Be a good Receiver

 

Recently someone I admire a great deal shared his thoughts about being a good receiver. My mind went back to a Christmas when I was very disappointed in what Santa had left me. The little doll as not what I had wanted and hoped for. I wanted a Thumbalinadoll, that when activated, moved like a real baby. The doll Santa left me was just a plain doll. There was nothing special or unique about her.

I am not proud of my feelings on that Christmas and hope Santa forgot about it long ago. But I haven’t forgotten. Regret is not healthy. The only way this bad experience can serve me now is to learn from it and let it go. In our hustle and bustle we may forget to slow down and express adequate appreciation. I am committed to enjoying each little moment during this special time of year. Hope you are too!

Traditions

 

 

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,

Jack Frost nipping at your nose,

Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,

Folks dressed up like Eskimos.”*

 

*From The Christmas Song

 

Christmas is rich in traditions.  It is the traditions that keep us connected year after year.  Early in our marriage, my husband and I determined that we were going to blend our childhood traditions and create our own Christmas and year-round traditions to insure that our family had reason to feel and remain connected.  Traditions cement our sense of belonging.  Creating and carrying out traditions has been a delightful lifelong pursuit.  We are flexible enough not to resist change and willing to adapt new ways of doing things.  In addition, we enjoy our adult children including us in their own young family’s unique traditions.

 

I really have enjoyed the comment “we always_______”. It is fun to know we can count on things to be consistent year after year.  But we have to be careful not to become too rigid since it is fun to explore new ways to celebrate.

 

One tradition that a daughter has created is for her children to sing Christmas songs on the stairway while they wait for their parents to get up to see if Santa has arrived on Christmas morning.  Most years they go through dozens of songs before the exhausted parents pull themselves out of bed.  Another has created a tradition of opening one gift on Christmas Eve which is always new pajamas for each family member.  And another daughter’s tradition is the food they have for breakfast on Christmas morning.

 

What are some of your most cherished Christmas traditions?  And what do you hope to be remembered for when your posterity reminisces about Christmas’ with you?

Precious Christmas Time

 

This year we will once again have the blessing of our soldier son’s visit at Christmas. Excitement mounts as I count down the days until his arrival. His one and only Christmas wish was a ticket home. Having been away for a solid year, he is not shy about expressing his excitement to come home for Christmas. And we are excited! Our whole family will be together once again. 

However, his unit is on global readiness alert. Should his unit be needed, he will have to return within 24 hours to his Army base for any emergency assignment that comes up. He is required to keep his cell phone with him at all times and to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. He warned of this months ago, but it wasn’t until we got “test” calls and e mails from the Army to make certain we could also be reached that I was reminded how serious this is. Of course a call like this could ruin our plans for his short visit. We are praying for no calls and an uninterrupted visit.

 One thing I can promise is that I will enjoy every single moment he is here. From the moment we welcome him at the airport to the moment we will have to send him off again, we will fill his reservoirs with love, fun and relaxation. He has served long and hard. He will be well cared for by us as parents, his adoring sisters and his fan club of nieces and nephews along with friends and extended family.

Counting the days until our soldier son arrives to share with use in celebrating this sacred time of year.

 

Zing

Surrounded by excited grandchildren who invited me to share a movie with them, I enjoyed the lesson about Zing in the lives of the movie characters! In this instance, Zing was a romantic feeling.


I have created my own definition for Zing which I define as fun, filled with enthusiasm and excitement for life and a feeling of being loved and acknowledged! I determined that I want to be the kind of wife, mother, grandmother, friend and neighbor who adds ZING to the lives of everyone I meet!


Hope you will enjoy Zinging in your own way!

Gratitude

 

Photo from Photos by MJ

What if tomorrow we really did wake up to have only what we thanked God for yesterday?



For many years I have enjoyed keeping a Celebration Gratitude Journal. It is very revealing to read the posts of the 5 things that I am thankful for that day.

