Missing In Action - Facebook Addict

Well, between my daughters successful surgery, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and work it's been busy. Then add in the fact that I have become totally addicted to face book, and I have not been very good about updating my blog in the last couple of months. I just finished calendar pages for 2009, which will start off my scrapbook for next year. Then, I am finishing up calendar pages for my 2008 scrapbook. Plus, I went through on PS6, and edited pictures, and put them on disc's so I can get them printed, from August through December. Yikes, that's going to be expensive to get them all printed. With all that said, I need to also get back to my heritage pages, and get more of that done.(now that I re-organized my craft room). I mailed out over a hundred hand made christmas cards as well. Did I take pictures of them? Of course not!!!! Bad girl!!!! Talk to you soon.

Wow! Time Flies Even When You are Not Having Fun

Whew! It's been a whirlwind of activity. Some good, some not so good. First, and most important my granddaughters' both had birthdays this month. It's hard to believe they are now 10 and 12. They are growing into such nice young ladies. Then, the bad news, my daughter found out she has melanoma. This is difficult, because you say skin cancer and people think oh that's not really cancer. This is the real thing, it's cancer. She will always have to be careful, and luckily caught it before it became something they couldn't treat. She is going in next Friday to have more tissue and skin removed to make sure there are not any more cancer cells there.
As a parent, it is difficult to watch your child go through this, you would rather take it on then have them hurt or worry. I wish I could make it better but I can't. I just have to believe she is going to be just fine, and this is the one and only instance she will have. She is doing great and says it is just a bump in the road. What an awesome attitude, I can't believe I have a daughter as wonderful as she is. I truly admire her! That's all for now, I have so much to be thankful for, but I have to get the pumpkin pie out of the oven, I will post later or tomorrow.

Slacking

Well, I have been slacking, for the last 5-6 weeks, I have been sick. I'd start feeling better and get going and then come down with something else. Started off with a Kidney/Bladder infection, then a sinus infection that turned into a cold. Then I think I got the flu! It just seems odd, I am taking vitamins, supplements, etc., and haven't been really ill for at least 3 or 4 years; then BAM!!! Anyway, I did get a few pages of scrapbooks done while at home with the flu. Last Saturday I went to the crop for creative memories with Tracy and my daughter. I put a lot of pictures together with paper, then when I got home all I had to do was put them down and embellish the pages. So, I am hoping by this weekend I will be close to half way done with the heritage album. Although, I will probably need a second album. I am going to put all these pages in a folder and print it out like a book on the creative memories storybook site. Then if anyone wants a copy from our family, they can purchase it there. Anyway, gotta go......

Grandpa Nichols, George J. Nichols

This is a picture of my Grandfather. I never met him, he died when my Dad was 11, in the early 50's. He was born and raised in Westfield, NY. I was told when I was little that he died of a hole in his stomach; I think it was cancer. I am ordering a death certificate to verify the information. He was the son of Charles Nichols and Helen Trump. He married my Grandmother, Leah I. Lanphere, and had 5 children. Alice Nichols (Maring), Harold Nichols, Myron Nichols, Cleon Nichols, and Raymond Nichols.

They lived on a farm on a hill called Oxbow just outside of Westfield, NY. Then the house burned down, although I never heard from what. I want to research this, I am sure there had to have been some sort of report of this in the local newspaper. I've been told my Grandfather was a golden glove boxer, and also worked on the trolly car lines, if I am remembering this correctly. I hope to have time in the near future to verify some of this information.

The page is made out of Creative Memories paper, Eyelets Etc. flowers and Brads, Thickers Brown Letters.

