Wednesday, February 24, 2010

I'm lost!

I'm lost and wandering in the world of record-keeping and communication: journaling, scrapbooking, blogging, facebooking and emailing!

I just thought I'd say hi because I know I'm not being very consistent on my blog. I guess it's not meeting the same need for me that it was in the beginning. I used to picture printing my blog and having it replace our family scrapbook/journal idea--so I was motivated to keep up to date and write a lot. But now I'm changing my mind so it is starting to seem less of a priority.

I joined face book (finally!) this last month and took it for a spin. My conclusion? It's a fun way to find friends that I've lost contact with but I'm going to stop wasting so much time by having it up in my browser all the time. Even though it's addictive, I really don't care about all the mundane things everybody is doing right this minute and yet it sucks me in and I waste a lot of time reading about them! (no offense intended--you think the same!) So--I'll wait for the email alert that tells me that someone actually said something to me before I log in.

Here's my list of things I would like to be recording somehow:
1. Family pictures in an annual scrapbook.
2. Other special event scrapbooks for the kids--like I'm working on making them each a book about their birth--including development stories up to about 2 years old.
3. Personal journal--the kind that is private with no audience but me!
4. Family journal--recording fun facts about the kids on a regular basis, funny moments/stories we don't want to forget.
5. Family traditions and customs.
6. Favorite family recipes--somehow food memories is something I want to record.
7. Blog--new purpose: to update family and friends on our life--and give me a public voice once in a while when I really need it.

I think I've figured out solutions to most of these.

#1 & #2--Using Heritage Makers now to scrapbook. My plan is to actually print some real books this year so the kids see pictures in their hands not just flashing on a computer screen! I am planning on really scaling our pictures down from scrapbooks that I've made in the past. Just a "highlights" book each year--2-4 pages per month tops! Since I'm not going to do individual scrapbooks for each kid I won't be fitting as much journaling and storytelling in--thus the need for a family journal.

#3--this is new but I just signed up for an account on ldsjournal.com. I'm liking it so far. We'll see if I keep it up. I haven't consistently written in a journal since before I had kids but I love reading the sporadic journal entries that I have made. It's fun to remember who I was then and see how I've improved (or digressed!) It's definitely therapeutic to journal especially when there is no audience to worry about!

#4,5,6--I'm still trying to figure out. I've had various methods in the past of recording all those cute stories. But I've done next to nothing for the past 18 months. I'm thinking about trying to use a separate account on ldsjournal.com to record all of these in and just print them as a family journal? I'd love other methods and ideas.

#7--I'm toying with the idea of going private. Pros? Cons? Maybe I'll streamline things by only posting portions of journal entries and not the millions of pictures of the past? I don't know! Or perhaps once I get all the other goals up and going I'll want the public voice again?


Thanks for listening to me ramble. You are a great audience, my friends, and I'd love your input--especially those of you that are also juggling all of these things! How do you record your family and not drown while doing it???

5 comments:

Jenny Hatch said...

I love it that you think about these kinds of things. I like to keep things simple. Haven't got a way to scrapbook, but I do journal for my boys. I have a journal for each of them. Once a month I make an entry for them. I write little blurps on yellow sticky notes and throw them on the journals so I have specific stories to write about. Simple and sorta pioneer'ish, no photos, nothing fancy but a pen. They would be the things I grab if my house ever catches on fire.

Jana said...

I've thought about all the same things. I have also noticed that my blog isn't what I started it out as and have had thoughts about going private with my blog as well, maybe only allowing family and doing the friend thing on facebook, I don't know??. Have you heard of blurb.com? They "slurp" your blog in and you can edit it, add more pics, embellish on some of the stories, and you can then print it out into a family memory book. That's my plan for family history/journal. I have also thought about doing specific memory books for each child. Baby-5 years, 5- 10 years... something like that that each child can keep, along with the family journal, you can print as many as you need. I also realize that if there are too many books, they might not get appreciated, and just shelved on a bookshelf. I'd love to hear what you decide. Hope you guys are doing well. We need to get together sometime!

Charissa & Don Bishop said...

My RS Literacy challenge this year is to pray daily, read scriptures daily, smile more and JOURNAL your feelins while striving to do these things. I too have not written in my journal since May of 2002. I have since had 3 more kids, moved cross country, etc. etc. I knew I would never be able to keep up with the scrapbooking thing, so I commited to doing a scrapbook for my kids 1st year, after that all pictures go into a family album. I did start a blog at the beginning of this year, how do you print your blog??

AC /DC said...

I've made 3 books Heritage Makers and have really like it - so have my kids. I'm with you with the time spent in front of the the screen. You may or may not have notice, I've all but abandoned my blogging, and facebook ( never really got started on that one). As much as I liked connecting with distant friends and the masses, I don't know - I still didn't really feel that the output was equal to the quality personal connection I was receiving. Perhaps an 'old fashion' e-mail one to one is still more personal, more meaningful, and SIMPLE! I like simple. I'm going to look into the lds journal, that sounds like something I could be consistent with, since my typing keeps up with my thoughts much better than manuscript (and theirs the editing factor that's a plus!) It's been great to sneak a peak into your life every now and then, but I'm with you on being present for your family and juggling all that that intels.
Anne cox.

Melissa said...

I too have done ldsjournal.org. I used to just do my journal on word and saved it to a thumb drive that I could have wherever. I like that I can print out a book.

I have a few books from Heritage Makers (I was a consultant for a while). But I have also tried a few other sites. I really like Shutterfly.com and it is cheaper. I do a yearly book for my family.

Also, remember that you don't have to document every memorable moment. My mom wrote stuff in my baby book and at times it would be months or years apart, but for me I have enjoyed that I have that. Do what you can.