Expo - Mesa & Family History Society of Arizona

I had a great day at the Family History Expo in Mesa.  I spent the day in the book for the Family History Society of Arizona.  I met so many great people.  And some came by more than once just to "chat."  I gave some of them names of free web sites (like familysearch, rootsweb and heritage quest).  I waved at many others that I knew.  I "met" Byron again.  We talked last year; he joined FHSA; I saw him at FGS in Springfield in August 2011; and now he's presenting.  That was really great to hear.

I was going to have dinner during one of the late afternoon sessions.  I ended up not eating until almost 7 because 1-3 people were at the booth continuously from about 4:30 to 6:40.  Isn't that great?  And I certainly wasn't going to get up and say, "Excuse me, but I want to eat instead of talking with you about genealogy and FHSA." 

Mary Lu came by between sessions a couple of times and really helped out, answering questions and visiting with some researchers while I visited with others.  Thank you Mary Lu.

Well, I'm looking forward to tomorrow.  I know it will be great.

2012 Who Do You Think You Are

This information is for those of you who haven't heard the news yet.  Save Friday nights beginning February 3.
 This paragraph is from NBC.com.  See this site for the complete details.

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif.-- January 6, 2012-- Viewers can take an up-close and personal look inside the family history of some of today's most beloved and iconic celebrities when NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" returns for its third season on Friday, February 3 (8-9 p.m. ET). The celebrities who star in the series are Martin Sheen, Marisa Tomei, Blair Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rob Lowe, Helen Hunt, Rita Wilson, Edie Falco, Rashida Jones, Jerome Bettis, Jason Sudeikis and Paula Deen.

Rose Parade - A New Year's Tradition

I just finished watching the Rose Parade for the upteenth year.  Being brought up in Southern California we always watched the Rose Parade and usually had a choice of 4-6 TV stations.  Sometimes we even went to see the floats while they were being decorated.

Then, I went to Cal Poly Pomona.  The second day of freshman orientation someone walked through the dorm and asked if anyone could type.  Well, I could.  I was drafted to type something for the Cal Poly Rose Float Committee.  I was hooked!!! Big TIME!!!  I learned to arc weld and then spent almost every day and evening from Christmas Day to New Year's Eve working on the float.  Committee members had white coveralls, like painter's coveralls, and we had a Cal Poly Rose Float Patch that we sewed to the back.  I kept those coveralls for years.  And, I may even have the patch someplace, in some box.  (I need to look for it.)

Then, after the decorating, that year and the next few years, until my husband Walt graduated from Cal Poly and we moved to Connecticut, we would spend New Year's Eve camped out on Colorado Boulevard.  That was the best way of getting a front row seat for the parade, as well as parking fairly near our street site.

So, it doesn't seem like New Year's Day until after the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl game, whether they are held on January 1 or 2.

I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Advent Calendar - Shopping with 5 Children

My Dad used to take all five of us children shopping for Christmas gifts for my Mother.  And, yes, he did it at the same time.  We each had $1 to spend.  Now, there is a 9 year age span, so we older children could help a little with the younger ones.  But we were all in the store together.  We went to J.C. Penney and Hinshaw’s in Arcadia, California.  Both of these stores were on Baldwin Avenue. 

Each of us children also bought gifts for each of our siblings.  That meant that Mother or Dad had to take us shopping so that we could each find four gifts.  Again, I believe we had a $1 limit for the gift.   Of course that meant that each of us children had 6 gifts to wrap:  one for each parent and one for each of our four siblings.  There were a lot of presents under the tree.  In many ways I think I was more excited about watching family members open the gifts that I bought than as in opening the gifts they bought me.  Christmas morning was exciting.

Advent Calendar - Stockings that Grow

Can you imagine stockings that grow, and Grow, and GROW?  My Grandmother knitted Christmas stockings for all of her grandchildren.  All 9 of them had Santa faces knitted into the front of the stocking and an ornament knitted into the back.  Just hanging, they are about 16 inches long and about 10 inches around.

However!!!! Think of how a knit sweater can stretch.  Now, put lots of things into a knit stocking:  apples, an orange, nuts in shells, and a few small wrapped gifts. 

After Santa arrived, the stockings were now about 30 inches long and about 18 inches around. 

Advent Calendar - Other - Underwear?

Just a thought:  For some years my husband's work group collected toys and donated them to a school for homeless children.  Walt and I started buying packages of underwear.  What?  Yes, packages of 3 undershorts, or 3 t-shirts, or 3 pairs of panties.  We would buy them on sale at one of the major department stores;  and in various sizes.  We hesitated to do this the first year.  The feedback from the school staff was so positive that we did it for the next few years, until Walt was no longer a part of this work group.

So, if you want to donate to a homeless shelter, or a home for abused spouses, or some group like that, consider underwear.  It may not be as exciting as a toy, but it may last a lot longer.  Another option is coats, jackets, gloves or hats.  Just a thought. 

And thank you to all of you who think of others, both at this time of year as well as at other times. 

Thankful Thursday - Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories

Dear Thomas and Bloggers,

Thank you for the memories.  A few times this month, I haven't felt the Christmas spirit.  To change that, all I needed to do was to read your blogs (or even those of the past few days since I missed some of the daily reading).  Thank you all.