When Your Kids Won't Take Their Stuff: Make a Book

Three years ago, my husband and I decided to downsize from our Battle Creek home of forty years and move  twenty-five miles away to Kalamazoo, Michigan. Our plan was to sell the house and rent an apartment for a year and look for a condo to buy. We thought we could get to know the Kalamazoo area before we bought. Interest rates doubled and housing prices skyrocketed, and we decided we would stay where we are for the time being. 

The downsizing led to going through a lot of papers, photographs, ephemera, and art projects from our children's life. I had saved most of the children's artwork. Kirsten and Travis had great art teachers who did wonderful projects. 

 

Kirsten's Art Box

Travis's Art Box

 

I saved the art projects in boxes made for artwork. I saved by age or grade level. I had quite a few projects saved, and I wasn't going to move them. Kirsten and Travis didn't want them, and I couldn't throw them out. I took photographs of every project I had saved. I even had a few saved in my Halloween, Easter, and Christmas decoration tubs. 

Kirsten, 2nd Grade, 1991-1992

Travis, 1st grade, 1993-1994

Then, I could throw them away. Each photograph I took was a trip down memory lane. There were Mother's Day cards, May Day baskets I remember answering the door and finding them, silhouettes, handprints, and more. I kept the Mother’s Day cards, silhouettes, and handprint art. Eventually, I wanted to make photo books to give to Kirsten and Travis. 

Three years later, I made those books. I didn't tell Kirsten and Travis that I was making them and once created I had the books sent to them.

I used Shutterfly to help make the books. I chose a bright color scheme and laid the photos out by grade. I had projects I made with the children before preschool, preschool through elementary (6th grade). Kirsten took art in junior high and high school, so her book included that. It was interesting when comparing projects for the kids, that Kirsten had more projects. I have a feeling many of Travis's sixth grade projects got lost on the way home from school. 

I like Shutterfly because of the variety of book templates you can choose. Each book comes with its own template where you can customize the pages. Text, stickers, frames, and other embellishments can be added.

I was happy with what I created. I think Travis and Kirsten enjoyed receiving the surprise book in the mail. 

If you have art projects, class assignments, or other ephemera type items that your adult children don't want, photograph them, and make a book.

Social Media for Genealogy

My local genealogical society, Calhoun County (MI) presented a program on Social Media for Genealogy tonight.  I tapped my daughter, Kirsten Agnello-Dean, to present.  Kirsten is a Chicago based Social Media Strategist and Creative Copywriter. She is currently working as the Social Media Manager for Artisan Talent; Social Media Strategist and Creative Copywriter for Blue Chip Marketing Worldwide; and Copywriter for Liquid Thread.  I couldn't think of a better presenter than Kirsten. Plus, I get to spend some time with her and she showed her mom some blog love in her presentation.

Kirsten did an excellent job sharing her passion for social media with a group of genealogists.  She has given me permission to share her handout on my blog. Thank you, Kirsten, for helping your mom and my society out. Thank you to my son-in-law, Chase Agnello-Dean, who created the promotional flyer for the program.

Social Media for Genealogy

Resources

Kirsten Agnello-Dean

Facebook.com/KirstenAD

Twitter.com/Kirsten_AD

Recommended Reading

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users by Guy Kawasaki

Social Networking for Genealogists by Drew Smith

Facebook:  www.facebook.com

Find over 4000 genealogy groups and pages here:   https://moonswings.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/genealogy-on-facebook-list-mar-7-2015.pdf

Search for:

·         USA-National and Regional areas

·         States

·         Countries

·         Cultures: African American, Hispanic, Jewish and more

·         Cemeteries

·         DNA

·         Lineage Societies

·         Military

·         Surnames and more.                       

Twitter-www.twitter.com

·         # means hashtag in twitter

·         Search #genealogy to find people to follow

·         Search areas of interest, libraries, societies, etc. and follow them.

Blogs

·      

·         http://www.familytreemagazine.com/article/Top-40-Genealogy-Blogs-2013  a list of the top 40 blogs honored by Family Tree Magazine.

