Little Bytes of Life

I'm Leavin' on a Jet Plane

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:52:00 +0000

I had hoped to post Jamboree Day 3 before today, but alas... life (and my 2-year old) takes priority. My bags are packed, and I'm leaving tonight for Washington, DC, to attend the Daughters of the American Revolution's 117th Continental Congress. My hope is to post some photos and news while I'm there, but... who knows. They've got me working as one of their webmasters, so it's likely that I won't have a spare minute. Perhaps I'll get a chance to "moblog," though. :-) So everyone have a...

Jamboree Day 2 Continued: The "Genes" in Genealogy

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 06:39:00 +0000

Not to beat a dead horse, but the food at the Marriott did leave something to be desired. Concession food was offered (as a concession for the parking situation, I assume), but it was a) expensive, and b) didn't look very good. We didn't try the Daily Grill restaurant, based on the reviews of some Jamboree attendees (crowded and expensive). Thankfully, there is a new (since last year) food court across the street at the Burbank Airport. So, after the Blogger Summit, my family had a tasty lunch...

Jamboree Day 2: The Blogger Summit

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:55:00 +0000

Day 2 of the Jamboree began early for me. My daughter woke us up at 5:00 a.m., crying, with a poopy diaper. I’ll bet none of the other geneabloggers can say that. Probably the session I was most looking forward to was the Blogger Summit, featuring Steve Danko, Schelly Talalay Dardashti, Dick Eastman, Leland Meitzler, George G. Morgan, Randy Seaver, and Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak. To be honest, I really wasn’t sure what to expect at this session. After all, what exactly IS a “Blogger Summit?” I...

Wordless Wednesday: Hey Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:39:00 +0000

Jamboree Day 1: Live, and in Person

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 23:24:00 +0000

On the Road... Again Our plan was to drop our dog off at the kennel at 8:00 a.m. and get on the road early. Yeah, right. We did drop the dog off on time, but we didn’t get on the road until around 10:30 a.m. Is it ever possible to be early – much less on time – for ANYTHING when you travel with a toddler? I would love to know how, as I have NOT mastered this technique yet. We arrived at the Burbank Airport Marriott at around 1:30 p.m., and the parking lot was PACKED. Paula had hinted that...

SCGS Jamboree: More Fun Than a Playgroup Full of 2-Year Olds!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:34:00 +0000

"Jamboree Begins!" (Burbank Airport Marriott, Burbank, Los Angeles Co., California). Digital Image. Photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, June 27, 2008. After a busy, fun weekend, followed by a couple of busy, less-fun days catching up at home, I finally have a chance to sit down and write about our weekend at the Southern California Genealogy Society’s Jamboree 2008. It was an outstanding conference, and kudos go to Paula, Leo, and the rest of the SCGS volunteers who produced this event. This...

Blogger Summit Happening Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 17:28:00 +0000

I'm sitting in the Gen-Blogger Summit at the SCGS Jamboree listening to some of the most popular and well-known names in genealogy blogging. Very exciting! More later - I don't want to miss anything while I'm live-blogging! Check out my Twitter updates to follow the action at Jamboree ( button in the upper left).

One of Those Weeks?

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:56:00 +0000

Ever have one of those weeks? The ones where everything happens, everything is due, everyone calls or visits? I've had two of those weeks in a row, and I'm working on my third. My daughter finally figured out how to climb out of her play yard; the crib will be next - very soon - and then it will be all over for me. But on the bright side, I'm on my way to the SCGS Jamboree right now! I hope to see some of my genea-blogger favs there, and will try to keep you all posted on the action! For...

Creatures Great and Small (Mostly Small)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 04:55:00 +0000

If a love of animals is passed on through the DNA, then it would explain why I've always had some sort of pet. Cats, dogs, goldfish, guinea pigs, hamsters, turtles... you name it, I've probably had one. Or more. The following are photos of a few of our family pets: Lucky was my father's beloved boyhood companion for a number of years. He now has a Welsh Corgi, a Cocker Spaniel, and about 7 cats. At least, that was the last count. For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of this cat....

Celebrating Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:54:00 +0000

This morning, we got up early so my daughter could share some time with her Daddy before he went to work. She carried his gift to him, but didn't want to give up the bag (what is it with toddlers and giving things to people?). They opened Daddy's cards and read them together (pictured above), and then Daddy had to leave for work. Thankfully, he decided to come home and work instead so he was able to spend much of the day playing with his little girl. This afternoon, we called Grandpa (my...

Scoundrels, Saints, & Spice at the Santa Barbara Co. Genealogical Society!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:02:00 +0000

Bonnie Raskin will be the featured speaker at the Saturday, June 21, 2008 meeting of the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society. Her talk, entitled "A Tale of Three Orphans," will spotlight the amazing research and discovery journey that began when three children appeared out of nowhere on a 1930 Sheridan, Wyoming, Census. Additionally, Mel Sahyun will provide an illustrated tale of "Dick Dowell, Santa Barbara's Frontier Lawman." The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m., at the First...

John Andrew Pado: Loving Life and Family

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:43:00 +0000

John Andrew Pado, my husband’s great-grandfather, was born on March 25, 1887 in Czechoslovakia to parents Michael Pado and Mary Gades. He was the 3rd son to be named “John” – his two older brothers were each named John before him, but both died in infancy. His other siblings were: Michael (born March 3, 1883; died September 12, 1951), George (born October 3, 1895; died May 1969), Andrew, Anna, Mary, and Susie. John’s formal education lasted only a few days. As a result, he never learned to...

