{Pumpkins by The Christensens}

Beautiful ... Nothing like a bin of potential jack-o-lantern faces at the grocery store! :)

Pumpkin #1 - got it!

Carving the 'love pumpkin' ...

Tory helped Lauren make a very happy face on hers.

Kade and Kaleb working ...

Pumpkin art ... (by us)
Halloween Eve 2008

Where's the phone booth when you need it?!

There are some days (some weeks) when you just have to be SUPER WOMAN ...
The past week has been my chance to really test out my super mom/woman powers!
WOW ...

I used the powers to - create a pirate prisoner costume at midnight ... Arrrrrrrr you ready for the stage matey? (Crew yells - "Aye Captain!")

The powers are still being used to get organized: We're finally moved into our new (temporary for the time) home! Ahhhhh - will the boxes ever end? :)


Ultra super powers needed - to get everyone where they need to be (on time). :) Oh wait, we might need to clear a pathway to the front door!! Let me use my super strength to clear the way ---***(zip zap)*** ok all clear let's move!

I think its time to assemble the rest of the Justice League:) ----

There's just a bit too much for one super hero to do!

Cheers to Super powers :) - Happy Halloween EVE ---- Get spooky with it!!

{Time in a box ...}

I've spent the last 4 days packing ... Below are a few items I found while boxing up my house:

1.

Wendy and Tory Christensen (about 1994)

Seattle,WA -drawing on the pier... Ever had a Character sketch?! :)

We walked away laughing and thinking: "Do we really look like that?"

Check out the hair - classic.

2.

An art collection of us ... Before we had kids. See that middle photo? The one of two gals in green and yellow? That's me and my best friend April - we were part of the high school cross country team! I can't believe I used to run that far that fast :) ...

3.

Mariner Baseball collectables ... We lived in Bellingham, WA in 1995 and made a few trips to the Kingdom to see them "Stay Alive in '95" - it was so magical!
4.
Hmmm - anyone else out there ever keep a Wheeties box? I'll give this one to Kaleb (my little league slugger!)

Cheers to moments from the past and the stuff we just can't throw out!! :)

PS - We're almost done with the big move - I feel like I need to take a vacation!

A cruise to Alaska sounds nice ...

{A Halloween Party}

...

Tonight was our annual church Halloween party! Our entire family gets 'dolled' up for this event ... Check out my kids (photo above: Kaleb (Spiderman), Lauren (Wonder Woman), Kade (Sonics basketball player from a few decades ago) ...FUNNY.


I decided to go as Zorro's lady ... See Zorro below (that's my husband - Tory).

Zorro.... Ohh la la la! My husband is such a GREAT sport - he dresses up with me every year.

I love that about him ...!

"Let's get this party started!" :)

{Nice.}

I've been on the hunt for a laptop bag and discovered this one via http://www.seejanework.com/ ....

Nice huh?! :)

PS: Thanks to Cookie Magazine, I was alerted to the 'See Jane' website. Thank heavens for magazines in the waiting rooms of Doctor's offices. My son, Kade and I have read quite a few magazines during the past couple of weeks. PS - He's on the mend! Yahooo.

For the record I'm a big magazine fan :) I think it would be very cool to be part of a magazine staff - doing something creative!

If you get a chance, pick up a copy of COOKIE magazine - I loved it!

{Wendy's Hodgepodge}

In other words this is a big blogpile ... of stuff from my life! :)

I'd like to introduce you to my sister in law - Kathy ... (:)) She is married to my brother Robby. They paid us a very fun, surprise visit on Saturday night and it was wonderful to chat and 'catch up' ... We've got plans for some future 'girlie' bonding fun! Can't wait :) ---

This is my brother, Robby and his son - Grant. Robby just started medical school and lives about an hour away from us!! We are thrilled to have them close by ... Love you guys!

We spent an exciting Friday night putting a few of our belongings in our storage unit. I secured this storage place earlier in the week and couldn't believe the paperwork required. It took an hour to lock it all down. WOW - you'd think I was buying the space not renting it. It was funny!

Ahhhhh that's my son Kade and his happy smile. He has been sick for almost 2 weeks and it was so good to see some 'life' back in him.

Presently - I call those yummy treats M&M crunchies. OH they are heavenly! I love salt and chocolate together and this is the perfect combo. You simply place a hershey's kiss (I use chocolate and peanut butter ones) on a waffle pretzle bake at 170 degrees for about 4 minutes then press an m&m into the chocolate and cool in the fridge for about 10 minutes. YUMMY. We've got an open house party tonight for my in-laws who are leaving soon to serve a mission for our church. Tonight is their going away party ...

Cheers to the 'mixture' of life!! :)

Happy Monday ----

{Let 'em go}

Photo by Kaleb - One last look at the lizard ... (those are his Dad's hands)

Back to the wild!

Run free little critter --- run!!

Let it go -

Does anyone else out there love the power of Craigslist? :) ... I have a bunch of stuff to post up.
This adorable green chest of drawers has drawer pulls that glow in the dark - light up your kid's room with this one-of-a-kind piece. Oh there's more ... :)

We're in the process of moving and I can't take it all!

