WORLD WIDE

Courtney and I have been dreaming, praying, and studying about an upcoming trip we'd like to take at the end of this year. We have a heart for hurting people and want to use our jobs / talents / time / and gifts to make a difference. We feel like we're supposta live abroad in a missional setting but don't know exactly where to go, so here's the idea:

We'd purchase two "around the world" plane tickets and take 6 months or so to visit every agency, relief organization, and missionary we know of around the globe. We'd do this to A) Get a first hand look at the their work and narrow down where we need to go, and B) Really find out what it takes to live a life of sacrifice in a foreign land. We'd go to be "learners" and "helpers" as we figure out the details on where we might end up someday. A great man I respect once said "Starting the process clarifies the calling"...so we're ganna be active in figuring out our calling in life. Tell us your thoughts...

Take the Good with the Bad

First off, I have to say that my wife is freaking amazing! If last years dogsledding wasn't enough, this year in celebration of my b-day, Courtney surprised me with a snowmobiling trip with our friends Randy & Kristin (and "Dakota Blue" who is in Kristin's belly). The day started off as being a complete disaster but ended perfectly! To start things off, we couldn't find where to go, we got our vehicle stuck in several different ways, I ripped my pants :( we couldn't get the sleds to start and then once we actually got going on the sleds we got TRAPPED 5 miles back in the woods (we've been getting an unreal amount of snow in Central Oregon and everything was just powder...which makes for hard snowmobiling). After the first several hours of mishaps, the day started looking up and we actually started having WAY TOO MUCH FUN rallying around the mountains! It was such an adventure! Thanks Court!

Web: Allstate Materials

Client: Allstate Materials. We just completed a kickin' Dynamic Flash website for a company in southern California. It's up and running! View it at: www.allstatematerials.com

Oregon Coast Trip

Courtney and I spent the long weekend at the burrly and frigid (but very beautiful) Oregon Coast. We camped at a "secret spot" overlooking the ocean near Canon Beach. We met up with our amazing friends THE BUTLERS! We met them while living on Maui and now they moved to Oregon! Casey's originally from Oregon but his wife, Mele, is a Tongan from Maui...both truly amazing people that we love spending time with! They are inspirational to us! Casey and I were able to test our manhood and get in water for some surfing. Needles to say, it was amazingly cold! What do you expect when it's January. Water temp was 49 and air temp was mid 30's! We could only last about an hour...but it was such an adventure!

GearUp Club

I had the privilege to start from the ground UP for this client. Everything from branding, to print, to web, and even commercial television spots. www.gearupclub.com

Catch Up!

Here's a quick snip at what weve been up to lately...

A) Here's a pic of our new place we moved into. We love it! It's old and quarky but fits us to the "T"...it's on 2.5 acres of Pine Trees (feels like we live in the country), but it's still in the center of town...a perfect combo for us!

B) We've been non-stop social for the past couple weeks and it doesn't look like its letting up. In the past 2 weeks we've hung out with 3 different sets of people from Maui...so fun! The picture above is of our dear friends Dave & Sally (getting married this summer on the island...HURRAY!), we took them to a SOAKING POOL here in Bend. It's been so good to see everyone and catch up!

Kip+Kristin

Over the weekend Courtney and I shot the wedding of Kip & Kristin Jones...beautiful couple!!! We love these two! Here's a few of our favorites! See more at Gary's Website under PROOFING!

TCA

The Classical Academies is as ongoing client that I design for. They are based out of southern California, but I get to do monthly projects for them from my office here in Bend. Technology is amazing isn't it! My biggest clients that I work for are thousands of miles away from me. TCA is full of amazing people and they are my favorite client!

Happy New Year!

Well folks, here's to good ole 2007! This next year should be a goody!

DECEMBER-vol2

Christmas day was perfect! We celebrated with just us that morning, and then went sledding with Tom & Jess in the afternoon! Later that day we went down to southern Oregon to celebrate with Gary's side of the family! It didn't stop snowing for the 5 days we were there! So naturally we spend a lot of time in the snow...sledding and snowboarding!

