Wordless Wednesday ~ My Dad holding Janice

~My Dad, John Adam Eimes, 27 Dec 1931 ~ 14 Jan 1997~

~Janice, Birthdate unknown~

Photo digitally held by Gini Webb (address for private use) San Diego, CA

Original held by Larry Carmichael - Janice is Larry's sister (my cousin), St. Louis, MO electronically sent to me 7.29.09

Shared with his permission

A New Chapter in My Life ~ I've Retired!

My retirement card from my Co-Workers Original card held by Gini Webb (address for private use) San Diego, CA 28, Sept 2009

I have been fortunate to have an early retirement! My hubby retired in May from his career of 30 years with the city. He wasn't quite ready to retire but the city was messing with the employees medical insurance and imposing a 6% decrease in pay by June 30th. As hard as it was, he made the decision to retire early and has life time medical. He has now been hired by another agency and is happy to be working again doing what he loves the most!

Even though he hung out with the grand kids all summer, and loved it (grandpa is the bomb) he was ready to give up his Mr. Mom position to me! Hubby knew that I was stressed and the line of work I was in was taking it's toll on me. He said a few weeks ago, "Would you like to retire?" Uhhh, you don't have to ask me twice! I have been waiting a long time for this day! I am finally retired and loving it- and it's only been my first day home!

Retirement Autumn Flower Bouquet from my Company - Digital photo owned and held by Gini Webb (address for private use) San Diego, CA 29, Sept 2009

Sept 28th, 2009 was my last day at a job I had been at for 15 years. I am very excited to be out of the work force stress and the rat race. At the same time I will miss several co-workers that I did get very close to. We will stay in touch. I was so surprised when I received a beautiful Autumn bouquet from the company, lunch of my choice that was brought in, a very nice card signed by all of the employees (most, some were not available), 2 giant Hershey Bars (thank you Rose, she knows that I am a chocoholic) and lots of hugs and a great email from my boss saying thank you for all the years of service I had given (he was away on a cruise). It was a very nice send off.


Now I am able to pursue my genealogy as I have wanted to for several years. I will have time to post, research, organize and I am even seriously considering on line courses to better myself in genealogy. I am also going to be very active in my grand kids lives, I will be taking them to school and picking them up. Today was my first day of doing that and they were very excited to see me waiting there for them! Emma my oldest grandchild said, "how is your first day of being retired Oma?" I said, it's the best Emma!

I have the biggest smile on my face and have felt a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. It doesn't get any better than this.


I think that my genea-blogger family will be hearing more from me and I will also be able to post more articles on Geneabloggers "May I Introduce You To..." segments for Thomas. I enjoy doing the articles, learning and getting to know new and old bloggers. Like I said, it does not get any better than this - I am extremely grateful for all that I have. So, new beginnings ahead, wow, I am a lucky girl!

Wordless Wednesday ~ My dad as a young boy!

Original held by Larry Carmichael - electronic copy held by Gini Webb

(address for private use only) San Diego, CA August 2009

My father ~ John Adam Eimes

27 Dec 1931 ~ 14 Jan 1997

First Day of School~ My grandaughter, Emma

When I did the "Smile for the Camera 17th Edition" I did not have a photo for my post, (thank you FootnoteMaven - you make me feel so young!), I will add the photo of Emma at our front door as I had described in my School Days post so that it is complete, but in the meantime here are a few photos below.

My granddaughter Emma's first day of school!

She is my oldest granddaughter, there are six more grandchildren to share (I will share in a later post)! Emma is the little lady in the middle, her two good friends on each side of her! She is such a sweetie. Emma is very interested in genealogy and wants her Oma's (me) help in getting started! Oma is more than happy to oblige.

First Day of School Sept 2009

Left to right - Marina, Emma (my granddaughter) and Alexa, 5th grade.

Photo held by Gini Webb (address for personal use) San Diego, CA

First Day of School (actually a few days later that I took, Emma's mom has first day photos)

Digital photo taken and held by Gini Webb (address for private use) San Diego, CA

This is the traditional photo we have taken since Emma's first day of school in Kindergarten. I will have to dig out the last 4 years! It would be great to see the how she has grown and what she picked to wear on the first day of school. She is getting so big. Holding up her hand is letting us know she is in the 5th grade!

Wordless Wednesday

Digital photo emailed to me from my cousin Larry Carmichael. Original held by: Mrs. M. Carmichael (address for personal use)

St. Louis, MO

My father John Adam Eimes and my grandmother, Inez Tabeling Arbogast

Making a Blog Book using Blurb

Using Blurb for making a blog book ! What a great idea, making a book from your blog! I was watching a scrap booking show when they had a segment on making a book out of your blog! My ears perked up and I knew I had to share it with all of you. The site seems easy to use and you can download Blurb Booksmart for free and create your book.

Thomas at Geneablogger has also found a site that has teamed up with blogger. I haven't had a chance to check Blog2Print just yet but when I am done posting here I will be heading on over there.

I think making a book from your blog is a great way to preserve all of your hard work and also have it for family members or friends to see. It is something I am seriously considering doing very soon.

Remembering Sept. 11th, 2001

I remember exactly what I was doing that morning, just like you remember what you were doing and where you were when we received the news of President Kennedy had been assassinated.

My husband was out of town for a two week training class related to his job. I was getting ready for work as usual when the phone rang. It was my husband telling me to turn the TV on, as I walked over to turn the TV on, he was telling me that a plane flew into one of the Trade Center Towers. At that time we just thought it was a horrible accident. When I turned the TV on, it was just as the second plane flew into the second Twin tower, I was horrified, what in the world was going on?!! I was frozen and could not believe what I was watching on TV. My heart ached for those that you knew were inside. I never expected the Twins towers to crumble the way they did. So many loved ones lost.

Then the 3rd plane slammed into the Pentagon. I thought to myself, we are being attacked and at war now. For the first time I was truly scared. I wanted to grab our only then grandchild and go somewhere safe. I didn't want to go to work or move from the house. My husband was away and my daughter and granddaughter were in their home but not with me. I felt I needed my family together in one place.

I called work, and they didn't seem to blink an eye. Of course you have to come to work! Reluctantly I went to work. Co-workers were talking about it but nothing big. All I wanted to do was have my family near and watch the news.

I know that I will never loose the feeling that I and many others had on that day. I will never forget and I hope that as time passes, that none of us forget, we can't.

My thoughts and prayers are with all of the families that have lost loved ones on a very sad day 8 years ago.

School Days ~ Smile for the Camera 17th Edition

Smile for the Camera 17th Edition ~ School Days submission hosted by FootnoteMaven at Shades of the Departed




Well I hunted high and low for a school photo of an ancestor - none to be found. So I am going to share the tradition we have put in place here at home.



It started with our first grandchild, Emma. On her first day of Kindergarten, we would have her stand at our front door (our grandchildren and my daughter live with us) in her brand new outfit and have her picture taken. Each year on the first day of school she would stand in the same spot at the same front door and have her picture taken! She just started 5th grade! Her brother Ethan just started Kindergarten, the tradition is continuing with him! My daughter has not downloaded the photos so I don't have them to post. I think it's a great way to see how they have grown, and the outfits they chose to wear! All of our girls are adopting this tradition with their children.



I have shared this with other grandparents and parents alike - I always get the comment, "What a great idea!" It really is.



As I was checking out other blogs with School Days Submissions, I see that Lisa Jarvis had the same idea and posted them on Shades of the Departed, I love hers and the scrapbook she put together, another great idea.