i'm a freak about white church shoes for girls and it's a problem.

i am a little fanatical about some things, others, i just shrug off and say, "eh." i've also always maintained that, with kids, you have to pick your battles--some are worth fighting, others--not so much.

one battle that i've always been willing to fight is the one about my girl's shoes. i have managed, in my 14 years of mothering, to hold tight to my "no cartoon characters" rule with the exception of 1 pair of blues clues flip-flops purchased for chandi because.....she said "pweeeeeese" so many times.  truly a rare moment of weakness. for some extremely ocd reason it brings me joy to not have a single pair of  flashing-lights,  heelies, or disney princess in our possession.

i am even more fanatical about their church shoes--we don't do white in this house. i just can't. it was painful for me even to get the one token pair that went with their baptism dresses, and then they went up into the top of the closet. i don't know if i was ruined as a teenager when i heard amy's mom, viv, talk about no white after labor day, but white church shoes on my girls make me break out into a nervous sweat. and i think they look a little white trash if i'm being completely transparent about such a ridiculous issue but, yeah......the only color shoes my girls wear are black.

 

what i REALLY should have, however, is an aversion to green toenail polish for church........guess that one slipped by me.


and, yes: for the record, i am one of THOSE MOMS who like to dress my kids in matching dresses when they are younger.  but honestly how can you possibly go wrong when you look as cute as these three little ladies:

my heart could just burst looking at this photo.  these girls are amazing.

28 comments:

Trina said...

I wish I had stuck to the no cartoon character rule. I gave in to Elijah and his Cars shoes. Thank God he is out of that stage.
Austin finally got his stinkin' heelies. Damn it, I hate those things. He only gets to wear them on the sidewalk though. They have been outlawed everywhere else.
The one thing that I will not compromise on is the cartoon character shirts...in public.

Devri said...

no character things here, no white shoes for us, matching outfits for easter, christmas, and sometimes halloween, but now that I have boys, it is all ruined I tell ya- ALL RUINED!!!!

tiburon said...

I am sooooo with you on this one (big shocker). I think you know how I feel about the matchy matchy too. LOVE IT! :)

Christie said...

I hate cartoon character anything too - unfortunately my husband does't share this with me. And he's been known to buy them cartoon stuff on occasion - I've tried to take it back, but my kids were crushed. So, we lived with it.

I don't mind white sandals though. I prefer brown, but white is ok if it matches.

Misty said...

Sooo cute....maybe I can get addicted one day to girl's shoes too. For now, it will have to be Vans & Nike's for little boys!

Pedaling said...

looks like you need to have a few more kids to get over you shoe hang ups. i too would never buy cartoon shoes and the such, until my 5th then i so didn't care and she loved them and was so happy with her disney character pals on her feet and Boo too, my 6th did also, enjoy...really by the time boo got here, i cared about little and nothing bothered me much at that point-just ask krista- big difference between the mom of the oldest compared to the youngest.

Hacking it up said...

I never allowed cartoon character shoes or clothing either...until my fourth and fifth...I just don't care anymore.

My kids actually aren't into the character shoes now so much as they are the flashing shoes and Heelys....I hate those things...but whatever...

Your girls look adorable! I loved dressing my girls alike when they were little!...and I'm totally with you on the white shoe thing...eww.

Hildie said...

I'm all about the matching. Dillard's has matching girls dresses that go from 2t-16. I've got one more year to make India match. Fortunately she's a good sport about it. You don't know how easy you have it. Throw boys in the mix and try finding matching outfits! Talk about Mission Impossible!

Cartoon characters are strictly forbidden in my house on all clothes and shoes. No exceptions! Not even on panties. I'm so mean about it.

We do white shoes in summer. I'm not a big fan of black shoes with pastels so I try to find mary janes in pale colors. Thanks goodness for ebay. That's the only place I can find random things like that.

Amy said...

Viv didn't enforce the "no white shoes afer Albor day rule...she enforced teh "NO WHITE SHOES EVER" rule. She is such a goof. I am with you on the character/ blinky shoes...But my main hangup with my kids is NO ATHLETIC WEAR TO SCHOOL. I don't love the baggy nasty athletic shorts- you know- Kaitlyn lesbian shorts. I have boys and don't really go for it and they ARE athletic. I know it eases up as you get more kids... too bad I am NOT having any. I used to be a freak about Mitch getting his clothes dirty... He used to drink pop with his other hand under his chin as to not spill. Sick and wrong!

tammy said...

That pic is so cute - I love matchy matchy. I'm with you on the character shoes and the light ups - hate them. I'm okay with white shoes, BUT they have to be the right white shoes. Not grandma.

Holly H. said...

