What's your Favorite Quote?

“I cannot endure to waste anything

as precious as autumn sunshine

by staying in the house.

So I spend almost all the daylight

hours in the open air.”

~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hey there...

Hey... Don't you just love that quote!? I LOVE Fall! I suppose it is the combination of routine and schedule and colors and textures in abundance... I love the cooler crisp mornings and the yummy homey scented candles... Yes - I know you have heard it before here... but I truly do enjoy Autumn!

Anyway - it was a crazy busy week last week... but it was all good and I had so much fun working on 'secret projects' and making cards and spending some 'down time' with my family! (Busy - with down time?! Yes - we have to schedule it in these days... but I highly recommend it!?)

So... my last question was not exactly answered... (What do you listen to while you Scrap!?) For me... my Scrap area is in our Family Room and I normally work on project in the afternoon while the hubby is at work and kiddo is away at school... so I often will scrap with a great chick flick movie on in the background... sometimes I will play some tunes... I have this Jack Johnson DVD but it only has a few songs... I am listening to a lot of Chris Tomlin right now (new CD, ya know?!) and I also love the soundtrack to 13 Going on 30... LOL! Hey?! Who doesn't love the 80's?! It is very happy music that helps me to feel energetic and creative!

Last weekend we had THREE (Count them - 3!) birthday parties to go to... one was for my daughters' best friend... so we just dropped her off for that one and went on to a surprise party for a good friend... he is turning 50! (Oh yes - favorite quote of the week... "He's as old as Yahtzee!") That was super fun... he had no idea... we got to visit with a lot of old friends from previous church circles... it was great! From there... we met back up with our daughter and the other birthday family to go to the THIRD party... another surprise party! It was for our Pastor - who also turned 50! The theme was the 50's so there were PLENTY of poodle skirts and doo-wap music goin' on... lots of Elvis and Fonzi's too! Jon was totally surprised and stunned... then at the end, several friends pitched in and we all raised money to buy him something he has wanted to about 20 years! We were able to raise enough funds to buy him the top of the line Harley Davidson!!! It is tricked OUT... I think his wife will even go on long road trips with him now! Too fun! He was literally speechless... which - many of you know - is not easy to do to a Pastor?! LOL!? Good times, ...good times!

My daughter has her first Choir performance this week... can't wait! I am not even sure what they are singing - I think it is all patriotic songs?! (?!!? In November?! Veteran's day I am guessing!?) I need to bake some brunch-like snacks for a group this week... (Recipe queens?! Any ideas for quick, easy brunch snacks?!) I was supposed tog o see Baby John John today... but it is not going to work out... maybe later in the week!? We'll see?! (Must.... Hold... New... Baby!?!?!?!?!!!)

We are now counting down our Girls Weekend Trip... just 10 days away!!!?!!? Can't WAIT!!!?!

So... my Question this week is based on Quotes! I LOVE LOVE LOVE Quotes... I love famous quotes - I love personal family sayings and quotes... I love quotes from song lyrics or movies or books?! My favorites are always changing from week to week it seems... but lately - for the past several weeks - one of my favorites is this:

“Life is not measured by
the number of breaths we take,
But by the moments that
take our breath away!”
~Unknown

I simply LOVE that quote... how true it is!!! As a scrapbooker - we can get caught up in the 'moments' that we document - but it is in those moments that take our breath away (with or without that camera in our hands!) that truly measure the life we live!

So - I encourage you to share some of your recent/current favorite quotes and consider including them in a scrapbook page or project that you are working on now!

Until next time,

Scrap On!
~Karrilee~

Scrabook Designer Article is UP!

Hey there, Everyone?!

Yes - I know - I have not updated here for days and days... it's been super busy here - but all good! In case you all have forgotten - I LOVE Fall! I was going through some photo's and uploaded a few of my favorites on my CafePress store... I love to 'tweak' some photo's so they look like a Watercolor or Canvas Oil painting... so fun! I have lots of nature photography and beach scenery, as well as other PNW landscapes! You can check it out at:
http://www.cafepress.com/blessedmemories

I have been happily busy at work on that 'secret' lunchbox album... it is turning out just how I envisioned it - which we all know - does not always happen?! I know I will need more Ribbon for the handle... but other than that - I think I have everything in order... again - just waiting on others to get me the info and pictures! (Darcie - I did order the pictures you sent last week... they arrived last night! Thanks! ...I heard back from Dan - but I still would love to have something from the girls?!) Anyway - when the gift is finished... I will post some pictures... (well - AFTER I give it, of course!)

The big news for me today is that my article is officially up... you can check it out at:
http://www.smallscraps.com/

Just click on the link to take you to the Faces of Scrapbooking! What an opportunity! (Thanks Jennifer!) You all know how I LOVE to use words... and love to create - so this was a perfect chance to write about what I am passionate about! (Well - one of the things, anyway!) So - that was so much fun!

I made about a dozen Fall cards last night... and yes - I wrote in all of them and mailed them out this morning... most of them were for my Scrap Happy girls... it was fun! Oh - and do you all get the e-newsletters from Simple Scrapbooks and CK, etc.?! I can't remember which one I was reading but they had some GREAT samples of Place Cards for Thanksgiving... I am SO going to scraplift one or two of those! We do this Blessing Box every year... and last year I did make the Place Cards into their journaling paper... but this year I will make the tags that are just SUPER cute and are BEGGING to be scrapbooked!?

Non-Scrapbook related news... my dd is feeling much better... she never really did give in to the cold - just held on to the sniffles for a few days... and oh yes - Praise God - we FOUND a Coat! It was amazing! After our entire day of finding nothing... we went to one last store - prayed on the way... and found a coat right away - that was amazingly within our budget by about $0.07!? She is LOVING it and so that makes all the difference! Cool beans!

