So Grandma Ruth writes her wrap up for Grandma Genie Camp 2009. I look at my original goals and decide if I met objectives. I will add unexpected elements, I will add favorite and least favorite aspects. And room for improvement.........
So to review: My original goals......
BOTTOM LINE.................By the end of the week I hope in a small way I have shared
1---fun time with my grandchildren
WOW WOW This was great great fun!!! Unbelievable fun. There was focus, there was interest and the kids interacted and added some much to the fun!!
2---show them that learning never stops throughout life (Grandma is still working on school like projects) Most of the children were at an age that they understood staying focused, doing their best, and pride in their work.
3---why we celebrate Thanksgiving The kids shared ideas of Thanksgiving they had been taught and I think we really demonstrated many of those ideas in our camp. Family, being Thankful, America
4---that even through unbelievable world circumstances, governments, wars, disease, starvation, and orphanage------that people can and do survive. Being age appropriate we did not focus so much on the tragedies of life but one thing was quite apparent the families stuck together!! I think this was a very important message to give the children. The families moved about, the families interacted with others families but they came together and were one.
5---I love God, I love them, I love my (living and no longer living) family and I love America. All I have to say on this goal that if the children did not get the message --- there was nothing more I could have done nor said to make them believe it. I demonstrated love for God, country, family and them through this project plus Several times a day I tried to say those exact words to each and everyone of them individually.
6 Unexpected Elements
1. The genealogy community. I was completely surprised at the encouragement and validation I received from the genealogy community on this Grandma Camp.
2. That I do have a lot to share with my family. I was asked how long it took me to prepare for my wall chart. I explained I printed 64 8"x11" sheets of paper and it took about two days to piece together the chart and hang it. My family looked at me curiously and stated ------I think they wanted to know how long it really took you to make this chart and the answer to that is -----over 30 years!!!
3. When 6 year old Scott was putting colored Xs on the WORLD map as to where different people that he knew had been born that he added a big black X to the South Pole to indicate from where the penguins came. That tickled me pink.
4. How well the education system is helping to create very smart grandchildren. The children loved reading and read quite well, the chidren had excellent scanning and printing skills, the childrens sense of color and art work was impressive. And they could and did work as a team!!!
5. That being busy and doing something I love to do I have more energy and stamina than I realized.
6. We have two books to write!!! Grandma's Genie Camp 2009 and a book titled The Sweetest Angel!!! and we are going to use them for Christmas Presents!!
Favorite and least favorite aspects
Favorite Part was sharing the data ---- and coloring and tracing maps with the kids.
Least Favorite---nothing I loved it all!!!
Room for Improvement either be less extravagant as to my expectations and realistic about my own age and capabilities or recruit more help.
So what now? ------- are you kidding!!!!! There are more migration trails, stories to relive, books to write, photos to be shared, I guess as most genealogist know --- the work, fun, sharing never ends. Genealogist do not ever stop their studies -- they just become another data point.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Day 7 It is Raining -- So we decide to write a Book.
The book we decide to write is a family history of the grandchildren. We published pages from the computer then used crayons, colored pencils, markers, to color and enhance the pictures for our book. We focused on their mother's country first Nicaragua. We copied pictures of the jungle, the people, the city.
Does this Grandma Genie's Camp seem just a little too perfect??!! Well, on Day 7, Camp starts falling apart. Paint gets applied/spilled on the church of Nicaragua, The two year old stuffed something in the printer and jams the machine. We quickly gathered up the supplies and savaged what we could.......
We quickly refocused and went for a walk in the park.
The plan is to complete the book. The plan is to take the book to a color copier and publish the book for Christmas Presents. The children think their teachers would really like a copy of this book as a Christmas Present from them.
Does this Grandma Genie's Camp seem just a little too perfect??!! Well, on Day 7, Camp starts falling apart. Paint gets applied/spilled on the church of Nicaragua, The two year old stuffed something in the printer and jams the machine. We quickly gathered up the supplies and savaged what we could.......
We quickly refocused and went for a walk in the park.
The plan is to complete the book. The plan is to take the book to a color copier and publish the book for Christmas Presents. The children think their teachers would really like a copy of this book as a Christmas Present from them.
Day 6 Grandma's Genie Camp
WOW!! Day 6 and we are still having fun!!! The grown ups are starting to moan. But I do notice they listen intently sometimes. We took a short trip to Mexico. The children said it reminded them of the flea market in San Jose, California. The traffic was horrific and the lines long. So we escaped to the beach
After a nice dinner we prepared for Day 7 ----- We printed pictures from the computer to add to our genealogy project.
After a nice dinner we prepared for Day 7 ----- We printed pictures from the computer to add to our genealogy project.
