What to do when Italy isn't romantic enough...

The Love Story of Freddo and Hansie Bear

Part 2- The Proposal.

Freddo and I had been dating for about a year when we were invited (along with about 8 other really good friends) to attend a wedding in the English countryside.

Of course we couldn't pass the chance up... So we all agreed that we'd use this little wedding as an excuse to take the trip of a lifetime.

My two roommates at the time, Si- Fri and Elz-a-Bells, and I packed up our backpacks and spent a week in Paris and Florence before heading to Rome to meet up with a few of Freddo's really close guy friends.

some of the crew

Freddo, at the time, had been working on his post-doctorate in another state and told me that he wouldn't be able to get off of work in time for Rome, but that he would meet me in England for the wedding.

So, the girls and I hung out with the guys visiting every major landmark in Rome and eating our way through every gelato shop.
It was lovely...

Me, Si-Fri & Elz-a-Bells at our fav gelato place! Yum!

On our second day in Rome everyone decided that it would be fun to get a bit dressed up and head out to see the Trevi Fountain...

I had been talking non-stop about how beautiful the fountain was and couldn't wait to show everyone...

**The first time I'd every traveled abroad, I had the opportunity to visit Rome and the Trevi Fountain...

From the minute I saw it, I was in love... to me, the Trevi Fountain encapsulated all the romance the Europe had promised... I loved how tradition promised that if you threw two coins over you shoulder, one would ensure that your return to the fountain and the other would ensure that a wish came true. Of course, like and good romantic... I tossed my two coins in hoping for the best...**

It was so wonderful to find myself in front of the Trevi Fountain years later with some of my closest friends... but I was desperately missing Freddo. 

Ugh... to be in such a romantic place withOUT the boy that you loved... lame.

Of course my sweet friends promised lots of gelato and did their best to distract me while we watched other couples "canoodle" in front of the water...

My friend Jason trying to distract me from Freddo behind him!

At one point my friends asked me to read the little blurp that was written about the history of the Trevi from our travel book... I was slightly obsessed with reading from the travel book, so of course I jumped at it... And, while I read from the book my friends began to walk around the edge of the fountain to lead us to a less crowded spot... When, all of a sudden, 4 beautifully perfect red roses were placed on the pages I was reading!

Hooray!

I looked up, and there before me was my Freddo!

Immediately he got down on one knee and proposed... all while my friends stood back ans snapped photos...

Guys- I was freaking out! I have never shaken so much in my life! It was seriously one of the sweetest most precious moments of my life!

So happy!

After the proposal, we all went out to a nice dinner to celebrate!

And after dinner, Freddo and I went off on our own and found ourselves at a quiet little cafe near the Colosseum where we listened to Frank Sinatra and sipped cappuccinos... 

It was magical... and it was perfect.

Sigh.

And that lovelies, is how I got engaged... stay tuned tomorrow for our wedding!

Amore sempre,
Hannah

5 and 5: Hannah's Five Reasons To Stay and To Go.

There are a lot of things that made this week tougher than most... and a lot that made it wonderful...
It's funny how a silly little thing like this blog can help me gather my perspective.

 This week and last week, the week before and probably next week the Hubs and I have been sifting through one of the biggest decisions we've had to make so far as a married couple. 

The decision of whether or not we should leave Chicago and move to a new state for a potential job...

We've been praying a ton about it... and while I haven't felt any unrest over the whole situation... 
I have allowed myself to worry a bit... which is actually kind of lame silly. 
Because, really... either way, we've got two great options.

To stay??? Or to go??? That is the question...
So instead of our typical Friday "5 for 5" post... you're going to get "5 and 5"...
5 good things about staying... and 5 good things about going....

5 good Reasons To Stay In Chicago:

1. We're close to family (the Hubs)

2. We're close to "Frien-amily" (especially, Si-Fri and Elz-a-Bells)...

3. Shopping.... museums... restaurants... theater... music...
4. Our church is here....
5. Loads and loads of memories are here, stuffed in every nook and cranny.