My dh got back from his Fishing trip empty handed... but he had a great time - a much needed mini-vacation... the only downer is he left his tackle box at the last fishing hole... he is praying that some kind soul will find it and mail it back to him... (it could happen?!)

So - my question for all of you readers today is this:
What do you listen to while you scrap!?

Do you have a favorite CD or Radio Station...
Do you put on a favorite DVD or TV show...
Do you require silence to concentrate... or is it better with a lot of background noise!?

I know it probably differs from time to time... but what sound atmosphere inspires you to create?

Until next time,
Remember to Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~
Blessed Memories Scrapbooks
www.Karrilee.com

Scrapping, & Shopping, & Movies, Oh MY!?

Wow... it has been a full few days since I last thought it was Friday!?

Yeah - gotta LOVE those In Service days... all day Thursday 'felt' like a Friday

(except, of course, I was doing all my THURSDAY stuff?!)

Yeah - I may just need a notebook after all!?

So - Thursday - (which I thought was Friday!) was good.

I was able to do much of my prep work on Wednesday because I thought I may be watching my nephews again... I never heard back from my sister-in-law, so I ended up having a bit more 'unscheduled' time on Thursday than I anticipated. (which may have something to do with my weekday mix-up!? - I rarely have anything 'scheduled' for Fridays!?) I had made my Mint Oreo Truffles the day before. My personal Baker made yummy Pumpkin Bread for me to take as well - so I had the snacks covered already... I had thought up a Challenge and planned out my own personal scrapping project to work on ... so I really had a fairly open day. It was nice! I don't even remember what all I did!? I am sure some of it was spent on here - this computer which is a HUGE time-suck for me some days?! (Insert annoying Vacuum noise HERE!)

By afternoon, I had to pick up my little one - who is not so little, and got in the car with a cold that she did not leave the house with?! Aaah - yes - 'tis the season I suppose?! See... we are not 'sick' people.... we just don't 'do' sick very well and we do not embrace it! I used to get rewarded for being sick... My Mom was a working mother and so the only way we got attention was if we were sick... we got some pampering and some snacks, the couch and the TV... we planned for our colds every season... so - as a general rule - we do not 'make room' for sickness in our house! My daughter always jokes that she is the only one she knows who gets in trouble if she is sick!? LOL! OK - she doesn't REALLY get in trouble... and I DO take care of her... even baby her a bit - but not much - and she needs to get done with it quickly! So - sniffles... right before her long weekend?! She was not thrilled with this new development either?!

She laid around while I packed up my stuff and loaded the car. I offered for her to stay home either here or next door at Grandma's and skip her youth group meeting - but that was not an option - she wanted to go... so she got in the car and my husband met us at the church to help unload and set up my room... then they were off to dinner and her group while I prepared for my Scrap Happy group. I completely forgot to take any pictures...?! I know?! I just didn't even THINK of it... we had 7 ladies... 3 were new... which means we were missing 2 or 3 from last time. They all had fun and I am pretty sure will be back... no one did the challenge from last month - so we shall see if they will attempt the one from this month. I did tell them this time that there would be PRIZES... so that may give them a bit of incentive?! We'll see!? I bought some tags to give away for last months' challenge (that would make THIS months' Tag challenge that much easier... oh well!? I guess I will keep 'em?! At least some of them!? At least the cooler ones!? LOL!?) So - group went great... I packed up and came home to put my sniffling daughter to bed...even though it was not a school night (again - much like a FRIDAY!?)... then my hubby and I watched The Office... that show just cracks me up! Too funny!? LOVED the squeaky chair... I used to work with a "Jim" - so I really appreciate the inner office pranks and such!

Friday - my Honey was up and out of town early - went off to fish with my brother-in-law on Whidbey Island... hoping he has a GREAT time and brings me home some Salmon!!! He should be back late tonight! Anyway - Yesterday consisted of Shopping with my Mom (the SPEEDY shopper...does one quick glance through a store and she is done already...) and my Daughter (the Can't-Pick!?-Oh-I-Know,-I-Want-The-Most-Expensive-One Shopper... loves too many things and narrows it down inevitably to the item that is not on sale or that is on sale for$65?!) Yeah - FUN!? So - we went out with the purpose of buying a White Blouse (my daughter insisted that that doesn't MEAN it HAS to have buttons?! She HATES shirts with collars... because they TOUCH her... yeah - she's fun like that!?) for her Choir wardrobe... a white short slip for her (which no one carries!? NO ONE?!?!?! What is up with that?!)... and a Winter Coat for her. We didn't buy one last year... one was bought for her and she LOATHED it... wore it twice. Apparently the kids at school made fun of her... ?! So - I couldn't MAKE her wear it - so she wore the coat from the year before... !? Well - obviously, THIS year - that one won't work - and it won't fit! So... yeah - Coat shopping?! Now - I must say - she HAS gotten a LOT better. Shoe shopping is still the worst! But - she likes clothes that fit better now and she knows they will have to touch her... this is the girl who - at FIVE - looked at the skirt I was holding up and said, "Um - no - that's not my style?!" Huh!? You are FIVE?! You HAVE a style?! So... yes - back to the coat shopping. I told her before we left the house what our budget was for all three pieces... we DID find a White Blouse - yes with some sort of a collar-ish thing and lots of frill and all - however it is crinkled sheer material - so that meant buying a layering White Tank to go under it... and it was a $58 top- on sale for $20... it is WHITE people?! This SEEMS like a bad idea... but whatever - it is adorable and she will actually WEAR it other than just for Choir Performances... So - one down (that was actually TWO items...) but still!?

