Photo Albums

[azskyman]

OK...

One of the projects on my summer to-do list is to organize and put away some of our 3 x 5 and 4 x 6 photos in an organized fashion.

Seems like what happens, though, is that I pull out the two boxes full of our family's history...begin looking at them to figure out how to organize them, and then spend the next hour looking at all the photos and reminiscing. In the end, I put the two boxes away pretty much the same as they were when I got them out!

Any of you who have seriously organized your family photos...maybe into scrapbooking...who could give me some hints on how you organized yours?

By year? By theme? By child? By golly...it might help me if I could just find the right way to do it. Here's thanking you in advance.

[Miss Mary]

Very good topic Steve - excellent, again!!!

One of my regrets since my daughters were born, was not 1. developing film promptly. 2. labeling pictures (correctly, with the proper marker, not pen) 3. putting them in albums promptly.

We've tried thru the years to sort them out and we do have a few albums organized but only until the mid 90s. It's just about impossible to sit down in one day and put pictures from 87-03 in albums! You need a spare room to sort it all out and leave that way, taking a few weeks to do the job right. And now Nina is almost 18, turning 16 soon. So I'm starting to think all those thousands of doubles my mom talked me into when the kids were babies can go into an album for each child.

I have a sister-in-law who's very organized in this department. But the albums she did years ago have faded (she used the paper inserts and now the paper has yellowed. She just showed me the other day the new type available - clear bags, to put your album page into). So she's reorganizing her albums, for the second time and her girls are 25 and 22. Looked like a huge job to me!

All I can say is anyone with babies out there - like Chad - put your pics in albums ASAP! And don't leave film lying about waiting to be developed. I was so bad at that, terrible actually. Once I had 13 rolls to be developed!

Now we use digital cameras so it's all together different. But we are preserving these on CD roms.

[Pburgh]

Many years ago I separated some of my pictures and gave separate albums to each of my daughters with special pics of their childhood. That worked out very well and they loved them.

Since then, I have boxes and boxes of photos. Yes, Steve, they are sitting in the closet and I do the same thing you do. I have all of the best intentions of organizing them but just never quite get it done.

Lol Mary, now will have closets full of photo boxes with CD's stacked on top of those. Right??

[Miss Mary]

Yes Karan they are going nuts with the digital pictures......LOL!

This organization stuff has to start from day one I always say. I'm long past that possibility!!!

Sometimes I think I need Ritalin or something to get it all done! Laura has ADD and her Pediatrician has said it runs in families. He's implied I *should* get tested.......it's not unheard of for adults to be tested. And then get an Rx for meds. Now if I just had that little pill, I'd have a super organized house! LOL

This is an area that you just have to experience I guess - trying to recommend to young families to preserve pictures early on is hard to do.

Another item in this area are the baby books.....I have confess my girls' baby books are not very up to date. Past the age of 3 or so. Keep thinking I need to sit down with those books and write memories down while I still can!!!

Listen to me, talking Ritalin and now practically Geritol!!!

[Pburgh]

ROTFL - Can you take Geritol and Ritalin together??? I really need to know!!!!!!

My girls didn't have baby books so I'm off the hook on that one!!!

My daughters are doing a great job so far at keeping up to date with photos. I agree if you just start when they're born and continuously update, it's soooo much more easy.

[azskyman]

Sounds to me like this question might wind its way into the need for a self-help group just to cope with the out-of-sequence photos!

We'll meet every third Wednesday in the social room of the YMCA. Bring your box of photos, a pair of scissors, a photo album with at least 12 blank sheets ready to fill, and, one more requirement.

There is drug screening at the door. If you HAVEN'T had your ritalin or zanax before you come in...you'll be excluded from that week's session!

The last topic during the 10 week session will be...what happens when the technology changes and CD's become obsolete like the 8-track tapes did?

An extra dose of medication is required for that last session!

[Pburgh]

Until I know the adverse effects of the Geritol/Ritalin combo, I hope I can get in with just testing positive for Geritol.

Please, Please don't leave me outside the door. I NEED HELP!!!!

