Liv's Tree House

Tell Your Story: Be Modern, Creative & Unique SLIDES for SHARING ONLINE: Tell Your Story (Class) Create your free trial of Vyond here . Class Materials Slides Syllabus Printables: Blank Script for "Meet Gradma/Grandpa _______" Project 1 (During Class) + Script "Meet ____" for Class Project Project 2 (Take-Home Project) Vyond Shortcuts & Studio Layout Not interested in making your own? I'll make it for you, check out Liv's Animations  for more details.

Engaging the Family in Telling Your Family Stories Class Materials: Slides Syllabus Other Links: Liv's Animations

Essential Tools for the Hobbyist Genealogist As promised...thanks for coming, let me know if you have any questions, LivsTreeHouse@gmail.com Class Materials: Slides Syllabus Extras: Discount Code for ClanView -  CV20 StoryWorth

RootsTech for Newbies: Packing & Attending the Conference Part 3 of 3 See Part 1 here and Part 2 here . RootsTech is quickly approaching, so let's dig in to the last minute prep as well as the advice I have for newbies while at the conference. PACKING A list of things to consider, followed by a few recommendations as you pack your bags for RootsTech. Weather:  Salt Lake weather during   RootsTech can range from mild winter days in the 50s to sub-freezing daytime high temps, so pack warm clothes and layers. They do keep the conference center at comfortable temperatures so it's just getting to and from the building as well as to and from any other plans you have made that you'll need the extra layers. Activities:  RootsTech will keep you completely busy, but we discussed some other options in the last post . That said, be sure to keep all of these extra-curriculars in mind when packing. Meals:  The Salt Palace has several food options, ...

This is it, the reason I applied to be an Amassador at RootsTech . . . . I wanted the opportunity to bring RootsTech in a more complete way to those of you who simply can't make the conference. So follow me on my social channels as I bring you lots of live content and experiences from RootsTech. Here's a quick summary of all of the content you'll want to be aware of to be able to consume the most RootsTech from home: Live Streaming Schedule : RootsTech has a full schedule of Live Stream sessions so you can stay busy every hour that classes are in session.  They pull out all the stops with incredible keynotes and lectures from conference favorites like Crista Cowen. See Live Stream schedule here . Virtual Pass : New and improved virtual passes this year are a total steal as you can watch 30 streamed classes for only $129. That's an amazing deal since you can't even attend that many in person at the conference. See Virtual Pass info here . RootsTec...

RootsTech for Newbies: Pre-Conference Prep Part 2 of 3 See part 1 about registration, travel, and stay here . Let's jump right back in.  You've got your RootsTech pass, you've registered for your add-ons and your travel is booked. What next? INSTALL THE ROOTSTECH APP You'll want to visit your app store and download the RootsTech mobile app. The app has everything from the conference schedule, week at a glance info, exhibitors, speakers, class syllabus & slides, maps of the conference and more. You can connect with friends and relatives through the app, schedule out your desired classes, and receive notifications of updates and information throughout the conference. It's got tons of helpful resources so go ahead and install it now. ( Android | Apple ) PLANNING YOUR SCHEDULE This is important! Don't skip this. PLUS it's incredibly fun! Probably my favorite stage of prep for RootsTech, this is whe...

Picking Classes & Planning Your Schedule for RootsTech--A Guide for Newbies Coming to RootsTech? Get ready to have the ultimate learning experience. With over 300 breakout sessions for all levels of experience, the only challenge will be deciding which to attend. ( RootsTech Website )  I can attest to the ultimate in learning experiences at FamilySearch's annual RootsTech Conference, you will consume an incredible amount of information over the 4 days the conference is held, with classes covering DNA, Stories, Genealogy Tools, Organizing, Photos, and Discovery. But "the only challenge will be deciding which to attend," which is totally true, this guide is meant to help simplify that. A tried, tested, and proven approach developed over several years of attending the conference. You'll first want to install the RootsTech app ( Android | iPhone ), it will simplify the whole process with it's tools. Then I recommend taking this methodical approa...

Thanks to all of you who participated.  I really enjoyed reading all the different entries.  So many of you deserved to win, it was difficult to decide. Penny was entered by a friend who had a lot to say about her wonderful friend Penny, specifically how much she has been dying to attend RootsTech for years, and I'm so excited to give her the opportunity.  I spoke with Penny tonight.  It was wonderful to hear her story, and I'm really excited to see what experience RootsTech has in store for her.  All of you can have that same experience--it's not too late to take advantage of the promo code "HOLIDAY" at registration to get the best price of the year. Now that you're planning to attend RootsTech, be sure to follow my series " RootsTech for Newbies ". CAN'T MAKE IT? Follow my "#NotAtRootsTech" series coming soon.