We went to nearly every store in town looking for a Winter Coat and a slip!? OK - the slip - seemingly - no one wears them anymore?! I couldn't even find a half-slip in the women's departments?! I found a few full slips - and one half slip that was LONG... ?! They were way to big for her anyway - and too long?! So... that one didn't work out. So - still - she has two skirts that she cannot wear?! The Winter Coat... so - she FOUND a couple that would 'work' but they were not what she really wanted.... one of them was a Trench coat and was not WARM at all... which brought on the whole "But-I-Don't-GET-Cold" argument... and the other was a long WHITE Wool Dry Clean Only jacket that was thin and was on sale for $65!? Good price - but not for an 11 year old... a WHITE Dry Clean Only jacket?! Um... NO!?

So - we came home with the Blouse and Tank... and still have no Coat and no Slip... and yet- I am NOT motivated to go to any more stores today!? It is getting colder... and yet - it is difficult to find her 'style' within my price range!? Sigh!? Maybe when it gets colder - she will be more open to other options?! LOL!?

Today - my plan is to work on that lunchbox project, and watch a movie or two... relax... and NOT shop!? Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Until Next time,

Scrap Happy!

~Karri~

An Update... BEFORE any Smack!

Hey there...

Oh - I know... don't think I don't know... you all are out having fun at some trailer trash restaurant of something and yet again... I am not there!? LOL!? Hmmm... it sure would be easier if I lived in the same State?! But - as much as I often wish I was there... and have to admit that I am pretty content on being here!

Well - Tuesday was my Anniversary - as I mentioned... We are not the whole gift giving type of couple... He gets me things through out the year and I do the same... what we DO do on our Anniversary is go out for a nice dinner alone... It is just the gift of TIME in this busy life of ours! And it is PRECIOUS! We actually do spend quite a lot of time together anyway... other than those pesky 'work days'... but - I am blessed to hang out in the evenings. I know - many couples barely see each other before their heads hit the pillows at night... if that happens with us for two nights in a row - we know we are out of sync and we need to re-prioritize our schedules or whatever?! Anyway - we went out to the Olive Garden... yummy! For some reason, we rarely think to go here - but we love it every time! I got the yummy Smoked Cheddar/Sun-Dried Tomato Portobello Ravioli.... SO good! Then, Dave got this new dish - Braised Beef Tortellini or something like that... stuffed with Asiago and in a Marsala sauce... um - OH MY!??! This dish was almost as good as... well... you just fill in the blank there! (I said ALMOST!?) Wow?! And then... the next day... he gave me HIS left overs?! Aahhhh - so sweet! We laughed and visited and relaxed... we talked with our waiter and just enjoyed being out... Dave has worked a lot of overtime lately - which - is good because it helps to pay those annoying medical bills - but it also crowds in to our alone time... so it was nice to just sit back, sip on a drink, enjoy a meal, and reminisce!

So - today I am getting ready for my Scrap Happy Group... I made Truffles - Chocolate and Chocolate Mint... YUMMY! I also had my personal Baker make us some super moist Pumpkin Cake too... Of course - after bringing several of my 'current' (most recent) albums last month - one of the smarty pants there asked me to bring my very FIRST album... Yeah... Great?! Well - it so happens to be my Wedding Album... so - I have that out and will humble myself and bring it alone! LOL! I am sure it will actually be great for them to see... as most of them are just starting out in this hobby... I have one two page layout to work on and then I also have two new sets of stamps to assemble... I may bring along my 'secret project' - which - I KNOW - is seeming less and less 'secret' the more I talk about it?! LOL!? I called everyone to remind them about the project - and so far have had two people get me their answers since then... so hopefully the rest will get busy as well! I think I am ready to start assembling the files/pages that go inside! Many of them have so much text, it will not take too much extra embellishments or papers even to fill it up - so it looks like I will not need to buy more paper - which is good because it is not available here!? I have about three weeks to complete this task... I am hoping to have pictures from everyone as well... which may be hard... but we shall see?!

Anyway - I am off to finish getting prepared for tonight... I will try to remember to take a few shots and post an update soon... before any smack!

Hope you are enjoying a Happy Friday!

Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~

Yeah - I Rock... even MORE!!!!

Hey there...

Yes - first off... I would just like to point out - This is update/post NUMBER TWO for today?! Yeah... not sure where everyone ELSE is!?!??!

OK - thanks Darcie for the Update and Shout Out! (Holla)

And now... I am about to ROCK ...EVEN MORE!!!!!

BRIAN REGAN IS PERFORMING IN BOISE ON NOV 19TH!!!!! (If I could - I would fly there to see it with ya'll!? - but you need to look into going... seriously?!) I am hoping to go in Dec to his Seattle Show! (Just an FYI!)

Check out his website... click on the top video clip - it's his latest Letterman clip - TOO FUNNY!
http://www.brianregan.com/experience-av.html


~Karri~

Tour De Fries

Hey there Everyone,

How are you all doing?! I am good...

Glad you all enjoyed the Goodie Box I sent to the Friday Night Crop... it was too much F-U-N putting it all together! I ended up going to see One Night With the King on Saturday afternoon because it was sold out on Friday night?! No... I did not go pre-buy my tickets... even though the thought DID occur to me?! Oh well - we spent the night at Borders... that is always a fun outing! We can hang there for HOURS... nice!!!

