Facebook

I opened a Facebook account. don't ask me how this happened, it just sort of did. I clicked onto the Parent's Magazine photo contest and it wanted my Facebook account. So I opened one! Simple as that. Suddenly all these people pop up that have accounts that I know. Mostly relatives, fortunately. I guess it must have searched my AOL address book, which is the email account I gave them. Can they do that?

So far it looks like a lot of my relatives making smart-alec remarks back and forth. Hey, I think I might like this! They are all so sassy! I like that about them! And no one ever comments on this blog, so maybe Facebook is the way to go. Honestly, I kind of avoided it because I thought it was a thing for the kids and I didn't want to become a voyeur into their private lives. You know, the lives that they expose to everyone with an Internet connection? But then the first person I got a friend request from was Mary!  So I guess I will play along and see where it goes.

Pretty Baby!

Everybody knows we have the prettiest babiest in our family! We wouldn't be normal if we didn't think so!

Therefore, it only makes good sense that our little Isaac should be entered into the Parent's Magazine Cutest Kid Contest, tho they may have a different name for it. Well surprise, he has been entered into this contest! So please follow the link and vote for our little cutie. The one with the most votes gets on the cover! Vote-vote-vote! Vote every day until it's over, yes, they allow that. 
Everyone knows that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I sure wish I was the one holding Isaac right now!

OUR HANDSOME and HAPPY GRADUATE!

If you haven't seen Kyle for a while, he has grown into a man while we were looking the other way! And a handsome man too! Kyle graduated from high school recently and is now facing his future! What to do, what to do? 

I have a rather old fashioned suggestion: Get a job and work your butt off! Develop a reputation for someone who is hardworking and reliable! Save your money. The past has been fairly easy, but the future will not be. We want the best for you, and it is up to you to achieve it! Our prophet has said that "Our decisions determine our destiny"! Keep this as a mantra to remember and live accordingly. Show your love for your family and your gratitude as well. It is wonderful to have friends, but when things get tough you will learn that your family will always stand by you.

We are so proud of you and look forward to seeing good things happening for you in the future! We love you Kyle!

JUNE BIRTHDAYS

It is birthday time again! Our darling Danielle is 14 years old today! Happy Birthday Danielle! This photo is from last summer, and since she is coming to see us at the beach, I will have a chance to take more current pictures soon! Can't wait!

My sister Linda also has a birthday this month, and out of respect for the elderly, I will not disclose her age. But she looks darn good for a card carrying AARP member! And I never get tired of rubbing it in!

This, of course, is my beautiful mother, Louise Chambers Winspear, who passed away January 1, 2000, just a few months after this photo was taken. She was born June 9, 1923. Just last week I was in Minneapolis and visited her grave. It was a beautiful and peaceful day at the cemetery, and I shared a diet coke with her. I miss you Mom.

LISA GRADUATES

 

Our darling Lisa graduated--yes, from college! It is difficult to believe when you look at this sweet face that she is 22 years old!

We were delighted when Lisa told us that she wanted to come to Virginia to visit us on her way home to Hong Kong. We couldn't quite believe it, but she actually showed up here with her mother, Joanna. They spent three nights here and we loved every minute. Lisa has grown so much in the five years that we have known her. She is not as shy as when we first met her. She has a sweet and bubbly personality, and a good sense of humor. (We base that on the fact that she laughs at our jokes!)

Unfortunately it rained most of the time they were here, but we did manage to catch a few sunny minutes looking at the beach from atop a sand dune.

Joanna insisted on making dinner for us. Fried rice with crab and shrimp, and tomatoes with beef. She also stir fried shrimp in soy sauce, which we loved. I watched and tried to learn from her.

Joanna also made Chinese soup with bok choy and pork. Everything was so good and so pretty! We are so happy to know Joanna. She is lovely and so easy to be around. We hope they will come back and visit again when the sun is shining!

How blessed our family has been to have this special young woman in our family for the past five years. We will always think of her as our own and we are happy that her Hong Kong family was willing to share her with us.

We love you Lisa!

SINGING THAT SONG AGAIN!

This happy little girl just turned five years old! She says it will be a "whole new experience"! One thing is for sure, we can never get enough of her! Happy Birthday granddaughter!

Chris and Polly both have birthdays this month as well. Here they are at Becky's wedding, looking as happy as can be!

No birthday this month for Renn, but Jennie does have a birthday! This photo was from "a few" years ago, and darn cute! Happy Birthday darling Jennie! 

We sure love you all!

FAMILY CONNECTIONS

This is my Uncle Burt Winspear, Grandpa Jim's younger brother. I love this photo of him! He was about to be made captain when he died fighting a fire in Buffalo, NY in1975. He and his wife, Margie, had four children. Recently his daughter Donna left a couple e-mails on Grandpa Jim's blog. I contacted her by e-mail and then we spoke by phone. We have not been close over the years. We moved from Buffalo when I was 14 years old and Donna was a baby. I remember Grandma Bessie was so delighted with Donna because she finally had a grandchild with red hair like her own! 

When I was 18 Linda and I went back to Buffalo for a visit.

 Linda, Cheryl, Donna on my lap, Grandma Bessie and Margie

When Dad and I lived in Rochester for a brief while we saw Aunt Margie and her family again. Donna had grown up and had twin girls, by then. Cheryl couldn't make it that night and I hope to connect with her soon also.

Now another 20 years has passed! I am so delighted to be talking to my cousin again. And now I find that we have something in common that we can share. Donna has recently taken an interest in genealogy! We spoke for over an hour last week catching up on family and family history. She and her daughter, Lindsay-in the above photo, have been going to the County Court House and looking up records and searching microfilms. etc. They also went to the Lancaster Rural Cemetery where my mom and Jennie and I went back in 1988 to the Winspear family plot. Donna was as thrilled as I was to find the resting place of almost all our ancestors (the American ones).

It is a rather funny feeling to go to the cemetery and find all the grave stones. We felt the presence of our ancestors around us. Of course we know their spirits have moved on, but somehow we felt them, as though they were watching and knew we were there searching for them and wanting to say hello!

Our Winspear ancestors left Yorkshire, England in 1831 and settled in the Buffalo area. They raised large families and were active in their communities. Donna teaches 5th grade and talks about them to her class as part of their local history of Cheektowaga, NY. Isn't it fascinating that her family is still located in this same community where our ancestors settled? Her daughter is the eighth generation living there! 

Just thought you might like to know...