Another singles conference

For the last month, my Mom repeatedly encouraged me to attend the upcoming Las Vegas Valley Regional Singles Conference. On more than one occasion she said: “I have a strong feeling about this conference Karry. I really think you should go.”

So I went. Last weekend.

After the conference concluded on Sunday, I went over to my parent’s house. The conversation went something like this:

Karry: Mom, now I know why you had such a strong feeling about me attending the conference. I actually met two new boys.

Mom stands in the kitchen trying really hard to hold back a big smile. She glances at my dad who starts to blush.

Karry: The first one’s name is Sam (name changed). He had a black eye. He said he’s from Jupiter and was sent to earth by his mom to learn why men have one mouth and two ears.

Mom looks confused. As did I when I was talking to Sam, who by the way has a son my age.

Karry: The second guy was named Marc (again, name changed). He was talking to me while chewing on a sandwich with his mouth open. A piece of bread flew out of his mouth mid-sentence and landed on my shoe.

Dad: That’s enough. I don’t wanna hear anymore.

To clarify, it’s not just weird men at the conference. There is an equal assortment of weird women there too. They really seem to shine at the dance. One woman was wearing see-through pants – ewww! And another woman jumped in our dance circle to do the splits. She wasn’t the smallest woman there and I’m not sure she was sufficiently stretched for the big move. She had a little trouble getting up. But whatever. It’s the singles conference. Almost anything goes.

The whole experience just makes me laugh. I was mortified the first time I went to a singles conference because I wasn’t sure what to expect. Now that I know, I really enjoy them. The secret is to go hear the fabulous speakers and gain insight and perspective. If you go for any other reason, you’ll likely be disappointed, discouraged and maybe even a little grossed out.

Valentine's Day musings with my parents

Karry: Do you want some of my See’s Candies?

Dad: How do you know what’s in them?

Karry: You don’t. It’s a surprise.

Mom: Too bad Kim’s not here. She takes a bite out of all of them and puts them back in the box. Then you can see what’s in them.

Karry: She only puts the other half back if she doesn’t like them. She eats all the good ones.

Mom: Oh yeah, that’s right. What a toad.

Happy Valentine's Day

See my five favorite Valentine's Day ideas here.

Cheetah print Snuggie

Last night I made dinner for my parents. After dinner, my Dad was cold so I got out my new prized birthday present – a cheetah print Snuggie. My Dad looked at it and said, “what is that?” My response, “It’s a blanket with sleeves.” I then put it on and waved my arms around so he could see how fancy Snuggie’s are. He just looked at me and said, “get that outta here.” I guess he’s not a fan of the Snuggie. Or maybe it was the cheetah print. Who knows.

Director

That’s my new title, if you’re a young woman going to camp in my ward this year. I don’t know why I’m still in shock. Me. A camp director. Really? Isn’t that a calling for an adult?

All my single friends have been called to serve as camp directors so I don’t know why I’m so surprised. The sad thing is that I teased all of them about their calling and now I have the same calling. Ugh! I am going to start teasing all my married friends to see if that produces the same result.

Honestly, I loved girl’s camp when I went 20 years ago. But there are almost 40 girls in my ward planning to attend girl’s camp this year and I don’t know any of them. Any advice?

Remembering

On January 2, my Dad called and asked me if I remembered calling him last year. I thought it was a new year’s joke so my immediate response was “Dad, I call you all the time.” He reminded me that it was a year ago on that day that I called to tell him that his mother passed away.

On January 13, Dad and I were driving down the road and he reminded me that his father passed away suddenly on this day in 1967. He had just finished cleaning the church and came home to change clothes in the wash room before heading out to do his chores on the farm when he suffered a fatal heart attack. Grandma found him.

In both instances, I was busy and occupied with the demands of the day and failed to remember the significance of these days. I’ve learned many admirable things from my Dad, but recently my favorite thing is the importance of remembering.

The photo above is of my Dad’s parents on their wedding anniversary.

34

I’m 34. Yes 34. Isn’t that crazy? I still feel, and sometimes act, like a teenager. But I have noticed several changes that confirm I truly am aging, such as my new love and need for sleep, new and frankly wider curves and new little wrinkles around my eyes. I’ve also noticed that I love being home – this coming from a girl my parents couldn’t get to come home 20 years ago.

