Calmer weather, calmer lives

Phew...a calmer week. It is about time!

We have done so much that work is actually the vacation :o)

My boss was on vacation this week so I had to step up to the plate at work and be there for my teammates if they needed anything. We had a couple of them sick this week and one had surgery. I went to visit with her on Saturday as she had surgery Friday morning and it was due to a lump found in her breast. It was so scary as she is not even 40 yet!

We actually had a normal week! Karen worked, Nathan worked and started class, oh yeah! I am so excited for him. He can explain it if any of you want to know....MAED/CI. So many doors will open for him!

I also applied for a managers position at work. I seriously don't want the position, I just want to apply and go through the motions and if they offer me the position, I'll turn it down. I won't make as much money as I would if I continue to stay in the position that I'm in. I actually like my job and I like the professionals that I work with so, having said that...I'll not take the position. Besides...money talks to Karen and if I can continue to make good money, well...enough said!

We had the most wildest storms here the past few days. There was thunder and lighting and the electricity and power went out for some here in the Phoenix valley. It rained so hard that Nathan couldn't leave campus because the hail and winds were just terrible so he waited for awhile before he left.

My friends Blake and Mandy Kimball gave birth to their beautiful baby girl, Jovie Shae during the terrible weather but she turned out beautiful. They have waited for so long to have a baby and I am so happy for them.

My brothers, Kenji and David should be here tomorrow. We'll see...we'll have a SMALL BBQ while they are here as we have meat in the freezer that needs to be eaten and those two boys will put it away!

I have a couple of parties that I need to put together. A friend of mine sells jewelry and it is pretty expensive but I told her that I'd do a party for her as she has just started her business. She'll do a pampered chef party for me in September too so it evens out :o)

Have a great week and God Bless America! I have another brother, Steven who is in Iraq and I am honored and blessed to have these men & women over seas protecting our free land and property and the liberty to choose and have the Gospel in our lives! These are seriously the last days and it is our duty to be obedient and of service to everyone and anyone to share the gospel with them. We are all going to need to know if it when our days come to a close.

Karen Wicke

An additional Blog...busy weekend info

I have two male cousins who are brothers, Danny and Spencer Parker that are 2 years apart and Danny just returned from his mission from the San Bernadino California Mission and Spencer who is leaving for the Guam Mission this week.

They had their homecoming talks and luncheon at Carol and Jeff Parkers home that we attended. You'll see a family picture that includes from left to right and from back to front,

Nathan Wicke, Karen Wicke, Lizetta Parker (aunt, wife of Mark Parker), Danny Parker (son of Jeff & Carol, nephew of Mark and Lizetta and cousin to Karen) Mark Parker (brother of Jeff Parker, uncle to Karen and the other Parker kids), Rebbecca Parker (daughter of Jeff & Carol), Carol Parker (wife of Jeff), Spencer Parker (son of Jeff & Carol), Aunt Gay Evens (baby sister of Ralph Parker...our grandpa for the grand kids), Katrina Parker (ironically it was Evans but she married a Parker), uncle Dean Evans (husband to Gay), Dallin Parker (son of Jeff & Carol), Rachel Shumway (daughter of Jeff & Carol), Allan Shumway (spouse to Rachel), Jackson (son of Rachel and Allan), David Parker (spouse to Katrina). Jeff Parker is on the ground with Kaydan, his grandson, who is the son of Rachel and Allan. Lizzy, the little girl in the purple belongs to David and Katrina.

I don't think I missed anyone but if I did, please forgive me.

They had salad, rice and chicken courde on bleu...it was very nice.

This weekend was long :o)

Now its time to go to work to start all over again.