·          http://www.journeytothepastblog.com/ One of the above top 40 blogs, written by CCGS President, Brenda Leyndyke

Other Social Media Platforms

·         Pinterest- www.pinterest.com

o   Look for genealogy related materials, resources, libraries, areas of interest,etc.

·         Instagram-available for ios (i-phone) and android devices. View-able on computers.

o   Follow libraries, National Archives, and more to see great pictures on topics that are of interest to genealogists.

Glover Christmas Eve Traditions Through the Years

Christmas Eve, 1991

The first one after my parents moved to Michigan

Kirsten and Travis, with my niece, Brianna in front.

Ever since my parents moved back to Michigan, 23 years ago, Kirk, Kirsten, Travis and I have been spending most Christmas Eve's with my parents.  This has been a tradition for such a long time that when we don't go to my parents home in Portage, Michigan it is odd.

Christmas Eve, 1993

L-R Brianna, Kirsten, Colton, Travis on Grandma's lap with Grandpa standing

The family has changed over the years, but the traditions haven't.  My mother, who is an excellent hostess, doesn't feel like she has been successful unless we have a sit down dinner.  Her go to Christmas Eve dinner is steak, baked potatoes, green salad, watergate salad (for Travis), strawberry jello salad (for Kirsten) dinner rolls, and homemade Christmas cookies and ice cream for dessert.

One would think you wouldn't serve anything else with all that for dinner, but my mother doesn't think that way.  She sets out Christmas m and m's, candy canes, cashews, and peppermint patties in her various Christmas candy dishes.  Some years she will have appetizers, shrimp, cheese and crackers, tortilla chips and dip, and more. For years my husband would leave with pains in his shoulder from eating so much.  He has learned over the years to pace himself.

Christmas Eve, 2013

One of the years we didn't have a steak dinner, just snacks.  

The wings aren't even on the table yet!

The family felt that a sit down dinner was too much work for my mother and we have tried to get her to just go the light snack/appetizer route.  My mom feels that is more work than dinner, so she went back to dinner and still has the appetizers.  I now know where I get my need to have an abundance of food at holidays.

One of the fun parts of the evening was when my mother grabbed grocery bags and tried to give away all the leftovers.  My sister, Nancy, lived in Michigan for awhile and it was funny to watch us put things in each other bags, especially the candy canes.

Kirsten with her 2013 Granddaughter ornament

After dinner, we would open gifts.  One of the gifts my parents have given their grandchildren since they were born were Hallmark granddaughter or grandson ornaments. My mom said when they graduated from high school she would stop, then it was age 21, now she says as long as she is alive she will continue to buy them.  I think it is a wonderful tradition that her grandchildren will treasure for years to come.  I gave my daughter all of her ornaments the year she got married.  My tree seemed so bare that year without them.  This fall, I took my son's ornaments to him.  I think I am going to need to buy more ornaments.

I appreciate that my parents have kept the tradition of our family getting together at their house for Christmas Eve.  I have many fond memories of this special time.

Here are a few more pictures of the Glover Christmas Eve tradition through the years.

 Sorry, Grandpa we cut you out of it.

 The Berry Family

Kirsten with her gifts.

Grandma and Grandpa with the grandchildren.  

Pictures in front of the tree are mandatory.

Eventually, my sister and her family moved to Washington 

and it was just my family and my parents.

Our son-in-law, Chase, was welcomed into the family.

Then, our soon to be, daughter-in law, Alayna, joined us.

And last but not least, our grand pup, Ella.  Her first Christmas there was one to remember.  I may have fed her too many treats before we left our house.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten!

My daughter, Kirsten, celebrated her fourth birthday on 19 December 1987, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, at our home.

Her Grandma and Grandpa Leyndyke,  and family friends, Mary, Drew, Mitchell, and Megan joined Kirk, Travis and I for the celebration.

The picture to the left is of Kirsten and Grandma Betty blowing out the candles of her "My Little Pony" store bought (I learned my lesson on her first birthday!) chocolate cake.  She loved My Little Pony and as the picture shows she had a couple of them.

