Happy new 2012!

January? What's that? Looks like March outside to me.

I'm fine with the sunshine as long we don't get any stinky inversions. As far as I'm concerned, Snow missed its chance in December. Once Christmas and New Year's are over, I don't much care for snow on the ground anymore.

But anyway. I haven't blogged for a while so why don't I start off January 2012 with a couple of my New Year's resolutions that I'm willing to share? :) (Because you don't necessarily need to know how many pounds I would like to drop.)

Sam's (and Clint's) Goals for 2012 

• Run another half marathon, set new personal best
• do Trek with our stake (Clint and I have been called to be a Ma and Pa)
• finish at least the first draft of my story (Sam)
• keep up Sam's Magical Book Club, reading and reviewing at least one book a month (Sam)
• personal reading goal to read about one book a week, or for really long books, one a month (Sam)
• be more patient and kind and happy (Sam)
• take some painting classes, finish reading book on painting, and complete an original piece of Sam Paintasticness for house decoration (Sam)
• do better at budgeting and spending money
• paint at least one or two more areas in the house (I've slacked on that one for at least a year now)
• help Clint work on our backyard, at least to finally get some grass
• finally hike either Lone or Twin together (also for Sam's first time ever)

How's that for a busy year?

We had plenty of splendid adventures in 2011 and I'm excited for 2012. We also plan to visit Seattle some time during the year so I can see where my cousin and dear friend Emilie is now living with her husband, Todd. Plus I think Seattle sounds beautiful.

I'll try to keep y'all updated on our new 2012 adventures! Happy New Year. :)

our Christmas

was awesome! We had a fun party-filled week leading up to it, a magical Christmas day, and even a lovely day-after party.

Clint and I are sort of clinging onto our newly-wed tradition of moving out mattress into the family room and sleeping by our tree. We love it so we figured we will keep it up as long as possible! :)

We woke up early Christmas morning to go to church early (about 8:15) where I sang in three choir numbers and Clint sat by himself in the congregation. It was a great meeting and we sang some of my favorite songs including "O Come O Come Emmanual" and "The First Noel." I felt like ending with "Joy to the World" but I was fine with the classic closing song choice "Silent Night."

Then we came home and promptly changed into pajamas again for our gift ravaging session. Clint and I have come up with a way to make the gifting session last as long as possible while enjoying every minute. We take turns picking out a gift for the other one to open, and watch each other open it.

Among other things, I received some nice cold weather gear, jewelry, a laminator, a nice weight set, and these ultra cozy slippers which I am wearing right now.

Clint thought this was a funny picture of me trying to remember what things were in each of Clint's gifts as I tried to decide what he should open next.

Clint received some nice, dressy casual shoes, running shoes, a new gym bag and lock, ties, jeans, and lots of chocolate. :)

Santa also brought us a few new movies and.... (drum roll) dum dum de dum! A new laptop! I was super surprised and excited to open up that little nugget. Of course we will both have convenient uses for a laptop, but I especially am salivating at the prospect of taking my work en plein air. That is, having freedom to work from wherever and also testing out my creative writing powers under various natural settings.

And so in conclusion I must say: Clint is a fabulous gift giver. As are my parents, his parents, and our siblings. We have been inundated with blessings.

We also refuse to follow in the steps of the local radio stations and pretend that Christmas is just a day that comes and then goes. So we still happily play Christmas music at our house in the evenings while sitting next to our tree and admiring our stacks of opened presents.

Hope your holiday season continues to be magical as well. :)

Happy New Year!

downtown days of christmas

Clint and I traveled downtown 3 days in a row last week.

And we feel like we don't need to do it again for a very, very long time.

Each time it took us at least twice as long as it normally would because of extra Christmas traffic, including accidents on the freeway each night. We were travelling in the evenings on days that I can only assume the rest of the valley was heading downtown for the same events that we were. I also decided that some people who were heading toward these Christmas-related activities are people who do not normally drive on the freeway, and during busy conditions.

