Great Weekend

So, I have to tell everyone about my weekend. Some of you know and some of you don't know that I have been writing a book. This past weekend I went to a 'Romance Writers of America' conference for the Utah Chapter. I had an appointment with an agent to pitch my story. I'm excited to tell everyone that she asked for my first 3 chapters and my synopsis. Wish me luck. My goal is that by this time next year I have a contract to publish my book.

If any of you have ever read 'Julia Quinn', she was the key-note speaker. I really like her books and so it was a true thrill for me to meet her. I found out that she and I have similar stories. She decided to start writing when she realized that she could write the same type of stories she enjoys reading. I had lunch with her and had the opportunity to pick her brain. It was awesome.

The entire weekend was inspiring. I was able to attend several workshops that truly motivated me and helped me in my writing career. I will let you know when I send her my chapters.

Wish me luck!

Heather

Okay, so here is the promised Heather post. I'm really excited to talk about Heather. She is a pretty amazing person.

H - stands for helpful. Heather does whatever she can to help her family.
E - stands for easy going. Heather is very easy going and fun to be around.
A - stands for awesome. Heather has had some awesome adventures.
T - stands for travel. Heather had traveled to some amazing locations.
H - stands for happy. Heather is always happy.
E - stands for energy. Heather has so much energy. Can you give your old Aunt some of that?
R - stands for really. Heather is really cute.

Heather, you are an amazing woman. I'm so glad that you are taking the opportunity to have the adventures you are having. I wish you the very best. BTW, T could stand for telephone. You can call me anytime.

Love you

Jenni

I decided to devote a blog to Jennilynn (Sister Bowles). I don't have any reason other then I miss her right now. I know she is where she needs to be and I am glad she is there. I just miss her. So...

J stands for jealous. I'm jealous of the people of South Dakota because they get to be with Jenni every day.
E stands for envy. I envy Jenni for getting to testify of of the Savior every day.
N stands for nice. Jenni is nice most of the time. Unless she isn't.
N stands for Nintarded. Connie is Nintarded (you will have to look it up in the dictionary) and this is a memory that I have of Jenni.
I stands for ice cream. Jenni loves to go to Leatherby's.
L stands for love. I love Jenni.
Y stands for young. Jenni is young and beautiful.
N stands for niece. Jenni is my niece.
N stands for next year. Jenni will be back from South Dakota next year in February.

I'm glad that I have all of my nieces and nephews. I think they are all wonderful. I'm glad that Jenni decided to serve a mission and I am really looking forward to having her back and hearing about her experiences.

Families are the best. I sure have been blessed with a great one.

Go McCain/Palin

Okay, I truly don't like to blog about politics. I know everyone has their own views. I can't help but say something now though. I guess since this is my blog then I get to say what I want. I figure if someone doesn't want to hear it then they can not read my blog.

I wasn't sure when John McCain got the nomination that I would vote for him. I have not always felt the same way he feels on issues. He is a bit more liberal then I am. I was somewhat dissappointed when he didn't choose Mitt Romney as his running mate. When he announced Sarah Palin as his vice presidential choice I said "Sarah who?" I listened to her speak last night and I have been reading as much about her as I can. I have to say now, 'Sarah WOW!' I love that she is not and has not been afraid to stand up for what she believes in. I generally am not one to jump on the band wagon right off the bat, this is changing now. I am on the band wagon. I feel that John McCain couldn't have picked a better partner in this election. She balances his liberalism with her conservatism.

I admit I don't know everything about them yet. I plan on learning all that I can so I can be sure to make the most educated choice I can because it matters. This great country matters. The decisions and choices we make now matter.

I encourage everyone reading this blog (who hopefully continued to read) who is able because they are citizens of this God given land, to get out and vote! Hopefully you plan on voting for McCain/Palin (because I'm on the bandwagon) but even if you don't vote for them, vote for who you believe in. It is so important to take advantage for what Christopher, Uncle Blitz, John Stringham and other great Americans have fought for.

Okay, I'm off my soap box. Thanks for listening.

