As we ring in the new year it is time to put the past behind us.  Tomorrow is a new day and a new year.  Make 2012 a year of gratitude!  I won’t dwell on what I don’t have, instead I’ll be thankful for what I do have.  I am so blessed, I want to remember every day to thank God for His blessings on me.

Have you been wanting to try digital scrapbooking?  Well there is no better time than now!  Go to www.mymemories.com and use my coupon code STMMMS57865.  You will receive $10 off the purchase price PLUS you will receive a coupon for $10 off any purchase at mymemories.com.  Today the purchase price is $33.97 less $10 coupon code $23.97.  Can’t beat that!  So go ahead-give it a whirl-you won’t be sorry.

Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope this has been a wonderful day for all of you.  We had church services then lunch with friends. So Blessed!

Earlier this year, following our first ever family reunion, I was trying to figure out how to put together a memory book to give to everyone as a gift.  I looked at power point first but decided that wasn’t exactly what I was wanting.  I thought a scrapbook is really what I want but it’ll be very expensive to put together that many scrapbooks and shipping wouldn’t be cheap either.  I thought it would be great to be able to put everything on a dvd to send to everyone.  I started searching online and found my memories suite software.  It got great reviews and sounded like exactly what I was looking for.  Plus I could download it, I didn’t want to have to wait for snail mail!

I have to say I was not disappointed.  This is by far the most user friendly software I have ever purchased.  I was able to start using it right away and had no difficulty using any of the features.  Scanning pictures into my computer and getting others to send me pictures took a little time but it was well worth it.  I ended up with 116 pages set to music.  It was so much fun!

Since we hadn’t had a reunion before and my dad and two brothers had already passed away I wanted to make it more than just a reunion album.  I gathered pictures from when my parents were first starting their family.  I included pictures of my siblings and I growing up, marrying and having children.  I included our children and our children’s children.  I shed many tears and smiled a lot too.  They were mostly good memories of happy times sprinkled with sadness at those who had passed on.  They are missed but not forgotten.

The reunion idea started just after my brothers funeral.  Our family is scattered all around Texas and Oklahoma. and the only time we all get together is when somebody dies!  It had often been said we needed to change that.  This time my niece, nephew and son followed through.  They started planning a reunion.  They invited people and if they met any resistance they would get someone else on board to try to persuade the reluctant party.  In the end only two of my nephews were unable to attend.  I think everyone had a great time.  We’re already talking about where to have the next reunion, lol!