Elyse's Genealogy Blog

I am trying to save enough money to be able to go to the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree for 2009 that will be held in Burbank, California on June 26 – 28.  (Get more information on their blog) I am really excited to be going and so excited to meet new people and people who I [...]

Today, my mom and I were watching a show about the amazing heroic things that people have done.  My mom and I started discussing some of the heroic things we’ve seen and heard about. “It is ordinary people that seem to do some of the most heroic things.  It is like how Grandma Doerflinger lifted [...]

I was talking to my aunt today about my latest genealogical finds.  It included discovering that one of my ancestors was born in France or Italy.  My aunt made a joke that I must be Italian, because I talk so loud and I move my arms so much. Then my little cousin, Audrie, looks up [...]

It doesn’t happen often, but every once in a while, someone asks me how in the world one gets started in genealogy.  It seems to be the million dollar question (in the genealogy world at least).  Luckily, I got some answers for you: 1.) Start with yourself and work your way back, starting with the [...]

Many of you know that I have been a fan of using binders to organize all of your paper files.  However, after lots of thought and reading DearMyrtle’s Organization Checklist for January, I have decided to make the switch. The switch will not be happening all at once – I don’t get my school grant [...]

As you accumulate lots of pictures in your genealogy hunt, you might want to consider tuning in your creative side in order to show those pictures off: Make a heritage scrapbook. First rule: Never use the original pictures when scrapbooking because that can damage the originals.  Instead, make copies of the originals, and use those [...]

Dear Mr. President, Congratulations on becoming the 44th president of the United States.  You’ve worked very hard and sacrificed so much to get to where you are today, and you’ve earned this position. Let me say a huge “Thank You”.  You’ve inspired this nation and brought it together like I never imagined possible.  You’ve united [...]

I’ve been dieing to see the movie Defiance for an incredibly long time because the WWII era has always been a period in history that I’ve found incredibly interesting.  I was so excited that my mom took me to go see this film this morning. For those of you who don’t know what the movie [...]

Some people say that music defines a generation.  Think of the era of jazz where teenagers went to secret underground parties to dance.  Look at the era of the forties, where music was centered around patriotism and bringing our troops home.  We could go to the sixties – where the hippie movement created a sexual [...]

Because of my cold, I’ve been thinking about medicines: What kind should I take to stop my sinuses from feeling as if they are going to explode?  What could I take to stop my throat from aching?  What medicines and vitamins are available to make this cold less severe and shorter in length? Well, while I [...]