Lighten Up with Melanie Dale: Recent Episodes
Melanie Dale
Author Melanie Dale is perpetually trying to figure out how we can all calm the heck down about parenting, friendship, getting older, and the world around us. Each episode she chats with a friend about ways we can let go and lighten up.
Our series "Lighten Up about Parenting," wraps up today, which is perfect because, drumroll please, Calm the Hck Down is officially out in the world! So we're running out of podcast but I have a whole book waiting for you, all about parenting. As you probably know by now, I invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my book, Calm the Hck Down. They were given an early copy and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if this thing actually works. Will Calm the Hck Down actually calm you the heck down? Because I think after the year we've all had, we need it. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Amy, special needs mom of three and middle school teacher from Texas, about Calm the Hck Down, processing her kids getting diagnosed with autism, and how she calms the heck down as a special needs mom. And then, stay tuned, because I'm interviewing myself and answering some frequently asked questions about the book.
Hey, you are invited to a Virtual Happy Hour with me and Coffee+Crumbs founder Ashlee Gadd on January 14. We are going to have so much fun, and there's swag! I'm personally mailing everyone who comes to the event a Calm the Hck Down* koozie and personalized bookplate to stick in your book and I hope so many of you register that I spend half of January at the post office.
Links from the show: * Join me for a Virtual Happy Hour on January 14! * Pick up a copy of Calm the Hck Down*!
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
After a brief hiatus, we're back with the penultimate episode of our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and in each episode, we have not one but two awesome conversations for you. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if this thing actually works. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Jeniffer from Mississippi about Calm the Hck Down. And then, stay tuned, because my husband Alex is coming on to talk about how we handle technology in our house. Yes that's right. Everything you want to know about how we make choices about tech for our kids, social media, the interwebz, LoJacking them and tracking their every move, and even learning to trust them. So stay tuned for that, but first, here's my conversation with Jeniffer about Calm the Hck Down*!
Beyond being the sexiest, most amazing husband ever (Alex wrote his own intro, can you tell?), Alex has worked in design and marketing for more than two decades and founded his agency Loudmark in 2008. He specializes in branding, advertising, app and web development, and more, and divides his time between managing our families technology and serving his clients including Disney, Under Armour, Universal Studios, Kraft Foods, and most importantly, me. You can learn more at loudmark.com, but join us first as we break down how we do technology with our kids. Should we give them everything or smash the WiFi router altogether? Listen in and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Fun TikTok video Alex put together to encourage our kids to swear less. * Setting up Screen Time on iPhone * Life 360 App for tracking your kid's location and driving safety * Disney Circle Home Plus provides parental control at the router level
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and in each episode, we have not one but two awesome conversations for you. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if this thing actually works. Will Calm the Hck Down actually calm you the heck down? Inquiring minds want to know. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Kelsi, mother of twin boys and a girl, from Kansas City, MO, about Calm the Hck Down.* And then, stay tuned, because author and pastor Osheta Moore is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Osheta is an author, pastor, anti-racism encourager, and an everyday peacemaker. She's working on a new book for us called Dear White Peacemakers that I am so stoked about. We talk about her insider Starbucks hookup, raising biracial children, siblings fighting, and how her parenting changed as her theology changed. Then we chat about the difference between peace keeping and peace making, and how intergenerational relationships help her with parenting teenagers. Osheta is one of my very favorite people to talk to, so listen in and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Osheta's red beans and rice recipe * Connect with her on Instagram * Find Osheta on the web * Check out Osheta's book, Shalom Sistas * How to Hit the Woah tutorial
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, this series is cool because you're getting bonus interviews. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if my book actually works. I want to make sure if you grab a copy of Calm the Hck Down that it's going to help you, as well as hopefully make you laugh. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Jen from Colorado about Calm the Hck Down.* We talk about trying to play video games with our kids, letting our kids experience consequences, and the time I charged my daughter for a Mommy Uber driver. And then, stay tuned, because author, speaker, and business coach Alli Worthington is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Alli is the mother of five boys and has a new book coming out called Standing Strong: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence. We chat about how losing everything - her husband's job, their home, filing bankruptcy - led to her work-from-home life. She talks about getting rid of mom guilt, letting kids be who they are, and what helps her calm down about parenting. Whether you're standing strong, lying in the fetal position, or somewhere in between, listen in and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Alli's new book, Standing Strong * Connect with her on Instagram * Find her on the web * Called Creatives
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, this series is cool because you're getting bonus interviews. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if my book actually works. I want to make sure if you grab a copy of Calm the Hck Down that it's going to help you, as well as hopefully make you laugh. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Jen from Colorado about Calm the Hck Down.* We talk about trying to play video games with our kids, letting our kids experience consequences, and the time I charged my daughter for a Mommy Uber driver. And then, stay tuned, because author, speaker, and business coach Alli Worthington is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Alli is the mother of five boys and has a new book coming out called Standing Strong: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence. We chat about how losing everything - her husband's job, their home, filing bankruptcy - led to her work-from-home life. She talks about getting rid of mom guilt, letting kids be who they are, and what helps her calm down about parenting. Whether you're standing strong, lying in the fetal position, or somewhere in between, listen in and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Alli's new book, Standing Strong * Connect with her on Instagram * Find her on the web * Called Creatives
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Today's podcast is sponsored by a bag of frozen riced cauliflower that I found in my freezer, because in a freak podcasting accident, I gave myself a gigundous fat lip. Seriously, so painful. I'm just trying not to talk with a lisp right now. Alex saw me holding the frozen cauliflower bag on my face and I muttered, "I hate podcasting," and he observed, "It's certainly more dangerous than I thought." And this is a day in the life of someone as clumsy as I am. While trying to strap on my fancy headphones, I clocked myself in the lip.
We are halfway through our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, this series is cool because you're getting bonus interviews, two for the price of one...which is still free...I'm not really sure about the math on that. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to use their kids as guinea pigs to see if my book actually works. I want to make sure if you grab a copy of Calm the Hck Down that it's going to help you, as well as hopefully make you laugh. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Sarah from Michigan, mother of two boys, one on the autism spectrum, about Calm the Hck Down.* We talk about the book and also what it was like getting an autism diagnosis, and she offers advice for parents in the middle of getting an autism diagnosis. And then, stay tuned, because writer and army wife Lorren Lemmons is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Lorren is a writer, a military spouse, and a former pediatric nurse. She talks about packing and moving with kids, and what it looks like preparing your kids to move. She has three kids and her four-year-old lived in four states before the age of four, so she knows a lot about this. We also talk about expectations she had going into parenting and how she calms the heck down. Lorren's got some really fun ideas, so listen in, and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Lorren's website * Connect with her on Instagram * The Magic of Motherhood * It's Not Fair * Women Are Scary
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Erin Mohring from Nebraska about Calm the Hck Down, and then stay tuned, because my friend Sarah Hauser, mother of twins, writer, and our resident recipe guru at Coffee+Crumbs, is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Sarah Hauser is a food blogger who, in addition to creating delicious recipes, writes about the theology of food. She has three kids, including twins, and describes herself as a writer, speaker, and omnivore. If you're struggling with depression, this conversation is for you, and honestly maybe all of us are struggling more than usual right now because of this unusual time. Sarah shares candidly about depression and starting medication for it. I love her approach to cooking because she sees it as a creative outlet, and her recipes are accessible for regular people like me. We talk about what it was like finding out she was pregnant with twins, nursing twins, the parts of motherhood that are boring, and road-tripping with kids. Get comfy, listen in, and lighten up
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Sarah's essay on Coffee+Crumbs, "You Don't Have to Do It All" * Find Sarah online * Connect with her on Instagram * Million Praying Moms
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Sallie, IVF mom and former schoolteacher from South Carolina, about Calm the Hck Down, and then stay tuned, because author Jamie Sumner is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Jamie is the author of Eat, Sleep, Save the World, a book for special needs parents filled with encouragement about what we're already doing right. Jamie was so much fun to talk to. She has a son with cerebral palsy who's in a wheelchair and communicates with a speaking device AND she's the mom of twins. We chat about that weird place called IEP meetings, or individualized education plan for the uninitiated, the real fears in parenting, both big and small, and what helps her calm down. I had a great time with Jamie and I can't wait for you to meet her too, so listen in and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Jamie's book, Eat, Sleep, Save the World * Find Jamie online * Connect with her on Instagram * Armchair Expert podcast
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. They volunteered to go first and kick the tires on this thing, you know, make sure the book works before you buy it. This is the most nervous I've ever been on my own show, because I had no idea what they'd say before they came on. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Staci from Tennessee about Calm the Hck Down, and then stay tuned, because author Bronwyn Lea is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Bronwyn is the author of Beyond Awkward Side Hugs and also a super wise mom. I loved hearing what she's learning about parenting, what her kids need from her, and how she calms the heck down. Whether you're driving to work, jogging, folding laundry, or hiding in the bathtub, hopefully with chocolate, listen in, and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Bronwyn's book, Beyond Awkward Side Hugs * Find Bronwyn online * Connect with her on Facebook
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you missed last week, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. They volunteered to go first and kick the tires on this thing, you know, make sure the book works before you buy it. This is the most nervous I've ever been on my own show, because I had no idea what they'd say before they came on. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Gianina from Florida about Calm the Hck Down, and then stay tuned, because author and podcaster Kara-Kae James is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting.
