Help getting a fire started in our fireplace...?

I use a combination of pine cones (which light fire really well) newspaper and wood. The trick is to build/layer it all properly. I would do pine cones, then some paper, then wood. Another layer of paper and pine cones and wood again. You want to make sure the embers get hot enough on the bottom to keep and get the fire going. While the fire is starting you can blow into the fire to get the embers going. Hope this helps.