How Did I Get Here? My Amazing Genealogy Journey

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!  Have fun, laugh a lot and make great memories  with your loved ones.  P.S. I know my blog has been a bit genealogy light lately. I'm going to try to get back on the research train in the new year. 

Over the last couple of months, I've found myself saying to my big brother, "Hey, Check these out!" when I come across something I really think he'll get a kick out of seeing. I inherited a lot of family memorabilia from my dad and when I get the time, I try to work on scanning and putting things in albums. These pictures were dated January 1976 on the back, so it appears they are from Christmas of 1975.  My paternal grandmother, Ethel Murrell, my brother, myself, and grandfather Harold Murrell Sr. Grandma Ethel, me and David Grandpa Harold, David, Mom and me.  Me and David Got to love the expression on my face here. LOL.  Not sure if I was getting sleepy or just simply distracted.  On a more serious note, please say a prayer for all those who have been affected by Hurricane Florence. I've included the link to the American Red Cross here:   https://www.redcross.org/about-us/our-work/disaster-relief/hurricane-relief/hurricane-floren...

All I can say is that I've been going through some pictures. So many pictures. I've inherited pictures from dad and his parents and I have to say it's been beautiful going down memory lane. Some of the images I'd never seen before, so of course that's spawned questions. For the most part, though it has made me happy to travel back in time to my grandparents house. The pictures are bit mixed up so I'm just going to scan some and then post them here.  This first batch of pictures is of my brother's first Christmas. Dad and my brother David David and Mom Happy Grandma and David Three generations of Murrell men.

I've been bad about posting pictures in a timely manner. So this post is a recap of some of the things that happened during the holiday season. The first weekend of December my daughter attended the Syracuse Gymnastics Sports Fest, her second meet of the season. This year she moved up to become a level 3 gymnast. This was only her second time out competing at this level. No medals this go around but she walked away with more competition experience which is always a good thing.  Then the kids had their Winter Concerts. Ladybug is a member of the 5th grade chorus. While our big guy did a wonderful playing viola in the middle school orchestra. Then Christmas came along. I didn't take much in pictures believe or not. I think I was trying to focus on living in the moment. Plus from year to year, many of the pictures wind up looking the same.  My favorite gift was this lovely plaque my husb...

Wishing all my readers a beautiful holiday  filled with love, light, and happiness!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your family. Enjoy your friends. Make lots of special memories. 

Mom, My paternal grandmother, Ethel Smith Murrell,  and my brother David

To all my readers, have a safe and beautiful holiday  with your loved ones!

It's that time of year again for Blog Caroling. What a wonderful tradition created by  Footnote Maven.   If you are not aware of her tradition please feel free and click on the link to her blog to learn all about it. I've chosen Silent Night this year sung here by Nat King Cole. It's a classic.  So sit back and curl up by the fire and listen.  Feel free to join in if you wish. Happy Caroling!  Silent Night lyrics written by Joseph Mohr music composed by Franz Xaver Gruber Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Silent night, holy night Son of God, love's pure light Radiant beams from Thy holy face With the dawn of redeeming grace Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth 

If you can at some point during this crazy busy holiday season, just take a moment and enjoy something whimsical. When things get entirely too serious, if you just look at something silly and laugh for a minute it will take the stress level down just a bit. I have to thank my best friend for reminding me of this. She has some really cute decorations this year around her house that I can't help but smile when I look at them. That's when I said to myself, "You know what, I could use a bit of that here at my home." So I went out and found myself a bit of whimsy and you know, it helps. :)

This conversation with my daughter that took place on December 26th. Keep in mind this happened before I had proper levels of caffeine in my system and while I was still in my bathrobe. Mom? Yes sweetie. Can we put together my Lego Dolphin Cruiser? Uh-okay sweetie. Daughter quickly runs and retrieves box with the Lego Dolphin Cruiser in it from under the tree. She brings it gleefully into her bedroom.  I get my camera and decide to document the process of putting it together.  I open the box and several bags of Lego blocks fall out and not one, but two instruction books. What?!! Two instruction books! That's when I look at the box again and one very important detail sinks in.  612 pieces. What have I done? Daughter laughs maniacally.