Saturday we DID get in to see the movie! SO good! I loved it... it was pretty much what I expected... I have read the book (Haddassah - One Night With the King - by Tommy Tenney) and they stayed fairly true to the book... we went with the whole fam' and one of my dd's friends - we all agreed it was good! Afterwards, we decided we wanted some SOFT Serve Ice Cream... now - we have all gone to Ron's - where you get the MONGO HUGE 1/2 Vanilla 1/2 Chocolate Soft Serve Monstrosity of a Cone... for like $0.69!? No joke?! (OK - well - maybe it is $1.69 - but still!? It's crazy?!) So - we decide to try somewhere ELSE... and we go to a little family run Stop-N-Go... (My dh's first place of employment... yeah - they should have burned that place down PLENTY of times...!?) So - we get - a SMALL... and still - it is RIDICULOUSLY huge?! Good... and well - you know how we all love a good deal?! But - you can't possibly eat the entire thing!? They also had a special on Fries... 'new breaded' fries!? OK - so we ordered a side of fries ...and we eat it all in the 'park'/parking lot grassy area because my dh says we HAVE to... yeah - we are all having a 'moment' together... we were making a memory!? LOL!? So - the fries are not all that... and come to find out - our friend has never had the Beer Battered Fries from Majors... oh my?! So - we end up going on a Tour De Fries... OK - not really! We just went to Major's on our way home for a side of Beer-Battered Fries... but we TALKED about doing a Tour De Fries... however, in the end - it just seemed wrong... especially after the ENORMOUS ice cream... plus - once you have the Major Fries... what else is there?! Nothing... nothing more to try because they win - every time - hands down! (Greasy hands down, at that!)

I have my Scrap Happy group on Thursday... yeah - so I had to take my camera to the photo shop and have prints made... love how I can plug in my memory stick and wait 5 minutes and have real pictures - big ones - little ones - whatever... right away! LOVE that! So - I have pre-printed my Journaling so I will be able to actually complete a layout while at the Group. I think this months Challenge will be to use Tags on a layout... seems simple enough - but at this point - most of them don't scrapbook at all... they just have all the stuff - so any incentive at all to get them to do one layout in between meetings is great! Last month, the Challenge was to use the answers from a questionnaire to make a page all about themselves! We'll see how many played!? I didn't tell them that if they play - they get a prize... (because I just decided!? LOL!?) I found a bunch of tags on clearance and so I bought some of those and so if they did the Challenge - they can win a Tag to complete the NEXT Challenge!? We'll see?!

Anyway - today is my 14th Wedding Anniversary... so that is where my focus is... we have actually lived together for 15 years... yeah - we lived together for nearly a year first...?! I know?! But - hey - we were new Christians and while I know it is 'wrong' - I also know that it made our first couple of years of marriage SO MUCH easier!? While I am not wealthy or famous or even skinny... LOL - I am blessed! I love my husband... he is truly one of my very best friends... I love nearly everything about him... he still makes me laugh - every single day - on purpose... he still can look at me from across a room and read my mind and make me blush without saying a word. He loves me when I am happy - and when I am sad... he is the best Dad I have ever seen and even when he loses his patience - my daughter never doubts his devotion and love for her! (nor do I!) I love him more now - than I did 14 - 15 years ago... we share everything... we honor each other and we work at our marriage... we keep it a priority and we protect it as much as possible! We are not perfect - we have had our arguments and hard times - but overall - I would not change a thing... all that we have gone through has brought us to where we are today - celebrating 14 years of Wedded Bliss and going strong!

So - I am off to enjoy the rest of the day... and page through my sad, simple, FIRST EVER Scrapbook Wedding Album!!!

Until next time, Scrap Happy people!!!!
~Karri~

Scrapbookers Prayer?

Hey there...

I will post a 'real' update soon... I am just wondering if any of you know of or can send me to a Prayer or Poem specifically for Scrapbookers?! I know I have read a few before... but I can't seem to FIND any of them?! I may just have to write my own, I guess?! If any of you want to write one - or can link me to one - please let me know!!!

~Karri~

Now What?!

Hey there...

So - after checking obsessively on everyone's blog I finally decided to give in and 'update' my own!? Not as much fun as reading about everyone else's day or week - but... ?! Maybe if I update... then YOU all will update?! Maybe...?!

I finished three Mini Albums in three days... Yep - one a night! They were really small - and I was using stuff I already had - so I didn't have a whole lot of matching embellishments to add or anything... you may notice that one is an actual mini Album... by K&Co... LOVE it!!! I am keeping that one for myself?! LOL!? I know - I know?! But - here's the deal!? As much as I adore my family - they are not so much 'treasure keepers' and they don't so much appreciate memorabilia like I do!? Selfish!? Yeah - probably... and yet - I am still keepin' it!?

...and yes - this means that I am once again, sadly - all caught up!? I will have those Lake Trip photo's developed over the weekend and so I will have something to work on during my Scrap Happy group... plus I will probably try to work on the "Secret Project"... here's the deal... the project is a Lunch Box Album and so I would LOVE some samples of any you all have done?! I have my paper picked out... which I still cannot buy locally somehow?! So - hopefully I will NOT run out of it?! Anyway... this is my problem: I have not been able to get a hold of several people and I am needing to rely on others to fill out some paperwork and send me a small wallet-size picture... (not so sure this is going to happen as easily as I thought it would?!) Maybe - obsessively sending out the info so early so I could get it back in time was a mistake... who can know?! I have the highest hopes that it will all come together in the end?!

My hubby is busy making homemade salsa and my little one is away at GC (Youth Group)... I lit my favorite candles tonight while I read a bit of one of my books... (left the Air Freshener alone this time... no worries?!) Tomorrow I get to watch my nephews for a bit in the morning... they are GREAT... who knew boys could be so much fun!? (Sorry - I didn't have any brothers and only have a daughter... honestly - I didn't know?!) I adore them! It helps that they are little mini-men - so smart and articulate for their age! In the afternoon, I will be working on an article about Scrapbook Design (For Hire) Businesses... ahhh - an assignment! Praise God!

So - there ya go... an update... I am planning on going to see One Night with the King tomorrow night with my Honey and my daughter... I will let ya'll know how great it is!!!

