I started to capture my inner, deepest thoughts in 1988 when I was 10 years old. The content back then revolved around playing in the woods and riding my bike. I have saved every journal since 1988. My journal count is at 38 and still increasing.
I continue keep a journal as well as this blog. I mainly keep written journals for my kids. I started those before Jonah and McKenna were born. These are not "baby books" that capture height, weight, or favorite color. These journals capture stories and memories about them - all the little things that tend to be forgotten over time.
I think the overall reason I write and journal is the fear of forgetting all of things that happen in a lifetime. As children we learn by memorizing. Our young brains are spongy and soak in memories. As we go older, those brains are tend harden and we can barely remember what we need at the grocery store. Therefore, we write our checklists, to-do lists, and not to-do lists. As much as the internet, Evernote, blogs, and all of the other tech tools tried to replace paper - they truly never will. And this statement is coming from a gal that tends to be paperless. I cannot give up my handwritten journals. I still love to write a letter and send it via snail mail.
Having so many journals that capture every stage of my life are fun to thumb back through. I hope my kids will enjoy their first journals started by me. It's our history book in the making.
Here's a challenge - try sending a good friend or a family member a hand written note. I bet you'll make their day.
My beautiful, little girl had her first ballet recital back in the middle of May. She was so excited that she got to wear a sparkly ballerina outfit and a tiara. I never took ballet when I was a kid so I can only imagine that this felt like being a princess for a day. Also, I didn't realize that you present flowers to ballerinas after they perform. Oops! I was just grateful to have remember the tights and shoes and such that she needed. I'll know what the protocol is next time.
This tool plays into my obsession with bags. I love totes, clutches, shoulder bags, cross body bags, satchels - you get the point. I have as many bags and purses as I do shoes. I typically find a bag and stick with it for a few months and then move on to some else. Finding the perfect bag for all my toting needs has been a challenge since having kids. I want something that will carry all the random things I need as well as be super cute. The bag that I have been sticking to lately is from a company called "Thirty-One". My tote is called the "Organizing Utility Tote".
Here's what I'm toting -
- Throw in my work out clothes for a power hour at the gym at lunch
- There's a outside pocket for a water
- I store some ponytail holders in another outside pocket
- My umbrella always stays in my bag
- Snacks & drinks for a weekend day out of the house
- If we are heading to dinner at a friends house, I throw in PJ's for the kids so we can stay a bit longer.
Everything fits nicely in the bag and all the side pockets and I can just sling it over my shoulder and go. I owe some other styles of Thirty-One bags and I'm becoming a big fan.
We said good-bye to Atlanta for a week and headed to Cancun, Mexico. We had a great time. The kids loved everything about the trip and they were so easy to manage. Jonah wanted to stay for "99 years". I hope the 6 days was good enough. Enjoy these videos of boarding the plane and the montage of our adventure.
I started to capture my inner, deepest thoughts in 1988 when I was 10 years old. The content back then revolved around playing in the woods and riding my bike. I have saved every journal since 1988. My journal count is at 38 and still increasing. 
