Yes @fallgirl when I signed up for Bloomie’s point program I noticed the header was Macy’s, so I asked when I talked to customer service - I imagine Macy’s is the ‘parent’ but they are indeed under some kind of same/joint ownership. Only have Macy stores 100 mi north of us and 100 mi S of us, but I have the Macy’s Am Express and do receive all the coupons you do too - just usually am not in those cities to use them (probably a good thing for the most part).
I had previously got some great boots through Nordstrom end of season sale. Nordstrom also has some great looking dresses (DD2’s prom dress came from their ‘holiday’ dresses - a champagne colored dress).
I have built up my wardrobe pretty well again - have three different sizes of clothes; normal weight which I was for many years; normal weight plus 30 (had lost the 30 over 25 months when I was healthy and did daily exercise and watched what I ate - but stopped the exercise and put the 30 back on over time); then when I was going to get healthy, found out I had cancer and had an additional gain of 40 lbs fighting stage III cancer (50 - 90% of cancer patients lose weight; I think my weight gain was multidimensional - steroids and other drugs with the 16 doses of chemo, inactivity/fatigue including the time over 7 weeks of radiation and all the procedures/surgeries, and body’s way to fight the cancer! On tamoxifen for years now, it is really hard to lose the weight with extra fatigue and some stiffness of joints/aching; but the cancer was so aggressive I don’t believe I can get off the tamoxifen due to return cancer risk. W/o being really dedicated to quite a bit of exercise and very careful diet, I am just not in the mood to really work that hard on the weight at this point. I swam 20 miles one month and was stuck on a plateau 20 lb less than I am now - I should have gone to the dietician I later went to, to modify my diet to have the weight loss ‘stick’. I just figure the best way for me to cope is to have clothes that fit me, and if I want to lose the weight badly enough, I will make the sacrifices.
Fortunately I am no heavier for my height than MOG - so it will be fine. No stress with trying to get slim for July. I have a dress that looks good on me. Having a happy attitude is the best thing at this point.
Bumping this thread back to the first page because - I am officially a mother-in-law-to-be!
Our future son-in-law called yesterday afternoon to ask for our blessing before presenting our DD with a ring. My low-key unemotional husband got a little teary, but he did manage to ask “Do you really love her? And will you become a Packer fan?”
Future SIL is a rabid Vikings fan, but he answered “If that’s what it takes.”
Ha ha @scout59 H’s aunt and uncle stopped in on their way to FL, and their SIL is a viking fan while they are all of course Packer fans (our families are from WI). Their dog alternates with a viking shirt and a packer shirt - but love keeps them together…
H returned from a business trip, and is so excited about DD and her fiance’ - this from a guy who doesn’t like to express emotion.
Future SIL is happy to be a Packer fan too…he hasn’t been emotionally vested with pro football.
Ha! My son is willing to raise his children in a religion not his own, but so far he has refused to become a Packer fan. A small scrap of personal autonomy.
Can I join? My S1 got engaged yesterday and we are beyond thrilled. They are a wonderful partnership, and were, in fact, set up two years ago by a high school friend of his who happens to be her cousin. They’re thinking next fall, so I guess we’ll fall into the “and beyond” category.
DD is anxious to order the dress; also asked if the dress purchase was in or out of the wedding budget – INSIDE. Nice try! I told her that fiance’ and she can kick in above what is being provided/budget from us and much smaller amount from in-laws for rehearsal dinner for out of town guests. This gal needs to learn adult-ing a bit. She is to begin her FT professional job in a few weeks - I want her to start before ordering the dress. Told her she can ask her dad if she wants to get him to say she can order it now. Still trying to teach her 1- 2 - 3, what goes in order; having the horse before the cart.
FLOWERS - we read online about ordering the flowers for your wedding from a grocery store. Many said that it was cheaper and it seemed that most had a good experience with this. So, we inquired at our local grocery store (Shop Rite) and found that the manager of the floral department had been in the floral biz for 3 decades and really knew her stuff. She told us that she would personally be making the arrangements for us. My daughter and I had a long chat discussing options and left with a good feeling that we’d made a good decision.
