Wheeler Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 Make a Journal Jar or just check off questions as you answer them... Ingredients Life was not meant to be bottled up forever. This jar is jam-packed with delicious and interesting questions to inspire you to celebrate something very important YOU! Recipe Combine a generous slice of your life history with a dash of nostalgia and several cups of facts and feelings. Fold in several sheets of photographs. If you will follow this simple recipe, you will find that by this time next year, you will have one very delicious, personal history finished. All you need to do is draw out one slip of paper daily. On it you will find a question. Spend a few minutes and just enjoy remembering. Then mount the question at the top of a blank page and begin to write or type and mount photos or other memorabilia and answer the question. Don't worry about the spelling, handwriting, etc. Just tell YOUR story! This product was prepared to preserve your life as a message. Enjoy the scrumptious, homemade memories.... Years and years from now your descendants will thank you for writing your life story!!! Describe a childhood birthday. Describe getting a Christmas tree with your family as a child. When did you put it up and how it was decorated. Describe a childhood Christmas. Describe a typical day in elementary school. Describe a favorite childhood friend and something you did with her or him. Describe your yard as a child - did you help with the yard work? What are your memories? Describe a trip downtown as a youngster. Describe your Sundays as a child and growing up. Describe a perfect spring day and activities on that day. Did it snow where you lived as a child? Tell something about it. What kinds of things did you do when it snowed? Did you and your father share any special interests together - what and why? Did you and your mother share any special interests together - what and why? Describe your room as a child. Did you have your own room or have to share it with a sibling? Tell some experiences. Tell about going to the County Fair or the amusement park when you were a child. Describe a typical day during your Junior High/Middle School years. Describe a typical day during your high school years. Describe the places where you hung out with your friends as a teenager. Describe them then and now. Tell about your first job. What were the favorite places to go with your family when you were young? Did you ever have a graveyard or a haunted house experience? Did you ever get a spanking? Grounded? Tell about what you did and the punishment. Did you ever go bowling? Tell about it. Did you have a childhood hide -out? Where? Describe it. What kinds of things did you do there? Did you ever have a favorite scary story while you were growing up? What was it about? Did you have a bicycle? What was it like? Did you have a favorite TV, radio, program as a child? Tell about it. Did you have a job as a child? (paper route, lawn mowing, baby-sitting, etc.) Did you walk to school or ride a bus? Did your mother or grandmother sew, quilt, knit or crochet? Tell about things made. Do you remember any of your four grandparents? Any great-grandparents? What were their names? Any memories that you have. Do you remember any outstanding family trips or vacations? Do you remember your family getting a new piece of furniture, a new car or something similar when you were a child? Do you remember your favorite childhood fantasy? What were some of your favorite playground activities? Where did you go to meet new people when you were in your youth? Where did you live as a child - town, country, suburb, etc. Can you remember something about each place you lived while growing up? Share. Did your grandmother make any special desserts or food that you enjoyed? How did you feel about school? Tell about going to a high school dance. How did you like being the oldest, youngest or middle child? What were the advantages and disadvantages? What was one of your favorite treats as a child? Tell about how, when and where you learned to drive a car. Were you ever lost as a child? Tell about it. Were you ever in a drama, speech, sports, pep, or glee club or team? Tell about it. Tell about what you did while visiting your grandparents or aunt and uncle. Tell about learning a skill from either of your parents, cooking, sewing, cleaning, fixing things, etc. Tell about religion practiced in your home. Were you responsible for household chores? What were they? Which did you enjoy most - least? What did you do during your summers, growing up. What are some of the superstitions that you remember growing up with? How did your father spend his time supporting his family? How did your mother spend her time? Tell a courtship story about your parents and how they met. Describe your parent's courtship as best you can. Describe your mother's wedding dress - what do you know about her wedding. Tell a story your mother told you from her past. Tell about camping and/or fishing experiences. Tell about "hand-me-downs" you received or gave. What were swimming suits like when you were young? Tell about a bully in your neighborhood or at school. Were you or do you remember anyone in your school class being punished by a teacher? Tell about an experience you had with your friends while growing up. What were your fears, expectations, and anticipations