Off to let more stuff GO -- Oh it feels good.

:)

Adios stuff and creatures from the wild ....

The art of juggling –

Have you ever been to the circus? I’ve been a couple of times. The last time we went, my kids and I enjoyed a fabulous night at the Toyota Center with box seats (compliments of Charter Media). We received the royal treatment! (One of the perks of being married to a singing man) Anyhow, my favorite act at the circus is the juggler. I love how those guys can keep so many things in the air at one time. It’s amazing – and they make it really exciting and just when you think they are done, they go and add fire to the bowling pins they are throwing and catching –

I love it!

Sometimes on Monday mornings (and other crazy days), I see myself as one of those Circus Jugglers. It helps me keep the madness in check!

Wow! Did you just see that?!

There’s a lizard downstairs running through my laundry – I bet it got out of its cage. (That would be the fire just added to the already manic day)!

Ahhhhhh where’s Kaleb when I need him?
Wendy
The Juggler – signing off ….

{Things that make you go WOW!}

Have you ever stopped to notice the things around you that make you say "WOW!"?

Birthday hugs and wishes for my little sister - Erica! WOW!

I love you!

Driving and seeing the gorgeous colors of fall - WOW!

Tomatoes from the garden in October ... WOW!

Going outside to water my roses and finding a huge praying mantis (WOW!)-- My son, Kaleb, loves bugs and anything that creeps and crawls and he loved letting this new found creature crawl all over him - WOW!

Cheers to the WOWs in life ... :)

Happy October.

{No popcorn needed for this show) :) ---

I recently purchased a gorgeous (red) laptop! I am loving it! This awesome, amazing machine came fully loaded with movie making capabilites. (Major selling point in my book). The above little clip took me one hour ... Yipes! :) Enjoy the 34 second show.

More movies to come!! ...

PS - Please hit pause on my 'mood music' playlist below before watching the clip - otherwise, you may get a headache from the conflicting sounds! :)

Riding With Joann

A sitcom about the adventures of getting to work …
[Sit back and enjoy the ride]

Written by Wendy Christensen
Film Treatment registered with
The Writer’s Guild of America, West
#: 1210048

Synopsis -

“Riding with Joann” is a sitcom about an eccentric woman (in her late 60’s) who refuses to retire. Due to a new law that requires each company in LA to have ONE operating carpool (to help cut down on the carbon monoxide fumes), she is chosen (via a draw from a hat) to be the carpool driver. The fate of the company lies in her hands.

Joann takes this responsibility seriously and does everything in her power to make sure the company carpool is functioning. The audience has no idea where these people work or what they do. The main focus of this show revolves around the route to work! We won’t focus on what happens in the office - but rather on what happens on the journey to the office. I envision this series having an interactive website where viewers can guess what each character does (at work) and the type of company they work for.

********
I have told two producers about this sitcom! One asked for the film treatment and the other received the entire first episode via email. Nothing set up yet... But I have learned volumes from just giving it a try! One of the Producers I met and talked to was - Todd Stevens - Executive Producer of Friends. Meeting him was really fun! I'll have to blog about that sometime!

"You become. It takes a long time.
That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily
or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept ..."

~ The Velveteen Rabbit

I love that quote ...! :)

[Create]

To evoke from one's imagination, as a work of art or an invention.

~ Webster

A sample of my card designs ... :) I am having so much fun with this...

Cheers to imagination and creativity!

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful,
we must carry it with us or we find it not ...

I love bumping into inspiration! Last week, my daughter and I were out running errands and decided to take a little 'simple pleasures detour' ... We ended up at a little gift shop called "Lemon Grass" and we both enjoyed the adventure tremendously!

I am always drawn to the little nooks and corners in the shops where they tend to display their card lines. I could spend hours reading greeting cards and checking out the new, innovative ideas and designs of each card. It's my simple pleasure! I was so inspired by what I saw that I went right home and started designing my own line! :)

I have an appointment next week with a lady who may want to give them a little space in her store. Exciting huh?! I think so ...

Here are a few more of my simple pleasures -
Listening to Frank Sinatra, eating cottage cheese and peaches (with a little salt & pepper), laying awake at night and thinking, writing, reading a good biography, laughing with my kids, munching on salsa and touch of lime tortilla chips, sipping down a French vanilla Italian soda and dancing in the front room, holding hands with my husband, driving with the windows down, singing, and walking by the river.

Its your turn - what are your simple pleasures?!

Feel free to visit the Lemon Grass shop (online): http://www.lemongrassgifts.com/

"Time is not measured by clocks but by moments ..."

Cat Woman and the Singing Spiderman ...

Superheroes UNITE!
Kade (Super Grover), Kaleb (Batman), Lauren (Super Girl), Tory (The Singing Superman), Wendy (Cat Woman) - Hard Back Cafe, September 5th, 2008

Commentary: Friday night was a riot! We had a "Wiggle Like a Fish" show at the Hard Back Cafe and really enjoyed dressing up as Superheroes and busting a move to the Wiggle beat!

