Merry Christmas -- from the Two Girls

We have not posted since early summer.  It's been a whirlwind year for both of us.  I have done a lot of traveling, mostly lecturing at conferences, the last being November 11th.  What a great feeling to put the luggage away!

There have been changes in our lives this year.  Some were little and some were big.  We have learned to accept life as it is dealt to us.  You Go Genealogy Girl #2 has had family health issues that have kept her busy.  I try to keep her spirits up and at the same time inform her about genealogy news and happenings.

Things are looking better for both of us.  We may be able to "sneak" in a trip together in 2015.  Of course that trip would involve genealogical research.  It might be a short trip, or a long trip.  We are not putting anything on the calendar yet.

We both wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 -- Ruby
You Go Genealogy Girl #2 -- Cheri

Busy in June

The You Go Genealogy Girls are busy like everybody else.  You Go Genealogy Girl #2 is visiting a cousin in south central Nebraska.  I am trying to get everything ready for another excursion.

Heading Lil' Red to Wyoming on Thursday morning.  I will be speaking at the Family History Expo http://www.familyhistoryexpos.com in Casper, Wyoming on June 27th and 28th.  It will be held at the Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Centre at 123 West E in Casper.  Since I am notorious for getting lost, I hope I can find it!

If you would like to attend a first class, two day conference pertaining to genealogy, this is your opportunity.  You can register online and view a schedule of events at the the Casper Expo web site.  There will be classes about Scandinavian and German records, how to use Flip Pal, organization of your genealogy, immigrants, naturalizations and much, much more.

Ruby --- You Go Genealogy Girl #1

Back Home and Going Again

The You Go Genealogy Girls had a fantastic time together for about 12 days in May.  We traveled to South Dakota, visited four cemeteries and talked about how some of those old grave stones mark people of early South Dakota history.  We were at the Family History Expo in Rapid City where YGGG #1 presented some classes.

Hill City, Pennington Co., SD Cemetery

Not to forget the family at home, we traveled back to Alliance, NE for a graduation celebration and family get togethers for my great nephew, Derick Coleman, who graduated from Alliance High School.  Some of the family were missed because of deaths or because they couldn't get off work to come.  We talked and thought about them a lot.

YGGG #2 will be vacationing soon.  Hope she finds some interesting cemeteries while she travels.  She always finds time to read books and relax.

I will be presenting one lecture about Nebraska Homestead Records Online at the Family History Expo's Retreat in Colby, Kansas, this Saturday.  While the complete files have been digitized and are online at Fold3, there is more that researchers can do to understand the Homestead Act and other records that are helpful in their research.

A few weeks home and I'll leave on June 26th for the Family History Expo in Casper, Wyoming.  It has been a few years since I have been in Casper ... probably should charge up the GPS.  But, then since it always leads me somewhere else ... maybe not.

Officially I am President of the Nebraska State Genealogical Society, which means I am knee-deep in work.  Fun work!  Anything about genealogy is fun.  My goal is to have an exciting annual conference in April 2015 in Grand Island, NE.  But we must work between now and then to get to that level.

Hope all of you have a great June.  Find plenty of genealogy goodies at home and away.

Ruby --- You Go Genealogy Girl #1

On The Road Again

For the first time in over a year, the You Go Genealogy Girls are going to be traveling together.  This will be fun and interesting.  We have actually not been together to talk genealogy (other than e-mails and on the phone) for months and months.

I will be leaving for western Nebraska tomorrow afternoon.  Lil' Red will be loaded with my suitcases, genealogy bags, computers, projector, along with boxes of books.  Hang in there Lil' Red, you can rest once I get there!

You Go Genealogy Girl #2 and I plan some research jaunts before leaving on Thursday of next week for the Black Hills.  On Friday we will arrive in Rapid City, South Dakota to check into the hotel and get ready for the Family History Expo that officially starts the next morning.  I will be presenting two lessons ... Prose on the Prairie and Welcome to America; the Immigrant Woman.

We will return to Nebraska in time to decorate graves of loved ones.  I will present the Welcome to America; the Immigrant Woman program on the evening of Tuesday, May 20th at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance, Nebraska.  This is a fantastic museum and research center with excellent facilities for conferences and presentations.

Turning Lil' Red east and heading home two days later.  You Go Genealogy Girl #2 will be arriving at my house to present a program for the North Platte Genealogical Society on Swedish Research.