Kirsten played with her friends, enjoyed the cake, and opened presents.  The presents she received that day included a doll house handmade by her Grandpa Leyndyke, which we still have. She played for hours with that dollhouse.  It was a house for her little felt covered bears.  Kirsten and I decorated the inside of the dollhouse with flooring and wallpapered walls.  We would have fun rearranging the wooden furniture and playing house.

She received a Cinderella doll.  Disney re-released the Cinderella movie and Kirsten fell in love with Cinderella.  The doll came with a dress that was tattered just like the movie, and one that was a blue ballgown.

She got a subscription to the magazine, Your Big Backyard, which is no longer being published.  Every month when the magazine came, Kirsten would love to look at the animals and do the activities in the magazine. Kirk or I would sit down with her and go through the magazine.  Travis would be included but he wouldn't sit for very long as he was only 11 months old.

Another gift she received was  "Are You My Mother?" game by Discovery Toys, which had great toys.  You purchased them by going to home parties.  Cardboard chicks on a magnet base needed to be found by their mother. The chicks are hidden around the board and when a mother chick comes to the chick's space, either the chick will cling to her or won't be able to cling to it, revealing which mother is the one. First player to collect three chicks and return to home is the winner.  This was a fun game to play with Kirsten and later, Travis.  I think this was the beginning of our game buying days.  We would play many games together throughout the years and still enjoy playing games when we get together as a family.

Kirsten attended Milwood Cooperative Preschool that year and we celebrated her birthday at preschool by taking Gingerbread ice cream treats for the class.  Kirsten use to love the ice cream shapes that were available around her birthday. Dean's brand ice cream treats also had a snowman and a Christmas tree.  Of course, we could not celebrate with Christmas trees, it was her birthday!

I always made a great effort to keep Kirsten's birthday separate from our Christmas celebration.  I would never wrap her presents in Christmas paper and we always celebrated it on her special day. Having a birthday so close to Christmas has its challenges but it was important to me that Kirsten had her special day.  I think we were able to keep her birthday separate as she grew up.

I have been writing birthday posts each year and I enjoy the little trip down memory lane.  It is amazing what one remembers from looking at pictures.  My memory was jogged by the short paragraph I wrote in her baby book.  I hope you enjoy a peek into Kirsten's birthday.  If you want to see other Kirsten's birthday posts, click below:

• Kirsten's Birth
• Kirsten's 1st Birthday
• Kirsten's 2nd Birthday
• Kirsten's 3rd Birthday

Happy Halloween!

I was talking about Halloween to my son, Travis, a couple of days ago and jokingly said I used to make their costumes big enough to go over a winter coat.  A winter coat is definitely needed this year as it is snowing as I write this.

1991 Halloween

Travis, Michigan State Spartan Football Player

Kirsten, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Player

1991 was one year when I put my sewing machine away and let the kids pick their own store bought costumes for Halloween.  Kirsten and Travis chose to be football players.  The choice surprised me a little, but they both had fun trick or treating that year.  And, yes, their winter coats fit under this costume.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten

My daughter, Kirsten, turns 30 years old this year.  It doesn't seem like it has been 30 years since she was born.  She grew into a beautiful, talented young women. One that today brings memories of her third birthday, in 1986.
 

Her celebration was a simple family dinner with Kirk and I.  We went to La Senorita Restaurant in Petoskey, Michigan.  We were living in Harbor Springs Michigan at the time, about nine miles from Petoskey.  Kirsten liked LaSenorita because it had a treasure chest of little toys and as she left she could pick one to take home.  The picture above is Kirsten at the restaurant with a cake provided by the restaurant. The staff sang Happy Birthday to her.

The day was spent quietly at home.  I was ninth months pregnant with a due date six days away.  Kirsten and I waited for Kirk to come home so she could open her presents. Once her gifts were opened we played with them for a little while and then went to dinner.

 I love the expression on Kirsten's face.

Kirsten playing with her train.

Everyone needs a pearl heart necklace to play trains with.

One of her favorite presents was a T.C. Timber wooden train set.  Harbor Springs had a wonderful toy store, Rocking Horse Toy Company, and they had a wooden train set up for the kids to play with.  Kirsten loved going to the toy store and she always played with the train.  We bought her a starter train set.  It had track pieces, a freight train, trees, and a couple of buildings.  She loved it.  We still have the train set.  Many additional pieces were purchased throughout the years.  It is a classic toy and one I had as much fun with as Kirsten.