5 good Reasons To Go:

1. The Hubs and I will have our first opportunity to live an adventure just the two of us.
2. Life in this new little town will be much more quiet than our big city... and will give us a chance to sloooooow down.
3. HUGE promotions professionally for both the Hubs and I.
4. We get to add one more state to the list of places we've lived.
5. We would most definitely be challenged and stretched... which would push us to grow.


Ahhhh... to stay or to go? That is really the question!

I'll definitely keep you all posted in the upcoming week(s)....

xoxo- Hansie.

all photos found here 

Weeknight Movies in the Park.

Last night I watched the musical, West Side Story in a park near my house...

Surrounded by friends...

Yummy goodness...

Grass between my toes...

It was a sweet night...
full of lots of laughter & "shaky face" photos...

Sigh... I love me some summer.

What fun things are you doing this summer?

xo- Han

Happy Monday! The weekend in review...

This. Weekend. Was. Baaaaaah-zurk!

For realz loves.

It was (not kidding) 104 in Chicago... and...

I was literally running a mile a minute 

(sadly this is no where near the actual pace I've been running during my half marathon training lately... humph....)

This weekend I...

-Sewed... sewed... and sewed some more...

-Hung out with two cute characters... she speaks British... he speaks "new yorker"... it's a fun combo.

- Spent a few hours roasting in the sun at our church picnic.

- Prepared some custom EttaGrace orders to be shipped! Hip hip hooray!

-Worked... for realz worked... wrote curriculum... which is almost as exciting as it sounds... almost.

-Lay around a bit (C'mon... no matter how busy a weekend is... it's still the weekend!)

-Shopped a bit with Elz-a-Bells.
-Went for an early morning run with the Hubs.

-Drank a few quad espressos over ice... sigh... so good. 

-BBQ'd with a baby on a rooftop deck downtown.

It was a good weekend... but now I'm pooped! I need a weekend to recover from my weekend... Ha!

 Fortunately we get another one in just 5 little days...

Happy Monday Loves!

xoxo- Hansie

PS. Don't forget to link up with an outfit where you flaunt some animal print on Wednesday for Clothes Stealers!

5 for 5: Hannah's 5 things she's bring to a deserted island...

And 5 reasons this week was wonderful....

1. Spending the 4th-ish with my fam (and these two seesters) in Idaho! Hip hip hooray!

2. A surprise mix tape CD from my beautiful Elz-a-Bells!

3. Watermelon frosties... whaaaaaaaat!!!??!?!?!

image and recipe here

4. The MOST perfect ice coffee recipe... thank you to a Mama... who loves David Lebovitz... who loves the "Pioneer Woman"... who created this little recipe... it alone will save moi about $50 a month on my Starbucks addiction... Yes!

image and recipe here

5. Went for a run on one of my lunch breaks and had my breath literally taken away (surprisingly not from the run) with this amazing sky! I was moved to tears by a God who is so big and creates such beauty! Incredible!

It's been a good week friends! 
Hope you have a sweet weekend... full of sunshine and relaxation... 
Make sure to try out those recipes and let me know what you think!


Love you mucho mucho-
Hansie

The Weekend in Review...

Dear,

This weekend was stuffed to the brim with lovely goodness!

"Build your own" pizza night with cute friends from out of town and a new baby!

Joann runs with my girls

Mexican food... yum!

Church... so good!

Sewing, sewing and more sewing... ;)

But the highlight... was date night with the Hubs... 

Some fabulous friends of ours gave us a groupon for two free hours of kayaking... 

It was lovely!

After kayaking, Hubs and I picked up a baguette and fancy cheese...

With dinner in hand we headed to the park to watch a movie

Chicago does a fantastic job of showing free movies during the summer in parks throughout the city!

We saw the Karate kid and held hands... 

It was the perfect night! 

