Recording your family's summer activities can be stressful if you get too worked up about it. And if you're stressed, you're probably not enjoying yourself very much.  Hopefully you've picked up some good ideas in this series of posts, but above all else I'd say remember to just have fun and keep in mind that recording that fun is secondary, not the main goal. If all you have at the end of the summer are some poorly lit photos on your camera phone and a pile of notes scribbled on scrap paper and thrown in your purse, even that is better than nothing. The important part really is to spend time with your family and enjoy the season.

We've covered photography, audio recording, simple scrapbooking, making a memory jar, creating illustrated books, and video editing. Here are some final ideas you might dig as well.

If you liked the idea of sending audio messages back and forth through the mail but don't have the right equipment or the time and energy for it, how about postcards? Both cost and commitment are small, and they can help keep a connection going across space and time, especially if you have family and friends who live far away. Postcards can be collected in a special postcard album (it allows you to see both sides of the cards), a regular scrapbook, or a box, or you can three-hole-punch them, bind them with rings, make front and back covers out of decorated cardboard, and have a unique keepsake book.

Anyone who has kids knows they do indeed say the darnedest things. A quick and fun way to capture their thoughts at a particular age is to sit them down for a formal interview. Compile a list of questions either about a particular event (What was your favorite thing about summer camp? What do you like best about the 4^th of July?) or just about life in general (Who's your favorite person? What do you want to be when you grow up? Where would you like to go on vacation?) and record their responses in whatever way's easiest: video, audio, or even just on paper. Do it every year and watch your kids grow up right before your eyes.

Give your kid a camera. You can find digital cameras for even the littlest hands-cameras pared down to just a few buttons and designed to withstand being dropped. A lot. My son got this one (pictured above) as a gift earlier this week, and the best part so far hasn't been the pictures themselves (the quality isn't great, and at three years old his composition skills are less than professional) but it's been a ton of fun to see what he goes for when I tell him to take a picture of his favorite things (one was a little girl he'd just met).

One thing that came up again and again in the comments-and something I'm a huge fan of myself-is making photo albums using an online service. There are a range of packages and prices out there depending on what you're looking for, and before I decide what I want, I always do a Google search for coupon codes, which usually scores me a big discount. One of the best things about making these photo books is how easy it is to order multiple copies for grandparents and friends. Best gift ever. 

Start a blog. The possibilities are endless. You can include words, pictures, videos, audio snippets, whatever you want. You don't even have to make it public and share the link; it can be an online journal in the purest sense-a space just for you that only happens to be stored online so it's always accessible.

Write in a paper journal. Even if it's just a few short lines jotted down at the end of the day, taking a few minutes to reflect on the best parts of raising a family (or taking time out for yourself) can not only be a valuable record for the future but a dedicated way to focus on the positive in the present. (Think the "gratitude journals" that were all the rage a few years ago.)

Recording family memories shouldn't be a burden. I hope everyone finds something they love to do.

How are you recording your family's summer fun? Please share in the comments!