Helping of Happiness: Recent Episodes
Hillary Hess
Yesterday, my son began his two year missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he will be inviting and teaching people how to come closer to Jesus Christ. I though it was only fitting that today we are talking about how to help support our missionaries while they are away.
On our podcast today, we have guests: Lindy Shock and Jen Wright fromMy Missionary Box. Lindy served as as missionary, and Jen has had 3 of her children serve missions.They are going to teach us a bit about how to prepare our children for missions, be a support to them while they are out, what items you may need to gather or prepare before they leave, give some suggestions for how to support during home MTC (missionary training center), give gift ideas for missionaries, as well as share ideas for how siblings of missionaries can best stay connected during the time apart.
My Missionary Boxhas amazing resources for families and loved ones supporting the loved ones back home. For missionaries they provide tools, inspiration, and ideas to help study and teach while on a mission. They also have tips for helping your local missionaries with tips and products that help missionaries teach and build relationships.
First off - what are missionaries and what do they do??
Missionaries are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who leave their homes for 18 months-2 years to serve others and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. The single men are 18-25 and single women are 19-39. Married couples or adults in their retired years can also serve a mission.
During their time as young missionaries, they consecrate their lives to God. They have one day per week called “preparation day” (or P-day) where they can call their family back home, email family land friends, run errands & grocery shop, and do some more relaxed activities with other missionaries.
Missionaries are all volunteers and pay their own way ($400/month). You will usually see them in pairs. They have a companion with them at all times to keep them safe and focused.
What do Missionaries do?
Teaching missionaries help you feel closer to God by showing you how to pray & receive answers to prayers, teach about Jesus Christ, guide you to understand scriptures, support you through your personal challenges, encourage faith, repentance & baptism, and introduce you to a community of others striving to build their faith.
Service missionaries live at home, and give personalized service to others in many different ways such as serving locally in clinics, non profits, community outreach centers, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temples. They help with, family history, provide help to refugees, homeless and at food banks. Sometimes they also have companions for study.
How to best prepare for a Spiritually, mentally, & Physically for a mission:
Have a scripture study routine - try to make this happen at least 6 months to a year before you leave (online resources for scripture study)
Take a mission prep class
Attend the temple often (More about the temple here)
Get the tools you need to navigate your mental health
Learn to work hard - yardwork, being on your feet for long periods of time, being in good physical shape to be able to walk or bike a lot each day
Practice being away from home for short periods of time such as a church campout, FSY (For the Strength of Youth) camp, flying to see grandparents or cousins, going on an HXP humanitarian trip
How to clean their home and space
Learning how to cook, menu plan, and grocery shop - (Check out our resources HERE you can also grab our cookbook here- delicious and tasty recipes that are easy to make!)
How to budget (two podcast resources for you: 5 Money Lessons All Kids Need to Know and Family Finances Refresher)
Practice using public transportation
Learning to drive
Making phone calls
Talking to adults
Show Notes:
Where is a good place to start when we are managing our family finances?
Start with a budget!
What if I have a variable income? The money coming into our family is different every month. How do I manage that?
First step is to just start writing down your money in and your money out each week
Take 30 mins on a Sunday (or whichever day is best for you) to go through your receipts.
You need to build historical data. You are creating your own personal cash dashboard
As you go through the months, notice where you are at. You can start to see where the lean times are and the months you may have extra. Make some averages.
Where can you find more from Hilary Nielsen:
Instagram: @MomHandlestheMoney
Money Management Blueprint - A step by step guide made for busy moms wearing all the hats and no time to spare. Go to sleep at night knowing you've covered all your bases and haven't left any precious futures to chance.
Money Management Dashboard - See EXACTLY where your money should go
What you'll get:
Step by step instructions will walk you through the simple template so that you have a personalized dashboard month after month
Customized graphs to SHOW you how to allocate your money each month between monthly expenses, emergency fund savings, college savings, retirement savings, and more!
Peace of mind that your money has a plan and is being put to work at its highest and best use.
Other Podcasts about money matters:
Marriage & Money (#94) with Jonathan & Meredith Rotz
5 Money Lessons All Kids Need to Know with Jonathan & Meredith Rotz (Episode #38)
Family Dinner Time: 3 Ways to Save Time & Money Meal Planning (Episode #139) with Hillary Hess
Debt Free Dreaming with Adam & Amanda Walsh (episode #73)
Budgeting for Single Income Families with Jessica at Wise Little Hoots (Episode #46)
Must have!!
12 Budget Friendly Healthy Dinners!!
Show Notes:
A little about our guest leigh Lincoln…
Leigh is an advocate for people experiencing homelessness. As a single mom, she raised and homeschooled her son who is now in his twenties. Leigh herself was adopted. Through the example, and from the love and care she received from her adopted parents, she always knew she wanted to help those less fortunate than she.
“As an adopted child, I had been given the gift of a home. I was literally chosen by someone to be their child. It’s beautiful and special and you know that YOU were PICKED.”
How can we help????
volunteer in soup kitchens
serve or donate to shelters
participate in a street feed (when groups get together and bring food to the camps of those experiencing homelessness
hop on Facebook or another social app to find groups in your community that are helping and get involved there
participate in prevention programs with a community development organization or a church that helps people get jobs or into their own homes
From Leigh’s experience, she has found that going on welfare tends to be a trap, not a help. She has see that neighbors helping each other builds a better sense of accountability and community.
Want to know some other ways you can Light The World this season? check out this resource for 50 ways to serve.
Another resource I really love year round, is JustServe.Org . Find service projects near you by putting in your zip code. There are also remote service options listed.
Another fun way to help!! Giving Machines - Where are they?!!
Melissa McKneely, Area Public Relations and Collin County Director for the Texas Dallas East Communications Council, came on our podcast to tell us about these amazing Giving Machines that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has created.
How do these machines work? They are a service vending machine:
“Give clean water, goats, meals, toys, and more to those in need through a unique giving experience. Your donations go directly to global and local charities to help change lives around the world.”
Find a machine near you!!
Some machines are traveling machines and are only at a location for a short amount of time. Look closely at the dates as well as the location so you don’t miss it!
Where you can find more from Author leigh Lincoln & her books:
Website: leighlincolnauthor.com
Become one of our VIPS!! Get VIP Access To Our FREEBIE Library Here!!
Subscribe (free!) to my newsletter with updates and tips plus get instant access to my resource library with recipes, printables, and family fun! Once subscribed, I will send you a newsletter with details about my new free files and mom hacks each week.
https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/new-page
Make sure you check out our YouTube Channel!! We have just added our podcasts on there. We also have lots of new food and travel videos posted! You can even take a peek at a bunch of the recipe in our Best Ever Babysitter Cookbook. (find it on Amazon!).
Grab our cookbook to learn to be more self reliant and confident in the kitchen!
Helping of Happiness YouTube Channel:
YouTube: @HelpingOfHappiness
Show Notes:
Become one of our VIPS!! Get VIP Access To Our FREEBIE Library Here!!
Subscribe (free!) to my newsletter with updates and tips plus get instant access to my resource library with recipes, printables, and family fun! Once subscribed, I will send you a newsletter with details about my new free files and mom hacks each week.
https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/new-page
Make sure you check out our YouTube Channel!! We have lots of new food and travel videos posted! You can even take a peek at a bunch of the recipe in our Best Ever Babysitter Cookbook. (find it on Amazon!).
Family History can feel very overwhelming to a lot of people. What are some steps to get started?
Baby Stepping into Family History:
Write up your own personal history
Start with your parents and gradually move back through the generations on your family tree
Work on a life sketch of a close family member. Look to school and census records for dates and other information
“Every single person can do something to be involved with Family History. Not Everybody has to be a researcher.”
Different ways to participate in Family History:
Learn how to research - be a detective in your own family!!
Put videos or pictures together on YouTube or in the Memories section of Family Search for others to enjoy
Put together a book or scrapbook
Type up and digitize family histories that have already been written
Make a cookbook of family recipes
Ask yourself: What are my strengths? What are my talents? What would I like my contributions to be?
Ways into involve Kids in Family History:
Make coloring books out of pictures
Create little books of family stories
Design comic style books of funny family stories - put real pictures and real memories into the back of the book with sources
Have a family reunion nights and act out skits of different family memories
Keep a trunk full of family heirlooms for kids to touch and hold
Celebrate ancestor’s birthdays by telling stories about them or eating their favorite foods
Eat food that your ancestors would have eaten
Great Free Resource for Brand new family historians: Family Search
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides FamilySearch free of charge to everyone, regardless of tradition, culture, or religious affiliation. FamilySearch resources help millions of people around the world discover their heritage and connect with family members
Where you can find Diana & Nicole:
Website: familylocket.com
Podcast: Research Like Pro
Family Locket Books
Family Locket Research Like a Pro Course
Helping of Happiness YouTube Channel:
YouTube: @HelpingOfHappiness
Show Notes:
Become one of our VIPS!! Get VIP Access To Our FREEBIE Library Here!!
Subscribe (free!) to my newsletter with updates and tips plus get instant access to my resource library with recipes, printables, and family fun! Once subscribed, I will send you a newsletter with details about my new free files and mom hacks each week.
https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/new-page
Make sure you check out our YouTube Channel!! We have lots of new food and travel videos posted! You can even take a peek at a bunch of the recipe in our Best Ever Babysitter Cookbook. (find it on Amazon!).
Brent Beck is a husband and father to 5 children, and grandpa to 19 grandchildren with one more on the way. He was an airline pilot for 33 years. About 20 years ago or so the airlines were having a hard time, had an idea to make a little extra money for retirement. He played a lot of classic games with his brothers growing up. That inspired him to take an old card game, give it an upgrade with some custom designs, and start selling it.
He decided to launch 2 games at once to start: Grandpa Beck’s Golf (which has recently been made over into Gnoming Around) and Cover Your Assets.
Toil & Troublez is the first game that didn’t come from Grandpa Beck’s family. It was a game from Europe that had done really well, that Grandpa Beck got permission to retheme with his artist April Stott. The illustrations are beautiful. Engaging, interesting but not heavy, easy to learn, something you want to play again and again.
Why is playing games as a family so important?
Games teach you to win well and lose well.
Games give us a chance to take time to interact, and get away from technology for awhile
Games are a good way to get to know people, learn more about people, and see them in instense situations
Our favorite grandpa beck game: Skull King
Where you can find Grandpa Beck Games:
Website: grandpabecksgames.com
Facebook - GrandpaBeckGames
Instagram- @GrandpaBeckGames
Show Notes:
Become one of our VIPS!! Get VIP Access To Our FREEBIE Library Here!!
Subscribe (free!) to my newsletter with updates and tips plus get instant access to my resource library with recipes, printables, and family fun! Once subscribed, I will send you a newsletter with details about my new free files and mom hacks each week.
https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/new-page
5 Important Areas to Focus on When Selling Your Home:
- Cleanliness!!
This is more important than upgrades. Get your home shining clean. People don’t want to move into other people’s messes.
- Become a minimalist
Get your closets down to 50-70% capacity. This will make your life so much easier after you are in escrow and have much less to do to get packed up just before you move.
- Hire the right agent
What you are looking for in an agent: experience, someone you can trust and confide in, ambitious, will be your advocate, has your best interest at heart, knows your market well, has the expertise for your unique situation
If you need more guidance on what questions to ask when interviewing an agent, reach out to Tammy. She is more than happy to help!
- Listen to the experts
Do the simple little things that make your home sell such as staging, or not hanging onto your favorite color on the walls that may not appeal to a variety of buyers.
Thousands of dollars are left on the table everyday because people let their emotions get in the way.
Nobody wants to move into your home, they want to move into their home.
- Curb Appeal
When you are selling your home and approach the front door, how do you feel? Is it an appealing color? You want to make it as beautiful as you can with out being stark or shocking. Your focus should be the front door.
Make it memorable with a simple wreath, cobwebs and dirt swept away. Plant fresh flowers, fertilize the lawn.
Emotion is huge. How does it feel?
Moving tips!
Sell everything you can. We tend to get emotionally attached to things and stuff. Many items tend to get damaged in the moving process. Part with as much as you can and get what you like when you get there.
Have your realtor help you get the right contacts for your move as well as your house sale.
What rooms should you focus on most?
These rooms are ranked in priority, number one being the most important:
-
Curb Appeal - you need to get them in the door
-
Kitchen - It’s the heart of the home!
-
Great Room - This is where families are making memories. Make sure it is clean and tidy
-
Master Bedroom & Master bath- make it dreamy and a place you really want to be in
-
Secondary bath
Fun Fall Tradition:
The Night of the Gourd Dinner
During the month of October, Tammy, her family and some of their close friends gather for a dinner to celebrate the harvest. They have a night where all the foods they eat are some type of squash or gourd - something from the harvest. Think pumpkins, butternut squash, etc.
They have enjoyed simple things like pumpkin ice cream all the way to more exotic dishes like butternut curry.
Their family loves this opportunity to gather to remember the bounty the Lord has blessed them with, as well as celebrate the abundance on this earth. This is also an alternative way to celebrate if you aren’t a big fan of the other holidays in the fall.
Check out Our Top 3 Favorite Pumpkin Recipes HERE!!
Where you can find Realtor Tammy Goolsby:
Website: teamgoolsbyrealestate.com
Facebook: TammyGoolsbyrealestate
Instagram: @TammyGoolsbyRealEstate
Show Notes:
A couple years ago when we were on our way home from Mexico, we were talking to a lady in the airport shuttle. My kids were telling her how sad they were to leave Mexico, they loved the trip so much.
This lady said something to me that has really stuck in my mind, “ I don’t want to stay in Mexico because I love to be home. But I really wanted to go on this trip and bring the experience home with me.”
That was powerful to me! I really love to be home, too!! That trip changed the lives of each member of my family who went, and I wanted more than anything to carry that home into my daily life.
As we have hit emotional or hard times in the years since, I often try to picture myself and my family playing on the beach, or heading out on the ferry from Cancun to Isla Mujeres. It’s wonderful to have a special place to go when life is rough, even if it’s just in my mind.
Every time I eat chips and guac or hear some mariachi music, I am brought right back there. My biggest wish would be able to bring every one I know and love with me back to Mexico to experience it!! Sadly, that is just not possible physically or financially.
I have tried my best to come up with what I think is the next best thing.
I am inviting you to join our Virtual Summer Cooking Club! Think of it as an interactive cooking show where we will be preparing cuisines from different countries around the world!
I will get the recipes and grocery list ready for you and email it out at the beginning of each week. Then on Thursdays at 3pm Central, we will hop on a zoom meeting and I will teach you how to make the dishes. This food tour begins on June 15 and will continue through July 6th. We will also be touching on a bit of culture from each country we are visiting.
The first country we are going to be visiting in our virtual cooking club is…. ITALY!!
We will be making appetizers: Bruschetta and Antipasto Salad. We went to Italy last year and I learned so much about their food and culture. I can’t wait to share it with you!
On the grocery list, I will also have some optional items that you can purchase (if you want) that we will be talking about during our club meeting. For example, in Italy, I will put a couple fancy cheeses and meats that they often eat there.
I tried my very best to keep this class affordable to everybody. It will only be $15 per household per class. You have the option of purchasing one class at a time or if you want to bundle the classes together, it comes down to only $12.50 per class. Head to our classes page on our blog to sign up!
This class is for all ages! Come and be with us! It will be so much more fun if you are there!
Also, in this episode, we talk a lot about involving your kids more in the kitchen. You can find the script for that in this blog post:
Teaching Your Kids to Cook - Our Top 10 Tips
Thank you for being with me. I am so glad you are here!
love
Hillary
Show Notes:
About our guest: Kamree Price @OurFamilyPassport
Kamree started her travel blog about 5 years go. She is an Art history professor, a mom and a step mom. Her blog exists to help families grown together through experiences in travel. She has traveled to nearly 50 different countries!! And that does not include layovers- amazing!!
Kamree helps beginners through seasoned travelers with:
budgeting
planning
learning and experiencing
Why is travel so important to you and your family:
Kamree and her husband were meeting with a child psychologist after they got married on how to best bond and blend their new family. The child psychologist told them that there are 3 things that his clients come back and tell him they remember the most about growing up:
meals they ate
traditions they had
vacations they went on
This psychologist said if they can focus on making memories through those 3 things, they would be able to have the best chances for making solid bonds with their family.
What is Travel Hacking or Reward Travel?
Travel Hacking or Reward Travel, as Kamree likes to refer to it, is using rewards from credit cards for travel. There are a few things you must be disciplined about:
pay off credit card every month
don’t spend extra money just to get rewards
if you can use a debit card responsibly, you should be able to do the same with a credit card
What is TRU: Travel Rewards University?
TRU is Kamree’s Travel Rewards University where she teaches people how to get the most out of their reward travel. The course goes through 4 different levels:
Freshman: how to be smart using travel rewards, rules and regulations, literacy around points and miles
Sophomore: She goes through the Chase rewards program
Junior: Learn about American Express & Capital One cards
Senior: Learn how to put these cards all together, keep things organized, and book your dream vacation
Where you Can find Kam & Our Family Passport:
Website: OurFamilyPassport.Com
Instagram: @OurFamilyPassport
Facebook: Our Family Passport
Pinterest: Our Family Passport
Kam’s TRU - Travel Rewards University: Kam has offered you an amazing Discount on TRU! This Coupon Code for TRU gives you 67% OFF!! Use Code: HILLARY
Travel Hacking for Beginners Post from Our Family Passport
Also mentioned in this Episode:
Helping of Happiness Summer Classes & Camps for 2023!
Sign up for those classes here!
Show Notes:
A little about our guest:
Bill Brady and wife, Heidi, have 5 kids, and they have been married for 21 years. One thing they agreed up on early in their marriage, was they didn’t want family life to center on technology. They wanted real life experiences for themselves and their children.
What Bill has to say:
There is a full spectrum of cell phones for kids: Iphone 14 pro is like the Wild Wild West option, then you go to the other end that is so locked down it’s not practical or kids grow out of them really quickly. Troomi is the middle ground. Safe and practical, but will grow with your child, and super easy for parents.
Troomi comes with a kids safe operating system that you can tailor as a parent, where you can give them what they need but not more.
What age is best for kids to get a cell phone? That needs to be decided on a family by family basis. For example - if family is divorced, a mom often wants her kid to have a phone at his dad’s house so she can stay in direct touch with him.
Our oldest daughter babysitting is what brought the need for our first child to have a cell phone. She needed a way to communicate. More and more schools are expecting kids to have a device in the classroom to complete and submit assignments. The cell phone age for kids seems to be coming down.
Personal take- delay as long as makes sense. We don’t want technology to be the default - not the go to of what to do during downtime. We want kids to be fun, productive, creative people on their own with face to face relationships.
The Troomi Operating System gives parents ability to schedule when kids can do certain things at certain times on their phones. When different features are available, the phone polices itself. It also helps kids get into good habits.
There’s a few different plans. The first one is for easing into the phone: talk and text only. Once they are showing confidence in showing appropriate etiquette, and understanding what are inappropriate things to say and send, they can move onto picture texting and group texts.
As needs evolve, introduce apps that you can use for school, church or healthy hobbies. Sit down with your child and have a discussion about what they really need. There is no app store on the phone, instead they have curated a suite of apps that Troomi has vetted for safety for parents to choose for the phone in the parent portal. None of the apps available have backdoor access to predators or pornography.
It’s essential that parents take the time to have the discussions. It’s easy to assume kids are figuring it out on their own, or maybe parents just get caught up in life and don’t make the time to talk about it.
One of the goals in Troomi, is to take the tension and stress out of the parent/child relationship with kids. As your kids get older, have an open respectful conversation with them. Listen to them. What do they need for school? Are there hobbies, interests, and creative pursuits that could be helped? Explain your own family boundaries. So many problems start with social media. Troomi doesn’t have any social media apps. Don’t just say no, but have ongoing respectful conversations about why.
This is true with any parenting principle: be the parent that has the why conversation. Kids are smart. Talk about the why, and not just this is the rule and it’s black and white and we’re not going to talk about it. Have the why conversation first.
Some apps that are in the Kids Smart Library: apps for education: canvas, google classroom, skyward, etc. Spirituality: for different faiths and backgrounds. Apps for streaming music. Apps for healthy hobbies. In the parent portal you can pick what apps they have on their phones.
The dangers of cell phones: predators, pornography. But sadly, it seems it’s the little things that really add up and seem to be even bigger problems: stress, anxiety, depression, detachment, loneliness, leading to suicide.
Troomi’s goal is helping kids have a safe environment to have healthy relationships with technology. The name “Troomi” comes from kids connecting with their real potential their true selves “true me”.
Tips for keeping kids safe on other technology: have filters, use parental controls wherever possible. Don’t give up, don’t stop trying. Don’t ever think that it’s just someone else’s kids that are going to get into trouble. Be vigilant. Have open, trusted, non shameful and constructive conversations. Make sure your kids know what to do when they come across destructive content.
Get $50 off a Troomi phone with this code: HAPPY
Where can you find More about Troomi?
Website: www.troomi.com
Instagram: @TroomiWireless
PROMO CODE for $50 OFF a Troomi phone: HAPPY
Helping of Happiness Cell phone email course
Parenting cell phone use can be super overwhelming. I am a mom of 7 kids, and this has been quite the challenge for us. I learned a lot of good and bad things with my older 3 kids, and have made some changes for my younger kids. Putting a device into the hands of your kids can be a terrifying thing. Making sure we were all on the same page and that they were taught proper usage, manners, expectations, and safety has helped us avoid a lot of frustration and angry moments.
This course takes you through different conversations to have with your kids about cell phones. It is targeted towards new phone users, but is very helpful even with experienced phone users. Maybe you don’t even know where to start? Or possibly the screen time is getting out of control at your house? Or you are looking for a good resource to teach your young user how to be kind online? Are you worried about bullying, pornography or predators? We cover all of that!!
If you have a friend who is also interested in this course, please have them use this link to sign up:
https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/cell-phone-training-course-sign-up
What To Expect in the Cell Phone Readiness Email Course:
This is a 4 day email course. Each day you will be emailed a different step. Today is the first day. Your link to Step One is at the bottom of this page. Each step will include phone safety, etiquette, a printable packet, & fun stuff. The course is meant for the parent to take, but then share the printable packet with their young phone users. There are also things included in this course that are meant to be used as a discussion. Every family has different rules and boundaries for the technology in their home. I have shared what works for me and my family, but ultimately want you to do what works best for your family.
This is what the course will cover. It moves from very light on Step 1, to the heavy in Step 3, and finishes up on a happy note:
Step 1 : Polite Phone Manners
Step 2: Rules, Boundaries & Apps
Step 3: Understanding the Dangers of Pornography
Step 4: Spread Kindness
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for sharing at no cost to you.
Meredith Rotz is a wife and mother to 5 children and lives in Texas. A couple years ago she was trying to decide what the next chapter of her life should look like. All of her kids were in school, and she was ready to find her career. She went to a local community college and took a career placement test. She didn’t feel settled by the results, but on her way home from the test, she was listening to a podcast by a life coach. She realized life coaching was her calling!
She talked it over with her husband, and jumped into life coaching school. Meredith has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, had lots of experience in editing, and has paired that with what she has learned in life coach certification to help coach others how to write and publish books.
Meredith takes her clients through the full process of writing a book. She starts with writing, and then moves on to organizing, coaches them through the process, edits their work and helps them get in touch with publishers.
Previous Helping of Happiness Episodes with Meredith as our guest:
5 Money Lessons All Kids Need to Know with Jonathan & Meredith Rotz - listen Here!
Marriage & Money - click here to listen!!
Where you can find Meredith Rotz:
Website: meredithrotzcoaching.com
Instagram: @meredithrotzecoaching - Head to IG for her new 30 Day Writing Course!!!
Facebook: MeredithRotzCoaching
Make sure you subscribe to our free newsletter to keep up with podcast show notes, family recipes, home hacks and travel tips! Head over to Helping of Happiness now to sign up!!
Our podcast guest today has an incredible story!
Meet Ali Essig. Back in 2019, Ali mother of 6 kids (her twins were 8 months old), was taking a shower when her neighbor banged on the bathroom door. There had been an emergency. No one had been able to get ahold of Ali, so the neighbor rushed into her house to reach her. Ali’s husband had had a stroke and had been rushed to the hospital. The neighbor stayed with the kids and Ali hurried to be with her husband. They spent quite a bit of time at the hospital trying to figure out what had caused the stroke.
After many tests and days of ruling out different possible reasons for the stroke, nothing major was found. The stroke had left her husband with double vision which made it hard for him to drive, focus, work, it affected everything. Ali’s husband was sent home with a note that said he needed to eat a heart healthy diet. Ali and her husband felt very confused and frustrated by the situation.
Ali’s dad had passed away just a few years earlier from a heart attack at age 55. She was determined to find a solution for her husband. She asked herself, “What’s in my power?” They knew how to count macros, how to lose weight after having babies, but what does a heart healthy diet entail? Their main goal was to improve his vision and open the arteries to his brain. Here is what they learned about a heart healthy diet:
Cut back on trans fat. Trans fats are found in fried foods, animal products, store bought baked goods, microwave popcorn and frozen dough.
Avoid foods with saturated fat. The biggest source of saturated fat in the American diet is cheese.
The other thing Ali & her husband learned was that eating plants could act as medicine. This is how they got into plant based eating. This isn’t a quick fix, like taking an ibuprofen for a fever. This is a little by little, long haul approach.
After 5 months of eating a plant based diet, Ali’s husband had his vision come back, his cholesterol and triglycerides numbers had also come down. It was amazing!!
One reason Ali is my hero is that she went on this journey with him. It is not easy to get a family of 8 on a plant based diet. But Ali used her mama bear power to fight for her family, get her husband healthy and improve the quality of life for them all through eating for longevity.
Ali patterns her life and eating after the blue zones around the world. Blue zones are areas where the most centenarians (people who live into their 100’s) live. She doesn’t pattern her eating after body builders, but after longevity of life.
I love how Ali uses an abundance mindset. She doesn’t look at what she is taking out of her diet as much as she looks at what she is putting in. What are you gaining? Not, what are you losing?
Ali taught me about the gut microbiome. Different gut microbes like to eat different foods- and they are picky eaters. Think of a rain forest and all of the life they have. As you’re eating variety, you are feeding those microbes their favorite foods. Just like if you were feeding all the life in a rain forest, you would have to have a variety of foods.
Ali challenges us to eat 30 different plants every week. This includes: fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts & seeds.
How do we move our families & ourselves more towards plant based eating?
Start with recipes they already love (for example- use half ground beef & half beans for tacos)
Add more fruit - even if it’s not a variety. 5 apples are better than 1 for nutrients and fiber. Increase what they will eat.
Get fiber focused! Learn more about what foods have fiber and eat more of those
Eat at least 5 fruits & veggies each day (are you up for the 30 plants per week challenge??)
Preload on vegetables and let kids snack on them before or as you are making dinner (prep your veggies first so this can happen)
Don’t get discouraged! Kids will often need to try a food 15 times before they like it.
