Captured & Counted - 31 Days (The Wrap Up!)

Wow... 31 Days... gone, in the blink of an eye - or the click of my camera ...already!?

When I stumbled upon this challenge - this invitation... this call - to write, every day, for 31 days in October, something in me stirred with excitement! I found this on Emily Freeman's blog, which led me to TheNester and this idea to pick a topic, and write.  (Seriously - click those links... bookmark them or better yet, subscribe! You will be glad you did!)

So - two things immediately came to mind... first off - the obvious: My LOVE for all things Autumny!  Second, because along with the above mentioned amazing women, I have recently discovered Ann Voskamp & am reading through her 'one thousand gifts' - I wanted to count some everyday gifts... or blessings that maybe would 'normally' go unnoticed. Once I thought on those two themes, I realized my renewed passion for using my camera would lend itself to both! So, in classic over-achiever style, I decided NOT to decide and do both! Here - on this blog, I chose "Captured & Counted" and hopefully you walked through October with me, reading along and counting some of your own maybe unacknowledged daily blessings!  On my other blog, Abiding Love, Abounding Grace, I chose to go with my love for Fall and titled my 31 Days there "31 Days Reasons to fall for Autumn"

Now - keep in mind here, while I have HAD these blogs for years, I had quite honestly fallen out of the habit of posting on a consistent (even weekly - sometimes monthly) basis.  It was sheer madness to even consider doing ONE - but to bite off TWO? Well... it all just seemed to be falling into place and one blog post lended itself to the other and I felt myself spinning into a vortex of overwhelming Mojo!

Well - on most days...

OK - maybe not most... but at least HALF(...ish?)

Still... even on this, the last day, I am glad that I did them both!  My girlie is now knee deep in SAT studying and my focus will now shift a bit to helping her with college apps and all things scholarship... plus my hubby DID say just yesterday that he has missed me this month... I have spent more time online than is normal (or even possibly healthy) in addition to a new business and a busy regular life on top of it all! And yet - even on the late nights, and the OVER THE TOP CRAZY of Thursday night #FMFParty Five Minute Friday posts and TweetChats... I felt a sense of purpose.

I hope that you have ventured along with me... Capturing and Counting... and maybe even over on my other blog - Falling for Autumn along with me!

For a FULL Recap of each day of this Captured & Counted 31 Day series, click HERE and you will see every post through out October!

Feel free to comment and let me know if these little blessings are among your daily gifts as well!

You can click HERE to read all of my 31 Reasons to Fall for Autumn series...

and feel free to share what things YOU love about Fall in the comments there!

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 31

I know you may be surprised

but this post will NOT actually be about Halloween!

If you want to read a great post about Halloween,

go to my friend Nikki's blog,

Simply Striving

& prepare to be blessed!

Part of the reasoning behind this MAY be

that my girlie is 17... & hasn't dressed up for years!
Part of it is also that we are not a big Halloween kind of family...

so this 31st day of October will offer

a different kind of post.

THIS, my friends,

is what I am doing today

& what I am oh so thankful for:

 In my state, we all vote by mail...

which means we can take our time

& study the issues & vote!

I can open the Word,

                                                                   Proverbs 8:14-16

open the pamphlet, pray & pencil in my vote.

I wait to hear His Voice, & then let mine be heard as well!

In this, a crucial Presidential election year,

I am also thankful for the level of Honor & Respect

that my family at large has been able to stick to!

In the past, we would have heated debates,

temperatures & voices would rise,

& in the end, the only thing different would be

the hurt feelings or anger that now settled in between.

Several years ago, we all agreed that

we were pretty set in our ways & in our beliefs.

We were more than likely not going to change each others' minds.

So we agreed to disagree & simply not discuss politics.

For the most part... we all play by the rules now,

and the level of love and respect is intact

& peace resides!

Captured & Counted

~Karrilee~

OK... a Halloween flashback...

just for fun!

My Girlie - circa 1999

as a Barbie Cheerleader:

{Preshie!}

~K~

Captured & Counted - Day 30

Well, Day 30 just so happens

to be somewhat of

The Day After...

(The day after Sandy, that is!)

& while I am on the West Coast,

just seeing the photo's and hearing friends

from afar post about how their neighborhoods faired,

makes me once again ever so mindful of the sort of blessings

that we all too often (in this 1st world country!) take entirely for granted!

Today... I am thankful for Power!

For Lights...

that I can read by... some early morning quiet time to get His perspective!

For heat...

that automatically kicks on when it gets even a little chilly inside!

I'm thankful for appliances that work...

So I can have this:

...and this:

A hot cup of coffee, and a warm bowl of oatmeal...

a simple breakfast, often taken for granted!

Captured & Counted!

I pray you are safe and warm

wherever you are,

& that you too will slow down for a moment,

& think on the little things that are so easily missed

because we are so used to them on a daily basis that we forget to 

capture & count them as the blessings - the gifts - that they really are!

