{A Galileo Night ...}

In order to see the moon (like you see above)

You need something powerful ...
Maybe like the telescope shown on the beach above??!
(That looks like a fun time - telescope on the beach!!)
Anyhow ...
Tonight's total lunar eclipse has been an awesome wonder indeed!! My youngest son, Kaleb, received a telescope for Christmas and he decided we needed to try it out on tonight's 'moon events' ...

{Lesson Learned}
After many attempts to zoom in on the moon, we decided a little more high-tech scope would be helpful.... Let's just say that the telescopes from Toys R Us are perfect for pretending to be Galileo!

Ahhhhhhhh what a beautiful night. Cheers to the moon and the beauty of the SKY ...

{My new, little niece ...}

Last weekend, THREE of my sisters (and their families) came into town to visit! Katie, recently had a new baby, Lia, and I was able to hold her. I couldn't get enough of that little girl! It was pure heaven to just snuggle with her and listen to her coo .... I love babies!

:)

To all my family.... I love you. I'm so glad we are close and that I get to have so many adorable, sweet, fun nieces and nephews! I thank Heavenly Father everyday for each of you ...
Cheers to family!!

Another Damsel in distress saved ...

(And not by the Fairy God Mother)

When was the last time you received REALLY GREAT Customer Service? I’m talking about the kind of service that makes you want to hang a sign from a hot air balloon and parade it over your city … Can you see it? (Imagine the good year blimp flying around with a banner the size of a football field).

OK I’m guessing you have a good image now in your mind of how happy I was for the help! My poster (hanging from the blimp) would say:
Another Damsel in Distress SAVED! Thank you Les Schwab Tire guys ...

{Moment of Distress ...}
Last Friday night, I had a big construction nail stuck in my back tire and had 3 places to be at once! The tire was almost completely flat .... what do do?

****

{Light bulb Moment ...} Aahhha -
I called the Les Schwab store and instantly, they offered a magical solution! :)

1. They sent a guy to my house to put air in the tire so I could safely drive it to the shop to be fixed. Nice huh? I thought so too.
2. Once at the shop, I only waited 15 minutes for the tire to be repaired.

(Amazing)
3. No bib- idee bob-idee BOO needed....
The charge for all of the above came to the grand total of -

-ZILCH, ZERO, NADA-

(Immediate HERO status for the tire guys ...)

****

Those talented tire experts had my white chariot up to speed in NO TIME...

Ahhhhhhh - Cheers to STELLAR customer service and the heroes at Les Schwab Tires!!

:)

Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight (Live) (Video Version)

On my very first date with my husband, he sang this song to me. I was so smitten :) ... And when we're hanging out - with his guitar I always have him sing this song to me. ahhhhhh the power of a song.

Six happy things :) -

Today has been one of the most wonderful days!! :) I am sitting here thinking about all the great things that happened today and feel the need to share a few -

{ONE} I had such a great time chatting with my sister, Jennie, via phone! I am so thankful for my sisters and the fun, loving relationship we all share... (I have 4 of them)!!

{TWO} I took a walk with my Mom along the River and it was beautiful. I enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine, the conversation and just being outside.

{THREE} My kids got home from school today and ran outside to play together.
They didn't come inside until the sun went down and when they finally
stepped inside, their cheeks were bright red!

{FOUR} We made lots of Valentines today - ahhhhh it felt good to share the love!

{FIVE} This is the first Valentine's holiday in 3 years that I am not working at a rose shop.

As much as I loved the roses and people, its nice to be home this year!

{SIX} Tonight when my daughter went to bed, she said:
"Mom, I love you up to the Moon, over to Mars, off a star, down to the ocean and back."

I said: "I love you that much too!"

***********

Life is good. And then some :)

Cheers to the little moments that matter!

Happy Birthday to Abraham Lincoln

A couple of years ago, I had the wonderful experience of visiting Washington, D.C. One of my favorite parts of the trip, was being able to climb the steps of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial and see the huge statue of him inside. It was a really touching and inspiring moment for me.

Feel free to read some famous Abraham Lincoln quotes –
(Visit the website below)
http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/Lincoln78.html

Make a pouch …. Scatter ants … Attract an Aardvark!
(Try this at home!!)

When was the last time you opened the paper and read something really happy? Has it been a while? It seems the media thrives on sharing the bad news! Papers are filled with - Who killed who, who’s broke, who’s losing, who’s not winning, what’s not happening and well you get the scene. It’s time for some happy print! Don’t you think??!