You don’t have to be perfect.
Where you can Find More From Ali:
Ali’s website: www.plantwhys.com PlantWhys Nutrition Education for A Sustainable Lifestyle (use this link to subscribe to her awesome weekly newsletter. I love it!!!
Instagram: Ali Essig, Nutritionist // coaches and dietitian support team (@plantwhys) • Instagram photos and videos
Youtube: Alisia Essig - YouTube
34 Plant Based Recipes from Helping of Happiness:
I wanted to share with you some recipes that have helped me ease into plant based eating. Some of these have optional meat/dairy sides/toppings for your family, if you are like me and your family isn’t joining you on the plant based journey at this time. Grab those here!
Megan Whitmer is a married mom of 5 kids. Megan recently published a book called, Mom Life vs the Everyday Apocalypse. On our podcast this week, we talked with Megan a bit about her book.
When I was reading her book, one of my favorite chapters was called “My Favorite Hallway.” Megan explained to us that there was a hallway in her last house that would cast a layer of shadows as she walked by. The inner most shadow made her think about who she really was in the inside with out the layers of motherhood and expectations from herself and others. She says:
“Sometimes the ideal is not what society tells us, but who we have become as a person, as a soul, as a spirit.”
She went on to explain that she is allergic to most make up. She had to go off make up for a year. It was really hard for her when she would get comments of concern, “are you sick?” She says:
“I’m trying not to care how I look and remember I’m a child of God. Make up does not define me. But I still breakdown sometimes. It’s an up and down struggle. The ideal is not what society tells us, but who we have become as a person, a soul, a spirit. As women trying to make ourselves beautiful to fit the mold, we go through crazy things until we understand about ourselves. Make up is not bad, but there are other things we do that can damage us. It can change our spirit. It is interesting to really look at ourselves and what we do to ourselves. Should we do those things?”
When finding the humor in mom life, Megan looks to a few things to help her look on the bright side:
It could be worse! She plays a game with herself thinking of all the horrible ways the situation could be more awful than it is. For example, if you get an unexpected bill in the mail, maybe you think, “at least my family isn’t infected with tape worms.” Another example, if someone cuts her off on the freeway, she imagines the person has their wife laboring in the back of the car with triplets and they need to rush to the hospital.
Gratitude: find things you are grateful for and focus on the positive
Look back to your ancestors. What hard things have they conquered or gone through? Looking at our family in this way can show us that we are resilient! We can get through tough times.
We love to ask our guests 3 Helpful and Happy Questions on our podcast to get to know our guests a bit better. Our first question was about Megan’s favorite food. She said she loves popovers! We talked about how similar those are to German Pancakes, which we have a delicious recipe for on our blog!
German Pancake Muffins
We also talked a little bit about travel. One of her favorite vacations is going back home to Canada to visit her family there and visit the biggest mall in the world: West Edmonton Mall in Alberta.
Lastly we asked if she had any home hacks, and she told us one of her favorite ones was to chop up and freeze onions and peppers for future use. These can be useful in so many recipes! Here are a few of our favorite ways to use frozen onions and peppers:
Sheet Pan Fajitas
Vegan Veggie Stir Fry
Our Favorite Chicken Apple Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Where can we find more from Megan Whitmer:
Website: www.meganwhitmerbooks.com
Instagram: Megan Whitmer Books (@meganwhitmerbooks) • Instagram photos and videos
Tik Tok: MeganWhitmerBooks (@meganwhitmerbooks) TikTok | Watch MeganWhitmerBooks's Newest TikTok Videos
Grab Megan’s Book HERE!
Mom Life vs The Everyday Apocalypse
“How can I inspire my family without being in their face?” Isn’t this a great question to ask ourselves?! I often feel like the family nag- reminding, lecturing and trying to help everyone reach their highest potential.
What I learned from Candace Hafen (owner and creator of Lemon Drops N Lilies- Home Decor Shop) on our podcast today, was that we can inspire our family members by the things we keep in our homes. Beautiful artwork, quotes hanging in frames, messages on throw pillows, pictures of our family in meaningful moments, can be brought back to our minds years down the road when we need those reminders most.
Come join us in creating more intentional decor for our homes!! Learn why Candace says, “What’s on my walls matters.”
One way Candace makes her family feel special and inspired using her home decor, is the way she celebrates birthdays.
Here are a few ideas for how we can make our family members feel special on their birthdays:
Streamers and balloons on their doorways when they wake up
Create a balloon avalanche
Write messages on their bathroom mirror with expo markers
Write them a birthday letter
Make them a special birthday meal or let them pick a place to go out
Fill balloons with little notes. Pop the balloons at the end of the day to read them.
Now here is the trick!! You don’t need to do alllll the things!! Just pick a few special ideas and really show up on those traditions. It’s all about building memories and traditions with our families to make them feel loved and connected.
For more birthday ideas, grab Candace’s 26+ Birthday Traditions - Free download.
Use our coupon code: * happiness * for 20% OFF anything on her site: www.LemondropsNLilies.com. She has so many cute and festive items in her shop! Coupon code good through August 6th.
I had such a blast talking with Katie, Becky and Allie on our podcast!! I love how they are so positive and happy about girls growing up. Katie, Becky & Allie have the most amazing program for girls!! Hear in their words all about it:
“I Believe In Me is a life-cheering online adventure for tweens that gives real tools to create a happy middle school life! This time of life can be tricky and through weekly episodes, video tutorials and fun interactive online events we focus on promoting positive mindset and individual growth for each member. Girls can join ANY time and enjoy the program at their own pace. Choose from three member options to best fit your lifestyle!
“Our mission is to share tools and habits that will help girls gain confidence in their ‘Garden of Life’. We believe it’s the little things that matter most! Come join our happy adventure as we Grow and Bloom to our fullest potential!”
I love this mission!! I want to give you an even better picture of what their program teaches these girls. Here is a bit of what we talked about:
At the start of the program they want the girls to ask themselves, “Who are you?” They then encourage the girls to thing about the gifts they have that they would like to grow and share in their lives. They use garden imagery as they talk explain the different things they want the girls to learn about such as:
Your heart and mind working together are the soil of the garden. What are your dreams for your garden?
This then moves into, how are you spending your time? Are the friends you are hanging out with or the screens in your life making you wilt? Or are they bringing beauty into your garden by helping it grow?
The big aim is to help the girls be excited about who they are and where they want to go. They teach the girls how important it is to be spending their time in the right ways to get where they want to be. Routines are the roots of your garden. Developing good routines help you spend your time in the best ways.
“You are in control. It is your garden of life. You get to decide what plants you grow. You get to decide what you keep out and all the while you’re checking in with your head and your heart. Never put your happiness in someone else’s hands.” - Katie Parker
Friendship:
To be a good friend, there are 4 C’s to follow:
Not comparing
Not competing
Not criticizing
Not complaining
Bring the happy in!!
How do you pick good friends? Are they bringing light?
3 Strikes You are Out
Not influencing in a good way
Not being kind - everyone needs grace, but if this is a pattern, distance yourself
Sponge - at this age they are taking everything in!
No gossip - is it kind? is it necessary? is it true?
There’s always someone who needs a friend! Allie tells a great story about when she was new at a school and a girl was kind to her when she was lonely and sad.
When you like who you are and someone says something, it’s not about you! They are hurting. Brush it right off!!
4 Levels of being a Sunshine:
Smile
Smile - say hi or wave
Introduce self
Reaching beyond
Everyone is in a different place. Start at the sunshine level you are comfortable with.
Where you can find I Believe in Me:
Website: bloomfully.com/ibelieveinme
Get one month free !!
When you register, be sure to click on the Helping of Happiness box, letting them know you heard about there here, and you will receive one month of the subscription free!
Website for bone marrow transplant registry: https://bethematch.org/
Helping of Happiness Summer Cooking Camps & Classes
Helping of Happiness YouTube Channel
Helping of Happiness on Tik Tok
What it is Like to be a Liver Transplant Recipient - Episode #7 with James Jardine
Where can we find more from Brooke:
Website: BrookeRomney.com
Instagram: @BrookeRomneyWrites
Get Your Copy of Brooke’s Book 52 Manners for Today’s Teens here!!!
Also grab Brooke’s other awesome book: I Like Me Anyway
Brooke is around teenagers quite a bit, with a bunch of teens of her own, and started noticing there were a lot of things you think the kids should just know. She found herself imparting her words of wisdom as often as possible with her kids and felt she was nagging them all the time.
She began to make a list of simple manners her kids and other teens should know about. As she discussed these with other moms and her Instagram following, she realized all families were struggling with these same issues. Kids spend so much time with heads down and headphones in, they are missing out on observing these social norms.
She decided to write a book, but felt it wouldn’t be read through if it was a chapter book.- especially by teens. She created a flip book with simple explanations for 52 manners.
Here are a couple of our family’s favorite manners:
“Introduce Yourself: If you find yourself with people you don’t know, introduce yourself. Yes, it feels awkward at first, but it gets easier with practice. If you’re not sure where to start, try, ‘I don’t think I have met you yet….’ This is a life skill you will use forever.”
It seems like a no brainer, right?? But as we have gone through these, my mind has been blown that my kids weren’t sure how to act in this situation.
Here’s another one:
“Find new friends. If your friends are often excluding you or making you feel bad, they are the wrong friends….At first you might feel alone, but there are people out there who will like you for you. These friends may not be as ‘cool’ or your first choice, but that’s okay. Spend time with those who treat you well and want you around.”
I feel like these lessons are just as useful for adults as they are for teens. I love how knowing these manners gives teenagers independence to live their best lives. I also love that this book empowers parents to teach more deliberately.
How cool would it be if all these kids from schools are all abiding by these manners?! It can be such a great way to improve our communities and our societies. Teachers are using these in their classrooms. How awesome is it when other adults notice your child is doing something kind and compliments them on it? I love the positivity you can foster as you catch the teens in your life being kind.
Brittany Staker currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. She has been married for 20 years and has 3 kids ages 10, 13 and 16.
Brittany tells us on this podcast episode about her experience of going in for a routine eye appointment, and finding out she had a rare eye disease, when she thought she was just going in for a pair of glasses.
She can’t see at night anymore, she misses the stars, but she sees the light in her life in other ways. Listen to hear what the day to day is like for her, how she has maneuvered losing her vision and the tender mercies in her life.
Spoonful Of Spirit
SEGMENT WITH LINDY SHOCK
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
WHERE YOU CAN FIND LINDY:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies Digital Subscription:
HAPPY30!
Coupon Code for 25% off physical subscription (Enoch Studies will print and mail packets directly to your home!!): BETA25OFF
When Jennie’s oldest son was getting close to coming home from his mission, she started to notice a lot of dread and anxiety about what his life should look like when he was done. She realized a lot of the tools she had acquired as a life coach, would apply to missionaries as they adjust to a different way of life.
The biggest struggle Jennie sees with returned missionaries is that they feel they don’t have a purpose anymore. After serving with a strict, busy schedule and a very focused vision of what they are supposed to be doing everyday, it can be a big adjustment.
Jennie teaches missionaries, and return missionaries how to be the observer of their thoughts. She teaches how to let go of perfectionism and that we have a choice to think something different about ourselves.
“The number one piece of advice I hear for Returning Missionaries is: ‘Stay really busy.’ But, what you do is not nearly as important as the confidence you feel while doing those things. In fact, just ‘staying busy’ for busy-ness sake, might actually have the opposite effect that you want it to.” - Jennie Dildine
Coming home from a mission earlier than expected adds even more to the mix. Adjusting is tricky on its own, but often when missionaries come home early, there is added guilt and shame. She says no matter when you come home, there is no wrong emotion. She suggests the missionaries get outside help to navigate their way through it. Some missionaries that come home early actually learn more self compassion than those who serve a full mission because of the things they have to work through.
Another thing to be careful of is “mirroring”. For example, if you are very excited, it usually rubs off on the people around you. It can be the same with other emotions. If you are acting depressed because your missionary is depressed, it can become a vicious cycle.
Jennie’s biggest tip is to create love around your missionary. Remember the amazing person they are and act with those actions in mind.
Where you can find Jennie Dildine:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennie.theldsmissioncoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennie.theldsmissioncoach/
Website: https://jenniedildine.com
Free Video Series for RMs - 3 Tools to Help Return Missionaries in Their Transition Home: https://jenniedildine.com/3-tools-for-rms-opt-in/
Free Guide - 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary: https://jenniedildine.com/landing-page/
Free Strategy Call: https://jenniedildine.com/schedule/
10 Things to Know About Missionaries
Podcast with Sister Missionary Cassidy Hess:
What it's like to be a Missionary during COVID
Heidi Robey has dreamed of being a movie star her whole life. She tried out improv for awhile, but it just wasn’t the right fit. She threw herself into sketch comedy and skit writing and found her place.
Heidi dabbled in many different jobs and life experiences before she became a comedian. She got her bachelor’s degree, served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, went to cosmetology school, worked as a flight attendant and even worked as a nanny.
Now she is a mama to 2 boys with one more on the way! She works as a comedian (with huge success on Tik Tok (find herhere with more than 1/2 million subscribers!!) to help put her husband through dental school.
Fun fact: Grandpa Beck (as in Grandpa Beck Games) is her dad!! We love those games!! One of her favorite games to play with her kids is Nuts About Mutts (an UNO style game). Our kids love that one as well. Skull King Game has her picture featured as one of the pirates (how fun is that?!). Skull King is one of our family favorites as well asCover Your AssetsandCover Your Kingdom. They are a big part of our family game nights!!
On this episode, Heidi talks to us all about her New Years RESTolutions instead of resolutions. Here is what she taught us:
Resolutions: goals to do more and they complicate life. Come from a place inside that tells us we aren’t good enough unless we achieve these things.
RESTolutions: goals to do LESS and simplify life. We are already good enough- we can do better It’s a place of self kindness.
The biggest way this has helped her is in her parenting. It has helped her free up time and energy to have quality time with her kids and let go of the mom guilt.
Here is how we set a RESTolution:
Take an inventory of your life and think of ways you could make it a little easier. Set goals for short cuts! For example: use paper plates, make an order for grocery deliver or pick up, hire some help for your housework, schedule rest on your calendar, look for busy work you can cut out.
She likes to apply the business rule of 80/20. 80% of your results come from 20% of your work. One way you can do this is to make a list of roles in your life. Examples might be parenting, marriage, work, church, etc. Pick 2-3 things in each category you want to be especially awesome at and let the rest go.
For Heidi, in her housework role, doing the dishes, and keeping the living room clean are especially important to her. But making her bed is on the very bottom of her list of importance, so she just lets it go. If for some reason she did get to making her bed that day- it’s just a bonus!
Where to find more from Heidi Robey:
Tik Tok - Hot Mess Heidi
Instagram - Hot Mess Heidi Robey
Facebook - Hot Mess Heidi
Home Hacks from Heidi:
Meal prep a big batch of breakfast and use it throughout the week
For those picky eaters!! Grab a story book and read one page per bite. BRILLIANT! This helps feed the kids but also fits in that goal of reading to your kids at the same time!
So much more to all of this on the podcast! I can’t wait for you to listen!!
What is a refugee? A refugee is a person fleeing from their country and cannot return because their life is at risk or could be seriously harmed. Sometimes they have been forced out. Other times they may be fleeing because they are in danger because of their political affiliation, membership in a certain social group, race, nationality or religion.
What does Refugee Services of Texas do? Serves refugees, asylees, individuals with Special Immigrant Visas, Cuban-Haitian entrants, Central American minors, survivors of human trafficking, and other vulnerable populations. In addition, RST works to facilitate partnerships with host communities to build a welcoming environment.
From Refugee Services Texas Blog:
Advocacy: Ways to take action
Ways to take action:
Contact Congress
Click above to be connected with your 2 Senators and 1 Representative via email or by phone. You will be able to send an email or receive a phone call that connects you to your Members of Congress. Please make sure to insert your city/town in the highlighted portion!
Amplify your voice on Social Media
Click above for a social media toolkit from our partners at We Are All America to use on your social media platforms!
Write for Local Media
Write an opinion editorial, a letter to the editor, a blog, or something for your newsletter, click above for some great talking points you can use.
Ways you can volunteer:
Apartment set up, Cultural Orientation, Welcome Team, Transportation, Refugee Youth Mentoring Program, Job Development and Financial Literacy, English Language Classes, Interpretation/Translation, Legal Services, Childcare, Administrative, Case Aid and so much more!!
Ways you can donate:
$50: Urgent Care. Help provide a virtual doctor's visit for a survivor of human trafficking in need of urgent care.
$100: Groceries. Help provide a week's worth of groceries for a newly arrived family seeking asylum.
$250: Technology Access. Help contribute a laptop to a newly resettled child who lacks the technology to attend school remotely.
$500: ESL. Help impact the lives of four clients with remote access to English language classes.
$1000: Home. Help a family who has lost their job due to COVID-19 with a month's rent to safely continue to shelter in place.
Refugee Services Texas : Make an Impact : Donate (rstx.org)
Also, you can donate through their Amazon Wishlist.
Where you can find more from Kaitlin at Refugee Services Texas
Website rstx.org
Instagram @refugeeservicesoftexas
Kaitlin also highly recommends Jessica Goudeau's book After the Last Border and Refugee by Ganz for young readers or families to read together!
Grab our Christmas Cookie Catalog in our Resource Library! Subscribe To Our Free Newsletter For The Password.
Daily Service Advent Calendar
We love following this daily service calendar, Light the World with Love, from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Join us! https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist
What are some strategies for helping young kids with their friendships?
Observe behavior with friends
Role play - practice the skills and the things to say when things come up
Role play should be done over and over. Think of it to go on their daily chore list. It’s not a one time lesson.
Make it fun, the same way you would reward chores or other things you’d like them to get done.
Break skills down into just a few steps. For example: When another child says “NO” to you, say “ok” and walk away or find another toy to play with. Keep it very simple and practice.
How about teenagers?
Use the sandwich effect. Start with saying something kind about them or something you appreciate. Then talk about the skill they need to work on, and finish it up with the other end of the sandwich- more praise or positive feedback.
Have them be an “empathy investigator”. Question for them to ask themselves: What you do think that other person is feeling? Use this strategy when you are talking about situations that arise, during movies you are watching or scriptures you are reading.
How about our adult children?
Change your approach!
Monitor your reactions- deal with your OWN stressors
Learn how to receive revelation in the moment (see below for Niki’s guides for receiving personal revelation)
When we are emotionally triggered we are distanced from the Spirit.
Be a person they want to talk to- not reactionary
AMAZING Black Friday Sale!!! Such A GREAT Christmas Gift!!
We just LOVE Lily & Thistle Watercolor School! We have been painting with them for years. It’s the season of giving and the Buy One Get One deal is HERE! If you’ve been waiting to get started with painting, but aren’t sure where to begin..
THEN, NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN THE LILY & THISTLE WATERCOLOR SCHOOL! HURRY!!! SALE ENDS FRIDAY!!
Get a Lifetime Membership for yourself and another Lifetime Membership to give and start painting your way through this holiday season!
Niki has an awesome podcast: Meaningful Minutes!! Here’s a bit more about Niki and all that she offers!!
Niki Olsen is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist and coach who uses mental health skills and a spiritual perspective to reduce anxiety, overwhelm and guilt in women by enriching their connection to themselves and God. The Meaningful Minutes podcast aims to help busy Latter-day Saint women learn simple actionable tools to feel more confident in their efforts toward spiritual growth, more inspired and closer to the spirit in 10 minutes or less.
Meaningful Prayer Journal on sale Nov 8-14 buy 5 get one free no code needed
Seeking Personal Revelation Journal on sale Nov 8-14 use code: FALLSALE for 20% off
Spiritual Survival Course
Other podcasts we’ve had with Niki:
How to Receive Personal Revelation in Your Daily Life (Episode #78)
Parenting Kids with ADHD (Episode #91)
The Mom Break Announcement (Episode #106)
How to Have More Self Compassion with Niki Olsen (Episode #116)
Where to find more from Niki:
Website: nikiolsencoaching.com
I keep my printables, menu plans, recipe ideas and freebies in libraries. My main library, open to anyone, is thefree Resource Library. Inside you will find TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, super bowl snacks, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!!
Get the code for our FREEBIE Resource Library to access our Thanksgiving Recipes!!
Instagram: @nikiolsencoaching
Katrina Seamons’ goal with Deliberate Family:
Empowering parents to make Christ the focus of their family
Here is a bit about Katrina:
Katrina Seamons is the founder of Deliberate Family. She helps families thrive by inspiring them to live their story. She’s an expert in goal setting and behavior change.
Katrina finds joy in anchoring herself and her family to the Lord. She finds purpose in everything from starting her own business to homeschooling full-time, traveling worldwide with her family to speaking and writing, learning the ukulele to being an informal Disney park travel agent.
She married her high school sweetheart and they currently live in Cincinnati, Ohio with their 5 kids. Katrina has a degree from Utah State University in Early Childhood Special Education. She believes that families thrive as they work together to find purpose and build lasting habits.
From the podcast:
What does it mean to be a family of light?
By focusing on light, we can dispel the darkness. Our children need to know where light can come from. They need to be able to think for themselves and experience and be in a culture of light at home so they can be resilient to dark and heavy things when they go out into the world.
What are some ways we can bring light to our families?
Listen to uplifting music. Music is powerful!
Scripture Study - block out the time to have discussion
Make a plan to take time to be still and align yourself with God
Have councils with your family
Where to find more Katrina and other links we talked about:
*Website: thedeliberatefamily.com
*Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deliberatefamily/
*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deliberatefamily/
Our other episode with Katrina:
Be Married on Purpose Challenge (Episode #138)
Spoonful Of Spirit
SEGMENT WITH LINDY SHOCK
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
WHERE YOU CAN FIND LINDY SHOCK:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies Digital Subscription:
HAPPY30!
Coupon code for 25% off physical (printed pages) subscription:
BETA25OFF
Show Notes:
Here is a little bio about today’s guest!!!
Jan Hoath is a teacher, coach, speaker, writer, JOY mentor and ‘backcountry guide to the soul,’ and kitchen dancer, on a mission to help leaders discover their most joyful life paths through the wildness of their souls. She helps business owners and entrepreneurs learn to approach their business- and their life- from a place of authentic J.O.Y. and playfulness.
As a leadership coach, mindfulness meditation teacher, former professional alpine ski instructor, and masterful student of life, Jan offers a unique blend and approach to her work including her signature process of The Happiness Prism, through which she guides her clients to build a no regrets life.
Jan can be found embodying her J.O.Y. message skiing and hiking the mountains of Jackson Hole, surfing the waves of Costa Rica, sailing the seas of the Caribbean, meditating with moose, speaking at women's leadership summits, facilitating J.O.Y. coaching programs and retreats, and at home in her log cabin in the woods with her beloved family of 2 kids, Australian husband, and Bernese mountain dog.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE FROM JAN:
Her website
Social media - @JanHoath on Linked In, Facebook & Instagram
Facebook group “Mindful JOY for Big Vision Leaders”
Also, here’s a link to her favorite raclette set! https://swissmarshop.com/collections/gourmet-home-entertainment/products/8-person-re-classic-raclette-party-grill-with-reversible-cast-iron-grill-plate
Spoonful Of Spirit
SEGMENT WITH LINDY SHOCK
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
WHERE YOU CAN FIND LINDY SHOCK:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies Digital Subscription:
HAPPY30!
Coupon code for 25% off physical (printed pages) subscription:
BETA25OFF
Sign up for our newsletter! Access to our free meal planning placket & 3 weeks of dinner recipes here!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Show Notes:
Hillary: Why do people have such a hard time getting and staying organized?
Brittany’s response:
While there are probably more than the ones I’ll share today, here are 4 main reasons why:
They don’t know how to create effective organization systems that actually stick.
They are overwhelmed by alllll of the things in their entire home and have no idea where to start.
They struggle for one reason or another with letting go of items that don’t actually serve them or their family members.
They think it has to be perfect and give up before even trying.
They live with other people (namely their spouse or kids!) ha!
And, I just have to say that all of these are valid things. There’s a lot of psychology that goes into all of this, but I think the main takeaway that helps combat some of these is that your organization will get better as you start playing around with it. It doesn’t have to stay that way forever, so try it out, and if it doesn’t work, change it. It’s all a part of the process. Also, organization is a skill. If you’re overwhelmed, start with something super small, like a junk drawer or spice cabinet. Starting small can help you build up momentum for the bigger spaces.
Hillary: You have an awesome Hum Making System you’ve put together. Can we go through the 4 steps in the system?
Brittany’s response:
1. Repair - which includes repairing (or upgrading) your home and furniture
2. Clean & Declutter - this helps us get a nice and clean base, and helps us know what stuff we are working with
3. Organize - Taking the things we’ve kept and organizing them into effective systems using baskets or bins, and labels
4. Beautify - Taking it all and making it pretty and personal for you and your family.
So, for the system, my goal was to really break down every potential space that people have in their homes into months and weeks to take the edge off of organization overwhelm. It’s a system that has helped me, personally, and I am so excited to be able to share it with others!
Hillary: Why is this all so important to you?
Brittany: I think in a lot of ways, when life gets crazy (who am I kidding - it’s always crazy), it’s nice to be able to go and organize something and have it instantly decrease some of the craziness. For example, when you organize your sock drawer, you know that you won’t reach in and waste a couple of minutes trying to find a matching pair of socks or get stuck with holy socks. Decluttering and cleaning our homes - or just taking care of our space to me is a form of self care, and can really be therapeutic. Just like doing other hard things, like exercising, or eating well, organizing can impact us in ways that we may not realize at first.
Researchers from Brigham Young University actually did a study about homes and how families treated each other. They found that the square footage and organization and everything actually mattered less than how the people felt about their homes. In essence, the way we feel about our homes can affect our mental well-being. In the article, they even suggested hanging family pictures to help family members feel important and connected. I just loved that!
I also just know so many people who feel embarrassed about their homes or feel like they don’t even know where to start to make a comfortable space for their family. Then, there are people who aren’t able to buy a house right now and are having a hard time figuring out how to maximize the space that they do have in order to meet their needs. Since this is a skill that I have been blessed with, I am really hoping to break things down for others so they can find greater joy in their homes today with their families.
Hillary: You compare our homes to temples. Can you expand on that for us?
Brittany: For centuries, temples have been holy places where individuals symbolically leave the world to grow closer to God, to feel His spirit, to receive comfort and direction, and to learn more about His ways. At first, the mountains served as temples because they were a high place, symbolically to going closer to God.
D&C 109: 8 Organize yourselves; aprepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a bhouse of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of corder, a dhouse of God;
-love applying to home
-temples, other holy religious buildings
-peaceful, calm, clean, orderly, and have beautiful music and art that help us remember God.
I try to do things to increase the peace, order, and inspiring music and art in my own home.
-end goal of all of the things I do for my home
-create an inviting and comfortable space for my family where God’s spirit can dwell. If my relationships are suffering for the sake of having my house perfectly perfect, then I have lost sight of that goal.