Kara-Kae is the founder of ThriveMoms, a ministry dedicated to encouraging and inspiring moms to more than just survive motherhood. She’s the author of Mom Up: Thriving with Grace in the Chaos of Motherhood and a new book Together: A Journal for Mom and Me, and she co-hosts the podcast Asking for a Friend. Pop in some earbuds, pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up!
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Mom Up: Thriving with Grace in the Chaos of Motherhood * Together: A Journal for Mom and Me * Find Kara-Kae on Instagram * Kara-Kae's podcast, Asking for a Friend * Introverted Mom by Jamie C. Martin * Raising White Kids * Little Women
Today I'm kicking off a new series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, Calm the Hck Down. These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. They volunteered to go first and kick the tires on this thing, you know, make sure the book works before you buy it. This is the most nervous I've ever been on my own show, because I had no idea what they'd say before they came on. So first up, today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Kelly from Minnesota about Calm the Hck Down, and then stay tuned, because radio host and stand-up comedian Jennifer Fulwiler is joining me to talk about her new book, Your Blue Flame.
She's funny! She's smart! I had a blast talking with her about parenting, following her dreams, and her new book Your Blue Flame. We talk about expectations she had going into parenting, the one thing she does every night to calm down, and how her kids are making her laugh. She decided to become a stand-up comedian and worked hard and made it happen, and she has fantastic advice for us as we pursue what makes us come alive. We chat about how can we identify our own blue flame, how do we find time to pursue our blue flame, and then she gives us a peek behind the curtain about how she developed her comedy routine and booking her first comedy tour by herself. Talking with Jennifer is fascinating and inspiring, as well as hilarious, so listen in and lighten up
Free Pandemic Parenting ebook when you preorder Calm the Hck Down! Calm the Hck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, Pandemic Parenting: How to Calm Down When the World's Messed Up, available exclusively to those who preorder.
Links from the show: * Check out Jen's book, Your Blue Flame * Jen's new podcast * Catch up with Jen on Instagram
Today I'm talking with Knox McCoy, swashbuckling co-host of The Popcast with Knox and Jamie and author of the new book, All Things Reconsidered.
As I'm trying to edit this podcast, my kids are literally screaming at the top of their lungs above me. I don't know what's happening. We are at DEFCON ONE right now. I can only assume we've been attacked by zombies and at this point, I kinda don't mind? Knox and I talk about our current apocalypse, trying to work at home with kids, is this really easier on introverts, dealing with sleeplessness, and soul diarrhea. What is soul diarrhea and how can we avoid catching it? You'll have to listen to the show. Knox also gives his apocalypse movie recommendations for both kids and adults.
Now above me someone is stomping around like an elephant. We may in fact have an elephant loose in the house. My first order of business after this social distancing is to trick out my office like a bomb shelter, with sound proofing and a month's supply of Doritos and bourbon.
I know there are a lot of horrible things happening in the world. People losing loved ones, losing jobs, and losing their minds at home with their kids. I don't know what your life is like now, if you're on the front lines battling this pandemic, serving your community as an essential worker, or just trying to do the right thing and stay home to flatten the curve, but wherever you are, I hope this puts a smile on your face, so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Connect with Knox on Instagram and Twitter * Check out Knox's new book, All Things Reconsidered
Today to wrap up our series Lighten Up about Pop Culture, I'm talking with Sophie Hudson, author of the new book Stand All the Way Up. The Miss America Pageant brought us together and today we're taking our love of show biz all the way to Broadway. We talk about shows from Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton to the Buffy musical and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. We cover which cast recordings we could perform flawlessly if called upon, as well as what shows have emotionally impacted us. I love talking to Sophie because she's one of the funniest people I know, but she also shares some insights about the theatre that are so beautiful and profound. Grab your tap shoes, warm up your jazz hands, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Find Sophie on the interwebz * Sophie on Instagram * Sophie's new book, Stand All the Way Up * Anna and the Apocalypse
We are in our "lighten up about pop culture" series and today I'm talking with my friend Osheta Moore, pastor and author of Shalom Sistas. She hosts the podcast Shalom Y'all and has a series called "Dear White Peacemakers," so after this, run don't walk to go check that out and subscribe. Today we're talking about our mutual love of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We talk favorite superheroes, favorite villains, favorite movies, and what TV shows have shaped us. Then, we chat honestly about when our favorites become problematic. Cosby, Michael Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, R Kelly...Osheta brings her peacemaking wisdom to this space and really helps me grapple with some of the tension we all feel between our favorite shows and songs and the people who create them, so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * The Hill on Which This Cosby Kid Is Willing to Die * Check out Osheta's book, Shalom Sistas * Dear White Peacemakers * Find Osheta on Instagram * Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology * Rick Riordan's Magnus Chase series * The Sandman series * H.P. Lovecraft
Today as part of our "lighten up about pop culture" series, I'm talking with my friend and freelance editor and writer Kendall Ashley about fandoms, from Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy to Battlestar Galactica and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm gonna go ahead and put it out there that Kendall and I are both huge nerds, and by that I mean we are so super cool and you should be jealous of our combined knowledge of monster lore and wizarding prowess. We get downright emotional about Star Wars. We talk about fans policing other fans, when writers makes choices we don't like, I'm looking at you Game of Thrones, breaking up with fandoms, how we're indoctrinating our kids into our fandoms...bingeing Supernatural, Firefly, movies that made us cry, and adult Dungeons & Dragons. We chat about our first fandoms that we ever really got into and when we first discovered we were big nerds. I regret that I didn't even get to my obsession with Doctor Who, but Kendall blew my mind, rendering me speechless, speechless I say, with her perspective on Hayden Christensen as emo teen Anakin Skywalker. Throw on your favorite cosplay, grab your Funko collection, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Visit Kendall's site * Check her out on Twitter * Harriet the Spy * Nancy Drew * 10 Ways Buffy Taught Me to Battle the Forces of Darkness
Today I'm talking with novelist Shawn Smucker in our series "lighten up about pop culture," about the books that have shaped us and what's influencing us now. He shares some of his favorite books and authors and what music he listens to while writing, and you guys I got a total scoop. Shawn revealed the title of his next book and what it's about, for the first time ever, to me on this very podcast. However, an addendum to that: I'm going to pull back the curtain on this here podcastery a bit and tell you that because of scheduling wonkiness with some of the guests for this series, Shawn and I recorded this approximately 47 years ago but I'm just now releasing it. Which is why I would never make a good reporter, on account of my lack of timeliness. Hey guys I got a big scoop for you that I kept to myself! The good news is his next book comes out in June and is available for preorder, so go check it out, but first, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the Show * Shawn and Maile's podcast, The Stories Between Us * Shawn's latest: Light from Distant Stars * These Nameless Things * Shawn's YA books: The Day the Angels Fell and The Edge of Over There * Pachinko * Night Tiger * Children of Blood and Bone * Trail of Lightning * Good Omens * Empathy for the Devil
Today I'm kicking off a new series with my good friend Sarah Bragg, "lighten up about pop culture." To introduce this series, Sarah and I are unpacking some of our pop culture baggage from childhood, the scare tactics used on us from being raised in the 80s, the ooky danger of Dungeons and Dragons and evil Satan Smurfs. We talk Psalty the Singing Songbook, that devastating day when Amy Grant WENT SECULAR (gasp), and how we can relate to Lane on Gilmore Girls. (All in good fun, Mom and Dad. All in good fun.) Then we turn the tables on ourselves and talk about what we're protecting our own kids from and how we're trying to do things differently but also accidentally developed Sponge Bob phobia. Parenting is hard. Sarah is one of my very favorite people and we have a blast together, so listen in and lighten up!
