Tag: family

Genealogy Series: Ideas for Writing Your Personal History

Writing your personal history is a great addition to your genealogy research. Your personal story will intertwine with the rest of your family’s history. As your own author, the subject matter is endless. If you need ideas for writing your personal history, consider the following areas for inspiration.

Names

  • Are you named after someone in your family? Who? Why?
  • Do you know the meaning or story behind your name?
  • Did you name any of your children after a family member? Who? Why?
  • Do you have a nickname?
  • How did you get the nickname?

Birthdates

  • When and where were you born?
  • Is there a story about your birth?
  • When and where were your children born?
  • Share your experience about their birth.

Significant Other

  • What is your current relationship status?
  • Are you married?
  • How did you meet your partner?
  • Describe your first date.
  • Describe your wedding.
  • What is your favorite moment with your significant other?

Parents

  • Where were your parent born?
  • How did they meet?
  • Favorite memory of your parents from your childhood?
  • What did your parents teach you?
  • Write any other information you would like to share about your parents.
  • Describe yourself as a parent? (or a pet parent)

Childhood

  • Describe your childhood home? Did you move around a lot? Did you grow up in the city or country?
  • Do you have siblings? How many?
  • Are you close to your siblings?
  • What was your favorite activity as a child?
  • Who were your childhood friends? Do you still keep in touch?
  • Did you like school?
  • Describe your holidays as a child.
  • What family traditions do you still carry on with your own family?
  • Describe your children at this moment in time.

Extended Family

  • Write about your grandparents include names, dates, and other important information.
  • Write about your aunts and uncles. Did you have a favorite?
  • Write about your cousins and other family members.
  • Were there people in your life that you considered family who was not related?
  • Did you spend a lot of time with your extended family?
  • Do your children spend time with extended family?

Every piece of information provides insight into your life. Remember when writing to keep your personal and families’ information private. Always be careful about publishing information online. Keep a journal. Using lined notebook paper is an easy way to continuously add information photos and other material to a 3-ring binder. Do not forget to have fun when writing your personal history.

 

Celebrate! Love Your Pet Day

Did you know, today, February 20th is Love Your Pet Day? Whether you have a dog, cat or other furry little critter, pets bring companionship, joy, and fun to your home. Dedicated pet owners always show love to their furry or feathered friends. Today just focuses on the love you have for your pet. Life should be about small celebrations.

How to Celebrate Love Your Pet Day?

Being a responsible pet owner, you already know the activities your dog (or cat) enjoys the most. Set some time aside to engage in your pet’s favorite pastime. If you are looking for new activity, consider the following ideas to celebrate Love Your Pet Day:

Time

Work, family, school, or other commitments keep you busy. Being home alone may leave your pet feeling lonely. Spending some extra quality time with your faithful companion is the perfect way to celebrate Love Your Pet Day.

  • Go to the local dog park or find a new one to explore
  • Go hiking on a new trail
  • Go for a car ride together to find a special treat
  • Snuggle on the sofa

New Toy

Pick up a new toy for your beloved pet. A new squeaky toy for your dog or cat nipped filled mouse for your feline friend will brighten your pet’s day.

Homemade Treats

Head over to Pinterest to search for homemade animal treats. Baking homemade dog or cat treats shows extra love for your pet on this special day. Most recipes require basic ingredients that you may already have on hand. The wide range of recipes available ensures the perfect fit for your pet.

Spa Treatment

Many dogs love pampering (cats not so much). Send your pooch to the local doggy spa for a fresh bath, nail trimming, and more.

Photo of the Occasion

A photo of the occasion is the best way to mark Love Your Pet Day.

  • Take a selfie
  • Set up your own photo shoot
  • Get a professional portrait

Need a Pet? Adopt

Bringing home a pet from a local rescue or animal shelter immediately shows love. Celebrating Love Your Pet Day with a new furry companion goes beyond recognizing the day, the action may actually save a life.

February Photo Prompt Inspiration

Are you ready for the shortest month in the year? February brings Valentine’s Day, the Super Bowl and much more. Enjoy the month by making memories. Take pictures. Gather inspiration. And, simply enjoy.

