DAY 16: More photos

Taking photographs is a part of our everyday life. With an iPhone, the quality of the pictures are exceptional and its always with me in my pocket. No need to go find the camera, get the settings right and click. By that time you have lost the moment.

Other than randomly catching moments to save them, we also take some regulars. Here are a few:

1. We have a family picture taken for our Christmas card every year. And every year we hang those  earlier years pictures on the Christmas tree, or put them on the fire place mantle.
2. We also take pictures at the beginning of every of every school year. 
3. For David, I make a collage of pictures on Instamag to mark his monthly milestones.(10 months, 11 months etc...)
4. A friend of mine does yearly photo books. Its wonderful to see pictures from that entire year.
5. Catalogue school pictures in the kids files. I love going through every school year photo. read more on that here .

Christmas Picture 2013

Big and Little

Day 15: Vacations

Going on holidays, long or short is another fun way to add up to the memory bank of fun memories. I have heard of families that plan purposely , holidays at the beginning of the year. That way the families are sure that they are making it priority to spend relaxed fun times with the family and the busyness of a hectic normal routine doesn't jeopardise that . We haven't gone on trips , excluding our India trip after David was born. But that is completely normal when you have just had a baby recently. But when Benjamin, our oldest was born I remember we went camping to a christian conference in the UK when he was just 4 months old. And in his first year we went visiting friends in Edinburg , Scotland , Norway, Brugge in Belgium(when he was a month old). We also made our annual India trip. I don't think we travelled like that with Elijah. I guess we got lazy and blamed it on having two boys .Well, more travel and fun definitely in the process when David is a little bit older.

Here are a few fun way to save a holiday memory;

1. Every time you are on vacation, find a smooth stone or pebble and write a memory from that trip, place and year. Add to the collection of other rocks in a clear jar.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Get a wooden box , decorate it with travel signs, family name. Choose the best photo from that trip and put it in the box.
3. Make a phonebook online with all memories from a holiday, or a scrapbook with tickets, keepsake finds from the trip.
4. I think it would be really cool to have one big book for all our adventures. Dedicate one page per trip. Imagine how wonderful it will be to have a collection of all the wonderful adventures in one book. I think this is completely doable and takes the pressure off scrapbooking madness and other time consuming ideas.
5. We also mark on our large sized map in our play room with a red dot of all the places we have visited. Having Europe as our backyard makes it fun especially when Germany, Belgium are just 1 hour away from Eindhoven , The Netherlands.  (I couldn't find my phone to take a picture of our map, so here is a stolen on from the internet, but it just shows the U.S)

DAY 14: Creating memories quotes

DAY 13: Photographs

Take pictures. As often as you can. With technology and having that in the palm of your hand always, gives us great opportunity to capture moments . The iPhone comes out with better camera and lens each time their new versions come out. The quality of those pictures can be compared to pictures taken with a good SLR. With the gadget ready, its the mindset that needs to quick and ready , to capture to precious moments. Take videos of funny moments, moments where they dance, sing, recite the Lords prayer .


A friend of mine has been making photo books for every year. It isn't bulky like the regular old albums and you can add captions and fun doodles around it. Its a bit of work gathering and sorting and adding those pictures to the program. But the end result is so worth it. There are a lot of programs you can use to make photo books. I will be researching a few to start making our yearly books. Will be definitely looking for an easy software , for sure! With my pictures all arranged in iPhotos(Date and year). I am sure it will be an easy job. Hopefully!

A wonderful memory keepsake. We often go through that when we are over at her place and talk about those fun moments and see how the kids have grown, How different we look !

I love capturing moments of the boys together.

DAY 12: Do a Marathon

Both Benjamin and Elijah ran last Sunday in the yearly Marathon in Eindhoven. Benjamin ran the 5K and Elijah even though he trained for 2.5 K , that was taken out of the lot and it was just a 1.5K. They both thoroughly enjoyed it. Bobby ran with Benjamin which started at 10 am and then at 11 am ran with Elijah. I guess, God willing this might be something they might do every year with Bobby. Who knows, maybe they will take up to running. A special time with Bobby! When they were toddlers they also went regularly for the toddler swimming lessons with Bobby. That was their time together. 

Next year I hope they can run for a cause and understand the need.

Benjamin does his first 5K

Proud of my boys

Elijah goofing with the PSV mascot Phoxy

Such a lovely picture of Elijah, smiling and reaching the finish line

DAY 11: The Gift of time

In this day and age, where time is so precious and rare, its so difficult to find TIME. We often wish we had more time. With after school activities, things to do, housekeeping, jobs, new baby, 24 hours isn't enough. I seem to be running all the time. I didn't have 10 minutes these past few days to catch up on my posts. What have I been doing? A lot. How much of it was spending relaxed quality time with the kids? I am ashamed even to give you an answer. I read somewhere, children spell love T-I-M-E.

How can we spend time with them when we don't have time? Slowing down would be a great start for me. Having my to do list for just today and not all the things I want to get done is a good start too.

Here are some ideas:

• Spending one to one time with them is the best thing we can give our kids. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, date nights are great. but this needs a little bit of scheduling and planning.
• Reading aloud with the children for 15 minutes a day.
• Getting them involved in household chores. So, that doesn't mean you tell them what to do and leave them to it while I get something else done. If its emptying the dishwasher, do it together. If its cleaning the playroom, do it together. 
• Sit with your kids while they have breakfast. Maybe you do, and thats fantastic. I usually get the school bags and lunches ready, change and eat my breakfast running around. 
• A family devotion time is a great way to sit and talk with them, discuss the Bible passage you are reading. Hear from them what they think about it. You will be surprised on how much they will ask and talk during this time.
• Go for a short walk. 
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DAY 10: Traditions

As a child , I remember a few family traditions we had. Some were around Christmas, some during the summer holidays. We also fasted a week before the new school year began.

With Christmas around the corner, this is the best time to have meaningful memorable time together with family. That can be remembered for years to come and probably continued by your kids for their family. Family traditions strengthen family bonds, bring them together especially when they are all grown up and busy with their own lives. Its also great to pass on  and remember cultural traditions.

It could be as simple as having something for dinner on a particular day. I know a family who come together (sons and wives and their children) to have their fathers macaroni dinner ever Thursday. A wonderful time to come together and spend time with each other. Benjamin regular mentions that kids in their class have a fries night once a week. Dutch "Frietjes" (fries) are thick and quite tasty. But  once a week is too much for me. I agreed once a month.

For Christmas , I have done Ann Voskamp's "A Jesus Advent Celebration". And also Truth in the tinsel from Oh Amanda.  This year I will use Ann Voskamps Unwrapping the greatest gift.

I also will be starting a grateful for journal with the boys. Have a small notebook and at the end of the day ask them what was the one thing they were thankful / grateful for and write it down. Each family member gets a turn.


What traditions will you be doing with your family ?