DECEMBER-vol1

Well, A LOT has happened in the month of December. We moved (again), and LOVE LOVE LOVE our new place! It's on 2.5 acres of mature Pine Trees located in the Old Mill District of Bend... a little "country oasis" in the heart of the city! We ALSO flew down to SoCal before Christmas to see the Keating Fam! It was filled with great company, delicious food, a crazy-fun wedding and plenty of days at the beach! The picture on the left probably needs explaining, so here it goes: All of our friends make fun of the way I (gary) surf. They say I always have a "barrel stance" regardless if there is a barrel or not. So I caught this wave and made a little picture to send to all of them...proving that I DO INDEED always have a barrel stance...for good reason though...b/c I'm all about the barrel!

COMMUNITY

Here's a quick pic of our community group (minus 2 couples) that meet every Tuesday at our place..and no Courtney is not prego (she's just standing next to one of our friends that is). They're basically our FAVORITE people in Bend! It's crazy the amount of young people that move here, it's a really fun "breed" of people that WANT to BE here, as opposed to being FORCED or STUCK here! It creates kind of an unstable lifestyle living in such a privileged place, but it's all about the ADVENTURE! We just feel blessed to have so many like-minded people that we can share and experience this stage of life with!

Need Some Branding?

A brand is not just a logo, It's who you are and how you do business. Brand Development & Strategy is my passion. My job as a designer is to make sure your company accurately communicates who it is from the start to finish! It's about consistancy in the look and feel of your business. Choose any style and I will make it your brand! Check out my competitive price structures and my portfolio of work at www.garyachristenson.com

Engagement Shoot

Last night we had a photog session downtown with the BEAUTIFUL Kip & Kristin...check 'em out under "wedding & engagement" on ye ole website! We're honored to announce that we'll be shooting their wedding in Jan!!!

Our Fake Life

We're crazy blessed! We moved into a house that we've been "house-sitting" until it sells for a family from our church. With the housing market being so lame we thought it'd be a while until it sells, but it looks like it will be a short stay...but that's expected (it's a beautiful home)...I guess we were hoping for a few months to live in what we've title "The Fake House", but it's out of our hands! At least for a month or so we've lived the dream :) Now back to reality and back to small-ass rentals! :)

Miller Family

On Saturday we did a Christmas shoot with TEAM MILLER! They are an awesome couple here in Bend with a new(ish) baby named Isaac...freekin' cute!

*New* Website

CHECK OUT THE *NEW* WEBSITE!!!

www.garyachristenson.com

It's Not About You

Courtney just got done pouring herself into a 3 week human rights series here at Antioch. She's the new Director of Compassion & Advocacy for the church. It's been difficult to describe all the emotions we are feeling for the hurting people in this world. It started a few months back with feelings of anger when we were "slapped in the face" with these issues, and now that anger and outrage has moved to action. We are devoting our life to these issues of injustice! In fact, an issue of trafficking is happening here in Bend right now! Courtney's been in contact with the russian lady and is moving forward with freeing her daughter! We'll see what other dominose begin to fall from the introduction of these topics. We're stoked to be a part of a church that actually addresses issues such as modern day trafficking, slavery, and violence against women...these are TRUTHS that are happening right now! We can't continue to ignore it! Listen to some of the discussions on Antioch's Podcast!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY US!!!

It's been ONE whole year of marriage and I can't believe it's already come and pass. Now it's on to YEAR TWO and many many more! We celebrated our anniversary up at Crater Lake. If you haven't been, you really need to check this place out. It was breathtaking! We stayed in the old (1920's) lodge Saturday night, and the next day we actually hiked from the crest of the rim to the lake shore...the water is just as beautiful down there as it viewing it from the rim. In one of the above photos you can see the view from our window...A-freeking-mazing!

Catalyst Conference

I just returned from a conference called Catalyst in Atlanta, GA. It was basically mind-blowing! I went with some of the Antioch Staff (Kendall, Brandon, Kim) and my bro-heem Anthony from Oasis. It was 3 intense days of speakers, music and workshops...oh, and actually, I was a part of breaking 2 Guinness world records. That was cool! But the best part was a speaker named Francis Chan...he spits truth! Here's a link to the conference: http://www.catalystspace.com/

Best "gary" quote of the trip:
"Can you believe that it's DOUBLE DIGITS in Oregon right now" (in reaction to the sweltering heat and humidity of Atlanta, while it was snowing in Oregon)...I meant for it to sound colder than it actually was...guess you had to be there.