The Best Way to Experience the Past

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Summer Water

What do you like do with summer water from sprinklers, pools, lakes, oceans, squirt guns, etc to stay cool? It is amazing to me how different things are now from when I grew up.  When I was growing up, we didn’t have the internet.  Cell phones were for wealthy business people and were usually attached to a car.  And we sat down most evenings to eat as a family.  We joked every year that our Spring Break from school it would rain.  (Although, in our house, my mother has a curse that requires rain any time we plan something outside . . . especially camping!)One of the worst things that could happen to us growing up, was to have a summer rain day.  We hated it!  Could there be anything more annoying?  A beautiful summer day . . . perfect for playing outside . . . wasted on account of rain!  We were forced to live the day inside, without being able to run and play.  Being forced to play Atari (Video Games) or watch TV.Yes, we were able to have our friends over, but that still didn’t get out all the built up energy we had stored inside.  I mean, that is what summer if for, isnt’ it?

As an adult, this tragedy doesn’t grip me the way it did when I was a child.  It is most likely because, as an adult, I do not get a summer break from work.  I am forced to do my job day in and day out all year long, waiting patiently for the 1 week a year when I can take my vacation.

About 15 year ago, when I was living with a friend, John, it began to rain on one of these summer evenings.  He was dating another friend of mine, Mel, and she had come over this particular evening.  I was in my home office working away and she came in and shouted, “Lets go play in the rain!”  I laughed.  So, she said it again.  I laughed again.

Summer Water Games for Kids and Adults

This spawned a 20 minute conversation about why, as an adult, I was not going to go play in the rain.  Finally, she ended the conversation, and won the argument, by shouting, “You apparently are too old!  When you decide you want to be a kid for a little longer, join me.”

Now, I don’t know if she knew that I would give in and join her or not, but what I do know is that I did.  We spent about 90 minutes playing in the front yard, getting muddy and splashing around.  We laughed, played tag and Hide-and-seed which are really dumb with only 2 people!  We had a blast!  My friend, and her boyfriend, watched from the front room of the house and just shook his head.  He didn’t see the fascination with the rainfall and certainly did not want to get cold, wet, or muddy.  It was one of the best days I have had, as an adult.

As a child, I can remember wanting to relive those kinds of days more often than it rains here in Indiana.  (Although, this year, I would have no problems finding the days to play in the rain as it has rained more this year than in any other year in history!)  As a result, we learned to play in the sprinkler.  Here is an interesting blog that even provides games to play in the sprinkler:  Games. Make sure you continue to pass on these fun old games you played as a kid, to your own children by taking photos, and writing down how to play some of your favorite water games. Pass on this fun in a Time Capsule to your own children, so your grandchildren can also know how to play these games, or any other summer water games you make up as a family. Get a time capsule today, here, to save your memories in for years to come.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Mark

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Let’s learn how to make a first grade school time capsule today. So they already have school  supplies out at the big box stores. Some schools are starting back up earlier this year. Poor kids. I remember when my Summer break was actually 3 great, long months of freedom from homework. It was fantastic!

Some kids actually are excited to go back to school. I know I was one of those kids sometimes. I could not wait to go school shopping to buy new clothes, supplies, etc. It was a time of family bonding with my parents. My mom especially used our school shopping time to learn about my personality and what clothes I liked or did not like. She used the shopping experience to teach me how to budget, and find great buys for my money.

As school starts back up, I am reminded some days of how I do not remember what all I did as a child to get ready for school. I also do not remember every fun project or worksheet I did in my classes. More importantly, I do not remember each and every day of laughs or great memories created at school. This is why I want to challenge you to make a school time capsule with your child this year, especially your child is going into the first grade. Imagine opening that time capsule when your first grader graduates high school when a senior. What all kinds of memories could you save in the time capsule to represent this year, that you could look back on in the future. Imagine the excitement of seeing what is in the time capsule when you  open it in the future.

What to put in a First Grade School Time Capsule

We do not recommend you bury your time capsule, but instead display it in your home to taunt your child for years. You can put it on their shelf in their bedroom, or hide it in a closet if you do not trust them and think they may open it early. You do not want your memorabilia destroyed, while in the ground which is why we tell you to display it instead. I know they say ‘duck tape works for everything,’ but don’t trust it to seal a time capsule for the ground.

