NGS: So many choices, so little time. What lectures are you attending?

Canal Walk in Richmond, VA

If you are anything like me you are in the middle of research prep and finalizing your schedule for next week.  The printed guide I picked up at my local genealogy society meeting is marked to bits.  There are so many great choices…now if I could only clone myself!

Throw into the mix that I volunteered to help at the conference and pick up drop off for my kids, I have a scheduling nightmare.  Well, actually, it may help cut down on my choices.  I am still waiting to hear back on which “Ask Me” shifts or room monitor assignments I am going to have.  When I get those it may completely re-work my selection!  Waiting patiently for information is not something I do easily.

As of right now, I think these are the lectures I am going to attend.  It may change, I have to be flexible after all, but as of the time I writing these are what I am going to attend!  Of course, if I am still trying to decide I will list both.  Maybe you can help me decide?

Wednesday

8:00 AM               Opening Session ‘Cause, why would I miss this?  Seriously, it looks great!

11:00 AM             BCG Skillbuilding Track: Problems and Pitfalls in a Reasonably Shallow Search, Elissa Scalise Powell

                           Virginia Track: Are Those My early Virginia Ancestors? Spanning Gaps and Developing Theories to Build a Possible Family Structure, Eric G. Grundset

2:30 PM                Virginia Track:  Using Civil War Maps in Genealogical Research, Cassandra Britt Farrell

                           Tricks and Tips Track: Annotating and Archiving Images, Jordan Jones

4:00 PM                Methodology Track: The Sociology of Cemeteries, Helen A. Shaw

                            State Research: Kentucky: Where in the State Do You Relate? Louise T. Jones

Thursday

8:00 AM               Virginia Track: From Jamestown to the Present: The Records of the Virginia Land Office, Barbra Vines Little

                           Research in the States Track:  North Carolina Research, Jeffrey L. Haines

9:30 AM               Research in the States Track: The Old Line State: Research at the Maryland State Archives, Patricia O’Brien Shawker

                           The NYGBS Track: Looking for Your New York Tenant Farmer: Little-Used Resources, Jane E. Wilcox

11:00 AM             Methodology Track: Oh, the Things You Can Map: Mapping Data, Memory, and Historical Context, Stefani Evans

                           Migration Track: The Migration Triangle: Virginia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, J. Mark Lowe

2:30 PM                BCG Skillbuilding Track: Using Evidence Creatively: Spotting Clues in Run-of-the-Mill Records, Elizabeth Shown Mills

                           Research in the States Track: Missouri: The Crossroads of America, Ann Carter Fleming

4:00 PM                BCG Skillbuilding Track: Finding Thomas’s Father, Pam Stone Eagleson

                            German Track: Contrasting German Migrations: 18^th-Century vs. 19^th-Century Waves, James M. Beidler

Friday

8:00 AM               Migration Track: Migration Routes to Kentucky, Donald W. Rightmyer

                           National Archives Track: Tract Books: Master Index to Federal Land Records, Angela Packer McGhie

9:30 AM               BCG Skillbuilding Track: Disputes and Unhappy Differences: Surprises in Land Records, Sharon Tate Moody

                           Spreading the News Track: Incorporating Social History into Your Research, Michael D. Lacopo

11:00 AM             Records Track: An Ounce of Prevention: Making a Genealogy Disaster Plan, Julie Miller

                           DNA Track:  Administering a Surname DNA Project, Terry Barton

2:30 PM               Records Track:  Using State and Regional Genealogy Periodicals in Your Research, Don W. Rightmyer

                           DNA Track: Genetic Genealogy Case Studies: Maximize Use of DNA Test Results, Debbie Parker Wayne

4:00 PM               Spreading the News Track: Writing a Narrative Family History: Snares and Pitfalls, John Philip Colletta

                           DNA Track: DNA and the Golden Rule: The Law and Ethics of Genetic Genealogy, Judy G. Russell

Saturday

8:00 AM              BCG Skillbuilding Track: Using and Evaluating Family Lore: She Married a Distant Cousin in Virginia, J.H. “Jay” Fonkert

                           NEHGS Track: Research Strategies for Upstate New York, Henry B. Hoff

9:30 AM              Virginia Track: A Treasure Trove of Rarely Used Records, Barbara Vines Little

