That Fridge Life

I took a photo last night of my daughter’s hair after I braided it. When I looked at the picture on my phone I noticed our refrigerator in the background and how it is covered with papers, printed photos, magnets and calendars. So much so, I could barely see the surface of the appliance. I had a fleeting thought of how it might be nice to have a fridge with very little or even nothing on it. Then I recalled how, back in the days of blogging (daily), a link-up went around, showcasing what was on our fridges. How cute is that?

A refrigerator full of stuff signifies many things to me, including a life that is also full. We are definitely brimming over here, at our house. It also indicates what stage of life we are in right now. Our fridge has a shower rotation list for the kids (so no one can argue over who goes first) and pictures of my nieces and nephews who have recently graduated from high school. There are inspirational quotes and sports photos. Also, school calendars and magnets from our travels.

I assume in about 7-10 years, as the kids phase out of school and become adults, these things will be replaced with other types of announcements and memorabilia. I envision engagement photos or notes left when they come back home to visit. The school calendars long recycled, and the newly capped graduates moving on to the next phases of their journeys, their own fridges covered in whatever it is they need to be reminded of or recall.

I am not sure if my fridge will ever be empty. When I think about it, I hope it won’t. My parents’ fridge has photos of their grandkids and sent-years-ago Christmas cards. They have a little more blank space without all the school calendars and chore charts, however the items displayed easily tell us where they are in their lives.

It’s just funny to me how a simple appliance can become an ever-changing collage of our days without us even realizing. I wish I had taken pictures over the years of my fridge so I could look back and remember what was going on in our life at any given time. Perhaps I can start now. And of course, somewhere in the archives is the photo I used to link up to that blog post years ago…

(Oh wait, here’s one: Circa 2012)

(Oh look, I was a runner then)

(Why TWO tree company magnets?)

(Also, I miss little kid art…)