Oh My Gosh....she's alive

LOL! It has been a really long time since I posted anything. I don't know where time has gone. I've been sitting on my Olympic butt watching the Olympics. I have truly loved it! I wish they came along 1x per year instead of every 2 years. I can't talk about the Olympics and not talk about Michael Phelps. I was cheering for him like I was actually in the crowd in Beijing. I was out of my seat yelling go! Go! GO! And he Went! Woo Hoo! A friend at work and I were discussing how funny it is that several of the sports at the Olympics we wouldn't watch on a normal basis but for some reason if it is the Olympics we can't pull ourselves away. I just love seeing these athletes give their all. It is inspiring. I watched the interview with Michael and his mother. I was so impressed with him and her. He has been swimming since he was 7 and really committed from the age of 11. The interviewer asked him about being teased when he was younger. He indicated that he was teased by several kids but he felt that it just made him stronger and more focused. He said it helps him identify those people who are true friends and those who are just jumping on the bandwagon. His mother is an amazing person as well. I really enjoyed listening to it.

As I talk about him discuss true friends I can't help but reflect on my friends. I feel lucky to have family that I call my friends and I feel lucky to have a Leslie. You can never tell what life has to hold but I am terribly thankful for the blessings that Heavenly Father has given me in my life.

I'm excited to attend the temple this week to see my Emily and Kirt and their two beautiful boys be sealed together as a family. What a blessing the temple is. I am truly thankful for my testimony of the Gospel. I know that our Heavenly father dwells in the temple and it is his house. I love the feeling of peace that I feel when I enter there. It is amazing that because of the ordinances performed in his house we can be forever families among other things. I truly know the church is true and the things we are commanded to do bring us closer to our Heavenly Father. Thank you to my parents, both heavenly and earthly, for teaching me these beautiful truths.

Gratitude

I'm so glad to be alive. I just got back from an amazing trip to South Carolina. I spent a week in Hilton Head and traveled to Savannah Georgia, Charleston and Easley (my first area on my mission). I was able to travel with Roseanne, Bryce and Bryce's parent Theron and LaDean. We went to look at flowers. They did not disappoint us. The azeala's were so beautiful. My favorite part was the time we spent at the Magnolia Plantation. This is one of very few plantations still owned by the original owners. The gardens there were so beautiful.

These are just some of the amazing pictures I took while I was there. Then we spent time at the water front in Charleston.

It reminded me of so many things but especially of my mission. It has been almost 20 years since I first went to South Carolina. I was such a different person then. I feel like part of my character was molded by the people of the South and the experiences I had there. I have such a love for those people. It is a love that doesn't end just because I am not there any longer. I may have forgotten where my apartment was in Easley but I didn't forget my journey there.

I want to express my gratitude to Roseanne and Bryce for making it possible for me to go back there and experience this again.

Weekend Getaway

Hey again,

Leslie, Serena and I went on a weekend getaway for Leslie's birthday. We had a great time. I thought I would post some pictures for your viewing pleasure. We went to the homestead. If you have never been you should make it a point to go. You can find great deals on the internet. I hope all is well.

Family

I've been feeling sentimental lately regarding my family. I have the best family ever. I have adorable neices and nephews who bring me joy every day. They better always remember to give me a hug or else. :0)'

My Brothers and Sisters are amazing. They are always there to help me when I need them. I am so grateful to have their cheerful hello's and how are you's.

My friends are my family too. They are there whenever I need a boost or an uplift. We can play together, travel together, laugh together, talk about our pet family together. They even read the scriptures with me as I try to keep on track.

My Mom and Dad, they are the absolute best. They have always been there for me. They offer the best advice, they are great to travel with, they call me just when I need to talk to them and always know just what to say.

My Heavenly Father, loves me unconditionally. Boy do I need that. He prepared a way for me to return to live with him again and he forgives me when I fall, which happens so many times. He has given me everything that I have and I owe him more then I could ever repay.

Family, they come in all shapes and sizes, and breeds. I love the new addition to my family and I thank God, and Rhonda and Jeff, of course, for Mimi. She comforts me when I need someone to love. She is the best.

Tell those people who you call family how much you love them. Life is too short.

I love mine!!!