                          Potpourri Track: Picture This: Images You Can Freely use, Judy G. Russell

11:00 AM            BCG Skillbuilding Track: Organize Your Research without Losing Your Mind, Julie Miller

                          Methodology Track: Using Case Studies to Learn Research Methods and Share Family Information, Thomas W. Jones

2:30 PM              BCG Skillbuilding Track: Working with Documents: The Importance of Context in record Analysis, Barbara Vines Little

                          Migration Track: How to Prepare for Successful Research in European Records, John Philip Coletta

4:00 PM              NEHGS Track: Making Midwest Connections at NEHGS, Rhonda R. McClure

                          Potpourri Track: Keep the Message Consistent – Sell/Document/Deliver from Proposal to Syllabus to Presentation, Diana Crisman Smith 

NGS: Getting around Richmond

View of downtown Richmond, VA
from Libby Hill Park looking down
US-60, E Main Street

For those of you unfamiliar with the area I thought I would write about the terrain and getting about on foot.  It is a beautiful city to explore and you will find many people walking the canal or sitting on the lawn of the old state capital at lunch time.  One warning though, bring good walking shoes.  Richmond is hilly. 

Since most of us will be staying near the convention center or the Library of Virginia I will concentrate on that area of the city in this post.  But, in general, this advice will apply to much of the city particularly those areas around the River.  The further out from the river the flatter it becomes.

For background, Richmond is the highest navigable point on the James River.  The river begins in the Appalachian Mountains and ends at Hampton Roads where it spills into the Chesapeake Bay.  The James cuts through the middle of the city creating many breathtaking views and several rapids.  It is, however, the lowest point of the city and everything slopes down to it.

Now it is not a steep slope, but the grade is noticeable.  I always leave downtown feeling like I got a great leg workout.  From the Library to the canal is about a 10 minute walk straight down 9^th street at a noticeable grade.  If you have any problems with hills I would drive or take a taxi as many places as possible.

Downtown, where most of us will be, is set up in a nice grid pattern.  The numbered streets run roughly north/south.  Well more like northeast to southwest, but you get the idea.  The named street run the opposite direction, east/west. 

The main thoroughfare through downtown is in front of the Library, East Broad Street (US-250/US-33).  This is a very busy 4 lane road and you should only have to cross it if you want to get to the canal, the old government area, sightseeing, or for dinning.  Just use common sense and watch out for the buses.  East Main (US-60) is on the south end of that district and runs through most of the shopping and eating areas along the river.

The Greater Richmond Convention Center is under a half a mile from the Library.  From the convention center you walk 3 blocks east on East Marshall Street and then one block south on 8^th street to come in the front entrance off of Broad Street.  Note: between the two places, and inside of the Marriott, is a Starbucks.  Just in case you need a pick me up. 

If you decide to drive further downtown, and not walk, there is a lot of on street parking.  There are also a number of reasonably priced parking garages in the area as well.  Down in the River and Shockoe Slip districts (where most of the food and shopping are) you can choose from:

Central Parking System (1000 E Canal St)

James Center Parking (1051 E Cary St)

Central Parking (100 Virginia St)

Standard Parking (1400 E Cary St)

Still not sure where to park?  Check out this link to parking garages in the area to find the one nearest to where you want to go. 

Hope this helped!  We are only 2 weeks out and it’s going to be a great time!!

Pocahontas's Wedding Jacket

The bride and groom. Photo by author.

For those of you who read the In-Depth Genealogist magazine for April, Going In-Depth, you know that I helped work on creating the weddingJacket for the reenactment of the wedding of John Rolfe and Pocahontas.  It occurred on 5 April 1614 and I was lucky enough to attend the recreation on 5 April 2014.  If you are interested in the history and back story, make sure you go read the article at the IDG.

In this blog post I wanted to let you know about the amazing opportunity I had.  It was my honor to work on the embroidery for the jacket the woman who played Pocahontas wore in the cemetery.  This post is a recounting of my experience as one of the embroiders on the project.

A call for volunteers went out in December, but as with most things in my life, I was late to the party.  I actually didn’t see the call for volunteers until late in January, a full week after they already started the project.  Never to let an opportunity pass, I wrote and asked if it was too late to audition for the project.  Happily, they said it wasn’t and sent me my audition package.

