Monday, July 16, 2007

Genealogy, Camp, Summer


(I can't remember if I've posted on this before or not, and I'm too lazy this morning to go look it up, so just pretend with me that this is new ground!)

Have I mentioned the genealogy bug has bitten me again?  I haven't messed around with the family tree in a long time, but somehow I got the bug again right before fourth of July, and logged on for a free trial at Ancestry.Com.  I must say, the internet will take genealogy light years forward.  After plugging in what I knew from memory I started looking, and was positively AMAZED at what is out there.  My big success so far is going back a generation on Dad's grandmother.  Until this month all I had on her was her name, really.  I've hooked up with the descendants of one of her brothers (that I didn't know she had) and now have considerable information on her parents.  We're still trying to figure out exactly when they immigrated (I have a different ship/arrival than the other part of the family), but it really makes me feel like I'm starting to know her better.  I've been writing to my grandfather to sort out facts for him and his siblings, which has helped alot too.  My next challenge on that side of the family is to figure out when Charles Somazze immigrated... I found a likely candidate, but much research to go until I'm sure that was him.    On Mom's father's side I've gotten proper dates for her grandparents, the next step is to find their parents.  One big challenge is that the 1940 census records don't release until 2012.  Basically if someone is still alive, it's much harder to research them.  Don't get me started on some of the inaccuracies in records either.  

The hardest thing so far with doing this is that nobody else is around to be excited with me when I find these facts.  I need to find a family history buddy to get excited with me and who likes to talk about immigration records and census records.  Ha!

Duncan attended day camp for scouts last week, and had a great time.  I knew he would.  They worked on weather, geography, archery, BB shooting, art and some other stuff.  It was pirate themed, which he LOVED.  All of us went to the family picnic on Friday night with him.  Connor gets his next summer activity next week when he goes to soccer camp the week of July 23rd.   It's being offered by local high school coaches, and I am really hoping it will help him improve.

Can you believe the summer is already half over??

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Just... Thoughts

Hurray for chemistry -- my two overactive little boys are finally calming down this morning. Duncan has been depressed since he got home from Charlotte over having to leave his grandmother. We really are at our wits end with his whining and complaining about this. He called her 12 times the first day he was home. He called her at 8am yesterday morning. He had been told not to call her before 6pm so he was punished by not being allowed to call anymore yesterday. Dot asked us WHY we taught him her phone number. Ha, we didn't, he found it in the phone memory. He starts day camp for scouts tomorrow so hopefully that will give him something new to obsess about.

I've started on a new multi-vitamin. I'm not sure how it's going or not... I've been really nauseous and sick the last couple of days and I wonder if it's from the vitamin. It's more vegetable based, and I am not a veggie girl. The nausea could be coming from the byetta as well, although I find it odd that it took three weeks to kick in. Why is it that you feel the worst when you are actively trying to improve your eating habits? I did a BAD thing last night, we got chinese, and my blood sugar this morning clearly reflected my misdeed. But after the TUMS and pepto bismol last night my stomach finally settled down (it was upset before the chinese).

I discovered (much to my chagrin) last night that Charles hasn't had his anti-depressant in over a week; somehow he didn't realize that those pills had changed colors (different dose) and was skipping them because he thought it was a nutritional supplement. I am really hoping getting this fixed will improve his mood. I need to load pill minders for everyone this morning, not one of my favorite chores. Somehow one of Duncan's minders has gotten misplaced, so I have to hunt that too.

The silly gray furball (aka Dexter) got another mouse this week, and left it thoughtfully at the foot of my bed as an offering. Fortunately Charles found it before I did! He was sleeping at Charles' feet last night in the recliner when Charles wanted more duck sauce, so I was throwing the packets across the room so neither one of us would have to wake up (or disturb the cat). We both laughed when the cat jumped up and tried to catch one of the packets.

Any reality TV fans reading this post? I'm am anxiously awaiting the next episode of Big Brother 8 tonite... I'm really curious to see how the "america's houseguest" twist will go. Tonite also brings another episode of Army Wives, so at least there is some new TV tonite.

One last thought, for my fellow bloggers... go back and read some of your oldest archives. I read the first six months of this blog, and found it very interesting reading.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

My Space

So what's all the fuss about?? I have a MySpace page, I rarely visit, and I just don't understand the fuss. Any of you have one? Wanna be buds? LOL!

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Independence Day

I'm still depressed, but at least I am doing more than moping. This feels so weird... I've taken meds for depression for a long time, and these blue moods are rare anymore. I was so down I didn't go to my sister-in-law's house for the fourth... just didn't feel like driving. The kids & Charles are spending the night at her house (my MIL isn't feeling well so they are giving her a break).

The rest of my crew will stay at my MIL's house until this weekend. Then they all come home for a bit -- Duncan has day camp for scouts next week so that should keep him busy.

Monday, July 02, 2007

Word of the Day


Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source

de·pressed      /dɪˈprɛst/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[di-prest] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective

1. sad and gloomy; dejected; downcast.

2. pressed down, or situated lower than the general surface.

3. lowered in force, amount, etc.

4. undergoing economic hardship, esp. poverty and unemployment.

5. being or measured below the standard or norm.

6. Botany, Zoology. flattened down; greater in width than in height.

7. Psychiatry. suffering from depression.




[Origin: 1375–1425; late ME; see depress, -ed2]

—Synonyms 1. saddened, morose, despondent, miserable; blue; morbid.
—Antonyms 1. happy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.