Blogiversary ~ 7 Years Today ~

~  My desk during the holidays 2015 ~

It's hard to believe I have had my blog for seven years now. It seems like yesterday that I was so nervous about it all!  Not that I still don't get nervous but blogging has definitely taken a back seat due to my daily life and family happenings.  Just not enough time in the day!

I am working on several family history projects that I started several years back . . . I am now just getting back to completing them . . . two family history books and a memorial album for ancestors that have passed away that my mom (1933~2010) started before she passed . . . I am looking forward to blogging about some of those projects as I complete them. I have much to catch up on my blog here, in my office and researching.

My family and I took a trip to visit my Aunt Ginnie in Kentucky in August of 2015 . . . great trip! Took lots of photos of the Cloverport Cemetery and the graves of many ancestors that are buried there . . . quaint little town and Kentucky is so beautiful. Visited family in Missouri and cousins in Rowlett, Texas where they were hit pretty hard recently by a tornado, family is all okay there thank goodness. I hope to blog about that trip also.

Blogging has connected me to so many wonderful friends, family and fellow genealogists, how Blessed I am.

Here's to many more years of being a part of a wonderful genealogy community and meeting many more cousins and friends.

Three Years Blogging ~

Another year has passed and my Blogiversary is here once again! It's hard to believe it passed so quickly. I had big blogging dreams for 2010, but as non-genealogy life stuff happened, I didn't blog as much as I would have liked. I appreciate those that have visited and left comments for me with the few posts I did manage to get out there. I also discovered a cousin, Russ Worthington over at A Worthington Weblog . . . so blogging has been very rewarding and I appreciate the friendships I have made.

I have learned so much in the last three years and I say a big thank you to many of my genea~blogger friends who have helped, supported and guided me and just made it fun to be here. In the very beginning, my writing really needed help. Thanks to Thomas for giving me the opportunity to do the "May I Introduce To You" interviews at GeneaBloggers, my writing improved greatly and I am now a little more comfortable with posting.

I still consider myself a "newbie" researcher and family historian with a very long way to go . . . but, I am very excited to get back into my research in 2012, and with that, I hope to have more to blog about here . . . here's to a new year of sharing with you and keeping up the search.

   

This is the Face(s) of Genealogy ~

This is in response to a very sad and offensive article posted at the LAWeekly website, about the upcoming Southern California Genealogical Society Jamboree being held in Burbank, California from June 10-12, 2011. . You can read about it over at GeneaBloggers ~ The Face of Genealogy. 




To show what the true faces of genealogy are . . .  my favorite photo of my maternal grandparents, Liselotte Haf nee Kaiser-Saule and Adalbert Haf are proudly honored here.  

Liselotte Paula Haf nee Kaiser-Saule 1913 ~ 2010

Adalbert Haf  1907 ~ 1968

Augsburg, Germany

~ Now, these are the faces of genealogy ~

Advent Calendar ~ Holiday Travel

Please note: This post originally ran for the Advent Calendar of Memories in December 2009 ~  Mom use to watch the Rathhaus video cam everyday, she grew up just down the street from this wonderful little center now alive with the Christmas market. Even though mom is not here with us...I continue to watch it each day too...after all, it's where I was born! My visit back there as described in this story...I remember the Rathhaus very well. 

Aunt Gitta, Uncle Adi, my mom, Uncle Helmut, myself, Oma Lieselotte, Great Oma Margarete and Opa Adalbert Haf

Our arrival at the Munich Airport 1965

My wonderful and unforgettable memory of traveling was when mom and I flew back to Augsburg, Germany - a more than 2000 year old city. I was born in Augsburg and came to the U.S. when I was three. Mom was born and raised there. This was the first trip we made back together and to boot, we did it at Christmas time, the most beautiful time of the year to me.

Munich Airport ~ our airplane ~ Lufthansa

Our flight was about an eighteen hour flight from LAX to Munich. We flew via Lufthansa. I will never forget that flight. Because we were going to be in Germany for a little over three weeks, mom had all of my class work and homework pre-arranged to take with me. I remember doing my school work on that plane! I remember we would get these really neat smelling (lemon scent) wet wipes after eating a meal. To this day, I am reminded of that trip each time I encounter that familiar scent!

