Blog – Page 109 – Family Locket

5 Ideas for Family History Innovators

“Which of the judging criteria was most important to you during the judging process?” I was sitting down with the judges after the RootsTech 2017 Innovator Showdown Finals, feeling pretty lucky to be surrounded by such experienced, knowledgeable people. “Business viability.” “Innovative technology.” “Pitch.” And then an answer I wasn’t expecting… “Impact.” Dalton Wright, a partner at Kickstart Seed Fund, said that while he was looking for business viability, he was also looking for an […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer March 13, 2017 Creating and Sharing Family History

The Adventures of Cowboy Bob: That Blasted Burro

Do you have a memorable family story that your mother or father likes to tell? Is there some truth to the “walked uphill both ways in ten feet of snow” tale? Tracking down the source of a story and doing some research to put yourself in the time and place can yield surprising results. In this new addition to my series, “The Adventures of Cowboy Bob” I give a fictionalized account of a story I heard many […]

By Diana Elder March 9, 2017 Creating and Sharing Family History

Brave Ancestors, Brave Daughters: Make A Brave Women Book

I asked my 3-year-old daughter if she knows what it means to be brave. She didn’t. I told her that it means “doing something you are afraid of, or doing something that is hard.” Then I read Seven Brave Women with her. We discussed several different ways that everyday women in the past were brave. Seven Brave Women by Betsy Hearne is a story about the brave deeds of the author’s ancestresses. Each of them did something […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer March 6, 2017 Families and Children, Kids Book Club

A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary 1785-1812: March Book Club Selection

What is the value in keeping a diary or journal? What will be of interest to our descendants a hundred years from now? Whether we write daily or once a year about the happenings in our lives, it is important to record something. Perhaps by examining the first-hand account of a life lived two centuries ago we will gain insight into what we should write. We’re reading A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based […]

By Diana Elder March 4, 2017 Book Club

Family History for Children Blog Link Up

I’m excited to announce that I’m hosting the very first “Family History for Children” blog link up. I loved the genealogy blog party by Elizabeth O’Neal at Little Bytes of Life and this is partly inspired by her. Thank you Elizabeth! Rather than focusing on genealogy in general, I am inviting you to share about the important topic of Family History for Children (ages 0-18). My hope is to add inspirational stories and practical tips […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer March 3, 2017 Families and Children

Favorite Reads of the Month – February 2017

tortillas: an heirloom by Allison Kimball at Simple Inspiration Discovering My Passion for Genealogy by Kenyatta Berry at FamilySearch Blog ‘It’s a Small World’ 4-part DNA online series YouTube series by AncestryAU 4 Reasons You Should Be Recording Family Stories by Hilarie at Legacy Tale New Discovery Experience center provides a jump start for family history by Twila Van Leer at Deseret News RootsTech Oscar “Andy” Hammerstein on Creating a Family Culture by Scot and Maurine Proctor at Meridian Magazine The […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 28, 2017 Favorite Reads of the Month

Releasing Slave Names Found in Genealogy Research

As African American History month comes to a close, I’m writing my first post releasing the names of enslaved individuals found in my genealogy research. Inspired by other bloggers and my experiences during African Heritage day at RootsTech 2017, I am joining in the effort to help African Americans find their family, taking inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr: “The time is always right to do what is right.” ¹ The Slave Name Roll Project began […]

By Diana Elder February 23, 2017 Research Tips

Making Family History in the Kitchen: RootsTech 2017

When did your family last gather in the kitchen to cook a favorite meal? Did you use tried and true recipes? Recipes that have been handed down from previous generations? If so, you preserved a piece of your family’s history. Now you just need to recognize and record your family food traditions. Steve Rockwood kicked off the RootsTech 2017 theme of food and family history with sharing his own family’s tradition of making his grandmother’s […]

By Diana Elder February 20, 2017 Creating and Sharing Family History

Gathering Strength From the Past – Hank Smith at RootsTech 2017

Did you know that when you learn stories about your ancestors, it actually gives them power to reach through the centuries and touch you?! At Family Discovery Day last week, Hank Smith, popular speaker for youth, shared how knowing a story from his family history helped him make a good choice. (See the video of Hank’s address here. And don’t forget to watch the bonus video at the end of this post!) Hank was a teenager […]

By Nicole Elder Dyer February 17, 2017 LDS Family History

Get Your “Rookie Smarts” On: Liz Wiseman and Buddy Valastro at RootsTech 2017

Think of a time when you were a rookie. What happened? How did you operate? What did you do when you didn’t know what to do? What were your aspirations? Liz Wiseman, author of Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work, asked us these questions during her keynote address at the Innovator Summit portion of RootsTech 2017. Straight out of business school, Liz found herself a rookie in a fast growing […]

By Diana Elder February 16, 2017 Creating and Sharing Family History