Down Came the Blackbird ...

We have a little collection of Nursery Rhymes that we read at night (to our daughter) ... My favorite one to read is "Sing-a-Song of Sixpence" The drama factor with this one is second to none! Try it out loud if you'd like - (read with expression and passion) I add an English accent just for the fun of it!

"The maid was in the garden hanging out the clothes;
Down, Down, Down DOWN came the blackbird and pecked off her NOSE!"

What is my daughter doing while I read this? She's hiding under her blankets to protect her nose from the pesky blackbird (that happens to be my hand) and she's laughing until she can hardly breathe.

Sometimes just to spice the story up I'll change the word nose to toes ....
Cheers to the stories that linger from one generation to another!

How does your nursery rhyme go??? .... :)

The power of LOVE …

Yesterday we had a birthday party for our daughter. It was a simple party filled with people we love! We met at Yellow Park (our children name the parks in our town after whatever color it is) and played pin the crown on the angel, ate cupcakes with white frosting and hot pink sprinkles and enjoyed the perfect weather. As we were setting up for the party, my Mother-in-law handed me a little bag and said:
“This is just a little gift for you!”

Inside was a CD called: "Awake" by Josh Groban....I love his music/voice!

I’ve had it on most of the day … There is one song that just really touched my spirit.
It’s called: “Don’t Give Up (You Are Loved)”

Below are a few of the lyrics -

Don’t give up It’s just the weight of the world When your heart’s heavy, I will lift it for you

Don’t give up Because you want to be heard If silence keeps you, I will break it for you Everybody wants to be understood Well I can hear you Everybody wants to be loved

Don’t give up Because you are loved

That's inspiring!!

The message in that song is powerful and one that I try to express in everything I write and create! I think sometimes we underestimate the power of LOVE and how it gives us wings

to do and become. And helps lift the weight of the world around us ...

This week, slow down and take a moment to appreciate the love that surrounds you.

And pay attention to the love that you radiate ….

(Thanks Gwen – for the beautiful CD)

Look Heart – No Hands …

I had the opportunity to hit our county fair twice this week! The first (1) night, we took our oldest son to see Cheap Trick in concert. I knew two of the songs they played: “I want you to want me” and “The Flame.” It was a loud show with lots of guitar jamming – I was amazed at the display of talent and unique guitars. One of the guitars was shaped like a person and it had legs! Another guitar had 5 necks on it and there are only a few of those in the world …Obviously, this group had a passion for guitars, music and rock & roll! For the record - my ears rang for a couple of hours after the show! It meant a lot to our son, Kade, and I was glad we were able to enjoy the night together.

The second (2) time we went, we took the entire family! The kids loved riding the rides and checking out the animals! We were also able to see Randy Travis in concert and enjoyed hearing him sing his country tunes live!

Cheers to county fairs, carnival rides and the music that fills the air …!

A Celebration featuring legumes…
The National Lentil Festival
Pullman, WA
(August 17 – 18, 2007)

Did you know that there was a national lentil festival? When I first heard of it, I laughed (right out loud). A celebration for beans … how creative! So when my friend, Kami invited me to join her for the legume festival adventure … I couldn’t help but WANT TO GO! I decided a little overnight trip to celebrate the lentils would be a nice change of pace!

So I rented a car (I have an SUV so the small car saved me a bunch on gas money). This little rental was very fun - it only had 4 miles on it … I’ve never driven a car that new – have you?

The drive to the ‘lentil party’ was absolutely beautiful! The scene to the left and right was full on hay fields, red barns and blue skies. I found myself humming “America the Beautiful”… Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain… It’s amazing how different a road trip can be when you’re the only one in the car. I find road trips to be very therapeutic … Lots of time to think! When I was tired of thinking, I had plenty of music to fill my mind. The passenger seat was piled with my favorite CDs. Who did I sing along with? John Cougar Mellencamp, Top Gun Soundtrack, Slaid Cleaves, U2, Moulin Rouge, and Sleepless in Seattle. I knew I had reached Lentil Land when I pulled into Pullman and saw a huge pot and men stirring its contents in the middle of the street!
(Again, I laughed out loud).

Kami and I took her two sons to the Festival (I just had to get a closer look at that big pot) – WOW There was tons of people at this event! I had no idea how excited people could get about lentils! We made our way down the crowded street fair and found the GIANT pot of lentil chili. To my surprise, they were dishing it out for everyone! Did I grab a bowl? Yes. Am I a huge lentil fan now? Yes. Oh there is just something really yummy about that lentil chili … It’s almost like it casts a spell on whomever eats it.
I’m convinced that the lentils have power.

PS - If you ever find yourself in or around Pullman Washington (among the amber waves of grain) and you have the nerve to party with the lentils, please do so! You won’t be sorry…

Cheers to lentils!

