June & July 2009 Birthdays

June 14 is Aspen's birthday. She is in the 2nd picture. We had a really fun party and everyone came. She got tons of presents and lots of cake! She is an amazing girl! More about her in another blog.

The top picture is of Marlin Gonzalez Taylor. This is on June 15, her birthday. We were just getting to know her before she became our son Ryan's wife.

And last but not least is Kaleb James, Kolin James and Jordan Griego. Jordans birthday is June 26th and Kolin's the 27th. Kaleb's birthday is July 2nd. We usually end up doing a birthday party for all three of them. We did this year again. We had a great time and they got bikes to ride. Of course lots of other presents.

All in all our birthdays were a good time this year!

Birthdays are Special

This is a picture of Ray and I around my birthday, July 1st. He has always made me feel special on my birthday! He is a wonderful man. I'd like to share some memories of my past birthdays. I remember many dinners out because Ray knows how much I like to eat out! I remember some parties my kids have done for me. The year I was turning 40 my friend made me a coffin cake for desert after we had gone to dinner! By far my best birthday memory was when I was in my 30's and we were very poor that year. Ray showed up at lunch time with a Happy Birthday Balloon for me! He was holding something behind his back. Maybe you think it is some jewelry or who knows what... he pulled out another balloon that read PS I LOVE YOU! I was so overwhelmed with the sweetness of that message and it is a memory I remember to this day! Also a birthday I treasure is when we lived in Dillon MT. The afternoon of my birthday I looked out the window to see Ray's pick-up pulling into the driveway with a rocking chair rocking away in the back. I had wanted one and there he was with a beautiful oak one! I still have that chair and have rocked many a grandchild in it! Ray you are my hero! You have a special knack for making my day special!

Can't Wait to go!!!!

I was reviewing the sylabuses for the Family History Expo to be held in Sheridan WY on

July 17-18 and got really excited! There are classes to answer so many of my needs and road blocks in doing a better job of organizing and researching. There are also classes on my passions, writing histories or maybe I should say recording histories in whatever fashion you find makes you happy. You can still go to the Expo Visit www.FHExpos.com and get all the details.

Last Sunday i taught a family history class on writing Family Histories. It was a great class. I really learned alot myself. I guess that's the best part of teaching.

I listed numerous options for recording histories.My favorite is the ever popular scrapbooking. I have so far made a book about my mother and one for my husband.( See enclosed photos). However, my sister-in-law keeps such detailed source notes that her research would be a great history especially if you added pictures here and there.

Another option is to gather family newsletters and compile the information in a notebook or have them bound at an office supply/copy center. I also have saved all the letters people have written to me and also ones I have written. When my grandmother died I got all the letters my mother had written home for years. In those letters she wrote about her children (me) being born and many other events that have happened in our lives. She also shared about becoming a grandmother. These letters are great treasures of mine.

I read of a family in the Ensign who compiled individual stories by different members of their family and gave them for Christmas presents to the family. Each year she would add to the notebook a few more stories. I've asked my oldest grandson to write a story so I can start this tradition. I really like the idea of giving my children and grandchildren a sense of who they are and their accomplishments through sharing each others lives.

There of course are many other ways to record a family history. Would love to hear some of your suggestions.

Independence Day Parade

For Independence Day I had the brilliant idea to have a parade after reminiscing about the parades I participated in as a child. I came to the conclusion that the reward of having 14 grandchildren meant I had enough people to have our very own parade. Sooo I called the kids and told them to meet at our house that morning with the kids dressed to indicate the date and something to ride on push or pull. I provided red, white and blue decorations and "pop-its" for their use. We decorated bikes, stroller, wagon and scooters with flags, pinwheels, crepe paper and sparkley stuff. Our neighbor Oleeta who has lived in this neighborhood since it's beginnings asked what we were doing? When we told her it was a parade she said "It's about time there was a parade here on Brookview Dr. We used to parade many years ago." We also noticed a few kids down the street riding their bikes and invited them to join us. They did and our journey began. The kids ranged in ages from 14 down to months old. We crossed the street carefully to be on the downhill side and lined up to show off for Oleeta and her friend. He honked his horn and we started off shouting "Hooray for the red, white and blue." As we paraded around the block waving and shouting our motto and popping the pop-its I noticed something sad. Most of the people who acknowledged us were older people whose sense of patriotism is stronger. But many still smiled and waved, who wouldn't when you saw those adorable children. One older gentleman stopped and asked us "what was going on?" Of course we reported with joy the reason for our celebration and the kids again celebrated with pop-its. We had a grand time made new neighbor friends and started our country's celebration in style. I think we will make it an anual event.

In three weeks Sheridan, Wy will be feeling the vibs at the Family History Expo 2009 and I will be there. I am thrilled to be a part of this undertaking AND it's not to late for you to sign up and be there too.

Family History Goal

One of my goals this year was to find out more about my ancestors and gather personal histories.I knew their were journals and published books which have my ancestors in so I began to actively search for them.I found a book called "Beloved Ancestors" which is about the Gordon, Nelson, Smith and Orgill families. I purchased the book and have enjoyed many hours reading about my family. I am in the book as the reader of my grandmother Bessie Orgill Gordon's life story at her funeral. I was 14 and had lost the copy of her history which I had read. I was so excited. The book is filled with many personal histories. I also found a book called "How Beautiful Upon the Mountains". It features my same ancestors above as they helped to settle the Wasatch area in Utah. My grandmother and many of her sisters and brothers are pictured with their school class in the book.

I also took my dad to Richmond, Virginia and we looked in the library for records of the Gordon family. We found many and confirmed much of the data we have but I was not able to find my Robert Gordon born there. We also found Gordonsville Virginia and went there to visit. We had a great time.

My dad has promised to record some of the stories he shared with me as we traveled. I know he probably won't even though he thinks he would. I just wish I had had a way to record as he talked while we traveled. Actually he shares much with me everytime I talk to him on the phone. I would like to record some of those conversations also.

Hey I was listening to an interview of the president of the Family History Library and he talked about all the new advances in the Family History research. He suggested that we could access most things we want at home in the time frame that works for us. That really appeals to me as I am a late night person and can work when it is quiet and I can't sleep. Remember the Family History Expo in Sheridan WY where you can learn all you need for the research you want to do. There are classes for all levels and experts to answer your questions. The dates of that Expo are July 17-18. It is at the Holiday Inn. You can also check it out at www.FHExpos.com See ya there!