Post Card to Katey Trump

This is a post card to my Aunt Kate Nichols Trump, from Wisconsin. I have to assume it was from William Trump, we have other correspondence from Wisconsin from him. This would be my Grandpa Nichols maternal side of the family. My Dad, and Uncle say somehow we are related to Donald Trump, and based on some of the pictures we have, there is a resemblence; just not sure(or sure we want to be). But, if we are it's kind of cool too. Anyway, this postcard has a picture on the front and only room on the back for the address and stamp, which is a 1cent stamp. There is a month and day stamp from the post office, but not a year. There is another card here that was never sent and from Baton Rouge, Florida. Hope you enjoy, the information...... This page was mostly creative memories, the flowers were from Eyelets, Etc. and I used Stickles between the flowers.

The pockets I put the cards in cause a glare, but I am trying to keep finger prints off of them.

Post Cards from the 40's & 50's

Here are some postcards that I put in photo pockets, because they have writing and postmarks on the back. They have 1 and 2 cent stamps, and are from canandaiua lake, and watkins glenn on the page with the different colors in the background. Then on the black page there is a picture from my Grandmother's brother Jim Lanphere, while he was stationed in Germany during the 2nd world war in 1945. Then there are postcards from Washington DC, while my dad's brother Cleon was there, and he sent these to my dad. There is also a page of little postcards that were never sent of different areas and the memorials in Washington DC. I also, have a page of pictures that were sent to me, when Niagara Falls froze in I believe the early 1900's. Most of the paper and stickers are from creative memories, but there are a few stickers from Kelly Paracci - 2004. Hope you enjoy.....

Make and take night at Pam's

My daughter and I went to Pam's at PaperAskew, to make cards and hang out with some other like minded people. Who are trying to be creative but sometimes need a little help. Pam is great and comes up with such cute ideas. We really had a great time, and went home with 3 cards and a goody bag with all kinds of stuff in it. Soooo exciting!!!
Today I sorted through more of these old pictures I have and put them with some pages to start layouts for them. It's hard because I don't have that many pictures of my mother's parents or of her growing up. I'm not sure why, except my grandfather did slides, and we just might have to get some pictures of those. So, I asked my Aunt Ruthie if she had any that she could email me, I'm sure if she does I will get them soon. That's all for now.....

Update to Grandma Nichols

I didn't really finish before I published the last post. My Grandma's maiden name was Lanphere. My Grandfather's ancestors came from Germany, with the name Neukerchin, and they changed it to Nichols. Between my mother and I we have done a lot of genealogy research on this. My Grandfather's mother was from the Trump family. One of my dad's cousins on the Trump side (Roger), has also done quite a bit of genealogy on that part of the family tree.
I never got to know my Grandpa Nichols, he died when my dad was 11. My dad had a rough time growing up without a good male role model. His mother did the best she could on her own. She was a very proud woman. I am told that my Grandfather died from a hole in his stomach from a work injury, but assume it was cancer. He was sick from the time my dad was little, in fact my dad said he doesn't have many memories of him, without him being sick. They had a small farm on Oxbow Hill, just outside of Westfield. Unfortunately, the house burned down, and they moved to town. OK, now I can publish this and it's as complete as I can make it, at this point.

2 more scrapbook pages of my Grandma Nichols

I did these pages a while ago, but never posted them :( . The one with Nichols on it is all creative memories except for the Thickers. My Grandma Nichols was an inspiration to me. Not only raising two young boys on her own in the late 40's early 50's, because her husband passed on. But, when my dad married my mother, taking my mother under her wing, and teaching her to cook and bake with my dad's help. Giving guidance, never an opinion without being asked, but you knew if she didn't agree. If someone was down and out, even if she didn't have it; she would do what she could and even go without herself to help them out. She taught me how to crochet, and helped me when I was learning to sew. That's not to say my mom didn't help me as well, but sometimes I would listen to my Grandma before I would listen to my mother. I loved to listen to her stories of her life. She loved my Grandpa so much and missed him every day. It was awesome to see that kind of love displayed. When my daughter was almost 3 and I was very pregnant with my son, my parents took her to see her GGrandma; she called her the cookie Grandma. She had made cookies just for her. She lived and grew up in and around Westfield, NY, in Chautauqua county. When she passed on, I believe that was the hardest thing I ever endured. I think of her often and at the holidays especially, because of my memories when I was younger and she was a big part of the holidays. As well, when I garden and have tomatoes and cucumbers, she had taught me how to can. Even though, I don't do this anymore, I truly appreciate the time and effort people went through to can. This is long hard work.

