That is sooooo special that you found that from your Grandma! This is one of the MAIN reasons that I blog and scrapbook. I love the idea of my kids and their kids being able to know my thoughts and my day to day activities even when I'm no longer able to tell them. I have various journals around the house to and I am always marking stuff on our family calendar and I keep those too because with this major technological age that we live in (and is only going to get more so) I still want my family to have a recording of my handwriting. Handwriting is such a personal trait. No 2 is the same. Anyway just my thoughts on the matter :)

I've never done this, but would really like to. I saw a great idea in a magazine - This mom had a notebook for each kid. She would journal in it whenever she felt like it. She wrote about special occasions, holidays, accomplishments, funny things they said that day.. and if she had a sudden memory of something they did when they were a baby, she'd write that down also - just whatever came to her mind at the time..  Sometimes after dinner, the notebooks would get passed around the table and each person in the family would write something about that kid in their notebook, tell a story or draw a picture.  Otherwise she keeps them completely private and planned to give them away to each child on a special day - wedding, graduation.. etc.  She said start at ANY age and buy a few notebooks because they will fill up quick as the years go by.  Anyway - I really want to try and do this. In fact, I think I'll make that my mission for next week - to find some journals. :) I'm excited now!  Thanks for bringing up the topic.

you know, i didn't realize i had been doing it for years until i stumbled upon a folder in my husband's e-mail account that was labeled with my name.  in it, were years worth of e-mails that i sent out to family telling of the funny things ethan had said and done, and all of his milestones.  so, i printed them all out and have a nice record.  in fact, i wrote him an e-mail today about the newborns exploding dirty diaper.  i'm sure i'll think it's funny when i find that one in a year or two.

Out of desperation, I got this great family organizer from a friend...it's my calendar, notebook, grocery list & meal planner.  I think I would be totally insane without it now!  I had really good intentions of jotting down the funny things in my day there....but, seem to forget or am just too tired as I sit and stare blankly at the blank pages.  I think I will get the blank notebook for each boy and try the passing around the table idea, I have the family scrapbook (which I really need to focus on getting caught up!) and then the babybooks that seem to be filled to the brim.  (some really funny stories, much like the exploding diaper story..)  

I have always thought it was important to keep a journal.  I guess I had no idea my grandma did this when she was a young mom as well....since I had never snooped through her personal things - until now.  It was really special to read with my mom and aunt sitting around in the living room on the floor.  My grandma described going to see my older brother shortly after he was born, "little man" she called him.  I also found a travel journal my grandma kept during the years she and my grandpa traveled by trailer.  It was a very precise (like to the mile, minute type thing) and she included how many gallons of gas, the price of fuel, what they paid for staying different places in their trailer, who they saw while traveling.  I sat reading it to my husband one evening, and we were both amazed at the precise nature of my grandma and her very detailed journals.  Handwriting is a very personal trait - my grandma had beautiful cursive.  Mine is not so good....I even have to think about it to make it legible!  My aunt, she can print like a typewriter - no joke!  And her cursive is beautiful!  One thing I got over when I began doing scrapbooking was to stop being so critical of my handwriting and just journal.  

Thanks for your responses and suggestions!  I need to get off the computer and get to cleaning the house now...       & nbsp;  

Just started in the kids' journals today!  I found them at Walmart for 4 dollars each. Blue for the oldest boy, Pink for my daughter and green for the baby son.  I know I'll have to buy more.... at least I hope so or that would mean that I'm not writing in them enough!  One entry done, thousands to go between now and 2025! (when my youngest turns 18) If all goes well and I stick this out, I plan on giving them out on their wedding days... or maybe college graduation. If neither of those happen... I dunno then!

I still need to get my journal books...I have been on a cleaning binge at home....not going many places, just cleaning and purging the closets and other stuff.  Maybe today I will get out and get the books....it's on the list!  I will be near WalMart...I guess I'll be going there too!   

I am thrilled to say that I found some great journals at Target today!  They were on sale too!  I had both boys....in monster form, so, we only hit Target and the grocery store....that was bad enough!  I have not had a moment to sit down and make my first entry.....However, now that the youngest is almost out for the count....and the oldest is asking for me, sleep is close by - for them anyway!  Maybe this evening after they crash I'll have a few moments.  If not, hopefully sometime this week!  At least I have the journals now and can begin the process!  Plus, I found the great Dad gift ideas....now we just need to get them done!  ;) 

Did you get my messages I was trying to send you ???

Life has been hectic, so I didn't get my first entry done as quick as I thought I would....I finally sat down one evening - in my only alone time - after getting into my jammies and brushing my teeth, before unlocking the bedroom door....I sat in total seclusion and made an entry for each son in their book.  It was SO special!  I have their books labeled with their names, and I am going to date each entry and sign it - to track their growing up and changing.  I took the quiet moment to tell them each something special and also to remind them about how much we all love them and how special they are to us....they are amazing gifts from God!  I hope that one day they are special momentos that will bring a smile to their faces as they grow up and start families of their own.  Okay, I'm about to cry....off to get the oldest to bed now!  Caden fell asleep on the way to recycle a bunch of boxes, newspaper, and water bottles.  I carried him through the movie store, and now Colby is watching his choice, and about to crash out!  WOO HOO!  Scrapbooks here I come!!  :0)