Thursday, March 5, 2009

CHOCOLATE: THE BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

"Put 'eat chocolate' at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done"
~Author unknown~
Why you ask, is that crumpled little bag on Blondie's post? Well you will soon say that it represents both the good and bad in my life lately. I think many of you gals will identify with this story. I promise not to be as long winded as I usually am (well I'll make a valiant effort anyway).
Blondie and The husband have a wedding on Saturday. The groom is a new attorney in The Husband's office. Actually, there are many new attorney's in his office now as well as clerks, etc. that I have yet to meet (he has expanded his staff just recently). This wedding is to take place at some museum of sorts downtown ( the bride's family must have connections). Somehow we did not receive the invitation in the mail so my husband has left the invite he was given at the office so I don't have any further information to share on the location of said wedding. But knowing that this will be a very glamorous affair, I instinctively knew I just had to have a new dress!
So yesterday myself and my bad back went out on a search for the perfect dress. And it turned into a nightmare. First let me ask you this: Have we all not been on a sweet frenzy since Thanksgiving? That is when we started loading up on all the desserts that then made their comeback on Christmas. Along came Valentines day and all the pretty boxes filled with truffles and pecan clusters, heart shaped cakes and cookies, candy dishes filled with sweet pastel hearts and mints. Now Easter looms ahead with the beautiful chocolate eggs and big chocolate bunnies (and I'm not talking about the hollow ones, goodness noooo). We have the bunny and lamb shaped cakes with lots of coconut (ooooh, yum) and my favorite, marshmallow peeps (they're soooo cute). So okay, after Easter there will be no other holidays that revolve around sweets, am I right? Summer will come and we will be feasting on all that fresh fruit and getting our daily exersize in by working and playing outdoors.
So onward, Blondie!! Me and the bad back headed for Macy's. There I happily picked out several beautiful fancy dresses and headed for the fitting rooms. I began to try on my most favorite of the bunch and low and behold, once it was over my head it wouldn't go any further. What, you ask is in the way? Well, er...my boobs! My puppies. My babies... I don't know what everyone is calling them now but there I was trying to get that darn dress over them and it wasn't happening!
Now I know I have gained a little weight from the aforementioned sweet frenzy that I admit I gleefully participated in (Hey, if everyone else is doing it..."). Yeah, I knew my brassieres were a little tight (well, very tight) but I didn't seem to have any problem pulling my everyday attire over my head (baggy sweatshirts, sweaters, and jammies mostly).
So I proceeded to try on every dress I had in the fitting room, sometimes actually stepping in to them, and I soon realized my hips had also somehow gotten a little wider! And of course I was not oblivious to what I saw in that 3~way mirror under those harsh florescent lights (gulp). So I headed back out to the floor and picked out the dresses in the next size up. Nope, no deal. Now I was having a difficult time trying to find my "new" size. Don't you hate it when you are riffling through those racks and it is all size 2 and 4's? My gosh, does Susan Lucci shop here?
Well anyway, I had to have a dress, it being just 4 days away from above mentioned wedding. I narrowed my search down to two dresses.
Below you will find the first one.

You can't tell in the picture that it is a wrap dress with a low neckline. Next you will see a close up of the colors and pattern:

Now I thought I could really jazz this dress up with a pair of matching blue pumps and clutch purse. Maybe a little chunky jewelry. What do you think?
The next dress is a totally different look:


This would be your little black dress for cold Chicago winters. Classic and elegant.



This picture turned out horrible but believe me, it is black. Note the little sparky thingy on the empire type.gathering that sits just below my puppies, er... boobs, I mean breasts. Now this I would probably wear with classic black pumps, maybe pearls or diamonds and a simple black clutch. May I add that Emily said this dress looks like something I would wear to a funeral. So, what do you think of this one?
The problem is, gasp, I'm not a very social person. I mean that sincerely. I try to duck out of many invitations and when I go out to shop for clothes, groceries, books or even thrift shopping, I prefer to do it alone. Face it, I'm a true homebody. I prefer to stay in my jammies all day long cleaning the house, doing the laundry and cooking and then curling up in the evening with a good book or magazine. I like comfort! For those times when I have to face the music and head out, I throw on a pair of sweats, put my hair in a decent ponytail, apply a little lip gloss and off I go. Reluctantly. The other day I was folding my laundry and I realized that 80% of it is pajamas. That is not a good thing.




Abby recently said to me, "You've let yourself go Mom". That was a jaw dropper. Am I no longer an example to my daughters. to neighbors dropping in? The mail lady? Yes, I know my jammies are nice and loose and comfy, but they are also not very revealing to the fact that I have er... packed on a few pounds!
Now I am miserable. Gone are the days of shopping for clothes and picking out anything that strikes my fancy. I have to search for the right combination of something that hides my jiggly upper arms, my somewhat wider hips and these creepy little bumps on my thighs. Where did they come from? Why hadn't I noticed them before? Maybe it is because when I look down I can't see below my puppies, well, err...you get the message.
So in conclusion, I am seriously going to go off the chocolate... cold turkey. And after I have gotten back to my old self I will go shopping again . But I know in my heart I will come home with a few bags of new jammies. I can't give up all of my vices, can I?
xoxo
Janie





20 comments:

April said...

Janie~
You sound so much like me! I'm not an anti-social person by any means, but I just don't care for going to office parties and fancy affairs. Just isn't my style. My hubby gives me the hardest time because I'm still wearing my warm comfy roge at noon! I'm glad I'm not the only one!

I love both of your dresses, but I think I prefer the black one. You can definitely glam it up with diamond earrings and nice pumps. Will the wedding be in the evening? I think the black dress might be more suitable for an evening event. Personally, though, I don't think you can go wrong with either one!

