.CREATE YOUR LEGACY

Gifts I Got from Mom

By Hazel Thornton | May 7, 2022 |

                        I grew up in a family of six, with my parents and three younger brothers. We had few relatives. Certainly none who lived nearby. My parents did not share family stories or photos. Not really. We enjoyed slide shows of our own family…

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Genealogy Volunteering Opportunities

By Hazel Thornton | March 28, 2022 |

  Did you know that April is National Volunteer Month? This is very convenient for the genealogy community since the 1950 U.S. census is being released on April 1, 2022. (That’s when the mandatory 72-year privacy waiting period ends.) Here is a list of genealogy volunteer opportunities, and some of the benefits of participating.

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RootsTech

RootsTech is (still) for Everyone!

By Hazel Thornton | March 7, 2022 |

Do you regret missing RootsTech 2022? It’s not too late! Yes, a few features are no longer available, but many of them — including 1500+ recorded sessions, on 185 topics, in 30+ languages —will be available all year long!

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What the heck is a second cousin once removed?

By Hazel Thornton | February 27, 2022 |

  This question — How are we related? — might arise when you gather with relatives during holidays. Or anytime. Most people just laugh and change the subject. But, next time, YOU can be the one who knows the answer! (PRO TIP: Keep this post handy for reference!)   Casual Cousins First, there’s nothing wrong…

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Odds Are We’re Gonna Be Alright

By Hazel Thornton | January 9, 2022 |

                    I heard this song recently. Yes, it’s old, but it was new to me. And it gave me hope. The song is “Odds Are” by Barenaked Ladies.

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Luminarias at the Cemetery

By Hazel Thornton | December 20, 2021 |

(This story originally appeared in a Facebook Note on December 24, 2012.) Luminarias are a New Mexican Christmas Eve tradition with religious origins. (Scroll down to learn more.) They are also one of my favorite family holiday traditions. But… in the cemetery? Let me explain.        

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Gifts for Genealogists and their Families

By Hazel Thornton | November 22, 2021 |

Someone asked me for a list of gifts for family historians. They had in mind gadgets and other tangible things you could wrap up with a bow. But I thought, “Most of the things I want don’t cost money and can’t be wrapped.”

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Mom’s Boxes Part 9: Mom’s Good Silverware

By Hazel Thornton | October 25, 2021 |

UPDATE: Mystery solved! (scroll down) What do you think happened when I offered my mom’s good silverware to my niece, Vinca, as a wedding present? One never knows what will happen when you pass a family keepsake on to the next generation. Will they love it? Or, not so much? There’s only one way to…

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Talking about death won’t kill you, LOL!

By Hazel Thornton | October 18, 2021 |

(Originally published Jan. 2016. Updated Oct. 2021.) I recently (in Jan. 2016) spoke at a business networking luncheon attended by 80 women. My topic was “Who Will Check My Email When I Die?” I worried that no one would want to come hear me talking about death, especially when it started snowing that morning. But…

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“We Remember” our loved ones

By Hazel Thornton | October 3, 2021 |

This post is about how to use the free, interactive, social, memorial platform We Remember, by Ancestry. So, my dad died recently. It was somewhat unexpected — I mean, he wasn’t in the best of health at age 88, but he was in remission from lymphoma. And I can only hope to go as peacefully…

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Hazel's Books

Book cover: What's a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy

What’s a Photo Without the Story? How to Create Your Family Legacy

Cover of "Go With the Flow! (The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook)"

Go With the Flow! (The Clutter Flow Chart Workbook)

Cover of "Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror"

Hung Jury: The Diary of a Menendez Juror

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