Once we landed in Munich, we would have about a one hour drive from Munich to Augsburg. Mom and I were quite tired but we didn't care, it was so exciting - I was in Germany! I remember how emotional it was to see my Opa, Oma and great Oma along with my two uncles and aunt Gitta at the airport. I hadn't seem my Opa since I had left and we were inseparable at one time. The photo above was taken upon that arrival.

The Autostrasse Sudtirol

I remember how beautiful the ride was to my Oma's home. Germany is gorgeous. It was snowing, cold and I didn't care. I was loving every minute of it! We went all over the place--to my great Oma Margarete's, to my uncles homes, shopping at the Rathhaus Plaza.

I have the web cam of the Rathhaus Plaza on each and everyday right now, the famous and traditional Christmas market is in full swing. It's a great feeling to see a place that you were born in all the way across the ocean on a web cam and still feel as if you are there! It's like I get to travel there everyday! They are nine hours ahead so the best time to watch is around eight or nine a.m. here in the states. Mom watches it everyday too and she knows each trolley and where it's headed! My Oma still lives just blocks from the plaza -she is ninety-six years old.

Opa, myself, Oma Lieselotte, and Mom, our trip to the Alps

Mom and I along with my Opa, Oma and my uncles traveled to the Alp's. The Alp's are breath taking. What an experience it was to visit such a beautiful and magical place. Most of all, I enjoyed Christmas with all of the family members and having a very traditional German Christmas. The family, the food, the joy of being together was unforgettable.

Mom tries to go back each year, my daughter went back with my mom when she was thirteen at Christmas time. She also experienced a memorable time that will last her a lifetime.

That really is the only "big" trip that my family has made during the holidays. We normally stay within our area. Mom lives about an hour and a half away. We will travel to her home and spend an evening with her to have our Christmas together. It may be a week or so before Christmas but with the kids grown and having their own families, it's much easier this way. Christmas Eve is spent in our home and Christmas Day the kids spend the day with their own families and in-laws.

Advent Calendar 2009
and for the
Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories 2010

Advent Calendar ~ Christmas Cards Day 4

Please note: This post originally ran for the Advent Calendar of Memories in December 2009 ~ My love of cards increases each year!  I have a wonderful collection of cards & post cards from Germany from family members. 

This card is from my uncle Adi (1940 ~ 2004) and aunt Gitta 2002

This is the Rathaus Plaza, Augsburg, Germany. The clock tower, and the town city hall ~ the birth place of the author of this blog. Augsburg is over 2000 years old - each and everyday I watch a webcam of this plaza and right now the Christmas market is alive and bustling. It's like being right there! Keep in mind they are nine hours ahead, best time to view the webcam has been around nine a.m. California time. The Christmas lights, the street cars and the huge Christmas tree is a sight to behold. My Oma lives very close to this plaza. I remember walking around the shops on a trip back home. There are webcam's all over the world, it's amazing to watch them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This card and tag, was made by my cousin Marion, we share the love of cardmaking!

I have had a passion for cards ever since I was a very little girl. I love making cards, sending them and receiving them. It's probably safe to say that I have an addiction to cards as much as I have to genealogy now! I have gone so far as keeping most cards that have been given to me. I have gotten better, and I pick and choose what I keep now. I have created a system so it is not out of control! I hunted high and low for a file box that was pleasing to look at, currently it's a Victorian floral. I use a file folder with a label for each person. Those pretty file folders are what holds each precious card I keep. I can go back, read and look at each card and letter anytime. It feels as if I am with that person for a little while.

Card on the right is from my Oma Lieselotte >>

Cards are very important to me. I can remember as far back as the third grade when I penned a thank you card to my best friend Sandy's mom for letting me spend the night. It is said that Nita, who is my second mom, still has that thank you note. I am going to ask her because I would love to see that one! I always gave a thank you card for the littlest things, or just a card to say hello ~ I am thinking of you ~ get well ~ any reason at all.

Christmas is the best time. Each day receiving a card is exciting and I look forward to opening it. I use a letter opener, never tearing the envelope! I write the date received on the card and when I responded. I know I am a bit weird, but I told you, I have a thing for cards.

 

I started out with store bought cards and added stickers, not the cutesy kind but Victorian die cut type of stickers. Then I went on to stamping and embossing, then I would do both! Now I try and make my own cards as time permits. I enjoy the "hands on" feel of the paper and personalizing the card to each person or event. I am slowly learning digi-scrapping as I would like to learn to do some cards on my computer.