Hillary: Anything else you’d like to share?
Brittany: Yes! I have personally suffered with my own mental health battles and these experiences have deeply affected my approach with HappyHomeHum. I want anyone who is suffering loneliness, depression, anxiety, or anything else to know that I see you. I get that it’s so hard. It can be so hard to get going and do the things that you deeply want to do. (Or wish that you wanted to do!) Still, we have all been born with God-given desire to be better. This is a really good thing, but Satan is really good at twisting that desire to our detriment by setting our minds on the many ways in which we may be falling short. This can leave us feeling less-than and hopeless. In this world inundated with social media and pinterest perfection, it’s vital that we learn the art of NOT being perfect and being secure in our shortcomings. The only way that I feel we can really do this is through faith in Jesus Christ, and trust that through His grace, we, and our families can be whole in ways that we could never achieve on our own. That thought is so comforting to me.
And beyond this, even just a little bit of effort can go a long way. Think of the widow’s mite in the New Testament. Through the merciful grace of God, our tiny efforts can become more magnificent than we would imagine. That thought applies to life, relationships, and even our homes. So, whether you’re organizing with leftover yogurt containers or bins from the container store, I know that you will find joy as you take steps towards making your home a little bit better.
Access our 3 Weeks of Dinner Ideas in our Freebie Resource Library!
A little about Brittany:
She’s been married for 10 years this December. She has 4 kiddos. Her husband is an accountant and works from home, and she is currently homeschooling my kiddos. They love to go on little outings like nature walks or to museums and sing songs. Her husband served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to France before they got married, so he loves to cook all sorts of different types of food. It’s their way of touring the world with their taste buds. She loves anything creative like playing music, decorating her home, and gardening. She and her husband love watching movies (including foreign films and Hallmark specials together.
Another fun thing about Brittany- she is sister in laws with our friend, Hannah Stevenson, creator of Lily & Thistle. We have had Hannah on our podcasts several times. Scroll down a bit for those lessons. And check out Hannah’s AMAZING Watercolor School HERE!!!
WHERE YOU CAN FIND BRITTANY:
Website: HappyHomeHum.com
Instagram: @HappyHomeHum
Spoonful of Scripture:
WHERE YOU CAN FIND LINDY SHOCK:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: @enochstudies
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies Digital Subscription:
HAPPY30!
Coupon code for 25% off physical (printed pages) subscription:
BETA25OFF
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Past Podcasts Mentioned in this episode:
The Art Habit for Moms and Nature Journaling - Hannah Stevenson (Episode #12) creator of Lily & Thistle
Everyone is an Artist with Hannah Stevenson from Lily & Thistle (Episode #55)
Emergency Preparedness in Our Homes - Made Easy (Episode #142) with Melanie Papworth creator of Plan for Awesome
72 Hour Kits - How to Get Started and What to Have In Them (Episode #143) with Melanie Papworth creator of Plan for Awesome
Show Notes:
International travel tips
Get your passports as soon as you even begin dreaming about traveling internationally. Passports are very backed up because of the pandemic. Just getting an appointment to get your passport can take a month or two.
If you are having trouble with your passport, contact your congressman! We had a lot of trouble with one of ours. Because we had expedited our passports, our congressman was able to get our passport processed within a week.
Depending on where you are traveling, you may want to bring lots of cash for tips. We went to Mexico and were so happy we had gone with a stash of $1 bills to pay our tips.
Make sure your debit card (not just credit cards!!) is working before you go. We had a non-working debit card situation on our trip and had a very tricky time getting money.
If you need to send yourself money (at least in Mexico), you want to send it in small amounts. We tried sending ourselves $200-500 and none of the money transfer locations were willing to give up that much cash. If we had sent the money in $50 increments, it would have been no problem. Also, make sure your money pick up is in the exact same name as your passport. You may also need a copy of your passport and copy of hotel details to give to the money transfer location.
Have a family council before your trip! Our kids had never been to Mexico, so a few things we included in our family council were: only drink bottled water, always have a buddy, throw the TP in the trash can instead of down the toilet (except at the hotel), how to order non alcoholic drinks, and to be flexible when plans change or we end up delayed or in some kind of waiting place. This made our traveling go so much smoother when things did arise.
Remember that the every day drama of having kids is still going to happen when you are traveling. Kids still wet their pants, get sick and fight with their siblings. Taking a little bit of time to think through your family’s particular needs and expecting the hiccups ahead of time with make for less melt downs in the moment. For example, we brought a bottle of Woolite laundry detergent with us, and we were so glad we did when our 4 year old had some potty accidents. It was easy to wash his clothes in the hotel sink and not have to track down a laundry service.
Study the culture with your kids before you go. Introduce them to the music, some of the foods, conversational phrases in the language and even some of the traditions. It is so fun when they are more vested in the place you are going.
Spoonful Of Spirit
Segment With Lindy Shock
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
WHERE YOU CAN FIND LINDY SHOCK:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies Digital Subscription:
HAPPY30!
Coupon code for 25% off physical (printed pages) subscription:
BETA25OFF
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Access our 3 weeks of dinner ideas in our freebie resource library. Click Here!!
”Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can unite and bring peace to people of all races and nationalities. We who believe in that gospel- whatever our origins- must unite in love of each other and of our Savior Jesus Christ.” - Dallin H. Oaks
On the podcast Taylor and I talked about her account “To Cheer and To Bless” as well as the YouTubes she airs every week: “Mix it Up:Black History and the Restoration.” She gives us a sneak peek of one of the stories she’s been researching about Susan Gray Reed Leggroon. More about her below:
Susan Gray Reed Leggroon
Susan was a slave from Mississippi until the Emancipation.
She married Mr. Reed (we don’t know his first name) and they had 2 sons. He died and she was a widow. Even though the slaves were now considered “free”, a lot of people still lived like slaved as they worked on the plantations.
Susan married again to a widower named Ned. He had a son from his previous marriage.
Susan had a sister named Amanda. Amanda and her husband had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were headed West and invited Ned and Susan to go with them. Ned and Susan joined them and crossed the plains to Utah with their 3 little boys.
After 3 years in Utah, Ned and Susan were baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Susan was a mother to 13 children. Only 8 of those children lived to adulthood. (She was so brave to keep going after she had lost 5 of her sweet kids!)
Sept 3, 1875 Susan was able to go to the temple (at that time it was still under construction, so they used the Endowment House). At the temple she was able to make covenants with God and do proxy work for her mother Margaret, Ned’s first wife, and her first mother in law. Ned did the work for her first husband. (Soon after, black sisters were note allowed to receive their endowment. - Just so sad!!)
Susan and Ned moved to Idaho and farmed. They planted trees that are still there! Ned died 2 years before Susan. At their funerals, their lives were celebrated by both black and white people who all said they were “well known, well loved, and were always held in the highest regard to all who knew them”.
Make sure you watch the video below! It is all about Ned, Susan’s husband. https://youtu.be/kOgES7z-8EA
Where you can find more from Taylor Ricks:
YouTube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCr5tjXg7v7xYDRZAVVr42_w
Instagram: @tocheerandtobless
Facebook: To Cheer and to Bless
Spoonful Of Spirit
(Segment With Lindy Shock)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
WHERE YOU CAN FIND LINDY SHOCK:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Why is art so important in our homes?
Gathers:
Art, like music, is incredible how it can gather people together from all different backgrounds and religious beliefs. Art can remind us of what we have in common such as love for our families, friends, gorgeous places, the love we have for God and the love He has for us.
Uplifts:
Having meaningful, beautiful artwork in your home can make it a holy place and bring in the spirit. Art feeds your soul and connects you to God. It can remind us of what is most important in our lives and help us find courage when our hearts are hurt or burdened.
Heals:
Paige taught us that through art, you can learn to love your body. Art can represent the beauty in people of all body shapes and sizes. She has seen people find healing from eating disorders through art. It can also help us cope with anxiety and depression.
Where you can find Paige Payne:
Instagram: paigepayne_creations
Website & Shop:.paigepaynecreations.com
Paige’s Workshops
A little more about Paige:
“Since I was a toddler, creating art has been my passion. It has been the only thing I've ever truly loved to do. It has been my escape, my safe place, and something I dreamed I would be able to do for a living someday. I had incredible art teachers all the way throughout Elementary School and through High School. They fueled my passion and helped me to believe that I had something special to offer.
“My husband and I got married in 2018, and we continued to work on earning our Bachelors degrees. I graduated from Brigham Young University in 2019 with a degree in Fine Arts, and an emphasis in painting. During my last year of University, I started creating custom wedding invitations for brides. This helped me build my confidence, and eventually I started sharing my artwork with the world! I was completely shocked by the response and excitement I was met with. What has happened since then has been nothing short of miraculous for me, and I know that this is what I am supposed to do with my life. I am still in awe when people choose to buy my artwork and display it in their homes. Because of you, Paige Payne Creations has grown and become more than I ever thought possible. You have all made my dreams come true, whilst simultaneously helping me put my husband through Dental School and making it possible for us to start a family someday. It means more to us than I could ever put into words.”
Spoonful Of Spirit
(Segment With Lindy Shock)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
SUBSCRIBE to our FREE Newsletter to receive access to our FREEBIE Resource Library and get new recipes, show notes, travel tips and home and family hacks delivered straight to your inbox:
https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/new-page
Get access to our FREEBIES Resource Library and join our email list for bonus content! Sign up here!
Heather’s website: Shop Bee the Light
Shop Bee the Light on Instagram
Shop Bee the Light on Facebook
Some favorite things in the shop:
Tree of life collection
Journals (Great for any spiritually-minded woman with GOALS!)
Modest Clothing
Spoonful Of Spirit
(segment with Lindy Shock)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
Signs of the Second Coming from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Jessie’s Answers to our Helpful and Happy Questions:
What is your favorite food or meal? Pizza
What was your favorite trip or dream vacation? Going to Europe with her music program to be at a harp festival
Do you have a homemaking hack for us? I got little pictures of all the meals I like to make and put them on magnets. The kids then get to pick out a few, we put them on the fridge and that is what we eat that week!! BRILLIANT!!
We love pizza too!! Here are some of our favorite family pizza recipes:
Homemade Hawaiian Pizza
Pizza Bites
Pizza Roll Ups
Mini Cheese Pizzas with Homemade Crust
French Bread Pizza Sandwiches
Find Jessie on Instagram: Jessie (@seek_learning) • Instagram photos and videos
Jessie’s Car Checklist: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OYjuAkboxB9bXKZeYH4-WtezS9UI4HGc/view?usp=drivesdk
Jessie’s Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/seeklearning
PLAN FOR AWESOME EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EPISODES:
Emergency Preparedness in Our Homes - Made Easy (Episode #142)
72 Hour Kits - How to Get Started and What to Have In Them (Episode #143)
Use Coupon Code: HAPPY25 For 25% Off Anything In The Plan For Awesome Shop!
Spoonful of Spirit (New Segment):
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints Website
Signs of the Second Coming from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
8 Reasons to Garden with Your Kids
- Gardening Brings Peace
There is just something calming about being outside in nature. Maybe it's because your plants don't talk back to you, or bark, or meow, or make any verbal requests of you. There have been many times when one of my children has been acting out that we have sent them out to weed in the garden. They usually don't like it, and protest strongly, but they almost always come back in the house much calmer.
- It Teaches Patience
We live in a society of instant gratification. Texting, Amazon, microwaves, and YouTube can give us what we need in the touch of a button. When you plant a sunflower seed, you're not going to get anything out of it for weeks. It's a great, natural way to learn patience.
- It's Fascinating To See The Life Cycle Of A Plant
Since we live in a world of grocery stores, many children (or even adults) don't know what the plants look like that their food comes from. It's such a great education for them to see what part of the plant they are eating, and what the plants look like. It's truly remarkable to see how a tiny little seed can grown into a big plant that bears fruits or vegetables to eat.
- It Helps Curb Picky Eating
When the kids help grow it, they have so much more ownership over the food. They will be much more interested in tasting it. Plus, fresh grown produce tastes so much better than the store stuff that has been picked long before hitting the shelves.
- It Saves You A Trip To The Store
This is my favorite when we have a lot going in the summer. It's wonderful to grab a few cucumbers and tomatoes sliced up with some salt instead of cooking something up that will add to the heat in my house. If you're staying off the store, not only does it save you money in groceries (although you do have the initial investment of garden installation), but it usually will save money in impulse buying as well.
- You Can Preserve It For Later
Another great thing to teach your children is how to preserve the produce that you grow. This is also a lot of work, but brings such a feeling of accomplishment when you are finished. I feel so accomplished when I have a counter lined with jars full of tomatoes or applesauce.
- It's An Activity For The Family To Bond Together
Working side by side as a family can be a great time for hard conversations. Sometimes it's easier to bring things up you've been needing to talk about when you're not looking at each other directly and your hands are busy.
And often the kids will attest, the bonding that occurs is because we are all in misery and suffering together! Ha! Ha!
- Getting Hands On With Nature
I'm sure my kids spend way more time making mud pies and collecting bugs than they do with the plants. Some of their favorite memories together are when they've found families of frogs or lizards living in our garden. These are such great ways to let your children explore and appreciate nature. Playing in the mud can also be a great tactile experience for them. I don't always love how dirty the kids get, but nature really is fun!!
- You Can Preserve It For Later
Another great thing to teach your children is how to preserve the produce that you grow. This is also a lot of work, but brings such a feeling of accomplishment when you are finished. I feel so accomplished when I have a counter lined with jars full of tomatoes or applesauce.
- It's An Activity For The Family To Bond Together
Working side by side as a family can be a great time for hard conversations. Sometimes it's easier to bring things up you've been needing to talk about when you're not looking at each other directly and your hands are busy.
And often the kids will attest, the bonding that occurs is because we are all in misery and suffering together! Ha! Ha!
- Getting Hands On With Nature
I'm sure my kids spend way more time making mud pies and collecting bugs than they do with the plants. Some of their favorite memories together are when they've found families of frogs or lizards living in our garden. These are such great ways to let your children explore and appreciate nature. Playing in the mud can also be a great tactile experience for them. I don't always love how dirty the kids get, but nature really is fun!!
Grab Top 10 Ways to Turn Around Picky Eating in our FREEBIE Resource Library
Grab our Watermelon & Mint Salad Recipe!!
Strengthening Family Relationships:
Our tone of our voice makes a huge difference in what and how we are communicating with others. But sometimes it can be hard to even realize we are saying something in an unkind way, and at other times it’s hard to think of a different way to say it.
Lindy has created these cute paper cubes, to help with our emotions, that you can download, print and fold at home.
In our families we used these cubes and did some emotion role playing.
An angry emotion might sound like this:
“Get off your screens!” or “Give me my toy, BAM!” or “You get what you get!”
A kinder way of saying this may look like this:
(In a playful tone) “You’re turning into zombies, let’s go play!”
or “Will you please ask before you use my toy?” or “Maybe you can have_____ next time.”
Another important part of communication is picking up on non verbal cues. Teach your kids to take note of facial expressions and intent, body language, etc.
We are going to keep the cubes on our table this week to reference when our kids or ourselves might need to remember a better way of communicating.
Our family can really benefit from practicing kindness and learning how to communicate in a way others are more willing to listen. This in turn can teach them how to communicate with neighbors, school mates, friends, on social media and throughout the world.
Everything feels polarized in the world right now- us against them:
“Neither side is working with the other side: mask vs no mask, Republican vs Democrat. It feels sad and scary when we lose love for each other. That is the very opposite of the City of Enoch. The City of Enoch was unity, helping and love. That doesn’t mean we are all the same, it doesn’t mean we all act like one particular perfect person. It means we take our personalities and our weaknesses and our strengths and we use those together to create unity and love and help lift each other up. We support each other in our strengths.
“We start in our families, then go out and help and support our neighborhoods and our communities and our cities and so on. Most people are good. They are just doing what they think is right for their families. Our experiences give us the views and perspectives that we have.
“Seeing what the other person’s story is. Seeing that and loving that and respecting that. Our experiences create our realities, but we can still be unified in Christ. We can still help and love each other.” - Lindy Shock
“And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.” Moses 7:18
Our families and communities are like a cookie recipe. All the ingredients are important. We need everyone for the recipe.
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies:
HAPPY30!
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Story of the City of Enoch for Kids, from the scriptures
Lindy’s activity packet for the Jaredites
If you’d like a free Book of Mormon, click here
If you’d like to learn some more from the missionaries, click here
When I was talking to Megan, I asked her to teach me the appropriate terminology for adoption, so I would know the most respectful way to talk about it. She explained terms to use to be most sensitive:
Use the phrase, “placed for adoption” not “give up for adoption.”
For the parents placing the child for adoption:
Birth mom, first mom or bio mom (*or parent or dad/father)
don’t use the term “real” mom/ “real” dad
For the parents adopting the child:
Adoptive parent, mom, dad
Megan’s story as an adoptive mom:
The birth mom of Megan’s baby girl was very, very young and was raped by a much older man. She was so young, she didn’t know what was going on and didn’t even know she was pregnant until 4 days before giving birth.
When she did give birth, she delivered the baby at home all by herself at night. She endured a lot of trauma and for these reasons she wanted a closed adoption. Megan completely understands, supports her in that, and hopes that in coming years she can meet her and tell her how much she loves her.
Even before Megan’s marriage, she had in her heart that she would someday adopt a baby. After having 4 sons of her own, she had an experience on a school trip to Brazil with one of her sons that ignited the desire to adopt. For weeks she had the song, “Because I Have Been Given Much” going through her head until they made the decision to jump into the adoption process.
There are so many different options for how to adopt, internationally, domestically, through an agency, without an agency. Megan and her husband decided on a private agency in the United States and chose to have a domestic adoption.
Adoption is very expensive. Just to get started with an agency, no guarantees you will get a baby, is about $22,000. Some expenses you pay at the time of the adoption are the birth mother’s hospital bills (some insurances pay for part of this), the birth mom’s living expenses post partum and during the pregnancy. It all depends on the birth mom and her circumstances. From the agency Megan used, the total expenses could be between $35,000- $60,000 total.
The average waiting time for this agency was 6 months. Some adoption processes can take years to go through. There is a lot of paperwork, background checks and a home study before a child can be placed in your home. Her youngest son was 4 years old when they got started and wanted to add in this adoptive child before the age gap got too big.
Most adoptions now are open adoptions. Whether than means That can mean a yearly letter or pictures or visiting in person. Most adoptions are more letter based.
When the baby is ready to be placed, usually you get an email. In this case, there was very little notice, so Megan received a text to check her email immediately and to email them back right away if they were interested. The baby was ready the next day! Megan’s parents had just come over for dinner when she found out they needed to rush off to get their baby! Megan and her husband had to ran off to the airport an hour later!
The adoption ended up being out of state, so they needed to stay in that state until the paperwork had been signed and processed. They were gone for nearly 2 weeks waiting for everything to be finished. It was a long time to be away from their other 4 kids and were grateful for family to help out back at home.
Different states take different amounts of time for adoptions to be legally finalized. It took even longer in Megan’s case because of the pandemic and then because of the court case. The trial was delayed because of the pandemic, so they waited 15 months for their adoption to be finalized.
Helpful and Happy Questions!
I ask these questions to our guests to get to know them better and to tie our podcast into the rest of our blog which houses our podcast archives and covers family topics such as: family recipes, travel tips and home & family life.
What is your favorite food or meal?
Authentic Mexican Food, especially carne asada
What was your favorite trip?
Taking a Mediterranean Cruise!!
Do you have a home or family hack for us?
As soon as your kids are done taking a bath, spend just a minute spraying town and wiping out the tub. This way it’s always clean and you don’t have to scrub away dirt and grime later. Brilliant!!
How Jessica Teaches Us to Finds Self Confidence:
Know God on a deeper level
See yourself and treat yourself as God sees you
Invest your time in relationships
Stop telling yourself that you’re not enough
Make a list of character defining scripture, post it where you will see it regularly, and say it out loud
Jessica’s Steps for Fresh Starts with Kids:
Repentance
Ask Forgiveness
What can you do instead
Use voice from a place of love
The best way to get in touch with Jessica Lundgren is through her email: carrigerlifecoaching@gmail.com
Where you can find home Sunday School Kits from Lindy Shock: Website: enochstudies.com. Coupon Code For 30% At Enoch Studies: HAPPY30!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Check out our Brand NEW FREEBIE Resource Library!
Access TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of
happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!!
For more from Jessica Lundgren:
Facebook community for single and dating women:
Dating with Confidence for the Single and Driven Woman | Facebook
Reigniting the Passion and Intimacy for Couples page:
Reigniting the Passion and Intimacy for Couples | Facebook
Free relationship jumpstart plan for download:
https://carrigerlifecoaching.lpages.co/relationship-jumpstart
Pinterest: @carrigerlifecoaching
Check out our FREEBIES Resource Library!!
Our newest additions are our Easter Side Dishes and Holy Week Reading!! Pop in your email below to receive full access!!
Lily & Thistle FLASH SALE!!
Are ready to get serious about learning how to paint with watercolors?
THEN, IT'S TIME TO JOIN THE WATERCOLOR SCHOOL!
Get 50% off a LIFETIME memberships now! Click HERE!! Hurry!! The offer is good through Friday!!
DeLaine’s Story:
DeLaine has always loved cooking and been interested in business. She went to culinary school and has been catering for 20 years. A little over 3 years ago her family needed to make some extra money. She started preparing dinners and selling them out of her home. She got a menu together and would have a pick up day once a week. It grew so much- just through word of mouth- that about a year ago they moved into a storefront. They do pick up and deliveries for the Dallas/Fort Worth area. They do pick up and deliveries on Tuesdays.
She is now a full time working mom and loves putting together creative, delicious menus every week. Her purpose to it bring families back together at the dinner table. She provides and easy way to have a homecooked, healthy dinner without the prep work. She wants to support moms and give them a break in the kitchen.
DeLaine is also a really good party planner. Here are some of her tips for planning a party:
If she’s doing a birthday party, she’ll start with the theme first, gather the decorations that go with the theme, then you can work on the food part.
But for her fall party, she wanted the experience to be about the food. It was a sit down dinner for her mom friends. She knew she would be using her fall decorations because the party was a “fall dinner”
When you are planning a party, do one part of the party at a time. For example, do the decorating in one chunk and the food in another.
Decorate the day before so you keep it separate from the food prep.
Find a friend to help you. Maybe they are amazing at decorating, or great with the food, or maybe they are just there to be your helper while you get things ready.
Figure out what is the most important and let the rest go. Spend your energy on what matters the most to you. The most important thing is gathering people together
Biggest Tip: Make sure you always have a solid main dish so your guests aren’t hungry. You can have your guests help with the sides, but to ensure you have a substantial meal, handle the main dish yourself.
Use your own home decor as part of the decorations. Grab out one of your vases to display something. When you are shopping for decor, think ahead about how useful it is. Maybe you could use it in the future when you are hosting.
Favorite places to get party supplies: Amazon, Walmart and Hobby Lobby
Where you can find more from DeLaine:
Website: dinnersbydelaine.com
Facebook Group: Dinners by DeLaine
Check out this local news segment about DeLaine’s service during the big Texas Freeze. To learn more about what “Snowmageddon” looked like for Texans around the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, check out this episode: Surviving the Texas Deep Freeze with DFW Blogger Friends (Episode #145).
How Dinners by DeLaine works:
She posts a weekly menu with a variety of delicious dinner entrees and sides. The menu posts at 5 PM every Saturday. The menu is a week in advance. *PAY ATTENTION TO THE PICK-UP DATE DURING CHECKOUT.
Most items are available in two sizes. Full Size Orders feed up to 5-6 people and Half Size Portions feed 2-3 people.
Pick up location is 1228 E Exchange Pkwy STE 108 Allen TX, 75002. They currently offer delivery to the following cities: Allen, Lucas, Fairview, Parker, Murphy, Sachse, Wylie, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Prosper.
Grab our Holy Week/Easter Day by Day Reading and recipes for our Easter Side Dishes in our FREEBIE Resource Library!!
Hillary: What does KN Sports Group do?
Kyle: We are brand builders who work with clients to design, source, create, launch and grow their apparel business. We bring value to groups of all sizes and scope from concept to launch to long term planning and sustained growth. We're all about transparency, goal setting and hard work.
Hillary: What kinds of things do you design and sell?
Kyle: Hats, bags, clothes, anything in terms of screen printing, heat press or embroidery. There isn’t much we say no to. If you really need a certain thing you can’t find somewhere else, come see us!
Hillary: Have you always been an entrepreneur?
Kyle: I remember as a 5th grader I was coveting these nutty bars (at school lunch) so bad, that caused me to go find 50 cents on my own. My sister taught me how to make beanies on a loom, I made bracelets and other handmade things - working really hard- to make money for those nutty bars. That was the genesis of how it all got started. That got my entrepreneurial spirit going.
Hillary: Tell us about your piano teaching business when you were a kid.
Kyle: The only way I had to get around was using my skateboard. So I had my route and all the books, theory and stickers in my backpack and rode around the neighborhood to my different students’ houses. I probably had 10-12 different jobs in high school.
Kyle has brought this same spirit into his parenting. One day his young son came to him wanting uniforms for the neighborhood kids to play sports together. Kyle encouraged his son to earn $23 and he’d supply those shirts to all the kids. So, his son and their little buddies made paper airplanes and sold them all through the neighborhood to make money for the jerseys.
Kyle has a huge passion for youth sports. He played sports in high school and college and it has always been a big part of his life. He has always identified himself as an athlete and as he transitioned into fatherhood, he wanted to find a way to expose his kids and their friends to as many sports and fun activities as he could.
He wants to take down as many barriers of entry to his kids and their friends with sports. He creates a like minded group of families and kids to help them get into a bunch of different sports. He’s been amazing in the community and has held free clinics for kids to come to and learn how to play different sports.
Check Out Lily & Thistle Nature’s Art Club Here!! & take a peek at the Water Color School here!
Where you can find Kyle:
Kyle’s website: knsportsgroup.com
Instagram: knsportsgroup
Twitter: knsportsgroup
Show Notes:
Takeaways from the Texas Deep Freeze:
Items to have on hand for an emergency: water, sleeping bags, wipes, camping stove with propane, paper products, canned foods, generator and candles.
Get to know your neighbors. Networking, swapping items and working together with neighbors can save your life or theirs and make everything go so much smoother.
Make things waterproof in your home. If you are storing treasured items or emergency supplies, don’t leave them loose on the floor where they can get soaked and water damaged.
Serve others and keep things in perspective
Find Joy in the tender mercies, keep your faith
Have some fun and keep your sense of humor
Relax into it- you can’t prepare for everything
30 Easy Meals & Snack Ideas From the Pantry
Available in our Freebie Resource Library!
