Blog Challenge Day 2 AND 3

Well, I'm off to a FANTASTIC start on this blog challenge. I already missed Day 2. But in my defense, it was a crazy busy day. So I'm going to catch up today.

Day 2 is NICKNAMES:

I've had quite a few nicknames over the years. Some coming from my younger years, and the most recent have been given to me by my husband. Not all of them have stuck, but that's okay.

When I was younger my Grammy and Papa used to call me "Princess." I know, kinda cliche', but I was the first granddaughter on my Dad's side and that's what they called me for years. Eventually saying it out loud died down and it would only appear as the intro to a birthday card. And now, it's a rare occasion to hear that nickname.

Through the later years of elementary school, it became apparent to my classmates that I was "vertically challenged." So then came the short jokes and nicknames. One particular afternoon in 5th grade, I played short-stop in kickball...One clever fellow put it together and for the next couple of years, those that were closest to me called me "Short Stop." Hilarious right? lol

Jumping ahead, when I met my husband, Allen, for some reason he started calling me "Angel" pretty quickly into our courtship. He still calls me "Angel" to this day. It's not necessarily a name I would have chosen, but it's endearing and it still makes me so happy to hear him calling me by that name.

There have been many more nicknames over the years, but those are the few that stick out. What is the most interesting nickname YOU'VE ever been given? 

DAY 3: YOUR FIRST LOVE

Now, with this particular topic, I could go the route that most think of when given this topic of conversation. I could tell you about the first boy I fell in love with...But, that's complicated. Whether or not it was actually "love," is debatable at this point. At the TIME, I considered it love. But now, looking back, I realize it was simply the over-exaggerated emotions of a teenage girl who was already tired of the dating scene. 

So, I'm going to change it up a bit. I'd say my FIRST LOVE, was food. HA! Ever since I was little, my mom  said I was a good eater. Well, I didn't put up a fight when it came to food. Most of the food that started out on my high chair tray was divided up between my mouth, hair, and the floor. To this day, I love to cook. I love to eat. I especially love trying new recipes and cooking for other people. I will admit that I'm a picky eater though. NOT as picky as some, but it is hard for me to try new things sometimes. Some of my favorite dishes include, but are not limited to: Spaghetti, Tacos, Sweet n' Sour Chicken, BBQ chicken, and a simple Green Salad with either Ranch dressing or a viniagrette of some kind. :) 

Now I'm all caught up. Let's see how the next few days of this blog challenge play out. ;-)

Challenged To A Blog Challenge: 30 Days: DAY 1

Okay, okay, okay. I will admit that it's been such a long time since I last blogged. I think it's mostly because I got behind in the first place...and now it's almost too overwhelming to even think about catching up on life's most recent events.
So I'm going to start with a 30 Day Blog Challenge to at least get me back in the habit of logging into my blog and writing. Maybe then it will encourage me to start little by little to bring everyone up to speed with everything else. So here we go!

Day 1: Introduce, recent picture of yourself, & 15 interesting facts.

Intro to ME!

I am Amanda Engebretsen. I am 26 years old. I am married to a wonderful man, Allen, whom I often refer to as my Man-Child. :) This year will be our 5th anniversary. I work as an accounts payable clerk. We have lived in Orem, Utah since we have been married. Finally, we are expecting our first child. Our little boy is due June 1st 2013 and we couldn't be more excited!

Recent Pic!(This is a tough-y since all pictures of myself as of late have made me cringe. haha)

Me, Dad, Abbie, and Mom(and some girl who is clearly not impressed) at the Assembly Hall at Temple Square
Love my fam! (Not all family members are represented in this pic)

15 Interesting Facts!(This is also going to be a little tough...interesting is not usually a word I use to describe myself)

1~  I'm a hockey fan. It's a recent development really. Mostly because the Hub loves hockey...but ever since I went to my first Grizzlies game a couple years ago and witnessed my first fight on ice, I was hooked! I love the game of course, but the fights are always fun to watch. I've been most interested in the Philadelphia Flyers team. I don't know why. But last year during the season and Stanley Cup Finals, the Flyers were the team I ended up cheering for.
2~  My favorite color is green. I also fancy a pretty shade of pink. But green is my fave.
3~  My go-to food is tacos. And since the pregnancy, a big bowl of Cocoa-Dyno-Bites(Malt-o-Meal brand of Coco Krispies) have been a comfort food. MMM MMMMMM!
4~  It is my opinion that when making brownies at home from a box, yes they are good when they are warm and gooey, but they are even better the next day when they are cold and chewy. I just love them that way!
5~  When I'm sick, I love cuddling up with a blanket, pillow, some soup, and turning on Gone With The Wind. "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." LOVE that movie.
6~  Sometimes I wish I was a race car driver...or at least talented with driving a car like a pro like you see in those super cool chase scenes in movies.
7~  I love both my parents equally. And I have a special bond with both. However, my sense of humor and alot of my mannerisms are like my Dad. Sometimes, he's the only one that gets me. And that's okay. :)

(This is starting to get difficult...lol)

8~   Camping is my favorite thing to do with Allen. I wish we could go more. But I don't even mind the bad-weather camping. Bring on the rain, snow, thunder and lightning storms! Makes it more of an adventure! It also doesn't hurt that we have pretty decent gear to protect us from the elements. Thank goodness for my hubby's knowledge of the camping world.
9~  In my life, some of the friends I've been the closest with have also been named Amanda. It's a pretty awesome name, don't ya think? ;-)
10~  My least favorite day of the week is probably Tuesday. It's just an awkward day. At least with Wednesday you're on the down hill slope to another weekend.
11~  Disneyland. I LOVE Disneyland. I could go there everyday and probably never tire of it. Which is why I'm super jealous of my sister-in-law who is currently employed by Disneyland. She's there every single day, and secretly, I hate her just a little for it. HAHA JK Angie, you know I love ya. Just a wee bit jealous. ;)
12~  I've never considered myself a "geek" exactly...But since I've been married to Allen, my knowledge of of geek-like things has increased quite a bit. I find myself blurting out quotes or facts that, at one point, was usually something you only heard from my husband. And every now and then, I've been known to hold my own in a geek conversation with my husband. He's pretty proud.
13~  This is silly, but when I get super angry, my fingers and toes get really cold and I shake...like from the inside out. Almost as if I'm freezing. I recently looked this up on the Google Machine and it's actually something that happens often. It has something to do with Adrenaline and the Fight-or-Flight response. If I understood correctly, when your body goes into that mode, your blood tends to pump more towards your vital organs and less to your extremities. Reason being, your extremities are most likely to be what's injured first, so you don't want a lot of blood loss right away. AND, if vital organs are injured, I guess there needs to be more blood there to help them survive any injury you may incur. Just a little lesson for ya. Ha! Makes me sound like I'm a lunatic and go stark raving mad/violent or something.  Nope, I just get mad. Haha.
14~  I've noticed, that even at the age of 26, when talking to people younger than me, I catch myself saying "When I was your age..." and it just makes me giggle a little...then it makes me a little sad. I'm getting older. Weird...
And finally 15~ I enjoy playing the piano. I haven't played in a very long time, mostly due to the fact that we don't have a piano in our home right now. But I'd really love to own a piano someday so I can pass some of my time learning to play again, and filling our home with beautiful music.

