OurFamilyStream is our family's own private gathering place — a quiet corner of the internet that belongs just to us. It's where we keep up with one another, celebrate the moments that matter, and hold onto the photos and memories that tell our family's story. Whether you're checking in on an upcoming get-together, wishing someone a happy birthday, or flipping through pictures from years past, this is the place to do it. Here's how to find your way around.
This site is invite-only, which means only family members who've been approved can sign in and see what's here. Nothing on OurFamilyStream is public or searchable — it's a closed space we can all feel comfortable in. This is why the site required you to sign in simply and securely with your Google account. As a bonus, there's no extra password to remember. If someone in the family would like to join and can't get in, let the administrator (Denzel) know so they can be added.
At the top of every page you'll find the navigation bar, which takes you everywhere you need to go. Feed is where announcements and upcoming events live, so it's the best place to see what's happening in the family. Family is the family directory — every person has their own page with a little about them, and you can tap any name to learn more, get contact information and so on.. Photos holds all our pictures, organized by event and gathered together in one big gallery you can browse and enlarge. Birthdays appears whenever someone has a birthday during the current month, so you'll always know who to celebrate. Home brings you right back to this page.
Everyone in the family has their own page in the Family directory, with a photo and a little about who they are — and the people closest to them are linked right on the page, so you can move from one relative to the next. You'll find everyone here, including the youngest members of the family who don't have their own sign-in yet but are very much part of our story. It's a lovely way to see how we all fit together.
When you add a photo, you'll be able to attach a few details that help the rest of us enjoy it. You can tie a photo to a specific event, or simply share it as a general family photo — perfect for older pictures that aren't tied to any one gathering. You can add a caption to tell us what we're looking at, and you can tag the family members who appear in the photo, so it shows up on their pages too. Anyone in our Family directory can be tagged — including the little ones who don't have their own login. A gentle reminder: this is a shared family space, so choose photos everyone would be glad to see. Every photo you submit is sent to the family administrator for a quick review before it appears, so it may take a little while to show up — that's just my way of keeping the space warm and welcoming for everyone.
Have something to share with the family? You can submit an event — a reunion, a dinner, a celebration — with the date, the details, and who's hosting, so everyone can plan to be there. Or post an announcement for news that doesn't have a date attached, like a graduation, a new arrival, or simply something worth telling everyone. Like photos, these go to the administrator for approval before they're posted, which keeps everything tidy and intentional.
OurFamilyStream will keep you connected even when you're not on the site. When a new event or announcement is posted, you'll receive a text message so you never miss what's happening, and you'll get a friendly reminder as an event draws near. On birthdays, we'll send out a little morning message letting everyone know to celebrate — and the birthday person will receive a warm note of their own from all of us here at OurFamilyStream, wishing them a wonderful year ahead. It's our small way of making sure no moment slips by unnoticed.
Each member has their own page, and if something about yours needs updating — a new photo, a change to your information, a milestone worth adding — you can submit a request and the administrator (Denzel) will take care of it. It's my way of keeping everyone's page accurate while making sure the family's space stays just the way we all want it. This page can look pretty much however you want it. If you want it to function as a professional page for a resume we can do that as well. The possibilities are endless!
If you're ever unsure how to do something, or something doesn't look quite right, reach out to the family administrator (Denzel) — I set this page up and am always happy to help as well as am open to suggestions or customizations about your personal page or any other page on the website. OurFamilyStream was made with love for all of us, and the more we each add to it, the richer our family's story becomes. Welcome home!