In a complete and utterly surprising moment of Internet vulnerability I wrote this about myself on my “Blogger” profile…
“I have a lot of titles - like mom and wife and sister, daughter, friend. I’m young and have only recently discovered this about myself after a good 7 years of trying to fast forward my existence into something so much simpler - I forgot to listen to those around me who were gently telling me that it never gets easier. I’m fully devoted to the journey that is my life, with the people who love and support me. My husband, Aaron and our beautiful daughter, Jessica Ranae. I’m not generally so metaphorical, usually very light and humorous - but some times it just needs to be said. I might be awesome and totally able to rock your world but I’m more than the mask I wear.”
posted on April 30, 2007| 9:04 AM EST
Aaron has a background in photography. Did you know that? He used to take Senior Photos, Engagement photos, even do Weddings and the occasional stock-shot of a car or house. He was the apprentice, if you will, of Dave DeJonge for a year and half or so. He took some amazing photos. Photos I love dearly and proudly display around our house.
Which is why he loathes the picture above. I made him do this with me. Made him. When I was 14 or so I would often times go to another Churches youth group and 2 of the leaders were dating. I totally wanted to be these leaders one day so naturally when they brought in a photo they had done at a studio complete with Western Wear and cowboy hats I vowed to myself that one day I would have a photo to boast of just like it.
Only, my boyfriend had a background in photography and didn’t like cowboy fare or Sears portrait studios. 3 strikes against my fantasy. But he loved me and I took full advantage of that fact to try to make this small dream of mine come true.
As you see, he won on the cowboy fare veto. There were no hats involved. But we totally matched otherwise, like siblings. Like look-a-like siblings who shared a kiss between each photo taken. Gross. Double gross, sick even.
He begrudgingly made it through the photo shoot for me but made me promise him we would never have to do that again, which I did promise, and have kept said promise to this day. But then the proofs came back and it was time to order a few prints, if we wanted. I wanted to, I wanted to get wallets and send them to my grandparents and I wanted to order the infamous 8X10 to frame and display on my desk at work.
Obviously you can see where this is going, Aaron might love me, but lets be real here for a minute. There’s no way in hell he was going to let me display a photo of us looking like siblings, without cowboy hats, anywhere within viewing range of a living soul. Not a chance. And the wallets? He still doesn’t like to talk about it, it’s a sore subject here at the Schaap household. I didn’t order any because I wanted to live to see the next sunrise. To enjoy the memory of this awful photo shoot experience years down the road and laugh uncontrollably at my stubborn stupidity and apologize until the day I die that I ever made him go through with something like this.
posted on April 29, 2007| 2:53 PM EST
Summer is on it’s way, but even better - so is Tulip Time which is the beginning of all kinds of festivities and going-on’s around West Michigan.
For instance this Saturday - if you go to Dutch Village off of US-31 in Holland and pay admission you’ll get a season pass for the year for free. This is actually a really great deal. For some reason when I was in high school we always got free tickets to Dutch Village and I went with my best friend every year. Last week I took Jessica to Dutch Village to buy her a dutch costume and eat some lunch. She was enthralled with the ducks and the village.
We will definitely be making a stop there on Saturday.
Blossom Time Festival in Benton Harbor began on April 10 but this weekend seems to be the kick off for the festival.
This Sunday is also the first Allegan Antique Market at the Allegan County Fair Grounds. This goes on every last Sunday of every month through September. We didn’t make it to any last year, unfortunately, but this year? We’re going. Going every time, except for one or two when we’re out of town. Admission is $4 per adult and I assume children over 5 or so, parking is free. We only paid for Aaron and I.
You know how I love dancing? Yeah, I also love antiquing and taking photos of antiques and collecting old photographs. Most of our furniture is from this Bazaar or other antique outlets in general. I love antiques. No, really, I do. Bunches.
Things I’m looking for this year … a large, ornate old frame that I can use to frame an equally large, albeit new, cork board for my kitchen. And some type of Mission-style furniture, desk, buffet, dresser, that we can convert into our bathroom sink station.
So get off your couch and experience the fresh air this weekend!
posted on April 27, 2007| 8:53 AM EST
Aaron doesn’t know it yet but I’m signing us up for a Salsa Dance class through the Holland Area Arts Council. It’s his fault though. Since we bought the trampoline he’s been teaching me all kinds of things having to do with break dancing and skating and we’ve been watching movies on YouTube about break dancing, too. It’s addicting and it makes me want to move.
