Bring on the canned ravioli, we're coming to Santa Cruz for one last hurrah before we throw vows at each other!

Hi,
Dear wedding party members and friends of the greater bay area. We are coming to Santa Cruz!
I am flying into the bay area for work on Tuesday the 9th of june and staying up there until Thursday June 11th. I will need to sleep on someones floor in Santa Cruz on that Thursday night and then I will be working at my old Santa Cruz store on Friday the 12th. Michael will fly in on Friday afternoon and we will be all yours fri night, sat & sun. We fly home on Monday from San Jose around noon. So lets make plans to: fight, drink, eat, eat, lay down, fight, and once again, show Michael the underbelly our my home town! Please let me know of any ideas you guys have for activities. I definitely want to take him to Loch Lomond one day for fishing and a sun burn and also get him drunk as an H-peep at the beach one day. Lyd and Sarah may be planning some version of a bridal shower which will probably involve costumes and sword tricks. We should also go to the flea market and shop for more wedding accoutrement. I CANT WAIT!!!
IT IS ON!
-Melissa cent

Whats new pussy cat....

1. We had a pork chop with Scooter & Leann and Michael showed them everything in our house.

2. I am working on ANOTHER wedding site for the out of town guests because I think this one will be tough to navigate. This one is our little wedding party exclusive for me to cuss and stuff. The other one is more "aunt/uncle oriented". It will just say like where to stay and where to eat pizza and where to go if you want to eat hot dogs. I will post it when we get it set up.

3. We are going to Santa Cruz in June!! There is rumor of a costume party which I am excited about.

4. Our wedding shower in Appleton is this weekend and I have no Idea what to wear. Michael and I talk about what were going to wear a lot. It is like we think we are models.

5. I am having a really hard time deciding on what to do with the centerpieces for the reception, it is kind of driving me out of my mind. Let me know if you have any ideas. I am somewhat leaning towards baby's breath and carnations.

Other than all that, things are still remarkably calm on the mid-western front. I will talk to you all soon,
Love
Melis

Ding Ding Ding, Alert!

Believe it or not, we have a wedding coming up! about 120 days until were all raising our glasses to glorious matrimony!
Things are going great for us, really busy as usual. Lydia and Mike bought their flights out for the wedding so we know for sure at least 2 people will be attending. Michael and i are looking forward to our wedding shower which Erin & Shannon and Mommy Hurley are planning for us at the end of may. Also, were excited about having din-din with Scooter and Leann this next weekend. This is starting to sound like a Christmas family report letter. Anyways, We are really getting pumped up for the wedding and hope you are all starting to plan your trip out. Rememeber to call the Hotel I blocked off and resererve yourselves some rooms. Also, I have bee mentioning to people that flights are really cheap on southwest right now if you are flying in. Hope you are all doing great, I will post something exciting soon!
Melissa

I need feedback!

Hey peeps,
I have a few questions:
1. Did you get our email about the hotel stuff?
2. Whatduyouthink? will you be booking a room, do you need me to pair you up with other rowdy wedding party folks? do you have questions? whats the word?
3. Michael and I will be staying at the Days Inn on Fri and Sat so we can be chummy with you all.

Hope you are all doing really good. Michael and I are damn good. Little old April is turning out to be a busy month. Besides the wedding planning going on we have friends from Germany wisitting our willage next week, I am going to cali for 3 days, Ma and Pa Hurley are coming to visit on easter...(any other Hurleys want to come with? we may go to Club Lucky) and of course we are working like mayan slaves.
Anyways, miss you all, talk to you soon!
MP

Ryan Hurley...come on down!!!

Ryan is now a contributor. Get ready. He is in college so get ready for some fancy scholar stuff...

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

Say CHEESE!!!

We have a photographer for our wedding!

It is official! I hope you are all ready to pose for the fantastic Renny Rhanor, our talented photographer. Thank you Lydia for hooking us up with Renny.. you win the bridesmaid of the month trophy for sure (don't worry ladies, there are 6 more months to take this prized position)! Renny was raised in Illinois but lives in California, so she represents the mid-west & Cali peeps! Renny is going to try to attend the bachelor/bachelorette party as well as a way to capture you all in a shameful state of beligerence.

Below: a few samples from Renny Rhanor Photography:

(you will recognize the red head- Lydia, and Mike -bridesmaid & groomsmen-below)

<---Renny, herself!!!!

see more at: http://flickr.com/photos/29932413@N06/sets/72157607735769966/

Klingon to this...

Sarah drives a pink valiant, she did hit a fire hydrant when she was a new driver at 16, she calls all liquids "juice" including booze! She DOES NOT have Melissa's favorite animal tattooed on her because she is a lousy best friend.

Ryan is addicted to Nick's Italian Ice and will drive 5 1/2 hours to get it. He actually does wear a size 15 shoe. He was a tmnt for halloween...I believe it was Leonardo. He never got into Barbies, just My Pretty Pony...JK :)

Lydia is polish royalty! She is getting her PHD right now and she was born in Louisiana! Yeehaw! She makes Mike Dye her hair red evey six weeks or so...Oh Marriage!!!

Buck was a BMX superstar, he drinks the shit out of Bells, he owns his own carpentry business. Buck hates spoons.

more trivia to come.....





P.s. New wedding theme idea that we are considering:

Done...and done.

We decided to stick to what we know: being old. This is our engagement party costumes. Get ready to bite your fist, hide the kitten in the shower and blame Larry, because the Ropers are coming!

additionally....

So many warnings here!

1. Just because the bride is tipsy, you may NOT suggest elaborate escape plans for the groom.

2. Just because the groom is tipsy (and incredibly good looking), you may not whisper sweet nothings in the grroms ear.

3. Michael: Just because the bride looks a little drunk and like a sorta slutty muppet, you may not plan an escape or be persuaded to take our hoopty vehicle on an all groomsmen escape to Mexico.

also,

I live in Chicago now, so dont expect to see me dabbling with a few hors d' ouerves.

und!

Groomsmen: Please know that even though there are 7 of you and 1 of me, I am mighty and my feet are large. Let's just say you better not wear pleat front pants..