It’s also interesting to note that the words of my mother have been fulfilled:

Your sister does become your best friend.
You really don’t keep in touch with everyone from high school and that’s OK.
It’s better to be trusted than liked.
People do remember how you make them feel.
It is important to remember who you are.

As I reflect over the last 34 years of my life, I can’t help but look back and smile at all the wonderful memories I have: making mud pies at the mountains with my sister, running around in my Wonder Woman underroos with Robyn, hundreds of family trips to Disneyland where we all stayed in one hotel room to save money, Aunt DelRae teaching me how to water ski while my Dad patiently circled around me in the boat, watching my Mom accidently do a wheelie on Dad’s motorcycle, Pat teaching me how to roller skate, going go-carting with Tate in race suits, eating toast for breakfast at Melissa’s parents house every morning after seminary, moving to college, going on a mission, graduating from college, getting a job, meeting new friends (affectionately dubbed the Power Squad), traveling to Europe and everywhere else I could afford – the list goes on and on. My life is full of wonderful memories created by a loving family and dear friends who have eternally influenced my life.

In so many ways, my life has exceeded my expectations even though it’s not the life I thought I would have at 34. There is an undeniable simplicity and quiet confidence to this phase of my life that I truly cherish. I love it.

My birthday was great. It started with a midnight breakfast at Denny’s, followed with a homemade breakfast and shopping at charming Town Square with Kristen, then dinner at PF Changs with the Power Squad girls. Subsequent birthday celebrations included dinner at Olives at Bellagio (right on the water – the view is better than the food in my opinion), another dinner at Serendipity 3 and the last dinner at Fleming’s Steakhouse. All delicious and fun. I love being spoiled.

Happy birthday to me!

White Christmas

Once again, we traveled to snowy Wisconsin for Christmas. This year’s activities included the traditional making of gingerbread houses, looking out the window for Rudolph’s red nose, listening for Santa’s bells, decorating sugar cookies, coloring snowmen and reading Twas the Night before Christmas – just to name a few. I love Christmas with children!

A few other highlights:

Kim and I went shopping to high-fashion Wisconsin retailers, Costco and TJ Maxx. I bought a new coat from Costco. I’ve decided one should buy coats where people actually need them. My closet is full of cute light weight trench coats, which doesn’t cut it in Wisconsin. I’ve added a brown down coat with a fur-trimmed hood to my collection for serious weather needs. Merry Christmas to me!

Tye and I played football in the snow. I wore his snow boots. Yes, this nine-year-old boy has the same size feet as I do. Crazy.

The whole family went to see The Blind Side. I think that’s my favorite movie from 2009. Dad stayed awake through the whole movie - that’s sayin’ something.

Tye, Tate, Taylor and I raced down the water slides at the Tundra Lodge, a resort with an indoor water park. I proudly won every race. Tate begged me to tell him my secrets to achieving such impressive speeds. Did I? No. I like to be mysterious. Kim floated around the lazy river and sat in the hot tub with Mom.

Overall it was a fabulous holiday. I have an amazing family. We laugh, cry and eat way too much together. It’s wonderful.

I hope you all had a great Christmas.

Christmas with the Dillard's

Since we wouldn’t be home for Christmas this year, we decided to celebrate with a pre-Christmas breakfast for dinner at the Dillard’s house. After eating waffles topped with strawberries, blueberries and whip cream, we all gathered in the living room for a lively white elephant gift exchange. Token gifts included Grandma Dillard’s red poncho, The Newlywed Game, X-Files VHS tapes, a bathroom kit and dozens of other prized possessions.

I went home with the 14-inch Caddyshack gopher that sings and dances. All the cousins were very jealous of my gift, which makes the prize even more valuable in my opinion. I love when people are jealous of me.

Sweet delivery

Oh my goodness! Look what was just delivered to my office.





Thank you Amanda. You’re the best!

I'm gonna need some stretchy pants.

My mom, Christmas cards and doughnuts

I love getting Christmas cards, which means I should send them out, right? Not this year. Sorry friends.

Today I got a Christmas card from my parents. Every year my mom insists on having Christmas cards that underscore the true meaning of Christmas. This year isn’t an exception. On the cover is Mary holding the baby Jesus and the inside reads: May the miracle of Christmas fill your heart with peace and happiness.

