finally getting to the school albums . . .

the kids are off school this week. someone asked alyssa today why they were off ... and she said "i have NO idea". lol! we've had year-round schooling for 7 years ... but this year we switched to a modified traditional schedule. i don't know what that means exactly. but i can tell you that they have an entire week in february off! since i needed something to keep me busy in between the kids and working today ... i dug out their school papers to sort through and organize.

 

although it wasn't in this neat pile, like the photo shows. it was literally all over the kitchen ... on the kitchen table, the island, the counters, and even the stove. this picture here actually shows what i got it down too ... after tossing a TON of stuff. the purple file thingie and the 7 bags of papers above it ... those all belong to alyssa (kindergarten thru 6th grade). the blue file thingie and the 4 bags of papers above it ... those all belong to sarah (kindergarten thru 3rd grade). the current years are kept in the kitchen cabinet ... i just stick everything they bring home in there.

i've actually been really good each year about sorting and organizing schoolwork and projects. by that, i mean that i narrow it down some ... and stick them in these large bags (each grade has a bag). samples of writing and homework, reports, journaling stories, artwork. and the expandable file folders are great for holding the important stuff ... school pictures, class photo, report cards, awards, student ID, special notes from teachers. each grade has a pocket and i just stick the important stuff in there as i get it. then they each have a large box that holds their file folder and all their bags of papers.

but i want to start getting this stuff into their school albums. i have the school KOTM that i got ages ago ... and would love to actually put them to use to organize everything. it would look so much better in a pretty album ... than in these bags! lol! so today, i narrowed stuff down even more. it's hard to get rid of some stuff ... but really, i can't keep it all. so i choose artwork to keep ... picked out my favorite stories that they wrote. it's still a good selection for each year. i'm not sure if i'll be keeping all of what i have here ... it may get narrowed down even more. depends what i can fit in the album without making it too bulky. and for the larger art projects and drawings ... i'll be taking pictures of those things and just including the pics within the layouts to go with each grade. 

so, there's part of my plan ... and something that felt really good to start today. granted, it may be another 4-5 months before you see me mention this again. after all ... that's sort of how i roll. lol! how many of you are still waiting for me to show the finished albums i made for christmas presents?!?! i know, pathetic. lol!

and thanks to everyone for their words of support on my last post. and fun to see a few people come by from the very spot that i found the inquiring questions. it's all in good fun ... and i never took it as anyone being mean or anything. just curious ... about why i do what i do and where i do it, i guess. i didn't take it too seriously. really, i didn't! truely hope that came across ... i always wonder if people "get me" and my humor!  

Comments

[girlsmiths]

OK, so THIS is what I'm supposed to do with all the projects my three dds have brought home over the years? I'm not supposed to KEEP it all? What about all the cute, HUGE artwork they brought home in the younger grades? I think I might need you to come to my house and weed through my collection! Seriously, what a HUGE accomplishment you made today! My kids are home all week, too. BTW, I can't wait to see those school albums in a year or so! lol!

[Jodie]

Ok, now you have my interest. I too have two of the CK School KOTMs that I haven't started. My younger daughter doesn't start school until next year, but is in 'pre-prep' 3 days a week. My elder daughter has just started Grade 3 this year and all her work from Grades 1 & 2 are up the top of the wardrobe. For both girls I have a large file box full of artwork and reports and anything I considered relevant filed away from daycare. But what to do with it all? I I guess I will watch this space! Lol. (BTW our school year, runs on a calendar year)
Jodie

[Kelliann]

My daughter is in Kindergarten and there is so much schoolwork-it is all over my dining room and I have no idea what to do with it.Looking forward to your project in the making. Step 1: Organize...

[Lisa]

Oh man Laura...now *I* need to go find me some KOTM school kits!

[Caryl Hope]

You got it down to that? Great job! Me? Hmmm.... she's just in Kindergarten and I have 1 shelf of jam-packed pre-K school work and another shelf filing up fast for Kindergarten... good thing I can close the doors to hide it for now... :-)

[Marissa]

You have to tell Alyssa that we are off this week because we started so dang early and we are getting out so dang late! We have earned this break, I tell ya! I'm glad you are doing the school albums! This is what I am doing now too...or at least attempting to! Bust out a layout quick, Laura, so I can get some inspiration! I have been looking at the KOTM site, and cannot find any kind of a gallery with ideas- I remember seeing a link on her blog back when that came out with cute ideas that I think Maggie, Jennifer G, and someone else made, but cannot find them! Do you have a link ? Have a great day!

[Sandi N.]

Laura

I sorted my girls school things last month. I can relate to the huge piles it created. Here is what I use to store them in. http://www.lillianvernon.com/catalog/product_display.jsp?pdId=7775&name=Expandable%20Memories%20&%20Keepsakes%20Portfolio

I had the name of each child put on for free. They store a lot of stuff too. You can label the years with rubons.

