The Little Black Dress

I'm very happy to participate in Carol's "The Little Black Dress" party. Many thanks to our hostess Carol @ Charli and Me, she has a wonderful blog that is full of inspiration, advice, book reviews, Bible quotes, and prayer, and Carol also takes us along on her many travels and tours, she shares her family and her Faith, and her precious Charli, and so much more!
I hope you will click on her blog to view the others that have opted to participate in her party too!


Now I don't have just one special 'little black dress' with a story attached to it because I have so many black dresses! Black is my favorite color for clothing and as I shop I have to force myself to reach for other colors! But especially when I am shopping for dresses, black is beautiful!
My dresses aren't exactly "little" black dresses either, as I am not exactly a very little person (in fact, I am somewhat of an Amazon as I am five foot eight inches tall and tipping the scale at...No! No! Let's not even go there!).

I'm sorry the pictures are so bad, it's hard to photograph black! I am far from a professional photographer, and I am the furthest thing from a model so I did not do these designs justice at all.
Also, while trying the dresses on, I was getting tired of changing and my personal photographer (my four-year-old grandson Jayden) was getting tired of snapping pictures of me!

He did have fun at first though:
"Umma, stand over there!"

"Action!"

"Cut!"

"Oh, wait, Umma, I didn't get your shoes that time!"

"Umma, hold this book!"

"Umma, fix your hair, I don't think it looks too good like that."

And, finally...

"Umma, I quit!"

Me too, Jayden! Good job!
(Actually the pictures are a little blurry, but very good for a four-year-old, and he did a great job of centering! Much better than I do!)


First I'll start with two favorite black jackets I like to wear with these black dresses (and with other dresses too).
I love this little brocade topper, I like it's boxy shape, big buttons, and three-quarter ruffled sleeves:




This black jacket is also a favorite, I love the peplum style, and the material is comfortable.



I tried to get a picture of the pretty seam details but I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it.





And here are some of my favorite black dresses (I didn't spend more than $100 on any dress or suit, and most were under $50 and purchased at TJ Maxx, a few were purchased on sale at Macy's, and a few were purchased on sale through on-line catalogs):


This is a plain long black velvet dress. The thing I love most about this dress is the blue/black velvet duster that came with it. My daughter used this dress once in high school when she had to dress as Stevie Nicks!

(Look, see my heel slipped on the floor there and I caught myself on the file cabinet and Jayden was laughing, I think that's why this one is blurry!)





This dress is very comfortable and I reach for it a lot. It's an empire waist style and I love how it's gathered at the bodice. The details of why I love this dress do not show up at all in the pictures!

(Jayden didn't laugh while snapping this one and it's pretty good, but I was laughing at him yelling "Action!")


I wish you could see how pretty this gathered bodice looks. Oh well.


This is a very simple long black dress, vee neck and aline. This dress I've had for years and years, and thankfully due to the A-line style, it still fits!






This is just a plain shift style black dress. This one I've had for years and years too, but this one was tight when I tried it on (it's on under the jacket in the first photo). Time to think seriously about dieting! Well, even if I lost the weight, it's too short for this old lady now, time to pass it on I think. (And that way I can keep satisfying my sweet tooth too!)






I love this simple Evan Picone dress. I especially like the white piping and the double hem. I got this dress in TJ Maxx for fifteen dollars!



In the warmer weather I usually wear this dress with a white cardigan (I couldn't find it though, I guess I stored it away for the Winter already).
At this time of year I wear one of the black jackets or a black cardigan, which I should have had on to cover up a little more!(When Jayden snapped this one I was saying to him, "It's not a video camera!", because he wanted me to dance!)







This is a mid-length evening dress, with three-quarter sleeves and it's a faux wrap style, with a handkerchief hem and with a jewel detail at the waist. I love the style, I really don't like the jewel details though. This dress I had bought to wear to my niece's wedding when I heard she got engaged. But then she decided to have an outdoor picnic wedding! So I haven't gotten a chance to wear this one anywhere yet.







This is a shorter evening dress. I like the ruching at the waist and I love the double straps.






This Dana Buchman black suit is more a Fall/Winter weight suit, but I've worn it at other times of the year. I've worn this to a lot of functions, I feel like it's dressy enough for a special occasion and it's plain enough for a not-so-formal occasion. Sadly, lately I've been wearing this suit mostly for funerals.


The suit jacket has a velvet collar and velvet cuffs with a pretty scroll work design.


It's hard to see in this picture but the jacket has velvet covered buttons too:

(Here Jayden was saying, "Don't look at me, Umma, read your book!")


Detail of the cuff:



Okay, now I have many, many shoes to go with these dresses but I won't show you my whole shoe store, I'll only show you half:
Again, the pictures are not great, and I guess it doesn't help that I propped these black shoes on a black dresser top to photograph them!
And also it's very hard to take good pictures of shoes when you are wearing them! Oh well.