Notes from the show: * Surviving Sarah podcast * Sarah on Instagram * In a Dark, Dark Room - the book with the story "The Green Ribbon" that turned me on to horror in second grade
Today I'm talking with Kelly Minter, Bible teacher and author of the beautiful new cookbook, A Place at the Table. Years ago I went to a group for moms where we went through Kelly's study of the book of Nehemiah, which was about this guy who goes back to his hometown to lead his people to rebuild their security wall that had fallen down. It's this ancient Hebrew scripture about leading a big group project and all the challenges along the way. And anyway, at the end of each chapter of this really cool book about leadership, Kelly shared a recipe. And they were good recipes, and pretty easy to pull off. So when her new cookbook landed on my desk, I got excited and knew I wanted to have her on the show to wrap up our series on hospitality. We are going to talk charcuterie boards, potlucks, and how cooking is the hope for community. As a single woman, Kelly gives great insight about how couples with or without kids can be inclusive for our single friends, so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * A Place at the Table * Kelly's Nehemiah study * Find Kelly on Instagram
Today I'm talking with Polly Conner, who is half of the team of wizards over at Thriving Home. Polly and Rachel have a new cookbook out, From Freezer to Cooker, and today Polly is on the show to help us feed our people and the people our people bring home. Polly kicks us off with a hilarious recipe fail, then she gives us a ton of ideas to help us lighten up about hospitality. We chat about her go-to things for feeding big groups of teens and tweens, what she buys in bulk, how freezing meals has revolutionized how she preps for dinner, and how she uses her Instant Pot for hands-free meals. After talking with Polly, I have so many new ideas for meal planning and prepping, and I'll have links to everything she shares in the show notes, so grab a snack, kick back, listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show:
- Polly made us a Lighten Up page with all the recipes and ideas from the show!
- From Freezer to Table
- From Freezer to Cooker
- Polly's website, Thriving Home
- Find Polly on Instagram
I'm talking with my good friend Chantel Adams about practicing hospitality to our families. Chantel has four kids, some who are grown and some who are growing and she is chock full of practical, creative ways to show hospitality to the people we're raising. We chat about fun ideas for the family dinner table, how family time has changed as her kids have grown up, and our biggest struggles with showing hospitality to our kids. No matter how old your kids are, there's something for you in this episode, so listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Karen Ehman's A Life that Says Welcome * Chantel's site and Instagram * A Vindication of the Rights of Women
We're in the middle of our series, Lighten Up about Hospitality, and today I'm chatting with Melissa Camara Wilkins, author of Permission Granted: Be Who You Were Made to Be and Let Go of the Rest. She tells the story of the time she wore jeans to a yoga class and actually learned kind of a profound lesson through it. Melissa extends to us an invitation to soul-level simplicity, giving yourself permission to be who you really are. We chat about making life simpler and how we apply simplicity to hospitality. She shares her Three Breaths Rule, we talk about our go-to hacks for having people over, and as a bonus, I pick her brain about her number one practical piece of advice for launching kids to college, and it's a good one. Whether you're joining us from your commute or your treadmill, your laundry room or your kitchen, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the Show: Melissa's book, Permission Granted: Be Who You Were Made to Be and Let Go of the Rest
- Find her on Instagram
- Three Breaths Rule
- Yogi Green Tea
- Electric Kettle
Today I'm kicking off a new series, Lighten Up about Hospitality, with a conversation with Leslie Verner, the author of Invited: The Power of Hospitality in an Age of Loneliness. We talk about why we're lonely, how smartphones and our culture of independence are contributing to loneliness. Leslie lived in China and Uganda, studied the differences in culture, and talks about what she's learned from other cultures, like putting people above tasks. We chat about how we can cultivate a love of strangers and actively put ourselves in the path of strangers to meet. And then we talk practically about prepping before people come over, what doesn't matter to us when inviting people over, and how the practice of solitude is important for filling up in order to provide hospitality. Whether you love meeting people and practicing hospitality or would rather live deep in the woods by yourself surrounded by woodland animals, there's something here for everyone, so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show:
- Check out Leslie's book, Invited
- Find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
- Leslie's site, Scraping Raisins (On the show, she shares the really cool reason she named her site this!)
Today we're wrapping up our Friendship Over 40 series with New York Times bestselling author Melanie Shankle! Ahh, you guys, she's so funny. I laughed my way through this whole thing. We chat about her 30-year friendship with her best friend Gully and how it's hard making new friends during this stage of life, as well as the things we're talking about with our friends, sexy things like waning eyesight and needing readers to see a menu, the joys of perimenopause, and our 40-something periods. (Women in their forties are so hot, and I do mean literally.) Between her funny memoirs, Big Mama blog, and Big Boo podcast, Melanie has kept me laughing for years, and today we're hanging out right here, so pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Sparkly Green Earrings * Check out all of Melanie's books! * Find Melanie on Instagram or Twitter * Listen to the Big Boo Cast * Read the Big Mama Blog * Where the Crawdads Sing * Little Fires Everywhere * Dark Matter
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Today for our friendship over 40 series I'm talking with my friend Callie Feyen, author of The Teacher Diaries: Romeo & Juliet and Twirl. We chat about how making friends has changed for us as we've gotten older and how our conversations have morphed from nap schedules to navigating our teens' technology and talking about our jobs. Callie introduces us to her friends in her memoir Twirl, so we talk about she's maintaining these friendships from high school all the way into her forties, as well as what she would tell her thirty-year-old self. We talk about hanging out without the kids, how we coach our kids to be kind to each other so the adults can still hang out during these volatile middle school years, and how, thankfully, we are separate from our kids, with separate friendships. Come on over and hang out with Callie and me, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: Check out Callie's books:
- Twirl
- The Teacher Diaries: Romeo & Juliet
Find Callie on Twitter and Instagram
- Callie was on episode #61!
- To All the Boys I've Loved Before
- Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl
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We're continuing our series on friendship over 40, and today I'm talking with author, speaker, and yoga teacher Kathy Khang. She's the author of the book Raise Your Voice, and she has great advice for us as we navigate the difficult subjects with our friends. How do we speak up about things we care about with the people we love? We also chat about making your own friends without your kids as a buffer, maintaining your friends as your kids' friendships change, letting go of friendships when you grow in different directions, and mom drama. And, we talk about that thing when your kids get older and want to join you and your friends at the grownup table. Ugh, I miss the old days of spelling swear words so they wouldn't understand. Pour a cup of coffee, pop a squat on your yoga mat, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out Kathy's book Raise Your Voice * Find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook * Check out Kathy’s website * Kathy was my guest on episode #78!
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We are in our series Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40 and today I'm talking with one of my longest-running friends, Jamie C. Martin, author of Introverted Mom. We chat about what friendship over 40 looks like, specifically in regard to introverts and extroverts. As an extrovert, I'm always worried about being annoying, so Jamie equips us with fantastic advice on how to engage our introverted friends. She shares how she likes to get to know someone, her favorite things to do with friends, and how she maintains friendships during this busy season of life. If you don't already know Jamie, I'm so excited to introduce you to MY friend, so screw in your earbuds or airpods, crank up Alexa, push the button thingy on the interwebz, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out Introverted Mom * Take the Introverted Mom quiz! * Find Jamie on Instagram * Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb * Dracula by Bram Stoker * Educated by Tara Westover * Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte * The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
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Today by popular demand, I'm starting a new series called Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40. Back when I wrote Women Are Scary, about finding mom friends during the early childhood years, I had women ask me when I was going to write a book about finding mom friends later in life, and finding mom friends when you have teenagers. My response was always, hold on lemme get there first. Well I'm here now and several of you have asked me about friendship over 40 so we're going to explore this over the next few weeks. I'm excited about this series because I've got some fantastic guests coming on to unpack all this with me. And this series is for everyone. If you're in your twenties and thirties, there's some relationship gold in here, so enjoy hearing people a little farther along prepare you for what's coming. If you're in your forties, you know what we're talking about, so pull up a chair and come help us solve all our problems. If you're out of your forties, send us all your thoughts and prayers and feel free to laugh at us behind our backs. Wherever you are in life, text a friend, grab a cup of coffee, and keep working hard at those relationships.