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 29

So - after a full day of photo editing on the computer,

today, "Day 29,"

THIS is what I

Captured & Counted:

Aaah yes!!!

FRESH Brand New Contacts!
{Insert the ever popular "I can SEE!" squeal here!)

I was born with cataracts,

& actually had both of my natural lenses

removed when I was a teenager,

so I NEED to have contacts to function!

I am not able to do MUCH without my 'eyes' in,

& after a full month, AND a long day on the computer,

these babies felt like MAGIC

(...magic I tell you!)

in my 'special eyes'!

I am also thankful for a friend

who does Yoga & weights with me

on Monday afternoons now...

but because I love her...

(well, & you)

I have no photographic evidence of this!

(...& you're welcome!)

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted... Day 28

Day 28...

of 31 Days.

I can't believe we are almost through

this month of daily capturing a blessing...

a gift... an everyday something

in my 'regular' life that I stop,

take note of (1000 Gifts style)

and Count!

I'm not so sure I will want to STOP this practice...

I may not - well, let's be honest -

I will not post every single day...

but I WILL be counting every day...

and I hope this month's series

has inspired you to do the same!

The photo's are bonus...

a fun, visual way to capture

that which has captured your attention

for the day... the moment...

and reminded you that you are, in fact, truly blessed!

Today - again... my camera is filled with Wedding shots,

and my day is filled with Editing...

but before I opened Photoshop,

I sat down with my girlie,

and opened the Word.

We soaked a bit in His Presence

and asked Him some questions...

and then we waited...

and He spoke.

We both wrote in our journals what

He said to us & rested in His Presence

before getting ready for work!

So while I was in the moment,

I stayed there... in that moment,

but these were among my Blessings,

Captured & Counted

this foggy quiet Sunday morning:

(I would also like to say - I counted

being able to watch the Championship match

with Serena and Maria while

'working' with wedding pix too!)

How was your Sunday?

What blessings can you count and acknowledge today?

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted... Day 27!

I am 'pre-writing' this post this morning...

because I already KNOW what I will capture & count,

but it will not happen until this evening

& I am pretty sure my little family

will not want me sitting

at the computer all evening!

Sure... I could have snapped a few pictures

of My Honey & I, sitting together relaxing this morning...

coffee & stacks of books & slippers

& a happy fat cat laying on his back

purring away to let all know of his contentment!

I could have snapped a shot of my amazingly awesome girlie,

up early on a Saturday - dressed in work clothes,

headed out the door to not only get to work on time, but early!

But I was too busy counting gifts and being in the moment...

and I KNOW I will have my camera in hand

for much of the late afternoon & early evening!

You see, my moment - Captured & Counted will go here:

{The Prayer of Blessing}

...& it will show proof of my first ever Wedding gig!

I was asked to take 'just a few shots' of an informal wedding

for a friend from high school days...

she is mostly wanting just enough photographs for me

to make a couple of Scrapbook Pages for her to frame & display!

To capture joy & love & story...

What an Honor to be asked & trusted with such a special day!

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 26

I know I posted a shot of this before it was completed,

back on Day 10...

but here it is... 

all done & put together

in my cozy room!

My new handmade Bed/Mantle:

Captured & Counted

(& cozied up to for years to come!)

~Karrilee~

You can click HERE to see what was Captured & Counted every day!

Captured & Counted... Day 25

So - today - I had my camera with me all day...

however it was never turned on!

Well - not when I had planned for it to be anyway!

I DID manage to snap a few pix

to acknowledge my drinking problem:

Coffee...

Freshly Juiced Fruits & Veggies...

Crisp, cool clean Water...

These are the things I am sipping on

all day, ev'ryday

& I'm very grateful for each of them!

I also love tea... hot or cold...

& I'm just so thankful that I have access

to these beverages

(all day, ev'ryday!)

But I had HOPES of snapping pictures

on my gorgeous drive through apple orchards

to go visit a friend...

a friend I have not seen for

(gasp? Can it be true?)

over 20+ years now...

& hopes of snapping pictures of us together,

& pieces of our day spent chatting

& catching up & reconnecting

our kindred spirits & hearts...

but the camera remained in bag, on counter,

for the whole of our afternoon!

But SOMETIMES,

it's in the real heart-to-heart Capturing,

that real memories are made!

So... what did YOU

Capture & Count today...

whether on film,

or in your heart?

~Karrilee~

Waiting to be Captured & Counted... Day 24

OK... I am a slave to the doorbell today!

I am breathless and giddy...

I am waiting for this little beauty:

Which will give me 2+ days

to learn how to use her

before my first ever

Wedding shoot!

It's for a friend

and will be rather low-key...

but my first indoor shoot

- thus the need for a 'real' flash!

So - I am WAITING

to Capture it (in my hands!)

and get to work

learning some

new tricks!

What kinds of 'toys' or 'tools'

have the power to ground you at home,

awaiting the FedEx guy?