Good luck staying away from the chocolate...I need a serious intervention to beat my addiction!

Bo said...

Hi Janie...you are a riot...but going cold turkey on chocolate... yikes! You still look cute as a bug to me...;-) Bo

SmilingSally said...

You had me nodding my head at coconut and marshmallow peeps, and then you shock me with those small-to-me dresses! I would not be shopping for a size 2 or 4, so I cannot relate.

BTW: the black dress might look better, but is black suitable for a wedding?

PatQ said...

Good luck with that! I think you should wear the black one. Black is not for just funerals anymore. But you probably shouldn't listen to me because I'm the farthest from fashionable you could get.

Cass @ That Old House said...

Hey, you EARNED the right to wear those jammies!

Go for the black, it will show off the newly plump "girls" really nicely, and you might decide it's not so bad to have a little chocolate now and again!

When I got married in the dark ages 30 years ago, no one wore black to a wedding, but now? I wouldn't be surprised to see the BRIDE in black. It's the new white. Or something.

Have a good time! Dance, and head for the Viennese table; there's bound to be something chocolate.

Cass

Kat said...

This is so funny. The same thing happened to me recently when I needed to buy something new. My wardrobe consists of jeans and scrubs for work. I think either dress would look great, although the black might be better is it's going to be a super formal affair. Whichever you choose, have great time and fill us in on the details! Hugs, Kathy

Charlene said...

OH I KNOW YOUR DELIMA! Since I had double mastecomies, "The sisters or the girls" aren't much of an issue any more. But, those hips... OH MY! Do you think it was Christmas, or Valentines? Hee Hee. I vote for the little black dress. Have fun at the wedding.
Thanks for the visit today. Yes, that is a shoppng center & the founatin & flowers were divine. Wish it was closer.

savvycityfarmer said...

hi hon...rub n buff is a little tube of gold metallic...Micheal's

I adore your visits and your darling endorsement of the cityfarmer

Sherri said...

I like the black. Nice black shoes some pretty jewelry and your a Diva!
Oh and I just ate a chocolate chip cookie in your honor. ;-) I will need to be walking them off as soon as the weather is warm enough.

Lynne (lynnesgiftsfromtheheart) said...

You are an absolute "scream".. I laughed and laughed.. thankfully Mr. P is in bed sound asleep.. or he would have looked at me twice wondering if I needed medical help.. I was abit on the loud side..lol.. I love the black dress, classy, elegant and looks comfy to me..I'm so glad you're aren't giving my your vice of comfy jammies and sweats..a girl can't give everything up can they??? sure hope I didn't tempt you too much with the chocolate..
hugs ~lynne~

kari and kijsa said...

Too funny! love the dresses!! (and the chocolate of course!! Also loved your comment about getting Southern Living in Chicago!!
blessings,
kari & kijsa

The Quintessential Magpie said...

Janie, I can so relate... only my size changes jump several sizes. LOL!

I think you look adorable, and I think you're cute in your jammies, too. But I really do understand about the feeling of not being able to fit in clothes you love and buying things to accentuate the positive and hide the negative. You finally get to a point that you realize the best thing you can put on is a smile, and that way you just don't worry about it. LOL! Now, I don't recommend going out with only a smile on, but a big smile hides a multitude of things! And from that picture, it looks like you have that covered!

XO,

Sheila :-)

xinex said...

LOL! You are so funny, Janie! But I think you are describing me. I always warn my friends to call first if they want to come over because I stay in my pj's all day. How can anyone resist wearing them when they are so comfy? I hope you are feeling much better! Do you live in Chicago? We are going to be there the week of 4/24 for dh's medical convention...Christine

Sue said...

Janie, Have you been peeking in my house??? LOL Now about the chocolate thing, I just can't let go, gotta have my chocolate!!
I loved both dresses, but since most of my wardrobe is either black or navy that is my pick!! LOL This has been such an uplifting post.
Blessings,
Sue

Fifi Flowers said...

You had me at Chocolat for breakfast... yum with cafe creme please!

Rechelle ~Walnuthaven Cottage~ said...

I'm with you Janie! IN fact I sit here typing away in a pair of "loungies". Hmm, maybe I should go off the chocolate too and we can do this together :0)
Oh, I like the little black dress. So classic and classy :0)

Ms. Tee said...

What a cute quote! I'll have to write that one down for sure.
I think you look cute in those pink pj's, too. :) I saw on a health special that if you like chocolate a lot (who doesn't?!), then you should allow yourself one square of good quality dark chocolate each day. It has quality ingredients, and the dark chocolate is also an antioxidant. And that way you don't feel deprived. So I've been trying to do that. ;) P.S. I like both of your dresses, by the way - hope you have a good weekend!

Amongst The Oaks said...

You are so funny. I totally agree with the comfy thing, but I can't go to work in jammies, darn it. so I wear slacks, flats, striped t-shirts and call it good enough. And I don't think you need to give up chocolate, just the cake/cookie/bread stuff. It has been proven that dark chocolate is good for you!

Anonymous said...

Janie,
You are hilarous....LOL. I laugh so hard....i don't think you should go cold turkey . You have to have chocolate now and then. They have less calories than cakes,cookies and ice cream. You looks so Cute in your Pink PJ. I wish I was your size. You look great! I prefer the black dress...it more formal,elegant and glamour for the evening wedding. My daughter bridmaid dresses was black ...evenig wedding. Whatever you decide...I know you will looks beautiful...Thanks for stopping by...Have a great weekends..kathy

Laura @ the shorehouse. said...

Hahaha...yes; my "twins" (that's what I call the, :-) often get in the way of a good fitting dress. As does my ever-expanding butt.

So...which dress did you choose?? Of course, I'm a city girl at heart so I think I'm pulling for the chic black number.