For those of you who don’t know, my mom had a surgery earlier this year that affected her ability to write. Significant time and concentration is required to perform this once simple task. But despite that, in blue squiggly writing at the bottom of my card, my mom took the time to tell me how much she loves and needs me. I tried to remember the last time I told my mom that I loved and needed her. Just this morning, I got mad at her because she ate my doughnut. In my defense, it was my favorite kind of doughnut (a sprinkled cake doughnut from Winchells) and she already ate her favorite kind of doughnut (a cake doughnut with chocolate frosting and nuts).

Put some blonde hair on Homer and this image would perfectly demonstrate how I felt all day long. Notice Homer is dreaming of a sprinkled doughnut too.



Anyway, my mom has endured much in her life but she has always been an amazing example to me. I hope she knows how much I love and need her. Even though she ate my doughnut.

Happy birthday Wes

Today is my brother-in-law’s birthday. What can I tell you about Wes? He’s a cowboy who calls my sister by her middle name when he’s trying to make a point and he likes frozen Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Underneath his camel-colored Carhartt vest and cowboy persona, is a gentle man who loves his family.

Nearly three years ago, Wes was anxiously waiting for Christmas morning to debut the new Denali he bought Kim. After the big debut, Kim experienced temporary hesitation about the purchase given the cost and her exclusion in the negotiating process. She was expressing her feelings to our dad and he said: “He would have bought you an elephant if that’s what you wanted. That’s just Wes.”

I’ve never forgot this comment. Maybe it was the elephant reference. Or maybe it was the realization my dad was right. That is Wes.

Throughout the last decade, I’ve watched this “tough cowboy” stand in line for hours to take his daughter to see the princesses at Disneyland, I’ve heard him cheer for his sons as they play sports and I’ve seen him flirt with my sister and make her laugh. He loves his family. This is my favorite thing about Wes.

Happy birthday!

P.S. Kim does not want an elephant for Christmas.

Happy December!

I woke up early this morning, turned on Christmas music, made some peppermint hot chocolate with whip cream and sprinkles and stared at my Christmas tree. Then I started crying. Do you ever have those moments when life seems so amazingly good that you start crying? I truly love this time of year and feel so overwhelmingly blessed.

The countdown to Christmas, my birthday and the end of another great year has officially started.

Our snow covered cabin

Black Friday

Not a fan. I went to Target at 5 a.m. to get three things. There were security guards and employees protecting the line that formed from the crazy people who got there before the store opened. Everyone was shouting “no cutting.” It was ridiculous.

Finally at 5:20 a.m., I was allowed in the store and quickly grabbed two of the three things I wanted. When I found the third item on my list (Indiana Jones logos for my nephew), I met an irate customer yelling at an employee because the logos were already sold out.

Who acts that way?

After Target, I escaped to our cabin with my dad. We stopped in St. George because I had to go to Tai Pan and dad wanted to go to Chuck-A-Rama. I looked for Christmas gifts at Tai Pan but only found a few things for myself, including another clock. Anyone surprised?

After shopping and eating, we went up the mountain. The silent, snow-covered forest was the perfect contrast to the morning frenzy. It was delightful. I didn’t want to leave.

If I could spend every Black Friday on a silent, snow covered mountain, it would be my favorite day of the year. And it wouldn’t be as expensive.

Thanksgiving gifts

These two beautiful drawings were given to me by my cousins, Audra and Amanda, on Thanksgiving day in 1993.



I can’t wait to see what they got me this year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today at work...

I hung out with Holly Madison – a reality TV star/supermodel who was also a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. If you don’t know who she is, be careful with your Google search. She has done some very “artistic” modeling shots in her career. Read between the lines.

Aviation Nation

Last weekend I went with the boys to Aviation Nation at Nellis Air Force Base. I love that my dad knows all about the planes, its history, its strengths and weaknesses, etc. My dad was stationed at Nellis when he met my mom, who was working at a gun store at the time. Fighter planes and guns…sounds like every man’s fairytale romance, right?

We looked at all the planes, ate hot dogs, dad bought some posters of the Thunderbirds and we watched the air show.

I love patriotic events.

Here are a few photos from the day.









This photo is one of my favorites – not because it’s a great photo, but because it captured a simple gesture of affection between my nephew, David, and his son, Austin. While waiting for the Thunderbird performance, Austin stood up on the bleacher and put his arm around his dad.



It’s weird that the boy who used to run in my room to fart is now an amazing father.