You might not know this about me but I love to dance. There is no exaggeration going on here, I l-o-v-e to dance. I used to spend hours upon hours in my room dancing in front of a circle shaped mirror that was about 14 inches wide. Weddings, bachelorette party’s and Chicago are serious play time for me, what with all the dancing and music and bass.
Ah, who am I kidding - we have a dance party every day after nap time. iTunes cranks up and Jessica and I frolick and move for about an hour.
Anyway, you should totally sign up to do Salsa with Aaron and I - it’ll begin on June 14 and be a 3 week class from 8-9 pm on Thursdays. We’re pretty much going to rock - you’ve been warned.
posted on April 26, 2007| 5:50 PM EST
I’ve had some pretty awful first kisses with guys. My very first ever, the second guy I kissed was a mess, the vacuum guy, soft lips who would turn out to be gay, I kissed the guy who would become my cousins husband and then her ex, and Aaron and my’s first kiss was - well a little different.
Depending on who read this I’m either going to shock you into praying for me or worry you that I didn’t date around more.
I’ve kissed 7 guys. I won’t tell on Aaron and reveal his number - but I will say you’ll be shocked into praying for him.
I can’t remember the name of the second guy I kissed - but it was in LA on a CRC summer camp thing. And we got caught and had to pick up trash because of it. He also gave me my first hickey - which I took a photo of and have since pasted it into a scrapbook. I’m a little weird like that. I also have a photo of my first zit. Please don’t ask. This is the boy who was a mess and who totally wanted to be my boyfriend. He was a sloppy kisser. I did not want to be his girlfriend.
I’ve talked before about the vacuum and the complete mess that was. So I won’t go into that again. Very bad kisser. Very, Very Bad.
On vacation one year in WA I had a bit of fling, if you will, with the boy who end up being my cousin through marriage. Oddly enough that wasn’t awkward at all. My mom will tell you that on this trip to WA she was ready to drop kick me off the top of a mountain. I was testing out my independence much to her dismay.
On another vacation through the East Coast I met a boy from Ohio - and aside from Aaron he is my fondest memory from my dating parade in high school. He also takes the cake for best kiss before Aaron. I’m not being politically correct here, either - Aaron really is a very good kisser. Well practiced, even. Ohio boy and I dated for a few months - making the trip back and forth to see each other. We wrote letters long hand to each other. It was very sweet sixteen.
Now Aaron and my’s first kiss is a story to tell. So much so that I wrote it out and work that night and kept it in my diary for my kids to read some day. It was that good. And by good, I mean surprising and um … awkward.
We had been on a few dates - one even on my birthday and when he found that out he almost tried to kiss me on the ferris wheel but I wouldn’t have it. Our first kiss happened after spending the day playing around down town, jumping in fountains, getting food, talking to friends. I had this great idea that we should climb a tree in Centennial Park - and Aaron, always being up for this type of adventure, climbs up and helps me get up, too.
We’re sitting in this tree, in the middle of the park, in the middle of the day when the look came - we both knew it was coming. There were branches near our face, so it was looking tricky. But the whole tilt and science of the nose touch worked out well - it was what came afterwards that FORCED me to open my eyes and just watch in complete confusion as to what the hell was going on.
It was like I wasn’t even involved in the kiss. The tornado tongue had been released. No one, ever, had even slightly tried to kiss me like that before and I had absolutely no frame of reference as to how to respond to this. So I just sat there, wide eyed and waited for it to be over. Not kidding here, it was a cyclone in my mouth.
After the kiss I just looked at him like he just told me with complete conviction that he was Jesus, the son of God and was waiting for me to believe him.
I asked him what he just did. Why there was a 5.4 Tornado going through my jaw. He said he wasn’t sure how I kissed so he just resorted to the last person he had kissed and how that went.
Um. Wow. So you’ve kissed someone like that before? And they liked it?
No, they kissed me that way and I thought I’d try it.
Well don’t feel the need to do it again. Ever.
I then got schooled on all the different ways to kiss - you know, the bee sting and the tongue gymnastics. I can assure you this was Aaron’s way of saving face after a bad report on a kiss. He did make up for it though - and then asked me how I liked to be kissed. So I showed him.
And we’ve been practicing ever since.
I don’t know how to end this post. So, uh. Tell me about your worst kiss. I have journals full of this stuff. Seriously. Some one has to have a worthy story here.
posted on April 25, 2007| 10:21 PM EST