What Matters Most

What Matters Most

Everyone has memories. There are the “big” memories—the first day of school, graduation, vacations, weddings, births, and more. Then there are the little things—your girls night out tradition, the childhood home you grew up in, the name of your best friend in high school, the special meal your grandmother makes, the funny things your kids say, and all the other little details and moments that are special and unique. All of these memories weave together to make up the story of your life.

It is so important to preserve that story.

People have been documenting their memories and ideas for centuries. In fact, the first scrapbook, the Common-Place Book, was created in the 1600s as a diary for people to write down their thoughts, drawings, poetry, and more. As the years went on, scrapbooking became more sophisticated, with the addition of colored paper scraps, decorative albums, newspaper clippings, photographs, and eventually evolved into what it is today.

Today, preserving memories can be a creative outlet for many people. There are thousands of products available in every type, color, and size to help you stretch your creativity and turn a few supplies into a memory masterpiece. But, underneath it all, the core of scrapbooking remains the same—it’s all about telling your story. It’s a way of connecting to your past and keeping your memories alive for future generations to enjoy. It doesn’t matter if your albums are simple or elaborate, lots of photos or very few. It doesn’t matter if you follow the “trends” or if you do things your own way—there is no “right” or “wrong” way to scrapbook. What matters most is that you preserve the story and the memories for you and your family to enjoy.

We’re all busy and may tell ourselves that we don’t have time to scrapbook. But what could be more important than safeguarding your family’s memories and history? It’s crucial to make the time. It can be as simple sliding your photos into a pocket-page album, with a small journaling card included. Digital photographers—it’s critical that you print your photos and safely store them in an album, too. If your computer crashes, your photos and memories could be lost in an instant! Regardless if you have film or digital photos, it is so important to start preserving them today, while the memories are still fresh in your mind.

If you’re a seasoned scrapbooker, you already know why this hobby is important. It isn’t about following the trends; it’s about cherishing the memories. If you’re new to scrapbooking and feeling a bit overwhelmed, feel free to drop me a line and ask any questions about scrapbooking you may have.  I’ve been scrapbooking for over 30 years and would be glad to help you.  Just get started—do it for you, and do it for your family!

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Sunsets that Serenade me..

Mystical Sunset

Just in time for Valentine's Day.. and my birthday..

Life's Moments

I realize some of you have younger kids, some of you have kids that are out of the house (remember when and just chuckle), some of you have kids this age.. But I found this story online and I had to laugh and share it with all of you!  For you younger Mom's your day will come.. so be prepared.. and be better then me and LAUGH MORE and just talk to your friends, sit in the jacuzzi, or get a foot massage, or a wine cooler or go for a nice bubble bath or walk the dog!  I try to do that at times of stress and crisis, when you just want to pull your hair out.. Because "This TOO shall Pass!" When you want to hang your kids outside the balcony window upside down (like some famous people do!) LOL.. Just remember, before you know it.. they will be out of the house.. off to college.. hopefully staying out of trouble and jail! and flying the right way, living their own lives, dealing with jobs and spouses and kids of their own!! :)

Hang in there and remember.. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! :)

My commentary is in the purple writing.

I love you all and I pray that your homes and lives are filled with tons of giggles, chuckles and laughter and of course, love!!

xoxox

Cathe 

Mom of 6 and Nana of 5 :)

Life Moments

In today's world, we are so tempted by material things that sometimes it's hard to keep in perspective what is really important. 

My husband and I have five children, ages 16, 14, 13, 12, and 11. 

We receive what seems to be a continual barrage of I want.., I need..., and Can I have... requests. (Someone else has the same problem?!! LOL)

Amidst their desires, we repeatedly try to inform them of what is really important in life. 

We stress how what they have and don't have has nothing to do with the person they are and the adult they will become. 

The latest video game or a trendy pair of shoes won't affect theoutcome of their success and ensure a happy life. Since they are teens and 'tweens, we realize that most of our lectures fall on deaf ears. 

I mean, come on now, their father and I are adults, therefore, we know nothing.(LOL, yea I forgot! LOL)

We haven't been through any of this stuff.

The other night, I ventured upstairs to locate my husband. I found him with pieces of one of the kid's computers in hand, with a frustrated look on his face. (I believe our kids hold the record for crashing the most computers in the shortest amount of time.) 

I sat down beside him as he worked on finding the problem. As a continual stream of "Is the computer fixed yet?", "When can I get on the computer?", and "How much longer?" inquiries from our 11-year-old daughter became annoying, I started to drift off and focused on the other things happening in the house. Our 16-year-old son was in his classic hermit mode, attached to the end of a video game controller in his room. Downstairs, the lyrics to our 13-year-old son's favorite song was being belted out over the hum of the vacuum cleaner as he did his evening chore. I could hear our 12-year-old daughter screening repetitive phone calls to our 14-year-old daughter from her boyfriend. From the translation, it seemed as if they were having an argument, an argument that was confirmed by the stomping up the stairs that immediately followed. Her actions concluded with the shutting of her bedroom door and music blaring lyrics, including the words, "This is the worst day of my life."Our 11-year-old was still standing over my husband as if her presence was going to speed up the computer repair. 

I began to giggle. My giggle turned into a full blown laugh. Puzzled, my husband asked what I was laughing at. I ran down the list of everything that was going on in the house for him, but 

I know it didn't affect him the way it did me. I'm still not sure why it struck me as so comical. 

I just took great pleasure in the moment that I was experiencing. (We are not alone!! :))

It's one of my favorite moments. (Sometimes you just have to LAUGH!!)

Everyone was experiencing something different, and it had nothing to do with what they had or were wanting. 

It was their life at that moment in time - and it made me smile. 

And while I want time to pass slowly, I look forward to the day when our kids reach that point of having life moments of their own.

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