When it comes to families, there are some moments we won’t ever forget. You know the ones.
And then there are others we wish we could hold on to forever, but sorta know might fade in time. A funny vacation story, like that time you got lost on a hike with dad. Or seeing the Milky Way in the night sky for the first time.
We’re hoping to enjoy a lot of amazing experiences this year. I’m guessing you are, too. It’s our shared experiences – and the memories that we take away from them – that help us create a sense of family, don’t you think?
Which is why we want to share a few ideas for how you can save your family memories in 2015. Here goes!
Take pictures.
“Sure, sure, Debi. But what am I supposed to do with the thousands of photos I already have stored on my computer and smart phone – not to mention old ones gathering dust in boxes?” (Ahem!) A few ideas:
- Make a photo book. Michele at FunOrangeCountyParks has some great tips for using Shutterfly.
- Frame and hang a few select favorites. Change them out to update as you like.
- Download and display them in a digital picture frame.
- Create a collage for the fridge or a bulletin board.
- Use favorites as screensavers for phones, tablets and computers.
- Display a large group of photos on your TV screen. It’s like a giant screensaver and makes for a great conversation piece when friends come to visit.
Capture video.
Technological advances have made it easy enough for someone as untech savvy as me to record videos of things I don’t want to forget. And it takes up almost no space! (Other than computer space, that is!)
Don’t wait for a special occasion to take video. My husband loves asking our kids questions and recording their responses about everyday things, like a drawing they made, a favorite toy or the rules to a new game they created.
Collect something special when you travel.
This doesn’t mean junk, people! None of us needs more stuff! Our rule for travel mementos is that they must be something fairly small and something that we will use. Some things we’ve collected on our travels:
- Ornaments,
- Mugs,
- National parks patches,
- Small items from nature like rocks and shells, and
- Postcards.
Write it down.
There are lots of options here, too. I tend to opt for simpler ideas so that I actually follow through on them.
- Write notes to your kids – but for later, not now. I have been writing to my boys since before they were born. Sometimes just a sentence or two, sometimes more. I hope someday they’ll have a good read.
- Start a family cookbook. Why shouldn’t kids collect their favorite recipes, too? This could include foods from home, favorite restaurants or even new things you try when you travel.
- Keep a family-style nature journal when you travel. Just a sentence or two on the back of a few postcards collected during your vacation will do the trick.
