GETTING TO KNOW YOU THURSDAY - WHAT WOULD YOU SAVE IN A FIRE

While reading Amanda's post yesterday, I was inspired.  She was participating in a McLinky party at

 
and I decided I wanted to participate too.  This McLinky party is all about Family Heirlooms which made me wonder what I would save if there were a fire at my house.  So, I decided to kill two birds with one stone, the party with Getting to Know You Thursday. 

I want to know what are the most important material things to you.  Obviously, if there were a fire in your house, you would get your family out first.  But, what else would you try to save.   There are several things I would save if I had the time.  Remember, this is about the material things you would want to save AFTER you got your family and pets out - family heirlooms.

1.  Family Photos. 
I love family photos.  I, sadly, am not one of those good scrapbooking, photo album moms who keeps all the photos organized.  Instead I have two large cardboard boxes full of photos and a couple of albums that other people have put together for me.  Looking at old photos is one of my favorite things to do.  We do this at my mom's several times a year.  We get out my mom's big tub of photo envelopes (I get it honest) and get a peek into our childhood, ugly 70's fashion and all.  I've even been known to slip a few of those photos into my purse and bring them home with me.  My name is Tanya, and I am a Kleptomaniac.  Anyway, I looove to look at photos of my parents when they were young and my grandparents too.  My grandparents wedding pictures, pictures of great-grandparents and their families.  These are the photos that fascinate me.  This is my grandparents with my Aunt T.

2.  Hubby's Grandfather's Childhood Things.
My Hubby was VERY close to his grandfather (Papa).  Unfortunately, he died about a year before Hubby and I met, so I never knew him.  My MIL gave us some of her keepsakes to pass on to our firstborn son "J", who is Papa's namesake.  These are a few of the things we were given:


Papa's marbles that he played with as a kid.

Papa's baby quilt made by his mother (Hubby's great-grandmother).  She made it for him for a Christmas gift when Papa was 5 years old.    It's got the ABC hand embroidered on it with pictures for each letter. 

Nannie's (Papa's wife - Hubby's grandmother) wedding ring.  She gave it to me when I was HUUUUGE pregnant with "J" and couldn't wear my wedding ring.  I think maybe she was afraid folks would think I was living in sin if I was huge pregnant without a wedding ring on.   I couldn't get a good picture of it. 

3.  This cup. 

Weird, right?  This cup (another thing I conveniently stole from my mom's house) is so important to me.  I looove this cup.  It's not expensive or fancy, as you can see.  It was made by Therm-O-Ware.  My mom said it was one of those cups you get at the gas station if you buy a coke with a full tank of gas.  My grandma has one too.  In fact, I told my family, that is the ONE thing I want when my grandma's time is over on this earth, well, that and maybe her Chipmunks Christmas album I listened to every time I went to her house.  Again, weird, I know.  This is the cup I ALWAYS remember my mom drinking out of when I was little.  She drank tea out of it EVERY night of my life.  When she was pregnant with my little sister, she drank/ate "hillbilly milkshakes" out of it (cornbread and buttermilk - NASTY, right?).  Anyway, this cup is my childhood.  It went with us everywhere and I love it.  I lost it for a few days a year ago or so and I cried like a baby.  I know, I know.  It's a cup.  But I loooove it and I'm very territorial about it.  It's my cup!  Perfect Christmas gift for me?  A set of them. 

So, what would you save in a fire? 

Wanna link up to Sandy's party and show her your family heirlooms?  Do it here.