Bridesmaids Unite!

Hello all,

I've highjacked the blog again, this time to make space for bridesmaid-related chatter. As you should know, Melissa sent out an email a few days ago with details about the ridiculously cute dress we get to buy. (I think we should have reunions every year and all wear the dresses, martini stains and all.) If you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to do so. I can say from experience that the picture doesn't come close to capturing its beauty. 

Jim Hjelm

Style # 5753

Color: Black

http://www.jlmcouture.com/Jim-Hjelm/Bridesmaid/Additional/Style-5753

In addition, we need to get gold shoes. I was pretty excited and couldn't wait. I found some really sweet dancin' shoes at shoesteal.com for $39.99. This is a little pricey but I'm planning on wearing them everyday. Take a look:

http://www.shoesteal.com/Shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?p=EC1072001&pg=5054729

Post here as you find yours!

xoxo,

Lydia

After several days of recovery, We are ready to report on the party.....

Every night since the engagement party, either Michael or I have looked at the other one and said: That was a really great party (I usually say "awesome" instead of great, but whatever)! We feel like we hit the jackpot of engagement parties. There were several components to the magic that made the night so spectacular but the most important was definitely the "cast and crew". The costumes were off the hook outrageous and the fact that people bought us food, booze, and gifts reinstated our faith in how classy our friends are. Not to mention the fact that 3 of them flew over 2000 miles for us, 4 drove all the way from Wisconsin and a bunch more stormed the border up from Indiana. It was especially heartwarming to see how almost immediately my best friends had their arms around Michael's best friends necks and were almost claiming ownership over his people, similarly Michael's best friends and family lovingly embraced the Cali crew and I overheard many Wisco-Cali heart-to-hearts happening. What can we say, it was a bit of a love fest.

Michael and I are a little solitary down here in Chicago, and being away from friends and family is rough. As you all have seen, Michael and I are excessively in love so we make due on one another's company but we both miss our friends and family a lot everyday. This party was the best illustration of the fact that nothing changes, friends remain ridiculously loyal no matter how far time or travel takes you from them. Jello shots helped too.

The glory of the engagement party also indicated something that Derick mentioned in a recent post: The wedding weekend is going to be better than any TV show you have ever seen. The wedding itself, the bachelor/ette activities on the Friday and everything in between should most likely be the best weekend any of us have had in a long time. I cant wait to be reunited with you all for more mayhem and glory.

Thanks again to all of you who made it to be with us, and for those of you who missed it, we missed you a lot but have to make you eat 8 jello shots and do an extra hard Karaoke song at the bachelor/ette party in September!! That way you can catch up on the "I don't remember doing that?" factor that you may have missed out on at the engagement party.

P.s. Giant pink panties for 4.99, what a rip off!!!

Love
Melissa & Michael

the ropers

bla bla bla

On October 16th 2008, Michael and I boarded a flight together to California. The flight was full so we were unable to sit together. Michael shouted as we boarded: "I will pay anyone twenty dollars to let me sit next to my girlfriend". No takers. So Michael went to the back of the plane and had a few drinks with the flight attendants. After an hour and a half I heard a mans voice come over the loud speaker: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard 374 to Oakland, California. I have a question to ask a very special lady..."As I realized it was Michaels voice I looked up and say out loud "oh, my god...something is happening!".. I peered behind my seat and down the isle as Michael appeared at the end of the plane. I was smiling and wide eyed as I stood up and stepped into the isle. Michael met me in the middle of the plane, got down on a knee and asked me to marry him. He put a little metal vodka bottle ring around my finger. I cried, all the passengers clapped. Luckily, we got to sit together after that. The flight attendants told us it happened somewhere over Salt Lake City, Utah and we got a bottle of champagne from the flight crew. It was the best day of my life.

Engagement Party!!!

Hi everyone!

This is Lydia, the maid of less honor than Sarah, and I thought I would make a cameo on the blog. So far its going well, thanks for asking. I haven't used even one fucking cuss word or told any of Melissa's secrets. (Two words: chicken tenders)

I just wanted to say that I can't wait to meet all of you that are coming to the engagement party I'm throwing this weekend at Melissa and Michael's house and I apologize in advance for all the offensive shit I'm sure to say. Sarah is also coming and we've got an activity planned that should be great. I also wanted to remind you that we are trying to put together the bachelorette party (looks like Michael's got the bachelor party handled). If you have any ideas I'd love to hear them!

