Photo by Wendy Santiano

Are you ready to Light the World? On December 1st, Mormon.org will be kicking off the Christmas season with a worldwide day of service. My friend Wendy and I got a jump start on serving with our families and I am so excited to share our experience with you!

Why participate? Because you have so much to give! This year I discovered that even in difficult times, I have something to offer.  Every year I prayerfully choose a few words to live by. For 2016 I was strongly impressed to “give more.” When these words first came to my mind, I laughed and then I cried. My husband had been laid off and I was working around the clock. I was tired, mentally and physically. I felt I was already giving all that I had to keep our family afloat.

So I humbled myself and accepted the challenge to give more. It forced me to be creative. Waking in the early morning hours, I began indexing more. We donated clothes and shoes to Deseret Industries and Tabitha’s Way Local Food Pantry South County. We collected toys and supplies for an orphanage in Italy. We prayed for daily opportunities to serve.

As we increased our service efforts, it was humbling to see our blessings multiply as well. Blessings appeared when we needed them most. Mentors, jobs, and opportunities came at just the right moments. It has been an amazing year and I have much to be grateful for.

For example, late one night there was a knock on our doorstep. Opening the door, I discovered grocery bags filling our small doorstep and spilling out onto the sidewalk. Bags overflowed with pasta, baking supplies, and more. Alongside them sat cases of soup and vegetables followed by large bags of flour and rice.

As we brought the groceries into our home, our 9 year old daughter danced circles around us singing, “We are so blessed. Somebody loves us. We are so blessed.”  This made me cry even more. This is what I wanted my daughter to remember during this tough time – that we were so blessed. That God loves us and will answer our prayers.

My heart bursts when I think of the many ways others have served us this year. Equally just as wonderful are the feelings that have come about as we have served others. Even tiny hands can make a big difference. My children know that they can work hard and do good things.

Photo by Wendy Santiano

One of my favorite service opportunities is working with Tabitha’s Way in Spanish Fork. Last week, we helped sort out cans for their Thanksgiving baskets. Earlier this year, we were able to go in for a family night to stock shelves. They do so much good for the community, it is fun to work alongside them! If you are in Utah County email them at info.tabithas@gmail.com to see how your family can help!

Photo by Wendy Santiano

There are so many ways to serve during this Christmas season! Check out the Light the World homepage to discover inspiration for 25 days of service with your family.

The post Light the World – Blessings from Giving and Receiving appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

It’s the second week of Family Forward Friday and your stories are incredible. Here’s a quick glimpse at the posts that were linked up last week. Thanks for sharing!

If you are looking for a indepth look at Roots Tech, you need to check out Becky’s blog post! Her photo story of her experiences is already making me excited for next year. My friend Paula from the Housewives of Riverton gives us another sneak peek at Roots Tech including her takeaways from interviewing Olympian Noelle Pikus Pace. Carly from Living the Scream and I toured the new Family Discovery Center together and she will tell you all about why your family needs to go as soon as possible!

For my post this week I am sharing one of my favorite action items from Family Discovery Day at Roots Tech – the Temple Challenge by Elder Neil L. Anderson. Click over on the temple challenge to watch it for yourself. Did you take the challenge last year? How did it go? Did you see that that eight words were added to the challenge for this year?

This speaks to my heart. Knowing and doing is good, but sharing that process is even better! My family has hundreds of names ready to be taken to the temple thanks to the efforts of my mother-in-law. Much work has been done on my own side as well. Up until now, I’ve paused my own searching efforts to get all the currently found names taken to the temple. But with this challenge, I am determined to find a name. It is important that I understand the process so that I can teach it to my own children.

Image from LDS.org

As luck would have it, my good friend Breanna posted this week about how she found 100 family names to bring to the temple (How I Found Family Names to Bring to the Temple) and she linked up to our Family Forward Friday series. What a wonderful experience to have in the temple with nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters, and parents – all thanks to a simple breakthrough on FamilySearch. Check out her story and her tutorial on how she found the names and the stories behind them. She gives me hope that I will be able to find a name with my daughter!

Image from BreannaOlaveson.com

Are you ready to being? Let’s go:

First, go to this page and accept the challenge! You’ll be joining 28,000 youth and adults around the world. This page takes you through all of the steps needed to find a name and get it temple ready. There are also several videos that you can share with your family. I bawled through all of them this morning – love the inspirational stories about family history work.

Photo courtesy of LDSDaily.net

What’s next? Share it with your family! While I was at Roots Tech, I had the chance to connect with two writers from LDSDaily.com. I love the family home evening lesson that they have created in response to the Temple Challenge. It includes the challenge video, scriptures, songs, activities, and even a recipe for a treat. Scheduling this for Monday’s family home evening at the Parker house!

Take the Temple Challenge and see the difference it makes in your family! Please leave a comment on this post after you sign up for the challenge or if you took the challenge last year. I would love to hear your story!

Taking the Temple Challenge is just one way we can strengthen our families. What other ways are you moving your family forward this week? Please leave a comment or link up your family-friendly post!

