What was it like being an extra on the set of Just Let Go?  (Read more about the movie and worldwide premiere on September 28 here)

Definitely a bucket list experience and I am thrilled that I was able to share it with my daughter. The best advice I can give to someone wanting to be an extra is this: be ready when they need you and be precise at following directions. Your time as an extra is repetitive, but  oh so worth it if you enjoy watching the film process. I was enthralled with everything that I got to see on the set of Just Let Go.

The night before the shoot, you will typically get a phone call/e-mail  telling you what time to arrive and what to wear. For Just Let Go, we brought darker colored church attire. It is a good idea to bring a back up outfit or two in case wardrobe needs you to change. As a general rule, avoid anything that has words or logos on it. My daughter, Lily, loved hair and makeup!

There is a lot of down time as an extra so bring a book to read. For my daughter, I brought a notebook full of activities to keep her busy. Do not rely on your cell phone to keep you entertained! You’ll want to keep your cell in airplane mode or even better – completely off. Nothing’s worse than a cell phone or sound from a social media post going off in the middle of a scene.

As a blogger, I was able to have my cell phone on set to take pictures of myself and my daughter. Definitely double check with the person in charge of extras about the photo policy for the set. Sometimes there are certain restrictions or a timeline of when photos can be released. As an extra, you are a silent observer and you want to make sure that you aren’t interfering with the process.

Sit back and enjoy the process! It was fascinating to watch the director, the camera man, the talent, and everyone else at work. There are so many details that go into making a movie! We spent the entire day filming the court room scene from various angles.

Get to know the other extras. I loved worked with my good blogger friends Lindsey and June (read her review here). So fun to meet Adam from Studio C as well! He is just as hilarious in real life and you’ll catch a peek of him as a lawyer in the court room scene.

Here are a few more pictures from my time on set.

My experience as an extra on Just Let Go is one that I will never forget. From meeting Chris Williams and Henry Ian Cusick to watching the movie magic happen, I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll have more opportunities with inspirational films like this in the future. These are the stories that need to be told and the heroes that we need to look up to. I hope you’ll join me at the world-wide premiere on September 28th! 

The world premiere of Just Let Go takes place September 29th at more than 400 theaters around the country. Along with the premiere, you’ll experience a live event with musical performances by Ryan Innes and Lincoln Brewster. The event will be hosted by Delilah and Henry Ian Cusick as well as Chris Williams will be in attendance. Get your tickets by clicking here before they sell out – this an event that you won’t want to miss!

The post Behind the Scenes as an Extra for #JustLetGoMovie appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

I signed on as an extra, but left the movie set as a renewed believer in the life-changing power of forgiveness.  Just Let Go is a real-life story brought to the big screen that will pull at your heart strings and make you think twice about what it truly means to forgive. This is the achingly real and inspirational story of Chris Williams and his family. These are his words:

“On Feb 9th, 2007 my family was hit by a drunk teenage driver killing my wife who was 6 months pregnant, my son Benjamin 11 and my daughter Anna 9. The Savior taught the importance of love, gratitude and forgiveness, and now in my moment of extreme trial as I grieved for my wife and children, I could only think to do that which he would have done and I completely and without reservation forgave whoever had struck our vehicle. I don’t think it is coincidence that as soon as I had made that decision in my mind, I heard my son Sam cry out from the back seat.”

The world premiere of Just Let Go takes place September 28th at more than 400 theaters around the country. Along with the premiere, you’ll experience a live event with musical performances by Ryan Innes and Lincoln Brewster. The event will be hosted by Delilah and Henry Ian Cusick as well as Chris Williams will be in attendance. Get your tickets by clicking here before they sell out – this an event that you won’t want to miss!

Here is a sneak peek at what you will see:

Words seem inadequate to describe how I feel about this movie. I’ve been an extra before for LDS film productions and the television series, Promised Land, so I was familiar with the film process before I arrived on set.  My daughter and I had the privilege of being in the church scenes and I returned the next day for the court room scenes.

Photo Courtesy of Propel Pictures

It was an absolute honor to see Henry Ian Cusick (Lost) at work. Cusick channeled the anguish, the humility, and raw emotion of this real-life story in a way that brought me to tears. Sitting as an extra in the congregation of the small American Fork chapel, there was no need to pretend to be overcome with emotion. It was only after filming, that I realized that the real Chris Williams and his family were in the congregation with us that day.

