I am one thankful turkey today.

I am thankful I get to be the "single fun aunt."
As Paige put it.
Quite frankly - I love this stage!
She added,
"If Katie weren't married - she would be here right now."
Sorry Katie.
Then she handed me the drawing of me in a wedding dress.
The title:
Coming to Theaters Soon... Karly's Big Day
So...
not only does my Bishop at BYU ask why I am not married.
My 12 year old niece officially thinks I need a drawing for some motivation.
Sweet.

Currently:

sitting on a couch next to my Dad and nephew Harrison.
The couch sits in a cozy lake house in Texas.
On Lake Cypress Spring to be exact.
The setting could not be more beautiful.
5 nieces/nephews.
3 sisters.
2 parents.
1 Grandma.
1 dog.
Yummy food.
LOTS of love!



Today I have oh so much to be thankful for.

The gospel.
Parents.
An Education.
Best Friends.
Sisters.
Brother.
Sister-in-law.
Music.
Holiday lists.
Parades.
Trials.
Smiles.
Nieces.
Nephews.
Babies.
Treats.
Jobs.
Clothes.
Prophet.
Books.
Skype.



Today we Skyped with lots of people from all over the world.
Boy we are grateful for technology these days.

We sure miss all of our family scattered all over the world this holiday.
Patrice,Natalie,Katie,Derek - we miss you!

But this holiday season I have learned one thing.
It doesn't matter where we live things never change.
St. George isn't the only place in the world.
I know, I even shock myself by saying that.

Somehow, from hours away, we still manage to be one big happy family!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Happy Birthday Nat!

Nat and Mary share the same B-day.
So this post is also late.
And is going out to Nat!
Nat is the most loyal sister and friend.
She would never miss ANYTHING any of her family members do.
Seriously.
She has not missed a beat.
She travels miles and miles to be with her family.
Nat is the best Mom.
Seriously.
And that little munchkin has stolen my heart.
Nat - Happy Birthday!!!

Mar Dog

This post is SO late.
Just call me Ann.
But I have to give a shout out to my sister-in-law Mary.
It was her birthday on the 19th.
She turned the big 24!
Great number, right?
Cheesy as it may be I miss D + M so much.
Luckily we live in the 21st century.
Skype is my very best friend.
I talk to D+M every day - and they live thousands of miles away.
11 pm my time 7 am their time - we eat breakfast together.
Isn't that cute?
To my little swiss friend across the sea...
Thanks for the giggles
Thanks for showing me how to bargain shop
Thanks for the boy advice
Thanks for throwing parties with me
Thanks for fitting in so well with me, Katie, and my Mom
Thanks for loosening my brother up
You are the best Mar!
Happy Birthday!

Beth's Baptism

Somehow I forgot to post about my recent ventures to Arizona.
My niece Beth was baptized on October 10th.
I am so proud of her!
If you haven't had the chance to be around Beth...
You are seriously missing out.
Since the time little pre mature Beth came in to this world she was a fighter.
This little one melts your heart daily.

She had all of us - Grandma's, Grandpa's, Aunt's etc.
Lined up to do a "relay"
She bosses us all around!
And we all follow.

I love going to AZ to see my family
But also, I love seeing my brother-in-laws niece Lauren.
She has the cutest little family you have ever seen.
Little Grace and Taggart are full of energy.
Grace sat by me at lunch and we talked for an hour straight.

