November Birthdays

November 4  Amanda Burton's birthday

November 21 Ben Weston's birthday

 November 30 Nina Weston's birthday

Happy Birthday everyone!

Family Funnies

While in the restroom at the Austin airport on our way back to Salt Lake City Michael decided to stick his head in the toilet. RIGHT before we boarded the plane! Oops.

Michael managed to lock Amanda, Alicia, Ron and Melinda out of the house. Fortunately Jared was asleep during this time but after 30 minutes of trying to explain to Michael how to unlock the door Ron just broke through it. Sorry mom and dad!!

While on vacation Eddie and Susan were in the stink bug invasion in Gettysburg and spent a lot of time cleaning them out of the camper...you can't kill them because of the stench!  Eddie found out that night that there had been a bug in his shoe all day....he wondered why his feel smelled so bad! Susan found 5 bugs more bugs when they got home.

Livi: "Daddy, lick the peanut butter off my face."
James: "Why don't you wipe it off?"
Livi: "Because my tongue is too short."
James: (Laughing) "Wash it off in the sink."
Livi: "But my sink is out of water."

Halloween Costumes

Dalton says he is too old for dressing up but Carter is going to be a dinosaur. This is after he wanted to be a gun but discovered they don't make gun costumes LOL.

Michael is going to be Steve from Blue's Clues and Jared is going to be Blue! This is their favorite TV show.

Alicia is going to be a ballerina kitty cat with some of her friends :)
Nicholas is going to be a referee.
Zachary is going to be a Ghostbuster.
Keely is going to be Gabriella from High School Musical.
Corrinna is going to be Alice in Wonderland.  She put on her costume and was walking around shrieking "Oh no! I'm Alice and I feel into a hole! I can't get out because there is no ladder and I don't have claws!"

Johnny is going to be Mario.
Olivia isn't sure, either a bat or The Little Mermaid.
Madalyn is going to be Pebbles from the Flinstones.

Family News

Eddie and Susan took a fun vacation! Some of the highlights were Gettysburg; Monticello; Washington DC; Williamsburg, VA; and Arlington National cemetery.

Jacob just finished the fall soccer season.  His team was Portugal and I think they won more games than they lost. Great job Jacob!

Kerrie is settled in STL and back to work, so she's happy and Eddie and Susan are happy to have her closer to home.

Todd has started a business as a dent doctor!

Dalton played football and the season is now over.  He play both defense and offense.  On offense, he had 2 touchdowns and over 100 yards rushing.  On Defense he had 5 sacks and over 30 tackles.

Liz and Dalton had a great mother son trip to Washington DC.

Nina went on another mission trip to Romania.

Brandon and Rachel moved from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai and they really like it there.

Rachel is in an Intentional Discipleship Missions and Church Planting program at her church.  It is a 2 year program and afterwards, hopefully she will be sent to another country to plant a church under her church in Honolulu. 

Noah and Emma were with Benny and Jan for five days last week while Courtney and Andy spent a few days in Florida.

Also, Ethan, Ryley, Noah, Emma, and Ellie (along with Ashley, Rylan, Chad and Brittini) were at their home recently for a picnic supper and a hayride.

Amanda took Michael and Jared to Texas for 2 weeks. It was a great trip and the boys enjoyed bonding with their Texas family!!

James started a new job and he is really enjoying it!

Thank you so much for all of the family news! I look forward to hearing what everyone is up to next month!

Love,
Amanda

17 February 1942

"Jiggs" at 19 years old with his Aunt Callie
 at 18 years old in front of his truck.

