Tag Archives: family

On Finding My Grandfather

Posted on November 4, 2018 by Barb Knowles

100 years ago this month, the world saw the end of the Great War. This day has special meaning for my family. While my father, two brothers, two uncles, and one nephew served in our military, some as career officers, … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Uncategorized | Tagged Aisne-Marne, Armistice, cadets, Chateau-Thierry, Class of 1915, duty honor country, Eisenhower, family, genealog, history, KIA, Michael E. Heskew, officers, soldiers, St. Mihiel, The Great War, USMA, West Point, WWI | 14 Comments

#legit

Posted on February 8, 2018 by Barb Knowles

Grandson: Mamoo, you aren’t a stereotypical grandmother…..you’re legit. Me: What’s a stereotypical grandmother? Grandson: One who knits ugly sweaters and does boring stuff. I’m legit. That was such a cool compliment. He did have an ulterior motive, though, because he wanted me to … Continue reading →

Posted in family, humor, Uncategorized | Tagged DNA, family, family dynamics, grandchildren, grandmother, grandparents, Humor, knitting, legit, unconditional love | 13 Comments

And Then…..This Happened

Posted on August 2, 2017 by Barb Knowles

“I’m so happy that something else happened to my car while I wasn’t in it” said no person ever. If you have been following my accidents-that-happen-when-I’m-not-the-car saga, I think the count was three in a month, and then one 30 … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, Uncategorized | Tagged blogging, car accidents, car repairs, cars, cruises, family, Humor, license plates, marriage, serendipity, vacation mishaps, vacations, what else can go wrong | 20 Comments

The Crazy Evolution of Holidays

Posted on May 26, 2017 by Barb Knowles

On Monday, we will celebrate Memorial Day in the US. The day we honor our fallen soldiers. And eat hot dogs and hamburgers. I’m not kidding. If you’ve read my last post, you know how important Memorial Day is to … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, Uncategorized | Tagged Birthdays, celebrations, christmas, Easter, family, holidays, Humor, memorial day, parades, picnics, thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Veterans Day, West Point | 15 Comments

What Makes A Family?

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Barb Knowles

Yesterday, after school, I was hanging out with a colleague for a little while. We were talking about my blog (believe it or not, she actually brought it up first). I told her a story about when I had reblogged … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blogging, blogs, DNA, family, family relationships, friends, friendships, photos, The Captain's Speech | 26 Comments

Things To Change

Posted on January 26, 2017 by Barb Knowles

I just read the latest from one of my favorite bloggers at The Zen Hiker. He talks about the cool side of the pillow. Except he says it better than that. Immediately I thought about things I promised myself I would … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adulthood, adults, being nice, children, cold, families, family, iindoors, opinion, parents, reading, sleeping, snacks, temperature | 36 Comments

I Have No Resolutions

Posted on December 31, 2016 by Barb Knowles

My resolutions for the new year?? None. Okay, that’s not exactly true. 1. I want to be kinder, especially to my own family. 2. I want to pray more. 3. I want to have more patience with my students. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged family, kindness, New Year, opinion, patience, peace, prayer, resolutions, students, TEACHING, wishes | 34 Comments

Still Obsessed With DNA

Posted on December 27, 2016 by Barb Knowles

This Christmas, I gave an ancestryDNA kit to my son and bought one for myself, as well. Whenever I get time, I work on our genealogy. And it is always full of surprises. One branch of my family that we … Continue reading →

Posted in genealogy, Uncategorized | Tagged ancestors, ancestryDNA, families, family, genealogy, history, neanderthal, political boundaries, relatives, spit | 30 Comments

Once Upon An Alcoholic

Posted on October 3, 2016 by Barb Knowles

On October 5, God willing, I will have been sober for 31 years. That’s just about half of my lifetime. And what a journey it has been. People get sober for various reasons. I remember going to an Alcoholics Anonymous … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged AA, addiction, alcohol poisoning, alcoholism, blackouts, blogging, family, harvey wallbangers, one day at a time, sober, sobriety, The Twilight Zone | 292 Comments

Letting The Genealogy Out Of The Bottle

Posted on January 13, 2016 by Barb Knowles

“Mamoo, you have the same eyes and lips as this lady.” I responded to my grandson with “Wow.” Mamoo is the affectionate Gaelic word for grandmother, much like abuelita is the affectionate term in Spanish. I have always identified myself … Continue reading →

Posted in genealogy, Uncategorized | Tagged ancestors, culture, family, genealogy, history, Sarah Richards Bradley, Stephen Rowe Bradley, vermont, William Czar Bradley | 25 Comments