My Audition Piece

Yes, you had to send a sample of your work.  We were all asked to embroider a small bird using an image of a period design as our model.  I received the envelope Monday Morning, and I wanted to get going so fast that I had it back in that evenings mail.  To me, it was easy peasy.  Literally took me the course of a movie sitting on my couch one afternoon.

By the end of the week I was on the email list to schedule when I would come in and stitch.  To say I was excited would be an understatement.  I was over the moon with enthusiasm and couldn’t wait to get started.

My father’s mother taught me to embroider when I was a child.  While it was just simple cross stitch, it was a start.  From there I taught myself other techniques and stitches.  When I think about it I now realize that I have embroidered for 34 years.  Wow, now I feel old.

Over the years I have developed an interest with older styles of embroidery, including the styles that were used on this piece.  Black work is a beautiful form on monochromatic embroidery where black thread is stitched on a white (or light colored) back ground.  In the 16^th and 17^th centuries this form of embroidery was very popular. 

My first day embroidering was a bit nerve wracking.  Williamsburg is about 2 hours from my house which means that I was up early driving down there in all types of weather. When I arrived the first day it was a bit overwhelming.  There were 5 slate frames set up each with a different piece of the garment on it.  These were the biggest slate frames I had ever seen. 

Me stitching on the right front panel

Thankfully everyone was very friendly and we had a great time.  Sometimes stitching in silence, other times having very animated and loud conversations. In total I was there 6 times at least 6 hours at each visit. I was only one of about 70 embroiders who gave of their time for 10 weeks with about 1500 hours of work to make the amazing jacket Wendy Taylor, the Paumunky Indian who played Pocahontas, wore. 

The jacket was inspired by the Falkland Jacket (held by the Victoria and Albert) and custom made to fit our lady.  It was lined in pink silk and then finished with large pink ribbon ties.  If you are interested in if this was any way period or what she may have worn, there is a new article The Curator's Curiosity Cabinet where you can learn more.

For those of you who wished they could have been there, never fear, there was a video made!  You can watch it here (if you look carefully you can see me and my oldest sitting cross legged on the ground behind the guard at the front of the church) or see the official photo album here.  In addition, if you can get to Historic Jamestowne there is a special exhibit called “The World of Pocahontas.” In addition to learning more about her and the colony, they will have the jacket on display for everyone to see. 

I could talk about it for a very long time.  So…if you see me somewhere just stop me and ask me to talk to you about it.  You may regret it, but you will get an earful!  Below is a sampling of the items that I embroidered on the jacket.

A pelican in her piety

Oak leaves and acorns

Flower

I stitched the crab in this image

Press Release: NGS Ticketed Event Registration Ends April 22nd

Registration for the NGS Conferenceand All Ticketed EventsCloses 22 April 2014

Arlington, va, 16 APRIL 2014: Have you registered for the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond? The deadline for pre-conference registration is 22 April 2014. Registration will be available on-site beginning at 12:00 noon, 6 May 2014, in the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Registration for all meals, social events, and workshops closes on 22 April 2014. No ticket purchases will be available on-site at the conference for meals, social events, or workshops. Likewise, registration for Librarians’ Day also closes on 22 April 2014. For conference information and to register, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/.

Breakfast, Luncheons, and the NGS Banquet

Participating organizations sponsor several luncheons during the conference. Seats are still available for several of the luncheons, the NGS First-Timers Breakfast, and the NGS Banquet. Make your reservations now at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/. The NGS First-Timers Breakfast is $24, luncheons are $32, and the banquet is $51. Menus are in the registration brochure at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Registration-Brochure-Final-Rev-11.pdf.

Live Streaming

If you are unable to attend the NGS 2014 Family History Conference, ten lectures featuring some of the most popular topics and nationally known speakers will be available to you via live streaming.  Details about viewing the live streaming program and the costs can be found athttp://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/live-streaming-at-ngs2014gen/. Registration for the live streaming program closes on 30 April 2014.

Society Night

On Wednesday evening 7 May 2014, many Virginia genealogical and historical societies will be available in the Richmond Marriott from5:15 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. to answer questions about local repositories and resources, discuss their group’s activities, and sell their publications.

Richmond Area Tours

There are a few seats left on the historical tours prior to the NGS 2014 Family History Conference through Richmond Discoveries’ Tours onTuesday, 6 May 2014. To register go to http://www.richmonddiscoveries.com/ngs.php.  The password is NGS2014 and is case sensitive.

