The heart.

Happy Sunday ... So thankful for a heart full of love, memories and hope.

The Travis Lichfield Award

My brother, Travis, was a great runner! He was fast and held the school records in Cross Country and Track. Sadly, the summer before his Senior year, he died in a car accident.

Our Cross Country Coach, Mr. Mills, created the Travis Lichfield Award in his honor. It is awarded to one Richland High School Bomber runner at the end of the Cross Country season.

My brother died 26 years ago. Touching to know that his award lives on today ...

Congrats to Richland High School, Bomber Runner - Lindsey Bradley for winning the 4A State Cross Country race and for earning the Travis Lichfield award.

Run on ...

Be the happy one!

Happiness matters.

Share your smile, your positive energy and your can-do attitude.
Be a bright spot! :)

Where there is faith, miracles happen.

Where there is hope, there is faith. Where there is faith, miracles happen.

5 Tips for Living a More Positive Life!

There are two kinds of energy in the world. One is the positive kind and the other is negative.

We have a choice every moment about the kind of energy we will allow in and the kind we with allow out.

We've all experienced both energy types. I personally, choose the positive kind!

Below are 5 tips to living with more positive energy -

1. Forget about Yourself.
When we focus on others and how we can reach out to make a difference, we invite positive energy and vibes in. When our focus is inward and all about our self - it tends to go negative and turn into a 'woe is me - pity party'.

2. Surround Yourself with People who make you Glad you are Alive. Energy is contagious - choose to be around people who support, lift and love you. These are the people who remind you daily that you matter and that life is a beautiful adventure.

3. Pray. Never underestimate the power of a prayer. Ask for assistance in finding and sharing the positive stuff in life. You'll be amazed at the added power a prayer can give you in this quest! Try it anytime, anywhere. Prayer is powerful and positive.

4. Nurture your Spirit with Positive Music and Quotes.
I find music and quotes to be very empowering! Music lifts and inspires and keeps you 'humming' all day. Quotes fill your mind with hope and inspiration! Need a few? Visit my Inspiring Quotes board on Pinterest.

5. Write a Love Letter and Send it.
This is old-school! I'm not talking email, text or voice mail - I'm talking an old fashioned, hand-written letter (with paper and pen). Write something in your own hand and send it off with a stamp via snail mail. I promise, you'll feel positive energy when you drop it off at the Post Office or at your mail box. The other person receiving it will feel the positive vibes too.

Bottom line, if you want more positive energy, forget about yourself and focus on another person! Nurture your spirit and choose very carefully every moment the words you choose to say and the energy you radiate! You have more power than you realize.

What zone are committed to living in?

I'm all about the positive zone. Positive energy invites happiness in!
Join me - it's a good place to be :)

Thankful.

America - Land that I love!

Dear Veterans, 
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
A million thanks from my heart to yours.

Please know you are loved and appreciated.

Sincerely,
Wendy

The Soundtrack of My Life ...

'The Soundtrack of my Life' by Donny Osmond

(Released to celebrate his 50 years in show business)

The title of this new album caught my attention as did TWO of the tracks ... 

The Long and Winding Road and Your Song - a couple of my favorite songs.

I like the cover - very classy! Also, I think it's really cool that to celebrate his 50th anniversary, he chose to tell stories from his life and combine them with a song! 

His project made me think about the influence of music in my life and if I had a soundtrack ... what songs would be on it?

Here it goes - The Soundtrack of my Life ...

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

Drive - The Cars

Take My Breath Away - Berlin

The Chair - George Strait
I Can't Tell you Why - The Eagles
Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton

Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Willie Nelson
How Great Thou Art - Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill
Superman Can - Tory Christensen

What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong

Someday I might share the 'stories' behind the songs ...

What's your soundtrack?

Radiate.

Positive energy is powerful - radiate your positive vibes!

Go.

We fill the pages.

Life is a book. We fill the pages.

Each day is a page ... each year a chapter.

It's your story.
Write it well ...

Wisdom from Cookie Monster ...

Today me will live in the moment ... unless it's unpleasant in which case me will eat a cookie.
~ Cookie Monster

Chin up, beautiful ...

Chin up. Love that!
Don't let it get to you. Love that too.

This is not always easy. In fact, it's the most difficult thing to do when you feel rejected, belittled or misunderstood.

I've found that when I put my chin up, it reminds me to look up to God. He knows us. He loves us. He never abandons us. He is always there for us. And, He gives us the strength to go on!

Keep moving forward!
Chin up!

A series of small things ...

I love trees. I love how long they can last and grow and withstand ... This quote and image inspired me today. The rings in the tree trunk are supposedly a representation of it's age.

It's true - Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.

Stand tall. Keep moving forward and be amazed at the power of the small and simple things that you do each day ...

The little things add up and become GREAT and worthwhile.

Like a beautiful tree.

A little Monday reminder ...

Let it go ....

Happy Halloween!

 I'll get you my pretty!

My Husband AKA - Johnny Cash

June Carter and Johnny Cash ... We walk the line!

Cat Woman ...

 Groovy!

Cute beyond words ...

Spiderman, Superwoman. Basketball player.

Witchy Woman ..

Happy Halloween ... From our family to yours!

As you wish ...

We dress up every year for Halloween! Last night, we chaperoned a youth church dance and went as Princess Buttercup and the Dread Pirate Roberts from the 'Princess Bride'.

Good times!

The best view ...

The best view comes after the hardest climb.

Have you ever thought about why that is? ...

I have. The view is better because you worked so hard to get there. You didn't quit. You persevered. You believed. You learned, you became.

