New Year

As 2010 comes to an end and 2011 begins, I sit and listen to Elder Nelson about not giving up and to have Hope and Faith and to follow the spirit. As these two years combine and I sit here today, I pledge to myself that I will do my best and try harder to follow the sweet promptings of the Holy Ghost. It is God given to each one of his children for our benefit and for our good so that we will be a peace and have joy in this life.

I have many things that I'll be doing this next year and I'm soooo excited. I've started school again so I'll be doing that until God guides me in another direction. I anticipate to finish in November 2012.

I have plans to:

attend General Conference in April and October and have already requested the time off for that and am in the process if getting tickets.

attend the Manti Pageant in Utah in June and have that set up as well.

also lose 15 pounds by June so I need to get back on the running bug and back in the swimming pool.

need to at some time get home and visit the family but because I work and go to school, I have to squeeze them in since they don't come and visit me.

go on at least 1 date a month and NOT pay for any of it. So far, I'm doing great!

practice the piano 3 days a week so that I am better and that primary can be edified by the spirit of music. Those kids are rough yet sooooooooooo cute.

see a theatrical play at least 1 time a month as well. I have a ticket for Les Mis in June 2011 so I need to do more.

get a massage at least every 6 weeks so that I am calm and ready to work and for school so I'm not all stressed out.

stay out of Dr offices as much as I can this coming year. I spent way to much $$ at the Dr office this last summer and I just can't take it anymore.

Doing all the family history that I can since I can and I learned to embrace it and love it. I have many names that are waiting for my help and other Wicke family members and I can't wait.

I am going home now. Yahoo. The last day at work and I am blogging...well, what better way to end the year since this last year was an up and down year for me.

Love the Lord and be happy,

Karen Nihipali Wicke

Best Christmas Present

I gave away a Book of Mormon this morning to a security guard that works on the same floor as myself. I typed up my testimony and put it in the front of the book and then marked 3 Nefi 10-11 and Moroni 10:3-5. These are sweet special chapters that I personally love and recommend anyone to read as they begin their quest of truth and beginning reading of the Book of Mormon.

I didn't sign my name in it, I just wanted him to know that I noticed that he reads the Bible on a daily basis and that I can see that he has great faith.  He'll find truth and the gospel and when it is his turn and the Lord has prepared him enough for the missionaries, he'll run in to them and his life will change.

I am grateful for that opportunity that I had to do that. It was awesome writing out my testimony and awesome to leave it on the desk where I see him everyday.

Karen

Wonderful Time of the Year

I enjoy this time of the year because it is a time that I focus more on the birth of the Savior and I know that is very sad so I need to work harder on remembering him even more throughout the rest of the year. None the less, it is also an wonderful time to forget about myself and focus on others.

At my ward Christmas party this last week, I sat with a family where the dad had just lost his job and they are waiting to hear back from a couple of places, however, in the meantime, they struggle like the rest of America at this time in history. I was talking to the little boy, about 7 years old who said that he LOVES Mac & Cheese and Top Ramen. I had to laugh because I thought, wow, wait until your 19, you won't like it so much anymore (the mission).

The next morning I found myself going from the Family History Center to Wal-Mart thinking to myself, I don't need anything at wal-mart, what am I doing here? I walked out with 10 boxes of Mac and Cheese and 10 things of Top Ramen and 2 packages of the wiener sausages that kids like because some have cheese and they are little. I really surprised myself, I went home, put it in a Santa Gift Bag and took it to church the next day and told them to not forget to take it home. I'm so grateful to have been able to sit by him and learn about him and what foods he likes and be able to help them out in a SMALL way. It was a pleasure and I was so happy to do it.

I'm going to be putting together cookie bags tonight and taking those out tonight too if I can find the time. I bought everything so I hope I have the time.

I still don't have my car back yet from the accident over Thanksgiving and it is getting old. I need to have it back so that I can at least do something over Christmas. I just called again hoping that they can give me some insight on it.

Well I need to wrap up work and get out of here, I have a million things to do.

Karen

Other December Pictures

My friend Gale and her fun desk w/ the Peanuts theme 

 OK, this is Brandt in his mask at the mess hall that he made for our team Christmas theme.

 My sweet Kale, taking a break!

 This is a home that is on the other side of the street, fun huh. I take Kale on his walk and we see this all of the time.

 This is outside the Fulton home.

 Kale again, chillin'

 My nativity at home

 Mesa Temple Lights Saturday 12/18 with Craig Bishop

 Another picture of the Nativity at the Mesa Temple Lights

Another home by me with their house lookin' fancy.

Work and the Holidays

Here are just a few pictures of work and how we roll during the Christmas Season. Apparently there are TONS more so tomorrow I'll take pictures again.