*PHEW* Well that only took about an hour to figure out 15 interesting things about myself. But hopefully you learned something about me that you didn't know before.

Thanks for reading! Until tomorrow!

Wiggle! Wiggle! Wiggle! YEAH!!!

So, I’ve recently decided that it’s time to lose some weight…Gee, ya think?! I’m the biggest I’ve ever been. And I’m the most unhappy about my body than I’ve ever been. It’s time to do something about it. Especially since we are going through infertility treatments, and I don’t want my weight to be the reason things don’t work. Which may very well be the case right now…

Anyways, over this past weekend, I went and bought a few new articles of work-out clothing; things that I’m comfortable in and are specifically for working out. Unlike my other “work-out clothes” that just turned into “running errands/lounging around the house/cleaning the house clothes.”

I’m fortunate enough to work for a company that has built a mini gym within the building. It has ellipticals, treadmills, and a number of free weights and weight machines. I’ve never used it before, because I never liked being at work longer than I had to be. But as of late last week, I realized, this might be my best option. I’ve signed up for gyms before, such as Gold’s Gym. But this was just money wasted since I only went a couple of times. I’ve tried “work out programs” at home…Also a no-go since it actually required me to set time aside at home to do it. I never did it. I had good intentions, I just never acted. I realized it’s much harder to get home from work, and then make myself get up and go out again to go work out. It was too hard and I found myself rationalizing all the time for why I couldn’t go work out that night. Something always “came up” or I was “too busy” or “too tired.”

NO MORE! Yes, I hate being at work longer than I have to. But I LITERALLY pass the gym every day when I walk out to my car! So, starting yesterday, I am bringing work-out clothes to work. They sit in my gym bag under my desk. At 5pm, I clock out and walk the 45 seconds to the gym. And I will proceed to work out a MINIMUM of 30 minutes every work day.

I know it’s been ONE day…ONE DAY! But! I’ve already had a bizarre change of heart towards working out. Don’t get me wrong…I still hate it. Haha. And it’s still hard. But it feels so much better to get the workout over with BEFORE I go home and allow myself to relax. I feel like I finally found something that will work for me. I don’t have to go home and MAKE myself get up and out again. I’m already here. There’s no excuse. I can’t go home until I’ve worked out. That’s the goal right now.

This morning I took my measurements. Which I won’t reveal at this time. I’ll eventually report how many inches I’ve LOST, but I don’t think I’ll be telling ANYONE the pre-weight loss measurements. Haha. I have just realized that I need to take this slow and develop GOOD habits: working out, making better decisions when grocery shopping, eat this/not that, make healthier food at home, etc.  

I’m hoping that this little bit of motivation will continue and I won’t just get stuck in a rut again like I usually do. I feel different this time though, so that’s a good sign. Today I’ve noticed that I keep looking at the clock to see how much longer I have before I can go work out. Weird. I’ve NEVER wanted time to speed up so I can go work out.

Well, I’ll keep posting as I see progress. If anyone has any suggestions on work outs, or delicious healthy recipes I can try, I’d appreciate it!

WISH ME LUCK!

Are You Ready??

I know this is how it works every year, and I have no idea why I’m surprised each time this happens, but the second Halloween passes, Christmas preparations are in full swing. I can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed already!
Allen and I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart last night and as I made my way to the Halloween section to see what 50% off décor and goodies I could get my hands on, I found myself surrounded by Christmas! Christmas gift baskets, Christmas decorations, Christmas cookie cutters and table cloths, etc! It was everywhere. I’m not ready for this! Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE Christmas. I do. But I have to be in the right mindset to start all the preparations. Decorating, baking, working out schedules to see family, Christmas shopping, gift wrapping, neighbor gifts, Christmas cards…It feels like I just put away my Christmas stuff from last year and now it’s starting all over again.
Again, this happens every year. I have a mini panic attack because I feel as if Christmas ATTACKS after Halloween. But I eventually get into the spirit of it all and go full-steam-ahead to make the holiday season wonderful.

Now for fun:
I’d love to hear the different holiday traditions people have. Pick your favorite and share. :)

A Novel?? Almost....

I seriously cannot believe how long it’s been since my last post. It’s almost embarrassing. Haha! So I figured I’d better post something now. It will be a quick recap.
Let’s see….what’s happened since April? HA, well a lot! I’m going to do my best to remember back that far. Here Goes:

