C is for my charm bracelet

I'm pretty sure I've blogged about my charm bracelet before--but it was a long time ago. For my seventh birthday, my parents gave me a silver bracelet with a Happy Birthday charm and I've collected charms ever since.

Many of the charms from my childhood are from places--a squirrel from the Grand Canyon, a bear from the Grand Tetons, Minnie Mouse from Disneyworld. At one point, I put the bracelet away and didn't wear it or think about it very much. But I started to wear it again just before Audrey was born and began collecting charms again in earnest.

I think there are close to 60 or 70 charms on it now. I'll have to count. I wear it almost every day and it's great for keeping kids occupied--mine or other peoples. "Find the dolphin," I'll tell Emma while we're waiting in line at the grocery store. "Tell me about the lobster," Audrey will ask while we're sitting on the couch.

My most recent charms? A water skier from my mother to celebrate the water skiing gene we share and put into practice each summer at Lake of the Ozarks. A chair lift from our trip to Breckenridge this summer. And a cadet from the Air Force Academy that I found at the visitor's center last Saturday.

The girls each have a bracelet too--I started collecting charms for them while they were still babies and now they love to search for new ones when we go places.

I met a grandmother recently trying to decide what to buy for her nine-year-old granddaughter. Get her a charm bracelet, I said. Charms make great gifts, it lasts, and it's full of memories. I'm happy to say that she did get a bracelet--instead of the asked-for $110 jeans that her granddaughter would outgrow in less than a year!

***

C is also for Charles--my dad's name, or Charlie as my mom calls him.

C is for my camera--downstairs in my purse and thus no picture of my bracelet!

C is for communication studies too--one of my majors in college.

Comments

[Marla Taviano]

I'm seriously thinking of doing charm bracelets for the girls for Christmas. How in the world do you fit that many on there? And isn't it heavy??

Regarding yesterday's post, I looooooooooooove books too. Mmmmmm...

[Holly Smith]

I love your bracelet and how it jingles! Will you help me find one for Kylie (turning 8 October 28th)? Perhaps when we do some shopping we can go to a place.

Bless you sweet Friend!