LapTops and Presidents

So for my birthday I decided to buy a laptop for myself. I got an excellent deal and I love my little green beauty. It goes anywhere that I go and I can use it when I am watching TV, sitting in my bed, and traveling. What an wonderful invention. I even have a little green wireless mouse to go with it. Things have been hectic for me this week. I am really looking forward to the three day weekend. I think it is great that we can celebrate some of the great Presidents we have had. I wonder what they would think of the political arean today. I'm not sure they would like what we have done with the legacy they created. That many men gave their lives to preserve. I wonder if the American People will be forever bamboozled by dishonest men & women who have more agenda then integrity. I think of the tea tax that caused such a ruckas back in the 1700's and think of all of the taxes we have today. I don't mind the taxes however the double and triple taxes are too much and I just don't think that is what was intended when we decided we needed them. I do, however, love my job. I love to go to work everyday and work with the people I get to work with. I guess that if taxes come with that then I will pay them. (like I have a choice)
Thanks for listening. I hope this finds you well

DHL

Okay, so I know that I worked for UPS for 7 years and I am a little biased but I hate DHL. I have been trying to have something delivered for my computer for 3 days now and I still don't have it. They came Monday at 12:17 and indicated they would come again the following day at around the same time. I took the time off to be there (which I couldn't really justify taking the time due to the work I need to do) and they came at 8:30 in the morning. I couldn't get them to come back that day though they made me wait around for 3 hours waiting to see if they would. So then I call them and they agree to deliver to my condo office after 2:00 today. I get home from work at 4:30 and see another note on my door at 12:20pm. So I called them and they told me they tried to deliver to the condo office but it was refused. Liars! Grrrr, I'm so annoyed. I want UPS. I know when they deliver, I know how to get hold of them and I just want my packages.

Sorry, just had to vent and figured this was as good a place as any. I know others have probably had problems with UPS and could probably go off about them but .... it's my blog and you get to listen to my opinions.

Hope to see the packages tomorrow. We will see what will happen.

Wicked

So, my friend gave me the soundtrack to the musical Wicked. I think I am truly obsessed. I really need to see it and I have heard that it may be coming to SLC. I really hope so. I am looking for others who suffer from this. So if you are a Wicked fan and know when or if the musical is coming here, please respond.

I love music so much. Music makes me happy when nothing else does. If I am feeling down, I can hum a tune and pretty soon I am not down anymore. There is a song by Trisha Yearwood called 'The song remembers when" and I really relate to the words. It talks about when a song comes on the radio you remember where you were when you first heard the song or if the song brings back a specific memory. I can think of so many songs that bring back memories for me. Sawyer Brown's ' The race is on' reminds me of the state fair. Monique Hyde and I attended the concerts there for two or three years in a row all because of that song. The Christmas song 'Silver Bells' reminds me of doing dishes with my Mom and Sisters when I was younger. 'No one is to blame' by Howard Jones will always remind me of drive by's to Mat Henings house when I was in High School because my friend thought he was cute. I laugh about that now because we could be accused of stalking today. There are so many songs that do that for me.

I just felt like writing about music today. There are several church songs that I have special memories from too. I am just thankful for music today.

So this is what 5'oclock looks like on Sunday Morning

Okay, so I don't mean to do the same things but.....my darling Mimi woke up at 4:00 this morning crying. This is a little unusual for her. She wakes up and makes noise so I will let her out to go to the bathroom but she normally doesn't wake up crying. I let her out and she immediately ran into my room. After making her go to the bathroom I let her get onto my bed. BIG MISTAKE for me. About 10 minutes later she has snuggled into my back and then she throws up. All over my sheets, my warm electric blanket and my bedspread. Also, my pajamas didnt' avoid the mess. Who says I don't have children, I beg to differ. My dog is like a child. Luckily, I am prepared. I put everything into the washer. Researched if I could wash my electric blanket or not, then changed my sheets, blankets and got back into bed.

Susie woke me up at 9:00 with news of 5 foot snow drifts. Its pretty bad out our way too. Crazy weather. I hope it clears up for the drive in tomorrow. This may mean I am missing out on Susies crab cakes and nachos. Ah well, woe is me.

Just a quick note

Just adding some pictures of Mimi per Marcey's request. Thanks for the cute coat. As you can see she is adorable in it.

