Wreck this Journal!!! It's here and it's wrecked!

I have been stalking the UPS man waiting for my box from Amazon.com and it is here! Finally! I ordered some summer reading books for the kids and 4 of these amazing journals! They are by Kerri Smith and are called "Wreck this Journal." http://www.amazon.com/Wreck-This-Journal-Keri-Smith/dp/039953346X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1248336029&sr=8-1. The whole idea of the journal is to mess it up...BIG TIME! Each page gives you a different task and each task is open to your personal interpretaion. Things like draw circles on this page, chew on this, burn this page, compost this page and watch it deteriorate, place sticky things here, do a rubbing with a pencil, poke holes in this page with a pencil and so many more wacky, crazy, fun and messing things. I can't wait to enjoy the process of wrecking my journal and even more I can't wait to do this with my kids and see what their wonderful minds create.

You should seriously check this out. I saw them first on Teresa McFayden's blog...http://teresamcfayden.typepad.com/ and loved her idea. Her birthday is coming up and she got a journal for each of her kids to do and give them to her on her birthday. Well, I have a birthday coming up too next month and I thought that was a fabulous idea! The kids LOVE them. When we got to church tonight we all walked in dragging our journals by strings. We were taking them for a walk. We certainly got some strange looks. My friend was getting out of her car and called out to me and asked what in the world I was doing. My journal went for nice calm leisurely walk into church. The kids journals went fast and furious and in circles and spinning...flying up the stores and bouncing behind them. Phillip just kept telling people "I'm taking my journal for a walk, just taking it for a walk." It was a hoot. Most of the youth group got involved in it too and several are planning on getting one this week. I want to start a trend around here. How cool would that be. Teens and kids all around Mobile, off the computer, away from video games, being creative, being kids, thinking outside the box.

By the time we left church, our journals had taken trips off the youth area balcony, been run over by the van (put neat little gravel marks in the back of mine), thrown againist the chalk wall. Lauren's was stomped on and eventually the cover came off and was duct taped back on. Josey chewed on the corner of his book where it says start here and Phillip had written a hidden message in his. I was allowed to found it and it said, " I love ya'll!" How sweet is that. Josey and some kids used his as a baseball and batted it about the game room. It was great to see him interacting with some of the other youth. He tends to be a bit shy at youth. Who would have thought that this is what would get him to interact more. God is good and works in mysterious ways!!! Now my journal is not looking nearly as wrecked as the kids...yet.

Lauren is planning on taking hers to school with her, when it starts back next month. She wants to start a trend at her high school. You never know you may be asked to do something to our journals too. Craig is going to work in all of ours. We all know he would never do a whole one on his own.

Go out and get one for you and your kids or friends. I know what I'll be giving teens for birthday gifts from now on. I can't wait to see Kerri's next book when it comes out in September...It's called "This is Not a Book." You can check out more of Kerri Smith's books at http://www.kerismith.com/blog/

See you all later...I've got a journal to WRECK!