Lessons on parenting from my sister

Buying clothes a size bigger than your children actually wear does extend the length of time your kids can wear the clothes, but you run the risk of them falling off.


Sometimes you shouldn’t let your kids pick out their own souvenirs, like harmonicas, when you’re on a five-hour road trip. Introducing the Nauvoo Hummers…

Beautiful Nauvoo

A week ago today, I left Nauvoo. I loved retracing some of the final footsteps of our beloved prophet, Joseph Smith. I visited his home, his place of business and walked along the same streets he walked. I stood on the bluff overlooking the city where the statue, The Prophet’s Last Ride, now stands facing the Nauvoo Temple, which was still under construction as Joseph and Hyrum rode their horses to Carthage.

The plaque on the statue reads:

The morning of June 24, 1844, Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum left their families, homes and fellow Saints for the last time. Traveling on horseback, they paused on this bluff. Joseph looked admiringly at the unfinished temple and the city of Nauvoo and declared:

This is the loveliest place and the best people under the heaven; little do they know the trails that await them.

Joseph and Hyrum then continued onto Carthage, Illinois, where they faced legal charges and eventual death at the hands of a mob.

I went to Carthage to see the jail where Joseph and Hyrum were killed.

I walked on Parley Street – the same street the saints walked on when they were forced by angry mobs to leave their city and the temple they built at great sacrifice over a five year period.

I attended a session in the Nauvoo Temple. I love that today – 156 years after the Saints dedicated the original temple and left Nauvoo – a temple stands again. I love that the work goes forward. And I love that I have the opportunity to show my appreciation and respect for the early Saints by doing temple work.

The day after the Nauvoo temple was dedicated, President Gordon B. Hinckley said:

"The past is behind us and the future ahead never looked better than it does today. This is the greatest season in the history of the Church and it will only get better."

Read the full article here.

How blessed I am to live at this day and time. And how blessed I am to have the family I have. I was born to good parents who taught me well the most important things in life. And like Joseph, I was given a loyal sibling to stand by me. I love you Kim.

Trick-or-Treat

The last few years I’ve traveled to wherever my sister is living to go trick-or-treating with her kids – they make everything more exciting. This year, we decided to travel together to Nauvoo for the Bootiful Nauvoo Halloween Festival. I loved it. And I love this photo of the kids - look at Tate's face. Priceless.



Tye was a football player.


Tate was a ninja.


Taylor was a princess, of course.


We saw the costume parade, played carnival games and went trick-or-treating along Nauvoo’s Main Street.

Here’s the quick recap of Halloween night.

Tye got mad because he didn’t have a Halloween-themed container for his candy (only a plain white bag – blah) so he had to go sit in the car. I didn’t want him to miss Bootiful Halloween so I went and got him and we went trick-or-treating together. We had so much fun. He has become quite the witty boy. Here’s a summary of our conversation:

Karry: Go in that store and see if they are doing trick-or-treating.

Tye: Come with me. I’m not going alone.

Karry: You’ll be fine. Just go in. If you don’t see a big bowl of candy, come back out.

(Tye walks in the store; 2 seconds later he’s back)

Tye: No big bowl of candy

Repeat three times. Finally at the fourth store he comes out with one tootsie pop sucker.

Tye: I got one sucker. One sucker. This is great Karry, just great. That’s all I really need. One sucker. Happy Halloween.

I couldn’t stop laughing. When did he become so sarcastic? I’m so proud.


We got a little bit of candy, played some games and ate dinner at a cute little restaurant on Main Street. Then Kim made me run in Fudge Factory for $6 caramel apples before heading back to our hotel. I couldn’t believe the caramel apples were $6 each but they were totally worth it. Delicious.

We all went swimming and then the football player, ninja and princess fell asleep. Aunt Karry ate their candy and watched a movie on TV. What a fun night.

More photos and a trip summary from Nauvoo forthcoming.

Halloween 2005

Before posting photos of this year’s Halloween fun, I looked at my pictures from 2005. I can’t believe how much my sister’s kids have grown in four short years. Aren’t they adorable?







My favorite memory from this trip was of sweet little Tate. We had been telling him all day that we were going “trick-or-treating.” That night, he said “trick-or-treating” instead of “trick-or-treat” everywhere we went. Poor little guy was confused but he didn’t even know it, or care. All he cared about was getting lots of candy. What else matters to a sugar-addicted three-year-old cow?