In May we took a wonderful trip, just the two of us, up to Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. Kind of a revisit to our honeymoon spots. It was gorgeous. And it was definitely different scenery than we had ever experienced while vacationing there. There were WALLS of snow everywhere still. I don’t think I had ever seen so much snow. It was marvelous. We had an absolute blast, as always.
In June we went on our yearly summer trip down to Lake Powell with my family. And as always, it was so much fun. The water was great, the company was fantastic, and the scenery is just so beautiful.
Also in June we celebrated our 3 year anniversary by taking a trip up to Logan to spend the night at the Anniversary Inn. Allen surprised me by not telling me which room we had. It turns out that we had King Arthur’s Court. We had a knight in shining armor in our room, a bottle of sparkling cider, cheesecake, and lots of fun room décor. The next day we were able to enjoy a tour of Logan with our good friend Benson. Overall, it was a wonderful way to celebrate our anniversary. A nice little getaway.
In July, of course, there are the holidays. But we were also able to go camping to one of our favorite campsites, Upper Stillwater Reservoir. We went with the Castillos and the Grahams. We had a blast. The weather was perfect and we had so much fun. And even though it rained a little, Allen and I loved it! We are total fans of rain and lightning, even when camping. Makes it more of an adventure.
August brought sweltering heat and a grumpy Amanda. Me+Heat+A Swamp Cooler That Refused To Work=A VERY GRUMPY ME! We were finally able to get our maintenance team to fix our swamp cooler, or so we thought. But after a wonderful day at Lagoon with friends, we came home hoping to bask in the cool air that SHOULD have been pumping through our apartment. But this was not the case. Nope. Not even close. It was cooler OUTSIDE at 11pm than it was in our apartment. At that point, I had HAD it. I immediately texted my friend, who had mentioned that her sister was moving and needed a renter for their apartment. I asked if it was still available! And it was. We set up a time to view the apartment the very next day.
After looking through the apartment, figuring out finances(due to a raise in rent), we decided it would work perfectly for us. We were so excited. Long story short, we were able to sign the contract and set a date for move-in. The date for move in was September 19th. We were so blessed to have so much help from friends and family. We were able to get moved in fairly quickly. At least all the big stuff. Over the course of the next week Allen and I were able to move the small stuff over together, and that following Saturday we spent a whopping 10 hours cleaning our old apartment. What a relief it was to have that off our shoulders.
Our new apartment is a split entry, 2 level, triplex condo. It has 2 bedrooms, a laundry/bathroom, lots of storage, and lots of entertaining space. And by “lots” I simply mean, lots more than we are used to having. We are loving it. Oh, and did I mention it has CENTRAL AIR! Yes, that was one of the deciding factors.
After moving into the new place in September, the first weekend of October we spent down in Lake Powell with my family, just for a quick little get away trip on the house boat. Which was nice after all the moving.
The rest of October was spent slowly putting things away and getting our new place organized. We also celebrated Allen’s 26th birthday! That was fun. We celebrated all weekend long. His birthday was actually on Sunday(the 23rd) but the festivities began on Friday. Friday night I took him out to dinner at Red Lobster and he enjoyed a nice large plate of all kinds of seafood(ew. Lol). Then Saturday morning I surprised him with a quick ‘lil trip up to Park City to ride the Alpine Coaster. That was so fun! Although the ride itself was maybe 2 minutes long, I giggled the whole way down, and I’m sure Allen was doing the same. We had a lovely lunch at a pizza place in Park City, then made our way home to prepare for his birthday party with friends. This was our first time hosting in our new apartment and it was so fun! Lots of good friends came. I served up steak and baked potatoes for dinner. And we did a non-traditional birthday cake. Instead of baking a cake in the oven, everyone was able to make their own cake using the waffle iron. Yes, we still used cake batter, but each “mini waffle cake” baked within a minute in the waffle iron and then everyone could dress their cake however they wanted…frosting, fruit, whip cream, ice cream, etc. Allen loved his gifts(including his Batman: Arkham City PS3 video game, random little what-nots, and also his footie pajamas. Yes, I said footie pajamas. They are HILARIOUS!) Overall, he loved his birthday.
Halloween has come and gone, yet again. This year we actually had trick-or-treaters. That was fun! But they literally stopped showing up at 8pm. Which was kind of weird. We had trick-or-treaters non-stop from about 6:45 to 8:00. And then BAM. No one. But that’s ok. Allen and I enjoyed a yummy dinner and a scary movie to top off our Halloween night.
Oh! On another note, Allen’s jobs have been in and out still. I think since April he’s had 2 jobs. The most recent was at a place called Wasatch Minerals. He hated it there but was a hard worker and did his best every day. However, a few weeks ago, on a Monday, his boss told him that they could only hire one of the two temps(Allen obviously being one of them) and that they chose the other gentleman because he had more experience and a few more skills. So that was quite a bummer to hear that. But they gave him until the end of the week before his time there was over. In that week Allen was able to apply to a place called Monogram. This company manufactures parts for airplanes made from carbon fiber and other composite materials, which is what Allen completed some schooling for. Allen had been calling this place on a monthly basis to see if he could at least interview there. Each time he’s called in the past few months they were either “not hiring” or “had just finished hiring.” But the day Allen called happened to be the day they decided to start looking at applications again. Again, long story short: Allen applied that Tuesday, had an interview the following Monday, and was offered the job on Tuesday. Our prayers were answered. Apparently he made a great impression on them because typically all applicants have to go through at least 2 interviews and usually there is a week between the second interview and having a decision made. I was so proud of him. The hours at this new job are great. The pay is better. But most importantly….Allen is so happy to be working there. I’m so proud of him and I’m so happy that he’s happy.

The past couple of months we have felt so blessed. We are so grateful for all of our friends and family who constantly support us. A big thank you to all of you!
Well, the holidays are quickly approaching. Time to get shopping! :)

50 Tips

I know, I know....It's been quite some time since I've blogged. But I'm here now. :)

This past Sunday was Easter. It was such a lovely day spent with my family. Church was wonderful and had such uplifting messages. And then spending time with my husband and family made the day perfect.

As part of a little Easter gift from my mother, each of us children received a little card from Seagull Book or something. Ryan's had a message about the Priesthood. Christopher's was a primary message, etc. Mine and Allen's was entitled "50 Tips for LDS Couples." As I read the tips on this card, I thought it was such simple but very good advice. And most of it is great advice for couples outside of the church as well. I figured I'd share these 50 tips with all of you hopefully give a little inspiration to better all of our marriages, even in the tiniest way.

50 TIPS FOR LDS COUPLES
SIMPLE WAYS TO CREATE A CELESTIAL RELATIONSHIP

1. Be a peacemaker
2. Adopt the pure love of Christ
3. Negotiate differences
4. Create win-win solutions
5. Continually express your love
6. See your loved one as the Savior does
7. Continue the courtship
8. Respond positively
9. Always show kindness, courtesy, and respect
10. Think before you speak
11. Make patience the rule
12. Turn ordinary moments into adventures
13. Be generous with thanks and praise
14. Do as the Savior would do
15. Find areas of agreement
16. Choose happiness over being right
17. Validate each other's feelings
18. Ask lots of questions
19. Repeat what you hear
20. Agree to disagree!
21. End disagreements on a positive tone
22. Look for what's right
23. Overlook the little stuff
24. Attend the temple and church meetings
25. Make positive comments
26. Be thoughtful and helpful
27. Pray together
28. Live the gospel standards
29. Share your talents
30. Read the scriptures together
31. Don't overreact or be critical
32. Create worthy goals together
33. Don't bring anything into your life or home that would offend the Savior
34. Write love notes
35. Put each other first
36. Support each other in church callings
37. Maintain an eternal perspective
38. Be true and faithful
39. Surprise each other
40. Express what you want in a good-natured way
41. Replace complaints with compliments, criticism with courtesy
42. Manage money wisely
43. Seize more opportunities to talk
44. Celebrate your differences
45. Forgive readily
46. Use gospel principles to solve problems
47. Inspire each other
48. Remain upbeat
49. Pay tithing
50. Work hard and have fun


See, aren't those all very simple but sound advice?

I'm going to try to follow these simple tips and see how it improves our marriage. Don't get me wrong, we have a great marriage, and I love Allen through and through...but there is ALWAYS room for improvement. :)

I hope these tips inspire some of you to possibly make some changes in your own marriages to better your relationship with your spouse.

Have Patience...