Ok, the matchy matchy thing isn't my fave... but then again, I have boys. It wouldn't really work with them. However, your girls look darling and I love the shoe fettish! Don't change it unless you have too!

tara said...

white...ick. no white shoes on kids or moms here. no cartoon characters except for undies. my kids can live their cartoon fantasies in their pants...and ONLY there.

cute matchy matchies. don't do it but am not opposed:)

Over The Tipsy Top Design said...

We agree the white shoe thing is out-your girls are so cute and this is the only time in their lives it will be OK to be matchy matchy, so go for it. We love the metallic shoes that are out right now and they look fantastic with white!
Love, The Tipsy Girls

Anonymous said...

I was raised with "no white shoes" zone at my house too. But I have bought Averee white shoes many times for church and of course we do have white flipflops that get extremely dirty anyway. I have to say that your girls look adorable in that shot, but I just can't imagine black shoes with those beautiful pink dresses! I would have bought silver, white or pink. So to go against the grain!!

P.s. I just watched Juno for the first time ever and you talk just like her! (words I mean, not voice) I loved it!!

kami @ nobiggie.net said...

I am with you on the no character stuff, except for her Sponge Bob summer pj's which I think are tasteful as far as that goes. I want to know what is wrong with white, or I should say how about a light brown sandal to go with the springy summery dress. The black is too heavy for me and it draws your eyes straight down. I dunno...just sayin'.
ps. you know I think you have great style and would love to do the matchy matchy poo-poo thing if I could. :)

Anonymous said...

Your girls are as stunning as their mom! You do good work!!

Love matching and I agree with you whole heartedly on the charachter thing out in public. Me no likey!

I also don't like maternity wear that has anything goofy or "babyish" on it. No Disney charachters, baby blocks, etc. You know what I mean?

Darian said...

I hate the character shoes but my sweet Gabe has had a couple of pair now. I say no and he looks at me with those sad eyes and Jason tells me not to be dumb..."Who cares what he has on his shoes if he likes them?" So I lost that battle. My thing is boys shorts. I don't want to see short shorts on little boys or big boys for that matter. I don't want to see any boy thigh! Also, I don't buy character clothes except for maybe pjs and absolutely under no circumstance are they to wear tank tops!

veronica said...

I'm tired of blurking, so I'll comment. I'm like a lot of the other mom's who said they gave up on the 5th kid. My new rule is, only 1 character at a time PLEASE! You simply can't wear Strawberry Shortcake AND Nemo at the same time! Can you say "trailer court"?

Josh, Lindsie, and Ava said...

So glad I have met so many others with my same hang ups. I vow here today on Mindi's blog, that my children will never...ever....ever where character based clothing items with or without light up accessories.

White shoes... not sure I'm with you on that one. If you are referring to the standard white "church shoe" I agree, but Ava wears a dang cute pair of white "fancy" flip flops to church currently and I don't think there are many things that can beat her chubby little feet in white flip flops in the cutest department.

Mia said...

I am not in love with the white church shoes either, but daddy bought her a pair and I just had to shrug my shoulders and let it be. I don't think my kids own any character clothing that is for wear outside (pajamas are ok).

Petunia said...

What a beautiful picture of your girls! I love matching, and since I only have one girl I have to match her to myself!! Yes, we do occasionally match each other--same exact outfit. I know it's silly. :-)

Vanessa said...

Whoops, better take Dillon's cheesy Transformer shoes back :) Love matching. I even had my mom make my son a vest that matched my daughters Christmas dress. (my husband put the kabosh on that ever happening againg!)

I have a weird hangup. I HATE when I see the neighbor kids outside playing in the evening in their pajamas after they just had a bath!!! SO ANNOYING!!!!!! WHAT IS THE POINT???? THEY JUST HAD A BATH, AND NOW THEY ARE OUTSIDE GETTING DIRTY!!!! UGH. Wow, I was just yelling. My kids DO NOT play outside in their jammies after having a bath. Amen.

Brittany said...

at a recent baby shower i went to, one gift was nothing but a big bucket FULL of lil girl shoes- all different baby/toddler sizes, all colors, all styles... what an awesome gift- and one you'd never do for yourself!

{Annie N.} said...

So cute! Love the dresses.I need another girl so Hallie can have a twinner.

Ida said...

I am matchy matchy when it comes to the boys just look at our pics. But I also maintain the no character on the shoes. Right on sister.

Collette said...

NEVER have I bought cartoon anything! I am with you on the white shoes, I hate it when girls are wearing white shoes in the winter with their winter dress. Thinking about it just makes me cringe!

Collette said...

the picture of your girls-adorable-love the pink dresses and love that they match!

Omgirl said...

I won't do cartoon characters on any of my kids' clothing or bedding. Toys I can live with. But no cartoon characters on their shoes, shirts, beds, etc. I will not let my kids be free advertising for Disney or Nickelodeon! (but I have no problem with white shoes. sometimes black just doesn't go.)