O Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree

Hans and Amy Stokke's first tree!

Geschenk

The Geschenk website is finally up and running! It will have some updates soon, but in the meantime, check us out and place your orders early!

Hi, I'm Mrs. Stokke?

Life has been moving along quite swimmingly as the new Mrs. Stokke. So well, in fact, that I willingly had my name legally changed today. Once my identification comes in the mail, I'll be updating everything. So long Amy Hammer. Hello Amy Stokke.

So I've spent my few days off this week hard at work in our apartment. I'm in search of the elusive cozy-homey feel that makes one feel perfectly at home in a box.

Below are a few recent pictures from my kitchen project, and from my wedding. Enjoy!


Aw, I'm a bride!


Now there's a handsome man.


Here's the shelf and sink of my kitchen. The walls are a greenish-yellowy color.


I'm particularly proud of the light switch plate covers I made. Even Hans noticed and praised them!

Honeymooning

Hans and I got married, and then we went on a honeymoon. I'm distracted, and not in the mood for details, so this is what you get for now. Lots of pictures!

It's Here!

Today is my wedding day! I've been up for a little while, so I thought I'd say a quick hello to all of those who couldn't make it today (Kel & Family) and say how much I'll miss you! I can't believe it's here. It's now. This is it. Today will be over in a flash, and I'll be Mrs. Stokke. It still feels a little pretend, but that's ok. Well, cheers to me.

5 Days

5 DAYS! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. That's it. I will then be Amy Stokke forevermore. Funf! Cinco! Fem! I've exhausted my languages (and had to look up the Norwegiam one). But you get the idea. I'm thrilled to marry Hans in only 5 days. I no longer wish it were sooner, but am just enjoying the build-up to the big day now. Yay for 5!

18 Days

Today Hans and I went to the Old Orange County Courthouse and got our marriage license! We had to raise our right hand and swear and everything. It was such fun.

On another note: Welcome back to the States Anna! Can't wait to have you close by!

22 Days!

I am too excited to write anything of sense, so I will continue to count off the days like the town crier. However, I would like to point out, quite obviously that I will be Mrs. Amy Stokke in only 22 days. That's hardly any time at all! 5 1/2 months really flew by (despite my oft complaint to the contrary).

23 Days!

24 DAYS!

25 Days

It's only 25 days away! Wheeeeeee!

San Diego

Hans and I had a great weekend visiting the new baby Madeleine in San Diego. While we were there we went to the San Diego Historic Park. It was a fiesta of fun! (Despite the straight faces in the pictures)

Madeleine Josephine Hammer

She's here! After 30 hours of labor and 7 hours of pushing, my wonderful sister-in-law Julie gave birth to my first niece!!! She was born August 31st at 2:09pm. 6 pounds 10 ounces, 19 inches long. She's perfect.



Welcome to the family baby girl. Prepare to be spoiled by your favorite Aunt Amy.

Grandma

I wrote the post below just 12 hours before my grandma passed away. Her passing was not a shock, and yet, as my uncle Bob said at her services on Tuesday, "all death is untimely".

I was PREPARED for grandma to go, but I was not truly READY for her to be gone. Even seeing her after she passed was not enough to convince me that she really wouldn't have bowls of olives waiting for me when I came over, or wouldn't smell her famous oatmeal cookies baking. I wish I could have soaked in every memory, every moment, every piece of wisdom she ever gave and saved it all.

She was a wise and humble woman who led her life with a unique excellence and an amazing grace. Lois Lindley was my grandmother, and everyone should be jealous. I got her for almost 26 years, and for that, I am deeply blessed.

So, for now, bye Grandma. I'll see you soon. I sincerely hope there are no dirty old flies in heaven.

Less than 8 Weeks!

It seems that every time I come back to my blog, I'm catching up! Much has happened since I last wrote. Life has been split between joy and grief. Someone once said that the two most stressful events in life are getting married and experiencing a death in the family. I have both at one time. I wonder at God's timing, but know it is perfect at the same time. The upcoming passing of my grandmother is in no way tarnishing my upcoming marriage, yet, I am blessed to be able to take some time to focus more on my grandmother and family, than on myself.

