memories

I have always enjoyed looking through old pictures, and I feel that alot of my childhood memories are tied to those pictures. My Mom (though I love her like crazy) was not the best at taking pictures, or organizing the ones we had. There was a large drawer in one of her antique chests, and that was where the pictures were. I could sit for hours going through them, and I still do, although I have looked through them all a million time already.

I have had those pictures here with me for about 5 years with plans to organize them for my Mom, for me, and for my kids. I'd love for them to be able to sit down with an album and just see the progression of me growing up, and see what a wonderful childhood I had. Organizing them takes time though, and that seems to be one thing I just do not have alot of *sigh*

The way my Mom had our pictures "organized" must have bothered me, because when I had my first child, the pictures were in a album before I left the hospital, seriously. I had been given a small album that matched my baby book (I know you all know how planning for a first baby is, LOL) and someone had taken my roll of film to Walmart for one hour developing. I kept this up for about 3-4 years, and two children. Each roll of film was developed and placed in an album accordingly. I even went as far as sticking little number labels on the ends (a trick I learned from my very organized MIL) so that you would know which album to look through first.

I am laughing at myself as I type.


Enter digital cameras. I take so many pictures now with my digital camera, I would go broke trying to print them all. Since Zander arrived (summer 2004) I've had prints made a few times from online. He has part of an album full of pictures of me before he arrived, and some from the hospital in it. Ava does not have any albums, yet. I do have the pictures on CD and I wonder what the future will be like. Will the kids just pop in a CD to see their childhood pictures?

Each of my children do have pregnancy journals, and VERY FULL baby books, both of which I have put pictures in. I also scrapbook if/when I get time, so there are some things for them to look back on. I keep nearly everything from school, but have started to slow down on that now that they are getting older, and because I have four kids. Eventually my house would be over run with school papers :)

My point is, I always thought I would do a better job at keeping our memories together and organized. Turns out, I'm not. There are things all over my house, and if I were gone tomorrow, I'm not sure anyone could put all of the pieces together. I am wondering if there is an easier way, a better way. Am I trying too hard? Was my Mom's drawer the perfect answer? Have digital cameras ruined my chances of ever keeping things printed and together?

What do YOU do with your kids pictures/memories?