Engstrom's January Back Bloging

Since I was MIA for the first half of the year I decided to post my recent pages. These are my scrapbook pages for January '09.

B-day Party

So for the last three weeks it has been raining and still is. I didn't think that when we were moving to New Jersey we were coming to a tropical state. I thought that for sure that since it was raining so much before Adam & Zachary's party that it would dry up by last Saturday. Well, I was wrong. The guest arrived and it started to sprinkle. Everyone got to play outside for a little while but the rain became increasing heavier. So, our party went from backyard fun to inside sprawl. I didn't think that I invited that many people until they were all inside our home.

My inventive cousin Kristin came up with the game "pin the mask on Spiderman". She got a few of the kids to play that game while Josh cooked hotdogs, and I was trying to find Adam who locked himself in his room. I got him to come out by asking him "do you want to go open your presents?"

We got everyone eating, then we did cake, the pinata (which was great! Elder Glead played Scott Joplin as the kids took a wack. It was so worthy of film. After everyone got a turn We let the b-day boys take another wack and as Adam was in the process of hitting it I pulled the rip cord. Candy was everywhere and the brawl was on.) Then we opened presents.

Thanks to everyone for helping making Adam's b-day a happy.

De-Georgeing our house

So about the title. The previouse owner's name was George. He concidered himseld to be a handy-man. Well, Josh and I both agree that he really shouldn't have picked a hammer. We have had to redo or undo almost everything that he did to this house. Unfortunatly it is done usually in an emergancy situation because everything that he did breaks. This week's break was the water heater.

Josh walked down stairs to a river in our kitchen. It looked like it started at the fridge, then we traced it to the pantry, we poked some holes in the dry wall.......and found that it was the water heater. I was releaved because I thought that is was a broken pipe or somthing. I was having visions of our house being gutted out and money flying out of our pockets. We were able to call our handyman and he took care of the rest. He really like us and I'm so greatful to him. He went and bought our new water heater, removed our old one, and put in our new heater all by 12:00 this afternoon. LOVE HIM! I really LOVE Josh for adjusting his work schedual to make sure that things were taken care of before he left. He almost had everything moped up before he came and told me about it.

The New One

It stinks that this happened but it could have been SOOOOO much worse: we could have been out of town, it could have happened a day eariler when we had company, we could have had to wait a lot longer to get it replaced........
My sister says that these things come in threes. We had our lawn mower die, the ball barrings replaced in my car, the fridge, and now the hot water heater. That makes four. I hope that big pocketbook surprises are over for a littly while so we can prepare for the next ding.

Bunkmates

It is time for my little baby to move to a big boy bed. We got this great trundel bed from some of our friends at church (thanks Glads). For the last couple of nights Zachary has been sleeping in this new bed. Adam LOVES having a bunk mate. The first night Zach wouldn't stay in bed so we started to put him in his crib in the other room. Adam would not have it. He protested this by getting in front of Zachary's crib with arms extended yelling "NO! You can't put him in his crib. He needs to be in my crib! Put HIM BACK!"

I was afraid of Adam not liking Zachary being in his room and feel like it was an intrusion. To my heart's delight it was just the oppisite.

The brothers have been having a great time. Adam chatters to Zach, and then we can hear the little patter of little feet exicuting their plans. Their 8:00 p.m. bed time hasn't been obeayed at all but they are having a great time being brothers. I absolutly LOVE it.

Prayers & Toots

I had a stake youth activity to go to this last Saturday. Josh, Adam, & Zachary also came to get out of the house and to be with me. It was suppose to be at the beach but it got rained out, so we all ended up at the church building. The youth had a good time playing vollyball, watching movies, and playing "signs". I was asked to join in and so naturally my boys were there having a good time getting attention from the youth.

It was time to say a blessing on the food and just as it got quite to start the prayer Adam launched a very loud "T-O-O-T!"

The whole loby of youth tried their best to be reverent for the prayer but it was filled with snickers muffeled laughs. As soon as everyone said "amen" there was a release of laughter.

Why is flufing so funny? I don't know.....but it is.

Working Late

Poor Josh has been working super long hours for the last month. He goes in early and comes home late (6am -12am). So he goes a couple of days without seeing the boys. I know the boys miss him.

When Josh comes home the poor guy crashes with the boys in fron to of the TV. I've been catching Zachary curling up to his daddy on the couch when ever hs gets the chance. We have such cute boys!

Green Thumb

This is a picture of my green thumb. Check out my potato plants! They have only gotten bigger with all of the rain that we have been getting daily. I just Love the garden state!

The Show

At the end of the school year at Adam's pre-school they put on a little show. They sing a lot of songs that they have learned throught out the year. In preperation Adam and I would practice at breakfast time and on occation he would sing with me.



The time for Adam's class to walk in arrived and as soon as Adam saw me he made up his mind that it would be better for him to sit with me instead of up front with his class. And once his mind is set on something then there is little that I can do to change it.


I did get him to go up to sing the song that we practiced but as soon as it was over he set his rectangle down and returned to sit with me.




He decided that he wanted to get his award too but got up set when people clapped. Don't you just love these pictures.

Hidden Blessings

A couple nights ago josh and I endulged in a late night bowl of cereal and I noticed that the milk wasn't cold. Blah! On our way to bed Josh noticed that the fridge hadn't stoped running all night. Yep, it finnally happened our refridgerator that the previous owner left us in his garage cooled it's last.

I spent the next morning looking for dry ice (which I found out that the grocery stores in NJ don't carry) to buy me some time. I spent the reast of my day craig's listing, calling around etc... I was able to find a scratch and dent beautiful fridge for $300. AHHHhhhhh! I found this great appliance sotre right on the shore. On a clear day you can see the NYC sky line. There was a steam boat museum and a board walk right next to the store. So the boys and I had a good time going to this place. So, check it out our new (to us) fridge. I have posted pictures for your viewing pleasures......

Although it stinks that we had to buy a new fridge, I'm really happy that our old one broke.

It's nice to have cold milk again.