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I am Brave and Beautiful – a beauty movement that is sweeping the globe. Colbie Caillat started it with her recent song and video called TRY. My blogging friend Megan of Brassy Apple wanted to push this movement along and invited women from all over to share what they looked like without make up and I joined in!! Colbie’s song says, “Take your make up off. Let your hair down… Look into the mirror at yourself, Do you like you? Cause I like you… “

Megan and her friend Cobi of Peacefrom6pieces have been the team behind this whole project. Their worldwide vision included creating their own video inspired by the song TRY. The talent of Robbins Creative made it possible for them to pull it off. You have to click play and see the beauty and bravery displayed and you might even recognize a few faces in there. I have worked with and met many of these lovely ladies and can easily say that they are beautiful inside-out!

Me along with 101+ other blogging women from different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, ages, shapes and sizes have decided to be Brave and Beautiful! You can join in this movement too by sharing what you look like without makeup on. You don’t need a blog either! Just tag your photo with #IamBraveAndBeautiful on Instgram and search the hashtag to see who else has joined in. ALSO, if you tag it with a second hashtag – #ColbieTRY we just might be able to get Colbie Caillat’s attention since she was the inspiration behind it all!

Are you brave and beautiful? I am, here I go!

 I participated in this project for myself and for my daughter. She reminds me at least once a week, “It’s okay not to be perfect, mom.” My little seven year old is wise beyond her years. She loves getting all dolled up and sparkly, but she’s just as happy as her natural, beautiful self. That’s how it should be and hope that stays with her.

What makes me beautiful is seeing myself through the eyes of my loved ones. My children love me – even the squishy parts of me that I am still working off from each of my pregnancies. They love the mom that laughs with them, that plays with them, that listens to their silly stories. During this phase of my life, my little ones want to be with me as many seconds of the day that they can.

They sneak into my bed at night and climb onto my lap when I am working on blog posts. They still get excited when I volunteer in their classrooms. I pray wholeheartedly that I am loving them as deeply and fully as they are loving me!

I want to set an example for my children of what it means to feel brave and beautiful. I want them to see that my true self-worth does not come from my clothes, my hair, my make up, my accomplishments, etc. When they look in the mirror, I want them to like themselves. So it is crucial that I set the example.

Some days that is hard when I don’t like what the scale says or when I realize that I will probably be paying off my kids’ braces before I get my own. ‘Cause let’s be honest – we all have those days. And those are the days that this message is vital.

I like Myself.

I am Enough.

I am Brave and Beautiful.

Don’t stop here. Get clicking around – its a blog hop! Below are more brave and beautiful women bearing more than their natural beauty. They each have a little bit of their heart to share with you. Some get very personal. Some share stories. For some this was very hard to do yet they gathered their courage and did it anyway. We hope as you click around (and YES pin these different posts!) you will feel the importance of it, the empowering effect it has and that it encourages you in some way.

>>>>>>>Important info! Blog Hops often have glitches the first day. If the link has an ERROR, simply click on the HOME button for each site, or google the blog name next to the link, and you should see their brave and beautiful post there. Links will be updated as soon as possible.<<<<<<<<<<<<

1. BrassyApple 2. Peace from 6 Pieces 3. Is this Really My Life 4. Among the Young 5. Love Me Dani Marie 6. Sweet Charli 7. Kim Orlandini 8. XO, Ashton Tilton 9. She Calls Me Mama Leisha 10. Raising Memories – Canada 11. A Little Tipsy 12. Amy Cornwell 13. A girl and a glue gun 14. My Craftily Ever After 15. Maybe I Will 16. WhipperBerry 17. Paging SuperMom 18. All Things Thrifty 19. Ashlee Marie 20. The Project Girl

21. One Little Momma 22. Entirely Eventful Day 23. Diary of a Brown Eyed Girl 24. Tips from a Typical Mom 25. Utah Sweet Savings 26. Flats to Flip Flops 27. One Krieger Chick 28. What Meegan Makes 29. Simply Kierste 30. Live to be Inspired 31. HoneyBear Lane 32. Pretty Providence 33. Ma Nouvelle Mode – in FRANCE 34. MomEntity 35. Serger Pepper – in ITALY 36. Kiki and Company 37. Girl Loves Glam 38. Thrive

39. The Potters Place 40. Crafting in the Rain 41. Cooking With Ruthie 42. Delineate Your Dwelling 43. The Pennington Point 44. Bakerette 45. The Happy Scraps 46. Shannon Baird Photography 47. Tried and Tasty 48. Lionesses at the Gate 49. Fry Sauce and Grits 50. Lolly Jane 51. That’s What Che Said 52. Sugar Bee Crafts 53. Your HomeBased Mom 54. Happiness is Homemade 55. The Crafted Sparrow 56. R&R Workshop 57. I Should Be Mopping the Floor 58. Sassy Steals

59. Let’s Eat Grandpa 60. Being Spiffy 61. Sumo’s Sweet Stuff 62. Ginger Snap Crafts 63. Bless This Mess 64. Apronista 65. Dreaming About Someday 66. Frenchie 67. Tastefully Frugal 68. Four Marrs and One Venus 69. Your Sister Circle 70. Over the Big Moon 71. See Vanessa Craft 72. Infarrantly Creative 73. Family StoryTelling

