A great way to measure kids' growth

I just have to share these photos because they are so fun, and because although I can't recall where I initially saw the idea, I think it's worth passing on.

When your kids are young, buy a t-shirt that they someday will fit into. Each year take a photo of them in the shirt(s) and watch the changes, in the kids, especially relative to the shirt.

The year our youngest was born, 2006, I had a good friend raising money to climb Mt. Everest (our 2nd child's middle name as well!). As a fundraiser, he sold the shirts that our boys have in the photos below.

• 1st photo from 2006
• 2nd from 2007
• 3rd from 2009 (yes, we missed 2008... where does the time go)

I think this would be a fun thing to start anytime with growing kids, and why not use a fun tshirt from your (their!) travels!

What to do with all of those TRAVEL t-shirts?!

Have your kids collected t-shirts from far away lands, that just end up at second hand stores? In the homes of people that may not have any special memory or thought of that cool childhood trip? Or, maybe it's YOUR set of t-shirts you don't really want to part with, but don't know what to do with as they occupy more and more space from your globetrotting ways?! Well, personally I had this problem, and it was solved (well, my mother actually thought of the idea) by having 16 of them made into a really awesome keepsake - a QUILT of the t-shirts. Brilliant.

Not only do I have an extra toasty quilt for the Maine winters, but now I don't have to feel guilty for keeping a bunch of souvenir t-shirts that mostly did not fit well, but had cool logos and generate fun memories.

Here are a few sites online that do this. It's NOT cheap, but if you consider you are preserving a 'collection' AND getting a quilt out of the deal (or wall hanging), it's very economical. Think of it as a quilted scrapbook/collage. Plus, it's all handmade, that's pretty cool too!

This can be done for other themes too - Running races, graduation, animal tees, favorite annual fairs etc.

Here are a few sites that look great

- Keepsake Theme Quilts and Wall Hangings

- Rosscommon Quilts

- Patchwork Memories

Or go here for instructions (fee) to do it yourself!