holiday scrapbooks by Lucy Mitchell

Holiday scrapbooks.

We do this every year. Well, ever since we visited my brother in the States - it seemed so momentous to get all (then)five of us as far as California, that it deserved to be recorded. I learnt then that all you need is scissors, a glue stick and an old-fashioned scrapbook. 25 pages is enough. And just wait for the rubbish/memories to accumulate. A few (quite relaxing, actually) minutes spent sticking each day will result in a book they will look at forever. I guarantee you won't regret it.

We always camp in France these days and below are examples from our last two years efforts. Don't use ring bound notebooks, as we did the first year, they just fall apart. And make it as you go. Believe it or not the kids will actually help.  Empty sweet bags, receipts from the supermarket (holiday shopping is so much more treaty that normal home stuff), any entrance tickets, brochures. Really anything to do with what you did. Two of our boys usually have their birthdays when we are on holidays, so we put a card and a few clues about their presents in too. And they LOVE looking through them afterwards. 

So here we go; A seventh birthday,

 French Macdonalds wrappers,

The playground we camped beside for one night. We arrived late and didn't know the code to open the gate so had to loiter for someone else to open it and drive about an inch behind them to get through. In fairness the French are pretty cool about that stuff. No one batted an eye. We set up camp on the only pitch left and put the tent up in the dark. Once it was up we realised we were almost on top of the communal barbeques where a tattooed gang of muscly men gathered to chat, cook and drink. We feebly attempted to get the kids to sleep and wondered what to do.  Would we live through the night? Hopefully. My husband ventured out to the car to see if there was anything there to eat or drink and came back with a plate of sausages from one of the chefs. 

 My middle boys writing practice and my reading material. Nabilla will be a millionaire by the time she is thirty. At least I think thats what it means.

A bin truck for the birthday boy and a lovely French sweetie bag.

An extra sleeping mat and Lego. And a carambar.

 I didn't make that medieval village. My husband did. With a little help from the kids. Very little to be honest. And yummy biscuits and even yummier beer.

The bag our croissants came in each morning, horse-riding and chocolate milk.

More beer and an Ethni'Cite(Troglodyte settlement) information book. It was closed when we got there. On a Wednesday in mid-August. Because they close every Wednesday afternoon, explained the guide. 

So, I'd buy the scrapbook at home, its not the easiest thing to find abroad, even with the massive stationary sections in the lovely continental supermarkets. Ideally have it, the gluestick and a scissors in a ziplock bag. Then you dump the stuff in there and glue it when you get a chance. Once you start the kids will get involved. Everyone wants their stuff in it. And thats it! Have a lovely weekend!