The Chicago concert crowd. Chicago was the musical act last night at the fair. I was excited for the show but must admit that without the lead vocals of Peter Cetera - the band was not how I remembered it from the 80s and just - FELL FLAT. (We ended up leaving half way through the show ... I wanted to keep my fond memories of the old Chicago before they were obliterated with the NEW sound.)

The farm animals. Kaleb and Lauren in the barn checking out the creatures!
(ahhh the sounds, the smells, the hay fever) Thank heavens for seasonal allergy meds :)!!

A mystery. How is it that my kids can spin and turn and ride and love it and not get sick??!
(I can hardly survive the Ferris Wheel) :) In fact, I have a hard time watching them on all the crazy rides without getting a 'sickly' stomach.

The end.

And the Christensens had fun at the fair and slept happily all night :) ...

{Chicago at the Fair ...!}
We have a huge county fair here in my neck of the woods and it starts tonight. Will we be there? OH yes! The kids can't wait to ride the rides and eat the yummy food, check out all the cool animals in the barns (and out back-ish areas) and I can't wait to hear Chicago sing on the main stage. Good times :)
I'll post more about this later - stay tuned ...

{DDD}

My Domestic Diva Day ...

- 8/15/08 -

I have always wanted to make my own pickles ... So, I did a little research online to figure out what to do. I ended up making these really ultra yummy sweet refrigerator pickles. It was so easy and OH they are heavenly. I absolutely adore pickles ... ohh la la la la.


The Domestic Diva Day (DDD) started when I spotted this table at a yard sale. I love a good yard sale find :)!! Especially when it is a cool piece of furniture. This piece cost me $10.00 - Yes, I was so pleased. I then took it home and did a little shabby chic magic to it ...

Ta dah - my new furniture ... just the way I like it!

Cheers to homemade pickles and yard sale treasures :)

Ahhhhh LIFE IS GOOD ...

{The BEST}

Wiggles the Fish busting a move on stage in Everett, Washington - August 14, 2008
Silver Lake Park - Acoustic guitar: Tory Christensen, Mandolin: Kaleb Christensen

(Special thanks to the parents and children who joined us for a very fun and beautiful show at the park!) There must have been 250 + kids there - Way to Wiggle Everett!
http://www.wigglelikeafish.com/

My kids and I went to Wenatchee a day before the Wiggle show to visit my cousin, Conley and his wife and children! It was so fun to hang out and enjoy the day together ... Thanks guys!
(Tory was attending an education conference so we met up at my cousin's house!)

En route to the concert, we made a visit to one of my favorite towns - Leavenworth!
It is gorgeous in the summer, winter or fall ... and so romantic.
Photo moment: The kids and I in their favorite shop. We each posed with a fuzzy critter.
I have a turtle...

An old vintage car in Snohomish, Washington. After the show, we stopped in this town for lunch and to check out all the antique shops ...

I ended up talking to the owner of this gorgeous vehicle and he said there are only FIVE left in the world. Apparently, this car was the first Jaguar before it became Jaguar - no wonder I loved it. :) He had just picked this one up in Bellevue Washington a couple of weeks ago. It was a beautiful car!! I wanted to say, "Can I take her for a ride?" :)

~

"I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best."
- Oscar Wilde


That quote seems appropriate for how I feel about the past week - it was the best! :)
Cheers to summer, concerts in the park, family and vintage cars from the past!

The Sound of Silence …

Have you ever really thought about the sound of silence? Here’s how Webster defines silence: absence of any sound or noise; stillness.

I just put my kids to bed (late night for us!) and am sitting here in complete silence. OH it is heavenly… There is something beautiful and calming about a still, silent Sunday night.
(Any night for that matter :) ...

Don’t you find it amazing how silence and stillness can calm the soul and allow it to be filled with answers, direction and peace?

I would add nourishment for the soul to Webster’s definition of silence …

{What we learn with pleasure ... we never forget}

:)

That's me with my son, Kade and daughter Lauren... We're standing next to our 1979 Ford pickup (4-door, 1 ton) - It's a classic. What's the big blue thing??! We call it a FUN ISLAND. And yesterday, we floated a very pretty section of the Columbia River on it! :)

That's where we got in ... (Columbia River)

That's the path that helped us get in :)

That's my husband and our two boys (Kade & Kaleb) walking the fun island to the river. We had such a GREAT time floating together yesterday. I can't think of a better way to spend a HOT Thursday in August - can you? :)

Cheers to rivers and things that float ...!

American Son: A Portrait of John F. Kennedy , Jr.

by Richard Blow

(My current read ...)

I found this book while on a bike ride with my family. We stopped long enough to beat the heat by grabbing lunch at Stone Soup (love that place) and to check out a little corner bookstore. I am really enjoying the writer's style and the 'inside' look at JFK, Jr. He was my age when he died in a plane crash. That is a sobering thought.

What are you reading??!

