Magazine House

“Magazine House”

As the spring time approaches, I have been thinking about what rooms/areas around the house I would like to spruce up a bit. Aintee Connie came across my mind as I thought about her house and how well kept it was.

Aintee Connie lived in what our family refers to as a “Magazine House”.  I believe every woman strives to have a “Magazine House”. A magazine house is a well organized house, everything having its place, looking like a picture from the magazine, because it’s so neat... It’s very clean, clutter free and it smells good.  I take that back; the only places in Aintee’s house that had clutter were her closets because she loved to shop. LOL! She was very good with color coordination, and decorated for every holiday or just because. Aintee Connie and my mom started teaching us about cleaning very early in life. We would have to get up early on Saturday mornings and clean the house from top to bottom before anyone could go out and play. I believe all of the kids have carried that trait of cleanliness with them. Aintee and I would often shop at Crate & Barrel, CB2, Home Goods and Marshall’s to get ideas for the house or to pick up items to make the house look dainty. Aintee has inspired me in so many ways with decorating. It’s hard to look around my house without thinking of her. For most of the things that I have in my house, she either told me about them, picked them out, or bought them for me. I started to give up on the idea of having a magazine house when my kids were small but now since they are all teenagers I have started my journey.  As you think about projects and things to change in your house this spring, think of Aintee Connie and her magazine house ways. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have a magazine house, but starting to get things organized is a great start. I’m starting with organizing my documents and files. I will follow up with you guys with my progress. What project are you starting with? Email me or leave a comment and let me know.

In the meantime, I would like to leave you with some pictures I found of Aintee’s house...

This is Aintee Connie's dining room

This is the kitchen counter "Thanksgiving 2009"

This is the living room; you see how eveything is in place

Here is a wall my husband and I put together in our house with a little inspiration from Aintee Connie. She purchased this clock for us as a house warming gift and this is what we did with it.

A strange thing happened on the day she passed away the batteries went out and this very same clock she bought for us stop ticking. My husband replaced the batteries and it's going again. I love to look at this clock everyday it reminds me that we are only here for a period of time and we should enjoy every moment because we never know when our battery will stop working.

If you want that "Magazine House" you have alway's dreamed of...Make it happen. Your home should be a reflection of you and filled with the things you like and over flowing with Love.

Until next time...Enjoy this beautiful day and think about some things you would like to tidy up in your house, in your life, because we only have one life to live.

Have a fabulous "Magazine House" Day!

Please visit these fabulous blogs to which this is linked:
Good Life Wednesday
A Delightsome Life
Wow Me Wednesday

Salmon Croquettes "Connie Style"

Salmon Croquettes

“Connie Style”

In today’s purse we are making Salmon Croquette’s "Connie Style".

Aintee Connie loved fish. I think she ate just about any type of fish prepared many different ways. Today, I would like to show you what I remember about Aintee and my Mommy cooking Salmon Croquettes. Aintee would have them for breakfast with grits and scrambled eggs. I have seen her prepare them for lunch or dinner with some light fluffy rice. This is the way I remember her preparing them. They were so delicious. My daughter and I attempted to make Salmon Croquettes, “Connie Style”.

Ingredients

o   2 cans of Pillar Rock Pink Salmon

o   4 tablespoons Green Onions diced

o   ½ Yellow Onion diced

o   Yellow Corn Meal

o   1 Egg Beaten

o   Vegetable Oil for Frying

Prep Time about 15 minutes-Cook time 10 minutes-2 cans make 8 patties

1.   In a large bowl mix 2 cans of salmon, green onions, yellow onions and egg. Mix well and remove the little white pieces from the salmon.

2.      Form into patties and dust with yellow corn meal both sides

      3.      Over medium heat, heat oil in medium skillet

4.      Fry until golden brown about 2 minutes each side.

Side Dishes Recommended

Fluffy White Rice

Corn on the Cob

Here are our finished Salmon Croquettes "Connie Style". We even added a glass of wine.

Thank You for cooking with me Kyana. I really enjoyed our mother daughter time together and our dish look fantastic. It reminded me of the time Aintee Connie and my Mom spent in the kitchen with me sharing receipes.
Priceless...

