The Bachelor Finale!

Updated at 10:30 a.m. to reflect my e-mail from GAP.  30% off your entire purchase today only with the code PRESALE!  Click HERE to shop.  This sale today is not advertised to you unless you are a GAP friend, so you won't see it on the site.  Be sure to use the PRESALE code!

So, where did Team Bachelor head for the finale?
THAILAND!
Specifically, Chiang Rai.
Which, loosely translated, means Birthplace of the Statement Necklace.
See, you've learned something.
You're welcome.

  Let's start out by saying these 2 things:
1)  Sean apparently no longer believes in shoes.
2)  This post is going to be a little short on funny from my end.
I pretty much gave it all I had when I thought of the whole "birthplace of the
statement necklace" thing.
My little guy has been crazy sick (think throw up 12 times in one night), and I'm just straight up exhausted.  Therefore, I'm going to be relying on @Possessionista for the "funny" tonight.
If you don't follow her on twitter, you're totally missing out.   Follow her HERE.
The girl is straight up hilarious.

First off, Shay and her family arrive in Thailand.
(Make sure you check out her blog HERE for a lot of great behind the scenes info. from the trip!)
I LOVED watching Kensington and Smith run up to jump in their Uncle Seanie's arms. And I was very pleased with how ABC captured the Lowe and Shull families.
I'm here to tell you, they are exactly as they appear on t.v.:
Kind. Genuine. Faith-Centered. God loving. Funny.
And pretty.
Let's not forget pretty.

 Shay is gorgeous. Her mom is gorgeous.  Her kids are gorgeous.

Her dad, brother, and hubby (people were tweeting about Andrew that he was all sorts of HOT!) are all so very handsome.  Right?

They had traveled for 2 long days to get to Thailand, and I thought they all looked GREAT!
Shay's outfit was signature Shay: short shorts and wedges.
(More on her wedges later in the post.  Click HERE if you just can't wait.)
And let me just say that Shay's hair has never looked better, despite the oppressive humidity.

  And this is when my favorite part of the whole season goes down.

Sweet Smith looks up at Sean and with wide eyes says "Emily didn't pick you".
I mean.
Hilarious.

The rest of the family (especially Miss K) thought it was just as funny as I did.

.

*****

First up to meet the family:  Catherine.

Highlight of Catherine's time for me:
*Jay's talk with Catherine
NO DOUBT that America fell in love with Papa Jay on this episode.
He is just as precious as they come, and you could tell that Catherine was genuinely touched by their talk.  Just look how she is looking at him in the 2nd pic from the right.

And if you wonder why Shay wears short shorts, check out her legs in the far left picture, and wonder no more.  You'd wear short shorts too.

*****

Lindsay meets the family.
It comes as no surprise that everybody loves Lindsay too!
I liked how Shay called her out and was all "So....tell me about getting out of the limo that first time (in that wedding dress)."
Jay said "That took a lot of nerve...."
And Lindsay finished his sentence by saying, "...and a lot of champagne!" :)
True that sister.
Listen, we've all been there.
(Do any of you guys remember when a little too much champagne was the cause of me texting a picture of me partying it up at wedding to one of my therapy kid's mom at 1:00 am when I thought I was texting my best friend?)
Yeah.  It happens to the best of us.

 Jay talks about how he and Sherri have prayed every day for Sean's wife.  So sweet.

And is anybody else thinking what I'm thinking?

Dez's brother needs a little bit of Sean's daddy in his life.

*****

Lindsay's final date.
She decided to sport micro shorts and
the good ol' side shirt tie that I rocked at 8th grade NCA cheerleading camp.
Don't judge.  If I had her body, I would wear this outfit EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Don't even try to play like you wouldn't.  Cuz we all know you'd be lying.

And y'all, according to @ Possessionista, Lindsay's shorts can talk.

They ride down a dirty river on a piece of straw (are they in Thailand or East Texas somewhere?), and then they release 3 lanterns.

I would have had 3 different things written on those lanterns.

"Tierra's eyebrow"......  "Selma's left boob"......  "Selma's right boob"
You didn't think I would leave Selma's boobs out of my final recap did you?

Catherine's final date:

The take a ride on the elephant.
And I don't know why, but I feel uncomfortable watching them on said elephant.
#thatelephantsawmoreactionthanthefantasysuite

Catherine pulls a bit of an AshLee that night, and she starts to doubt Sean's feelings for her.

And now....a gratuitous picture of a shirtless Sean (in a towel no less) looking off a balcony.

Where is AshLee when we need her?
I know him peering out the window 1/2 naked has GOT to be a metaphor for something.

Okay....so here it is....what we've been waiting for all season!
Who's it gonna be?!?

*****

Lindsay's the first out of the car, and we all know what that means.
Sean breaks her heart (in the nicest way possible), and the disbelief on her face is just oh so sad.
And to be honest, he's making me just as sad.  You can tell he genuinely feels awful.
And home-girl takes off her heels before leaving.
Good for her.
I think she handles it as well as to be expected.  She should be proud of herself and her exit.

 Now it's Catherine's turn.

Sean, forget what I said last week.  THIS is your new screen saver.

 Look how sweet Catherine's face looks when she realizes that he is about to propose to her.
They both seem so SO happy.
And then they ride off into the sunset.
On an elephant.
Hey, it's not my idea of a fairy tale ending....but different strokes for different folks.

And if Chris Harrison has anything to do with it, they will live happily ever after!
I mean, GOOD GRIEF.  He tried to marry them live on the set last night.
Chris - Mamma and Pappa Lowe would have hunted you down if you would have married their baby boy off without them there. 
And lucky you guys, @Possessionista has one more bit of funny left in her.

Don't they look happy?

And......Did you guys hear?

SO. EXCITED.

You don't even know.

Now, I promised you earlier I would talk about Shay's wedges.

THESE are her wedges.

And here are some other FABULOUS wedge options:

And this episode showed us a couple of different black lace dresses.
First, Lindsay was wearing one when she met the family.  Then Catherine on After The Final Rose.
Black lace dresses are oh so chic.
Black Lace dress options for you:
 HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE

If you didn't see my post yesterday, then you might have missed the AMAZING deals on a couple of pairs of boots.  Click HERE to see them.  You might just get lucky and find one of them in your size!

And last, but certainly not least, if you would like to enter a $40 giveaway for Origami Owl (jewelry that tells YOUR story), click HERE and scroll down to the end of the post.

And as always,
 you can follow me on facebook HERE
you can follow me on Pinterest HERE

you can find me on twitter at @simsslp

Now, I've got one last question for you guys.

Should I continue on with my Bachelor/Bachelorette recaps even when it is no longer Sean?

Let me know in the comments!