To kick us off, my friend Elisha Beach, founder of The Mom Forum, is joining me. Elisha and I met on the set of Moms Everyday, a TV show we were on several years ago, and I just love her. She's so easy to talk to and open and honest - so open and honest in fact that a photo she posted of herself nursing while on the toilet went viral a few years ago. I knew we had to be friends immediately. She was on the show all the way back on episode 27, back when I think we both were still in our thirties, in fact, so let's welcome her 40 year old self back on the show. And I'm so glad YOU'RE here joining us today, so get comfy, listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: The Mom Forum
Find Elisha on social media:
- Instagram.com/mylifeisabeach
- Twitter.com/mylifesabeach
- Facebook.com/mylifeisabeach
Want more Elisha? She was on episode 27 of Lighten Up, too!
- Handmaid's Tale
- Challenge Accepted! by Celeste Barber
- Big Little Lies
- What Alice Forgot
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Hey welcome to episode 106 of Lighten up with Melanie Dale. BONUS ILLNESS EDITION. I know I said we concluded the Lighten Up with Illness series, and I'm well into working on our next series, Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40, but recently Stephanie Tait ran across my path and she has a new book called The View from Rock Bottom so, I mean, I was dying to talk to her about how she lightens up down there at rock bottom. Stephanie talks about her tenacious 15-year journey to getting diagnosed with Lyme Disease, what it's like living with Lyme, and how she learned to lighten up and let herself have a life in the midst of disability, instead of waiting indefinitely until everything was all better. She asked herself, "What if this is my life...what am I waiting for?" Stephanie is hopeful and real and I know you'll love hanging out with her as much as I did, so listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * The View from Rock Bottom
* Check out Stephanie's website: www.stephanietaitwrites.com
Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
* Under Our Skin documentary
* Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy, who was just on episode 105 of Lighten Up
* Disability and the Way of Jesus
* Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker, who was on episode 43 of Lighten Up
Today for the finale to our series, Lighten Up about Illness, I'm talking with Alia Joy. You may remember her from episode 99, and now I'm happy to share that her new book, Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack, is available now. Today we talk about her bipolar disorder, how it's impacted her life and her kids, and the unpredictability that comes with illness. She says, "I have to be okay with undone things." We talk about what she's learned from bipolar disorder, and Alia says, "Everybody goes through seasons. Mine are just more noticeable...Bipolar is like you're making sandcastles and they're just constantly being swept away." She shares about looking for beauty and wonder in places you'd never expect to find it, and the way she lightens up in the middle of everything is by raising funny kids. We talk about the amazing comedic timing of her kids and the blessings of having a funny family. Through her book and our conversation, Alia is teaching me so much, so grab a fuzzy blanket, get comfy, listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Check out Alia’s new book, Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack * Find Alia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram * Alia’s website * Listen to Alia's previous visit to Lighten Up Podcast, Episode #99 * Alia’s essays: + The Hospitality of Marriage + The Fluency of Hope + When I Am Bipolar + Coming of Age in This American Life * The Atlas of Reds and Blues
We are in the middle of our series "Lighten Up about Illness" and today I'm talking with Lauren Gaskill, author of Into the Deep: Diving into a Life of Courageous Faith, and host of the podcast She Found Joy. Lauren has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which affects her collagen, joints, and muscles. We chat about her road to finding a diagnosis, her treatments for EDS, and how she is lightening up and finding joy while managing her symptoms. Lauren shares how keeping an eternal perspective helps her lighten up about her circumstances, how she figures out the safe people to talk with about her disorder, and her advice for developing a supportive community. I'm so glad you're with us, so pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: * She Found Joy podcast * Find a She Found Joy event near you * Check out Lauren's book, Into the Deep: Diving into a Life of Courageous Faith * "A Stink Bug Tried to Mate with Me" - my bug essay on Coffee+Crumbs * Letters to the Church by Francis Chan * Winning the Worry Battle by Barb Roose (Barb was on Lighten Up episode #75!) * The Writing Desk by Rachel Hauck * Pet Sematary by Stephen King * Divergent by Veronica Roth
We're in the middle of our series, lighten up about illness, and today I'm talking with my friend Lesley Miller. Lesley and I met through Coffee+Crumbs, she's an incredible writer, and she's currently going through what she calls her second cancer year. Her husband Jonathan had cancer, and now her son Owen was diagnosed last October and has been going through treatment. We chat about the differences and similarities between adult cancer and childhood cancer, and how it's impacted her life and her other kids. Lesley shares what cancer has taught her, how they're coping and lightening up in the middle of this, and how she deals with the emotional burden of caring for her family. She says that the biggest gift people can give to people going through illness is seeing them. She shares how can we support our friends with kids dealing with life-threatening illnesses and advises us to let the parents take the lead. And maybe my favorite part of the interview is her insight into lightening up, how she sees two parts to lightening up - the soul work part and the everyday fun stuff. You have to do the first one in order to have the second. Lesley is incredibly helpful and insightful so if you have people in your life currently walking through childhood cancer and you're wondering how to support them, this is the perfect conversation for you, so listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Streams in the Desert by L.B. Cowman * When Life and Beliefs Collide by Carolyn Custis James * The American Marriage by Tayari Jones * Tell Me More by Kelly Corrigan * Twirl by Callie Feyen
Today I'm talking with Niki Hardy, author of the new book Breathe Again: How to Live Well When Life Falls Apart. Niki is a cancer survivor and she shares how her diagnosis affected her, how she handled telling her kids, parenting with cancer, and how humor helped her and her kids get through her cancer treatments. Also, uh, Niki had rectal cancer, so yeah, heck yeah, we talk about poop. She says, "You're never too young to love your bum." I know this is a conversation about cancer, but it's uplifting and hopeful and will help you reevaluate how you approach life...and also nudge you to get regular checkups and listen to your body. As Niki wisely shares, "Life doesn't have to be pain-free to be full," so listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: Preorder Niki's book, Breathe Again: How to Live Well When Life Falls Apart
Connect with Niki:
- Website www.nikihardy.com
- IG: @niki.hardy
- FB: @NikiHardyauthor
The Queen of Hearts by Kimmery Martin
Small Great Things and A Spark of Light by Jodi Piccoult
The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman (Emily was on episode #29 of Lighten Up Podcast!)
