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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Shay, Uncle Sean ·

Bachelor Recap Episode 7: Happy Birthday to ME!


I have been waiting to talk about Episode 7 for MONTHS!  I have soooooo much to say!  Ok…so remember waaaaay back in October when I celebrated my 31st birthday?  Well…when you guys thought I was at home celebrating with my family, I was really in St. Croix celebrating with my little brother :).
Here’s how it happened…
Andrew and I went to Europe for 10 days back in October…when our plane touched down at DFW Airport, I switched on my phone for the first time since we had departed, and what did I have waiting for me on my phone?  A voice mail from one of my favorite Bachelor producers telling me that Sean missed his sister and wanted me to come out to St. Croix to see him for her birthday…in less than a week!  I was exhausted, jet-lagged, missing my kiddos, behind on my work, and not caring about any of that!  I was super excited and totally up for another trip.  It was operation secret!
Here I am at the airport at 4:00 AM on Wednesday, October 24th about to board a plane to Miami and then connect to St. Croix.

I arrived at the beautiful hotel and took in the view from my hotel room patio.

And then I headed to the beach!  
Here’s what happened when I arrived at the hotel…another one of my favorite people, Executive Producer Alycia Rossiter, met me in the lobby and told me where I would be staying in the hotel and then pointed to the area of the hotel that the girls occupied.  She told me I could go anywhere I wanted on the property but asked that I not go to where the girls were (which I totally understood!).  She also said that I would be seeing Sean the next day (my birthday) on camera (which made sense to me…I’m a Bachelor fanatic…these things must be captured live on film, right?!)  
I was by myself, with an i-Pad full of chick flicks, a stack of books, a huge hotel room, a gorgeous beach and unlimited room service…the mama has never been happier. 🙂

My view from where I ate lunch.  Did I mention that I was in heaven???
That night, I curled up in my pjs, watched a movie, read a book and slept in (which as you know, the mama NEVER does!).

The next morning, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!  I ordered room service, read and did absolutely nothing. It was glorious!  And then…
…I was informed that my brother wanted to give me something special for my birthday…I could have any spa treatment I wanted that morning!  (The cute part was that they kept repeating over and over that Sean actually paid for the treatment…the Bachelor did not pay for it.  He really wanted his big sis to know that the gift was from him and not from the Bachelor.)  Thanks to my super sweet brother, I had a fabulous massage!

And then I ate a burger and watched a little more TV…hey, it was my birthday!
And then…the best stuff happened!  This was officially the MOST FUN DAY OF MY LIFE!
My favorite Bachelor people came to my hotel room to get my microphone on me and tell me where I’d meet Sean.  At this point, I had no idea who was left in the house, how many girls were there, or what exactly Sean and I would be discussing.  I hadn’t seen Sean in 7 weeks, so I was just so excited to finally be able to see him again!  I went out to the beach and saw Sean and then we sat down and chatted (which you saw last night on TV).  
Now…while you watched Sean go off and get Tierra (and then watch her have another break-down), I was waiting back on the beach for him…with my new BFF…
…this awesome guy came out to wish me a happy birthday.  I heart Chris Harrison.

Birthday love with Chris!  He sat out and talked to me for about an hour (while Sean was “dealing” with Tierra).  Then, Sean came back to explain to me that he sent Tierra home and we chatted a bit more…then…

…Chris came back out with a birthday cake and candles and the entire crew sang Happy Birthday to me :).  And then the three of us dove into this chocolate cake!

My sweet baby brother!
After we left the beach, I went back to Sean’s hotel room and hung out with him while he got ready for that night’s rose ceremony.

And then my new BFF Chris came over to say hello :).
Ok…so if this was the most fun day of my life, the following day was a really close second.  I don’t have any pictures but I’ll just briefly explain…
The next day, the entire crew flew back to the states to split off for Hometown Visits.  Spending the day in an airport with these people was one of the highlights of my life.  I am not sure I’ve ever laughed more.  I had the absolute best time hanging out with them!  My new favorite person Chris Harrison even swapped seats with me so that I could sit up in First Class with Sean and he sat in Coach.  Seriously, the nicest people on earth!  My birthday was MADE!
Ok…one last thing…you like what I’m wearing on TV?  Don’t I look good?  Don’t you want to know what fabulous outfit I have on for my big TV appearance????  I’m wearing my pjs.  Yes.  Between coming home from Belgium and leaving for St. Croix, I went to JCrew and Nordstrom and bought 4 new outfits…well, when my producer Deb came to prep me for meeting up with Sean, she wasn’t a fan of any of my outfits.  So…she grabbed my old green tank top out of my suitcase (the one I slept in the night before!) and said, “wear this!”.  And so I did.  I wore my tank top that I normally sleep in…the one I had slept in the night before…on national TV.  I am just so glamorous. 😉
This was such a special time with Sean.  This was truly a trip of a lifetime.  
I will do a Q&A post this week about my trip…about behind the scenes of the show…whatever you like.  Just leave me a question and I’ll try and get it answered.
This morning, I will be live in the studio with Kidd Kraddick in the morning!  Tune in around 7 am CST!

