It's all about Commencement. Commencement is the "BIG" dance here. Formal dresses, updo's, suits or tuxedos, that's what Commencement is all about! Since Haley is 16 she was actually able to go! So here is the story....
Step 1 - The Invitation
For those of you who have had the pleasure of seeing Napolean Dynamite - the whole "Build her a cake or something" is not a joke - it is a total Utah/Idaho thing. The kids really do try and ask in a unique and unusual way. You can't just call up a girl and ask her, you have to do something. Since Haley's date was her long time boyfriend, a huge dramatic invitation was not necessary, but he did however make her a poster and put it in the fridge before she got home from work. Of course when she got home she was hungry so she opened the fridge and there it was. And, yes - she said yes.
Step 2 - The Dress
Oh my gosh - this was an ordeal. So Haley has made it perfectly clear on more that 1 occasion that she hates dances. So of course Chris was afraid to ask her to go to this one, until I asked him if he was going to. He said he wanted to, but was afraid Haley would not want to go. I told him to ask anyway (see step 1). Needles to say, by the time he asked her it was only a week and a half before the dance. Saturday morning we woke up and headed to Rexburg, hoping that they would (a) have something modest - after all it is where BYU Idaho is and (b) have something unique that every other girl in Idaho Falls did not have. 2 hours and 3 stores later we drove back to Idaho Falls. 3 hours and 5 stores later Haley was in tears. NOTHING...we found NOTHING. Everything was either too small, too big, strapless, or $600. We quit for the day and promised her we would resume the search on Monday, even if it meant driving 3.5 hours to Salt Lake. I checked online and found a store in Blackfoot (20 miles south of IF). I called on Monday and she said she only had Wedding dresses, but that a new store had opened across the street that had really cute dresses. We left immediately after she got home from school. SCORE! We found a cute dress and it could be easily altered to be modest - and it was only $299 (I can't believe I was excited about that).
Trying it on just after picking it up from the seamstress. She added the sash and the straps.Step 3 - The "Day Date"
Not sure if this is an Idaho thing too - but everyone goes on a day date. Usually something adventurous. Haleys was paintball. I think she had a good time - she only got nailed once - in the ankle - has a bit of a bruise!
Step 4 - The UpDo
So after paintball - it was off to a quick lunch and then home to hop in the shower and then off to the hair dressers. She went with a pretty clip we bought for her hair and 5 or 6 photos she found online of cute updo's. The lady in front of her spent 30 minutes complaining about her hair so Haley's appointment started 30 minutes late. To no avail, her hair dresser was an expert and got it finished in time.
Step 5 - The Ridiculous Amount of Pictures
Chris picked her up at 6:00 - posed for pictures, went straight to the school - posed for pictures, headed to dinner with 7 other couples at one of their homes - posed for pictures, and so on. Dinner was prime rib - when I drove up to take pictures there it smelled heavenly - we had McDonalds for dinner :(
Step 6 - The Dance
She's there now - I hope she is having fun. She just texted me and said she lost her voice (she was a little stuffy when she left this evening). My daughter is so pretty!
