A great Halloween!

As a teacher, I hate Halloween...the kids are super-duper hyper from all the sugar, and you just count down the minutes until the festivities are over.

However, I do love Halloween with family.

I had the best day today--and it was all because I saw my little ones all dressed up and having a great time. And plus, I didn't even have to trick-or-treat and I got a loot of candy! lol!

Neighbors close by where my sister Shari lives always put on an awesome live Thriller show, and we went to see it once again. It's so much better in person, but the shaky video I took with my camera will have to do! Check it out below!

Happy Halloween!

Girls trip to Park City!

I decided to take a day off this week to extend our girls only weekend trip!

It was well worth the 2 hour sub planning!

My parents own a time share and my sisters, a sister in law, a niece, and my mom and I went to the one in Park City.

Way nice!

We didn't want to come home to return to normal life! We shopped, went to movies, ate out, swam, sat in the hot tub, dry sauna and steam room, worked out, ate treats, watched scary movies in the condo rented from redbox, laughed our heads off, and well...just had a blast! Here are some pictures of our fun weekend away.

We definitely need to do this more often!

12 years to date

It's amazing how quick time passes. It's been 12 years today that I left on my mission. I remember it like it was just yesterday--October 22, 1997-headed to the MTC. I can't believe it's been that long.

I was thinking today about what my mission did for my life.

Everything.

If I think about my most favorite memories, they would have to be with people. Of course--the sights in Taiwan were amazing. However, I think what I left with was a love for the people there, for my many companions, and a gratefulness for my friends and family that outstretched their arms to me and uplifted my spirits while I served.

And by how much I learned about God and how good He is...how good life is...and how good the experiences I had were.

I'm so thankful...to the brim of thankfulness.

Here are some of my memories with the people I loved and the memories I cherished.

Last, but not least, I think today it's important to thank the people who made my mission possible. Money has always been tight for me...and my parents were there to help support me on my mission...Thanks so much, Mom & Dad. I love you!!!And again...one other last thing...one huge thing. While serving in my first area, I received a letter from my mom that told me that my sister Shelley & brother-in-law Gary had come forward to pay for my mission to ease their financial burden, and to ease mine. Honestly, I was speechless. I'm so thankful--words can't express...for if it weren't for them, I would not have been able to have served.

Thanks, Shelley & Gary! I'm eternally grateful.

"DIE!"

Last night my sister and her family and little Dakota and I had THE bonfire I've been speaking of. We burnt all of my old thesis documents and other various articles & assignments that I did during my graduate program at BYU.

It felt so good!

Here we are with thumbs up for burning up all those hours of sweat, weight gain, tears, and struggles! Ashley had her thumb down...it was funny because every time Chandler would put some in the fire he'd say, "Karen, do you hate this page?" I'd say, "YES!" And he'd throw it in the flames and say "DIE!!!"

I think it was this one...right here...this thesis draft that made me gain the 40 lbs!!!

Now that all the old drafts are buried in ashes, I think I can just look at this book in awe...knowing that I made it through one of the hardest challenging times of my life. And it's finally OVER.

A skinnier me

This weekend...it's happening. I am going to bonfire my graduate school documents, papers, articles, and all the hundreds of drafts of my thesis. I have been putting everything in a huge basket. To you, the basket might not look so great and mighty or anything...but to me, what's in the basket represents thousands of hours of sweat, tears, frustration, and pounds of fat I gained...I think this bonfire will make me feel skinny again!!!!!

Moments

Since finishing my master's program, I have felt sort of lost. Not sure who I am anymore. Not sure what to focus on. Just...not sure. A recent priesthood blessing I had told me that I needed to focus on me, and find what makes me happy.

I watched Oprah today and cried.

I remember following the story of the Nielsons from Provo-The husband and wife who were in a plane crash and survived. And how burns covered like 80% of her body, and 30% of his. I loved watching this episode...and Oprah said something that sorta hit home for me. She said at the end, "Live in the moment". This is what Stephanie has to do now, taking mom-at-home responsibilities with her kids moment by moment.

I think that's my quest. I need to pay attention to my moments more. To enjoy my 33rd year of being a daughter, sister, granddaughter, friend, teacher, being single, and just...me.

Bombay Tradition!!

My 3 awesome friends, Erin, Vicki, and Betsy and I have this tradition...we always eat out at The Bombay House for our birthdays! With our staggered bdays, and Betsy being almost a year older, we happen to always be the exact same age for a few weeks after my birthday.

I just can't express how much I love these guys. We've been friends for years and years, and I have comfort that we will ALWAYS be the closest of the closest.

And then to be with such awesome friends AND eat at The Bombay House? Sheesh! Heaven!