These Steve Madden Mary Janes are a favorite pair. I love the plaid, I love the button closure, and I love the comfortable heel size.






These next ones I love more for their comfort rather than the style.






These black suede shoes are very comfortable too and I loved the white stitching on them.





I once had a pair of Steve Madden black suede Mary Janes with a three buckle closing that my sister-in-law Susie loved, so I gave them to her. Then I happened to spot these Naturalizer Mary Janes that looked very similar (only one strap, but I still loved them!):





I like these sparkly mules, the heel is high, but with the open back they are still comfortable.




These shoes are very similar but with a much lower heel, good for when I am walking long city blocks!





These pretty silver slides my girlfriend Barbara bought for me when I had admired a pair that she had!




I have lots of bags and purses too to go with my black wardrobe, but today I'll just show my two favorites.
I like this bag because it's big enough to fit a greeting card (great for a wedding!) along with a few other items:




And this mesh drawstring bag I love because it's very roomy, it's unique, and mostly I love it because it belonged to my Mom (I wrote about this bag in one of my 'Friday Favorites' posts):





Okay, there you have some of my black wardrobe! (I actually have lots more black dresses! And I have tons of black pants suits too, but this would be a never-ending post if I showed them all!) Now please visit Carol to view the little black dress she has waiting for you!
Carol, many thanks, this was lots of fun! Especially after I got Jayden involved in the project!


And here is my little photographer now...Smile! (Or I guess I should say...Action!)


And here he is...

...peeking at us from behind the camera!

Thank you, Jayden!
and
Thank you, Carol!

Blessed Sunday

I'm posting this for my friends that are going through some tough times, especially my friend Lidj who is bearing the heavy burden of her fellow countrymen in the Philippines. I read her pain and I know the heavy heart she carries seeing first-hand the havoc and the devastation left behind by the typhoons, floods, and mudslides. I ask you to please add Lidj and all those suffering in much the same way to your prayers.
Also, please remember our friend Linda as she recovers from surgery.




And many bloggers were asking for prayers for their friend Janine who also has undergone surgery, and as she bravely continues her crusade to move forward with each new twist and turn along life's road, I add my prayers to theirs, and I ask anyone reading here to offer a prayer for Janine. God, give her Your strength. God, give her Your peace.

There are so many in need, as I visit blogs I read so many anxious prayer requests. Please remember all those who are in a battle with a disease, each praying for more time, desperately seeking one more year, one more month, one day, one hour more spent with loved ones. And pray for those who stand side by side with them in that battle, fear gripping every fiber of their being at the thought of losing their special someone.
Many people dear to my heart carry burdens that weigh down their own hearts. Please remember all those who are dealing with financial burdens, and those dealing with medical issues and emotional trials, please remember those whose mental anguish has brought them to despair.
And please pray for those who are suffering the loss of those near and dear to them through death.
Let's pray that God's Peace be upon them all.
Please also remember our brave military who are away from their families, and who are putting life, limb, and sanity on the line so that others may live free.




but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ~ Isaiah 40:31

HAVE A BLESSED SUNDAY

A Fall Break

No, no, I didn't fall and break anything. I'm just taking a Fall break from blogging!

I'll be taking a little blogging break for a week or two.
There's lots to do, and hopefully lots of fun for myself and my family to look forward to! I'll tell you all about it when I get back to blogging! I will try to read and comment even if I'm not writing any posts myself because I don't know what I'll do without my daily dose of the village.
I really am going to miss you all.



In the meantime here's a few Fall pictures for you to enjoy!

















Halloween 2005 (Jayden's First Halloween!)

I loved his alligator costume!





Halloween 2006

Umma's little scarecrow!





Halloween 2007 (Mia's First Halloween!)

A little ladybug!



Jayden loved 'Pirates of the Caribbean', and he wanted to be Captain Jack Sparrow, but he refused to wear the dreadlocks. "Umma, this hair is too itchy!"





Halloween 2008
(Jayden had two costumes this Halloween. He wore his Captain Jack Sparrow costume again for his party in school and this time he asked to wear the dreadlocks, and then he was Obi Wan Kenobi for trick-or-treating).







Mia, of course, was a Duck!!

HAPPY FALL, EVERYONE!
I'll 'see' you all soon!
Take care and God Bless!

I am going to try and participate in Carol's "The Little Black Dress" Party at Charli and Me on October 22 (I'm hoping Blogger behaves and will publish the post I have scheduled for that date!). And Jayden actually helped me with the post (he took the pictures of me!). If any of you would like to join Carol's party you can find the details here.




