The Bachelor Episode 8 (Part 1): HOMETOWN DATES!!!

Let’s kick today’s post off with a little Public Service Announcement.  😉 One of my favorite items from last year, THIS DRESS, is now available in black and navy for just $29.97.  I absolutely ADORE this dress because it can be dressed up or down super easily and can work for so many different types of occasions.  I mean, wear it with flip flops for brunch…or pair it with heels and fancy earrings for a wedding!

Fit tip: It runs reallllly big. I’m wearing an XS Petite here (I’m almost 5’4″), but the XXS Petite actually fit me a bit better, and I ended up getting that size. So, for sure size down 1 size, and probably 2 sizes! If you are 5’4″ or under and need a petite, they are out. 🙁However, this is such a great deal you might consider getting it anyway and then having it altered.)  And seriously, I think sizing down 2 full sizes is what you should do.

The blue clutch on the left was super popular last year, and now they’ve come out with 2 new colors (the multi color option is on it’s way to me as I write this)! They flew off the shelves last year and were gone way before summer, so don’t delay!

Outfit on Left:  dress / best strapless bra ever / turquoise earrings / similar clutch / similar cork sandals (SO CUTE!)

Outfit on Right:  dress / best strapless bra ever / whimsical earring option / $45 leopard clutch / DARLING hot pink heel option

Get The Look on the left For Yourself Here:

 

Get The Look For Yourself Here:

 

And here’s a close up of this year’s version of my clutch.  I can hardly even with the cuteness.

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Okay, time for The Bachelor recap!!!!

Here’s a little review for you, if you need a refresher of the season.

Episode 1, click HERE.  That time I had to google the spelling for wiener.  “I before e, except after c” still applies.

Episode 2, click HERE.  That time we realized Arie was basically dating his mother.

Episode 3, click HERE.  That time the “lunch lady” wrestled the “sex kitten”.  And the lunch lady won.

Episode 4, click HERE.  That time a girl almost drank her pee for love.

Episode 5 (part 1), click HERE.  That time Arie grounded one of his girlfriends.  And we loved it.

Episode 5 (part 2), click HERE.  That time one of the girls told Arie she would totally eat a human.

Episode 6 (part 1), click HERE.  That time Rizzo wore a bra for the first time.

Episode 6 (part 2), click HERE.  That time I went all BEC on one of the contestants and it became clear I needed therapy.

Episode 7 (part 1) click HERE.  That time Mr. Rogers called and wanted his sweater back.

Episode 7 (part 2) click HERE.  That time I admitted I missed Krystal and her metaphorical glitter.

 

NOW LET’S GET STARTED WITH THIS WEEK!  It’s HOMETOWN DATES people.  MY FAVORITE!

I mean, Hometown Dates typically produce some of the most memorable moments from a season.  Like when Desiree’s brother was such a little punk with Sean or when JoJo’s mom drank straight from the wine bottle.  Ahhhhhhh, good times.  (Sidenote, I was going to try to do recap the entire episode in 1 blog post for y’all this week…..but then the mountain cedar OR WHATEVER THE HECK IS IN THE AIR tried to kill me dead.)  So, Part 1 is today, and Part 2 is tomorrow!

If Arie’s plan was to walk into hometown week with a strong monochromatic look, HE NAILED IT.

Blue button up?  CHECK

Blue jeans?  CHECK

Blue Converse?  CHECK

First stop was Los Angeles with Kendall.  Kendall executed the (what must be mandatory now) run and jump, but I would like to say that this particular run and jump felt a little too rehearsed for me.  A little too cheerleader-ish / Dirty Dancing lift-ish if you will.  I happen to prefer a more organic straddle in the air moment than this.

They started out their time together at a taxidermy warehouse.  Let that sink in.  I’ll give you some time.

They walked into a large room, filled with countless dead animals that had been stuffed and preserved.

Kendall said “I love taxidermy, because for me, it’s a way for me to appreciate animals.”

