Ditch flab get fab - my journey to a new me!

I sat with two sisters earlier this week, they looked over photos that one of them hadn’t seen before and they tried to work out between themselves who the subjects were and the circumstances.

It was bitter-sweet as both sisters had never known their maternal grandmother, she had died during childbirth, a week after the end of World War 1. Such an event had subsequently effected the surviving family and generations following that. They had never seen a photo of their maternal grandmother but presumed they had finally found a picture, an old greying picture showing her face.

There were so many unanswered questions, partly because their parents were long dead and partly because of circumstances and having lived through World War 2, their parents did not want to revisit painful memories.

Genealogy is something I am very interested in, simply because so little is known about my great-grandparents and their forefathers.

We are so lucky in this age of disclosure, social media and blogging. My children will have a permanent memento of their childhood, our wishes and hopes for them.

I was offered the chance to look through some journals produced by fromyoutome.com and found them to be a very useful tool in preparing memories for our children, and, hopefully in time, their children.

I was sent three journals to review, three wonderful hard-backed journals, full of questions and opportunities to find out about memories and experiences:

The first one we’ve looked at is Kicking off Memories:

Here’s what the website says:

Do you have a friend or member of your family who is mad about football?

Are they always telling you great stories about the games they have watched or the goals they have seen scored? Do they always have an opinion on the team that was picked or referees decision? Do you know why they support the teams they do or why they dislike others? What about the best goal that they scored themselves… have they told you the details and how did they celebrate scoring?

This is the gift you give … and then get it returned with an amazing collection of footballing experiences. Glorious goal celebrations, tears of joy and pain, and the drowning of sorrows will be enjoyably retold and shared.

Priced at £12.99, this is the perfect for the football fan in your life (ideal for Mr Bluecrisps!). Packed with questions like:
Who introduced you to football?
Which goals that you have seen scored would be in your top 10?
And
When having a “kick-around”, what have been some of the items you’ve used as goal posts?

T is really looking forward to reading his dad’s responses to these questions and I think it will prompt a few giggles and some great conversation. It’s something that T will be able to share with his children in time too.

Another one was Our Story for my daughter:

Here’s the website details:

Our Story will inspire you to capture the unique story of you and your daughter. Allow an enjoyable hour or two once a year to complete your journal – a great opportunity to reflect on your remarkable relationship.

Our Story helps you to record your amazing family experiences and unrepeatable moments – the growth development and personality of your daughter, your time together and your emotional journey – your hopes and dreams, the ups and downs and, above all, the incredible mother-daughter bond.

On your daughter’s 18th birthday she will receive this beautiful hand-written story, a priceless record of years together to be shared and treasured forever.

Priced at £19.99, it has a lovely illustrated cover, with the drawings carried on throughout the book, a perfect memento to complete and present to a daughter when she reaches 18.

And lastly, we’ve looked at Dear Dad, from you to me:

Here’s the website details:

Everyone has a story to tell… and have you ever wondered just how well you really know your Dad? Life is a fascinating journey and some aspects are often shared with others, however most stories and moments are never recorded.

This Journal is full of around 60 wonderful questions carefully designed to inspire every father to tell his personal story.

Celebrate your Dad’s amazing story and give him the opportunity to find that ‘book’ within him … and provide a priceless collection of experiences and memories to be treasured.

Priced at £12.99, this is available in the sketch design cover – as above – or a more traditional family tree cover. It is full of wonderfully original questions such as:

Who was your best friend as a teenager..and why?
Did you have an idol when you were young, tell me yours and why
What was my nickname before I was born or when I was young.

Lovely questions that, again, are going to be fun to complete and thought-provoking.

The journals can all be personalised with photos and names, please allow ten working days. A lovely idea for a special birthday or anniversary, click here for details.

For the two sisters I sat with – my mum and my aunt – so many potential memories have been lost in time, with these journals I can ensure the same doesn’t happen for the Bluecrisps family.

Disclaimer: we were sent 3 journals for the purpose of this review, my thoughts and words are my own.