[Miss Mary]

Karan/Steve - now it's my turn to LOL!!! Can you take Ritalin and Geritol together......OMG, that is a funny question. And now anyone under the age of 35 is asking - what's Geritol?!!!!

Don't laugh but I am actually taking Geritol vitamins, pill form, just started since the packaging said for 50+ years of age. I'm at 48, feel like 55 at times physically, mentally I feel 35! Does it help? Mmmmm, jury's still out on that one. Yup, fell for the product hype!

[azsnowman]

I've got an apple box STUFFED FULL of photos, last winter when I was down with the foot, I got as far as seperating them into catagories then "Phhhft!" that was it!

Hmmm.....I might have to give the Ritalin a try, wonder how it works with Paxil?

Dennis

[Pburgh]

Oh Dennis, Believe in that Geritol!!!!!!! I believe, I believe. Look at me, I'm 58 and I act like I'm 10 and feel like I'm 75. Oops, don't think it should work like that!!! jk Actually I take Centrum Silver - do they have Centrum Gold for me to take in a few years???? Oh well, I guess I'll just take double the amount of Centrum Silver. Do you thing 6 a day will do it?????

Hey, how did a Photo Album topic get into talking about drugs. I don't remember!!!!!! Oh that CRS has hit me again. What's that new memory herbal vitamin on the market??? I can't remember. ahhhhhhh

[Miss Mary]

Me, I'm the guilty one that swung the topic towards meds......joked that Ritalin might help me have organized photo albums......LOL!!!

I'll swing it back to photo albums, w/o meds!!!! And then mine would be in the mess they're already in - in shrink wrap still!!!

[azskyman]

Hey....I just had the photo box out again. Looking for a particular one (1970) of my mom standing by the flag my dad just sent me for my birthday. I FOUND IT!

It was well organized and right between a photo of Kathy holding Jason (1974) and Jarrod being confirmed at church (1990). I put the lid back on the box, put that box on top of the other boxes, and considered it a victory.

Then I went out to make sure I took my CENTRUM for the day, too!

[ColdFront77]

My mother has all our family pictures in order by year. It seems to make more sense to go through pictures of family members through the years.

[pojo]

You just have to meet at the Y...thanks alot! (j/k)You know I work at 2 Y's! I'll see if I can get you guys in for free!!! uuummm.... *shannon talks with head honchos...* Yup, sure can!!

As for my scrapbooks...yes I do keep them. Most of the time, they are of my Habitat trips. Every trip that I have gone on has its own scrapbook...
Austin, Texas
Charleston, SC
Springhill, LA/Taylor, AR
Norristown, PA (which I just finished today).

I also have a scrapbook of my sophomore year with Habitat...the builds, the trips and everything else inbetween.

I'd have to dig around the house for my Key West/Miami scrapbook...its around somewhere.

And finally, my mom has a picture book of me growing up. The birthday's, the crazy baby pics, Halloween, Christmas, first communion, confirmation, school 'mug shots' and HS graduation, etc...although i'm 21, its quite thick...and will only get thicker!! Plus, there are shoe boxes, among shoe boxes, among shoe boxes of vacation pics, get-togethers with crazy family. We are a very photogenic bunch!

[azskyman]

Shannon...those new scrapbook stores are really something. It's an artform by itself.

It's a good thing shoes come in boxes. Where else would we put all our photos???

[raine]

OMG.....I have four huge boot boxes stuffed with pictures!! I REALLY need help! Plus since my sister is a photographer I have two more boxes with pix that she took and gave to me.I make an attempt about twice a year to organize, but I end up like you Steve, spending so much time lost in the memories that I forget that my intention was to organize them.

Is there ANY hope for me??!!

Raine

[azskyman]

Raine....unlike me, there is a LOT of hope for you!

Your middle name ought to be Hope!

Now as for those photos...BOOT BOXES? Well, you like rainy days and winter days...so by this time next year you should be through at least one box!

Good luck with it...and, by the way, I will be thinking of you, Dakota, and your family this week. May God bless every single minute for you this week!

[pojo]

Poppysky...Especially when I return home from a trip, I head to the scrapbooking stores in the area to gather ideas and clipart per se.