Yesterday morning, I was reading along in the paper and bumped into this really fun article about a family (that I know) who has a very fun, inspiring tradition involving Valentine’s Day and an aardvark! What a combo huh?

Apparently, all you need to do is make a pouch and this Valentine Aardvark makes his way through the heating ducts or up through the water pipes (his travel habits are not entirely known) but somehow, he finds a way to the happy, homemade pouches.

What happens next? This ant loving creature fills the awaiting pouches with little gifts and/or candy! He’s the Aardvark of love… (Sounds so groovy – should be a song)!!

HEY: What are you waiting for?
Valentine’s Day is just a few days out – get making the pouches already and prepare for the Valentine-Vark of love!!

Want to learn more? Please visit the Valentine Aardvark website –
http://www.valentineaardvark.com/


Here’s my little analysis of the aardvark –
Excellent artwork, I love how his ears are burning… I think they must burn because he hears people talking about him? The sneaky look in his eye is a bit like Zorro and the belt adorned with a little, red heart feels like Mr. Incredible! As for the boots – those are all his! This Aardvark has the makings of a Superhero. He’d make a really great animated character in a PBS children’s series or a full movie done by Pixar. Just my thoughts but I see great things for this aardvark of love. Watch out Gotham City!!

Fighting for a Cause ...

"It is the common task of each generation – and the burden of liberty – to preserve this country, expand its freedoms and renew its spirit so that its noble past is prologue to its glorious future.

Please stand proud today that you fought for a cause greater than yourself, and please continue to fight to preserve our ideals."
~ Mitt Romney

The above excerpt was part of an email I received from Mitt Romney thanking those who believed in him for their support. I was moved by the speech he gave at the Conservative
Political Action Conference (CPAC). Below is a link to the speech (feel free to read it):
http://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/CPAC_Address

****
PS: Today I went to the Caucasus and loved feeling the energy and passion of all those present. My spirit was renewed and it felt as if all present were committed to fighting for a cause bigger than us all :) .... Cheers to America!

On a more personal note ... today is extra special to me b/c it's my Dad's Birthday!
So, Happy Birthday Dad - I love you

:)

This Ad brought to you by: Wendy on a windy, cold and dark February night …

{Advertisement}
A way to convince, manipulate and persuade the buying public that they
MUST have the item or service being flaunted.

Saucony:
The right shoe can truly inspire a runner.

**********
Anybody elese find this funny?! :)

It's late - good night.

I'm off to dream of feet that paint the shoes they LOVE...

{VOTE}

You make a difference - Get out there and let your opinion be heard! :)

Happy Super Tuesday ...

{Style}
- A distinctive quality of orginality, elegance, or flair.

Have you ever stopped to think about the things that make YOU ... you?
This weekend, take a moment and write down the 10 things you love most about yourself.
Then at the very bottom of the list write:
My Authentic Style ...

:)
Cheers to YOU and your elegant flair!! ...

A game of tag …

My little sister tagged me via a blog post and not wanting to be a bad sport, I decided I would play along! The rules are this: Once tagged, you must disclose 6 unknown facts/dreams or habits that others may not know about you. Here goes …

First – I love the song “Year of the Cat” by Al Stewart (1976). It’s a mysterious song and for some odd reason, the music lulls me into complete calmness. I find the lyrics romantic and the piano hypnotic. As for the little bells or chimes that you hear towards the end of the song – ahhhhh love it – so gypsy feeling and so free. If ever I am stressed out or feeling like I’m going to stress out I put this song on and ta dah – serenity. Perhaps, I am part cat and this song on some subliminal level awakens my inner cat-ness? (Please let me know what affect this song has on you) – It is posted beneath this entry via video. Listen, watch, feel and then let me know what happens to your soul!! MEOW …

Second – I love words and their meanings. I find dictionaries intriguing, informative and enlightening. In the song “Year of the Cat” Al sings about patchouli – go look it up! Oh what would we do if Mr. Webster would not have been addicted to words and their meanings?!

Third – One of My favorite hobbies is thinking. Think … I think about the little chimes in the “Cat” song and wonder who thought of adding that to the song? It’s brilliant. My favorite thinking time is at night. The house is all quiet and the remains of the day are still lingering in the air and I get to sort them all out and savor the stuff that mattered and shift out the stuff that didn’t.

