Cool Website

HEMA is a Dutch department store. The first store opened on November 4, 1926, in Amsterdam . Now there are 150 stores all over the Netherlands . HEMA also has stores in Belgium, Luxemburg, and Germany . In June of 2007, HEMA was sold to British investment company Lion Capital. Take a look at HEMA's product page. You can't order anything and it's in Dutch but just wait a couple of seconds and watch what happens. This company has a sense of humor and a great computer programmer.

Stressed?

Do you ever have one of those days where you just need to get rid of some stress? I am having one of those days right now. Rather than punching a hole in the wall or breaking dishes you might want to check out this link. http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf

Unbelievable Math Problem

Here is a math trick so unbelievable that it will stump you.
Grab a calculator. (you won't be able to do this one in your Head)

1. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the Area code...)
2. Multiply by 80
3. Add 1
4. Multiply by 250
5. Add to this the last 4 digits of your phone number
6. Add to this the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
7. Subtract 250
8. Divide number by 2
Do you recognize the answer ??

Does anyone know how or why this works? I can usually figure these types of things out, but this one has me stumped!

Happy Anniversary!

May 19th is our 2 year wedding anniversary.

This also means that I have been blogging for the last 2 years since I started blogging with our wedding pictures.

While not all moments are made for taking pictures, here are some of the moments that we did take pictures throughout our relationship. In the past 2 years we have learned a lot - both about each other and from each other. Today I am happy to say that I am married to my best friend. Some people think we are complete opposites and in some ways we are, but I like to think that we complement each other and that we have each expanded our horizons and learned new and exciting things because of each other.

You know how I feel about taking pictures - take many and take them often. I have to say, that I narrowed this post from 37 pictures down to 18. Not that I am obsessed with seeing pictures of myself, but I think it is interesting to see how people change over a period of time. As I look through these pictures I realize how happy I have become. Not that I wasn't happy before, but it's a different kind of happy - a feeling of true contentment and being truly comfortable with who I am. (Yet the pictures also remind me that I could hop on the treadmill a few times a week). Anyway, I consider myself truly blessed to be married to someone who loves me despite my flaws - someone who can make me laugh at the most unexpected moments- someone who will dance with me even though we look kind of goofy - someone who can forgive my shortcomings and who also asks for forgiveness. I am sure we have a lot more to figure out about marriage, but one thing is for sure. We are committed to figuring it out together over the next 60 years or so. =)

February 2004 - We were just dating for about 2 months at this point. It's always a little awkward taking your first picture together.

Summer 2004

Fall 2004

February 2005

Summer 2005

Summer 2005 - We are just recently engaged

Thanksgiving 2005

Our official engagement picture - 2006

Building our house - spring 2006

Our Wedding - May 19, 2006

Honeymoon in Jamaica - May 2006

Summer of 2006 - I think this is the last time Den got a haircut. :)

Spring of 2007

Summer 2007 - White Sox Game

Fall 2007 - being goofy

November 2007 - In Rome

January 2008

May 2008 - married for 2 years....

Allie - Vassev Wedding

Saturday, May 17, 2008 - Today was my pseudostep-sister's Wedding. Andrea and Pavel were married in DeKalb at Northern Illinois University where they met and went to school together for physical therapy. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was wonderful. With live music, a scrumptious dinner, an elaborate sweets table, and lots of family and friends (not to mention awesome weather) it was a perfect day. We had a great time at the wedding. It was a nice way to spend the weekend of our anniversary.

The new Mr. & Mrs. Vassev - Congratulations Andrea and Pavel!

Sonya: the sister-of-the-bride / maid of honor getting ready for the wedding.

Father of the bride (Dave) and Grandmother of the bride walking down the aisle.

Dave and Andrea - Walking the bride down the aisle.

Andrea and her Grandma right after the wedding.

Mom and Dave

Us

The best, most delicious, assortment of fruit and sweets that I have ever seen or tasted!

Lisa meets a new friend, Justin, at the wedding.

The Girls: From left to right - Julie, Lisa, Mom, Andrea, Sonya

A New Puppy

I know what you're thinking.... - "they got ANOTHER dog?!?!?!" - Well the answer is "No. We didn't." However, our friends Christen and Mark just got a new puppy. Welcome Niko! He is a Siberian Husky with bright blue eyes. We stopped by to say hello last week and took a couple of pictures. He is such a beautiful dog!

