Ball Season!

I'm so excited, I just found out I have about a month until I get to go to my first non-ROTC military ball with boyfriend :)  You may remember the dress I bought this summer (photos can be found here), for a steal of $25!  Well, now that I have a place to wear it, I'm finally getting it altered. 

I'm having the neck line changed to a sweetheart, adding a brooch I have from an old dress, taking in the top a bit, and having the drop waist taken up to look more proportionate with my torso.  All in all, I think my $25 dress is going to change to a $80 dress... still not too shabby.

Now I just need some input on hair.  This is what I did on a Saturday night instead of studying or doing something productive, haha.  So, I came up with two possible styles, I'm unsure which one I'll end up doing, but I'm leaning toward style one.  I recent cut my hair much shorter than it's been for awhile so I didn't think I'd be able to do much of anything at all.  In a few weeks when it's actually ball time it'll be longer too so the curls might be more defined.

Style 1, curled and pinned back.

Back view. I need to find darker bobby pins.

Side view, again need different pins.

Style 2, very poofy. 

I call this, the "my hair is so big all I'm missing is the Ms. Something sash".

Very poofy.

I don't think I'm going to use the headband, but I'll be picking up a hair accessory of some sort.  I have a few things to get taken care of, but it'll still be cheaper than paying someone to do my hair :) Let me know your thoughts, and I'll be sure to add photos once we go to the ball!  Here is to hoping for the best!

This is exactly what I needed

I had a really awesome Friday, and it was the much-needed boost to my mood that finally got some pep into me.  I got more news on Thursday about how the Army keeps shuffling around “boots on the ground” day, and it’s really starting to get to me.  I shouldn’t be surprised though after all the shuffling with R&R.  I guess I’m still trying to learn the ropes.

I had so much fun at placement, and even got to have lunch with my kid sister and her boyfriend who lives in the same town as my placement.  I felt so bad, I was supposed to be done with a baby’s hearing test at 1 but the child did not cooperate and would not stop crying, so the appointment ran over by 45 minutes.  My sister and her boyfriend waited for me for that whole 45 minutes in the parking lot for lunch.  Thankfully, I managed to call them and my supervisor let me take my hour-long lunch break with them, just starting later than usual.  So it was good to catch up with my sister and her boo. 

Then, when I got out of placement, I had some free time before dinner with my cousin and found a cute little bridal/pageant gown store that was having a $25 dress sale.  Yes, $25!! Needless to say, I just had to go and check it out.  Well….. I ended up finding something.  I got a $250 gown for $25, and it fits like a dream!!  AND to top it all off, it's even long enough I can wear heels with it!  Boyfriend and I will be going to his brother’s senior military ball at some point in the spring, and who knows if there may be a ball or two once boyfriend gets home.  Eh, can’t ever go wrong with a pretty red dress right?

I also got some FANTASTIC news on the school front- I GOT MY RESEARCH ASSISTANT POSITION AGAIN!!! EEEEEE! That means, stipend and tuition and fee waiver for another 3 semesters… woot!! I also got a raise, so no complaints from this girl!  I sent boyfriend an email, so hopefully he gets the news soon.  Thanks to the greater financial stability, that means I can totally go visit my BFFs who will be teaching abroad in china for a year!  Now on to get that pesky passport applied for.