I am alive and well... just lazy, apparently?!

Hello... hello! How have you all been?! I know - it's been FOREVER since I last posted... you would think I was Chuck (or Tracy maybe?!) with my lack of updating! I don't even really have any kind of good excuse?! I haven't been busy with work (rats?!) or with anything super exciting really... just every day life stuff!

I was able to go and scrapbook with a friend last week... I had nothing to do and she had literally 1000s and 1000s of photo's from her recent trip to Disneyland - so I got to play with her photo's and make a couple of pages. Oh how I wish I would have remembered to bring my camera so I can show you how cute they turned out - but you'll just have to take my word for it! I played with Tinker bell photo's... so fun! My little one is not so little anymore and we never did make the trip to Mickey's world - so I have never actually played with Disneyland pix! I didn't have access to all the things I would normally have on hand when scrapping my own things - but still - she did have some fun stuff and we had a great time! She used to scrapbook - but with FOUR little ones, she just sort of fell out of the habit. So our little get together was great to get her creative juices flowing again and now she is once again excited about scrapping! She is even talking about coming to my once a month Crop next week!

I did make a couple of cards (Shaker style - thanks to Denice!) and I cut out some Cricut Spring shapes for a SWAP on my Cricut SparkPeople Team... here they are:

I am hoping to print out some photo's over the weekend so I have something to work on next week - but if I don't, I know Michelle will have plenty for me to play with!? LOL!

I have been reading a bit lately - (which partially explains my absence here, I am sure!?) I read books back to back and so sometimes some of them get sort of lost in the shuffle... I just finished Maeve Binchy's newest book - it was good... I read Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman and can't believe how it ended and am now wondering how long I really have to WAIT for Book Two?! Patrick is a friend of the family in a round about way... he and my Uncle are very close. In fact, it was my Uncle and another co-worker who really encouraged Patrick to submit a chronicle he wrote for his kids to be published, and that turned into his first award winning series, The Land of Elyon. Anyway - we love his books - children's/young adult fiction. This new series - Skeleton Creek - is part book, and part video - which is so cutting edge/hi tech it's really going to catch on! My Uncle who used to, as they say, 'work in the business' filmed the video portions.... surely he has Book Two already, right?! LOL?! Maybe we can score an early copy?! I doubt it - I am sure he is under some sort of contract or something... I am just not good at reading series until they are done and I can devour them all in one sitting?! I also read a couple of Jentezen Franklin books, and am reading "Eat This, Not That", and a few others that are NOT library books?!

I have also been busy with SparkPeople... I have hit yet another plateau! I am still stuck at a total weight loss of 67pounds. This is great, I know... but I am not done yet so the plateau is frustrating! I will press through though! I have been busy trying to promote our Local Team... I finally talked with a local tv reporter and he is planning on coming out to our Team Walk on Saturday and maybe joining us on Tuesday for a Team Lunch as well... he is working on a feature story about health and fitness in our area! We recently were voted the 8th Fattest City in America! Nice?! Are you serious?! It was NOT a very scientific study - but still?! This is not the publicity we want... drugs, gangs, and obesity! There's a nice little tourist package for ya?! So - hopefully we will get some tv time for our local team! We have lost over 860 pounds and most of us joined in 2008! (We have 68 members but only about 2/3 or less are still active!)

I host a study in my home on Mondays as we go through Bill Johnsons' The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind. On Tuesdays I meet with a friend and we are going over the Book of Psalms and praying together. On Thursdays, I walk with my sister and then meet up with another friend for some visiting and prayer time. On Fridays I ATTEMPT to keep open for a weekly Online Chat with my fellow Spark Scrappers. In addition to those things - I have every day life stuff like cleaning house, doing laundry, grocery shopping, workouts 6 days a week and oh yeah - being a wife and Mom! Anyway - these are the things that have been taking up my time... life is good; I am truly blessed.

I will end by sharing this... I got a new workout DVD from SparkPeople.com It is the new Coach Nicole's Cardio Blast DVD. This consists of six 10 minute workouts. Oh - she starts out SOooooo super cute... a bit perky, but isn't that how those workout video instructors are supposed to be, right?! I was REALLY excited about the 80s Blast Aerobics section - and it was fun, but NO 80s music?! Just classic Jane Fonda/Let's Get Physical Aerobic moves... I was a bit disappointed. Then I can't even remember what was next - but after whatever THAT was - comes the Jump Rope section. I don't own a jump rope - but Coach Nicole assures me this is ok... yeah - it is ok - because if I had one I am SURE I would have used it as a weapon!? Halfway through my knees were ticked off at me and my lower back was asking, "What the @#%%?" I haven't JUMPED since - well - I can't even think of when I actually JUMPED!? I mean - sure the occasional Jumping jack on the past year or so... but only occasional. I would go as far as to admit that even when I have gone to concerts in the past several years - when they all do that stand and jump/mosh pit thing - I would actually just give my calves a nice workout and sort of bounce... never actually having to defy gravity at all. I liked it that way... my chest was happy - and apparently, my knees LOVED this idea WAY MORE than the idea of jumping Rope?! So - I barely make it through the ten minute workout! (I know - shut up!?) and we are on to the next section. Dare to guess what that one was titled? Oh yeah - it's called "Hop To It!" Um - how is this different than jumping rope?! Well - let me tell ya - my left knee especially will tell you boldly that there is no real difference?! Hopping (back and forth, and side to side... scissors, hopping on one foot, etc.) is much the same as jumping rope - only harder?! Coach Nicole is sweating... Good! I am so glad that she is sweating... and even sort of losing her breath... this will make it easier for me to knock her over and hurt her! LOL! I finally gave in and resorted back to a march instead of continuing to inflict pain to my knees... the last section is called BOOTCamp Cardio - I kid you not?! Whew?! I DID make it through... and I managed to do most of it - but crawling up the stairs was quite a feat! I woke up this morning at 2am with my knee screaming bad words at me... well - to be fair, I think we were both yelling at Nicole! I am oh so pleased to announce that my knees are feeling much better today... I did NOT brave another round of Cardio Blast today but opted for some Pilates instead... maybe tomorrow I will attempt it again... maybe?! I wonder if Coach Nicole will start out Oh so cute next time, or if she will still look a little like the devil to me?!

So - Scrap Happy...

Spark On...

and remember, Coach Nicole is not REALLY the devil...

sometimes people just LOOK like they are the enemy - but we can overcome!

~Karrilee~