Day 5 of Grandma's Genie Camp
It is November 26, 2009 Thanksgiving Day Jim and the four grandchildren are visiting us in San Diego from San Jose, California. Grandpa Tony was recently released from the hospital on November 13, 2009 after a long 6 week stay in the hospital following surgery performed September 30, 2009.
I, Grandma Ruth, have compiling information for the family on our family history. One of the major goals of this family history project is to communicate who and where our past family (our grandparents) lived and worked with our new family (our grandchildren). I am focusing on how we all ended up in California. There is a bit of school teacher in this old grandma.
My generation and my children were taught "American History" at school. And then taught a bit of more American History at home. The victors may write the history but the heroes will let you know what happened.
We have completed our World Map see Day 2 ---- and we completed the second lineage migration trail on our USA map. We have added approximate dates to the locations. Our goal in this trail is to end up in Santa Maria in the 1940s where Mud Grandpa and Grandma went and met in high school. We talked briefly about the WWII, and move to San Jose California.
Next we added some of the surnames associated with these migration trails. Yes, Aunt Helen, the Dearmans and Cooks are not there yet.
In honor of this special day of remembrances of the fellowship of the Native Americans and HAYLEY Settlers we added the names of the tribes, approximate dates and interactions with the families.
I showed photos of the Hayleys and Carters working and helping the Cherokee's re locations in Oklahoma and New Mexico and Phoenix. I showed photos of the colleges their relatives attended to learn to serve the Native Americans.
This was an introduction to our families interaction and history of the America. The children and I reviewed a map of the American Tribes and identified more tribes interface with our families. We spoke briefly of the treaties of 1824 and 1905. All in all I think I peaked some interest in the subject. Grandma Ruth will be able to build on this knowledge over the years.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!
I, Grandma Ruth, have compiling information for the family on our family history. One of the major goals of this family history project is to communicate who and where our past family (our grandparents) lived and worked with our new family (our grandchildren). I am focusing on how we all ended up in California. There is a bit of school teacher in this old grandma.
My generation and my children were taught "American History" at school. And then taught a bit of more American History at home. The victors may write the history but the heroes will let you know what happened.
We have completed our World Map see Day 2 ---- and we completed the second lineage migration trail on our USA map. We have added approximate dates to the locations. Our goal in this trail is to end up in Santa Maria in the 1940s where Mud Grandpa and Grandma went and met in high school. We talked briefly about the WWII, and move to San Jose California.
Next we added some of the surnames associated with these migration trails. Yes, Aunt Helen, the Dearmans and Cooks are not there yet.
In honor of this special day of remembrances of the fellowship of the Native Americans and HAYLEY Settlers we added the names of the tribes, approximate dates and interactions with the families.
I showed photos of the Hayleys and Carters working and helping the Cherokee's re locations in Oklahoma and New Mexico and Phoenix. I showed photos of the colleges their relatives attended to learn to serve the Native Americans.
This was an introduction to our families interaction and history of the America. The children and I reviewed a map of the American Tribes and identified more tribes interface with our families. We spoke briefly of the treaties of 1824 and 1905. All in all I think I peaked some interest in the subject. Grandma Ruth will be able to build on this knowledge over the years.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Day 4 --- Grandma's Genie Camp
Day 4 the kids went to their first genealogical society meeting! We attended a fine presentation hosted by the Chula Vista Genealogical Society. It was a great introduction to Genie Friends and Genie Work. The presenter was Georgie Stillman, a certified ASA appraiser, who presented an "Heirloom Discovery Day."
Georgie evaluated family heirlooms brought in by CVGS members. Items included pottery, dolls, and a cookie jar.
Then we continued to add to our very long ancestry wall chart.......
OOPS we ran out of Living Room Wall ..........
But the WALL CHART is complete --- the maps are nearly complete --- for our very Genealogy Theme Thanksgiving.
More Indian coexist stories tonight; in particular Maddie's escape (circa 1778), orphans taken in by the Indians after the Civil War in Tennessee (1868) and Great Grandpa Hayley's missionary work in Oklahoma and New Mexico Indian Territory in 1920 - 1948 for bedtime stories tonight.
And yes Aunt Helen, I will include the Cherokee lineage of the Dearmans and the Choctaw lineage of the Dikes. On the computer I will show the Indian Ancestors-Dearmans and the Indian Rolls of Oklahoma as documented by Etta Mae Dikes Hayley.
Georgie evaluated family heirlooms brought in by CVGS members. Items included pottery, dolls, and a cookie jar.
Then we continued to add to our very long ancestry wall chart.......
OOPS we ran out of Living Room Wall ..........
