Don’t we live in a great time?
There are so many good things about technology. I found a neat thing on Family Search.
They have online classes.
There’s no excuse now! Right?
I admit, there are times when I just want to stay home. I don’t want to get dressed up and leave the house. I don’t have to, I can watch and learn on my computer. What a neat thing. You can check it out here!
Thanks, Family Search!!
Do you ever have one of those days, where you are trying to do more that one thing at the same time, all day long?
I just found a great way to do it.
I just discovered a website called blogtalkradio.
The program is called “The Forget Me Not Hour.”
It is hosted by an amazing genealogist named, Jane E. Wilcox. She is very knowledgeable, and shares her love of genealogy by interviewing different interesting people on her radio show.
What a neat thing!
You could be organizing your office, doing the dishes, sewing, or folding a load of laundry, and at the same time listen to one of the many programs that are available.
Two things at once!
Go check it out, you’ll love it! I do. You can find it here.
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
You know part of family history is having a personal history. Since it’s the first of the year, it’s a great time to start a journal. If filling a whole book seems daunting, do just a little everyday. Over at Simply Kelly B, she has a great idea for doing a daily thought. She calls it, “Capture 2012”. You can find it here. While you’re there, check out the “2012 Gratitude Banner”, so cute. Such a quick and easy way to record your year.
Happy journaling! and
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
Start early helping your kids to write their personal history by keeping a journal of their favorites. Nicole over at Reaves Party of Four, she asks her children the same 20 question every year on their birthday starting at age three, and keeps them all together in a cute scrapbook. You can visit her blog and read more by clicking here!
I wish I had done something like what Nicole does with her kids, with mine. Now their all grown up. I’ll just have to do it with my grandbaby, Natasha!
Start early helping your kids write their history and you’ll be glad.
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
This gorgeous hope chest was my Grandma Norma’s.
It is so beautiful.
It reminds me of her every time I see it. When my grandma and grandpa were alive, they worked hard. They didn’t have much, but they had some things that were very special and made to last. My mom inherited this hope chest from grandma, and mom gave it to me.
I love it so much.
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
About ten years ago we had a wonderful Family Home Evening.
Monday night is Family Night.
We invited my husband’s parents over for dinner. After dinner we gathered in the family room. We set up the video camera and had my mother and father-in-law sit on the couch in front of the camera. My children had previously prepared questions to ask them. I told the kids to make sure that their questions required some information, not just yes or no for an answer. We turned on the camera and each of the kids took turns asking them questions, then they answered.
It was so fun to hear about their lives. What wonderful people they are!
Since the events of that night, at least one thing has changed. My father-in-law has Alzheimer’s and doesn’t remember most things. What a blessing to have him on video talking about his life and how he feels about things.
I’m so glad!
Set a date, and video someone you love. You’ll be glad you did it too!
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
Are you interested in finding out more about your “roots”? Do you have a “family history” hobby? One way to grow your “family tree” is to start a blog. Starting a blog can
1. Keep you actively doing “family history,” because you need material to write about.
2. Help to locate other people with a similar interest, they will find you and follow your blog.
3. Last, but not least, hopefully hook you up, with potential relatives.
I found some very good information about starting a blog at Family Tree Magazine. You can read more about it here. Start a blog about your family and see what happens!
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
I have several things in my home from my maternal grandpa, Grandpa Bill. For some reason, maybe it was all the cool jobs he had, or the things he collected, but the things I have from him, I love to display around my home and yard.
An old skeleton key! When I picture him using it, I have to smile.
Grandpa was a railroad switchman! This old lantern has seen better days, but I still love it. I also have some other things I will post later. The neat thing about these items is that I think about Grandpa Bill whenever I see them. He passed away about 20 years ago. I miss him, but he is still part of my life, because I have lots of reminders of him.
My Grandpa is the second from the right. Very handsome!
