Our Roots

I am always trying to come up with some Sunday activity that is appropriate for the kids to do. A couple of weeks ago, I started thinking about Family History and how to get my kids to learn about their heritage and where they came from. I came up with the idea to make their own Family History Book. I printed out some blank pages with the ancestor's name on it, and then either printed from digital pictures or copied from some history books that I have about them.

We then sat down at the table and they cut out and glued the pictures I had printed. They then colored pictures about that ancestor as I read them stories and a brief life story about them. They were to draw what they wanted to remember about the person. They loved the activity and they actually sat and did it for about an hour and half. Both Bessie Louise and Bertha Marie are the name sakes for Savannah and Mirian's middle names.

It's been three or four weeks since we did this activity, but when I pulled out their pictures and asked them to tell me about their ancestors, they all remembered quite a bit. Even Isaac who seems to not be paying attention, remembered the Floyd had a horse named Firestarter when he was a boy, and married Bertha. Him and Mirian both remembered the story about how his mother was at the point a death right before he was going to go on his mission. Everyone was telling him that he should stay home, but his mother told him "No you go, and I will be alive and well when you return." He left for the mission and his mother was there when he returned.

Savannah could tell me all about Bertha his wife, and I was pleased that they remembered so well. The only problem I ran into was that I have no histories for Father in Law or Mother in Law's sides of the family. I guess they if they don't want my kids to be one sided on who they remember they better get going on their family history. :) (I guess that applies just as much to me and Beau too.)