How else can I possibly account for all of the accidents on the freeway between the south end of the valley and downtown? It wasn't as busy as rush hour, nor have we had any snow to serve as people's excuse for driving poorly.

Anyway. Once we made it downtown, we had a great time going to one performance of Pioneer Theater's "Annie", the Utah Symphony's surprising spectacular of "Cirque de la Symphonie", and Clint's office party.

Just in case you've been wondering what we're up to.

Sam: now a Christmas candy maker!

Oh yes. It is official.

I am the candy-making queen!!

(Well, at least with the help of some more experience candy makers.)

I had the jolliest time last week making these chocolate mints with my mom (not my own picture but exactly like our same process):

...which look and taste just as good or better than these wonderful babies:

And then on another day I made these with my mom-in-law:

I made enough of both to give away some gifts to a few of our luckiest neighbors but am finding it extraordinarily difficult to give them up... even though I am withholding some for me and Clint! They've been sitting in wrapped bundles in my basement for about a week now. I think I just need to do it!

Anyway, this has got to turn into an annual tradition. I love the home-made candy. However, my exercise routine does not - the two are currently fighting to the death and they appear to be in stalemate. 

Mmm!

I guess I'm fighting the "Christmas war"

The Salt Lake Trib had this provocative cartoon in Sunday's paper yesterday:

It's right on the money.

I've been thinking about Christmas topics a lot lately. And yes, I will speak of my faith for just a moment.

This is a busy week for me. I have a Young Women activity on Wednesday, the theater on Thursday, the symphony on Friday, an office party on Saturday, an extended family dinner on Sunday which I have to preparer something edible for, and I am also giving the Christmas lesson this Sunday to the combined Young Women classes. Oh yeah, and somewhere in there I have to send out greeting cards, neighbor gifts, and squeeze in more Christmas shopping.

I'm booked solid, even though it's mostly with fun Christmas stuff. It's easy to see why we get caught up in the stress of Christmas and forget what it REALLY is about.

And, surprisingly enough, Christmas is not actually about what the media is telling us that it is about: that Christmas is about "giving." While generosity and consideration for your fellow men are worthy  principles that we should be following all year round, they are NOT all Christmas is about. Not really. Actually, they're by-products of the true meaning.

The media will do anything to take Christ out of Christmas and appeal to a larger shopping and money-spending demographic.

Christmas... really... is about Christ. The Savior and Light of the world. Christmas is a Christian holiday, whatever the media says.

I've been making a point of wishing strangers "Merry Christmas" instead of just "Happy Holidays." The best gift we Christians can give  is the simple reminder of what this life is all about, and we can share Christ's love with others. I think I'll challenge my Young Women on Sunday to be eager to wish people a "Merry Christmas" this season.

I love Christmas, I love Santa, I love the songs, the trees, the lights, the gifts... and the giving, of course! I really don't think any of these celebrations are bad. But most of all, I love the way that all of these secular symbols are really just that - symbols to turn our hearts toward the birth of Christ and what that really means to us.

So on that note... Merry Christmas! May it be magical. :)

My personal Thanksgiving

This is just a simple but very meaningful tribute to the many things I have to be grateful for.

Here goes.

• My family. Unbeatable parents, wonderful in-laws, enjoyable siblings, delightful nieces and nephews, beautiful times.
• My job. The fact that I have one, and... the miracle of being able to do something that I truly like.
• My husband. Separate category from family because this man is simpy his own category. Clint is the greatest wonder of my life. Best friend, adventure buddy, my source of romance, my number one fan, my defender, partner in all things, my daily dose of joy, my morning hug, my everything.
• Myself. Who I am. I forget to be grateful for myself, but really, someone thought that I was worth making.
• Sunsets. A new and unexpected picture of eternity every night.
• Mountains. Painted in such spectacular grandeur from a distance, and a liberating source of perspective when climbed.
• My faith, my church, my beliefs, my spiritual leaders, my opportunities to serve, my knowledge of what this life is exactly. And where I want to be.
• Utah. I swear, can any place claim to offer such a smorgisbord of adventure as a state that offers everything from snowy mountain tops to dusty red desert formations?
• Art. In all its forms. Music, museums, history, literature, poetry, sculpture, emotions captured with paint or pencil. Nothing quite tugs my heart in the same way.
• My health. And Clint's. I almost published this post without adding this to the list! Just goes to show how valuable being healthy is, and yet we take for granted everything we can do until we suddenly... aren't.
• I could enumerate many more, but those are some of the biggies.