I operate my Gratitude Journal to my own standards.
No guilt if I don’t make daily entries.
No full sentences allowed. Single words or phrases accepted.
Entries limited to 5 expressions of gratitude.



To learn more about creating your own Celebration Gratitude Journal, visit www.CelebrateWithJoy.com.

Karma

Logo of Book from Wikipedia.org

Once again I have made a concentrated effort to serve at least one person daily, if even only for 17 seconds as I mentioned in the blog post Kindness Math. But what I didn’t think about is the abundance of kindness that would come back to us. We know this as Karma.

My husband is a perfectionist in his construction business. Over the last several decades I have heard comments from others about the great work he does. Recently someone in a resort village said they observed his consistent efficiency and was impressed that he didn’t waste one step in his operation throughout the day. That is my husband! Once in a while there is a kind phone message thanking him for doing such a great job. And sometimes there have been notes accompanying a payment. But recently a young couple had him do some work for them. He knew they were on a tight budget and helped them out with the costs the best he could. When they sent the check, they not only wrote a note of thanks for the great job he did in a timely manner, but said they were rounding up the bill because of the incredible results! Bless them for their kindness!

Recently I was shopping to replace my microwave oven. I had specific measurements for the new appliance in order for it to fit into shelf where our now- worn- out- microwave once was positioned. Most of the boxes of new microwaves had dimensions written on the box, but one I was most interested in did not. I asked the clerk at Customer Service if they had a tape measure I could use. He was scrambling to figure out where they could find a tape measure when a very kind customer, hearing the request, pulled a small tape measure from her purse and in passing, handed it to me, telling me to keep it. In a matter of seconds, she exited the store as I called out to thank her. Kind acts don’t talk long. Even though that happened a few weeks ago, I am still smiling at the kindness of this stranger.

Do you receive compliments well? Do you receive unexpected gifts easily? Do you accept help when it is offered? Do you accept your meal being paid for by a friend?
These are little things, but they will help you know if you are open to receiving. Remember, the Universe is moving through everyone and every circumstance to give to you. From The Secret Daily Teachings by Rhonda Byrne from The Secret

It is a lot easier to be the giver of kindness than the receiver, but these experiences stopped me in my tracks and made me realize that handing is a two way street. Kindness, like a boomerang will most certainly come back to us!

Self Esteem

Photo from Photos by MJ

As a family we have taken time to play a few kickball games together in recent months. Bonding is easy when cousins, aunts and uncles along with us, the grandma and grandpa, join in a shared activity. Cheering each other on, we enjoyed the game and our time together. Although no one was rigid in our game structure, allowing a few lenient calls. As I stood outfield, I thought it should be illegal for the younger kids to ever be called “OUT”. Of course, I realize that each of us needs to learn to play by the rules and be good sports. But in the overall scheme of life, I do not ever want any of my grandchildren to feel that they are “OUT” in the game of life.


My overall belief and underlying purpose as a parent has always been to help my children build strong self esteem. Early on as a mother, I determined that if my children had good self esteem, they could handle any thing else life may hand them. School would be manageable and relationships would be strong if they first had healthy self esteem. And that is my deepest desire for my grandchildren and future posterity.

 

Death is Part of Our Living

Photos from Photos by MJ

 Death is part of our living. When we lose someone who has played an important role in our lives, we are reminded of the precious gift of life, friendship and how others enhance our own life’s journey. 

We can learn empowering lessons from the good in the lives of others. Such is the case with a friend who just completed his life’s journey and left us with a wealth of lessons that will enhance our lives if we embrace these characteristics.

Let us love a little more, hug a little longer and say more kind things to those in our circle of influence.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer awareness month

 

Today I am the proud owner of a beautiful pink rose.

It had been too long since I took time to have a mammogram and determined I needed to schedule the procedure. When I called to make an appointment, they informed me that had an opening just an hour and a half from that time. Why not? I could have that marked off my list and wouldn’t have to think about doing it for days or weeks to come. So within ninety minutes I was in the office ready for the scan.

