A New Year full of New Memories

This is a page that was created by my sister after a visit last January

Every year I use our website to create special memory books for my kids.  I am usually horrible about writing stuff down, so I have found that my account with Bellflower Books has made it easy to quickly type in a fun or funny story about my kids.  This is great because at the end of each year I have an individualized and personal memory book for each of my kids.  I make sure to have friends, babysitters and relatives contribute as well, especially if we take a special vacation together or if they come to visit us.

This will be the third year that I embark on this mission to preserve their special memories.  Considering it is a special book just about them, they absolutely love looking through the finished product and remembering all of the fun and silly times we have had together.  I have even printed "back-up" copies to put away for when they are grown.  I figured that by the time they are 18 or so these copies are going to be pretty "loved" and a little worn, so it would be really special to give them a set of brand new books for their own collection.  I hope that someday their kids will enjoy reading them and relating to the incredible and entertaining people they were are children:)

Happy Mother's Day!

On Mother's Day I feel it is only fitting to honor one of the most amazing mothers I know, my Grandma Corrigan.

My Grandma with the Bellflower Book we made her for Thanksgiving last year.

I have always loved and appreciated my Grandmother, but now that I have children of my own I consider her a saint.  Grandma Corrigan was one of 11 children raised on a farm outside of Toledo, Ohio.  When she married my grandfather, she had 8 children of her own.  From those 8 children came twenty grandchildren and so far 6 great-grandchildren.  You would think that by the time the great-grandchildren came along she would have tired of children.  Nope.  Not my grandma!  She loves great-grandchild #6 with the same amount of love and enthusiasm as her first grandchildren.  Her memory is failing her, but her heart is not.  She still has a talent for making me feel loved and special everytime I see her.

My grandmother pretty much devoted her life to raising a wonderful family.  I don't think that there has ever been a time when the Corrigan household has been quiet.  We still pack ourselves in there for Thanksgiving and impromptu dinners.  When I look at my extended family, I don't know how my grandparents did it.  How they managed to have 8 children who still love and care about each other so much.  I was so lucky to be raised surrounded by my aunts, uncles and cousins.

Sometimes when I get frustrated with the lack of time I have to myself, I think of my grandmother.  I don't think she ever had a minute to herself and she seemed to like it that way:)  The family that she created makes her one of the most successful women I know.  Considering two children is plenty for me, I admire my grandmother in a different way.



My page to my Grandma



As a surprise for Thanksgiving last year my family all worked together to create a Bellflower Book for her full of love and memories.  It was  a great way to show her how much we appreciate everything she has done for us.  I still remember being stressed out in College and taking refuge with her and grandpa in their kitchen.  I remember how their hugs and simple words of encouragement always made everything better.  I am so glad that we could give her this especially meaningful gift.

This was the contribution from my cousin Marc. It was one of my favorites:)