Something to Remember Them By

This past weekend, actually even as you read this on Monday, my family and I are on a special camping trip. Every year around this time my mother rents three cabins and my ten remaining family members spend three days together. It is a time I cherish, and I often think of something my father used to say when he was alive, "Make memories while you can because you never know what tomorrow will bring."

And he was right. Every time we take this trip both children and adults make memories. I capture my memories with my camera and my heart and I hope that one day my own daughter will take the pictures I leave her and will cherish them as well because they help provide something with which to remember our loved ones.

Like the fact that cousins all need matching mustaches when camping.

That trips to the store with two aunts and an uncle means the ability to buy fun finger flashlights.

That Daddy in a rain slicker looks like he isn't wearing any pants.

And that Grandma is generous, loving, and kind.

The book I read for this week's review, Something to Remember Me By, is all about that love and legacy. It is a story of a girl and her grandmother. A story where the grandmother gives her small things to remember her by and promises that one day the cedar chest will be hers to fill with those items. At first the girl doesn't understand, but as she grows, she realizes that what her grandmother had been doing was creating memories that would sustain her when they were no longer able to be together. Because as the grandmother says, "Everyone wants to be remembered."

The cedar chest given to the granddaughter particularly hit home with me as I recently refinished a cedar chest given to me by my mother-in-law. I have plans to pass it on to my daughter as something to remember her MaMaw by.  I'd really love to hear what you all are doing to make memories to remember your loved ones by, so feel free to share in the comment section!

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, the sequel, Return To Fern Valley, the soon to be released Cooking In Fern Valley (fall 2015) and my very first picture book, Quack and Daisy! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.