A Special Dinner

On Monday, May 12th, I had my Grandma Brewer over for a Mother's Day Dinner. A while ago my Grandma gave me a very very special present. In 1981, my Grandpa bought my Grandma an incredible set of formal silver, which includes service for 12 along with many serving pieces. My Grandpa was killed in an accident when I was only 5 years old. While I have very vivid memories of my Grandpa, I remember him as a lovable and caring man who loved my Grandma and his family very very much. I have been very close to my Grandma all my life and I was extremely honored that she trusted me to give me this silver. As it had never ever been used she told me that she wanted me to use it. I was waiting for the perfect meal to finally take some of the silver out of the case and actually eat with it. Our Mother's Day dinner was just the occasion. Here are a couple of pictures. I look forward to using the silver for many years and passing it down through generations of our family.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms out there. We spent the morning of Mother's Day with my mother-in-law and the afternoon with my mom. Here is a picture of my mom, Grandma Lannon and Grandma Allie. It was a great day to honor their mom-ness and a good time was had by all. :)

Nathan Turns 30!

Happy Birthday to our friend Nathan who turned 30 on May 10th. Being a new daddy, this birthday was definitely a special one. We celebrated by bowling a couple of games and enjoying some deep dish pizza with the rest of his friends. Here is a picture of the happy family at the bowling alley.

Jen, Nathan and Gretchen

Trip to Florida

The first weekend of May, my sister and I went to Tampa, FL to visit our childhood friends Kim and Nikki. Here's a little background on our friendship. When I was 4 and Lisa was 2, we moved to Lansing. Shortly after we moved in, our next door neighbors house was built and Kim and Nikki moved in with their parents. Kim is my age and Nikki is a year younger than Lisa. The 4 of us were the best of friends growing up. We went to school together, played together, and had countless sleepovers. Kim and I joined band and played the clarinet together starting in 4th grade. We had a summer club where we did craft projects, wrote plays, played baseball and kick the can, and went on shopping trips and trips to Great America, Deer Forest, and summer camp. At the beginning of high school, Kim and Nikki moved away to AZ. This was before we had email so we wrote each other letters (on actual paper) and occassionally talked on the phone. They later moved back to Illinois, but not so close by. Kim went to college in Wisconsin and then Pharmacy school in Florida. Nikki went to college in Iowa and is now a nurse in Tennessee. They both came in for my wedding 2 years ago but we haven't seen each other since. For a while now we have been talking about getting together. This spring we finally did it and here are a few pictures from our trip.

SATURDAY - BUSCH GARDENS AND THE MELTING POT

a white tiger

one of my favorite pictures - a bald eagle - he was injured and couldn't fly away, but he was roaming freely around this garden area.

flamingos

baby elephants

a couple of birds - I think they are in love. hehe

a hippo swimming underwater

a very happy alligator

One of the craziest roller coasters at Busch Gardens - Shiek-Rah - we went on it and it was a lot of fun. You fall straight down at a 90 degree angle with your face/stomach heading directly towards the ground. It was a thrill!

Dinner at the Melting Pot - Kim and Nikki on the left, Julie and Lisa on the right. We enjoyed a scrumptious four course meal with a wonderful chocolate fondue dessert.

SUNDAY - SUNSET KEY / SARASOTA - PARASAILING AND BEACH DAY

Kim and Julie on the boat - getting ready to parasail

Lisa and Nikki on the boat waiting to parasail.

After we were done sailing around at 1,000 feet they gave us a few dips in the ocean.

Lisa and Nikki parasailing

Lisa and Nikki - 1,000 feet away - anyone have any scissors? just kidding.

Julie, Kim, Nikki, Lisa, and one of Kim's friends at the beach in Sarasota.
Beach Day was awesome. We were literally at the beach all day - in the ocean and laying out in the sun. Everyone had a great time.

Here is a sandollar that I found in the ocean.

Julie and Kim - enjoying the beach...

Lisa and Kim - enjoying the beach with a glass (cup) of wine....

MONDAY - POOL DAY

After an awesome breakfast, we went back to Kim's house and swam in the pool in her subdivision. Here is Nikki doing a little dance after tossing out the University of Tennessee hat.

Lisa, Kim, Nikki, Julie - here we all are - our last day together before we all head back home.

All in all, we had a wonderful time together and hope to make this an annual get together. While we may all live in 4 different states, we will always be friends and we look forward to staying in touch for years to come.