We ordered one bridal bouquet and three bridesmaids bouquets. The price was terrific and when I picked up the flowers on the day of the wedding - we were thrilled! They really were stunning. It was exactly what my daughter had hoped for.
I’m not sure that every grocery store will be so amazing,but if you are working with a tight budget, you may want to see if this option will work for you. I put the bridal bouquet in water when we came home and we are now two days post wedding and the arrangement still looks nice and fresh.
Welcome to the thread @scout59 and @runnersmom and congrats! It’s getting pretty close to the end of 2016, so maybe most of us are “beyond” now. My D’s wedding will be in July.
@bookreader, the countries theme sounds very cool, like a merging of cultures along with the commitment of the individual couple.
@SOSConcern, wow, you’ve been through a lot and glad you are doing well now. Also, I do like that dress, especially the collar (I’m not fashion-savvy, so not sure “collar” is the right term, but you know what I mean!)
Turns out DD2 actually sent me 2 links, and told me about the other link last night. But I definitely liked the Bloomingdale dress better - just looks more elegant, and I think the lace with the pleats on this dress are just too much (plus the Bloomingdale dress was a big price difference lower):
So grateful to have the life I have. Went to my Breast Cancer Support Group Party last night, and such a wonderful group of women - some are having terrible issues/burdens to deal with but could have an evening of enjoyment. We did Dirty Santa and I came away with a beautiful handmade scarf made by one of our members. Everyone said what they were grateful for. Wonderful to feel the blessings even through the suffering.
oh my, DD1 is going to be a bit of a ceremony snob. I asked her if we could have “You Raise Me Up” in the song list somewhere, and she said ‘probably not’ so I said “beforehand?” I will be very disappointed if she cannot accept this simple request.
DD1 called me. Seems she doesn’t like the song I requested. Fine. Their gig. I guess I am done with my selections - have my dress. Done. When it comes to the invitation list, will see as well. Will find out the list from SIL’s side. Will have an appropriate list.
When is the wedding date, @SOSConcern? It seems they just got engaged so I’m surprised to read that song selection is already taking place. If it was my daughter, knowing how our relationship works sometimes, I’d tell myself to back away a little and bring up my ideas on songs further down the road.
Wedding will be in July, but DD actually has time for planning some now before her FT job starts mid-Dec. Since she doesn’t like the song, I withdraw the request. Their gig.
We all handle things differently (as it should be!). Just saying, however, that I gave no input about song list or guest list. I truly think it is the kids’ big day and their priorities and preferences are what it is about. Does it really matter anyway? The main thing is that they are happy with their plans.
Agree @soozievt - however I would have hoped that DD could include us a little. Sign of maturity. However she doesn’t have terrific social skills - maybe I expect too much. When she wasn’t gracious two years ago, she blamed it on being 20. So I guess I would have hoped for better from a 22 YO.
I really was happy to let my parents have a lot of things they wanted.
Will see if the wedding turns out to be a great celebration for all, or if we are going to have the senior crowd liking it less than the young folks.
I can’t believe I am done with my apparel shopping for March '17 wedding. Had bought my dress back in July, totally not expecting to fall in love with this:http://www.bhldn.com/dresses-mother-of-the-bride-dresses/georgie-dress/productoptionids/de7a7b07-32a1-405c-8365-51e12aa27856
Am thinking I’m going to have to go with a strapless bra, and am not too thrilled about that, but I can deal with it for one day/night. Might look into having an alterations person sew a bra into the dress. Have never done that before, but know some women have it done. The fabric is very forgiving.
Tonight I was out looking for a new clutch for an event H and I have tomorrow night - I wanted a dressy navy clutch, but found two beautiful Michael Kors clutches… one in silver and one in gold. I was just about to pick the silver, when all of a sudden it occurred to me if I went with the gold, I could carry it with me for the wedding! Then I started thinking about the whole ensemble, and if I have the dress hemmed up after the wedding to just at or above my knee, I can wear it in November 2017, for the annual event we’re going to tomorrow night!
I might still pick up a bracelet, but otherwise, I’m set, for my two formal events in 2017.
