The Red Dress Gala... (aka the fanciest party EVER)

Ah yes, the Red Dress Gala.  The bane of my existence.  I don't like dressing fancy...I don't like being fancy...I don't like eating fancy... & this night was all about the fancy...

When we got our rally packets, I had my place setting for the Gala.  Table #61...that's me...

They had a red carpet all set up for friends to take pics.

Awwww, here I am!

There were people in red everywhere!   My only regret is that in my lack of attention to detail, I didn't get a red camisole to go under my dress.  Curses...

I was the only one from our group to qualify to go.  The other girls decided to get dressed up too & go out to dinner without me.  Sniff, sniff...

We posed for some pics...

 And they took 9,432 pictures of me.  I loved it but hated it because I was so uncomfortable in this fanciness.

This lady right here is the only gal I knew at the Gala.  Her name is Lora & she spells it like my sister in law so that's convenient.  She's from a group in Kentucky & we're friends on facebook.  She wasn't at my table so we hung out on the red carpet.  (There's my shoes!)

They were ushering us in & I needed my camera!  Can't you tell we're saying, "Stop with the pics - I need my camera!"

While I was looking through all the pics & I found some HILARIOUS ones I wanted to share with ya'll.  I have such an animated face.  It makes me giggle at myself PLUS it makes me wonder what the hell kind of faces I make on a daily basis?!

 I mean, really?!  Look at me & look at Debbie.  It's like she's talking to a normal face person when she is clearly not.

 Oh good God.  Like I said - animated!

 Let me explain this.  When you go to rally, they recognize you for your achievements.  We get name tags & little banners showing what we've done.  My banner is fairly long.  Fairly long banners are good!  It means I've worked my booty off  free jewelry & chances to walk across stage.  So...some people don't have such long banners... & they are a little jealous...just a little...

We're supposed to wear our tags everywhere & I had mine on when we left for the gala.  Well, uhm - no one else was wearing theirs so I felt like a dork.  I asked one of them to hold it for me... & what they showed me later had me laughing so hard I nearly peed on my fancy red dress.  

They all took turns putting my name badge on....

Will the real Jaime Mac please stand up?

Oh, are YOU Jaime Mac?

 Noooo, it's you!

 Wow, she loves being Jaime Mac...

 Here's all my buddies going to dinner...without me...while I was drowning in fanciness...

 I cannot put into words for you how regal this was.  It was crazy.  This room is normally a white room full of tables where we eat lunches.  They completely transformed it... 

 REAL flowers on ALL the tables.  (While I was looking for my table, the highest table I saw was 104 & there were more than that.  8 people to a table...you do the math...) 

This was our place setting.  Isn't it pretty?  We all sat down for dinner & no one had touched anything.   

Members of the marketing team came out to welcome us & tell us how proud they were of us...  But they had a surprise for us.  The napkin ring...

was a ring for us to keep.  We all went bananas.  It's awesome.  

 This was the stage.

 THIS was in the center of the ceiling.

 There's my name on the screen!

 The entrance.

 They had a board for us to sign.

 Most gals had someone take their picture as they signed...I had no one...so I just took a pic of my name!

 They had 3 HUGE red dresses set up in the convention center.

 There was also like a press area to have your picture taken & be interviewed.  It was VERY hollywood'esque.

 This is a total view of the room.  Amazing.   

 The only white on the walls was these areas with the logo in gold glitter.

 A sea of red dancing after dinner. 

 When everything was over, I walked back out & the red carpet was still there.  

 I thought it was very cool to see it all lit up.

 They gave us some other gifts as well.  We got a red pashmina, some red hots & another charm for our bracelet!  You know I love me some charms for my bracelet...it's nearly full now...