Every time I go to Time Out for Women I learn so much.


I’m so grateful for that opportunity.

These are a few of the things I learned this most recent time:

–Being the picture-taking-addict that I am, sometimes even I am too spellbound to pull out my camera. Jenny Oaks Baker was there again this time and the way she plays her violin is something I cannot even describe. She is a phenomenal musician. Amidst the jaw-dropping things she performed for us, I think this one was my favorite. (Luckily there’s footage from when she played it at the Stadium of Fire…you HAVE to watch to the end. You will cry.)

–I need to morph myself a tad bit further into being a Tiger Mother. Jenny’s children played, ages 10, 8, and 6 on the violin, piano and cello accordingly. My mom and I sat there mesmerized by them and how Jenny and her husband sat in front of us, heads bobbing up and down to the music hoping those girls would keep the beat and remember all they had memorized.

They did.

They also sat like little angels on the front row for the other speakers.

Yeah, I need to up my game a little bit around here 🙂

–Some people are pretty darn daring. Carmen Rasmussen was not only a finalist for American Idol at age 17 but was also on Fear Factor. Seriously? Anyway, my mom and I snuck down to watch her for the Time Out for Girls event and she was really great…I’m glad Elle gets to meet her in a couple weeks.

–The sky is beautiful.
Oh wait, I already knew that.

–I do not like spare ribs. Tasted my first ones in my whole life and was glad I had missed out on those things so far, and don’t need to go back. But had a fun dinner with all the presenters on Saturday night.

–Good friends shape who you are. Since we used to live in Virginia so many memories flooded back as good friends came out of the woodwork who I have not seen in ages. I am so grateful for all that I learned from them in that stage of life when I had small children plastered to my body 24/7.

One of those dear ones was Heather:
So many good memories with that girl.
Loved catching up with all of them.

–I could go on and on about all the speakers…loved them all. And I could go on and on about the little notes I took in my “inspiration notebook.” But alas, my 15 minutes is up and I have to run.

I will just leave quick with a link to one of the TOFW presenter’s info: Hillary Weeks has a new music CD just released this week. Click here to hear a song from it that made me cry. I love that is shows Stephanie Nielsen and Mariama (one of the most wonderful speakers at TOFW). And I LOVE the end where it shows people with “signs,” I bet inspired by the post I referenced a couple days ago back here.

Hillary is trying to top the Christian music charts with this CD and I hope we can help her 🙂 It is here.

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9 Comments

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this link. I cried- both times I watched it. I had just finished telling my husband about Melody Ross and her story- showing him the word pictures. He had answert gal in his office last night who listened to my fireside " Life is not always as it seems" which is exactly the topic you have been sharing. This gal said she was so grateful to realize that my "Christmas card" beautiful life has also included trials. She lost her Mom while serving an LDS mission. If only we could always remember that everyone has a secret sign- we need to be the angel for another person. God works through us to create miracles.

    I will be buying this album.

  2. You were so wonderful in Richmond. Loved briefly visiting with you and your cute mom. It was one of the best TOFW I have been too (5th event over the years). Loved the car wash story your mom told, so real.

  3. I saw you at this TOFW, which was the first one I've ever attended. I've been reading your blog ever since! I love it and have been so inspired by your blog and by you and your mother's inspiring words at TOFW. Thank you so much! I saw Hilary Weeks video right before reading your post about wearing signs and thought it was so inspired to read them all together. It amazes me how much the Lord loves us to inspire us to be better mothers/wives/friends/daughters, etc. And yes, Jenny Oaks Baker was very inspiring, but I have to say, that your example has left the most lasting impression on me since last weekend. Thank you for being such a great example to all of us!!

  4. I heart Heather too! She's amazing! I've been reading your blog for awhile and was sad to miss seeing you at TOFW. Lots of my friends went and said it was fabulous!

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