More than a decade ago the Kappa Delta Sorority created National Women’s Friendship Day. It became so popular that two years ago the day-long celebration was stretched to fill an entire 30 days and Women’s Friendship Month was born. Moms, dads, and grandparents all only get one day a year, but friends get an entire month so that must mean they are important. If you’re wondering how to celebrate this September we’ve got a great idea– why not launch a Traveling Journal? You can share it with those special friends who may not live on the same street or even across town. Let them know that you cherish their friendship, despite the distance.

For the month of September use code FRIENDSHIPMONTH to get The Traveling Journal Starter Kit for just $19.99. That’s a 20% discount and a great deal on everything you need to launch your journal journey. The Traveling Journal Starter Kit comes with a Fernanda Journal, four-pack of pens, a Buddy Bookmark and Preview Postcard four-pack. Happy Women’s Friendship Month!

One of the hardest parts of my young life would have to be the divorce of my parents when I was seven years old.  I was devastated!  My dad moved out of our house and eventually bought a house on South Lemon Street in Sioux City, Iowa.  As I got used to his new neighborhood, I also started to make new friends.

One block away was my new friend Jessica’s house.  We would play downstairs in her basement for hours.  Our favorite activities were playing “business”.  We developed our own business and took turns being customers to each other so we could sell things and run the cash register. (That was our favorite part!)  We also set up a school and took turns being the teacher and student. This came very naturally to both of us because both of our parents were teachers.  We would pass out papers (extra math worksheets and color pages that I had gotten from my teachers at school) and teach on her small chalkboard.  Our favorite thing to do at Jessica’s house was to play “quizzard” which was the Sale of the Century board game.  Jessica enjoyed playing, for the most part, but she had to be the host of the game because she knew all the questions an answers. She loved to reveal all of the prizes that we had won by the end of the game.

As we grew up and went through middle school, high school and college we remained very close friends.  As we got older we started to spend the night often, sometimes camping in a tent in my backyard. When we got our driver’s license she was the one who had a car first so we loved to go to the mall, visit friends and “cruise the loop”.  We created so many memories by being in chorus, cheerleading, musicals, show choir and hanging out with our great group of friends.

 I remember her beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous thick, curly hair. She had a laugh that would make me laugh even harder.  She was such an intelligent, goofy and fun loving person.  I am so thankful that I had such a great friend in my life!Jessica taught me to live each day to the fullest and losing her reminds me to love, respect and cherish family and friends in my life.

Ten years ago today, I lost a wonderful friend.  I really miss you Jessica!

Often times people just wanna hear about the good things or the exciting things that happen in life. When people ask, “how are you doing?” They want you to say that everything is alright because sometimes people don’t know how to respond to, “it’s not a good day.” You’re true friends want to hear about the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I am so lucky that I can share those bad days with four best girlfriends and they will love me no matter what. My father passed away this year and I could not have received more support from each one of these girls. This event will definately be something I add in our journal. So know that this journal can have its ups and downs throughout it but what is amazing is how you can look back at these challenging events in five years and see how you’ve grown from them!! It has been a difficult year for me but I know my friendship with these women and our traveling journal are constants in my life and give me something to look forward to. So don’t be afraid to add the hardships that come along in life with your journals! “That’s what friends are for….in good times and bad times I’ll be on your side forever more….thats what friends are for…” haha …click here to see the video!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oSpBp4QX74

How many of you remember the MASH game we used to play in junior high school? Anyone? Well, I remember playing this with my best friends at sleep overs and on road trips.  I loved naming my future wedding colors, job, car, honeymoon and husband. Then, the anticipation of friends reading you the results of your future life.

Even as an adult it is fun to play the “what if” game… especially if the hypothetical situation involves hot guys! My friends and I play “the island” game when we get together.  The hypothetical question is, if you were on a desert island with five gorgeous men, who would you want to be stranded with for the rest of your life?  My idea of a HOT island would include Bradley Cooper, Ryan Reynolds, Josh Duhamel, Paul Walker and Channing Tatum. I would be greedy and want an alternate choice which would be Ryan Goslin, but he needs to be as romantic/passionate as he was in The Notebook! What gorgeous men would be on your island? Share your answers on a page in your traveling journal!

Most people don’t think of letter writing as an art form, but putting words on paper can truly be creative and very inspirational.  Elizabeth Cottrell has put together a group on Facebook  to “revive the art of letter writing”.  I wanted to know how she got started writing and why she decided to put this group together.

Why did you start the Facebook group to revive letter writing?

Elizabeth: She started to re-evaluate her life and ask herself what was important.  One theme kept coming to the surface: the importance of connection with self, others, God and nature.  She asked people what they thought her strengths were. One strength kept coming up…she wrote wonderful notes.  She realized that a note/letter can be a powerful connection tool. So she created the Facebook Group “revive the art of personal note writing” and later expanded that theme to her blog: Heartspoken.com.

Why do you think that letter writing is a great way to communicate?

Elizabeth: She explains that there is an intimacy about a letter that trumps other kinds of communication.  Sending a letter to someone shows them that you took the time and went to the trouble to write just to them.  This lets them know that you care and that they are special to you.

