Did you know that memories are tree stumps? Recently, my wife and I watched the animated movie, “Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.”  I have read many Dr. Seuss books in my lifetime, but I honestly do not remember this one.  As a renewable energy guru, this book made some interesting points to me.

Let me back up a little.  I believe that we need to take care of our environment.  I believe in Solar power, Solar Heat, and Wind Energy.  I have a small solar power system, and I have solar heat on my home.  I believe that fossil fuels are an old and antiquated idea whose time has past.  I believe we can do better and if we do not start doing better soon, our children will pay the price.  Now, with that said, I am also a realist.  I do not believe in “tree hugging” as trees are a renewable energy!  You cut a tree down to build a house, and we can plant 50 more with the seeds from that tree.  Yes, the process will take between 20 and 50 years before those trees can be cut again, but in many ways, this is good for our environment!

Creative, fun nurseries start memories early in your child’s life.

To me, this story was more a commentary on 2 things  . . . One, we need to manage our resources, and two, we are too eager to move on when we have over-exhausted our resources.  It was not the cutting down of the trees that caused the problem in the story – it was the lack of “paying the price” for cutting down those trees.  The price for cutting down the tree was to plant several more.  This price was not paid, and soon, all the trees were gone.

Manage your Time Well

This can be easily translated into our lives.  The reality is that most of us do not manage our time very well.  We spend too much time at work and not enough time at play.  We spend too much time making money and not enough time making memories.  We spend too much time buying a house, and not enough time making a home.  By the time we figure out that memories are more important than money, and play is more important than work, it is too late for most of us.

This is how memories are like tree stumps. This is the very reason why our company exists!  We help you to preserve memories. Just like a tree has long roots and takes time to grow, so it is with our memories.   When you begin to look at your life as different opportunities to make a new memory, you want to preserve those memories.  This is paying the price for our existence.  We do not want to look back at our life and think about all the opportunities we could have made a memory (All the tree stumps from cut-down trees) . . . we want to look back and see a memory forest of wonderful things we have done that enrich our lives, and the lives of those we love.

Make a Memory Today

I have ready many mommy-blogs on the internet about, “what to do with your child on a rainy day.”  These days can be tough.  The kids can’t go “out and play” and mommy has no alone time.  The great part about it is that you can spend this time “preserving the memories!”  What if you used that time as an “arts and crafts” time where each child thought of a memory they had over the past week, month, or couple of months.  Once they have an idea, they can find a way to “preserve the memory.”  This can be place into their Any Occasion DIY Time Capsule.

Here are some of the ideas we came up with:

• Write a letter to their future self talking about their memory
• Put together a photo collage of them making their memory
• Write a story about the memory
• Write a poem about their memory
• Write a song and record it.
• Write a poem
• Draw a picture
• Paint a picture
• Make a sculpture
• Make a video
• Make an audio/video recording of them telling the story about their memory
• Make a souvenir that will remind them about their memory
• Write a story about all the things you would rather be doing on this rainy day

Be sure to mention or draw the people that were involved in making the memory, how it came to be, and why it is important to them.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Mark

The post Memories are Tree Stumps appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.

There are many different topics, hobbies, interests we all have. What would you make a time capsule about for future generations to learn more about what life is like now?

With Christmas coming and the new year approaching, what would you put in a time capsule to represent 2014?

There are many different themes or ideas you could make a time capsule for. Basically, anything you see pictures for on your cell phone you could probably create a time capsule for. See the suggestions below. Then read on about ideas of what to put in some of these topical time capsules.

Different Time Capsule Ideas

1. College years
2. School (elementary and high-school)
3. New Career
4. Business
5. Housewarming (Welcome Home)
6. Family
7. Pets
8. Clubs (boys and girls club, academic club, social club, etc)
9. Vacation
10. Youth Group
11. Military
12. Church
13. Anniversary
14. Seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter)
15. Memorial
16. New Years
17. Christmas
18. Easter
19. Thanksgiving
20. July 4th Independence Day
21. Valentine’s Day
22. Hanukkah
23. Any hobby
24. Farming
25. Sports
26. Any holiday
27. Baby Shower
28. Bridal Shower
29. Relationship or Dating
30. Bucket List
31. Cars
32. Music
33. Movie
34. Outdoors or Camping
35. Science
36. Nature
37. Eras (80’s, 90’s, or whatever you want)
38. Social Media
39. Best Friends
40. Adoption
41. Sweet 16
42. Quinceanera
43. Bar Mitzvah
44. Birthday
45. Over the Hill
46. Weight Loss
47. Inspiring Life Quotes
48. Self Help
49. First Car
50. Baby
51. Wedding
52. etc. (Other or anything you can imagine). The sky’s the limit.

What to Put in a Time Capsule

So what would you put in these “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsules? What items from your time period, are important to you? Make sure to include modern things and heirlooms of the past. If you include any digital or electronic items, make sure you also include the media to play your videos or audio recordings in the future as well.

•  Daily local and world newspaper
• DVD of family, friends, social events, etc.
• Television guide
• Favorite magazines
• Event programs, ticket stubs, or passes
• Pictures
• Receipts from events, or daily life (like the cost of gas at this time)
• Popular toy
• Items (heirloom and new) that show significance to your for a specific subject or event.
• Floor plan or first key to your home
• Popular music recorded
• Menu from a favorite restaurant
• Daily calendar showing your life in just one month
• Drawings or messaged from friends and family sent by cards, email, text, etc.
• Current currency
• Year in Review worksheet filled out
• School, work, or club rewards and certificates.
• Message to the Future letters from friends and family
• Bottle of your favorite candy or drink.
• Fashion Catalog
• Travel pamphlets
• Current ads
• Papers written
• Party trinkets
• Souvenirs
• Favorite quotes or sayings
• Cards
• List favorite books, authors, etc.
• Top 10 movies or actors
• Future goals
• etc.

Talk with your friends and family for other ideas of what to put in your “Any Occasion” DIY Time Capsule. Get your time capsule today at http://www.timecapsule.com/product/milestone-collection-any-occasion-diy-time-capsule/. Also check out the other helpful ideas from Mashable listing 13 Must Have Items in Your 2014 Time Capsule.

What are some other items you can think of to put in a time capsule?  Comment below.

Making Milestone Moments Count,

– Marcie

The post What to Put in Any Occasion DIY Time Capsule appeared first on Time Capsule | Personalized Gifts.