I can not wait to see what you make for your childrens albums.

Thanks for sharing.
Sandi N.

[Lisa Howard]

I have boxes for both of my kiddos and I was pretty good about sorting it...for a while. The older they got, the harder it was to slow down and sort. Good news is the "bulk" became less and less in the older grades. But I still have programs from concerts, awards, etc. to dig through. Did I mention my "kiddos" are in college? I guess it's never too late to work on school albums, huh?

[Deneen]

Laura I so wish I had kept a little something from each year. I did really good with Misty in Kinder but after that just finding places to store stuff became a challenge so I really didn't save much but what I do have I will always treasure. Now I just have to finish Misty's album and start on the next three LOL
Oh I and totally don't get your humor LOL LOL Ok just so you know that is me trying to be funny! Ok have a great day I know the kids have no school this week but somehow I still have to work so not fair you would think working at a school I would have it off too.

[lynda]

again u cease to amaze moi! i have a box where i put stuff and a file accordian where i stick more stuff. but never ever have i attemped to "narrow" it down. or put in a book for that matter. so good for u. we're on a "modified traditonal" schedule too. i'm not a very big fan of it. we start the first monday of aug. and get out like the second week of june. here in the hi desert, it's like 110 or hotter in aug. and i hate sending the kids. hopefully next school year it will change.

lynda in calif

[Shannon C]

Laura: I love checking in on your blog and seeing what you are up to. And I love the fact that you do not take everything too seriously. I am sure that is one of the reasons that I keep coming back! Have a great day!

[Cheryl]

Hi Laura,
I used to keep everything too when my son first started school. And it started piling up and my daughter started school and the pile got worst. And after moving house couple of times, I ended up going through the piles and just keeping most of the artwork that I wanted to frame and important papers. Now I can look at them and enjoy the ones I kept.

[Victoria S.]

HEy laura
i get you! i thnk you are great and i know those gals do too!
Your space is absolutely awesome i think that is how i found you a while back
I enjoy your blog and have told you b4 that i admire your style. It is what my style would be if i could ever sit down to scrap -LOL!!! and funny thing on LOL, i used to put that on my posts all the time waaaaayyy back when i 1st "learned" some blog lingo thinking it meant lots of love :-) until someone told me it meant laughing...
oh well, TFS your talent and your fabulous space -you are truly blessed!

[Stacey]

Hi Laura! Thanks for the info you emailed me a few days ago! I love your sorting idea from today's blog. I have a girl in 6th grade too, as well as a 9 yr.old in fourth grade. The girls have a lot of schoolwork to sort through too. Maybe next year when my youngest is in school, I will have to work on a school album.

[Leslie]

How great does that feel!?! To organize a major pile of stuff that always gets out of control with everything they bring home. Good for you!!

[lisa truesdell]

LOVE this idea for sorting stuff.. i've been stuffing it all into a box but sooner or later i will need to attack it. and i'm saving this for the day i get that brave! =)

[Jessica]

Ah ... the mess. My oldest is 4, so we don't have that quite yet, but I have no idea what we will do when they start producing paper archives!
I also understand your starting a project and then working on it in a couple months and then a little more a few months after that... I'm the same way! Sometimes I don't want to tell what I'm planning because then I won't disappoint anybody when I don't finish right away!

[ShellyJ]

WOW! you are making me very jealous. seriously girl, you must be a super woman. :) I love to organize, but if it is out of sight... it is out of my mind! I have a stash of photos piled high in my basement that I have to go through and figure out what I want to do with them. It is the final step towards reclaiming liveable/playable space. Do I do it? Nope. Can't ever seem to get up the energy to go down there and get busy. EVEN though my little daughter loves to play down there with me... I still just look at it... and move on :) HA! Someday. Someday. I will. Promise. Maybe this is the bit of inspiration that I need.

job well done, laura!

[Ana]

Laura, love the idea but I never got a kit from CK and since they are no longer available I decided to take all of my daughter's art work and take photos of it. I made a Shutterfly book and should be getting it in the next couple of weeks. I figured it would be the easiest thing for me right now. I will have to post pictures when I get it.

You always inspire me to get started on a new project and be more organized.

[Carla]

Oh, I'll be using your idea! I use a large basket that's in my Ikea bookcase and just shove it in there. I do need to go through some of it and start what you did. Sometimes its hard because they use a lot of BIG paper too.

[Sarah W.]

OK now I have a set-up goal! Once the kids are in school, I have some ideas now! Thanks. And if anyone doesn't 'get' you, then they have missed a really obvious boat! LOL! I always find you come across as fun or teasing! I always leave smiling! Take care and have a nice evening.

[Sara Rossi]

I wish my piles of school work were this manageable! You'd be in shock if I showed you all that I keep!! LOL!! My parents didn't keep anything from my childhood since we moved a lot so I tend to go overboard!