Thursday, June 26, 2008

Genealogy...Not just for bored old people....

I started searching for my ancestors for no apparent reason, not like I had time...just had to add another thing to do....anyway, I started in 2001 and have done it on again/ off again. I have to stop sometimes because frankly I get so confused I forget who I'm looking for, days turn into weeks, I'm telling you it is mind numbing...Overall it has been rewarding, interesting and addicting. I highly recommend it, it is easier than you think. Rootswebis an awesome place to start. I have several of our family lines all the way back to the 1500's. Through the search I met a great genealogist who turned out to be my twice removed cousin, she is the one who told me about the reunion ( see earlier post today) and was the reason I was able to reconnect with my Great Aunt Pearl, which has been an experience I will always treasure. Since my father passed in 1984, Great Aunt Pearl is one of my few remaining direct descendents.While at the reunion Aunt Pearl asked if I wanted all of the family pics and history that she has been saving all these years. Of course I said it would be my honor to step into her shoes as the caretaker of our family history.As I said before, it has been a rewarding journey and I feel so blessed to have taken it. I never knew anything about my Dad's ancestry beyond his immediate family Please enjoy these photos of my family, who I did not know but of whom I am quite proud.



Mo' southern Food from the reunion





Waz up??????

Everyday I say to myself, " I need to take a pic of that for the blog, or I need to blog this or that....". But as you can see by my not so regular posts it just never gets done. I take the pics...but that's the end of it, but as Elvis says..."You were always on my mind. I , again, am going to try and catch up...sit back this is going to be a long rambling post and who knows where it will lead.....Let's see where to start.....
This past weekend my sis and I , Cass over at Mockingbird Hill and I went to our family reunion on my Dad's side of the family...my dear Dad passed in 1984 so Cass and I still try and keep in contact with what is left of his family. Anywho...my dad grew up in North Florida in Malone, near Two Egg, yes,that really is a name of a town. Both towns are near Marianna, about an hour Northwest of Tallahassee. The reunion was held in Malone at a place called The Joy Club. we visited with our Great Aunt Pearl who is 87.

Other than the whole Popeye thing I have going on with my left eye, it's a pretty good pic of the three of us all in all.
There was sooooo much good ole' southern food there it was a treat for sure!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

The GIANT catch up post...



Hi All,
I have been a bad little blogger and have decided to set aside some time today to catch you all up....In my previous post I had promised pics from Stinks birthday night dinner so I am going to start there and keep going till you are all caught up......


Next came my birthday and the whole group got together and decorated my office ....
My sister surprised me with this cute little girl that she made for my bday...

My adorable neice Bailey came up for a visit...

We went out for dinner at this restaurant whose slogan is ..."I shucked my nuts at Zellie's"...don't know what else to say about that but here's Stink and Big B representin'

Stink's big day for taking his driver's license test was fast approaching....I spent WAYYYY too many afternoons driving around...and around...and around..... with him practicing for his driving test....one day we were making our umpteenth trip down Overlook Drive and look what we saw....
Two baby red foxes out of their den.....sooo cute.....keep driving.......

Next on our list was a Football Fish Fry Fundraiser.....hot is not the word for that day....I thought I would die...but we raised about $8,000 bucks for the team....that's alot of oysters and fried fish.......



Let's see, what next.....hmmm......we decided to build a deck over looking the water behind our house....


Got so hot Stink took a dip with our Corgi....Simon
This brings us to the BIG DAY.....Stink was ready for the driving test....
And he did it!!! Of course I made him pose in front of the Driver License place for a pic...they even gave hime a lollipop, note the stick in his mouth....


Big B's Mom, Stinks' Nana, is awesome and was gracious enough to give Stink his first truck. The truck had been Daddy J's and when he got a new SUV, Nana and Daddy J were so sweet and offered the truck to Stink.....he is one lucky boy....we are such lucky people, we have an amazing family...
Well, about an hour after passing the driving test, here's what I saw.....


Note the dirt flying from his back tire.....he was gone...like the wind.....

And we have barely seen him since..................