Project “Digitize”

At the beginning of the year instead of making New Years Resolutions, I decided just to come up with a few things I needed to do LESS of and a few things or projects I wanted to do MORE with. The few I came up with are as follows:

1) Facebook and read blogs LESS and spend MORE time with my Family
2) Arbitrate, Index, and Do Family History MORE
3) Eat LESS and Exercise MORE
4) Serve MORE. Help Others MORE. Listen MORE.
5) And Lastly, Project “Digitize”

You might be wondering what project “Digitize” is. Well if you know me well, you know that I am a journal keeper and a picture taker. I’m not sure how many journals I’ve kept but I would guess I probably have over 30. I’ve kept handwritten journals, email journals (where I printed out my emails TO and FROM people), and Diaries. I’ve kept journals in notebooks, on napkins, on the backs of pictures, on the computer, and I have even copied letters I’ve written that talk about what I’ve been up to. I also have photo album after photo album of pictures that are all sitting in boxes.

So this year I decided that one of the projects I wanted to work on was to digitize all my journals and pictures. Each day after my personal Gospel study of reading the Scriptures and an Ensign article and saying my prayers is finished I now get to “digitize!”

Some days in my free time I sit and scan in old pictures or emails, while on other days I focus on typing in old journal entries. I’ve been using LDSJournal.com to type up my journal, but if I had to do it over again I think it would have been better to type all my journal entries into a private blog so that I could easily insert pictures and later make my journals and pictures into a blog book.

One thing is for certain though and that is…that I am having SO MUCH FUN with this project! Its been priceless to go back and read all these old journals, remember old friends, parties, dances, past boyfriends, lost loves, and times of growth. I’ve found myself laughing out loud, crying silently, and feeling giddy. I’ve also felt disappointed with myself at times with some of the choices I made in my youth, while at other times I could see myself wise beyond my years and developing into a mature woman who had her head on straight.

So far I’ve been able to digitize my journals from the time I was 8 years old (and recently baptized) to the time I was a missionary in Slovenia teaching people about Baptism. Its crazy to think that all that time has gone by! I’ve also been able to scan in many of my childhood pictures, High School Dance Pics, and a few pictures from my mission. I’ve been having so much fun I just had to share some of my finds! So be prepared for a plethora of pictures! Most of the pictures below are from High School or College Dances and many of the people in the pictures follow this blog! So I hope I get a few giggles from those who do! Good times indeed!

American Fork Homecoming Group Shot Oct 1993

Lehi Valentines Dance w/Jeff Swenson Feb 1994

A.F. Prom with Scott Howell March 1994

Provo Prom w/Nate Sadalski April 1994

Pleasant Grove Prom w/Josh April 1994

Christmas Dance with Shaun Stracener 1994

Lehi Dance w/Tyrone Frazier 1995Lehi Dance w/Tyrone Frazier 1995

Lehi Prom w/Shaun Stracener 1996

Group Shot – Lehi Prom 1996

AF Dance w/My Brother Jake 1996
(His date bailed last minute so he took me! Cute huh?)

Orem Institute Halloween Dance 1996

BYU Homecoming Dance 1998
BYU Homecoming Dance w/Scott Howell 1998

Orem Institute Dance w/Brett Tandy Feb 1999

I’m hoping eventually to link up all my pictures with there corresponding journal entries and then make a book that I can print out. I will probably make a Jr. High Book, High School Book, College Book, Mission Book, a book of when Adam and I were dating, one for our wedding, and then one up to when we started having kids. (Although I may have to pace myself over the years so that I don’t break our bank account! ha ha.) I’d also like to eventually do this with Adam’s journals and pictures as well. I think I’ve finally found a good hobby!

For this year though (2010) my focus will simply be making all my journal entries digital. Then if I finish that, I’ll think about starting on the pictures! And THEN once that is done I will start attempting to the pictures and journal entries together in a book! Wish me luck. Its going to be QUITE the project! What are some things you like to do in your spare time?