My New Binders

Okay, I know that title is about as exciting as watching paint dry, and this post just may be on that level, too. Ha! Anyway, a friend shared a great idea with me, and I wanted to pass it along. . .

I've usually always saved the little programs from plays or other things we've seen or the girls have participated in over the years. Each girl has a 'memory box,' which is just a big plastic tub with a lid that I keep in their closets, and after the event I would just toss the program in the box. Those boxes were pretty messy and unorganized, as you can image. Well, a dear friend suggested that I make a binder for each girl and put the programs in page protectors. I could even put a couple snap shots of them at the event in there, too. 

Genius!

I made each girl a binder entitled 'Places we've gone and things we've seen!' I tried really hard to incorporate some part of Dr. Seuss's 'Oh, The Places You'll Go,' into it, but I couldn't find the right image, and it was taking a really long time, and I just gave up on that.

Yes, I know, the cover is even lamer than the title of this post, but, what can ya do? ;)
(and sorry about the sideways picture, my camera goes goofy sometimes when I shoot straight down)

And here's the inside! I've got the program from Mary's church choir program on the left, and the program and tickets from our last play on the right.

I also created a binder just for the girls' artwork. I love having it up on the walls, but when it's time for a change, I now move my favorites into her artwork binder! This cover is special because it's the first craft we did this year in our first year of homeschooling. Awwww... ;)   (ummm... yes, it's a fish.)

And again, a view of the inside of her artwork binder. I read somewhere one time to ask your child open-ended questions about her artwork and then write her responses down so you remember what was going on in her precious mind when she created the piece. So, I've been doing that and writing things she says about her pictures on the back with the date and her age. Easy cheesy, huh?!

I know I'll really enjoy looking back at these binders one day and reliving some sweet memories with my girls. This may be all old news to you; sometimes I'm the last to find out about cool stuff like this. But, if you're looking for an easy, quick way to organize programs and drawings, these boring old binders might be able to help!

Ooh! One more thing!

Another sweet friend told me about her great idea, too! She has all her pictures from the school year so far on her computer. She's documenting with her camera what they're doing and all the fun stuff with school. At the end of the year, she's going to make a photo book out of it! I think she's planning on doing this every year, so she'll have a nice-looking keepsake of each year of school. Isn't that great?! Yes, I'm so stealing that one, too!

Do you have any neat ways to keep up with things like this? If so, please leave a comment and fill us in!