A Word From Oodles Creator (continued...)

I have acquired documents that give me chills - my grandmother's name on the passenger list of the ship she emigrated on when she was 17, homestead papers, war registration cards, phone directories showing occupations, and census records stating my ancesters' income (and whether they were insane - thankfully not).

The hunt led to the village in France and farms in Norway where we got our last names. Taking family along, we've stood inside their crumbling rooms, retrieved artifacts precious only to us and met relatives we never knew existed. We saw our sturdy grandmother in their faces and posture. We found an ancestral line of French master glassblowers and watched artisans do what our ancestor did in that very spot 450 years ago. We found the place in the sole postcard my father kept from WWII. Then we shared nuggets of our discoveries with a wide-eyed audience of family back home -- to gasps and giggles.

We've had family reunions and put 50 years of family gatherings into a photo book for each family member. Boxes of pictures are now identified, organized, and preserved.

Our family tree is filled out, online and still growing and we can make illustrated genealogy books for whoever wants one. Heirlooms are recorded in an illustrated book - a nice keepsake by itself.

We are capturing new traditions on video - like our hilarious pre-Christmas 'cookie-baking day' extravaganza. The edited DVD -- my Christmas gift to my family -- shows little ones beginning the next round of things to be remembered.

This is what Oodles is all about. Helping you and your family do the same.