Card on the right is from my uncle Adi and aunt Gitta and cousin Marion 1993 >>

This card is from my Oma (grandmother) 2005


I knew the ones I wanted to focus on were the ones from my Oma Lieselotte, my aunt Gitta, uncle Adi, and my cousin Marion ~~ all from Germany. As I was going thru the folders, I had many different emotions, I realized I hadn't visited these treasures in a long time, partly because my two twin uncles have passed, I miss them and life has just been busy. I am so glad I have kept all my cards.

This card was handmade for me by my aunt Gitta
Sadly, I don't have the year this card was made.

It was very difficult just to pick a few. There are so many beautiful cards to share that I could be here for a long time!



2010

Advent Calendar 2009

Advent Calendar ~ Day 3 ~ Christmas Tree Ornaments

Please note: This post originally ran for the Advent Calendar of Memories in December 2009 ~


Our tree always had traditional German ornaments, the most beautiful kind. Some glass, some handmade and very delicate. Mom still has many from close to fifty years ago. I have several heirloom ornaments that have a very special meaning to me so I have chosen a few to share with you.
  2010 Update: Since this post last year, my Oma passed away the 5th of April 2010...these ornaments are truly a treasure more than ever.

My Oma, Lieselotte Haf, who is ninety-six years old, alive and well and living in Germany, made these walnut ornaments. Oma traveled every few years to California to visit us. During one of her visits she wanted to make some traditional walnut ornaments, the kind she made back home during tough times.

We bought a bag of walnuts, red yarn, and gold paint! Oma and I sat and carefully cracked open the walnuts so that we could glue the string inside, glue the walnut back together and paint them gold. That was 29 years ago this Christmas. I will never forget sharing this time with her, laughing as we would try not to crack the walnut shells into pieces! In mom's own words, German's like handmade ornaments, nature type ornaments. I have cherished the walnut ornaments Oma made me and proudly put them on my tree each Christmas.

My aunt Gitta in Germany is an expert at "Kloppeln". It's not embroidery, it's not needlepoint, or cross stitch - it's German Lace Making. Aunt Gitta has her own style, but I can tell you it's amazing. Aunt Gitta has spent many hours making these beautiful heirlooms and I cherish each and every one of them she has made for me.

She has made several items for me over the years, the Christmas tree ornament is truly beautiful along with this Kloppeln doily that I use under my mini memory tree in my kitchen. My mini memory tree has photos of loved ones and ancestors passed. I always have a mini tree in my kitchen, it use to have Christmas cookie cutters on it, now it holds photos as ornaments of those we want to remember and we miss so much.

    Advent Calendar 2010

Advent Calendar 2009

Advent Calendar ~ Holiday Foods

Advent Calendar ~ Day 2 ~ Memories of our Holiday Foods~
Please note: This post originally ran for the Advent Calendar of Memories in December 2009 ~

Some of my favorite memories are of mom baking a ton of cookies. I remember that she would start baking early in November and then store them in tin containers until the Christmas holiday.

Cookies~

My favorite are mom's Spritz cookies - they are so good! In the last few years mom has added a few variations to the traditional spritz cookie. Knowing how much I love these cookies and chocolate, mom combined the two, dipping half of the spritz cookie in chocolate. Not only does it look good, but it is to die for!

Mom also made a moon shaped hazelnut cookie with powdered sugar on top, everyone in my family loves the hazelnut cookies. Another cookie that comes to mind are her buttery sugar cookies. All of these recipes and more are in German in her own handwriting. Slowly, mom is translating the recipes from German to English so that not only will I have them, but our holiday food traditions will continue to be handed down. Eventually I will be posting these wonderful recipes, they played such a large part of my childhood holidays, I want everyone to enjoy them as much as my family and I do.

Breads and Cakes~

Mom also made a German bread called "Stollen" which consists of: candied fruit, nuts, raisins and marzipan. Sorry, not one of my favorites but very traditional. Of course there is my most favorite, great Oma Margarete's 'German Marble Cake'.

Christmas Packages from Germany~

Once mom and I were here in the states, my oma would send us a Christmas package every year. It was always exciting because she would send foods that mom was used to and what I loved. Oma always sent the kidney shaped chocolate liquors which is a hard dark chocolate shell on the outside, filled with brandy on the inside, these are now available at stores like "Trader Joes". You had to pop the entire candy in your mouth or brandy would drip all over. As a child, I was only allowed one or two of these and I still remember how good they were.

