FRiDaY!!!!

So, David sent me a text this morning with this picture... Isn't it so appropriate? I had to put it up somewhere... We're just so excited!!! 4 DAYS!!!!

Two Weeks Notice

Okay, so I just have to say.... It's getting really hard NOT to count down the days till we're getting married. I think this past week - from 3 weeks left to 2 weeks left - has been LONGER than some months.... Really! So, I even tried not to count... But alas, I walk into work and one co-worker says - how many days Andrea? (She does this everyday if she remembers) - and I said... uhh..like 3 weeks, not sure... Then 30 seconds later she says - No way, it's 16 days! You're so close!!!! Okay, so I have to say, I do love that everyone is getting in on the excitement... but man... it's LONG - 16 days is LONG. BUT, now it's 14 days!!!! (Okay, seriously, still long...)

Being engaged has been a fun time for both of us I think! (Well I guess I can't speak for David totally, but what's not to like right?) We're done planning (hopefully by now right?) and we basically did all the planning together! How fun is that? Even down to the font size and style of our return address labels :) David supports me through it all; I'm just one lucky girl. Besides planning the wedding, we've done Christmas, Thanksgiving, dates, and a few bridal showers as well which were awesome (next blog entry probably). I'm sure there's been a ton more like David's school, my PHR test, family visiting, etc etc... Now what?? Well, I'm sure to keep busy for the next 2 weeks - but it still is feeling L O N G. hahaha... 2 weeks is like the time between paychecks, or the time to put in your "Two Weeks Notice" (so love that movie!)... that's not that long right?

We're ready!!! We're giving you our TWO WEEKS NOTICE.. come celebrate with us!!! We're getting MARRIED!!!! :)

Last Christmas Alone

**Disclaimer: I mention a FEW times in here that Christmas might not have been the best... It's only cuz I'm engaged and I hated being away from the love of my life... It doesn't have reflection on those I love in AZ. But I will say, for those of you planning to take vacations alone while newly engaged or married, or even years later - I didn't like it -and hope to never do that one again :)

CHRISTMAS 2009

....

So, I went home to AZ for 5 whole days to spend half and half as normal... All the family got together and we had a few meals, Christmas presents, shopping, and the usual hustle and bustle. The only thing missing for me... David! I planned my trip before we were engaged and decided I could survive for 5 days. And that's what I did - survived barely. (No dramatization at all...) Thank goodness for SKYPE and technology. David was back in UT with his family, but we still could chat.
I flew in with Grandma, who did awesome on the trip down. Then Dad & I did some last minute shopping since I only had 1 day, and I got it all done in like 2 hours (totally had planned what I was getting). Then we looked for stuff for Diane and by that afternoon I was tired and done. I headed to Moms where I spent the last few hours with her and Eric and we watched Elf. Awe. Mom was in the hospital a few days before I got there (she's okay now) but so we had a few things to run and do that night as well. That morning Amanda came over and we all opened presents (below).
And then that afternoon I rode with Eric & Amanda to Dads where we had an International Dinner where everyone provided something for dinner from another country, and we opened presents. It was an 8 hour family event...but I didn't get too many great pics...
The rest of the weekend I skped with David, shopped with mom, watched movies, went to 2 churches and showed off my ring, had Sunday dinner at Dads, and just waited to go back to the freezing cold and umm...this guy...

Sliding around

So, before I went home for Christmas, David & I had a fun date night! Actually if you know me well you will know that what we did had to of totally been a #1 for me. And guess what, David likes it about as much as I do! Wow, we are so meant to be... :) he he he. So...what'd we do??

IcE sKaTe!!!! Whoo hooo!!!

It was so fun. Here are a few pictures. David is an absolute Pro. I say I'm an AZ Pro - since there really aren't Ice Skating Rinks in Arizona, so I bet I could be better than most Arizonians... Anyway, I was pretty nervous still since it takes me like 2 hours to warm up, but I kept up with David pretty well. Except I wouldn't let him spin me too much or drag me to fast.

After we headed to Christmas Street up in SLC - another tradition of Davids. We have LOTS of traditions to make! Some fun memories included: doing snow wheelies in the parking lot (David), trying to ice skate backwards or hockey stop or just skating and holding hands, freezingly walking down Christmas street critiquing the lights, visiting Uncle Richard and eating at the hospital cafeteria with Steph & Tony, getting warm at home afterwards... What a great night before our 5 days w/out each other... And advice about that from us - don't spend ANY days without each other... it's too long!!!

Dating Races

For those of you who have LOTS of time on your hands... this blog is AWESOME!! (even if you don't have lots of time like me!)
http://thedatingrace.blogspot.com/
My amazing friends are having a race to see how many dates they can rack up over the month of January - and taking pics - and posting about the date - then we all get to vote on who they should go out on a second date with at the end.... Well, I'm pretty impressed by all they are doing and going through. I only read a bit, and hear a bit more from Shayla (she's doing our flowers - whoopie!!!). We actually went on a quadruple date with Shayla and a date and Eric and a date last week and it was crazy to see that they Shayla had been on 4 dates that day. Oh my gosh! But really, I think I could have almost done the race if I had a good friend doing it with me - and also if i didn't already just find my man :) :)

Almost DC - Lights

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!

Thanksgiving 09

Happy Thanksgiving!! It was our first true holiday as the newly engaged couple :) And the first time splitting our time with each family. We went to my Uncle Richard's house at noon. We played games and stuffed ourselves. And my mom was in town so that was nice!

Next up was David's parents house... but I didn't get too many pictures - just one with Sam, the first nephew. They're too cute huh? 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.