Where to find this week’s podcast guests:
Jamie Harper
Jamie’s Blog: flybytheseatofourpants.com
Find Jamie on Instagram: @FlyByTheSeatOfOurPants
Previous episode with Jamie: Airbnb Hosting and Tons of Travel Tips (Episode #105)
Roselle Pliego
Roselle’s Blog: indfwandbeyond.com
Find Roselle on Instagram @in_dfw_family
Previous episode with Roselle: Diversity in Your Friendships and Experiences with Roselle Pliego (Episode #114)
Madi Scott
Madi’s Blog: crosswalksandcairns.com
Find Madi on Instagram: @madimscott
Melissa Jackson
Meli’s Blog: casajacksonblog.com
Find Meli on Instagram: @casajackson_
Plan For Awesome Emergency Preparedness Episodes:
Emergency Preparedness in Our Homes - Made Easy (Episode #142)
72 Hour Kits - How to Get Started and What to Have In Them (Episode #143)
Use coupon code: HAPPY25 for 25% off anything in the Plan For Awesome Shop!
Enoch Studies provides kits with weekly activities and printables to supplement the Come Follow Me home and church curriculum. The kits are simple and super fun. My family has been loving them!! We have them mailed to our home, but also have digital access to print off any extras we may want. Learn more about Lindy and Enoch Studies on the podcast below. We also have a 30% promo code for you!!
Helping our Families Understand and Love the Scriptures (#132)
Use coupon code: HAPPY30! for 30% off items in the Enoch Studies Shop!
I keep my printables, menu plans, recipe ideas and freebies in libraries. My main library, open to anyone, is thefree Resource Library. Inside you will find TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, super bowl snacks, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!!
Our newest addition to our FREEBIE Resource Library is our Easter Side Dish Recipes!!
Niki has a brand new podcast: Meaningful Minutes!! YAY!!! Here’s a bit more about Niki and all that she offers!!
Niki Olsen is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist and coach who uses mental health skills and a spiritual perspective to reduce anxiety, overwhelm and guilt in women by enriching their connection to themselves and God. The Meaningful Minutes podcast aims to help busy Latter-day Saint women learn simple actionable tools to feel more confident in their efforts toward spiritual growth, more inspired and closer to the spirit in 10 minutes or less.
Tips to Calm Anxiety and Hear the Spirit:
Anxiety is loud and it affects our mind and ability to feel the spirit. Anxiety creates a lot of clutter and keeps the body from being peaceful and still.
Engage your 5 Senses - feel, smell, listen, see, taste
Move Your Body - when you go outside to exercise, it’s a double whammy!! You’re engaging your 5 senses plus getting exercise
Reach out for help. Professional support often times has a stigma. Don’t be afraid to reach out! Professionals are trained to help you get better. You will be taught skills and tools to get anxiety under control.
Practicing Meditation- There are different types of meditation. The type Niki recommends is to use your senses. Practice using your senses when you’re not stressed, and practice while you’re doing something. For example: practice while you’re brushing your teeth - think about how to toothpaste tastes, how the bristles feel on your teeth, how the water feels, how the floor feels under your feet. You can practice while you are driving, every time you touch your cell phone, eating, drinking water, just use your senses during your activities.
Accept Anxiety. Anxiety is motivating, but you need to be able to manage it. You don’t want to get to a place where you never feel anxious, that is a feeling that can be helpful. Shift your focus, instead of trying to stop it from coming, decide what you are going to do with it when it comes.
Click here for Niki’s Outline for Seeking Personal Revelation - I have used and followed this and can’t recommend it enough!! It’s amazing!!
Other podcasts we’ve had with Niki:
How to Receive Personal Revelation in Your Daily Life (Episode #78)
Parenting Kids with ADHD (Episode #91)
The Mom Break Announcement (Episode #106)
How to Have More Self Compassion with Niki Olsen (Episode #116)
Where to find more from Niki:
Website: nikiolsencoaching.com
Instagram: @nikiolsencoaching
The Red Cross recommends 72 hour kits be at the top of our emergency preparedness list. That being said, if you feel an urgency in a different area- start there!!
One nice thing about 72 hour kits, is it is the type of thing you can cross of your list and just check on periodically, unlike food storage that goes on and on.
One of the biggest steps to success is to keep yourself organized in the process. Figure out where you are going to store your items. Melanie converted her coat closet into the evacuation closet. She has a picture in her guideof how she organized hers. USE CODE: HAPPY25 to get 25% OFF the guide!!
When you get home from purchasing things, put them right into the packs. The other part is to see it through. Finish what you start!
There are some decisions you want to make before you begin:
Look at the quality of items you plan to put in. Where does quality matter? Maybe purchasing a cheap toothbrush will work, but you probably don’t want to skimp on your scissors.
What are you going to store your things in? Bags, backpacks, rolling backpacks, etc.
Ages and Stages:
Babies:
Melanie puts most of her baby items on her grab list.
make sure everything is covered for your baby between your kit and your grab list
put adult stuff in the baby kit so it can be ready as they grow
Toddlers and Kids:
Melanie uses cheap rolling backpacks so they can roll their own bag
Another way to do it is to use older school backpacks that your kids aren’t using anymore
We added cinch sacks for the food items so it is easy to rotate and you don’t have to dig through your bags
You can also put the things that expire near the top of your pack
We put a spare “blankie” in my son’s pack who really loves that for comfort.
Link to Lily and Thistle Paper dolls
Random bag:
Adults: blank checks, cash, copies of drivers licenses, etc things that don’t have a place anywhere else
Kids: fun things - special items, games, entertainment, comfort items. Some ideas are packing dice, crayons and paper, deck of cards, rubber bouncy balls- don’t rely on electronics. You might be at a shelter and these things will help other children that are around you as well.
Grab list: It’s very personal!! - this goes hand in hand with the pack - these are things you grab at the last second.
Melanie likes to use trash bags- they lay flat and save space, and also expand as much as you need, they are super cheap!
Print out your grab list and store the list and the trash bags next to your 72 hour kits
Organize you list room by room what you need to get so you’re not running up and down the stairs and wasting time.
Things that might be on our grab list:
coats
pillows/blankets
medications
baby items - diaper bag - keep it well stocked
sentimental - photo albums, heirlooms, etc.
Practice Run:
Melanie and her family did a practice to make sure everything would fit in their car.
They time yourself and make sure its realistic. Sometimes when you have to evacuate, you only have 15 minutes, 5 minutes or no time at all.
They made sure the items listed on each bag would fit- maybe you need 2 bags for pillows, etc.
Food items Melanie suggests:
One meal that doesn’t require anything. This is her meal: 1 can Spagetti O’s (with a pop top), spoon, mandarin oranges, lollipop. Make sure it’s something your kids will eat.
Freeze dried yogurt and fruits - purchase those here!!
Use our coupon code: HAPPY25 to get 25% off her 72 hour kit guide!
Plan for Awesome 72 hour kit guide
Plan for Awesome eBook - grab here!
Here is where you can get the e-book information for free, it’s just not organized step by step and easy like the ebook.
Here is some great info from Melanie about Food Storage.
Last week’s episode with Melanie: Emergency Preparedness in Our Homes - Made Easy (Episode #142)
I keep my printables, menu plans, recipe ideas and freebies in libraries. My main library, open to anyone, is thefree Resource Library. Inside you will find TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, super bowl snacks, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!!
This Resource Library is open to everyone for free. Grab the password here!!
Use coupon code: HAPPY20 for 20% off anything in the Plan for Awesome shop!!
Plan for Awesome E-Book - grab here!
Here is where you can get the e-book information for free, it’s just not organized step by step and easy like the e-book.
Plan for Awe
some 72 hour kit guide - more about this on next week’s podcast!!! YAY!!
Here is some great info from Melanie about Food Storage.
Where you can find more from Melanie:
Website: planforawesome.com/
Instagram: @planforawesome
Show notes:
How do we keep from being overwhelmed by all the things we need to get ready?
Start with the simple things. Instead of being overwhelmed by a big project, start with something small that you can finish.
Realize you don’t have to finish. This is something that you continue to work on little by little.
Start with what feels good and what is easy enough for you to get the ball rolling
Make sure you have a space to put your finished things - Melanie uses her coat closet for her 72 hours kids and emergency supplies
How do we afford emergency preparedness?
Use a tax return to purchase a big chunk of food storage or a big ticket item like a generator
Give as gifts! Flashlights are great stocking stuffers
A lot of stuff is free or really cheap, you just need to gather it
Emergency Prep in 15 minutes per day challenge:
The challenge is broken up into 4 weeks. Each week you involve different people in your family. It’s Monday through Friday - you get the weekends off! Or you can do a ton on the weekend and not do it during the week. Whatever works best for your schedule!
Melanie has created an e-book to take you through each step to get you prepared. Grab that e-book here!!
How is the challenge set up?
Week 1 is for the parents: purchasing some tools, organizing some things before you involve the family. (Melanie tells a great story about her disaster with her gas meter!!)
Week 2 - bring your older kids into the mix: such as learning how to shut off the water and where the shut off tools are
In the e-book you are walked through things like: knowing how to open your garage door manually, making sure everyone in your home has a physical house key, getting fire ladders for your upstairs windows, mount the fire extinguisher you purchased in week one, etc. Lots of small details that will save you a lot of frustrations.
Week 3 - similar to week 2, checking smoke alarms, getting family emergency plan ready and printed, print out CPR instructions, think about things you would need if you were put on quarantine or stay at home orders, getting together an evacuation grab list
Week 4 (Melanie’s favorite!!) - involve the whole family in a chat together about your emergency preparedness plan. This week is about power outages, food safety, house fires, fire safety, and going through your family emergency plan.
—-
I keep my Helping of Happiness printables, menu plans, recipe ideas and freebies in libraries. My main library, open to anyone, is thefree Resource Library. Inside you will find TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, super bowl snacks, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!!
Here are a few items that have been super popular that are completely FREE in my Resource Library:
3 Weeks of Dinner Fun: recipes and meal time tips
Meal Planning Printable Packet
Chore Charts
and TONS of recipes!
This Resource Library is open to everyone for free. All you need is the password to get in, which you can get sent straight to your email. Go here to get the password!
“I love capturing connection and genuine interactions within a family and allowing kids to be themselves. Whether you’re in the trenches of motherhood with little kids at home or trying to savor your “lasts” before they leave the nest, I am here to photograph it.” - Bailey Makaimoku
Important Questions We Should Ask Our Family Photographer Before Hiring Them:
Ask how long they have been working as a photographer
Do they have a website? Check out their work ahead of time to make sure you like their editing
Ask how they interact with kids
If you have a strict deadline- make sure you ask how long it takes to get your pictures back
Is your photographer going to find the location or are you?
Does the photographer help with suggestions for coordinating outfits?
Outfits to avoid in a family picture:
Avoid Neon colors, these can throw off your skin tones
Being too matchy matchy - have your colors coordinate, but don’t have everybody the same. Different textures are so cute!
Don’t pick outfit colors that will blend into the background you are shooting in front of - such as blue at the ocean or white in the snow
Avoid large logos that can be distracting
Number one rule of thumb when picking out your clothes for a family photo: Start with Mom’s outfit!!
Moms are usually stressed out getting things ready for the family photo. Mom needs to feel comfortable, feel like it looks good and beautiful. It’s always so much easier to find kids outfits to go with mom’s outfit instead of the other way around.
Bailey’s posts: 7 Important Questions to Ask Your Photographer Before Hiring Them (Part 1) and 7 Important Questions to Ask Your Photographer Before Hiring Them (Part 2)
Best places to get your pictures printed:
Nations Lab : they have regular deals and their shipping is quick. Their individual images for smaller prints are comparable to the cost of Costco's
Mpix - “We did our Christmas cards through Mpix this year and I got so many compliments on them. so many options for services such as albums, large prints, even printing on different types of services for canvas (wood, metal, etc.) and a sales page to see what other discounts they are offering. And BONUS: They always have a good percentage off for your first purchase through them.” - Bailey Makaimoku
Shutterfly- known for their photo books and albums, they also do great photo printing and always have good deals going on.
Bailey’s FAQs for a Family Photographer | Best Places to Print your Pictures
If you are interested in learning more about photography (even if you are just using your cell phone!), check out this episode we did with Jana Bishop: 5 Simple Ways to Take Amazing Photos (Episode #99
Access Our FREEBIES !!! I keep my printables, menu plans, recipe ideas and freebies in libraries. My main library, open to anyone, is thefree Resource Library. Inside you will find TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, super bowl snacks, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!! This Resource Library is open to everyone for free. All you need is the password to get in, which you can get from subscribing to our newsletter. Sign up here: https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/new-page
Find Georgia at www.knowhowmom.com
On Instagram: www.instagram.com/knowhowmomtips
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/knowhowmom
How can we Seek Christ Daily in these 4 areas?
Individually: Start small. Take 5 minutes a day and read your scriptures, or listen to a hymn, or watch an inspiring video on YouTube. Alma chapter 37:6 “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass”.
In Our Marriage: “Don’t worry about what your spouse is doing or not doing, you just do your best, because a lot of times, how we seek Christ looks really different. Be loving to your husband no matter what and just focus on you.” - Sheena Perron
In Our Family: “Keep it simple and find what works.”- Sheena Perron
For her family, having scripture study right before dinner works really well. Sheena’s mother in law used to pray for a teaching moment everyday with her kids. Sheena loves doing that.
Through Service: “Be aware of the people around you so you can serve them.” There is a wonderful talk from October 2020 General Conference by Michelle Craig called “Eye to See” that is such a great inspiration for serving others.
“It may be small, but if you feel prompted, do it!!” - Sheena Perron
Where to find more from Sheena:
Website: www.seekchristdaily.net - scroll to the bottom to sign up for her newsletter
Instagram: @seek.christ.daily
Seek Retreat - listeners can save $5 with coupon code: HILLARY
Coupon code expires February 6th at 11:59 pm.
3 Helpful & Happy Questions:
Favorite Food or Meal: Sandwiches, Soups & Salads
Best Trip or Dream Vacation: Her favorite trip is going to a different baseball stadium every year. Her dream vacation would be visiting New Zealand where her husband served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
Home & Family Hack: Just simplify, don’t feel like you need to do so much.
Why is Family Dinner time so important:
I think this quote from Joanna Gaines, in her cookbook Magnolia Table, sums it up perfectly:
Food is the musical soundtrack of our lives; it bolsters our traditions; it maintains our fondest memories and our notion of home and family and, in the most basic sense, our ability to live and breathe day in and day out. It is around food that we gather in joy and in grief; it is an offering that comforts us in bad times and enriches the good times. No other thing in the living world nourishes us physically while also affecting us on an emotional level the same way that food does. All I’m really hoping to convey is that food matters. It’s an honor and a privilege to feed the people in our lives, and to gather around a table where there is always, always home to be found. - Joanna Gaines
Here are a few time and money saving tips:
Look at your calendar. Make sure your dinner plans are realistic with your schedule and plan accordingly. Maybe take out or a crockpot meal are more appropriate on certain days
Make a list of 2 weeks worth of meals and what you need at the store. Bring it with you to the store. You'll be amazed at how much you have on hand already.
Ask your kids/family for ideas of what they'd like to eat. When you know what you are spending time on will make others happy, it will feel like less of a chore!
If you are having a hard time thinking of what to make, check out the Family Recipes section of our blog for inspiration.
Helpful and Happy Questions:
Favorite food recipe of the week you need to check out: French Toast Crunch with Strawberries & Caramel Sauce - inspired by Magnolia Table Restaurant.
Fun Family Trip: New Orleans!! Check out our post: 7 Family Friendly Things to Do in New Orleans.
Homemaking Hack: When you are making dinner, look at your menu plan and pull out anything out of the freezer that you need for the next day and put it in the fridge so it is ready to go when you need it!
Grab your Meal Planning Printable Packet HERE !!!
It is located in our FREEBIE Resource library along with our holiday menus, family fun, chore charts and so much more!!
If this information is helpful to you, please think of a friend who would love it as well and share it with them!
Sign up for the Deliberate Family’s Be Married on Purpose Challenge https://thedeliberatefamily.com/category/marriage/ #BeMarriedOnPurpose
30 day challenge email course helps to:
· Nurture your marriage
· Rekindle that spark
· Remember why you love being married
What are some ways we can be married on purpose and more deliberate in our relationship?
· Laugh together everyday
· Leave sticky notes on the mirrors for each other
· Show affection in small little ways throughout the day- quick hugs, etc.
· Read a book together
· Send a text that tells him you love him
· Hold his hand
· Have a spiritual conversation together
Check out Katrina’s post on her blog: 50 Things to Keep the Spark Alive
Why is Laughing so important in our marriage?
· FUN!!
· Breaks down boundaries
· Loosens up tension
How do you bring more laughter into your marriage?
· Watch something funny together
· Tease each other
· Use inside jokes to laugh together
· Start dancing! Have pantry dances and take a minute to connect!
Also, on Katrina’s blog are her #HearHim posts. These posts are all about how Katrina is learning how the Lord speaks to her in a small and simple ways so she can lift, bless and encourage others.
Post about her son nearly drowning at a friend’s pool
Hearing Him through music: Music Video – Come Unto Christ
Where you can submit your #HearHim experiences: https://thedeliberatefamily.com/category/faith-in-christ/hearhim-weekly/
Katrina’s answers to our Helpful and Happy Questions:
Favorite food/meal: Pizza – veggie pizzas without red sauce. She loves pesto, olive oil and parmesan or alfredo sauce. She also loves baked ziti with vegetables cooked into it.
Best trip/dream vacation: Europe- Rome temple open house – they back packed all over Europe with their kids!
Homemaking Hack: Buddy System for Chores
Where to find more Katrina and other links we talked about:
*Website: thedeliberatefamily.com
*Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deliberatefamily/
*Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deliberatefamily/
*Spotify Deliberate Family playlist (Live your story and Come unto Christ songs were mentioned in the podcast): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1sOML4L1qayx2tFTpfBXCr
*Marriage posts and challenge: https://thedeliberatefamily.com/category/marriage/
Brittan Pack Show Notes
“I don’t believe you are born a morning person or not, because I did think that before…I hated the morning, I always told myself I was a night owl and the mornings were so hard. But you have to watch how you talk to yourself. I totally believe anyone can become a morning person. It’s totally possible! You can do it! And I’d love to help you get there.” – Brittan Pack
How do you get up in the morning?
What you say to yourself is very important around sleep times.
Use some morning mantras such as: “I’m awake, I’m awake, I’m awake!”
Also do some mantras at night before bed: “I’m going to bed, I’m getting enough sleep…I’m going to wake up nice and refreshed, this is going to be good”.
Preparing at night helps the morning go smoother,
“The more I have prepared at night, the easier it is to wake up in the morning. I make sure all my workout clothes are all set out, so all I have to do is pick them up and go change….If I’m going to work, I make sure my work clothes are out, and make sure my lunch is packed…The less you have to do in the morning, the more you can prepare at night, the easier it is.” – Brittan Pack
5 Things Brittan Likes to Include in her Morning Routine:
-
Prayer
-
Scripture Study/Conference Talks
-
Journal time – gratitude, affirmations
-
To do list – give yourself grace on this one
-
Workout
How do I know what time I should be getting up in the morning?
Brittan likes to “reverse engineer” to figure out what time she needs to get up in order to get her routine in. She looks at what time she needs to leave in the morning (or begin something at home), and works backwards in time.
For example, if she has to work at 7am, she would calculate the time she needs for a 30 min work out, a 30 min shower (and get ready time), 15 minute study time and then know she needs to get up at 5:45am. If there are other things she wanted in her routine, she’d get up earlier than that.
If you are just starting or know you don’t have enough time to get all of that done before you need to go in the morning, you can condense your morning routine. For example: 5 minutes of prayer, 5 minutes of prayer, etc.
Trying to start a big morning routine all at once can lead to overwhelm. Brittan has a 5 Day Mini Morning Challenge for her clients where you just wake up 15 minutes earlier and add one thing into your routine.
Something very important to remember:
“There is a time and a season. If you are pregnant or you have a newborn (trying to do all these things) is not the time…There is definitely a time and a season in your life.”
Brittan has a new program: Mama’s Morning Method. She is doing a free workshop on Friday 1/8 and Monday 1/11. YAY!! Here is the link:
Win Your Morning Workshop: www.brittanpack.com/winyourmorningregistration
Enroll in Mama’s Morning Method: www.brittanpack.com/enroll
Where you can find more from Brittan Pack: www.brittanpack.com
Instagram @brittanpack
Brittan’s answers to our Helpful and Happy Questions:
Favorite Food: Elk Steak & Strawberries
Best Trip She’s Ever Gone On: Hunting Safari in Africa
Home Hack: Make your bed everyday
For our Helping of Happiness Meal Planning Printable Packet, get the passcode to our FREEBIE Resource Library here.
5 Ways to Save Time and Money Menu Planning
Natalie’s Tips for Planning and Organizing:
Keep a family digital calendar and share with your husband and kids
After dinner, work all together right after the meal to clean up the kitchen. Then you wake up to a tidy space!
Schedule your day in labeled blocks
5 Tips for Planning & Organizing on Natalie’s blog: https://www.anchorplanner.com/blogs/news/5-mom-tips-for-planning-and-organizing?_pos=1&_sid=2f0c48514&_ss=r
5 Ways to Strengthen Your Physical Body So Your Spirit Can Thrive:
Have a bedtime
Carry a water bottle with you everywhere (and drink out of it!)
Exercise in the morning 20-30 mins
Start the day with a healthy breakfast
Meditate for at least 5 minutes a day
For more details on this, check out Natalie’s post: 5 Ways to Strengthen your Physical Body So Your Spirit Can Thrive https://www.anchorplanner.com/blogs/news/physical-body?_pos=3&_sid=2f0c48514&_ss=r
Natalie’s Free Morning Routine https://mailchi.mp/7154eada20c5/15-min-anchored-morning-routine Natalie’s Website www.anchorplanner.com
3 Things My Parents Taught Me By Their Examples:
Love Books - My mom was amazing to read to us every night!! She read mostly classic literature and we came to really love those works.
When my mom was too busy, which to her great credit wasn’t very often, my dad would read. He wasn’t into reading long chapter books, so he would read something simple and fun like Go, Dog, Go or Frog and Toad. We loved hearing their voices as we drifted off to sleep.
Dinner Time is important - We had family dinner time together nearly every night of the week, except for Fridays, which was my parents’ date night. My mom cooked every night, even though she didn’t like it. We have a lot of food intolerances and allergies in my family, and she would cater to all of our needs. She showed such selfless service by never complaining about it, and eating along with us, even though often it was very limiting in what we could eat.
My Dad loves to talk and would give us lessons in politics and current events at the dinner table every night. We read the scriptures together and then would stay at the table until he was done with his topic. We learned a lot and it instilled in my a great love for my country.
We would often have dinner guests. Usually those who were single or the missionaries, or somebody that was new to the area and needed friendship. I loved sitting and listening to the adult conversations and learning about new people and their lives. It also taught me how to talk to a lot of different types of people.
Charity - My dad has always been very generous. He taught us to be good tippers and look out for those who have jobs that may not pay very much. He taught us that a generous tip can mean a lot more to someone than you would think. He also taught us to give to our church and charities that are important to us.
My mom is the queen of service. I remember on May Day (May 1st), she would get up really in the morning and head over to the local nursery and buy tons of flowers. We would go around before school (very early!!) and drop flowers off on people’s porches that needed a pick-me-up or a thank you. She often had us singing and playing the piano at rest homes and retirement centers to cheer up the lonely and sick elderly. She is always available to help others at the drop of a hat.
The lessons I have learned from my parents is endless. I hope this tiny little glimpse helps you remember some experiences you have had in your families where you have learned from the examples shown to you. I know thinking about these things has helped me to love my parents in a new and different way. I feel deep gratitude for their amazing examples.
One of our family's favorite Christmas traditions is to participate in a daily service advent for the month of December. Called #LightTheWorld. Everyday we receive a text with a simple act of service we can do. We'd love for you to join us! (You can print out the service calendar here.)
#LightTheWorld is an invitation to transform Christmas into a season of service. It’s a worldwide movement to touch hearts and change lives by doing the things Jesus did: feeding the hungry, comforting the lonely, visiting the sick and afflicted, and showing kindness to everyone. Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14). #LightTheWorld is the perfect way to let our light—and His light—shine brightly.
I’m so excited to show you our brand new FREEBIE Resource Library!!! I keep my printables, menu plans, recipe ideas and freebies in libraries. My main library, open to anyone, is thefree Resource Library. Inside you will find TONS of recipes for every occasion, meal planning & chore chart printables, holiday baking guides, and lots of helps and hacks for every family. All of these things have helped me have a helping of happiness in my family life, so I can’t wait to share them with you!!
Katie & Russ have created simple step by step videos that will save you hundreds of dollars vs. having someone else do them, and you'll get the same results if not better!
Their videos were designed for every skill level and are really easy to follow. You won't be spending much of your own time transferring. There are just a few simple steps. Set up, start and walk away!
It's the safest way to digitize your home movies. The #1 place for those old videos to be is with you! There is always a chance it will get lost in the mail if you ship them.
The first thing they give you when you log in is an equipment guide with links to a few things you'll need to purchase for the transfer. If you have more than 15 tapes the equipment is going to cost less than having someone else do them! Also the equipment will have good resale value when you're done, so it doesn't matter how many tapes you have you'll save big!
Go find Russ & Katie at www.cherishfamilymemories.com
Use code HAPPY20 at check out to get your course at the Black Friday price of only $27 !!!
Previous podcast with Katie& Russ: Secrets Top Influencers Use to Record Perfect Video with Russ & Katie Olsen (Episode #33)
Other resources for collaborating your family photos and audio files: www.familysearch.org
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Christmastime is a wonderful and crazy time for our family. Last year we made some large strides to focus on our favorite traditions, and simplifying as much as we could. We still have a long way to go, and are so happy to be learning today from the life of my friend about how to keep the true meaning of Christmas alive in our homes. She is a great example of love, service and becoming more like Jesus Christ.
Meet Andrea Wilkinson.
My friend, Andrea, is a stay at home mother. She has one son they adopted as a baby who is now grown and serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints in Las Vegas. Andrea is from upstate New York originally, has lived all over the country, and currently lives in Texas.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Shownotes:
A few years ago, Andrea and her family decided they needed to simplify their Christmases. They picked a few of their favorite traditions and let the others go by the wayside. Here are some of their favorites:
1. Watching Christmas Movies
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Christmas with the Kranks,andElf are a few of their favorites. For more about our family’s Christmas Movie Marathon Tradition, click here!
2. BBQ Take Out for Christmas Eve
This was born out of desperation when she was making multiple trips to the airport to pick up family one Christmas Eve, and it ended up being such a relief, it stuck. Dinner was ready with out hours of prep and clean up is a snap.
Other Christmas Eve Traditions include reading, The Other Wiseman ,by Henry VanDyke, leaving out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, wearing matching pj’s and just sitting by the tree with nothing but the Christmas lights shining, listening to Christmas music.
3. Service
Andrea loves the book Christmas Jars, by Jason F. Wright. She and her family like to pattern their giving after this book: saving all year and then giving something big for the holidays.