Dinners

I don't recall this dinner, however, mom said that the traditional holiday dinner that was cooked was a goose. What I recall of our holiday dinner was a roast with potato balls, smothered in her German gravy. For as far back as I can remember, mom has made the potato balls from scratch. Potato balls are very labor intensive so she now uses a German packaged potato ball mix named "Phanni". They are still very good, but not as good as mom's homemade. The store bought mix method is much easier on mom, this allows her to spend more time with family and I am all for that.

Even today mom still cooks this holiday dinner and bakes all of her wonderful cookies for all of us to enjoy, making our holidays memorable.                   

                                                                                            

            2010

Advent Calendar 2009

Advent Calendar ~ Our Christmas Trees

Please note: This post originally ran for the Advent Calendar of Memories in  December of 2009 ~

Each and every Christmas tree I have ever had in my life has been decorated in true German tradition and always beautifully done by my mom!

Until mom and I came to the U.S. we never had our tree up until Christmas Eve because that was the German tradition, the tree is not put up until then. The "living room" in German homes is usually seperated by doors. On Christmas Eve, mom and oma would be up late decorating our live tree to have it ready for Christmas morning. Back then they even used real candles! Can you imagine doing that now. Once the tree was complete, the doors would be locked and not opened until Christmas morning! Sadly, I do not have any photos of those trees.

Once here in the U.S. mom became "Americanized". She would always put up a beautiful tall full live tree just after Thanksgiving and to this day this ritual continues. Mom is a master at decorating the Christmas tree as well as the entire house, her trees are amazing!

Until recently, we both have always had live 'Noble Fir' trees in our own homes. Now both mom and I have artificial trees, to see them you can not even tell they are fake, especially with mom's touch.

Mom's Artificial Tree and enchanting village 2008

Mom has German ornaments that are close to 50 years old. Now they have been passed down to me and they are on my tree today. I have the last of the real lead tinsel from Germany. I don't use it on my tree because of our little grand kids, but the individual strands are very heavy! Each tree would have over 2000 lights with angel hair in-between the branches.

My tree this year 2009, not as pretty as mom's but still pretty - looks better in person than in this photo!

This year, right after Thanksgiving, mom and I put up my tree. I learn more and more from mom on how to decorate the tree, but I know my tree will never be as amazing as hers. Each year mom gives me more ornaments and my tree gets prettier and prettier! I will proudly be the 'keeper' of these heirloom ornaments. I do miss a real tree smell, but my artificial tree is just as beautiful and I can leave it up as long as I like. I don't have as many lights on my tree as mom has on hers, but that's ok, less to take down! We are all decorated here, ready for Christmas and enjoying the beauty of my Christmas tree.

I love going home to mom's for Christmas . She has two trees, one in the family room and one in the formal living room, I cannot wait to see them. Christmas is always special at mom's it makes me feel like a kid again and it's as if you are walking into a living room in Germany.


Advent Calendar 2009

Jamboree Memories 2010 ~ Saturday and Sunday's Events ~

My GeneaBlogger Flair ~

Saturday, June 12, 2010 ~

After a full nights sleep, we met Elyse of Elyse's Genealogy Blog, Cheryl Palmer of Heritage Happens, and A.C. Ivory of Finding My Ancestors for breakfast in the Daily Grill. We ate fairly quick as we had early classes.

Elyse needed to be over at the Bloggers Summit, Session One class by 9:30. Elyse was one of the speakers on the panel and our class started at 10:00 a.m.. What a great class, speakers were: Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers, Destination: Austin Family, High-Definition Genealogy,  Steve Danko of Steve's Genealogy Blog, Elyse Doerflinger of Elyse's Genealogy Blog, Miriam Midkiff of AnceStories and Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings.  This class was all about how to start a genealogy blog. 

Blogger Summit, Session Two started right after session one so we just stayed put.  This panel of speakers were: Thomas MacEntee of GeneaBloggers, Destination Austin Family, High-Definition Genealogy,  Craig Manson of GeneaBlogie, Schelly Talalay Dardashti of Tracing the Tribe, Lisa Louise Cooke of Genealogy Gems Podcast, Family Tree Magazine Podcasts, and Kathryn Doyle of the California Genealogy Society and Library.

Session Two covered how to keep your blog going, marketing, and how blogging is beneficial to your genealogy research and possibly being profitable. Both sessions had great speakers that we all have come to know. It was also fun having all of the geneabloggers in one place getting together.