My Son's Birthday

Today is my son's birthday! I think after your children hit the mid 20's it is hard to imagine them being that old. Of course, this means that I am that much older (maybe that's the bigger issue). Our son has been a wonderful challenge to us, his uniqueness is inspiring. He has compassion, a brilliant mind, and a wonderful smile.
He has had it tough this last year, with a marriage dissolving, finances not where he wants them, and wondering what to do now. He has since met a young lady that he seems to be serious about, and much happier with who he is and what he wants to accomplish in his life.
We will go to dinner sometime this week to celebrate his birthday, and I will post some pictures of the event. In the meantime, I thought while I was contemplating my youngest child's date of birth and who he has become I would jot it down. I hope both of my children know how much I adore them, and hope their dreams and aspirations come true, :) how blessed I have been to be given them to care for and love.

Addlt Info on scrapbook pages and more pages

The two pages I posted last night were of old postcards that my grandmother had, that my parents inherited when she passed on. This is my paternal side of grandparents. I am waiting on my Aunt to provide me with some scanned pictures of my maternal side (adoptive) grandparents and siblings. The other page is pictures of my dad's parents house they lived in after the fire of their original home on Oxbow Hill in Westfield New York.

My Grandmother, Leah Irene Nichols; didn't really have an easy life. My Grandfather passed on when my father was 11. A couple of her children were out of the house by then or shortly after; but she had to raise my uncle and my father; on her own. This was around the depression time. I'll write more about her later..... These pages are of my beautiful, giving, Grandma.

Scrapbook pages, thank you cards and pictures

I wasn't lying when I said I would be out of the loop for awhile. I guess, longer than I thought :(

I'm posting some of the thank you cards I did, as well as scrapbook pages, also some pictures from the lifelight concert we volunteered at. The concert was wonderful, hundreds of people came to know Jesus; I am humbled that I could be even a little part of it. We are working with another couple and LifeLight Festival, to bring the same thing to Colorado. We are just struggling to get 12 churches to come along side of the festival and send volunteers and help mentor the new people to church.

Most of the paper, stamps, and ink are from S.U., and Creative Memories, and ELE for the brads. Thanks for taking a look.

I will be out of the loop for a little while

I thought I had better post because I will be gone as of tomorrow for a few days. I made several thank you cards that I still need to post, and I never posted my mother's birthday card that I made for her when we stopped in Nebraska to see my parents on our way to Pennsylvania. So, at least here is her card.

We are volunteering for LifeLight Festival in South Dakota, which is a 3 day Christian Concert, festival. It's all free, just trying to turn people on to God. Unfortunately, we leave Thursday and my son-in-law is going in for surgery. We will wait until we know he is okay, and then leave. I hate leaving my daughter in the midst of all this, but we volunteered a long time ago; before we knew about the surgery. On top of that, my precious granddaughters are having upper respiratory issues caused by allergies; so my poor daughter has her hands full. :(

Will post my thank you cards when I get back, and some scrapbook pages of my grandmother on my father's side that I have done.

cards and pictures

My daughter was unable to come over so we could be creative together, BUMMER....... You'll have to put up with a simple thank you card that I am sending to my husbands cousin, Coley. He helped us for a solid week, while we were in Pennsylvania. Then put in the last dormer on the front of the house with his oldest son's help. We don't have pictures yet, they just finished yesterday.

My week has been pretty busy. Sunday our church had it's 10 year celebration. Our pastor, John Leach and his wife Chris; were surprised with a trip to the Bahama's from their congregation. My daughter and her family were there with us to help the church celebrate.

