What to do about all those cards?

 (source) Maybe this is what I should have done with all those cards.

I think I just unpacked my last box...well at least the boxes in the house, never mind the garage is full of them. And do you know what was in that box? Cards. Yes, bunches and bunches of cards.

Cards from my bridal shower, cards from my wedding day, cards from my baby shower, cards from my grandma for my 10th birthday. I couldn't help but ask myself, why on EARTH did I keep all of these cards?

No, really, why did I keep all of those cards. Two whole boxes of paper tied in sweet bundles and secured with satin bows or twine. Sweet, but not practical. When am I ever going to look at them again? I suppose, I thought my children, or  perhaps my grandchildren, would like to look at them some day. It took me a moment, but then I got over that thought and realized what is more important are the memories associated to those events, not the cards.

Well, you know what I did? I recycled them. I kept a few that were meaningful like the touching letter from my grandmother to me on my wedding day, and the last sweet note to my son from my grandfather before he passed away. I retained a few to make Christmas ornaments and holiday decorations. But the others? I posted them on freecycle for someone else's crafting or gift-giving needs. Within a few short hours they were out of my house. And, oh did it feel good!

What do you do with all of the cards you receive for special events? Keep them? Toss them? Something else?

Solo Aqui: Sunrise Moon

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Lately it's been our morning ritual to go outside to see if the moon is still "awake." E loves to look up in the early morning sky and try to find that sometimes absent, sometimes full and sometimes crescent shape he has recently learned to call the "moong."

He points his little chubby finger up to the sky and raises his voice in excitement the moment he finds that mischievous moon.

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It has become our silly tradition. One that brings a spring to my step each day. A memory that I will write down in my son's baby book. A topic of conversation later in life. Perhaps a  jumping off point to begin to tell him the importance of the moon to his family. A way to share with him the legacy of his great grandfather, whom I can't help but think about every morning as I look for that moon among the sunrise.

{Moments}:Back From The Beach

So, I realized yesterday that due to the glitchy internet of where we are staying my posts haven't been posting...Sorry to leave you hanging friends. I am back and online and ready to start posting again. YAY! Since, you didn't get to see all of my lovely journal entries pics I am just going to share some of my favorite moments from our trip with you here...

Solo Aqui::Past Connections

A large box arrived on our doorstep late last week. We weren't expecting anything, so it was a little surprising to receive such a large package.

E and I pushed the box  into our living room. We both plopped on the floor consumed with the  same eager excitement that anticipation brings. Carefully we opened the box to reveal 4 thickly wrapped packages. E helped to unravel the brown paper revealing 4s framed cross stitch pictures of locomotives.

Fortuntaly a card did accompany the gifts, otherwise I would still be baffled as to what I had received. In the neatly typed letter my grandmother explained that she has sent me these four cross-stitch pictures of trains that she had made back when she was a young girl in the 30's.


She explained that during her summers she and her family would travel to their property in New Jersey. They had no electricty, no indoor plumbing and bunches of chickens. She and her sister would spend their days playing games, drawing and learning to cross-stitch.

The trains, she said,  were the first set of cross stitch she had ever completed. Each one explores a different type of stitch.

E and I looked upon each framed picture with a hint of wonderment and that feeling you get when you are handling something older than you, but some how very much connected to who you are.

 In between those lines and threads I could almost picture my young grandmother enjoying the process of pushing a needle through and pulling the thread out to create these precious pictures.

It suddenly made sense why, on one of my vacations East as a child, my grandmother had helped me spend one of my summers learning to cross stitch.


I would love to hear what connects you to your past, family and history. Please feel free to share.

Solo Aqui::Fullness

This past week was busy and full. Full bellies, full house, and days filled with friends and family. We all gathered from near and far to celebrate my husband's birthday, and the festivities just continued on into the weekend!

 

We celebrated with sisters, and aunts, and significant others.

We hiked in the sun and cooked in the rain (there was lot's of rain!)

Did I mention that we ate? And ate, and ATE! There was lot's of food to be had. Oh what a delicious week. So much lovely time with people who are near and dear to our hearts. 

Wishing you friends a happy and full rest of your week!

{This Moment}

 {this moment} - A Friday ritual inspired by Soulemama. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 

Since Becoming A Mom

Since becoming a mom, I have a new respect and deeper love for my mom



Since becoming a mom, I can't get enough of your delicious toes

Since becoming a mom, I will never forget your little face

Since becoming a mom, what interests you facinates me

Since becoming a mom, being silly is totally Ok

Because you are just as silly as me

Since becoming a mom, you laugh and my world becomes a much better place

 

Since becoming a mom, I have learned to play again

Since becoming a mom, I have been the happiest I have ever been.


Enjoy celebrating those women in your life who mean the world to you.
Wishing everyone a fabulous Mother's Day Weekend.

Solo Aqui:: Preserving Memories

Life happens quickly and I find there isn't always time to  document in elaborate or beautiful ways. I absolutely wish I had several few hours to put together a lovely scrap book of all of my life's happenings, but you know what?  Right now, it's just not feasible for me. So, instead I jot down memories.

Next to my bed I keep a stack of lined index cards in a little wooden box with a  pen I adore writing with. Before I tuck myself in after a long busy day I take 5 minutes and I think of one or two memories, moments, feats of accomplishments, or what-have-you and I jot them down.  Sometimes it turns into just a list, other times I find myself writing short prose, haikus, or pretty snippets of poetry. I date the index cards and keep them ordered by month.

On quiet evenings my family sometimes goes through the index cards and selects ones to read aloud and share. We find ourselves reminicsing about past events, silly moments, and those special tender ones too.

I bundle up the memories with a rubber band and hide them away in a memory box tucked back in my closet. Sometimes it's fun to pull down  the cards from past years and have a look. So much changes in a short period of time.

How do you like to preserve and document your family's memories?