{Guess how much I love you? ...}

Wendy and Lauren 2002 - I love you up to the moon and back ...
Lauren on an Easter egg hunt ...
I love you across the river and over the hills and back

Lauren in the snow 2007
I love you to Iceland and back

Lauren first day of Kindergarten 2008
I love you to the bottom of the ocean and back!

Tory, Lauren and Wendy Christmas 2007
I love you to the North Pole and back!

Lauren the tap girl - June 2008
I love you as far as I can reach!

Happy Birthday Lauren ...
Thanks for making my world a beautiful, happy and loving place :)

Love, Mom ...

{Tumbleweed Music Festival 2008}

WE just walked in from a very fun day of folk music and fun down at the park! My husband had a show at 2 pm on the River Stage and then sang again at 5 PM on the West Stage for the songwriting contest. The song was called - "It's a Family Thing" and featured his dad, our son and him. It was really fun to be there and enjoy the day as a family. (No, he didn't win but it felt good to make it that far!)

Cheers to Labor Day ... and dancing fish! :)

In the photo: Kaleb (on mandolin), Wiggles the dancing fish, Tory Christensen on bass and Chris Christensen on guitar.

{Shabby Chic with Rachel Ashwell}

News Flash - Rachel Ashwell has a blog! I love love love her stuff. She inspires me ... Feel free to check it out! :) http://www.shabbychic.com/

Are you a Shabby Chic fan??!

{Back to School Eve and warm fuzzies - }

Warm Fuzzy #1

Warm Fuzzy #2

Not pictured: warm fuzzy #3 ... It was hidden in the backpack :)

Last night was back to school eve. Yes, I dreamed of nicely sharpened pencils, pink erasers and composition notebooks all night! My kids dreamed about new lockers, friends and what to wear.

Before I went to bed, I thought it would be fun to add a little something special to their backpacks. So I put a warm fuzzy on their top zippers hoping they would feel all warm inside when they discovered it was there. My oldest son is in middle school so I just hid his in one of the numerous odd shaped pockets of his backpack. (I thought warm fuzzies might be a bit childish for him??!)

Then I tucked a note in their lunches today saying – Love you! Enjoy the warm fuzzy from home… My oldest son’s note told him to hunt for the fuzzy somewhere in his backpack.

When he got home (my middle school son) he thanked me for the fuzzy and told me it would be cool to have one of those hanging from the zipper. (I just checked, the fuzzy is hanging from the zipper!) Yahoooooooooo !!

PS: Want to send your kids to school with a warm fuzzy?! Here’s how –
Buy some fuzzy, sparkly craft balls (I found mine at Wal*Mart) then simply glue a clear bead (again I found these at Wal*Mart) to the back of each fuzzy ball. Then use a small, thin key chain ring and attach the fuzzy to the backpack zipper.

Ta-dah – love from home!!

{Love is a zero ... :)}

My kids and I went to the park this am to play tennis. We ended up having a little tournament and I got schooled all over the court by the oldest son Kade (he's 12). I beat him ONE time and did a victory dance on the court! I could get into this tennis thing! I need to work on my serve and backhand :) and maybe just maybe the score won't be love - 40 so often!

{A Yodeling Fool ...}

My kids and I went to an outdoor show (under the stars) on Friday night and were totally impressed by Wylie Gustafson and his Wild West band. This guy can yodel ...you've heard him before ... You know the famous yahoo.com yodel that goes - Ya- hoooo? That's him! :)

Wylie is a singing cowboy from Washington and we loved his old (yet modern) western style!
In fact, we are going to learn how to yodel and become yodeling fools :)!!

Cheers to summer concerts in the park under the stars!!

Wylie Gustafson website - http://www.wylieww.com/

{Thursday Actor Spotlight - Gerard Butler}

P.S. I love you - This movie was so touching. I'm a weeper and there was no holding back the tears on this one. I laughed too... which means the film was a favorite! Something wonderful about crying and laughing during the course of a show - cheers to raw emotion!

The Phantom of the Opera - I just discovered last night that the Phantom was played by Gerard Butler - that guy has talent! My Mom and I saw this film at the theater and loved it! After the show, we stopped for hot chocolate and pie so we could chat about the flick. Deep talks about this one!! The music was beyond beautiful and the film was equally as stunning. A while back, I had the soundtrack playing from this movie and both my sons (ages 12 & 10) were in my room in awe. I laughed when they exclaimed: "We want to download that music to our ipod!" - Ahhhh the power of the Phantom!


Nim's Island - My kids and I watched this movie last night. It was a tough sell - here we were in Blockbuster perusing the DVD choices and I grab Nim's Island. My son, Kaleb, was not too thrilled about it. He had his mind set on Batman Begins (he always wants that one - we've seen it many times!) I was not deviating from "Nim's" and told him he could watch the movie with us or go to bed. (Silence.) For the record, its one of our favorite family movies! We loved this film! The animals on the island are so funny and the actors (Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster & Gerard Butler) really make the scenes exciting. If you are looking for a great family movie - grab this one and stick to your choice! The kids will love it - trust me. (PG).