We hope that you will try"Connie Style" Salmon Croquettes and let us know how you like them.

Have a great day!

I hope you will visit the following blog to which this post is linked.
Thursday at Life as mom.com

Connect-The-Dots To Healing

Connect-The-Dots to Healing

Do you remember the worksheets with connect-the-dots?

Connect-the-dots are worksheets with dots on them with numbers or letters. Connect-the-dots worksheets are mainly used for young kids to enhance their learning skills in counting and alphabet. The finished worksheet is usually an animal or a picture of some sort. As you start to connect the dots you start to get an idea of what it is before it’s complete. Once you have connected each dot correctly you start to get excited to see the finished product.

I am having a connect-the-dots moment in my adult life.

*Dot number 1 started when I returned to work for the first time after Aintee Connie passed away. My supervisor gave me a number to call for counseling and I did that same day.

*Dot number 2 started when I met Sarah, my therapist a week after I called.

*Dot number 3 started when Sarah gave me a resource for group counseling. I called and I met another therapist named Karen.

*Dot number 4 started when Sarah began to read my mind and suggested I start a blog because Sarah was really on me about keeping a journal.  She put me in touch with a friend of hers named Cheryl.

*Dot number 5 started when Cheryl emailed me the link to her blog My Sisters Cottage dedicated to her sister Nancy.  Nancy passed away after a battle with cancer a few months before Aintee.

The dots have been connecting every since.

*Thanksgiving Sarah gave me a memorial candle to have in memory of Aintee. That triggered me to make Connie candles for my mom, sister, and cousin. So we can burn them when we need to be close to Aintee.

CONNIE CANDLE



CONNECT-THE-DOTS



*Karen works for a company that specializes in grief counseling. In my initial, intake the group that was in session was about to end. So, Karen offered me individual counseling until the next group started this spring.

*When I started blogging Feb. 1^st, Cheryl welcomed me with open arms. She was one of my first followers and so was Sarah. Cheryl was able to help me with set up questions and blog parties. We developed a connection through the loss of our loved one.

*Through blogging I found Myia who I never met. (Her story is featured on blog dated 2-10-11 "Connie Girl") She knew Aintee and a lot about me from what Aintee told her personally. This touched my heart like you would never imagine. Myia and I often exchange emails and she sends me daily inspirational text messages. I plan to meet her in April for spring break when I visit Ernestine.

*I have been blessed with friends at work, Millie and Christel who are understanding and allow me to have a moment when we are at work. They take the time to listen and offer advice. I Love You Guys!!!

*Aintee’s co-workers (old and new) still call, text and email to check on us. The special ladies in Aintee’s life Ernestine, Gwen and Lil-Red check on me often. It’s all out of Love for Aintee. They are my connection to her and I am their connection to her.

ARE YOU STILL WITH ME?

*The Love of my family and good friends that knew the special relationship that I shared with Aintee has been keeping a close eye on me. I appreciate every lunch, dinner, conversation, text message, email, visit but most importantly the love and support. You will never understand what this meant to me.

*Know I am five months in, still connecting the dots and I am excited to see the finished product.

I want to share the special gifts that made me think about my life in a connect-the-dots way.

 I had a tough day at work on Friday, and when I got home I had a package from Cheryl.

Here it is…

I LOVE THE PURSE STICKER!!!

 It’s a magnet!! This is Connie’s style all the way!!

Thank you Cheryl for the magnet it’s in a new home on my night stand. Every morning I can think about the blog dedicated to Aintee Connie and smile in my heart and know that I now have a blog girlfriend.

Thursday, after a tough love session with Karen. Our session was mainly about is Aintee presence with me.  Karen stressed that she is still with me while constantly pointing at the heart. At the end of the session Karen gave me flowers.

Flowers were the confirmation that she is still with me.

Aintee Connie and I would go to Trader Joes often and buy fresh flowers and a bottle of wine.

*These acts of kindness, the candle, the magnet, the flowers and the relationships I have was that Aintee speaking to me. Through these ladies I see a reminder that she is with me all the way.