Fourth – I love being creative and helping others discover their creative self. I remember as a kid writing a play a week. My sisters and I put on many shows for our parents. The other day we checked out “James and the Giant Peach” (audio reading of the book) and my kids laughed very hard when I told them it was my favorite book as a kid. They got a kick out of knowing I produced and directed the kids in my 3rd grade class to put it on for the other 3rd graders at our school. We would practice at recess! I told them I played the role of the Ladybug (b/c my Mom had sewed me a really cool red and white polka dot shirt). For the record - I was a 70s child with a really talented seamstress mom who made me really cool hip clothes (like jeans with ladybugs). PS: If I ever offer workshops on how to tap into your personal creativity, it will involve a stage, costumes, a script and a show! OH the stuff we can learn when we dare to ACT.

Fifth – I love old school style. I better define that so there is no confusion about what I mean by those three words! Old School Style – Manners, grace and charm. I call it old school because sadly, I see manners grace and charm dying and fading away with each new generation. I love it when men hold the door, carry luggage, tip their hat, stand when a lady comes into a room, fill the car up with gas and treat children with respect . I have two boys and a daughter and I am trying to teach them that OLD SCHOOL is COOL! (The old school applies to women as well :) ... If we don't allow the 'old school to continue' it will die ... And we (us ladies) can be a bit old fashioned in our manners as well! Go ahead, look gorgeous for your man after work, have dinner on the table at 5 pm, wear an apron, make bread if you dare and most of all appreciate the little stuff and the big! Wow - You've tapped into the old fashioned old school gene that lingers from generations before me :) ... Lets not let respect and manners die!!

Lastly – I have a dream to one day give a speech at Central Park in New York City. What would my main message be? Dare to dream, dare to be you and most of all dare to LIVE.

Thanks Erica for the tag - I love you.
Ahhhhh - I’m off to think about words, dreams and cats!!
:)

Al Stewart website:

http://www.alstewart.com/

Al Stewart - Year of the cat

For Immediate Release

Ten Tips to Combat the January Blues

January 22nd has been declared as the most depressing day of the year.
Beat the blues with these simple, happy suggestions -

Boost your energy level with the color red. Dab on some red lipstick, wear red shoes,
add some pizzazz to your suit and wear a red tie to work. Be bold and let red add a
little zest to your step and day.

Sing. Remember how music transformed the Van Trapp family in the “Sound of Music?”
It can happen in your home too! Choose a song and sing it – out loud. Feel the joy
and energy that comes from belting out your favorite tune.

Focus on someone else. When was the last time you did something nice for a friend, family member or complete stranger? Here are a few ideas: say I love you, surprise an elderly neighbor with flowers, and smile at strangers everywhere!

Oh la la - Write a love letter. Share your feelings and let the other person know what you love about him/her. (For an extra romantic flare: handwrite the note and send it via snail mail).

Visit your Public Library. There is always something happening at the library. Stop in and feel the energy! Ask the Librarian to suggest a great book.
Have you ever read Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom?

Volunteer. Offer to help in your child’s classroom, sign up to coach a youth
sports team or volunteer to help clean up a local park.

Eat bell peppers. A magical thing happens when you bite into these crunchy vegetables.
You just feel happy eating them….Try it!

Grab a friend and go for a walk. The fresh air and company does wonders for the
body and soul. Schedule walking dates 3 times a week!

Pray. Ask for help from above when taking on the January blues. The Lord really does send angels, comfort and guidance when we ask.

Be kind to yourself. When feeling down and out, be gentle on yourself and give yourself permission to take a nap, go out to lunch, plan a vacation or watch your favorite old movie.

PS: Today is a good day to live, love, laugh and learn (tomorrow is too)!

Note to the press/media/fellow bloggers -
You have permission to use these “10 Tips” giving credit to:
Wendy Christensen author of: It’s the Little Moments that Matter:
26 simple steps to enrich every moment of your life! http://www.littlemomentsthatmatter.com/

RED … Use it!
(It does wonders for the spirit and soul) ...

{Energize}
v. To give energy to; rouse into activity.

I recently read an interesting article about how colors influence our mood. And was very happy to learn that the color red conjures up feelings of excitement and vitality – go ahead,
work it into your wardrobe when you need a lift.

Favorite red song: “Lady in Red” by Chris De Burgh

Becoming a DOUGHGIRL ...

Remember Benjamin “Bubba” Bufford-Blue from the movie Forrest Gump? He told Forrest he knew everything there was to know about the shrimping business. According to him, this shrimp cooking knowledge had been handed down from generation to generation.