Karen

Additional Sedona Pictures

1 year Anniversary

These flowers are just beautiful and I received them today from a wonderful husband that finally decided to see the light and plunge in to marriage 1 year ago today. We have had a busy weekend, busy day and busy year. We had decided to go to Sedona Friday night (22-August 2008)and spend the night there and check out the surrounding areas. We dropped off Ka'le the dog (it sounds like we have kids...he is treated like one though by his mom) off at a friends home who has a big yard for him to run around on Friday afternoon and we drove up there and finally got there about 7:45 PM. Its a good thing that we didn't wait any longer because it took a little bit to find a place to stay. We found a really cute but old Motel...see the picture above.

I am an early riser so at 5:00 AM I am outside taking pictures. It was a little chilly and very windy. I hate the wind! As I was finishing with the pictures that early in the morning I saw seriously in the morning only white tailed rabbits. I thought, "man, I am out in the wild and don't see any snakes, skunks or any other awesome wild animals". It was a sad moment.

I went back to bed for about 45 minutes, got and up again and went out to read the Book of Mormon and the wind had picked up and it was so annoying, I still read though and enjoyed the quiet moments with myself. See the pictures above that I took while I was outside in the early morning. I went back to bed for about another 30 minutes and then I couldn't take it anymore...I had to wake up and get going so I got up and showered and went to pick up some breakfast for Nathan. By the time I came back he was awake...not ready to go for the day, but at least he was awake.

I'll post another blog with pictures that we took while in Sedona and another posting of what happened today (24-August 2008) as it is just way to much for one post.

It was an awesome and fun Friday and Saturday.

Karen Wicke

Ending the Summer

August! Wow, did I say that about July...August is half over. Its crazy. I received an email from my friend Amiee who lives in Fort Collins, CO with Max, Portia and Payton (her 2 kids, well, her 3 kids if you include her husband as the 3rd and a new baby girl on the way in December). We kind of thought that it would be and its awesome to know that it is. I want to go and visit with her and help her out then BUT my brother Kenji is going to get myself, my dad and him to Hawaii in November and I don't want to take any more time off that I don't have to...so, needless to say, I may not go to CO.

This past week was steady. I worked and went to practice the piano and went to visit a new sister in our ward that has been added to your visiting teaching list. Rebbecca Tempelton...she is really nice. She has 2 cute little kids and one wanted to go home with me. I'd be happy to watch him...he has shaggy YELLOW hair and was so cute...he sat on my lap and wanted me to continue carrying him around. It was funny...he'll be 2 on our anniversary.

That is another thing...can you believe it? Nathan and I will be married 1 year this coming Sunday. That year has flown...its be a wild roller coaster ride and well worth it.

I had an awesome pampered chef party this past week too. Kristina Davis that I work with lives out in Apache Junction, the last house on the farthest road in the east valley. Believe it or not, the road to her house is still a dirt road and only 1 way in and 1 way out. If it floods, well, they stay there and don't go out because, well there isn't any place to go or drive with the roads all washed over. Her family and friends were very sweet and very kind. They all had a good time it looked like and even the spouses joined in and cooked. A few of the nephews and nieces pitched and had a great time too. She'll get a lot of fun stuff for free and she deserves it for being a great hostess.

Its kind of fun too because when I have a party, Nathan gets to eat the recipe first and he for the most part has enjoyed it.

The pool is a complete mess. I hate the vacuum, it doesn't work very well so doesn't clean so when I attempt to clean the pool, it just frustrates me and so I give up and don't do it at all.

I took a few hours off this week and will have to make that up this next week. No big deal though. I was so tired this week so I didn't do a whole lot.

I have come to a point where I have maintained my weight. Its pretty exciting. I am so glad. I probably fluctuate between 3-7 pounds, but for the most part, it is the same.

I have some things I need to do for my calling as a ward missionary so I will close for now.

Be good and hope all is well.

