I opened a new jar of peanut butter yesterday. When our boys were young, there was a commercial for one of the peanut butter brands (I think it was Skippy) where the mother drew a heart on the top of the peanut butter spread on a slice of bread before she gave it to her child. I started drawing a heart on the top of each new peanut butter jar as I packed school lunches over the years. If one of the boys was around when I opened the new jar I would make sure that they saw the heart - but usually it was just something I did on my own. To this day, I still draw the heart when I am the one to open a new jar of peanut butter.
I finally remembered to take a picture of the peanut butter heart. It was one of those things that I always thought about doing but never remembered at the actual time I was drawing the heart on the peanut butter. I have a sneaking suspicion that my memory of this peanut butter "tradition" is much stronger than the memories of either of our sons - in fact, I asked our younger son and he only has a vague recollection of this ever happening. I'm not sure why I still draw the hearts - it just gives me a happy feeling and makes me think that I am sending a little love to everyone who eats that peanut butter.
So why am I telling you about this? I want to encourage you to take photos of things that will preserve a memory of some part of your daily life. Too often, photos are only taken on "occasions" and the little things are forgotten. This has changed somewhat with the move to digital photography and camera phones but I think there are many times that you could snap a quick photo to illustrate a family tradition or memory and then create a scrapbook page to tell the story behind the photo. While it is a lot of fun to look at vacation, holiday and birthday photos, the pages that show ordinary everyday activities and interesting customs will probably be the ones that resonate with your family.
I have strayed quite far from my scrapbooking and I am going to make an effort to do more - some of the pages I make I will share but some will probably not be all that interesting to others. I prefer a very simple style and I don't use a lot of bulky embellishments when I make scrapbook pages. I like my books to close neatly and I save all of the "fancy stuff" for cards and other projects.
I am adding a linky tool to this post so you can share a photo memory or tell a story. If there is something you'd like to photograph and then create a page or a blog post to explain why it is meaningful to you I'd love to read about it (and I think some of the other "regulars" would enjoy it too!). If it is easier for you to add your thoughts in a comment, please go ahead and leave a comment. Just be careful, I think there is an upper limit to how long your comment can be so you should copy and paste it into a document or email before you try to post so you won't lose everything if it is rejected for length.
Every day we get a little closer to finishing the project - here are the new floor boards in place. Today they will start sanding so don't be surprised if a thin veil of dust arrives with your email tomorrow!
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How sweet! I would write little notes on my daughter's lunch bag or put a note with a little trinket inside the bag every now and then. When she got older and into high school, I still put notes in her lunch bag, on holidays, I would write on the outside of the bag. I didn't want to embarrass her with notes from mom for all to see. LOL. It was special for her. She is now 22 and I miss those days.
ReplyDeleteI take a lot of pictures. I was just telling my friends in our scrapbooking group the same thing. We spend wayyyy more time doing ordinary things than special events. Why not make everyday special. I scrapbook anything and everything.... my daughter making calzones in the kitchen, a beautiful sunset I just happened to notice out our front door, etc......
ReplyDeletePeanutbutter was a challenge with the 4 kids. If you opened a new jar .. You put YOUR initals in the smooth PB. It's years ago everytime I open a new jar (not as often as then)I smile and imagine initials.
ReplyDeleteI remember that commercial. So cute that you still do that. My kids loved a Toaster Strudel in the morning, I would write a message in the frosting to them, or a heart of some other design. I'll have to ask them if they remember that. Prob. not. = )
ReplyDeleteI loved your post today. Your heart on the peanut butter started a flood of memories of fun little daily traditions that I have/had with my children and grandchldren. They're so important. Great advice about the picture taking--my photo albums mostly have special occasion photos. I'm going to follow your advice and take more pix of our daily life. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it great how these small traditions can bring back such wonderful memories. I used to use a magic marker to decorate the outside of their lunch bags. I t used to make me laugh when they told me what they wanted drawn on the bags. Kids are so funny. I also prefer to keep my scrapbook pages rather simple. I don't use a lot of embellishments either. I'm anxious to see some of your simple pages.
ReplyDeleteI too am a "little embellishment" person and that's precisely why yours is the first blog I began following. I hadn't thought of scrapping the little things but I will be aware from now on. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the post today! Peanut butter was my favorite food and I passed on my love to my sons too I think. LOL
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of the smash books. More like me that the dozen of scrapbooks I started and have not finished. LOL
What a fun memory to preserve and thanks for the reminder about the little things. I like to write down cute and quirky little things my kids say because I don't want to forget them. Hugs- Glora
ReplyDeleteI sometimes take pictures of my meals, especially if I've made a new dish or baked something new. I've had a lot of "new" things in the last year while adjusting to my celiac disease!
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I'd suggest is taking different group pictures, like "all the grandchildren" (every Christmas, as you know!) or "three generations of girls." We have that kind of picture taken from about 90 years ago and they're very cool to have. Yep, that's the genealogist in me talking! :)
- Melanie your SIL
Thanks for sharing the story. That is so neat. I love it... The room is going along nicely. Hope you have a great day. I love genealogy and have gone back many years on about 4 sides of the family.
ReplyDeleteBlog: http://lovethatexpressions.blogspot.com/
I agree with you that we should celebrate "everyday!" My hubby was eating a bowl of cherries the other day, he left a couple of pits and some stems in the bowl...when I saw it at the sink, I HAD to take a picture...they were in the shape of a happy face! I will have to share it with you later!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to take pictures of those "little" things. I sometimes add a note to my step-daughter's lunches, but I think I was most surprised when my husband was home and making my lunches and adding a note of his own!
ReplyDeleteThis is super sweet! I take zillions of pictures but still forget to take those every day pictures! I do often take pics of my yummy baked goods, but I wouldn't ever scrap them...not sure why, but now I think I'm going to!!And, as a multi-photo, minimal embellishment scrappy so I think you should def share all of your layouts!
ReplyDeleteWhen I would drop my daughter off at the babysitter's I would Kiss her forearm and leave the impression of my lipstick colored lips on her arm. I told her it was the promise that I would be back to get her before the impression was gone.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid 80's my children were in elem school. I sent in their lunches little notes. Some encouraging words or just to say I love them or miss them. My boys remember those notes and some days it really helped them get thru the day. My first and only grandchild starts school this year and I am making notes for him to give to my DIL in hopes she will continue this memory.
ReplyDelete1986 Skippy commercial :-)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj3pBjl6sjM