I shared some humor with the tech, sharing the joke about to prepare for a mammogram, all one needed to do it lie down on their side on the hard, cold cement floor of the garage and ask someone to back the car over a certain part of you then pull forward. Then repeat that same process, this time lying on your other side. Probably considered very sick humor, it got me through the appointment with a smile on my face.

One long stem pink rose and two pink nail files later, I walked out of the office with the satisfaction of caring for myself with preventative measures.

I encourage you to be smart about your health care.

 

 

Color Energy: Violet

Photos from Photos by MJ

Violet is like early dawn when everything begins anew. Grasses, flowers and human hearts arise to the song of life returning. And in the fleeting shadows, violet light dances over the spaces in between the lines of our waking consciousness where it touches our visible, knowable world with new concepts and ideas from the higher mind. In the brief moment between our dreaming and waking worlds, what we see or understand stands apart as extraordinary and different from the way we usually understand others or acquire knowledge, a kind of sudden insight or immediate knowing, a connection to spirit. Our dreams are made of such stuff, that illusory material that simply moves by and instantly disappears. But if we hold ourselves softly between the worlds, we can catch the stream of consciousness whispering from unknown realms, bring new understanding, love and even nobility to our dailylives.



Photos from Photos by MJ

Color Energy: Indigo

 

Photo from Photos by MJ *

 

 Leave behind those worrisome daily cares with indigo energy. The frequency of indigo leads you into a state where clutter in the mind disappears, concentration is focused, non-essentials are eliminated and ideas become clear. Whatever dream you have for yourself-composing music, writing a book, bringing relief to the world’s suffering people, or redoing your home can be realized, as this color shifts visions and dreams to reality.


*About the Photo- While Blueberries are said to be blue, the hue of indigo claims the color of this delicious fruit as it is a descendant of its relative the Indigo Berry which is native to India, the birth place of the indigo dye.

Kindness Math

Photo provided by Photos by MJ

We each have the gift of 86,400 seconds per day. Sharing only 17 seconds, or .000196% of a day for an act of kindness still leaves us 86,383 seconds. Small investment, isn’t it? If we are too busy to spare .000196% of our time each day, we are too busy!

Recently I enjoyed a book that reminded me this great life lesson. The man in the story discovered that in just a matter of a short time, in this instance, 17 seconds, significant things can happen. When this young man was a lifeguard someone drowned on his ‘watch’ in a matter of about 17 seconds. He determined to heal from this tragedy by dedicating his life to reminding others to routinely take 17 seconds to encourage others along their way.

I have been applying the 17 seconds of kindness a day in my life. Just today I passed a sweet elderly woman on a sidewalk. We exchanged greetings, and then she told me that at first she thought I was her daughter in law who lives in another state. I asked her what she would have done if it was indeed her daughter in law that was there in front of her. She told me she would have hugged her. I asked if it was okay if I hugged her. She agreed and I did. I complimented her on her pretty purple framed sunglasses. As we parted, I said “by the way, my name is Susan”. She then revealed that her name was Sarah…”Sarah with an “h” on the end”, she said. So to all the Sarah’s with an “h” on the end and all the other incredible people that I do not know but share time on this planet with, thank you for lifting my mood when I share that .000196% of time in my day!

I'm a Survivor

Choking back emotions as I watched scores of other cancer survivors at a recent Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society, I marveled at how many people at some point in their life experienced the shock of a cancer diagnosis. Each of these participants had their own story and I was certain that they must have experienced similar emotions as I did on that“day of all days” when a potentially life threatening diagnosis passes from the lips of a medical professional.

My heart connected to each of them in a the unspoken way only a ‘survivor’ can understand. It is as if you know to some extent what they have experienced and appreciate with them the precious gift of life on perhaps a higher level than ever before.

Blessed beyond measure, I am grateful to be among throngs of survivors, celebrating life and chalking up the years!

Color Energy: Blue

All Photos from Photos by MJ

 

As we are overlooking a beautiful blue lake on our summer vacation, it feels only right to take a deep breath and capture the energy of this magnificent color.