Love to you all!,
Eileen

Thankful Sunday

I want to thank everyone who left such uplifting comments to me on my last post. Your kind words, wise advice, caring thoughts, and prayers mean so much to me.
You refresh my soul and you remind me that I belong to the Protector and Defender of all. Thank you.




I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy. ~ Philippians 1:3-4

BLESSED SUNDAY!

Something's Brewing

I thought I might be using this post title for a soup I was planning to make this weekend. I was going to try out a new recipe for my slow-cooker. But that's not what I'm using this post title for today.
Something is nagging at me and it won't go away.

Did you ever have that feeling that something's brewing? And it's something that's not very good? It feels dark and foreboding. I've been feeling that a lot lately.
I've had some unsettling things happen over the past few weeks. My husband was sick with some kind of flu bug, my oldest daughter needed emergency surgery, and one of my nieces was attacked by a young man (she is in social services and she is his case worker). Some friends too have had some sad news and some have experienced some mishaps. And Jayden has been having such a hard time with going to school, I've gotten calls to come and pick him up a few times and the teacher says his anxiety level is through the roof. Also the ominous news about the terrorists cells in New York and elsewhere around our country are extremely disturbing to me.

At first I thought all these things are playing on my emotions but I don't think that's the whole of it. If so, I would think I'd be shaking the feeling off and saying to myself, "Well, I guess that's what I was having the bad feelings about."
But I think there's still more to come. The feeling is getting stronger.

My husband always says "Oh you and your feelings! They never come true."
But that's not so. I've had dreams about things, and I've had intuitive feelings about people and events, and yes, my feelings about things sometimes do play out.

I've been praying about it, and praying that whatever it is that might happen I will have the strength to withstand it, or I will be in a position to help those who will have to carry the burden. But prayer has not brought me peace about this feeling. I just can't seem to shake it.
I keep telling myself, "If something's meant to be, it's going to happen whether I worry about it or not." And a lot of times that type of reasoning does work for me, and I'll put the bad feelings aside and go my merry way. But not this time.

Sometimes I'll just put it out there, sort of as insurance, as if saying it out loud will make the bad thing not happen. But I've already said it out loud and the bad feeling is still here.
Now I'm putting it in print. Double indemnity.

So, now, apprehension go away!

Have any of you ever gotten these 'ill at ease' feelings? What do you do to shake off the feeling that something's brewing?

Day And Night/Black And White/Well, You Get The Idea

There is a vast difference between my two grandchildren. My four-year-old grandson truly is ALL BOY! He's a whirlwind, he's rough and tumble, he's climbing all over the furniture, he can't sit still, he leaves a trail of toys behind him, he loves getting (and staying) dirty, and he's loud and boisterous! And Jayden turns up his nose at most fruits and vegetables, tells me that he is 'too full' to eat, but then whines for dessert.
He loves monsters and he constantly wants to play 'fighting' games. All his make-believe play involves fighting of some sort!
This is what I hear from him all the time:

"Umma, I know you don't like guns, but can't you please play guns just this one time?"
"No, Jayden."

"Umma, I know you don't like swords, but can't you please let's play sword fight for just a little bit?"
"No, Jayden."

"Umma, I know you don't like light sabers, but please, just for a tiny bit can't we play that?"
"No thank you, Jayden."

And I hear a lot of this from Jayden:
"Umma, YOU ARE SO BORING!"




My two-year-old granddaughter Mia on the other hand, is the perfect little lady. She's calm, she's quiet, she's loves to have me read book after book to her, and she asks to please wash her hands before and after she eats! She was here the other day while Jayden was in school and that's when I noticed the distinct differences in them. Mia plays quietly with her little ducks, or her princesses, or her fairies. And the only climbing Mia does is that she loves to climb onto my lap for stories or songs, and when my friend Barbara stopped in for a cup of coffee, Mia quietly occupied herself. It was a far cry from Jayden interrupting our conversation every five minutes! And she's more than happy to eat almost anything healthy that is put on her plate.
This is what I hear from Mia all the time:

"Grandma, do you want to read me this book?"
"Sure, Mia!"

"Grandma, can you help me wash my hands now?"
"Of course, Mia!"

"Grandma, do you want to be Snow White and I will be Sleeping Beauty?"
"No thank you, Mia."
(As much as I don't like playing 'fighting' games, I'm not really into playing 'princess' anymore either!).

In spite of that, this is what I hear most often from Mia:
"Grandma, this is fun!"




Jayden has been in school full-time for a few weeks now. For six hours a day my home is silent. And amazingly the house stays clean during the week. He usually comes home and has a snack, then asks to watch a favorite TV program and falls asleep for an hour or two, school wears him out I guess!

