Celebrating Family

Love it when we have a reason to gather as family for a celebration. My youngest turned 12 recently. Not the 'big 13,' but still plenty of reason to celebrate. A party with friends was discussed, but it turns out that my pre-teen loves our family gatherings as much as I do and he wanted those near and dear to his heart to share in his special day.

While grandparents are states away and aunts/uncles/cousins aren't much closer, we are lucky to be surrounded by a network of extended family that willingly fill the void. Some of them think nothing of the two (plus) hour drive just to hang out. You have to feel special knowing that family members will go to such lengths JUST to SEE YOU!


Of course, it would be wrong to forget those adopted family members that might not show up on the family pedigree but are the first ones listed on the family contact list. "Uncle Mike" not only shared a good portion of his Saturday taking 'da boys to the gun range, but Mike (as in Suni's Mike) and family returned the next day to give us the rest of their busy weekend.






Every family needs a cousin Beth to keep the family unit tightly knitted. Not only is she the MAIN instigator of most family outings, but she'll beautifully document said event if you put a camera in her hands!


How fortunate we are to develop these treasured relationships, create memories and preserve family stories. Alex Haley penned it beautifully, "In every conceivable manner, the family is the link to our past, the bridge to our future."

Perfect for Mother's Day!

Looking for a nice, easy way to remember mom on Mother's Day? Make and Takes recently shared the following idea...

{Picture Perfect Centerpieces}

I think I'll score points with my m-i-l by making a centerpiece featuring her fabulous grandchildren.

I just might have to make one for myself! For my version, I'll create a tribute to our maternal legacy by featuring a picture of each generation's mother.

Photo Wizard Update

Want to feature family members on your own Memory Calendar? We're happy to announce that our Photo Wizard is ready to help!

First you'll need to locate and digitized pictures of friends and family that you want to remember on your calendar.

Next, go to www.storiesbyme.com and click on the Photo Wizard menu option. Look for the Get Started button. Enter your account information, or set up a new account. Don't worry...it's free!

The next screen is the Add Photos page. Just like the name implies, this is where you'll add pictures to your account. Simply click on the Browse button, find the picture files on your computer and press the Add Photo button. You can add up to 20 pictures, so don't forget anyone!

Once your photos are loaded, select the project that you're working on...in this case, Face Buttons. All that's left is to format the picture within the dotted lines. Use the slider bar to shrink or enlarge your picture. Your Memory Calendar Kit comes with round and square shaped buttons. Be sure to use both shapes when formatting the pictures.

Here's the part (the IMPORTANT part) that tells the Wizard what size to make these pictures so they'll fit the calendar buttons. BE SURE to select the project type. You'll need to do this once for each picture. It's easy, just click on the arrow to the right of Tree and highlight the Calendar option.


Save your changes and click on the Add Photo to Print list. Once you've added all of your pictures to the print list, you can click on the Print button located in the bottom right corner of the screen. The Wizard sends you an email with information on how to access your print job and important printing details.

You are now ready to create a keepsake that is sure to bring a smile to your face as you remember those things most important to you throughout the year.

Where to Go?

Spring break has come and almost gone. Not much to report... Kids are pretty disappointed with the lack of excitement around here, but after several weeks of running hard my re-occurring herniated disk reared its ugly head and I spent the week trying to knock it back down. Our big hur-rah was a trip to 5 Guys Burger and Fries (a welcomed addition to the list of local fast-food eateries).

Suni got it right. She and family headed out of town right after we finished last Saturday's marathon. Never mind the fact that she spent part of her week teaching a Stories by Me class in sunny California. She still enjoyed several blissful days without house chores or home responsibilities.

The kids and I pulled out some of our old photo albums and reminisced about past spring breaks. Happy days! We might not have much in the way of bragging rights this year, but these photographs reminded us of some fun-filled, action packed trips that we've enjoyed over the years.

We hope that your spring break was just that...a break from daily life, enjoying all that Spring has to offer!

Take a Picture, Tell a Story!