 

 

Blue skies above a turquoise lake with purple blue hills surrounding us create serenity. Blue brings hope, and the energy to look into ourselves for solutions as we find our own path.

 

 

Blue mends heartaches of life’s painful moments with compassion, sweet charity and love. The true nature of blue is genuine care for others as we lift a heavy heart, comfort and serve, knowing that service is the antidote for the “blues”.

 

 

 

And in times of discouragement, loss or regret, surround yourself with blue and let your spirit soar.

 

The color blue will create tranquility and inner strength for moments of discouragement, trial and regret.

Summer Olympics 2012

Photo provided by Photos by MJ



Like many of you, I enjoyed watching the Olympics. If only the Summer Olympics could be broadcast “live”during the winter months when life isn’t quite so busy away from home, I would be able to dedicate more time for watching the entire event.

The snippets I caught were inspiring. Watching athletes from all over the globe who have disciplined themselves to reach beyond what the average person can do, reminds us of our potential and how we can accomplish anything we want if we are determined enough. There are insights about the human spirit that are unveiled at this global event. We are reminded that our bodies can serve us in multiple ways and we can accomplish whatever we set out to master.


My take away from the events I witnessed was Gabby Douglas’ profound comment about her success as she said she sends “Glory up to God and He sends down the miracles”. I never want to forget that truth.

What was your favorite “aha moment”during the Olympics?

Color Energy: Green

All photos provided by Photos by MJ

Green stills the mind, energizes tired muscles and revives the spirits. No wonder being in nature is so healing, catching our heart with its beauty. 

The color green refreshes, renews and brings us to the present moment. As our muscles unwind, heart rhythms soften, breathing deepens, blood pressure lowers and suddenly we feel free of all that has been holding us down. 

Use green whenever you need to conquer something without effort or anxiety. 

Green represents life. 

Surround yourself with green to create balance in your life.

Water

Photo credit- Photos by MJ

There is something about water that allows me to meditate deeply. With a background in Feng Shui, I understand that the water element is deep, peaceful and invokes mediation and introspection. Jet skiing is my all-time favorite leisure time activity. Flying across the water or just lazily floating along on my personal watercraft, I strategize, ponder and plan. My mind is filled with dreams of the future, solutions for the present and memories of the past. I enjoy nature from a lake point view, imagining all sorts of images engraved in the cliffs and mountainside. Whether it is the aquamarine blue water in Bear Lake or the deep navy blue water of Blacktail, my spirit soars when I am on the water.

Photo credit-Photos by MJ

Where do you find solace?

Photo credit-Photos by MJ

Color Energy: Yellow

Phot credit- Photos by MJ

When we awaken to the morning light, our minds are free and clear. Yellow sunlight has that affect on us.

Awareness, connection, intelligence, purity describe the energy of the color Yellow. Yellow smoothes away troublesome thoughts and mental confusion. New hope and possibilities appear as we surround ourselves with the color Yellow. Yellow can clear the cobwebs from the mind, dissolving troublesome thoughts and mental confusion, bringing joy out of darkness. Everything looks brighter in yellow light.



Lighten up, put the past behind and follow the path of new possibilities and happiness. For organizing thought, making clear decisions, developing new skills and living joyously, surround yourself and adorn yourself in yellow.



My mother in law taught my daughter that one always needed to add a touch of yellow in their embroidery work. Great advice! I have learned that adding a touch of yellow or a huge dose of yellow in wardrobe and décor, our most personal environment, is good for the soul. Several year ago when I was recuperating from some major health traumas, I added yellow accents to my home décor and filled my flowerbeds with yellow flowers that not only brightened my life but brought the energy of hope. Years later when I planned my interior decorating scheme for our new home, I chose a sunny yellow paint for many of my interior walls. Someone questioned me about having too much yellow. I knew that one could never have too much sunshine energy in their lives. Years later, I am surrounded by yellow energy every day, I am filled with cheer, hope and sunshine!

