Wednesday, March 31, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #30

Here we are, the last day of the March Madness Journal Challenge.

It's hard to believe the month is coming to an end already. :(

It's been fun, hasn't it?

Today's journal challenge is a self portrait. You can draw yourself, or paint a picture with words - it's up to you.

Then write a few lines about yourself at the beginning of the month when the challenge started, and about today. Have you grown any? changed? discovered anything?

And lastly, don't forget to make a comment on today's post when your finished for a chance to win in tomorrow's drawing for the free journal. :)

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #29

Wow, we're winding down with only one more challenge to go until we finish March!!

Yesterday afternoon I looked out in my backyard and cringed at the family of bunnies that have taken over my back yard. I looked at the gate of my garden and wondered if it hold to keep those critters out of my garden this summer, and remembered the lesson I teach my children most often about sharing....lol...

Today, take out your journals and think abou the last thing you shared with someone. How did it make you feel to share? Did you ever get the thing you shared back or was it a gift you'd rather they didn't return?

What else can you think of today that you could share with others, items, talents, encouragement?

Write it down in your journal.

Monday, March 29, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #28

Spring is in the air! This morning I awoke to the sweet sounds of birds singing and a squirels racing around in our back yard.

Today, carry your journal around with you and capture - whether in words or sketches this beautiful spring day.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge # 27

Our last challenge involved dreaming. Today's challenge goes upon the same theme.

Once upon a time you had a dream of where you were going and what out of life. Maybe you're still dreaming...

Today, write about your greatest passion. If you have a dream job what would it be? why or why not you've persued it...

What are you waiting for? Get going! lol...

Friday, March 26, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #25

As I was preparing to go to bed for the night I realized I had forgotten today's challenge. Not forgotten really, just gotten distracted with a bunch of other things on my list of needing done today.

So, when you wake up tomorrow morning, write the first thing that comes to mind, or retell that dream you just didn't want to wake up from. :)

See you in the morning.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Mach Madness Journal Challenge #25

Fairy Tales and Castles...

If you could be any fairy tale character who or what would it be?

What would you look like?

What is your happy-ever after ending?

Jot it all down in your journal, you're sure to have quite a tale to tell. :)

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #24

A few days ago official marked spring on our calanders. With warmer weather brings thoughts of outside pleasures - taking walks, gardening, landscaping, bike riding, and other types of outdoor activitiy.

Today, pull out your journal. Take a look at your back yard and write a list of a few things you'd like to try to accomplish by the end of summer. Like repositioning that swing set that never got put in the right place, or planting those shurbs you've been wanting.

Write a few little notes and make a plan. Spring is in the air! or at least where you're at I hope. :)

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #23

My husband, Chad, often tells people that he is my biggest fan and my biggest critic.

Over a course of time I've been accumulating other great fans amongst you all. Like my husband, I'm his biggest fan too, and a huge fan of each of my children - I'm always there to encourage them and cheer them on.

Today, pull out your journals, carry them with you, and make sure you have a pen in hand. Where ever you go, be a fan of someone else. Ask people to sign a page inside your journal, and see how many signatures you can collect.

Psst.. MOPS ladies, this is a great way to get the morning going with an icebreaker. :)

Monday, March 22, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #22

This past weekend we did a lot of traveling. We love going to grandma's house to visit. As a kid, I have found memories of my own grandmother, picking berries in the summer, making jam, and playing bingo on monday nights.

Hopefully, my own children are making their own fond memories that they will share someday with their children about their grandmas.

Today, take out your journal and record your own fond memories of one or both of your grandmothers.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #21

I appologize, last evening Chad and I headed out to celebrate Valentine's day with a little bit of TobyMac and Skillet. It was a long night, but full of great music and lots of jumping up and down!!

As this evening ends take some time to go back and reflect on your most memorial Valentine's day. Write it down in your journal.

This may have well become mine.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #19

Today, I'm heading over to my nephews house to lend a hand setting up a nursery. The floor needs finished, and the furniture arranged.

Sometimes we walk into the rooms of our own homes and realize that we're unhappy with the arrangment or daydream of updating and changing things.

Today, open your journal, pick one room in your house and draw a floor plan. Place your furniture, write side notes of wall colors, themes, and things you'd like to do with the room. You can even flip through magazines and paste a few pictures on the opposite page for future reference.

Friday, March 19, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge # 19

There are some things that have come to be expected around my house, things that one would say have become family traditions of late.

On thursday nights, my kids look forward to popcorn and a movie in the evening. On fridays, we have pizza for supper. On Sundays, we have tomato soup and sandwhiches for lunch after church.

These have well become family traditions in our house.

Today, take out your journal. Record your family traditions and make notes on how they got started and how long they've been taking place in your home. Perhaps they've been handed down from another generation?

