Thursday, June 10, 2010

bookkeeping



Yesterday I finally received the new scrapbooks I've been waiting for. I had been needing new albums for a long time and before yesterday I had a good sized stack of scrapbook pages sitting vulnerable and exposed on top of my already stuffed scrapbooks.

There is so much I like about scrapbooking. I love the photography, putting pages together, thinking through what to write and looking through what I've already done. I love showing them to Andrew and hearing his reaction to seeing himself as a baby. But I don't particularly like putting the books themselves together. I find it stressful. I picture our apartment in 10 years lined wall to wall in scrapbooks and it gives me a stomachache. When I put the books together I question whether or not I should keep doing this.

But, I keep doing it!

I have my scrapbooks organized in a couple of different ways. Andrew and Isaac each have their own books that are more or less chronological. Dave and I share a book that has pages about him and pages about me. Then I have an "us" scrapbook that I started after Isaac was born. Before Isaac was born everything was pretty much about Andrew. Going apple picking was about taking Andrew apple picking. Going sledding was about taking Andrew sledding. Now that Isaac's in the mix it changed that dynamic. So, apple picking and sledding now go in the "us" book...for things we do as a family. I also have a scrapbook for the beach and NYC which will soon need to be separated out into two separate books. There is book for holidays and birthdays and two volumes called "People We Love".

Last night I added the labels on the sides of the books and I really like them! I love knowing what I'll find inside each book.



I put my little books in these baskets on top of a cabinet where the boys can't reach them. I used to want the little books to be available to the kids to look through, but several books got destroyed with that system so I had to make some revisions. Now we sit together to look at the books.



I don't really know what will happen to these books down the road. Will Andrew and Isaac want them? I don't want to assume that they will. "Oh Andrew? You heading off to college?!?! Don't forget your baby books!" But you never know. Someday they might want them. We'll just have to see what happens.

8 comments:

Ruth said...

This very much rminds me of my set-up. And if I give DS his albums when he leaves home, what will I be left with?

Danielle said...

If they don't want them, their wives probably will!

Maritza said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MaritZA said...

WOW, I could have written this post. I worry about the same thing and then I tell myself that I will worry about it when it becomes a problem. My kids are 22 and 19 and there girlfriend/boyfriends look at them and some day their children will. So far my grandson just puts them in his mouth. LOL.

Anonymous said...

I was so grateful when you helped me organize my albums this year. I have quite a few now as well and I feel the same way, that I'm eventually going to need an entire closet dedicated to holding my scrapbooks, but unlike you I have a three story house. I remember loving to look at Brian's scrapbooks when we were dating and every now and then he looks through the ones Lynne made him. I just bought new books too, Michaels had them for 2.99 which is a steal so I got four more, but I should have gotten seven. Whooops!

-Steph

Cheryl said...

As long as scrapbooking makes you happy...don't stress out about the books! Worse case scenario is that you'll have to scan them someday and find a home for the originals even if it's the circular file. Save the memories now...worry about the future when it gets here!

Deb @ PaperTurtle said...

Great albums, Robyn, and I love the way you labeled them too!

I have often wondered what will happen to the books I've made many years from now. I like to think they'll be treasured keepsakes, if only for their sentimental value. I guess that will depend on whose hands they ultimately fall into. hm...

Anyway! They're fun to make and lots of fun to look at, so I'll keep on making them and I know you will too. And, good call putting the books up high. ;o)

Marti said...

Robyn, how come you it is stressful to you to imagine your apartment in 10 years lined wall to wall in scrapbooks? I mean... given the fact that you like showing them to yours kids and looking through what you've already done, wouldn't that represent hours of pleasure at your fingertips? I mean, is it just a storage issue? Or is there something more to it?