new hair again...

some of you may have noticed my new picture. yes, i did it again. i cut my hair shorter and went back to my natural color. i am lovin' it! it has taken about a week to get use to the darkness but, now...it's all good. i love playing with my hair and changing it up every few months or so. guess that's what you get when you go to cosmetology school, lol! wanted to share a few of my do's through out the year. wonder what i will do next. all i know is that when i get it done...i feel like a new womEn!!! thanks rhonda. eNjoY!!

{happy birthday dad}

wow! three birthdays in a row. i didn't get a chance to actually talk with my dad today. he lives in pa and there is a 3 hour time difference. when i thought of calling him he was still at work. then tonight the phone was busy and then it was to late. so i am wishing him my best here. i love and miss you dad!!!

may you have a good birthday! you deserve it.

this song just so reminds me of my dad. zz top lovin', biker dude, mountain man. i don't care...anyway you look at him, he is mY dad!!!

haPpY biRthDaY little BRO...

today is my brother's birthday. this is a difficult one for me. he turned 34 and he is not with his family. last month or so he decided to enlist in the army. he did so well on his test that instead of leaving in october he left last month.i know for me it was very difficult to understand but for him it wasn't a hard choice at all. he will be able to provide for his family of 5 kiddos and his wife,do what he loves and serve his country. he is not the first to enlist in mY family. he is just another one of a long list... siblings, a father and father-in-law, grandfather, aunts, uncles and cousins. i just wanted you all to know how much i love him and how very proud of him i am. happy birthday

jeremy!!! you are in my thoughts and prayers daily. love your big sis

ps. thank you!

{haPpY 1 yEaR!!}

i can not believe that it has been a year already. i made this challenge to start a blog on september 17, 2007. i was inspired by attending creative escape last year and taking rhonna farrer's class. as i have gone back and read my posts from last year i get all inspired again. yes, the rest is still unwritten but, the ride has been a journey. so much has happened within this past year. things i would of not guessed would happen. i am taking the time today to reflect on the positive as it has not always been that way. to think of the small things. you know, the things we take for granted. try it, think of the small things that put a smile on your face. this past year has been a very difficult one for me. my life has been on a road untraveled. i plan on coming back later tonight and let you know about some positive things and the small ones too. as i still search to find mE i am finding out that i am stronger than i thought. that i can do many things that i have never done before. that in time i hope to find all that i am looking for and that i can continue to say...the rest is still unwritten yet know what road to travel. have a great day and thanks for taking this journey with me. *hugs* connie

http://conniehastings.blogspot.com/2007/09/rest-is-still-unwritten.html

{ckc-tulsa}

wow!! two shows back to back for me was a true test of endurance. 10 classes in two days, 20 classes in 2 weekends did a number on me. let me just start out by saying i loVe teaching but, when you don't have a mic...you might just loose your voice, come home exhausted and catch a little bug or is it allergies. not too sure what it is but, i have not been ok. todaY is wednesday and i still have a scratchy voice and i am all stuffy. tulsa, tulsa, tusla...don't know what to say! terrific town of amaZing people!!! i have been waiting for my students to send any photos they may have taken. i received an e-mail today saying my addy kept bouncing back {sorry v}. i think i got it squared away now. so veronica sent me a little note saying she wrote on her blog {kreativelicense} about her ckc-tulsa weekend. i did not know that she was going to write such amaZing comments about mE and sei. what a wonderful praise you gave us. thank you!!!

veronica & i

sherry & i

can i just say tulsa...amaZing!!! i even taugh 2 gentlemen in mY classes. so wish i had pictures with them. one was in my 4 flower techniques and the other was my 4 papers in motion class. these guYs were a riot to have. wish i had more of you men in my classes. i had two young ladies as well. they were all excited and stinkin' cute!! they kept up with the class and did some amaZing work. tulsa was the first city EVER to follow instructions to the T and made no boo-boos while cutting their sheet protectors!!! givin' it up to you tulsa...WOOHOO!!! remember..."there are no boo-boos in scrapbooking, it's altered and you meant to do that and move on". otherwise it will take you f-o-r-e-v-e-r {in my best sandlot voice} to complete your pages!! i was also informed by a few ladies that creating keepsakes has a message board. don't know where i have been but, check it out. there you can find comments, idea, classes, friends and much, much more. thanks tulsa for showing this arizona chick that tulsa is a "stinkin' cute" town. can't wait to come back and see manY of you next year.

