Bachelorette

Cinco de Mayo! And happy "end of single-lady-hood"! On May 5th, Michelle, Meg, Eileen and Mista threw me a rocking Bachelorette Party. First Meg came over and "accessorized me". Which meant turned me into a mexican-style Futuro Bride-o - large hat and fake eyelashes included (I almost glued one of my eyes shut. Applying fake eyelashes are not my calling in life). Then I was whisked to a loft apartment downtown where lots of friends were waiting for a rooftop picnic with sangria and delicious bites to eat.

Speaking of single-lady-hood, while I can't wait to marry Pat, I had a lot of fun being single. Many of these ladies have been my compatriots in the single swing for multiple years. Others have shown me that the good times can still roll after you join you life to another. I'm so wowed that I get to hang out with them and call them my friends.

You're going to do what to me?

Okay, here we go!

 I will make this look work.....

Betsy and Jess helped Meg out

 Viva de Asheville!

Oh my gosh, I still have this hat on!

I will fight your bull and I will win.

 Eileen with the lashes

Eileen & Mista

Mista & Laura, getting the dancing started!

She should be scared!

Then we left the loft to head down the street to a lovely wine bar. Oh and I got to trade in the large hat for a mini-sombero with feathers! Meg made both of the hats! She's crafty.

Tab showed off her skills

Then we went to Tresses and danced to a great band.

And then to City Billiards, no, not for pool silly- for Karoke!

The entire evening was jammed packed fun. I think there are more pictures coming, because there are lots of girls missing from these, but we'll see. So much fun! Who's getting married next so we can do this again?

New Sidewalk

One of Pat's groomsmen knows what he's doing with concrete, so two of the groomsmen and Pat are going to spend the week before our wedding putting in a new sidewalk. (They needed something to break up the partying?) But before they came, Pat, with a small amount of help from me, removed the old sidewalk.

 (No, I don't usually do yardwork in a tube top, but I'm trying to avoid getting sunlines before the wedding.)

Then it rained.

Work Shower

The lovely ladies at work also threw a shower for me. I feel quite endulged by all these showers. My aunt Leslie put it well though, "People want to give you attention right now. Soak it up, because it will end soon!" So soak I will!

The game at this shower was going around the room and revealing each person's movie star crush- which was great fun, but seemed to push our male co-workers right out of the room. The answers were pretty widely flung from Johnny Depp to Tom Brokaw. My answer: LL Cool J.

Ohio Shower

Sarah and Carrie threw a lovely shower in honor of yours truly on April 14th. It was a VERY special day to have all those women in one place.

An amazing spread.

Erica's amazing cupcakes.  

The beautiful Caroline

Three Generations.

The theme was romantic movies. Sarah and I share a love of movies, so it was quite fun. She had placed stills of movie star couples all around the room. Of course we had to get Grams and her friends to identify some of them.

What a great picture!

Nancy, Grams and Joane
Joane's gave me some fantastic marriage advice: "Don't try to get it all done today." That has already come in extremely useful in work, house projects as well as relationships.

Grams & Leslie

Leslie & Jessica

Leslie and Betty

Ms. Linda

Receiving sage advice from Nancy, who is always hilarious: "No calla lillies at your wedding!"

Marge, Erica and one of her boys (I'm sorry, I should know whether he's Conner or Ethan, but they are twins.)

Presents!

Leslie and Mere

Christmas Ornaments

Playing with the twins

Sage advice from Betsy & Jessica

Nancy, Linda & Mom

Parties are tiring

Creme brulee gun. Some presents were for me....and some were for Pat.....although I get to taste the goods!

What a posse to get to be a part of!

Shopping beforehand...I think we will all be clothed for the wedding and rehearsal dinner now. I'm so glad Meredith is getting married this fall so we can keep shopping!

Our ride home!