See you soon, Chicago!!!

xoxo,

Lydia 

Manly Things

Fellas,

It's time to start preparing ourselves for my bachelor party. I have a couple of ideas to make it a unique experience. First off, let's sweat any alcohol out of pores from the night before and open them up for more abuse. Check out the following link for a true Russian/Turkish bath house...

http://www.chicagorussiansauna.com/

I checked it out to make sure it was not your typical young man's bath house and we're safe. This is full of Russian mafia men and they will not tolerate any of that horseplay.

Next we need to do what all men need to do...compete. Bumper cars mixed with hand scoops and wiffle balls is the sport known as WhirlyBall.

http://whirlyball.reachlocal.com/

This should be a great start to celebrate my happiness of marriage to Melissa with my homies. Let me know what you think and I'm sure my brother will appreciate any feedback.

Better start practicing your WhirlyBall...I will be picking teams so that I win. Please reply with your skill rating.

TURTLE POWER!!!

Today, Michael took me on a date. Here is what we did:
-We went to Ferrera Pan candy company and bought 250 Lemonheads for part of the wedding favors.
-We went to Blommer Chocolate and bought $30 worth of chocolate and old timey candy.
-We went to the lake and looked at the snow floating on the lake (weird).
-We drove through the ghetto (which didn't look that ghetto)
-We went to china town and MICHAEL bought me a pet TURTLE!!!!!!

He is the size of a silver dollar and very gentle and sweet. He didn't bite me when I transferred him into his luxurious new terrarium.
We don't know what to call him though.We are asking for help coming up with a name. Below are some ideas we cam up with... Let us know which one you like the best so the turtle doesn't have to go on feeling like a nameless orphan.

1. Floaty
2. T-Rod
3. Big Ern
4. Gator

Cast your votes!!!
Love,
Melissa, Michael, Oliver and the nameless turtle.

Two weeks and counting!!!

Michael and I are pretty damn stoked. To our great pleasure, A LOT of you will be attending the engagement party! My 2 best friends are going to come out from California..Lydia (AKA Inspector Gadget) and Sarah (AKA Cher). Derrick and Buck have confirmed that we will be enjoying their fine company. We got Shannon, Erin & Josh rolling in from Wisconsin and Santa Cruz and Rick is coming up from Naperville. That is 8 out of 14 bridesmaids and groomsmen, thats pretty good considering how far apart we all are. As mentioned in the evite, you are welcome to crash at our place for the party, but please bring a sleeping bag or some sort of blanky. If you are afraid of catching body lice or getting puked on at the slumber party, I can give you all some hotel options.
Question: If you are coming, please describe your costume.
If you are not coming, why? what is better than hanging with the Ropers?

Keep on Truckin'

Come and Knock on our door, weve been waiting for you....


We scored so hard. I love illinois. We got a whiskey barrel couch, bar, bar stools,barrel chairs, 2 end tables and a coffee table for 400 bucks. The couple we bought it from have been storing it. It belonged to her parents and as she mention "saw a lot of parties in the 70's". We have a few additions to add, including but not limited to: my wall lasso, johnny cash sketch, spuds lamp, grape lamp (sorry Erin & Shannon, keep me out of this family fued), and of course, afe of my vintage shot glasses. All we are missing is a room full of drunk people!!!


Mustard nawgahyde whiskey barrel chairs.. NOT available at Bed Bath and Beyond.



Oliver makes a mean screwdriver...who drinks sdrewdrivers anyways, I think just homeless people.




the nawgahyde leather eagles says "classy, all the way"

this couch weighs about 4.3 thousand pounds... according to Michael and the neighbor kid..I carried the stools up.

We apologize for the lack of posting lately.

Here are our excuses:

1. We are trying to plan a wedding.

2. We are trying to plan an engagement party (have you R.S.V.P'd yet bro?)

3. We bought a new bar. I will post pics.

4. I have been busy with work. One of my stores will be on the WCIU news on thursday! I am trying to decide if I will be our spokesperson, I have a terrible cold and germs are not fashionable.

5. Michael is working his butt off trying to sell gadgets and complete our bar.

6. It is cold outside (I use that excuse pretty much for everything.)

7. Hockey..?





.....But there have been some advancements in the wedding plans!



1. Tomorrow night we are going to Club Lucky to pick up the matches for the favor boxes and decidi on linens, how many tables, etc. AND...having a cocktail together of course.



2. We ordered the custom shot glasses for the party favor boxes.



and other boring details.....I thought it was worth writing about, but its making me fall asleep so I cant imagine how much this much suck for you...
Anyways,

For the groomsmen and bridesmaids: We will be posting important info in the next few weeks about lodging, tuxes and bridesmaids dresses and other stuff that we need to plan for SOON!

aghhhh, I need Nyquil.
stay tuned for more riveting blogging....
-MP & MH