Holly Hansen, Amy Coffin, FootnoteMaven (behind Amy)

Steve Danko and Becky Wiseman

After session two of the Blogger Summit, we all headed over for Lisa Louise Cooke's Genealogy Gems Live Podcast, featuring interviews with Chris Haley, Maureen Taylor of The Photo Detective Blog and Suzanne Adams of Ancestry.com. Unfortunately, I had to leave about 15 minutes into the show. Steve and I had to be at a wedding in San Diego, returning to the Jamboree later that night. It was still a fun day at the Jamboree even though my day was cut a bit short there.

Photo held and owned by Gini Webb

A.C. Ivory of Find My Ancestor, Chery Palmer of Heritage Happens, Gini Webb of Ginisology, Miriam Midkiff of AnceStories, Ruth Himan of Genealogy is Ruthless Without Me (I am sorry, I don't know the person on the end's name), Barbara Renick...thank you Miriam! 

Sunday June 13th, 2010 ~

We got up early and headed for the "Bloggers Lounge". Instead of a full on breakfast we grabbed a muffin from the Coffee Bar right there in the lounge.

Cheryl, A.C. and myself headed for our first class: Timelines and Chronologies: Secrets of Genealogical Success, given by Geoff Rasmussen. I have to say, this was my favorite class and I learned quite a bit. Geoff really held a great lecture using the "Legacy" genealogy software (which we received a complimentary copy in our GeneaBlogger bags!!).  I really like how this program has such a great timeline feature and each event in a persons' life when entered, can be displayed chronologically.

Timelines can give you so much more info than say a family group sheet or pedigree chart can. Timelines are vital to our genealogy research. Geoff explains, "successful genealogy research largely depends on three factors: correct name, correct time period,  and the correct locality".

Elements of a Good Timeline
~ Year of the event
~ Event name
~ Locality, displayed in reverse order
~ Citation
~ Transcription of the document
~ Age of the individual at the time of the event

You are able to see if you have an age or date out of place. Legacy displays all potential incorrect localities and dates in your database...I am anxious to try it out.

Geoff also used AniMap, a software that displays maps of county boundaries for each state for all years for the United States and parts of Canada. AniMap will plot the locality on a map showing the jurisdictional boundaries of the time period.  The AniMap program is amazing. This program will also measure the distance between two localities, and will perform radius searches. When Geoff was showing us, I got the goosebumps and knew I had to have this program...right after the class...Cheryl, A.C. and I ran there and got in line to purchase AniMap and I am very happy I did, I know Cheryl and A.C. are too. I haven't had a chance to play with mine yet but very much looking forward to that too.

After class and buying AniMap, Cheryl, A.C. and I headed back over to the "Bloggers Lounge" where we found, Thomas, Amy, Holly, footnoteMaven, Miriam and many others. We sat and chatted and caught up on emails, blogging, Facebook, etc.. A.C. sat and helped me change my puter over to Google Chrome...thank you A.C., I love it. Took a little getting use to but I really do like it, much better than IE 8.

Amy Coffin, Holly Hansen, A.C. Ivory, (standing) Cheryl Palmer and Thomas MacEntee

Cheryl Palmer, FootnoteMaven, Gini Webb

FootnoteMaven taking a photo of someone!

After hanging out in the lounge until about 1:00 p.m., Steve and I said our goodbye's and headed for home. He works graveyard so he needed to get a few hours of sleep in before work.

I was sad to leave such great friends, old and new. We really had a great time, and I already look forward to next years Jamboree. If you haven't been able to attend the Southern California Genealogy Jamboree, please try and make it next year, you won't be disappointed. Hope to see you there.

I want to thank Paula Hinkle and everyone who worked hard all year long to make the Jamboree a memorable event. Thank you to Thomas, Amy, Holly, Joan and Denise for our bloggers bag and all that you do...you guys really took care of us.

Jamboree Memories 2010 ~ Arrival and Friday's Events

The Southern California Genealogy Society 2010 Jamboree was an incredible event. I met so many new bloggers and met up with many that I had met at last years Jamboree. I really hope those that were not able to make it this year can make it next year! It sure would be nice to have all geneabloggers together.  I already have the days marked on my calendar!

I haven't had a chance to post sooner, trying to get back into the swing of things and reality! My granddaughter is graduating fifth grade on Monday, June 21, 2010, there has been a school activity each day this last week, so this post is a little late coming.

