Bachelorette Party Fun!

This past Saturday was a fun day spent with close friends and one of my sisters-in-law.  It started with my driving down to York and meeting up with Ashley at the salon where I will be having my makeup done for the wedding.  I'm so glad Ash was there with me to share in the fun in picking out colors and trying on looks that are different from what I normally do in day to day wear.  She also thought to take a before/after picture (something I completely forgot to do when it was Adam's turn for his transformation this past Monday).  Anyhow, here is the picture!  I wasn't too crazy about the lipstick in person but liked it in the picture below....otherwise I can't believe how different the after picture is from the before picture!

I think what I'm most excited about regarding the makeup is the surprise Ash bought....sparkle spray!  I hope all of the girls/moms will enjoy it as much as I know I will.  :)

After the salon, Ashley and I headed to one of my favorite breakfast places in York.  Big Apple Bagels was where I was waiting for my friend, Lauren, the morning of Monday, May 3, 2010 which was the day I found out whether or not I would be accepted as a Fellow to the National Leadership Consortium for Sensory Disabilities and as a result if I would be going to North Carolina the following school year.  I was not accepted as a fellow BUT was offered an assistantship through UNCG and still able to go obtain my PhD!!  Anyhow, that is one of my prominent visits to the bagel shop...when I met Lauren there super early that Monday morning to give her the keys she needed to get into her school/classroom that I accidentally had in my possession.  Another time I was there was when Ash and I swung by there on our way to BWI for me to catch a flight to Rhode Island!  So, this past Saturday morning, when we ate there, of course it was memorable again.  This time, we sat by the window and I Jamberried her nails as we ate our brunch.  I had a blueberry bagel with chocolate chip cream cheese...YUM!!!  Ash rocked her beige sparkly polka dots the rest of the day!  We also enjoyed the fact that a jewelry shop called, "Adam's Jewelers", was located right next to the bagel shop.  ; )

Next, it was time to drive on up to Harrisburg where we met up with Heather and Monika to paint a "Rainbow Tree" picture at Paint and Create, a new painting studio near where my twin and I used to live!  For the next two hours we let the creative juices flow, enjoyed some yummy wine, and excitedly talked about what we would be doing exactly one week from then (having fun on the wedding day..yay!).  I can't wait to hang the portrait in the new house and love that it is the perfect blend of two other paintings I created while down in North Carolina.  As Heather pointed out, I also loved the fact that the painting was SO colorful and whimsical...what a perfect choice of a painting!!

 

 

 I love how even with using the same supplies, having the same end goal in mind, and following the same "instructions" we have four dramatically different images....what a neat metaphor for life.  We're all give the same set of tools but the lived experience and difference we make is up to us to create!

After painting and getting our creativity on, we loaded up in Monika's car and headed to a new winery for me.  Spring Gate Vineyard reminded me a little bit of one of my favorite wineries over in Lancaster, Nissley, and I enjoyed it just as much as that place this past Saturday.  While there, Melanie and Alisha joined up with us to round out our group of six!  A fun twist was that the winery is very close to where my brother and his wife recently purchased some land for their new house!

The wine was delicious, the truffles were to die for (especially my bacon and peanut butter ones), Melanie added some humor through her chocolate treats she brought with her (she also brought fun beads for all of us to wear and a veil for me), and we enjoyed ourselves despite the rain that fell as we sat on the covered patio.

 

With dusk coming, it was now time to travel to downtown Harrisburg where we dined at an Italian restaurant right across the street from where my twin worked so many years ago at the Capitol Building.  Again we laughed at Adam's name coming up on the menu...guess he was with us in spirit all throughout this fun girls' day!  The dinner and dessert were yummy, the wine delicious, and the time spent with the girls very much needed and appreciated!!  I'm so lucky to have such a strong network of supportive women in my life!  Thank you for taking the time to show me some love and fun one week prior to the wedding and always!!  Hugs to you all and can't wait to do it again this coming weekend!!

Love how the Capitol Building decided to match some of our wedding colors by using the purple lights.  Hehe.