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The Importance of Preserving Precious Memories

This month marks the 10th anniversary of my grandfather’s death. He was an incredible man who made a huge difference in our family’s life. Fortunately, he was a collector and an even more enthusiastic photographer. He actually ran his own professional photo studio for a while before getting into real estate. He didn’t live long enough to meet his great-grandchildren, but his memory lives on in the scrapbooks my mom and I have made over the years. However, without all of the photos he took and the ones that were snapped of him, we could never have crafted the memory … Continue reading →

Preserving Holiday Memories

Christmas Eve is here. While it’s easy to get caught up in the celebratory madness, if you are planning to scrapbook the holiday, you want to remember to document the festivities. Grab your camera and snap your family and friends partaking in holiday traditions, including sipping hot chocolate by an open fire or baking cookies to leave out for Santa. If you are planning to make a massive holiday meal, preserve the recipes to add to a recipe scrapbook or at the very least, place the directions in a journaling block along with photos of the finished products and shots … Continue reading →

The World of Dating Has Entered Our Home

The world of “dating” has at last entered our home. It is something I wasn’t necessarily dreading but definitely wasn’t looking forward to. I have always said that this time could only come based on certain factors. It wouldn’t be a “magical age” in which permission would be granted. It would be based on things such as grades, my level of trust, the character of my child and so on. In other words, it would be taken on a case-by-case basis. In addition, I have spent the past few years observing the way other families have handled this issue. Now … Continue reading →

Our 2nd Annual “I Will Not Be Selfish” Event

This weekend my family participated in our second annual “I will not be selfish” event. Okay, it’s really called “Adopt-a-Family” but my family has inherited its own title. Last December was the first time we participated. It involved going to a place in a part of our city we wouldn’t normally be in. It involved spending a portion of our day serving others. It involved giving…in other words, being selfless. When our children first learned of this event last year, they were horrified. In fact, two of my children had especially bad attitudes about it. One declared that the scowl … Continue reading →

Two LDS Missionaries Die While Serving

Living in Utah, we are fortunate to hear about LDS news that others across the country may not be able to hear about. However, there is a news story that surfaced this week that is so tragic and sad that I can’t stop thinking about it. Three LDS missionaries were biking in their area and were hit by a car. Two were killed, and one survived. The driver took off on foot immediately after the accident, and later surrendered. This all happened in Texas. You can read the news story here. We don’t often hear of missionaries dying on their … Continue reading →

Preserving Depression Era Memories

It is interesting how everything old becomes new again and things that were done years ago often become popular again because of something in the present moment that causes us to pause and think, “Wait a minute, this has happened before. What did people do last time?” With the economy still at a low point, I have noticed that there is a lot of interest in what people did during the Great Depression to make ends meet. Many families have at least one family member who lived during the Great Depression and these people have valuable stories to tell. The … Continue reading →

Preserving Friendships

Have you seen the movie “The Help”? It’s the perfect friend flick. It examines the bonds that can be formed with individuals who don’t share the same DNA, skin color or social status. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. But, most of all, you will leave the movie theater thankful for your best friends. I happened to love the movie. I wish I could bottle up all the lessons that were featured in it and place them in a scrapbook. I have five very, very good friends who could benefit from a memory book dedicated to our 30 (plus)-year-old relationship. We’ve seen … Continue reading →

Preserving Your Sanity on the Road

And they’re off! Our neighbors have officially departed on their annual summer pilgrimage to Canada to visit their family members and friends. They left about four hours ago in a Chevy Blazer filled to the gills with three kids, two adults, one Beagle and a ton of luggage, plus two well-stocked coolers and what looked like the kitchen sink. Better them than me. I’ve driven cross-country before, but never with three young kids in the backseat. Not me; I prefer to fly 5,000 miles with my infant turned chatty toddler, thank you very much. I don’t think anything properly prepares … Continue reading →

Disney Channel Friends for Change Games

“High School Musical” star Corbin Bleu at a prior Disney Games event In 2007 and 2008 the Disney Channel’s then-stars such as Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers competed in a series of gladiator-style games for charity. The event was filmed and called the Disney Channel Games. The Orlando Sentinel has the scoop that after a two-year break the games return in 2011, albeit with some changes. This time, in keeping with the theme “Friends for Change” that the Disney Channel’s developed for its Project Green program, the event’s called the Disney Channel Friends for Change Games. Rather than filming … Continue reading →

Find the Best Toy for the Special Needs Child in Your Life

It’s Black Friday! If you’re like me, you are home, probably still in your pajamas with zero plans of getting in the car and going anywhere today. Or, you could be one of those thrill seekers – car gassed up, list in hand and running shoes on, ready to tackle other shoppers for the best-priced gifts of the season. To you, I wish luck. If you are still wondering, however, what to get the child in your life who has special needs, look no further. AblePlay is a toy rating system that reviews toys for special needs children and passes … Continue reading →