Pass the Clorox, Please

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 11:35:00 +0000

NOTE: In light of yesterday's tragic midwest tornadoes, I decided to change the title of this post so as not to alarm anyone. My daughter has been sick with a sinus infection for three days. Like most moms, whenever one of us is sick, I tend to obsess about germs and turn myself into Monk until the worst is over. So I found this little quiz tonight and I'm seriously disturbed to learn that: 2,516,640How Many Germs Live On Your Keyboard? Do you suppose my keyboard would survive a good...

Wordless Wednesday: Giraffe Gets a Snack

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 23:50:00 +0000

DAR Flag Disposal Ceremony to be Held on Flag Day

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:10:00 +0000

The Captain Henry Sweetser Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will be meeting on Saturday, June 14, 2008, at 10:30 a.m., in Santa Maria, for their annual Flag Day - Flag Disposal Ceremony and Pot Luck Luncheon. Members of the Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.) and Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) will also be attending. Flags, like any other items made of fabric, are subject to wear and tear, but cannot simply be thrown out when they become tattered and unusable....

"Researching Probate Records and Analyzing Wills" at the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:40:00 +0000

"Genealogical Tips on Researching Probate Records and Analyzing Wills " will be the topic of speaker Randall J. Bunn at the Friday, June 20, 2008, meeting of the San Fernando Valley Genealogical Society, at 7:30 p.m., at the Balboa Mission Town Hall in Granada Hills. Randall J. Bunn is an attorney currently working for the Department of Defense. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2005, where he spent his career as a judge advocate military attorney. Mr. Bunn is a graduate of the University...

Young Love, Old Love

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:45:00 +0000

Being in love is easy when you're young and infatuated. It's not so easy when you've spent a lifetime together raising children, learning about each other, and living through life's ups and downs. Married on October 2, 1917, in Greene County, Tennessee, my grandparents, Isaac Lee and Reba Dunn Swanay spent almost 70 years together. Almost. My grandfather passed away in 1986 and grandmother in 1987, so they didn't quite make it to 70. But they came closer than most us ever will. The first...

On "Being Irish"

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:32:00 +0000

What does "being Irish" mean to you? This was the question posed in the 6th Edition, Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture, hosted at Small-Leaved Shamrock. Lisa has done a tremendous job of showcasing the many wonderful entries. My entry about my Irish grandmother is here: To Be 100% Irish. The 7th Edition, Carnival of Irish Heritage and Culture involves a summer reading challenge, complete with homework. Tune in to Small-Leaved Shamrock for details!

To Be 100% Irish

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 03:48:00 +0000

Growing up, “Irish,” to me, meant leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold… basically things that were “magically delicious.” Ireland was just some far-away place, full of strange, mystical things. My maternal grandmother was fond of telling me – often, and with great gusto – that she was “100% Irish.” I wasn’t sure what that meant. Was she was related to leprechauns? Did we have a pot of gold somewhere? Was I 100% Irish, too? What was so special about being 100% Irish? There was definitely...

Second Edition of "Forgotten Patriots" Released by NSDAR

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 23:41:00 +0000

New DAR Publication Highlights the Many Contributions of African Americans and American Indians in the Revolutionary War WASHINGTON, DC – An unprecedented new publication highlighting the contributions of African Americans and American Indians in America’s War for Independence is now available from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The second edition of Forgotten Patriots – African American and American Indian Patriots of the Revolutionary War: A Guide to...

Wordless Wednesday: Great-Grandpa Dagle with Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:05:00 +0000

See the Bathing Beauties at the COG!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:02:00 +0000

If you haven't already done so, you'll want to dive into the Carnival of Genealogy, 49th Edition: Suimsuit Edition! You won't see ME, of course, but you will see a wide variety of lovely, memorable family photos and stories. It's not Sports Illustrated, but I'm certain that you will enjoy it, nonetheless! My entry in the COG is here: Back to the Beach: 1940's Suimsuit Edition, featuring my mother and her sister in the most stylish of 1940's era swimwear for children (shoes and socks...

Happy Birthday, My Little Sweetheart!

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 06:16:00 +0000

My beautiful, little girl: I can hardly believe that today you are TWO! You've brought such joy to your Daddy and me. Everyday, I'm amazed by the things you can do. You're my little Smartypants, who can already operate the TV and DVD player, and loves to walk around in Mommy's shoes. I love you, Sweetie, and I can't wait to see what the next year will bring. Copyright © 2008 by Elizabeth O'Neal

DENIED (Again)

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Sat, 31 May 2008 11:48:00 +0000

Yesterday afternoon, as I was searching through the garage looking for a hat that I'm supposed to wear in a parade this morning, I came across a surprising find: In a box in the center of the garage, buried underneath a down comforter and a bunch of paint supplies, were several old photos, a bag of my baby clothes, and two special books. I know I must have seen these items at some point because I removed them from my mother's hope chest and put them in this box. But for the life of me, I...

Celebrating Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Elizabeth) — Sat, 31 May 2008 05:36:00 +0000

Since today, May 30th, is the true Memorial Day (or Decoration Day, as it was once known), I wanted to share a few photos of how my family and I spent our weekend. Last Saturday, we ventured up to the Santa Maria Cemetery where we "planted" flags on the graves of veterans. There were so many volunteers present that it only took about an hour to cover the entire cemetery (and it's not a tiny cemetery, either). We were with a group from our local Children of the American Revolution (C.A.R.),...