All of this news about the royal engagement has me thinking about proposals. They are usually such fun, joyful stories to hear and to tell, and what I love is that each one is so unique. What's your engagement story?

How's that for a crooked picture of a picture? ;) Professional photog here.

Our own engagement happened nine years ago (!) on a freezing night in November. We were still in college (!!) so after class one Friday Steve picked me up and we drove over an hour to an absolutely magical Christmas village. I had told him before that for some reason (probably based on some cheesy commercial or movie I had seen at some point!) I always had these visions of a proposal outside in the winter. It just seemed so cozy and romantic. I had my suspicions about what might go down that night since 1. The horrific traffic didn't seem to phase Steve in the slightest and 2. He was humming "if you like it then you should've put a ring on it" (Beyonce's big hit back in 2008) under his breath. 

It was the first night this village would be lit up for the holidays, so the place was crazy crowded and the nice restaurant Steve had planned on taking me was completely booked. It worked out how it was supposed to, though: After walking around admiring the lights for a while we got a seat in the coziest tavern, ironically named Hart's Tavern. After we ordered our drinks (sodas and spiked hot chocolates) I excused myself to the restroom. When I came back to the table, we were holding hands and talking when he slipped the ring on my finger (and, of course, said some lovely things that made me cry). It all happened so quickly that, although I thought he might propose that night, I had no idea it was going to happen right then, and it really did catch me by surprise. 

Fellow diners congratulated us and we ate some complimentary cake on the house while I sniffled and smiled like a mad woman. On the way home that night, we called our friends and family to share the news!

Here are some other fun facts about our engagement:

+ I was 21 years old

+ Steve didn't get down on a knee

+ We skipped class on a whim one day to ring shop (sounded like more fun) -- I was literally wearing sweatpants at Bailey Banks & Biddle. Ha!

+ The woman who sold Steve my engagement ring gave him the idea of where to propose (I guess he told her my vision, and she suggested this place!)

+ We have gone back to this village every. single. year. since then (it was our very last date before having C, I was VERY pregnant and a photo there served as my 9 month pic)

+ The restaurant Steve was going to take me to (the one that was booked) was called the Cock and the Bull -- needless to say, I'm glad that in repeating our story time and time again I get to say Hart's Tavern instead. ;)

So now it's your turn. If you're engaged or married, I'd love (really really love!) to know how it went down. How did he or she propose (or did you propose)? I can't wait to hear!

Such babies, I can barely stand it!

5 Gifts for the Person Who Has Everything

Happy Friday, and happy December! 

To kick off the most wonderful time of the year, I'm sharing my first holiday gift guide (!!!) and linking up for Five on Friday. I wanted to start off with five ideas for the person who has everything, who you buy for year after year and are running out of ideas for (maybe your spouse or a parent), or for the person who is just plain hard to shop for. ;)

1. A canvas.

I've ordered a bunch of canvases from Easy Canvas Prints before (not sponsored, promise!) and have had great experiences. A canvas is a great gift for the person who has it all, because it's such a high-quality way to preserve something meaningful for them, whether it's a family photograph or a picture of their favorite place in the world. It can be any size (I have everything from 8x8 squares to one of their largest sizes) and can be hung or propped anywhere: home or office.

2. An experience.

For the person who has everything, check out Groupon's "Things to Do" section (again, not sponsored -- just a happy customer). One of my favorite gifts I ever got anyone was for Steve several years back: a helicopter flying lesson. He absolutely loved it and it was just a cool experience. There are so many cool options on Groupon for great prices, from sports car racing to wine tasting to helicopter tours of cities and more.

3. A charitable donation.

For the person who has everything or who might be extraordinarily picky, dig into what they feel most passionate about and advocate for and make a charitable donation to the cause in their name. It will show thought and care, and will positively impact someone else. Good for everyone involved!

4. Handwriting jewelry.

This would be great for the sentimental loved one -- a parent, best friend, special aunt. These custom bracelets (here is an example of a shop that makes them) take the handwriting of someone special and turns it into keepsake jewelry. How cool is that?

5. A mini-trip.

Personally, I would love this! Instead of an item, this would be a day trip, an afternoon out, an overnight trip. It could be lunch out, followed by a movie and coffee. It could be a trip to a nearby city, admission to a museum, and dinner. Quality time is definitely my love language, so I think this would make a great idea for a spouse or even a parent or friend who you'd love to spend more time with.

I hope this helped get your wheels turning for the tough-to-shop-for person in your life! Sometimes it's all about thinking outside the (gift)box. ;) Have a great weekend, friends!