Love to all reading this! :) Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

Happy Halloween, Hello November

I am sad Halloween is over.  It was a beautiful day yesterday, on Halloween, and then today storm clouds dumped their grumpy selves all over the place. 

Last night we even got about quadruple the amount of Trick-or-treaters that we got last year.

I made all of the kids say "Trick or treat" if they didn't already say it by themselves.  Is it just me, or do some kids ring your doorball and then shove their candy bags toward you like they are bored of the whole gig?  I am more than happy to hand out free candy to all you kids, but you gotta at least SAY IT.  I mean, come on.

Here is a brief sum-up of the fun Halloween activities we did this past week:

Caramel-apple making with Clint's mom, Kathy

Halloween Party Part 2 with my side of the famdamily

Another pair of amazingly legit jack-o-lanterns carved by myself and Clint

Can you guess who did which?

I have mixed reactions to November today.  Did it have to come with snow, honestly???  I'm just saying, if November was trying to gain my approval, it sure started out on the wrong foot.

But on the other hand, it is still technically Autumn, and I love this time of year. Turkey, stuffing, and Christmas music are all right around the corner, and I have some projects I am getting into this month.

November 1st means I have all of my Halloween decorations to take down, laundry to fold, and my November writing goal of 30 minutes a day.  Which I am actually excited about, given that I can solidify a story outline during the time I will spend. Check out my writing blog if you want to keep updated on my writing endeavors!

Halloween Partay Part 1

Here are the photos from our recent family Halloween party on Friday!  We missed Brian and Shelly.  And Ty, I'm sorry I somehow didn't have any pictures of you.

It was a lot of fun!  Thanks everyone!

Hellboy and Cruella DeVil

Batgirl, an adorable Lion, Red Riding Hood, and a Nice Witch

Cowboys and Indians

Cowboys and... a Cow Boy. :)

I think it took the nieces and nephews a few minutes to warm up to their crazy aunt who didn't look like herself! But they did, and we had a great old time.

Reading Halloween books

Introducing a new Halloween party tradition:

Home-made Bingo cards

BINGO with Halloween M&M's

The after-party included a showing of Megamind and the ditching of the wigs.

Tate made my night by loving my Halloween decorations.

Cute, cuddling nephews

Thanks again to everyone for coming and dressing up and bringing food!

Special thanks to my dear man for being so agreeable to wear make-up for his costume.  I'm still kind of surprised I got him to do it.  But it looked freaking awesome.

Wednesday, Sorceress Day

I had a magical Wednesday this week. I think I'm going to make it an annual October event. 

My sister Allison teaches a darling 3rd-grade class and every week she tries to have a volunteer come read to them for 30 minutes before recess.  She asked me if I wanted to read to them on a day in October that hadn't been filled with a parent volunteer.  Uh, heck yeah?!?

So I dressed up as Samantha the Sorceress and brought Halloween candy in a pumpkin cauldron and read Halloween books to the class.  I'm telling you, it was grand. 

Those cute little kids sat wide-eyed on the floor in front of me while I gestured my spell-casting eyeball as a warning to behave.  Never have I ever had such a rapturous audience to reading some of my Mom's favorite Halloween books, including "The Runaway Pupmkin" and the "Ghost-Eye Tree".

At the end, though, they did come to the conclusion that I could not be a real witch because I did not wear gloves to conceal my claws (They had been reading Roald Dahl's The Witches.)

I felt just like a real witch, though.  It was so magic.

