I took a hiatus from doing the family tree for a while and have recently started again – I am ever hopeful that this, stage 2 will be very fruitful. 
Added to doing my family tree, I am now doing my husbands too.
I thoroughly enjoy piecing it together and finding new family members who help fill the gaps on the various branches however there is a bit of research involved to trace ancestors and wish there was more information available for free. I hit so many dead ends as I have to pay to view information. Some sights allow you temporary “free” access but as soon as you find and select a person, you have to put credit card details in before being able to view the “free” information. If you know of any sites offering free information, please let me know.
I may be a little scarce over the next few weeks as the tree is slowly becoming a forest, although I will try and keep up with all your posts.
Follow me
Follow me
A fun and meaningful project, though quite labouring. All the best with Treeing, Mandy.
By: Angie@Angie's Recipes on February 19, 2013
at 07:05
Thanks so much Angie. I always promise myself that I will take a break when I reach a certain point but then my dog at a bone tenacity just won’t let me stop! Have a happy day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 09:17
My husband’s family has this family book which keeps information of family members from generation ago. I thought it’s a great idea as we don’t have such thing…and I know only little about my great grandparents. My husband told me usually Chinese family keeps track on those books (my husband is Chinese). Good luck with family tree!
By: Nami | Just One Cookbook on February 19, 2013
at 07:46
There are definitely 2 sides to doing a family tree Nami – one obviously being the tree with all the names and dates of birth etc then the other more meaningful side with the stories and photos. Not sure yet how to capture this side of it. It must be quite an exceptional book your husband has. Have a lovely day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 09:20
I’ve been working on our family tree, too, Mandy, and it can be time-consuming, not to mention frustrating. Everything can be located — for a price. I’m debating paying the extra fees to look into Italy’s records. It isn’t the amount it costs, really, it is whether I’ll find anything. I wonder just how many records have been digitized and made available to the public. I guess I won’t know until I try.
Good luck to you, Mandy. It is fascinating work, isn’t it. When you return here, we’ll be waiting.
By: ChgoJohn on February 19, 2013
at 08:29
What is with this having to pay for historical facts hey John and like you say, will we find what you are looking for. I find it fascinating that there are random people who go around cemeteries taking photos of gravestones to put on the web – I am most grateful to these people as I have found previous generations death dates that I was unable to trace any other way. Best of luck with your research John and you are absolutely right, it is fascinating work – I have an aunt I made contact with about a year ago – never spoken with her prior to that and we have become great friends and call each other PI as she has helped me with tracing other family members and their history. Have a beautiful day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 09:26
This must be a very entertaining activity and the whole family will be thrilled when is done… I don’t know of any free site, but if I find one, I’ll let you know.
Good luck Mandy!
By: Bluejellybeans on February 19, 2013
at 09:22
Brilliant, thanks very much Giovanna. Have a super day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 09:26
Hi Mandy, I will send you the one I use but have not paid, there is a guy busy with linking everything and he has paid and is linking various Bothas to each other 😃
By: kareltjie on February 19, 2013
at 09:29
I may just have to bite the bullet and pay with the site I am currently using. Thanks again for your email. Have an awesome day.
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 11:49
What a wonderful heritage program to find your roots
Cheers
CCU
By: Choc Chip Uru on February 19, 2013
at 09:32
It is extremely addictive CCU! Have a lovely day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 11:50
Good on you for taking on the task. Our family tree has been done on both sides by other members of the family so we’ve been excused from having to take on the task. It’s a very worthwhile exercise xx
By: hotlyspiced on February 19, 2013
at 11:51
Thanks Charlie. It is great fun but extremely time consuming – just this morning, I have sat researching since just before 8am and not it’s just past noon and I haven’t left my chair! Seems I may have to set some boundaries for myself. Have a super day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 12:14
Cool Project!
Love to you, Mandy!! Xxxxxx
By: My Inner Chick on February 19, 2013
at 16:49
Love to you too Kim.
xoxoxo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 18:15
It’s a very beautiful project, Mandy. I want to do mine, too, but it’s gonna be very hard at this side of the world. I can see that it’s a very consuming project
By: Tesney Ap on February 19, 2013
at 17:41
It is an extremely time consuming project Tes, but very rewarding too! Have a super day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 18:15
It is so fascinating. i’ve done it too and have got back to the late 1700s. A good free resource is hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (the Mormons). Don’t worry,they won’t recruit or preach – a friend recommended it to me. Here’s the link https://familysearch.org/ I found out lots from here where I was hitting dead ends on paid sites! Good luck – do hope I turn out to be a long lost relative. My 4x Great Grandfather died in The Boer War…maybe he sired a sibling en route!
By: Chica Andaluza on February 19, 2013
at 20:54
Ooh, can you just imagine how exciting it would be if we were related – would explain our shared love for food.
I just found out that the Mormons have a library here in the Eastern Cape – can’t wait to go spend a morning – oh who am I kidding a day there! Want to come with? Can’t wait to see more pics of your latest house renovations. Have a beautiful day Tanya. 
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 21:14
Mandy, Pete’s mum was heavily into her family tree before she passed away – she would take long road trips to visit cemeteries and libraries, to track down ancestors! Enjoy the journey!
By: Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial on February 19, 2013
at 21:25
How lovely, wish I could take road trips too, but alas that would mean I would have to travel worldwide! Have a super day Celia.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 19, 2013
at 21:45
What a marvelous project, my dearie-dear!
By: kathryningrid on February 20, 2013
at 07:40
Absolutely and very rewarding too Kathryn, plus I am sure it will teach me patience… Have a beautiful day friend.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 20, 2013
at 09:32
Completing a family tree is a very big task especially if you need to do the research overseas. I had completed as much as I could for my mothers side while many of the other aunts and uncles were still alive but once they pass away it is more difficult. Good luck to you. Mandy I hope this comment goes through. I am going to try to comment using different methods to see if it works. Can you get back with me to let me know if any and which formats went through. Thanks for helping me troubleshoot. Take Care, BAM
By: Bam's Kitchen on February 21, 2013
at 03:43
This was your first of 4 comments that made it’s way into my spam folder Bam.
xo
I keep saying I wish I had started the family tree 10 years ago – it would have been so much easier to be able to speak to people who have subsequently passed away.
Have a super day and hope your comment issues are sorted out soon.
By: thecompletecookbook on February 21, 2013
at 08:57
Hi Mandy, I hope you are doing well. Did my facebook comment go through? I will try one more on my old wordpress account… Thanks so much for your help. Take care, BAM
By: Bam's Kitchen on February 21, 2013
at 03:45
Hi Bam, yip your facebook comment came through but also landed up in spam! How rude that wordpress thinks you are spam!
By: thecompletecookbook on February 21, 2013
at 08:58
Hello Many, thanks again for helping me trouble shoot here is more more hello trying to comment using my old wordpress account. Did this one go through? Take Care, BAM
By: Bam's Kitchen on February 21, 2013
at 03:46
Spammed but through.
By: thecompletecookbook on February 21, 2013
at 08:58
So nice to see a nice green garden when all I have is snow outside – yours is lovely!
By: Donalyn@The Creekside Cook on February 23, 2013
at 17:19
Hi Donalyn, thanks for stopping by and for your lovely compliment. Have a super day.
By: thecompletecookbook on February 25, 2013
at 15:26
Tracing a family’s history can be very daunting. I hope you will be able to find help in your search.
By: Karen on February 27, 2013
at 23:37
Thanks very much Karen – I go through days of information overload which is awesome and then days of nothing – it is all very exciting though. Have a beautiful day.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on February 28, 2013
at 10:22