Saying goodbye is never easy...

But Twinkies and poptarts make it a bit more bearable...

Last night was the series finale of one of my very favorite shows - Gilmore Girls.

I watched the very first couple of episodes of the show when it first started and liked it but for some reason it didn't stick - then, years later, when Jen was living in Chicago constantly trying to comfort her first born colicky daughter she stumbled upon the reruns and insisted that I Start watching.

When it comes to my TV viewing, I am a bit of an episode purist - I cannot start in the middle - which is why I cannot watch 24, not matter how sexy I find Kiefer. I have to start on season 1, episode 1. I was game to try the show again but 5 seasons had passed and I had a lot of catching up to do - the first season I found easily at the library - I watched it all and was hooked. Getting the 2nd season was a little bit more tricky - I ended up on a waiting list and eventually was able to check it out. By this point, I was completely and totally addicted to this show - I was sure that there really was a Stars Hollow somewhere in Connecticut and I knew that I belonged there.
I no longer could wait for my number to come up at the library so I started purchasing the seasons on DVD - I was all caught up by the time Jen moved back to Salt Lake and Season 6 started.

Every Tuesday night I have had something to look forward to - even after the original writers quit the show and dialogue wasn't quite as witty and fun I still connected with these characters and felt like they were my friends.

I was Lorelai and Jen was Rory - it was a perfect show for Jen and I to obsess about together - and we thought that we were equally as witty and funny - in our own minds...

So to appropriately honor the end of this era on prime time T.V. Jen hosted a Bon Voyage party in true Gilmore fashion.

The Gilmore girls were not known for their domestic talents - the vast majority of meals they were seen eating were either at Luke's Diner or on the couch out of take out containers. Lorelai used her oven to store things and I doubt that there has ever been a vegetable in their house. So, taking the lead from the girls, Jen planned the menu as if Lorelai and Rory were going to be there:

(the description of the food is from Jen's Blog)
From Top Left: jet puffed jumbo marshmallows, crunchy cheetos, microwave popcorn, tater tots (I don't know if you can tell, but the tater tots have coctail toothpicks in them...I got that idea from the GG 100th episode titled Wedding Bell Blues, where the girls have a bachelorette party for Emily, and served the tatertots with toothpicks), red vines licorice, a cakes de fleur chocolate cake with buttercream frosting (SOOO GOOD!), our little pink napkins wrapped around our silverware (PLASTICware!), donuts, cookie dough, and in the center, a tray of poptarts and twinkies (just how the girls serve them!)

Jen taking a picture of the spread

Jen had a picture of the two of us on her blog but I look HORRIBLE so I am not going to post it here - luckily her blog is private so not too many people will have to see it.

It was so fun to be able to enjoy this with Jen in our own wacky and nerdy way.

By the end of the show when the town had gathered under the tent that Luke made out of everyone's tarps, tents and raincoats (they knew it was going to rain because Babette's ankles are 90% spot on predicting the weather - her hair is only 50% but her ankles are always right) Anyway, the town was there to surprise Rory with a going away party - at this point both Jen and I were in tears - and then when Lorelai approached Luke to thank him for doing all of this and he replied with something to the affect of, "I just like to make you happy" and then they kissed we could hardly breath between the tears and the sniffling.

It was really quite pathetic, but in the very best way...

Goodbye Girls -- we are going to miss you!