February Photo Prompts

  1. Selfie
  2. Outside your window
  3. Something small
  4. Landscape or skyscape
  5. Pet or animal
  6. Warm drink
  7. Favorite romance
  8. Flowers
  9. Love
  10. Something fuzzy
  11. Valentine’s Day or other sweet treats
  12. Red/pinks
  13. Hearts
  14. Valentine’s Day fun
  15. Sign or symbol
  16. Stuffed animal or toy
  17. Favorite meal of the day
  18. Patterns
  19. Low view
  20. Snack or special treat
  21. Water
  22. Something blue
  23. High view
  24. Birds
  25. Sunrise or sunset
  26. Clouds
  27. Happiness
  28. Dream

January Photo Prompt Ideas

Happy New Year! Did you make any resolutions? Is engaging in creative ventures, part of your resolution list? Photo prompts are perfect for inspiring your creative side. Consider the following for the first month of the New Year.

Photo Prompt Inspiration for January

  1. Selfie on the first day of the New Year (Even if you look tired from last night’s activities, celebrate the first day of 2019.)
  2. New Year Resolution
  3. Snow or cut out Snowflakes
  4. Favorite hot beverage
  5. Landscape/waterscape
  6. Pet
  7. Your current view
  8. Friendship
  9. Close up
  10. Favorite book or current read
  11. New purchase
  12. Something old
  13. Nature
  14. Something up high
  15. Something down low
  16. Motivation
  17. Breakfast
  18. Desert
  19. Night time plans
  20. Black and white
  21. Something blue
  22. Snack
  23. Reflection
  24. Current mood
  25. Rough surface
  26. Smooth surface
  27. Your happy place
  28. Wildlife
  29. Stuffed animal
  30. Family
  31. Last photo of January 2019

Photos represent your current mood. Print your photos. Make a scrapbook. Ask friends or family members to join. Create a group page to share. Be creative.

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone who is celebrating today….a very Merry Christmas!

100 Ideas for Christmas Stockings

The week before Christmas is generally the busiest. Are you ready? Are the gifts wrapped? Do you have all your stocking stuffers? Check out these 100 stocking stuffer ideas to help find the perfect items for everyone on your list.

100 Stocking Stuffer Ideas

  1. Gift cards or phone cards
  2. Rolled quarters decorated with holiday paper and ribbon. (This is great for college kids who do their own laundry).
  3. Lip balm
  4. Hand cream
  5. Makeup bag
  6. Makeup/Perfume
  7. Nail polish
  8. Earrings
  9. Necklaces/Bracelets
  10. Hand sanitizer
  11. Toothbrush
  12. Bubble bath
  13. Bath bombs
  14. Sleep mask
  15. Art pens
  16. Mini sketch pads
  17. Journal
  18. Gel or glitter pens
  19. Pencil sharpener
  20. Pencils
  21. Post it notes
  22. Mini notepads
  23. Booklight
  24. Paperback book
  25. Stickers
  26. Decorative Tape
  27. Crayons
  28. Mini coloring books or activity pads
  29. Markers
  30. Glow sticks
  31. Playdough
  32. Modeling clay
  33. Do-it-yourself craft kits
  34. Water paints
  35. Paintbrushes
  36. Acrylic paint
  37. Mini canvases
  38. Designer scissors
  39. Colorful erasers
  40. Stuffed animals
  41. Mini Lego sets
  42. Trading cards
  43. Calculator
  44. Jump rope
  45. Yo-yo
  46. Bubbles
  47. Toy cars
  48. Water bottle
  49. Coffee mug
  50. Hair brushes
  51. Combs
  52. Travel sized hair products
  53. Hair ties and accessories
  54. Mittens or gloves
  55. Hats
  56. Scarves
  57. Slippers
  58. Festive socks
  59. Earmuffs or headband
  60. Golf balls
  61. Golf Tees
  62. Magnifying glass
  63. Small photo frames with or without a picture
  64. Mini photo books
  65. Keychains
  66. Car air fresheners
  67. Earbuds
  68. Concert or community event tickets
  69. Movie tickets
  70. Lottery scratch off
  71. Theme park tickets
  72. Monthly subscription to Netflix or Hulu
  73. Favorite magazine or note of a new subscription to the magazine
  74. Comic book
  75. Temporary tattoos
  76. Small figurines or action figures
  77. SD cards
  78. USB Flash drives
  79. Carphone charger
  80. Fidget spinner
  81. Wallet or money clip
  82. Desk supplies including colorful paperclips, stapler, and staples
  83. Bath time toys
  84. Eyeglass cleaning kit
  85. Sunglasses
  86. Flameless candles
  87. Votive candles
  88. Christmas ornament (Make this a yearly tradition)
  89. Trail mix packs
  90. Microwave popcorn packs
  91. Hot cocoa packets
  92. Lifesavers
  93. Fruit snacks
  94. Variety packs of crackers
  95. Cookies
  96. Snack-sized packages of chips
  97. Bubblegum
  98. Breath Mints
  99. Jerky
  100. Christmas themed candy, Candy Canes, and Harry Potter Chocolate Frogs

Creating Traditions for the Holiday Season

Are you looking to start a new family or friends’ Christmas tradition? From volunteering to outdoor fun, creating new traditions is a great way to celebrate the holiday season. Call a family meeting or text your friends to find your next tradition. Who knows maybe you will find more than one.