• Letter written by your child and their teacher, like filling out a “Message to the Future” predictions letter about what cars, homes, or other things will be like in the future.
• Video recording of popular tv shows at this time.
• Newspaper articles about popular events at this time.
• Popular toys or favorite toy from your child in the first grade. (keep the price tag on the toy)
• Photo of your class from school, your house you lived in at that time.
• Popular baseball or sports cards
• A favorite shirt your child wore all the time for first grade.
• A magazine of new homes and their cost at that time.
• List of prices of gas, milk, bread, and other daily expenses.
• Current music from the year of your first grader.
• Fill out an “About Me” activity sheet.
• Have your first grader answer the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
• Trace their hand on construction paper to save.
• Drawings from your first grader and report cards or other favorite artwork you saved.
• etc

Make your own First Grade Time Capsule today with your child. Click here to start. We have an “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsule, so you can have your kids put any photo of themselves, their friends, or whatever they want to decorate the outside to make a first grade school time capsule. Your child can even paint or draw on the outside of their time capsule. Then, on the inside have your first grader put their favorite memories and mementos in, to preserve it until he or she graduates high school. Then have a big party with your family and your kids friends over, and have them open their very own first grade school time capsule. What a priceless moment that will be.

It is amazing to see how old things come back again in the world to be popular again, like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I remember playing with my brothers with them. They were my Barbies’ dates at the time when I was younger. Now you see people wearing shirts again from these old (I mean new) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

What other popular items can you think of that has come back again? Comment below and let us know.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

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Photo Credit: Scrapbook page from the Italian voice

at https://www.flickr.com/photos/desiitaly/1565849623/.

• an old school photo of yourself. Make sure your photos have dates on the back and describe what you were doing in the photo, along with who all was in the photo.
• a wrapper of your favorite candy bar at that time in your life.
• an old favorite book
• a photo of your bedroom and if you were a teenage girl a poster of some of the popular tv or movie stars you had on the wall in your room.
• a “Message to the Future” letter from a teacher, parents, family member or friend about predictions of where they see you in the future.
• a movie or concert ticket stub of what you went to see at that time.
• a page from your diary or your entire journal can be saved in the time capsule.
• a menu from your favorite restaurant (is that restaurant still in business 20 years later?)
• a price list of several items from that time (gallon of gas, gallon of milk, bread, coffee, McDonald’s hamburger, a pizza, pop, candy bar, pack of gum, pair of jeans, average t-shirt, cd, tennis shoes, movie theater ticket, new car, average house, etc).
• a list of your favorites (color, snack foods, meal, desert, restaurant, movie, tv show, book, song, car, sports team, sports, subject, etc)
• an about me page to fill out (height, weight, hair color, eye color, last time at the doctor, shoe size, address, school/work name, and other important facts about you).
• souvenirs from vacations or favorite places or events.
• newspaper from the day the time capsule was made.
• a school year book.
• a Birthday Card from the year you made the time capsule.
• List of websites you used the most at that time.
• List of employees you worked with, your work schedule, and pay stub.
• party supplies left over from your special birthday in the past.
• etc.

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Check out these fun birthday time capsule video questions, after you read this exciting story.

She had all the balloons set up, food spread out on the table and the card game started with her son on his birthday. It started out just like any other birthday party he had in the past.

But, this one was going to be different this time. This one was a surprise party in two different ways. One, he had no clue who all was going to just show up randomly at the house to “drop by” and say “hi or happy birthday.” Secondly, there was  a birthday time capsule waiting for him to open once everyone arrived finally. It was going to be a day to remember.

Can’t you just see this special event now in your imagination?

It was a time capsule moment as his old elementary, high-school, and life long friends and mentors arrived at the house for his birthday. The look on his face was priceless. The room started to fill with laughter and tears and memories were shared. “I haven’t seen you in years…” he said. “What have you been up to lately?” Let the memory flooding begin as stories are told of the “good old days.”

Then, the Birthday Time Capsule was brought out to the table. What do you think was in it? He forgot he started to fill out time capsule questions years ago as a child. It is amazing how when we keep something special tucked away somewhere in the home, we eventually forget about it. However, that is the point of a time capsule, so that by the time you open it up again, you get to reminisce and remember what life was like when you were age 5, 10, or any age 20, 30, or 50 years earlier. There is no special date. You decide when you want to open your own Birthday Time Capsule.

As a reflection of his past, it was fun and funny to watch old embarrassing videos that were saved of him in cute skits as a child at church and school. There was another video (made 20 years ago) included that asked thought provoking questions about his future similar to the following ones listed. It is like a “digital diary.”

