Roots and wings

Tia's been "Mamied"

Mike's daughter, Sarah and her husband, Bryan, just made Tia and Mike grandparents again. 

     Carson Scott Hayes

Sarah says...

Maddie has a new baby brother!

Carson Scott Hayes * Sunday, June 3, 2007, 8:35am  *  8 lbs, 7oz. 21in.

He showed up a week early, which given his size was just fine with me! The delivery was again fast and furious, but overall went well with no complications.

Maddie is very excited about her new little brother and still calls him "Baby Jack" (which she started about 3 months ago) - we'll see if the nickname sticks over time. :)

Love,

Sarah, Bryan and Madeleine

   Bryan and Carson   

   Sarah, Carson and Maddie

Arianna, welcome to the family

     Arianna Renae and Mom, aka Ally

In case you haven't heard our newest member has come a little early.  Arianna Renae was born June 4th at 11:20 pm and she was 5 lbs 13 oz and 18 1/2 in. long... Mom and baby are doing very well and should be home soon.

More updates to come soon...

Love Arianna, Ally and Mingo

"Sheesk.  Sleeping wasn't this tough last week...."

Arianna's "point" 

   

Matthew Lyons

Matthew Lyons was born on October 5, 1862 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI).  Matthew is Mary Kay's maternal grandfather.  Matthew was the youngest son of Dennis Lyons and Margaret Costello.  He left PEI for Quincy, Massachusetts (near Boston) in 1878, after his mother died.  He was only 16. 

Matthew's departure was part of a mass exodus from PEI between 1870 to 1885.  This exodus - particularly of young people, the island's future - was so big, that some say its effect is still being felt in PEI today.   The ship building industry which had flourished with the whaling industry had come to a screeching halt in 1875.  The farms couldn't be split up any smaller.   There were no other industries.   

It was a very tough time and most of Matthew's family was part of this exodus.  Two of Matthew's siblings - Joseph and Mary - left for Boston in 1870.  Two others left with Matthew in 1878.  Only one sister and one brother - Charles - stayed behind in PEI.  Charles was successful as a coal dealer, ultimately growing prosperous and highly respected in the community.  He was the Mayor of Charlottetown from 1912 - 1914.   

By the time Matthew arrived in Quincy, his sister, Mary Lyons had married John Vogel, the son of a successful granite dealer - Adam S Vogel and Sons.  Matthew lived with John and Mary Vogel until he married.  Matthew got a job in the granite industry as an apprentice stonecutter and ultimately became a stonecutter - a highly skilled job which paid pretty well.  Unfortunately, it was also risky - many died from long term dust inhalation. 

     Granite cutting plant, Quincy, c. 1900.  Matthew worked in a place like this.

Matthew married Catherine Flanagan (Kitty) in 1886 and had four children - Margaret Lillian (Nana), Charles, Paul and Edward.  Even with 4 young children, Matthew was very active in community affairs and a leader.  For several years he was a ward for the Democratice Committee.  He was a member of the Quincy Board of Health.  And, according to his obituary, "he was a prominent member of St Francis Court, Massachusetts Order of Forresters".  Matthew died in 1900 at the very young age of 38 - after an illness of several months - due to heart trouble. 

Kitty raised the four children on her own, never re-marrying.  I'm not sure how she did it, but we do know that her children were all working at very young ages and she had some extended family around her at that time. 

Interestingly, in the 1910 Federal census, Kitty's family lived next door to the William Cashman family - reminding me of a friendship that lasted 4 generations

Some side notes about Quincy:  Quincy granite was famous throughout the nation and stonecutting was the city's principal economic activity.  Quincy was also the birthplace to 2 US Presidents but more importantly the birthplace of Howard Johnson's and Dunkin Donuts.  Poppy, who grew up in Weymouth, the town next to Quincy, told me that he learned to swim when his buddies threw him into a granite quarry pool.  Maybe that was why he left the area....

To Renny...love, Ally

my dad's bday...