*I had to share this with you because GOD is a provider and he will provide what you need when it’s needed.

When was the last time you connected the dots in your life?

*You see how all the dots are connecting in my life. I am so excited because it’s truly amazing. I’m just glad GOD has placed the right people in my life so that I can see it.

My connected dots are starting to spell out BLESSED and I am eager to see the finished product.

Sometimes you can’t see the full picture but be patient and you will.

Although this has been a rough road for me and my family, GOD is providing us with all the resources and tools necessary to carry on. Everything and everyone in my life are right where they need to be.

Thanks to all that care for us. Aintee Connie is with me right in my heart just like she was from the start.

Carry on with life and connect your dots when all of the dots start to form and work together for the good it makes life worth living.

Death is a tragic thing only if you haven’t lived.-Tyler Perry

Aintee Connie lived her life. How will you live yours?

Connect those dots………………………………………………………………………………………

Pictures from Connie's Camera

Hi There and Welcome Back to Connie's Purse.

As I was starting to write for today's post a picture came up on the screen saver on Aintee Connie's laptop. I started looking at all the pictures Aintee Connie had on her computer and decided to post some. This is a big step for me because I originally had her laptop to retrieve pictures for a tribute booklet. I gathered a few and the laptop was sitting on my shelf not being used. I felt as if she was going to come by and pick it up at some point as I was having difficulty accepting that she was no longer with me. I am still in the process of acceptance but it's getting better. It wasn't until I started blogging 4 months after her passing that I was able to pick it up and log in because my kids were always working our computer. Last night I started viewing pictures from 2005 and I made it to 2008 and then I started to have a I miss my Aintee so much moment:-( They say pictures are worth a thousand words, so I hope you understand that I couldn't write last night. All I could do is look at the pictures from Aintee Connie's perspective. She took pictures of everything. I will continue to do this from time to time because she has so many. What a great gift she left us. Enjoy!

Cubs Game in 2008. Aintee Connie, My Husband Clarence, Me. 2nd row Uncle Terri, Aintee good friend Barbara. The sun was bright that day.




Aintee Connie & Uncle Terri at Cubs Game


One of the things that Aintee would do is make sure we dressed for the occasion. I loved that because that gave us a reason to go shopping.

This is Ponce, Aintee's only son, my sister Meka and niece Taylor. These are the babies of the family.We were at Aintee's house for an art show.

She was always having something and exposing us to new things.



Our family after my sister's graduation from college "2005"

These pictures reminded me that she was always there for us. She attended just about every event we had.



Uncle Terri & Aintee Connie at our 5th Year Anniversary Party "2005".



Aintee at Auto Show in Chicago
Check out the purse

 


A dance floor in the park? I told you guys she went to some of the best events.

  


Here she is again up on the dance floor having a good time.

I would like everyone to start taking your camera with you take pictures when you can and build memories. Some day memories will be the only thing that your family has left. This is a wonderful gift Aintee Connie left so that I can share. There is more to come. You may see yourself in the next set.

If you have a favorite picture of Aintee Connie that you would like to share please email it to me at Conniespurse@gmail.com.

 

Until next time here is a stepper song one of Aintee's favorite dances to do when she went out. It goes with today's topic of taking pictures and building memories.

 

R. KELLY-PAUSE FLASH









Thank You For Being A Friend

Welcome Back to "Connie's Purse"...In Today's purse I want to discuss "Friendship"

Friend-One attached to another by affection or esteem; a person who you like and enjoy being with.

Friendship-the state of being friends the quality or state of being friendly.

I listed the definitions of friend and friendship because I want you to think about the question: are you being the best friend that you can be?

When we see the word “friend” most people can immediately associate the word with their favorite friend’s face, or maybe even a few names may come to mind.

Everyone has or has had a best friend at some point in their life, but there is nothing wrong with simply being a friend.

When I think of the word friend I think of a person that I love and care for, and someone that I will do anything that I can to help them.  A friend is a good listener, someone I can confide in and a provider of unconditional love. A friend is not a judge of my character; she is someone ready and willing to offer sound advice. A friend trusts me enough to take only advice that I need to help me through my situation.