Go for the Gold

This past week went by so fast that I didn't even realize that I didn't blog until just now. I am at work but have a little down time for just Karen so I am going to take this time to write a little bit.This last week was so full of excitement and fun. We were very busy. Last Sunday was church and meetings, Monday night I worked late so that I could stay in the east valley and attend a meeting for PC. It was very informative and so much fun. I saw some new products and learned some new "awesome" ideas about how to do better cooking shows, Tuesday, Nathan had a meeting, Wednesday as always he had another meeting and I went to practice the piano. Ka'le doesn't get left out so he goes too.Thursday we went to the Arizona Cardinal and New Orleans Saints Preseason opener game. Yep, the Saints won. We need to thank my aunt and uncle for those tickets and parking pass. They gave them to us as they are season ticket holders. It was so much fun. Friday was our down time to clean house and get ready for Saturday. Friday night Nathan climbed on the roof to look at it with a guy in our ward, Brad Dunn because when it rains, the filter leaks...they fixed it and Nathan worked on it even more Saturday night!Saturday, I was up early to play with Ka'le and finish cleaning house as we went to the temple in Mesa, saw Ben as he was working on his house in Chandler and went Mandy Kimballs baby shower in Gilbert. While I was there Nathan went to his other brothers home but they weren't there so he just ran some errands. We missed Darwin and Collette because they were out and about too so we'll catch them next time.We even had a wedding reception that we didn't make because we were so stinking tired that we didn't go to.Sunday, Nathan had to be at a stake priesthood meeting at 7 am...yep, hehehe...he had to be up early. So he goes and I am already up so I don't go back to bed and I play with Ka'le, I watch a church video, I get ready for church, Nathan comes home and takes a quick nap and then we are off to church again :o) Wow...where did the week go?Oh to top this off, Nathan asks me if I'll teach Gospel Doctrine on Sunday because Bro Dunn won't be there and Nathan doesn't want to do it so delegates me to. I don't say No so of course I give the lesson. It is on Charity. What the heck? Was this lesson for the teacher or what? It was kind of fun. I asked Hermana Allen what charity was to her in Spanish so that she could understand what we were talking about. Her English is terrible so I wanted to have her feel like she was a part of the lesson so as she answered it she started to cry and then stopped and I just smiled at her and didn't answer her anymore questions and just let her think about what we were talking about. She isn't a member yet nor will she be for a little while longer...it is the fact that she is coming to church and at least making the effort. I know that she comes to church for 2 reasons...she has obviously felt the spirit there and her live in boyfriend who is a member comes because he too has a testimony, they just can't do the marriage thing yet (a whole other story). It is Tuesday and today is the day that our department at work gets its update on how well we are doing for the previous and current month. I closed 101 new and returning students for the month of July 2008. The only one in the department to have a triple digit and 10 ahead of the next one behind me. Does anyone congratulate me? Um, no. So, I cry to myself and think of how awesome Nathan has been watching me work, come home stressed out, praying for me that I'll get through these days and taking on that extra little whatever it is that he takes on to help me. What a best friend...what a support...what an honor to have him for eternity.That isn't all...I am #1 for August 2008 right now too. Is it humbling? Ah, yes it is. Do people watch what I do at work? Uh, yes. Are they curious about how I do it and what do to get the job done right? I am sure they are. Now that I have mastered my position, my job is a breeze. I love my teachers though. They are awesome and so nice, ironically, even the so called "mean" ones are nice :o)I have to say that I owe it all to the Lord though. Every day I would get on my knees and tell him that I was going to go to work again and that I would need his help to get through the day because I knew that other "support team members" weren't going to do it so I had to rely on him and to have him help them get their work done. It works. I know that repentance is real and that patience is a gift given to those who ask and who seek to be like the Savior.I play the piano in Relief Society every Sunday and for some, it may not seem like a very difficult task, but I have to say that it is the hardest thing I have ever done. I practice for at least an hour every Wednesday night at the chapel with Kale as Nathan attends his meetings and then on Sunday morning I practice for oh like 5 minutes just to remember what hymns I am doing. I know that through prayer and practice the Lord has blessed my little fingers to play because even while I am practicing, I have had to stop and ask for help to be calm and relax and play the hymn as we would sing it at church ;o) I played on my mission and I had to do the same thing then too so through all of this and prayer...it is possible.I have been watching the swimming mens & womens when I get a chance and am in aaahhh of how much Heavenly Father loves all of us and he makes all of us so unique and individualistic with our own gifts and talents. Granted if I was Michael Phelps, I think I'd swim and win like him too...wow...isn't he good? The entire USA Mens team is very good and so unique. It has been fun to watch them.I have been touched by the spirit this past week too that no matter what happens in this life and no matter what I do, the best is what counts and if I do what is right, that counts and if I am charitable and give to others after I have taken care of my family...I'll meet my maker on those terms and he will still embrace and let me know that "all is well".Gail Galloway is having issues at home with her 89 year old mother. They have lived in the same home for over 50 years together. Imagine living with your mother and taking care of her ALL of your life!! Well that is Gail. She raised her kids and worked, went to school and everything while having her mom live with her and after all this time, she is going to have to place her in a facility for the elderly. Her mother is dying and it breaks my heart. I watch Gail everyday and talk to her and see her stress and anxiety of doing that. She is so tired and you can see it...the entire family is devastated over it because they all want grandma/great grandma to stay put but they all understand that she can't. There are even great-great grand kids who know her and want her to stay at home. Well, enough blah, blah, blah. Hope everyone is happy & healthy.Oh, my only sister Sharon emailed me and told me that she went to Atlanta this last week. Rock on!! That would be so much fun. The COKE plant and CNN offices are there and also some famous museums so she loved it. It would be fun. I would live the COKE plant!I also called my brother Steven and got the facts straight about him going to the middle east. He leaves with his unit 10/29/2008 for Kuwait and then he will be going on to bigger and better things...Afghanistan and other interesting places.Gotta go...I need to work just a little smarter for the next couple of hours. I am up for a 12-15% raise the end of September so I need to make it count.