Color Energy: Orange

Photo Credit-Photos by MJ

The brightness of the color ORANGE is grounding and connects us to life itself. With its energy we see the world in a new light and possibilities surface where they can be remembered and realized-like opening a gift and finding our Self inside. This lighthearted, friendly color fills the distance that holds us apart from others, bringing two hearts together as one with tolerance, compassion and deeper understanding. Though we all see life’s challenges through different eyes, we are also much the same: we all yearn to be understood, appreciated and honored for who we are. Celebrate life’s diversities and oneness. Orange’s sunny nature lifts spirits, opens the heart and energizes the soul. Orange energy empowers us to “let go” of unwanted emotions.


Orange arouses warm, friendly feelings and bridges the space that separates us from others. Let the sunshine in with Orange in your life!

My Mother's Day Weekend

What a great Mother's Day weekend I had...and the fun continues. How blessed I feel as a grandma to be able to enjoy 3 end of school musical programs today, with one band concert and another musical program on Wednesday and an 8th grade graduation later in the week. To top that off, 6 of my grandchildren will be participating in a piano recital Friday. I love my kids and am so very in love with my grandkids!

ARMY MOM

Imagine my surprise and emotion as I found note on my windshield after coming out of the grocery store last week. The yellow paper was carefully folded and tucked behind my windshield wiper. At first I thought one of my kids must have seen my car in the parking lot and left a note. It is easy to tell my car as the license plate holder reads: PROUD MOM U.S. ARMY.

But as I opened the note, the message was from a complete stranger, written anonymously. It read: “Thank you for raising someone who has the courage to defend our freedoms.” The message touched me deeply. How kind of this person to take time to express their gratitude. When I was able to share this tender experience with our soldier son he told us that it is that sort of gratitude that makes rigorous military life all worthwhile.

Wouldn’t the world be a better place if each of us would take a few minutes every day to express gratitude for the little things we appreciate?

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Birthday Celebration



As I contemplated how I would like to celebrate my recent birthday, I thought long and hard what would bring me the greatest joy. Would it be a supercharged shopping trip or a day filled with pampering services? Or how about a night out on the town? 

Suddenly I had the perfect plan. My husband dedicated his day to do whatever I wanted to do. He and I spent the afternoon and evening visiting seven of our friends and neighbors who had been facing health issues or other challenges. When he was trying to select the perfect bouquet of flowers for me, I suggested that we buy a bouquet and hand deliver them to someone else who needed a lift. Giving the flowers was much more rewarding than keeping them. Stopping unannounced to the seven people we had chosen infused excitement into our day. Seeing their smiles as they opened the door left the element of surprise in the day which is often the fun part of a birthday; we just reversed the role of the person being surprised!

The incredible experience of serving always blesses us more than when our focus is turned inward. We were truly the benefactor of those visits, sharing a little slice of our time with those who needed a little cheer. Celebrating life with them created a delightful birthday agenda for me!

I was blessed with calls, gifts and visits from family and friends for which I am deeply grateful. But adding the hours of time we shared with those who were struggling in some way, created a memorable birthday celebration.

Financial Freedom

Photo credit-Photos by MJ

Create your own business with our Color Connection image tools and services and generate the income of your dreams!

Tired of working 9-5 for someone else?
Need extra income to supplement your main income?
Would you like to use your creativity to bless others’ lives?

If you answered yes to any of these questions call us to determine which of our programs would best suit you and begin your journey to financial freedom today!

 Susan@ImageDesignbyColorConnection.com

 www.ImageDesignbyColorConnection.com

Why should I be surprised?

Okay, okay, I expect you have heard enough soldier stories for a while, but bear with me for one more observation. Why should I be surprised that our son is now a soldier?

View the steps from ages 8, 15 and now 22. It appears that a major “advancement” was taken every 7 years.


Walk with me down memory lane of Jacob in a visual time line........

Age 8

Age 15

 

Age 22

CLOSETS OF JOY!

