On Being a Holiday Poseur…

This past Saturday night I realized two things. I hadn’t gotten any Easter basket stuff for the kids and I had not a single acceptable thing to wear to dinner on Easter Sunday with my in-laws.

If jeans and t-shirts were a viable option or wearing black on Easter Sunday wasn’t generally frowned upon, I’d have been all set but alas, Easter is the holiday of pastels and nice, lady-like attire, which are things that my wardrobe is sorely lacking. Not that I mind, though, because I just feel like a big old poseur when I’m wearing such things anyway.

It actually reminds me of going home for the holidays during college and well into my twenties and feeling like such a misfit with my regular wardrobe that I would actually shop before my trip for something bland and suburban that would make me blend in a little better because being the thrift store-clad black sheep at those large family gathering? Is not fun.

Clearly, I still feel compelled to perform the same ritual before attending gatherings with my in-laws because I actually went to the evil empire (Wal-mart) on Saturday night (because Target was about to close) and not only procured Easter candy and related tchotchkes but also a few shirts in bright, peppy Easter egg-like colors with the intention that I could pair them with some bright, peppy capri pants that I secured for some other “Yes, I’m a total fraud” event. I even bought myself a pair of spring-friendly sandals since all my other sandals have seen better days.

So yes. I spent my Saturday night at Wal-Mart buying candy and clothes which is only slight less humiliating than the following Sunday morning conversation with my six year old daughter wherein we are discussing what I am going to wear to Easter since I’d said the night before that I didn’t have diddly squat –

TQ: Mommy, you can wear this shirt for Easter *holds up my new sky blue top* It’s perfect for Easter and it doesn’t even matter that it’s a maternity shirt.

Me: Wha??? Why do you think it’s a maternity shirt?

TQ: Because it’s GIGAAAAANTIC!!! *runs off laughing*

Kids say the darnedest things, don’t they?

And yes, I did don my “gigaaaantic” shirt for Easter and would you believe that for the first time ever everyone was dressed casually in jeans? Yes. Due to cool weather they dressed in jeans while I’m wearing this hideously bright blue shirt and coordinating plaid pastel capri pants and looking like a total dork-ass Easter egg.

The moral of this story is?

Um… Be yourself?

Buy better clothes?

Be better prepared so you don’t have to settle for the rather limited selection at Wal-Mart?

Don’t be embarrassed about looking like a schlub in front of your in-laws because one day they will all surprise you and wear jeans to Easter dinner?

Select tighter shirts so your daughter doesn’t think you bought maternity clothes?

I need to go on “What Not to Wear”?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Bueller?

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Do you see the picture of the kitty at the top of my right sidebar? Can you click it and then click the purple button to feed a shelter animal? It costs you NOTHING and you can do it every day.

Would you please do those two little mouse clicks. Purty please?

Thanks in advance to all you good, kindhearted animal lovers. I knew we could count on you :)

Children See

If this doesn’t make you stop and reflect, then nothing will.

It’s just…wow. Very thought-provoking.

Thanks to Apryl.

I’ve Been Thinking…

and if I understand correctly, I’m supposed to give these cool Thinking Blogger awards to people in general, rather than for specific posts, but I’m a a rebel, a rulebreaker, a rabblerouser…

You get the picture.

And because of that, I’m going to bend the rules a bit and give this award to some bloggers who have written specific posts that resonated with me and of course, made ME think.

I’m giving a Thinking Blogger award to Grace Davis of State of Grace for her post “Internet, is it Okay to Ask Someone About Their Ethnicity?” With this awesome post, Grace opens the floor for all sorts of questions that people have about race and ethnicity and the comments are equally fascinating. This post really spoke to me because until her death in 1980, I was forever asked why I didn’t look Asian like my mom and thus, the topic of questions about ethnicity is of particular interest to me.

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I’m also giving a Thinking Blogger award to Tracey of Sweetney for this post because this is a topic that is important to me and one I, myself have written about on several occasions. Additionally, she is quite a thinker in her own right. Read her blog and see for yourself.

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And I’m giving an award to Meghan of I’m Ablogging for this post, which is also on the same topic as Tracey’s post. In my estimation, anyone who has the ability to see the madness for what it is and blogs about it is most definitely a Thinking Blogger.

Rock on, ya’ll!

And big ol’ thank you’s to Pendullum of Dribblingwitt, Jessica of Oh, the Joys, Christina from A Mommy Story and Julie of The Ravin’ Picture Maven for bestowing the Thinking Blogger award upon me. Much obliged, ladies :)