One of their favorite traditions is to do “Ding Dong Ditch Christmas” where they leave anonymous gifts on doorsteps of those truly wanting over the holidays and watch in the bushes to see their reaction when they open the door. Through out the fall they listen to hear of families that are struggling, or sometimes reach out to a community organization for ideas of who they can help. They write sweet and encouraging messages on the gift boxes to ensure the family feels loved and feels the magic of Christmas. They also donate gift cards to their local church for families in need, and love doing the 12 days of Christmas.
4. Light the World
This is another service opportunity that is put on by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. The church has these really neat Giving Vending Machines (see video below) in 10 different locations around the world where you can buy simple things like a chicken or a backpack for a family in need, all the way up to items that cost a couple hundred dollars. Light the World also has amazing videos you can watch with your family about serving people around them in small and simple ways, videos on the life of Jesus Christ, and a service calendar to offer more ideas on how to how love. You can also sign up to receive daily texts with service prompts through the month of December.
5. Elf on the Shelf
Andrea also has a great Elf on the Shelf mom fail story she tells us. It’s great.
Our 3 Helpful and Happy Questions Answered by Andrea:
Q. What is your favorite food?
A. All food! But especially Hillary’s Pumpkin Cheesecake (we loved this answer!!)
Q. What is your dream vacation?
A. Visiting London, and I’m going in a few weeks!! (I’m so jealous and happy for her!!)
Q. Do you have a homemaking hack for us?
A. Use cookie scoops (the ice cream scoop kind with the lever) to scoop up your cookie dough. Freeze in individual cookie dough balls on a sheet. Then stick them all in a freezer proof container for up to 3 months. All you have to do is thaw them a bit and they are ready to go! (GENIUS!!) Favorite cookies do this with are peanut butter blossoms. (Try our version of these that use Reeses Peanut Butter Cups instead of Hershey’s Kisses. So good! Reese Peanut Butter Cup Blossoms.)
This post may contain Amazon and other affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
Leftovers are wonderful, but my family gets a bit tired of eating them after the 2nd or 3rd time. In our mini podcast today we are talking about some great ways to turn your thanksgiving leftovers into a different, tasty dish. Roll over recipes are huge time savers and money savers with much less effort than making a completely new meal. Listen in for some family favorites and easy ideas.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post may contain Amazon and other affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
Show notes:
14 Traditional Thanksgiving Family Recipes
Top 3 Favorite Pumpkin Recipes
Ideas for Using Up Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
If you have extra Turkey,make one of these:
Turkey Tortellini Soup
Four Bean Chili - (just sub turkey for the ground beef) - this freezes really well
Turkey Pot Pie- grab a couple extra pie crusts at the store, press one in the pan and add leftover turkey, some mixed vegetables (I just thaw the frozen kind that have carrots, peas, corn and green beans), pour your gravy in there, slap the other pie crust on top and bake it. This is also great for the freezer.
If you have extra Cranberry Sauce, make one of these:
Cranberry Orange Muffins
Cranberry Pork Loin
If you have extra Mashed Potatoes, make one of these:
Potato Cheese Soup
Shepherd’s pie - idea for this one- layer your leftover garlic green beans, turkey, sausage stuffing, gravy and then top with mashed potatoes!
If you have extra Dinner Rolls, try these ideas:
Make bread pudding or an egg breakfast casserole
Make homemade croutons
Freeze them for later
Read: Five Kernels of Corn: The Story of the Second Thanksgiving
Grab the Helping of Happiness Thanksgiving Menu With Recipes And Family Activities
Here are some ideas from Jen Brimhall for how we can have a meaningful thanksgiving:
Read a Thanksgiving Proclamation or two: It has been a tradition for the President of the United States to write a proclamation of Thanksgiving. This was started by George Washington, and then reinstated and continued by Abraham Lincoln. Jen found all of them here. Here are a couple of her favorites: George Washington’s Thanksgiving Address; Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving Address
Write your own family Thanksgiving Proclamation!
Read: Five Kernels of Corn: The Story of the Second Thanksgiving
Where you can find more from Jen:
Blog: raisethegood.com - You can sign up for her Media Matters Email Course in the side bar on the home page.
Blog post about Thanksgiving:
https://raisethegood.com/how-to-have-an-old-fashioned-and-meaningful-thanksgiving/
Don’t miss this episode! Easy Ideas for Using Up Thanksgiving Leftovers (Episode #85)
Where you can find Lindy Shock:
Website: enochstudies.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enochstudies/
Coupon code for 30% at Enoch Studies: * HAPPY30! *
Come Follow Me Sunday School Curriculum
Story of the City of Enoch for Kids, from the scriptures
Story of Captain Moroni and Pahoran for kids, from the scriptures
Story of the Jaredites for kids, from the scriptures
Lindy’s activity packet for the Jaredites
If you’d like a free Book of Mormon, click here
If you’d like to learn some more from the missionaries, click here
How we can be consistent in using these activity packets with our kids:
-
Kids are excited to do it so they remind you
-
Invite a friend to join you and hold you accountable
-
Have your mom call to check in and ask the kids what they are learning
-
Print the whole month right away
-
Print for ministering families
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Where to find more from Joseph Keeler:
Blog - grab your book here - https://www.redpandabooks.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/red_panda_books/
Five great suggestions for reading to your kids:
Have a special area
Have a consistent time
Make it a no electronics zone (read from a paper book)
Have a variety of books
Don’t worry if your kids are active
Show notes:
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Where you can find more from Ashley:
Blog: https://www.thehomeschoolhouseblog.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehomeschoolhouse/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thehomeschoolhouse/_saved/
Ashley’s WHY statement: Alma 32:40-43
40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.
41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.
Family activities we talked about:
Family History Keepsake
Family History website that we both love: https://www.familysearch.org/
Morning Menu Scripture Guide
Kristen Walker Smith- Director of Ruby Girl and Host of the podcast “One Minute Scripture Study”.
Where to find more from Kristen:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenwalkersmith/
Website: www.rubygirl.org
Links to things we talked about in the episode:
Intro video of Elaine Dalton on Ruby Girl: https://rubygirl.org/about/
Body Gratitude Workbook: https://rubygirl.org/bodygratitude/
One Minute Scripture Study for girls: https://rubygirl.org/oneminutescripturestudyforgirls/
Kristen’s favorite food: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe Broccoli Cheese Soup: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/broccoli-cheese-soup/
The Magnificence of Man by Pres Russell M. Nelson
To Young Women by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Jennifer Garman is the mother of 3 kids. When her youngest had just turned 1, her health fell off a cliff. She spent the next 7 years visiting doctors and chasing a diagnosis and a cure in vain. She came to a place of acceptance of her situation and began training to be a life coach.
During Jennifer’s studies, the notion of gratitude kept coming up over and over. She decided to begin a mental practice rooted in gratitude that also incorporated neuroplasticity techniques she had learned in her studies.
Her health began to transform, and not long after all of her symptoms has resolved and she felt incredible! She felt she had a new calling to start gratitudemission.org to share the power of gratitude with others.
In April, she published a book, Flourish: 7 Ways Gratitude Can Change Your Life, to share the power of gratitude with others. In June, she started a podcast called “Upward Trajectory”. On her podcast she interviews incredible people who have overcome difficult challenges in a positive way. Her slogan is “inspiration leads to transformation”, she explains how that works in today’s podcast episode.
Here are some inspiring words from Jennifer:
“When you take in all you do have, you’re not looking externally for what you don’t have to make you happy anymore. You’ve got it already and you’re grateful for it. That’s the reason people are so much happier.”
“Practice gratitude together as a family. Put it into prayers together at night.” - this has helped her family handle adversity. It helped tremendously during COVID.
“Look out the window, go for a walk in nature, be grateful for the ecosystem and cool things around you.”
“You have so much if you step back. Just the fact that you are breathing, you are alive, and you have a day to do something that will impact the world in some way, is a miracle. Just be grateful for that.”
Where you can find more from Jennifer Garman:
Website: https://gratitudemission.org/
Resources:
The World of Columbus & Sons, by Genevieve Foster
Wikipedia
“Preparing for the Restoration”, June 1999 Ensign
“Columbus & the Hand of God”, October 1992 Ensign
Influence the World with Your Hobbies & Spiritual Gifts (Episode #126)
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “We interpret that to refer to Columbus. It is interesting to note that the Spirit of God wrought upon him.” Columbus himself declared: “With a hand that could be felt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact that it would be possible to sail and he opened my will to desire to accomplish the project. … This was the fire that burned within me. … Who can doubt that this fire was not merely mine, but also of the Holy Spirit … urging me to press forward?”
(Delno C. West and August Kling, trans., The Libro de las profecías of Christopher Columbus (1991), 105. “Building Your Tabernacle,” Ensign, Nov. 1992, 52.)
Show Notes:
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Ideas for helping your children or family members find hobbies or gifts:
Go through this list: 72 Spiritual Gifts to Influence the World, with your kids one on one. See what gifts they see in themselves and point out gifts you see in them.
We feel this call to do something to bring light, truth and positive influence to the world. We can use our hobbies and gifts together to find our purpose. Becky explains the difference between hobbies and gifts. When we bring them together we can be a powerful force for good.
The “world” may be your own family, your community or a larger scope. Don’t sit around and wait for a sign from heaven of what your hobbies are or could be. Get to work! Find out what you enjoy doing.
“There is a hundred people who have your same hobbies, there’s a hundred people who have your same interests, and there’s a hundred people who have your same spiritual gifts. But there is only one you.”
Ways we can use our spiritual gifts and hobbies: Teaching, Serving and Giving.
Our favorite Water Color Course: Lily and Thistle Water Color Academy
More about Becky:
Website: https://beckysquire.com
Instagram: https://Instagram.com/beckysquire
A few of Becky’s hobbies: running, baking, and music. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Latter-day women magazine www.Latterdaywomanmagazine.com
Course: Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts- How You Can Influence the World
Click here for how to listen to General Conference put on by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints coming up on October 3rd and 4th!!
Show notes:
Eleven 10 Leather Coupon Code!!
These are our favorite earrings. The only brand I wear!! I have super sensitive ears and these have never given me a problem, plus they are just beautiful! For 10% off put in the code HILLARYH10 at check out!
where you can find niki:
Niki’s Website- Www.mbbniki.com
Facebook and Instagram: MBBNiki
Freebies from Niki: Download- www.MBBNiki.com/free
Personal Revelation Outline for purchase www.mbbniki.com/shop
Four sections of Niki’s Outline:
Thanking
Asking
Seeking
His Will
Parable of the Talents
Are you looking for beautiful scriptures with large margins? Check out these from Deseret Book. Just gorgeous.
Other podcasts referenced in the show:
This is Me - Introduction - Hillary Hess (Episode #1)
How to Build Strong Relationships with Your Kids with Camille Ward from Family Looking Up (Episode #62)
Epic Mom Fails - mini chat with Hillary Hess & Camille Ward (Episode #71)
Highs and Lows of Mom Life with Andrea, Beth & Camille from the Family Looking Up Podcast (Episode #23)
Missionary Standards and Conduct
Missionary Program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Show Notes:
Connect through creativity. You don’t have to be an artist or spend a lot of money. Here are some ideas:
Have your child teach you to do something. This will help them learn sequencing and it’s bonding. Some easy things you could have your child teach you would be making a peanut butter sandwich, or teaching you how to draw a picture of the family.
Make silly movies together. Kids love seeing themselves on screen!
Make something to give to somebody
Build something magical such as a fairy garden or a fort
Dealing with discouragement:
Know your worth.
“You can be creative and produce all these amazing things, but at the end of the day, what you’re producing doesn’t mean you’re any greater or better than the person you were earlier. It’s wonderful and it fills you, but you are worthy just as you are. You don’t have to be producing these things to be the phenomenal woman that you were this morning. You are still that person whether you are creative or not.” -Jil
Adaptability
“You do have to work. You do have to choose to put yourselves in situations to have joy, to create habits that provide joy, to keep moving forward amidst discouragement. That’s why we use the word “habitual” to talk about it. The reality that if we want joy to be this deep abiding undercurrent, piece of our lives, you do have to but forth the effort and it’s worth it.”
- Jayne
Where you can find more from Jayne & Jil:
Blog: habitualjoy.com
Instagram:: @habitual.joy
10 Ways to be Creative With Your Kids
https://www.habitualjoy.com/post/10-ways-to-be-creative-with-your-kids
Dealing with Discouragement
https://www.habitualjoy.com/post/dealing-with-discouragement
Want to receive emails from us with family recipes, homemaking hacks and show notes from our episodes? Click here to subscribe!!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest: Helping of Happiness
Meet my remarkable childhood friend, Lenaya Anderson. After many years of living with a drug addiction, alcohol addiction and eating disorder, she had the courage to turn her life around. And now she is using her unique experiences to help others have hope in their lives. Listen below to her incredible story of faith!!
"We are so much more than our appearance. We are also so much more than the sum of our accomplishments. We are just so much." - Lenaya Anderson
To be entered in our drawing for a free copy of Lenaya's book, please subscribe to our podcast (Helping of Happiness) and give us a rating and review. Not sure how to do that? Click here- we'll show you how!
"But it is interesting to start to see yourself the way others see you. I love them [her children] and I know who they are. I don't have physical eyes to see them, I have spiritual eyes to see them. So I think seeing the world around me in those terms has helped tremendously as well to help me see that." - Lenaya Anderson
Make sure you order a copy of Lenaya's book about her incredible journey, The Pathways Home.
Lenaya also guest blogs for the Reno Moms Blog. Check out some of her recent posts:
Snow Cone Perspective - Reno Moms Blog
The Seasons of Motherhood - Reno Moms Blog
Disappointments - Reno Moms Blog
Also referenced during the podcast was a wonderful BYU speech from Russell M. Nelson: The Magnificence of Man.
"The thing about drug addiction and alcohol addiction is that you can legitimately abstain from those for the rest of your life. But food addiction is a lot more troubling in a lot of ways because you cannot abstain from food for the rest of your life....
"I discovered that the way I affected the space around me was pretty much the same as the way I affected the space around me when I was 100 lbs so that was really eye opening to me to discover that what I didn't think people were capable of seeing in me, they could see. And so that helped a lot....
"If we had eyes to see who we are and how we impact the world around us, I think everybody's self esteem would be increased....
"There is no such thing as hopelessness. There is always still a glimmer of hope." - Lenaya Anderson
For more detailed show notes, and some fun pictures of Hillary and Lenaya, click here.
Come see us at our website: www.helpingofhappiness.com for more podcasts, family helps and recipes
Do you ever feel like your emotions are running you? Whether it’s anger, sadness, or disappointment? There are times in my life when I’ve had a tendency to hold my emotions in or push them away just to explode into tears later. Or maybe I find myself yelling at my kids when they have had nothing to do what I’m upset about. This is one reason I loved having today’s guest on with us today.
Lisa Lewis @mamasinmidlife is on teaching us how to handle these big emotions and figure out how to feel more of our happy emotions. She also gives us some tips to help with basic mental health.
Listen below or through your favorite podcast app.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for sharing at no cost to you.
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show Notes:Basics for Improving our Mental Health:Go through this little list with yourself. How are you doing in these areas?
- Eating Properly - is your body getting proper nourishment?
- Getting enough sleep
- Exercise- even a short walk around the block makes a difference
- Drinking water - our bodies are made up of mostly water, this can play a big role!
- Caffeine consumption- are you consuming too much or may just too late in the day?
- Medications- are you taking your meds? Are the side effects impacting your mental health?
Steps for better managing our emotions:1. Name the emotion being experienced - what are you feeling? 2. Allow for the emotion 3. Get out of your head and into your body- let your body feel the emotion
Where You Can Find More From Lisa Lewis:Mamas In Midlife Podcast - Episode 16 “There is No Such Thing as a Dragon- Acknowledging Emotions”
www.mamasinmidlife.com
Instagram: @MamasInMidlife
Email: mamasinmidlife@gmail.com
Lisa’s practice in Lewisville, Texas for in person or telehealth visits: Healing & Recovery
CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR RECENT PODCASTS BELOW:
This is part 2 of our podcast last with with Joe and Jenny Furse @ofprogressandpurpose . They teach us how self confidence is the ability to recover from a failure. You gain a lot of self confidence by having success in a challenging situation. They teach us to give yourself little challenges to move forward and give yourself opportunities to reach, stretch and grown. Listen for 7 steps for better self confidence.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for sharing at no cost to you.
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show Notes:Seven Steps to Self Confidence:1. Start with the definition: knowing and loving who you already are 2. Follow things that you love- embrace it, own it 3. Give yourself grace 4. Confidence is a sense of being capable 5. Surround yourself with people you want to be like 6. Organize life to be your own- engage in activities that help you move forward 7. Get comfortable with failure
Where you can find more from Joe & Jenny Furse:Social Media: @ofprogressandpurpose
Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/ofprogressandpurpose/)
Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/ofprogressandpurpose)
Website: https://ofprogressandpurpose.com/category/the-podcast/
CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR RECENT PODCASTS BELOW:
It is such an honor to have Jenny and Joe Furse come on our podcast to talk about how to create meaningful identities. They explain how more than being happy, we need to have more meaning in our lives and set boundaries. Joe and Jenny host a podcast and blog: @ofprogressandpurpose . They give us some journal prompts to help us to discover more about ourselves so that we may better choose how we are going to react to different situations.
Listen through the link below or in your favorite podcast app. Scroll down for show notes.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for sharing at no cost to you.
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show notes:Jenny and Joe talk about how to create meaningful identities. They explain how more than being happy, we need to have more meaning in our lives. Today’s episode is part 1 of 2. We get to learn even more from them next week about self confidence!!
Today Joe and Jenny give us some journal prompts to help us with our own identities:
- Make a list of your family or individual values. The first step to understanding other people is to understand ourselves. Once you have done this you can create meaningful boundaries with these values. When your boundaries mean something to you, then you’re going to enforce it.
- Brain dump!! When I feel uncomfortable or upset, I do this _________. What are you knee jerk reactions under pressure? Knowing yourself helps you be able to choose how you want to respond when something happens in your life.
HELPFUL AND HAPPY QUESTIONS:1. What is your favorite food or meal?
Joe: Meat
Jenny: Ice cream 2. Best trip you’ve ever been on or dream vacation:
Disneyland
Hiking and camping in Southern Utah 3. Homemaking Hack?
Build forts to keep your kids busy
Always keep one space clean in your home just for you to go sit and breath in
Where you can find more from Joe & Jenny Furse:Social Media: @ofprogressandpurpose
Instagram: (https://www.instagram.com/ofprogressandpurpose/)
Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/ofprogressandpurpose)
Website: https://ofprogressandpurpose.com/category/the-podcast/
CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR RECENT PODCASTS BELOW:
Where you can find more about Bekah’s Abnormal Family Project:
@theabnormfamproject, and here is the submission link: https://forms.gle/kHVKd1FwReEqKq5d6.
Shownotes:
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Learn more about my disclosure.
Matt Osborne gave us so many great links and resources:
-
www.OURrescue.org (links to useful information and interesting videos)
-
Operation Toussaint on Amazon Prime (also via www.OURFilm.org)
-
Coming soon: The Sound of Freedom (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7599146/)
-
Operation Underground Railroad on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=operation+underground+railroad)
-
OUR spotlight on Matt Osborne (http://ourrescue.org/blog/o-u-r-team-spotlight-matt-osborne/)
-
To register for the OUR signs of trafficking training: http://ourrescue.org/training
GIVEAWAY!!!
Jen has been so generous to offer us a free SIGNED COPY of her newest book coming out on August 3rd: A Foreign Crown.
All you need to do to enter is one of these things:
Rate and Review our Podcast on Apple Podcasts
Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter
Comment on one of our social posts and tag a friend
Enter as many times as you want!
Show Notes:
Hillary: Why are stories so important? Why are they so important to our families?
Jen: I don’t think there’s a better way to teach anything or experience anything that through stories. There are scientific studies that as you are reading a story, you are participating in it. I read the scriptures, you see there are a lot of powerful things being taught through the pages of a book. This applies to movies and other forms of media, but our brains are wired to learn through story. The only other way we can have these experiences is to read about them. It increases our empathy, it changes us as people and it helps us grown and be different than we ever would have. It’s also our responsibility to create a story. I try to love the people on the other side of the pages more than my book. Be careful what stories you let yourself live through and learn from them. What is this story doing to change me?
Hillary: Do you have some tips for families telling stories or reading together?
Jen: We try to retell family stories, stories about our own family. It gives us more family identity. During COVID that kind of fell apart and we have been binge watching movies. We can make connections to those in our own way. They can have power, too. I wish there was more book reading, but we are still doing this together and it has a place too. If it is important for you to have stories together, you make it part of the routine. When the kids were little, we would read together every night.
Where you can find Jen Geigle Johnson:
Here is Jen’s Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Jen-Geigle-Johnson/e/B076GDZTY1/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJenGeigleJohnson/
Instagram: @AuthorlyJen
Website: http://www.jengeiglejohnson.com
Pinterest: AuthorlyJen https://www.pinterest.com/AuthorlyJen/
Show notes:
Beth’s thoughts:
Be careful of the comparison trip. Social Comparison Theory says that we use our upward or downward spirals to determine our self worth.
Zoom out of the comparison trap and look at your values. Instead of holding yourself next to other people, find your self worth in how aligned you are are with your values. Turn to a trusted source, such as God, and ask how you are doing. Then sit with it and give yourself time to feel and think.
How to find more about Beth:
Our past podcast with Beth: Body Image and Healthy Mindset (Episode #69)
Beth’s FREE Intro To Food Positivity Class
FREE Course At Joyfully Inspired Life
Beth’s website: https://truebalancewithbeth.com/
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.truebalance/
Hannah’s thoughts:
Home school is very different from Public School so there should be different expectations.
www.welleducatedheart.com is one of her favorite resources for getting started.
If you have varying ages of children at home, it is very helpful to use the buddy system to pair up children to work together or entertain each other while you have one on one time with the other children.
Find your child’s passion and run with it through all different kinds of learning!
Hannah Recommended a book by Howard Gardner, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences
8 Kinds of Intelligence:
Musical/Rhythmic
Visual/Spacial
Logical
Verbal Linguistic
Bodily Kinesthetic
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Naturalistic
Everybody has 2-3 intelligences.
Hannah’s homeschool morning routine:
Eat a good breakfast
Read scriptures as a family
Talk about what you are grateful for See the Good
Read Aloud
Online learning
If you are doing online school through your district, and not your own home school curriculum, ask the teacher what is absolutely mandatory and what is optional work. Don’t be afraid to express what is realistic for your family. There are benefits to both public and home school. You need to pick what route is best for you.
Fun resources from Hannah at Lily & Thistle:
Promo Code For Simply Florals Water Color Course
For 20% off Lily and Thistle’sSimply Florals Water Color Course, put in the code: HAPPY at check out.
Head over to Lily & Thistle to see Nature Journaling, Paper Dolls and more from Hannah!
Listen to our other podcasts with Hannah:
Everyone Is An Artist With Hannah Stevenson From Lily & Thistle (Episode #55)
The Art Habit For Moms And Nature Journaling - Hannah Anderson Stevenson (Episode #12)
Shannon’s Thoughts:
Shannon explained to us that she views herself as the Director of her children’s education. She organizes different learning opportunities instead of being the teacher of all things.
She believes children learn so much just be living- they are little sponges. She practices “strewing” in her home, where you leave things out for your children to casually discover.
Her biggest encouragement would be to not stress yourself out. This is a high stress time as it is with the world in turmoil. Give yourself a break. This is not normal so don’t expect perfection.
This is a great time to solidify your family culture. Take advantage to come together.
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
Niki talks to us about how there is opposition in all things. Without opposition we wouldn’t have the opportunity to make a choice. The reason we were putting on this earth was to practice making good choices, to prove to our Heavenly Father that we want to be good.
That internal opposition is called our identity system. When this system doesn’t meet it’s goals in a specific, ideal way, it starts to tell us there is something wrong with us. We have a natural ability to have self compassion, but we access that when our identity system is asleep.
We aren’t getting rid of opposition. There will always be opposition. There will always be challenges and trials in our lives. What Niki is teaching us is how to manage our identity systems. Niki uses Mind Body Bridging to do this.
Niki walks us through the process of how to do this. You can print the freebie below!! This is the hand out we went through on the interview during the interactive portion:
https://www.nikiolsencoaching.com/post/self-compassion
Niki shows us how coming to our five senses, or using the five senses can bring us to a place of self compassion and clear thinking.
The Spiritual Survival course helps busy Latter-Day Saint moms develop a daily spiritual routine to confidently recognize the spirit, receive revelation, and enrich their connection with God. Get on the wait list for the course here.
Other podcasts we’ve had with Niki:
How to Receive Personal Revelation in Your Daily Life (Episode #78)
Parenting Kids with ADHD (Episode #91)
The Mom Break Announcement (Episode #106)
Where to find more from Niki:
Website: nikiolsencoaching.com
Helping of Happiness FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Instagram: @nikiolsencoaching
Show Notes:
How A Little Family Fun Got Started
It all began when Jennifer was in charge of the Christmas party for her church. She wanted the children to have a memorable time so she decided to video them telling the story of Christ’s birth in their own words. She got some very fun responses such as “there were camels and alligators in the stable”. She and her husband purchased some video editing software and made a really fun video for their congregation. They decided they had taken so much time learning these new skills, they wanted to put these skills to more use. That was when their YouTube channel, A Little Family Fun, was born.
“A Little Family Fun Goes a Long Way.” - Jennifer Maner
Fourth of July Fun Ideas:
In COVID our days are tending to all meld together. The big goal for 4th of July is to make the day stand out, make it different for our kids. Here are some areas of focus:
Food - make special foods that are different from your normal. Jennifer’s family loves to make homemade rootbeer every 4th of July
Lemon Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches- by Helping of Happiness
Play patriotic music
Water activities outside - add something novel and new like getting a new fun sprinkler head, get out the slip and slide, have a squirt gun war, water balloon games
Fireworks- depending on the restrictions in your area
Delegate! Have the kids get involved. Let them be part of the planning and put different in charge of different aspects of the day such as the menu, decorating, games to play, etc. They are then more invested and excited about the fun you are having.
Summertime Fun:
Hiking, exploring different areas with water, enjoying nature together
Play board games: get games that trusted friends recommend, look on Amazon for good reviews. Spice up old games or add new funny rules
Logic games, puzzles or jokes
Parlor games
Karaoke
Dance Party
Kids Choice Night - kids get a turn to pick what the family is going to do together
Science Experiments! Great book with 100 experiments: Awesome Science Experiments for Kids & Steam Projects
For more fun family games and activities, check these other podcasts:
Fun Family Games (Episode #86) with Megan Hess
Simple Family Fun Every Day (Episode #107)
Classic Movies the Whole Family Loves:
Court Jester
White Christmas
Support Your Local Sheriff
Support Your Local Gunfighter
The Great Race
7 Brides for 7 Brothers
Singing in the Rain
Miracle on 34th Street
It’s a Wonderful Life
Calamity Jane
The Happiest Millionaire
Road Trip Tips:
Delegate tasks to the kids: Have one of the kids pick out all the snacks, another can map out the trip in an atlas, another kid can grab all the fun toys and entertainment for the tiny kids
Put the electronics away and enjoy the scenery of the different locations you are driving to and through
Have a car schedule such as a movie in the morning, then some sort of other activity, a snack at a certain time, etc.
