It All Started With a Simple Request ...

My Youngest Son asked if we could frame the "Certificate of Achievement" certificate he received at his Grade 8 Farewell ceremony. I said that we could do that ... then he came home the next day with an 8 1/2" X 11" picture of the Grade 8 class which was just as frame-worthy. Then ... came a "Perfect Attendance" certificate of the same dimensions.

I wandered into the photo frame department to check out the frames and see what I could do with all of these acknowledgements. One diploma-sized frame cost around $16.00! Multiply that by three?? Yikes! The cheap skate side of me could not justify the cost. Besides, he still had some photos-with-friends and the plaque that he received for his award. How could we encapsulate all of those memories without breaking the bank?

I had a brain storm. I could scan each of the 8 1/2" X 11" documents and shrink them down to a 4" X 6" size; take a picture of his award; and print off the friend-pictures and create a photo collage. I haven't gotten the frame yet but I like the effect thus far.

But what does one do with the actual documents to preserve their integrity and the memories that go with them?

An idea that a friend suggested for family memories came to the forefront of my mind. I purchased some sheet protectors and a 3" binder and a project was born.

We pulled out old report cards, class photos over the course of My Youngest's elementary years, his individual school photos for each grade, journals, cards he made ... you name it. We added it to the Memory Book. And we have the ability to add, change, remove and shuffle the memories around as the years go on. It is a book that has the ability to grow with him.

And ... in the process, we started the process of culling through a closet shelf and keeping what is important to us.

I bought a second binder for myself. I have a box full of memories that need to be culled and organized. It will be a fun project ...

But in the meantime, I am thinking that I should utilize these tools to organize that which I have collected for Dad's family's memory book. I have a box full of research which is full of unorganized information. I have 156 pages in a Word Document that need to be edited, revamped, organized and put into story-fashion. I do believe that if I put my mind to it, I could start the process of putting all of this together. Soon.

Thanks to a great idea from a very good friend ... I believe that I have found the tools that I need to start pulling these memories together and creating something to share with the family.

And all of this started because My Youngest asked for a frame for his certificate ...