Things to remember...

So as I've started the new year, I've been trying to de-clutter our home and get rid of things that I really don't need to keep. If you ask Brandon this is a hard thing for me to do, he says I'm a clutter bug, I tell him that I just hold on to more memories then he does. Many of the things I keep are things that have sentimental value or special memories. I'm realizing though, that keeping things means nothing if you never look at them, so how special can they be.

So today in my cleaning I came across some items that I'd been holding on from my youth, things that had meaning, but things that I didn't really need to hold onto. So I figured, I'd take pictures of them, that way I can always look back and remember them, but they won't take up the space. They are things that I wouldn't pass down to my kids in the future, so a picture is all I needed. I may do posts like this from time to time, that way in the future if I turn my blog into a book, the memories are kept.

I understand if this post gets no comments but check it out anyway, I think it's kinda a fun idea!

The first pictures are of my first really cool CTR ring and my RWH ring. I'd always had the style of CTR ring that you get when you turn eight, the one with the single crest, but when I got older I was able to get this awesome one, the band with the CTR crests around it. I used to wear it all the time, but as you can see I haven't worn them in a long time, and they've become tarnished and old. They helped me lots in my youth to always help make the right decisions. The RWH was a ring that we were given as young women at an activity, which I thought was super cool, that they gave us each a ring. The RWH stands for "Return with Honour" which is a good thing to always keep on you as a teen. I think I used to wear these two rings together on one finger, they really worked together for good! Choose the Right and Return with Honour!!

This little beauty was a necklace I think I work in either 6th or 7th grade. Wearing your name on the leather cord was just the coolest thing. I remember being so excited when I was able to go down to the mall to get it. I showed this to Brandon and he asked if he could have it so he could wear it, and always have me with him... he was totally joking. Looking back I can't believe that I used to wear this and think it was cool... your all jealous aren't you!!

Oh la la! A real treat right here!! I texted both my sisters and asked them if they wanted these beauties. When we were kids the school pictures were never that great so mom would take us all to Sears and get our pictures done. Sometimes Sears would have special offers where you could get magnets, key chains or pendants. I guess this year we chose pendants, can you just imagine wearing these beauties around town. Look at Kathy in her turtle neck type shirt and curly hair, what a babe... and Laura, so innocent and cute in her little dress and pigtails- ADORABLE!! If you look closely at mine you will see my killer hair style. I remember going to get my picture done, and my bangs and hairstyle at the time was just awful, I hate it and didn't want to keep any of the pictures that had been taken. So mom took me to the hair salon at Sears and I got my hair cut, they cut it shorter to be closer to the length of my bangs that were growing out, they then did something to poof the bangs back and keep them out of my face. I put on a northern getaway turtle neck and sweater and voila, a stunning picture, ha ha!! I think this must have been in 7th grade, because that's when I grew out my awful, awful bangs. Such memories!

The following few pictures are of a rock from I believe grade 11. One day on a free period, we had driven (me and the girls) over to visit some guy friends at another high school. We then went for a drive out by Porter's lake, which at the time seemed so far away, but really is not too far from my in-law's. We had this plan to go back to this bridge in the summer and do a bridge jump, you know the fun things teens do in the summer. I don't know if the girls ever went back and did it, but I know I sure didn't. Anyway we went down by the shore when we were there and found rocks to keep to remember the day. When we were back at school, I used my gel pens to decorate it, and I've held onto it for almost 11 years!

This is the date we went there, March 28th, 2000- doesn't that seem like forever ago!!

These are the initials of the gals who went, Nicole, Kerry, Kelly, Angela, Denise and Myself!

Last but not least is a little container I painted at Clay Cafe. It was the very first item that I ever painted myself. Clay Cafe was newer at the time, and my boyfriend and I at the time went there on a date night. He was pretty patient with me at I worked on painting all the little gals. The top isn't up to my standards now, but at the time I loved it and we had a great date there. We went back many times after that and painted many more special items... hahah!! I love Clay Cafe, but have yet to convince Brandon to go with me. Maybe someday!!

The nest few shots are of the gals around the outside of my little container...

I tried to make them all different...

This just another shot of the lid and the bottom where I'd signed the container... I guess I did a lot in March of 2000... I love seeing how the writing of my name has evolved!

I've enjoyed recording these memories, it's nice to know that they are written down and recorded for the future. I love having the picture and the story together. Hoping to do more of these posts in the future!!