Getting along better in the car (or at home):
Ask the kids: Are we being selfish?
Are we making big things out of small things?
Scheduling in Special Family Trips:
One night Jennifer and her husband were on a walk when they realized they only had 5 summers left with their oldest son still at home. They realized they had been putting off trips they had always dreamed about doing with their kids. They made a list of experiences they wanted to have with their family before their oldest left home and began scheduling those in. A few of those were trips to Disneyland, a Disney Cruise and a trip to Hawaii.
“It changed our perspective when we realized time is short. We have to be very intentional about how we use our time, because we have a limited amount of it. So what’s the most important way for us to do that? And that is also including the little family fun stuff. We’ve been much more intentional about the little stuff.” - Jennifer Maner
Helpful and Happy Questions:
Favorite Food or Meal: BBQ Chicken Salad (Our Helping of Happiness BBQ Chicken Salad Here)
Favorite Trip: National Parks anytime being in the outdoors
Homemaking Hack: She has some amazing ideas for how they clean out their rooms! Check out this YouTube video to see how they do it! Cleaning the boys' room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UfyJQuASiY&t=11s
Where you can find more from Jennifer:
Website: https://alittlefamilyfun.com/
A Little Family Fun YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8N6r9EVTUvAtJHfWRRj-RQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alittlefamilyfun/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alittlefamilyfun/
Links to videos we talked about:
Selfishness/Making small things into big things: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSh0qtkYAS4&t=12s
Spa Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vBq820MILc
Riding a Rip Stik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy3D-MBIMSc
One of the science experiments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xrokxGKzQ4
Just Dance videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1YKQed-P68&t=13s
Cover Your Assets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy3D-MBIMSc
Roselle Pliego is married and a mom of 3 kids. She’s a blogger and content creator @in_dfw _Family where she talks about wholesome things to do in the Dallas/Ft Worth area.
Roselle had a great video on IGTV where she expressed her feelings after the murder of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter. Roselle’s biggest message is that she wants every one to be an feel treated fairly. Roselle talks about how Black Lives Matter all the time. Our lives always matter. It doesn’t need to take a horrific incident to make our lives matter.
The hardest part of all of this, was a lot of white people coming out with a stance that they support black lives and she feels like a lot of them are just reacting that way because it’s a hot topic right now. Another thing she brings up is to figure out what is the underlying problems in the areas that are experiencing more black on black crime? Is it unemployment, politicians, what is the underlying damage? How can we fix it?
Roselle feels sometimes she is cancelled by her community because she has different thoughts or ideas from them. She wants people to be more open to hearing other people’s thoughts and opinions with out being shut down. She would like to see more wholesomeness, joy and family love from others. She doesn’t want to forget or be blinded by the issues, but she wants to be able to talk about it, but bring light and joy into other people’s lives.
Roselle thinks the most change comes from each one of us learning more about each other. Go to different areas and exposing our kids to different people and cultures.
“What we’re going through in the black community, is a lot of people are complaining of black on black crime and lack of resources in their community. What I was trying to convey is we have a power and that power is that we can vote. And voting will help put people in place that aligns with what you want to make the change for good in the community. Lives matter before COVID, they matter after, and will continue moving forward. But we need to put the people in place that will care for those individuals, to make the change. And I feel like that’s been one of the underlying problems in the black community, is wrong leadership that isn’t putting their best interests at heart or in the forefront." - Roselle Pliego
Roselle goes on to say how she loves everyone, no matter your gender, race or creed. At this moment in time, black people are going through so much. All lives matter because she does love everyone, but right now the black lives are the focus and the pain we are sitting with right now. The intent behind saying black lives matter is that we are feeling the suffering and pain together.
The question now is are you going to ride the wave and support black businesses and restaurants right now because it’s a hot topic or is this a new way we will continue to support each other. Open up your circle and be more inclusive to everyone. Does everyone look like you? Self check your surroundings, who are you bringing into your home, who are you talking with? Is there diversity?
During COVID Roselle’s content has been more about her home than her foodie adventures and travels, but she is learning to be creative in what she shares.
It is so important to go out and VOTE.
Roselle’s Blog:
https://indfwandbeyond.com/
Find Roselle on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/in_dfw_family/
Airbnb Hosting and Tons of Travel Tips (Episode #105) with Jamie Harper
Show Notes:
Cindy Gunderson had never planned on being an author. She had always enjoyed writing, but never saw herself as writing books. Then one day in January 2019, Cindy had a very vivid dream. The dream stayed with her, so her husband told her she needed to write it down. She was so excited to see where the story would go, she ended up using this dream as part of her first book, which only took her 3 weeks to write the first draft!
Cindy revised her draft and started working with publishers. The publishers liked her story, but told her in order for them to sell, she needed to heat it up and add some spicy adult content. Cindy’s whole goal was to provide meaningful, clean, uplifting literature, so this was horrible news to her. This was the point when she made the decision to self publish.
Cindy continued to write. She wrote four books in a year’s time and has another that is about ready to come out.
Finding time to write was a big learning curve. She has a full life: homeschooling her 4 children, teaching music, and serving actively in her church community, among other things. Something had to go.
Cindy decided the first thing she would sacrifice would be her TV watching time. She began devoting her evenings to writing. She also would write while she was waiting for her kids at their activities. Since she was writing as much as she could in small snatches of time, she learned to make good notes of where she was in her story so she was able to find her place quickly and not have to back track every time she started back up. She found that three hour blocks of time were the most productive.
For aspiring authors:
Figure out what your goal is - write a personal mission statement to guide you and keep you on track.
Cindy’s mission statement: To bring light, goodness, understanding, and compassion through storytelling.
Where to find more about Cindy and her books:
www.CindyGunderson.com
www.CindyPrinceAuthor.com (for my children's books. Eventually there will be more, this one was just a fun project with my daughter about quarantine)
Cindy also runs a podcast with her husband, Scott: Our Weekly Chat
www.OurWeeklyChat.com
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-weekly-chat/id1506606893
Books: The first four are out and available now, the next three are preorders for release later this year (starting in July!).
Tier 1: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WF27W6N/
Tier 2: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XF3YWHX/
Tier 3: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081TCXCB7/
Yes, And: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082ZHHPVB/
I Can’t Remember: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082ZH7RGS/
Let’s Try This Again: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083BJNG3T/
The New Year’s Party: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082ZQWY5H/
Women’s bodies go through so many different stages and changes, we can often be really hard on ourselves. We have ebbs and flows in our lives that need to be adjusted. Becca was going through this phase, and after her third daughter she realized she needed to make a change in her attitude. She had some hard postpartum feelings, she had a lot of anger and frustration with simple mothering tasks, and she started seeing her daughter begin mimicking her behavior.
Becca had a day when she realized it was on her to make a change and be her better self. She started trying every day to be a little more patient and a little more kind. She started practicing having positive thoughts and worked hard to push out the self critical thoughts.
That mental transformation soon translated into her starting a physical journey. She started just working out regularly at the gym. After doing that for awhile, she realized she needed some help with her nutrition. She didn’t feel like she had any balance in what she was eating and decided to start counting macros. She found so much success doing that.
When starting something new, Becca likes to use the idea of training for a triathlon. You don’t bike, run and swim all on the first day of training (well you could if you want a very quick burn out!). You gradually add things in one at a time as you get stronger and stronger. It’s a slow process, but the best way for any fitness success. You take your journey in small stepping stones. Start one good habit, once you have that down, add in another, and then another until you are reaching your goals.
One of her dreams in life was to be a fitness instructor. She started teaching High Fitness and Barre classes and with that started an Instagram account to go with it. She shares her story, her journey, motivation, encouragement to other women and mamas, and her tips for success.
She got her handle @thecookiefits through her macro counting journey. She always wanted to make sure she fit a cookie in her diet everyday. She worked hard to keep a balance between eating for health and eating for pleasure.
Macros is a body specific goal for different nutrients you need to put in your body. It helps you make sure you’re getting a good amount of carbs, fat and protein. Counting macros is a tool to get you going in the right direction. Becca counted for several months, learned about what she was eating, made some changes and now doesn’t count on a regular basis.
Before Becca was counting macros, she was starving herself, eating really low calories or skipping meals during the day, and then late at night she would eat a bunch of food that wasn’t balanced. Eating macros gave her a way to look at her food goals as a challenge to nourish and fill her body instead of depriving it.
When Becca would hit a wall and want to throw in the towel, she would ask herself, “What would happen in if I didn’t give up? I need to believe in myself!” She also likes to say, “Look at the long term, it’s not perfection, it’s progress.”
On Becca’s journey, she lost about 60 lbs over a year and a half. She was losing about a pound a week. She got to a weight and a size she had never been since she was about 15. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and realized she could see her ribs. She was worried she was getting obsessed and losing sight of her goal to have energy and feel good. She didn’t want her daughters to have a skewed view of what a healthy body should look like. This was a defining moment for her to start increasing her calories, loosen up her calories. She saw that body size was not going to make her happy, having a strong healthy body was where she found joy.
Becca teaches that our minds are so powerful! We need to keep finding the positive aspects of life. Looking at the negative is never going to be helpful for you and your family. It doesn’t matter if someone sees you as a certain way, it doesn’t matter. You loving yourself and being okay with where you’re at is all that matters. Just like strengthening a testimony by sharing it with others, the more she talks with her girls and other people about positive body image, the more she believes it.
For more from Becca, check out her Instagram page: @ifthecookiefits
Check out Becca’s Shopify account for her macro packet and lifestyle guide:
https://if-the-cookie-fits.myshopify.com/
Where you can find Chris and Jessie’s Oven Love Bake Shop:
https://www.ovenlovebakeshop.com/
jessie@ovenlovebakeshop.com
A little bit more about Jessie:
Jessie is a busy mom of 4 kiddos who has a SERIOUS sweet tooth. Her love for baking goes all the way back to her childhood, making sugar cookies with her mom. From there it grew to a short-lived homespun bakery venture in college and has more recently evolved into a super fun experience! Her love language is gift-giving, and the very best gifts are made with love. Her mission at Oven Love is to help you send love one (or 4... or 15...) cookie bars at a time.
Other podcasts mentioned:
Brave Changes with Christie Halverson from The Cookie Rack (Episode #57)
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show Notes:
Grab your tickets to The Mom Break Experience!
For more about The Mom Break Experience, check out this episode we had with the other hosts of the event!
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Here's a link to Jenna’s podcast website:
couplefriendspodcast.com
Jenna’s Social Media:
instagram.com/jennakimjones
instagram.com/jkjandal
twitter.com/jennakimjones
twitter.com/jkjandal
facebook.com/jkjcomedy
Grab your tickets for The Mom Break Experience!
Ld design co’s giveaway!! $50 Gift Card to Lowe’s!
How to enter:
Follow @LDdesignCo and @HelpingOfHappiness on Instagram.
Do a simple home project such as cleaning out a drawer, repairing a broken item, painting a piece of furniture or a room, making a throw pillow.
Post a before and after picture in your feed or story and tag @LDdesignCo and @HelpingOfHappiness and use hashtag #LoveTheHomeYouLiveIn.
You can enter as many times as you want! Keep the projects coming! Our whole purpose in doing this is to encourage and inspire each other to better our homes. Let’s cheer each other on!!
Where to start outdoors when you are staging to sell or designing to dwell:
clean out flower beds, plant fresh flowers
put down new mulch
tidy up the front porch, get a fresh mat, wreath on the door
front doors that are painted black often sell for more than houses with doors that are other colors
get rid of old lumber, broken items or garbage in the hard
grease up squeaky hinges and lock on the front door
Where to start indoors when you are staging to sell or designing to dwell:
declutter
declutter
go eat dinner and declutter again
Get things off the floor. When the floor of your pantry, closets or around your home is empty of clutter, it makes the space feel better.
Paint
Take everything off the counters and start fresh. Only put back the things that are the most necessary.
Declutter/decorate kids’ rooms
Repair things- pick just 1 or 2 things to start
Change out burned out light bulbs. Change the covers over bulbs that are discolored or dingy looking.
Four C’s of Making Your Home a Reflection of You
Clutter Free
Clear Focal Point
Creativity and Color
Communication
Ideas for Decorating on a Budget
Swap throw pillows and/or furniture from room to room.
Use a functional element to decorate. For example:
In the laundry room, use a tray to hold your detergent in a pretty bottle, vase to hold loose change or other items found in pants pockets, etc.
In the kitchen decorate with a nice looking cutting board that can be used as a decorative piece as well
Use your kids’ art as artwork- make a gallery wall with frames to hold their paintings/drawings, or use a line with clips on it. Rainie’s Family has a fun tradition of holding art shows to honor their children’s work. The family gets dressed up, the art is displayed in a special place. The kids have to answer questions from their parents about their art, and they even serve refreshments.
Make a gallery wall of family photos. Keep a file of photos so you can change them out every so often.
Listen to the podcast for many more tips and tricks!
Where to find more from LD Design Co:
Website: https://www.lddesignco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lddesignco/
Show notes:
As moms, we’re all solving generally the same problems as moms. There is so much innovation out there. Moms are solving problems in creative ways everyday. Whitney feels like it’s her job to be the detective to find those ways and then share them with other moms.
Whitney likes to think of motherhood as a career. With a career you would have overarching goals and objectives. She teaches us how to write our own job description. We get to choose how we are going to mother our children. We get to craft and choose how we are going to approach it using our own priorities. (A Mom’s Job- How She Moms Podcast from last week- covers this in a beautiful way.) The wild card is our children and their personalities and needs also impact the way we need and want to mom.
As you are scrolling Instagram there are two ways you can look at other moms. You can worry that you aren’t doing a good job, that you are failing. Instead you could look at it from a more positive point of view, and appreciate the diversity and differences between all these other moms. We can be amazed by each other, and celebrate each other instead of being jealous or feeling we are feeling short.
It’s impossible for us to have all the qualities and all the strengths. So that means we get to pick! We can write our own job description (Click here for Whitney’s printable worksheets!). Here is a way you can start!
First it’s good to get a bird’s eye view and take a good look at these areas:
Physical Needs
Show them love
Teach them
When you have these large objectives in mind, it’s makes it easier to stay on track with little things that come up.
Next you factor in your kids’ needs. Whitney typed up a list of basic needs: food, shelter, and safety. She brought the list to her family and had everybody share if these needs were being met. Then the kids each makes lists of wants and needs, then had them rank their top 5. Hearing what they needed helped Whitney prioritize what was most important on her list.
When you are done doing this, take stock of what a typical week looks like with your different responsibilities. Look at things daily and weekly or monthly. Also look at motherhood and household responsibilities as different categories.
For example, what has worked for Whitney is to rank things in this order:
Faith/Spirituality
Health- healthy food and physical exercise
Academic Learning/School
During this COVID quarantine, Whitney has also realized how important it is for her to make time for self care in the form of alone time. Sometimes she even drives somewhere and works in her car.
You’ll notice a clean house and clean kids are not on the top of the list right now. Other moms may have that further to the top. That is the beauty of making your own tailored job description. Being a mom is very individualized.
Our job descriptions will also change with the seasons of our lives. Sometimes the season you’re in means the logistics are going to supersede your objectives.
Whitney also finds that she works better when she is under some constraints. Often limits for her are a breeding ground for creativity.
Link to Whitney’s How She Moms Meal Planning Workshop.
The course is free through the month of May!! After that it will be $30.
She has a new course that is coming out on laundry!! Also up coming are some courses about development through the different stages of motherhood. She’s also delving into self care and titles we give ourselves.
Come see Whitney present at The Mom Break Experience!
Event details: SEPTEMBER 18-19, 2020 - Hilton Garden Inn, 3150 N. Hotel Loop, Lehi, Utah 84043
Other links:
Our last podcast with Whitney:Different Moms Solving the Same Problems with Whitney Archibald from How She Moms (Episode #49)
Survivor Theme Printables
To see more from Whitney, check her out here: @HowSheMoms
Her website: www.howshemoms.com
And make sure you check out her podcast: How She Moms !!!!
For our podcast archives, family recipes, homemaking hacks, or travel tips, check out our website: Helping of Happiness
buy your tickets to the mom break here !!
FREEBIE !!! Click For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Link from intro: Survivor Family Edition Printables
The Mom Break Experience Ticket Link!
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show Notes:
What is Famiy Fed?
Just like busy parents use meal planners to help make healthy dinner a success, Family F.E.D. gives you daily “recipe” plans for fun that make quality family time easy. While physical meals help you feed the individuals in your family, Family F.E.D. helps you create the #FunMeal that feeds your FAMILY UNIT as a whole. It’s a simple, new approach that revolutionizes how easy it is to create QUALITY FAMILY TIME each day.
Here are the categories Brittany covers with her family fun:
Connection:
Strengthening
what are you goals?
do a balance activity -like juggling -then talk to them about what is hard about balancing. Then you relate it to real life, with just a minute or two to tie it together. Simple is best. Go in with a purpose
She also gives conversation starters for the end of the game
Family History
study family stories
record family stories
frozen charades
what memories are standing out the most
Service
less about the activity and more about focusing out
Service Ideas for Lifting Cheer during the Coronavirus
Send a Digital Floral Bouquet: Simple Service Idea
Fostering Growth
Learning new skills
home carpentry skills
arts and crafts: paintings, pictionary, photography, different art techniques, using nature in your art (like Patty Rokus: Helping of Happiness Podcast with Patti Rokus), sewing (Helping of Happiness: How to make reusable cloth napkins), candy art
when you are doing your art or project, don’t worry about the end result. Instead think: How does it make me feel? Did I enjoy the process of creating?
Emoji Emotions game
the goal on this game is giving kids a safe place to talk about things
learn about them on a deeper level- WHY are they feeling that feeling
power in naming our emotions
Making Lasting Memories
Traditional Memories: things that are happening regularly like her front porch games with her nephews, dance parties- letting the silliness go, sharing successes at dinner
Unusual Memories: what would you not normally do? Tweak it in a simple way. Ideas: eating dinner without utensils, having dinner as a picnic, playing Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Screen free Boredom Busters
Level-Up Boredom Busters
My "Game Pantry”
Board Bounce game
Where to find more about Brittany Beattie @familyfed
Blog: https://familyfed.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/familyfed/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/familyfuneveryday
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FamilyFunEveryDay
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/family_fed/
Family Fed Newsletter
The Mom Break Experience is a time where we Give You Permission to Give Yourself a Break. All Moms are awesome and valued and we want you to feel that way. Come connect with other moms and realize we are all doing our best!
This is not another Conference where you walk away feeling like you need to do more. This is an experience where you will leave knowing that what you are doing is good enough. You are enough just the way you are.
At The Mom Break Experience, we will give you a break from the day to day perfect Instagram filled world that doesn’t match our daily experiences. Mamas, you will come away from this experience with your laughter buckets full, your special meters off the charts and permission to give yourself a break!
Grab your tickets!!! www.themombreak.com
The Mom Break Presenters:
Niki Olsen: Licensed Clinical Mental Health Therapist @MBBNiki
Hillary Hess: (Yours truly!!) Podcaster and Blogger at Helping of Happiness - about page here @helping_of_happiness
Andrea Nielson, Beth Milward & Camille Ward: Family Looking Up Podcast @FamilyLookingUp
Jenna Kim Jones: Standup Comedian, Podcaster, Writer, TV host @JennaKimJones
Brittany Crane: Get Out There Girl Adventure Club Founder @Get_Out_There_Girl
Whitney Archibald: Blogger & Podcaster at How She Moms @HowSheMoms
Becca Jackson: Health & Wellness Expert/ High Fitness & Barre Instructor @IfTheCookieFits
Event details:
SEPTEMBER 18-19, 2020 - Hilton Garden Inn, 3150 N. Hotel Loop, Lehi, Utah 84043
It’s going to be such an amazing event! Full of fun and laughter. We can’t wait to be with you there!
Other Podcasts With Our Presenters:
Family Looking Up:
Fun Family Halloween Ideas (Episode #80) with Andrea Nielson
Highs and Lows of Mom Life with Andrea, Beth & Camille from the Family Looking Up Podcast (Episode #23)
How to Build Strong Relationships with Your Kids with Camille Ward from Family Looking Up (Episode #62)
Epic Mom Fails - mini chat with Hillary Hess & Camille Ward (Episode #71)
Get Fit During Quarantine with Beth Milward (Episode #104)
MBB Niki:
How to Receive Personal Revelation in Your Daily Life (Episode #78)
Parenting Kids with ADHD (Episode #91)
Whitney Archibald:
Different Moms Solving the Same Problems with Whitney Archibald from How She Moms (Episode #49)
Brittany Crane:
Practicing Self Compassion (Episode #68)
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show Notes:
Jamie’s Thoughts on Hosting and Air BNB:
Lock up valuables (like in the master closet)
Jamie loves getting paid to clean her own house
Air BNB has insurance policy that covers damage to your property
Things replaced in your home can be tax write offs
Check with your home insurance to cover extra if needed
Packing Tips:
pack early
use packing cubes - each cube has one outfit and one set of pjs, then put dirty clothes in the packing cube so it’s easier for laundry later
when you fly, put a daily packing cube in each back in case your luggage gets lost
Jamie likes the large cubes for winter weather and the smaller cubes for summer or socks and underwear
Always throw and extra set of socks and underwear for each of the kids in your suitcast
Booking Your Trip- Where do you start?
Jamie has plans for multiple locations they may end up, and depending on the flight availability, they go from there
Usually she would say, start on your flights
Sometimes being spontaneous and planning as you go is even more fun. You can figure it out in the hotel room the night before
Travel Tips:
When you’re stranded at the airport, head to the bookstore and read books to the kids
When kids get toys from birthday parties or happy meals, put them immediately in their travel backpacks when you get home so they have something new and fun to play with
Work sheets and travel diaries in between every movie they watch
Keep a toddler busy by washing their hands a lot in the bathroom
You can take crazy things on the plane- like a vacuum!
Anything Frozen can get through security- freeze your kids’ meal or milk and use it up when you get through
Security is picky about food, so put all your food and snacks in one back in a reusable grocery bag. Also put your wipes in there because they always get flagged
Plan extra time for them to go through your food bag
Make travel part of the vacation- use the wait times for playing games
Put your phone away and enjoy that quality time
Bring a cup that has a lid on it so you can get a drink for your kids when they need it
Always have food and snacks so no one gets hangry
Use melatonin at bedtime or on a red eye flight when you are crossing time zones
National Parks are free when you have a 4th grader, and grandma get a national park pass for life for only $80. You all go free if grandma is with you
You can use your hair straightener to iron shirts
Where you can find more from Jamie:
flybytheseatofourpants.com
Jamie’s Food on a Plane Post
Head to our Helping of Happiness Travel Tips Posts
Show Notes:
Everything seems to be crazy these days and we all seem to be baking and eating more batches of cookies than ever before. This is why Family Looking Up has gotten together a fun 8 week challenge to get your body and sanity back during the quarantine. It’s always more fun when we are supporting each other. I am in and I hope you will join me! I can’t wait for you to hear Beth share with you how this all works!
Everyday better than last
Daily goals:
64 oz of water
30 mins exercise
Sugary treats aim for once a week
Gratitude Journal (3 things)
Behavior Changes (here are some little ideas)
praying more
reading your scriptures daily
quit yelling at kids
stop biting nails
Beth’s Ideas for putting more veggies into your diet:
Make a hamburger salad instead of having it on a bun
Eat spaghetti squash or broccoli with sauce on top instead of noodles
Set a stop time for when you’re done eating at night:
Ideally give yourself 3 hours before you go to bed so your body has time to digest to give you better sleep and more time to heal before the next day.
Bonus Challenge:
This is related the eating or exercise- you’re just taking it to the next level. Such as running more than 30 minutes a day because you’re training for something or adding in some other kind of extra.
Mom Win- write down something you are proud of yourself for that probably won’t be celebrated by the rest of the family
Weigh in - not if you feel shamed or upset, just a measuring tool to keep you on track if you want to
Where to find more from Beth:
www.familylookingup.com
Grab the Family Looking Up Gets Fit Worksheet!
I have spent a lot of time reflecting on how grateful I am for our medical workers, policemen, fire fighters, military and other public servants as this COVID 19 crisis has covered the world. On our podcast this week, I want to honor those who also work on the front lines that often go unnoticed: Search and Rescue Teams. Did you know these teams not only jump in to work at a moment’s notice, but they are volunteers! They have hours and hours of training they have to go through just to be part of the team.
I had the privilege of chatting with a dear friend, Darla Staker, this week who has worked for years not only on a ground pounding unit, but also in a mounted unit with her horses. She has the biggest heart and such incredible experiences. I can’t wait for you to hear from her.
Pop in those head phones while you’re off on a walk, working on a home project, or wiping down the house for the 100th time this week! Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app.
Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
Show Notes:
Helping of Happiness Travel Tips Page
Some of our Family Recipes mentioned in our chat:
Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Tori’s Homemaking Hacks:
1 cup milk plus 1 TBSP lemon juice (or 1 TBSP vinegar) = 1 cup buttermilk
Do you have smelly towels from living in a humid climate?? Add a large scoop of baking soda to your wash
Where you can find more from Tori:
Instagram: @better _with_butter
Show Notes:
What we’re eating during quarantine:
Homemade White Bread Recipe
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
Homemade Beef Taquitos
Candy Apples
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chicken Apple Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
Cinnamon Rolls
Movies Wendy and Hillary are enjoying:
The Incredible Dr Pol on Disney Plus
Documentaries on Netflix
Night on Earth
Salt Fat Acid Heat
YouTubes of Mark Rober, the Holderness Family, and the Piano Guys
Old 80’s classics like Indiana Jones, Goonies, Back to the Future
Marvel and Star Wars
Musicals like Sound of Music, The Happiest Millionaire and Calamity Jane
Activities they’re doing:
Bike Riding
Social Distancing Picnics
Side walk chalk
Bubbles
Lawn games
Cleaning and fixing up the house
Work out videos
Legos
Painting
Fun resources from Hannah at Lily & Thistle:
Promo Code For Simply Florals Water Color Course
For 20% off Lily and Thistle’sSimply Florals Water Color Course, put in the code: HAPPY at check out.
Head over to Lily & Thistle to see Nature Journaling, Paper Dolls and more from Hannah!
