Ode to Joy

So, I grew up with my mom teaching piano lessons to lots of kids of varying skill levels. But for some reason, we heard Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" almost every single day! And usually from the --how shall I put this-- less prodigious of her students. Needless to say, that song has found its way onto my "I never want to hear it again" list.

However.

I suddenly find myself a beginning music student once more! And so, with a teensy bit of pride-in-accomplishment, I present:



Enjoy. Or plug your ears, as the case may be. =]

Merry Christmas!

So I don't have time for a full update, because it's way past my bedtime. But here are a few pictures!!!!

My sisters and I, just before going to Jon Schmidt's christmas concert.


Our Christmas tree and (most of) the presents. =]


My niece Emma and my cousin Spencer. (He said, "I love her!" So I had them pose.)


My new and soon-to-be adopted cousin Lily decorating homemade cookies.


My huge surprise and new best friend! I have named her Cecily. Isn't she beautiful???

The Hearts of the Children

Guess what people?

I have been working diligently on my family history work, like a good little Rel 261 student, but it's turned into more than that. Every assignment and every project has pulled me in deeper until now I can finally say that I am actually addicted to genealogy! The greatest part is that it's contagious. A while back I offered to save my PAF file (all the family info I have) onto my sister Isabelle's computer... and we ended up spending about three hours researching online. Just like that.

Well today my sister Becca heard one of her friends casually mention that she was going to Holladay, Utah to student teach. Well, that's my Mom's maiden name! So Becca, just to satisfy plain old curiosity looked it up and found the city website. She sent it to me, and I recognized the name of the pioneer company who founded it! I told her the city was founded by our great x 4 grandfather, who I have been researching! She got a little more curious and decided to look the place up on Google Earth. She found Holladay Memorial Park just a few miles outside of Salt Lake, located near a little stream called Spring Creek. Well, this pioneer ancestor of ours was buried in a place called Spring Creek back in 1862. Bingo. Out of nowhere, without really meaning to, she discovered my great-great-great-great-grandfather's [probable] grave site. We even found a virtual tour of the cemetery! So when we drive home this Christmas we're going to try and make a little side trip to take pictures of any Holladays we can find there. In the meantime, she is beginning to get just as addicted as I am! (If you care to get just as excited as we are, check out our family history blog, holladayseason.blogspot.com. I also uploaded a tutorial I created for PAF beginners!)

So please, please! Do yourself a favor and just start somewhere; anywhere. Even if you can't find anything new, I promise you'll be blessed!

Love, Stacy