Add Items to an Existing Registration

To add meals to your current registration, log on at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions. To add pre-conference events, click on My Account and then select Upcoming Events.

You really don’t want to miss this year’s exciting conference program from 7–10 May at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and Richmond Marriott.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records.  The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, research guidance, and opportunities to interact with other genealogists.  Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.

NGS: Are you ready to research at the Library of Virginia?

View of Downtown Richmond over the falls of the James,
taken from the Manchester Floodwall. By Morgan Riley

Whew!  We are in the final countdown to the NGS conference and I am growing more excited each day.  My next few posts are going to be focused on repositories in the city and my tips, hints, and tricks to navigating them.  Trust me, all locals know something that you aren’t going to learn about anywhere else!

Today, I want to talk about the Library of Virginia (LVA) of course.  Who doesn’t want to visit the library while they are in Richmond?  If you said no it is only because you don’t know the amazing stuff you can find there!  Most importantly, make sure you do some pre-research.  The website for the LVA can be a bit confusing, but here are some things to keep in mind while hunting around on there.

For anyone who wants to do research at LVA, please be aware you will have to get a library card.  Without it you cannot request books or make copies (more on these below).  I suggest you read and understand the Library of Virginia Visitors Guide and Library Cards and Circulation Procedures before you come.  The visitors guide gives you a great general overview of the library, where it is, and its services.  However, pay particular attention to the one on library cards.

In state residents may request a library card via mail or email, but be sure to leave 2 weeks for processing.  Out of state residents must do it in person, and in state resident can choose this option too.  Thankfully you can prefill out your application and bring it along with ID to the circulation desk.  Virginia residents must provide proof of residency.  These cards are for people 18 and older, so if you have a child coming with you to do research they will need a parental permission form filled out as well if they want their own card.  Note: if you lose your card there is a $5 replacement fee.

While you are at LVA I am sure you will want to make copies and here are a few things to keep in mind.  Like I mentioned above, you will need a library card to do this, even if you are going to copy it to a thumb drive! Unless they are bringing in more copiers for NGS, expect long lines.  There are only a handful in the library and 2 book scanners.  You can put money on your library card for copies ($0.25 per copy) but note that the machine which puts money on your card will only take Visa or Mastercard and NOT debit cards.  Yeah, that threw me the first time when it wouldn’t take my bank card. 

The search box on the home page is your friend!  Type in your keywords here to pull up information on collections, records, and finding aids.  When you type in GENEALOGY your results will be full of finding aids and articles about genealogical research there.  One article of note is Published Materials for Genealogists.  Make sure you read this, you will thank me later!

Search the LVA catalog is a link under the “For The Public” section.  This is the LVA catalog.  Search it from the comfort of your own home, the terminals at the library, or over the library Wi-Fi when you get there from the LVA page.  Via keyword search you can look for books, records, manuscripts, images, and more.

When you receive results from your searches take note of the format and location for each item.  This will be important when you arrive on site, particularly the location.  Much of the LVA collection is not accessible by the public.  Unless it tells you which reading room, or section of the 2^nd floor the item is located, you will need to request the item. This will take a library card.

The books you will need to request will be labeled as located in the “Closed Stacks.”  This is upstairs only accessible to staff.  If you would like to look at a book from the closed stacks you will need to request the book, or books, from one of the two reference desks.  The librarians will send the request upstairs, and depending on how busy the library is, you will have a 10+ minute wait.  How do you know your books are ready to be picked up?  Glad you asked!  There are TV screens around the 2^nd floor that show the queue for requested books.  When your books are ready, your name will appear, and you can go to the circulation desk to pick them up. 

You may check out 15 books at one time and you must present your library card to pick up the materials.  Out of state residents may only look at books in the library, but in-state residents will actually have circulating books check out to them for 28 days at the time of pick up.  Just return them to the circulation desk when you are finished.

If your item is a manuscript in the “Archives and Manuscript Room” you will need to go there and request the time from the archivist on duty.  The item may not leave that room, so be prepared to stay.  You can read about the policies for the archives and map research rooms in this PDF from the LVA website.

