Memory Planning: The Art of Documenting Your Family Vacation

by Colleen Langenfeld ~ Copyright (c) 2003 ~ Used by Permission

You have saved and planned for your family vacation.  You are drooling with anticipation.  You dream of idyllic time spent with your spouse and children.  Of course, you'll be taking photos to remember this great time spent together.
Maybe using a video camera, too!  

Would you consider doing one more thing?  Locking in those great moments forever with a little 'memory planning'?  What's that, you say?  Memory planning. Simply put, plan the 'taking' of your memories and you will end up with a more vibrant and satisfying collection of momentos. Much better than just a few rolls of film or cassettes of videotape. Intrigued? It's easy!

- Start by collecting brochures, postcards, ticket stubs.

- Keep a small notebook or assign a family member to take notes. At moments when someone says 'this is the best time ever' ask him or her to describe their feelings & jot down the details.

- If using a video camera, narrate what was exciting or compelling about the event you are taping.

- Try to identify scents and sounds with events as well as visual clues. Write these things down in your notebook and collect samples when possible.

- Be a reporter; always ask yourself and others 'why' when they say they love something. Identifying the why helps to stamp the event firmly in our memory.

Doing these steps faithfully will really help later on when you are pulling all of these independent parts together. Your accurate journalizing will make all the difference, says Lygia Brown, Independent Scrapbook Consultant: 'After safely preserving our photos, the most important part of scrapbooking is journalizing. Compare a beautifully  decorated album with no words, to one with words and you will see the value of documenting events, people and places. Journalizing adds meaning. Use the questions of a journalist as a guide. (Who, what, when, where, or why?). Journalizing is a priceless enhancement.'  ( For scrapbooking questions Lygia can be reached at Lygiabrown@yahoo.com )
 
So make sure you plan your memories this vacation with as much care as you plan your route. Pack a small bag designed to hold the memorabilia you will collect plus your journal. Schedule the time now that you will need after your trip to complete the archiving of your vacation memories.  You'll be so glad you did!

Colleen Langenfeld delivers deals, tips and creative resources to working moms who want the most out of their homes, families and careers at http://www.paintedgold.com. Sign up for our free newsletter and get an online Creativity Toolkit as our gift to you!