Monday, I had back to back appointments, and Tuesday was fairly busy as well. I had left Wednesday and Thursday open if my daughter could come over, or play catch up on email and paperwork for work. So, I still stayed quite busy. Yesterday, again was back to back appointments, then home for an hour. Then we went to see a kind of new Christian band at Clement Park, called Evermore. They are going to be at LifeLight Festival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota next weekend. We will be there as well volunteering. But, last night was nice; helped you let God, and let Go of the stresses of the week. I thought I would have pictures of this, but my battery was dead.

Anyway, here is a picture of the card I just made and some pictures of our Church's 10 year celebration.

card making and pages tomorrow

Well, I believe my daughter is coming over tomorrow and we are going to work on cards and scrapbook pages, then I will have some things to post. I do already have some scrapbook pages but I have one I want to finish before I publish them.
I received a letter today from my father-in-law's, cousin. We saw her at the reunion, but in the letter were other letters dating back to the 30's and 40's between cousins in Findley Lake and cousins in Gowanda, N.Y.. She said she didn't want them anymore and thought if I wanted I could keep them with the family records. I thought that was so cool! She is the one who has helped me more than anyone on my husbands paternal side in finding information. I will need to send her a Thank You note. Anyway, thanks for stopping by and hopefully I will post more later in the week.

Oh my gosh, it's been almost a week

Well, we left Pennsylvania on the 12th. We were up at 3 a.m. to finish packing and put the tarp on the motorhome. My husband's uncles (they are twins), came and picked us up and took us to the airport in Buffalo. Our plane left at 10:40 and we arrived in Denver at 3:45 p.m.. We took the skyride bus home and arrived around 6 p.m.. Our daughter's birthday dinner was planned for 6:30, we literally opened the bags to get a couple of things out, signed a birthday card and went to dinner. We arrived home around 9:30 p.m., and were completely exhausted. My husband got up the next morning and went to work though, he had to be really tired; although he would never really admit it. I was awake when he left and got up, still on Eastern time I guess. Started unpacking and doing laundry, cleaning up the house a little. I was anxious for my puppy to come home from my son's house. My daughter called and we went to have a coffee and then went to Scrapbook Destinations to look around. I found some cute paper for some of the pictures of working on the house. Then I went to meet with my partner to be brought up to speed on our clients and our new office. Made some phone calls and returned emails from people who I hadn't contacted while I was on vacation. Thursday we had a family dinner, my daughter's favorite spaghetti with Italian sausage and garlic bread. Her husbands parents and his Uncle and Aunt(who were in from Iowa), came over for cake and ice cream. Then Friday we went and got groceries, we were scraping around trying to figure out what we could eat, without very many basics.

Hopefully, things will calm down this weekend, although I have shopping and bills to pay and catch up on some other work details, so who knows if I will be able to post again until sometime next week. Again, I'd be remiss if I didn't thank all of our family and friends who have helped in one way or another so we can endure this journey of ours, of our building this house.

Pictures from our property in Greenfield Township, PA

Here are some pictures of what we have accomplished along with family and friends, we are so blessed by the people who come and help us when we come out to work on our future home in North East, PA. We are also blessed by our children and grandchildren who help whether they come with us, or stay in our beautiful state of Colorado.

more pictures

Here are some more pictures.....

more pictures from our house in pa and family

My daughter says I need to post more pictures, so I am. Hope you enjoy, and eventually I will scrapbook them and you'll see them on pretty pages.

Pennsylvania, 2008

We have been in North East, PA (Greenfield Township) for the last week and a half working on our vacation/future retirement home. We have been doing this for the last 6 years on our vacations. Not much of a vacation, but it will be worth the work and time when we are done. Here are a few pictures of where we are at and family as well.

