Happy Halloween!!

In today's paper, (Thanks to an article by the Washington Post) ... I learned that the candy we eat says something about who we are. Hmmmmmmm!! My favorite candy is Reese's peanut butter cups. Do you like those too? If so, here's an 'inside scoop' about what this candy says about you and me:

A generous soul. You understand the salty in life, as well as the sweet.

:)

I so hope my kids get a whole lot of those yummy chocolate, peanut butter yummies tonight ... Because I plan on being really generous and giving them to myself to devour ....

Cheers to a the sweet and salty.

Halloween Trick-or-Treat bag Instructions/Ideas ...

meow / cat bag ...
(for my daughter who loves to pretend to be a cat) :)

Ghost bag ... the tombstone says: R.I.P
(for my oldest son who wanted something a little scary)

Pumpkin bag
(for my youngest son who just wanted something happy)

Easy Felt Trick-or-Treat bag -

Supplies needed:
2 felt squares (can be matching colors or different)
Shapes for the bag (ghost, cat, pumpkin …)
Let your kids draw their own shapes ... they love it!
Felt squares for the shapes (I used different colors than the ones for the bag)
Ribbon for handle
Buttons for embellishments
Sewing machine


Step 1:
Cut your desired shape (cat, pumpkin, ghost …) out of the felt pieces that are going to be sewn to the felt that will be the bag. Then hand stitch the shape to the front of the bag. Kids can help with this part!

Sew a button to the front of the bag – for embellishment.

Step 2:
Use a decorative stitch and sew around the sides and bottom of the two felt pieces.
I just sewed them together. Back to back … I like the stitch showing on the front of the bag.

Step 3:
Sew the ribbon to the top of the bag for the handle.

Ta-dah - its spooktacular!!
:)

Created in 2006 by Wendy Christensen & her kids ...!
Feel free to use the idea and have some special Halloween
moments at your home ...

Two quotes for the road ...
(Turtle pace please !)

I recently read an interesting article about frustration. This article was talking about how easy it is for people to get down and out about their business endeavors or other things going on... Have you ever had that? I like to call them 'frustration moments' – sometimes, they hit hard! But do not let them stop you from trying to achieve!!

There is a quote I use that comes in handy with the ‘frustration fits’. I found it in "Life's Little Instruction Book" by H. Jackson Brown:

"Remember that overnight success usually takes about fifteen years."

I like that quote - it helps put things in perspective!

Another quote I like to use is -

"Every step of the journey is the journey"

:)

Cheers to life and the beautiful lessons that come from our day to day moments.
Use them well!!

{Tuesday night movie wrap}

Movie: "Sweet Land" (PG)
Official movie website:
http://www.sweetlandmovie.com/about.htm

Are you looking for a good love story??!
Add "Sweet Land" to your movie queue... You won't be sorry.
I cried, I laughed and I enjoyed every moment of this beautiful film!

The movie starts with the following quote:

"Let us hope we are all proceded
in this world by a love story"

Yeah - the film had me at "Hello".... :)
Ahhh how I love a good love story.

Product of the week...

If you are looking for a way to spice up your dinner tonight - I highly recommend you grab a bottle of Frank's RedHot Chili & Lime sauce. Add it to your salad, steak, grilled chicken or to your favorite Mexican dish! YUM … :)

I give this hot item - 5 stars out of 5.

Dancing with the STARS ...

We needed some 'mood music' in the house tonight so I pulled out our "Monster Mash" CD full of Halloween-ish type songs. I had no idea the songs would have such a powerful impact on our MOOD. :) Before I knew it, the front room turned into a dance studio and we were busting a move, getting our groove out...WOW!


My son, Kaleb, has moves that defy the laws of gravity!! Would you like to have your own Monster Mash night in your house? OK all you need is the following playlist (turn up the volume) and bust a move baby!!!! :)

Monster Mash

(Party Music)

1. Monster Mash
2. Ghostbusters
3. Spooky
4. Bad Moon Rising
5. Macho Man
6. Abracadabra
7. Soul Man
8. Wooly Bully
9. Stayin' Alive
10. Batdance

What 'stars' are you dancing with? :) ...

Saving the Praying Mantis...