Microfilm and Microfiche are located on the west side of the library next to the archives reference desk. There are banks and banks of film.  They are very well labeled and the staff is always friendly so don’t be afraid to ask for help.  They have about 30 readers and you will have to register to use one (clock in and clock out).  The readers are digital thankfully so no hand cranking!  You can record images directly to a thumb drive on these as well.

Finding a listing for “Online Material” however is very good.  That is information you can research at home and not have to worry about doing it there.  By simply clicking on the title link for the item it will take you to its details page.  This page contains the link to viewing the image online.

Virginia Memory is an online collection of digital images you should check out before you get to Richmond.  Not only are there some amazing exhibits and historical items there, but A LOT of useful ones too.  This would be a blog post by itself, but here are a few collections you might find interesting:

·         Broadside collection

·         Chancery records

·         Civil War map project

·         Cohabitation registers

·         Confederate Pension Rolls

·         Dunmore’s War Payroll/Claims

·         Legislative Petitions

·         And so on….

If you need a break or a quick snack, there is a small café on the first floor.  The food always smells so good when you are upstairs, it really is unfair at times.  Also, the Virginia Shop is on the west side of the main entrance to the library.  Here you can pick up some great Virginia specific publications (and others) that the LVA has produced.  Check them out online too so you don’t have to cart a whole bunch of stuff home!

Like I said, there is a lot to do there, and a lot you can do at home to prepare for your trip!  I would start now if I was you.  Good luck!

Map to the 2nd floor of the Library of Virginia.
Floor plans are available at the library from the 1st floor information desk.

NGS: Volunteer opportunities for you and the youth in your life

One of the best ways that you can support the genealogical community is through volunteering. Volunteering my time, energy, and know how is something I love to do and I know many of you do too.  Often I am accused of giving too much, and I am sure many of you can relate to that statement.  However, NGS needs us this May, so I am going to ignore those little birdies and raise my hand anyway. 

In fact, do you have a responsible teenager who is an aspiring genealogist?  If so they can volunteer too!  The conference is looking for teenagers who would be willing to stuff bags on Monday morning, work registration, or be room monitors.  This would be a great way for them to get a feel for the community and not feel awkward since they are helping out and staying busy.

I was sent the following information about volunteering at NGS in May.  Hopefully you see something on here that catches your attention and will make you want to assist in the event!  I will see you there since I am off to volunteer right now.  Read all about volunteering below or check out the Virginia Genealogical Society website for further information.

 

Call for Volunteers NGS 2014 Family History Conference Virginia: The First Frontier 5-10 May in Richmond

Sign up today to volunteer for the National Genealogical Society 2014 Family History Conference held 7-10 May 2014. Anyone volunteering for this conference will be given training on Monday, 5 May 2014. You will work at the Greater Richmond Convention Center (405 North 3rd Street) or the Richmond Marriott (500 East Broad St.).

Sign up for a morning or afternoon or for the whole week in Richmond at the NGS 2014 Family History Conference. It’s easy to sign up.

Go to http://www.vgs.org to read more. There you can pick your job and indicate your interest to be a 2014 NGS volunteer. First come, first served.

If you have questions, contact Don Moore at NGS2014Volunteer@gmail.com.

See you all at the conference in May!

Packing List: NGS 2014

In just over a month NGS will be held in Richmond, Virginia.  I just can’t express how excited I am to attend my second large conference and be able to come home at night to sleep in my own bed.  Ah, the luxury!

As the perpetual planner and itinerary maker a month is just about perfect to start my packing lists.  Yes, lists.  There are always more than one and sometimes I even have to organize those.  Does that make me overly efficient or slightly loony?  

The one main difference about this conference is that I won’t have to worry about competing for the copiers at the library.  I am there to enjoy the conference, and I can come back another time to do the research.  Lucky me huh?  However, I have a feeling that I will be still be found lurking around the library helping out of town/state friends.

Unfortunately I will be solo this time around.  Well, except for Saturday.  My kids will be attending the NGS Youth Camp on Saturday and are very excited about it.  Even more so when they learned that mom doesn’t have to stick around.  It’s like I have the plague or something.  I included a Saturday packing list for them too. 

I have spent the last few hours trying to figure out how much I should stuff into my bag.  Over packing, um excuse me, being prepared, is the key.  So…let’s dive into what I think I should bring.  I will rely on you all to tell me if I am being a little too ambitious or to let me know if I forgot something.  Of course, you all could just see if I can pull this packing list off and then laugh at me when I look like a human pack mule.

