[jenrou]

I've been reading, with interest, about your journals and family files and it reminded me of something.
This last summer two of my grown children and grandkids met at my son's house on the river for a week. We boated, cooked, and had a real good time.
We took a lot of photos-three cameras going- and swapped photos on cds. We put together an album of the best photos and wrote jokes or notes in it. We mailed it back and forth, all of us writing in it, because we had so much fun. It turned out to be so funny we plan to do it again.
We just need to figure a way to each have an album signed without all of the postage.
We even had a "boat songs" cd mix that we included. We played the country music on moonlight boat rides and sang along, etc. So I can listen to the cd, and I'm happy again.

jean

[teecee]

This sounds like it was a ton of fun Jean!

[AnnBK]

Jean, that sounds like the most fabulous vacation! Nothing like making family memories, and you're so luck to have them so well documented. Might we get to see a layout or two of those photos??

[PBarnes]

That sounds like a really neat idea, Jean. I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions on how you can cut down on the shipping charges unless you wait until you are all together the next summer.

[AggieB]

It does sound like a marvelous idea. I don't know how to collect all the comments with out lots of postage or one person having to collate a lot of digital copies.

[Sara Arell]

What a great idea! I don't know how you could do that without cutting down on shipping charges either, but I wish you much luck - sounds like a very creative idea!

[jenrou]

This was just a cheap photo album, plastic sleeves with a place for comments. my daughter has the albumn, but I may have a few page copies. I'll look and maybe show them. It might not be so funny to anyone else. It just brought back the fun we had.
Jean

[LaLo1103]

I love that idea! Maybe everyone can pick their own font and font color, then e-mail their comments? Then when it gets laid out, their comments get added in their special font and color? Not matter what, this is a great idea! I may try to work it into our Christmas festivities this year...

[jenrou]

I had been thinking about it, because it makes the greatest keepsake. I don't get to see my children that often since we are so spread out.

I wonder if you take photos all week, and either print the album ones out or run to Costco, take small albums with sleeves with you for everyone, and maybe the last day put them together and sign them. Think high school annuals!
It wouldn't be scrap pages, but a great, fun keepsake. My daughter does her photo albums that way all the time. I leave them on a cd or stick them in a box!
Maybe pre plan a little next time. A christmas album would be great, even a plaing photo album, signed.
If costco keeps giving coupons for free copies when you buy things, that would really make it easy. I have about 300 free copies by now.
Jean

[elibar]

This sounds like a fun project that would be difficult to do digitally. If you ever do it again, you might ask your postal service clerk about media mail/book rate. It is a greatly reduced price (starting at 2.41 for one pound), and nearly as quick as first class mail. It's generally used for educational materials and books, and a photo album might be able to be shipped this way. The postal service reserves the right to inspect the contents, since this service can be abused.

[jenrou]

This has got me thinking and list-making.
I think I will let them know I will bring photo books for each family. (I get them with coupons at Michaels.)
Then, since I always fix a little pc/printer office in the extra bed in my little RV, we can print out the photos each day or every few days, and start putting them in the books, lay them out, and anyone can write or look all week, gradually adding to it.

The last photos can go on cd's for everyone and we can finish them later, emailing comments. We spent so much postage and time on them last year, and really everyone didn't get a photo book, just the photos.

Sometimes it doesn't have to be scrapped to mean a lot. I made a really nice scrapbook from all of the photos, emails, and letters I've received from servicemen and women. I volunteered in that for a number of years; I still get emails from them sometimes, and I add them to the scrapbook.
Someday, I may scrap some of them.

Jean

[Molly3]

The photos are all the good memories of the old time.Jean, I will follow your idea to remind myself to keep the precious time.

[CRS]

What a wonderful idea! I bet your family treasures this!

[jenrou]

Well my plans fell through this year. My DH went with me, and since he hates to travel, he becomes a 5 year old. LOL. We didn't get the travel album done this year.