Hello all! It's Saturday night at 11 and I am the happiest to be sitting at home in my PJ's. I have been so go-go-go lately that I am relishing some time to just relax! It's been a busy weekend so far, and really fun. Here are the pics to prove it!


Me, Becky and Amy, at my parents house working hard on my wedding invitations


"if everyone works a little, no one works a lot"
Is that ever true! I have awesome friends, it would have taken me forever to do all of this by myself. My Mom also is amazing and is using her graphic design skills to make us really cool invitations.
Here's the ladies hard at work, don't mind Becky's wonkey eye, she was having some contact issues.

Last night I rounded up some friends and went to the Doug Fir to see the Dimes play. I love the Doug Fir, and we meandered over next door to the Jupiter, where we're getting married. They had the tent all set up so we got to see what it looks like. Looks VERY cool and we're even more excited to have our wedding there!

Amy and I

Melissa Jones just moved back from utah so it was fun to have her join us last night too.

I love this one, Rick wasn't ready for the camera and he looks so funny!

My cute friends, Amy, Faith & Brianne

The peace signs come out...

Doesn't Brianne look like she's having the best time ever??

This morning was Jen's baby shower. Those that know me well know I am super responsible, ALWAYS early etc. Jen's shower was at 11, I was co-hosting and was planning on being at Misty's at about 10 to set up food and decorate. I woke up at 10:40! Misty lives in Gresham and I still had to go pick up the cake. I hauled, and was a half hour late. I felt horrible, but no one was mad and in the end it didn't matter too much. I still felt bad, so irresponsible of me! I had my alarm set, but slept right through it! oops!

Here I am enjoying a delicious bagel.

Jen and her cute nephew Nixon

Jen and all her nice gifts.

Cute Jen, only 25 days left!!

Well I'm headed to bed. Rick's at a Bachelor party. Tomorrow we're going to visit his Grandma for a bit then going to start our registry. Fun stuff!

Accomplishments...

Got a wedding dress yesterday that I'm in love with.
Worked all evening with my friends on invitations/announcements.
The Dimes committed to playing my wedding.
Got a family friend to make my cake (for free).
Got a stylin' cake topper.

Not doin' too bad, now am I?

Dimes show

Rick and I met up with Brianne last night to go see the Dimes play a special acoustic set for friends and family at Mississippi Studios. The restaurant attached is delicious (sorta spendy)! We had a good time together as usual.

Can you see all the straws in my drink? There were 8 I think!

Brianne and I after dinner. Notice she has a scarf on? Yeah, that's cause it's been snowing here this weekend. Snow in April in Portland is nearly unheard of. Any way around it, I hate it!

The Dimes

We officially have a photographer so that's good news! Other than that, not much to report!

A nite with the ladies

I love my friends. My new friends, my old friends, all my different groups of friends. When it comes to the friend department I am so overly blessed it might be a little ridiculous. Last night I got together with some of my old friends, some of which I have known since middle school. Makelle just had her 2nd daughter 2 months ago and both Katie and Merrilee are pregnant, 7 weeks apart from each other. Their children are already betrothed :) Poor Amy and I can't relate to all the crazy pregnant stories, but at this point I am quite content to hold my friends' babies for a little bit then go home to a nice quiet house.


Little Ruby sleeping

Ruby & I spending some quality time together

My wonderful friends-Merrilee, Amy, Katie & Makelle

Preggars Merrilee & Preggars Katie

All else is well here. I met my mom this morning to pick out paper and envelopes for wedding invitations. So that is all done, now I just have to figure out what I want them to say and mail them out! If you've been married you know there is hours of insane work that goes into addressing envelopes.
I'm also working on a photographer and a florist so that's good progress too. So much work!
Tonight Rick and I are going to see the Dimes (my favorite local band) play at Mississippi Studios so that will be fun. I am hoping to convince them to play for our wedding.
Stay warm friends, it's freezing here!
Take care, Lauren

Prepare Yourselves...

Ok so after talking to some of our family members we realized a destination wedding is just not doable. We have people that can't afford to do it, and we aren't willing to have our special day without them. It is sort of sad, because we were excited, and we knew you were excited to go somewhere fun, but sometimes things don't work out the way we think they will (am I queen of knowing this, or what?). So after some quick decision making last night we have chosen our wedding date to be Saturday, August 23rd. I have booked the Jupiter Hotel in Portland as the venue for where we will get married and have our reception. I chose this date because it's in between semesters for me, and because a lot of people have to go back to school August 25th, so I am hoping this is an easier date for you people than my alternate date of September 6th. Please do what you can to figure out how to be there and plan accordingly. The Jupiter is a really cool, funky place here in Portland, that Rick and I love. It has 80 funky hotel rooms so if you need a room that night, you can book one. Their website is www.jupiterhotel.com I really hope most of you can make it, but I understand if you can't too. We are going to keep the wedding portion somewhat small and intimate but all will be welcome for the reception. Now the hard stuff begins figuring everything out with only 4 months to plan. Crazy! Needless to say we are VERY excited. Love you all!

Finally, the ring pics

Everyone has been harrassing me for a pic of the ring, and geez people, I have a life (school, work)-remember? So, here you go! I love it. But please keep in mind it is not so easy to take a close up picture of a diamond and have it look as good as it does in real life. The camera takes all the sparkle out! I hope you like it though!