Aintee Connie was a friend to many, but she was a very special friend to me.  Sometimes you find friendships in people that you least expect to. She was my aintee/friend and I am sure that it must have been difficult at times to keep the friendship side together, but she managed them both very well.  The advice she would give me really made me look at my situation in a different light. The affection she gave me was like nothing I had experienced before. Aintee made me feel like the sky was the limit and I always knew that she was behind me and believed in everything I did one hundred percent. I learned to try new things from her whether it was food, or a new lipstick color, or a bold color dress; she was a lady that loved color and didn’t mind taking a chance and trying something new. The personality she had was bigger than life and I think some of that rubbed off on me and I Love it. She taught me not to get wrapped up into being or having the title of best friend, but to be just a good friend. She taught me that a good friend uses his or her talents and ability to make a difference in someone’s life. Think about it everyone has learned a valuable lesson from a friend at some point in life good or bad.

When I think about the friend I had in Aintee Connie it brings joy to my heart. It makes me feel blessed to have shared such a special relationship with her. She was the type of friend that you felt comfortable with right away. She could pick up on the sound in my voice and tell what mood I was in immediately. What a friend I had in Aintee, I could tell her anything and my secret was safe. Aintee had a gift when it came to being a friend. People that knew her for a short period of time felt as if she had been a friend for life time.

Let’s all take a lesson from Aintee Connie and be the best friend that we can be. Don’t get caught up in having a title or rank with a person just simply be a friend. Friendship is not a competition; it’s a special relationship that should hold a significant place in your heart and it should be genuine.

Aintee Connie, Thank you for being such a good friend to me. I think this is the relationship that I will miss most.

So, grab your friendship purse, take out your cell phone and call your friend today. Send a text message or an email and thank them for simply being a friend.

Of course, I am going to leave you with a song that remind me of Aintee. Listen to the words of The Golden Girls' Theme Song. It describes Aintee Connie perfectly.

GOLDEN GIRLS THEME SONG

Spread The Love, Keep Your Heart Healthy

In Today’s Purse….

I would like to wish you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

I would also like to remind everyone that it’s American Heart month. Since Aintee Connie passed away of a heart attack I would like to encourage everyone to check up on your heart and keep your heart healthy.

What is a Heart Attack?

A Heart attack is a sudden interruption in the heart’s blood supply. Every year more than 1 million Americans have a heart attack. A heart attack doesn’t always end in death.

Heart Attack Symptoms

o   Pain Pressure in the chest

o   Discomfort spreading to the back, jaw, throat, or arm.

o   Nausea, Indigestion, or Heartburn

o   Weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath

o   Rapid or irregular heartbeats

Women don’t always feel chest pain with a heart attack. Women are more likely than men to have heartburn, loss of appetite, tiredness or weakness, coughing, and heart flutters. These symptoms should not be ignored. The longer you postpone treatment, the more damage the heart may sustain.

I have also researched testing that you can have to detect conditions of the heart.

EKG-This test provides information about your heart rhythm and damage to the heart muscle.

Stress Test-This test monitor your EKG, heart rate and blood pressure. Doctors use stress test to evaluate whether there is an adequate supply of blood to the heart muscle.

Chest X-Rays- Can be used to look for heart and lung abnormalities.

Echocardiogram-This test can assess the chambers and valves of your heart and how well your heart muscle and heart valves are working.

If you need further information WEBMD is a great source and my source for information or contact your physician.

Aintee Connie had a big heart and she shared her love every day.

Enjoy this day dedicated to Love. Call, Email or text your loved one and share your love today.

Do me and Aintee Connie a favor? Keep those hearts healthy because we Love You all very much.

I would like to share her loving smile with you.

I Love You and miss you Aintee and I promise to share all the Love I have for you with others.

MUSIQ-LOVE

"Connie Girl"

Welcome Back to "Connie's Purse"

In today's purse we have another guest author, Myia. Myia is a family friend for Minnesota. She would like to share her memories of Aintee with us.

