Time Out!

The words "time out" don't always have to take on a negative meaning.  I had a time out this weekend that was rejuvenating, invigorating, strengthening, and inspiring.  I went to "Time Out For Women" in Salt Lake City.  The theme was "Infinite Hope". There were over 3,900 hopeful women in attendance!  
My daughter, Camille, and I had a wonderful time.   We were sad that my other daughters were unable to attend but maybe next year.

The speakers were inspiring and entertaining.  The songwriters were amazing!   And after looking at this picture, I realize that I really do need to get smaller pants.

We went to Blue Lemon by Deseret Book for lunch.  The Pear Gorgonzola Spinach Salad, that we split, was delicious!

The sweet potato fries with the dipping sauce were heavenly.  I think more people would eat sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner if they were served fried!

After 2 days of being gone, I came home to a clean house, a cleaned out garage, and a hard-working husband!  What an unexpected, delightful surprise!  So, you see, my friends, a time out really is a good thing!

p.s. I met two more wonderful blogging friends this week.  Yvonne is here for her daughter's wedding.  Her daughter and I work at the same school!  Yvonne came to a bridal shower we had for Heidi and we were able to talk and get to know each other even better!  She's a beautiful lady, inside and out!

I met Wendy at her son's viewing. The occasion was much more solemn and heart wrenching.  Wendy, too, is absolutely beautiful!  My heart goes out to her and her family at this tragic time.

Invasion

Early Saturday morning, a group of women went out for their 2nd annual Halloween breakfast.  They should have suspected that this breakfast would be a little unusual when they pulled in to the parking lot of the restaurant that was over flowing with pickup trucks filled with antlers, manure, rifles, and cowboy hats!
To get in to the Halloween spirit, this group of friends dressed "up" in pajamas, robes, slippers, and hair rollers.  They approached the restaurant in a jovial mood, anxious to get caught up with each other's life. 
They opened the door and saw a sign that read, "please seat yourself."  They looked around the joint to spy the perfect booth.  It was at that time they noticed they were the only ones in the room of the female gender!  They had invaded the local men's hangout!  Amidst the glares, stares and chuckles, the women chose a corner booth away from the men. 

This man is saying, "What are THEY doing here?  I left THAT at home!" 

The women had a wonderful time!  They laughed, cried, talked, ate, and got caught up on all the latest!

Emma and Darla

Lynette, Me and Valerie

When they left, 2 hours later, the same men were STILL there! 

Next year we'll go to the Primrose Retreat, and avoid the men all together, or we may just go here again and wear something even MORE ridiculous! 

p.s.  If you recognize your spouse in this group of men, apologize to him for us!

The Old Gray Mane, She Ain't What She Used To Be

Yes, you read it right.  Not mare--mane--hair, locks, crowning glory! 

 I must make a confession:

My name is Connie and I have gray hair!  There, I said it.

I started going gray a few months after I got married! hmmmm...

At the age of 30, I was sitting in church with my 5 kids; another hmmmm...when the man behind me leaned up and asked, "How could someone so young have so much gray hair?"  I thought it was a joke so I said, "I don't know, how?"  Of course, the butt of the joke was me and I started coloring my hair.  I colored the heck out of it!

If I wasn't using Nice 'n Easy, I was sitting in a chair at the beauty college for most of the day or spending beaucoup money to let a professional color it.   However, the thought of going gray definitely was not appealing;  especially when I was told by a friend that if I was gray, I'd look "a hundred years old"!

The gray roots became more prevalent.  When I was outside with the wind blowing, I'd feel self-conscious about my roots being revealed (as if they weren't noticeable before the wind tousled my hair).  Covering the gray became a bane to my existence.

 I talked about it with my friend and co-worker, Miss Karen, and she encouraged me to go au natural!  One day, when I arrived at school, I noticed she had plastered magazine pictures of gray haired women in the room. 

Me--"Karen, what's this?"

Karen--"Celebrities who have gray hair!"

Me--"Jessica Tandy?" "Bea Arthur?" "They're 30 years older than me! Of course they have gray hair!"

Alas, I decided to take the plunge. With great trepidation, I went to my beautician for a hair cut. After telling her what I had decided to do; she stripped the color out of my hair. I was blonde with gray roots! I arrived home, toting my new do. After 3 hours, with nothing being said by my husband, I asked him if he noticed my hair. He replied, "Yes, but I didn't know what you wanted me to say!" (smart man)

It took a few months to grow out completely.  I've had days when I've come this close to re-coloring; then the feeling of freedom takes over and makes me realize that I don't want to be tied to the bottle again!

Looking 100 years old never felt so liberating! 

Karen may have been the added shove needed to take the plunge,

but I think this was really my inspiration!

If you know the movie, I'll send some leftover hair color your way!

Promises

This is a busy week for me.  I haven't had much chance to get on the computer to check my own blog let alone every one else's.  A couple more days and I'll be out and about to see what's going on in your neck of the woods!

See these 13 apricots?  Times that by 10,000 and that's how many are on our tree!  It promises to be a bumper crop!  Hope you'll give me a call in July to get your share of them!

