The Grand Girls

We got some quick pics of the girls… and with a little magic… Christmas Photo’s for the family.

SeaWorld Coaster

Since we are staying in Orlando for several months… we always get the annual passes to SeaWorld Orlando. They have a new coaster… “Manta”. Your ride face down… most of the time… and swoop, fly, and zoom through twists, turns, loops, corkscrews, and other things yet to be named. Swooping down over the waters edge it looks like you are going to go right in… wow…what a ride!

so… who’s up for a ride??

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

Sincere wishes to everyone for a safe

Thanksgiving Holiday

Hope you all get to enjoy wonderful times

with family and friends and can

count your blessings for what you have.

Too many times we all get wrapped up

in our day to day lives and take for granted

all the small things that fulfill our lives.

Smiles – on your Sweeties Face

Happiness – Heart felt Joy in your life

Fun – Sharing with Grandchildren

Family – maybe not perfect, but Family

Friends – maybe not close all the time

Caring – about others & they about you

Courtesy – to others returned to you

Health – well… you’re not dead yet.

Freedom – to make personal choices

Nature – the beauty all around us

Dreams – yes, we still have them

Imagination – never a boring moment

Music – to excite, relax, & entertain

Modern Conveniences – that make life easy

Travel – New places to experience

Foods – enjoying the old & new

Freedom of Expression – Conveying your feelings and thought’s to others

Photography – To capture precious moments

Computers – unlimited access to information

Telephones – talk to dear ones far away

Actually….

the list is endless…

the important thing is to be Thankful

for the endless things you have.

What you don’t have… well…

maybe isn’t as important as you thought is was.

And Life is certainly too short,

to get caught up in the negatives.

You may not always get what you want…

but you will always get what you need.

So yes…

It’s a wonderful Life!

Magical Reflections

Photo was taken just before the Christmas Lights were turned on.

The Magic is still there!

The Magic is Still there... and in more ways than one. Sunday Night we went to Disney's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. Very Merry & Magic being the key words. Wow... what a night. I was with my Sweetie right up front at the Castle to start the evening. The Magic began with the Lighting of the Cinderella's Castle. The entire castle not only changes to different ever changing colors, and has different figures projected onto it ( like snowflakes), but has a million micro lights that light during a special Christmas stage performance and a visit by the Good Fairy Godmother. Colors, lights, stage show, music that surrounds you, song & dance, and the lights flicker and energize in brightness as each section of the Castle lights and fades as if they were twinkling stars, and culminates with the music, performance, all the lights bright, and a star burst of fireworks! Wow! Than concludes with a Kiss! Wow! Yep... the Magic is still there! I can still see the twinkle in Shelly's eyes. Wow. The evening continues with other shows, the Christmas Party Parade, and naturally A Special Christmas Wishes Fireworks Show.... and the rides & attractions... if you hard the time. We were there from 6pm until they offered for us to leave at midnight. What a great evening! Some of the 936 pictures... yes, it's not a typo... 936 pictures... will be up shortly.

Never Gets Old… Must be the “Magic”

No matter how much we go into the parks or visit the Disney Hotels… the magic never fades. There’s always something new to see, or an old favorite that you get to enjoy all over again. It’s fun to look for the smaller things that are generally missed while in the usual “tourist sensory overload mode”.

Too many things that are easy to miss until you slow down, and enjoy the view. Than there’s always the perfect time, perfect light, and perfect sun & shadows… to get that perfect picture.

Than there’s always the fun of going in to have a relaxing fun time and pausing to just watch the wildlife, see the trees & flowers, or simply watch the people. Just like the old saying… slow down and smell the flowers. People are funny too!

Had been to Disney several times in my life but never truly enjoyed it to the fullest until I got to slow down… go in the park for 4-5 hours.. relax and enjoy it… slowly.

There’s always something new …

and old favorites…

Just never seem to get enough…

Some people relax in their yard…

Our yard more times than not,

is someplace in Disney.

