A Dating Guide for the Undatable: Rachel's 5FOR5

I don't know if I ever told you this guys. But I am really bad at dates. I blame it on the fact that I've only ever been on one. And that was with Kristopher. He thinks it's weird that I've only ever dated one guy, but I  was kinda too busy loving school and going through my awkward stage(even though when I was in it, I didn't feel awkward....which is kind of the key, I think).

Awkward Stage Fact: A conservative estimate of how much I wore this green coat would be every day for three years. Even in the summer.

Anywayz, last tuesday Krister and I had an amazing date. And, upon further analysis (and a forced sense of 5 for 5 structure), I have come up with 5 things one can do to ensure a successful date:

checking out some local 5th grade art

1.Do something that provokes discourse:

Kristopher and I went and saw "Page One" which is some propaganda about the New York Times. 

2.Go get tapas:

This is totally necessary. Do not go for coffee. Do not go for dinner. Go to a tapas bar. 

Do not confuse with topless bar.

3. Discuss it:

Really juice those mind grapes. Open up those brainsickles.

4. After you're done comparing notes, segue into lighter conversation i.e. how soft their earlobes are, or, how you've been secretly taking photos of them sleeping ever since you've been married.

5. Pay for the tapas and NEVER call what you just did a date. Because that will just jinx it. Seriously, or the cat gets it.

Do it to it-

racha

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

Two years and counting... we are so long term!

 On this day two years ago... the Hubs and I both said "I do".

Hooray hooray!!! Happy Anniversary to us!

In honor of our anniversary I thought it'd be fun to share our story with you... How we met... Got engaged and then married... So, without further ado...

The love story of Freddo and Hansie Bear.

Part 1

Freddy and I met in November of '07 by what some would call a “fluke”… An old friend from college e-mailed me asking to do her a HUGE favor… She’d been talking to a guy she met on-line and they were just about to exchange their contact information when her “free week trial” ran out… Frantically, she e-mailed every single friend she had hoping someone would sign up with her as a referral giving her 3 extra days on the site… She e-mailed me a few times before I finally agreed to sign up… “Only weird people date on-line!” I thought to myself as I quickly filled out the bare minimum on the site… 

By plugging in my name and e-mail I was automatically given a free week trial myself… Having recently moved across the country from Idaho to Chicago all because of a broken heart, I was in no state and had no desire to be swept off my feet by one of the “charmers” that the website boasted… Maybe I was being idiotic, but the older gentleman who had a tropical bird on his shoulder in every picture and the 4’9” unemployed jockey weren’t exactly the men of my dreams that I’d been looking for… I ended up letting four days go by on my free week trial before I found myself bored to tears one late afternoon at work… 

That afternoon I found myself perusing the dating site and was surprised to find a few cute guys living in my area… Quickly, I completed my profile with a new resolution to wait and see what this “free week” might bring… so… Internet dating was still for weirdos… but I  was finding there was something to be said about “shopping” for a boyfriend on-line!

Later that day I got an e-mail from Freddy. A tall, cute Asian guy who happened to be on a free week trial as well… within a couple days we had exchanged e-mails and a couple of weeks later found ourselves at the local Starbucks meeting each other for the first time in person. Having seen enough episodes of “Unsolved Mysteries” I secretly dragged along my two roommates and had them camp out on the other side of the café making sure I would ONLY be receiving free coffee that day… Our planned 1 hour coffee date turned into 4 hours (much to my roommates chagrin) and rolled into months of the most beautiful relationship we've ever been blessed to have!

Freddy is everything I am not. 

He is Chinese and urban. I am white and suburban. 

He has a doctorate and 1 sister… I spent my post college career traveling the world and have 8 siblings. 

He likes his clothes baggy. I likes mine fitted. 

He is laid back… I tend to "spaz" out. 

But- We somehow are able to strengthen each other's faith, hearts and dreams! 

We are opposites in so many ways, and yet we are the perfect fit. 

Freddy loves Hannah... and Hannah loves Freddy. 

And that, Lovelies, is how it all began... 

Stay tuned for the best engagement story you've ever heard on Thursday!!!

Smooches-

Hans

5 for 5: Hannah's five reasons this week was woderful.

1. 80 degrees and sunny in Chicago... what!?!?!?

2. This quote found on Pinterest...

3. Which made me think of this picture.... ba-less the Hubs heart for marrying such a crazy girl!

4. This face... so. stinkin'. cute. can. not. handle.

5. China baby!!!

all images not my own are courtesy of pinterest

It's been a good week for moi! And how was yours?

Luf u-
Hans

I love him so much I could just squish him

We were slow dancing in the living room the other night (I instigated) and I was subtly dropping (aka simultaneous glaring and pouting) hints to Kristopher to be more romantic, by recounting about how on all these blogs that I see the girls husbands write them notes and spontaneously buy them their favorite coffee  or leave them flowers on the windshield even when its not a special occasion...
So Kristopher breaks from my tender loving (you'd-better-take-me-on-a-midnight-picknik-or-I-will-freak-out) embrace, writes this note, and hands it to me:

Happy Valentine's Day!

The weekend... in review....

After an insanely busy week running from work... to class... to work... to more work....

The Hubs and I ran into a weekend full of plans and more plans... we had a blast.... but come Sunday night.... the two of us found ourselves crumpled on the couch.... barely able to move.... and longing for nothingness..... and then.... the Hubs.... he said the most precious thing....

"Even when all I want to do is be completely alone... I still want you there...."

can.
NOT.
even.
handle.
his. cuteness.....






Just what I needed to end a fabulously full weekend...

how could you not kiss a face that cute?!?!?

and.... how was yours?