A Bacheloretting we will go!

So I've definitely been slacking in the blogging department but I am trying to catch up while I have the motivation. Last weekend of October we traveled to Helen, GA to celebrate Clare's last few weeks of being a Miss. This also happened to be the last weekend of Helen's Oktoberfest celebration. Helen is a quaint German town or atleast the town's architecture is reminiscent of German gingerbread looking buildings. Well the "we" as mentioned above includes Clare's bridesmaids and a friend or two. Altogether though we had a brigade of 11 girls. All of us pitched in and rented a cabin up in Helen, GA, which had a hot tub. I was all ears when I heard hot tub. After living in Lake Tahoe, I was spoiled because my ex, Ben, had a hot tub at his place and I would be in it all the time because the weather out there was always perfect for it.

So I'm writing this almost a month later and I'm somewhat forgetting the details but I drove up from Atlanta because I had a job interview earlier in the day and on my way up I decided to stop by a grocery store to pick up some beer... well after wandering around the grocery store in circles, it suddenly dawned on me that there were still "dry" counties in Georgia. So I asked a person who worked there and they confirmed my suspicion... they did not sell alcohol in that county and the next county that did sell it was my destination city and the prices are always jacked up in that town. So no beer for me. Only a few of the girls had made to Helen because several had to work on Friday and were driving up later. I arrived to a few of the girls having started drinking quite early and attempting to make dinner. The house was somewhat lacking in certain utensils so I ended up helping make pizza dough and rolling it out with a cucumber.
There was a house next door that was being rented as well and the girls told me that there was a bunch of guys throwing a halloween party and they said they were going to invite us over to later. Little did I know when I heard a knock on the door what I was going to see. i figured it was some of the girls arriving and when i said come in and then nothing happened i came to the door to find a very large baby outside the door... a man dressed as a baby. Since the girls had told me they had seen a guy dressed like a baby earlier I thought they were expecting him so I yelled to the girls that there was a big baby here, and the girls thought it was our friend who was pregnant at the door. I think they died out laughing after they heard me say that and then found a young man dressed as a baby at the door. That was the joke of the weekend.

We had a wonderful night once all the girls got in. I had made breakfast that morning... I saved some of the orange marmalade rolls I had made earlier in the month for this occasion and brought them up and reheated them and served mimosas for breakfast. Nothing like waking up on a crisp morning in the mountains to Mimosas... or atleast I think so.

It took a bit for 11 girls to get ready but we packed sack lunches and then headed into downtown Helen, GA for some shopping. One of the girls spotted an old timey photo place and we all decided to have our pictures taken in saloon girl and cowboy outfits. It was so much fun getting dressed up and the pictures turned out great. Such good memories. I think most of us were worn out by the end of this and we all came back to the cabin to take a nap and to freshen up before going out for Clare's night on the town. We had a fun time at the Troll Tavern in Helen and crashed not too long after getting back to the cabin. We all ended up going to mass in Cleveland, GA on Sunday morning and then I started my drive back home. The rest of the girls ended up going to the Cabbage Patch doll museum/hospital which was not far down the road from the church. So that pretty much concluded the weekend, I am so excited for Clare to be getting married and I can't believe now it's only 1.5 weeks away.

Out shopping in Helen, GA

Me rolling out some dough with a cucumber, the beer is mine too

All of the girls outside the Troll Tavern, complete with tiaras

Amy and I with her prize for winning the bachelorette game... clue is that I'm wearing it and it does have feet!

Pumpkin Eaters

Fall is really my favorite season of all time! What is there not to love about bonfires, college football, crisp cool air, leaves changing colors, scarves, chunky sweaters, boots, spiced drinks, and of course pumpkin carving! After coming back from visiting my brother and sister-in-law in NYC I had a girls night with Joy and Melissa. We made caramel apples, girly drinks, and carved pumpkins! I can't believe I hadn't carved a pumpkin until I was in college and now I feel so deprived if I don't get to do one every year. Each of our pumpkins really captured our personalities, even when none of them were faces!

Joy Beth doing some carving

Melissa with her Pumpkin- "Look at my horse, its amazingggg!" 

(sorry for poor quality picture my camera is about to bite the dust)

Me and my Pumpkin- no greater love with lower case "l" than for Dr. Pepper

Awesomeness that is my Pumpkin... be jealous at my mad skills

Our pumpkins all lit for the night!

(From right to left: Joy's, mine, and Melissa's)

Enjoy Fall before it starts getting too cold! +AMDG+

Back from an Empire state of mind

I had gone to visit my brother, sister in law, and my niece for 5 days starting last Wednesday. They live in Brooklyn, NY and as much as people would like to say you went to NYC... I really didn't go into the city at all until I was on my way back to the airport. I have been to NYC quite a few times and the nostalgia has somewhat worn off, also when you're broke it keeps you from traveling anywhere with lots of clothing stores! I stayed in Brooklyn for the majority of the trip, and still there is plenty to do. It is also harder for my brother and sister in law to tote their 14 month old daughter around NYC, especially when it starts to coincide with her nap times. We went to the park, a few times actually, went out to brunch, hung around the house and made some delicious dishes. I also had the opportunity to meet up with my friend, Gali, who was in the US visiting from Israel. I met her on study abroad in Italy during my undergraduate degree at GCSU. We went and ate at a wonderful French restaurant, Moutarde, that is featured in Julie & Julia.

no I didn't take this picture but I only brought a card home from the restaurant, I

was enjoying the place too much to take pictures.

And then we went and walked around Prospect park in Brooklyn before parting ways, I really need to go visit her in Israel. I love having friends from other countries! It means I always have places to go visit!

Picture of us in front of Columbus circle in Brooklyn

We opted for the old camera timer instead of finding a person

Never know when someone will run off with your camera!

I had a great time spending time with my brother and sister in law, we cooked a lot of different things- potato skins, my aunt nogc ahn's infamous egg rolls, and an awesome blossom. Don't worry pictures will follow after I'm done writing. I really do love the area they live in, Brooklyn is a great neighborhood and a nice alternative to Manhattan. I considered looking for jobs there but I don't know if this southern girl is ready for the big city yet. What I do know is that I love going to visit and it makes it so much more enjoyable since I have family there. My brother and sister-in-law are actually moving to a new apartment 2 blocks from where they are living now which will give them more, much needed, space with their growing family. So blessed to be able to visit them while I am still job searching, until next time... I'll be having my Georgia State of Mind.

Emma and I sharing lunch at the park in their Neighborhood

Playing at the park

Having a great time on the carousel in Prospect park

My sister in law, Maddy, Emma and I at the wigwam replica

My brother Joel, his wife Maddy, and Emma- beautiful family

Me frying up some eggrolls! Before I burned myself with the hot grease...

AND NOW ONTO THE FOOD!!!! (sorry these are not "light" foods)

Potato Skins with Bacon and Onion

My Aunt Nogc Ahn's Eggrolls

Awesome Blossom

Hope you enjoyed all the pictures! +AMDG+