Christmas 2008 ...

We had such a wonderful holiday ... :)!!!
We played in the snow, we spent time with family and friends ...
We laughed ... We sang ...
We snuggled by the fire, we ate tooo much yummy food and most of all, we LOVED being together.

{Spend a moment in Bedford Falls ...}
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas ....!!

PS: Life is wonderful :)

The paper Jacob Marley costume ...

Becoming Jacob Marley ...(The ghost in "A Christmas Carol")

{Take 1}

Here's the situation - My son (who is in middle school) announces that he MUST have a Jacob Marley costume for the next day. This costume he informs us will be a major part of his grade. So, we became very busy creating a ghost suit...Yes, we decided to make a paper shirt. Laugh with us please ...! Oh it was comedy central!!! "Ah Mom I can't move my arms in this..."

{Take 2}We turned the one-of-a-kind designer paper shirt into a tank top .... snip snip off with the bulky arms. (stitching - staples). We then added one of Dad's big white dress shirts to the mix!
{Take 3}
Ta dah - Jacob Marley costume!! :)
Please notice the lovely paper chain hanging from the ghost's neck.

Producer notes:
The costume was a HUGE hit ... The teacher was so taken with the creation, she gave him extra credit. (Thank you thank you - bow) ...

Cheers to creative moments at home ... and to Jacob Marley.

It's snowing ... (again)

So grab your coat, boots and mittens and lets go sledding!!! ....

PS - We'll meet back at my place and drink hot chocolate by the fire.

:)

A formula for {MADNESS} :) ...!!

1. Snow ...

2. Holiday Decorations

3. Anticipation combined with imagination and boredom ...

Kaleb came up late last night all dressed up as a creature from his basement bedroom :) ....

4. An ear infection ...
Lauren - finding 'escape' from the madness on Bella Sara (dot) com - !
This is a great site for horse lovers - check it out:
http://www.bellasara.com/

Not pictured: my son, Kade, bundled in winter garb out on the street begging for chocolate chips :) - He wanted me to make cookies last night but we were out of those much needed morsels. End result: no chocolate chips ... we ended up making star shaped sugar cookies. (YUM)

I think its safe to say that last night was a magical, mad night on a cold, December night!!
Oh what do you do when it's cold outside?!

Family ... It's worth FIGHTING for!

So I find myself in the drama section of the local video shop and grab this movie called "Evelyn" starring Pierce Brosnan (I'm a Pierce Brosnan fan) ... Anyhow, my husband and I stayed up late last night watching this gem of a movie - It's fantastic! If you need a good, clean family movie (its PG) grab this one. (Grab a few tissues too... you might need them for the tears of joy that freely fall)!

{Dreams we can SEE from the road}
Photos of real houses with really random curbside appeal ...

Drive by "shooting" #1
(What caught my attention? The big poster of John Wayne in the front window)
I'm guessing visions of John Wayne, cowboys and western saloons dance in their heads at night ... I'm also guessing the song on repeat in this house is - "I wanna be a Cowboy"
(Boys Don't Cry)
Drive by "Shooting" #2 -
(Attention grabber: The Dr. Seuss tree in the front yard)
I'm guessing Thing 1 and Thing 2 live here :) ...
Playlist repeat song at this house: "Shiny Happy People" (REM)

Drive by Shooting #3 -
(Attention grabber: The fake, paper palm trees in the front yard)

Grab your surf board baby ... there are people in this house that wish they could be sun bathing on a beach with a boom box playing "California Girls" by The Beach Boys.

What random stuff do you see as you drive the streets of your town?! It's amazing how funny things are when you really stop and think about it ... or drive by it!

{The no-smile, grumpy old lady drive by encounter}

The following scene is real and continues to happen day after day after day ..

Monday thru Friday, I drive down a certain street at 11:30 AM. I’m heading north. The car that passes me every day at the same place and time is heading south. The lady in the car is anything but happy. And if she is listening to anything my guess is its “Doom & Gloom” radio. You see, every day I see this person. She is older and her face is full of anger and ‘disgruntled with life’ look. It’s possible the topic for today’s “Gloom” show is – how to look angry all the time. Perhaps that is her favorite episode and she has it on repeat? I don’t know. (I secretly wish I could put something else on her radio…) Maybe she could use a little positive re-programming?

You see, I have this desire to see her smile – just once this year. So when I get to the very spot that I know we are going to pass – I look her directly in the eyes and SMILE. (The turtle photo above gives you a glimpse into the north & south daily encounter).

Does it work? No – never.
Will I give up? No - never.

‘Drive by’ stats for 2008 –
Grump Lady : NO SMILES (yet)

PS: There’s hope: 28 days left in 2008 – there’s still time for a miracle…. :)

{John Mayer's Holiday Cake Celebration}

Are you a John Mayer fan?! Me too. That guy can rock, sing and he seems to have a thing for holiday cakes... Check out his blog and see what he's up to. Feel free to get busy in the kitchen and enter the cake making contest!! :) I did!!

http://johnmayer.com/blog

"You think I'm crazy now, but once you apply the last dollop of frosting, or that finishing touch of icing, you'll understand that there's just no hiding from the feeling. I've set up an e-mail address, interfaithcakes@me.com, so that you can show off your own baked goods. I will post the best cakes on my blog, and the one I deem most beautiful will win an autographed signature series Fender Stratocaster guitar." - John Mayer (from his blog)

Cheers to cakes and rock & roll...

:)

{Monday Morning Pitch ...}


My friend Emily Cushing just started a new blog! Please feel free to check it out at - http://www.giveawaytoday.blogspot.com/

This site gives away something free everyday - (Fun stuff!!)

