A Grandmother's Hope

   In order to prepare for a most likely lean Christmas season, I am making most of our gifts.  One project I'm doing involves needlepoint. I am not a crafty person.  It is good for me that God blessed me with a daughter who LOVES all things crafty because it forces me to cultivate that part of me. 
   When I was about Mookie's age (9), my Grandma Murray tried so hard to get me interested in embroidering a dish towel.  That side of my family is into any kind of sewing arts big time.  There was hardly a time we would get together for a family gathering that someone wouldn't have some kind of project in hand.  The walls at my Grandparents' house displayed wonderful pieces that were done by my grandmothers, aunts, mom and cousins.  They were lovely!
   I remember Grandma letting me pick out my pattern, showing me how to do the stitches like it was yesterday (this is one of my most vibrant childhood memories).  She tried so hard to get me going on it.  She'd keep it at her house and mention getting it out each time I'd visit (to which most of the time I'd decline).  She'd brag to her friends about how small and even my stitches were, how similar they were to her mother's.  And what happened to my first dishtowel?  It is still unfinished in a box in the attic.  My poor grandma!  It pains me that I didn't take a greater interest then.
  Yesterday when I picked out my pattern, it all came rushing back.  It was like I could hear my grandma re-telling all the instructions she laid out for me more than 25 years ago.  Each poke of the needle & drag of the floss brings back sweet memories of a grandma I miss so dearly even though she's been gone 17 years.  It also makes it very, very obvious to me too that no matter if your child is interested in what you are doing together it's the time taken and encouragement and trying to impart something that you enjoy in a non-pushy manner that matters.  It sticks. 

Guess Who?: Atchison

My Atchison batch + some tintypes:

W. Babberger - photographer

Conklin - photographer

Hill - photographer

J. C. Hill - photographer

Possibly a Beeson or Locker. J. M. Munn - photographer

Kleckner - photographer

Kleckner - photographer

Most likely children of Philo Mauzey.  McLeod - photographer

My tintypes:

I sincerely hope that this is my
gggg-grandma Charity Beeson (b. 1803),
but I don't know

Guess Who?: St. Joseph & Unknowns

If you see anyone you know, drop me a note! :)

J. T. Needles, St. Joseph, MO - photographer

Uhlman, St. Joseph, MO - photographer

Probably Albert Isaacs (son of Amos & Ally),
taken by H. S. Stovall, Weatherby, MO

The following pics are totally unmarked:(

postcard picture

Guess Who?: St. Joe & Atchison

These are a series of other unknowns.  Some I think I have figured out, and I can narrow down the family branch on the St. Joeseph ones, but I need to know who they are! Let me know if you can help:)

no photographer's mark,
but he looks very similar to a picture
I have of the sons of
Amos and Ally Isaacs of St. Joseph, MO

Memorial photograph.
I'm thinking this is Samuel Isaacs,
 son of Amos and Ally Isaacs

Thinking this is Ally Jane (Judah) Isaacs,
the resemblance to Ally's daughter Addie is striking

J. S. Saurman, St. Joseph - photographer

Speculating that this is either Levi or Samuel Judah,
brothers of Ally Jane (Judah) Isaacs

The only one in this post from Atchison,
he has similar features, so I included him

J. W. Souder, St. Joseph, MO - photographer

W. J. Rea, St. Joseph, MO - photographer

Field Trip Friday: Homecoming

  Starting off on our trip this morning and the gas station attendant in town asked if we were going to the parade today.  "Parade?", I asked her.  "For homecoming", was the reply.  One of those things we homeschoolers are out of touch with.  I've been seeing all the fun pictures of my friends' kiddos dressed for spirit week, but hadn't given the homecoming parade a second thought.  We were off on our own "homecoming", just a different way. 
  My parents, Ducky and Gigi, own a piece of land that my great-grandparents farmed and lived on.  On its edge is a gravel bar on the Neosho River that they like to go and take their trailer to and stay at for a week or so periodically. They were there this week, so we went to hang out with them.  The gravel bar is just a magical place.  Several miles outside of a small town called LeRoy, down a small field road, surrounded by fields of corn and soybeans.  It is the ultimate place for the kids to explore nature.
  

off to look for shells

The kids love scouring the river banks for mussel shells.  Today they were using the shells to line "caves" that they were digging into the gravel bar.