Today it is raining also so when I get home I'll take pictures again and post them to prove that it does rain in December in Arizona.

 This picture is direction toward Single Course and they did a beautiful job.

 Hey, wait, that is me in the garage on my way to the Fulton Christmas party after I went and came home to change clothes and look better for a fancy party.

 Oh look, back at work, this desk and scene is by me, I'm in my chair taking a picture. That is my Christmas tree and nativity.

 Oh look, that is Dawn in the Coal Mine they created because Santa gives coal to bad kids :o)

 Wow, another awesome picture of the nutcrackers of Terry O

 Rockfeller Center Team Christmas, very pretty

 Oh wait, my team again for Soldiers Christmas

Hollywood Christmas for another team. Each member did their own cartoon Christmas

Awesome Weeks Ahead

I have tons to do this next few weeks before the year ends and I'm so excited. I have had a couple of Christmas Parties that I attended and they were beautiful and wonderful and I was able to rub shoulders with the big wigs of Fulton Homes and received a book from Mary Lou Fulton at the Relief Society Christmas Gathering. That too was wonderful. I was able to talk to people that I normally would not have had I not gone so it was wonderful to do so.

I walked with Kale to the Porter home this last week too and spent time with their family for the First Presidency Devotional. That was fabulous.

I was able to attend the Phoenix Zoo Lights with friends and meeting new friends and it was wonderful. We had a great time and we had a late night "breakfast" at IHOP afterwards which was awesome.

This next week, I have a team project due for my school program so I'll be busy working on that. I have VTearchers coming over on Thur and my work team potluck on Thurs. I have the ward Christmas Party Friday night along with a Build-A-Bear Project at work in the afternoon for kids for Christmas, which I am soooo excited about. I haven't done one since I was a kid.

Saturday, I'll be working on homework, going to the stake family history center, going to the temple and visiting the temple lights and then later that night, I'll go to the dance!!! I'll be soooo tired. When will I have time to practice piano so that I don't sound like a goof in the middle of Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School when the senior primary sings for the ward? Oh well, 20 minutes every day should be enough, if I can find that 20 a day.

It is sooooo funny, I have found new friends at the dog park on McQueen and Ocotillo. I take Kale every day so that he can play with the other dogs and socialize. He loves it and can't wait to go. He jumps in the car and waits for me to change clothes or I just let him jump in and we go without me going in the house. It is hilarious. He mingles better with dogs that are the same size if not smaller than him. He runs around and plays with them and chases the dogs too. His favorite thing, just sniff around and see what else has been there. He'll just hang by himself which is cool with me, as long as he walks around.

I want to thank the Wicke family for inviting me to their home on Sunday and for their kindness. I had a great time and I'm so grateful that I was able to attend and enjoy myself with them. I pray that each one of them is happy and that they are blessed with all the desires of their hearts. They are great people and may God bless them.

When I go to the family history center this weekend, I'm going to check and see if I can find the link for Frederick W Wicke and Henriette Auguste Wicke (she is the sweet sister I went to the temple for already) and Frederick is the bold guy who I found originally that I need to link everyone too. I'm excited to see what I can find.

I love the Gospel and the peace that it brings. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I have been greatly blessed physically with health and temporal needs. I have a job, I have health, I have a great family & friends who are righteous and do good. I have a calling that I love and primary I love as well. There is a temple so close that I can go to anytime and I'm so grateful for that. I'm so grateful for the blessings of tithing.

I did tithing settlement already and my bishop asked me if I was a full tithe payer and I told him that I have to be or I wouldn't have anything that I do have. He just smiled because he knows. I know that through tithing, there are many blessings that come and I see them in my life all of the time.

I know that Joseph Smith, JR was called of God and that he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I read it every day and since I've finished it again this last November, I've changed my tactic in reading it and have added other Scripture to it as well. It is awesome and I'm grateful for it.

I know that Temple Blessings are NOT just for the married and are NOT just for those with families. I know that God created such a Heaven on Earth for ALL his Children in ALL living circumstances. It is fabulous.

Karen Wicke

Karen Nihipali Wicke Connection: Can you believe this

Karen Nihipali Wicke Connection: Can you believe this

Can you believe this

OK, for any of you that live in Arizona, you'll know the Fulton Home story. Well, the Lord has moved me in to the ward where the Fulton Family lives. Ira and Mary Lou Fulton are the proud owner of a custom home and the owners of the developments and home builders.

I've linked their story this this piece.