And I was like “Ummmmmmmmm.  GO TO A ZOO.”

And we’re not just talking about regular ol’ deer that were mounted.  We’re talking things like what you see below.

I MEAN.  WHAT THE HECK IS THIS.

Some sort of demon dog from Hell is my best guess.

And this.  REALLY.  WHAT THE FRICK N FRACK IS THIS.

I fear that this little fella will haunt my dreams.

After casually walking amongst the animals, Kendall picked up some sort of large cat (maybe a bobcat?) that was stuffed.  Not wall mounted, but just stuffed.  Like softly stuffed.  And she said, “It’s like a stuffed animal” as she lovingly handed it to Arie.

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. No.  No it’s not.

You are incorrect m’am.  It is in fact NOT like a stuffed animal.

She then surprised him by telling him that they weren’t just there to appreciate the taxidermy, but they were going to be mounting their own rats.

Oh, goodie.

Arie agreed, but said “Okay” in the highest pitched most terrified voice I’ve ever heard.

Then Kendall said, “Taxidermy is like the perfect relationship.  It’s something that’s going to last forever.”  And if I was Arie, that’s the exact moment when I would have started backing away slowly.  V.E.R.Y.  S.L.O.W.L.Y.

But instead, he totally hung with her.  They stuffed rats….

and then…..wait for it…played with the rats like Barbies.

Kendall busted out a Parisian diorama complete with the Eiffel tower (shout out to the interns that were up all night whipping this bad boy out).  They talked for the rats, they made the rats dance, and then the boy rat dipped the girl rat and kissed her.  #poorrats #doesdeathhavenodignity

Now here’s the deal.  Arie hung with her during the whole taxidermy thing.  Sure, he used the word “corky” (I’m guessing he meant “quirky”) to describe her no less than 73 times, but he still hung and didn’t look at her like she was a crazy dead animal loving psychotic person.

He thought she was quirky…not deranged.  INTERESTING.

Still, I’m not sure how well that bodes for her for a final rose.  I’m thinking you might want your neighbor to be quirky….or your cousin to be quirky (that could be fun to have a really quirky cousin that you get to hang with every Thanksgiving)….but you don’t really want your wife to be quirky.  Or corky.

Here are my thoughts on Kendall.  I really like the girl.  I mean, if you take away her passionate love for stuffing dead animals, she seems like a normal girl.  A normal girl with a good head on her shoulders that is realistic about love AND THIS SHOW.  But, I just can’t get past her love of taxidermy.  I mean, I feel like I would realllllllly love her if she enjoyed crocheting or scrap booking…but the taxidermy thing is interfering with my love for her.

Then it was time to head to meet Kendall’s family.  Kendall was telling him who he was going to meet AND HOLD UP.  Kendall has a twin named Kylie.  How very unfortunate.

They showed up at her parent’s house with her mom, dad, twin sister Kylie, and little brother.  They sat around the kitchen island, shooting the breeze, and making jokes about her corkiness. 😉

But then dad piped in TOTALLY DEADPAN and said, “It’s a different type of courtship for sure.”  He wasn’t having it.

Arie had some time with Kylie, and she apparently fancies herself some type of psychic.  Or at the very least, a body language analyst.  She was wearing what looked like a pink Victoria’s Secret robe over a belly shirt.  And she don’t play.  She wasn’t buying what Kendall and Arie were selling.  She sensed “space” between them and just didn’t know if it was going to work.

Summary:  Kendall’s family was wary of Arie and his kissing bandit ways, but they trust their daughter.

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THEN IT WAS TIME FOR WEINER!  Arkansas, that is.  Although, the interns in charge of the graphics got things mixed up and listed the city as Weiner, AK.  Which would actually be Weiner, Alaska.  #oops

And again with the blue on blue.  We get it, Arie.  You like blue.

Tia took him to a race track to make him feel at home, and they took a couple of laps around the dirt track.

