End of Grandma Genie Camp Wrap Up--- Sunday

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.