This pear tree is starting to swell with pears.  Unless something "freezy" happens, we should have bushels of those golden orbs.

This tree is promising tons of apples.

The bees are plentiful on the blossoms and helps ensure that promise. 

Although this won't produce fruit, just had to throw this lilac in the mix.  Scratch your screen, I'm sure you can smell it!

My friend passed away on Mother's Day.  She was in her early 50s, and in good health.  Such a shock to everyone, especially her sweet, broken-hearted daughter and grandchildren.

 

This picture symbolizes the promise that I'll see her again.

Weekend Activities

This has been a busy weekend but I'll keep it short and sweet with only a few pictures.  Easter weekend is my favorite when....the following week is spring break and General Conference is on Easter Sunday!

The weather held out for the egg hunt with the grandkids. 

K.J.'s "basket" was so heavy that Grandpa followed her around with the hand truck! (Some kids get all the breaks)

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Later that night, I joined some real live blogging buddies in real life!  Ann, from An Old Fashioned Girl; Heather, from Field of Heather; Sandra, from In This Small House; and Cherie, from Bakow Babble!  We visited for hours and it felt like we had known each other for years!

We're all checking to make sure the pictures turned out to our liking.  This one is especially flattering of me so why not post it?

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We woke up to 6 inches of snow on Easter morning!  It's a good thing we had our outdoor activities the day before!

I made this yummy breakfast casserole to counteract the amount of chocolate I had eaten the past few days!  I don't think it worked.

Maple Sausage Casserole

1 package maple flavored sausage - browned

2 cups peeled and chopped golden delicious apples

6 cups cubed bread

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

10 eggs - slightly beaten

3 cups milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt 

Spray 9 x 13 pan

Place half of the bread crumbs in bottom of pan.   Add half the cooked sausage.  Mix apples with sugar and cinnamon.  Place half of the apples over sausage.  Sprinkle half of grated cheese over apples.  Repeat layers.   Mix eggs with milk, vanilla and salt. Pour over top of layers.  Bake 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until set.  It can be prepared the night before and kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

This has a slightly sweet flavor with the apples.

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Relaxing, while watching General Conference, was the perfect ending of this fabulous weekend! 

Anniversary Giveaways!

What a difference a year makes! 

Since I started blogging, I have made some great friends!  I've met only a few of you but I feel as though I know you all!  Thanks for sticking with me.  Many have been followers and have commented on my blog since I started.  Some of you I've just "met!"
I'm having a giveaway to celebrate my anniversary and to show my appreciation to all of you!  I'm giving away some things that I have posted about.. (Sorry, my grandkids aren't up for the giveaway!)

                     1. Cooking With Connie

This cookbook is a must if you have children or grandchildren.  There are some great, easy recipes that even I can make! It's filled with colorful, step-by-step instructions and facts about the ingredients!  Perfect for teaching a child about the world of cooking! There may even be a recipe for lemonade!

Included in this giveaway are these colorful hot pads.  One for you and one for...you!  You might not want your child taking hot things out of the oven!

2.    Run For Red

 Are you wanting to be more active and to be able to brag about the number of steps you've walked during the day?  Of course, you do!

(Not the exact pedometer but the same brand)

This digital pedometer is the tool you need!  Just clip it to your waistband (some of us are still looking for our waist) and it keeps track of the steps and miles you walk and the calories you're burning! 

Make sure you have s good pair of athetic socks and a supply of band-aids for any blisters!

3.   The Eyes Have It!

I need to have make-up on my eyes before I leave the house because if I don't it can be pretty scary and I always run into people I know!  I'm giving away some Mary Kay (surprised?) eye makeup.

You get this compact filled with 3 mineral eyeshadows and 1 cheek highlighting powder! (Not these colors) Sorry, you won't get the lipstick BUT that's not all...

...You need to finish your look with an eyeliner and mascara!

 

That's a value of $69.50! 

Three prizes = 3 winners!

Here is all you need to do. 

Leave a sweet comment to let me know what prize(s) you'd like to win! 

How easy is that?  If you follow my blog, you get another chance to win. You're welcome to blog or FB about this giveaway.  If you do that, just leave another comment and let me know. 

Good luck, my friends!

Going the Extra Mile

Today, while at work, I texted my two youngest and suggested they straighten the house. When I came home from work, I walked in to my empty house that smelled....clean!  It looked clean.  Jo had scrubbed the kitchen floor, cleaned off counter tops that I hadn't seen for over a week, washed the dishes, folded clothes, cleaned the living room, and vacuumed the carpet.

I found this in the middle of the kitchen table.

And that's not all!  He had a 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk for me in the fridge!  And it's not even my birthday!

Talk about going the extra mile! Thanks, Jordan.

One more!  Our monitor gave up the ghost yesterday.  I mentioned it to my friend, Karen (Kazzy's Ponderings).  She said that she had one at her house that was not being used.  I picked it up on the way home from work.  I realized I didn't have the right cord so I called Karen.  She not only found the cord but actually delivered it to my house and helped me install it! 

 Another extra miler!  Thanks, Karen!

I am truly blessed!

Today is a great day!!!