Meeting Chris Williams, I knew that I was shaking hands with an honest-to-goodness hero. In a world of where action figures and fighters are glorified on the big screen, his story deserves a standing ovation. The man I met was humble, yet happy. A man who had found joy and peace after and amidst sorrow and destruction. I knew that I couldn’t wait an entire year to see the film, I HAD TO KNOW his story. How does one forgive such a heart-wrenching act against them? How did Mr. Williams keep moving forward?

The answer is in the movie (get your tickets before it sells out!)   and do yourself a favor – read the book, too!  Let It Go: A True Story of Tragedy and Forgiveness is available on Amazon.com as well as at Barnes and Noble.

My experience as an extra on Just Let Go is one that I will never forget. (Read more about it and see more pictures here.) From meeting Chris Williams and Henry Ian Cusick to watching the movie magic happen, I’m crossing my fingers that I’ll have more opportunities with inspirational films like this in the future. These are the stories that need to be told and the heroes that we need to look up to. I hope you’ll join me at the world-wide premiere on September 28th! 

Stay up to date on all the latest with Just Let Go at these links!

Just Let Go Movie Site

Facebook

Instagram 

I am looking forward to hearing the soundtrack for Just Let Go as well!

It features the new song Rise & Fall by Ryan Innes.

Tickets available here: 

The post Behind the Scenes of Just Let Go #JustLetGoMovie appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

Is your life as crazy-busy-run from one lesson/meeting/event to the next as mine? I was talking to Nicole Carpenter, creator of MOMentity, about how I feel like I am putting out fires in my life instead of  building my dream life. I jump from one crisis to the next maintaining our family life, but never quite creating the life I want for my family. Sound familiar to anyone?

So how do  we move from maintaining to creating? One way I have learned is through meaningful traditions and family routines. As I’ve mentioned before, my family does much better when we tie these traditions to something we already have to do every day. Prime example = meal time! Everyone has to eat! Confession time, in year’s past we have not been perfect about our scripture study together as a family. Sad, but true! For example, our mornings sometimes resemble a jumble of looking for shoes, gobbling up French toast, and running out the door just in time.

In my head, I’ve envisioned us snuggled up together on the couch reading scriptures or them coloring printables from LDS.org as I read inspirational things to them that will strengthen them during the day. That just hasn’t happened every morning! So this year we are doing our family scripture study at the breakfast table and I am so excited to introduce you to a book that has made it so much easier! This book is perfect for busy families and can be used a meal times, in the car, or even as part of your bedtime routines (which we have ended up doing a time or two!)

Nicole Carpenter has created an amazing book, 52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family, that is PERFECT for a year’s worth of daily devotionals. The book includes:

A new theme for each week

Scriptures to read together

Quotes from Latter-day prophets

Discussion questions to get you thinking

The book is divided into four sections: Value Lessons, Life Lessons, Gospel Lessons and Holiday Lessons. From there it is divided into 52 gospel topics Tithing, Good Works, Temples, Talents, Divine Worth, etc. Each week has scriptures, quotes, discussion questions, and additional resources to go along with theme.

I love that this is one way that I can improve our scripture study this year. So far, we are doing the five minute devotionals in order, but I definitely plan to switch it up depending on the needs of my family that week. I already have Week 42, Temples, book-marked for the week of the Payson Temple Open House. Each week is a gold-mine of spiritual nuggets. I love that Nicole has included videos that can be looked up online, supporting conference addresses, and well-known quotes like this one:

I plan on laminating some of my favorite quotes and scriptures from the week to put under our clear table cloth for the kids to read during the rest of the meals.

52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family is one of my favorite books that I have added to our family’s collection this year. Simplifies my life and helps me to create more of the family culture that I desire! You can find Nicole’s amazing book on Amazon.com at 52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family! Right now it is #1 Best Seller!

I have a little surprise for you! I am giving away one copy of the book to a lucky reader! Enter in the rafflecopter  below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your favorite family traditions?

How has scripture study worked best for your family?

I received a copy of this book for review purposes. This post contains affiliate links.

The post 52 Weeks to Fortify Your Family + Giveaway! appeared first on KeepMovingForwardWithMe.

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.