Ideas for Creating New Traditions for the Christmas Season

Before starting a new tradition, ask your friends or family members’ input. Use the following ideas as inspiration to find the perfect new tradition for the Christmas season.

Family Night or Friend Gatherings

Work, school, and other commitments take up a lot of your valuable time. Making the time to spend with family and friends is important to your well-being.

  • Board game night
  • Make homemade hot cocoa
  • Christmas movie night
  • Host a Christmas craft day
  • Christmas cartoon movie night
  • Dress up and go out to eat at a fancy restaurant
  • Bake cookies and other goodies
  • Make homemade ornaments
  • Make Christmas crafts
  • Pack some snacks and go look for Christmas light displays

Volunteer

Giving back to your community is a wonderful contribution at Christmas.

  • Volunteer at a homeless shelter, soup kitchen or other community non-profit organizations
  • Adopt a Family in need
  • Visit a nursing home
  • Collect can goods and other non-perishable items for a local food pantry
  • Buy toys for community programs

Attend Community Events

Search your city’s website or other hosting pages to find different Christmas themed events in your area. Along with community events, churches offer a wide array of Christmas concerts, plays, pageants, and other activities. Even if you are not a member, most events are free or require a minimum donation to attend.

  • Attend a live Nativity
  • Go to a community Christmas concert
  • Go to Christmas church service or midnight mass
  • Attend a Santa Parade
  • Attend a tree lighting ceremony
  • Go to a Festival of Trees event

Host a Holiday Party     

Hosting a holiday party is a great way to gather friends and family under one roof.

  • An Ugly Sweater Party
  • A Harry Potter themed Christmas Party/Yule Ball
  • A birthday celebration for Jesus
  • Christmas party for your children and their friends
  • Ornament swap party
  • A Grinch themed party
  • A Christmas tea

Go Outdoors

Being outdoors allows you and your loved ones a chance to get away of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

  • Go sledding
  • Go skiing
  • Go hiking

Gathering friends and family together is part of the Christmas season. Creating new traditions or expanding on old ones provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy activities year after year.

25 Days of Celebrating Christmas

The 1st of December means the holiday season is officially here. Celebrating 25 Days of Christmas is the perfect way to ring in the festivities. Gather your family and friends for a memorable Christmas time.

Ideas for Celebrating the 25 Days of Christmas

  1. Put up Christmas tree and other holiday decorations
  2. Address and send out Christmas cards
  3. Go to the local bookstore or library for holiday books
  4. Start a new tradition and make homemade Christmas ornaments (Pinterest is a great resource for finding ideas)
  5. Try a new holiday-themed recipe
  6. Attend a local Christmas concert or play
  7. Get a professional Christmas portrait done
  8. Host a Christmas party for your family or friends
  9. Host a Sunday Christmas Tea
  10. Attend a live nativity
  11. Go caroling
  12. Build a snowman/go sledding
  13. Write letters to Santa
  14. Volunteer your time/donate to a toy charity
  15. Host a Christmas themed craft day
  16. Ride around and look at Christmas lights
  17. Visit Santa
  18. Make gingerbread houses
  19. Christmas themed movie night
  20. Fill Christmas stockings or baskets to hand out to friends, family, or neighbors
  21. Celebrate the 1st day of winter, make cut out snowflakes to decorate windows
  22. Bake Christmas cookies
  23. Host a family or friends’ night with games and other activities
  24. Celebrate Christmas Eve
  25. Christmas Day dinner with family and friend

Planning and hosting different events is a great way to celebrate the Christmas season with family and friends.

Ideas to Keep Kids Busy on Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving holiday is a perfect time to enjoy for friends and family. The large family gathering brings happiness, joy and a lot of noise. Often when grownups are busy with prepping the meal, the kids lose interest. Planning activity areas will help chase away the boredoms and keep kids happy.

Craft Table

Provide a Thanksgiving-themed craft area. Keeping children entertained, crafts help increase imagination and fine motor skills. Children love to create. Display the craft items proudly throughout the Thanksgiving meal. Do not forget to send the prized craft home with the child.