Check check, is this thing on? Well hi there. I guess I'm back from hiatus and ready for more podcastery, so I thought I'd start with something super fun and light...illness? I know, illness is not historically a light topic, but we do learn coping tactics for getting through. How do we not descend into hopelessness when we're battling health problems? Today I kick off a new series in which I interview people dealing with various illnesses and how they learn to lighten up in the midst of the hard stuff. For this first episode, I interview myself. I talk about my endometriosis and also supporting loved ones with mental illness, ADHD, trauma, and autism. I also share how I learned to throw out expectations for what life would look like and my daily practice for lightening up. I always say that laughter makes us brave. Life's too long to take the whole thing seriously, so listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: * It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose * Infreakinfertility: How to Survive When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard * Dead to Me (trigger warning about miscarriage) * Subscribe to my monthly newsletter
I'm celebrating my 100th episode! ONE HUNDRED. This reminds me of the 100th day of school shenanigans when our kids have to bring in 100 items and dress up like 100-year-old people. It's basically, "Let's work in another stupid spirit day." I will not make you do homework to observe this 100th episode milestone, although if you want to celebrate by leaving me a review on iTunes, I would love that so much. I'm celebrating the day by sharing some big news that I've wanted to tell you for a while. I've got stuff percolating over here, and it starts with a broken promise. So listen to the episode to find out what's up, and then, my buddy Sarah Bragg and I talk about work, career, and purpose for our final monthly crossover of the year. We share funny stories from our first jobs, chat about what our dream jobs would be, and discuss how we can find our purpose, whether that's parenting, a dream job, or a dream-adjacent job, something you never thought you'd be doing. It's all important, and how do we figure out what we're supposed to be doing with our lives? Join us to discuss all the things, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Coffee+Crumbs "Exhale" community * Big Magic * Check out my new book, Infreakinfertility * Sign up to be email friends with me * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation on work and purpose! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter
Today I'm talking with Alia Joy, author of Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack. We start out trading colonoscopy stories. Anytime I can exchange poop stories with someone I'm pretty much in heaven. You know. After that, we chat about how we need to lighten up about grammar, then Alia shares about living with bipolar disorder, how she was diagnosed, and the stigma of mental illness. I know I'm not supposed to have favorite episodes but this one is so good. It's my favorite balance of fun and serious. Mental illness can feel so isolating, and Alia's openness with hers sheds light and helps us understand, empathize, and feel less alone. Whether you've had a colonoscopy, struggle with mental illness, or love someone who does, listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Preorder Alia's new book, Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack * Find Alia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram * Alia's website
Alia's essays:
- The Hospitality of Marriage
- The Fluency of Hope
- When I Am Bipolar
- Coming of Age in This American Life
Today I'm soooo excited for you to get to know Shannan Martin. Shannan is one of my faves. She's wise and fun and I just love the way she's living her life. She's got a new book out, The Ministry of Ordinary Places, and we talk about what led her to move from her dream farmhouse in the country to a life in the city. She shares about adopting four kids, including a 19-year-old son who was incarcerated, putting her kids into a "failing" public school with one of the highest poverty rates in the state, and what she's learning with a son who has been incarcerated about the school to prison pipeline. We chat about standing with our neighbors, how to be a good neighbor, and what it looks like to make yourself available and show up for them. Whether you live in the country, the city, or the suburbs like me, there's good stuff here for all of us, unless you live in a yurt on a mountain by yourself...no, even you, yurt-dweller. There's something here for you, too, so listen in, and lighten up.
Quotes from the show: * "People say we need to bring God back in the schools. God is just already there." * "Don't let fear of the unknown hold you back from getting a clear vision of what the kingdom of God looks like."
Links from the show: * Check out Shannan's new book, The Ministry of Ordinary Places * Find Shannan on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter * Shannan's first book, Falling Free * David Platt's Radical sermon series * Radical book * Kisses from Katie, Amazima ministry * Kisses from Katie book * My new book, Infreakinfertility
Today, Sarah Bragg and I are talking about failure on our monthly crossover episode. We pick all the super fun topics. But first, we give kind of an update about our weird fears, she with her extreme fear of a certain violent woodland animal and me with my terror of airborne mating plants. It's a whole thing. Anyway, then we chat about epic celebrity fails and our own personal fails and you guys, this is all soooo embarrassing and should make you feel better or at least in good company. We discuss how you handle failure and also how do you help your kids navigate failure and build resilient kids. Failure is so fun! Hey, we've all been there, so listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Check out my new book, Infreakinfertility * Sign up to be email friends with me * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation on big fat failure! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter
Hey and welcome to episode 96 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. AND Alex Dale. Because today my husband is joining me to talk about our new book, Infreakinfertility: How to Survive When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard, which is available today! This book has been a dream of mine for many, many years and today I can say, it’s here! Please visit the Amazon and go buy it! Maybe listen to this podcast while you do. Alex and I chat about two main things, our experience with infertility and our experience working together on this book. Lemme just mention here at the beginning in case you’re cranking this podcast around small children, we’re going to be talking a bit about reproductive biology, so…biological terminology ahead. Peach and eggplant emojis, people. Peaches and eggplants. You’ve been warned. So whether you’re dealing with infertility yourself, have a loved one who is, or have experienced the joys and challenges of working with your partner on a project, or appreciate a good penis illustration, there’s something here for everyone, so listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Check out Infreakinfertility: How to Survive When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard * Get a monthly email from Melanie with stories, updates, and fun things * Subscribe to Lighten Up on iTunes or on Stitcher
Today I'm talking with Tricia Goyer, author of several million books and mother of several billion kids, about her new book, Calming Angry Kids. Um, you guys, does anybody else have some kids who get a little ragey from time to time or maybe a lot? I mean, don't raise your hand, but I will quietly fist bump you without naming names. Tricia has dealt with some serious anger in her home and offers us some great advice. We talk about how to calm your kids down when they're angry, how to handle it when your kid's anger is directed at you, and most importantly, how to build a relationship with your angry kid when it's hard. I wish I had Tricia on speed dial when things heat up around here, but I have the next best thing, our conversation today. If the anger is burning red hot and heavy, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out Calming Angry Kids * If you liked this conversation, Tricia was on episode #45, too! * Find Tricia on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram * Tricia’s site
Today I'm talking with author and host of the Say Something Show, Kay Wyma. We chat about that time she freaked out the Secret Service, which was probably a little nerve-wracking in the moment but hilarious now. Then we talk about her book, Not the Boss of Us. Do you ever face overwhelming pressures and expectations or do you find yourself trying to help your kids with pressure at school or with friends? Kay talks about replacing our fears with truth and shares how we can stop feeling so overwhelmed. If the weight of the world is pressing down on you, listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Check out Kay's new book, Not the Boss of Us * Find Kay on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter * Say Something Show * Pre-order my new book releasing October 23, Infreakinfertility: How to Survive When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard
Today I'm talking with Rachel Linden, author of the new novel Becoming the Talbot Sisters. She tells the riveting and hilarious tale of her unexpected encounter with a cycling onesie, and then we shift gears, haha, cycling pun totally intended, and talk about moving to Budapest and working with victims of trafficking. We chat about writing Becoming the Talbot Sisters, and how she set the story in Budapest as a love letter to the country. Her book delves into miscarriage and pregnancy loss, infertility and surrogacy, and Rachel shares about her desire to write strong female characters and the novels that inspired her. Whether you're folding laundry, heading to the office, or going for a jaunty bike ride, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out Rachel's new book, Becoming the Talbot Sisters * Find Rachel on Facebook and Instagram * Rachel's site * The Historian * Hope Dies Last organization * Little Women * Little House on the Prairie * The Art of Racing in the Rain * The Solace of Water * Warm Bodies * The Girl with All the Gifts * You can preorder the Kindle version of Infreakinfertility now, or buy the hard copy on October 23!
It's time yet again for our monthly crossover episode with my good friend Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah. This month we're shooting the breeze about fashion. Because no one knows fashion like a couple of middle-aged moms living in the suburbs of Atlanta. We share our personal fashion and makeup rules, fashion trends we'd like to see die a fiery death, and our daily routines. Also, we play fashion police and at one point I use the phrase "bubular area." Pull on your sweatiest yoga pants with the hole in the crotch, listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Sign up to be email friends with me * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation on contentment! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter
Today I'm talking with Kimberly Stuart, writer of romance and author of the new book, Heart Land. Kimberly is incredibly fun and very patient with me as I ask ridiculous questions about romantic things, cite Fabio on the covers of the books at the grocery store checkout, and unpack my hangups with romance, both as a genre and in my sadly pragmatic actual life. We discuss our feelings about The Greatest Showman, our romantic experiences both on the page and off, "bodice rippers," and her new book Heart Land. I'm dubbing her our "romantic Yoda." Meet us at the corner table with a red rose pressed between the pages of Wuthering Heights, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out Kimberly's latest book Heart Land * Find her on Instagram * video of audition for The Greatest Showman * Matchmaking for Beginners * Marisa de los Santos books * Same Kind of Different as Me * Pride and Prejudice * The Picture of Dorian Gray
Today I'm talking with author Sarah Clarkson, the daughter of Sally Clarkson, who we had on the show last year. Sarah's great and we hear the story of how she moved to London, went to Oxford, and met her Dutch husband. Then we chat about her new book, Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life. Sarah shares how we can develop imagination and a love of reading in our own lives, and she has tons of ideas for making reading engaging and enjoyable for our kids. Whether you read a hundred books a year or haven't cracked one open since school, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out Sarah's new book, Book Girl: A Journey Through the Treasures and Transforming Power of a Reading Life * Find Sarah on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Episode #54 with Sally Clarkson * Taking a Hot Bath Burns as Many Calories as a 30-Minute Walk * Faith, Hope, and Poetry * Mariner * David Copperfield * Munich * Thomas Merton * Ready Player One * Sherlock Holmes
Hey welcome to episode 89 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Patrice Gopo, author of All the Colors We Will See. We chat about the importance of storytelling and talking about race and immigration. Patrice has a unique and important perspective and her story is captivating. Her parents are from Jamaica, she grew up in Alaska, moved to South Africa, married a Zimbabwean man, and now she lives in North Carolina. She shares about the complexity of her identity, feeling different, and how she's processed her identity in her new book All the Colors We Will See. Patrice also offers great advice on how we can welcome immigrants around us, in our neighborhoods and communities, so listen in and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by Teami Blends. As you head into fall, try this 30-day, two-step detox process. You drink Teami Skinny tea in the morning and Teami Colon tea every other night and that's it. A two-step process to more energy and less bloat. Teami is offering Lighten Up listeners 15% off any order with code UNEXPECTED so check out teamiblends.com.
