shopping and found a very pretty pair of black shoes, and a black clutch.

On Friday afternoon, I did her make-up and hair. She also had four of her friends come over so that I could do their make-up too. Buddy set up a snack bar, and they just relaxed and waited to get ready. They all looked so pretty.

It took longer to get so many of them ready, that they missed the group pictures with a professional photographer. We had to take them straight to the restaurant. Here are some pictures that I snuck on the day of the dance. Yes, I was THAT mom that snuck into the dance for pictures. They were all very good sports about it.

Here are some pictures that I was able to take at the restaurant. They went to The Vine right down the street from the school.

They had so much fun! I was a little sad because it means that my little girl is not so little anymore, but at the same time, I love all of the fun yet to be had. So many more dances to shop for and have with.