Autumn at its' Best!

(Scrap To Lose Team Weekly Challenge - Use 6 Photos, and use Black & Orange in a LO!)

I know - I am like a broken record... but I really do love Fall!
I was asked to take some Senior Portraits for a couple of good friends' - their kids were wanting something a little different and I was just so happy that they asked me and trusted me to be able to capture some great shots! So - of course I said yes... and of course immediately had plans to go to the local Arboretum! So pretty! The above LO features a few landscape shots I took while there! The colors were so vibrant and gorgeous! You could even really tell the difference from the first photo shoot on Saturday:

to the second on Tuesday:

I also took some super fun ones on Saturday downtown... I will add a few of my favs here since they have already uploaded them on their facebooks!

Here are a few more of my favorites:











On a SparkPeople related note - I took this week off! I had been working my butt off for months and months with no loss - and after several people advised this - I finally did take an entire week off! No working out at all... and definitely a few more splurges than is normal in a week... lost three pounds?! So - I am back down to my low... so I will start up the C25K training on Monday and see if I can continue losing?! If it stalls again I will have to really think about what to change!? I am considering Calorie Cycling... still intimidated by it - but I will look into it after next week if not much changes?

Yesterday was all about Apples! I got BOXES and BOXES of them from a friend - so yesterday was Applesauce and Apple Crisp day... today is Apple Butter... and tomorrow is Apple Chips!

But - more importantly today... I took my girlie to see Michael Jacksons' "This Is It!"
Wow?! Sadly - it was it... I mean - it really was his final curtain call and if only he had lived what we wouldn't have paid to see the show in person!? OH MY!? It really gave you a behind the scenes look at him - you got to see and once again appreciate his talent and amazing gift... love him or hate him - the boy could sing - and dance! I got teary eyed a little... but my girlie went through SEVERAL tissues... like we knew she would!
She let me take some pictures before - but not after... with the mascara and tear streaks down her face... she's just no fun!? It would have made a GREAT LO?!
I'd upload the photo's here... but I already rambled (and uploaded) plenty for today... besides, without the tear stained cheeks - well, it's just not the same!

Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~

Sun City Race day... and other fun stuff!

Yeah - I said FUN stuff and race day in the same sentence?! Weird, huh?!

So - I am not quite done with my Couch to 5K training but my race was last Sunday... I had walked the route with my hubby once (48 minutes and something), and went back on my own the week before the race to run it and was happy with my time (37:15). So - I was hoping that with the actual day of the race, I would at least be able to run it in 37 minutes - secretly hoping for 35! I was thinking it was doable - but then, I really was maxed out by the end of the run - and wanted to pace myself a bit better to be able to run more of it on race day - even if that meant adding a bit of time overall.

While I was having fun on with friends, enjoying a brisk cold Team Walk, and doing some shopping with my sister - my husband was braving the freezing cold and camping here with my Dad and BIL:


Gorgeous, huh?! Yeah - but stinkin' COLD too... no thanks! They survived and even managed to have somewhat of a good time! My Dad used to nearly LIVE up there - and with health issues he hasn't been up much at all - so he was extremely grateful that they took him up there and he was really staying in the moment the whole time - not sure if he will get back again. I doubt he will on his own - but they would not mind taking him up again - as long as it is WARMER!? Then again - you hike that far up - and if it is warmer, that means mosquito's?! So - pick your poison?! Me?! I'd rather run!

So - Sunday morning I woke up to FREEZING weather! Yet another reminder that my training indoors on my treadmill was maybe not the smartest approach!? Breathing in that super cold air was going to burn my lungs... I just knew it! I wasn't sure how to layer myself to stay warm - but not too warm once I started running... I figured I would just learn from my mistakes in the first couple of races!? I arrived about 40 minutes early- plenty of time to sign in, get my number and stretch and warm up a bit! I grabbed a handful of nuts/berries and ate a banana... drank some water and began to warm up! The location of the race start had their sprinklers running early - so the trees were dripping with icicles... yes - ICICLES people?! The grass was frozen and crunchy and there were a few icy spots on the roadway!? I was thinkin', "...and I signed up for this?!" So - I checked my watch - 10 minutes to start time... so I started to walk to warm up and walked away from the starting line. You can guess what happened next, I am sure! They decided to start the race 5 minutes early - so I hear them counting down from 10 while I am about a minute away... nice?! So - started my own watch once I actually crossed the start line. I managed to pass quite a few people in the beginning - approaching the one hill/incline of the race and ran up most of it. I was keeping pretty good pace and was happy to have run probably all but maybe a quarter mile. I turned the final corner and could see the finish line and a few people cheering there. Nice... it definitely helped me to find a bit more speed. I realized that I recognized a voice in the crowd and found that my good friend Linda and her hubby Doug were both there cheering me on and taking photo's for me! Oh so sweet! I also noticed at that time that I was right over 35 minutes on their clock! So - I sprinted the last tiny bit to come in officially at 35:24... not too bad for my first race! Of course - my own watch brought me in at 34:54 I think... so either way - I am happy to have met my goal of 35 minutes - give or take a few seconds! It felt great... and I am already looking to the next race - a four miler - in February! I plan on finishing up my C25K training in the next week and starting it over again... trying to mix up treadmill and real road training this time! Anyway - I haven't been able to get her photo's on my computer - but here ya go... you get the idea!

So - it's amazing to me that I had fun... but it really is addicting and I love to push my body further than it feels like I can go! My BIL asked if I was going to train for a 1/2 marathon now?! LOL!? Baby steps there, brother - just simmer down now?! But - I would love to think that one day - I could do it?! So - we'll just take it one step at a time and see where it takes me?!