With that said, I'm going to go ahead and talk about myself for a minute. Over the past few weeks, I've had my first shower with all my current family and new family! It was an AMAZING time to be with the women in my life. Not only do I come from an amazing and large family, but so does Hans. We also both have a great legacy of marriage. I've been feeling like Hans and I are overly blessed (if there is such a thing).


Me and My Wonderful Grandmother.


This is the pitcher my mom gave me. It was one of my favorite gifts!


This is the first time my bridesmaids and I have been together. (left to right - Sister-in-law Rachel, Sister-in-law Julie, Sister Heidi, soon to be sister-in-law Anna)

The other exciting event lately is that Hans and I just rented our first apartment! Hans is moving in this weekend and I'll be moving in after the wedding. Although, I'll be using the apartment to store all of our gifts. It's a great apartment on the corner of 4th and Park, right across from the lagoon. We can't wait to have you all over. For the time being though, here are a few pictures.


This is Hans in our new bedroom.


And here I am making imaginary dinner in our new kitchen!

Catching Up

Ok ok, I'm a little behind on my blogging. So for those of you who actually check my blog, please don't give up on me yet! Lately I've been nailing down wedding details, and getting excited for it more and more every day. That's a lot of excitement for one person to handle! Right now I'm looking forward to my family shower the most. A few of Hans' family members are flying out just for my shower, including his sister from Croatia, mom from Florida and aunt from Northern California. I feel so honored already! I can't believe I'm marrying a man with a bigger family than me! I'm so thrilled to see everyone and be the reason for these families to come together. It's all very exciting!

Below are some pictures from recent events in my life.


A meeting of the brilliant wedding minds here. Joy is in the yellow. She's my wedding angel, and the owner of Portefleur, along with Mike, her singing waiter husband.


Family trip to San Diego. Hans and I took this picture right as a bug flew in his face. Now quite a famous bug, really.


This is my brother David and his wife, Rachel. They have been in Washington for the past 10 days working at a kids summer camp as well as checking out the area for the possibility of moving there. Welcome home David and Rachel!!!!

Lessons in Frosting

This past weekend my cousin, Brianna, and I served a meal and a dessert to 85 8th graders and their families. (Grand total: 220 people.) Brianna is a chef and caters events like this often enough to know how many bags of green beans we need, and when enough rice pilaf is enough. Since Brianna taught me that it's ok to give yourself props, we did such a great job! Eveyone loved the food and our cupcakes were so cute you almost didn't want to eat them!

Below are a few pictures that will make you salivate. (Note: The first picture shouldn't make you salivate, although Brianna is striking a rather alluring pose.)





















The chefs standing in the star entrance. (Props to Amy Elwood for star construction)


Chocolate Ganache.


Strawberry Shortcake and Lemon Lemon.


White on white and coconut delight!






















Brianna and 1 of 3 giant pots of beans.


Isn't the salad so pretty?


Oh, the glamour of bagging raw chicken.

First Course: Salad with strawberries, feta cheese, red onion, avocado, candied walnuts in a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Dinner Menu: Teriyaki chicken breast with Rice Pilaf and Sauteed Green Beans.

Cupcake Flavors (10 in all): Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting, Nutmeg with maple frosting, Chocolate cake with homemade chocolate ganache, White cake with white frosting, Lemon cake with lemon frosting, Strawberry shortcake, Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, White cake with pink frosting and coconut, German chocolate cake, Spice cake with cream cheese frosting.

Mmmmmm . . .

(Confession: I made not one, but two batches of white cake incorrectly! And it was out of a box. Tip: don't add the egg yolkes, otherwise it's not white cake, it's yellowish cake.)

Congratulations Vincent and Suzanne!

