jams and jellys? check
cakes? check
sewing notions? check
drinks? double check
cookie mix? salad? burp cloths? check, check, check
candles, and of course, matches. check
(there's more. oh, so much more. i even have a pinterest board all about them (if we are being honest here, i did create this board to sort of, um, poke fun at how many pins involve mason jars. even pinterest can get a little cheeky late at night...)
it was probably during a late night pinterest browsing session that i came across the "memory jar" idea. i had a jar, i had some ribbon, it was ridiculously easy to throw together. and over the past year, we filled up that jar with brightly colored post it notes of scribbled memories.
there are memories like Mud Race! and Paddle Boats! and jack's first late showing of a movie (Ironman 3, for the record)! we fine tuned the art of making baguette pizzas. he went to his first middle school co-ed parties (2 halloween parties in one night!)
we PR'd a Color Me Rad 5K together, and he lifted my spirits and my steps at mile 20 of the Richmond Marathon.
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and then, there are the things that didn't make it into the jar, memories that don't fit so nicely onto brightly colored post it notes.
we didn't record how mat spent most of the first three months of the year having, and recovering from, surgery. we didn't record the day he moved out. we didn't record the day that jack was punched in the face by a boy in the locker room at school.
but those things did happen. they are memories of 2013, just as much as the fun things. i am verklempt as i look at this jar and think about retrieving all the post it notes and making way for 2014. i'm anxious about what comes next, but i am confident that at the end of the year, we will be laughing and smiling as we huddle over our newly penned memories.
we gave a jar to each of my sisters and my parents this year. i'd love to give you a jar, to sit with you in december and unfold each piece of paper, reliving the memories you've captured. and then, if you want, we can talk about the ones that didn't make it into the jar. we'll find a place for those, as well.
8 comments:
Are you not keeping the 2013 jar intact? I think it would be nice to keep each year's jar....but in the spirit of de-cluttering, maybe not? What are your plans?
Maybe take the notes, take pictures of the notes & jar, etc & create a scrapbook of the year. Save it all on a shelf or even digitally?
LOVE it!
I tried to start one last year, but many memories I didn't love so I stopped. I have faith that 2014 is going to be a lot more positive. <3
Did I ever mention how awesome & inspiring you are? Rock on!
huh, i'm sitting here stressing about how to keep all of the 2013 notes together in a notebook? a frame? it never occurred to me to just keep the jar intact!! moving on :)
I scoff at Pinterest a lot, probably because I'm jealous, but every once in a while I do find some nifty things to try (although I usually pin them and never do them), this would be something cool to do--and fairly easy as far as supplies (sometimes I never get out of the gate if it involves a trip to Hobby Lobby).
It's great for you and Jack to have so many memories of 2013 recorded--and with bright happy colors to boot!
I think this is a great idea! I think it would be great to have everyone put their memories in but not look at them until the end of the year and then see what everyone choose to remember!
Jenn recently suggested we start a memory jar for 2014....I scoffed. However, after reading your post, I think it may be just what we need.
Rock on....
Hey! That's me your laughing at Lelly! I love jars. So glad you finally realized how useful they are ;0)
Glad to see you posted, too. "The rabbit hole" of your own blog was a very good description.
Happy new year.
Happy new year! I loved your description of rabbit hole. I too am thankful for what I wrote when I wrote. And I'm glad you blogged! It inspired me to "think" about posting again.
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