Family - How are we related?

How are we related? I have probably asked that question 100's of times growing up.

The family on my mom and dad's are quite large.  My dad is the youngest of 13 kids, and my mom is from a family of five. I grew up in a small town and a small school so there were always lots of people I knew that were related.  As I went to high school with more students I didn't recognize as many of the people but they would have a familiar last name.  I would come home and ask my mom "Do you know who this person is? Are we related." The best person to ask was grandpa because he seemed to know just about everyone.  He would tell you who the person's parents probably were. Coming home and asking if we are related has been going on for quite a few years.  

This all started back up again when a cousin said Happy Birthday.  I went to mom saying "How are we related.  She is one of my mom's cousins daughters.  Most people would think that would make them a second cousin.  She is actually a 1st cousin once removed.  I have been told this more than once and I never can seem to remember it.  So, this week my mom and I went through all of her first cousins to see how many first cousins and first cousins once removed I have.  There are 14 first cousins and 82 first cousins once removed.  That was a shocking number.

My grandma and aunt made a book that is compiled of family records, stories and history of the family.  It is the most amazing book to look through and read all the family stories.