Each Christmas and Birthday (seeing as our birthdays are one day apart) we've spent together so far, we've decided to not get each other gifts but rather go on a special date together because it would mean more to both of us. This Christmas we decided we'd do the same, and Ben picked the date- December 27th, after all Christmas festivities were over, we'd go out on a date and it would be planned by him. All Deana knew was that we were going out for supper, which restaurant and that she needed stuff to wear outside, like we'd go for a walk in the park or something.
December 27th came around and Ben came to pick up Deana, a little early like planned, but Deana was all ready so they decided to leave early and go to Bellview park for a walk. On the way there, Ben pointed out the place where he asked her to be his girlfriend and they shared memories about the day they started dating, June 12th - the day of Prom. When they got to the park they set out for a walk but it was too cold so the walk was all of 3 minutes and we decided to make our way, early, over to the restaurant. Supper was delicious, we got bread before our meal (which was delicious and Deana thought about putting in her purse for later haha) and we both really liked the homemade caesar salad. There's two little side notes for you guys. Last thing about the restaurant that must be said is that Deana asked for her meal to be wrapped up and then forgot it on the table, she is still very hostile about that.
We finished Supper at 6:45, and Ben kept telling Deana, we don't have anything else planned until 9 -- We had time to kill. So why not go next door to the Husky and try our luck at 2 scratch tickets? We then drove to Sears to scratch our scratch tickets on the couches. How epic would it be that we won $10,000 the night we'd start our lives together...But we didn't.
For Christmas, Deana got a sweet new tripod and was itching to try it out. So we drove to the Trading Post on the outskirts of town to take pictures with the scandalous western women and it was so fun, but cold. It was so cold that we decided to cut it short and head back to Ben's car to think of another activity we could do. This put us to about 8:00 o'clock. By this time Deana is totally antsy and wanting to know what in the world we have to wait for 9 for.
Ben started driving out of town, and Deana was like "Ben are you lost? We're going out of town!" This set Ben up perfectly for saying, "Oh darn, well lets just keep driving and... oh I'll turn around at the next road." We went down the next road and he just kept on driving, and decided we should pull over and look at the stars on the hood of his car, just like we did after Prom. In the middle of no-where! So we put all our snow stuff on and sat out on the hood of the car and looked at the stars together. It was a cold night, but a beautiful one, with an occasional crack of lightening off in the distance. It was perfect.
Finally, at 8:45, Deana convinced Ben that we should head back into town so we'd be wherever we were going on time. We hopped in the car, and drove 2 minutes down the road and we were at Mockingbird Hill Farms. How in the world did we get there!?! Ben asked Deana to stay in the car as he went somewhere, then came back and we walked together towards the barn behind the house. This is where Deana was like, "Honestly, what in the world are we doing!!" Ben- "Turn around you goof ball." We had just passed a sign that said "Horse Drawn Sleigh-Rides" AHHH! We were going on a "canoodling couples sleigh ride!" We were a few minutes early so we went into the barn to see the animals, then hopped on the sleigh, just the two of us! They set the hay bails up like a couch and had a warm blanket to put over us! Just the couple, the driver, two big horses and a lantern. It was the perfect night! Off we went into the bush for 45 minutes! It looked like Narnia, dark and mysterious with the bright sky lighting up the bush! So nice.
Deana was totally blown away (this is her writing!) and just felt like a princess. After it was over, we got back into the car, just totally on cloud nine when Ben said, "we have one more thing we have to do, but I have to blind fold you." Honestly girls, by this point your thinking that I'm expecting something right? Well no, for the last four months I'd been trying to plan my life after graduation and not knowing when we'd get engaged or married, and every time I'd bring it up Ben would change the subject or say he needed to buy a truck first, or even "your pressuring me." And, I thought if hes going to ask me, you can't get much more romantic then a horse drawn sleigh ride so it's not coming now. So I was just enjoying the nice-ness of this date, not expecting anything! I honestly thought we were going to Tim Horton's or something, haha.
So we drove for about 10 minutes, Deana blindfolded the whole time, guessing which way we'd turn or where we were. We parked, Ben told her to stay in the car, he went into his trunk, then took a minute or two before opening her door and walked her across a snow-filled field. Thank goodness for winter boots! We walked up to a light, where Ben sat the thing down he was carrying in his other hand, and his guitar string made a noise. He sat Deana down on a bench, he pulled out his guitar, sat down and then told her she could take off her blindfold. We were at the beautiful house by the Locks where they took pictures before Prom, and had returned on other occasions. 
Ben started playing guitar, Free by Zach Brown Band and sang, while looking into Deana's eyes (thanks for the pointer Nate!). Next was Then by Brad Paisley. And then he played Deana's favourite love song that she had told him on multiple occasions that he should learn on guitar, but he always said was too hard to learn! He didn't sing it though because it was too gay of a song.... haha. It was just so nice. Then he stood up and held out his pick and asked Deana to put it in his guitar case for him. She was like, "uhhh okay" and went into his guitar case, where she found the ring box. Picked it up and he was on one knee....