This post was inspired by my mate Victoria from Purdie Photography, when she shared about her Life Experiences Notebook.
I love the concept – and in fact we do something very similar, with our Family Memory Book.
It looks like a very ordinary, blank page notebook which you can pick up for only a few bucks at any dollar or stationery store.
When we first got it about ten years ago, I took the time to sit down and write a date on each page in my fancy metallic pens – setting it up like a perpetual diary.
Then whenever something momentous happens – good or bad, we write the event and the year under the relevant date. Recent entries include when I was made redundant; we got a new kitty; Miss 16 was admitted to hospital; and our recent trip to New Zealand for a wedding. Both hubster and I have taken turns over the years to update our Family Memory Book.
It’s a wonderful record of our lives, but we both wish now that we’d been more diligent in updating it over the years! Misty joined our family in December and I only just wrote it in to “the book” when I pulled it out to photograph for this blog post!
We haven’t captured everything that is worth remembering – I really wish I’d recorded the date when we saw that UFO in Cleveland – but it’s still handy!
The two pages above show the hubster’s handwriting – he’s quite neat, for a bloke.
Flicking through our book reminds us that we have much to be thankful for – the good things that have happened, and the bad things that are OVER!
Do you have a journal or diary of any type to record family memories or life experiences?
Joining in with Domesblissity for Thriving on Thursday; Six by the Bay for Thankful Thursday; and Blogs and PR for Talk to Us Thursday (#TUST) (Thursday is obviously a great day for linky parties!).
WOW – what a great idea !!!! I wish we had done something similar – wonder if it is too late to start now and try to remember ????
Have the best day and good luck with your blogging event coming up.
Me
It’s never too late!
That is such a wonderful idea Janet! I remember my cousin (who used to visit us a lot when we were younger) from NSW had a diary that she wrote in EVERY day. She recorded everything they did that day. I expect she still does it. Unfortunately, I don’t have a family memory book or a diary. Is it too late I wonder? Min xo
It’s never too late Min and just think, you could pass the habit on to your kids …
What a great idea! I started a journal for my daughter when she was born but have missed writing so many things in it.
My new plan is to note down a short story for each month so I can include it in our family year book (in theory).
Visiting from TusT
Yes times gets away and it is easy to miss things out altogether. Good luck with your plans for your family year book!
That is a fantastic idea! (Can I pinch it?)
I always write things on the day in my year’s diary, but at the end of the year they go into the cupboard and I never look at them again. If I do this, I can look at them AND de-clutter by getting rid of all the old diaries!
You’ve made my day 🙂
Of course you can pinch it – that’s why I’ve shared it! And I’ll let you in on a little secret – every year, before I get rid of my day to day diary, I transfer any important events across to the family memory book. I often find there are things I’ve missed so it’s a great way to capture the record for posterity!
This is such a lovely idea. I had a diary as a teenager and I still love reading through and seeing how much I’ve grown and changed. I use an app on my iphone called Tiny Beans which is a similar concept and it’s so awesome xx #TUSK
Oh is THAT what Tiny Beans is?! I’ve seen/heard it and wondered!
What a wonderful, wonderful idea Janet! You are a legend 🙂 I am going to totally start doing this. You’re husband writes beautifully, for a bloke 😉
He does hey. He’s a rare gem 😉
Now that is something I think I could stick to – eg – a line of what we did, not big sentences – great idea Janet!
Emily – visiting via TUST!
THAT is totally awesome..!!!! I would totally forget.. I buy a diary and never write in it!!!
Very very cool!
#tust visiting!