UPDATE, We're home: I have to go to DH's "Christmas" Party

**KKCondrey** · 01-09-2005, 05:12 PM

With Joe being a resturant manager and booking a lot of Christmas parties between Thanksgiving and New Years they schedule the Christmas parties for the General Managers, District Managers and Regional VP's in the month of January. He said he wasn't going to go and then his DM called him back and said he had to. They are providing the hotel room for the managers and there spouses/SO for tomorrow night.

Well, not only do we have to go, we have to drive 3 hours there (we will be on the road longer than we will be at the party). That however is not the worst part of it, the attire is FORMAL!!!!!!! Joe asked his DM if he honestly thought his 8 month pregnant wife was going to go buy a formal/fancy dress to wear one time. I broke down the other night and bought a sleeveless black dress at Stein Mart. We had to go buy Joe a suit jacket as well as he has only one and its at his parents house and last time he wore it the sleeves were getting tight. We bought that at Stein Mart as well. I told him that I wasn't going to let him spend $100-$200 plus on a jacket knowing that he only time he needs one is for this and for work on Mothers Day and Fathers day. We found one that sold for $175.99 at other stores but was 99.99 at Stein Mart and it was 50% off. The dress I got was $59.99 and 30% off so we got them both plus me a pair of hose (I hate them but my right foot is badly swollen so they will help cover that up) for $100 and some change.

I have no idea what will become of the dress after tomorrow night. Maybe I can sell it or maybe I'll have it taken in and wear it whenever I need a black dress again (like next years Christmas party....lol)

At least we won't have to drive home afterwards. The company pays for tomorrow nights hotel stay, however if you want to come a day early or stay a day late you have to pay for that night. I put in a request to close on Tuesday instead of open so we wouldn't have to rush back. I am going to take my work clothes with me and have Joe drop me off on the way home.

What will I do with out the village Monday night

**MOM2EM&SETH** · 01-09-2005, 05:16 PM

Kat, Maybe you should check with your Ob Dr. They may not want you to travel that far away this late in your pregnancy.

Of course this is only if you really don't want to go!!

**KKCondrey** · 01-09-2005, 05:21 PM

I don't think that I would mind so much going if it didn't say FORMAL on the invite....lol

When Joe saw that that is when he said we weren't going (he isn't the dress up type either......well not the jacket wearing type).

I also don't think the formal part would bother me so much if I wasn't pregnant.

In a way we are looking forward to it because my old boss will be there that I worked for when I was in school at Western and he is also the one that convinced Joe to get on with Ryan's. Joe didn't want to go because he doesn't like hanging out with people he doesn't know. I told him he could use me as an excuse but he said if he did, that would probably jinx things and he didn't want to risk it

**MOM2EM&SETH** · 01-09-2005, 05:26 PM

I can totally understand where both of you are coming from! I usually try to avoid situations where I have to mingle with people I don't know. And formal in my book is a nice dress I would wear to church not anything fancy. Have fun and be safe!!!

**Michele Annette** · 01-09-2005, 05:28 PM

Kat, I'm sorry the party is formal and so far away for you! I hope you can sell the dress or find another use for it...maybe a seamstress can help if you can't recoup most of your money? I do hope, regardless, that you and your DH have a wonderful time, much better than you are expecting!

**KKCondrey** · 01-09-2005, 05:32 PM

I was thinking that hopefully I could find some one talented enough to take it in for me after I shed the baby weight. Besides we will most likely have a wedding to go to this summer and this would save me from having to buy another dress

Of course I don't won't to pay more in taking the dress in then I did for the dress in the first place.

Oh well, at least Joe will get a lot of use out of his Jacket for the amount we paid for it so I guess it isn't all that bad.

**Dixie** · 01-09-2005, 05:39 PM

I hope you have a safe trip.

**voodidit** · 01-09-2005, 05:42 PM

I think they want Joe there to give him that big book of matches I sent them

**Mom23boys** · 01-09-2005, 06:51 PM

I hope you have a safe trip too. Enjoy the party.

**guest2** · 01-09-2005, 06:57 PM

Have a great time while you are there Kat! As for the dress, I'd be keeping it in the back of the closet for the next time there is a formal event and you are expecting baby number 2 or 3!

Babies are like potato chips, you can't just have 1! (ok, so you can but then your kids only have you to fight with as they get older...you need to provide them with a sibling to argue with so that you get a break!

).

**KKCondrey** · 01-09-2005, 07:00 PM

Originally posted by voodidit
I think they want Joe there to give him that big book of matches I sent them

Someone asked Joe if he thought he was going to get the award for "Most improved Sales over last year"........he said if so he was going to thank the cook at Golden Corral that left the grill on and burnt the store down for making it possible

**frugalmel** · 01-09-2005, 07:05 PM

UGH. I don't like mandatory parties.

Wear low/no heeled shoes if you have 'em Kat!

Also you might wanna schedule some stops in for that 3 hr drive. You will prob need a potty break and I have been told that extended sitting can cause preterm labor. Wouldn't that put a kink in their party plans?

Drive safely and let us know when you get back.

**gkp1031** · 01-09-2005, 09:22 PM

Have fun and be safe

**KKCondrey** · 01-09-2005, 09:49 PM

Joe said depending on what time the "party" ends we may drive home tomorrow night. That way we can both sleep in Tuesday since he is off work and I don't have to be in until 12. If we spend the night we would have to be up early so that he could have me at work on time. Plus there is Speedy. Granted we've gone home 3 times for the day and left her alone over night and she's never gone to the bathroom in the house so I don't foresee her doing it this time.....but you never know.

As long as I get some sleep and have a bathroom, I don't care where we stay tomorrow night.

**KKCondrey** · 01-11-2005, 09:29 AM

Hey everyone.....did ya miss me

The party was pretty good. We ended up leaving after we ate lunch yesterday to drive to Roanoke. It wasn't a bad drive. With the speed limit being 70 and it only being 160 miles to the hotel, we made it in about 2.5 hours (no we didn't speed at 70 miles an hour you get 140 miles in 2 hours

) Anyway, we got there and got checked in. Then we noticed the check in time was listed as 4 and we got there at 4:05 so we were glad that we didn't show up to early.

The hotel was nice....we had it at the Hotel Roanoke. They had valet parking, but of course we had to pay for that but if we used the self parking the Co. covered those fees so which do you think we choose

They had Drinks and Refreshments (ie, beer, wine, mixed drinks, and cheese and fruit tray) in the foyer of the conference room the dinner was to be in. Then we had dinner and dessert.

The Regional VP called up his District Managers to do the awards for their GM's. They announced the time frame (oct. 03-Sept 04). Joe and 2 of the other guys from this area laughed and said....oh well we're out seeing as they start the middle of August. Well, they both got an award for being up in there performance grid for 8-9 months out of the year (they were still laughing at the end of the night since they were only there for 2 weeks off it).

Also all the managers got an AmEx gift card from the Co. and Joes DM and his wife gave his 6 GM's a $50 gift card that we can use at either Carrabas, Outback or a few other places that they own....Can't wait to use that. I've been wanting Outback for awhile now (haven't had it since we moved to TN)