Family stories always contribute to how we feel about those we love, it gives us a sense of appreciation and love for what they went through in their life and how our life seems better for it. My dad, thank goodness, has always been a storyteller. He has not only told the stories, but he has written them down. Here are a couple of stories my dad wrote about his dad, my grandpa. I never knew him. He died when I was just five years old, he lived far away, so I never had the opportunity to get to meet him. I feel like I know him though, because of my dad. Here are a few of my dad’s stories:
“I had some good memories of Dad and of some of the sacrifices he made for his family. I can remember as a little boy in the late 1930s the effects of the depression were still very much apparent. They were hard times and Dad just made enough money each day to take care of the expenses of the day. There was never any extra and so each night after work Dad brought home the groceries that Mom made supper with. In the wintertime it was especially hard. Dad would have to walk home from work at the cleaning and tailor shop where he worked and stop on the way to get a few groceries. We lived about a mile west of town along highway 10. I remember as a child along with some of my brothers and sisters scratching the ice off the inside of the window so we could see out and then pressing our noses against the window to see if we could see Dad coming down the highway. Minnesota winters were very cold and when Dad walked in the door he was quite a sight. The cold wind would cause his eyes to water, but because he had groceries in his hands he couldn’t wipe the tears from his eyes and so they would form icicles on his eyelashes. His nose too would run and icicles would also hang from his nose. Mom would have her wood stove all fired up to cook one of her wonderful suppers out of the simplest fair. They were difficult times but I have a lot of fond memories from them.
Dad had given me a little hatchet so I could chop wood for the wood burning stoves while he used his big axe. One day my hatchet came up missing. A few weeks later I was at my friends home (Jimmy Hanks) playing, and I saw my hatchet. I picked it up and was going to take it home and we scuffled over it so I pushed him down and headed for home. He was crying and yelled after me saying “I stoled if from you and you can’t steal it back.” I can remember that as if it were yesterday. We were only about four to five years old at the time. I have often wondered what ever became of him.
I can also remember when a big rooster wandering around the yard decided that I must have been a threat to him and came after me and knocked me down and was on top of me ready to peck my eyes out. Just before he could, Dad came to my rescue and grabbed that big old rooster and threw him straight up into the air. As a little boy I remember laying on the ground crying and scared one minute and the next minute seeing that big old rooster flying through the air. Dad saved me.”
Thank you, Daddy, for recording stories for us to enjoy!
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
My second great grandfather was a soldier in the Civil War. He fought for the Union Army. In one of my parent’s family history trips, they came across a letter written by Andrew to his brother Gilbert. The letter is written in Norwegian and it was necessary to get it translated. It is a prized heirloom and amazing to think that one of my ancestors fought in a war that I have heard about my whole life. A war that ended almost a hundred years before I was born. Here is what the letter says:
—————————————–
Camp near Raleigh, North Carolina April 23, 1865
Good brother Gilbert Hanson,
As I have leisure time I will address a few lines to let you know my situation.
God be thanked I am fairly well, although for some time I have been bothered with dysentery. I have had no appetite so in a short time I have lost weight and am weak, but I hope it will soon be gone.
We can not fully thank our God who now has put an end to this bloody war, and has protected us so well until this time. And I hope too that he will give us a lucky trip home so we can gather at home happy and contented and live with our families in peace. Still we will not regret our services, especially now that we bring peace and victory with us. It can not be of much interest to you if I should write of our enemy’s surrender. I am sure you know that as well as I do. I do not know what time we may be on our way home, but orders from Sherman are that we may go home soon. We may be here two or three weeks or we may go sooner.
In the last letter I wrote to you, I asked you to send me another hat, but if you have not already sent it on receiving this letter, I think it better you do not send it because by that time it is possible we are on our way and then it would get lost.
Paul Patterson came back to the Regt., but now he was taken to the hospital again. For one thing he was sickly and for another he got something wrong with one eye, so he could not see anything out of it. I have had not letter from Minnesota since we left Goldsbaro and that is now two weeks ago.
I will close my short letter for this time with wishes that these lines will find you in good health.
You are brotherly greeted from me, Andr. Hanson
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I can just feel the history in this letter. He was there. See if you can find a great letter written by one of your ancestors. They have led lives filled with adventures and amazing experiences.
Happy Family History Friday! Love, Joy
P.S. Thank you to all of the Veterans who have served our country!
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