Karen

Go for the Gold

This past week went by so fast that I didn't even realize that I didn't blog until just now. I am at work but have a little down time for just Karen so I am going to take this time to write a little bit.

This last week was so full of excitement and fun. We were very busy. Last Sunday was church and meetings, Monday night I worked late so that I could stay in the east valley and attend a meeting for PC. It was very informative and so much fun. I saw some new products and learned some new "awesome" ideas about how to do better cooking shows, Tuesday, Nathan had a meeting, Wednesday as always he had another meeting and I went to practice the piano. Ka'le doesn't get left out so he goes too.

Thursday we went to the Arizona Cardinal and New Orleans Saints Preseason opener game. Yep, the Saints one. We need to thank my aunt and uncle for those tickets and parking pass. They gave them to us as they are season ticket holders. It was so much fun. Friday was our down time to clean house and get ready for Saturday. Friday night Nathan climbed on the roof to look at it with a guy in our ward, Brad Dunn because when it rains, the filter leaks...they fixed it and Nathan worked on it even more Saturday night!

Saturday, I was up early to play with Ka'le and finish cleaning house as we went to the temple in Mesa, saw Ben as he was working on his house in Chandler and went Mandy Kimballs baby shower in Gilbert. While I was there Nathan went to his other brothers home but they weren't there so he just ran some errands. We missed Darwin and Collette because they were out and about too so we'll catch them next time.

We even had a wedding reception that we didn't make because we were so stinking tired that we didn't go to.

Sunday, Nathan had to be at a stake priesthood meeting at 7 am...yep, hehehe...he had to be up early. So he goes and I am already up so I don't go back to bed and I play with Ka'le, I watch a church video, I get ready for church, Nathan comes home and takes a quick nap and then we are off to church again :o) Wow...where did the week go?

