The end of the month is here, and that means it's time to reflect on the month and all the wonderful memories you've made. One of the biggest tricks we play on ourselves is thinking we will remember everything. We don't need to write it down, right? But does that even work for the grocery store? Of course not! Memories are important, so don't let yourself fall into that trap. At the end of each month, take a few minutes to document your memories.

I haven’t forgotten about my book club, and I’m happy to finally be able to report on this book. I chose The Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking for the latest selection, and I read it all the way through and then listened to it on audiobook. I love it when authors narrate their own audiobooks. It’s so much more meaningful to hear it in their own voice.

Do you remember writing essays about what you did over the summer as a kid? I never had much to say in those reports, but I have plenty to fill the page these days. It's been a busy summer for our family, and I'm happy we have had so many great adventures to make the summer of 2023 memorable.

I’m very much enjoying August this year. I’ve had a lot of time with family, and I’m trying to savor the last bits of summer before we head into the fall months.

August is one of the busiest months for vacations in the United States, as many people try to fit in one last vacation before school starts. I love going to the beach, and while designing the Beach Fun papers and pocket cards, I longed for another trip. I need to get a beach vacay on our calendar next year!

We were on the go the entire month of July! We had several road trips and spent several weeks with our daughter and her family. It was great to have so much grandbaby time! I love documenting everyday life, and the roundup process has given me the tools to keep it simple and meaningful. I've been doing monthly roundups since January 2006 and don't plan to quit now!

As July ends, it is a great time to reflect on the month's memories. I have been doing monthly roundups since 2006, and it has been one of the most helpful things I have ever done for my memory-keeping practice.

Here are some of the benefits of creating monthly roundups:

Hey there! I'm back from an unintended blog break. I had an explosion of life events all hit simultaneously, and it has been a crazy few months. It's all good stuff, but it has completely taken my mental and physical bandwidth to keep up with everything, so this blog had to take a backseat. I've been blogging since 2005 (18 years!), and I know this is just part of a writer's life cycle.

July has been full of projects for me and my family, and it has been difficult to find design time. I'm so happy to finish this collection finally. I already have several pages in my head that I know these supplies will be perfect for.

One of the things I love most about summer is eating outside. Picnics, barbecues, and meals on our deck are lovely ways to connect social activity with food. And that means more memories!

June had a bit of everything in it. We started it off with Covid and ended with amazing mountain views. Our getaway to Jackson Hole was a lot of fun. And of course, it was wonderful to have time with family and see our cute grandson! I love to tell the stories of our everyday lives, and my roundup prompts help me to remember to include the details that matter. So I hope you will take a few moments to reflect on June and pair your thoughts with photos to create something special!