Here's to You, Dessa/ Tuffy

I have long wanted to blog one of my favorite couples of all time, Tessa and Duffy. Not only are they dang-cute and a striking pair, they are what I call a traveling party! Extemely complimentary of each other in more ways than one, this couple has it all: creativity, giggles, good looks, intelligence, enthusiasm, excellent and well-versed conversation, and a genuity that is unmatched. To know them is to love them. I can't think of any activity that wouldn't be ten times more fun with this pair!

Wishing you the best, here's to the cutest couple in the Bubble!

Well it Ain't Brain Surgery

So for Ben's birthday, I bought him surprise tickets to Jim Gaffigan, arguably the funniest comedian alive. It was so genius! We've been watching the tivo-ed show of his just about every week since March. We were excited to go see him and loved the
show. So did Tessa and Duffy - I was glad they came too.

Afterwards, the announcer came on and said, "Jim Gaffigan will be signing DVDs in the upper level balcony following the show." I said to Ben, "oh yes! Honey, we
have to get a picture with him, how funny and great would that be?" But Ben
said it'd probably be really crowded and not really worth our wait. So I
agreed and we headed for the exit. Being seated pretty close to the doors, I
was the first person to exit our section, and I nearly hit Jim Gaffigan
himself with the door as I flung it open!
WOWEE! So being the go-getter I am, (thank you mom), I asked him if we could be
first to get a picture. The rent-a-cops looked questioning and dumb-founded, but
Jim said okay and I asked one of the security guards to take a picture. Cause
c'mon, "It ain't brain surgery!" (but obviously she doesn't know how to take a
picture)


So how awesome! If you haven't heard his shtick, go rent it, or watch for it on
Comedy Central. Beyond the Pale is a great and memorable routine! Thanks for the laughs Jim! (by the way, he really IS pale)

Greatest day of my life!

So this afternoon... I got home from running some Saturday errands, and waiting for me was... my Degree! Some of you may know just how long I've been waiting for it... I threw a party! I made my roommate take a picture immediately! I danced all around the house. "I love today!" I thought to myself.

Then, later that night, Ben picked me up to go to dinner, and when I opened the door, there he was, wearing a shirt and tie and holding the most beautiful arrangement of roses and lilies. Cute! He made me swear to keep my eyes closed as he drove to dinner.
The evening was so beautful, when we pulled up to La Caille I was stunned at how pretty it was. It was a really nice night, but sorta cold as we started walking around the paths there. I had a thought he may propose, but I didn't think it would be before dinner. After we'd made one lap, I looked at him and said, "well, shall we go in? you're kinda cold I can tell." Ben was unresponsive, shivering, and staring blankly off into space. hmm... So we started taking another lap. He walked us over to a quiet spot on the water, and sat me down to face him. He just stared at me for a while, speechless, motionless, our faces pretty close - and then I knew it was coming.

He gave me a sweet little speech - got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him! The whole time I was wide-eyed, giggling, and grinning from ear to ear. I said YES and he gave me the most beautiful ring. We stood up to hug and I could hardly contain myself, I started squealing and hopping in place exitedly... (scared the ducks from the water, and the other people walking around)

It was the perfect proposal - he was so cute! When we went inside for dinner, the waitress came over and said, "so how are you this evening?" My response, "We just got engaged, right out there!" : ) I couldn't keep it in of course, hello! Scream it from the rooftops, right? The chef prepared an appetizer for us, a bottle of 'bubbly', and then chocolate-dipped strawberries with a lit firework inside (wow) for dessert. It was such a fun night.

Here is a picture from after dinner -

And here is a picture of us after we'd gotten back from dinner. I tried to hold the camera close enough to get both of us and the ring. I said, "okay, this time, kiss me" but Ben kind of looks asleep. No matter, I was most set on getting the ring in the shot. Taryn sent me a text this morning that said, "how long have you been staring at your ring" - well, let's just say I have trouble sleeping and I am pretty slow in responding to people when they're talking to me, "oh, what? wait, I'm sorry"


We've chosen November 10th for our wedding day, in the Salt Lake temple. We'll have a small family/friends dinner that evening at the 23rd Floor of the Wells Fargo building downtown, complete with candles, toasting, Sinatra, and dancing! I am really excited to finish all the planning - although I feel a bit rushed with only 54 days to go. www.mywedding.com/laurenandben/

Most of all, I LOVE my sweet Ben and am really excited to get married. After all these years of dreaming of weddings, my future family, and a manly husband (tee hee hee : ), I've found my perfect match, and I'm so glad he chose me back!

My long-awaited degree AND a proposal in the same day? - this was arguably the GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!

Nannying Mushers

Here are the mushers I've been nannying this weekend. Ben's sister and her hubby went away for their anniversary, and I thought it'd be fun to offer to watch them. I was right! They are mushers! We've had such a blast... yummy pizza from the Pie last night, baths, storytime... and today, Saturday morning cartoons, cereal, hose fights, tots and frozen chicken dinosaurs for lunch, and then a trip to the playplace @ "Ol' MacDonalds" (Gabe calls it this, so we sang the song all the way there!) Gabe is 3 and Jed is almost 2. They're so energetic!
One more funny... Gabe's dad Tyler got a great deal on a flatbed trailer the other day, and today in the car, Gabe says, "we freakin stole that trailer" omg guys, hilar! he's 3!