The world had changed for young people in the United States as soon as the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The news of the war in Europe and the Pacific had seemed so far away.
"Jiggs" Weston was aware that he had many important plans and decisions to make. But, his first priority for this particular day was to talk to his boss and mentor, "Turk", and his wife Lucille.
"Jiggs" had a plan. He was going to Pulaski and ask Christine to marry him. But, his plans did not include a big, church wedding. He wanted to get married today! And, he wanted "Turk" and his wife to be the witnesses.
"Turk" and Lucille were aware of his interest in the pretty high school girl from Pulaski. But marriage now? They assured "Jiggs" that, yes, they would be his witnesses...but, as soon as he left, they went to bed. It had been a long day and they were sure that she would say "no"!
"Jiggs" drove to Pulaski and to the Aldred Family home. He was so nervous and so excited that he rushed to knock on the front door. However, it was Mrs. Aldred that answered the door and not Christine.
"Jiggs" almost stammered as he asked to see Christine. Essie was helpful and told the young man that although Christine was not there, he could find her at "Curt's Place", the local hang out for teens and young adults in the Spencer Heights area between Villa Ridge and Mounds. (This same restaurant with a juke box and dance floor later became known as "Teen Town".) What Mrs. Aldred failed to tell "Jiggs" was that Christine was there on a date with another young man, Johnny Crain!
"Jiggs" continued his pursuit of Christine and drove to the restaurant. As he pulled up into the driveway, he saw one of Christine's girlfriends. "Jiggs" asked the young woman if she would tell Christine that he was outside and would like to talk to her.
A few minutes later, Christine did come outside. "Jiggs" asked her if they could sit inside the car and talk. She smiled and asked what he wanted to talk about.
As soon as they were seated comfortably in the car, "Jiggs" picked up a matchbook. He began to tear out first one match and then another. He seemed very interested in the match book and the matches! He continued tearing out each match until the book was empty.
Christine was at first perplexed and then a little exasperated. Finally, Christine told the nervous young man that if he came to talk to her, he needed to talk!
"Jiggs" nearly blurted out the words that he loved her and wanted to marry her.
The stunned young woman was speechless.
Then, he told her that "Turk" and Lucille were waiting in Anna to be their witnesses. They could leave that very minute and pick up the witnesses and head to Cape Girardeau. They could be married that very evening!
By this time, Christine realized that "Jiggs" was serious. And, so was she!
Christine told him that they had better leave right then and off they went.
It took a few minutes of pounding on the door of the Turkington home in Anna to rouse the sleeping husband and wife!
But, the elopement proceeded with out a problem and they were married before midnight.
While the happy young couple enjoyed their honeymoon, all was not quite right with the rest of the world!
Johnny Crain wondered where his date was. How could he tell Mr. and Mrs. Aldred that he had lost their daughter???????
As soon as "Nappy" and Essie had heard that she left the restaurant with "Jiggs",
"Nappy" was threatening to take his shotgun and find them!
"Turk" was not a stupid man. He denied any knowledge of the elopement and sent "Jiggs" on a truck delivery to Chicago. He also told "Jiggs" to take Christine with him.
While "Jiggs" and Christine were in Chicago, a tragedy occurred. A young woman of Christine's description and wearing similar clothes to Christine, was stabbed to death in a movie theater in Chicago. Radio news was broadcasting her description all over the tri-state area because she had not yet been identified.
"Nappy" and Essie Aldred were frantic. "Nappy" called "Turk" and asked him to get a message to "Jiggs" that all was forgiven and for the kids to come home.
True to their word, "Nappy" and Essie accepted the marriage and treated "Jiggs" as a member of the family.
Legend has it that the streets of Anna and Jonesboro flooded with tears as soon as the news got out that "Jiggs" Weston was married.

Family History

King Edward I, "The Elder", King of the Anglo Saxons and Lord of England, was a member of the House of Wessex. He was born in Wessex in 869.

By the age of 22, Edward was a "sub-king" for his father, Alfred the Great. Edward was leading his fathers army in battles against the Danes in the north and the east to consolidate the gains Alfred made in winning back English lands lost before Alfred's reign.

Edward spent much of his life leading his armies in battle to fight first the Danes and then the Vikings stationed in Ireland. As he gained ground against his foes, Edward would build fortresses to protect his people and the land from foreign invaders. He is credited with being the first king with organizing "the intelligent use of militia".

Edward died leading his army against a northern rebellion on 17 July 924.

Edward was not only a king but a husband and father as well. He was married three times (we are decedants from his second wife) and fathered 14 children. He was very concerned about his childrens education and life at court. Edward prepared his children for life fulfilling their royal duties as well as future responsibilities in the church. Three of his sons became a king and one son and one daughter chose a life dedicated to church service.

Edward's daughter, Edhilda Eadhylde, married the Duke of Paris. Their son was Hugues Capet, King of France. Some of the other names of Edward's descendants that you might recognize include William the Conqueror; William I, the Lion King of Scotland; and, King Alexander Dunkeld of Scotland.

Other family names in our lineage are Hoo; St. Clair; Gage; and Bacon.

In our family journey to the United States, we find that Nathaniel Bacon left Suffolk, England sometime in early 1600. His son, Samuel Bacon was born in Pymouth, MA, on 25 February 1650. The Bacon family moved to New Jersey where Abel Bacon was born in 1687. Abel's granddaughter, Grace Bacon married Daniel Kelsay. Their daughter, Tabitha Kelsay was born in Macoupin County, Illinois. She married Eli Fitz Jarrell. Their daughter, Maria, married John Jackson Skeen from Nashville, TN. They settled in Franklin County, Illinois. Their daughter, Laura, married Hiram Weston. Hiram's son was John Edward Weston; his son was Cedric Corbal Weston; and his son was Edward Eugene "Jiggs" Weston.

King Edward is "Jiggs'" 30th great grandfather!