Book of Remembrance - This Book Holds It All!

A few years ago my husband and I were trying to get personal papers, pictures and artwork organized for our kids that we have collected and stored over the years. I am sure that there are at least a few of you out there who know just what I am talking about because you have the same piles in your closets, under your bed or sitting on your kitchen counter just waiting to be put in a special place.

There were certificates from class contests or sports teams, pictures from school and family outings, macaroni projects that are usually missing more than one or two pieces of macaroni, etc. We all have them or have had them at one point in our lives and there is a simple solution to getting them all together in one place so that they are protected and in some sort of order.  Binders, my friends.  Big HUGE binders!

My mother-in-law did this as well and I can't tell you how fun it is to flip through the pages of the binders she put together and see all the great pieces of her families history.  Isn't it wonderful how pictures can take you right back to a place and time long ago and make you feel like you were there, even though you weren't?

We had several of these very large binders in our basement from previous projects so we just reused them. We washed them and made sure they were in good repair and looking new before filling them with our priceless items.  I'm not sure why we had so many of these but I was glad we did as they are very expensive.

I made some simple binder covers so that we could tell whose binder was whose because all the binders were the same color.  When you are shopping in your own basement, you can't be picky.

 

We also found a huge box of used page protectors that were perfect for inserting those precious pieces of our children's history that we didn't want to lose.

And if it was REALLY important, we taped the top of the page protector shut so that nothing would fall out. Because of course, scotch tape is a trusty worthy tool when storing your most valuable papers!

You name it, we have it all in these binders.  Baptisimal, birth and camp certificates.

Eagle Scout Awards

Family pictures from our beginning

 

 Max's little brother Mark and my little brother's Dave and Andy.

our milestones

    

baby pictures

hikes with grandpa and popsicles with first best friends

 

self portraits

to first photo shoots

Letters from sweethearts,

to Santa

from friends

and a desperate plea to the Tooth Fairy.  Apparently, I missed this one.  Sorry, Elizabeth!

Pictures of the best of friends

and locks of hair from a sweet baby boy.

One day I'm sure that my kids will want these binders that are full of the precious moments from the first part of their lives and I will be able to hand them over without having to hunt and gather for a thing.  It's all there. Of course, I may not want to let go of these memory books.  Maybe I should just hang on to them for as long as I can so that they are safe!