List of Sample Birthday Time Capsule Video Questions

• Have you met someone yet/married?
• Do you have any kids (how many)?
• Are you happy?
• Are you still into solar energy?
• Did you ever travel out of the country?
• Have you bought a house?
• What is it like being a father now?
• Did you ever find a way to focus all your creative energy/start your own business?
• Where are you at in your spiritual journey?
• How is your relationship with your family? When did you last call them?
• How many grandchildren does your parents have?
• Are you out of debt yet? Did you pay off your car yet?
• What kind of cell phone do you have now? I bet it will be better than the one you have now.
• What keeps you working or motivated to reach your goals in life now, compared to the past?
• Are you still in good shape or eating healthy? How much weight have you lost/gained?
• Where do you work now? Did your volunteer years influence what you do now?

These are just some of the questions that you can ask yourself or someone else for a Birthday Time Capsule video. Next week we will discuss more about things to put in a Birthday Time Capsule. It was fun watching all the family and friends laugh at some of his answers now, compared to 20 years ago when the video was made. Priceless.

Make your own Birthday Time Capsule using our “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsules to put any photos you want on the outside of the time capsule tin. Then add all the mementos and souvenirs you want to celebrate years later. Also included are “Message to the Future” stationary sets to write letters of prediction or words of wisdom for the person to read on their birthday years into the future, when the time capsule is opened. Get your own DIY Birthday Time Capsule here.

What would you ask in a Birthday Time Capsule to be opened 20 or 30 years later? Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

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Feelings

Feelings are important to everyone. It is true.  People will forget what you said to them and all the good things you do,
but they will never forget how you make them feel.  It doesn’t matter what you say or do.  It doesn’t matter how many world or local records you hold.  It doesn’t matter how big of an audience you have . . . If you cannot make people feel loved and cared about, they will never remember you.

I have worked with youth through our church for many years.  I volunteered under a man named Doug and he soon handed the reigns of the ministry over to a man named Tim.  Tim was a great man.  Not because of all the wonderful things he did.  Not because of all the wonderful things he said.  He wasn’t a particularly great guitar player, nor was he an eloquent speaker.  Tim was a great man because he knew how to connect with people to make them feel like they were important.

As a young man, in my early twenties, he took the time to truly mentor me.  We would go out and minister to people, then we would “hang out” as friends.  Our main program was on Friday nights and after all the kids had left, all of the adults would head out to a late-night-restaurant like Applebee’s to hang out and talk.  This interaction taught me that life is not always about what you do.

Tim had an amazing gift for making me feel uncomfortable.  While this sounds like a bad thing, it wasn’t.  The reality is that Tim wanted to expand my horizons.  Tim wanted to teach me that to really make a difference in people’s lives, we needed to be a part of their lives.  As a result, he taught me to talk to kids and really listen to them.  He taught me to be available to them and to be ready to take action when it became necessary.  These were not things that I was comfortable with, but now, as I am in my 40’s, I understand how needed this is in the world.  It has been said that a ship is safe in the harbor, but that is not what a ship was built for.  A ship is built to sail the seas!  The kids do not care how much I know until they know how much I care.  When I care for a person, then I can influence their lives.  Tim was trying to get me to sail outside of the safe harbor and into the oceans so that I could be useful.

At the time, I did not realize how much of an impact Tim had on my life.  I also didn’t realize how much of an impact I was making on the youth’s lives to which we were ministering.  I met with Tim about 3 months ago for the first time in several years.  We began discussing all the kids we have seen since we stopped working with that ministry.  As I began to list the kids that I am still in contact with and talk about the special relationships we still maintain, I realize why Tim was pushing me.  I realize that 15 years after I began those relationships, I am still an anchor for some of these people.  I realize that I love them dearly and they me.

A Time Capsule brings back Feelings

Now, you may be asking what all this has to do with Time Capsules . . . Everything.  You see, a Time Capsule is about capturing a moment in time and preserving it for the future.  The one thing that remains the same is that things always change.  Time waits for no man or woman.  Prices will always go up.  Our lives will always move on.  Change is inevitable.  Capturing a moment by making a Time Capsule is not really about what is going on in the moment so much as it is about connecting that moment in the future.  We forget things.  We forget the feelings surrounding an event.

I have been on many roller coasters in my lifetime.  I know what they are like, but I forget the thrill of the moment.  There is nothing like the last few seconds before the coaster begins to speed up at the top of the hill.  It is pure excitement.  I know what that feels like, but I forget everything that is involved.  That is true of the Time Capsule as well.  You capture that moment, just before your life changes forever, and save all the emotions, excitement, thrill, joy, enthusiasm, and surroundings of the moment so, in the future, you can return and ride the roller coaster again.

