The Search

I want to introduce you to two imaginary friends of mine. Bethanne Nichols is a professional genealogist. Lacy Barnes is a beginning family historian. We're going to follow these 2 ladies on their search for Lacy's family.

Bethanne owns and runs The Searcher, a small shop in Fremont, OH. She also has a website.

Lacy is a young woman searching for her family. Her mother passed away when Lacy was only 2 years old. She didn't know her father. She knows his name, but he was out of the picture before she was born. Lacy's grandmother and a maiden aunt raised her. They both passed away last year leaving her with no known living relatives.

Most people have more of a starting point than we have here, but the basic procedures are the same no matter how much information you already have.

We'll start Lacy's quest in my next post.

Dale L. Edwards

Vital Records

Vital records include birth certificates, death records, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, naturalization, adoption, and land records. At vitalrec.com you will find a comprehensive resource to find vital records online. They also have maps and many interesting links.

Vital records in the United States weren't common until the early 1900s. Vital records usually contain the full name of the individual involved in the event, the date of the event, and the county, state, or town where the event took place.

Different types of vital records have different types of information.

Birth records usually have the parent's full names including maiden name of the mother, the name of the baby, the date of the birth, and county where the birth took place, as well as the birthplaces of the baby's parents, the addresses of the parents, the number of children that the parents have, the race of the parents, and the parents' occupations.

Marriage records often record the names and birthplaces of each individual's parents. Sometimes other information is included such as the names and birthplaces of the bride's and groom's parents, the addresses of the bride and groom, information about previous marriages, and the names of the witnesses to the marriage.

Divorce records usually list the names of the couple's children, names of the individuals seeking the divorce, date of marriage and divorce, and may also include ages and birthdates of the individuals, current residences, and/or the reasons for divorce.

Death certificates often mention where the individual will be buried, place and date where the individual was born, parents names, cause of death, and also give the name of the individual who reported the death.

Vital Records are considered a primary source for genealogical information. They give you the bare facts while other records such as obituary, school, and other records add the spice to family history.

Dale L. Edwards

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Naturalization Records

Naturalization is the process by which an alien becomes an American citizen. These records can provide a researcher with information such as a person's birth date and location, occupation, immigration year, marital status and spouse information, witnesses' names and addresses, and more.

From the first naturalization law passed by Congress in 1790 through much of the 20th century, an alien could become naturalized in any court of record. In most cases naturalization was a 2 step process that took at least 5 years. After living in the US for 2 years an immigant could file papers of intent, then 3 years later file a petition for naturalization. These papers didn't have to be filed in the same court.

Exceptions to the 2 step process:

1. "Derivative" citizenship was granted to wives and minor children of naturalized men. From 1790 to 1922, wives of naturalized men automatically became citizens. This also meant that an alien woman who married a U.S. citizen automatically became a citizen. (Conversely, an American woman who married an alien lost her U.S. citizenship, even if she never left the United States.)
2. From 1824 to 1906, minor aliens who had lived in the United States 5 years before their 23rd birthday could file both their declarations and petitions at the same time.
3. An 1862 law allowed honorably discharged Army veterans of any war to petition for naturalization--without previously having filed a declaration of intent--after only 1 year of residence in the United States. An 1894 law extended the same no-previous-declaration privilege to honorably discharged 5-year veterans of the Navy or Marine Corps. Over 192,000 aliens were naturalized between May 9, 1918, and June 30, 1919, under an act of May 9, 1918, that allowed aliens serving in the U.S. armed forces during "the present war" to file a petition for naturalization without making a declaration of intent or proving 5 years' residence. Laws enacted in 1919, 1926, 1940, and 1952 continued various preferential treatment provisions for veterans.

Before 1906, any "court of record" (municipal, county, state, or Federal) could grant U.S. citizenship. The National Archives doesn't normally have a copy of these records, but a few are in the county and state microfilm available. Contact the State Archives for the state where the naturalization occurred to request a search of state, county, and local courts records. Also contact the NARA regional facility that serves the state where naturalization occurred to request a search of Federal court records.

After 1906, the courts forwarded copies of naturalizations to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Naturalizations from Federal Courts are held in the NARA's regional facilities for the Federal courts for their area. The National Archives in Washington, D.C. holds naturalization records for Federal Courts in Washington, D.C. More information.

Happy hunting.