We all have our "down" days. Those are the days when our self confidence is lacking and we don't even want to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes this lack in self-worth stems from a comment, a look, a pair of jeans not fittin' quite right anymore...whatever it may be, whatever it was that made you feel low, it seems to put a gray cast to everything around you. The past few days for me have been that nasty gray...don't get me wrong, I have plenty of "up" days too. So I don't want anyone to think I'm depressed or anything along those lines. But it's just been a recent thing where I've been hard on myself and mostly due to all of the above reasons I mentioned...a comment, a look, and those damn jeans.

I've been doing some thinking the past few days and I realized something. Since when do I allow someone to dictate how I feel? No matter WHO it is... I've had to ask myself some questions to help me feel better.

*Does my husband love me? YES

*Do I have friends and family that love me and support me? YES

*Am I a strong, independant woman that has overcome trial time and time again? YES

*Am I the type of person to allow someone to make me feel less than I know myself to be???? NOOOOOO

*Am I the type of woman that will take a negative thing and turn it into something positive? ABSOLUTELY

So that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to take these past few days of nasty grey and learn from them. I'm going to make it a positive thing and make myself a better person for it.

I found this quote and I find it to be quite fitting for how I feel and have felt...


"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them -- every day begin the task anew."
~Saint Francis de Sales

Having patience with myself might just be one of my biggest faults. I'm my own worst critic. But all I can do is try to make each day better than the last. :)

I want to express my gratitude to all of my wonderful friends. You are all very dear to me, and in times of that "nasty gray," I know I can count on you to lift me up. You are all beautiful people. Thank you!

tWeNtY-eLeVeN

As I rang in the new year with a kiss from my sweet husband, I got a wonderful feeling that this year is going to be a good one. I feel confident that 2011 holds great things for me and Allen. What those things might be, I'm not sure yet. But I sure am excited to discover what they are. :)

I've decided that this year is going to be different. My New Year Resolutions are going to be different. My goals typically consist of "lose ____ pounds in two months," "work out 6 times a week," do this, do that, don't do this or that....Well...none of those have ever really worked out for me.

So here are a few of my Resolutions for 2011:

1. NO WEIGHT LOSS GOALS: Rather than try to lose lbs. by a certain date and focus on the pounds and inches, I'm going to focus on forming Healthy Habits. I'm going to work on working out 3 times a week. Even if that means I stretch on my yoga mat for 20 minutes. I'm going to teach myself self control and moderation. I want to form habits that can make me feel better each day. I plan on making better decisions for my body. (wish me luck!)

2. HOUSEWORK: This past year was an epic fail on keeping up with my housework. And yes, it's embarassing to admit that. But hey...I HATE cleaning. My goal is to set aside up to 30 minutes each day after work to straightening my apartment. And I will set aside one full day each week for deeper cleaning.
I realized that I don't really have an excuse to have a messy apartment. I get off work at 3pm everyday, so I have plenty of time in the afternoon and evening to straighten up. We don't have kids, it's just the two of us, so I don't have the excuse of "I was chasing kids around all day." And I know I feel better when I'm living in a clean home.

3. PHOTO ALBUMS: Okay, this one may seem silly to some of you, but I want to start putting together photo albums. I take plenty of pictures, but I don't seem to do anything with them. They get uploaded to Facebook and then stay on my memory card in my camera. And Facebook is NOT a legitimate photo album, in my opinion. So my goal is to print off my pictures once a month and add them to albums. I want my children to have easy access to these pictures. I don't want them to have to login to facebook to see them. That sounds a little ridiculous, doesn't it?


Well there ya go. These are a few of the things I plan to work on this year. I have a couple other little goals for this year, but those ones I'm keeping to myself. :)
May all of you have the strength and power to accomplish your goals this year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

End of 2010 Update:

It's been a couple months since I've updated, and boy! There is alot to update.
So I'll make it quick as quick as possible:

*On October 20th we made our way to Disneyland and we had a WONDERFUL TIME! We spent Allen's 25th birthday out there and he had a blast. We loved it!

*Our laughs and giggles on our vacation came to a screeching hault on Sunday(the 24th) when we were involved in a car accident. I hit my head(but no worries, I walked away with a headache and a few sore muscles). Allen was not injured, thank heavens. But our poor little car didn't make it. Long story short, our car was totaled, we had to rent a car to come home in, and then we immediately started a search for a new car. Despite the car accident, our vacation was still wonderful and I'm glad we went.

*In November we were able to find a car that fit us perfectly. It's the perfect size for a small family car, it had incredibly low miles, and the previous owner took such wonderful care of it. All signs pointed to "yes" on this car. So we bought it and we couldn't be happier with our decision.

*November also brought a delicious Thanksgiving dinner spent with my mom's side of the family. It was wonderful to see all the family together.

*December was a busy busy month. As I'm sure it was for all of you as well. Birthdays galore! My sister's birthday, MY birthday, cousins and aunts and uncles' birthdays! Such a wonderful month to celebrate!

*Allen surprised me on my birthday with a trip up to Ogden to IFLY UTAH, aka, Indoor Skydiving. What a rush! It was so much fun to feel like I was flying. We are DEFINITELY planning on doing that again soon! Allen spoiled me with fun gifts, birthday surprises and goodies, and fond memories.

*After the birthday madness, we immediately jumped into Christmas mode. Christmas shopping, wrapping, baking, Christmas music, cleaning, cooking, and so on! Allen worked on Christmas Eve until about 5pm. From there we drove up to Layton to the Christmas Eve party hosted by Grandma Poulsen. It's always such a treat to go up and see the fam. Food was eaten, songs were sung, gifts were exchanged, and The Fat Man himself made a guest appearance for the little ones to visit with. What a great night.

*Christmas morning was wonderful. Allen and I woke up bright and early at 7am and enjoyed watching each other open our gifts, one at a time. I must say, the past 3 Christmas' that Allen and I have spent together as husband and wife have been some of my favorite. Sharing that time with just him in the morning has been so special to me and I will always cherish these fond little moments.
We definitely spoiled each other this year. We got some fun stuff! :)
After presents, we got dressed and drove up to Allen's parent's house. We had a delicious breakfast, exchanged gifts, visited for awhile, then parted ways for the day. We then stopped at my parent's house to say a quick hello and see their fun gifts. Then we drove back to our apartment and relaxed for a bit while we got ready to go to the Family Dinner later that evening.
Christmas Dinner was spent with the Dumas Family at my Gram and Pop's home in Orem. The food was delicious and the holiday spirit was in full swing.
All in all, this Christmas was spectacular. I'm sad it's already over.
*New Year's Eve was spent with good friends, fondue, movies, games, and lots of laughter. I got my New Year's kiss from my sweet husband. Then New Years Day we went out sledding, which probably wasn't the BEST idea for me since I had a cold already. It was still a blast though.