General Needs:

Sturdy large bag: Bigger than a purse but smaller than a duffel bag is what I like to bring.  Something sturdy enough to put shopping in as well as carry everything I think I will need to have a happy conference.  I also bring a smaller bag that it squishy and can be used as an extra bag in a pinch.

Comfy shoes:  I am all for being stylish but now that I have entered the world of foot problem sufferers I can appreciate comfortable footwear.  Some sort of comfy loafer or sneakers will be in my bag for the trip. 

Layers: Dressing in layers is always a must.  While the weather maybe confused outside (Richmond could be anywhere from 50-80 degrees in May) you can bet that there will be at least one room that is a freezer inside the conference.  A light sweater or jacket will be with me. Preferably one that can be tied around the waist or squished into a bag.

Snacks: Having a few snacks on hand when you can’t get out for a real meal is a must have. Protein bar, some nuts, a piece of fruit, or anything that will give a boost of energy, but is small, is great to have.  I also tend to carry some hard candy or gum just in case I need it after lunch. 

Water:  While my morning caffeine is critical I carry a water bottle with me everywhere.  Now that you can get bottles with built in filters I will have one of these in my bag as well.  I can have water with me at any time and no worries about where the recycling bin is.

Electronics: Cords, cables, iPod, head phones, chargers, and etc.  A techie girl has to have her gadgets in tow!

First-aid kit: Can you tell that I am a mom.  My mobile band-aid station goes with me everywhere.  Bandages, tums, pain killers, hand sanitizer, and a small sewing kit.  It’s just one of those things that is always in my purse.

Conference Needs:

Schedule:  I have already analyzed the conference schedule that I picked up from my local society meeting months ago.  However, my organization streak has not stopped there because now I am transferring all that information to the app.  The mobile conference app is awesome and I am loving it!  I will have as much of my time planed out and arranged as possible before I get there, even if there are several blocks where I have multiple classes scheduled. 

Business Cards:  Make your own or take advantage of the various cheap business card makers out there.  You can hand them out to new friends or old friends.  Put them in door prize drawing boxes.  Or anything else you can think of.  My favorite printer is Moo.com but I hear Vista Print is good too.

iPad: Do I need to say more?

Notebook/Binder:  Yes, sometimes old fashioned paper and a notebook/binder is the answer.  I can keep important papers, contact numbers, itineraries, maps, and what not in one place. Plus, sometimes passing notes to friends is an actual thing.  Not everyone has text messaging believe it or not.

Writing tools: Stylus for the iPad, pens, pencils, highlighters, colored pencils, you name it I will have at least one of it on me for making the written word happen. 

Mailing labels:  I use filled out mailing labels to save my hands and time in filling out things at conferences.   They can be used to label your handouts, enter a contest, in a pinch as a business card, and many other things.  It would surprise you what you can use a mailing label for.  I put my full contact information on it as well as my social media contacts. 

  

Research Needs (I may give into the temptation):

Laptop:  I am trying to decide if I can do just the iPad or if I should bring my laptop too.  Something to think about…

Thumb drives: For those lucky times when you can copy files directly onto drives instead of having to cart loads of paper home.  Many of the research facilities around Richmond will let you copy directly to thumb drives.  The microfilm readers and copy machines at the Library of Virginia do this.

Folders: For those papers that I pick up.  I can keep them separate by topic, family, or whatever I need.

Cash: for the copy cards in case I really do need to make photocopies and I can’t use my thumb drive.

Camera: I never go anywhere, particularly a research opportunity, without my camera.  Included in my bag are the cords to transfer images, extra batteries, and camera lens cleaner.  

Kids Day Packing List:

Notebook and pen: No, they do not have tablets.  Bad mom I know, but paper and pen will be just fine.

If lost return tag: Yes, I label the inside their stuff when we go to large places.  My cell phone and email will taped, tacked, or tied to all their belongings. 

Water bottle: Hydration is important!

Small snack: An energy boost for them if they get cranky or need something before we can actually sit down for a meal. 

Notebook with printouts: The oldest will get to carry the notebook with the maps, itinerary, and how to find mom stuff.  The youngest is responsible for making sure the oldest doesn’t lose it.  Between the two we should be good to go.