Links from the show: * Check out Patrice's new book, All the Colors We Will See * Find Patrice on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Patrice's website * Kate Motaung's interview on Lighten Up
Today is our monthly crossover episode with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah. You guys know the drill. Two podcasters, one topic, and we have a ton of fun doing it. You can listen to one half of our conversation here, and then check out the other half over on Surviving Sarah. Today is our very angry episode. So much anger. I know it's called Lighten Up over here, but I feel super comfortable on the dark side of life. Anger! We talk about our favorite angry characters, how anger can be used for good, how to process it and do good things with it instead of stuffing it, how to peel back the anger to see what's underneath it, and times in our lives when we were really angry...in a funny way. So, go Hulk smash a pillow, listen in, and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It’s basically like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they’re giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Sign up to be email friends with me * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation on contentment! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter * The episode with Melanie's engagement story
Today I'm talking with Liz Ditty, a spiritual director and teacher at Westgate Church in Silicon Valley and the author of God's Many Voices. We start out laughing about the embarrassing side of meal trains, and then we chat about hearing from God. Have you ever heard from God? Is it a big booming voice in the sky? Does everyone hear God the same way? How do we even talk to God and is God even listening? What if God seems silent? Whether God spoke to you this morning or you'd prefer that he didn't, listen in and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It’s like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they’re giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Check out Liz's book, God's Many Voices * Find Liz on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter * Liz's website * Propel Women "5 Ways to Pray"
Hey, welcome to episode 86 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Rachelle Dekker. You may recognize that last name, because her dad is the author Ted Dekker, and we talk about what's it like to be the daughter of an author. But Rachelle is also an incredible author herself and we talk about her latest supernatural suspense novel, When Through Deep Waters. We chat about everything from where do the worlds she creates come from to dealing with darkness, as her characters wrestle with tragedy, grief, and shame. Oh my gosh I love fiction and the supernatural so I am excited for you to meet Rachelle, so listen in and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It’s like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they’re giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Check out Rachelle's new book, When Through Deep Waters * Find Rachelle on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter * Rachelle's site * Melanie's Edgar Allen Poe boxers
Today I’m talking with Katrina McCain, a former fashion model and author of the book Beyond Being Good. We talk about her book, her 9-year modeling career, her Beyond Borders Charity Runway Show, and, um, maybe a wardrobe malfunction or two. Katrina is awesome and you’re gonna love her…and you guys will be proud of me because I only made one Zoolander reference the whole time. Whether you’re wearing Gucci, yoga pants, or Derelicte!, listen in and lighten up.
Episode sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It’s basically like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they’re giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Check out Beyond Being Good * Katrina's website * Find Katrina on Instagram * Fashion Beyond Borders
This week I've combined our Dog Days of Summer series with our monthly crossover episode with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah! So as always with these monthly episodes, you can hear one half of our conversation here on Lighten Up, and the other half over on Surviving Sarah. Today Sarah shares her favorite dog story, and did she commit a crime or not? You be the judge. Then, we tackle back to school. Back to school. What the heck? How is it already that time?! Here in Georgia, the season in upon us so we might as well talk about it. We cover school supplies (Who IS Dixon Ticonderoga?!), our own back to school memories, the first time we sent our kiddos to school, and how it's changed as our kids have grown up. We share tips for navigating back to school, what not to do (ask us how we know!), how to have reasonable expectations about school involvement, how to partner with teachers, how to stay organized with all your kids' papers, and tackling the morning routine, ugh. So whether your kids go back this week, next week, or not for another month, listen in and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It’s basically like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they’re giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Sign up to be email friends with me * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation on contentment! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter * Episode 68 with Wynter Pitts
We're in the Dog Days of Summer and today's guest is my friend Jeannie Cunnion, author of Mom Set Free and teller of hilarious dog stories. I laughed until I cried during our conversation. And hey, if you have small children and aren't ready to to explain reproductive biology to them yet, you might want to grab some headphones. You've been warned. This podcast could also be titled, "The Shitzu Had Its Period." Today on Lighten Up, love is in the air...and the only thing stopping it is a very determined Jeannie Cunnion. Neuter and spay your dogs, listen in, and lighten up.
Episode sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It's basically like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they're giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Dog Days of Summer super googley research: + Wikipedia + National Geographic + Farmer's Almanac + Almanac.com * Check out Jeannie’s new book, Mom Set Free and the corresponding Bible study * Find Jeannie: + Facebook + Instagram
- Jeannie's previous visit to Lighten Up, episode 38
- The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
We are smack in the middle of the Dog Days of Summer, both literally and on this podcast, and today's guest is Logan Wolfram, author of Curious Faith and friend of the show. Logan has big dogs, and big dogs make big smells. My favorite quote from the show is when Logan says, "You just kind of sign yourself up for these weird things when you have animals." Also, I think this episode wins for most use of the word "humping." To prepare yourself for this episode, ask yourself this, "If your dog eats part of your sandwich, do you throw the rest away, eat it anyway, or serve it to your kids?" Ponder that, and while you do, listen in, and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It's basically like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they're giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Dog Days of Summer super googley research: + Wikipedia + National Geographic + Farmer's Almanac + Almanac.com
- Check out Logan's book, Curious Faith
- Find Logan:
- This isn't Logan's make-ahead waffle recipe but this is the one I've been using and it's awesome and easy and my kids think I'm amazing now.
- Logan's previous visits to Lighten Up:
- episode 2
- episode 31
- The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
Today I'm kicking off a fun series called the Dog Days of Summer, and my first guest is the author of If You Only Knew and host of the popular podcast Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey. Jamie's a friend of the show and I'm so happy to have her back to share some dog stories. I love dogs, but sometimes they are a handful and we have some funny, funny stories this month of dogs getting into all kinds of trouble. Jamie shares about the first dog she and her husband Aaron ever owned, who she calls, "the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my entire life." Summer is the perfect time to kick back and share stories, so grab a glass of something cold, cuddle up with your dog or lovable hamster, listen in, and lighten up!
Episode sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It's basically like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they're giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com.
Links from the show: * Dog Days of Summer super googley research: + Wikipedia + National Geographic + Farmer's Almanac + Almanac.com
- Check out Jamie’s new book, If You Only Knew
- Find Jamie:
- Listen to The Happy Hour
- Waterloo Style
- Jamie's previous visits to Lighten Up:
- episode 3
- episode 56
- The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
Today's our monthly crossover episode with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah. I look forward to these episodes so much and I hope you're enjoying them, too. This month Sarah and I are chatting about contentment. We talk about contentment over on her show and then here on Lighten Up, we're digging into discontentment and how discontentment can really lead to both positive and negative things. So we unpack the good and bad sides of it, how we avoid discontentment from social media, and what's making us feel content right now. Pour some coffee, drag over a beach chair, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Sign up to be email friends with me * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation on contentment! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter
- Heart of the Matter, by Emily Giffin
- The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
- The Swan Thieves, by Elizabeth Kostova
- The Shadow Land, by Elizabeth Kostova
- The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
Today I'm talking with Kelly Balarie. Kelly is a delight and I can't wait for you guys to meet her. We talk about grocery shopping cart road rage, which is a thing. You know what I'm talking about. And then we talk about Kelly's new book, Battle Ready. She has faced some serious battles, from financial to relational to medical, and instead of letting them bring her down, she's risen to the challenge and in this book, she shares her strategies for combating doubt and all those ways our minds can feel under attack. If you're struggling with insecurity and uncertainty, Kelly has some good news to help you defeat it, so listen in and lighten up.