And you know that I’m always inspired by food.  Which of my recipes reminds me of St. Croix???


First up, my Avocado Ranch Burgers.  Burgers just go wit the beach!

And for dessert?

My Key Lime Bundt Cake 🙂

You can check out all of my food here at Mix and Match Mama.

Don’t forget to check out A Bachelorette Told Me To over at Sheaffer’s blog.  Her post should be extra special and extra hysterical today!

Click here to see my Q&A from this post.

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Comments

  1. April says

    Wow…that does sound like a wonderful birthday! You definitely did it up right! You gave Sean excellent advice on last night's episode because it got the result I was hoping for…Tierra got sent home! I'm so looking forward to the hometown visits next week!

  2. Samantha says

    What an unforgettable experience! You were really great on TV and your advice to not pick the girl that the other girls don't like was spot on.

    • Ali G says

      It was so exciting seeing my favorite blogger on tv!!:) You looked so cute & the outfit really complimented you & the beachy location! What a great birthday present! Would you go back to St. Croix for vacation? What did Kensington & Smith think of seeing you on tv? 🙂

  4. Aubs says

    loved last nights episode!!! you were fabulous ~ it takes skills to rock pj's that way!! ha! =)

    so glad you got spoiled a little and got to relax while there and how awesome to have those special memories with your brother!! Looking forward to home towns and so excited to see how it all ends!! =)

  5. Audra says

    What an awesome experience! Even though I'd miss my family, I'd gladly take a few days in St. Croix 😉 I'm glad Sean finally took your advice and kicked Tierra-able to the curb 😉

  8. PinkLouLou says

    You are adorable. Heard you on Kidd Kraddick this morning!! He is my favorite, and you did fantastic!

    And I am just saying… if things don't work out for baby bro and you know who… I know a gal in KY who would looooove to meet him. HA! 😉

  10. Meredith Broussard says

    It was so fun getting to see you on last night's episode! What a memorable experience! Sean is such a sweet brother. I've never been to St. Croix, but would love to hear more about your trip! Also, thank you for sharing your wise, womanly advice; America appreciates it. 🙂

  12. Shelli says

    Your birthday sounds awesome! Your brother is so sweet to you! I would have never known you were wearing pjs – you were adorable on tv and gave great advice to Sean!

  13. The Dose of Reality says

    Loving the behind the scenes re-cap from you! SO much fun! You did a great job last night, and your advice to Sean was spot-on! So glad to know that you weren't stuck out on the beach alone! 😉
    Gotta know, in terms of losing your sparkle, how sad were you that you didn't get to actually meet Tierra?! 😉

  14. kj7 says

    Only you could rock pj's and look that fabulous! Such a great thing that you and Sean share such a special bond. I'm glad he listened to you because Tierra SO needed to go. So…did you get to meet the other girls while you were there? I'm assuming not since you left the morning after and since that takes place when he brings them home.

  15. Katherine @ Grass Stains says

    Seriously, I thought, "She should be the on-set advisor for every Bachelor going forward." Your advice cracked me UP. You were on the money! So relieved that he finally sent Tierra (the "Tierraist") home.

  16. Aubrey says

    I managed to find a way to (illegally!) watch my very first EVER episode of the Bachelor this morning. You know I'm not a fan of reality tv, so I hope you understand THAT is how much I love ya. 😉

    But I'm going to say, on record, that the only way I will ever watch another episode of the Bachelor is if are on it. (Which seems unlikely as you are a happily married woman.) I am perfectly content to read your recap of each episode and wait until your potential sister-in-law features in your real (off-camera) life! I've got my fingers crossed that Sean picks a good one for you!

  17. emily snyder says

    Hi! I don't know you and honestly am not totally sure how I got to your blog, but I love it! I have loved that Sean and your family have been seen as real, honest, wonderful people. Which your blog is proof of. Thank you for being a wonderful example!