My Mom - Kay L. Larson (Nichols)

Here is what I have been doing lately, in between getting our camper loaded, cleaning my car inside and out, getting applications and business plans to lenders, and having time for our anniversary. Spending time with my daughter and her family, talking with my son, and walking our dog. Not much, huh? These pictures are of my mother, the first page is with her biological mother Edie Gilbert. My mother was born to Edie and Adelbert Tarbox, so I imagine prior to her being adopted her name was Kay Louise Tarbox. My biological grandparents didn't make it and my grandmother kept her oldest daughter for awhile, Marjorie (my mother's biological sister); but eventually the way I understand it; both were adopted out. My mother knew her mother and sister, and her mother lived behind my mothers' Aunt and Uncle who adopted Margie. I think this was very difficult for her, understanding while she was growing up. I think she always felt she wasn't wanted, because she wasn't right there with them. But, eventually I believe she came to realize the blessing she had with the parents that adopted her.

The school pictures I've put circles around my mom, so later on people will know which one is her. The last page, the picture is peeling, but it looks like it was a Christmas picture, with a tree bough and ornament in the background. She was and is very pretty! I hope you like them. Not sure of the dates of these pictures or where they are taken; but I did the best I could with them.

My inspiration - My Daughter

Updated with pictures 7/12/2008........

I am at the castle at Glen Eyrie, in Colorado Springs; my husband booked a bed and breakfast for our 33rd anniversary. Even though it is not until the 12th, he has to work :(, so he was nice and did this for us. It is very quiet here, and they don't have any televisions in the rooms. It kind of forces you to communicate, which is nice. We went for a short hike after we got here and then went into Colorado City and walked around, we cheated and got ice cream, too.
Anyway, my daughter came over before we left and took our dog Rory for over night. Even though, she is without children and really didn't have to. She is such a sweetheart, and we love her dearly. She is creative, smart, funny, sensitive, and beautiful with those big blue eyes of hers.
I will post pictures tomorrow, have a good evening.

Little Busy this week

Sorry I haven't posted recently. We are getting ready to go to Pennsylvania and work on the house we are building there. So, this weekend I have been going through our camper and cleaning it really good, as it has been used in Pennsylvania and had lots of mud and dirt from the construction of this house. I have also, been scanning my parents pictures they gave me, and putting them into a different album. I found the pictures on my CM software I took of the album I did for my dad a few years ago. It was kind of a heritage and photos of my dad and our family. He had been diagnosed with lung cancer after having stomach cancer and they had told use he only had months. That was several years ago, and he's still alive and kickin', see what chemo and prayer and the right attitude can do..... Sometimes, all that doesn't matter, and we lose the people we love, but my prayer was answered and I still have my dad; and that's pretty cool!!

cards for my parents anniversary

I know I am not as good as a lot of other talented people (Dawn, Pam, Jen, Kazan); just to name a few. But, I am sending one of these cards to my parents for their 51st anniversary and would like your opinion(s) on the cards and which one to send. Hurry, their anniversary is soon, 51 years; now that's an accomplishment!!

I've been tagged by my daughter Dawn

My daughter Dawn who is an awesome mom, and daughter has tagged me. She has two beautiful daughters herself, and works part-time at a doctors office and also is a creative memories consultant. She is so creative, and talented; of course I am a little biased probably, but other people think so to, so am I? Anyway, Pam emailed me back and said the eyelets I used were from eye-lettes(sp?). The scrapbook store we were at was scrapbook destinations, in Highlands Ranch, CO. On to the tagging questions:

1) 10 years ago, our son had just graduated. Our daughter was expecting her second child. Our oldest granddaughter was almost 2. We had just purchased some property in Pennsylvania.

