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!