One bonus that they found was a bison horn on the banks!  The kids have their Daddy's eyes:)  They were so excited.  I am always wary of taking home the gooey things that they find from the gravel bar, but they are always so thrilled at all their finds:)

Mookie & Shorty playing with the stomp rocket

One of the favorite things today was Ducky and Gigi's stomp rocket.  Even Shorty got in on this one - and he loved it (didn't do too bad with it either!)

It's always so hard tearing ourselves away.  Luckily we'll be back in a couple of weeks!

Ducky & Shorty

Pit Stop!

I was thinking back on today and our wild flat traveler inspired field trip (in lieu of our "field trip Friday" this week), and Guido from the movie Cars's voice came into my head "Pit Stop!!".  Yep, that's pretty much how it was:)

We were dying to see my folks after our big vacation, and when we found out they were going to be in Topeka, we planned a lunch date.  Funny thing is that all three of us adults had the same eating establishment in mind, we're weird, what can I say?

Just in case, I brought our new flat travelers with us.  Since we were close to downtown, I suggested a trip to the state capital.  Ducky had an appointment later in the afternoon he had to be at, so it would be a quick trip.  With Shorty in need of a nap, I knew that wouldn't be a problem. 

It was a super fast trip, but we got to see all the important parts that were open to the public: the murals and statues, the House and Senate chambers, the old Supreme Court, the door to the Governor's office, and most importantly a ride in the cage elevator! :)

House Chamber

Supreme Court

I had never been in any of the chambers before - so cool!  My favorite was the House chamber, it had a flyer describing different items of note. 

I totally love the John Stuart Curry mural of John Brown.  It is just so powerful, it really captures the imagination of what he must have been like and the volatility of that time period.

So, I am so glad that its free to tour the capital, because our "pit stop" lasted 1/2 hour.  It was a quick one, but since we had been there previously we didn't feel too badly, plus we got to see some new areas!  Shorty slept all the way home and then some:)

Our First Flat Traveler Experience

  We've been having fun with our Facebook group Homeschool Swapping Adventures.  Our last adventure was swapping flat travelers.  Let me tell you, we had a blast with our travelers we received.  The neat part about taking them around was it encouraged us to take more pictures of our everyday life added along with side trips to show neat things about our area!
  In addition to pictures and journaling, we also included small trinkets and pamphlets we picked up along the way - sort of like a small geo-box.  Here are some pictures of what we sent back with our visiting travelers:

Flat Darcy's packet en route to Texas

Flat Jerrin's packet en route to Washington

Here is what we received:

Texas

Flat Darcy's family had some cool trips while our traveler was there an adorable scrapbook & even some bluebonnet seeds (Texas's state flower).  Mookie is so thrilled to plant those in her garden next year!

Washington State

Flat Jerrin's family sent a great journal, a local newspaper, locally made candies and soaps, and even a Bigfoot keychain:)  Bubby is ready to use the map to go see his bestie out in Seattle someday:)

What a wonderful experience!  I've learned some new things to send, like a cd with digital versions of the pictures, and a fact sheet with state info and even a map showing where the traveler went while they were with us.

The only problem we've had so far is that USPS Priority mail is not really as fast as the 2 days like it is advertised.  Our package from Texas took almost 2 weeks, and the one from Washington took a week (it went from Washington to Kansas City, to Memphis, TN and back to us!).  The benefit of doing it priority, however, is that you get a tracking number automatically so you can track it if need be.

A cool side benefit is that you really get to act as an ambassador for your area.  It really makes you think about your everyday activities and if you send your traveler info in journal form, it's neat to see what you've been up to for the last month:)  We're ready to see what new adventures our travelers have!