Walking through the halls afterward, I got stares and claps and exclamations of "Wow, cool costume!" from other classes. Some kids on their way to recess would ask me, "Are you a real witch?" or "Are you Miss Milne?" (my sister.)  I guess even with my witchy make-up on we look alike!

round, round, get around

Yes.  It is time.  Time... for an update.

This is the next round of Sam and Clint's Summer; part 2 if you will. I have prepared the 2nd round of our summer flash cards for you.  (The term "flash cards" being used here to illustrate my dilemma over selecting a few of the best pictures out of literally hundreds.)


Our first stop features a hike that Clint has been trying to orchestrate for a couple of years now.  Beginning at the Crystal Lake trailhead and ending at the Smith & Moorehouse trailhead, this hike was about 11 miles one way.  We got dropped off on one end and had a car waiting for us at the other end.  Beautiful scenery.  And conveniently, we did this hike the same weekend we were up at my family's cabin which is a mere 15-minute drive from Smith & Moorehouse, where we ended up.

There are many more pictures from the cabin.

But here is a personal favorite that demonstrates my hardcoreness: me and my mountain biking battle wound...

Sitting around the fire pit.

A back-packing trip to Duck Lake.

Lake Blanche hike

Hike up Mt. Raymond (a beast of a hike.  I am not posting pictures of me on this hike because I was cranky.  The last mile of this hike was bushwhacking up an incline of about a 40% grade.  I kid not.)

And here are the Karren outdoor enthusiasts triumphantly atop Mt. Timpanogos.  About 7 miles to the wind-swept summit and taking a little over 5 hours total.  My calves were very sore the day after.

And I should mention this honorary banquet hosted by my employer where I was honored as one of the Specialists of the Year in my department.  Pretty cool.  But the best part was a paid overnight stay at the Canyons resort which Clint joined me for.

Me and some co-workers.  Ya can't miss me.  Only of us is wearing a color other than black and white.

Part of my anniversary gift from Clint: 4 hours of shopping at the Outlets.  And he didn't even complain!  In fact, he bought me a new dress.  Awwww!

Part of Clint's gift: a new addition to the wardrobe.

A joint anniversary celebration:  Italian cuisine at Johnny Carrino's. Mmm.

Yep, that's 3 years for us!  And loving every second.

Bryce Canyon Adventure

Enjoy.

Shout Out to Dad

Shout Out to Dad

By Samantha Karren

I've had a funny up-and-down relationship with my dad.  Perhaps you can relate.  Though-out my tomboy years, I always wanted to be like him.  As a teenager I realized how un-cool my dad was and tried my best not to be like him.  When I was in college, Dad tried his best from a distance to both support me and protect me from all the "evil" boys who wanted to date me.  I grew up (for the most part) and began noticing one by one all my dad's faults.  Somehow, though, I still think of him as my hero.

Faults and all, he somehow managed to give me the knowledge that I am his little girl and he always loves me for who I am.  One of the ways he did it…was with rock 'n roll.

Some of you may be aware of the rock band, U2, postponing their summer tour this year until next year.  I am one of the folk who will be deprived of seeing them in concert.  The last U2 concert I went to was with my Dad. 

Dad's been listening to U2 for as long as I can remember.  When I and my siblings were barely waist-high to my dad, he would crank up "Pride" and we'd dance circles around our living room couch.  Then as I got older, my dad taught me to play basketball and I joined my middle school and high school basketball teams.  My dad spent countless hours coaching my jump shot and rebounding for me in the gym.  He'd always bring a stereo and blast out music while we ran drills… you guessed it—the music was U2.

U2 songs ingrained themselves in me; they became a sort of soundtrack to my life.

They also remind me of my dad. 

We spent hours in the gym—just me and Dad and a couple of basketballs.  We didn't need to say much, we just dribbled to the rhythm of Edge's guitar, our sneakers squeaking on the wood floors, and the net swooshing as we shot ball after ball.  From tomboy to grown-up married daughter, I still remember that connection with my dad.  We had the simplicity of shooting balls side by side in an empty gym, and of letting the rock 'n roll do the talking.  