Until then, Scrap Happy!
~Karri~

5 Weird Things

OK... not to feel left out like Kori... Na finally tagged me on the Weirdo List... I mean - the list of 5 weird things... (Kori - don't feel bad... at least you live in town and CAN be invited to all the fun reindeer games... I am sure them NOT calling you at 7am was a GOOD Decision... can you even IMAGINE talking to any of those gals that early in the morning?! LOL!?)

Anyway - thanks for including me Natalie... I will play along but must admit beforehand... and am - at least compared to all of you trailer trash - rather 'normal' I am pretty sure?! Still... just for F-U-N... here is my random list:

1. EVERY Morning when I get out of bed, and EVERY night at bedtime, I pause at my bedroom window and look outside... at my garden... at the neighbors yard... just checking it out... is that weird?! (I am talking EVERY SINGLE day - TWICE!?)

2. I HATE to talk on the phone... like I am talkin' LOATHE!!!!? I don't mind chatting online... or via e-mail, or preferably - in person over coffee (and bagels... but whatever?!)... but the phone is TORTUROUS?! I guess maybe because most of my jobs have involved answering phones maybe?! I guess I can't feel 'real' on the phone... it feels too business-like... and I even use my 'phone voice' sometimes on accident?! Anyone else?! .... (insert cricket sounds here...) Anyone?!

3. My house - at least the main floor - HAS to be picked up at all times... not necessarily CLEANED - but picked up and presentable. Do we often get company unannounced?! No... pretty much never... but still - it COULD happen... and I would want my home to be warm and welcoming and not have to stress about the dishes being in the sink or the stack of papers on the living room floor... now - rest assured - I am not obsessive... people HAVE seen my house a mess... but just in general - overall - I attempt to have everything in it's place at all times?! (The basement/scrapbook area - however - is a COMPLETELY different story - unfortunately!? I am convinced it is simply because I do not have enough ROOM for everything... which sadly - my husband agrees - so I have really little to no incentive to pick it up more consistently!?)

4. I LOVE to read... all sorts of things... and a lot of them at the same time?! I find it hard to read just one book at a time... well - for one reason - it just doesn't LAST as LONG that way... but I love to have several different story lines going at once... I love to read a few chapters in one book... (use my Air Freshener) and pick up an entirely different book and keep reading?! (OK - maybe that new Air Freshener thing is weird too!? Maybe... but I don't know... you will have to smell it first!? Oh - and what exactly is huffing?! I mean - can I do it on accident?! Darcie - shut up - Miss EAST Valley - you don't qualify to answer that one!)

and 5. God speaks to me and I see things... not so much Dead People... (thank God!) but I do see things... much like Corinna FEELS things... (I feel things too) but I often see stuff... call them visions or day dreams or whatever... but they are real and often sometimes prophetic in nature... sometimes when I have shared them with others it has confirmed things to them that they were asking God about... sometimes I have just prayed about what I have seen and God moves... I've seen angels and demons and I have talked and danced face to face with Jesus... often in prayer He will give me pictures or I will 'see' written out a Scripture reference and I will go look it up and it will be an answer to prayer or something... But - I must say - that I don't think that this should be as Weird as it probably is!? I mean - I think God desires to speak with His people and show us things all the time... I don't think He intended for it to be weird or rare or whatever... and I think there are a lot of people who see or feel things that just blow it off or dismiss it as coincidence or something...

Now - here is 5 Weird things about me from my 11 year old daughters perspective:

1. Likes to read a lot
2. Have Painted every room on the Main Floor (of our APARTMENT?!)
3. Likes to watch Horses run
4. Make the cat run COMPLETELY out of food before you will feed him!
5. Pushes the family cat off your lap when you are wearing black

When I told her that those aren't 'super weird' - she replied - "Well - what do you want from me?! You're not THAT weird?!" Ah Yeah! Priceless! You KNOW I will be quoting her on THAT one soon enough!

I will tag no one... the weirdness must come to an end sometime soon - so ya'll will post something meaty to share?!?!?!?! Oh - I made TWO mini-albums last night - one for my sister and one for my Mom of our Leavenworth trip... (I am making one for me tonight!?) So ... once again?! I will be all caught up!? Of course - I didn't print out those McDaniel Lake pictures... so I may print those out because my Scrap Happy group meets next Thursday and I have NOTHING to Scrap again?!!??!?!? Unless I work on that dreaded secret project?! We'll see?!

Anyway...
Scrap On, (Weirdos!!!)
~Karri~

Favorite Scents

Mmmmmm... Some of my (current) Favorite Scents...

I have a LOT of "Favorites" in the Fall... There are way more yummy smells than this... I have a great new Orange Spice candle, and some 'champagne' incense, lots of lotions and potions too... but right now... this day... these are my favorites!


My lovely Hazelnut Latte Candle
Doesn't this smell just scream Fall to you!?
It does to me! (and we all know how I love Fall!)

"Karmala" Candle and Perfume by Mark
Rich Musky, Woodsy, Floral Scents that scream
Warmth and Passion! (Yeah - that's right... I said it!)

Shea Butter & Rice Flower Body Spray from Bath & Bodyworks
This will be one of the smells in Heaven in my house...
(I am pretty sure...)

"Dune" Perfume by Christian Dior
My Wedding Perfume... aahhhhh.... need I say more?! (Do you all have a 'Wedding Perfume"!? This was a new scent from Dior when I was planning my Wedding and so I bought it specifically to wear on my special day... now whenever I put it on - I remember that day... it triggers that feeling of nostalgia for me and my Honey! I highly recommend this - even if it is not 'normal'?!)

Self Sanctuary Lemon Sugar Body Butter
MMmmmm.... SO yummy!!! It is so moisturizing and it lasts all day... if you love lemon desserts... well - you will LOVE this!!!