  19. Mickie Pho says

    Hi Shay! I think I am more a fan of your blog than the enitre Bachelor franchise. I've watched the Bachelor sporadically and never religiously. I watched a bit of Sean because of you. I've read a few things about him and how much of a gentleman he was with the ladies. Your parents and you must be proud of how he represents your family and Texas. Best wishes to you and your family!

    -Mickie

  20. JenniferW says

    Wow, what an awesome way to spend your birthday! I was so bummed to miss last night's episode, but can't wait to catch up. LOVE that you wore your PJs! Of course, no one could tell…you look fabulous!

  22. Michelle Morphis says

    It was SO cool to see you on TV last night!!! I did think what you were wearing was odd, just because I know you, but the story makes sense now! Love you girl and even in pj's you look good!!! XOXO

  23. Mona Brawley says

    I am so glad you shared this! This makes it all that much more fun and real for all of us. I am so glad he brought you on. It looked like he really just needed your voice to help him see Tierra for what she was! Yes, thanks to the Mama and AshLee !!! I think at this point all the ladies are great choices. Yeah, Shay!!!
    PS. The pajamas outfit-Funny story!

  24. BrittM says

    So much fun to see you on TV after following your blog for some time now. It's always crazy to actually get to hear someone's voice after you've become so used to their "blog voice" via words only. What an incredible experience! So glad you got the opportunity, although I was truly bummed that we didn't get to see you interact with Tierra! Couldn't Sean have sent her packing after giving his big sis at least 5 minutes with her eyebrow?!

  25. Kristen says

    You were so cute – and I loved seeing you on TV! By the way – LOVE your blog and will be reading here even after the show is over. Hugs.

  26. JenetFuller says

    Even if you were in PJs you looked amazing! I told my husband as we were sitting down to watch the Bachelor that Sean's sister would be on it and I follow her blogs – he doesn't really understand the blogging world so he wasn't as excited as I was 😉

    Did Tierra really flip out at the same time as you guys were chatting about her? The timing just seemed WAY too perfect. Thank goodness you were there to remind him of your one piece of advice – everyone was happy to see her go.

    http://livingourfullerlife.blogspot.com/

  27. jen says

    So exciting seeing you on the show last night! Can I just say I knew you were adorable from your blog, but watching you on t.v. . . gorgeous! You rocked those P.J's. Honesty I thought those colors looked nice on you. Who knew they were pajamas!
    So glad you gave your brother that GREAT piece of advice about being mindful of that girl who can't get along with others. He finally listened!
    Just a little observation here, Sean has the cutest southern accent, but I really didn't hear it in you! Maybe Chris Harris made you all a flutter. Ha!

  28. MorganizewithMe says

    You were beautiful on the show…oh how I wanted to see you talk with Tierra, it would have been so fun to see your facial expressions. She is not the sparkle your family needs!
    xo
    Morgan 🙂

  29. Stacey Wilkinson says

    longtime follower (and Andrew's customer)..first time poster.
    LOVED LOVED LOVED seeing you on the show last night. What a surprise!!! You looked great!! You gave Sean great advice and I like that he actually listened to you!

  30. Alison Chitwood Peters says

    Wow, too fun! You look great! How did you feel about the green and pink outfit? Were you bummed that you didn't wear any of your new outfits? What a wonderful, memorable birthday for you! I'm envious!

  31. mel @ the larson lingo says

    SO fun to see you on the show last night…you were AWESOME. My favorite part was your facial expression when Sean was talking about how Tierra doesn't get along with the other girls. Your facial expression was priceless!!! And, that is so funny you wore a pj top. Hysterical. What a wonderful birthday you had!!!!

  32. Angela Ellingson says

    I was so excited to see you last night! I told my husband you are the girl I have been getting a lot of my recipes from lately. Seriously had no clue those were pj's! Funny! You looked great! What a cool experience.

  33. Kate says

    I love the insider information you have. I'm so glad I found your blog not for just this reason, but all the other lovely insight you have to offer!
    What a way to spend your birthday!
    -Kate
    justkatea.blogspot.com

  35. Jamie K. says

    Just found your blog! OMG I've been obsessed with bachelor since season 1! Love the behind the scene's and Q&A I just read all 7 recaps :/ Your newest follower! Great way to spend your bday as well!

  36. Melissa F says

    So cool! What a great birthday present – it sounded like so much fun! I can totally understand the next day being a lot of fun too.. there is something about travelling with people that you don't normally get to travel with that makes it extra special and extra fun. Awesome! =)

    I had wondered how long it really was between the time Sean left you and when he got back… TV can't show us, of course, but I just kept thinking -but what about Shay? (Bonus though… you got to hang out with Chris Harrison!!)

