Mindful Ramblings

Preserving family stories with audio has never been easier. With this innovative new app, you can preserve memories from Grandpa or record Baby Huey’s first words.  But it really doesn’t stop there; the ideas of what you can use this app for are truly endless.

Let’s start with how the app works.  Once you’ve installed the app on your mobile device, you just follow these simple steps:

Step 1:  Add a new storyteller or choose someone you’ve already entered.  You can also take a photo now or upload a photo of the person you’ve chosen.

Step 2: Choose what time period in life they’ll be talking about or a topic from the list. (Not all options are shown in picture.)

Step 3: Select a question from the list or choose “other” to record your own question.  (Again, not all options are shown.)

Step 4: Press the “Record” button.  With each question, there is a 10 minute maximum for recording.  Once you are done with the recording, press the “Stop” button.  You will be given the option to Upload your recording and asked if you would like to share your recording on facebook.

If you have recordings and/or images on your computer, you can also upload those directly to your account on the website.  This is a great option, if you’d like to have friends and family members add content to your account or if you have other audio, images, or documents you like to include with the story.   (See the Saving Memories Forever website for more information or to watch online tutorials.)

Like I said earlier, there are lots of other ideas for using the Saving Memories Forever app other than just preserving family history.  The Mosaic Reviews team had the opportunity to speak with the creator of the app and here are a few of their ideas and some of our own:

• Imagine using Saving Memories Forever as you travel.  Just talk about the day and add a few pictures to upload to create an amazing narrated travel journal…or

• It would be a wonderful and inexpensive gift for an active military family….The enlisted family member away from home, or a child waiting for them to return, can record stories for each other to listen to wherever internet is available…or

• If Grandma & Grandpa are no longer around to tell their stories, you can set them up as the “Storyteller” and record your memories about them, send a link to any relatives or friends who would like to contribute by adding their own memories, and anyone you authorize can log in to the Saving Memories Forever website and listen.  What an amazing keepsake for generations to come!…or

• Parents, how many times do you wish you would have taken the time to write down all those cute things your little toddlers said?   This couldn’t be more perfect, just use the app to record them, upload them to the website and share with friends and family on facebook if you’d like….or

• Having a family reunion?  Open the app, and pass the phone around for everyone to record a memory about a person or family memory…or

The uses are only as endless as your own creativity!

We are using the app to record my father’s stories.  He is 92 years old and has more than just a couple stories to tell.  He talks about growing up during the depression, working hard as a child from the age of 8, getting married just before entering the Navy during WW2, being on board a battle cruiser in the Pacific and the day his ship was hit by Japanese torpedoes.  As a home educating family, what can be better than first-hand accounts of historical events?

And we’re really just getting started! In the days ahead, there are many other stories to record, life lessons learned and a heritage of faith that has lead the family for generations.  What a wonderful inter-generational project for families, with the kids interviewing Grandma and Grandpa.

In the future, I look forward to using the app during family vacations or maybe even to record upcoming college visits.   The other day I came across this post on one of my favorite “writing” blogs.   The title of the post caught my eye;  22 Writing Prompts that Jog Childhood Memories. It dawned on me that I could use these prompts with my new Saving Memories Forever app, then have my reluctant writer write out the transcriptions to upload.

Bottom Line:  We love using Saving Memories Forever and we’re sure you’ll like it too! 🙂

There is nothing to lose!  You can check it out by using the free version of the app, but for just $3.99 per month, or $40 per year, you can have a premium subscription with lots of extras.

Have more questions about this product?  Check out Saving Memories Forever FAQ’s

This app is currently available for:  iPhone, Android and website use

So go get the app and get creative in saving your families memories!

Other team member were given a Premium Subscription of the Saving Memories Forever app too.  So head on over to Mosaic Reviews to see what they have to say about this product.  I can’t wait to hear about their creative ideas for using this product 🙂

Disclaimer:  Members of the Mosaic Reviews team were given the premium subscription to this app in exchange for their honest review.  No other compensation of any kind has been received.