about getting married? Tell about some growing up family traditions. Christmas, birthdays, Graduation, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, hunting, funerals, weddings, Mothers & Fathers Day... Tell about the Downtown experience at Christmas time when you were a child. Tell about the experience or\person you feel was the most influence in your life. Tell about the homes you lived in as a child. Do you remember any of the addresses or telephone numbers? Who lived next door? What kind of clothes did you wear as a child? Were your clothes homemade or store bought? Tell about your first car. Tell about your first crush. Tell about your first serious boy/girlfriend. Tell about a double date. Tell about a person in school who was mean or snobby. Tell about your teen-age social life - your friends, dances, dating, outings, church functions, etc. What board games or card games did you play while growing up? Who did you play with? What kind of extra-curricular activities did you participate in at school? What games did you play in your neighborhood? Tell about a special date you had with a boy/girl friend or your fiancé. Tell a courtship story about you and your love. How did you become engaged? Describe your wedding dress, bridesmaid dresses, or suit etc, if male. Describe your wedding day. Describe your first home as a young couple. Describe a favorite vacation of your married years. Describe a typical day in your life from the time you get up in the morning to bedtime. Describe how the ways of doing household chores were different when you were growing up than they are today. Describe one of your favorite outfits of all time. a dress, shoes, shirt, hat. Describe the most serious accident that you have had. Describe the most serious illness you have had. Describe what you think it is like to live with you. Did you ever roller skate, ice skate, ski, or something similar? Tell about your conversion to the Gospel? How/when were you saved? Describe your Sundays as a mother/father. Did you ever break a bone or have stitches? Tell about it. Did you ever keep a secret about someone? Are you still keeping it today? Tell about it, if you can! Did you ever save money for a big purchase? Tell about it. Did you ever set anything on fire or know someone who did? Did you go camping? If so, tell about your experience. Did you go to college or have vocational training? Where or when? Did you grow up with music in your family? Did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents? Tell about it. How many brothers and sisters do you have? Tell about each of them. Do you wish you had more sisters or brothers? Why? Give One Word on how to live successfully. Have you ever picked up a hitchhiker? Or been one? Have you ever spent any time out of the USA? Have you met or worked with famous people? Who - where -etc How do you feel about winning? Losing? List a few of the simple things in life that make you smile and tell why. List and tell about at least three good qualities about yourself. Make a list of the things in your junk drawer and tell why you are keeping them. Name the most romantic song you can remember and tell why. Name the personality trait you most admire and tell why. Do you know many people with this trait? Tell about a disastrous experience. Tell about a food that you hated as a child. Do you like it now? Tell about a frustrating experience that you have had with a car. Tell about a party that you hosted at your house or your parent's house. Tell about a practical joke that was played on you or that you played on someone else. Tell about a special anniversary. Tell about a star gazing experience. Tell about a time in your life when you were surprised. Tell about a time that someone helped you in a time of need. Tell about a time that you helped someone in time of need. Tell about a time that you surprised someone. Tell about all the places you have worked. Tell about an experience with one of your children's teachers. Tell about anniversaries, celebrations, trips, and gifts. Tell about any ancestors that you know about - name, dates, etc., for historical purposes and any stories about them. Tell about each of your children - raising them at home, problems and joys, etc. Tell about each of your children's names, birth date, where, doctors, circumstances surrounding the birth Tell about Family Reunions. Tell about fashion trends you have seen in your life, what you wore as a child, teen, and adult. Tell about handed down talents, foods, clothespin dolls, willow whistles, potter, quilting, whittling, meat drying, etc. Tell about home cures or old wives tales, hiccups, toothaches, earaches, and arthritis when you were growing up. Tell about retirement. When, where and what will you do (or are you doing) with your time? Tell about sibling rivalry within your family. Tell about some of the most exciting experiences with scouting. Tell about some of your fears (heights, claustrophobia, etc.) and what made you afraid of them. Tell about the "Tooth Fairy" and other personages you remember. Tell about the changes in morality you have seen during your lifetime. Tell about the changes in society in general you have seen in your lifetime. Tell about the most trying experience you have ever had. Tell about where you were and what you remember at the time of a historic event in your lifetime. Tell about your civic