my first

It was a big month for Ethan in April. Actually, it has been a big year for him. My first born has taken on many challenges and done a lot of growing.

He had been working on a saving project for some time. He had his eye on the "Big Bad Bow" (when you read it you have to lower your voice and pretend you are the big bad wolf). Nerf has taken over our home since the beginning of the year and true to form Ethan's interest was in the bow/arrow version. He was $1 away from his goal and his shrewd little brother gave him the last dollar. Can you tell he was pleased...


Ethan isn't too fond of losing his teeth. Actually, he enjoys the tooth fairy party ALOT. But, he can't stand having someone mess around in his mouth (which is actually a hobby of his momma's so it creates some tension)...not even himself. His front teeth have been loose since November of last year. One of them was far more out then in...

it took some encouragement from Daddy's magic tooth-pulling washcloth...


And probably most importantly to him...he turned 7 years old (impossible!).
He chose a Wilderness Explorer's Campout (named by Ethan himself) as the way he wanted to celebrate his birthday. Of course, in a 6 year old - soon to be 7 year old - boy's mind, this could involve NO girls! So, he had his cousin, a buddy from church, a buddy from school and his ever present buddy - Owen and the girls took off to Aunt Amy's. Fun was had by all...



Oh, and apparently, when you turn seven you need to start shaving but you still want to take baths.

worth a few minutes

"You probably have a limiting factor in your life that’s holding you back.

A limiting factor may be a habit, a preferred chemical or an attitude that hinders your advancement, your happiness, your future.

Can you think of a creative way to remove the limiting factor from your life?

“Creative thinking may mean simply the realization that there's no particular virtue in doing things the way they always have been done.”
- Dr. Rudolph Flesch,
writing consultant and author of Why Johnny Can't Read

You are your own best teacher. You know where you’re coming from and what you’re all about. You know where the bodies are buried and the names of skeletons in your closet.

You also know the answer to your problem. But you don’t yet know what you know.

How can we get you to realize what you already know? How can we brighten your future?

ANSWER: Interactive journaling.

“I never know what I think about something until I read what I've written on it.”
- William Faulkner, winner of the Nobel Prize

Faulkner was like you and me. We learn our minds when we write our thoughts.

The problem with our century is that we are constantly distracted; “Too much to do, too little time.” Writing dictates a frame of mind we rarely experience today.

Writing moves us from the emotional confusion of right brain, abstract thought*, to the logic and clarity of left brain, analytical thought. This is why we think writing is difficult.Interactive Journaling focuses your thoughts and quiets your mind so you can hear yourself say what you know to be true.

I’m traveling to Carson City, Nevada, to spend a couple of days with Don Kuhl, the grand poobah of Interactive Journaling. I hope to convince Don to craft the Interactive Journaling portion of Dr. Lori Barr’s new class at Wizard Academy, Optimism for Beginners.

Don is CEO of The Change Companies, the publisher of the behavior modification curriculums used by the better rehab programs across America.

Interactive Journaling has turned countless addicts into model citizens. I believe it might also be able to turn pessimists into optimists.

At its heart, Interactive Journaling is a series of written questions that students may answer however they choose. But these answers must be written down.

In this private, inner world of the mind, there’s no one with whom you can argue. There is no authority figure trying to impose his or her will. The only teacher is your own experience. The only voice you hear is yours.

Interactive Journaling facilitates behavior change quietly and affordably. Are there behaviors you would like to see changed in: your employees? your students? your kids? yourself?"

~ Roy Williams

makes me laugh every time

Elyse loves the trampoline. I love being close by when she is on it because her hair always looks like this and it makes me smile!