This is one of my favorite family pictures. I love the homespun quality of the clothing. I love the practicality of the woman's hairstyle. I love the stoic stance of the little man huddled close to his mother. I love every last button on the baby boots. (How did they get them buttoned?) Only problem was that we didn't know who was in the picture. We poured over family records trying to match the hairstyle and clothing to a family with a little boy who was around four year's old and his sister...maybe two? Nothing matched. Little did we know that it was common in the 1800's for little boys to be dressed, well, in dresses. That fact, along with a helpful uncle at a family reunion led us to identify this picture as Kevin's Great-great-grandmother, Mary Christina Israelson, born 1 July 1832 in Christvalle Sogen, Sweden. A great-granddaughter, Ardelle Hogan Mills beautifully completes the memory of GreatX2 Gamma.

"Grandma was not a beautiful woman, if one judges only features. Her nose was a bit too broad, her eyes rather pale and a bit dreamy, but oh so kind, and her cheeks bones a trifle high. She combed her white hair straight back. Her little old bent shoulders had gradually slumped with hard work and trouble. Although small and nonofficiousl, her influence of love, kindness, and patience were felt by young and old. Never was there a more grateful person than Grandma. Those who knew her loved her, and to them her dear old face was beautiful because her soul was beautiful."

Did you know that in the nineteenth century, a smile was considered a frivolous expression and therefore, inappropriate for a formal portrait? Or that holding a book in the photograph indicated that the subject was well-educated? And sometimes little boys wore dresses? Every portrait tells a story. Search old family photographs for clues about your ancestors. How did they want to be remembered?

Capture your life experiences for future posterity. Plan for a family portrait. Have each family member include an object that reflects their personality. Pick clothing that reflects your ethnic heritage or the current fashion. Give careful consideration to the location of the photo shoot. Above all...don't forget to include the date, subject(s) and location on the back of the picture!

Oh, the cute little 'girl' on the woman's lap...that's Kevin's great-grandfather.

Scanning - Made Easy!

Who doesn't have boxes (and boxes) of pictures needing to be preserved? I know I do...and I'm in the business of preserving memories! It doesn't matter that I have the equipment and know-how to get it done. I still find myself short on time and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of pictures needing preservation! (I am the proud keeper of all of our family's photographs.)

We have all heard stories of ruined memories due to unexpected flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes, fire...the list goes on. And natural catastrophes aren't the only thing we need to worry about. There are a million reasons to digitize our physical memories, and I've come across the perfect solution for making this a reality! [Sorry to everyone living outside the Salt Lake area. Check this out and then see if you have a local service in your own corner of the world.]

At the recent South Davis Family History fair, I came across the company Preservation Scanning. For as little as twelve cents a picture (yes, that's right, for 1000 photos they only charge .12 per scan) this company will COME TO YOUR HOME and help you unbury from your pile of photographs. Have fewer photographs? Cost starts at .18 cents a scan...and they'll still come to your home! Check out their website for all the specifics, but I can promise you that we'll be setting up appointments soon. We also plan to coordinate efforts for our local class participants. No more panic trying to get pictures ready for a class project. We hope to invite them to some of our classes! How would that be? While you're creating a memory, someone is sitting onsite preserving all of your other memories. Love it!

If pictures are worth a thousand words, 12-18 cents for Preservation Scanning is a screaming deal!

Ladies Night

Each year during the LDS General Conference, Deseret Book Company hosts a Ladies Night. It's held Saturday evening while the men attend the Priesthood session of Conference. We found this picture of October '08's Ladies Night in the Fort Union store on the web. That's Suni in the lower left corner! If you've never attended a L.N. here's a couple things to keep in mind:

1. You gotta be a lady! We've seen a few of the male species, but they are typically accompanied by their mothers.
2. Don't be late! This is a busy day and we are always cutting it close by arriving 30 minutes before starting time. By then lines have formed for the freebies and don't even think about parking close to the store!
3. You have to go home with something! We know...we're in a recession, but with everything in the store on sale, it's ok to pick up an item or two for that upcoming birthday or holiday gift.

We will be at the Ft. Union location of Deseret Book from 6pm - 8pm Saturday, April 4th. And new for this year, we will be at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building ALL DAY on Saturday!!

If you can't get over to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, we'll also be at the Church History Museum doing demonstrations throughout the day as well.

We would love to meet you and hear what you think of our new products. Stop by and say hi!