The Gift That Keeps on Giving: 12 Months of Joyful Family Adventures
- Lauren Alonso
- Nov 9
- 5 min read
I’ll never forget the moment I realized how quickly time was slipping by.
It was a Saturday evening trying to get my toddler to sleep — phone in hand scrolling through the thousands of memories and searching "June 10" because he asked me to play the "vooo vooo" 🚀 rocket ship video again for the 15th time this week, while he gestures his finger towards the sky to show me his excitement— and I caught myself thinking, “Wait- why have we not launched this rocket since June 10 of 2023?”
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something could make this simple little adventure more than a memory in my phone.
We were making memories, sure — but not really making them to keep. 30,000+ photos and videos are stored in my phone- not printed, hanging on my wall (because who has that kind of wall space?).
My toddler has never actually experienced this fun (a cheap foam and plastic Amazon find) himself. But- it's as easy as loading up the kids in the car and heading over to Grandma and Papa's open field for blast off. We just needed to get as intentional about keeping these memories as we do making them.
That’s when the idea for The Joyful Adventure Book was born.
I wanted to create a way for our family to experience more joy, more connection, and more laughter without adding more to our plates. Something that could turn ordinary weekends into meaningful adventures.
🎁 The Gift That Keeps on Giving All Year Long
I realized that so many other families must be feeling the same way! So I decided to make it more than a memory book for us, The Joyful Adventure Book — a 12-month adventure scrapbook template + how-to guide that helps families create joyful adventures and capture memories, one month at a time.
Instead of a gift that gets tucked away in a closet or gets broken after playing with it for a few weeks (or days if we are honest), this one unfolds slowly — one new adventure each month, wrapped in mystery and excitement.
Every month, your family opens a new envelope with a clue inside: maybe a hike, a backyard campout, a local service project, or a cozy indoor activity like baking or decorating your favorite cookies. Each experience brings you closer, one joyful memory at a time.
💛 Why I Created It
For the past few years, I noticed that the toys we bought rarely lasted beyond the new year, but the moments — the giggles, the togetherness, the unexpected detours — those were the things that stayed in our hearts.
I wanted a way to bottle up that joy.
So I started creating monthly adventures for our family — simple ones that fit right into our regular rhythm. This year, instead of reliving them only through memories on my phone, I began dreaming up the ideas of adding these memories to scrapbook pages to record what we did, what we laughed about, and what we learned and found joy in. By the end of the year, we will have something more precious than any toy: A book full of our family story.
This scrapbook idea became The Joyful Adventure Book.
Now, I’m sharing it with you — so you can make your own version of joy.
📔 What’s Inside
The Joyful Adventure Book is part scrapbook, part journal, and part keepsake — designed to help families slow down and make space for connection.
Inside, you’ll find:
📔 Personalized Cover – beautifully designed with space for your family photo and last name
📝 Joyful Explorer Letter – a heartfelt pre-written note from the giver to the recipient
📍 12 Monthly Destination Pages – for each month’s joyful adventure
📓 12 Adventure Journals – one for each child to record their discoveries and reflections
🔖 12 Keepsake Pages – perfect for doodles, tickets, or treasures found along the way
💬 12 Joyful Memories + Badge Pages – prompts for reflection and gratitude plus printable badges to collect after every adventure
Plus a How-To Guide
And because I know the idea of planning 12 adventures can feel a little overwhelming, I included a step-by-step how-to guide with creative prompts, ChatGPT templates (to brainstorm your adventure ideas), a supply list with fun extras to make it simple and stress-free, and 40 local and at-home adventure ideas to get you started (at little to no cost)!
🌟 The Joyful Difference
This isn’t just another activity book or photo album. It’s an experience. A reminder that joy doesn’t come from perfection — it comes from presence.
Whether you’re hiking a local trail, having a living-room campout, or trying a new family recipe, The Joyful Adventure Book helps you pause long enough to capture it all.
By the end of the year, you’ll have more than memories — you’ll have a keepsake filled with love, laughter, and gratitude.
🎒 For Every Family (and Season of Life)
It’s perfect for:
Parents looking to create intentional time with their kids
Grandparents wanting to gift experiences instead of toys
Homeschool families weaving joy into their lessons
Newlyweds or expectant parents building new traditions
And because it’s a digital template, you can personalize, print, and reuse it year after year — starting new adventures each time.
💬 Join the Joyful Explorers
When you purchase your copy, you’ll also be invited to join the Joyful Adventure Facebook Group — a community of families sharing ideas, adventure photos, and inspiration all year long.
It’s where the laughter continues, the creativity grows, and the memories multiply.
💌 Ready to Begin?
If you’ve been craving more meaning, more laughter, and more shared memories — this is your invitation.
Start your family’s adventure story today with The Joyful Adventure Book. Because the best gifts aren’t wrapped — they’re lived, one moment at a time.
How to Get Started
Personalize. Print. Plan.
1️⃣ Purchase and personalize it in Canva (easy step-by-step guide included).
2️⃣ Print it.
3️⃣ Plan your 12 adventure envelopes and start planning your monthly adventures.
Thank you for sharing a few moments of your day with me.
I hope you leave here feeling a little more adventurous, a little more connected, and reminded that joy is best when it’s shared. Whether we’re planning family adventures, collecting memories, or laughing through life’s little moments, I’m so grateful to be exploring this journey alongside you.
If today’s post encouraged you, here are a few ways we can keep the conversation going:
📬 Get my blog updates — never miss a new post, recipe, or seasonal idea.
🌿 Join the Joyful Life Community — a free space for connection, encouragement, and practical tips for every season.
📸 Follow along on Instagram or Facebook for behind-the-scenes life, daily inspiration, and my latest projects.
📌 Find me on Pinterest for endless homemaking, seasonal, and family activity ideas.
🎙 Listen to the Podcast or 🎥 watch on YouTube for deeper conversations and stories we can share together.
💛 Shop my favorite finds & discounts — from home essentials to seasonal must-haves, I’ve gathered them in one place for you (some are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you — thank you for supporting my family and this space!).
No matter where we meet next, I’ll be there with a cup of coffee in hand and a heart full of joy for the season you’re in.
With Joy and gratitude,
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