...and lastly, my New Air Freshener by Glade...
(Yep - that's right... I am a Stay at Home Mom, how'd ya guess?!) It is the new Air Infusions - CLEAN LINEN. Yeah... it not only WORKS (rather than masks) but it lasts for hours and makes the whole house smell - well - Clean!!! Who knew I would one day get excited about a new Air Freshener!? I know - it is a little sad... maybe even pathetic... but hey?! I work hard to create an atmosphere in my home - whether it is just me here or we have guests... and so - ya know - air freshener is sometimes necessary!? Sometimes people play 'toilet paper' games and you need to keep that secret! LOL!

I relate a lot of smells to memories... maybe it is because I was born "blind" and so some of my senses are used to being more in tune than others... Do you ever go somewhere and the smell alone can make you miss your Grandma's house or make you want to bake cookies or make stew!?... someone passes by in the Mall and all of the sudden you remember a school dance or an old boyfriend?! That type of thing happens to me all the time! When my hubby has to leave for work early or is going golfing or fishing on the weekends... I always grab his pillow when he gets up... it's warm and I can cuddle with it and it smells like him... (which is a good thing... ya know - normally... except when I need that Clean Linen Spray...) I remember seeing Matthew McConaughey on Oprah and he was saying that he doesn't wear cologne or use scented soap or deodorant... he just has his own smell... Oprah was impressed - apparently his 'own smell' was rather quite nice... if you can imagine?!

So... what about you guys?! What smells bring back memories or make you reminisce?! What Fall or Autumn scents stir you up and calm you down?! Do share...

~Karri~

One Night with the King

OK... not so much an update as a Tip...

This movie is going to be AWESOME!!! It opens on Friday, Oct 13th... and I HIGHLY recommend seeing it - even on opening night if possible... (since the new Friday the 13th will open the same night I think - and well - ya know - it would be nice to have something GOOD compete with something so bad?!)

This movie is based on Esther... also on "Hadassah - One Night with the King" by Tommy Tenney... check out the site and watch the Trailer...

One Night with the King Movie...
http://www.8x.com/onenight/

This is a GREAT Date movie... or Family movie... Chick Flick/Girlfriend Movie... I am sure I will see it several times... (and not even in the Cheap Seats, Corinna!?) There are not that many movies that come out that we can support and encourage... but I believe that this will be one of them! I encourage you all to make plans to see it! (and please do let me know what you think of it as well!)

~Karri~

Update in Pictures...

An Update in Pictures...

Well... mostly!? (You know me... I love WORDS, too!?) Here are some pictures of my new bathroom/paint and those infamous Bunko Prizes...

I can't even remember what all I did on Friday - other than recuperate and pout from Bunko! I also had to put my house/furniture back in order... we did go out to dinner with some good friends... we went to El Porton - a great Mexican restaurant that is ALWAYS packed and always worth the wait too!

Saturday I read off & on... worked on some Bible Studies a bit...

Here are the books I am currently reading:

Bad Girls of the Bible (Liz Curtis Higgs) is really fun... a great mix of fiction and Scripture... of course I also have the Workbook that goes with it and that really brings in even more Scripture and study time! I am liking it... even more than I thought I would!

Captivating (Stasi Eldridge) is a great study as well - all about how God created us Female on purpose and just really so insightful and uplifting... and sure, challenging too! This is the second time I have gone through this study. The first time was in a large group - and this time is one on one with another friend... (it's great - but I am ready to move on!) Next we are going to go through "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanne Weaver... GREAT READ... I highly recommend it!

For fun... I am reading "The UnUsual Suspect" - a new book/biography by Stephen Baldwin. So - as you can imagine - it is a fun read!? LOL!? The guy is crazy - and highly entertaining! You have to sort of get over how he has not yet gotten over himself... he thinks pretty highly of himself at times... but God is doing an amazing work on and in and even through him... it's an enjoyable read!

I am also re-reading a book my hubby bought me a few years ago titled "The Secret Place"... by Dr. Dale Fife. The back reads: "You hunger to live in the presence of God. You yearn to know the Father's heart in an intimate way. You desire revelation and passionate encounters with the Almighty. you long to spend time in the Secret Place, getting to know the Father in a deeper way. This book will lead you into that place of revelation, the place that will satisfy your hunger for more of God." Yeah... who doesn't want THAT?! I vaguely remember reading this book when I first got it... but I think (shocker?!) that I must have been reading about 6 books at the time - so I can't recall specific things about the book... and I know there are specific things in there the God wants me to remember!

Anyway - Saturday afternoon we decided to go for a drive... get out of town... see the Fall Colors!

You all know how I LOVE that!!! So - we headed up Chinook Pass and drove to McDaniel Lake...which is more of a Pond this time of year - but the trees were gorgeous and we had fun!

Sunday our church went back to their normal 2 services... which meant that my husband had to get up earlier and head out for Choir sooner... which in turn, meant that the house was quiet longer and my daughter and I had an extra hour to get ready before heading out the door! The Service was good... went out to lunch with friends afterwards which is always a great way to wrap up church! It got really cold in the afternoon... I am talking take-a-nap, wrap-up-in-a-blanket, where-are-my-slippers, cold... it was NICE!!! Dave went to watch his Soccer Team play one of their last games and Kaye and I played a round (or three) of Scattegories... (Yes - Darice, I know... JELLY CABINET... I was with ya on that one!)