Will you still need me?  Will you still feed me...when I'm 64?  :-)

Thank you, Papa, for 35 years of your unconditional love, respect and support.
Magoo and I are very lucky to have parents like you and Mama.  You've exposed us to
many things that other kids (even adults) don't get a chance to see and do.  You've
encouraged us to do what we love and to love what we do.  You've always reminded us
how proud you are of us.  And you came up with some of the most creative ways to
sucker your kids into doing chores every weekend!

We love that no matter where we live, you will always visit.  We love that you've
spent your life thinking of fun ways to suprise us, and show up to everything.  Your
family has always been first and the most important thing to you.  I can only hope
to follow in your footsteps when I become a parent (and no, that's not an
announcement!).  :-)  Thank you and happy birthday.  I love you.

Amy Lisbeth Renshaw Kyle

Amy, 1955, 1 year old.

Amy Renshaw Kyle was born in Norwalk, Connecticut on September 17, 1954.  In the first few months, she may have been totally ignored by her brothers since Elvis Presley had released his first single two months earlier.  His second single, "Good Rockin' Tonight", with "I Don't Care if the Sun Don't Shine" on the B-side, was released on September 25, 1954. 

Tia, Amy and Julie, September 17, 1955

Amy learned multi tasking at an early age.  In this photo, she is blowing out the candle, talking to Julie and hammering a peg board.  How does she do it?

The youngest of 6 children - "the bottom of the totem pole", as Downer would say - Amy may not have had much of a chance to get a word in.  It's only fitting, then, that as an adult, she has made a career of expressing herself through her art.  She has developed a unique style of art that - ironically - is a little reflective of our lives growing up - mixed media.  Well, actually it may have been more like "mixed-up" media.

  Visit Amy's web site.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate the birthday of an artist than to showcase her work.  So for Amy's birthday post, I made an album of some of her current art work.  (Or follow the link "Amy's Portfolio" on the right)

But just to finish the fun....

Amy and Amy, Sausalito, 1967.

Adam and Amy-deer, 2002.

As some of you may know, Amy hasn't really liked flying in the last few years.  She has found the perfect solution to the problem.  She's a reindeer.

Amy, Lake Tahoe, July 2004 (50th b'day)

Happy birthday, Amy.

 

Ashley Renshaw Kyle (September 15, 1982)

    

Ashley, 4 weeks old and 1,173 weeks later.

Ashley Renshaw Kyle was born on September 15, 1982, in Tucson, Arizona. Her parents are Amy Renshaw Kyle and Greg Kyle. Ashley shares this birthday with some great icons - Gannet published the first issue of USA Today on the very date she was born. And Jack Bailey, our great uncle and very popular tv game show host in the 50's, was born this day in 1907. (Note: more on Jack Bailey, later)

While Ashley was growing up, I would often call Amy and ask her to "tell me an 'Ashy' story".  Without fail, Amy would tell me something that Ashley had just said or done. So, for Ashley's birthday post, I called around and got another fix of "Ashy stories".

Ashley, 7 months.

Whenever I'm asked why I moved to Arizona, I always reply that "I moved right after my sister Amy had her first child, Ashley.  Since Amy and I had grown up in each other's pockets, I didn't want to miss her kids growing up."  The unplanned benefit was that I was able to watch all the cousins grow up.  Moving to Arizona was the best decision of my life for many reasons.  Thanks, Ash  - Lucia

Ashley, age 3. 

Ashley and I were on a grocery trip when she was 3 or 4 . When we were passing along the meat section, something caught her eye and she looked so surprised. She saw a logo on a package of chicken that was a rooster on top of a roof. She looked up at me completely amazed and said, "I didn't know chickens laid meat!!!!"  ---  Amy

  Ryan and Ashley, 2005

Ash and Kiff started a trend down in Tucson. When they went out and were taking pictures with their friends at the bar - or wherever- they would point at the camera. So, last New Years Eve Ash came up to Phoenix to go out with Shannon and me. That night, she started teaching this to us. Soon we were doing it all night in every picture. It is now the AZ trend, spreading like wildfire.

We now know this as the "family camera point". It has been seen as far as Greece. I'm quite sure it will be seen on someone's wedding day in the near future. But, it also created one of my FAVORITE pictures of Honey Bunny.

