Family Yearbook Challenge 2009!

Home is where your story begins....

The Family Yearbook Challenge is officially underway. Today is Week 1 and we have some catching up to do since today is January 19th. If you're just joining us, here is where the inspiration started....Click HERE and scroll towards the bottom of this post.

Make sure you comment for "Attendance/Roll Call"...that's how I'll keep track for the big Family Yearbook Publishing Drawing at the end of the year!!

This class will focus on getting all of your information "digital". You may hand write whatever you'd like or when getting your family involved they may give you hand-written stories as well. But the goal is to take those handwriting's and put them into your computer via a word-type document. Make sure you follow these 2 steps to ensure that you'll be organized and successful.

1. In your My Documents folder (or wherever you'd like to create this project) create a folder called FYB_2009.

2. Inside the FYB_2009 create 12 folders for each of the 12 months.

The agenda is below to get us caught up January 1 - January 18. Then I'll give you some tips to start recording this weeks events so you'll be caught up by next Monday, January 26. By time January 26th rolls around, you'll be 100% current with your family's 2009 Yearbook. This first "class" will have more than the normal homework, but it's so we can get current with our lives and dive right into the stories.

** These are just suggestions and ideas. If you have a specific event or idea that you want to share DO IT! Be creative, but keep it simple so you'll follow through and be successful. I'll always remind you about birthdays each week and other events that may happen at different times during the year, but if you have something special that's happened or is happening put those stories into your yearbook. Don't wait for a prompt from me. And of course, if you have any ideas please share them!! You can post in the comments section or email me.

Homework: January 1-18

1. Write a short introduction. It can be in a short story format, letter, poem...whatever you'd like. But write something up that can go in the beginning of your book so you'll remember how life was when the year started. We'll also close with one at the end of the year and it's always fascinating to see how life changes in just 12 short months.

2. New Year's - Notes, bullets, or stories about your New Year's celebration. Any new traditions started? Old ones practiced? Family or friends visiting? Were you somewhere special? Did you travel?

3. If there were any birthdays celebrated take note of who, what age, gifts and/or parties.

4. Tell about a typical day or week in your family. (Keep it simple!)

5. Ask each person in your family this question: What is the favorite part of your day?

After you're done collecting this information and it's typed into a Word doc, save it in your FYB_2009 folder under January and name it Jan 1-18.

Now COPY and paste any photos that you have that go with these events and questions into the January folder. If you'd like to rename them you can with Jan 1, Jan 2, Jan 3, and so on and so on. If you have any memorabilia that is NOT digital, scan and save as a jpg. minimum 300 dpi to your January folder, named and labeled.

Homework: January 19-25

1. Did you have MLK day off? If so, what did you do? Anything fun with friends or family?

2. Major world and national headlines are taking place on the 20th. This is time to write about your feelings of the past election, your beliefs, thoughts, and the inauguration itself. Have your spouse and/or children who are keeping up with these stories share their thoughts, beliefs and hopes.

3. Any birthdays? If a family member outside of your immediate family celebrated a birthday, share some stories and memories about this person.

4. What are some of your family's favorite TV shows, movies, games, books...etc?

After you're done collecting this information and it's typed into a Word doc, save it in your FYB_2009 folder under January and name it Jan 19-25.

Now COPY and paste any photos that you have that go with these events and questions into the January folder. If you'd like to rename them you can with Jan 1, Jan 2, Jan 3, and so on and so on. If you have any memorabilia that is NOT digital, scan and save as a jpg. minimum 300 dpi to your January folder, named and labeled.

Easy enough, Right? We can do this!! I'm doing it right along with you....We're going to do this together, so share with all of your bloggy friends and family and help them get started with us. I hope we have 100's and 100's of family's sharing their stories.

Next Monday I'll have a button for you to grab and share on your blog so we can get more and more friends to join in. I'll also have my first Gift to you! Please feel free to contact me any time at tarabrown {at} cherishbound {dot} com.

Happy Story Collecting!