It was kind of a sweet moment when Beth came out of the water.
Beth is a fighter.
But on that day she walked in to the room with tears in her eyes and gave all of us a hug.
It was so sweet.
We had the opportunity to go to old downtown Scotsdale and eat at a yummy Spanish restaurant.
We met up with the Blais family.
Sweet Adam - oh my goodness that baby gets me!
He is SOOOO cute.
And such a good baby.
I loved being with Casey and Emily.
They are such a good match and I am so glad we have Casey in the fam.
The weekend ended on a really tender note.
5 years ago I got a phone call from my Mom while I was attending YA camp at BYU.
She wanted to tell me that everything was ok but that my niece Beth
had fallen in to the pool.
Luckily, my sister Patrice found her seconds later
and was able to revive her before lifeflight got there.
Just one week before Beth's baptism I got a terrible call.
My cousin Jen lost her sweet Katelyn to a drowning accident just days before her 3rd birthday.
Jen, is one of those people who you never find without a smile.
She has the most beautiful, kind, loving, heart.
I could not believe this could happen.
The funeral happened to be on the same weekend as Beth's baptism...
but in Idaho.
As soon as Beth was baptized my Dad just looked different.
I knew something was up.
He couldn't sit still.
Although we were all sad my Dad had to take off a little early - we understood.
He couldn't handle not being there with his sister -
watching his Grand daugther who survived such a horrible thing
be baptized really got him thinking about sweet Katelyn.
And before we knew it -
he was on a flight to Idaho.
Days later we got these pictures.
That weekend I learned a lot about what is important in life.
My parents are amazing examples of what to do when someone you love is hurting.
Please keep Jen's family in your prayers.
We will miss you Katelyn.
Thank you to Beth for helping us all remember what is important in life.

"It's SO Pretty."

My new apartment is right at the base of the mountains.

I have secretly loved opening my windows and looking at the fall colors.
Well this morning it was different.
I feared this day.
The day when the yellow and orange went away,
and the white took over.
This morning I woke up to THIS.And to my surprise...
the first words out of my mouth were...
It's SO pretty.
Kourtney and I couldn't believe it had just happened.
I think I might actually be excited for another season change.
This year snow didn't come until AFTER Halloween.
This year snow came halfway through November.
And THIS year...
snow came after THIS went up...
Now, some say Christmas starts after Halloween.
Some say after Thanksgiving.
Well I say after the tree at Rockefeller center comes in.
It's not lit just yet...
But the 70+ feet tree is being strung with lights as we speak.
You can hear the beautiful trees story Here

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE the Today show?
Recently I wrote a letter of intent to my program directors.
My application process to find an internship for next summer has officially begun.
Through BYU I am competing for spots at National FOX News, Dateline, and Today.
Outside of the program I will be applying for CNN, 20/20, and others.
But my application to my directors prompted me to write this about the today show...

For the past 15 years I have woken up to one line, “This is Today, on NBC.”
I ate breakfast with my Today Show family for as long as I can remember.
I have watched as Katie flew like Peter Pan,
wondered where in the world is Matt Lauer,
looked at weather in my neck of the woods with Al,
cried on Katie’s last day,
warmed up to Meredith,
and listened to countless headlines from Ann’s news desk.
But when I traveled to the Big Apple for the first time as a young teen my world was turned upside down.
As I stood in the snow outside Studio 1A I realized this family that I woke up with every morning didn’t just come in to get their hair and makeup done, sit down on the couch, and chat with me. I realized these reporters, producers, anchors, and cameramen had put their life in to this show. These reporters suddenly stopped being my family and started being my mentors.
From that moment on I studied every word, angle, camera shot, smile, frown, and tone.
I studied the balance between hard news and soft news, their use of active voice, their leads, their bumps, and images – you name it, I studied it.
From Matt, Meredith, Al, and Ann, and I learned that the news isn’t about yesterday, it isn’t about tomorrow, the news is about Today.

I know - pretty cheesy.
But it's me.
So I hope you like the cheese.

And I hope TODAY you are all ready for the holiday season!!!!

Missa Pooh

Don't worry. This isn't turning in to the Melissa shrine.
I just have to give her a little shout out for turning THE BIG 1-9.
Last year as a teen girly.
Enjoy it.

20 comes with back aches - fat rolls - and much much more.
Let me tell you a little about one of my bff's missa pooh.

M. usician. Melissa and I go running together a lot these days and well... We get lots of strange looks as the two of us run down the streets, pods in the ears, singing at the top of our lungs - "Don't Stop Belieivin" - Better believe it happens.
E. nergetic. Need I say more.
L. oud. It is the Adams trademark.
I. ntelligent. Seriously. This girl has got her game on up here. Getting A's in classes I can't even pronounce.
S. hopping
S. hopping (this deserved 2x)
A. ttitude - this girl can give you some serious tude.

