I'd like to introduce you to the newly...
Andrea Everts, PHR
Yeah, I'm sure no one knows what that is huh?? I hadn't heard of it till I started my job. And now I have it at the end of my name!!! So, what is it?? Okay...
Back in September I started studying and taking an HR class to take a huge test to get these 3 initials after my name. It's called the Professional of Human Resources Certificate. It's a way for those in HR to distinguish themselves. Its not mandatory or anything like PhD or stuff, but it felt like quite an accomplishment last weekend after the 4 hour test was over and the computer printed the words - "Passed" !!! I spent every Tuesday night this fall at an HR class with about 20 other professionals where we studied all the different facets of HR. It was a 4 hour class that was pretty long for me after work, but it was definitely a help for my preparation. Then I spent the last 2 weeks studying at every moment possible, even during Thanksgiving, sadly... I was pretty worried since the test is actually pretty gruesome. I had memorized, or tried to memorize all the many HR Laws like Civil Rights, union stuff, benefits laws, salary stuff, and so much more. And then the test is actually isn't just factual, but more about the HR best practices and what the best thing to do in certain situations might be. So, it felt tricky - and who knows how I passed. David, co-workers, and friends would tell you it was because I studied ALL the last few months anytime I could. Yay!!! I'm done!!! And even better, I passed the test and I have something to put on my resume and get a bit of a raise hopefully :)
Now it's on to the wedding planning... only about 2 months away. Can't wait!! Oh, and Christmas, which should be good too.
So, as a missionary I was spoiled to be around temple lights for all of December for 2005 and 06. I still miss it every Christmas season. David took me to SLC Temple Square to check out the lights. (Definitely a tradition we'll keep) We stopped at 7-11 first and had lovely hot chocolate to keep us warmer...good idea! Just to explain the post title - I will always be a bit partial to my DC lights, so SLC is a close 2nd with AZ as well. But we had a great time. A great date on Nov 28, 2009. Things to remember.... David LOVES the big red tree. What do blue lights mean? (still gotta figure that one out)... Hot chocolate was the best so I didn't freeze. We should ask people to take our picture more since all our pics look similar. After getting to temple square we started listening to the Nativity - I glanced up and saw the SLC Temple. Oh how beautiful!! Then it HIT ME - I'm getting married there!! To David my one and only!! Looking at the temple meant so much more to me that night... Here's a bunch of us having so much fun:
Oh and then afterwards David showed me one of the lights places that he goes with his family called - Christmas Utah. They acutally have a radio station that plays music and the lights blink according to the beats etc. Way cool!
David was good to still be hungry 1.5 hours after our first meal - I ate too but definitely couldn't pack in as much as he did. We played with his siblings - usually we do Nintendo and air hockey... And then headed out for the evening. That night we met up with Steph and Co. and went to see a movie. David & I stayed up a bit longer enjoying time together on the holiday. I didn't get too much rest before heading to Black Friday with Steph & Mom. I didn't do too much shopping either. I was surprised that I showed up to go out with them at like 6ish and they weren't ready for another hour at least. But we still found some good deals. We also took a road trip later on to visit Ogden relatives. And then the rest of the weekend was devoted to STUDY. I had my PHR test the next week (which you already know I passed... !) But I was pretty nervous, so instead of getting lots of R&R - D & I studied. But since he was sitting next to me, I was a happy studier.
I think I also am losing all memory since it took me awhile to find where my elementary school was and other stuff that I should totally know! We also took David to In&Out for his first time there. Yum! By the afternoon I borrowed Eric's car and drove David out to the boonies where Dad lives. All the family was getting together to say hi and meet him :) We had lovely French Toast cooked for the whole group that is getting bigger everyday. Below are pictures with us with the pond. Then me and the nieces and nephews. (They always tackle me into some sort of game or toys, which I love!) We then headed to Cold Stone and got some ice cream. Yep, Ice Cream to go with our Syrupy French Toast.... talk about sugar huh? We picked up a movie Dad was referred to and we all watched it. Meet the Parents. Yep again. Hahha. It was good that David met the family before they watched the movie, because they could have gotten ideas to do from it... but everyone was great and Dad grilled David to get all his info and then later Dad quizzed the family to see what they remembered. Silly.
So, here's the brief story. Maybe it won't be so brief... we'll see. David & I met in our singles ward back at the beginning of 2009. We were friends and that was it as we continued on our seperate paths and dating others etc. David always likes to tell me how he was interested in getting to know me but had to wait till I was available - and it did finally happen on August 1st. Our first date was up in SLC by the Capital above a park called Memory Grove. That first date we had Jamba and walked through the park and chatted until we got above the park and watched the sunset over the Salt Lake Valley. That spot became "our spot". Over the next 3 months we've spent EVERY day together. I've been on cloud 9 and still am. Last week we went to AZ so David could meet my family and had a great time. I had thought the ring might have already been picked out and ready... but Wednesday last week David totally threw me off by saying we should go ring shopping sometime around Thanksgiving. I have been so excited to be engaged but figured I had a bit more waiting to do...patience Andrea right?? Well, he was just getting me off his track and also made up another story about going on a double with some friends in SLC. So we were supposidly waiting for his friend to get off work and we "happened" to drive through the area where our spot is. David casually said - yeah, lets get out and go visit our park... (I was starting to maybe suspect something but still not getting my hopes up)... We chatted a little bit and David mentioned some good memories we've had, etc... And then all the sudden he got on one knee!!!! What??? Yeah, I was in - shock mode - so as he was down there I said (in somewhat of a shocked or threatening tone) David! What are you doing???!!! He then proposed... (I just couldn't believe that the event I had dreamed of was happening right then) And I said YES!!! We took a few pics and watched the beautiful red orange sunset. Then we didn't go on the fake double date - and instead we visited family, called family, and just spent time together till we were exhausted.
Then yeah... I'm pretty sure I have other friends, but mostly, I do stick around with the same crew. Here's Katie, Shayla and myself. We had fun trying to find the different parts of the maze. Really, we didn't succeed at all, but it was fun! I mean, look at this face, we had to have fun right? 
So, a few weeks ago it actually SNOWED here in Utah. Yes, we live in the crazy weather time. As Court once told me, the weather has PMS. It's definitely true. Hahah. Well, it also is FALL and AUTUMN and hopefully not fully winter yet. Lots is going on like: