Fail your way to success.

Let's talk about fear for a moment ... fear is the thing (most often times) that keeps us from trying new things or meeting new people. Fear keeps us from taking risks. Fear keeps us from learning, growing and making progress.

We avoid what we think would equate to failure because we won't take the risk, or dare to step out into the unknown.

When we want to move forward, we must not let fear stop us. We can't be afraid to take a risk!

I love this quote by Thomas Edison -
"I have not failed. I've just found 10000 ways that won't work."

Today - move forward! See the possibilities that lie ahead.

Learn. Try. Do!

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thomas Edison

Oh, my darling, what if you fly?

Don't we all have moments of vulnerability? Times when we think - "What if I fall?" Don't we all wish someone would simply say: "Oh, my darling, what if you fly?"

Beautiful.

What have we got to lose? Nothing - flap your wings!
GO! FLY!

2,500 miles (oh what a journey) -

The summer is coming to a close and I feel the need to do a little summer reflecting (right here on the blog!) It’s been one of the best summers we’ve had as a family. We learned a lot together and conquered many fears in order to chase down some dreams! Below are a few of the things we did and learned as we enjoyed the ‘summer miles’!

Road Trips:
We learned that 2,500 miles in the car during one month is a lot! We saw a great deal, met many wonderful people and learned new information about dinosaurs, Lewis & Clark, and the power of the wind and rain by the ocean. We experienced the beauty of nature, the importance of family and we gained a greater appreciation for home and our nice, comfy beds! As part of the travel journeys we took along a map of the United States and hunted for license plates for all 50 states. Each time we found one – we placed a sticker on the state. It was a great activity and we bumped into almost all the states and their license plates!

Wiggling like a fish:
Tory (my husband) recorded his first CD for kids this summer. The release date is September 1st. As a family, we spent time helping at his shows, wiggling like a fish and meeting the people. One very memorable event occurred at the Children’s Hospital in Boise, Idaho. I don’t think any of us will forget how special it was to be in the children’s playroom with the nurses, parents and children and sing songs about fishes that wiggle, chasing the grumpies away and how much we love ice cream. We gained a greater appreciation for our health and for good Doctors and nurses that care. Our prayers that night included thanks for so many things and a sincere plea for sick children to be miraculously healed …

Stepping into the unknown:
Have you ever let fear keep you from doing something you wanted to try/do? I think all of us have. As a family this was part of our summer – conquering the fears! Whether it was learning to swim, preparing for a TV interview, playing in front of a big crowd, sharing a talent with complete strangers or just asking for help – all of us in one way or another took it on! And we’re glad we did.

Cheers to summer and all the wonderful things we saw, learned and did.