Our dead are never dead to us

Back in December, I visited the 5th grade at our elementary school and taught them about Christmas traditions from Germany. I took a copy of this photo with me:

My great-grandparents, Martha and Emil, are the 2nd and 3rd from the left. My grandpa, Erwin, is 2nd from the left on the bottom row.

I explained to them that my grandpa immigrated from Germany 90 years ago with his family, and they brought their Christmas traditions with them.

Having a copy of this picture made me think: Seth and I are both interested in family history (Seth especially in the research and DNA and I especially in the photos and life stories), and we both want our girls to learn about their heritage. So with everything that's available on FamilySearch, wouldn't it be great to find cool old photos of our ancestors and put them on display in our home?

Seth was totally on board with this harebrained idea, so we spent time picking photos and shopping at thrift stores and craft stores to find all the materials we needed. It took hours of computer work (downloading, cropping and editing photos) and legwork (assigning pictures to frames, cleaning glass, attaching hangers, hanging frames), but we are more than pleased with the results.

The view from the upstairs landing down both sides of the staircase. The wooden sign is made from cedar planks that used to be installed on Rebekah's bedroom walls (from the house's previous owner). My dad helped me cut and plane the wood, then I attached the boards together, stained them and added the quote from George Eliot: "Our dead are never dead to us until we have forgotten them."

Seth's ancestors are on the left side of the staircase headed down. 

My ancestors are on the right side. 

Some detail from Seth's side.

 Some detail from mine.

On the back of each frame, we have a list of ascendancy (e.g. "Josephine Streeper Grow, George Grow Scott, Walter Albert Scott, Walter Neal Scott, Andrea Scott) so we know who is in the picture and how they're related to us.

The next Family Home Evening we had, the girls picked a photo from each side of the staircase, and Seth and I looked up information on the ancestor and shared it with the girls. It's been wonderful to get to know and appreciate some of our predecessors better. 

Gwenism #22

While riding in the truck with an upset tummy.

Gwen: Urrgh! It feels like I'm starting to get pregnant!

Christmas break miscellany

The family acquired a few games that we play on the TV and connect to with our devices. One of our favorites is "Drawful." It gives you a random title, you draw it, everyone else tries to guess what the original title was. Then all the made up titles and the actual title appear on the screen, and the players pick which one they think is real. Poor Miriam was given this title. 

"Butt tattoo." But her drawing was so well done that several of us were able to know what she drew.

Uncle Kent and Aunt Melissa gave us "Speak Out" for Christmas, so we had to play it as a family and laugh.

Andrea sporting the mouthpiece. 

Seth's turn.

Since Analee and Miriam each have their own Elf on the Shelf, Rebekah decided to make her own rendition. She calls it "Creepo on the Shelf."

It was a little disconcerting to find it in random places throughout the month of December. 

We decided to wait for our annual gingerbread house extravaganza until after Christmas since we have a lot time off of school after the holidays.

I helped Winnie, Seth helped Miriam, and Bekah and Ana made their own (Rebekah's remained whole for a while, but when one of the walls caved in, she let it go).

Miriam blew a gigantic bubble.

Seth had to take a picture and text it to me. 

Aunt Anne hosted an awesome New Year's Eve's Eve party at her house on December 30.

Winnie the Ewok beating on a stormtrooper helmet in celebration of the destruction of the second Death Star.

Miriam dressed as Rey.

Rebekah using the Force to lightsaber a pair of socks being tossed at her.

Analee and her purple lightsaber.

Winnie dances during the party.

Analee got to hold her baby second cousin also named Annalie.

 Poor Seth was stuck at home eating carrot sticks (instead of delicious pizza) since he had strep. Analee also had strep but had been on her antibiotics long enough to attend the party, and Andrea was diagnosed with strep two days later. Good times.

Grandpa's house

Grandpa's been gone for a while, but his house has remained in the family while work was done on it to prepare it to sell. My parents spent countless hours patching, painting, fixing, cleaning and repairing the house, and last week it was finally ready.

The night before the papers were signed and the house belonged to someone else, I asked my mom to lead us on a tour of the house and share some memories with us.

 Winnie leaping onto the castle wallpaper in the family room while Rebekah checks out the fireplace.

Grandma Scott sharing memories in the living room while the rest of us watch and listen. 

Grandma showing the old laundry shoot in the bathroom. 

Andrea filming while Grandma talks.

Miriam and Analee running one of the loops Grandma told us about that she would sometimes take around the house. 

Picture in front of the fireplace. 

 Picture in front of the castle wallpaper. 

Silly one just for Miriam.

The night couldn't be complete without a bowl of Farr's huckleberry ice cream in the kitchen.