How Did I Get Here? My Amazing Genealogy Journey

My son's birthday was last weekend. These two pictures show my kids having fun with some glasses I purchased for the party. The birthday boy. And his little sister.

If you are not familiar with this wonderful project that was created by Julie Goucher of the Angler's Rest blog, please refer to this link: http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html This week’s prompt is – Toys & Games Can you remember your first toy, or game? Do you still have it? Who did you play with? Did you play board games? Have you inherited any of your family games & toys? Share some pictures if you would like to! 1) Can you remember your first toy or game? My very first toy was a Snoopy doll that I received when I was a little baby. Now this original doll, I don't know what happened to it. I'll have to check in with my mom about that. I have a feeling it may have suffered the fate of many a well loved doll, with torn off appendages and various stains who's final resting place may have been the garbage can. The good news is that I received another one at some point and that Snoopy doll I had with me for most of my chi...

Happy Birthday to my favorite 9 year old! How did my baby get so big?!

I am a bit late coming to the party but I've decided to join in the fun of the "52 Ancestors Weeks Challenge" created by Amy Johnson Crow, author of the blog No Story Too Small . The Challenge: Have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. My Bryant family has been on my mind as of late since completing my recent post,  A Little Boy's Story . It felt right to begin with someone associated with this line. This ancestor of mine was born an Ellison but most definietly died a Bryant. I think of her as "the heart" of my Bryant family who lived in Morehead City. Carolyn Ellison Bryant was my 3rd great grandmother. This is what I know of her life thus far.  She was born in Beaufort County, North Carolina on August 4, 1844 to a Benjamin and Rosetta Ellison. From the research I've done, I've learned ...

Image courtesy of Microsoft Office Images If you are not familiar with this wonderful project that was created by Julie Goucher of the Angler's Rest blog, please refer to this link:  http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html This week’s prompt is – Message in a Bottle If you were to physically write or virtually write a message to place into a bottle what would you write? Do you live by the sea and are able to potentially throw into the Ocean? Or perhaps a river Do you feel strongly that you would not "litter" in this way - in which case you may complete the task virtually What would you like to happen with the message? Do you hope it is picked up somewhere, miles from home? Are you going to create a secret email account in case it is picked up and someone emails you Or would you like to write an anonymous note to someone that you know Or write a message to a deceased loved one? If I were to write a message in a bottle, I don't think...

The other night, I stumbled upon a little boy's story. Now that I think about it, it really is a story about how a family dealt with a terrible tragedy. I think it also is a story of how this little boy did not wish to be forgotten. He snuck up on me late at night. I wasn't looking for him but he found me. Well, I had found his name on the census before and a death certificate, but he was really wasn't a person yet to me. He was just a name with some vague bits of information attached to it. He was a Hester. Specifically, his name was Cecil Ruth Hester. He was the son of Mott Hester Sr. and my 2nd great grand aunt, Sidney Bryant Hester of Morehead City, NC. Sidney Bryant Hester was one of my 2nd great grandmother Jonas Bryant's sisters. Source Information:  Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line].  Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.  **Note on the 1910 census my Jonas Bryant was noted as Joanna and Jonas and ...

Image courtesy of Microsoft Office Images I am still playing catch up on The Book Of Me, Written By You. Someday..someday soon I'll get there. :) If you are not familiar with this wonderful project that was created by Julie Goucher of the Angler's Rest blog, please refer to this link:   http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html This week’s prompt is – Snow! Do you live in area where you routinely have snow? How old were you when you first saw snow? Do you remember it? Did you make snowmen? Throw Snowballs Sledge Rides What is the image that first came to mind when you read snow? What does snow feel like, smell like how do you see snow 1) Do you live in an area where you routinely have snow? Ha! I live in upstate NY. Snow is something we do very well here. 2) How old were you when you first saw snow?   Do you remember it? I don't know when was the first time I saw snow but a memory that stands out in my mind was a blizzard that took ...

It's so lovely to see you move so effortlessly between the roles of older brother and uncle.  Thanks for always being there for me from when I was little and all the years since. You are still my big brother and yet at the same time you are such a dear sweet uncle to my kids.  Just thought you should know :)

Happy New Year again! I thought it might be a good time to take a look back at some of my favorite posts from the past year. Over the holidays, I hope that all of my readers had time to make a memory or two with those they hold to special to their hearts.  So without further ado, here's a look at my favorite 12 of 2013. These first two posts are special to me because they are a reminder that something that presents itself randomly may not in fact be random at all. I am a believer that sometimes the ancestors may give you a little nudge from the other side.  1)  There Are No Coincidences!   2)  Thankful Thursday: So Thankful Again For The Help    3)  Thankful Thursday: We Met At Last!   This post was about connecting with relatives linked to my maternal grandfather's brother William Arthur Harrison Sr. Thank you Erika, Kiira, and Eloise for making that day so special.  4) Wordless Wednesday: A Smile Comparison  --C...

Image courtesy of   gubgib   / FreeDigitalPhotos.net Emphasis on the Happy!  Go out this year and find the people, places and things that truly make you happy.   Be open to the abundance that awaits you.  That is my wish for you all. Happy New Year Everyone! And because many of you have been asking to see a picture of my daughter's Lego project I mentioned in my post.  December 26th ...Here you are. The antennas fell off while we were playing with it but here it is. My daughter and I think it's pretty cool.

Image courtesy of Pixomar / FreeDigitalPhotos.net For details about The Book Of Me, Written By You project created by Julie Goucher, of the Anglers Rest blog, please refer to this link:  http://www.anglers-rest.net/book-of-me-written-by-you.html This week’s prompt is – Special People and is a follow on from last week. If you had to hold a dinner party and could invite a maximum of 12 special people who would you invite?             You CAN include family in this time. Perhaps they are ancestors you have never met or people that you know/knew What meals would you serve and why. Perhaps include the recipe or a photo if you decided to actually cook the items! Okay, so now that I can invite family to this dinner party, it is on! Let's start with Bryant family line. I would invite my maternal grandmother's brothers since I never knew them. I grew up with my grandmother's sisters and saw them often as a child. I loved watching the in...