RootsTech for Newbies: Registration, Travel, & Stay Part 1 of 3 Considering attending RootsTech for the first time? I was recently asked if I had any advice for newbies, and instantly my answer was, YES!! So I figured I'd share a few "pro tips" here. I have been attending for seven years now, so I've learned a few tricks along the way. First of all, if you're still on the fence about attending, first read, Countdown to RootsTech2020--Yes This Conference is For You .  If you've ever attended a conference of this magnitude in the past you know that there's an energy that can't be recreated online or in any other setting, and the spirit associated with family history creates an unparalleled experience, which alone is worth the price of admission. That said, if you just can't make it this year, watch for my #NotAtRootsTech series coming soon, where I'll do my best to help you recreate the experience from home this February. So le...

Last chance RootsTech 2020 Pass Giveaway One last chance to win a free pass to this year's RootsTech conference , contest ends December 31st , winner will be announced January 1st! PRIZE DETAILS Pass includes 4 days of access to over 300 classes  including an incredible lineup of celebrity speakers and keynotes , a gigantic expo hall filled with incredible tools and products & a variety of exciting evening events . A $299 value. The pass does  NOT include add-ons such as paid lunches or paid labs. Conference dates are February 26th-29th at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. Check out the RootsTech Homepage to see additional details including information about Keynote Speakers including pro football Hall of Fame Running Back  Emmitt Smith &  Pulitzer Prize winning Jornalist and photographer  David Hume Kennerly , as well as many other world-renowned genealogy presenters. HOW TO ENTER Visit any of the following post...

RootsTech 2020 is already shaping up to be the greatest Family History event ever, and I don't say that lightly.  I sincerely believe as it is already the largest and most well attended Genealogy conference--and the only one of it's kind--combining the best of genealogy with the latest in technology. With it being the conference's 10th year, the RootsTech team is pulling out all the stops. Every year I'm incredibly impressed at how they figure out ways to innovate the conference, even expanding to London this year, but even with all the good conferences in previous years, the 2020 conference is bound to be the best. I'm excited as the conference approaches to share with you some of what'll be new at this year's RootsTech, but for now, let's focus on why everyone and anyone could have an incredible time at this conference, and why YOU should definitely attend this year. So just for fun, which category do you fall under? Uninterested Genealog...

RootsTech is not only where my passion for Family History was kindled but it's also where it blossomed. Attending either online or in person since 2012 has been one of the highlights of every year. I love the energy, the innovation, and the people; you simply can't find the same incredible mix of my two favorite things, innovations in technology and genealogy anywhere else!  That said, I'm excited to announce that I'll be returning to RootsTech again in 2020. As a presenter, since 2017, and an attendee since 2012, I have had some incredible experiences learning and sharing in the passion we all have for family history.  This year I am incredibly excited to be invited to be a RootsTech Ambassador as well.  RootsTech is my favorite event of the year with it's incredible energy and innovative edge on other genealogy conferences, I can't wait to help share that innovation and excitement with more of the world through social media and other avenues. Stay t...

**If you liked my classes, I'd sure appreciate it if you would be willing to rate them on the RootsTech app.** Untangling the Knots in Your Family Tree Resources: FamilySearch.org Fan Chart mobile ap p Tree Sweeper Family Group Sheet & Research Log  (PDF) Family Group Sheet & Research Log (Google Sheets/electronic) Ancestry :  mobile app MyHeritage :  mobile app FindMyPast :  mobile app RootsFinder Record Seek One Tab Extension Sharing Family History in Fun & Modern Ways Power Hour Resources: Nicole Dyer:  Discovering Family History in Your Home Jana Greenhalgh:  Discovering Family History on the Road Olivia's section: Adobe Spark Enwoven Twile Doodly Special Price Collectionaire Google Photos Families Discovering Family History Together Power Hour Resources: Olivia's section: Discovering Family History Amidst Your Crazy-busy Life Family & Personal Histor...

One of my favorite events of every year is RootsTech.  It always reinvigorates me to dig in deeper to my families history and genealogies; and presenting always challenges me throughout the year to learn more and dig deeper into the amazing tools and resources that are available. I'm thrilled to announce that I will be returning to RootsTech as a Presenter this year.  Come join me, I promise it will not disappoint with all of the oldie but goodies like the Expo Hall, amazing classes & keynotes, and fun evening events.  Even more exciting will be all of the additions including Power Hours, the full extra day on Wednesday (including a free lunch), and all the new Keynotes and Events. The countdown has begun it's only a few weeks away. Get your passes and come meet me for lunch at the world's best genealogy and technology conference. For more information: https://www.rootstech.org/ To register: https://rootstech2019.smarteventscloud.com/portal/login.ww Get...