Dale L. Edwards

Immigration Records

The National Archives has immigration records from 1820 to 1982. There are some earlier immigration records that are incomplete for the port of Philadelphia beginning in 1800, and for the port of New Orleans, 1813-1819. Most pre-1820 passenger lists have been published.

Here is some of the types of information you can find in the immigration records:

• one's nationality, place of birth
• ship name and date of entry to the United States
• age, height, eye and hair color
• profession
• place of last residence
• name and address of relatives they are joining in the U.S.
• amount of money they are carrying, etc.

They do not have passenger lists available online, but there is a list of the microfilm available for each port. You can also search the Microfilm Catalog to see which regional locations have the microfilm you are seeking. Type in Passenger as the keyword. More information.

General Overview

• Immigration Records (Ship Passenger Arrival Records)
• Order copies of passenger lists using the Order Online! system, or with NATF Form 81

Specific Immigration Topics

• Canadian Border Crossing Records, an article in Prologue
• Chinese Immigration and Chinese in the United States: Records in NARA's Regional Archives
• "Famine Irish Passenger Records" in the Access to Archives Databases (AAD). This database identifies 604,596 persons who arrived in the Port of New York, from 1846-1851. Despite the name of the records, approximately 30 percent of the passengers list their native country as other than Ireland.
• Great Lakes Crew Lists
• Index to Case Files for Early Immigrants to San Francisco and Hawaii
• Mexican Border Crossing Records
• View Selected Chinese Immigration Records Online
• Genealogical CD-ROMS on Immigration in the Archives Library Information Center, National Archives Building, Washington, DC
• See the Passenger Arrival Records of the von Trapp Family
• View Selected Alien and Immigration Records Online

Happy hunting.

Dale L. Edwards

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Successful online marketing depends largely on your ability to identify the marketing opportunities that provide the best opportunity to reach your target audience in a scalable and cost effective manner. Research shows that 70 to 80% of Internet users rely on search engines to find relevant content. Competition is fierce to gain the top at the search engines.

USWeb offers search engine marketing services for medium-size organizations to Fortune 100 corporations designed to get your site noticed when potential buyers are looking for the products and services you have to offer. Search Engine Optimization, PPC Bid Management, and Trusted Feed are the services USWeb supplies to target and drive self-qualified prospects to your website.

Locating the Pertinent Newspaper

Because newpapers are bulky and deteriorate rather quickly, the old newspapers that have survived are on microfilm that can be accessed through interlibrary loan. Before you can request microfilm you have to determine what newspapers were active at the time your ancestors were living in the area. The next step is to find where the microfilm is stored and how to request the microfilm you need. Kimberly Powell at About.com gives these tips to find old newspapers -

• The U.S. Newspaper Program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a national effort to locate, catalog, and microfilm newspapers published in the United States from the eighteenth century to the present. The national database is maintained by the Online Computer Library Center and can be accessed through the free FirstSearch service at thousands of participating libraries across the U.S. All newspapers microfilmed through this project are available through interlibrary loan.
• Check with the local public library or academic library in the town where the event happened to see if they serve as a depository for local newspapers.
• The Library of Congress maintains one of the most extensive newspaper collections in the world with over 9,000 U.S. newspaper titles and 25,000 non-US newspaper titles.
• The Family History Center in Salt Lake City has thousands of microfilmed newspapers from around the world which can be ordered through your local Family History Center. Search the Family History Library Catalog for your ancestor's location to find what newspapers and other records have been microfilmed.
• Contact the local newspaper office to see if they maintain a library of their back issues. Also, most newspapers have a website now that can give you more information.
• Historical and genealogical societies often have newspaper resources for their immediate area or will known where to find them.
• Many U.S. state archives and libraries serve as depositories for microfilms of newspapers.
• ProQuest has digitized over 16 million newspaper pages, including a full run of The New York Times (1851-2001), the Los Angeles Times (1881-1984), and the Chicago Tribune (1849-1984). The Wall Street Journal (1880-1987), The Washington Post (1877-1988), The Christian Science Monitor (1908-1991), the Atlanta Constitution (1868-1925), the Boston Globe (1872-1922), and the Hartford Courant (1764-1984). You can gain access to the database through membership in a participating library/institution or by joining (for a fee) an organization which subscribes to the collection. One such popular option is the Godfrey Scholar program.

A word of caution when you use old newspapers in your research. Verify the facts because there may be errors. It also needs to be documented by writing down the title of the newspaper, its place of publication, the date of issue, and the page number.