So there ya go...That's the final update from 2010. It was a good year. I learned lots of things. I had ups. I had downs. All of which resulted in a fond memory or a good lesson to be learned. At the end of this year, I'm happy with where I'm at in my life. I have a wonderful husband who loves me, a cute little apartment that I'm happy(and blessed) to call Home, cars that work and get us from A to B, a job that continually blesses our lives, and wonderful friends and family that support us. What more can a girl ask for? :)

I LUV OCTOBER!

I must say, I LOVE THIS GLOOMY WEATHER. Everything just seems to slow down and chill out when the weather starts it's beautiful transition from Summer to Fall. I feel more relaxed and calm. This is probably the time of year that I enjoy the most. The hustle and bustle of summer has slowed down, the cooler air feels refreshing and invigorating, and the change of the colors makes me appreciate all the beauty that surrounds me.
I also just love the atmosphere of this season. Good food, family time, holiday spirit. :) It just makes me feel happy.

Speaking of good food, I have an EASY and TASTY treat I'd like to share. You may laugh at the simplicity of it. But it's one of my favorite treats.

Apple Slices & Dip

1 8oz package of cream cheese softened(don't microwave)(I usually opt for low fat cream cheese)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Green Apples Slices(as many as you want :) )

When the cream cheese is softened, mix with brown sugar and vanilla. Mix until smoothe and there are no lumps of cream cheese visible. Dip apple slices and EAT AND ENJOY IMMEDIATELY.

Like I said, SUPER simple but SUPER tasty.
I will try to post more recipes as I make them. I think this is a great time of year to try out new recipes, especially comfort food. So if any of you have recipes that you really enjoy making in colder weather, please, share! :)


On another note, I am loving this month already. Allen and I have had lots of fun and have lots more planned. We've gone camping, spent time with friends and family, spent time together. Then we have a little trip up the mountains this weekend just to look at the colors changing. Then DISNEYLAND, here we come. I can hardly wait! 2 weeks from today in fact! Allen and I need a vacation just the two of us. It will be so great to be together, making memories, having fun, and also celebrating his 25th birthday! That's right! He'll be a quarter century old during our vacation! haha! YAY!

I love this time of year!
Happy October to all!

It's Time To Update!

My apologies to those who actually read my blog. Haha. I guess I haven't had much to say since March...but it also may be that I haven't had time, and all the things I've wanted to say also had accompanying pictures that weren't uploaded to my computer yet. LOL. :)

Anywho. It's been a busy few months. Allen found a part time job working with our neighbors. So that has helped our income each month. I've been busy with work, as usual. Nothing new there. May was full of birthdays and family time. Then we hit June and it was more family time. On June 18th, Allen and I took off for Lake Powell to spend time with my family, and my aunt and uncle and their 6 kids. We had an absolute blast. New speedboat, and newer houseboat=lots of fun. We really enjoyed the warm sun and the cool water. It was such a nice break from all the things back at home. On the 22nd we hustled back home and got cleaned up for Drew & Ali's wedding dinner. It was wonderful. The next day, we were up bright and early getting ready for the actual wedding. It was a perfect day.

I must say, it is truly wonderful to be able to walk into the temple with your spouse, and sit in the peaceful quiet and contemplate all the things you are grateful for. Especially when participating in a wedding. It's wonderful to watch the couple become sealed together for eternity and then think back to the day that you and your loved one did the very same thing. (I know this might be a bit sappy....but here goes...) I am so grateful that I have Allen and that we were married and sealed. It's such a strong bond to tie two people together. I am so grateful that I get to be with my best friend forever! :)

Anyways, lol, after the ceremony, the rest of the day was filled with: a quick nap, re-doing of the hair and makeup, donning the wedding garb, smiling this way for that camera, standing that way, shaking hands, and exchanging hugs and smiles. It was a GORGEOUS wedding and I'm so happy that another gal has joined the Engebretsen family! Congrats again you two!

After the joyous event, we had about a day and a half(if even that) to regather our things in duffles, (I worked one day) and then pack the bags, tent, food, etc. to go on our second anniversary camping trip. Whoo! Busy Busy.

I got home from work about 1:30 on Friday afternoon, we threw everything in the car(after a bit more packing) and were on the road by 3. We went to Upper Stillwater Campground which is located in Ashley National Forest, so about 40 miles from Duchesne. It's about a 2 1/2 hour drive through some pretty and yet some desolate Utah countryside. lol. But once you get to the campground, it's nothing but pine trees and beautiful mountain scenery. LOVED IT! We set up our new tent, our hammock, a kitchen station, etc. A quick summary: it was a GREAT anniversary weekend. Nice n' quiet...just the two of us...enjoying one of the things we love most(camping). I will admit that Saturday we got a bit antsy because we couldn't go hiking(Allen's foot has been bothering him, so doctor's orders were to stay off it as much as possible) so, for whatever reason, we decided to drive to Vernal. Once there we discovered a movie theater that was playing The A-Team. So we watched a movie on our camping trip. hahaha. P.S. GREAT MOVIE! So humorous and very entertaining. :)

Sunday(the 27th) we came home and pretty much just crashed for about 3 hours. We were so completely exhausted from our previous 2 weeks of festivities. In fact, I'll admit...we are STILL recovering. Haha, we've limited time with everyone just for the sake of wanting to be HOME for a little bit. However, we've been very grateful to both families for the wonderful times we've had, and just so grateful that we were able to spend that time together as a couple. It was definitely needed.
June was definitely a busy month. BRING IT ON JULY! LET'S SEE WHAT YOU'VE GOT! :-P

P.S. I LOVE YOU ALLEN!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!

Why?

"sorry" sor.ry

-adjective

1. feeling regret, compunction, sympathy, pity, etc.: to be sorry to leave one's friends; to be sorry for a remark; to be sorry for someone in trouble.

2. regrettable or deplorable, unfortunate; tragic: a sorry situation; to come to a sorry end.

I'd like to pose a question. WHY is this such a hard word to say? It's actually thrown around and used quite often, but when you're asked to say it and mean it....why do we find ourselves unable or choking for other words that MIGHT fit in it's place?

Is it so hard to admit when you're wrong? I know, I know. Most of you are probably thinking "YES!" as you read that last question. But when you really think about it...is it REALLY so hard to admit that maybe, even just that one instance, you weren't the "most correct" at the time? Most of the time it's a matter of pride. And in reality, who really likes to admit that they were wrong? I know I don't. But it's something even I have learned to do. Sometimes it's embarassing and gives a nice jab to your pride...but in the end, it's usually for the best. Don't you think?