Hermana Estimson

I haven't blogged my sister yet... bless her. My older sister Lindsey is on a mission, only about 12 weeks out. She's in Guatemala, currently serving about 6 hours from the city, a rural jungle-like place that seems full of tree-houses. She write us hilarious emails about the chicken/rooster fights that take place in the middle of the family room, in the middle of a discussion. Hilar! She is so darling, and writes such wonderful things home to us. It truly is a blessing to have a missionary out, as much as we really miss her.



Here is a quotation from Joseph Smith, in 1840 from Nauvoo:

"Love is one of the chief characteristics of Deity, and ought to be manifested by those who aspire to be the sons of God. A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race. This has been your feeling, and caused you to forego the pleasures of home, that you might be a blessing to others, who are candidates for immortality, but strangers to truth; and for so doing, I pray that heaven's choicest blessings may rest upon you."

Coming soon to a showchoir near you

THE unicorn shirt is coming soon... due to popular demand. Stay tuned

I have a boyf

So I can't believe I forgot to 'blog' Ben... after all we've been through! : ) Don't tell him I haven't blogged him yet, ok?

Well, in a nutshell, Ben's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Now I know why all my friends got married. Before, I was bewildered... "What? You found someone who wants to laugh with you, love you, take care of you forever and ever, and you actually like him back? Not possible. Everything all in one boy? No way."

But I've fallen victim. To quote Will Ferrell in his most hilarious skit on his SNL dvd, "I've been bit by the love bat... and it's Driving Me MAD!"

Each day is better and better, and hopefully, someday not too far away, it'll jump a thousand steps ahead in just one day.
Here we are... do you love us?

Born my to unicorn?, wait, what?

The deal with the pic is that I was trying to post a photo on my blog page... but it turned into a post of it's own... gotta figure that out.

This pic was taken inside Urban Outfitters in Denver, Co, at one of THE most fantastic malls ever built. Don't ask Abby how good of a time she had there!

The shirt actually says, "Born to be my Unicorn" although it took us a while to figure out the order of the words. I liked the shirt but not enough to spend $30+ on it... plus, I already HAVE a unicorn shirt, hello!

Blythe asked..."is that a ring on your hand?" well, yes. but not "a" ring. I was just practicing, tee hee hee. The pic is from Niki's wedding back in May.

And no fear, when I DO get a ring, trust me, there'll be a much better picture of it! : )

I outsmarted the system

So I'm logging on with another mindless blog - but it's this week's excitement, and I simply have to share. For about a year now, I've been looking for the perfect flatware. (forks, spoons, kinves, etc - place settings)
Being the queen of "e-window shopping" - I would argue that I reached the end of the web in the lengths of my search. My requirements: 18/10 stainless steel, forged, 16 settings, heavy-weight and anything but retro-modern. Oh, and my budget was considerably low. I'd done my homework, searched high and low, and would even open boxes and feel the pieces I found locally, Costco, Targ, Meier and Frank, Potterybarn ($$$).
"What exactly am I looking for?" was the question I kept asking.
Well, one day, I found a fabulous set. Heavy weight, beautiful lines, good scale, unique, with the perfect classic style and even feminine hints.

One small problem.
It was online at Williams-Sonoma.com, and at $38 for 1 place setting. I wanted 16. Do the math - no wait, DON'T do the math... ahh! $608 and all my dreams would come true? I don't think so.
So I continued to browse. Every site I could google - from the online powerhouses like overstock.com and smartbargains.com, down to the hole-in-the-wall shops (if you will).
And low and behold - I found the EXACT Williams-Sonomie "exclusively ours" pattern for a steal! Instead of $38 per setting, I paid $14! Sight-unseen, I signed-in and checked-out, my fingers crossed the whole time. (I even got free shipping! what?!)
So now, after waiting patiently, the Retroneau Laurel pieces are safely in my kitchen. They are a perfect size, a perfect weight (so important! absolutley hate flimsy tin flatware), stunning in person, and unique.

(the same - the same I tell you! amazing!)

Thus proves these age-old proverbs, if I may quote a few... "thing things worth having a worth waiting/working hard for"... and... "it pays to shop around!"

Now to find the perfect drawer/storage/utensil divider/organizer.......

Full Canine Property Ownership

Here is my logo! It's my baby. Well, I didn't create it all on my own, but I'm claiming "full canine property ownership", "and enforcing said ownership... right now." (I LOVE elle woods)

Our letterhead, envelopes, business cards, etc., went to press today. Only a few more weeks and the website will be finished too. Stay tuned!

Working Girl

Early this month I started a new job coordinating the Utah Scholars program. I'm working with an office full of rising stars - the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Board of Regents. It feels great to finally be in a field where I can use my degree , and it feels even better to be a part of such a great cause. Go to utahscholars.org to learn more. (I'm working on the website now, it should be up by early September)
Here is my advice, now a seasoned veteran with 1 year of work under my belt: "If you have to be full-time, be sure it's something you love!"

I'm on the Blogwagon

This marks the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Me and my blog.
Makes me think of that jingle for the toy "My buddy":

My friend Heidi is a bloggin fool - I'll attribute her with my catching the Blog Fever!