John and Jean Rodwick have made exploring their families' history their life's work. How can you start your own genealogical journey?

1. Start with yourself and work backwards. “If [your parents] are still living, get their data and information and keep working back,” Jean said. Look for birth, marriage and death records.
2. Record family stories. Interview your living relatives before it’s too late. Before his mother died from complications due to Alzheimer’s, John spent three days with her reminiscing and recording her stories on an audio recorder. “Now you can do it on video,” John said.
3. Build on your research with online resources. Websites like www.ancestry.com may lead your research in a good direction, but the information you come across may not be accurate. Don’t place too much trust in research that’s not your own.
4. Plan your travel. The best way to get firsthand information is to experience it yourself.