A craft table may include:

  • Construction paper
  • Drawing paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Rocks
  • Turkey print templates
  • Popsicle sticks
  • Crayons, markers, pencils, or paints
  • Yarn
  • Feathers
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Sequins or glitter (if you are brave)
  • Stickers
  • Add different forms of collage materials such as pasta, magazines, clip art, etc.

Stopping at your local dollar store will allow you to find a wide range of crafting materials at a low price.

Quiet Space

Some children need a break from the continuous hustle and bustle of a holiday. Creating a quiet space provides a retreat from the noise.

  • Designate a specific room or child’s bedroom as a quiet place. Set up cots or blanket areas for resting.
  • Consider building an indoor tent with pillows, blankets, and books. Children will love the creative touch.
  • Set up a children’s table with books.
  • Movie area with family appropriate

Gaming Area

Setting up a table with board games or a separate area with a gaming system is a perfect way to entertain children. Provide numerous choices. Checking age guidelines, ask parents if the game is appropriate. Ask a teen or an adult to supervise the gaming area.

Go Outdoors

Weather permitting, go outside. Take a walk around the yard or to the park. Being outdoors is a great way to build up an appetite before the big meal.

Spending extra time to set up kid’s areas benefits both you and the children. As an adult, you will be able to concentrate on the meal prep and catching up with relatives. Being social, the children get to spend time with cousins or peers.

 

6 Ways to Celebrate Family History Month

Time to celebrate your family roots, October is Family History Month. The month is perfect for exploring your family’s personal history. As a new researcher or an avid family historian, focusing on your family history may result in a fun surprise.

Ways to Celebrate Family History Month

Consider the following ideas to help you celebrate Family History Month. The activities may bring knowledge and a fun-filled afternoon.

1. Create a Family Tree

Creating a family tree is a perfect way to celebrate Family History Month. Branching out over many generations, a family tree shows the uniqueness of your origin. As you begin your tree, the option for saving the material depends on you. Websites and computer programs are popular choices. But, you can also go “old school”. Using poster boards, markers, highlighters, labels, and a little creativity, personalizes the family tree.

2. Visit Relatives

Older relatives often have first-hand experience to the family history. Grab a notebook or recording device. Spend an afternoon discussing your family’s roots. The information may surprise you. As an added bonus, you get to enjoy your grandparents, great aunts or other older relatives’ time.

3. Go Social

If you are a user a Facebook, create a group for your research. Invite family members to share stories or research information. A group effort may bring larger amounts of data to help in creating the family tree. Keeping your family history private, Facebook settings allow groups to be closed or secret. As a moderator, you will be able to pick who can and cannot be part of your group.

4. Research Your Geographical Area of Origin

When you begin putting your family history together, research the areas. Use the Internet to discover local culture, town history, and even the weather. The information provides a general overview of daily life. If you are able, visit the location. Take photos of landmarks, cemetery sites, old buildings, or other related scenery.

5. Celebrate the Culture

Learning the different countries or areas of your family origin is a chance to celebrate the culture.

  • Fairs and Festival: Many communities celebrate early settlers by sponsoring large fairs or festivals. Take the time to attend. Most community events are free or charge minimal costs which are perfect for a family adventure.
  • Try a New Recipe: A simple way to celebrate your culture is food. Go online to research different food from your country of origin. Try a new recipe. Or if you are not an expert in the kitchen, find a restaurant that serves your country’s cuisine.
  • Join a Group: Local genealogical societies or other community groups often sponsor field trips, workshops, or conferences. Offering a wide range of subject manner, you may be able to learn about early settlers, culture, and other historical dates.

6. Your History

When most people think of family history, past generations is generally the first thought. Family history is your personal story too.

  • Family Scrapbook: Create a scrapbook about you and your family. Include photos of your first date, wedding, baby pictures, and other memories. The scrapbook may eventually become a family treasure.
  • Family Journal: Spiral notebooks, Composition books, or a leather-bound journal are a great way to preserve your family’s history. Take time to write in the journal. Plan writing sessions for once a day or week. Filling up the pages of small daily activities may be a great reminder of days gone past.
  • Video Blog: If you are tech-savvy, create video blogs of your family’s daily routines or special occasions.

Families come in all varieties from every corner of the globe. Celebrating Family History Month is a great way to learn about your own roots. Take time to celebrate life’s little moments. In the future, the little moments may be a treasured memory.