The Easter Dress

Now I'm not sure about other parts of the United States, but I do know this: you have to have a brand spankin' new Easter dress if you live here in the South. I'm not really sure who started this tradition or why it has remained so permanently ingrained in my psyche, but I can not imagine an Easter Sunday without a pretty Easter dress to match. Yes, I know that my priorities are right up there.

The Easter dress shopping season begins, oh, somewhere in the month after Christmas, right when Hobby Lobby starts dumping all their Christmas decorations for something better - like Fourth of July decor in the middle of a February snowstorm. You gotta stock up early, evidently.

You will see the dresses start peeking out, especially in the little girls department. Little frills and pastels and even some madras prints for the nontraditional mamas. Little hats and patent white purses and shoes...it's all out there because choosing the Easter dress is the most important decision one will make in the spring/summer season. Pictures will be taken to live on in infamy and making the wrong choice is just unacceptable!

I can remember shopping for Easter dresses with my own mama, back in the day, and waking up on Sunday morning to not only my Easter basket (a post all its own) but the thought of wearing my brand new Easter dress to church that morning. I was overboard about fashion even at a young age. I had never felt prettier than I did on Easter morning in my new clothes.

I am 25 and yesterday, I bought this year's Easter dress. I have gotten a bit better about not going too overboard with it, mainly because we don't have the money. I went to Stein Mart (oh yes, it is heaven) and purchased the cutest little navy and white sheath with a chain link print. It's a great Easter dress for my church because they are pretty casual. I also purchased A-dorable Steve Madden gold shoes to wear with it. I even have a little white and straw bag I'm carrying to match. Old habits die hard, ya'll.

And yeah, I'm planning on what my future little on will wear on his or her first Easter Sunday. I know it's several years in the future, but a girl can dream, can't she? I am so turning into my mother.

A Random Snowfall & "The Kingdom"

You just can't top off a lazy Sunday the BUTLER way without watching a violent movie involving Islamic terrorists who hate us and the F.B.I. and kick butt Jen Gardener (why yes, we are BFF, which is why I refer to her as "Jen").

Seriously, it was a good weekend, ya'll. And guess what happened last night in this mecca of subtropical temperatures that often last until Christmas? It freakin' snowed. Not an ice storm, not a measley two millimeter dusting, I mean fat wet flakes of snow that piled up into a beautiful winter wonderland. No, I didn't make a snowman (even though I wanted to, but honestly, I was feeling bloated this weekend and piling on numerous layers of wintery clothing would not have made me feel any more attractive). Yes, I did have to work today. BUT it snowed. And it was beautiful. And my doggie children loved it!

Back to the movie. We purchased "The Kingdom" on Friday night because in this recession we can't find better things to spend our money on. We finally watched it last night and it was really good, but kind of gory. Americans right now are so concerned about the economy, which is definitely understandable, but we seem to have forgotten that there is a small, but incredibly dangerous religious sect that completely hates us and will do whatever is necessary to destroy us, including taking their own lives in the process. And while we're talking about Allah, let's talk about God!

I am currently reading (along with Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged"), Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ." Now before any rumors start flying, no I haven't gone back on my faith or anything. But I do believe that God gave us inquiring minds for reasons other than reading Ok! magazine. So, in the beginning of this Easter season, I am reading a book that has done nothing but reaffirm the incredible story of Jesus Christ. It's GREAT to believe, but it's even more fulfilling to know WHY you believe. That's something that other religions seem to frown on - questioning. And that's probably because the answers are pretty crappy. But Christianity? You can question it all day long, but you will get the same answer - God the Father loved us SO MUCH that He sent His son to die on a cross to save the world from the sins WE created for ourselves and eternal life is ours if we just accept it and choose to live for Him.

Yeah I sound preachy and I'm the last person in the world that should. I have had a potty mouth as of late, I've been crabby, and we've been slack on going to church. I'll admit it because I'd be a hypocrite if you just got this idea that Kelley Butler is some perfect person. I'm not. I probably need prayer more than anyone you know! But I still believe Him and I know He continues to believe in the imperfect human being that I am.

Okay wow, don't know where that tangent came from because I started all this talking about how Jen Gardener (I really feel like I'm misspelling her last name?) was such an inspiration for me to continue on my diet in the movie last night! Anyway, for all your South Carolinians that got it, enjoy your snow day! And thank goodness that spring is right around the corner!