One thing that was different about this weekend was our precious pre-teen was grounded from TV all weekend long... yep - we are getting Attitude and waaaaayyyyy too many excuses, exaggerations, etc!? Oh My!? ...add to all of that HORMONES and well... we'll just start the mantra now... "Poor Dave!" whew?! However, we survived with little trouble... she read a lot more and spent some time in her room... she chatted on the phone and also did some computer stuff... not to mention play some family games and get in some one on one talking time with both parents!? Hmmm!? Pretty impressive considering she actually doesn't watch that much TV in the first place?! I'm talking maybe 1-1/2 hours after homework is done?! Amazing how much she can get done in that time?! The hardest part was she often goes next door to Grandma's for a snack, a visit, and a little Cable TV! LOL! That is usually happening on Saturday afternoon... which is one of the reasons we headed out for a drive... to keep her mind busy so she would not remember her normal routine!?

This week... well - I am going to HAVE to work on that "Secret Project"... hey?! Have any of you done any Lunch Box Albums!? I would love to see some examples!? I have yet to glue ANYTHING... LOL! I am busy gathering information and inputting Journaling!? Oh - and I did order my pictures from Leavenworth too... so I WILL have something to work on of my own soon too! Maybe this week!? (Of course.. that will mean I will have to find my Scrap Table again!? ...how does it always disappear like that?! I think I need a Natalie?!... or maybe a BIGGER SPACE?! LOL?!)

Scrap Happy!
~Karri~

No... I didn't WIN!?!!!

Yes... Last night I hosted my Bunko Group to a night of dice rolling, eating, laughing, and winning... whatever?!??

I, once again, did NOT win ANYTHING at Bunko last night?! I think that is 4 or 5 months in a row now... and I am pretty much done with that!? I mean - come ON already?! I guess, in the end, I DID get my bathroom painted... so that is good!? (Enough smack about that Darcie... you wouldn't want me to bring up your KITCHEN and Cabinets back in the day, would you?! At least I got mine DONE... all within two days?! LOL!)

I have to say, my house looked Smashing! All my Fall decor out and candles lit... fit all three tables in the Living Room so the Losers Table actually got to enjoy our View... it was a fun time... I did change the rules since it was at my house... and yes - thank you very much - that Backfired on me?! For the past three months, I have rolled 5 or 6 Bunko's each time... but they had changed the rules so that your partner got credit for your Bunko's... which in turn meant a lot of people had credit for more Bunko's... but I had actually rolled all of my own!? So - I decided I had been cheated out of the Most Bunko's Prize for months... LOL!? So - I changed the rule... and ya know what!? I got one, count it: ONE, Bunko all night!? And the gal that got Most Bunko's ....yep - she got TWO!??!?! Yeah - real funny!?

My Menu got raves and my hubby was sad to come home to a messy but empty kitchen?! LOL!? Everything disappeared... except a couple of the Oreo Truffles that I made... (and hid!) LOL! I did make an extra cake for a dinner party we are going to tonight... but he was sad that (so male!?) all the meat was gone?! LOL!? I served:

Ham & Broccoli Pinwheels
Creamy Chicken Packets
Veggie Tray w/Ranch Dip
Crackers and Chips w/ Southwestern Dip
Spiced Apple Cream Cheese Cake
Oreo Truffles
Various Drinks
(and Honey Cashews, Roasted Peanuts, and M&Ms on each table for snacking!)


Anyway - again - I tried to just upload a picture of all the gorgeous Bunko Prizes that I did NOT win... Hmm!?!? Blogger is free but it often does suck?! Maybe Natalie is right?!

Happy Weekend! I am sure you all will be scrapping together somewhere in the Midwest! Lucky?! I'll be thinking of you... and planning out what I will do with my pictures when I finally get them developed - as I am ALL CAUGHT UP and have nothing to do yet?! tee hee?! (I know, I know?!)

Scrap Happy!
~Karri~

Lyrics?! Did someone want Lyrics!?

Alright Already... ya'll act like you have nothing to do this week!? I know that is not true... because you all have PLENTY of pictures to scrap, kids to care for, houses to attend, S&B sessions to get all wriled up for, hmmm... and?! Am I missing something?! Oh yeah - I am pretty sure you all have husbands too!? LOL!?

Me?! Yes - I am Bunco driven this week... haven't made any phone calls regarding the 'secret project' (I had to call Bunco people... isn't that enough for one week!? I mean - I had to call and TALK TO 11 people?!) Oh yeah - in case you don't know... I HATE the phone?! So - anyway - I have been Grocery Shopping for Bunco, Prize Shopping for Bunco, Cleaning and Decorating for Bunco, (Painting for Bunco)... man?! Dave is just happy it only happens once a year?!

So - I state all of that to say... I would LOVE to write a witty entertaining long drawn out blog entry for you all to enjoy... however - I just can't spare the Bunco obsessed driven time frame this week... at least not until AFTER Bunco... I will say - I had BETTER win something this month... it's been like 3 months and I must say that the prizes ROCK... I may have to cheat like DarcEE if it is not lookin' good by halfway through?! LOL?!

So - thanks for the Lyrical SMACK everyone... nice! And it got me to thinkin' like our comedic pal, Brian Regan... Back of the Bus... Bus... bus... Wheels... Wheels on the Bus... Wheels spinning... spinning on the Bus... Bus... Bus... spinning... Bus... BUSY... Business... Busy Business...

(Here ya go:)
"You get up every morning
From your 'larm clock's warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There's a whistle up above
And people pushin', people shovin'
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train's on time
You can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed
Look at me I'm self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day

And I'll beTaking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
I've been taking care of business (it's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out

If it were easy as fishin'
You could be a musician
If you could make sounds loud or mellow
Get a second-hand guita
rChances are you'll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows
People see you having fun
Just a-lying in the sun
Tell them that you like it this way
It's the work that we avoid
And we're all self-employed
We love to work at nothing all day

And we be
Taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
We be been taking care of business (it's all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime
Mercy
Whooooo
All right
[Instrumental Interlude]

Take good care of my business
When I'm away, every day
Whoooo
Takin' care of business, whoo
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business (every day)
Takin' care of business (every way)
Takin' care of business (it's all mine)
Takin' care of business
And working overtime
Whoooo
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
We be Takin' care of business
We be Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
Takin' care of business
[Fades Out]


Peace OUT!
~K~

OK... fine... ONCE AGAIN I DID try to upload a picture of the way cool Bunco Prizes (if I DO say so myself!) and Blogger sucks?! sigh?! So... no photo for you... NEXT!