Oh ... about those boxes of books.  I will be selling books along the way.  Haven't you heard?  I have spent the winter of 2013-2014 writing books.  I couldn't stop with just one.  My book, Iowa Genealogical Research, came off the press the end of January.  I immediately started working on a revised edition of Genealogical Research in Nebraska.  It came off the press on Thursday of this week.  They are both large books with everything you need to know about doing genealogical research in those two states.  The Iowa book contains 416 pages and the Nebraska book contains 537 pages.  They are both spiral bound.  Who needs weight lifting when you can lift and carry those books around to venues?  You can learn more about purchasing the Iowa book on my web site, Genealogy Works.  At the same web site you can learn more about purchasing the Nebraska book.

This is going to be so much fun.  There is the Internet and then there are all the good times of being around genealogists to talk and share ideas.  I am looking forward to meeting old friends and making new genealogy friends ... and particularly seeing You Go Genealogy Girl #2 again.

You Go Genealogy Girl #1 --- Ruby

The President!

A short note of congratulations!

 You Go Genealogy Girl #1, Ruby Coleman, was recently elected as the new incoming President for the Nebraska State Genealogical Society.  The new Vice President will be Rosalee Swartz,  the Secretary is Kay Wolfe and the Treasurer is Dennis Norvell. The new officers' duties begin on June 1st.

 In speaking with Ruby, I know she has some great ideas for the Society as it re-groups and moves forward. We are all looking forward to a renewed and forward thinking Society that will fill the needs of all genealogists within our state as well as welcoming those who are seeking out their ancestors who may have once called Nebraska their home.

NEBRASKA STATE GENEALOGY SOCIETY

With help from long time and loyal supporters, local societies, volunteers, and new members, I know that Ruby and her leadership team will do a fine job guiding the Nebraska State Genealogy Society as it spreads it's wings over Nebraska.

Congrats go out to "You Go Genealogy Girl #1"

My thanks go to the outgoing President, Trish Collister, Vice President Floyd Smith III and their NSGS officers for all their loyal and continued hard work for our society this past year.

Well, guess what, we ain't dead yet!

Well, guess what, we ain't dead yet! The You Go Genealogy Girls are still alive and well, still doing genealogy every day and for 2014 we hope to get back to traveling and posting more again.

Girl #2 took nearly a year off to try and catch up at home. Organizing genealogy files, vacationing with Go Hubby, outfitting a new travel trailer and trying to sort all my scrapbooking supplies has kept me busy. Not all my projects are completed but progress has been made. (You'd never know it if you saw my basement work/craft room but that remains on the list of  'to do' items.) Someday! I also became Mom to a new Border Collie puppy last year, a full time job which I have come to the conclusion I was too old to take on. Our older Border Collie did not help much as she didn't like the newcomer at first and this old Granny does not have the patience that I once did with raising babies! I have really missed seeing and corresponding with all my genealogy friends and I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of the fun genealogy life, traveling and researching with the 'other' You Go Genealogy Girl this year. We do have several travel plans in the works and we look forward to sharing our fun and frolics as we seek out those ancestors that are dead and gone.

You Go Genealogy Girl#1 Ruby, on the other hand, has been "on the go" a lot and busy with her own projects. She has traveled to Salt Lake City to the FHL (without me...tears), traveled to Virginia to visit relatives and do research, lectured for the Family History Expos, and accepted a position as an area representative for the Nebraska State Genealogical Society. Through it all she also wrote and published a grand and new genealogy research book: "Iowa Genealogical Research." If you need help learning about your Iowa ancestors be sure to check out her book information and you can order the book by clicking on the picture caption below or HERE.  It is a complete genealogical research guide at 416 pages and weighs in at 5 lbs. Ruby's book also includes a vast amount of pertinent Iowa history that will aid you in your research...and that you won't find anywhere else.  So, you see, we have not just been sitting around eating chocolate and jelly beans! Actually, maybe we have...

Iowa Genealogical Research by Ruby Coleman

Please come back soon as we both will be looking forward to having you drop into our world of genealogy.  The You Go Genealogy Girls welcome you. The coffee is always on in our 'virtual' house and the crystal bowl is filled with jelly beans!

Cheri
You Go Genealogy Girl #2