or political activities. Have you had any accidents or tickets? Tell about your favorite aunt. Tell about your favorite uncle. Tell about your favorite books as a child, youth, adult. Tell about being a grandparent. Tell about your grandchildren - how many - how did you feel about being a grandparent. Tell about your involvement with a civic group or committee. Tell about your life as the children left home - new interests, what did you do with the extra time - new employment, moves, hobbies, etc. Tell about your mother: personality, characteristics, coloring, talents, temperament, family stories about her, her role in your home, etc. Tell about your own family traditions: Christmas, birthdays, graduation, 4th of July, Halloween, and Thanksgiving.. Tell about your temperament as a child, has it changed? Tell how, when, where you learned to drive and any memorable experiences. Tell of a time that you felt God was there to help you in your struggles. Tell something about each of your children, their personalities, their talents, and the traits that make them each special and unique. Tell something you remember about your relationship with your grandfather. Tell something you remember about your relationship with your grandmother. Thinking back, was there a teacher who had a great influence on you? What are your favorite colors, flowers, food, activities and hobbies? What are your food preferences and how did they come about? What are your most deeply and imbedded values? What can frighten you the most and why? What church callings have you had and what did you enjoy the most? What convinced you most in your choice of a spouse? What did you do when you were a child that got you in the most trouble and how did your parents handle it? What did your parents do for work while you were growing up? What do you fantasize about doing or being? What do you feel has been the most significant event that has taken place in your lifetime and how has it affected you? What do you feel has been the most significant world event that has taken place in your lifetime and why? What do you think about movies - what is your favorite movie and why? What education did you receive other than at school? What form of transportation did you have while growing up? What fragrance would you say takes you back in time and what does it remind you of? What games did you play as a child - inside and outside? What is one of the most exciting places you have ever visited? What made it so exciting? What is the most important lessons, message or advice that you have learned that you might pass on to others? What is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to you? What is the worst thing that ever happened to you? What is your advice for good health? What is your advice to those younger than you? What is your child-rearing philosophy? What were your father's best traits? Worst? The traits you both share. What is your favorite book and what do books mean to you. What is your favorite scripture and why? What is your greatest joy, your greatest sorrow. What were your mother's best traits? Worst? The Traits you both share. What is your personal secret of happiness? What lessons did you take as a child? Did you carry any over into adulthood? What personality trait do you admire and why? What things do you enjoy today that you enjoyed doing as a child? What was your most embarrassing moment? What were you afraid of as a child? Why? Did this fear follow you into adulthood? What would you say is the biggest lesson you have learned in life so far? Where did your Grandparents live? What was their home like? Did it have a certain smell or look? Where were you and what were you doing the day: the wall came down in Germany, or the coup in USSR, or Dec 7th - WW II started or ended, or when President Kennedy was killed. Who is your favorite author and why. Tell about your favorite books as a child; as an adult. Who was your best friend while you were growing up? Do you still associate with them? Would you choose differently if you could choose occupations again? Why? Any advice? Write a description of your husband or wife. Write about a "one on one" experience you had with your father. Write about a "one on one" experience you had with your mother. Write about some places you went with your father. Write about some places you went with your mother. Write one sentence that tells "how to live successfully". Write your testimony of life -- marriage -- the gospel. What would you like to be remembered for? What can you remember about each church your family attended? What was a typical Thanksgiving get together like as a child and what was the menu like? What was a typical Christmas like and what was the menu for Christmas dinner? How did your family wash clothes when you were a child? What kind of houses did you live in as a child? Tell about them. Did you have running water and in door plumbing when you were growing up? What kind of heating and cooking appliances did the family have when you were growing up? What kind of refrigeration did your family have when you were a child? Did your family have gardens when you were a child? If so tell about the processes and responsibilities. What were the sources of your family's food provisions when you were growing up? What were the rules for dating when you were a teen? Did you carry over the standards of your family