Thursday afternoon/evening June 10th, 2010 ~

After getting settled in our room at the Burbank Marriott Hotel, I headed down to the "Bloggers Lounge" to meet Cheryl from Heritage Happens...we had met at last years Jamboree. We had a bite to eat together in the Daily Grill catching up on everything and sharing our plans for our next few days ahead.

Jamboree 2009 (don't have a photo of just us this year so I am using last years photo this year!) 
Gini Webb and Cheryl Palmer

After a bite to eat we met up with footnoteMaven creator of Shades of the Departed, Becky Wiseman of Kinexxions, Miriam from AnceStories, Randy Seaver and his wife Linda (Angel) of  Genea-Musings and Craig Manson of GeneaBlogie in the "Bloggers Lounge", Thomas from GeneaBloggers was just checking in. What a great time we had just sitting around and chatting with each other. It's actually much more fun doing that than classes!

Cheryl Palmer, footnoteMaven, Gini Webb

Jamboree 2010, bloggers lounge

Thursday evening

Linda "Angel" Seaver and Craig Manson of GeneaBlogie 

                Thursday evening - Jamboree 2010

Becky Wiseman and Cheryl Palmer                                                                Gini Webb and Becky Wiseman

Friday - Jamboree 2010

We were also able to pre-register for the Jamboree on Thursday evening to avoid the large line on Friday. That sure made it nice and we were able to just head straight for classes Friday morning. We got our name tags (pre-beads and ribbon) - (2 photos above taken on Friday), Syllabus and welcome bag. The bag was very nice to carry lots of stuff around in! I also brought my rolling backpack for my laptop, by the end of the Jamboree, I had stuff everywhere.

Friday June 11th, 2010 ~

Got up bright and early Friday morning...didn't sleep but a few hours! Our hotel neighbor (non Jamboree person) decided to get up at 3:30 a.m., put heels on, clop around relentlessly, and bang things all over the place until 6 a.m.. I wasn't going to let that get to me, nor lack of sleep was going to get in the way of a great Jamboree day!

Amy Coffin, Holly Hansen, A.C. Ivory, Cheryl Palmer, and Thoma MacEntee

Steve and I had breakfast in the Daily Grill (courtesy of Marriott Hotel due to our noisy neighbor). I then met up with Cheryl and the other bloggers in the "Blogger lounge" where we had the GeneaBloggers meet up. Thomas over at GeneaBloggers, Amy at We Tree, Denise from The Family Curator and Joan Miller of the Luxegen Genealogy and Family History blog created the wonderful GeneaBloggers bag with lots of goodies in it, all I can say is we were very lucky geneabloggers! Thank you Thomas, Amy, Denise and Joan for all you did for us! 


Cheryl and I headed over to have our photos and documents scanned by Ancestry.com, what a wonderful job they did, they scanned each and every photo and document I had, and put it on this cute little thumbdrive, absolutely free of charge...thank you so much Anecstry.com! I love it. 

 Ancestry.com thumbdrive holding all of my precious Haf photos and documents

Jamboree 2010

 After dropping our photos and documents off to Ancestry.com, Cheryl and I did a bit of walking around the exhibit hall. We sat with Janet Hovorka from The Chart Chick and Generation Maps, with Janet's help, I was able to make my own pedigree chart using ChArtist. I love the program and plan to use it more often. The possibilities are endless and it's very user friendly. 

Then it was time to attend Lisa Louise Cooke's "What You Must Know To Save Your Research From Destruction" class.  I realized how important it is to have a "Genealogy Directive"...great class. You can download a free copy of the the Genealogy Directive by going to her site Genealogy Gems, after scrolling down, on the left hand side, click on Directive for OGS and print your own copy...thank you Lisa.


Directly after Lisa's class, I headed over to a class Thomas MacEntee was giving on "Google Docs". I learned quite a bit in this class but I really need to work with it and become familiar with all of the applications it has to offer. 


After class, Cheryl and I stopped by Ancestry.com and picked up our photos and documents that were scanned for us. Several of the other bloggers were not attending the Chris Haley banquet that evening so we all went across the street to a Greek restaurant and had dinner. It was nice sitting around exchanging cards and chatting. After dinner we all ended up back at the bloggers lounge and hung out together for a bit...great way to end a pretty exciting day.