I seem to have an internal signal (a beacon perhaps) that sends a flashing light out to praying mantis creatures. They are the only ones that can sense it and are reluctant at first to receive the much needed rescuing - but in the end are grateful (I believe) to have been saved!
It's possible that they pray for my services? :)

In the past month, two praying mantises have taken advantage of my "I can save you signal." The first rescue mission occurred at the grocery store. My daughter and I were on a quick dash to grab a few things for dinner and to our surprise - there in the back of our grocery cart was a big, green praying mantis. It was hanging onto the metal cart with all its might. My daughter and I immediately knew we had a mission. This creature needed to be rescued from the store. As we shopped, the critter would move along the cart assessing the situation. It seemed tempted to jump into the fresh produce section but we assured it would be better off out of the store. At the check out stand, the cashier (who was a guy) said: "Wow, that thing is creepy. You want me to take care of it?" Lauren and I gave him a look from the dark, scary place and replied: "We love these things - we'll make sure it's safe!" Mission Accomplished, we let him go outside on a flower garden. One praying mantis safely rescued. Ahhhhhhhh ...

My second mission happened yesterday. I was making dinner and heard our dog growling outside the back door. I couldn't figure out what she was getting so upset about so I opened the back door and there on the door was a big, brown praying mantis. Sadie (our dog) felt this creature was invading her space... So I got a big stick and took the praying mantis to my rose bushes in the front yard. Another praying mantis saved!

I think I need to get a special badge to wear that says:

Proud to be a praying mantis HERO!

Abracadabra!
Ahhhh the magic of a Cross Country Race –

Have you ever attended a cross country race? If not, you need to go at least once! Last weekend, I was driving through my town and noticed a bunch of school buses and kids in running shoes jogging all over town. This kind of action and school bus invasion could only mean one thing – It was Richland Invite Cross Country weekend! I couldn’t help it – I got all excited like a giddy school girl with a crush on the History teacher. {Remember those days??!}

Anyhow, I dashed home and informed the family that I would be attending that meet the next day. And anyone who wanted to join me could. Were they as excited about it as me… no. But that didn’t squelch my enthusiasm.

My oldest son, Kade, and I ended up on the Cross Country course on Saturday after his soccer game. He was a bit sluggish and wasn’t overly excited about being there. Did this hamper my CC excitement? NO! And after watching the JV boy’s race … my son was very into the entire energy and feel of the event. No way was he leaving until he had seen the big guns run the Varsity race.

The winner of the Varsity boy’s race (3.1 miles) won with a time of 15:06!
This kid was flying and it was inspiring to see him run the miles with such ease and speed.

As Kade and I were walking to the car he asked: “Mom, that was fun I’m glad we did that.”

And with a HUGE smile and a couple of tears running down my face I replied: “Kade, Cross Country running for me helped me become who I am today.”

“I’m going to run Cross Country.” He said.

{Big smiles and more giddy excitement on my end}

I can’t wait to cheer for him and watch him grow and become through the magical experience of being part of a team and feeling the satisfaction that comes from finishing something challenging.

Cheers to the challenges in life – the hills, the finishes, the miles, the wins, the losses and to all the memories!

PS:
The above runner’s tag was from my freshman year in High School. Our Varsity boys and girls team had qualified for the State Meet. It was the last cross country race I saw my brother run. He was the #1 runner at our school. He died the following summer in a car accident … I do hope he finds time to remember all the miles he ran and races he won!!! I reflect on those quite often.

Random Tuesday Musings ...

"No. I don't think I will kiss you-- although you need kissing badly.
That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often--
and by someone who knows how."

–Rhett Butler (Gone with the Wind, 1939)

http://www.reelclassics.com/Audio_Video/Quotes7r/gwtw_gable_kissing.wav

(Click the link to hear the famous Rhett Butler quote ....)

I don't know if it's just me but it seems like those classic movie stars from days long gone
knew how to kiss and sweep a girl off her feet .... !!

Cheers to old movies and kissing - 2 of my favorite things!! :)

Wiggle Like a Fish on YouTube

Footage from our Opening Act for the Nickelodeon LIVE Show - Enjoy the clip and feel free to share it with your friends! Come on - Get up and Wiggle ...

"Stay true to your dreams,
To your heart, to yourself,
Let your own unique voice be your guide.
Stay true to the things
that you care about most,
And you’ll always know joy deep inside."

- Artwork by Wendy Chrstensen 2006 -

Microwave Caramel Popcorn ...

{A Sunday night favorite}

I remember as a teen loving Sunday nights ... My sister, Amy, would always make caramel popcorn in the microwave and we would sit around and eat and laugh and talk. I come from a family of 7 children and I have fond memories of our Sunday night chats together. We talked about school, our teachers, our cross country meets, our dreams, our Saturday night dates, and things we were looking forward to during the upcoming week. I have 4 younger sisters and often, we would tell each other to stay out of our rooms and out of our clothes (That was a big deal back then - NO sneaking off in my clothes - Got it?) Funny to think that that was the BIG issue back then. If I had any of my sisters home/close by tonight, I'd make them a huge batch of caramel popcorn and let them choose anything they wanted out of my closet. :) And I'm sure we would talk all night until sunlight ... What a fun thought!! Amy, Katie, Jennie, Robby & Erica - I love you. I am so thankful we are a family with fun memories that will last forever!