I guess I'm writing this because of a recent experience I've witnessed. Bear with me and try to keep up. lol. Person A owes Persons B & C an apology. But Persons B & C both know they probably won't get it. And because of Person A having too much pride and truly thinking they could do no wrong, B & C are hurt and angry. And because B & C are upset, the people around them are upset too. It's a vicious cycle that effects more than just the people involved. This is a simple situation that could be resolved with a few words. We all know what they are. "I'm S-O-R-R-Y" or "I was wrong." We could even go for the more formal approach, "I apologize for my wrong-doing." Whatever the preference, it still needs to be said.

But why do most choose to bite their tongue and let the situation fester? Yes, I used the word "fester." I figured it was the most fitting word. Because that's what ends up happening. If we are too proud to admit we are wrong and apologize to those we have wronged, then the problem within the relationship, friendship, or whatever, FESTERS. And sometimes it can turn into a scar, even after amends are made, that tiny scar is still there, reminding you of what happened, and what could have possibly been avoided.

I've decided to set a little goal for myself. I'm going to try to be more conscious of this very situation I've written about. I don't want to catch myself being the one unable to say "I'm Sorry." I would like to challenge everyone to do this. It might create a happier atmosphere for some. Some of you probably already do this and don't have issues with this, which is great. But if you do, give it a try. It's sad to see relationships in trouble just because we can't seem to swallow our pride every once in awhile.

Busy Busy

It's been a busy month so far. Since Valentine's Day we've been busy looking for a job for Allen since his job at Texaco didn't work out. He was let go because he wasn't working enough hours...I'm sorry, but I have to laugh at this. He didn't have enough hours because his boss wouldn't schedule him for more than one day a week. MONTHS ago he told his boss that he would be starting school in January and that it would take up his evenings. So he would be able to work during the week during the day, and anytime on the weekends. His boss said "Sure, no problem. We can work with that. Just remind me a couple weeks before you start so we can adjust the scheduling." SO, a couple weeks before, just like she asked, Allen reminded her that he'd be starting school and that he needed hours during the day. She got all pushed out of shape and said that SHE worked the day hours and wasn't willing to give him any of her hours. As, a result, he got scheduled every Saturday evening, IF that. And then, out of nowhere, she let him go. So here we are again, desperately looking for work for Allen. It's been fun, let me tell ya. lol

For the past month or so, my mind has been preoccupied with planning a baby shower for a good friend of mine. I had never planned a baby shower before and, this being her first child, and my first experience as host of a baby shower, I wanted everything to be perfect. I made a diaper cake like 2 months ago, I bought decorations a couple weeks priof, I had planned out the food about a month before, etc. etc. Then I just had to wait until the day before, before I could actually start getting things ready. Everything usually has to fall into place the night before or the day of. At that point, you just hope everything goes ok. Which it did.

Everyone that said they would come, came. All the food I had planned out, worked out great. The set up with the decorations and the seating worked perfectly. And everyone had a great time, including the guest of honor, Latissa Graham. She got a ton of wonderful presents for her little boy.

Even after being up all night sick sick sick, and hosting the party with a fever, I think I did an OK job of hosting and things went quite well.

Here are a few pics from the party:

Pic #1: The diaper cake I made for her

Pic #2: The guest of honor, Latissa Graham

Pic #3: The cupcake tree

Pic #4: The food table and decorations

Pic #5: The counter display(diaper cake and scrapbook papers for "advice for the new mommy")

Pic #6: The whole group of ladies that came to share the special day(THANKS GIRLS!)

Valentine's Day 2010

This year was a nice quiet Valentine's at home. We actually had to celebrate on Friday rather than Sunday. Saturday night Allen had to work, and Sunday, well, it was Sunday and options were limited. So after work on Friday, I hurried home and decorated.

(A quick little explanation: last year we didn't have a whole lot of money to spend on celebrating Valentine's Day, so we opted to make dinner at home together, then, just to change things up, we decorated our front room and made up a nice little bed on the floor. I guess it was kinda like camping in the living room. So again, this year, we didn't have too much money so we opted for a similar repeat of last year. )

So Friday, shortly after 3pm, we decorated our living room with cute but cheesy V-day decorations, and blew up our BIG and very comfy air mattress. We threw on our down comforter, and, as another cheesy touch, I tossed on some fake rose petals.

Across the top of our entertainment center I scattered cute little red heart confetti, more fake rose petals, 2 wine glasses(fake lol), and a bottle of Martinelli's. We also put the flowers he got me, our cards and gifts to each other on top. In our corner of our living room, we had a Valentine's Balloon Bouquet.

After decorating, we went out to dinner to Goodwood Steak House in Orem. It was DELICIOUS. MMMMM. We went to walmart and bought a couple movies, bought a snack to munch on DURING the movies, and then proceeded home.

So all in all, we had a wonderful evening together. Good food, fun atmosphere, cuddling. It was the perfect Valentine's weekend, and it didn't even cost us very much at all. :)

I love my hubbie very much. Thanks for a wonderful weekend, love!

Just In Case You Didn't Know....

A friend of mine posted a bio about herself, and I got to thinkin’ “ya know, that’s not such a bad idea.” Most of the people that know me these days, and actually follow my blog, have only known me for the past few years. Anything before that, I don’t really think they are quite aware of. Lol. So, here’s a reader’s digest version of my 23 year long life thus far, plus a more in depth look on how me and Allen came to be:

My name is Amanda Rae Dumas Engebretsen. I was born on December 18, 1986 in the Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. I was an only child for 3 marvelous years, and then THEY started coming. The “they” that I’m referring to are my 4 younger siblings. 2 sisters, and 2 brothers. All are wonderful in their own way. And all are stinkers in their own way as well. We moved to Pleasant Grove, Utah just after my younger sister was born(1990). My family still lives there today.
I grew up playing the piano, getting good grades in school and being a somewhat shy little individual. I did various school projects throughout jr. high and high school that took me on to the next level of competition for my region. I guess that was my claim to fame growing up. I was either a smarty pants, or just really good at BS’ing. Haha, jk.
I enjoyed and still enjoy music. I participated in Acapella choirs in high school, and continued teaching myself on the piano. I’m not very good on the piano, I will admit. But I do enjoy parkin’ myself on the piano bench and playing some of my favorite hymns, and trying to teach myself new ones.
After highschool, I moved down to Cedar City and completed 2 years at Southern Utah University. The “shy little individual” was no more. I had tons of fun, possibly too much, and met many of the friends that I still have today. I started dating a young man at the time and thought “he’s the one.” We dated for quite awhile, and even considered marriage. At that point, I realized I needed some divine inspiration to help me decide if that was the path I was meant to go down. I felt very strongly that it wasn’t the right thing for me. We broke up, and just about 2 months later, I was introduced to Allen Engebretsen.
Allen and I hit it off from the very start. Not a day went by that he didn’t make me smile and feel special. He had just returned from his mission in northern Virginia. We made our courtship official on February 18, 2007 and we’ve been together ever since. That summer, we went separate ways for about 3 months to try our hand at selling pest control. He moved to San Antonio, TX, and I moved to Atlanta, GA. WHAT A CULTURE SHOCK! After coming home from what seemed to be an endless summer, we both came to the conclusion that, NEVER again would we separate like that, and NEVER again would we do a job like that. We dated consecutively for another 6 months before he popped the question on the last day of February. February 28, 2008. We went to a fabulous restaurant called “The Chef’s Table.” One of the best in Utah. I was SURE he would propose. We made it through our appetizer, our main course, and ordered our dessert, and I was starting to feel a little “iffy” about whether or not he would pop the question. I started getting frustrated and excused myself to go the restroom. As I was leaving Allen called to me frantically, “Don’t be long! I miss you already.” I continued walking, thinking that it was quite odd that Allen would be saying something so corny…I returned from the restroom and he let out a sigh of relief. I saw our waiter coming to bring our dessert. He set down a tray with a delightful little dessert on it in front of Allen. And then he started setting down a tray in front of me, which I was confused about, as we had only ordered ONE dessert. On the tray was a tiny black velvet box. The waiter said with a smirk “enjoy your dessert madam” and walked away. Allen knelt down and asked me to marry him….