I just have to say that I was invited to their annual Christmas Party (only because my name is on the ward list) and so duh, I went. I went in a pair of brown pants and a sweater and a coral shirt and when I got to the door, I saw what other people had on and I turned around, sped home (not getting a ticket) and quickly changed clothes and added more makeup on. Their house was beautiful and the people there were those from the landscapers to the sales team to the mayors and other fancy people that the Fulton's would know. I was in shock and in awe of the beauty and intricate design of the floors, the layout of the home, the elevator in the middle of the house, yes, the elevator.

I was in awe of the design of the back splash and the beauty and how it all matches and the curves of the walls and the crown molding and how it all goes together.

I stood in Brother Fulton's study and was in awe of the shelves and how the crown molding matched the curves of the flooring and the shelves. The study alone cost over $125K including labor. Can you believe it?

The bedrooms are beautiful and have balconies for each facing the front or the back of the home and each have their own custom walk in closets. The garage has custom cabinets and a flooring that doesn't allow the floors to get cold. Wow...I could live in the garage since it is about 1600 square feet; they wouldn't even know I lived there with them.

They are some of the most sweetest people and are so kind and giving. They have 3 children, 2 sons and one is in a wheelchair and he was hilarious while we were there. The house was free game as we ate and looked around and enjoyed ourselves with church members, with public figures and with their family members and while we were in one of the rooms, the son came in and said, "OK everyone who is in here, get out I've gotta go and you are not allowed" and he was cracking up while he said it so we knew that he needed to use the bathroom very quickly.

My uncle made a statement not to long ago that the Lord blesses those who share their money and he was referring to the Fulton's. That family has been extremely blessed because they SHARE their money. So my uncle Larry and I laughed about it and told one another that we need to start sharing what little money we have because then we'd have more.

I had a fabulous time with them, enjoying the professional pianist that was there and the food that was catered. I had a wonderful time and these are people that you want to rub shoulders with and be friends with, they have seriously been blessed by Heavenly Father.

Results of Thanksgiving

Ever told by the spirit to seriously not do something but you go against those feelings anyways and do them and then there are drastic results that either kick your butt or impede you from further growth?

Well, that is pretty much what happened to me on my trip up to Ft. Collins, CO. I knew that I wanted to go and I knew that if I went there would be precautionary measures that I would need to take. 1, I should have taken more money. I had $21 on me and that is what got me home actually. 2, I should have drugged Kale up even more than I did because then he wouldn't have whined so much. 3, I should have driven 30 miles an hour instead of 55 on black ice because then I would have avoided the unavoidable. 4, I wish that I would have taken warmer clothes. It was tops 20 degrees the entire time I was there. Kale didn't even like the nippy cold. He wanted to spend most of his time with me in the house bundled up.

I met some sweet awesome people. Monique and Isaac are in Greeley, CO which is 45 min from Amiee and so we met in the middle and hung out for the afternoon. It was awesome and we got to reminisce.

I will tell you this, that I KNOW that there are angels in my midst just as Elder Holland testified of; whether they are real and physical like you and me or they are by spirit. I had angels (people) help me pull my car out of the ditch on Hwy 25 northbound right south of Santa Fe at 5 am in the dark, in the snow when I hit black ice and then again when I was coming through Payson on that mountain from Gallup, NM on the 40, 277 & 377 highways. I don't remember driving any of it or even knowing where I was going. There were 3 cars that went that entire way with me being in the middle, a red car in the front and a silver car behind me. As soon as I came to civilization, those angels (cars) were gone. No more to be seen. What a miracle. Like I said, I had $21 in cash on me because I couldn't find my debit card but God provided angels and the ability to get home from after going back to Hollbrook 3 times because I was so lost and delusional with still a half a tank of gas. Coincidence? I don't think so, miracles and was Gods hands in that? Oh yea.

I'll post the pictures later as I thought that I had them here with me at work. I'll do it later tonight.

I've been sick all weekend too so that doesn't help any, I have lost my voice and its hilarious trying to call people to work and to get stuff done especially for the car and trying to get it fixed. I have a rental car right now because the insurance company wants to have it fixed and likewise, me too.

I had someone in Ft Collins fix the alignment on it so that I could drive it back and I picked up off the ground what I could and what was broken and put it in the trunk so that it is all together with the car now. The insurance company wanted to give me a rental to drive back to Chandler and they wanted to tow the the Nissan back but because it was still drivable I declined that. I told them that if the alignment couldn't be fixed, I'd totally do that but since the shop was able to do it in a timely manner, it was fine.

I have a little silver Bug. Its cute. I'm not sure though if it eats gas or not, I'll know more about that later when I have to fill it up.

I need to get to work. I started school again and I'm now in the MAED/AET program and this first class, the instructor is anal so I'm not sure if I like her, the class or the program based on this one terrible start. I think that it is just her which is fine because then I don't have to worry about here ever again, well in 5 weeks I don't.