{What I love about camping ...}

#1 – The bathrooms
(Nothing like an out house in the woods - YIPES)

#2 - The Sleeping Arrangements
We love our tent trailer and use it often in the summer. Its usually quite comfy ..
This last trip, the land was not very even and the trailer sat on a slope/slant. Have you ever moved like an inch worm in a sleeping bag? It's exciting! When I slid to the bottom of the wall, I simply did the 'inch worm' back up to the top. :) Thank heavens my sleeping bag was slippery - made the climb back up easier!

#3 - The creatures found/discovered
(Kaleb found 2 lizards) :)


#4 - The scenery / beauty of nature
I have a story about that island ... I'll tell it another day!


#5 - The best part ... The company!
(Frog hunt in the meadow!)

The above photo is on the hike!
(That's our dog Sadie - she loves the camping trips)

Camping location: White Pass, Washington
Campground: Indian Creek
Water: Rimrock Lake
Number in camping party: 11 /4 adults 7 kids
Mosquito level = HIGH

(bites = too many to count!)

Outcome - Fun!! Can't wait to do it again ... :)

The Re-Onion Family Reunion

We’re making progress …

Do you have phrases you say out loud that help you stay on track and keep you motivated? I have a few of them and sometimes, I forget that I’m using them. They just fill the air …And today I saw first hand how the words we use have an impact on those around us.

My daughter was working on a project and all of a sudden I heard her stop, put down her pen and say (with bold confidence): “We’re making progress!”

I had to smile as I glanced over at her and I replied: “Yes … WE are!”

It was a great little moment. What are we working on you ask??! It has something to do with onions and a trip to Walla Walla Washington....

Stay tuned and I'll blog it about it after our return!!
Thats all for now folks - KEEP making progress!!:)

{Oh la la - the power of a KISS!}

Kissing in the rain
I find this shot ultra romantic ... must be something about the umbrella and huge castle in the background ... !

A kiss at the cafe ...
This shot is beautiful too! "Wait darling I must kiss you right here and now..."

Free kisses from a hero!!
I have always loved this shot :) ... It must have been ultra cool to be on that street that day!

Does anyone else find these posters romantic and a bit charming??! :)

Cheers to the power of a kiss (caught on film)!!

Riverfront Park – Spokane, WA
Located in the heart of Downtown Spokane on the site of Expo '74
(the World's Fair), this urban 100 acre park offers...
Natural beauty of lush green meadows and a cascading river.
Scenic skyride over the Spokane Falls.
Thrilling experiences with the GIANT SCREEN IMAX Theatre.
"Enchanted Forest" mini-golf.
Nostalgic rides on the historic 1909 Looff Carrousel.


PS: If you get the chance ...
Plan a day with your family in Riverfront Park!! Our kids loved it so much they held hands from ride to ride. :)

The power of - ‘What if’ …

Have you ever really spent time thinking about those two words? No? Let’s do a little thought investigation right now. Join me if you’d like!

{The lighter side}
This is when the words ‘what if’ are used in a positive way. For example:
What if I started training for that marathon and found out I was such a fast runner that I qualified for the Olympics with my time and ended up winning the gold?
What if I tried making those orange rolls and discovered my love of baking!
What if I applied for that new job and got it!
What if I wrote one page of that book and couldn’t stop and ended up writing the best love story of all time?
What if I told that stranger in the store how much I appreciated his/her smile …

{You don’t know the power of the dark side …}
This is when we give ‘what if’ the dark power. Ready? We're turning off the lights now.
What if I start training for the marathon and fall and break my leg and never walk again?
What if I make the rolls and I don’t use the yeast right and they blow up in the oven?
What if I apply for a job and the people reading my application laugh at my qualifications?
What if I sit down to write and I have nothing to say so I stop and then when I finally do write, no one finds it interesting?
What if I smile or look at a stranger and he/she throws a head of lettuce at me? And it hits me and I have to go to the ER for a concussion and I don't wake up for 25 years and miss out on the best years of my life?
[Hey ... you in the dark, please flip the lights back on!]

While reading that, did you feel the difference? I find it amazing how much power our words and thoughts have over our actions and life choices. If you find yourself using ‘what if’ this week, please choose the light side. I've learned to make those 2 words work wonders for my life!

What if ... Try it!! :)

Tory Christensen / My singing Superman!!

{--News Flash --}

Last week my husband signed with Tate Music Group!! We are so excited about his next CD and the partnership with TMG. My husband and I created the "Wiggle Like a Fish" idea at the beginning of last year. I am the PR/Publicist for the shows and he does the performing. We did 20 shows last year and had so much fun as a family sharing the music and positive message with families and children all over the Northwest. This next CD will be another collection of FUN!

Feel free to visit the Wiggle Like a Fish website - http://www.wigglelikeafish.com/

PS: There is a "Wiggle" coloring book you can download on the Wiggle site!
The artwork is by my sister, Jennie Stanfield ... Check it out :)

{Mascara}

n. A cosmetic applied to the eyelashes to make them appear darker or longer.