Below is a recipe for Microwave Caramel Popcorn: (YUM) -

INGREDIENTS
4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

DIRECTIONS
Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.
In a 2 quart casserole dish, or other heat-proof glass dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda. Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave, and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over, and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds. Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set. Store in an airtight container.

Cheers to popcorn, brothers and sisters, and Chilly September Sunday nights ... :)

Arts and Entertainment - Friday September 28, 2007



Did you read the Tri-City Herald this morning?
WE did! My husband (Tory Christensen) has two shows this weekend ...

Music & a Movie!
1
The first show is at Smoovies in Richland, WA at 6:30 pm (Friday, September 28, 2007)
Following the music, Madagascar will be playing on the BIG SCREEN - outside!
Bring your blankets and umbrella ...

IMPORTANT NOTE:
(The paper says the concert is at Flat Top Park - it's not).
2
The second show is on Saturday, September 29th, 2007
3:00 pm at Howard Amon Park in Richland, WA
Bring your camera if you want to get a photo with Wiggles the Fish.

Both shows are free and open to the public.

See you this weekend! :)

Check out the Wiggle Like a Fish website:
http://www.wigglelikeafish.com/

Mitt Romney - The Man, His Value, and His Vision

"Mitt Romney: The Man, His Values, and His Vision"
by Lisa Ray Turner and Kimberly Field

From the Publisher -
There aren’t too many people who have earned simultaneous Juris Doctor and MBA degrees from Harvard. Mitt Romney is one of them. But he has always liked the toughest challenges. He first made a name for himself as the brilliant turnaround miracle worker from Bain Capital. And he's the one who turned the debt-ridden, scandal-plagued 2002 Olympics into a marvelous success.

Now he is campaigning to be our next president. He is a staunch advocate of free market economics and a devoted husband and father who believes in traditional values. Can he win? Will voters give him the chance to apply his management proficiency to our federal government?

Authors Lisa Ray Turner and Kimberly Field examine Mitt Romney as a man of incredible ability and driving energy. They examine his history, his policies, his alleged flip-flopping, and particularly the controversy surrounding his religion. As a team, they offer a unique perspective on this last issue: Lisa is LDS (Mormon), and Kim is an evangelical Christian. You’ll find their insights fascinating.

"As a Democrat, I haven't made up my mind yet about the 2008 election - but I do think it's time people got over their prejudices and found out who Mitt Romney really is. Turner and Field's book deals candidly with all the tough questions, and gives you full information so you can make up your own mind. That's something we aren't getting from the national media."—Orson Scott Card, award-winning author of The Ender's Game series

Feel free to check out the Mapletree Publishing Website:
http://www.mapletreepublishing.com/

********
Note to Mitt Bloggers & the Media:If you would like a review copy of this book - please email me at wendy@mapletreepublishing.com ... (I am the Publicist for Mapletree). Please feel free to share your reviews and thoughts about the book via your blog(s) and/or websites.

Thank you.

1973

I was driving along this weekend and a great, new song by James Blunt came on the radio. The tune to this song is ultra catchy and I’ve been humming/singing it all weekend.

... Singing here we go again

Do you want this song stuck in your head too? OK click on the link below and sing along …. (1973 begins playing soon after you enter this site).

http://www.jamesblunt.com/

PS: I think I like this so much b/c it’s the year I was born … That and the song is fantastic!

Cheers to 1973 ladies and gentlemen!

Below are a few fun facts from that year:
#1 Song: “You’re So Vain” … Carly Simon
Popular Movies: Paper Moon, The Last Tango in Paris,
The Sound of Music (reissue) and American Graffiti
Most popular fiction book: "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" ... Richard Bach. (Macmillan)
Most popular nonfiction book: "The Living Bible" ... Kenneth Taylor.
(Doubleday and Tyndale House)
Most popular Television Show: All in the Family (CBS)

PS:
"Johnathan Livingston Seagull" -If you have not read this book (please read it)!!

You can read the entire book via this site:

http://www.lib.ru/RBACH/seagullengl.txt

An exceprt from the book that made Richard Bach ultra famous -

And though he tried to look properly severe for his students, Fletcher Seagull suddenly saw them all as they really were, just for a moment, and he more than liked, he loved what he saw. No limits, Jonathan? he thought, and he smiled.

His race to learn had begun.
1973

**************

Do what you love -

I have this little book called: "What I know for Sure" and it's a collection of columns Oprah wrote for her O Magazine. I absolutely love this little book. It is so inspiring, motivating and thought provoking.... (How could it not be? We're talking about Oprah here).