She let him know that he’d be meeting her mom, her dad, her brother, her aunt, and her cousin Rhonda.  And I don’t know about you, but I was STOKED about meeting cousin Rhonda.  And I hoped that the family would call her “cousin Rhonda” instead of just “Rhonda”.  She warned him about her brother and that he might very well have a lot of questions for him.

When walking up to the house, I saw that Arie had chosen to throw on a blazer/cardigan combo over his blue on blue look.  Arie, KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.  Tia’s family is not the blazer/cardigan types.  They are the cocktail weenie type.  And I dig it.  Nobody loves a Little Smokie more than me.

They all sat down in the family room and made some small talk.

And then dad toasted AIR-Y with cocktail wieners.  Tia was like “Dad!  His name is AHHHHHH rie, not AIR-Y.”  And the dad made a good point when he said that he’d only known the guy for like 2 minutes.

When Arie sat down with the brother, I was legitimately scared for him.  The brother immediately told him that he hadn’t always been there for sister, but he was now.  And I was left wondering,where had he been?  Interning with Mr. Clean?  at the World Wide Wrestling Federation summer camp?  or maybe IN PRISON?  He immediately questioned Arie about his playboy reputation, and Arie just kind of said, “Ummmmmmmm.” at first.  And I was worried.  But he recovered nicely and said, “I am ready to settle down.  And I am falling for your sister.  I just love her spirit.  She’s strong, cool, and a very honest person.”

AND Y’ALL.  It then became clear that Tia’s bald and earring clad brother was just a big ol’ teddy bear.

Then Arie sat down with Tia’s dad.  Dad asked “Are you a playboy?”  And Arie responded with a simple “No.  Have you seen my cardigan?” Just kidding, he left the cardigan part out.  Arie actually talked with him very genuinely about his feelings for Tia and how he was most definitely falling for her.

Dad listened intently, he seemed to accept Arie, but then he said “If you hurt her, I can find you on Google.”  

Y’all.  It was greatness.  He threatened to get ON THE GOOGLE and track his cardigan wearing a%# down if necessary.  But really, dad was just a big ol’ teddy bear too.

When Tia sat down with her mom, mamma basically gave her blessing after just a bit of hemming and hawing around.

Arie and Tia then hung out on a swing  on the front porch, and Tia said “I’m falling in love with you.  It’s the effing truth.”  And I have to say, I really do enjoy a well placed f bomb.  Always have.

Summary:  Tia’s family was wary of Arie and his kissing bandit ways, but they trust their daughter.

I was beginning to see a theme.

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Come back tomorrow to read about Becca’s date (spoiler alert:  she’s DARLING and her color is red) and Lauren’s date (spoiler alert:  the apple does not fall far from the silent tree)!!!

WAIT, Y’ALL!  ONE MORE THING!

Colleen Rothschild is running an incredible deal today on The Discovery Kit!

The cult favorite Discovery Collection will be marked down to $69!!! (That’s a $150 value, normally $95.) WOWZA!!!!

Supplies will be limited, so if you are interested, I would recommend buying early.

If you’ve wanted to try some things, but haven’t known where to start, this discovery kit is a great option for you. It contains many of their most popular products and would be a great way to give them all a try! Personally, I was excited to receive it, not to try the items (because I already own the full size of most of them), but because they are PERFECT for travel.

The kit includes the following

• Radiant Cleansing Balm
• Dual Enzyme Polish
• Clarifying Detox Mask
• Sheer Renewal Cream
• Extreme Recovery Cream
• Face Oil N°9
• Muslin Cleansing Cloth
• And an exclusive CR Travel Bag

With the exception of the face oil (it’s a bit to oily for my skin, but my mom absolutely swears by it), I absolutely love everything in the kit.  TREAT YO’ SELF!  🙂

Okay, now I’m done.  😉

Filed Under: The Bachelor 27 Comments