Mama's got a brand new tan

Nothing says summer quite like the glow of golden brown skin in a cute sundress. Sadly for me, I have skin so ridiculously pale that I bare more than a passing resemblance to Casper the Friendly Ghost.

Most days I'm totally okay with being the palest girl in the room. I flirted briefly with the tanning bed one summer, but quickly discovered that my golden glow came with a high price - more freckles. Every summer, I buy the latest and greatest in at home tanning products - lotions, sprays, foams, oh my! But I have neither the time nor the patience to apply carefully and then stand around waiting a month and a day for my skin to dry.

Finally yesterday, after a day at the amusement park during which I was slathered in SPF 50 from head to toe, I finally gave in to my vain yearning for a tan. Baby sister, Emily, works at a tanning salon that just so happens to offer spray tanning. So with a second wedding coming up this weekend and a rather slinky dress to wiggle into, I begged for a quickie appointment.

This was my first experience with technician applied spray tanning. I was admittedly a little nervous about the 'human error' factor (versus a Mystic Tan booth) and the whole 'naked in front of a total stranger' thing, but it was actually a total breeze. And I couldn't be more pleased! I'm tanner than I've been in years. True, I smell like a chemical sewer plant and I'm stickier than a hot cross bun, but I'll sleep it off, shower in the morning and be a bronzed goddess by lunch time tomorrow!

A decent tan may not be worth the possible melanoma, but it sure as heck is worth mild nudity and $25!