How was your weekend lovelies??

xo- Hansy

Cinco de Ocho... the Weekend in Review....

This weekend was busy with a lot of things... 

Date night with the Hubs, sewing... sewing... and more sewing for EttaGrace, 

church, phone chat with my beautiful Mama, and...

dun dun dun...

"Cinco de Ocho"!!!!

"Cinco de Ocho" started exactly five years ago (this year we actually celebrated "Cinco Cinco de Ocho"!)

What started as a simple Cinco de Mayo party, quickly turned into an off-beat annual tradition....

Exactly five years ago my girlfriends and I decided to throw a party for Cinco de Mayo... Unfortunatley, none of our friends were available on the 5th... turns out everyone was free on the 8th instead... So we sent out the invite encouraging all to attend our 1st annual Cinco de Ocho" party...

 

Only until half the invites had been sent out did we realize that we should have been inviting everyone to an Ocho de Mayo party.... Fortunately for us, none of the people we invited actually spoke spanish... The "glitch" in our translation ended up being a hit and "Cinco de Ocho" stuck!

So every year... on May 8th, we celebrate "Cinco de Ocho" instead of Cinco de Mayo
(let's be honest... that holiday is so over done... he he he....)
Where we serve the traditional "Cinco de Ocho" cupcake cake (thanks Carley), Elz-a-Bell's sangria, Si-Fri's perfect nacho cheese... and of course a pinata c/o Moi!

It was a good weekend friends... jam packed with "Cinco de Ocho" goodness and some Mama celebration!

How was your weekend friend?

Adore Mucho- Hans

PS... Stay tuned for the giveaway winner and another giveaway... what!?!?!?

The Weekend in Review... or how I didn't pack for China.

This weekend included date nights... Not packing for my upcoming trip to China... carrot cake remembering Si-Fri's Papa.... not packing some more....running outside with the Hubs (Twice!! Be impressed...)... not packing some more... homework... not packing... and Date night with Elz-a-Bells...

Ugh... 2 more days until we leave for China... and I still need to pack. Ba-less. my. heart.

But... it was a lovely weekend!

How was yours?

Luff-
Hannah

Luddite? I think not

I believe that we will make it through my no phone phase hansie...

because, I believe in you and me.

P.S. NEVER BREAK CHARACTER. Your passionate ballad becomes unbelievable. Elizabeth.

Because my sister is a "Luddite"....

Rach... you seriously need to get your phone... like... for realz.

Ps... Tots made this video with the beautiful Elz-a-Bells...

you're dying at our fabulous-ness, riiiiiiiight??

Weekend in Review.... or... how a great pair of running socks got ruined...

This past weekend = trips to the fabric store with Elz-a-Bells... church... helping the Hubs study for his big test... sweet treats... and out of town family...

this weekend also = one. interesting. pedicure.

MmmmK....So, this past Saturday, Si Fri, Al (si-fri's sister) and I went to our fav place to get our nails did... 

We go to this place in Chicago that is to die for! They do the most incredible job and spoil you rotten while you're getting pampered... they pass out free beverages... rub you shoulders as your nails dry... have an endless amount of new magazines... it's truly a fabulous experience!

That said... on Saturday... as my "pedi" was just about done "curing"... i.e. as my toes had just finished getting painted...
My nail technician went to help me out of my comfy massage chair (I know... you're dying right!?!??! This place really is the best!)... and as I'm putting my feet down on the floor my thoughtful technician grabs my shoes out of the way... no one likes smudged polish after all!

Then... she grabbed my socks... and instead of stuffing them into my shoes...

she...

 Started to wipe the floor with them... and by wipe, I mean scrub (!!!)....
What!?!?!?

I don't know what the deal was... maybe she thought they were a towel or something... but my running socks! My poor, no longer crisp, definitely no longer white running socks!!!

Fortunately, that was the low point of my weekend.

And how was your weekend lovelies?!?!?