Enough "Cake" already... here's an Update!

Yes... it is true - I HAVE been super busy this past week... but none of it was Scrapbook related?! I know?! How can that be?!?!!? Ooooohh..... that's right... I AM ALL CAUGHT UP!?!??! tee hee!?

So... last week was a FULL week of activities for me... more so than usual even!? (Somehow?!)

Monday was a "Teacher Training" day for our school district... (so I feel your pain this Friday, girls!) so that pushed my normal Monday errands to Tuesday... my daughter had spent the night at her best friends' house on Sunday and so I actually read an entire book on Monday... plus I did a little bit around the house too... but not much! Mostly I revelled in the quiet and empty house! Ahhhh... sweet!

Tuesday was my Prayer meeting in the morning and then my Monday study in the afternoon!?

Wednesday was my Bible Study, and then it was Fair Day! Yes... we took our daughter and her friend to the Fair ...let 'em cut school and everything! We had fun... and they had even MORE fun... went on ALL the rides several times... even those scary ones that it seems, as a good Mom, you shouldn't maybe LET your kids go on upside down and all... I always joke with my daughter that she causes me to pray in tongues when she rides those rides... which is not completely a joke... and then she came off of the Ring Of Fire and said she was praying in tongues TOO! LOL! So - I guess when you are 11 - that is a GOOD ride!? We let the girls skip their Wed night church group and we stayed at the Fair until maybe 8 or 9... (It WAS still a school night?!)

Thursday I took my Mom and sister away for a day! Now - you have to know, my family - well - they pretty much do NOTHING... like - that IS their hobby - doing nothing?! LOL! My Mom is retired and she pretty much likes to watch the news 24/7 and maybe Lifetime TV... she rarely goes OUT anymore... and my sister is a self-supported Artist... so she works from home 24/7 and rarely goes OUT anymore either?! I stole them for a day trip to Leavenworth... a gorgeous little town somewhere in the PNW (it's in Idaho, I think!?) with a German/Scandinavian feel... it was the unofficial beginning of Oktoberfest and the colors are all just starting to change... it's a great little Touristy town and we had a blast! Well - I had a blast... I am pretty sure that they enjoyed it too!? I am used to traveling and shopping and just being OUT... while they are not... so they tired quickly and didn't seem to appreciate the scenery as much as I would have liked... but we still had fun shopping and dining and driving... it was a nice change of pace... and so nice to remember that this little treasure of a town is a few hours away!? I got home in the early evening and we went to pick up my daughter from her first GC Home Group! (GC = Generation Church - which is our churches' Youth Group!) I am not ready for her to go to a "Youth Group" per say - but this is a home meeting/small group of Middle School & Jr High girls... and I love the couple who are hosting it... my dd LOVED this group! She was so excited... My husband and I are pretty much wired that one small home group way... when we became Christians - we got involved in a small group right away and it is there that we made many lasting friendships and really grew in our love and understanding of God... anyway - she was thrilled to have a group of her own and she even met a few 'upperclassmen' - so - that will help in the future I am sure?!

Friday I somehow volunteered to help decorate our Sanctuary! We had a special service on Sunday that was focused on worship and the Worship and Arts Pastor wanted to create a more intimate atmosphere... hmmm... ok - I can do that... however - our Sanctuary is HUGE... hard to create intimate with that much space?! I don't know what I was thinking - but I figured about two hours... well - it took most of Friday... but it did turn out great... I had just enough time to go buy Paint for my bathroom and then it was time to go Chaperon the School Social... my daughter was not allowed to go to the dance part... in the gym with the live DJ... (I just think she is way too young for THAT!??!?!) but she did hang out with her friends in the Common area... with all the snacks and Fear Factor challenges and games and Karaoke... she had fun and with the exception of two songs on the Karaoke machine that I thought were inappropriate... it was a fun, harmless time... I think the real trouble happens in the Gym!? LOL!? We all went out for dinner at Taco Del Mar (YUM!) and then we rented RV... funnier than I was expecting... I was pleasantly surprised!

So - Saturday - well - that was Paint day! I managed to get it all done in one day... not that my bathroom is BIG or anything... but I had to really clean the walls and ceiling first and then tape and all of that... today I will do all the rest of the edging and touch up's and it will be done! (In time for Bunko on Thursday... which was what possessed me to do it in the first place?!) LOL!

Sunday - well - it was church and then relaxing with the fam' and then my in-laws for a birthday dinner and a football game... a sad, sad, sad football game!? Anyway - so - that is why I have not updated... I didn't really even have much time to leave you all any smack on your blogs?!

I am hoping to get to work on that secret project this week though... DarcEE - c'mon already!? I need your ANSWERS girl!? I will have to actually CALL people on the PHONE this week...?!!? you know how I HATE that!?

Anyway - that is my update... nothing too special... just lots of little things that took up my time last week... I DO have pictures to order now from Leavenworth... and I am planning on making a Mini of our trip for my sister's birthday... but that won't take but a few hours... that's right Darcie - I said it... a few HOURS!!?!? Not like Mexico!!

Until next time,
Scrap On!
~Karri~

P.S. YES - you KNOW I have pictures for you - - - but you know me and my problems with Blooger?! I will try to add them later... again?!