PS - If you choose to sign up/post a comment please say you were referred by Wendy Christensen... Thanks!

:)

Happy Monday!

The night before Thanksgiving ...

Lauren's welcome sign greeted guests at the door ...


We made centerpieces for the tables ...

We enjoyed fun with family ... (That's my sister Katie with her little Lia and my brother Robby)

The house was perfect for a party :) ...

We played a very crazy game called: Wackee Six - Fast hands are a big help with this game!

Kade the darts champ :)!!

So much to be thankful for - it was a wonderful night :)

Thanksgiving Eve Party 2008 ... We'll do it again next year!

{For the love of PIE}

That's my sister Katie giving me a lesson on how to make her yummy potato rolls...
Yup ... I'm going to get this bread making skill down :)!!

Future Pumpkin-Chocolate Cheesecake.
YUM

Wendy, Mom, Erica and Katie
{Pie Queens}

Kaleb and my Dad
With a future pumpkin pie ...! :)

Up Next:
Thanksgiving EVE Party
(My house every year)!!!
Starts at 6 PM

***Tune in for more exciting adventures***

"Twilight" was a great movie! We waited in line for an hour and I couldn't believe the number of people that came out to support/see this movie! The energy (in line) was incredible and I enjoyed the style of this show. The leading man (who is a vampire) has so much inner conflict - do I bite, do I love, do I tell her what I am, do I ...?! Poor thing! I think that's what makes love stories so appealing ... that inner conflict. All the famous love stories have it. Conflict. (Say that outloud - CONFLICT).

I've been bitten by the "Twilight" hype and am going to start reading the books!
Cheers to Stephenie Meyer for writing such a captivating story :) ....

Friday Night Live :) ....

Brought to you by my lovely, red Gateway laptop
Filmed on location.
The Events are real and so am I :)

OH - I'm not a vampire.

The Rainbow Connection

{The Rainbow Connection}

Graduation program ... A ceremony like no other.
The teachers and staff in a row outside the auditorium - Cheering for you Liz!

"The Rainbow Connection"

Tory Christensen - vocals/guitar
Kurt Gustufson - Bass

Reception ...

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

Reflections on a memorable day ----

My husband is a high school counselor. He has been for the last decade. I’ve been amazed over the past 10 years at how many kids he has helped and lives he has touched. I can remember one Halloween he called me from work and told me we would have guests for dinner and for trick-or-treating. It was fun to meet the kids he brought home (a freshman and his little brother) who had just been placed in a foster home and were struggling to make sense of their lives. When the night was over, we packed them an overnight bag – toothbrushes, shampoo, and other things they might need. We hoped that dinner and trick-or-treating and a new toothbrush might make their night a little better. After they left, we said a prayer for them - we say our prayers often for kids at high school.

Our prayers lately have been for a senior named Liz. She is dying of cancer and is not expected to live much longer. I don’t know her personally but have been touched by her courage, positive attitude and passion for life!

Yesterday was her graduation ceremony from high school. The school held a special ceremony just for her. I’ve attended many graduations and this was like no other. I cried really hard – I think everyone there cried. It was an event I’ll never forget. 650 people packed into the high school auditorium full of friends, family, teachers, students and members of the community. It was a very touching celebration.

She asked my husband to sing as part of the event. He surprised her with - “The Rainbow Connection” I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. … Someday we’ll find it the rainbow connection the lovers the dreamers and me.

Liz, thanks for being so brave and for living your life with such courage and grace. I don’t know you personally but I will never forget you. You left your footprints on my heart.
Thanks for being a beautiful rainbow ...

Being green ...

I love Kermit the Frog ... This song always reminds me to love my authentic color/style! Cheers to being green ... :)

{The Fall Fiesta ...}

Trace, glue, cut --- watch out world! Something beautiful is being created :)

A tree by Lauren and Wendy ...

Leaf Science ...

Look Mom ... My leaf! :)


Lauren wearing her leaf crown!
She is the Princess of our forest :) ...

On Friday morning, I was able to attend my daughter's Fall Fiesta ... We made a craft, enjoyed some munchies and toured her classroom. The entire class sang songs for the parents and celebrated fall. Special thanks to her teacher for doing such an amazing job with a classroom of growing, inquisitive and active kids! :)

Cheers to the leaf ...!

{Blowing in the Wind}

Last week I stopped to capture this gorgeous tree on film ... I'm so glad I did because all the leaves have fallen and are now blowing in the wild wind!

Wooosh - there they go!! :)
Cheers to windy days in November

{The WRITE Stuff}

Band of Writers ... Book Beginnings Writer's Group!

At the end of summer, I started a writer's group by posting up an invite on Craigs list ... I found some really fun ladies who wanted to join a group of writers. We meet once a month and share our stuff. It's been so motivating and helpful to have a writing deadline and audience. We've got some great stuff flying off the pages! My latest writing project is inspirational/gift and I'm really excited to get it finished and off to a potential publishing house.

Cheers to writing ... If you'd like more info on how to start your own book beginning group (it's easy and fun) - let me know! We are finding that 6 members is a good managable number. Feel free to visit the author beginning blog for author interviews and writing inspiration:

http://authorbeginnings.blogspot.com/

If you do start a writing group - please let me know and we'll hook you into our website! I'd love to see the book beginnings groups start up all over!

{Art}

Pencil drawing by my son - Kade

"Carry On my artistic son ..."

Colored pencil drawing by Kade ... 11/2008

A rooster standing in a shoe - very creative!

Pencil drawing by my son Kaleb - 11/2008
I love this bird's eye ... :)
Kade and Kaleb - I love you!
I hope you never stop sharing your art and talents with the world ...