MFM Blog

Client photo, 1953 It's the heart of summer and here in the U.S., we celebrate our nation's birthday on the 4th of July. Political feelings aside, I have really come to love everything about this holiday--from the carefree nature of summer, to BBQ'ing with friends and family, watching a hometown parade, and culminating the day with beautiful fireworks. To me, it represents the perfect summer day and makes me proud to be American. 🇺🇸 But for most of us, our heritage is not s

Warmer temps bring streetlights that blink out like fireflies leaving the evening. Memories of plucking summer fruits blooming and waiting for hands. Balmy days of baking with Grandma in the kitchen, joining friends in the streets, playing baseball, swinging from ropes, climbing trees, crossing rivers—full, connected, grass-stained, airborne, calloused, and waterlogged. Summertime memories also bring thoughts of food. Barbequed meats eaten in the backyard. Childhood lunches

Graduation is often spoken about as an ending. Saying goodbye to friends, classmates, and teachers, familiar faces who have guided and helped mold you during your time spent in school. But it's also a beginning of something new and exciting. Sometimes, we graduate and transition to the next step in our education. Sometimes we chase a childhood dream. Sometimes, we're leaving home for the first time. At each juncture, you're often questioning, 'What's next?' Asking a loved one

My parents, ~ 2013 I started this company over 10 years ago with a book project on my father. At the time, there was no plan to start a business, just a yearning to know more about a man in my life whose presence I had taken for granted and assumed would always be there. During that first interview, I asked pretty basic questions. I asked about his parents and grandparents--none of whom I had ever met. I asked about his career in A/V equipment sales, and how he got started. I

Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘️ As a proud Irish-American, I have enjoyed wearing the green and witnessing the city of Chicago pull out all the stops to celebrate all things Irish over the past week. I'm proud of my heritage and the sacrifices my great-grandparents made to make a better life for themselves in America. The holiday also has me thinking about luck. During many of our interviews, clients express how lucky they have been in life, whether considering the way their care

I love capturing the life story of a couple. I take down their tales separately, so they each get the time and space to share their own experience. We start with their childhood and young adult life before meeting their spouse, but what intrigues me is what comes next.

Something else has nagged me this season of reflection and the thought has me wondering how I might spend these next few years more attentively with my father.

Hanukkah is here and Christmas is around the corner, and we know your inbox is crammed with last minute gift ideas. But as we wrap our 10th year in business, we'd like to remind you why a personalized memoir makes the perfect gift and how we're different from some of those other publishers out there. Our books are full service. Only our memoirs are crafted from 1x1 interviews, and are not the result of online prompts or homework assignments for your loved one. Created by hu

November brings time changes, weather changes, and the start of the holiday season, which means it's a great time to strike up a conversation with a loved one. This month, we also honor and celebrate veterans, who bring some of the best stories to our interviews. Go beyond where and when they served.

In the last 10+ years, we've heard some wild stories, including harrowing tales perfect for this Halloween season. From homes infested with unwanted guests to brush ups with mobsters to near death experiences, our loved ones have some crazy stories to tell! Have you uncovered your family 'ghost' stories?

Fall brings cooler temperatures, tighter schedules, and pumpkin-flavored everything. It also brings students and teachers back to school. Many of our life story books include portraits from school, from those darling elementary school portraits to classic classroom photos of rows and rows of smiling students with one poor teacher, charged with keeping them all on task. And the stories? Even better.

July is here, bringing the heat, (hopefully) a slower schedule, and plenty of grilled meats. Many of us will take some time off to enjoy summer and family. This is a privilege not afforded to everyone of course, especially 60+ years ago. Many of our clients spent their summers working or caring for younger siblings. Some have hilarious stories about that first job experience and the characters they worked with, the lessons learned, possibly discovering what they do NOT want t

With summer on our doorstep, it’s that time of year again to appreciate dear old Dad. In our memories of June barbecues and road trips, Dad was always there at the helm charring the burgers and finding the perfect parking spot. Although these patriarchs are often stereotyped as the stoic and silent types, we've heard enough stories to know that there is a wide variety of Dads out there, and we appreciate those with a softer side.

Mother's Day is here and we want to take a moment to honor mothers and mother figures that loom large in our life and in our life story books. Whether she was sewing clothes by hand, working odd jobs to make ends meet, or cooking a memorable roast for Sunday dinners, Mom has a story worth celebrating.

Anyone who grew up with a brother or sister has enough stories to last a lifetime.

Client photo, 1952 Starting with my father back in 2015, we have captured stories of many Irish-born and Irish-Americans over the past 10...

Proposal stories worth saving Proposal stories are some of our favorite memories to capture. Whether down on one knee or bucking...

Image credit: Ralph Morris Collection As we welcome 2025, we may hear the age-old song "Auld Lang Syne" playing in the background. Most...

Holiday stories told by clients from the past year.

Everyone has their own Thanksgiving memories and stories to share, and mine are wrapped up with a side of Irish music and nostalgia. As a...