when you were raising your children? Do you remember any of your neighbors from where you lived as a child. Were you excited to start school as a child? How far did you live from your schools and how did you get to school. What are some of your hobbies? Were they the same when you were growing up. Was your family interactive with their families as you were growing up. Were there traditions of dress when you were growing up that are not true now? Tell about them. Share your salvation experience. When, where, and how old were you. If you could change any thing in your life, would you, and what would it be? What is your favorite Christmas memory? How old were you? Where did it occur? What made it special? Was someone else there to share it with? Who was you favorite comedian? Did you have pets? What kind? What is your favorite holiday? What are you favorite foods? What is your favorite restaurant? Did you have a favorite one when you were growing up? What is your favorite song? What is your favorite hymn. Who were your favorite actor and actress? What is your favorite candy bar? What was it when you were growing up? What is your favorite soda pop? What was it when you were growing up? Try and describe yourself in 10 words or less. Tell about a tradition your family has. Tell about a special memory you can recall. Tell one of your most embarrassing moments. Tell about old towns as you remember them. neighbors What is the first family car that you remember? Tell something about the people you dated and why. What drew you. Tell something about your best friends. What were they like? What were the popular swimming holes as you grew up? Did you ever ride horses and were there any mishaps? Did you have farm animals and what were your responsibilities with them? Tell about grandma's house. Did you ever go on hay rides or wagon rides? Do you have any special memories about snakes and things? Did you have outhouses? What kind of memories do they bring back? Did any of the places you lived growing up have an old well? Tell your remembrances. Tell about family Sunday dinners growing up. Tell about visiting uncles and aunts. Share about your cousins (what you used to do). Tell about trips to town. Tell about some of your school teachers and experiences with school. Did you ever hear what was considered a scandalous rumor? Tell about it. Tell what you remember about the radio, telephone, and TV. When did each enter your family life? Do you have experiences to remember about church camps. What do things like sheriff's posses, murder, Jesse James, the James gang, trains, airplanes, the civil war, war between the states mean to you. Was anyone in your family in any of the wars? Tell about it and which war. Where were you born? Where was grandpa from, where did he meet grandma? Remember when you and ------- went to the -------- and ----------? ------------- was mad at you for such a long time--------- ? Did you have a hay loft? Tell about it. Tell about the rope at the swimming hole. What were your experiences? Tell about the tales in the old out house. Tell about how grandma made clothes. How did mother make clothes. How did the grandparents wash? How did your parents wash? How big was the house, how many bedrooms, who did you sleep with? Was your dad mean and strict or just an easy going guy? Did you like him or just afraid of him? Was mama nice or an old crone? Who was your favorite brother or sister. Did anyone ever have a bad accident, broken legs, arms, fall out of the wagon, off the house? Any stories about your mother's brothers and sisters? Any stories about your father's brothers and sisters? How the town changed from when you were little to when you left or grew up? The towns you lived in? The nearest picture show? What kind of religion did you grow up with: Bible thumping, foot washing, floor rolling? What did you wear to church? Did you go to church? Tell about some of those stolen moments, those funny remembrances of stolen melons, street dances, spying on someone, --------. Did you ever ride the train? Where did you go? What was it like? What do you remember about it. Link to comment
Homesteader Posted April 28, 2005 Share Posted April 28, 2005 I have started a journal type notebook twice before. There are so many things I wish I could have asked my ancestors. I thought I would make it easier for my family. I vow to continue it on a regular basis but I never get to it. Maybe answering these questions might be easier than regular writing. Link to comment
logcabinmama Posted May 6, 2005 Share Posted May 6, 2005 Journals are so good to keep, I use to keep one and then stopped. I have tired to keep one up on my computer, but that didn't happen either. Someplace on the internet, there is a site where you can get a gift in a jar that goes along with this. I made a copy of everything, and of course right now I don't have the site, since I don't have my computer going yet. Link to comment
Linda Posted May 29, 2005 Share Posted May 29, 2005 i keep a journal, don't write it in every day. but maybe once a week just telling the events of the week, my thoughts and such. I really like that jar idea. think i will make some up for other family members. i have one of my grandmothers journal and it is interseting to me maybe it wasn't to her, but i do enjoy reading it. Link to comment
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