So Happy Birthday, Ash. Thanks for helping helping make one of the best pics of Honey happen... and happy wedding planning!  ---  Ryan

A current addiction, 2006 (the third year starts 9/22/06!)

My favorite thing to do with Ash these days is to analyze the tv show LOST.  It's about a plane that crashed on an island and it details the lives of the stranded passengers.  We are both obsessed with the show, and we talk about it every time we get together.  She and Shane have watched it together over the past 2 seasons, and now they've even got Amy hooked!  We have our own LOST cult!   --- Shannon

It seems like Ashley has always had a job – and a lot of the time, two jobs. She's been working at Bank of America since she was a senior in high school. She continued working there while going to college. She worked hard at college until last year, when she decided to take a break for a while and focus on her career at the bank.

Focus helps!  She was then promoted to head teller and was just promoted to the position of Personal Banker. She enjoys the work and opportunities at the bank and continually receives high reviews for her work.   She and Shane have recently bought a townhouse and will be moving into it at the end of the year.

And just in case some you don't know....

Ashley met her finance, Shane, 5 years ago at the bank where they were both working.  They are planning a wedding in January. We must make sure we get a photo of Ashley and Shane pointing at the camera with Honey between them...

Happy birthday, Ash

Ryan Michael Swed (September 12, 1981)

    Ryan, 1 day old and 23 years later

Ryan was born in Mesa, Arizona, September 12, 1981. His parents are Julie Renshaw and Bill Swed.  Ryan will be happy to hear that another famous Arizona native, Sandra Day O'Connor, took her seat on the US Supreme Court 9 days afer he was born.

Julie has often said that Ryan "willed himself to grow to be a basketball player."   Maybe it was as the result of a silly basketball coach who said that Ryan wouldn't ever make a team (Ryan was 8).  Hah!  He went on to not only make it on one team, but to succeed on every basketball team he wanted to play on.  He's been a Scorpion (Kyrene Middle School), an Aztec (Corona High School) and a Triton (UC San Diego).

He helped them win, too.  He was a starter on the Kyrene Middle School team in 1996 when they won the Arizona State Championship.  This was the same time "the Julies" were getting a new puppy - Champ - named for the "Champ"-ionship title Ryan and his team had just won.

Ryan and Champ, 1996.

The first time I ever figured that Ryan looked like Downer was when I matched these photos up.

        1941 and 2005

Ryan graduated from the University of California San Diego in 2003, with a degree in Public Law.  He worked for Vanguard mutual fund company for the next 3 years.  He earned his Masters in Finance while working there.  He has just started attending Chapman University School of Law - which he absolutely loves.   The irony is that Ryan's third grade teacher told Julie that Ryan should go to law school. 

Opa!!!  I love Greece!

He says his current goal is to return to Greece next summer - a place and people he absolutely fell in love with in the summer of 2006.  Ryan says he's going to learn Greek to get ready for the trip.  (Note:  Shannon says that learning Greek mostly motivated by his desire to be able speak to all the gorgeous women he saw in Patra)

On the other hand, he may have been working on getting himslef ready for Greece for a while....

       

Hanging out in the water, 1982 and 2006

Happy birthday, Ryan. 

Mike Yarnell (September 10, 1944)

Note:  Today's post was written by our very first guest author, Tia. 

Mike is 62 year old today - how do you say, Social Security Eligible!

        Mike in 1946, in college, 2006 

Mike is a guy who

LOVES his children -sound familiar, everyone?

Had his first job delivering newspapers – sound familiar, Glenn?

LOVES academics - sound familiar, Sarah?

is a "techno-geek"- sound familiar, Jake?

LOVES his work – sound familiar, Jason?

Some of Mike's rules of the road:

"Do what you love and the money will follow."

"Often wrong, but never in doubt."

"Treat school like a full time job".

"Happiness is all around you, you just have to let it in."

Oh, and by the way, back to the social security retirement thing...

He is more turned on by work than ever. Professor Yarnell, Legal Mediator and Arbitrator, Special Projects to the Dean of the Phoenix Law School. His efforts go towards the entrepreneurial success of the first accredited "for profit" law school in the country.

His hugs are beautiful, his integrity is utmost, and his love is unconditional. What a guy!