Anyhow as I dashed out the door this afternoon to run my son to soccer practice, I grabbed this little treasure. It has been a while since I've had time to just get lost in the pages of a book. For me, reading is like taking a vacation! I put a blanket on the grass, let my kids play at the park and just devoured every word. By the time soccer was over, I had finished reading every word of Oprah's collection. I felt totally rejuvenated!

Page 39 was one of my favorite sections - (Below is an excerpt)

Ignoring your passion is like dying a slow death. Your life is speaking to you every day, all the time - and your job is to listen up and find the clues. Passion whispers to you through your feelings, beckoning you toward your highest good. Pay attention to what makes you feel energized, connected, stimulated - what gives you your juice. Do what you love, give it back in the form of service, and you will do more than just succeed. You will triumph.

Cheers to LIVING a life of PASSION and PURPOSE!

"Riding with Joann"
A sitcom - inspired by LIFE!

I do a lot of mailing at this mail stop around the corner. Special thanks to Warren for always being there to help me with the packages! Over the past six months, I’ve been in that mail place at least 25 times to ship CDs, books and other ‘dreams in the makings.’ One day, I was in there to mail off my film treatment to California – so it could get an official Writer’s Guild of the West number assigned to it. As usual, he asked, “What are you up to now?” And as usual I said, “Just chasing down my dreams!”

I was in the mail center today and he asked if my sitcom was being produced. I told him no and asked why he was wondering. He told me heard about a new sitcom on ABC called: “Carpoolers” and hoped it was mine! (For the record: It's not my sitcom).

The working title of the sitcom I wrote is: “Riding with Joann” – the idea was based on true events from my life. When my husband and I were first married, we only had one car. This very nice, kind lady offered to take me to work everyday. Her name is Joann and we carpooled for about a year. I learned a great deal from her and our daily commute!

My sitcom is clean, funny and suitable for audiences looking for good, inspiring, uplifting entertainment (packaged in sitcom form). If you know of a producer who might be interested, please send him/her my way!

The pilot episode is ready to roll … Let me know if you need a film treatment. It’s registered with the WGA (Writers Guild of America, West).

Cheers to our little moments that inspire bigger ones!!!
And to the daily ‘commute’ with its ever changing scenery, challenges and humor ...
:)

Take time for YOU ...

Earlier this year, I was asked to teach a class on raising emotionally healthy children. This was a really great exprience and it caused me to to do some deep thinking and reflection on the importance of our individual emotional needs.

Below are a few of the points I shared:

It’s important that we KNOW ourselves and respect ourselves enough to maintain our ‘emotional foundation’. That way, we have a base to pull from in order to maintain the NEEDS of our children.

Each family unit (no matter how big or small) has NEEDS. And they are like the weather- always changing and not at all predictable! It's important to regulate our own emotions and needs so that we can deal with the emotional storms that arise from day to day.

The following quote helps us realize the importance of needs -
To reach his/her full potential, a person’s physical, mental, emotional,
social and spiritual needs must be met. There is one word in that sentence that jumps out at me. Hopefully it jumps out at you too … it’s the word MUST. In order to reach our full potential, certain NEEDS MUST be met. And emotional stability can be achieved as we meet the needs in the above mentioned areas.

Take a moment now and write down three things you do each day to nurture your own emotional needs. Here’s some examples:

1. Call a friend and talk (social/emotional need).
2. Get outdoors - walk by the river or take a jog (physical need).
3. Say a prayer during the day or read something uplifting (spiritual).

The important thing about that activity, is identifying what needs are not being met and then finding a way to create ways to meet the needs. If this requires the help of another person – please don’t be afraid to ask for their support. Such as your husband, friend or children – kindly encourage them to add a degree of love to your life … maybe by listening, giving you a hug or taking a walk with you. We have families so that we can build emotional security. If you are out of the habit of caring for your own needs/emotions – make it a goal to create time for you. (Even if it is just 5 minutes a day)

As we care for our needs (which often requires those around us) we are better able
to raise emotinally healthy children.

"Let your clarity define you ..."

~ Rob Thomas
(Lyrics from "Little Wonder")

Paper Airplanes ...

There is something very appealing about paper and things we can do with it! I have been fascinated by the art of origami for a long time. I love it when a person can grab a piece of paper and turn it into something magical in a manner of moments. It's a great talent!

I've mastered the jumping frog - it's a big hit with the kids!

Recently, I've been trying to find a good paper airplane folding recipe ...
I bumped into a website called: bestpaperairplane.com and found the below
instructions for folding a Deltry paper airplane!

Let me know if it works for you :) ...

http://www.bestpaperairplane.com/deltry1.html