Keep going.

It's worth it.

Did you think to ...

PRAY?

Never underestimate the power of prayer.
You can say one anytime, anywhere.

I know for sure that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.

Invite Him in.

Pray.

I promise, it's one of the most important things you can do every day!

Look again ...

At first glance it may appear too hard.
Look again.
Always look again ...

Amazing how challenges (such as loss, disappointment, struggles and so on) can make us feel weak and like we want to quit. When I feel like things seem 'too hard', I say a prayer and ask Heavenly Father to help me see the challenge with new eyes.

He always helps me look again and see things with a better perspective.

Look. Look again.

Don't quit. Believe and move forward with faith!

A little reminder ...

Hey, you matter.

Remember that.

Be you.

Be happy.

:)

me.

Congratulations!

Photo Moment: Kade's Seminary Graduation

My husband, Tory Christensen, was awarded the Distinguished Assistant Principal of the Year Award.

We are so proud of him and all the ways he makes a difference.

Congratulations!
We love you - Wendy, Kade, Kaleb and Lauren

News Release from the Richland School District

Making a difference ...

I am always in awe at the ability we each have to make a difference! We can make a difference every moment - if we choose. It's the little things that add up over time ... Our choice to smile, to say a kind word, to lift another and to always be our best. Day in and day out - these things matter and contribute to making society better as a whole.

It reminds me of the the starfish poem -

One day an old man was walking down the beach just before dawn.  In the distance he saw a young man picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the sea.  As the old man approached the young man, he asked, "Why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a waste of time?"  The young man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun.  The old man exclaimed, "But there must be thousands of starfish.  How can your efforts make any difference?"  The young man looked down at the starfish in his hand and as he threw it to safety in the sea, he said," It makes a difference to this one!"
At times in our lives, we are all the old man, the young man, or the starfish.  Sometimes, as the old man, we don't see the purpose to actions.  Sometimes, as the young man, we persevere and make a difference.  And sometimes, we are the starfish who just need a little help.

Today, slow down and lift another with your kindness!

Love ...

If your love doesn’t bring you closer to God, it’s not love. If it doesn’t yield the fruits of the spirit – peace, joy, charity, and all those other good things, it’s not love. I believe love is the greatest gift God has given us, and we can’t possess it without Him. Not the kind that lasts, anyway.

~ Jeffrey R. Holland

Read the entire article here.

Find the blessing in everything ...

Train yourself to find the blessing in everything. I like how this quote uses the word 'train' ...
If we want to see the blessings, we need to look for them. And when we look, we find them!

The blessings are everywhere.
Slow down.
See them.
Appreciate them.

Train yourself to always find them.

Avoiding the 'Poison Apples' ...

“I’m working on not letting people with dark energy consume any of my minutes on this earth. . . . What I know for sure is that
 how you spend your time defines who you are.”

~ Oprah Winfrey

Inspiring. I'm working on this too ...
PS: The dark energy is like poison.

Why?

One of my all-time favorite quotes (and movies) ...

Why? Have you ever asked that question?

I believe we all have. Sometimes we find the answers sometimes we don't.

But, we can always learn to pick ourselves up and continue to move forward.

Why?

Because life is too short, beautiful and wonderful to spend it down and defeated.

Up. It matters.

When it rains ...

It's raining this morning. Makes me want to curl up with a book, a big blanket and a mug of hot chocolate.

When it rains, look for rainbows. When it's dark, look for stars.

Great advice - Reminds me that even during 'stormy' times, we can always choose to focus and find the good around us.

Happy Wednesday .... slow down and listen to the rhythm of the falling rain.

Beautiful. Refreshing. Romantic.

007 Family Photo ...

It was a spontaneous moment. Captured another side of us :)

Cheers to the moments that matter and family photos.

Slow down a little ...

One of my all-time favorite speakers is - Dieter F. Uchtdorf. He is a person full of light. Whenever he speaks, I feel peace, love, guidance and inspiration. I am so thankful for the wonderful people in the world who lift us with their lives filled with service, kindness and light!

Today, slow down a little - and see the things that matter most.

When you bump into a wall

Mental strength ... it matters.

Don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it. Go through it. Or work around it.

Great reminders!

Go and DO.

Wednesday Wisdom: Trust God

Trust God and believe in His plan for your life.

It is the best decision.

Period.

Wisdom from Albert Einstein

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again

and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

Today, try something new. Break out of your everyday routine and change things up.

Warning: New doors might await you.

Enter. Enjoy.

'Aliens' in the Desert -

A desert bloom - in pink.

 A hint of yellow ...

 The sun turned us into Aliens ...

The West and it's authentic beauty!

There are days when I wish I lived near more trees. I love trees. Especially pine trees and evergreens.
Alas, we don't live by trees! We live by tumbleweeds, dirt, sagebrush, snakes and creepy desert bugs.

If I focus on all the things that are wrong, I make myself extremely miserable.
(Note to Self: Life is too short and amazing for negativity!)

So I don't focus on what's wrong and/or missing.

Instead, I appreciate the beauty that surrounds me.

Like the blue skies, the nearby farms, the 'desert blooms' and the evening walks I share with my husband. Just last night, we discovered our 'alien forms' and laughed as we imagined ourselves on a Spielberg alien movie scene!
(Note to Self: Enjoy the little moments like these - this is where happiness is!)

Cheers to focus and the things we choose to see and appreciate in life!

Keep calm and sparkle...

Today ... Let your inner Princess shine!

Hello October!

It's a new month.
It's a new day.
It's a new season ...

ENJOY!