The basketball days are over, but every now and then a rock song comes on and I hear my dad say that the song reminds him of me. 

Dad, they remind me of you too. 

Happy Father's Day!

A Mother's Words

A Mother's Words

a Belated Mother's Day Tribute By Samantha Karren

It's strange how we only begin to truly appreciate our mothers as we get older.  Small things that we took for granted or even detested are suddenly cherished life lessons. 

For instance, my mother signed me up for piano lessons when I was about five and dutifully drove me to them once a week.  She practically begged me to practice my music in between lessons, and frequently reminded me: "Practice makes perfect!"  My daily practice was sporadic, at best.  I eventually quit taking lessons, though I continue to have opportunities to sit at those black and white keys again, and try to make something musical with my fingers.  In the years since moving away from home, going to college, and getting married, I've realized how much I've missed having a piano in my house, to sit down and tinker at it whenever I wanted.  Now, whenever I get the chance to play the piano, I think of it as Me-time, therapy, and a chance to re-awaken my love of music.  And I have to admit with all my heart: my mother gave that to me.

My mother also liked to say to try to motivate her kids to help around the house, "Many hands make light work."  But that lesson is a work in progress!  

I especially like these words of inspiration from a frien'ds mother, who enforced the mantra: "Do more, worry less." 

Other motherly sayings that are known to have touched lives come from such people as Forrest Gump's mother, who said "Life is like a box of chocolates; you  never know what you're gonna get," or "Stupid is as stupid does."

It's true that mothers are blessed with an intuitive sense; they know just what to say to help their kids learn something. 

Or to warn us.

According to my mother, I am fated to have at least one daughter who: is overly sensitive, slams doors when mad, is a drama queen, won't eat vegetables, or E. all of the above.  Speaking of having a daughter, by the way, my mother has lately been known to ask me the following question in a variety of ways: Just when exactly am I planning on giving her some grandchildren?  (Let's not go there.) 

For this Mother's Day, I'd like to acknowledge how many positive examples of mothers are around me.  They set a high standard.

This post is belated but nonetheless, Happy Mother's Day Mom.  I love you.

I don't care who you are, where you're from, what you did...

If the above title is what you're thinking to yourself right now, then please.  Don't feel obligated to continue.

It does seem like a lot of pictures, and no one knows that better than me because I took all the time uploading them to Blogger, but, you know... compared to how many pictures we actually took on this trip, this is just a few M & M's out of the bag. 

Anyway, this was my 2nd trip to Arches, but 1st official time to hike around and actually acquaint myself with the red stone formations. 

First stop upon arrival in Moab on Friday the 12th:

Delicate Arch

This about sums up how I felt after a long week...

And Saturday's adventures....

including:

Pine Tree Arch

(we're actually standing under it - sorry you can't see the whole 'arch' thing going on.)

Landscape Arch

Double 'O' Arch

The remains of Wall Arch

and Clint pretending to be the Vitruvian Man (okay, so I told him to pose like this)

A mid-day picnic in a heated car.  (In case you didn't pick out the

white stuff

in any of the above pictures - yeah, it was cold).

Sand Dune Arch

At the Windows.  North or South, can't remember.

I think these are cool pics because they capture the drama of the sky against

the red rock as the predicted storm rolled in.

We were privy to witnessing Arches in all the conditions of:

Sunshine, Snow, and Rain.

Go figure.

Turret Arch

Double Arch

Guess whoooo???

Balanced Rock.

Park Avenue.

...and the obligatory visit to the Arches Souvenir Collectors' shop

specializing in Indecision.

We ended up with a few goodies.

This about sums up how Clint felt after 2 days

of traveling a total of at least 18 miles on foot:

While somebody else who felt the same way

found an alternate way to occupy the time...

...with the help of a little BSB. 

(If you were a teenager in the 90s,

you can probably figure out who fits this acronym.  But...

since you've made it this far

in the recounting of the Vacay,

then you deserve a hint at this point by

going back to the title of this post.)

Yeah. 

Anyway, the point is, I stayed awake.