Quote from the show:
"You can be a light in your community by showing your own darkness...We're all on a search for what's real."
Links from the show: * Check out Kelly's new book, Battle Ready * Find Kelly on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter * Kelly's website * The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
Today I'm talking with Kathy Khang, author of the book Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up. I love her so much, because she can speak with authority about very serious topics and then turn around and talk about yoga farts. So. Strap in. You have the distinct privilege today of hearing me describe my first mammogram. You're welcome, world. Then Kathy and I talk about having older kids, tattooed eyeliner, becoming a U.S. citizen, and her book, Raise Your Voice. How do we teach our kids to use their voices and speak up, and how do we speak up about the things that matter to us? How do we decide what to speak up about? I'm digging this conversation because Kathy is fun and funny, and we talk about big important things, too. Pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up.
Quotes from the show:
"You can say all you want but at some point you will make a mistake. Will you be able to apologize, recognize your own humanity, and be humble in the moment?"
"No one is voiceless. No one is completely powerless. Even in the worst situations, there is some agency that you have. It may not bring about the change that you need desperately. It may not be the door that you need opened immediately, but the fact that you're alive and breathing means that you have a voice."
Links from the show: * Preorder Kathy's new book, Raise Your Voice * Find her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook * Check out Kathy's website * The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
Well, I just celebrated 18 years of marriage with Alex, which is ridiculous since we’re both only 25. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that almost every Friday, we have coffee and bacon together. Bacon basically saves my marriage, and our weekly bacon date is extremely important. Anyway, I thought it’d be fun this week to invite all you guys on our coffee date. So grab some coffee, pull up a chair with Alex and me, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: This week's sponsor is Teami Blends! Teami is offering Lighten Up listeners 15% off any order with code UNEXPECTED so check out teamiblends.com.
The two questions we ask each other every week:
- How have you felt loved by me?
- How can I love you better?
Women Are Scary on ebook
Purple Mattress
Soda Stream
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It's our monthly crossover episode with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah! This month we're talking about all things summer and summer vacation. Sarah and I tackle the day-to-day moments of surviving summer with your kids over on her podcast Surviving Sarah and here on Lighten Up, we talk about those specially planned moments, like vacations, trips, and camps. We reminisce about our favorite memories of summer from our childhoods and talk about how to lighten up by balancing time together as a family and time apart, because we all desperately need apart time. We share how we do vacations, road trip tips, travel ideas for when you have more than two kids, and the benefits of overnight camps and day camps. Summer is upon us, so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation, where we talk about the day-to-day moments of summer! * Go be friends with Sarah Bragg! + Instagram + Facebook + Twitter * My beach friend Chantel's episodes of Lighten Up + Episode #47: This is 40 + Episode #16 * Osheta's Lighten Up episode about summer camp + Shalom in the City podcast + Osheta's book, Shalom Sistas
Today I'm talking with Barb Roose, author of Winning the Worry Battle: Life Lessons from the Book of Joshua, and oh my gosh you guys, about 20 seconds into talking to her we discover that we went to the same high school what the heck. Go Medina BEES! Barb shares the most epic wardrobe malfunction story that's sure to give you a nice laughter-induced ab workout for the day, and she gives us a fantastic tip for lightening up. We chat about how to get control of our worry, how the book of Joshua can help us with our helicopter parenting, how to keep our kids' worries from stressing us out, and she gives us practical tools for dealing with worry. Um, also? Last week Bronwyn told about the time she accidentally bought a minivan on eBay and this week Barb admits she bought a house without telling her husband. What is going on with the crazy purchases? Next week someone's going to tell me they bought a horse or a theme park or something. Does worry have you tied up in knots? Listen in and lighten up!
Quote from the show:
"The difference between worry and worship is Who you're talking to."
Links from the show: * Buy Winning the Worry Battle: Life Lessons from the Book of Joshua * Check out her website * Find Barb on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram * Where Hope Begins
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As always, if I post an Amazon link and you click and buy something, I make several whole cents. Keeps the lights on around here. Well, keeps about one-quarter of one pixel on. Thanks in advance.
Today I'm talking with Amber Runyon, a former hospice nurse turned social entrepreneur. She founded Eleventh Candle Co. to bring hope and healing to women who've been vulnerable to trafficking, both in Ethiopia and the U.S. Eleventh makes delicious candles and they're offering Lighten Up listeners 25% off using code LIGHTENUP. Amber and I talk about our new dogs, why she started a candle company when she doesn't even like candles, and how candles are helping women out of trafficking. And then I pick her brain about what she's been learning as an entrepreneur, running a fast-growing company, and building a healthy team. Whether you're starting a company, care about ending human trafficking, or just super love candles, listen in and lighten up.
Quotes from the show:
"If we start putting our money where our mouth is, our world will dramatically change."
"Listen to your head, follow your heart, and lead with your gut."
"You want to start a company? Start with therapy."
Links from the show: * Check out Eleventh Candle Co. and use code LIGHTENUP for 25% off! * Watch this video about Eleventh * Find Eleventh on Facebook or Instagram * What is EMDR? * Renew Wellness * Slavery Footprint * Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
Today I'm talking with Bronwyn Lea, blogger, lawyer, immigrant, and mom. She loves puns, and we get punny, and then she tells the harrowing tale of how she accidentally bought a minivan on eBay. She shares how we need to lighten up about our homes needing to look perfect before people come over, and practicing "radical and generous hospitality" with homemade ice cream. Bronwyn talks about living as a South African immigrant in the U.S. and gives us the gift of glimpsing immigration through her eyes as an immigrant to the U.S. So pull up a chair, grab a cup of tea or coffee, listen in, and lighten up.
Favorite quote from the show:
"Oh honey, you got your brains from me. That's why I don't have them any more." - Bronwyn's mom
Links from the show: * Read Bronwyn's awesome blog * Find Bronwyn on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram * The Betta Mom * What You Don't Know About Immigration * The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life
If you like laughing hysterically, you guys are in for a treat today. My friend Anna Quinlan, a freelance writer and copywriter, is on the show and she tells the most epic tale of falling off a treadmill at the gym. I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard, and then we bonded over our mutual hatred of crafts. We chat about freelance writing, how she adopted one of her boys out of foster care, and sporty sporty fitness. Anna shares about competing in races, training for an Ironman, and how people like me who are not so much with the exercise can challenge ourselves. Whether your thighs are so strong you can crack walnuts between them or you're more like me and can't remember the last time you were on a treadmill, listen in and lighten up!
Favorite quote from the show: "If you're at the table, you're family."
Also: "Step away from the glue gun."