Thursday, March 18, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge # 18

Yesterday I sat catching up on keeping in contact with old friends and friends who needed a little bit of encouragement for their day.

Today, I urge you to do the same thing, except to yourself. Sometimes we run around on our hetic schedules and forget that we too need a little pat on the shoulder, kind word, or sense of accomplishment.

As you pull out your journals, think about what your best friend would say to you on a day that isn't going so well, and write yourself a letter as if it were coming from that friend.

What would that friend say to encourage you?

Write it in your journal, and if you feel like sharing it here, please do. :)

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #17

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!

Green! Green! Green!!

Green markers, Green Pen, Green Pencils, Green Paper, anything that's green!

Take a page and celebrate the color of Saint Patrick's day! Draw, write, create a collage all in green!

Have fun!

and may the luck of the Irish be with you today. :)

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #16

Remember back when you wrote your name on the first page of your journal?

As a kid, we'd often be encouraged to expand our vocabulary in elementry school by writing our name at the top of a piece of paper and figuring out how many words we could make using those letters from our name. We couldn't make two letter words, the minium was three. It was great fun and the class often shared some words we thought no one else would have on their list.


Today, write your full name at the top of your journal page and see how many different words you can make from the letters of your name. There's no letter count, so "a", "is" and so forth count. :)

It's okay if you fill the page and have to write on the back too!

Come up with any interesting words?

No cheating! no dictionaries or thesarus to help you. :)

Monday, March 15, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #15

Today its Monday, yep the beginning of the week. Mondays have a way of being hetic and choatic in our household. No one wants to get up and go to school around here, they'd like it if monday was still part of the weekend.

Honestly, it gets me all creased in folds....

So today, make 15 creases or folds in your journal page. Trace them with a pen or pencil to outline them. (they may go flat again with closng the journal).

Start with the outer edges of your page and fold and crease any direction you like - do it 15 times.

Have fun. :)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #14

As I sit and finish my morning devotional, I am reminded of God's loving presence in my life.

One of my favorite verses of scripture is:

"Delight in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4)

Today, pull out your journals, take a moment to reflect on this past week, and write down all the things that have brought delight to your heart.

Even if you just have one thing, and I pray you find at least one, record it in your journal.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #13

It's family fun day again! What better way to engage in family fun than playing games. Unlike last week's journal game challenge, instead of keeping score in your journal - your going to play games right inside your journal.

Find a family member or friend and engage in some good old fashion TIC TAC TOE on a journal page.

Have fun!!

Friday, March 12, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #12

Being a stay at home mother, wife, and active person, I can easily think of a dozen things I need to do today, tomorrow, and most days of the week.

Today, open up to a new page in your journal and list all the things you need to do today. Yep, today is the day your make your "to-do" list in your journal.

Are there twelve things? or perhaps you have less. It doesn't matter.

Now use your journal today to accomplish those things on your list and cross them off as the day goes on.

I know one thing I can alreay cross off, I wrote my to-do list!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #11

This week my son has been learning about famous artist at his preschool. Today, they are learning about Jackson Pollock, an American painter and major figure in the abstract expressionest movement. 

So, in honor of Jackson Pollock, let's open up our journals and create a piece of artwork all our own.

Make sure you give yourself plenty of space, two full pages side by side, don't worry if it means skipping a page in your journal.

Take out paint, markers, crayons, pencils, chalk, or any other art supplies you may have around the house. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Close your eyes if you want to, but scribble, splatter, smear, and draw abstract shapes on your pages.

Make sure when you're finished to leave the pages open until they are dry, especially if you used paint. (you may want to place wax paper beneath your sheets if using paint, otherwise the paint will go through paper and stick to other pages.)

Presto!
Your own Jackson Pollock!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #10

I'm always reading articles on "10 thing" that are most popular, trendy, or rankings.

 Today, open up the next page in your journal and number it one to ten. You're going to make your own "ten list".

Today, list 10 nice things you can do for someone else by the end of the month and write them in your journal.  :)

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #9

They say a cat has nine lives. Being curious creatures, cats often times get themselves in trouble- alot. Perhaps it is because of their curious nature that they are consitantly being given another chance to correct their wrong doings.

There's a tv show on NBC where a man named Earl has a list of people he's done wrong by and goes about fixing and making things right, after coming home from prision.

Today, your conscious is your prision.

Make a list of nine things, people, or instances where you've done wrong and have yet to make them right.

Beside each of those things write how and if you ever intended to "fix" those wrong doings.

You may just have more in common with a cat than you realize. Nine lives?

Monday, March 8, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #8

The one part of the Sunday paper that should never be wasted are the comics.

Today, after you're sure everyone is done with that section of the paper, cut out comic strips and blocks of comics to create a collage on your journal page.

