Homecoming/First Date!

It all began with a text that I received one day from Callie:

JUST GOT ASKED TO HOMECOMING!!!  

How She was Asked:

She was really hoping that her first date could be with one of her good friends so she was pretty happy that her good friend Ryan asked her.  She had four days in a row of driving range for her license, and on the second to last day a different voice came over the radio giving instructions for car 5 to honk their horn.  Callie & her partner realized it was them and she wondered who was giving instructions since it had been a woman talking.  She looked up at the tower and it was Ryan, who proceeded to ask her to Homecoming over the radio for everyone to hear.  

How She Replied:

We had a late night that night with not one but two runs out to the store to make him a dum dum bouquet to answer yes for the next day "I'd be a dum dum not to go with you".  Friend Ashlan spent four days at our house while her parents were away and she was asked within a couple hours of Callie so it made it doubly fun and exciting.  We have been busy looking over our selection of formal dresses and figuring out alterations.  I don't know who is more excited - Callie, Hannah, or me!

Notables Along the Journey:

We had quite a selection of dresses to choose from, between the ones that we scored second-hand last summer at an Ohio thrift store to the many hand-me-downs from cousin Christine.  She picked one and we priced out alterations - ouch.  I decided to give it a try myself.  There were three steps:  taking in the sides several inches, shortening the inner and outer skirt by several inches, and adding straps/sleeves.  My wonderful Pfaff sewing machine died after step one was successfully completed and I was able to borrow a great machine from a friend that finished the job up beautifully.  Thank goodness for youtube and inspiration to help me figure tricky things out.  It all turned out great!  We found cute flats at DI for $4 and a shrug online for $8 and felt very, very fortunate to have a great ensemble for a great price.

Getting Ready:

Aunt Mandi came down that afternoon to help Callie get ready, armed with jewelry and hair supplies.  Callie's hair turned out lovely and an hour before her date was coming to pick her up she realized that she hadn't gotten a clutch.  Mandi to the rescue!  She ran out to the store and brought back a handful to choose from, all within the price range that Callie gave her.  

Pictures of Homecoming Night:

I am not sure what is prettier - her spirit or her smile - but they definitely enhance each other.  Love this girl!

A glimpse at the pretty hair-do by Mandi

The full dress, and yes, each of those 8 ruffles had to be shortened individually before I could shorten the hem.  A labor of love, so we took a million and one pictures.

Tyler was the paparazzi when Ryan came to pick Callie up.  Nevermind that the pictures were blurry - I loved him for doing it.

I don't know if you can tell, but Ryan helped tuck Callie's dress into the car before he closed the door.  She was treated like the princess that she is the entire evening - nothing could make a mother happier!

Official Homecoming Pics:

The photographer tried to pose Callie and Ryan in a more formal position, with him standing behind her and them looking at each other.  Callie said they cracked up each time they looked at each other and the photographer said, "Can't you just smile?"  They had to resort to something else.

Callie was home at 12:00am on the nose.  We were watching a movie when we heard her on the doorstep and Tyler remembered that he had accidentally locked the door.  I didn't want to ruin the "doorstep scene" so I waited until I heard her try to come in before going to inconspicuously unlock the door.  So much for being inconspicuous - Ryan poked his head in the door, looked me straight in the eye, and thanked me for letting him take Callie out - "It was an awesome date" he said.  I think Callie felt the same way.  Hooray for an awesome first date!