Tammy's Tidbits

I don’t have a lot of vivid memories from my childhood—and I’m not entirely sure why. But there are a few moments that have stuck with me. I remember open-faced turkey and gravy sandwich dinners at my grandmother’s house, watching shows like Donny and Marie, The Bionic Woman, The Six Million Dollar Man, Dallas, after-school MTV, and the annual Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. That telethon was always a big deal in our house. My sisters and I would sleep on the floor in our sleeping bags while our mom used the weekend to take stock of our clothes for the upcoming school year.

Other memories include Saturday morning cartoons, lying in the backyard working on my summer tan, trying to time the cassette player record button perfectly during the weekly radio countdown, and hanging out at the mall arcade or roller skating rink with friends. Life just felt simpler then. As I get older, I find myself missing that simplicity—longing for more of those small, everyday moments that now seem to get lost in the shuffle.

Maybe it’s because our “nest” is empty now, or maybe it’s just a part of aging. Either way, I know I’m not alone in this. These days, balancing work, family, friendships, home responsibilities, and everything else is a lot. On top of that, we’re always plugged into technology, constantly available, and rarely just still. All of it makes it hard to find a few quiet minutes to reflect and be grateful for the little things.

Over the years, I tried a few ways to capture those memories—daily journaling, scrapbooking, photo albums. But honestly, those things felt more like chores. Daily journaling became just one more thing on my to-do list, and scrapbooking turned out to be time-consuming and expensive.

When my youngest daughter recently moved out, making us official empty nesters, I found myself crying and craving those simple memories again—things like the last show we binge-watched together or the last time we went shopping. I could probably tell you when those things were, but I’d have to think long and hard about it because so much life has happened in between.

That reflection sparked an idea: what if there was a simple, approachable way to remember the little things? That idea led me to create a set of four weekly journals, now published on Amazon. These journals are designed for individuals, couples, families, and caregivers—to help them take just 5 to 10 minutes a week to reflect on life using a few simple writing prompts. There’s even space each week for one 4×6 photo or a few mini 2″x3″ ones if you enjoy adding visual memories.

Patrick and I have been using the Couples Journal for several weeks now. Every weekend, we take a few minutes to sit down and respond to the prompts. It’s become something I really look forward to—just a few quiet, intentional minutes together.

And while we don’t have young kids at home anymore, I can imagine how special it could be for a family to sit together and talk about their week—maybe their favorite meal, a silly moment, or something they were proud of. The Caregiver Journal was actually inspired by my mom, who cared for my dad before he passed away. She told me that some days she really wished she had written down her thoughts and the memories they made together during that time. Caregiving is a privilege, but it can also be incredibly hard and lonely. That journal is meant to offer comfort, reflection, and a place to hold those precious memories.

Each journal includes “Year in Review” pages at the end with thoughtful prompts to wrap up the year. Creating these journals was truly a labor of love—a way to help others (and myself) reflect on life in a way that’s meaningful but not overwhelming.

My hope is that if you, too, find yourself longing to hold onto the small moments, these journals will help make that easier. Here’s to keeping the little things close, one week at a time.

Happy journaling!

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS (journal for individuals)

TOGETHER: A YEAR OF MEMORIES (journal for couples)

FAMILY MEMORIES: A YEAR TOGETHER (journal for the family)

The Caregiver’s Journey: Finding Strength, Love & Reflection

I use the following bluetooth printer for mini photos:

KODAK Step Instant Smartphone Photo Printer – Portable Mini Color Wireless Mobile Printer