"Putting make up on" with her Fisher Price Vanity Set, a birthday gift.  

It came with play nail polish, perfume, comb, bracelet with animal charms, 

a pearl necklace with heart pendant, headband, and a key to lock it up with. 

Kirsten opening a gift and a very pregnant mom folding her suspender outfit.  

Other gifts in picture includes a bear puzzle.

We didn't have a big party for Kirsten that year, but I remember how nice having dinner with just the three of us was.  It wouldn't be long before Kirsten would be a big sister.  Kirsten was very verbal at the age of three and I remember her talking a mile a minute as she opened her gifts.  She was very excited about the train set and vanity set.  Both of those toys were played with a lot.  Kirsten and I would put make up on each other and do each others' nails. We would spend hours playing with the train set.  It was fun to see the track configurations that Kirsten would come up with.  Good times and good memories.  Happy Birthday, Kirsten.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten

Two years ago, I posted a birthday post on Kirsten's birthday.  It was on my memories of the day she was born.  Last year, I wrote about her first birthday.  Today, I will celebrate her birthday with memories of 1985, her second birthday.

 Kirsten blowing her candles out with Dad and Mom's help.

I remember celebrating Kirsten's birthday quietly at home.  Kirsten's grandparents, Jim and Betty Leyndyke were there to help us celebrate.  The cake was made by one of Kirk's students and given to Kirk as a gift, so we decided to use it as a birthday cake.  It was chocolate with white frosting.

Playing Western Town with Mom.  Check out Kirsten's hairdo.

During the day of Kirsten's birthday, I took her to the Elaine's Beauty Shop.  Kirsten called it Vaseline's for some reason.  I was going to have her hair trimmed.  Elaine found out it was her birthday and braided it and sprayed it with sparkles.  Kirsten loved it.  Kirsten had beautiful long, almost black hair at this age.  

Gifts were opened after dinner and cake.  She received the following gifts:  magna doodle, western town(which I still have) and Tupperware Shape O, clothes, dish set, ironing board, iron, vacuum sweeper, ABC See n Say, Sesame Street Bert Puzzle, Big Bird Book, and Sesame Street Big Bird and Ernie figures.

 Playing with one of her gifts, later in the week.  The vacuum actually worked.  I wonder if Kirsten vacuums in a dress now.

For as long as I can remember Kirsten loved to wear dresses.  The blue dress above was a Polly Flinder's dress, which was popular for little girls at that time.  The hand smocking on the front was indicative of Polly Flinders.  Unfortunately, they no longer make Polly Flinder dresses.  They were beautiful.  The red dress she wore on the day of her birthday was a Healthtex knit dress.  

I remember spending many hours playing Western Town with Kirsten.  We went through a few magna doodles too.  They seemed to get stepped on for some reason.  Kirsten loved helping me at this age and her gifts reflected that.  It was a great day in December.

Happy Birthday, Kirsten.

Smashbook for Genealogy: Genea-gifts

I think my adult children have embraced my love of genealogy as I have noticed an uptick in genea-gifts.  My daughter, Kirsten, is a crafty one.  She even has her own etsy shop:  Quirk Crafts. 

One of the recent genea-gifts I received was a Smashbook for Genealogy.  What is a Smashbook?  It is a pretty notebook/pre-made scrapbook to paste things in and write notes or to use for journaling.  It is a place to store ideas, clippings, cards, and more.  Smash is an actual trademark product, but you can make your own smashbook quite easily, or so my daughter says.

I love my genealogy smashbook.  It is personalized just for me, even to the point of the binding being on the right side to make my left-handed writing so much easier.  It came with a smash stick, which is a pen and glue stick all in one.  It can't get any easier than that.

There are about 22 pages in my book.  Pages are beautifully decorated with pockets and envelopes, copies of family pictures and memento's which were taken from this blog, vintage looking pictures and maps, pages for writing and so much more. 

