We've done so many different things over the years. Having just moved to a different area, and DH only retiring less than a month ago, we haven't gotten involved in much at the new house yet. But some of the things we've done in the past: volunteered at the elementary school, raised puppies for the Seeing Eye, visited/took treats to nursing homes, got Christmas gifts and stockings for all the babies at the local AIDs Hospice, adopted pets whose owners had died, 4-H. We've often heard of families who have hit hard times--we put together a box (including some food and gc to places like grocery stores and Target) and drop it off annonymously. Other ideas: make dinners for the local Ronald McDonald House, volunteer in the court system (I'm anxious to give that one a try), walk dogs at the local shelter, volunteer at the hospital (especially VA), do crafts with the residents at your local assisted living, help out at the library,--there are so many different places where your time and energy--no matter how much you have to spare--will be much appreciated.

Keep advertising flyers printed only one side using typewriter paper to use to write notes, make calculations, etc. The ones written on both sides I save in a grocery bag to put in the recycle bin for fine paper. Got a heavy paper/card flyer, regular office size from a local deli in the mail today - will punch holes in it and use it for subject divider in ring binder. When I get their flyers half that size, glue a store flyer printed one side to them - then can use it to write material that I want to use frequently (e.g. phone numbers, listing of area codes, frequently used web site, e-mail addresses, etc.) on that blank sheet. Newspapers saved in different bundle. Use large sheet of scrap cardboard to build open-top box to organize magazines that I wish to save for future reference, to stand up on bookshelf. Cardboard pie boxes will do the job, as well - but they don't stand alone as well. Need to cover plastic window on inside so doesn't catch on mags with a sheet of (used) printer paper, held in place with a dollop or so of glue. We just had a shot of snow this morning - much earlier than usual. Brrr-r-r-r. With electric baseboard heating (and inadequate insulation in this rented townhouse), I can adjust heat room by room, so keep heat level low in kitchen, where I'm usually moving around. Turned heat up in bathroom yesterday. Keep it rather low in office, as well. Put on winter underwear this morning. When it gets cold I wear a sweater, batting-insulated vest and light jacket. Wear a hat to cover my head (only lightly insulated by hair). Get along O.K. until fingers get cold. My 22 year old Ford van has couple of leaks in roof, small holes in body and major hole in floor. Am getting some body metal, pop rivets to secure pieces that I've cut and shaped, tar to coat the outside under floorboard, fender, etc. and body paste to smooth over new metal to blend in with current body, then can sand and paint. Retrieved several spray cans with a dab of paint left from garbage, a couple of years ago. Several colours - but I plan to use only black and white, thank you. Not really a hard job. Should cost approximately $50. Better than scrapping the vehicle - which looks rather scruffy and some said that I should do four years ago when I did last body job. Takes a lot of materials and energy to build a new vehicle - so I say it's best to run the old ones into the ground. There are some rust spots on the hatch at the back of the 13 year old car, so need to use wire brush in electric drill to clean off rust, then smooth out with body paste, and paint with primer and finish coat. (Don't have right colour paint on hand). If I don't do it soon - I'll have rust holes to deal with. Much more effort required, then. Annual insurance (I don't carry collision coverage, of course) on both costs about 150% of what I paid for the van, 13 years ago. It had around 150,000 mi. on it then - about 190,000 now. Originally used it to deliver corn-fired heating stoves that I used to sell. Anyone know where I can find some hot air? Surely not produced by anyone around here! joyful guy

Hi! After 3&1/2 years of collecting materials and reading 'Memory Makers' magazine, I've finally succeeded in completing several pages. In fact, I've started "memory photo albums" for both sets of grandparents! They will each receive a "starter" scrapbook with six pages of photo memory pages of their grandson and a promise of additional memory photo pages to be sent every few months. Now I just need to complete the pages for our book! I had planned on starting a scrapebook when our son was born 3&1/2 years ago, but I felt so overwhelmed about "how to" that I only succeeded in making one page. What finally got me stated was a set of really great photos from a family trip to Florida with my parents and my brother's family, and the need for some really great Mother's Day gifts. So, I found this great little package of beach scrapebook making pharaphernalia and now, there's no stopping me. I've made twevele page (six for each book) in two weeks! I think what keeps me motivated is that I know that both my mom and my mom-in-law will get a real kick (not to mention both dads) out of the albums. I can just see my mom now---she's going to feel so pround showing-off her grandson's memory album to all her co-workers (all of whom are teachers and will just love the concept!). Anyway, I just found this site and think it's great. Can't wait to read all the postings! Now I have a question: What does "cm" stand for? Is it a mail-order catologue? Thanks for all the great info.

I started back in 97 when my dd was born- today she turns 9! I did her baby book and it was ok. Then I discovered Creative Memories and all the stuff out there. I redid her pages- thanks to double prints- and it is much nicer. I used to use a 3-ring binder and page protectors from office supply store. I used solid paper as my page. I used some stickers and a little journalling. I have since taken all those pages and put them into CM albums. Now I use the regular white pages and use the colored paper for frames or accent strips. To organize and make things go faster I use an easy method. I have a binder with sleeves in it. When I develop film I separate in dated or event order. Then I divide by what pics would fit on a page. I drop those pics into sleeves. Then I take paper that matches the pics and drop it in the sleeve. I may put some stickers in there too. Then when I go to scrap, I just grab a sleeve and work that page. I have already picked out the stuff for the page, just need to assemble. Unfortunatly, I have a digital camera now. It was so easy to develop film and then sort out the pics. Now I have to download onto a CD, take to a place or use an online service. I have not done this yet, which explains why I have over 600 pics to print, and at least half I need doubles of- one for my dd and one for my ds albums. One nice thing about digital is that I can print only what I need, so I may print all my dd birthday pics for her album, but only print a few for my son to have in his. Hey soggy6- aren't you the one with the pool that had plaster then switched to ptec after a crack or something? Are you going to, or do you know about, the event at Newburg Hall down by Sac State on 4/29? My CM gal and her friends are having an all-day event. After spending last year doing the build, it will be nice to spend a day scrapping. I am taking all our vacation pics- the ones before we had kids- and getting them all into albums. Won't be super fancy like my kids books. The goal is to have them in an album instead of not.