Clearing clutter to create a neatly arranged closet will promote peace, productivity and happiness when you dress each morning. Eliminate clothes from your closet that are only there to take up space. If the item of clothing no longer serves you, remove it and the energy in your closet will shift. To enjoy complete dressing success and be confident every morning as you dress, only include clothing in your wardrobe that is your most harmonious colors. Color is either working for you or against you. Why invite mediocrity into your life and your image with colors that are detracting from your natural beauty? Color is a no cost item. It does not cost any more to wear a color that is flattering on you than one that truly is not. How do you know which colors are really your best?

That is the easy part. At Color Connection, we have created a system that is precise, accurate and guaranteed to customize your image. If you don’t have a Color Connection Image Designer in your area, take advantage of our do it yourself color analysis system that you can do in less than 10 minutes right in the comfort of your own home.

Order Yours Today!

Click Here

Create your own “closet of joy”!

RECIPE FOR 1 ARMY INFANTRYMAN

 The making of a soldier takes many ingredients, most of them bitter and difficult.
Not everyone is cut out to withstand the rigorous training. Many fail. 

We are delighted that our son passed with flying colors and has became a man, stronger than when he enlisted and stronger than he could have been on his own.

 The ingredients for an Infantryman:

Take 1 raw boy from the country or the city who has a desire to serve his country.
Mix with some very harsh drill sergeants.
Make him work almost 24/7, working out, training, doing laundry, cleaning barracks, night guard duty and a myriad of other assignments.
Do not spoil with too many hours of sleep.
Feed him a carefully planned diet with a balance of the right amount of protein and carbs to build muscle and generate energy.
When he is out training in the field, feed him MREs.
Have him sleep outside in the freezing cold during part of the training and work out in pre dawn hours every morning, arising at 4:30 a.m.
Make him march and march and march.
“Smoke” him and his platoon by giving them difficult physical punishments if there is even 1 thing the drill sergeant doesn’t like.
Break them down physically, mentally and emotionally to see who can and who cannot survive.
Mix him with boys from all walks of life and expect them to become battle buddies, helping each other. The group is only as strong as the weakest member.
Mix with other trainings with guns, tear gas, barbed wire, grenades, climbing towers, confidence courses, foxholes, mud, blazing sun and even tornado like weather out in the field at night.
Teach him respect for his superior leaders and instill within him intense discipline.
Honor him with his cross gun pin by literally sticking the pin into the flesh until it draws blood.
 Bake and cool often, preparing this soldier for all kinds of conditions soldiers can encounter.
Award him after he has passed all of the training and testing with a blue rope to wear around his shoulder, signifying the coveted “turning blue” braid.
Send him to his next training or duty post to continue becoming a more qualified soldier who is dedicated to serving his country.
The result: A man. A man with purpose. A man with passion for his country and a man focused on giving his best. A many who is strong. Army strong.

See how this recipe for PFC Stucki turned out after 3 months of training.

Color Energy: Red



Photo Credit- Photos by MJ

VITALITY, COURAGE, SELF CONFIDENCE
Use red when you need to meet a demanding day, or when you feel drained of energy. The color red provides the power from the earth and gives energy on all levels. It connects us to our physical body. Everything that is to be commenced needs the life vitality of red.

Personality Traits: Courageous, confident, humanistic, strong-willed, spontaneous, honest, and extroverted.

The Root Chakra is governed by the red energy.

Photo credit- Photos by MJ

Color Energy

Photo credit-Photos by MJ

Our most important energy source is light, and the entire spectrum of colors is derived from light. Sunlight, which contains all the wavelengths, consists of the entire electromagnetic spectrum that we depend on to exist on this planet.

Light flows through our eyes and triggers hormone production, which influences our entire complex biochemical system. This biochemical system then affects our being. And light does not travel alone. Light travels with other energies as illustrated on the right.

We know that each color found in the visible light spectrum has its own wavelength and its own frequency, which produces a specific energy and has a nutritive effect. We know some rays can be dangerous if we are exposed to them. But the visible light, the rainbow, has a soothing effect on us.