On Saturday, May 31st, my good friend from college got married. The ceremony was at the city hall in Santa Barbara and the reception was in a barn connected to the Carriage and Western Art Museum. It was such a blast seeing friends from school. Hans had a great time hearing all our crazy stories from college days. Here's a few shots from the blessed event.


The Happy Bride and myself.












My friends from college (Stephanie, me, Holly and Suzanne)












This is me and some guy I picked up on my way to the wedding . . . He was nice

4 MONTHS!

Well, it feels like it's c r a w l i n g, but it is officially 4 months until Hans and Amy are hitched. Yay!

The Next Wedding Generation

It's true, though my grandma shakes her head in wonder, Hans and I have a wedding website. Currently there is just a little information, but more will come as we go. So please check back if you're so inclined. Oooh, and you can count down the days with me. As of today, 128 to go!!!

Here's the link, or you can just click on the engagement picture to the right.

http://www.mywedding.com/hansandamy/

Vocation Discovery for the Jobless

This post is dedicated, in part, to Mark Stump, my fellow unemployed pal, and lasagna-maker extraordinaire.

I am currently going through a vocation book titled "Let Your Life Speak" by Parker J. Palmer*. While this is good timing, since I am unemployed, I'm finding that it might be more frustrating if I were to apply his methods to my job searching. His take on discovering our true vocation is to look inward, not outward. Basically, we were BORN to do something. I like his theory for sure, and have already started to discover traits in myself that would lead me towards certain types of employment.

My self-discovery has led me to realize that I am a pioneer. I do not and never have enjoyed any job where I carry through systems and processes that someone before me created. I really enjoy starting something and doing it different than expected. I love the idea of opening my own shop, or starting my own company. It's not so much that I have an entrepreunerial spirit, especially, or that I want to devise clever ways to rake in the dough, I just want to start something myself. It's the same reason I wanted to make pie's out of mud in the backyard and I wanted to dig my own swimming pool (ended up using the trash can instead) and make up my own language. I have an innate desire to forge new territory, discover, create, and pioneer the new, the different, the unexpected.

Here is the somewhat obvious problem: How, exactly do I make this pioneering possible? Those of you who know me well, know that I have side projects in excess. A cookie company with my cousin, an advertising agency (of sorts) with my friend from church, and a few more that are in the beginning phases.

Here is the second problem: None of these side projects make me any money. Since I do need money to survive in California and to buy gas, I've resorted to a daily browsing of Craigslist and local job postings. I've applied for everything that fits into my basic needs right now: local, lucrative, flexible schedule, and a tiny bit interesting. Bummer. I have to join the "work force" along with everyone else, and learn processes using existing programs and computers to get the same job done that someone has already done a zillion times before me. For most, this is an exciting challenge and they can find joy in doing what they were meant to do in this environment. I, however, shrivel up and come home each day feeling defeated, knowing I spent the day doing what I'm not made to do.


*Disclaimer: I have not read this book in full, so I cannot give a fully proper review. So please take with a grain of salt!

I found it!

Yes, it's true. The perfect wedding dress DOES exist! And I have it! We found it last night at The Dresser in Fullerton. I tried on about 8 dresses, and this one stood out far and above the rest. Thank you to all of those who shopped endlessly with me the past few days. I love the dress and can't wait for Hans to see it!

Dress Shopping

More like dress dropping. I have never been so exhausted from trying on wedding dresses. People say that I'm a girl who knows what she wants. With wedding gowns, however, they're all pretty in a different, unique way. I am easily swayed by the sparkles, and the way the dress hugs just right, or the way it poofs when I sit down.

I have been to two shops and have found a few very pretty dresses that I like. I don't feel however, that I've found THE dress. When my sister went wedding dress shopping we all knew as soon as she put on her dress that it was the one. It was the second dress she tried on! As much fun as wedding dress shopping is, it only is so until a certain point, then you just want it to be over.

On Tuesday we're heading to one more shop. I'm am hoping and praying that this will be it. Wishful thinking, I'm sure, but I believe positive thinking can conquer the tulle, pearls, silk, tafetta, and all things sparkly!!!

