Easter Sunday 2013

Easter Sunday was a gorgeous Sunday (for the most part), then it rained...but my family and I had a great time worshipping at our church, Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, MS, followed by the usual get-together at my parents' home in Rose Hill, MS.  All of my parents 11 grandchildren (plus one extra little guy) were present to take part in the Easter Egg hunt normally given each year.  The two oldest kids which are my brother's oldest two are too old (by our egg hunt guidelines) to be hunting eggs...so they just watched the commotion of the other 9 children. 
Coral was the Allen family Easter color this year.  What can I say? We totally rocked that coral! 

This photo was taken at my parents' home in the country (see the wagon wheels and farmland in the back)

 

I was able to put Leila's dress together easily after finding the right organza overlay material to compliment her dress.  The dress is made from a Newlook Pattern 6202 and she wanted to wear her little white cardigan over it.  My outfit, however, took some modifications.  I used the Simplicity Pattern 1690 and reversed the satin for the top to use the crepe back (just so I won't look too shiny for Easter) and used the shiny satin side for the skirt.  The skirt was cut to size, but I extended the waist just a little because I knew I was going to eat at my mother's house and did not want to burst zippers! LOL! Telly chose to dress almost like his son with a suit of almost the same pattern, paired with a coral shirt.  All I can say is wow...here are some more pictures of us on Easter Sunday.

 

 

 

JSU Alumni Talent/Fashion Show

My sister (Carla) and I originally agreed to do the next fashion show that was in our area...this fashion show was for the Jackson State University Alumni.  While neither Carla or I are graduates of JSU (University of Southern Mississippi '98 and '07, respectively), we still showed support for the Mississippi school.  The fashion show's segment of "Cream Esteem" allowed us to showcase some uber-cute outfits purchased from Ross store (dress on left) and Dillards department store(dress on right).  My husband picked out my dress and I believe he did an amazing job!  My sister dazzled in her dress with gold accessories, and I wowed them with my shoes by Jennifer Lopez.

My son, however, stole the show.  He was so handsome in his blue seersucker suit purchased from Belk department store...his coral shirt and pocket handkerchief (hanky comes from remnants of a coral dress I made last year).  Look at that pose!

He was seriously all smiles on this photo!  This suit was so adorable on him, I just had to make the coral color the Easter color for this year!

Hubby decided to jump in the fashion show (after watching me and my sister on the runway), so the fashion show director practically requested he show up with in suit for the "I Go To Work" segment of the fashion show.  He was, of course, very debonair in his suit (and very handsome to boot).  Lavender with  paisley design is most definitely one of his colors.  Leila was not old enough to participate in the fashion show (which was also a pageant for JSU Alumni dolls), but next year she gets the opportunity to be a JSU Alumni doll!  Time to make a dress! ;)

Mommy and me...I love this guy!

Mardi Gras Parade

This year was Hattiesburg's 2nd Annual Caerus Mardi Gras Parade and the children and I had a great time. The clinic I work for sponsored our float and some friends of an employee drove the float through crowds of 25,000 people! TJ and Leila were prince and princess of our float, named Krewe of Wheezers, and I surprised Leila with her own Mardi Gras top! Complete with some black leggings and boots, she looked adorable! TJ was handsome too in his own Mardi Gras shirt and mask. The parade lasted about two hours...once it as over, we went home, took baths, ad went straight to bed! No one woke up until morning! Who knew how much beads and candy throwing could tire you out!