I am a Family Tree Firsts Finalist

Last night I got an email from Kerry Scott, Online Community Editor for Family Tree Magazine (FTM) and Family Tree University (FTU), that I am a finalist in their Family Tree Firsts (FTF) Blogger contest.  They are hoping to announce the winner by the end of the week.  SQUEEE!!!!

First reaction…..I couldn’t breathe.  I stood up from my computer fanned myself and told my husband (using hand gestures) to read my email.  He humors me so!  After hugs, a pat on the head and that smile he likes to give me I finally read the email to the end.  Fingers crossed everyone!!

I just happened across the contest the middle of October, and decided literally on a whim to do it.  Didn’t tell anyone just sat down and filled out the questionnaire in one go.  Then panicked a bit afterwards, and confessed what I had done to hubby later that night.  To be honest I never get far in these contests so I was just very proud that I actually took the chance.

When I discovered the contest I actually had already begun toying with the idea of writing a blog for my family research for a while.  I just couldn’t figure out how to do it.  A good friend had turned me on to the Genealogy Gems Podcast last spring and the host, Lisa Louise Cooke, talks a lot about why you should do this.  She even has tutorials online on how to do it on You Tube if anyone else out there decided they want to jump on the band wagon.

*image from Clipart Pal

Hello and Welcome

If someone told me a year ago that I would be writing a family history blog I would have laughed at them…hard.  I barely have time to keep up with my Live Journal account, let alone tell you all about my stumbling steps down the path of genealogy research.  Life is funny the way things change.

Truly I needed a way to share my information with the many “new” cousins I have found out there.  (BIG WAVE to all of you!)  I figured if I wrote about what I found, how I found it, my stories and etc. maybe I would not only help someone else out there with their research but find help myself.  So, yes….this is completely selfish of me….I want to know MORE!

In a nutshell this blog will give you a glimpse into my life as a fledgling family historian.  You will see wrong turns.  There will be missteps.  Possibly even a meltdown or two as I try to figure things out.  I will even post about whatever new book or gadget has caught my eye this week.  Enjoy the blog, post, comment, lurk, whatever makes you happy.  All I hope is that you learn something new.

What do you say we get this party started?

*picture from Pictures 4 Design