How dreadful it would be if we allow a Milestone Moment to pass us by, never to return.  Never to be relived.  Don’t let this happen to you.  Order your Time Capsule today, by clicking here!

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Mark

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• old newspapers
• magazines
• trending games on paper (crossword puzzles, or games like the old one we played as a teenager that was popular called MASH, or those origami fortune tellers, etc)

• paper dolls or other popular fun toys made of paper (paper hats, paper boats, your first paper airplane as a child that you made, etc)
• cards you received over the years in life
• certificates
• excerpts from favorite books
• your online stats from your current social media pages (imagine what your numbers will be 10, 20, or 50 years from now).
• old report cards
• children’s favorite artwork and coloring page
• journal pages
• old bills
• old receipts
• important documents for your home, car, insurance, work, etc.
• hanging paper decorations left over from a favorite party you had
• crafts you made out of paper yourself
• favorite photos
• any laminated paperwork that means something to you (like your family tree for example)
• etc

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  Happy July 4th

Ahhh . . .  Happy July 4th.  This is my third favorite holiday, right behind Christmas and Thanksgiving.  I love to watch the fireworks blazing in the sky, time with family, and grilled food.  For me, there is just something about sitting around outside, eating my grilled burger, hot dog, and brat while waiting for the night sky to light up with Chinese lanterns and colored gun powder.  Unlike most people, I even like the smell of the fireworks.The 4th is a time to celebrate the birth of our country, but my mind always seems to wander to those who are not with us because they gave their lives for my freedoms.  The image to the right was originally of “An Unknown Soldier in Vietnam.”  This soldier was identified in 2002 as Larry Wayne Chaffin.  Chaffin made it home from Vietnam, but died at the age of 39.

My thoughts tend to think about those, like Chaffin who had difficulty adjusting to civilian life and those who never made it home.  Many of our wonderful service men and women come home and are diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.)  PTSD was not really heard of at that time, but today, we understand more about this mental disorder.

While most of us love to hear the “loud boom” of the fireworks and see the brightly colored lights, many of our combat veterans with PTSD do not find this a glorious time.  It reminds them of war, and as the photo of Chaffin above reminds us, “War is hell.”  It reminds them of being bombed and of mortar shells being dropped on them and of death.  It reminds them of a time they would rather forget.

Our freedoms are paid for with blood.  Our right to gather peacefully and speak our minds and even drink alcohol are paid for by these wonderful men and women.  To quote the movie, “A Few Good Men,” these men, “. . . stand on a wall and say, ‘Nothing’s going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch.'”  Our freedoms are paid for with men and women who come home without their hands, feet, arms, and legs.  They are paid for with skin burns, scars, and handicaps.  They are paid for with mental disorders we are just now beginning to understand.  They are paid for with the lives of our young people as far back as our founding fathers.

No, our freedoms are far from free.  As a matter of fact, they are rather expensive!

So, this year as you celebrate the birth  of the United States of America, as you light off your fireworks, as you enjoy the time with your family, and you have your picnic, or cookout, take some time to thank a veteran.  Spend some time listening to their stories.  Learn about what they did in the service of their country and remember that this service was for you.  Ask them about the conditions during their service and about the family they left behind and how much they missed them.  Then spend some time and ask yourself if you would be able to do the same thing.  Ask yourself how hard it would be to come back and live a life without an arm or a leg.

When you are done, and have an appreciation for what they have done for you, shake their hand and thank them for their service.  Then, return to your own loved ones, give them the biggest hug you can muster, tell them how much you loved them, and enjoy the weekend with a better understanding of your freedoms!!

Happy Birthday America!

Happy 4th of July!!!

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VETERANS!!!!

What are you doing on the 4th to remember those who risk their lives now and in the past for our freedom? Comment below. Make sure to save your own stories of freedom in a DIY Time Capsule, to pass on to your children and great grandchildren in the future. Get your own DIY Time Capsule here.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Mark

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The Family Portrait

When is the last time you took ‘the family portrait?’ I can remember when I was growing up, my family did the family portrait.  Every few years, we went to a photography studio and had a photo session with a photographer.  As I look back on these events, I do not recall the drama that most sitcoms of today portray, but I have noticed something else. . . Advertising.

Yes, that is right, advertising.  I know what you are thinking . . . The studios put their logo and/or watermark on the photo to show others who took the photo.  Nope.  That is not what I am talking about.  I am talking about my father, and his advertising scheme.  See, my father is in the Real Estate Business.  My mother wanted him to pay for a family photo, and see thought this would be a waste of money.  So, he decided to make his contribution to the photo in the form of advertising.