74. Albion Gould 75. Life as Mrs. Larson 76. Tried and True 77. Play.Party.Pin. 78. Bite of Delight 79. Ink Happi 80. ObSEUSSed 81. U Create 82. My Mommy Style 83. Find it Make it Love it 84. The Contractor Chronicles 85. Novae Clothing 86. Mommy Makes Things 87. At Home with Sweet T 88. We Like to Learn As We Go 89. House for Five 90. Organize and Decorate Everything 91. Sassy Southern Gurl 92. The Creative Mom 93. Keep Moving Forward with Me

94. The Benson Street 95. Mom 4 Real 96. Sowdering About 97. illistyle 98. The Crafty Blog Stalker 99. A Fiery Red Life 100. Cupcakes & Crowbars 101. One Sweet Appetite 102. My DayLights 103. Restless Risa

104. Sypsie Designs 105. Vintage Mother 106. Like Mother Like Daughter 107. 30 Handmade Days 108. Queen B and Me 109. Apples by Ashley 110. Boutique Cafe – in CANADA 111. Just My Little Mess 112. Bombshell Bling 113. Sarah Tyau 114. Taradara Make it 115. Capturing Joy 116. Ivory Lime Photography 117. Jenkins Kid Farm 118. Free Time Frolics 119. Bella Storia 120. Dana Ohlsen Photography

Ready in join in?Snap, hashtag and share! Tag @BrassyApple and @Peacefrom6Pieces if you can too!

Also follow our Bravery and Beauty PINTEREST board for more inspiration!

The post I am Brave and Beautiful appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

BYU Women’s Conference is a two-day event held in Provo, Utah where tens of thousands of women come to be uplifted and inspired. The two days are filled with classes that each touch on a different subject that may be something that you are going through in your life or need some help with. There are classes ranging from depression, to tips to make your marriage more successful to learning how to share your religion through social media. There really is a little bit for everyone.

This year, the conference will be held May 1-2 and in addition to the classes being offered, there are some other fun highlights as well. A favorite is the concert that is held Thursday night in the Marriot Center. It is sponsored by Deseret Book and they are bringing in some amazing artists this year! Mercy River, Hilary Weeks, Sandra Turley and so many others!

Another thing that is a highlight that hasn’t been available in years past is the Sacred Gifts exhibit. It is a once in a lifetime experience and it’s free. Just make sure to reserve your tickets ahead of time and hurry because they are going fast!

Lastly, if you go to women’s conference this year, be sure to take part in some of the amazing service opportunities that are offered. You can complete kits while attending classes, or Thursday before the concert, you can go participate in an amazing evening of service. It is truly an experience you won’t want to miss out on.

Now that you know a little bit about what it is, how would you like to win tickets for you AND a friend?! BYU Women’s Conference is graciously offering to give away 3 sets of tickets so that 3 of you can go with a friend to the conference. If you already purchased your ticket, never fear! You will be reimbursed. We would love for everyone to have this opportunity and I am thrilled that 6 of you will for sure! To enter to win, just use the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway will be open from today (4/14) until Sunday (4/20) and the winners will be announced and emailed on Monday (4/21). Good Luck, and I hope to see you at Women’s Conference!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Forgive me for jumping right to New Years Resolutions, but as I have been enjoying this Christmas season I have also been busily planning for next year’s holiday season. I have big dreams and big goals that I am bursting to start. One thing I have learned is that I am more likely to achieve my goals when I share them with others. So here I go …

For 2013 my ultimate dream/wish/goal is a Miracle on 34th Street Christmas – complete with a key to a new home and the promise of a new baby on the way. The only difference is my dear daughter requests a “sister baby” as she already has two of the brother kind.

In order for this to happen, my little family has a few mountains and molehills to move this year. For the last six years we have been house sitting for our in-laws – a situation that has blessed us immensely! We have been able to pay off our schooling, have three beautiful babies, buy two new-to-us cars, and live comfortably in a fantastic area. Unfortunately, we are bursting at the seams and before our next wee one can join us we will need a new home. Our two-bedroom basement apartment has worked well for us so far, but soon it will be time to move on.

Before we take the next big step to home ownership we need to bolster up the money we have been putting aside for a down payment. Each month this year we will be paying a “mortgage payment” and “utility payment” into our savings account to help us get to that down payment.

As for the preparing for another sweet little babe, I feel like I need to buckle down and get my healthy habits on! With every pregnancy I have developed pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure and I am so determined to avoid that the next time around. I have about 30 lbs to lose and many a healthy habit to begin/continue/keep! Here’s hoping healthy habits will help avoid bed rest this time around – how’s that for alliteration?

So what does all of this have to do with you my dear readers? I would love for you to join me on this journey as I tighten my belt in more ways than one. I have some exciting new plans up my sleeves as well as some fabulous giveaways for us as we reach our goals together this year!

Now it’s time to lay it on me ladies. What tips do you have for getting fit both physically and fiscally? What are your goals for the New Year?

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Blessings by Laura Story

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