Listen to our podcasts with Hannah:
Everyone is an Artist with Hannah Stevenson from Lily & Thistle (Episode #55)
The Art Habit for Moms and Nature Journaling - Hannah Anderson Stevenson (Episode #12)
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
Pin this for later: Recipes from the Pantry & Freezer
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show notes:
Where you can find Jana:
Website and Shop: https://jbcpresets.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejanabishop/
Jana’s channel on YouTube
Jana gave us a great discount code!! Plug in HILLARY30 at check out and receive 30% off your order!!
Jana told us that Chicken Tortilla Soup is her favorite food. Check out our Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe.
Five simple ways to take amazing photos:
When you are taking pictures inside, turn off the lights during the day. Use the natural sunlight
When the sun is too bright when you need to tweak your highlights, tap your cell phone screen and drag the sun (up and down on iPhones, side to side on Android).
When you are taking pictures outdoors or indoors and the sun is shining bright, look for open shade. Open shade may be the side of a building outside, or if you are inside you are staying out of the direct sunlight
If you want the bright and airy look, use bright objects, pay attention to the clothes you are wearing and the background you are up against
Edit!! This is where Jana’s presets work miracles
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Along with being a photographer and business owner, Jana is a wife and mother who lives in North Texas. Check out our show notes below for a 30% discount code to plug into your cart at check out when you are purchasing her products!!
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Show notes:
Where to find more from Aaron Gendle:
https://dailyauthors.com/
https://writeabookuniversity.com/
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show Notes:
Where do I get started coming up with a color scheme for my home?
Think about what colors you are drawn to in everyday life.
Take a look at your wardrobe. What are some of your favorite outfits?
You can also use a rug or some artwork that you really love to pull colors from. A place you have traveled can be a great source of inspiration.
If you love the beach, maybe some softer sandy tones, or blues that remind you of the waves would be great fit.
Browse Pinterest and make up a board of all the things you really love. Then look at the things you can pinned and see if there are some similar themes going on.
What are some examples of things in different design styles to know what we like?
Farm house: ship lap, white, grain sacks, ticking stripes
Modern: straight clean lines, simplistic, minimalist, flat panels
Traditional: ornate wood, intricacy, detailed light fixtures
Rustic: raw wood, natural elements
BOHO: greenery, flowy, hippy/chic
Industrial: exposed pipes or air ventilation, concrete, metals
Where do I get started in my entry way?
Your entry way sets the tone for your home. Make sure it feels welcoming and isn’t a dumping zone for all your stuff. Put a basket near the door for shoes. Use a dish or a basket for keys and spare change to help contain the clutter. Plans are a great way to make the space more inviting.
If you have room, add a console table with a lamp, or some hooks for jackets and coats.
What are some of your hacks for designing a kitchen?
Make function your first priority. If you are building a new home, make sure your sink is near your dishwasher and close to where you store the dishes for convenience.
Use open shelving to show off dishware but that can also double as storage.
Use crocks to hold utensils, buy some nice cutting boards you can use for decoration but also for everyday use, put your dish soap in a pretty bottle.
Create zones in your kitchen for different tasks. For example, have a baking zone where all your baking supplies are in the same area and easily accessible.
What are some eye pleasing tips for my living room?
Use baskets for blankets, boxes for remotes, and textured throws and pillows for the couch. Your pillows don’t have to be matchy matchy. Just make sure they are in your color scheme.
Use lamps for more intimate lighting and plants to welcome you in.
How about some ideas for decorating on a budget?
Definitely shop sales, look for things on clearance in store or online. Amazon, Target, H&M Home, Mayfair and Home Goods are some favorites.
Thrift stores are great if you’re good at DIY. You can find lots of great DIY accounts on Instagram or Pinterest that can teach you how to revamp furniture.
Even something as simple as changing out the knobs on a piece of furniture can change the look and make it your own.
Find more from Bree Allen:
Instagram: @buildingallen and @northcabinet_co
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show notes:
Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
Did you hear our episode last week with Emily Schofield @thebackyardadventurers? It’s a must listen!!
Making Mom Friends: How to Find Your Tribe (Episode # 95)
Helpful And Happy Questions For Robin Perry:
Favorite trip she’s been on: Staycationing at home with her husband while her kids are at Grandma’s
Favorite food: Spaghetti in the Instant Pot
Homemaking Hack: Double up your water proof crib mattresses and sheets so you have a second set waiting when the worst happens in the middle of the night
Where you can find more about Robin:
Website:https://morethan-mothering.com/ Grab Robin’s 37 Interesting Questions to Ask Moms while you’re there!!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morethanmothering/
Nominations: https://morethan-mothering.com/index.php/nominations/
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXfjie0YyVA8_qsvif1Ncg
My favorite quote from our chat:
“If you want to be interesting, be interested.” - unknown
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show notes:
Places to make new friends:
Put yourself in a new situation. Seek people out at church groups, volunteer opportunities, at the park, local mom’s group or book club. Looking for a congregation with a great family centered women’s group? Try our church! There are congregations world wide with the largest women’s organization in the world: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Talking points:
Different friends fill different needs. One friend may be just what you need to go out in the evening with to blow off steam. Other might be a great walking buddy or someone to go hang out with at the park while your kids play. We all need different types of friends at different times in our lives.
Strengthening Relationships:
Create things to do with friends. Invite them to story time at the library, have a picnic at the park, get ice cream and play at a nearby play place. Start a book club or dessert club. Go hiking together, invite them to browse Ikea or window shop at the mall. Make freezer meals together for a new mom that just had a baby or another friend who is having surgery. Do any kind of service or project together. Conversations come more naturally when you hands or feet are busy.
Is this a healthy friendship?
Is this friend loyal, honest, and a good listener? How do you feel when you are with this friend, and even right after being with this friend? Does this friend bring out the best in you and make you want to be a better person? Can you depend on this friend? Are you a doormat or serving each other reciprocally?
Give it time
Don’t rush friendship. Do your best to love and support, but not smother. Pray for guidance on how to find friends and how to be a friend.
No Gossip or Husband Bashing
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t share what is on our hearts or what is happening in our lives with others. Just be careful not to fall in the trap of caddiness to make a quick but short lasting connection. Would you want someone else talking about you the way you are talking about them?
Great movie about friendship:Fried Green Tomatoes
Somebody Loves You Mr Hatch , by Eileen Spinelli- book
Where to find more about Emily Schofield:
@thebackyardadventurers on Instagram
http://thebackyardadventurers.com/blog/
How to Find Adventures in Your Own Backyard (Episode #70) with Emily Schofield
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Show notes:
FROM JONATHAN:
(his words are in italics)
One of the top reasons marriages/relationships end is because of financial issues.
It's not usually the lack of finances that causes the divorce, but the lack of communication that causes stress and anxiety. Usually the problems start with differences of opinion, personality or expectations. One or both people feel like they have little control over their money and where it goes. That can be where it is spent, how it is invested, how much they can spend, or even knowing about where the money goes at all.
Each marriage can choose their own technique and approach to money in their marriage. What works for one couple might not work for you. However, you need to have a system that both of you agree on and understand. In this Series of videos, we are going to share some of our tips with you. We will teach you how to talk about money and the more you can talk about money, the more of it you will have!
Disclaimer- We are not perfect. We have made lots of mistakes about money and have disagreements just like everyone else does.
Your beliefs, attitudes, values and you knowledge leads to your behavior today.
Coming from different families can create arguments & stress - Grocery Store story
We learned to understand each other first and WHY we wanted to buy things.
Start at the beginning to know your past around Money.
Understanding your spouse's past.
Set time aside to discuss on a date or after the kids go to bed.
Ask each other questions. Suggested questions to get started.
What was money like in your family growing up?
What has been your spouse’s experience with money?
How did you first earn and spend money?
What financial experiences affect your decisions today?
Hopefully you can look back on the way you were raised and do better than your parents. I have clients who became savers because their parents were always living paycheck to paycheck. However they have siblings who are exactly like their parents, and still live paycheck to paycheck. Either way, it is important to know where your spouse is coming from and why they react to money the way that they do
Here are the different money personalities:
Primary Personality - Spender or Saver Which one are you?
Spenders have less hurdles to overcome before they buy something.
Savers have more hurdles in their own mind that they need to overcome.
Secondary - Planner, Worrier, Avoider, Giver, Believer
We grew up savers and Planners.
Now we balance each other out and I am more of a spender.
Challenge- No matter what your experience has been with talking to your spouse about money, take the time to talk and understand each other in the next week.
We believe that when couples understand each other and communicate about money then great things can happen.
Once you have had the conversation, you will be ready for our next video where we talk about setting and accomplishing goals as a couple.
Hope you enjoyed this and will have a better relationship and more money
Links mentioned during our chat:
Our Family’s Favorite Treat: Chocolate Chip Pizookie Recipe
Fashion Date- how to take the stress out of the morning rush
Budgeting Podcast with Jonathan: Budgeting for Single Income Families with Jessica at Wise Little Hoots (Episode #46)
5 Money Lessons All Kids Need to Know with Jonathan & Meredith Rotz (Episode #38)
Marriage and Money Part 1 - video on Financial TMI, Time Money Investments Facebook Page
Join Our Brand New Facebook Group: Helping Of Happiness Friends!!
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Shownotes:
Kristen is declaring the year 2020 as the year of the teenager! If you don’t have a teenager, go find one to mentor! She is urging everyone to preserve their relationships with their teens to smooth out some of the friction.
She has some t- shirts “we were all teenagers once” that also have some fabulous words that are subtly in the background of ways we can strengthen our relationship with our teen: be soft, gentle, respectful, defend, safeguard, shield, save, inspire, comfort, courage, validate, empathize
How can we change our narrative with our own teenagers?
Listen and validate! Book Kristen loves: How to talk so kids will listen, how to listen so kids will talk? Listen more than you talk.
Finding ways to connect- especially ways that don’t require talking. Going out for ice cream, doing Tic Tok dances together, talk with them about what video games they like to play. Everyone likes to talk about what they love.
Family dinners- make time to sit down and talk together and enjoy each other’s company with out an agenda.
Don’t talk in the moment when they do something disrespectful. Talk about it later when you are both calmed down. Don’t say calm down, but when things are calm, have that intentional conversation. If we can apologize to them first, it sets an example to them that they can admit their faults, too. As you show humility and let them know you aren’t perfect, they are more likely to give grace to you. It puts us more on the same level.
We are here to help teens navigate rough waters. Share moments with them about when you were a teen.
Where you can find more about Kristen:
Instagram: @KristenDukeChats
The Fist Bump Podcast - for teens
Beyond Good Intentions
Website: KristenDukePhotography.com
Helpful and Happy Questions for Kristen:
Favorite trip she’s been on: Ghana!! Dream trip: Ireland
Favorite food: Oatmeal - yum!! (Grab our Chocolate Chip PB Oatmeal recipe here!)
Homemaking Hack- sprinkle the floor with little dots of dawn detergent, get a towel a little wet and shuffle all over the floor with your feet to get a nice good scrub
Join our brand new Facebook Group: Helping of Happiness Friends!!
Show notes !!!
A little about Dani…
Dani and her husband were high school sweet hearts!! How fun is that?? After the birth of her 4th child, she began to realize she didn’t know herself very well anymore. She set out on a mission to figure out who she was and to get reacquainted.
Dani wrote down 20 questions she would ask someone she admires and then she answered them herself. She asked herself things like:
Do I like listening to Disney music when I’m driving in the car with my kids, or would I rather introduce them to something else that I enjoy? What are my favorite movies? Favorite color? Where would I like to travel? What energizes me? What motivates or empowers me? What are some of my favorite podcasts?
She discovered that yoga and meditation were her favorite ways to give herself some self care.
Benefits of Yoga:
1 deep breath in yoga equals 3 regular breaths
It’s time away in her own space
Her yoga mat is a safe space
She receives spiritual and mental benefits
Tips about Meditation:
10 minutes is a good place to start. 20 minutes is an ideal time to work up to- or even longer if you want!
Led to amazing birthing experiences (hypno-birthing)
Guided meditation apps she likes: Expectful (for motherhood- they have a fatherhood version, too) and Insight Timer for general meditation.
Dani’s morning routine:
drink water
meditation
yoga
scriptures/prayer
For more about Dani:
Instagram: @a.day.with.dani
Check out her website: adaywithdani.com
FREEBIE !!! Click Below For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Join our new Facebook Group Community: Helping of Happiness Friends where we go into deeper discussion about our podcast topics, share recipes, meal planning and prepping tips, homemaking hacks, travel tips. We need your input and sights so we can all have a better helping of happiness!
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.
Show Notes!!
Niki Olsen explains to Hillary how there are 2 different types of ADHD: Inattentive and Hyperactive. Those with the condition may have one or both types. Niki uses Mind Body Bridging to reactivate the executive function of the brain to get those neurotransmitters working again. Treatments can include medication, learning tools and skills to cope or a combination of both.
Classroom Strategies
Part of Mind Body Bridging is to reconnect your mind and brain with your five senses. Waking up senses by noticing surroundings is a great way to get those neurotransmitters moving.
Some ideas for doing this while in the classroom would be to:
notice the textures in the carpet
look at the colors on the wall
see what shapes appear on the desk
listen for 3 different sounds
feel the texture of the desk or of your shirt
feel how gravity is pulling your shoes down to the floor
think about what a lemon would taste like
smell, or just feel the air in the your nose
For the best chance of succes, write out your plan of how and when to use the five senses exercises. Notice these things all throughout your day. Click here for more about your 5 Senses from Niki.
Homework Helps
Chunk and Chew
Neuro-pathways struggle when some one with ADHD is multitasking, even more so than someone with out ADHD. Chunk and Chew is a way to eliminate everything except for a single task.
For example if you have a sheet of math homework: chunk out problem #1. Block out every thing else on the page (cover everything with except for that problem with a piece of paper if you need to). Chew on that one problem until it is finished. Then chunk out problem #2, chew on that until it is all finished- and so on.
- Feed them right when they get home
When they first walk in the door, have them eat something. It activates their senses and nourishes their body. Talk about their 5 senses as they eat.
- Set up a Homework Plan
Back to the Chunk and Chew- use that in creating a plan to break down homework in smaller doses. Problem by problem, or in time chunks. Give them breaks where they can refresh and restore.
Get ride of distractions. Have them in a zone of the house where the TV isn’t on and people aren’t walking in and out.
Standing or sitting on an exercise ball may be very helpful. Rolling putting, playdough or some other object in their hands my help them as well.
Good Sleep Hygiene
Niki tells us that if you need to start somewhere, this is the most important place to start. When we aren’t rested we have trouble focusing or acting as our best selves.
Ways we can get better sleep:
Same Routine Every Night
No Screens 2 hours before bed. The blue light in our TV/computer/phone screens is stimulating and can make it hard to unwind or go to sleep
Exercise during the day until the body is worn out- run, play ball, swim, do jumping jacks, etc.
Take a warm bath and then go to sleep in a cool room. When your body is heated and goes to a cooler area it helps the body relax. Make sure the room isn’t freezing, just cool.
For night waking:
Have a senses bucket by the bed. This can be filled with things like a soft stuffed animal, a pouch or animal that is scented with lavender or another essential oil, white noise machine, diffuser
Switch around medication. Take in the morning- if this still isn’t working, ask for a shorter acting dose
The biggest piece of advice from Niki is to make slow changes. Slow change is sustainable. Go make a plan and stick to it.
For more from Niki:
Check our our earlier episode: How to Receive Personal Revelation in Your Daily Life (Episode #78)
Niki’s Episodes on Stress #1 and Stress #2 on the Family Looking Up Podcast
Mind Body Bridging Parenting Course www.MBBNiki.Com/MBBParenting
where you can find niki:
Niki’s Website- Www.mbbniki.com
Facebook and Instagram: MBBNiki
Freebies from Niki: Download- www.MBBNiki.com/free
FREEBIE !!! Click For 3 Weeks Of Dinner Ideas, Recipes, Manners Fun, And Conversations Starters
Shownotes:
New Youth Goals Program- Personal Development- from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.
Dave Ramsey’s book: Total Money Makeover
Jordan Page @FunCheapOrFree
Chicken Apple Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner - our favorite!!
Rescuing Children from Sex Trafficking- Operation Underground Railroad Podcast Episode #89
Subscribe to our free newsletter for goal setting printables!!
Where I got the idea to do my 40 things before 40 goal: Golden Birthday Bucket List with Cera Keeler (Episode #18)
Mint Arrow Messages- one of my favorite podcasts to listen to.
There is problem with the links in our show notes that my webhost is working to fix. For better notes with links, please head to our website: www.helpingofhappiness.com and search for episode #88. I am hoping they will have this bug fixed quickly!!
Shownotes:
I have had several people ask me to do a podcast about Grief During the Holidays. I decided to ask some of my friends if they could give me some insight into the topic. The first is from family therapist, Paula Wood (she was on our podcast back on episode #34 talking about Power in Motherhood) and she gave me some great feed back.
Words from Paula Wood- family therapist:
I have had two clients with whom we have been concentrating on holidays coming up with new grief....
These are the suggestions that they have given and we have been working on:
Simplify. Do not put anything on your schedule that does not bring satisfaction or is not meaningful. Extra activities of any kind on the family or personal "to do list" that are not necessary will simply add stress--and you don't need extra stress.
DO add another element to your normal traditions without needing to ADD another tradition. For example: you probably already decorate a tree. Add an ornament to honor the loss of whomever or whatever you are grieving.
Don't feel guilty about feeling joy in the season in spite of the fact that you are grieving. Imagine that your loved one would want you to continue to find joy and that you are celebrating the happiness they brought to you as you continue to include memories of them in your celebrating.
Also these two great links to wonderful information:
https://grief.com/grief-the-holidays/
https://whatsyourgrief.com/64-tips-grief-at-the-holidays/
Words from my friend, Melissa, who lost her mother in a tragic accident:
Firsts are always hard. Their the worst! First holidays are hard, birthdays, mothers/fathers day, Easter etc.A friend made me a Christmas ornament with my mom’s name on it and that was really touching.I think keeping traditions alive and keeping things as normal as possible is important.It also can be a good time to establish new traditions if the old ones can’t continue.We used to make gingerbread houses with my mom and dad. That’s doesn’t happen anymore, we had an inspired home teacher who brought us a sugar cookie decorating set with cookies shaped like Christmas sweaters so that was a nice new tradition to take its place.It’s also good to be with people and not be alone. And knowing that it’s ok for be sad and grieve during the holidays
Words from my friend, Liz, who lost her father:
I think it’s been a bit different for me not living by my mom - I know she has received many kinds notes over the years especially during the holidays. I feel like for me, the best thing for grief have just been remembering the good things and sharing those memories with my kids. For example, we always had to line up youngest to oldest to go out Christmas morning to see what Santa brought. My dad was always fun with this and silly and so I still make my kids do that now and then share some of those memories with them (maybe not right before we go to the living room). I feel like I feel more sadness/grief during smaller moments. When I’m having a struggle and just wish I could talk with him. When I get a blessing and just wish he was there (that’s one of the hardest). I do have one friend in particular that sends me a note or brings me flowers EVERY year on the date he died. Just knowing someone is thinking about you is so sweet and tender and helpful. Especially On those days you tend to miss them the most.
Words and suggestions from Lenaya, who lost her father (today’s podcast guest):
It is heart breaking that my kids don’t know my dad in person, but we do our best to keep him alive in our stories.
Hearing stories about my dad was very healing for me, but it wasn’t that way for my mom.
Don’t “should” on yourself: “I should have said this”, “I should have said that”, “I should have done it different”.
Be prayerful and mindful of how you can meet your family and friends’ needs. Follow the spirit (intuition, your gut, divine guidance).
Sometimes a listening ear is more of a comfort than words.
Time is a soothing balm.
Things that really helped when Lenaya’s dad suddenly died in a bike accident:
childcare: at the funeral, the hospital, and even just so you can have time to grieve- especially during the holidays.
meals: brought to the hospital and to the home
groceries: simple staples like milk, fruits and veggies that are easy to grab and go, bagged salads
special memory gifts: such as a pendant from Presentlee that she received from a friend.
cards and stories
just show up even if how you show up is wrong
priesthood blessings: in our faith, we believe the men in our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) who hold the priesthood have the authority to give blessings of health and comfort to us when we are in need.
maid service or cleaning
offer to help with funeral services: help with programs, play the piano or organ, lead the music, watch small children so family can listen and be present in the service.
Quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf:
We Are Not Made for Endings
“In light of what we know about our eternal destiny, is it any wonder that whenever we face the bitter endings of life, they seem unacceptable to us? There seems to be something inside of us that resists endings.
Why is this? Because we are made of the stuff of eternity. We are eternal beings, children of the Almighty God, whose name is Endless and who promises eternal blessings without number. Endings are not our destiny.
The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions —temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful.
How grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings.”
Read Lenaya’s Book: The Pathways Home. Grab it on Amazon!
For more detailed shownotes, head over to our website: https://www.helpingofhappiness.com/as-the-friend/2019/12/3/christmas-during-the-depression-era
I love the special spirit that fills the air at Christmas, as we are all doing better to be more like our Savior, giving more whether that be with physical gifts, or gifts of time and love. On today’s podcast I want to take you back in time to the Depression Era to listen to some of the amazing little miracles that ordinary people performed. Little quiet acts of service that brought tremendous joy during an extremely hard time in our country. My dad, Jeffrey Peters, tells some stories about his dad and his grandfather that show the true meaning of Christmas.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Shownotes:
The Christmas season is my very favorite. I love the special spirit that fills the air as we are all doing better to be more like our Savior, giving more whether that be with physical gifts, or gifts of time and love.
I love the extra time with family and friends, watching the magic in my children’s eyes, and seeing the miracles that come from little acts of service.
I’d like to invite you to join me and my family in participating in #LightTheWorld. #Light the World is an invitation to transform Christmas into a season of service. Join us as we follow the example of Jesus Christ by ministering to others one by one—just like He did. Head over to ComeUntoChrist.org and sign up for daily texts with service prompts. Or watch and amazing video about the Christ Child. I love the Giving Vending Machines they have placed in 10 different locations where you can buy items for people in need instead of the usual junk food or soda pop.
Light the World has become a treasured tradition for our family for several years now. It makes us all less focused on the getting at Christmas, brings a sweeter feeling into our home and reminds us to look to Jesus Christ in our daily life.
For some other great Christmas podcasts from our archives, check these out:
1.Simplifying Christmas (Episode #84)
with Andrea Wilkinson- she gives some great ideas for having a service filled Christmas as well as some of their family experiences with Light the World.
-
Christ Centered Christmas with Merrilee Boyack (Episode #32)
-
Easy Entertaining Tips with Mariah Leeson from Giggles Galore (Episode #35)
-
Power in Motherhood with Paula Wood (Episode #34)
-
Wrapping Up Christmas and Starting on New Year's Goals with Hillary Hess (Episode #37)
FOR BETTER LINKS to check out the games closer, head over to our post here!!
Go Follow Megan: @Fun.Family.Games
Our guest this week is tells us all about the neat family traditions they have involving board and card games. She gives ideas for how to play games with large groups and how to squeeze in the fun with a busy family life. She also gives us a great list of games her family loves to play for kids of all ages.
Meet Megan Hess.
Megan is a married, mother of 4. She has just begun a fabulous new Instagram account: @fun.family.games that shares their favorites, as well as their adventures playing games as a family.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post contains Amazon affiliate links, meaning that if you choose to click through and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Learn more about my disclosure.
Show notes!!
Some tips from Megan:
“Our current favorite long games- Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Clue, and Monopoly Empire. These our favorites to play if we have a little more time. We typically play one of these on a Sunday or a holiday when we aren’t in a hurry. These are MY favorite types of games to play, but tend to be a little trickier with small kids. If the kids are at a sleepover with Grandma, we love to pull one of these out. (And, I found this edition of Clue DVD at my local thrift store and it is so fun! The DVD adds a little backstory to the game and has a butler who will give you clues throughout. I would recommend this version if you love Clue!)”
“Our favorite card/ quick games- Color Fox, Cover Your Assets, Skull King and Racko. These are the games that we play most often. They are simple enough to just dive right in and we can fit them in before bedtime. We usually play one of these games every night. .”
“Our current favorite family games- Wits and Wagers, Say Anything, 5 Second Rule, Apples to Apples and Whoonu from Cranium. All of these games are simple to learn and easy to play in a group. They are all also good for all ages (we have played them from 4-80 with no problem). These are games that I feel like every family should own.”
Our 3 Helpful and Happy Questions Answered by Megan:
- What is your favorite food?
Anything Chick- Fil- A!!!
- What is the best trip you’ve ever been on?
In college study abroad to Vienna was pretty awesome. But the best relaxing vacations are the trips taken with her husband to all inclusive resorts in Cancun or Cabo where she can just relax on a gorgeous beach and enjoy delicious food. (If you’re planning a trip to Cancun, check out our post on our favorite adventures there that may not be your typical tourist attractions.)
- Do you have a homemaking hack?
Using your Instant pot!! Especially for corn on the cob. You only have to put it in for 1 minute once it comes to pressure and it is amazing.
She also gave a shout out to our Heath Apple dip- make sure you grab that recipe!!
FREEBIE!! Grab our 3 Weeks of Dinner Fun!
Family conversation starters, manners games and 3 weeks of dinner ideas and menu plans.
Show notes!!
Enter our giveaway!!! Will & Fox has so many fabulous things for us to give you!!
Giveaway Bundle Includes:
1 x (4 in 1 breastfeeding cover up) baby capsule cover, highchair cover and shopping cart cover.
Super soft modal fabric. Color: Deep Navy Pin stripes.
1 x (Swimming Ear band) Size Medium (18 months -10 years)
1 x (2 pack of reusable swim diapers) Unisex prints – Hawaiian & Zig Zag
1 x The Boobble Cup – 3 in 1 nursing milk collection cup
1 X The BOOBBLE Adapter – Hand expression shield. Screw on to any wide neck baby bottle
How to enter the giveaway?!!
There are 3 ways to enter and you can enter as many times as you want!!
-
Rate and Review our podcast on Apple Podcasts
-
Sign up for our free newsletter OR
-
Visit us on Facebook or Instagram and tag a couple friends in your favorite posts
How to Get Your Kids to Help Around the House in 5 Steps:
- Work Alongside Them
Expect that it will take an average of 7 or 8 times for them to learn the skill on their own. Once they have the skill done, work where they can see you are working as well. If they see you hanging out relaxing, they are often going to feel like a slave. This usually cuts down on the complaining when you remind them that you are both working and helping the family and household. This isn’t always possible, but it’s especially helpful if you are just starting a new cleaning routine, have a big project you are working on together or even if you need an opportunity to have a nice unconfrontational chat with your child, working together is a great time to do that.
- Talk it Up
Thank them for helping the family. Praise the little things they are doing right in their cleaning. Help them practice on areas they don’t quite have right, but be as positive as possible. Get them excited about how they are doing grown up tasks and celebrate with them how good they will be at taking care of themselves when they are grown up and living on their own. Make sure your comments are genuine. Any kid can see through false praise.
- Define Your Expectations
If you have certain standards for cleaning a bedroom or a bathroom, walk them through it, but also print out a list. Let them know if you expect a quick tidy up or a deep clean.