I actually love that my grandchildren have such different personalities. And I love that somehow those personalities were actually beginning to mesh very nicely over the summer. Jayden no longer looked at Mia as the bothersome baby who would come here and take all his Umma's attention and interrupt all his fun. And to Mia, Jayden was no longer just the loud, rambunctious bully who used to scare her. They were actually becoming good friends, playing 'spy' together (a secret game that Jayden made up and they would allow me to join in), Jayden would read the map and Mia would hold the flashlight for him, and I would be the look-out (but I have no idea what I was on the look out for! I never did find out if we were the spies or if we were on the look out for spies!). And Jayden would invite Mia to play with her Disney Princesses and Fairies, and her ducks in the Bat Cave and in Spiderman's secret laboratory with him and his Super Heroes, and they had so much fun playing with the Play-Doh together, and in the sandbox, and with water toys, and Jayden would even play tea party with Mia.


And while it's very nice to have some one-on-one time with my granddaughter, I miss very much watching the two of them play together. So, I'm very happy for the weekends when Mia visits and I can watch them taking turns giving each other rides in a toy stroller, playing Princess and Super Hero, and plotting their latest spy caper together!

Happy Birthday, Pop!

My Dad would have been 85 today. I've written other posts about my Dad, there was a poem on Father's Day, and a post on the Anniversary of his death. This post is going to be mostly a picture post, but I'd like to share a little of the man that was so important to so many of us in our family.
And if any family is reading here today, please feel free to share your memories too.

My father was not a boastful man, in fact he was very unassuming. He was quiet, and he was humble. He was a very smart man, he had a wonderful sense of humor, and we knew we could always rely on him. He worked hard for our family and he sacrificed a lot, everything he did, he did with others in mind, never a thought for himself. He didn't ask for much in life, and it took very little to please him.

My Mom was the love of his life.
I don't know what was harder to watch, my Mom deteriorating from Alzheimer's disease, or watching my Dad's pain as he lost his girl to this insidious disease. My Dad was always able to make any situation right for my Mom, but this was one time he couldn't be her Knight In Shining Armor. He tried to take care of her as best he could, but he was deteriorating himself physically from a neurological disease. The task of caring for my Mom was impossible for him, a very bitter pill for him to swallow, and he was in denial of the reality of this situation for a long, long time. I think my Dad felt that he failed my Mom, in fact, I think my Dad thought this was his greatest failure in life.

My Dad was a very simple man, who led a very simple life, he didn't ask for much, but he gave a great deal to others. My father did very well for himself, and he and my Mom could have led a very 'cushy' life, but instead, everything my Dad worked for went to their seven children. My parents could have traveled, they could have bought themselves vacation homes, they could have treated themselves to so much, but they opted to take care of their children and grandchildren instead. They made sure everyone else was taken care of before they ever had a thought for themselves. Everybody else came first.
That was typical. That's who my Dad was.


Here's my Dad's baby picture.
I think my Dad was such a beautiful baby! When we were little we used to laugh and laugh at this picture and ask my grandmother why she dressed my Dad in girls clothes! She told us, "That's how all babies were dressed back then!"


My Dad was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, and he was an only child, but you would never know it, as he was not the least bit spoiled.

My Dad was in the Coast Guard during World War II. He joined when he was seventeen and he needed to have his father sign permission papers for him.




Here's some random pictures I came across recently:


My Mom and Dad with my oldest brother Tommy when he was just a few weeks old.


My Dad with my oldest brother Tommy (I think Tom was about a year old here).


It seems like there was always a party going on in our family. We were either going to celebrate at a relatives house or they were coming to our house. Here we're off in the family station wagon. (left to right: myself holding packages, my sister Diane, my brother Frankie, my Dad, my brother Joey standing in front of Dad).


Thanksgiving 1971 (left to right: my sister Diane, myself, my brother Frankie, my brother Tom, my Dad)



Pop helping my youngest brother Joey with his homework at the dining room table.



This was taken at another family party.
(Standing left to right: my brother Frankie, my sister Diane, my brother John, my sister Marybeth, my brother Tom with Mom and Dad seated)


Here's my Dad 'protecting' my Mom from me! I was trying to take their picture and my Mom said that she didn't have her make-up on and didn't have her hair combed, and I had said, "Oh, so what, you look beautiful anyway!", and I lifted the camera up to take the picture and she said, "Frank, do something!", and this is what he did! I remember her saying to him, "What are you doing?" And he said, "Well, I thought we didn't want our picture taken so I was hiding us from the camera!" We laughed so hard.









This is my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary party. I think it was the last time we were all together. (Standing left to right: my sister Diane, my brother Tom, my Dad, my brother John, myself.
Seated left to right: my brother Frankie, my Mom, my sister Marybeth, my brother Joseph)




This picture was taken of my Dad when he was in hospice care, Jayden used to love to climb up onto the bed with him.

Happy Birthday, Pop!

I really still miss them both so much.