Recommended brand - RIMMEL / Extra Super Lash in black black

This stuff does wonders for the lashes!!

What magical products do you use?!

{How would you like your Bagel?}

Wendy: I'll have a plain bagel please - with sundried tomato cream cheese. Don't toast it.
That will be to go ... Thank you :)!!!

How do you like your bagel?? ....

The drive to the ocean was beautiful … How did we spend the miles? The kids watched a couple of movies, I read and we played ‘name that TV tune.’ My husband had a collection on his ipod of famous TV theme songs (there must have been an option on iTunes called – TV theme songs) b/c I have no idea how he had so many! :) I didn’t grow up on TV (we didn’t have one). So I was thrilled with the ones I did get right – The Flinstones, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan’s Island, The Adams Family and Bewitched. It was wonderful to finally arrive at the ocean. Our sons – Kade & Kaleb couldn’t wait to run in the waves and hunt for crabs. (See photo above).

North Head Lighthouse

North Head Lighthouse – Our entire family went up inside this lighthouse. Viewing the ocean from the top of a lighthouse is beyond words…. If you ever get the chance, take a lighthouse tour!

A sand castle by the sea :) ...

The sand – We had gorgeous weather and soaked up a lot of sun! We played in the sand and hunted for sand dollars. We built a sandcastle and a mermaid on the beach …. It was so relaxing!!

Lauren and Wendy - Hat shopping along the ocean

Hat shops – There are many hat shops along the sea… Its family tradition for us to stop in as many as possible and try on hats!

Cheers to summer and the trips that make them memorable.

{SEA Creatures ...}

I so hope we find some of these on our trip to the ocean! We can hardly wait to run in the salty water, listen to the crashing sound of the waves, fly kites on the sand and hunt for treasures by the sea! :)

We hope to see - seals, whales, starfish, jellyfish, crabs, sea shells, (not so many seagulls) lighthouses, and sunsets on the beach!

{The Flavors of Summer}

Ahhh the taste of summer ... :)

My kids and I just walked in from picking cherries at a friend's house. Don't you just love the flavors of summertime? A few of my favorites are -

Cherries, pink lemonade, vanilla bean ice cream, pasta salad, fresh veggie stir fry, strawberries, peaches, tomatoes from the garden, avocados, and watermelon ...

Special thanks to Carl & Diane Volmer for sharing their cherry tree with us

(Picking cherries at their home has become a beginning of summer family tradition!!)

Happy Summer!!

{A Gorgeous Friday in JUNE}

What's on your list of stuff to do today?? ...

Here's what I've got planned -

Make French Toast for breakfast (done) - MMM that was good!

Take the car in for new tires (done) - just waiting for the 'its ready' come get it call!

Garden/lawn work (to do)

Pack my son up for a scout camp out (in the works) - hmmm might need some batteries for the flashlight :)

Buy a birthday present for my nephew (to do)

Pack my middle son up for a birthday party sleepover tonight (I think he's doing that now?)

Pack my daughter up for a sleepover at Grandma's (she's already done and ready to go:))

Book an event for an author in Boston (need to finalize that)

Go swimming (when it hits 85 degrees out!)

Celebrate my hubby's birthday tonight - with no kids ---- oh la la la!

Cheers to today :)

{Chalk Art Festival}
June 14, 2008

{Dance, Baseball & Tennis}
A few things my kids love -

Wendy and Lauren 2008

Lauren loves to dance!
Lauren takes tap lessons and has a big dance recital this weekend -

last night was the dress rehearsal... Go Lauren! :)

{Double A Little League Champs - 2008}
Oh what a game, what a season! :)

You guessed it - Kaleb loves baseball.

Kaleb with his trophy after the championship game.

Kade loves tennis ...
(We'll be spending some time on the court this summer!)

Cheers to doing what you love and loving what you do :) ...

{Baseball}

Tonight is the championship game for my son's Little League baseball team ... It has been an incredible season and we'll be there cheering!!

PS: As much as I love the game, I have to admit that I'm looking forward to the season winding down. No more washing those white baseball pants and scrubbing out the remains of the slide at second!! :)

Good luck Kaleb, Colby and crew!! And special thanks to Gary and Kathy Christensen for all your dedication to the game and the team ...

Chalk Art Festival 2007

{Chalk Art Festival 2008}
Come add your artstic flare on a square!

Date: Saturday June 14, 2008
Location: Uptown Shopping Center / Richland, WA
Time: 9 am - 2 pm (ish)
You can pre-register at the Octopus Garden or Aunt Franny's Toys -
http://www.auntfrannystoys.com/
http://www.octopusgarden.com/

PS: This is a great event for the entire family! Wear some clothes you don't mind getting dirty, bring some wet wipes (to wash your hands after using the chalk) and your spirit of FUN! :)