But the WALL CHART is complete --- the maps are nearly complete --- for our very Genealogy Theme Thanksgiving.
More Indian coexist stories tonight; in particular Maddie's escape (circa 1778), orphans taken in by the Indians after the Civil War in Tennessee (1868) and Great Grandpa Hayley's missionary work in Oklahoma and New Mexico Indian Territory in 1920 - 1948 for bedtime stories tonight.
And yes Aunt Helen, I will include the Cherokee lineage of the Dearmans and the Choctaw lineage of the Dikes. On the computer I will show the Indian Ancestors-Dearmans and the Indian Rolls of Oklahoma as documented by Etta Mae Dikes Hayley.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Day 3 of Grandma's Genie Camp
Last night my grandchildren and I took turns reading from a delightful "chapter book" titled Family Tree by Katherine Ayers. It is an age appropriate fiction story of an 11 year old learning about her family. 
This morning we looked at some of the history books I have been acquiring through book recycling locations.
These books being of less than desirable condition, will be cut, pasted, copied, and used to populate our ancestry wall chart. We are cutting and pasting clothing samples, maps, hairdos from these books to learn the fashions of past ancestors.
The family lineage we concentrated on today was my father's side of the family, the Hayley lineage. On the wall chart the lineage is color coded 'red'.
The lineage starts 1640 Jamestown. Using the birth and death locations of the family, land and estate reports, the children and I listed the town, states and dates. Then using the same 'red' color code, the kids used dry erase markers on a huge 30" x 60" map of the United States of America connected the towns together. Part of the map project was to add pivotal dates to the locations.
Today also included pancakes for breakfast, several hours at SeaWorld, and cooking dinner tonight, the kitchen is finally cleaned up, but I did not want to retire tonight before sharing Day 3. We will be tracing the Chapin Family from Mass. tomorrow. Along the way we talk about sharing the land with the Indians, the common interests and sense of cooperation and respect. The color code for Chapins will be blue.
After Thanksgiving and the focus of settling the lands ---
The adventure will build to a strong climax ----will we meet the end of this journey
and end with the Great grandparents both attending Santa Maria High School in California 1940s?? OR Will this Grandma fold under and be bedridden for the rest of the week?? Why do I think I can do these things???
This morning we looked at some of the history books I have been acquiring through book recycling locations.
These books being of less than desirable condition, will be cut, pasted, copied, and used to populate our ancestry wall chart. We are cutting and pasting clothing samples, maps, hairdos from these books to learn the fashions of past ancestors.
The family lineage we concentrated on today was my father's side of the family, the Hayley lineage. On the wall chart the lineage is color coded 'red'.
The lineage starts 1640 Jamestown. Using the birth and death locations of the family, land and estate reports, the children and I listed the town, states and dates. Then using the same 'red' color code, the kids used dry erase markers on a huge 30" x 60" map of the United States of America connected the towns together. Part of the map project was to add pivotal dates to the locations.
Today also included pancakes for breakfast, several hours at SeaWorld, and cooking dinner tonight, the kitchen is finally cleaned up, but I did not want to retire tonight before sharing Day 3. We will be tracing the Chapin Family from Mass. tomorrow. Along the way we talk about sharing the land with the Indians, the common interests and sense of cooperation and respect. The color code for Chapins will be blue.
After Thanksgiving and the focus of settling the lands ---
The adventure will build to a strong climax ----will we meet the end of this journey
and end with the Great grandparents both attending Santa Maria High School in California 1940s?? OR Will this Grandma fold under and be bedridden for the rest of the week?? Why do I think I can do these things???
Monday, November 23, 2009
Day Two Grandma's Geni 101 Class
Day Two Grandma's Geni 101 Class for Grandkids
We started today with a photo of an ancestor Samual Chapin founder of Springfield Mass. We talked about how it would be fun someday to visit this statue.
We talked about how Samuel Chapin came to America for freedom of religion. We then took the world map and drew an X on England and an X on Springfield Mass. First grader Scott drew a line from England to Massachusetts.
Then we talked about the kids' mom's country Nicaragua. We placed a big red X on their Mom's home country. We then placed a big blue X on Grandpa's birthplace Oahu, Hawaii. At which time Scott decided we need extremely large black Xs to indicate where the penguins come from ----- the South Pole. Kind of a mix of Sea World Education and Genealogy Lessons.
We then showed the route Grandpa's father took from Spain to Hawaii. Finally we marked a path for all these people to Santa Clara Valley, California, USA. Scott decided not to make a path for the penguins to come to Santa Clara, California. Scott's logic was Santa Clara would be too warm for the penguins.
This was a lot of fun.
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