Photo credit- Photos by MJ

Light consists of the seven color energies: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. Each color is connected to various areas of our body and will affect us differently emotionally, physically, and mentally. By learning how each color influences us, we can effectively use color to give us an extra boost of energy when we need it.

If you wake up in the morning with little energy, or you need to prepare for a business meeting, this is where the power of colors can help. All you have to do is reflect on the type of day you have planned; choose the color that will help you meet the demands of the day; and then absorb that particular color. It's like fueling your system with the right kind of gas.

Each week we will focus on a color and its energy. Watch for details in future blog posts to harness the power of color in your life!

Our Future is as bright as our Faith

Photo credit- Photos by MJ

In the predawn hours, our flight passed over cities and freeways connecting cities.  Appearing as small as ants, cars were already making their morning commute. Even though we were thousands of feet in the air,  I noticed the headlights shining brightly from each car, some expanding to the car ahead and some shining what seemed barely in front of these miniature looking automobiles.

I thought of faith and how although we can never see far into the future, we must keep moving forward.  We must exude confidence and be certain of our course with faith in the future, in our hopes and our dreams.  An inpsired man recently stated, “Our future is as bright as our faith.”  What a comforting thought.  Although the “headlights” in our lives only shine a short distance in front of us each day, they can shine.  Fear negates the light, bringing with it doubt and worry.  Faith and fear cannot co-exist.  Our lights can shine as brightly as we set them to shine.  We must operate with faith and confidence to squeeze the most joy out of each day.  Shine forth, lights of our life.  Shine forth brightly!

Happy Leap Day

LEAP DAY only comes along once every four years. Wouldn’t this be a great day to assess the direction you are going and make some plans to direct your life the way you want it to go?

LEAP into success by making your life plan, reviewing your goals and determining that you will achieve your goals.

LEAP into action! Celebrate your successes!

God Bless the USA

Our Soldier

I have become something I never once dreamed of or aspired to, but am honestly grateful to be~ and that is an “Army Mom”.  I have discovered an entirely new dimension to life and have gained an intensely deep appreciation for our military and the sacrifices made by thousands that are unknown to most and probably unappreciated by many.  And this comes just from our son’s experience with Basic Training.  There is so much more to come.

Our family has felt connected to the military and World War II through my father in law, our children’s grandfather, who often shared his experiences as a solider serving in the Army during that war. Like you, we are appreciative of those great men and women who have served our country throughout the years. But I really never thought of my son as being a solider…not until last summer when he announced that he was going to enlist.  His strong desire to serve and protect our country surfaced after he had graduated from college and worked full time for a few years in his new profession.  Once he decided to enlist, nothing could change his mind.  He was determined this was part of his life plan. And now I can see him thriving in his rigorous training and watch with awe as this new man emerges from the little boy that I used to rock in my arms.

My husband and I are on our way to his Basic Combat Training for the United States Army.  By the end of this week he will be a full fledged soldier with 4 solid months of training behind him.  And the training certainly won’t end there.  Following graduation he is off to Airborne Training and then to his assigned post, wherever that may be.

Jacob as a baby

As I pack my bags, I shed tears of gratitude for Jacob’s example of strength and persistence.  We have only heard a small portion of details of his intense training and are in awe that so many thousands of soldiers have survived it and land on their two feet.  I cannot imagine the physical, mental and emotional strength that one has to muster to endure the almost round –the- clock training.  It takes courage and guts.  Many don’t make it. They have to restart training or are sent home.  Sadly, one solider in training at the same base must have felt he couldn’t handle the training any more and took his own life on the shooting range a few weeks before Christmas.  Many have tried to quit. And many don’t enjoy the experience.  Thank goodness our son has been determined to accomplish what he went there to accomplish and is making the best of every situation.  When he gives us an insight into an especially difficult facet of training, he ends with “I had fun” or “I liked it”.  I cannot imagine being in the gas chamber for any length of time.  I cannot imagine doing night training, crawling through barbed wire and trenches in the dark while trying to avoid being shot.  But because they train and train hard, we have a strong military that protects our great country and our freedoms.