Below is a link to the Lentil Festival website:
http://www.lentilfest.com/

John Cougar Mellencamp website:

http://www.mellencamp.com/

(Thank you Kami and family for a very fun lentil weekend!)

2,500 miles (oh what a journey) -

The summer is coming to a close and I feel the need to do a little summer reflecting (right here on the blog!) It’s been one of the best summers we’ve had as a family. We learned a lot together and conquered many fears in order to chase down some dreams! Below are a few of the things we did and learned as we enjoyed the ‘summer miles’!

Road Trips:
We learned that 2,500 miles in the car during one month is a lot! We saw a great deal, met many wonderful people and learned new information about dinosaurs, Lewis & Clark, and the power of the wind and rain by the ocean. We experienced the beauty of nature, the importance of family and we gained a greater appreciation for home and our nice, comfy beds! As part of the travel journeys we took along a map of the United States and hunted for license plates for all 50 states. Each time we found one – we placed a sticker on the state. It was a great activity and we bumped into almost all the states and their license plates!

Wiggling like a fish:
Tory (my husband) recorded his first CD for kids this summer. The release date is September 1st. As a family, we spent time helping at his shows, wiggling like a fish and meeting the people. One very memorable event occurred at the Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho. I don’t think any of us will forget how special it was to be in the children’s playroom with the nurses, parents and children and sing songs about fishes that wiggle, chasing the grumpies away and how much we love ice cream. We gained a greater appreciation for our health and for good Doctors and nurses that care. Our prayers that night included thanks for so many things and a sincere plea for sick children to be miraculously healed …

Stepping into the unknown:
Have you ever let fear keep you from doing something you wanted to try/do? I think all of us have. As a family this was part of our summer – conquering the fears! Whether it was learning to swim, preparing for a TV interview, playing in front of a big crowd, sharing a talent with complete strangers or just asking for help – all of us in one way or another took it on! And we’re glad we did.

Cheers to summer and all the wonderful things we saw, learned and did.

A Bicycle Thing ...

I absolutely love antique shops! I can get lost in them for hours (sometimes I do). I often wish the items could talk and tell us their stories. Can you imagine what the above bike would say?
I can!

Someday, I hope to have an old antique bike and I’ll make sure to put a license plate on it! I wonder if there was a law in the 40’s requiring owners to license their bicycles. I tried to Google it but couldn’t find any specifics on that one. If you know anything about the olden 'bike days' and licenses for bicycles – please let me know.

Cheers to the old stuff that helps us remember the ways things used to be ...

These are the words I know -

This blog entry requires a little participation on your part. Please click on the link below and listen to the song “Words that I know” by Brady Rymer…
http://cdbaby.com/cd/bradyrymer2

{Then read the rest of this note. }

Did you cry when you listened to that song? I did! As a parent, I remember the first time each one of my children said – “Mom”, “Dad” or “I love you”

That song made me do some thinking about the way our lives change as we grow and develop. When we our little our whole word is simple and our vocabulary consists of - Mom, Dad, love, dog, ball, bird, flower and hello.

And then as time goes by – our world changes and in order to keep up with it …. Our words change too. Before you know it we’re saying: mortgage, leave a message, bottom line, super size it, I'm sorry, and send me an email.

This week, pay attention to the words you know and use – amazing how they make up the world around us!!!

What words do you know?!

Slaid Cleaves

Grew up in Maine. Lives in Texas. Writes songs. Makes records.
Travels around. Tries to be good.

{Music Discovery} - We picked up a copy of his CD called: "Unsung" at a used record shop in Boise, Idaho and I became an instant fan! Bring on the folk music ... :)

Check it out -
http://www.slaid.com/

Slaid Cleaves MySpace -
http://www.myspace.com/slaidcleaves
(Listen to "Flowered Dresses") ... Great song!

3-2-1 .... Recording -

Wendy Christensen and Dana Robinson

After the Spotlight taping
August 1, 2007
Spanish Fork, Utah

Being a guest on Spotlight was a very fun experience! I showed up a bit early for the interview and was able to watch the film crew in action.... I have always been fascinated by the TV/production world and enjoyed every last moment! I'm excited to see the interview and will post it on my website as soon as it is available.

Special thanks to Rob & Kathy Lichfield, Kendall Call and my family for their love and support on this adventure!

Thanks also to Confetti Antiques & Books (in Spanish Fork, UT) and to Willow Creek gift shop (in Payson, UT) for carrying my book!

PS - If you happen to be in Utah and see this interview ....
I do hope you'll enjoy it :)!
Remember: YOU and your little moments matter.

A Smile from the Moon :) ...

