michellemacbride

Great Great Grandma Lulu Blakely - 1910

Lulu’s handmade cards for her daughter, great Grandmother Ruth.

Happy New Baby! Great Grandma Ruth Vivian Blakely is born on May 13, 1915 weighing 7 lbs. Here she is age 4 (right) in a peacoat.

Lulu & Ruth near Pasadena, CA - 1915

Great Grandma Ruth loved horseback riding. Here she is photographed at ages 3, 15 and 23.

Grandma Shirley McBride’s father James (Jimmie) Gertsen pictured above in 1943. Great Grandpa Gertsen served as a Sgt. for the infantry division ‘Wildcats’ during WW2.

Great Grandpa Gertsen seen here on the beach outside of San Luis Obispo, where he was stationed for a year to train and prepare troops before their trip overseas.

Lulu Blakely’s talent for art making is evident in this early drawing of Shirley’s (age 9) while she no doubt got her love of horses from her Mother Ruth. Pictured above on a toy pony in 1939

Grandma Shirley holding her younger sister Kathy in front of their home (left) & diptych of Shirley at age 13 by her Uncle Warren in Ojai, CA

Shirley also loved to draw as shown in this unfinished card ‘birds blowing bubbles ‘ - date unknown

Must be the luck of the Irish! These two newlyweds in 1956 went on to spend the rest of their lives by each other’s side.

Alfred & Shirley McBride photographed by Warren Blakely at both the Blakely Residence and photography studio in Ojai, CA.

Papa McBride’s Cab ID for the city of San Jose, CA

Great Aunt Sheila (Papa McBride’s Sister) and her husband Chuck kissing on the beach

My Father arrives! Michael James McBride is born on June 20th, 1960 at 8:45pm weighing 7 1lbs 12 oz.

Grandma Shirley with Dad - proud new mama with a big happy baby!

Dad at a Carnival photobooth (left) & misc. character stamps (right)

Dad 1st - 8th grade

Dad getting some air on his Spin-A-Roo

Grandma McBride & Dad in Malibu (left) - Dad visiting family in Pasadena, CA (right)

Papa McBride built a custom trailer for the family to camp across the country visiting National Parks & relatives along the way.

Great Uncle Chuck holding a pup with Papa, Dad and Great Grandma Ruth in the background (left) - a candid of Papa stealing a smooch (right)

Dad fishing during one of their many camping trips

Visiting Papa’s Brother, Great Uncle McBride, at his home in Kentucky

The McBride’s Christmas trees from 1969, 70 & 71

Papa & Grandma McBride in their living Room in 1972 taken by Great Grandma Ruth with her Polaroid SX-70 - Los Gatos, CA

Polaroid portraits of Dad by Great Grandma Ruth

Great Grandma Ruth enjoying a drink & a smoke

Dad and Meg at Prom (left) - dad chilling in the backyard on his birthday (right)

Portraits of Grandma McBride around the house on Polaroid Spectra - Los Gatos, CA

taking a rest with dad in front of grandma kathy’s home in san jose - 1990

one of our many trips to monterey. we loved going to the ocean and spending hours at the bay aquarium - 1991

my mom loved marilyn and cutting my bangs - 1994