A. ccomplished. At the age of 19 Miss is 2 years ahead of everyone else her age, Junior Miss winner (aka pagent Queen), Dancer, Head band extraordinar - as Shania would say...She's not just a pretty face.
D. e Glam. Hey Jeffrey D. - Don't worry this girl is definitely on the De Glam program up here.
A. dvice. I hate to admit it - but my "little sister" gives me the best advice. Sad. But true.
M. issionary - sorry Miss couldn't help it. Haha "It's your one flaw." haha
S. tyle. Best style I have ever seen.

This Friday we went to SLC together.
I had to give her a little SLC intiation.
First, dinner at Z tejas
Then a little Anthroplogie
Followed by a little J.Crew and Banana.
And then lastly we stopped off at our oh so lovely college affordable store Forever 21.
Bummed we can't afford the Crew - we found ourselves some lovely Crew looking coats.
And spent money we don't have.
On clothes we don't have room for.Then it was off to Starbucks.
Does anyone else just love Starbucks this time of year?
We had to get one of these...
Yes.
The Red Cup Countdown is over people!
Which means bring out the Pumpkin Spice Steamer - Skim Milk + Whip.

Walking down the Gateway
bags in one hand
steamer in the other
- What more could a girl ask for on her Birthday.

The night was topped off with a drive to the capitol while listening to a little Michael Buble.
(The new CD is seriously incredible - and perfect for fall)

I heart the Utah capitol so much - I know it is strange - don't judge.
And at the end of the night I decided three things.
1. I am so grateful Missa is here this year.
2. I wish Kelsey was up here with us. We miss our third sister.
3. I may or may not be starting to enjoy the weather/season change. Shhh. Please don't tell anyone in STG. But I think I MAY be looking forward to Winter weather.
SHHHHHH

Bye Bye.

Tuesday night I covered the Provo City Council Elections.

I know it's really silly but to us it was big time.
A week before the elections we had a meeting with our News Director.
His name is Chad Curtis.
He is new to the BYU Daily News.
And I am so grateful for him.
He makes us feel like our newscast is just as important as CNN Prime Time!
He pushes us.
He assigned me to one of the candidates that I have been following for the past 3 weeks.
I was certain this candidate was going to loose.
Boy was I wrong.
He won by a long shot - which totally threw me for a loop.
I hadn't prepared for him to win.
I had to act on my feet and things got really exciting.
As soon as the big parties and celebrations were over -
I headed to the newsroom.
You would have thought it was the Presidential Election.
All of the political reporters crammed ourselves in the newsroom until 2 AM.
You heard me.
And back in the newsroom at 7 AM.
It was nuts.
We even had Provo Mayor-Elect John Curtis "Live On The Set"
I know it is crazy but I was so proud of everyone that day.
Together, about 20 students put together a 1/2 hour newscast covering Utah County elections - with no national feeds or anything.
A complete 1/2 hour show of all our own writing, voicing, shooting, and editing.
It may not seem like a big deal to many - but I had goosebumps sitting in the control room.
It was a great show.
And don't fret - our audience consisting of Ann, Larry, and Ora gave it a 5 star rating.
We've made it big time!

I've totally caught the news bug.
Truth be told - I don't know how I wound up in this major.
All I know is it is perfect.
It is perfect for me.
I love it.
It is the hardest thing I have EVER done.
Every week I blow it.
Seriously.
I fall flat on my face every week in one aspect or another.
And I get told the obvious - harshly.
But I don't mind.
I am going to keep moving forward.
I love my major.
Have I said that before?
Well, I love it so much...
I decided to make a BIG sacrifice.
BIG.
8 inches.
Gone.
Bye Bye.


Love it - or hate it... it's done.
And I think it is a really good change.
It is official.
I have sold my soul - and my hair - to the news.
No turning back now.
Bring on 2 am wakeup calls for the next 5 years.

Let Me Boast For A Minute

My Little Melissa.
Since she officially became a coug - everyone knows Missa as my little sister.
She kind of is.
Only one problem.
The girl is a spit fire and is far more bright than I am.
On Friday she got some really big news.
And by really... I mean REALLY.
Melissa got accepted in to the BYU Nursing Program.
But wait.. There is more!
She is 1 of 2 girls her age to get in.
I couldn't be more proud of her.
MIss thanks for being such a great friend.
Thanks for always fogiving me when I am busy busy in my world.
But mostly...
Thanks for becoming a nurse.
You are going to come in handy!
Congrats Missa.
I love you!