Myia writes...

Missing Connie Girl…

Hello all, my name is Myia and it’s my pleasure to share my thoughts and memories of Connie; a very special woman who I was blessed to know and consider family.  NOT LIKE FAMILY, but family. I lovingly referred to her as “Connie Girl”. I may not have been biologically related to Connie, but yet Connie was family in every sense of the word. Connie truly touched the hearts of all that knew her.

There are many things I could say or express about Connie and her loving spirit, but what I’d like to share with you today is how Connie comforted me in my time of need. I believe God places Angels in our life for a certain reason; nothing is by chance nor a mistake when it comes to God. I know this for certain as I reflect back on the important role she played in my life just before her passing.

You see, Connie was in a group of family and friends that went on a cruise to celebrate Ernestine’s 60^th birthday. Connie came along with my husband and I less than 2 weeks before her passing. As you all know Connie loved to travel!!!! All you had to do was mention a trip or an event, and Connie Girl was there, every time. She didn’t miss out on anything and I’m so very thankful for it, because little would I know about how I would come to rely on Connie during this cruise.

Tragically my husband DuWayne suffered a heart attack on the 4^th day of the cruise. But God is good and he provided me with the people he knew I would need to see me through what ended up being a horrible ordeal. He knew and appointed my support system long before any of us stepped foot on that cruise ship. My husband ending up spending 4 days in the intensive care unit at one of the Island Hospitals. When I learned he was being admitted to the Island Hospital and & that we could not remain on the ship, I literally went into shock and immediate panic. But Connie jumped right into action and said, “Come on y’all we have to go help Myia get packed up”. As Connie consoled and reassured me my husband would be OK, she also lead everyone else in packing up and & praying too. I see now that God had appointed Connie as My Angel in time of need.

Although Connie and & the group had to continue the cruise without us, from that point on Connie kept in constant contact with me. To show you how God works, out of 8 people, Connie was the only one with a working cell phone!!!!

I remember being in the hospital at my husband’s bedside in total disbelief of what had happened and even more frightened of what lied ahead. I didn’t want my husband to see how upset I was, because the doctors Dr’s had made it clear of the importance of keeping him calm to not further damage his heart. So I got up and went into the bathroom and just dropped to me knees and began to pray & cry. I said “Lord I need you now, I trust and & rely on you and know you said you would never leave me nor forsake me. Please just send me a sign that everything is going to be OK”.

  I wiped my tears away and tried to gather myself before heading back in with my husband. I walked through the door to hear the nurse say “yes, she’s right here. Hang on,” then she passed me the phone. Sure enough it was Connie girl. She called me at the hospital, she called me at the hotel, and she helped put me in touch with our travel agent. She called me at the airport in St. Marteen; she called me at the airport in Miami. She was the first one to call me the morning we arrived home.

She was once again checking in to not only make sure we had arrived safely, but to tell me to make sure Duwayne went to the doctor right away. She continued in her Connie fashion, after listening to me say that all the stress had taken a toll on me and that I wasn’t feeling well.  She told me “now Myia you have to take care of yourself. You’ve been through a lot too, so you make sure to get into the Doctor as well”. I will NEVER FORGET all the love and care Connie gave to me in my time of need. She was truly a gift from God. I miss her dearly, but I know she has been fully restored and smiles down on us from above. 

Everyday I see her smiling face on my screen saver and say to myself

 “Hey Connie Girl”...

We love & miss you Connie - DuWayne & Myia

Myia-
Thank you for writing this beautiful entry. It really touch my heart to know that Aintee touched your lives in such a way that you will never forget. Your story is a reminder to us all that GOD is in control and he will send you exactly what you need, when you need it.
Thank You Myia

Readers/Followers-
I have never met Myia personally. She emailed me when I posted my first blog entry just one week ago. She now sends me daily msgs and we even exchange emails. GOD is in control and I am so glad to now have Myia in my life. Aintee you are still watching over us and we love you.

I leave you with this powerful song because we all have a "Need You Now" moment and I need you now!

I NEED YOU NOW-SMOKEY NORFUL