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 23

Captured & Counted

Day 23

After the glorious rain,

I got to enjoy blue skies

(with a bit of chill in the air)

and sunshine!

I took a walk...

drinking in the

leaves fallen,

fading...

to spend a few hours visiting

with some great

(camera-shy)

friends,

and

sip on

one of these:

Blessings,

Captured & Counted!

What about you?

What were some of your

every day normal

Blessings

today?

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 22

Day 22 in our 31 Days series...

it's Monday (which I love)

AND it's raining...

in all it's Fall yumminess...

AND I am brewing coffee,

waiting for my

Happy Intercessors

to come!  

Coffee...

  

Rain...

        

Prayer...

Does it GET any better than this?

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted... Day 21

Day 21... Captured & Counted:

...and now, walking away from

the computer for awhile!

I have been 'working' all morning

- finally jumping in and listing some things

to sell at Cafepress and at Zazzle

- both artwork and photography.

We shall see...

but it is a step in getting myself

'out there'!

This promoting thing

is so out of my comfort zone!

~Karrilee~

(Click to visit my Zazzle Store!) 

Captured & Counted

- Day 20

Aaaah Saturday...

I wanted to snap a picture

of our digital clock

when I finally peaked at it

from under a pile of cozy covers...

(it read nearly 8am!)

We were ALL still sleeping...

even the cat, somehow?!

And I thought of snapping a picture of my girlie...

sitting on the couch next to me in our office/kitchen area

- she working away on college stuff,

and me on artsy things...

(but I had mercy...

we are both - let's just say -

still in our jammies!)

While both of those are HUGE Blessings,

they are acknowledged

(not Captured)

& Counted! 

So...

this is what we Captured...

our power snack:

(Thanks to the Five Minute Friday Party gals

over on Twitter aka #FMFParty

who for at least two weeks in a row

kept talking about it...

I gave in and bought a small jar!)

I hope you are counting

blessings this Saturday...

and every day!

Happy Weekend!

~Karrilee~

P.S. If you want to see ALL of my 31 Days
Captured & Counted...
Click Here!

Day 19 of Captivity...

LOL... ok - not really!

It is Day 19 of Captured & Counting

- a part of the 31 Days series -

but that same title everyday was getting old!

So - for the month of October,

I have joined over 1000 Bloggers

in the challenge to pick one topic

& write about that every day for 31 days!

I am actually doing it on

both of my blogs

and (mostly) loving it!

Today - Day 19 - this is what I have

Captured & Counted

among my daily blessings:

Yum!  (& it's Sugar free too!)

It's like Fall in a cup!

What's not to love, right?

What are some of your favorite

Fall foodie finds?

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 18

I had a day all planned out...

it included a lot of working

with a short break penciled in

for maybe a little Yoga

or a quick workout.

Then a friend stopped by

wanting to go for a walk.

Instead of a stroll around

the neighborhood

or at a local park,

she suggested we walk

the Canyon.

I love the Canyon!

I haven't been TO the Canyon

for about one and a half years.

The last time I was there,

I was trying my hand

at trail running.

In the midst of LOVING it,

I slipped and fell,

badly spraining my wrist.

Even today - Push Ups or

too many Downward Dogs

can cause

soreness and pain

to return.

I realized in the moment of my hesitation

that I had attached a fear of falling

to my everyday life.

I gave up running that day,

& I had not returned

to hike along the Canyon either!

However, as this began

to come into focus,

I made the decision to

Overcome.

So hiking pole

in hand

for any

needed extra

balance or support,

we headed out!

While the Views are breathtaking

this time of year...

 

 

  

it was THIS view that I loved the best!

You see, this was where I fell.

I walked past it, unharmed... 

continued on, enjoying the views,

& climbed back up it

on the way home.

No fear...

no slipping...

no longer bound!

Victory... in even the small things

brings Freedom!

Captured & Counted!

~Karrilee~

Captured & Counted - Day 17 (for 20 years and on!)

October 17th... 

ALWAYS

Captured & Counted!

When we picked this date,

I must admit - 

it was partly because

my Hallmark calendar

that year said that it was

"The Sweetest Day!"

That Hallmark...

they got it right,

once again!

October 17th, 1992...

MY Sweetest Day

(Well... the beginning of all the

Sweetest Days to come!)

On our Wedding Day,

my Mom wrote us each a letter...

which we still get out

- every year & read together!

I hope to pass on this tradition when

my girlie finds her own "My Honey" one day!!

This is what I woke up to this morning:

Isn't he pretty incredible?

I am the one honored

to be his bride!

Today we celebrate our

Wedding Anniversary

- where 20 years ago,

I literally DID

Capture & Count

myself an amazing husband!

I have now lived over half of my life

with this man who captured my heart,

& still holds it safely in his hands

every day!

See?  He's even artistic...

...AND smart, too!

~Karrilee~