Happy Hunting,

Dale L. Edwards

Family History in the News

Newspapers can be very good sources of information about your ancestors. A newspaper is like a diary of what is going on in the community. Some of the valuable information you can glean from a newspaper is:

• Obituaries - newspapers are inconsistent about the information included in an obituary, but some of the information you can find is place and date of birth; names of siblings, parents, and other surviving relatives; occupation; military service; and even the church where the funeral was held. When searching for an obituary keep in mind that an obituary can appear several days after the date of death.
• Birth Announcements - became popular after 1900.
• Wedding Announcements - are inconsistent also in the amount of information they report. They range from the bare minimum to lavish accounts of the decorations and what the wedding couple as well as their parents were wearing.
• Anniversary Announcements - usually have quite a bit about the couple and their accomplishments. Usually it's the 50th anniversary, but just about any anniversary after the 50th could be announced.
• Society News and Local Gossip - often included birthday announcements, illnesses, job promotions, wedding announcements, visitors to the community, and other news of a more personal nature.
• Public Announcements and Advertisements - Livestock, farm equipment, and even personal property were often sold at public sales which might be found listed in small classified advertisements. Advertisements and announcements concerning insolvent debtors, forced land sales, professional services, runaway slaves, and missing relatives are also particularly relevant for the genealogist.
• Legal Notices - Some judicial actions, such as proving of wills, land sales for payment of taxes, divorce proceedings, proving of heirs, and the settlement of estates, cannot be concluded without public notice. Local newspapers are often a good source for such legal announcements.
• Transfers of Real Estate - Local columns often kept area residents informed on who was going and coming in the neighborhood. More recent newspapers usually list real estate transactions in the classified or legal notices section.
• Unclaimed Mail Lists - Periodically published by smaller newspapers, these are lists of letters, often sent by anxious relatives, which went unclaimed at the post office. Useful for potentially identifying ancestors who pulled up stakes and moved to a new location.
• Church Announcements - Many churches submitted lists of new members, baptisms, confirmations, and other church news to local newspapers for publication.
• Military News - Items about hometown boys and girls heading off to war, along with news when they wrote home, commonly found their way into print.
• School News and Activities - can include lists of students who made the honor roll, awards won by area students, school board minutes, school events, and detailed coverage of annual graduation ceremonies.

You would be amazed at the information you can find in newspapers.

Dale L. Edwards

Investing in Precious Metals

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Family History Do's and Don'ts

Here are some do's and don'ts for family history.

Do Document
I've said this before, but I can't emphasize enough the need to document what and where you've searched whether you found anything or not. This will keep you from going through the same records over and over because you don't remember you searched this record before. When you share your genealogy, it's important to send along your documentation (not the actual documents, but a list of your sources with enough information to guide the recipient to the original record).

Do Make Copies
A photo copy of a document helps to reduce the errors that can creep into our research. It is so easy to make a mistake when copying by hand from documents.

Do Check for Obvious Errors
Before you add new information to your family history go over it to look for obvious errors. Do a little math on the dates to make sure the parents weren't born after the children, they didn't get married at 7 years of age, they didn't die before the child was born, or any other mistake that can happen. I've seen all of these errors in family history.

Do Organize
Choose a filing system that works with the way you do research, making sure it includes a way to organize your papers, certificates, your digital documents, and other computer files. The main thing to look for when choosing a filing system is ease of use. It's useless if you have a system that is so involved you don't use it.

Do Verify
Just because something is printed in a book or is found on the internet doesn't automatically make it true. Even vital records can have mistakes. In one death certificate I know of, the deceased is married to his son's wife. Just one wrong fact can have you going around in circles.

Do Rule Out Other Possibilities
You know that your great-great-grandfather lived in Virginia around the turn-of-the-century, so you look him up in the 1900 U.S. census and there he is! In truth, however, this isn't him - just someone else with the same name living in the same area during the same time period. It is a scenario that actually isn't all that uncommon, even with names you might think are unique. This actually happened to me with my Harrison line.

Don't Assume
"Junior" and "Senior" as well as "aunt" and "cousin" were often used very loosely in earlier times - and still are, even today. A designation of Jr., for example, may have been used in official records to identify between two men of the same name, even if they were unrelated (the younger of the two being called "Jr."). You also shouldn't assume relationships between people living in a household unless it is specifically stated. The sole adult-aged female listed in your great-great grandfather's household, may indeed be his wife - or it could be a sister-in-law or family friend. Always remember that undocumented facts are just educated guesses.