(Sidenote: Every time I try on a dress I like, I get so thrilled to stand next to Hans in it. It's a good reminder that he doesn't care what I'm wearing, so long as I'm there.)

P.S. Anyone know any really great wedding dress shops in the area?

WE'RE ENGAGED!!!!

More details to follow.

Easter Weekend

This weekend was spent in all the best ways. Below is evidence.


Hans and I had our own Sunrise Service on the beach. It was lovely.


We went to the Long Beach Yacht Club for Easter brunch with the Hertzogs. It was a perfect day to be by the ocean. Picture: Hans, Amy, Nana, Aunt Jackie, Uncle Fritz, Una, Lara, Brad, Ollie, Michelle, Olivia, Lars and that's Tomas acting like he's asleep.


Hans took this while we were riding our bikes on Sunday evening. The weather was so nice, we just had to be outside. It was truly a wonderfully relaxing weekend.

A new adventure

As many of you know, I have been involved in a start-up business called Collaboration Works! for quite some time. And yes, the exclamation point is actually part of the name. Alexa McNabb is a gregarious, creative, wacky whiz of a woman who has allowed me to become closely involved in this project. As of March 9th, we decided to be business partners. Once we arrived there, we planed to make it all happen in 3 months!

So, on June 9th, 2008, we will officially have a business. What is this business? I understand the questions, but as of yet am not qualified to give the answer. I can tell you this: We are a network of creative people who offer marketing and advertising solutions to businesses. We do this through a creative brainstorm process completely unique and really, quite brilliant. After which, we give the work to our network of hungry freelancers, while we coordinate the project to its completion.

We can plan events, design a logo, create a marketing campaign, develop a retail space, and the list goes on.

I am peeing-my-pants, out-of-my-mind, can't-sit-still excited to see what God can do. Please join me in the excitement and prepare yourself for June 9th. We will be hosting a launch party, and I'm sure you will be invited, since the only people who read my blog are my mother and sister.

Hans turns 28 - Part 2

I took Hans to Disneyland for his real birthday celebration on Saturday. We had such a blast. We ate at the Blue Bayou, which we've passed so many times in our pirate boat.

Hans Turns 28 Part 1

Yesterday was Hans' birthday. I took him out to dinner at the Naples Rib Company where he ate the extra large rack of ribs. I feel privileged to have witness so much carnage for dinner.

Hans is clearly a very mature 28 . . .



These are just the leftovers from our enormous meal.



A man and his bucket of ribs.



I was there too. Hans is learning to take pictures of me also at events. This was his first try, so we don't judge. Apparently the meal made me sleepy.

Hans & Amy's Trip to Florida

Hans and Amy watching the Indians take on the Astros at spring training.


Indians warming up


Hans and his dad (Mike) at the Ritz Carlton Resort watching the golfers.

Hans & Amy's Trip to Solvang

On Saturday Hans picked me up at 6am and drove me up to Solvang for the day. I was able to sleep on the way there while Hans drank about 200 ounces of coffee or other gross caffeinated drinks. We made it there by 9:15 and went directly to The Little Mermaid for breakfast. It was an authentic Danish breakfast, and Hans had his favorite kind of pancake; the Ebelskiever.



We strolled the main street of Solvang and enjoyed the absurd amount of Greyhounds in town for a Greyhound convention of some kind. We bought bleu-cheese stuffed olives and lingonberry jam as well as plenty of Danish pastries that we taste-tested on the way home.



After Solvang, we drove to Los Olivos and strolled the short street there. With so many art galleries though, there is plenty to keep the eyes entertained. We ate lunch there at the Los Olivos Cafe. It is by far the best meal I've had in quite some time. We had sandwiches and some amazing bread with home-made oil for dipping (which we bought a jar of).

It was a perfect day. The weather was close to 75 degrees all day. The hills were greener than Hans has ever seen them, thanks to all the recent rain. This is a trip we'll be making again very soon. (Next time, with Hans' correct ID so we can actually taste some of the wine!)