BADDA BING BADDA BOOM. Here we are…over a year and a half into marriage. It’s been rocky here and there. But we were told it wouldn’t be easy all the time. The easiest part, however, has been knowing that he’s still my best friend, and I love him just as much now as I did the day I married him. We have set up our home in a cute little apartment in northern Orem. We have tons of fun, and he has held up one of his promises quite well. He has made me smile everyday since we’ve been married. Even when I’ve been SO angry at him, he still manages to get me to crack a smile.
I love my husband. I love our life together.
So there it is. This is who I am...for the most part. I feel very blessed to have the life I have and I'm grateful for everyone that has helped to make me who I am today.

I'm A Failed Blogger :(

I'm a sorry excuse for a blogger. I haven't written anything in quite a long time. I apologize for that. But I haven't had much to say that would be of much interest to any of you, so I thought I'd spare you from the boring reading. lol

Since the last time I have written, alot has taken place. Allen had his birthday and is a happy 24 year old. If I remember correctly, I got him a couple movies, some clothes, and a couple 2-way radios that he had been drooling over. lol We went out with our friends, Scott and Tissa, and went geocaching, one of our new favorite passtimes.

Thanksgiving came and it was alot of fun. We spent dinner time with Allen's family up in Layton and then afterwards went down to my parent's house where their dinner was being hosted. We got to see some of my family that we hadn't seen since our wedding. That was alot of fun.

As soon as Thanksgiving was over, the mindset went straight to CHRISTMAS!!! I will admit though, for some reason, I couldn't get into the spirit of the season this year. I participated in all the normal Christmas season rituals: singing along to Christmas music, shopping in the mall with all the crazies, wrapped presents, decorated the apartment top to bottom, read my scriptures about the birth of our Savior....and yet, I just couldn't seem to get into the spirit. I was hoping that after my birthday, things might change since we would be on the week countdown to Christmas.

Oh ya, I had my birthday on the 18th. haha. :) It was fun. Allen and my friends and family made it a special day for me. I took the day off and Allen woke me up at 7:30am. Not that I wasn't excited to open my gifts, he was just SUPER excited to see me open them. lol. He was so sweet. He got me a couple of movies. One of which was one of my favorite 80's movies: "Pretty In Pink" with Molly Ringwald. I made Allen watch it with me...and he's a total hater of the 80's. lol. The movie just about drove him batty. The clothes, the hair, the EVERYTHING. He's not a fan. It was hysterical to watch it with him.
But my big present for my birthday was 1/2 birthday, 1/2 Christmas present. And I absolutely LOVE it. I've never had a really decent camera. I got one for Christmas about 6 years ago. It was a Canon...which held 4 AA batteries. It was a brick. And this past year, it has been dying. So Allen decided that we would get a better one. And while we are truly wanting a digital SLR, those are 'spensive. So we got one that is a good substitute for now. :) He got me a Sony Cybershot 10.1 Megapixel Digital Camera. I absolutely adore it. It takes GREAT pics. I'm so happy with it.

It even has a feature called Smile Detection. It's so funny. You turn on the feature and point the camera at someone, the moment they smile, the camera registers it AS a smile and snaps a pic instantly. :)
That will be a great feature for when we have kids. The zoom is awesome, it does little video clips with great sound, the picture quality is great. I just love it. Allen did a great job. We bought a memory card for it and a nice case. It might not be a massive camera or anything...but it's my baby for now. I carry it EVERYWHERE just in case there's a photo op. :)

Anywho, back to Christmas, even after my birthday, I had a hard time getting into the spirit of the holidays. Christmas Eve didn't seem to be all that fantastic. We just hung out. And I found myself going to bed that night, not feeling that the next morning would be Christmas. But it was. And it was still a good day. :)

Allen and I woke up and opened our presents together. We got each other movies, some clothes, some fun stocking stuffers. It was a great morning. We got ready to go and went to my parent's house. We sat and opened presents with them, then had a wonderful breakfast. After that we drove to Allen's parent's house and opened presents from them. And from THERE we drove up to Layton for Christmas dinner and presents with the rest of the family. It was alot of fun. Later that evening we drove down to my Grandmother's house in American Fork where Christmas dinner was being held. I got to hug my Grandma and spend some time with her since this year she was without her sweetheart.

It was a very long day. But it was good to see all of our family.

New Year's Eve was pretty basic. We hung out with our friends Scott and Tissa and had tons of food, watched Glee, and then watched the ball drop in Times Square.

Allen and I are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends who care for us. We love you all and hope your holidays were as good as ours. :)

Let's bring in 2010 with happy faces and happy hearts!

Lake Powell Oct. 2009

Allen and I just returned from almost a full week down in Lake Powell with my family. We left Saturday, October 10th and returned Thursday, October 16th. It was beautiful down there, however the weather wasn't as awesome as we were hoping. We got a TINY bit of rain for about 5 minutes our second day. But the whole time we were fighting with wind. Our second night, the only person that slept through the night was my 7 year old brother, Chris, who was all tuckered out from playing and was tucked into his sleeping bag and blankets very nicely. The rest of us were continually slapped in the face with high winds and less than pleasing cool temperatures. I woke up that morning with a wind-chapped face...what the?!
We played on the water a little bit. Ryan and I faced the bitter cold water and swam into a cave that we found while we were out exploring in the boat. It was so cool...a little unnerving(at least for me) but it was alot of fun. We hiked, we ate, we played in the sand. I colored pictures in a coloring book when I tried to keep out of the stupid wind. My grandmother(Grammy) taught me how to play Rummikub...and I ultimately decided that I hate that game. It's fun to play...and you really can't say 'no' when an invitation is extended to play...but the second you start losing...you HATE it. haha! It was a pretty good vacation. The best(warmest and least windy) day we had was the day we were packing up to go home...go figure. SHEESH! But it was fun to see the sandstone and the beauty down there one last time before all the snow-fall that is soon to come. Here are a couple pics from the vacation: enjoy!