I am using my smashbook for the things I pick up on my genealogy research trips.  I love it.  Do you need to clean out your genealogy junk drawer?  You can have your own genealogy smashbook, here.

How would you use a genealogy smashbook?  Please share in the comment section.

Fort Mackinac Today

Fort Mackinac (Mack-i-naw) was the sight of the first major land battle in the War of 1812.  It was occupied by the British throughout most of the war.  Today, Fort Mackinac is a Michigan State Park on the beautiful Mackinac Island.

Mackinac Island, and the fort in part, played an important role in the early economy of the territory.  In the 1820's it was a huge fur trading post.  The 1830's brought about commercial fishing.  The Fort was pretty much abandoned during the civil war because the soldiers were used to fight for the Union.  After the Civil War, Mackinac Island became a spot for relaxing and vacationing.  In 1875, Mackinac Island became a national park.  The only other national park at the time was Yellowstone.  The soldiers were used to help keep the park up; and the commanding officer was the park superintendent.   The cost of upkeep was such that in 1895 the park was closed.  Eventually, the park was transferred to the state of Michigan and it became Michigan's first state park.  It was in the 1930's that the restoration began and continues even now.

Map of Fort Mackinac in 1991

A visit to Fort Mackinac, today, will allow one to see it like it was in 1895 when the soldiers left the fort and island.  You start your trip with a short ferry ride from Mackinac City (on the south side of the bridge) or St. Ignace (on the north side of the bridge) to Mackinac Island.  The Fort is a national historic landmark.  It recreated life as it was in 1895.  There is a parade ground, firearm and music demonstrations, period buildings, and more.

My husband and I took our children to Fort Mackinac for a summer vacation in 1991. 

We walked through the Fort's buildings, which includes 14 original ones. 

We watched an audio-visual presentation on "Heritage of Michigan". 

We saw music and firearm presentations. 

Kirsten and Travis played in the schoolhouse and dressed up as soldiers. They had a great time.

Kirsten sat on a cannon overlooking the straits of Mackinac.

Soldiers standing guard at the Fort.  

 

Looking up at Fort Mackinac from ground level.  Steps to the Fort or on the right is a cement incline. 



A view of Fort Mackinac with Lake Huron in background.



Ferry ride home with a bag of souvenirs.  A soldier hat for Travis and paper dolls for Kirsten.

The pictures don't show the beauty of Mackinac Island and the Fort.  The Island should be a must see in your lifetime.  It takes you back in time.  No motor vehicles are allowed on the island.  You can rent bicycles or take a horse and carriage ride.  It is a a relaxing and beautiful way to spend time with your family.

The Worlds of Genealogy and Theatre Collide: Part II

The costume inspiration board

I wrote about the worlds of genealogy and theatre colliding and my daughter's connection to it in a post titled "The Worlds of Genealogy and Theatre Collide".  I had the privilege of attending Light Opera Works in Evanston, Illinois production of 'The Secret Garden' this past weekend.  The Secret Garden musical is filled with beautiful music; music that you feel in your heart and soul.

My heart and soul was filled with pride Saturday night.  Pride that my daughter is following her dream of being a musical theatre performer.  Watching her perform is a joy, one that I cherish every time I see it.  Pride that her great, great grandparents were an inspiration for costumes.

I sat in the audience as the characters of Ben, the gardener, and Martha, the housekeeper, entered the stage.  I knew that my great grandparent's picture was the inspiration for their costumes.  I am still in awe of the coincidence. 

Even Kirsten was touched by the coincidence.  She said, "I'd seen that photo of the Fredricks' a handful of times, but I never expected to see it at a design concept presentation! They put the photo up on the costume plot board and I had to look twice...then text my mother asap! As actors and designers, we always are looking at images for inspiration and research, but you never think you'll see photos of your own family.  When I told some of the cast members that the photo was of my great great  grandparents, the response was "no way!" It was a cool moment."

Here is the picture of Johann August Fredrick and Louise Fredricke Zastrow Fredrick.  The one used as costume inspiration.

 And, here is the picture of Ben and Martha from Light Opera Works Production of "The Secret Garden"