{ckc-charlotte}

so last weekend i taught for sei at ckc-charlotte, n.c. can i just tell you...these ladies ROCK!!! i had all different levels of scrappers in my 5 different classes. every class had it's ups and downs {including the teacher not adjusting to the 3 hour time difference and sleeping in on friday morning, oops} but we had a BLAST!!! i always ask my students to send pictures to me if they take any while in my class or afterwards with me. i had loads of photos taken...man, i felt like a celebrity! posing and signing autographs with mY famous words..."stinkin' cute"!i would like to share with you some of the photos that were sent. i also received some amaZing feedback from some of my students as well. i couldn't help but cry {vicki}. i realize that sometimes we find our niche in the world and love it. that you can actually get paid to do what you love. well, i found mine! i love working with the fabulous sei company, the great people and the new friends i meet at every show. how awesomE is that!!! i was once asked "do you love it?"...if you do, it's worth it!!! it is. to all of you who read my blog or just stumble across it...may you find your niche in this world. i will always have my number one job as my most valuable... a MOM!! now getting a chance to do something else i love...is a true blessing! *hugs*

vicki and i {album technique class}audrey and i {ribbon and album classes}

jennifer and i {ribbon & album classes}we had waaayyyy too much fuN!! this was the end of the day too. love the money photo. thanks jennifer and i will be in touch!! charlotte, what can i say...you ROCK!!!

woman and a fork...

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes.

She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly.

'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply.

'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'

The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say.

That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked.

'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor.

The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!'

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come'.

The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.

At the funeral people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled.

During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly be fore she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would no t be able to stop thinking about it either.

He was right. So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

Show your friends how much you care Remember to always be there for them, even when you need them more. For you never know when it may be their time to 'Keep your fork.'

Cherish the time you have, and the memories you share. being friends with someone is not an opportunity but a sweet responsibility.

And keep your fork.

i received this awhile back from one of my dear friends, joann. found it again today and i felt really impressed to share it. pass it along to those you are thankful for and blessed to have in your life. have a great day ladies and gentleman. remember... it's up to you to make it one! i know i will. *hugs* connie

food for thought...

i received this from my good friend, kristan. i was impressed as i read it and thought i would pass it along as well. thanks kristan! *hugs* connie

"Some of our struggles involve making decisions,

while others are a result of the decisions we have made.

Some of our struggles result from choices others make that affect our lives.

We cannot always control everything that happens to us in this life,

but we can control how we respond.

Many struggles come as problems and pressures that sometimes cause pain.

Others come as temptations, trials, and tribulations."

L. Lionel Kendrick, "Strength During Struggles", Ensign, Oct 2001, 24

happy birthday dad!!!

today is my dad's birthday. i hope he knows how much i love and appreciate him. i know that it's hard to find that perfect gift when they start getting older, hehe. so my thoughts are to publicly acknowledge him today. dad, i hope you have a great day. you deserve the very best. thanks for being such a big part of my life and a big part of our family. i know all of us are blessed to have you in it!

haPpY biRthdaY dad!!!

mY true strength...

"true strength is keeping everything together

when everyone expects you to fall apart."

this was a great quote for me to stumble on today. life always throws us curves and we never know how strong we are until that curve comes along.

my youngest son made all stars and it has been a great experience for him. see usually when he makes all stars he is one of the top dogs. this time being his first year in juniors he was one of the last boys picked. he has learned a lot and has realized that not only is he a part of the team, that he has much to give. he has played very minimal as he is one of the younger, smaller boys and not as experienced in this league. though when they put him in... this little shorty has given his all!!

first game...bottom of the 7th, bases loaded, two outs and he is up. coach tells him to scrunch down as close as he can to the plate. first pitch comes in and the ump calls it a strike. next pitch the catcher misses it, d moves out of the way and the winning run scores.

second game...they are winning 12-3 in the 6th. though the game can be called if they score one more due to them run ruling them. guess who is up, that's right-d. winning run on 3rd and coach tells dallin to bunt. d lays down the perfect bunt and the winning run comes in.

third game...was not his game. he struck out 2 out of the 3 times at bat. the third time he was thrown out at first. he really was down on his self. though it was his strength in the outfield that kept him together. he had two amaZing catches.

game 4 is tonight. if they win they make district. if they loose they are done. never give up d, cause you have amaZing strength!! you always know how to keep it all together.

i can say this about all of my kiddos actually. they are all faced with challenges now and then. at times there are people always expecting them to fall apart. their strength to keep it all together is a true test for them. i don't know what i would do without them. they are a true blessing and strength to me. i am honored to be their mom.

love you guys...austin, trevor, dallin & haleigh. *hugs* mom