Feeling Tipsy: Boxed-Up Memories

I had a brilliant idea that I wanted to share [thus feeling "tip"sy. Get it?!]
LOL.
Okayyy.

I've watched hours upon hours of shows like Hoarders and Clean House.
We have a little pack-rat syndrome going on over here that I hate to admit.

But I refuse to let those behaviors follow us to the new house.

One of the hardest things to part from is something that triggers a memory.
I don't want to forget one ounce of my kids' childhoods. But I don't have the energy or the space to keep up with every single thing they create, bring home, or are awarded.

Up until now, I've tried keeping such items in boxes - a few things from each year.

I realize though, that because they are in boxes, I may only see [or recall] those memories once every few years [when we move, most likely]. Since we don't plan on moving again for a lonnnnnng time, I thought I had better come up with a plan.

Instead of keeping each item, I will instead ooooh and aaaahhh over it the moment my child brings said item to my attention, whether it be a report card or a sculpture, and immediately take 2 pictures of it. One of just the item, and one of the child with the item. That way I am documenting the item with the age and look of my child when they brought it home - a perfect memory captured forever.

At the end of each year, I plan to take all of the photos and create a Memory Book [like these here]. I think I will combine all of the kids "memories" to make it much easier to put together, but order four each time so that one day when my homies leave da crib, they can take their books with them. The fourth one will be for the husband and I.

I have a big box to go through... Just in the first few minutes of going through the box, look what I found:

 [artwork by Nic]

 [Isa circa pre-school]

[Alex's report card from the 5th grade]

[A scrapbook of sorts my Aunt Julie put together for Isa's 3rd birthday]

[Alex when he was 3. Or, as Nic thinks: him, now. Seriously, Nic thinks it's a picture of himself. Too cute.]

[One of Nic's preemie diapers. So small.]

[Artwork by Nic from this past week.]

Awwww - so much fun!

This idea really stemmed from the fact that I only want to take what's necessary to the new house. My goal is to have most everything moved in by this weekend. I am tired of travelling back and forth. And so is Nic.