I just finished making chocolate chip cookies and noticed that the kitchen was extra bright tonight ... So I looked outside and there smiling at me (through my new kitchen window) was the man in the moon! Did I offer him a cookie? YES and if he didn't live so far away, I'm sure he would have joined me for a chat about the universe over a large glass of milk and a plate of cookies. We decided a smile was adequate for now.

Good night Mr. Moon. We'll swap stories some other hot, summer July night ...

The colors that make us who we are ...

Have you ever bumped into something that just talked to your soul? Maybe it was a painting or a greeting card or a beautiful scene in nature... Have you ever really thought about why it mattered to you? The picture above is very calming to me. I feel the colors are a reflection of parts of me.

I have touches of blue, orange and green in my personality and a great deal of red (which to me stands for passion, energy and spunk) ... Perhaps that's why I like this picture so much? It serves as a reminder to like and appreciate all the colors of the 'personality rainbow' that make us who we are! Hooray for all the shades of black, yellow and pink that add to our diverse color palette.

The next time you bump into something that warms your spirit, pay attention - it's there for a reason! Cheers to the colors that make us who we are :)!!

Happy Friday night.

A time to see the SEA ... :)

A Mermaid in the sand ... About to be washed away by the waves

Sandsations! Every year The city of Long Beach holds a sand sculpting contest...
This lady was making a polar bear as part of the event! I had no idea you could make such wonderful things out of sand! It was truly inspiring ...

Statue of Captain William Clark standing next to a sturgeon
Long Beach, WA

North Head Lighthouse ... Long Beach, Washington
(My two sons and I had a tour inside this lighthouse - it was amazing!)

A trip to the ocean …

We just returned from a very eventful, fun trip to the ocean! We were able to run in the waves, sip hot chocolate by the fire, take a tour of a lighthouse, hike, visit an aquarium, walk along the path Lewis & Clark explored and drive across a four mile bridge. It was a vacation full of fun, wonder and appreciation for the outdoors! I do hope this summer has been one of awe and wonder for you and your family … I am so thankful for all the beautiful things there are to see in this world we live in!

Oh the places we can go, things we can see, people we can meet

and stuff we can LEARN!

Cheers to July and all the amazing moments it presented.

Introductions …
{Remember to hold your light high}

Introductions play an important role! Not only in life (person to person stranger to stranger) but on the pages of a book as well. It’s as if the page comes alive and talks to the reader.

Introduction: “Hi it’s nice to meet you’
Reader: “Nice to meet you too!”
Introduction: “Would you like to know more about me?
”Reader: “Yes, that’s why I’m reading you here and now.”
Introduction: “Great! Dive right in and make yourself at home.”

The introduction is often times the part of the book that makes me feel the most emotion. I have cried several times after reading an author’s heartfelt words and sentiments and immediately knew that I HAD to have his or her work of art. This happened when I picked up “Life’s Little Instruction Book” by H. Jackson Brown. The introduction to that book is one of my all time favorites! Five out of five stars in my book…

I can honestly say that writing an introduction to a book is my favorite part of the book. If I can write an introduction, I can write the book.

Below is the introduction I wrote for It’s the Little Moments that Matter – (Now we’re not strangers anymore!!)

Introduction

Are there dust mites in heaven?

Moment – A time or period of success, excellence, satisfaction

Did you know that your house is filled with dust mites? I didn’t realize that until recently. My oldest son came home from school with a Bug Encyclopedia and together (my two sons and I) read through it.

I was horrified when we reached the page about the house dust mites. We discovered that there was no escaping them – It was a ‘dust mite invasion’ discovery!

According to the book, we breathe them in constantly. My sons were so excited by this information, they opened their mouths and inhaled as many of the dust mites as they could! Their excitement was contagious and before I knew it, the three of us were slurping down the dust mites! It was a beautiful moment full of love and laughter! Sometime later, out of the blue (we were driving) my younger son asked me if there were house dust mites in heaven. I told him I didn’t know. I also told him it wouldn’t really matter because in heaven everyone is happy – even if we do share our time and space with millions of dust mites! And he said, “Yeah, just like at our house!”

Later that night as I thought about our dust mite slurping episode, our little hugs, our discussion about heaven and the opportunity I have to be the Mother of three beautiful children, I thanked Heavenly Father for the chance I have to be alive!

And just before I drifted off to sleep, I closed my eyes and thought – Life is full of beautiful moments that really do matter! And WOW … I get to choose what to do with them ALL.
From my heart to yours

This little moment matters -
I hope this book will help you recognize and appreciate the little moments that decorate your life. And then I hope you’ll use your little moments to LIVE, LOVE and CELEBRATE each day!

PS -
In my attempt to hold my light high (You’ll read about that in letter H.) I wrote this book to say – Your life matters, you are worth it, YOU really DO make a difference and mostly – It’s the little moments that matter! So cherish them and enjoy every step of your awesome journey called LIFE!

