Welcome to the Are You My Cousin? newsletter! Each week, I share practical family history advice - whether you're solving genealogy mysteries or capturing the stories that make your family unique. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe so you never miss an issue. Hi Reader, We're heading into the final 10 weeks of 2025, and I've been thinking about research do-overs. You know that ancestor you've been stuck on for years? The one where you've searched every obvious record, tried every...
3 days ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Mid-way through Week 3 of Family History Month, and I need to share some research truth with you. The reality: Some of you are probably making breakthrough discoveries. Others might be hitting the same walls you've hit before. Both experiences are completely normal in genealogy research. Here's what most genealogy advice won't tell you: Sometimes the "failure" to find records immediately reveals important information about your ancestor's life. No marriage record might mean they...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Weeks 1 and 2 were about working with what you already have. Week 3 is about strategically filling in one specific gap. This week's focus: Fill in the Missing Pieces After two weeks of discovery and preservation, you probably have a clearer picture of what you know and what you don't. Maybe there's a maiden name that's been eluding you. An ancestor who seems to disappear from records. A family story that doesn't quite add up. This week isn't about solving every mystery or starting...
10 days ago • 1 min read
Welcome to the Are You My Cousin? newsletter! Each week, I share practical family history advice - whether you're solving genealogy mysteries or capturing the stories that make your family unique. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe so you never miss an issue. Hi Reader, You know that moment when you're staring at a census record you've read a dozen times, and suddenly you notice something you've never seen before? Not new information - the same facts you've read repeatedly - but...
10 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Mid-way through Family History Month Week 2, and I need to address the preservation mistakes I'm seeing in my inbox. Good news first: People are moving photos out of hot attics and damp basements. That's huge. The concerning part: Several people are making preservation choices that could actually damage their family materials long-term. The biggest mistakes I'm seeing: Mistake #1: Using regular tape or glue on photos - I get it, you want to mount them safely, but regular adhesives...
13 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Week 1 of Family History Month was about discovering what you already have on your ancestors. Week 2 is about making sure you don't lose it. (I need this reminder as much as you do!) Here's the uncomfortable truth: Every day you wait, you're losing family history. Photos are fading in those boxes. Documents are deteriorating in humid basements. And the relatives who hold your family's stories won't be here forever. This week isn't about perfect archival systems or expensive...
16 days ago • 1 min read
Welcome to the Are You My Cousin? newsletter! Each week, I share practical family history advice - whether you're solving genealogy mysteries or capturing the stories that make your family unique. Did someone forward this to you? Subscribe so you never miss an issue. Hi Reader, I was thrilled to recently add a new leaf to our family tree! My son married his beautiful wife, and of course the wedding was perfect. Spending time with the family members in attendance only added to our day....
17 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Mid-way through Week 1 of Family History Month, and I'm curious what's surfacing as you take inventory of what you already have. If you're just getting started, here's where to focus your energy this week: The 10-minute photo review: Don't organize everything. Just look through one box or folder of photos and note any with dates, names, or locations written on them. If you're checking digital photos, look through your files and note which ones are labeled with dates, names,...
20 days ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Woo hoo! October is Family History Month, which means it's time to dust off those research files, photo boxes, and half-finished family trees. But instead of the usual "organize everything perfectly" advice given this time of year, I'm taking a different approach this year. For the next 31 days, we're focusing on discovery. Not perfection. Not overwhelming research projects. Just uncovering one interesting piece of your family's story each week. Here's what's happening: Week 1 (Oct...
23 days ago • 2 min read