Don't mind my chubby baby hands

Well that's the first thing down in a whole long list of other things to do and plan for. Hopefully we will have a date pinned down here for y'all pretty quick!

Double Trouble!

Finally, after so many long months of waiting, my friend Amber gave birth to her twin boys Kash & Jaxson yesterday! Becky and I spent most of the evening in the hospital with her and I got the chance to spend some time with both boys. Amber and both boys are doing great. Kash had some problems with fluid in his lungs, but by evening was given a clean bill of health and was delivered to Amber's room. Amber was tired and worn out, but she looked great and dove right into all of the joys of motherhood-trying to breast feed two babies at once...I tell ya, she is quite the trooper. I can't imagine one baby, let alone two, but if anyone can do it, she can. Kash weighed in at 6 lbs 4 oz and Jaxson at 7 lbs 15 oz. Amber was carrying nearly 15 lbs of baby around. Anyways, I am very excited for these new additions in my circle of friends. So enough already, the pictures of the babes!!

Tiny little Kash

Amber holding Jaxson

Me and little Jaxson

Amber and Kash

Me and Kash

sleeping Kash
Happy birthday little babies! I can't wait to watch you grow!
PS I'm picking up my ring today! Pictures of that to come!

Celebrating

My lovely friends Greg and Jaime had a few of us over to celebrate Rick's and my engagement. It was just a few of us, and we ate and played some games, but Jaime's nearly 1 year old Bryce was of course the hit of the night!Bryce and I playing with my cell phone

Rick playing with Bryce

Becky and I with Bryce. Thanks again Jaime and Greg for having us! we love you!

A ring!

So yesterday Rick and I picked out a ring. It's beautiful and perfect and I love it with all my heart. But here's the sad part...I don't pick it up til Tuesday so you'll have to wait for a picture :(

A question for the peanut gallery...

As you married persons know, picking out a date to get married is no easy task. You have to consider your own schedules as well as everyone else's, and me being in school makes it really different. If we want to get married within the next year I have 3 times to choose from. Between summer and fall semesters (beginning of Sept), Christmas Break and Spring Break next year. Christmas is hard because Rick has black out dates for work being in retail before Christmas. And if we want to go away to get married September doesn't work cause it's either too hot on the beaches or hurricane season in Mexico. So here is what I am thinking. Mexico: New Years. What do you all think? Those of you I've talked to about coming, or those of you who might consider coming...what do you think? Let me help with your decision.
The negatives are obvious: Christmas is expensive! I know this, but let me tell you the positives:
Whatever we decide to do, we'll try and look at all-inclusive options so you can pay everything ahead of time (well before Christmas) and all you'd have to do is pay for a few small things once you're down there. Another positive-you don't have to make New Years plans or spend money on a hotel here in town. It's built in fun and party-ness. Also, think about how wretched it is here in Portland or in Utah, or on the East Coast around New Years and how glorious it will be on the beach in Mexico...have I convinced you yet? If we decide to do it that week, I just don't want to scare you guys off by doing it around Christmas. Another thing: if you were thinking about buying us a christmas present you don't have to, just come to Mexico :)
So please, opinions please!

To new beginnings...

As you all know, I am no stranger to blogging. I have had a Xanga account since about 2004 I think, and have faithfully updated it over the last 4 years. I feel like my xanga blog is such a great record of the last 4 years of my life, and I intend on keeping it forever. To me that blog represents my life with Adam, and my life since Adam. I started it when we were happily married and continued it through the hardest days of my life, while Adam was sick, writing to keep everyone updated on his progress and to release some of the stress I was feeling at the time.
Keeping that blog has been more difficult since Adam died. I got all sorts of weird feedback. The people that really cared continued to follow my life and cheer me on, and the people that didn't care as much really judged me by what i was writing and the pictures I was putting on there, assuming all sorts of horrible and untrue things about me. I didn't like the "fishbowl" feeling I got having that blog after Adam died, knowing that there were countless people I didn't even know checking that site and following my life. Over the past 2 and a half years I have gotten really careful about my blogs, only putting certain pictures up, worrying what some people would think, knowing that people would judge and not understand me and my choices. You all know what a long and difficult road it's been for me.
And that leads me to now.
Here I am, nearly 3 years since Adam died, and doing so much better than I ever thought I would be. I am newly engaged and I'm so happy and so in love I feel like it's time for a new beginning in so many ways. Because i so strongly feel that my xanga page is a tribute to Adam and to my life with him, I feel like it's only fair to start a new blog to celebrate my new life with Rick. I am going to try my hardest to NOT worry about the judgement, NOT worry about the fishbowl feeling and DO try and remember that I have so many people out there that love me and support me to the end. This engagement has reiterated over and over again something that I already know to the depths of my soul: I have unending love and support from the best friends and family in the world. How did I get so lucky?
So I am excited to introduce my new blog to you, and I am looking forward to giving you wedding updates and what Rick and I have going on in our life. We are so happy and we're happy to share our happiness with you. So keep checking in with us and I'll do my best to keep you all updated. Thanks again to you all for your love and support. I couldn't ask for a better life.