You can use glue or tape to attach your comics.

Then using colored pencils, markers, highlighters, or crayons. Color in one thing on each block of the comic strips.

Somewhere on the page write these words: TEEHEE, LOL, ROFL, HAHA.

Next time you're filling blue, flip to this page for a smile.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #7

And on the seventh day, God rested.

So shall you. For the past six days you've been working hard on your journal pages, cutting, coloring, pasting, and engaging in activity.

You deserve a rest.  So sit back, read a good book, and indulge in your favorite drink. Oh, don't forget to use a coaster today. Your journal makes a great coaster too!

When ever you sit your drink down, be sure your journal is beneath it. Whether you are sitting your mug of coffee or tea on top journal cover or atop one of the pages, your goal by the end of the day is to have at least one drink stain somewhere on your journal.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #6

Saturdays are usually a family fun day in my house. We don't worry about changing out of our jammies until way after noon, the kids play, watch cartoons, and engage in sibling riverly.

One of our favorite things to do is play board games. Lately, our facination has been Uno. It's a pretty simple game to play with preschoolers and gradeschool age children.

Today, get out your journal and play a game with friends, children, or your significant other. Use a page in your journal as the score sheet. Except instead of keeping points, list each loser of each game in order.

When your done playing, circle the name or names of the people who did not win any of the games played.

Write 6 postive things about that person(s).

Have fun! Today, your not only creating a new page in your journal, but a new memory to be shared with your family.

Friday, March 5, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #5

On the fifth day my true love brought to me: Five Golden Rings.

When I think of five golden rings, I think of the olympics that just ended in Canada.  Since the Olympics alternates and the winter Olympics only happens every four years, it's something you may want to tell your grandkids about.

Today's challenge is an Olympic memorial.

Using markers, crayons, pencil, or pen. Draw five rings representing the Olympics on a page in your journal.

In each ring, write down your top five favorite events you watch or keep tabs on during the Olympics. For example: figure skating, speed skating, cross country sking, luge, and snow boarding.

Anywhere on the page write down the names of atheletes particpating in the 2010 Winter Olympics that you heard about the most. You can even go as far as writing a sentence or two on what you thought about those athletes or the Olympics overall.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #4

Every once in a while my kids will get ahold of my camera and take pictures that are not focused, of odd shapes, and make no sense at all. And, once in a while they always seem to pop up when I've had my photos developed.

Today, find one of these not so desirable pictures and grab a pair of scissors.

Cut the picture in ten different pieces. You can do this or you can give it to your child to do for you. Don't be surprised if your child gives you a funny look, especially if you've been teaching them only to write and cut paper. Just make sure they know this is a one time occassion where your pictures are concerned.

Now close your eyes and open up your journal. On the page you opened up to, glue or paste your picture pieces in any pattern you wish.

Now write a word beside each piece of the picture. Can't think of a word, ask your child or use their spelling word list for this week. Don't have young children? Grab a dictonary and flip through it finding ten random words.

What do you think? I bet it's a real piece of art.

Sit it up for display on your kitchen counter until you come back for tomorrow's challenge.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #3

Okay so yesterday we got a little deep, diving into your childhood. How did that come out? Alright?

Today on a new page, write the lyrics to your favorite song.

Oh, and did I forget to mention, you have to write them upside down on the page. :p

If you can't remember all the words to the song  replace the forgotten words with "Falalalalalala".

That was just silly wasn't it? Go ahead when your finished and rip out the page, crumble it up, and toss it in the waste basket.

No wait! That was your favorite song, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said throw it away.  You'd best retrieve it. Smooth out the page and tape it back into your journal with the lyrics right side up. You never know when you might need those lyrics to serenade your sweetheart.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #2

Yesterday, you spent some time decorating the front cover of your journal and writing your name on the first page. Other than the decorating part, writing your name was pretty simple right?

Today, flip to the next blank page in your journal and do the following:

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be three things when I grew up, I wanted to be a farmer like my dad, a writer, and an olympian equestrain. I got waylaid and became an accountant before realizing I've always been a writer.

Now you, write down and record the three things you wanted to be. Put an astrik beside the one thing you wanted to be most.

2. So what happened? Record why or why not you became those three things.

Monday, March 1, 2010

March Madness Journal Challenge #1

Today is the day we've all be waiting for, or at least I have. I'm so excited!!

Got your journal or notebook? Got a pen or pencil?

Great!!

The first mission for our March Madness Journal Challenge is:

1. Decorate and personalize the front cover of your journal or notebook, but you can not put your name on the front. If you absolutely love the front cover of your journal that's okay too, this is only the first part of today's challenge.

uTube Video on Altering a Notebook Cover

2. On the first page of your journal, write your name. Seven different ways. ;p

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