My father went out and purchased Sweatshirts, or Jackets with his Company Name on them and somehow convinced my mother that if we were going to have a family photo, we should take it all wearing those items.  I guess my mother just wanted the photo so bad that she gave in and agreed.  This also had the added benefit of making both the photo session and the sweatshirts and the jackets a tax write-off for his business.  He didn’t mind this so much since he was probably going to be purchasing sweatshirts and jackets for us kids anyway and this way he also got the advertising out of it.

When I was young, I don’t remember giving it a second thought, but as an adult, I understand more about how the world works, and to be perfectly honest, I think it was brilliant.  Setting the idea aside, I really think that family photos are a must for all families.  While I understand these can be expensive, I think it is overall a necessity.  These photos not only serve to remind us of our family, and can be used as Christmas cards, but they also serve to remind us that time changes.

I look back at our extended family Christmas photo and I have to laugh.  There are people in the photo that I have not seen in several years, and there are even a couple of people who have left this world.  We never know when tragedy will strike.  For all we know, the photo we are taking right now may be the last opportunity to have a photo of our loved one.  My brother died unexpectedly in a car accident and the photo of him that my mother took just a few days before became a cherished possession for our family.

There are also ways of keeping this photography cheap – mainly by taking the photo yourself.  Get the family together, break out the digital camera and take the photo.  Then, take it to your local Walmart, pharmacy, or photo lab and have prints made.  Hang it on the wall and display it proud.

No matter where you are, real time capsules are everywhere.  Do you have a story about taking a family photo and the drama that came from it?  Tell us about it in the comments below!

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Mark

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Remember when we had a time before digital photography? I had just turned 8 years old.  My parents were holding a small birthday party for me and my grandparents came.  I was an excited 8 year old, as most would be.  Any why shouldn’t I be?  I was turning 8 and there was a party specifically for me.  I was getting cake and ice cream and presents.  What 8 year old doesn’t like presents?

I had opened most of my presents.  To be honest, I don’t remember any of them now.  Except one.  I opened my grandparents gift and I was shocked.  Inside was a film camera from Kodak.  I had the conscience thought that my grandparents had spent a lot of money on this gift.  I was close to my grandpa.  He taught me a lot of different things about tools and fishing.  My dad was not a “handy man” in any way shape or form, so I developed a love of working with my hands from my grandfather.  He loved to grow plants and make things in his wood shop.  I still have a wood toy box that he made me when I was 10.  It is in my basement and has stood up to the test of time.  It is now 30 years old and looks just as good today as it did 30 years ago!

I can remember at our family Christmas party about 5 months before that my grandfather had asked me to take a picture for him.  He handed me his camera and said to “look through the viewfinder until everyone is in the photo.  Then you push this button.”  It was my first experience actually using a camera and I was excited to be “trusted” to take the photo.  My grandpa told me that I had done a good job with that photo and that he believed it was time for me to have my own camera.  That is why he purchased it for me.

After the party was over, my mother told me that I would have to purchase my own film, but once I took the photos, she would pay to have them developed and printed.  See, this was before the days of digital photography and color printers that you could use at home.  This camera was a 110 Film camera.  While it was a point-and-click camera, once the film was exposed, it had to be taken to the photo lab, developed, and prints had to be made.  This was not something the average person could do at home.

I used that camera until I was in High School and I kept it long into my adult life.  It was a symbol of my freedom.  Of growing up.  I could now make my own memories and save the moments in time that I wanted to save.  I still have many of the photos that I took with that camera, and that small gift to an 8 year old sparked a life-long love of photography and capturing moments in time.  I’m not saying that the reason I own this company is because of that gift, but I will tell you that it certainly was a contributing factor.

What has sparked a love in your life, or the lives of those around you?  What gift or moment has changed your life?  Can you point to a specific event or time or thing in your life that changed the course you were headed in?  It is amazing to me how many people can look back on their life and see a defining moment that changed their lives forever.  Can you plan such an event?  Yes!  Each moment we have has the potential to be a life changing moment for yourself or someone else.  While I am not convinced that my grandfather intended to change my life, I am 100% convinced that he saw something that he wanted to nurture.  He saw potential.  He wanted to encourage something.  If it didn’t pan out, that was fine, but if it did, he would have brought new art, love, compassion, passion, and beauty into the world through someone else’s hands.

That is the power of a 110 camera moment.  That is the power of a gift to an 8 year old.  That is a Time Capsule Moment.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Mark

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