have yourself a friendship reunion

As I mentioned in an earlier post, last week was a week of friendship reunions. We all have them, those friends who've been around FOREVER though you only see each other sporadically. You were likely very close at one time, possibly even roommates. You've seen each other at your best and worst. Even though you may hook up only once a year, it feels just like yesterday.

Matt is one of those friends for my hubby. He and his family put many miles on their vehicle to stop by last weekend (I suppose a visit with his mom might have had something to do with it as well). It was wonderful catching up on the ins and outs of life. Though it had been a very long time since our last visit (they even have two beautiful grandchildren now!) - it was as if time stood still for my hubby and his friend.

During our visit, Matt's family kept making reference to The White Book (e.g. "...we'd be lost without The White Book"). My curiousity was piqued and I just had to ask, "What in the world is this white book you keep talking about?"

Turns out, I was in for a big surprise. (And now by virtue of our blogging connection, so are YOU!)

The White Book is an incredibly detailed travel companion created by Matt in his disappointment over AAA's newly-revised TripTik. The White Book consists of the following:

1. A white 3-ring binder;
2. A blank calendar page for month of travel (click HERE for a printable version);
3. Tabbed divider sheets for 3-ring binder.

To assemble The White Book, use a blank calendar page to outline the vacation, using it as the first page in your binder. Then, create a tabbed divider sheet for each state you plan to travel through (each state will have its own section). There are a variety of free online resources to help you map out your trip. FreeTrip.com, MapQuest, and Rand McNally are just a few. Matt highly recommends Next-Exit.com to help you locate food, gas, and lodging along the way (it lists the highlights of every exit for each highway you travel). Be sure to including sightseeing opportunities along the way. Just Google "what to see in ______" (inserting your state of choice) to locate points of interest along your journey. FamilyFun.com also has great travel information, including snack recipes and printables to help make your journey more enjoyable.

Be sure to include state maps and hotel reservation information as well (just insert maps into the binder pockets and create a special tab for all of the hotel confirmation numbers).

It was mighty impressive. And despite its great marketing potential, Matt has graciously allowed me to share it will all of you! Now, that's friendship.

Journaling Ideas: Create a scrapbooking layout regarding one or more of your friendship reunions. A fun way to do so might be to compare and contrast the "then and now" of your relationship. When you first became friends, what were the music and fashion styles of the day? How do they compare to now? Was your friend easygoing or energetic "back in the day"? How does that compare to now? What were your common interests and how do they compare to today? What things have changed about your lives and relationship? What has remained the same?