Colorful and cute

These were found browsing various blogs..

2 6 d a y s

Tweeeeeeenty six!!!!
YAY!  And it's all starting to sink in!  Today was my last day working for Lifetouch Studio Photography...no more waking up before the sunrise! 

 

Driftwood Beach- Jekyll Island, GA

27 more!

This countdown is moving quicker than I expected!

 

Sorrento, Italy

Normal is boring

 

I took this photo while reading/sunbathing in Lucy Park.  Great bookmark, don't you think?

Fitting for the book too:

Reading Lolita in Tehran is so spectacular so far!  I love an inspirational true story!

28 Days

 

Newport, OR

Driving home

Driving home on Saturday from the wildlife refuge...I love road tripping with my hubs.  He wanted me to take a pic of the air freshener, fresh daisies!

Coastal Countdown 29 days!

 

This gull was perched up on the pier at the Chicago harbor of Lake Michigan. 

I know this isn't along the coastal US, but this lake was so big some might think it was the ocean...

Countdown 30 days to go

Charleston, SC at Folly Beach.  Sunset!  30 more days!!!

Cosmic Cards 2011

Over the past few years I've created a collection of cosmic cards for my parents...on birthdays or Christmas.  Today is my Mom's bday (Happy Birthday to the best Mom EVER!)...Here is the latest card in the bunch...and the previous cards that were a blast to make.

Coastal Countdown 31 days to go

Photo 2!  Another favorite photo of a gorgeous ocean!

 

Aruba, family vacation

Coastal Countdown 32 days!

AAAAHHHH!  I can't wait to live at the beach!  Adam and I were talking about our big move to Okinawa in 1 month (32 days to be exact) !!  Where we will be surrounded by beaches...


I've decided to post a COASTAL photo a day until we board the plane for Japan!!!!!!!
It's literally one month from today...so here we go!
PHOTO 1:

 

This is, as many of you already know, my favorite coastline on this earth.  Lagos, Portugal.

I have a strong feeling that I will have a new favorite in a month!

Grasslands Trail Run

Here's the scenario...LBJ National Grasslands in the middle of nowhere Texas, down farm roads,  dirt roads to miles and miles of horse trails.. home to The Grasslands half-marathon, marathon and 50 mile races.

Adam along with 80 other participants signed up for the 50 mile run.  After 10 hours and 20 minutes, Adam crossed the finish line, exhausted and happy.  We spent the day as his 'Dream team' support crew supplying Runner's Delight (wheat tortilla, banana, peanut butter and honey wraps), blue dragons (powerade), and various electrolyte boosters.  Out of 80 people who signed up, barely 15 finished.  Adam came in 5th or 6th...we are still waiting for the results to post on http://nttr.org/grasslands/
So EXCITED and proud...he is a certified Ultra-Marathoner! 

 Adam and Williams after lap 1: 13.8 miles.

 

Here's Adam after lap 2, basically completing more than 30 miles...more than halfway done in the peak of the day...hot and thirsty.

THE FILLMAN DREAM TEAM SUPPORT CREW!

 

 After crossing the finish line...the spectators had dispersed after a long day of races...the 50 miler, the hard stuff, earns a serious amount of respect.  WAY TO GO ADAM!  I'm such a proud wife :)

10 hours and 20 minutes...his personal best, shedding 2 hours off of his last time. 
Photos supplied by the one and only Bill Fillman.

I scream!

One of my favorite things ... of all time ...  every season ... any day ... I love ice cream.

Mehndi

Mehndi or Henna tattoos...we've all seen the beautiful Indian women, bedazzled in bright colors with intricately decorated hands and feet.
I had a dream last night that my friend Melissa and I had these Henna designs on our faces...odd.
But upon further review....what an art!  Beautiful and temporary..

Old Japan

With a little over a month until Adam and I head to Okinawa, Japan (!)  I have been researching every part of Okinawa and the nearby islands...including pictures from over 100 years ago! 

 

Mt. Fuji climbers....check out that gear!

 

High School girls Archery team, Japan1

 

Old Japanese junk ships

 

Photographer from early 1900's!

 

Family on the beaches of Okinawa

These are some really cool photos of Old Japan that I found through Flickr...so amazing.


Okinawa Soba's Photostream

Japan's Earthquake and Tsunami

It is hard to read of the horrible tragedy in Japan which has devastated so many lives.  Please pray for the families there as they struggle to grasp for hope during this awful reality.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

Wichita Mountain Refuge pt2

The last time we ventured out to Lawton, OK we were road biking and touring around, which was SO fun and exhilarating...especially riding up Mount Scott on a bike.  whew..

Well this second time we went, we decided to hike around Elk Mountain, maybe some trail running, rock climbing...a little bit of everything on foot.
Here are some pics of that trip.  Gorgeous place!

This place is SO dry...The crazy thing about the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge is that you can drive for hours in all directions with nothing but flat deserts and farmland.

 

Then out of nowhere, in the middle of the flat deserts of Oklahoma you can see a cluster of mountains silhouetted in the distance along the horizon.

 

Pulling into the refuge is like entering a different world...rock mountains, boulders, cliffs, cacti, longhorns, buffalo, elk...It's really an amazing sight.

 

     

We had a great time climbing up to the near vertical rock wall of Elk Mountain...we tried to climb our way to the top, but without ropes and gear it was a bit too risky.  The hike was so refreshing, not a cloud in the sky...a nice escape.