- Make it Fun
There are so many fun job charts you can use (we have many on our website), or games you can play. For example, we did a balloon chart one day. We put the chores inside the balloons and the kids popped the balloons to see what chore they needed to do next.
Monetizing jobs, giving them technology minutes or rewarding them with treats or prizes work really well for us. The biggest thing is to mix it up. We all get bored doing the same thing all the time.
- Be Consistent
Expect for the chore to be done when you assign it. Check up on them, thank them, let them know you noticed.
For more family helps, homemaking hacks, recipes, travel tips or our podcast archives, head over to www.helpingofhappiness.com, or visit us all across social media @HelpingOfHappiness
Dishwasher Dangers was inspired by my son. He was really struggling to get his chores done. He just could NOT get that dishwasher emptied without being distracted 50 times. One day instead of getting mad, I tried to think of what was happening in his mind. What fantasy was he living in his imaginary world that would be keeping him from doing his chores? Was he fighting off something that was keeping him from putting the silverware away? That is when Dishwasher Dangers was born!!
Favorite parenting book: The Parenting Breakthrough by Merrilee Boyack
Show notes!!
Enter our giveaway!!! Will & Fox has so many fabulous things for us to give you!!
Giveaway Bundle Includes:
1 x (4 in 1 breastfeeding cover up) baby capsule cover, highchair cover and shopping cart cover.
Super soft modal fabric. Color: Deep Navy Pin stripes.
1 x (Swimming Ear band) Size Medium (18 months -10 years)
1 x (2 pack of reusable swim diapers) Unisex prints – Hawaiian & Zig Zag
1 x The Boobble Cup – 3 in 1 nursing milk collection cup
1 X The BOOBBLE Adapter – Hand expression shield. Screw on to any wide neck baby bottle
How to enter the giveaway?!!
There are 3 ways to enter and you can enter as many times as you want!!
Rate and Review our podcast on Apple Podcasts
Sign up for our free newsletter OR
Visit us on Facebook or Instagram and tag a couple friends in your favorite posts
We also have a discount code for you!!
Type in HAPPY5 at check out
to save some money on these great products.
More about Mama Fox
3 Helpful and Happy Questions:
What is your favorite food? Meat Pies
What was your best vacation? Body boarding in Tahiti
Do you have a homemaking hack for us? Combine white vinegar with a little bit of dish soap and use as a cleaning agent! It works wonders on windows. Also throw vinegar in with your laundry and dishwasher for a little added shine and freshness.
More about Will and Fox Products:
Do swim diapers really work?
There are two types of swim diapers, disposable and reusable. Huggies and pampas have a range of swim diaper that are disposable. Iplay, Bummis , Carters and Will & Fox make reusable swim diapers. There is no fool proof way to block contaminates entering a pool, however reusable waterproof swim diapers are the most protective and reliable options possible. Reusable swim diapers are a protective option for swim pants for infants who are not potty trained. They replace baby swimsuit pants as they are a soft waterproof fabric with colorful stylish prints. They have special edging that fits the child snug so poop is locked into the diaper when it arrives. Disposable swim diapers swell up, get heavy and have no seal on the legs or water. They also cause unnecessary waste in landfill. Will & Fox swim diapers are adjustable, making them more custom fitting to each child. They also last years as they adjusting from age 0 – 3years! They are more protective than pull up style reusable swim pants.
What is an ear band?
Swimming ear bands are helpful for baby, kids and adults with ear conditions like otitis media and ear tubes.
They are the best solution available to stopping water entering the ears as earplugs alone fall out easily especially in infants ears. These headbands secure earplugs into the ear making it near impossible for them to loosen or fall out while swimming.
It makes life stress-free for people from ear infections when in the water. They come in stylish prints and have a special inner rubber that prevents them from slipping off the head.
Children with sensory sensitivities and autism also find wearing the earbands calming. Free antibacterial ear putty comes with every swim headband. Available in sizes from newborn to adults.
What is a milk collector cup?
The BOOBBLE CUP is a unique multifunctional milk collection devices for breastfeeding or lactating mothers. Suction onto breast like the Haakaa to collect milk while nursing and build milk stash. Feed direct from cup edge to newborn or infant with tongue or lip ties to reduce air intake while feeding. Hand express milk catcher, making hand expression clean and easy- express anywhere. This cup is loved by leading lactation consults and feeding specialists worldwide.
On today’s Helping of Happiness podcast we are covering bedtime routines, night reading, and tips and tricks to help sleep issues including night terrors in children. We all need a good night’s rest, but sometimes that feels impossible with waking toddlers, kids jumping in and out of bed, and screaming in the night. Listen for some fresh ideas of what has worked for the Hess family.
Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Show notes:
Hillary’s favorite Bedtime Reads:
Harry Potter, by JK Rowling
The Hobbit, by JRR Tolkein
The Witches or the BFG by Roald Dahl
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan
Fablehaven and Candy Shop Wars, by Brandon Mull
Children of the Promise Series, by Dean Hughes
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by CS Lewis
The Heroes Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
Mrs Piggle-Wiggle, by Betty MacDonald
Hess Bedtime Routine:
Dad reads the short children’s books and does the fun tuck in. Of course teeth, potty, prayers, etc. happen in there as well. Mom reads a more advanced book afterwards, outside the bedroom doors as the kids fall asleep.
Night Waking:
Mom does not sleep well at all when the kids try to jump in the bed and sleep with her and Dad. The compromise is a pillow and blanket on the floor by mom and dad, as long as they are quiet. Otherwise it’s back up to bed without any talking.
Night Terrors:
Put them to bed earlier. Try at least 30 minutes earlier to start.
When they have a night terror, handle them as little as possible. Don’t talk to them or try to console them during night terror. You can do a quick check, but they will fuss themselves to sleep and not even remember it in the morning.
Make sure they haven’t had much to drink before bed. The potty before bed is a must. Sometimes just taking the child to the bathroom during a night terror will stop it immediately. If it’s happening like this every night. Take them to the bathroom right before mom and dad go to bed.
Night Terrors occur more often when sleep deprived. This is always rough for vacations or when company is visiting. They also happen more just before or during a sickness.
If none of this is working, see a sleep doctor. We found this sleep book to be very helpful for all sleep issues with our kids from babies on up: Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child, by Marc Weissbluth.
ELEVEN 10 LEATHER COUPON CODE!!
These are our favorite earrings. The only brand I wear!! I have super sensitive ears and these have never given me a problem, plus they are just beautiful! For 10% off put in the code HILLARYH10 at check out!
Click here to listen to our podcast with Haley Young, owner and creator at Eleven 10 Leather.
We are talking all about HALLOWEEN on today’s Helping of Happiness podcast episode! We have guest: Andrea Nielson with us from the Family Looking Up Podcast. We talk about all things Halloween that we like to do with our families; decorating, costumes, activities, fun food, trick or treating and more. Andrea has some super fun traditions!!
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
Follow Us On Pinterest To Find And Save Even More Of Our Episodes!!
Show Notes:
Halloween Tips and Tricks from Andrea:
Buy Quality Decorations, ones that you truly love that will stand the test of time.
Don’t do anything big for dinner on Halloween night. Mummy hot dogs (hot dogs wrapped in biscuit dough), and pumpkin pizzas (pepperoni pizza with the pepperoni’s arranged like a jack-o-lantern face) are some of her family’s favorites
Have a fun Halloween Dinner sometime in October (not on Halloween night). Her family calls their dinner “Gritch’s Creepy Cafe.” Andrea dresses up like a witch and they make a tasty witches brew and eat slimy worms (spaghetti).
Trick or Treating around her small town is a huge highlight, talking with neighbors as they walk around.
As far as regulating the candy intake (as long as they don’t leave wrappers on the floor, and share some with her) she lets them have free reign on Halloween night!
Andrea’s family has fun making their own costumes and first finds pieces at the thrift store.
Halloween Movies are another way Andrea’s family celebrate’s Halloween. Her family loves Ghostbusters and Halloweentown
Some of their favorite Halloween songs are This is Halloween, Monster Mash, Ghostbusters and Thriller. Check out this soundtrack that includes all these songs and more.
Andrea’s family also loves making candy apples with her family.Grab our recipe here!!
Where to find more from Andrea Nielson:
http://familylookingup.com/
https://www.instagram.com/familylookingup/
https://twitter.com/familylookingup
Helpful and Happy Questions about Andrea:
Favorite food: steak and baked potato if she’s going out, dutch oven chicken and potatoes if she’s the one cooking
Favorite places to travel: Hawaii with her extended family was her favorite trip. Her dream trips would be Niagra Falls (check out how we did Niagra Falls here, we included ours on a church history trip) and Ireland.
Homemaking hack: Having a binder for each of her kids that has all the information she might need about them, school schedules, bike lock combos, field trip info, lists of extra curricular activities for college applications. So useful!!!
ELEVEN 10 LEATHER COUPON CODE!!
These are our favorite earrings. The only brand I wear!! I have super sensitive ears and these have never given me a problem, plus they are just beautiful! For 10% off put in the code HILLARYH10 at check out!
Show notes:
Eleven 10 Leather Coupon Code!!
These are our favorite earrings. The only brand I wear!! I have super sensitive ears and these have never given me a problem, plus they are just beautiful! For 10% off put in the code HILLARYH10 at check out!
What are some pain points in your day? How can we turn these into adventures?
“It is your choices that show what you truly are, far more than your abilities. Even when you fail, you can choose not to give up, but rather discover your courage, press forward, and rise up. That is the great test of the journey.” - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (“Your Great Adventure” October 2019 General Conference)
Think of the story,The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkein. This little hobbit was very happy and comfortable eating lots of food, gardening and relaxing his life away. Then he was invited on an adventure, and something in his heart wouldn’t let him pass up this experience. As he was on the adventure, things were always fun and rosey. There were trolls, dragons and huge scary spiders in his way. But he made it through and gained so much self confidence from that experience. (Grab the movie here)
Some really great tips on how to receive personal revelation from God to help you in your adventures, come from our past podcast guest: Niki Olsen, episode #78.
Jamee Andelin has given us some really great suggestions on how to take charge of our thoughts in episode #56. On her podcast, Coaching with Jamee, this week she had a great episode (#55) entitled, “Creating Your Reality”. I really liked it because she talked about putting a spin on your pain points. How can we make these pain points fun? How can we turn something that has been really hard or emotionally charged into something fun that we enjoy? I love her ideas about this.
An example she gave was if you were trying to lose weight, instead of being sad and distraught about it, think of all the wonderful healthy foods that you enjoy that you like to eat. That really clicked for me! Because I do love eating healthy food! If you’re in this boat as well, try some of these recipes out. My favorites this week have been our Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato Bowls, Antipasto Salad and Thai Chicken Salad.
Mesa Verde National Park, archaeological site with ruins on cliffs where the Pueblo People lived over a thousand years ago.
It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness. Life has some of those moments for us, and occasionally they come just as we are approaching an important decision or a significant step in our life.
…. “If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the pressure mounts. You can find an apartment. You can win over your mother-in-law. You can sell your harmonica and therein fund one more meal. It’s been done before. Don’t give in. Certainly don’t give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. He wants everyone to be miserable like unto himself. Face your doubts. Master your fears. “Cast not away therefore your confidence.” Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you.” - Awesome talk!!! “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence” JEFFREY R. HOLLANDof the Quorum of the Twelve ApostlesMarch 2, 1999 • Devotional
What are some of the pain points in your day? Message me on Facebook or Instagram, or email me at hill@helpingofhappiness.com . Let’s figure some ways to turn these pain points into adventures together! Whether it’s something I’ve had experience with or one of our guests that has been in the same shoes.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
Follow us on Pinterest to find and save even more of our episodes!!
Click here to support us as Amazon Affiliates!!!
Show Notes:
Podcast we referenced with guest: Rachel Crofts: Living Around the World with Your Family with Rachel Crofts (Episode#52)
This week I had an experience where I just wanted to squeeze all my babies tight. .
Our air conditioning went out for the second time in 10 days. And while it is definitely fall in many parts of the country, it is still very hot and humid in Texas. When we repaired it the first time, we knew it probably wouldn’t hold up much longer, but we’re prayerful it would hang on until fall and we could replace it in the spring. .
When it only lasted 10 days (after spending $500- ouch!!), I was feeling pretty frustrated. .
We had an entire new system put in today, and the AC guy pulled us aside when he was finished. He asked us how long ago we had a new roof put on, we told him just a few months (yes- it’s been an expensive year!!). He said the roofers never sealed the HVAC vent properly when they finished. .
So if we would’ve turned on our furnace, it would’ve been pumping carbon monoxide all through our house. .
That is a horrifying thought!! I am now very grateful the AC went out, so we could get that put back properly. We avoided a huge family tragedy. I am so grateful the Lord didn’t answer my prayer the way I wanted him to. .
Every penny is now worth the pain and horror we avoided. I feel blessed by a tender mercy I didn’t see originally.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning:
Headaches, dizziness or vomiting
What to do when your carbon monoxide alarm goes off:
Turn off appliances or other sources of combustion IMMEDIATELY!!
-
Immediately get fresh air
-
Do a head count to make sure everyone is out of the house or building
-
Call a qualified technician and have the problem fixed before restarting the appliances
-
If anyone one is experiencing symptoms- call the fire department!
-
Do not re-enter the home or building until it has been aired out and the problem has been resolved
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Want to help support us as Amazon Affiliates? Just head to Amazon through our link . Thank you!
Lani’s Tips For Identifying Postpartum Depression:
Feeling extreme overwhelm. Crying a lot and feeling very angry.
The feeling that something just isn’t right.
The reactions from the people that are closest to you.
Getting violent with your anger; throwing things, hitting walls or people
Having thought of harming yourself or your child
What Actions To Take If You Think You Have Postpartum Depression
Have a sit down talk with your spouse or partner. Talk about ways you can get things off your plate, and what things trigger you
Find ways to have some time to yourself. Hire a babysitter, have a family member take your kids while you have down time. Practice self care.
Take people up on their offers to help you
Talk to a therapist and/or a doctor
3 Helpful And Happy Answers From Lani:
Question: What is your favorite food or meal?
Answer: Dessert & BBQ Chicken Pizza
Question: What is the best trip you’ve ever been on?
Answer: Disney Cruise with Hillary and fam!!
Question: Do you have a homemaking hack for us?
Have creative things to do for your kids around your house that they can access easily
Are You Thinking Of Going On A Disney Cruise? Check Out These Posts!
The Day Before our Disney Cruise- How we got there- Top 10 Ways we Prepped
Disney Cruise Day 1- Embarkation
Disney Cruise Day 2- Castaway Cay Island
Disney Cruise Day 3 - Atlantis Resort, Nassau, Bahamas (Water park and Dolphin Excursions)
Disney Cruise Day 3 Part 2 - Animator's Palate and Evening Activities
Disney Cruise Day 4 - Castaway Cay and Pirate Night!
Disney Cruise- Day 5: Day at Sea
To Hear More From Wonderful Lani:
Check out our previous podcast with Lani (episode #4) when she talks about how she overcame the grief of losing her mother through art and creativity.
Make sure you check out Lani's Etsy Shop!! It's called Make Wishes.
And you don't want to miss her photography website: Lil’ Wilky Photography
Follow her on Instagram @lw4photos
Mom life is the best life: rewarding, fulfilling, magical. But a good percentage of the time it can be challenging, heart breaking, and embarrassing.
In today’s mini podcast Hillary shares some 1 liners she has gathered of crazy things we have said in our mothering. Also included are some podcast outtakes. Light and funny this week!
Show notes:
Thank you to all you fabulous friends who were willing to share their funny mom life one liners! What a laugh!! Also, the other podcasts we referenced are linked below:
Baby Steps towards Waste Reduction in our Homes with Amy Foulger (Episode #27)
Mother of 7 (Including Triplets!!) After Years of Infertility - Toni Carl (Episode #15)
Highs and Lows of Mom Life with Andrea, Beth & Camille from the Family Looking Up Podcast (Episode #23)
How to Build Strong Relationships with Your Kids with Camille Ward from Family Looking Up (Episode #62)
Epic Mom Fails - mini chat with Hillary Hess & Camille Ward (Episode #71)
Show Notes:
Advice from Jen Vera:
A lot of times as moms, we have a hard time adjusting our roles. Our roles have to continually evolve as our children evolve, or our children will start distancing themselves from us.
Judgement is the fastest way to shut down communication. Instead of inserting ourselves, ask, “What did you think about that? How does that make you feel?” Help the child come to their own realization about how the situation was working out for them.
As the child begins to make those associations, they begin questioning their own decisions instead of doing things out of rebellion. Help them learn for themselves.
Have children try things under our wings. If you are ruling with an iron fist, the child gets sneaky or goes a bit crazy when they are on their own. Let them make small decisions and make mistakes when they are under our care.
It’s hard as a mom! You’re not going to parent your child the same when they are 12 or 17 as you did when they were 5. As they get older, you need to back off little by little.
Let them make decisions as early as possible. And get your ego out of it. They may be wearing ridiculous outfits, but it’s a safe choice the child can make. Are you dressing your child in a particular outfit because it reflects on you, or is it for the child?
Honor your child’s choices. Trying to control their choices doesn’t work for mom or the child. Don’t try to break their strong wills- it gives them a more confident sense of self when they are older.
Teenage and older, you become an adviser, not a controller. You don’t know what their mission is in life. If something is calling to them, try not to squelch that completely. Give them some space to listen to their heart.
Support us as Amazon Affiliates! Don’t spend an extra penny, just use our link when you’re headed to make a purchase on Amazon. Amazon in turn gives us a little kick back for providing the link. Every little bit adds up so we can fund this podcast. Click here to use our link for your amazon purchases. Thank you so much!
For our podcast archives, recipes, homemaking hacks and travel tips, head over to our site: www.helpingofhappiness.com
Have you received our FREE 3 weeks of dinner fun?? You’ll receive meal plans and fun activities to do with your family at dinner time. Click here to get it sent straight to your email.
Catch our last podcast with Jen when she tells us about her life living in Saudi Arabia as an American Mom- Episode #64.
Go follow Jen on Instagram @up.lift.ing.
Our guests today are sharing their debt free dream with us. They have a goal to pay off their mortgage ($155,000) in the next 3 years! They have amazing ideas on how to decrease spending, bring in more income and stick to your goals without feeling deprived.
Meet Amanda & Adam Walsh.
Adam and Amanda are parents to 3 children and live in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Right when they got married about 12 years ago they had a dream of being completely debt free. They started off by attacking their student loan debt of about $15,000. During lunch breaks and on weekends they scoured thrift stores and surplus sales to find things to sell on eBay and were able to pay off their debt in less than 2 years! At the time Adam wasn’t making a ton at his job, so the only way they were going to do it was by making extra money. Listen in to hear their story and get TONS of ideas of how to get this to work for you and your family.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
If you would like to see our podcast archives, family recipes, homemaking hacks or travel tips, head to our website! www.helpingofhappiness.com
Adam & Amanda’s steps to becoming debt free
-
Make a budget. Figure out what you are spending your money on. Keep it in check. Every dollar has a job. They suggest using the Mint app to track your expenses.
-
Sell on Ebay. They have some great posts about how to be successful selling on Ebay.
-
Hone your Skills. Amanda uses her graphic design skills and works as an independent contractor. She also works as a make up consultant for Maskara Beauty. They have an extensive list of 50 Ways to Make Extra Cash for more ideas. The key is to find something you’re passionate about!
-
Have a pow wow with your spouse as you’re setting it up to make sure you agree on your budget.
-
Make a category in your budget for unexpected expenses so you never get into trouble.
-
Stay out of credit card debt
Find even more great tips and join their community on their blog: https://debtfreedreaming.com/
They are also all across social media @debtfreedreaming (Facebook @DebtFreeDream
Some of our other money themed podcasts:
Debt Free Journey & Meal Prepping with Kelsey Yeager (Episode #48)
Budgeting for Single Income Families with Jessica at Wise Little Hoots (Episode #46)
5 Money Lessons All Kids Need to Know with Jonathan & Meredith Rotz (Episode #38)
Today we are talking about some fun back to school traditions!! Our guest tells us all about how she takes each of her children on dates at the start of the year to reconnect after a busy summer. She also does a celebratory family dinner to kick it all off.
Meet Jenn Lofgren.
Jenn is a wife and the mother of 4 children. When Jenn isn’t running around her kids to where they need to go, or traveling to incredible destinations, she is working as a fashion stylist for Stitch Fix. Jenn is one of the best mamas that I know. I can’t wait for you to meet her!
For our podcast archives, recipes, travel tips and homemaking hacks, head over to our website!
www.helpingofhappiness.com
We’re also across all social media. Come see us and say hi!!
Some great back to school posts:
8 Easy Lunch Ideas that Aren't Sandwiches
First Day of School and I have a High School Senior
Command Center for Kids
Chore Charts
Fashion Date
Fun Back to School Podcasts:
Helping of Happiness: Fall Decorating and Family Traditions with Stefani Bellows (Episode #19)
How She Moms: Routine Exploration with Whitney Archibald Episode #14
If you enjoyed our chat with Camille- make sure you check out our other episode’s she’s been on.
How to Build Strong Relationships with Your Kids with Camille Ward from Family Looking Up (Episode #62)
Highs and Lows of Mom Life with Andrea, Beth & Camille from the Family Looking Up Podcast (Episode #23)
For our podcast archives, travel tips, homemaking hacks and recipes, head over to our website:
www.helpingofhappiness.com
Get your FREE 3 Weeks of Dinner Fun Plan emailed straight to your inbox. Sign up HERE!
To find out more about Emily and her adventures, check out her site:
www.thebackyardadventurers.com
Head over to our website for our podcast archives, travel tips, homemaking hacks and delicious recipes! www.helpingofhappiness.com
Subscribe to our free newsletter for our 3 Weeks of Dinner fun!! Includes a menu and family activities for a fun family dinner time.
On the Helping of Happiness Podcast this week, we are talking about having a healthy mindset and positive body image. Our guest today is an experimental foodie and teaches us how to have a better relationship with our food and ourselves.
Meet Beth Summers!
Beth is a mindful eating and intuitive life coach. She teaches about finding value in ALL foods. She helps disordered eaters shift from panic to peace. She is a mother and the sweetest human being!! I can’t wait for you to meet her!
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Beth’s Book:
"True Food: Shift From Disordered Dieting to Mindful Eating in 40 Days: Explore Your Relationship with Food and Self" on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/197829445X/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_aJImDb0ZJ4CFK
Beth’s FREE Intro to Food Positivity class
FREE course at Joyfully Inspired Life
Use Coupon Code for first month free when your listeners join the Bloom Bright Membership is "helpinghappy_hillary" and it's good until August 30th
Beth’s website: https://truebalancewithbeth.com/
Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/be.truebalance/
Our Helping of Happiness Podcast guest today is teaching us how to over come the comparison, perfectionism trap by adding more nature and adventure in our lives. She teaches us all about self compassion and the role that plays in letting go of our weaknesses, and overcoming post partum depression.
Meet Brittany Crane.Brittany is a lovely mother of 4, who arranges retreats for women ready to reconnect with themselves and their friends. She loves the great outdoors, and pushing her limits to gain more self confidence. She’s also a great advocate for counseling, and asking for help when you need it.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
Sign up for emails: Getouttheregirl.com
Instagram: @getout_there_girl
Facebook: Get Out There Girl
Blog: Get Out There Girl
On the Helping of Happiness Podcast today we have two hard working women who have created an amazing app to help support women in their caregiving roles. Felicia & Aileen talk about how this app measures the work and productivity in our day and gives us validation for the many tasks we accomplish.
Meet Aileen Kelly & Felicia Kashervaroff.Aileen and Felicia are mothers and caregivers that have been best friends for over 30 years. The began a business together and have developed the Tend app- brand new in the app store. Listen to their story and how this app can bring more support and contentment to you life.
This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more about my disclosure.
For more from Aileen & Felicia:Website: https://persistiny.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/persistiny/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/persistiny/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/persistiny
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/persistiny/
Amy’s favorite food is QUESO!! Here are a couple of our favorite queso recipes:
Queso Dip
Cheese Fondue
Where you can find more from Amy:
Her website: https://www.mainlyhomemade.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mainlyhomemade
Some great blog posts by Amy on how to get started:
How to start a bullet journal:
https://www.mainlyhomemade.com/household-tips/plan/start-bullet-journal/
Things to track in your bullet journal:
https://www.mainlyhomemade.com/household-tips/plan/bullet-journal-page-ideas/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mainlyhomemade/
Twitter https://twitter.com/mainlyhomemade
Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/mainlyhomemade/
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/Pounds4Pennies
For more recipe ideas, homemaking hacks, travel tips or our podcast archives head over to our website: www.helpingofhappiness.com
How to retire the flag:
Instructions from Boy Scouts
American History Travel References:
Helping of Happiness Suggestions:
Washington DC: Best Kept Travel Secrets
Philadelphia for a Day with kids
Alexis’ favorite spots:
Fort McHenry
Gettysburg
Mt Vernon
Annapolis Naval Academy
For more from Alexis:
Website: www.AlexisHansenNV.com
Twitter: @alexishansennv
FB Page: Alexis Hansen Political Candidate
FB personal: Alexis (Lloyd) Hansen
Here is official website for NV Legislature: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Legislator/A/Assembly/Current/32
Head over to our website for more detailed show notes: www.helpingofhappiness.com
How to get our Freebie 3 Weeks of Dinner fun!
3 weeks of Dinner ideas, manners help, conversation starters and dinnertime fun: Sign up here!!!
Living in Saudi Arabia as an American mom to 2 kids can be a very confining, depressing, fearful way of life. But our Helping of Happiness podcast guest teaches us how she overcame her anxiety and learned to be brave, happy and see the silver lining of living in a freedom limiting country.
Meet Jen Vera.
As a child, Jen lived a life full of fear and anxiety. Through her life experience, she learned how to be bold, daring and take life by the horns. Listen to the tools she used to turn her into a courageous woman and mother.
Listen through the link below, or through your favorite podcast app. Please, take a minute to rate, review and subscribe to the podcast- I would appreciate it so much! That is how our podcast becomes more searchable on podcast apps.
Where to find more from Jen Vera:
Instagram: @up.lift.ing
Some of Jen’s family members that have also been on our podcast:
James Jardine: Liver Transplant Recipient (Episode #7) Part 1 of 2
Becky Jardine: Life as the Caregiver (Episode #8) Part 2 of 2
Lynnette & Jeff Peters: Emergency Preparedness (Episode #29)
Lani Wilkinson: Creativity, Family and Grief (episode #4)
Georgia Anderson: Cherishing Your Spouse with Parent & Family Relationship Educator (Episode #44)
Trey Tagliaferri: A Day in the Life of a Stay at Home Dad (Episode #30)
Summertime Fun with the Hess Girls (#13)
For our podcast archives, recipes, travel tips or homemaking hacks, check our our website: HelpingOfHappiness.com