Creating a traveling journal can also be a creative way to  share your thoughts and ideas with your friends.  The idea is the same as writing a letter, but instead of writing to one person you may be writing to a group of people at once.  These entries (letters) are kept in the journal and can be read each time you receive the journal.  The journal entries can be just as personal and show your friends that you took the time to write about your feelings/experiences to share with them.

Our Traveling Journals become snapshots of our collective lives, despite the fact that we don’t live anywhere near each other. But inevitably you have to send the Traveling Journal on to its next destination so you don’t get to hold on to those photos for very long. Here is a cool idea for making a more permanent display of friend photos in your home. It’s a creative DIY idea from Papernstitch.

Just head to your local thrift store and pick up some beautiful, but possibly damaged an unwanted books. Choose a photo that you love– maybe even a copy of one that is in your Traveling Journal– and use this repurposed book as a way to display it proudly. Papernstitch offers a step-by-step tutorial so you can have this frugal frame decorating your walls in no time.

Photo courtesy of Lauren

One of the things we love to fill our Traveling Journal with are quotes on friendship. Sometimes the wise words of others are the most appropriate and inspirational. Here are a few of my favorite quotes on friendship:

• “Among Life’s precious jewels, Genuine and rare, The one that we call friendship Has worth beyond compare.” -Unknkown
• “Friendship without self-interest is one of the rare and beautiful things of life” – James Byrnes
• “Good friends are like stars…. You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there”
• “Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.” -Mark Twain
• “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You, too? Thought I was the only one.’” -C.S. Lewis
• “Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity.” -Kahlil Gibron
• “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

* That’s a photo from inside our personal Traveling Journal!

I have a slight obsession.  Any show that starts with these three words, “Real Housewives of….” Beverly Hills, Orange County, New York, Miami.  You name it, I watch it.  It’s quite shameful, you know.

I’m mostly obsessed with the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.  I went to college in L.A., so I think that’s why I feel especially close to this show.  I’m inspired by Kyle Richards to be a smart, sassy and classy woman.  Her sister Kim Richards makes me want to stop after just two drinks.  Lisa VanderPump is gorgeous and I would kill to look that good when I’m her age.  Camille Grammer needs a hug and Taylor Armstrong needs to stay away from the lip plumper.

Why are so many of us obsessed with the “Real Housewives”?  It’s simple, it’s because it’s fun to watch the drama that goes into these so called “friendships”.  I mentioned that Camille could use a hug, but really she could use ‘The Traveling Journal’ and some best girlfriends to help fill it up.  Camille obviously wouldn’t choose any of the other women on the Real Housewives to write in her journal, but maybe her friend Alison Dubois, the medium.

The key to “The Traveling Journal” is having your very best friends help to fill the pages.  Don’t waste your time sending it to a fare whether friend, make sure she’s worth the effort.  It’ll make you feel so much love when you get it back, something I know Camille could have used, especially all those times Kyle Richards ended up picking on her.

And we all know that Lisa’s only journal friend would ultimately be… Giggy.

Instead of holding a diamond, an orange or a peach, these 'Real Housewives' are holding our 'Traveling Journal'

You don’t have to look very hard to find stories of despair. But I believe hope is just as prevalent. The problem is many of the mainstream media messages only announce the bad stuff. We at The Traveling Journal believe our journals are a way to spread hope and love to those who don’t live near. And we love spreading the word about other projects with similar missions.

One of those is HOPErevo. The idea is to get people all over the world to write words that will inspire others to hold on to hope. The next step is to hit the town and place your notes in places they’re likely to be found including your local coffeeshop, on your next flight, or on the mirror of a public restroom. You’re also invited to take pictures of your notes and post them on Flickr like hundreds of people already have done.

For Valentine’s Day my husband hid little love notes around the house for me to find. It was such an uplifting experience. And HOPErevo is just like that only you’re leaving the note for a stranger. I like to think the person who finds it is the one God  thought needed it most. Just like it is with The Traveling Journal– it always seems to show up on the perfect day.

I can not believe Christmas is just two days away!!!  2010 is just days away from being over.  That just seems crazy to me.  Honestly, I feel like the older we get, the more practical gifts I like receiving.  One present I would love is to have my husband finish painting our house!!  We have been in our home for two years now and we still have two bathrooms and three bedrooms to paint before its all done!  haha.  The majority of it is finished but we are getting closer and I just want it finished…

I know my second present is out of reach for me but this is make believe right?  So, if I could have anything it would be to have my own rescue for dogs!  I hate not being able to help all of the helpless animals out there.  I wanna give them food, shelter, love, a family that loves them and treats them like they are their children.

My third Christmas wish…well…there is the ultimate trip I would love to go on……Australia!!!!!!!!!!!!  My husband and I wanted to go here for our honeymoon originally but it did not work out that way so I know I would love to go there some day.  It just seems so beautiful!!!!!!

I realize I don’t have any easy tangible items listed so my last two will be combined in to one…I wanna go to a day spa and have treatments all day long…I wanna do a mud bath, wrap my body in seaweed (or whatever they do), get an hour and a half massage, a facial, my nails done…I just wanna get so pampered that I am exhausted when I come home from being so relaxed!  haha.  I love having other people rub me down and make me feel more beautiful.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful???? Well, that is my Christmas list!!!  I know, mine are little far fetched but why not make your wishes cuz someday they just might come true!!!