I have been pondering the first page of my new fall album. I could jump right in and start with some very cute photos but I want this album to be more than a glorified photo album. I want to set the tone for the whole project. What has the Lord been teaching me this season? What events and activities have shaped our season? What has defined this season of our lives as a family?

My journaling has never been very strong.  And recently I am starting to see why. I need to make a decision. Who am I making this album for? For me? For my children? Once I know this for sure then my speaking voice will be heard through my journaling.  I want to share myself and my thoughts with my kids but do I want to ‘talk’ directly to them in this album?  No.

I want them to open this album and imagine that they have peeked into my diary. That they will have the feeling that they are learning something new about me, about our family and about our time together.  So this album will be an extension of my journals. I have been journaling for years. I talk to God and to myself.  My new scrapbook will be my new journal.  The start of my new journal. How exciting!

My first page will be just that….a page that will look like a page out of one of my journals — only prettier! I will be able to express myself even more as the creative side of me develops and comes out.  How fun!

How do you journal? Who do you speak to as you write out your journaling? Have you tried something new in your journaling? Inspire someone today!

When the season changed way back in September it was only visable on my calendar. My calendar SAID it was the first day of fall but the weather was far from fall-like. As I worked hard to ignore the heat and the fact that I was still wearing my summer clothes, I resolved to mark the fall season. And so an idea for a scrapbook theme began to develop.

Why not split up the year into seasons and have one scrapbook dedicated to each wonderfully unique time of year?

The first thing I did was try to plan out my ideas for the book. I need to have one place to put all of my thoughts and ideas. I like to see it all written out and I need a place to jot down a new idea before it leaves me forever. And here is another benefit….I can now, as the fall season is winding down, have a place to go back to and see what I planned at the beginning of the season. I can use this list (click on the ’seasonal book planning list’ page) as a starting point that will now be adjusted, updated and checked off as complete.

Right now my planning list has various, separate sections: seasonal focus, my home, special days/holidays, activities/outings, crafts/projects and service/giving.  As I work on this first book with you I am sure I will be adjusting these categories to be more useful but it is at least a place to start.

My hope is to celebrate within the pages of my fall scrapbook the beauty of the fall season, the special memories of the big moments (like our visit to the state fair) and the small, everyday wonders (like the day my older children took my youngest on her first wagon ride around the neighborhood). 

What are your favorite things about fall? What memories do you want to record? What legacy bricks have you added to your family’s foundation this season? Let’s mark the fall season for our families and for generations to come.