He has my love, my total admiration, and my awe. Happy Birthday, Mike!

Love,

Tia

Claude Downer Renshaw, Jr. (September 6, 1942)

  Downer and Renny, September 1942.  Renny's baptism.

Claude Downer Renshaw, Jr (aka Renny) was born in New York on September 8, 1942.  He probably will not be happy to be reminded that just one month later the St Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Yankees (4-1) in the 1942 World Series.

   

The Claude A Renshaw family play with Renny, Easter, 1943

   

Renny then (c 1947) and now (2006)

According to Charlotte:

His absolute favorite favorite thing to do for his birthday is to get together with his daughters(and sons-in-law as applicable) for a long weekend in some fun place (often works out well that his birthday is close to labor day!)  For example, on his 60th birthday we all went to Toronto for four days -- saw a few ball games, restaurants, museums, CN tower, etc.

Three years ago we met up in south Bend for labor Day weekend and had a "Lobsterfest" birthday dinner out on the deck followed by all manner of desserts and board games.  Two years ago Craig and i met my folks in Chicago for dinner and a birthday celebration.

He like getting presents, of course (especially those having to do with the New York Yankees), but he gets the biggest kick out of hanging out with his fam.

We've all helped him celebrate every once in a while.

Renny et al celebrate his 50th birthday, 1992.

Renny et al celebrate his 60th birthday, 2002.

In all of this birthday fun, it's also important to recognize that Renny has also had a very successful life and career.  BTW, he get more hits on google than any of us.

Read a little about him.

• Deduct it!  An irreverent look at taxes.
• College professor wins CPA teaching award
• His column in the South Bend Tribune:  "Tax Talk"

As the oldest child, Renny did everything first.  Which was fine until now.  Now he's only one year away from being eligible to collect Social Security.  That means it's not too far behind for the rest of us.

Maybe Renny should buy us all breakfast at JBs to celebrate his 65th birthday next year.  With his first Social Security check, of course.

Happy birthday, Ren.

Claude Downer Renshaw (September 6, 1916 - January 3, 1990)

Downer, aka Pop (age 2)

Claude Downer Renshaw was born in Roundup, Montana, on September 6, 1916.  90 years ago, today.  His parents were Claude Arthur Renshaw (CAR) and Zoe Parkinson Renshaw.  At the time, CAR was a surveyor, headquartered in Roundup. He was surveying Musselshell County.  CAR was later elected Mayor of Roundup, a position he would parlay into his career as City Manager of Miami Beach.

Post card from Roundup Montana, 1925.   

Not much has changed. the population in 2003 was a little over 1,900. Only Renny has made it to Roundup for a visit.   We used to threaten to have family reunions there.

When he was 3, Sean Thopsey was pointing out different states on a map to Tia when he shouted: "Montana! That's where Pop was Round up!"

Downer's family moved to Miami Beach in 1925 when CAR accepted the job as City Manager of Miami Beach.

High school graduation, 1933. (age 17)

According to the Miami Beach News, 6/17/1933: "Downer Renshaw...left last week for Gainesville where he will enter the University of Florida. He is remembered for his athletic achievements in High School wehre he was captain of the football team."  Must have been a slow news day.

Lieutenant, Army Air Corps, 1939.  (age 23)   

After being appointed as a flying cadet in 1939, he spent two months at Langley field, Virginia and was then transferred to Borinquen Field, Puerto Rico (1940).  At this time, Pan Am started flying transport for the defense department so Downer became an employee of Pan Am, stationed in Miami.  It was at that time that he met and married Mary Kay Heffernan.

Downer(24), Zoe, Claude, and Roberta Renshaw, Miami Beach, 1940.

"Head shots" for modeling, c. 1950. (age 34)

Who knew he was a professional model?  This must be how he learned to never look at the camera for a photo.  Ain't he a handsome guy?   And doesn't Ryan look like him?

The Downer Renshaw family, Paris, 1958.  (Downer, age 41).   

Downer and Zoe Renshaw, 1963.  (Downer, age 47)

Downer, 1986  (age 70). 

Infectious laughter (ageless)

Happy birthday, Pop.