Picture #1: Our beautiful spot that we parked the houseboat. So pretty!
Picture #2: Another angle of our spot.
Picture #3: Allen and I at the front of the speedboat while out exploring the canyons with the fam!
Picture #4: My dad apparently likes to take pictures of people while they sleep...I'll admit it...I'm an ugly sleeper. lol.
Picture #5: On the second day, while driving the boat over to our new spot, my dad allowed Allen to be captain for awhile. :)

Sundance, Killers, Silly Faces

As of late, Allen and I have been keeping ourselves busy with work and other various activities throughout each week. We love spending time together and we have a few pictures to show some of the recent festivities. :)

SUNDANCE:

A few Sundays ago, Allen and I decided to venture up Provo Canyon to Sundance and use our lift tickets to go see the changing colors. It was slightly sprinkling that day, but it was SO beautiful. It was fun to sit together and enjoy the beauty that we are so blessed to have surround us. Here are a few pics:

THE KILLERS CONCERT:

On Saturday, September 26, Allen and I attended The Killers concert at the E Center. I bought the tickets way back in like...April...May? Can't remember. Anyways, I bought them for Allen as my gift to him for our First anniversary. :) He was so excited when he got them...but he was even more excited when he got to cash 'em in. :) The concert was so entertaining. We had a blast. I will admit that I was pretty nervous about whether or not The Killers would be good live, but oh my, they were amazing. :) Such wonderful entertainers and talented musicians. I'm so glad we went. Here are some pics from the concert:

SILLY FACES:

I've recently discovered the wonderful computer cam that I have on my work computer. It's fun to make faces at it and snap a quick picture...especially during a slower time in the afternoon. :) After taking the pics, I usually fix 'em up a little on an online editing site. It's pretty fun. :) The first few are of my computer cam creations. And the ones following are of me with my HR group at work. We went out and did a service project in the community last Thursday. Afterwhich, we treated ourselves to a yummy Tucano's lunch. (BYU vs. UTAH), (Kendra took a pic of me as I was twirling my hair and trying to stay awake). Here they are:

Well, that's pretty much it for now. We are heading to Lake Powell this Saturday with mi familia. Pictures and blog will follow after we get back!

Last Week, This Week, And Today

Ok, I have to admit, I REALLY need to pick back up on blogging. But it's hard to blog when you have nothing to say. lol. However, today, I DO have something to say. Another little UPDATE, if you will. :)

Good News:

Last week Allen got the call that he got a job! HALLELUJAH! He will be working part time at a Texaco gas station about 10 minutes from our apartment. We are so happy he was able to find a job! And we are SO grateful for all the prayers and support from our families and friends. We really appreciate it. Also, a big thanks to Mr. Geoff Parker who definitely had a hand in Allen getting the job. :)
So things are looking up in the financial department of our lives. Which is quite a load off my shoulders. Don't get me wrong, the budgeting will still be super tight, but at least now, we have a little bit more room to breathe.

I also want to say that I'm so proud of Allen for working hard and continuing his search for a job throughout the summer, despite the rejections and discouragement. I can only imagine how hard it must be to continue moving on even though you feel so discouraged. Thank you my love. :)

Sad News:

On Tuesday of this week, my beloved Great Grandmother Sophie, passed away at the amazing age of 97. She was such a sweet woman and I'm so grateful that I had her in my life as long as I have. I'm very blessed and definitely a better woman for knowing her. She is/was an inspiration in my life.
A little history on my grandmother: Zophia Struzenko Bagdasarian lived through one of the most difficult times in history, World War II. She grew up in Poland and married a wonderful man with which she had 3 boys. During the war, her husband was taken away from their home early in the morning and was murdered, leaving her alone with 3 young boys to take care of. Not too long after that horrific event, she and her boys were put into labor camps where she knew they probably wouldn't survive. Her youngest, my grandfather George, was only 3 months old at the time. He was suffering from starvation. And for quite some time, she considered the thought of ending his life in order to end his misery. But because of her love for him, she pressed on and found ways to nourish her young children. That act alone, in a sense saved my life as well. My family would not exist today had she not been the strong woman that she was.

After horrible times in labor camps, she met and married an Armenian man, Alex Bagdasarian. They were able to contact a man in Louisiana who sponsored their trip over to America. Sophie and Alex worked diligently for this man until they had earned enough money to pay their debt and start a new life in Los Angeles, CA.

They lived happily in L.A. for the rest of their lives. Alex passed away a few years ago. And until Sophie passed, she had a little dog named Bebe to keep her company.

I will miss her dearly. She always brought such a happiness into my life when I was with her. Again, she is truly an inspiration and I am so glad that I had the honor of being her granddaughter.

50 & Counting....

Today, my dear Dad is 50 years old. HAHA! However, he doesn't act nor look like he is 50. He might as well be 25 again. Good for you Dad. :) The years have been kind to you, and Christopher's silliness has helped keep you young. :) lol

Just wanted to wish my my dad a very Happy Birthday.

Engebretsen Update

The past couple of weeks, we've been keeping busy. I am constantly working. Don't ya just hate it when you spend more time in the workplace than you do in your own home, where you'd RATHER be?

Allen is still searching for a job. It's tough out there. There ARE in fact jobs to be had, however, there are also about 50-100 applicants for each open position. So it's rough. But we are trying very hard to keep high spirits and keep the faith that something will come up soon enough. :)

We have been busy with job searching, me working, and recently spent a week at a friend's apartment doggy-sitting while they were away for their anniversary. It was fun to sit and play with a little spunky puppy and a cute little 2 year old doggie. So it was a tiny little vacation for us...although we were maybe 2 minutes from our own home. :)

We also attended a wedding of our friends on the 17th. I was actually a bridesmaid in the wedding, so I was all decked out in the bridesmaid garb. It was a beautiful day for a wedding(the pic posted is actually FROM the wedding, and that's Allen's shoulder I'm leaning on). The ceremony and reception were actually held at Wadley Farms, the same place I had my reception. It was very different not being the bride of the wedding while we were there. I was constantly remembering things about my wedding day at Wadley's. Also a great day!! :)

We recently went boating with my family and loved it. It was my first attempt at knee-boarding. I got up on my first try but after that I was a little wobbley. Still fun though! I highly recommend it! My only battle wounds were a couple of huge mosquito bites on my back.

Well, that's the current update for us. We are happy and healthy. We hope the same for all of you!