Don't Skip Generations
Prove and verify the information you have on each generation. Start with your parents and don't assume you know everything about them. Have copies of vital records, church records, school records, military records, and any other record you have come across that documents their lives.

These do's and don'ts will help keep us from barking up the wrong family tree.

Dale L. Edwards

The Census and Family History

Every 10 years the United States Government takes a census used to allocate Congressional seats ("congressional apportionment"), electoral votes, and government program funding. The census is mandated by the Constitution.

Start with the 1930 census and follow your ancestors back in time through the censuses. Ancestry.com has the censuses online with the option to view the original page and copy it for your records (highly recommend taking a copy of the information and placing it in your filing system; also highly recommend using a research record that records where, when, and all the information needed to find the record again).

The first census was taken in 1790. The records for Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, and Virginia went missing sometime before 1830. Below is a list of the information available in this census.

Columns - left to right
1. Name of head of family
2. # of free white males 16 & up including heads of families
3. # of free white males under 16
4. # of free white females including heads of families
5. # of all other free persons except Indians not taxed
6. # of slaves

The 1800 census isn't complete as well. The records for Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia were destroyed.

Columns - left to right
1. Name of the head of family
2. # of free white males under age 10
3. # of free white males age 10-16
4. # of free white males age 16-26
5. # of free white males age 26-45
6. # of free white males over age 45
7. # of free white females under age 10
8. # of free white females age 10-16
9. # of free white females age 16-26
10. # of free white females age 26-45
11. # of free white females over age 45
12. # of all other free persons
13. # of slaves

The 1810 census included Louisiana, but the records for the District of Columbia, Georgia, and New Jersey were destroyed. This census gives the same information as the 1800 census. The census for 1820 through 1840 gives the same information. The article, Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840, outlines what you can learn from these censuses with examples. The article, Clues in Census Records, 1850-1930, outlines what you can learn from these censuses. They also have articles on Nonpopulation Census Records, 1935 Census of Business Roll Lists, Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940, and more.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The 1890 census was the first to be compiled on a tabulating machine, developed by Herman Hollerith. This introduction of technology reduced the time taken to tabulate the census from seven years for the 1880 census to two and a half years for the 1890 census.

The logistical difficulties in compiling the census drove computing technology for the next fifty years until computers became widespread in industry. IBM's first electronic computer was created primarily to deal with the needs of the census in addition to military and academic uses.

This census is one of the three for which the original data is no longer available. Almost all the population schedules were destroyed in a fire in 1921. The Other Censuses that have lost almost all information were the 1800 and 1810 enumerations.

The census is a great tool, but the information can have errors. The information given to the census taker might be wrong either by mistake or intentionally. The census taker could misunderstand what was said and enter misinformation. My husband's great grandfather on his father's mother's side is a case in point. He went by the name Perry and in one of the censuses they had him listed as Harry. Investigate different spellings of the surname, too. I've seen the same person listed as Slater, Slafter, and Slaughter.

Happy hunting
Dale L. Edwards

Blog for Money

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The popularity of your Blog is important. Qualify for Blogitive’s program by submitting your blog into RSS Syndication sites like FeedBurner.com, commenting on other people's blogs, submitting to blog directories, and asking friends to add you to their blogroll. Once your Blog qualifies, you can participate in Blogitive’s web release program and start making money online. You will usually make $5 per post. There are people who are making $1000 a week with Blogitive, but they have multiple blogs. You can submit as many blogs as you want to as long as they meet Blogitive's requirements.

This is just one way to make money with Blogitive.com. Two new programs will launch soon - NewsNerve and Ghost Writing. NewsNerve is a service that will display relevant syndicated news headlines and allow you to earn money from every click that your visitors make. Ghost Writing doesn't require a blog, just good writing.

Blogitive will roll out more ways to make money as they come off the drawing board and implemented.

Filing Systems

I think there are as many ways to set up your filing system as there are people doing genealogy. I'm going to detail just a couple.

1. The one I started out with used file folders, numbered documents, a master sheet, and family group sheets in a binder. This was a very awkward system that took up a lot of time to keep it current. I don't recommend it, but it is one that many people use.