So this little puppy came in the mail today! I was super excited to win the WeGather raffle at RootsTech . I feel like I never win, and I honestly didn't know I entered to win, so winning was a complete surprise.  But--I do not write simply because I won.  I have to report on WeGather because it's awesome, and I love the developer! Stories are the currency of our past, present and future. Without them, we are bankrupt. Since family photos trigger those stories, we should save and share them. --   Rachel LaCour Niesen So I met Rachel at her booth at RootsTech, but I had been following her site for months before that. I absolutely love her, I love her passion, her drive, her mission, and all that her site stands for.  We share our passion for photos and stories and she's got some amazing resources. I've learned some great tips and tricks from following her.  She has great insight into photos and stories and how they can impact who we are and who we can become....

So just finished my last classes at RootsTech today.  I had the opportunity to teach 1 on Wednesday and 2 more today.  It was an incredible experience to have the opportunity share the things I love with so many interested and anxious learners.  If you came to my class, thanks for coming, and I hope that you have tons of success moving forward. I hope that some of you will take the time to share some of those experiences in the comments. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you out in the process. For those who attended and wanted the links here's a copy of my syllabus and the slides:     Download the Syllabus PDF to use the links UPDATE: Use the following URL for Zoning https://familysearch.org/zoning/ 

I've been teaching this class for a few months now and have quickly gathered so many great resources that I want to share, but 1 hour just never seems to be enough.  So I'm going to share some of the class info here, just so class participants can come here to learn more since we won't have a change to address all of the cool programs out there. First of all here's the class syllabus and slides so you can go visit the links and play around with the programs yourself: Download the class syllabus with live links. Then here's a playlist of tutorials I created on YouTube for helping you see how you can use the different programs for your family history creations.  DISCLAIMER: They are FAR from professional, just tutorials I put together quickly using free programs, so I'm sorry they're not higher quality, but hopefully they'll still be helpful. If you have questions, feel free to comment here, or on the videos, or just email me.  Hope you have tons of fun ...

I'm bound to write more on this subject in the future, but I've gotta give a sneak preview.   Cloud by Daplie is a new product I discovered on Innovators Alley at RootsTech --by far the best addition to RootsTech this year btw, but that's beside the point. The product isn't quite ready for market yet, but I got a sneak peak today giving some feedback on the product to the developers.  For those of you who are sick of paying monthly fees for online storage, you're going to LOVE this product! The slogan they used when explaining it to me was "We're taking back the internet." I love it! Who doesn't want more control and to understand better where their stuff is stored? Basically just imagine being able to purchase as much storage space as you need--NO limits and NO monthly fees--awesome right?!!  You just purchase the hard drive space you need and the attachable server and voila, you can access your files anytime, anywhere, from any device. Plus, the...

After a 2 year hiatus, I'm ready to get back in the swing. I attended RootsTech 2015 and remember I was super motivated to get going on this blog again, because every year, RootsTech just re-motivates me and makes me want to share all that I'm discovering about this constantly changing market. BUT unfortunately, baby #3, demands of mommy life, church life, and community life, overtook MY LIFE, and I wasn't able to rekindle. BUT now it's 2016... I loved this years theme "Celebrating Families across Generations", because as a Mom-o-three, I'm always trying to find new ways to connect my kids to this fascinating work that I love, genealogy.  So RootsTech 2016 was a success. I've already started testing out new products and renewing old ones that I love, shout out to StoryWorth (LOVE it!). So here's to a new beginning with this blog. Being once again updated from sunny Pacific Grove, California.

As you know, I have a serious obsession with RootsTech , and LOVE everything about it.  I'm sitting here listening to the live stream while on my vacation in Pacific Grove, California. I know I'm crazy!  Just sitting here I find myself blogging, pinning, and researching all at the same time. I forget how motivating RootsTech is. I found out shortly after last years RootsTech that they had adjusted the dates for this years events and it happened to be the same week of the AT&T, Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament. Which we've had reservations for since before we moved back to Utah. So I knew there was no way that I was going to be able to make it to RootsTech this year, and I was devastated.  So here I am in my condo catching what I can via live stream. Thank you FamilySearch !!  I'm dying that I'm missing out on the ExpoHall but catching what I can via blogs and other media.... Hope to do some more updates soon. It's been a very busy year and I have much to fill ...