All my hope and love,
Wendy L. Christensen

© 2004 Wendy L. Christensen
All rights reserved.

{107 degrees}
Cooling off by the pool in Boise, Idaho
(Lauren & Wendy)

We just returned from a very fun and busy trip to Boise, Idaho. It was HOT...

Thank heavens for swimming pools, air conditioners and frosty drinks.

My husband had 4 shows - he sings for kids so we were busy singing and meeting people!
We also attended The Steele Family Reunion and had fun with aunts, uncles and cousins.

Special thank you to all of the following for helping make our adventures in Boise extra special:

Nampa Public Library, Caldwell Public Library, St. Luke's Children's Hospital,
Boise Public Library, and Loree Jolley for taking care of our yard & pets at home!

Feel free to check out the Wiggle Like a Fish blog:
http://wigglemoments.blogspot.com/

{Happy Summertime!}

Testing ... Is the mic on?

I've been invited to be a guest on a TV show called "Spotlight" with Dana Robinson. I'm excited about it and I'll keep you posted with the details. The show is filmed in Spanish Fork, Utah and the interview will be 15 minutes!

I'm hoping to fill the time discussing a few of my favorite topics: dreams, life, people and moments that really matter. :)

Upsetting the spider ecosystem …

Yesterday was a whirlwind! Ever had a day like that? It all started rather early and ended rather late! We had guests for dinner and I felt the need to have everything in order - inside and outside of the house! As I was rushing in with all the groceries to cook up the yummy feast, I noticed that the window well in the front of our house needed some attention. The challenge with this project was ... (drum roll) THE SPIDERS! As I started stirring up the leaves, spiders of all shapes, sizes and colors started dashing and darting everywhere! I was tearing up their ecosystem and it was pure pandemonium. Spiders and I have never been friends and this experience made me loathe them even more …. I have chills just thinking about the hairy, eight eyed creatures! {Ugh} ...

Long story short, the window well is now clean and spider free! I always get a good laugh (at myself) when I reflect on the reasons that cause me to take on the ‘tough stuff’ like spiders in the window wells or making homemade lasagna from scratch … and making sure the bathrooms sparkle.

Now that I really think about it, I think it’s safe to say

that the guests upset MY ecosystem! :)

Cheers to spiders, dinner guests and sparkling mirrors! Did we have a good time? Absolutely and the lasagna was M’M’ Garlic Italian Good!

Note to self: Don’t ever let the leaves pile that high again in the front window well.

{Beautiful}

Today was the longest day of the year. But like many other days, it felt like the shortest.
I was driving home tonight and heard a very great song on the radio. The lyrics jumped out at me and inspired me to share them …

It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like

It's a beautiful day

Don't let it get away …
“Beautiful Day” by U2

PS ...
Don’t let them get away – the beautiful days …!!

U2 Site -
http://www.u2.com/

Fresh squeezed lemonade ...

You know it's summertime when ...

You find the following email in your inbox -

Hi! Just wanted to spread the word that the kids of the 1300 block of Kimball are selling fresh squeezed lemonade and having a bake sale tomorrow with proceeds going to the Tri-Cities Food Bank (we'll also have a box for food donations). We're starting at 10 a.m. at our place--hope to see you there!

**************
Sounds like a fun little party on Kimball Street - I can't wait to join the fun. See you there :) ...
ahhhhhhhh I can already taste the fresh squeezed lemonade!

Cock-a-doodle-doo

Ever had something trigger a funny memory and it caused you to sit down

and have a good think blended with a smile? I had one of those tonight ...

I think I'll call it a 'thinking smiling moment' for short it's a TSM.

This particular TSM has to do with lemon juice, roosters and my Dad.

When I was younger, he loved to hear my brother, Travis, and I

make the sound of a rooster. He thought it was the best thing ever.

So we would practice and show off our cock-a-doodle-doos with

each other. Of course, our Dad always won.

We asked him what his secret was and he told us it was lemon juice.

We wanted to sound like he did with our doodle-doos and decided to

heed his advice. He was more than happy to pour us a glass of lemon juice

and watch us slurp it down and then re-attempt our rooster calls.

Did it help? Go try it and let me know! :)

Cheers to 'Thinking Smiling Moments' ... I love when they hit!

French Vanilla ... My favorite flavor!

Try this yummy Italian Soda Recipe -

OK have you ever had an Italian Soda?? If not ... Please make yourself one. Below is the recipe:

20 ounce glass
1/4 cup of half & half
1/4 cup of your favorite flavor syrup
cubed ice (fill the cup with cubed ice - the more ice the better)
club soda

First - fill the glass with ice.
Next - pour in the syrup then add the half and half
Fill the rest of the glass with club soda.
Stir it all up ... Then top with whip cream.

Ahhhhhhhhh - Cheers to summertime!