2. Another method uses manila envelopes, one for each direct ancestor family, or in other words, John Doe's family envelope would include all the information you have on his children and their descendents except for your direct ancestor and their family would be in another envelope with all the children and their descendents except your direct ancestor. In these envelopes you keep not only the family group sheets for the married couple, but for their children that married except for your direct ancestor. Also in these envelopes you would keep the documents that deal directly with that family. You could end up with several envelopes with John Doe's name numbered 1-whatever. There is also the problem that sometimes you have information that should be in more than one envelope. When that happens put a page in the envelope that directs you to the envelope containing the document.

3. Another method requires 3 ring binders and page protectors. Everything goes in the binders except your research logs. Start with 4 binders and expand as the binders become over crowded.

I would look into other methods you can find on the internet and decide which one will work best for you. I am still deciding how I want to organize my stuff. I lost most of my documentation when we moved and I've got to go back and try to reconstruct it.

Dale L. Edwards

Documentation

Sounds like work, doesn't it? Very important work, but still work. It isn't nearly as much fun as searching for your ancestors, but a necessary evil. Without good documentation a researcher ends up going around in circles because it's very possible without documentation to research the same documents many times and never move on to other possiblilities. When you share information, the recipient would like to know where you got the information, in other words what was the source of the information and is it a primary or secondary source. It makes quite a bit of difference whether the source is primary or secondary. Primary records are vital records or records directly from the subject. Everything else is a secondary source.

Some kind of filing system is necessary, when I just started out I didn't realize the amount of paper you accumulate when doing genealogy. Photo copies are the best way to copy the information from your sources because hand written notes are prone to errors. The information about where, what, and who are best kept in a research log that lists the depository (library, ect.), name of the source (use the same criteria used in term paper documentation), name of the subject (John Doe), and the page number and any other information you feel you need to keep from going in circles, and this record is hand written. I suppose you could type it out when you get home, but I don't think it's necessary.

Dale L. Edwards

Silver and Gold

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Since 1990 world demand for silver has exceeded annual production. Above ground stockpiles of silver bullion are low and shrinking rapidly. The U.S. government - once the largest stockpiler of silver on the planet - has dumped billions and billions of ounces of silver bars onto the world market since WWII, effectively depressing the silver price. Today the U.S. government is buying silver because the government stockpiles of silver are gone.

For centuries gold has been the best way to preserve wealth. Throughout history man has had an affinity for gold boullion. Today, the beauty of a gold bar lies in its proven ability to diversify investments, protect wealth and preserve one's purchasing power.

Silver and gold are available as coins and ingots.

Family History First Steps

Step 1
Fill out a pedigree chart to the best of your ability. You can download these forms from the internet.

Step 2
Contact older relatives to try to fill in information that is missing on your pedigree chart. Get as much information on your family as you can from these precious resourses because they won't be around forever. I have a friend that asked her grandmother for help with her genealogy and her grandmother said she would, but she died during the night. They will be so happy to talk to you about their past and the people they knew long ago. Try to tape them if at all possible for two reasons. The first is so you can go back and make sure you get the information right and the other is the priceless recording you make of your relative's voice.

Step 3
Now the fun begins. Decide which line you want to follow and begin looking for information on that line. I suggest taking what you know and searching for your names on RootsWeb.com. This is a free site and many people have added their genealogy to the site. You can contact the people who have submitted the information through e-mail. Their e-mail address is with the information in a grayed out area that is hard to read.
Another good place to start is FamilySearch.org and if you are having problems a Family History Center is a good place to go ask questions. There is a Family History Center locator on the website. They have some good how-to information and aids on the site. Ancestry.com is also good, but isn't free. You can join for $10 a month.

Step 4
Document EVERYTHING. Keep a record of where you've searched so you don't keep searching the same records for the same information. I'll go into documentation in more detail in another post.

Just keep following leads, and when you come to a dead end for the moment with the first line you chose, start with your next line.

Good luck with your hunt.
Dale L. Edwards

Family Search

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been redoing their website and Family Search is also getting a new face lift. If you haven't been there in a while, you might want to take a look.

New resources for African American research are available. They have added an indepth guide to African American research available on the website. They are planning on adding audio and video from the recent AAHGS (Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society) conference.