    Thanks again for sharing. It is so very cool to be able to know a little 'behind the scenes' info for one of my favorite shows. =) Thanks!

  37. Amy says

    I just discovered your blog 🙂 I was so impressed with you last night — the fact that you said don't go for the one that none of the girls doesn't like! Anyways, I'll be following!

  38. The Lovely One says

    I just found you through Sarah at Life {Sweet} Life… you might be the luckiest girl on the planet.

    Well, maybe not the luckiest girl, because it would be really gross to make out with your brother. THAT girl is the luckiest girl on the planet!

    Shh…. don't tell my husband I said that!

  39. Jenna {Real Simple Girl} says

    It was so fun seeing you on TV last night! Love your recap! And I'm glad you got to spend your birthday with Sean and in such a cool way! 🙂
    I thought your pajama top and shorts outfit was so cute and bright! But since you went to the trouble of buying 4 new outfits that you didn't get to wear on TV, could you show them to us?! 😉 I'm sure they're all super adorable!!

  40. Katie DeKoster says

    Hi Shay! I found your blog via Pinterest Told Me To via Our 5th House a couple of weeks ago and I've been telling all of my Bachelor loving friends about it ever since! Your time is Saint Croix sounds pretty much perfect. I'd love to know what, if anything, Sean told you about the other ladies while you were there. And what kinds of things would you have asked Tierra to get a read on her? Thanks for sharing your inside scoop with us!

  42. Abby says

    Love this part of your blog as well as all the recipes on mix and match…..I've tried many of them that my family has thoroughly enjoyed! But back to last night's episode….I have to know what Sean's reaction was to Tierra's comment about her "sparkle." That had to be one of the most ridiculous phrases in bachelor/bachelorette/bachelor pad history!!

  43. erin. says

    Of all things I must ask where did you get your bracelet you were wearing in the picture with Sean & Chris? By the way, my family thinks I'm crazy because I was like that's Shay and she has the best blog after we had a family dinner last night. Happy Tuesday Shull Fam! 🙂

  44. Tara G. says

    My favorite part- the alone part…sleeping in, room service, chick flicks, reading, spa, gorgeous location and the peace and quiet for a few hours to unwind! 🙂 I love that your brother respects and considers your word so much; many kudos to your parents for fostering beautiful family relationships!!

  47. Cherry Blossoms says

    I stumbled upon your blog thru the ABC boards. I love the sibling love you and Sean have and what an awesome experience for you. Being a huge Bachelor fan and a girl who takes weekly notes on all of them as well it was such a fun surprise to see Sean bring you to St. Croix.
    PS: Your wardrobe story is hilarious. Funny how things like that turn out. You looked adorable!

  48. Tanya says

    What a great episode. I have been following your blog for quite awhile now. Even though I have seen your picture hundreds of times, I hardly recognized you! I think you should post the other outfits you bought — although you DID look great in that neon green tank. 🙂 And even though I have been married almost 13 years, I just think Sean is a total dreamboat. I really hope this works out for him!!

  49. Anonymous says

    Check out reality Steve's recent post…I agree with him you are a hero and such a good sounding board for the advice an the things you said. Bravo

  50. kristinwithani says

    Not kidding, I watched this episode in a hotel room with a bunch of girls at a women's retreat. Yep, a whole bunch of campus ministry people watching the Bachelor. I found out later about four rooms were doing the same.

    I digress. We all said how cute you looked. So normal and cute and not fake dressed up.

    One of my all time favorite Bach episodes – and not just because Tierra went away.

    Again, you are a great sister. 🙂

  54. Anonymous says

    Thanks for blogging about this. You were my favorite family member of all time on the show because you were so direct and honest with your brother. What a fantastic trip and birthday. And thanks for including the story on your outfit/pajamas! I love hearing behind the scenes stuff like that about my favorite show!

  55. April Hoff says

    Wow! After watching this episode last week (and thinking that Sean's sister gave him the best advice!!!) it was cool to get your take on it. I found you through Hi Sugarplum! this morning! 🙂

  57. J o s e y says

    LMAO, oh man, I had no idea you were a blogger. My sis-n-law and I were just talking about how you were our favorite person on the show b/c you told Sean like it is (seriously – who wants to marry someone that doesn't get along with other girls?!! great advice!). I'm an IFer as well, and one of my ALI friends told me about your blog. So fun to read through your travels and such. Consider me your newest fan!