President Hinckley

“The time has come for us to stand a little taller, to lift our eyes and stretch our minds to a greater comprehension and understanding of the grand millennial mission of this, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” - President Gordon B. Hinkley 1910 - 2008

My thoughts are on President Hinckley right now. I have so many thoughts running through my mind. He was such a wonderful man and a great impact on my life. He did so much good for the church and all mankind. He will be missed by many but especially by me. I'm glad that he gets to be with his wife again. I know he didn't feel complete without her but I admire the way he trudged forward, doing what he knew was right. He was a good example of enduring to the end. I truly can hear him being greeted with "Well done thou good and faithful servant." I hope that I can get my life in order to hear those words spoken to me when I die. I know this life is not the end but the beginning. I know that I need to stand a little taller and lift my eyes and have a greater comprehension and understanding of the mission of the church, of my mission here. I need to live a little better, give a little more, be smart, be clean, be true, be grateful, be humble, be prayerful, and just be a better person.

I'm so thankful for the gospel. I am thankful for our knowledge of death and what happens to us after this life. I 'thank thee oh God for a Prophet'.

Love Connie

PMS

The title says it all. I wish I could find a cure that really works. Paul once told me that it was all in my mind. He has never had PMS, of this I am sure. I feel ornery, sensative, suspicious and like everyone hates me. Never mind the yucky bloated feeling. (I'm sorry for any men reading my blog, I'm sure this is the last thing you want to read about) I'm just extremely irritated that I am suffering from it right now.

Work is so busy. I received my annual review and though it was really good, I get the feeling they expect a lot more from me then feel I can give. I work so hard already. I just want to scream 'I'M NOT PERFECT AND I NEVER WILL BE'. Wow, I really am having PMS.

I feel sorry for Mimi. She has to live with me and she is pretty defenseless. I got home from work last night and she had some how gotten out of her kennel. My house looked like a tornado hit it. Everything was in a pile in the middle of the floor. I have a basket full of pine cones and she had them strewn everywhere. I had some pictures on a table by my couch and she had gotten up there and pulled them down and ripped them all to shreds. There were two blankets in the middle of the floor too. To top everything off, I had put the cover over the pet door to keep the cold out so she couldn't get outside. So.....there was a pile of poo and a pee spot that I had the pleasure of cleaning up. I must have a look because all I did was look at her and she ran into her kennel. I promptly locked the door (so I didn't kill her) and cleaned everything up all while I ranted and raved about her being naughty. Every once in a while I would throw one of her toys at the kennel. Eventually I calmed down and let her out again. She loved on me all night. I have PMS, I wasn't in the mood. Poor dog. Does anyone want one? She is litter box trained and cute most of the time....

I hope all of you are doing good. Sorry this blog is such a downer. I will put a better one on next time.

Love to all
Connie

Finally, another post

Hey everyone. It's been a while. I hope this post finds everyone doing well. I'm am doing great. I have been very contemplative lately. I think because my birthday is coming up. Again. It seems to come a lot faster now days. I remember my mom saying that 'time flies when you are having fun' and I guess that is what has been happening with me. I have been very busy lately. I have been working two jobs, writing and of course, taking care of baby puppy. She is so much bigger then she was when I got her. She weighs 7 lbs now and she is still a bundle of energy. I'm sure people at work are sick and tired of hearing me talk about her. I can't help it though, she is the only child I have. It has been fun lately because we have set up a new routine. She usually gets me up at 3:00am and I let her out to the bathroom, then she comes into my room with me and sleeps on my bed. It is a bonding moment for us. I love the feel of her little heat seeking body curled next to mine. Just not all night. Enough about Mimi.
Christmas was fun. I had almost two weeks off and enjoyed every minute of it. Mom and Dad stayed with me which is always fun and I had Susan and Christophers dog Zoe staying with me. It was a full house. Mimi had fun though. I have to say that by the time New Years came around I was ready to have my house back. I took down the tree on New Years eve and re-arranged my living room area. I really like it now. I have a separate reading nook where my dining room table once was. I decided that I only used the table as a catch all anyway and I may as well make that area useful for me. It is perfect.
I got sick a week ago with a horrible chest cold. Those of you who know me well understand that when I get these colds they usually attack my vocal cords and I lose my voice for months. Well.......I found a miracle drug. It is called Buckley's chest congestion elixer . I picked it up at Albertsons on my way home from work one day when I was feeling especially awful. It said the dosage was 2-4 tsp per adult. I took my first tsp taste and almost threw up. It tastes horrid, like liquified vicks (I'm not exaggerating). I decided to suck it up and take another spoonful. I have been amazed at how much better I am feeling--not even 1 week later. IF you get a chest cold I recommend it highly. It works! I will be adding some pictures for you that I have taken lately. I hope all is well. Love you all...Connie