Presentations include:

1. 
   Dr. Quintard Taylor, Jr., Author and Professor of American History, University of Washington Presentation: Roots West: African American History in the Trans-Mississippi West
2. 
   Mary Hill, Author and accredited genealogist for Southern and Eastern States Presentation: Finding Records of Your Ancestors: 1870 to Present
3. 
   Beth Wilson, Retired reference librarian for land records, African-American genealogy, and documentation research Presentation: Trails Back: Tracing Ancestors in Slavery through Census, Probate, and Land Research
4. 
   Dr. Spencer Crew, Director of the National Museum of American History, Washington, D.C. Presentation: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center: Activities and Accomplishments
5. 
   Angela Walton Raji, Author and avid African–Native American genealogist Presentation: Beyond the Dawes Rolls: Black Indian Ancestry East of the Mississippi
6. 
   Adele Marcum, Professional genealogist and content specialist Presentation: Where Should I Start? Beginning Research on Ancestry.com
7. 
   Howard Dodson, Chief, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library Presentation: To be announced

I hope this helps those who are looking for their African American heritage.

Dale L. Edwards

College on the Internet

Capella University, an accredited online university offering graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology was founded in 1993. This distance learning mba is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and they are also a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, located at 30 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504.

The university also offers bachelor degrees in business and information technology. They offer 76 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate specializations. At this time they serve 16,000 students located in all 50 states as well as 63 countries. As a national leader in online education, Capella is committed to academic excellence.

Capella University is a subsidiary of the Capella Education Company headquartered in Minneapolis.

Still Here

I need to apologize to my readers because I haven't been writing in my blog. I have no excuse, I just have been busy doing other things. Until I started looking at the dates of my last posts, I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted. I've got to find a way to earn income and I had been trying to do that with my blogs and writing. I think you have noticed some posts that are basically advertisements for other companies in the blog. I've tried to make the advertisements interesting and relate to the blog's subject matter, but I feel that some of the posts were a reach. I still need to do these advertisements, but I will give you a heads up. If I see a way to slant them toward family history, I will, but some of them just don't slant very well.

The next 3 posts I'm doing are for Blogitive, which pays me to put their ads in my posts. If you are interested in doing this, you can go to blogitive.com and submit your blog to run these advertisements. They pay weekly, and they are very good about paying, it's first come first served to get the assignments, so you have to keep a close eye on their site, but it's worth it.

I will get back to family history very soon.

Dale L. Edwards

Creative Pre-Wedding Pictures

A wedding is a huge event in our lives when someone close to us gets married, and I, for one, want spectacular pictures of the events leading up to the wedding. While the wedding is the main event the rehearsal and the dinner the night before the wedding will hold good memories, too, and you'll want to record these events.

To get spectacular pictures, I, if no one else, need to plan the event around the kind of pictures I want to take. The wedding camera shots of the wedding dinner the night before need to be carefully planned to make sure we get the type of shots we want, and to be sure everyone has a good time. This includes the children; be sure to include them in your planning. Stuffy formal sitdown dinners the night before the wedding are a thing of the past. Be creative when you plan the dinner.

Unless you and everyone else in your family know the members of your soon to be in-laws, the dinner is a good place for everyone to get acquainted. A bar-b-que in your backyard would be one way to get everyone to mingle and get to know each other. If you're going to an exotic place on your honeymoon like an island in the South Pacific, or Paris, France, use that as a basis for your theme. How about an excursion to a sports event since usually stadiums have group rates. These are just ideas. What do the couple like to do? That could be a basis for a theme for the dinner. Be sure to ask what the other family doesn't like to do and avoid that activity. We're trying to have fun, not put someone's nose out of joint.

The children at the dinner could have their own table covered with butcher paper with crayons for each child. They can then enjoy coloring on their tablecloth, and it keeps them busy. Usually there some children that don't want to color and you will need to plan an activity (or several) for the children. Make sure there is child friendly food for the children. There's nothing worse than a hungry or bored child. Feed and entertain them to keep the party running smoothly.

The wedding and honeymoon are over. You've finally gotten the pictures you've taken of the wedding events back. Now is the time to make sure you have a record, using a pencil, on the back of each picture, of the name of every subject in that picture. My husband inherited a box of pictures; his grandparents are all deceased, his mother and father are deceased, his older brother and sister are deceased, and he has no idea who some of these people are in the pictures. It's very important to do this as soon as possible.

All pictures should have the names of the subjects listed on the back in pencil, not pen. A pen can ruin the picture.

Dale L. Edwards