I love all of mom’s stories about her youth, my grandparents, early days of being with my dad. How can I put these into writing or audio?

We had a cousin who was our Family history person. Since my niece was
also doing research they got together and she taped him talking about another branch of the family. This cousin told me often we should have taped husbands Aunt. She was born in 1913 when their town was in its hayday. Sorry we didn't do it. She lived till she was 96.

If your parents can still write,, I got all the Grands a book they could fill in when DD was born. You can find them at any bookstore. They ask questions, with room for photos, etc. My parents did theirs, and DD used in them for all sorts of papers, etc in school. And I learned a lot too! Unfortunatly the ILs never got around to doing anything with theirs because "they we not done living yet". Now those books will never get filled out ( and I am sure got tossed when they moved in with BIL ). So do it while you can, we really love having them now that Dad is gone.

I know what you mean. I love to hear my mother's stories about her growing up years. I'm the youngest, so I even like her telling me about how she met my father and how they eloped (which made her mother take to the bed for a week) and about my three older sisters when they were little.

You could get a micro recorder, and either interview her or just let her tell stories. Later you can transcribe and edit her words. A good way to get started is to give her the prompt: I remember.

My mother and I had somewhat of a strained relationship, and one time when I was visiting after I was long married I said, "I really don't know all that much about your growing up..." She just blossomed as she told me one tale after another. That opened the lines of communication, and we've been so much more comfortable with one another since then. Stories work miracles.

NeedHelpWithMom, Ancestry is a membership website but to me well worth the cost. The website is a bit of learning curb, so be patient. One way to start is to put in your grandparent's names and track from there.

I even did the DNA and a 4th cousin I never knew contacted me as she and I shared a great-great-grandmother via DNA through a grape-vine of relatives. She was able to help fill in some of the blanks I had.

Freqflyer,

Oh this is a wonderful idea! I like it very much. I have seen the commercial for Ancestry but never thought a lot about it. Sounds great. Thanks for the suggestion!

NeedHelpWithMom, since I can no longer ask my parents about their parents and their grandparents I am doing the next best thing. I am an Ancestry.com junkie. the family tree has turned into a huge red wood :)

Ancestry has a lot of photos that have been placed by people who are doing their family tree. Thus someone you never knew existed but one of their relatives had married into the family generations ago, that current relative may have placed photos onto the website. Ancestry now has some school yearbooks from the 1900-1990, and it has been fun finding high school and college photos.

Oh how I wished I would have started this hobby when my parents were still around to get first hand information. Example, my Mom's side of the family feels like everyone was in the witness protection program or another planet as there is hardly any information about them in Ancestry. By digging into the in-laws I can paste some bits and pieces through photos downloaded by others on the website.

I also found some interest newspaper articles on relatives on Newspapers.com which is a membership website. There usually is one wild child that made local headlines with certain crimes. Found such a person in the 1930's.