2) 5 things on my to do list today are:

dishes
laundry
stop at grocery store for salad stuff
have 3 meetings for referral and lead generation for business plans
oh, forgot - need to take a shower(that's the first thing to go is the mind, as you get older)

3) Things I would do if I were a millionaire:

Payoff mortgages for ourselves and children and parents
Take our children and our best friends back East to Israel
Travel
Make sure our grandchildren are set for college
Donate enough to our church to set up a campus church

4) Places that I have lived:

I was born in Jamestown, N.Y., have lived in Falconer, N.Y., Newport
News, VA., Westfield, NY, Sherman, N.Y., North East, PA, Denver, CO(suburbs)

I don't have anyone to tag, so I guess it will end with me. Sorry!!!!

Paper Askew Scrapbook night

Here's a page I did on Saturday night at Pam's scrapbook get together with her blogger friends. She said that included me, that's so sweet!! I had a great time and got quite a bit done. I'm not sure where the paper came from that they gave us to make something with. I did get the gold rope ribbon at the scrapbook store we were at. The picture is of me and wonderful husband, our church had a photographer come in and take pictures for mothers day and gave them to us. What a great gift for mothers day.

My 1st Birthday - 1959

This is a picture of me and my Papa. The back of the picture says Ginger's birthday, with her presents. My papa is sitting behind me, smoking his pipe. I remember so well the smell of his pipe; even now if I pass by a tobacco store, and smell his tobacco it makes me feel like he's still here.

My papa was a very important part of my life, and hopefully the feeling was mutual. He was what they called a "good ol Swede", I don't remember him angry only once or twice. He played the harmonica, and the accordion. The polka music reminds me of him as well, when it is played by someone with an accordion. He was always whistling, or strumming his fingers on something, or humming a tune.

After my Grandma died, he would take my Aunt Ruthie and I to Titusville. This is where his sister Hilda and her family lived. They would play cards into the wee hours of the night. When we got up, we had Aunt Hilda's Swedish pancakes. I remember we'd get the money from their game Penney's from Heaven and walk down to the corner store and get penney candy (I don't think there is such a thing anymore). We'd fish in the creek by their house with a stick and string. Then we'd listen to them tell stories about when they were little and living in the Pennsylvania hills, and my Papa worked in the coal mines.

I miss them a lot, and those times.......

1959

This is a picture of me with my mom. The back of the picture says Kay and Ginger, Kay is 6 months into her 2nd pregnancy, and Ginger is 10 months old. The picture is getting old and is cracked, so my mom's face looks a little strange. It looks like the wallpaper in the apartment was starting to come down as well.

This scrapbook page took me all day to do; for whatever reason my computer is running slower than I don't know what. But, I am starting to get the hang of the digital scrapbook pages. Maybe someday I will come up with my own designs... The paper and the elements are from Shabby Princess.com.

My Parents

This is a picture if I remember correctly of my parents before they were married. My mom and dad were 14 and 17, when they married. It was 1957; they had run away I believe a month or so before and were escorted home. My Grandparents decided they better get married, and so they were at a justice of the peace. Before you knew it, I came along; and then my brother Raymond, and my youngest brother Mickey. My parents are still married, and will celebrate I believe their 51st wedding anniversary, soon. Hope you like the scrapbook page. It was an image already in the PS6, I just added the picture.

More pictures of me

Here's another scrapbook page, I hope the text comes through this time. I'm doing old pictures of me; thanks to my mom and dad for providing them. I'm trying to get the stories that go with the pictures and make sure the dates are correct. I've given my parents this blog, in hopes they will participate with me on this. It's just hard sometimes to get the information, and we don't remember as well as we used to (at least that's how I am). I thought I'd start with me and then my brothers, and get my parents in there as well. I have a lot of their pictures, and want to get them back to them as soon as possible. I am scanning as I go. This page is from PS6.

Me (Ginger) at 3 months

Well, I'm kind of on my way for scrapbook pages, it's a little difficult for me yet, but I am trying. The first scrapbook page was of me at about 6 months, these pictures are of me at 3 months, with my mom, and my dad's mom. I would think it might be mother's day.