I had fun putting together a little Flipbook for my Mom... she took that trip to the beach and I wanted to do something special for her to be able to look through it and remember! Here are a few pages from that:

I recently ordered and received my first ever CTMH stamps... I LOVE them! Here are some cards I made last night at my Crop night:

...and a couple of Layouts I completed too:


Yesterday I got to spend the afternoon with my favorite little guy Lincoln - whom his parents lovingly refer to as 'the boy'! LOL! He is so adorable and such a great little guy... we played for hours and then, ya gotta love it, he fell asleep laying in my arms! Oh my! I have missed that part!


So - Scrap On everyone... update and let us know what you have been working on! (You know who you are! I am in need of new Blog Stalking material to read!?)

We celebrate our 17th Anniversary tomorrow... it's amazing how fast time flies!
We are truly blessed!
Have a Great weekend!
~Karrilee~

Aaah - Fall! I love it!

Pretty, huh!?
Early Fall... I really love it!
I had Bunko here at my home last week
so I 'had' to get out all my Autumn Decorations
and pull out all my Fall candles and Scentsy scents... yum!
I made a completely new menu - loved everything from
the basil & tomato, and ham & swiss bruschettas
and Mediterranean mini meatloaves,
to the hummus and veggies,
Apple Crisp cheese ball, and Spicy Chocolate Chunk Pumpkin cake!
So good! PLUS - I won Most Bunko's and got to pick my favorite prize
- a Shabby chic white ceramic pumpkin that holds
a super yummy Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin candle!

I didn't take pix of my home- you've all seen it before all decked out in
Fall Colors and lookin' all warm and cozy!

I also finished up my Recipe Swap Pages for a Holiday Recipe Book
that I am partaking in from my Sisterhood Team on SparkPeople.
How Fun! I can't wait to get it back!
(It'll be in the mail to you tomorrow, Vi!)

I also finished up some Halloween cards...
first time ever I have done that!?
We are just not big on that 'holiday'
but I have a friend who loves it
and I found the cutest papers- I just HAD to do something with them!?

Now, tonight - or tomorrow - I will be working on
a Beach Flipbook for my Mom... lucky her
- she got to go vacation in Lincoln City, OR...
and she had a GREAT time!
My Mom is not a big traveler
and reluctantly signed up for a Seniors trip...
I am SO happy that she had fun!
She loves the beach and never gets to go!
I love the beach too - and didn't get to go this year...
(all because I love my Sissers!!! You girls were so worth it!)

I have a few actual photo's of my own to scrap too!
My sister and her family came to town a couple of weeks ago
and we had a great time with them
- relaxing and laughing and catching up!

Then, last weekend, I went away with my hubby to attend
a Spiritual Hunger conference.

It was AMAZING!

The actual conference was incredible... Bill and Beni Johnson spoke,
and Jim White, and others...
the worship was led by Kim Walker Smith and her team
- SO awesome and powerful!
But even our 'down time' was amazing...
relaxing, just walking all over beautiful Spokane!
I forgot how gorgeous it is there!

So - I will work on a layout or two to catch up there!
I still haven't scrapped the majority of my DC vaca-
- but that is because I had planned to do it Digi-style in a book.
I spent HOURS working on it and now it seems like
I will not be able to order it after all!
So - it's back to square one...
still wanting a Digi-book but considering
using another site?
Maybe I will tackle that next week!

I have some Digi-design work I want to do as well...
not sure what will come of it as the site I was working with
is not really taking new designs.
But something may come of this experience
and even if I just design a kit or two for myself
- I miss playing around with making kits!
You CAN find three of my designs available at
Hoorray.com in their Designer Line for Photo Books.
But I don't know for how much longer!

I have also allowed myself to get busy enough once again
that I have not been working on my writing!?
I also realized I hadn't written it down on my trusty Day Planner?!
Must Go Do That Now!
Plus - (Na?!) I need to get my Writer's Prompt book out again!

My 5K is this Sunday!
I started that C25K training program late...
so I knew I wouldn't be done with it
by the time the race was here...
but as I have said (I think?) before...
I was working it every other day,
rather than 3x per week - so that helped a bit!
I did take an extra day off here and there
when I felt like I needed it
- but mostly I have stayed on track!
Originally my hubby was going to do it with me!
I loved his support and encouragement,
but was afraid he would push me too hard
& I didn't want to resent him being there?! LOL!?
However, he had accidentally planned a Hiking Trip
with my Dad and BIL for the same weekend!
He felt bad - but just between us, I was a bit relieved!
I don't mind doing it on my own!
I'll have my Rockin' Playlist
to keep me company and push me on!
The only sad point I realized after wards is
there will be no photo's of the finish line...
but - that's okay! I will know I did it... and that is enough!
Anyway - on Saturday, we decided to walk it
so I would know what I had signed up for!
I insisted it was not a run day,
so I really didn't want to do any running
on the course at all.
He really wanted to do at least a little,
so we did... a little!
and when we walked, we sort of strolled.
Our time? 48:34
Today, I went out on my own to run it.
I did end up walking a bit more than I am hoping to
- and had some - uh - female issues to deal with that I hope
won't be a problem on Sunday,
but my time was 37:15!
Nice!
I took over 11 minutes off our time!
So - we shall see what Sunday holds for me!
I am hoping that I will not battle cramps,
I will have a new (better) sports bra,
and that race day adrenaline will kick in
and give me an edge up
and help me to at least meet my time today!
It would be GREAT to do even better...
but today's pace felt pretty good
- towards the top of my ability!
I am sure I will let you know how it goes!

What else? What else?
Oh - my daughter is living some sort of 80s movie...
Let's just say it seems she has her very own "Blaine"...
Although - of course, at 14, she's not allowed to have a Blaine!

Off to create... dinner, and then pages!
Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~