Like Bubba, I come from a long line of cooks. Only my ancestors didn’t know everything there was to know about shrimp… their expertise is in another type of delicacy. It’s called BREAD. My Great Great Grandmother could do anything with bread (the kind made with yeast). And this has been handed down from generation to generation. My Mother is well known for her ability to make rolls, bread, cinnamon rolls, scones, potato rolls, pretzels, and anything else known under the sun that falls under the ‘bread category’. She knows everything there is to know about bread and making it.

Over the past holiday season, I decided to try out my 'bread abilities' ... This was a bold action on my part and I volunteered to make homemade rolls for a big Sunday night dinner
(just before Christmas).

NEWS FLASH:
My bread making attempt turned into comedy central
... the kids and I laughed until we cried!!

Apparently, the 'bread gene' skipped me.

Outcome:
According to the dinner party, the rolls tasted FANTASTIC – They didn’t look real great but they were yummy! Ahhhh - I felt a total sense of accomplishment just for taking it on!! It’s possible that my Grandma and Great Grandma were there in spirit ...
saying: YOU GO BREADGIRL!!

Bottom line:
I don’t know much about the ‘bread making’ business and The Bubba Bread Company is not one I intend to start anytime soon! I’ll leave that for the seasoned bread pros - Like my mom, my aunts, my sisters, and the Puffy Pillsbury doughboy.

Cheers to bread and those who make and bake it…

http://www.pillsbury.com/

A quote that motivates me ...

This quote never goes out of style for me! It inspires day after day, week after week and year after year ... Here we are in 2008 and you know, anything is possible!
Try saying that out loud - Anything is possible.

Feels good! Happy New Year ... :)

2007 is coming to a close ...

Cheers to an incredible year full of love, laughter, learning and moments to cherish!! :)
I recieved the following as part of an email from a dear friend ...

Kiss and hug often. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably.

I plan on doing all 3 in '08 - how about you??!

Happy New Year's EVE ...

(Kiss someone you love at midnight!!)

The end of an email
(Send one with love - It goes a long way!)

How do you end your email messages? Do you close them with - bye, adios, all the best, best, yours, yours faithfully, with love and appreciation, love, thank you, be in touch … maybe you leave the ending statement off or simply sign your name?

I find the end of emails to be so interesting – The way a person ends an email is like a little glimpse into his/her soul or mood at the moment :) ...

Below are a few of my personal closing favorites:
(I added a little commentary so you can glimpse into my reasoning on all this!)
...

Happy Friday!
(Adapt the happy for whatever day it is, happy Monday and so on)
I like using the word happy at the end of anything. I feel this is a way to share happiness…
Just typing the word does wonders. Happy, happy, happy …

Create a GREAT day!
Several years ago, I was an Empowerment Leader/Coach and presented seminars/classes for corporations and private groups. This phrase was very fun to use and share – still is! Get out there people and CREATE something GREAT. Create, create, create ...

May it go well with you!
I used to work for a company called Just Roses and would occasionally be asked to work in one of their shops where the customers spoke very little English and Spanish was the native tongue. My brother, Robby, was fluent in Spanish and I asked him to give me some Spanish lessons to help me better communicate with the rose shoppers. Specifically, I wanted to say something nice to them at the end of our interaction. He taught me to say: May it go well with you (in Spanish) and you wouldn’t believe the smiles that phrase brought each time I said it! (For all I know, I butchered it so bad that I was really telling them to hurry and fly to the moon) but all in all I think we had a little meeting of the minds! And the farwells were happy ...

Lastly, my favorite way to close an email is with one of my favorite words - LOVE.
So few people end anything with that word or emotion – why? Are we afraid the word LOVE
will cause more trouble than good? (Something to think about)

Let’s try in 2008 to share more positive feelings, kinder words and end with MORE LOVE.

We can do this one email at a time … Join me on my quest to ACT with MORE LOVE.

How about this ending:

Happy Friday night - CREATE a splendid Weekend ...
Sending love and always love,
Wendy

:)

PS: Que te vaya bien (kay tay vah-yah bee-ehn)!

Music & Lyrics –
Starring: Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant

Have you seen this show? If so, you’ll recognize the song I posted via You Tube…
It’s the theme of the show and makes its way into the corners of the mind! I can’t get it out!!

Favorite scene: Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore in his apartment recording the demo of the below posted song.

Happy Wednesday!!

Cheers to love, life, movies and the day after Christmas!!
(We’re cleaning and de-junking the house) ...

Making room for all the NEW toys and surprises from Santa and loved ones.