A favorite place – Wilderness Lodge

or take a boat ride on bay lake and enjoy the view.

ahhhh… relax !

Ol’ Family Memory Lane

You look at the old photos… some over 100 years old… you remember bits & pieces that was passed down… but wouldn’t it have been nice to really know the history behind their lives. Except for a old photo and perhaps a name and date written on the back, the rest is unknown and lost for all time. Some of the things in the photos tell a bit of the story, but it’s still largely unknown. Going back more than your grandparents it’s a mystery. Very little basic information let alone any details of who they were as a person, what they thought, what they believed… who they really were. One of life’s tragedies. You think more about these things when you get older. Will you be remembered any differently three or four generations now… sadly… probably not. Whatever you leave behind that survives the test of time, like the generations before you, will fade into the smaller and smaller bits & pieces, until only one ol’ photo somehow survives to tell one little bit, of one moment, of one day in your life. So here’s a silent remembrance of those that came before me, stories untold, and lost forever… in the sands of time. Wish I knew more.

My Great Great Grandfather James Oliver ___ Sr.

James Oliver ____ Sr ( my great great Grandfather) c 1897

My Great-Great Great Grandmother Olivia (born c late 1850’s)

a child during the Civil War

Olivia ( James Sr’s mother) and her grandson

James Jr. circa 1905

James Jr. (my great grandfather) 14 years old circa 1912

James Jr Great Grandfather

Joseph & Emma ( my Grandparents) [father]

Fred & Marie Grandparents ( mothers side )

and my mother Doris circa 1930 (4 years old)

Doris my mom ( 5 years old)

James my Dad ( 7 years old)

Doris my mom c 1933 (7 yrs old)

My mom 1946 (20 yrs old)

James my dad c 1942

My grandparents Fred & Marie c 1952 [mother]

James my dad 1950 ( 30 yrs old)

Doris my mom 1948 ( 22yrs old)

Doris & James, ??, and me

always wondered about this photo c 1955

Me 1957

?? & Me 1959

wondered about this one too

classic… my first & last cigarette

Easter c 1959

Easter 1960

funny how clothes have changed

or perhaps “thankful”

The Time line…

Great-Great–Great Grandmother – Olivia born c 1850’s

Great Great Grandfather James Oliver ____ Sr

Great Grandfather James Oliver ____ Jr

Grandfather Joseph Oliver _____

James Richard _____ born 1920

Richard (me) born 1953

So it’s nice make some of the connections back to my Great-great-great grandmother who was born sometime circa 1850. But there’s so many unanswered questions. Even with your parents, little is known about their childhood. For me it’s sad because the only grandparent that was alive when I was old enough to remember anyone was my mothers father…Fred. Everyone else in the family had died. My father died while I was still a teen, later followed by my grandfather and later my mom. All connections with other family was lost when I was a child. No family ties. Very little known about their lives… lost to time itself. Just a few old photos that capture a moment and can be little more than a keepsake with many unanswered questions. But it’s interesting to see the clothes and surroundings in the photos. Here’s a few more…

Fred …grandfather (hat)

Grandmother ( mother)

Grandparents (mother)

Atlantic City ??

Great grandparents (fathers side)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words…

but that just doesn’t seem to be enough.

Remembering family… wish I knew more.

Grandmother and mom (23 yrs old)

Thanks to All Veterans

Thanks to All Veterans…

Perhaps Joshua L. Chamberlain said it best…

( Major, Union Army, Civil War )

“For the First time in the History of Mankind, we are an Army that is not only fighting for our Freedom… but an Army fighting to ensure the

Right of Freedom that is entitled to All Men”.

Proud that this is still true today.

Thanks to All that have served

to ensure Everyone's Freedom.

Arrive Orlando…

Safely arrived in Orlando…. settled into the Rv Resort. Quick dinner out. Planning to got to Epcot Friday for the wine & food festival.

And the Magic Begins !!!