Oh to top this off, Nathan asks me if I'll teach Gospel Doctrine on Sunday because Bro Dunn won't be there and Nathan doesn't want to do it so delegates me to. I don't say No so of course I give the lesson. It is on Charity. What the heck? Was this lesson for the teacher or what? It was kind of fun. I asked Hermana Allen what charity was to her in Spanish so that she could understand what we were talking about. Her English is terrible so I wanted to have her feel like she was a part of the lesson so as she answered it she started to cry and then stopped and I just smiled at her and didn't answer her anymore questions and just let her think about what we were talking about. She isn't a member yet nor will she be for a little while longer...it is the fact that she is coming to church and at least making the effort. I know that she comes to church for 2 reasons...she has obviously felt the spirit there and her live in boyfriend who is a member comes because he too has a testimony, they just can't do the marriage thing yet (a whole other story).

It is Tuesday and today is the day that our department at work gets its update on how well we are doing for the previous and current month. I closed 101 new and returning students for the month of July 2008. The only one in the department to have a triple digit and 10 ahead of the next one behind me. Does anyone congratulate me? Um, no. So, I cry to myself and think of how awesome Nathan has been watching me work, come home stressed out, praying for me that I'll get through these days and taking on that extra little whatever it is that he takes on to help me. What a best friend...what a support...what an honor to have him for eternity.

That isn't all...I am #1 for August 2008 right now too. Is it humbling? Ah, yes it is. Do people watch what I do at work? Uh, yes. Are they curious about how I do it and what do to get the job done right? I am sure they are. Now that I have mastered my position, my job is a breeze. I love my teachers though. They are awesome and so nice, ironically, even the so called "mean" ones are nice :o)

I have to say that I owe it all to the Lord though. Every day I would get on my knees and tell him that I was going to go to work again and that I would need his help to get through the day because I knew that other "support team members" weren't going to do it so I had to rely on him and to have him help them get their work done. It works. I know that repentance is real and that patience is a gift given to those who ask and who seek to be like the Savior.

I play the piano in Relief Society every Sunday and for some, it may not seem like a very difficult task, but I have to say that it is the hardest thing I have ever done. I practice for at least an hour every Wednesday night at the chapel with Kale as Nathan attends his meetings and then on Sunday morning I practice for oh like 5 minutes just to remember what hymns I am doing. I know that through prayer and practice the Lord has blessed my little fingers to play because even while I am practicing, I have had to stop and ask for help to be calm and relax and play the hymn as we would sing it at church ;o) I played on my mission and I had to do the same thing then too so through all of this and prayer...it is possible.

I have been watching the swimming mens & womens when I get a chance and am in aaahhh of how much Heavenly Father loves all of us and he makes all of us so unique and individualistic with our own gifts and talents. Granted if I was Michael Phelps, I think I'd swim and win like him too...wow...isn't he good? The entire USA Mens team is very good and so unique. It has been fun to watch them.

I have been touched by the spirit this past week too that no matter what happens in this life and no matter what I do, the best is what counts and if I do what is right, that counts and if I am charitable and give to others after I have taken care of my family...I'll meet my maker on those terms and he will still embrace and let me know that "all is well".

Gail Galloway is having issues at home with her 89 year old mother. They have lived in the same home for over 50 years together. Imagine living with your mother and taking care of her ALL of your life!! Well that is Gail. She raised her kids and worked, went to school and everything while having her mom live with her and after all this time, she is going to have to place her in a facility for the elderly. Her mother is dying and it breaks my heart. I watch Gail everyday and talk to her and see her stress and anxiety of doing that. She is so tired and you can see it...the entire family is devastated over it because they all want grandma/great grandma to stay put but they all understand that she can't. There are even great-great grand kids who know her and want her to stay at home.

Well, enough blah, blah, blah. Hope everyone is happy & healthy.

Oh, my only sister Sharon emailed me and told me that she went to Atlanta this last week. Rock on!! That would be so much fun. The COKE plant and CNN offices are there and also some famous museums so she loved it. It would be fun. I would live the COKE plant!

I also called my brother Steven and got the facts straight about him going to the middle east. He leaves with his unit 10/29/2008 for Kuwait and then he will be going on to bigger and better things...Afghanistan and other interesting places.

Gotta go...I need to work just a little smarter for the next couple of hours. I am up for a 12-15% raise the end of September so I need to make it count.