Jacob Jumping his bike

 We will be joining in the celebration this week as the soldiers will march across soil from every war since the Civil War on their way to their graduation exercise. We will be rejoicing in the accomplishments of every graduating solider on that field along with our son as we participate in his “Turning Blue” ceremony.  We will be celebrating America and our love for our country and our freedoms.  Ft. Benning, here we come!

God bless the U.S.A. 

The E Connection Newsletter February 2012

From vivid colors to barely neutrals, Spring and Summer 2012 looks run the gamut. Warm brights like tangerine are uplifting and fun and are complimented by bashful, flattering nudes.

Put SPRING in your step with bold, fresh color!

5 Top Trends for Spring and Summer 2012

1. Nearly Nude Lips: Why nearly? Because there is a fine line between too pale and head-turning pretty. We take the guesswork out with shades with our High Impact Lipsticks in Heather Mist and Angel Pink and our Lipsticks in Teaberry Truffle. Yet very bold shades of lips are hot this season. Read on for more....

2. Natural Glowing Skin: It is possible to wear makeup without looking like you are wearing makeup and that is what Color Connection is all about. Create a healthy glow by cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing faithfully every day. Even after one treatment with our chemical free skin care, you will discover that your skin is radiant and glowing. Apply Color Connection Mineral Powder Foundation to create a polished, natural image! Achieve a beautiful, natural glow that is fresh and radiant every day of the year with Color Connection cosmetics.

3. Fashion Colors for Spring and Summer: Discover the top 10 colors for this season with Color Connection's Fashion Color Update. We will soon reveal these vibrant colors and how to use them to perk up your wardrobe.

4. Color Washed Eyes:

Subtle, shimmering color is a bit sweet, a bit sexy and reflects Spring and Summer light beautifully. One sweep of our Color Connection Mineral Powder Eyeshadow will highlight your eyes and brighten your looks. Many describe that their eyes "pop" when they apply our dazzling, harmonious eyeshadows! Mosaic Kiss, Plush Plum, Imperial Ivory, Joyful Jade, Sheer Sun, Precious Peach, Terrific Taupe, and Angel Pink Eyeshadows from Color Connection are must-wear shades this season.

5. Thicker, Fuller Brows:
Brows are fuller this season, so don't be caught without Color Connection Browliner to enhance the frame to your eyes, your brows. Apply our Browliner to your brow in natural hairline strokes, then brush with the spool brush conveniently placed on the end of our great Browliners!

Looking good has never been so easy with Color Connection and our makeup update. With our products and systems in just 7 steps and 7 minutes, you can create a Hollywood makeover with our pure products.

Cliff notes to what is hot this season:

~Radiant, Healthy Skin. Our Color Connection skin care is the core of a beautiful image. Our Mineral Powder Foundation evens out skin tone to create the "canvas" of the face while still allowing your skin to breathe. ~Color, Color, Color! Mineral Powder Blush and Eyeshadows add the color to create interest and flair.

~Bold, Bright Lips. Neutral, Nude Lips.

Bolder is better when it comes to lips. Brighten them up. If you have not tried Cherry Bliss or Red Rapture, wait no longer! Royal Raspberry and Divine Wine are show stopping lipstick that will create luminous lips every time.

And remember that neutral, nearly nude lips express simplicity yet sophistication.

Layer your look by applying High Impact Lipsticks over our regular moisture filled Lipsticks. Have fun and be creative as you mix and match.

And don't forget to line the lips with our great Color Connection Lipliners for definition and to insure the lipstick a longer lasting application.

Did the long gray winter leave you desiring energizing, vivid color? We reveal the top 10 Fashion Colors for you to invigorate your wardrobe, add a splash of fun and coax you out of the doldrums. Discover these exciting colors coming soon!
 Spring into spring with color harmony and color creativity!