Links from the show: * The Lighten Up Guidelines for Laughing at Life * Find Anna on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Coffee+Crumbs * The Sitting Shirt: It's a Thing * SNL workout pants video
It's the monthly crossover episode with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah, and this month, we're chatting about personal growth. I mean, in between just keeping all my plates spinning I hope I'm growing as a person, at least a little, right? A lot of what contributes to my personal growth are the books I read, the things I listen to, and the products I love. So Sarah and I start out with the books we're reading, and I have a bit of a diatribe about the importance of reading fiction, then we talk about what we're learning right now, and we wrap up with products we're loving. (Between the two of us, we spend an exorbitant amount of time on coffee.) Whether you're totally growing as a person or are already perfect and need no help whatsoever, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Little Fires Everywhere * The Nightingale * All the Light You Cannot See * Something Borrowed * Borrowed & Blue * Baby Proof * How to Lead When You're Not in Charge * Present Over Perfect * Breathing Room * Who Needs God? podcast * Sherlock Holmes vol. 1 and vol. 2 * Talking as Fast as I Can * Tell the Wolves I'm Home * Peter Rollins podcast * The Sacred Enneagram * Defiant Joy * Laugh It Up * Lion Coffee * Pacific Bone Broth * The Lazy Genius podcast * Trader Joe's Fair Trade Shade Grown Ethiopian Coffee * Clicklist * John's Crazy Socks * A Wrinkle in Time
Today I'm talking with Beth Bruno, the founder and director of a nonprofit aimed at preventing domestic minor sex trafficking and the author of a new book for moms and daughters. We chat about her time as a missionary in the Middle East, and she offers some wise advice for people interested in missions. We talk about how she's lightening up in her regular routine, then we have a really NOT light, but super important conversation about her work preventing sex trafficking and how we can help keep kids safe in our own communities. Then we talk about her new book, A Voice Becoming: A Yearlong Mother-Daughter Journey into Passionate, Purposed Living. No matter where you live or whether you have daughters or not, this conversation is really helpful and really important so listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Check out Beth's book, A Voice Becoming * Beth's husband's book, Man Maker Project * Find Beth on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Beth's site * Beth's anti-trafficking organization, A Face to Reframe * The Very Worst Missionary * Barbie Unveils 17 New Dolls Based on Inspiring Women
Today I'm talking with Karla Akins, author of A Pair of Miracles: A Story of Autism, Faith, and Determined Parenting. Do you ever wish you could talk with someone who's raised kids and lived to tell the tale? Karla is that someone. She's a homeschool, foster, and adoptive mom, and she's currently a special ed teacher in the public schools. She's raised twin boys and shares how a weener dog helped her boys learn to talk and gives advice for advocating for your kids in school, from her perspective both as the mom of kids with special needs and a special ed teacher. For those of you with kids on the autism spectrum who are looking for a parent just a little further down the journey to offer hope and encouragement, Karla's twins are 23 years old now and she shares her story here, so listen in, and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Find Karla on Facebook and Twitter * Check out Karla's book, A Pair of Miracles: A Story of Autism, Faith, and Determined Parenting * Karla's website
Hey, anybody else find parenting hard? Ugh, I basically use this podcast to hang out with parents who are way better than I am, and this week I'm talking with Wynter Pitts, girl mom extraordinaire. I want to show up at Wynter's house every week for a pep talk and some wisdom. Wynter and I talk about her book, She Is Yours: Trusting God as You Raise the Girl He Gave You, her devotionals for tween girls, and how she developed her magazine For Girls Like You. Also, did you guys know that her daugther, Alena, has a book series out, too, and she's the youngest African American female to be published by a major publisher? Amazing. So come get to know Wynter Pitts with me, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: Check out Wynter's books!
- She Is Yours: Trusting God as You Raise the Girl He Gave You
- You're God's Girl: A Devotional for Tweens
- For Girls Like You: A Devotional for Tweens
Check out Wynter's daughter Alena's book series!
- Hello Stars
- Day Dreams and Movie Screens
- Shining Night
Find Wynter on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
SheIsYours.net
ForGirlsLikeYou.com
It's time for our monthly crossover with Sarah Bragg, where we take a topic and talk about how to lighten up about it over here and how to survive it over on her podcast, Surviving Sarah. This month we're tackling marriage, and oh my gosh, on today's Lighten Up episode we're lightening up about sex in marriage. Sarah and I start off sharing our engagement stories - spoiler alert, Sarah robbed the cradle and mine's poop-related. We talk about when you can start farting in front of each other, and then obviously, farting is a perfect segue to sex...in some alternate reality. We have some real talk about sex, when sex is hard, lowering our expectations, planning it during those busy parenting years, how infertility destroyed my sex life, intimacy versus efficiency, and how your marriage doesn't have to look like anybody else's. Let's talk about sex baby...so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Surviving Sarah Podcast – check out the other half of our conversation! * Sarah Bragg on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter * Your Marriage Doesn't Have to Look Like Anybody Else's
Alex and I got married almost 18 years ago and one of the first books I was given was a cute, little stripey book that contained a window into the minds of men. On today's episode, social researcher and best-selling author Shaunti Feldhahn joins me and tells the story of how she ended up writing her bestselling book, For Women Only. Then she shares how she thinks we need to lighten up and we talk about her new devotional, Find Rest, and what her research uncovered about the primary causes of stress for women. She talks about the eight essential elements of rest, the definition of true rest, self care and soul care, and then I get her to tell us her not-guilty-at-all beach read pleasure. Feeling tired and stressed? Listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * Check out Shaunti's new devotional, Find Rest * Shaunti's site * For Women Only * Find Shaunti on Instagram * Twilight
Spring has sprung, or at least it should spring sometime in the next month or two depending on where you live, and today I've brought back my friend Kari Sowers to teach us how to lighten up about gardening. I do not do that thing, but Kari explains everything a beginner needs to know for starting a garden and overcoming our fear of killing plants. And I share my story of vermiculture worm genocide. Oh, also, Kari helps me understand sexually impotent neutered GMO seeds, I talk about plant sex, and in this one half hour episode I somehow managed to say "gonads" twice. So there's something in here for everyone. Whether you have a green thumb or thumb your nose at the outdoors like I do, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the Show: Kari Sowers is an Intellectual Property attorney turned non-profit justice worker turned stay at home mom to three fantastic daughters. She lives in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and strongly believes that each person is created to be creative. Her gardening past includes snapping beans with her grandma, roof top gardening in downtown Los Angeles, directing a community garden in Portland, Oregon and now backyard "micro-farming" in the Show-Me State. Hang out with Kari online @KariSowers on Instagram and Twitter.
Today I'm talking with Kate Motaung about how she moved to South Africa and fell in love...with South Africa and her husband. She shares her story of living in South Africa, raising kids cross culturally, being in an interracial relationship in post-apartheid South Africa, and finding laughter in the midst of her mom's cancer. Then we talk about her writer's group Five Minute Friday and her new memoir, A Place to Land. You are going to love Kate and her fascinating story, so listen in and lighten up!
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Links from the show: * Eichermade (use coupon code Lightenup for 10% off) * Check out Kate's new book, A Place to Land * You can buy a signed copy HERE * Find Kate on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Festival of Faith & Writing * Born a Crime by Trevor Noah * Five Minute Friday * Refine Services
Today I'm back with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah for our monthly crossover episode, where we take a topic and chat about how we can lighten up about it on this show and how we can survive it over on her podcast. Guys, I hate today's topic. It is so hard for me but somehow seems to be a theme right now. Last month over on Jamie Ivey's Happy Hour podcast I shared about my history with an eating disorder and today Sarah and I are talking about body image. Blech, I know. This is hard stuff. We all struggle in some way with accepting something about our appearance. So today we're talking about it and how we can lighten up about it. Who or what in your life shaped your view of what the "ideal" woman should look like? Sarah and I talk about ours, and we go deep into the 80s and early 90s on this one. Then we share the craziest products or procedures we've ever attempted to achieve our ideal look and our experiences with everything from sports bras to Spanx. Do you also struggle with perfectionism and comparison when it comes to body image? Listen in and lighten up.
Links from the Show: * Surviving Sarah Podcast - check out the other half of our conversation! * Sarah Bragg on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter * Raising Girls by Sissy Goff * If You Only Knew #1 - my interview on The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey
Today I'm talking with poet and writer Carolina Hinojosa-Cisneros and we run the gamut from light to serious. She tells an amazing story about wearing leggings as pants, and you are in for a treat today because she agreed to perform her original poem, "By the Grace of God" for us and shares her process for writing poetry. We talk about how she serves her community by serving coffee, there's some serious power in a cup of coffee, and what she's learning these days about her faith and "decolonizing her theology." Then we chat about immigration, the current climate toward Mexican-Americans, and how white women can support and advocate for our Latina sisters. Super light stuff, right? Seriously, though, Carolina has some beautiful advice about how we can make space, create room, and understand the power we wield. And then at the end, she takes us to school with a fantastic reading list, which will be in the show notes. I love this conversation, a little light, a little deep, just the way I like it, so listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Carolina's website * Follow Carolina on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook * Festival of Faith & Writing * 20 Awesome Christian Women to Follow on Social Media * "By the Grace of God"
Carolina's Awesome Reading Guide: Latina poets, writers, scholars * Jasminne Mendez * Dr. Carmen Tafolla * Dr. Norma Cantú * Laurie Ann Guerrero
Non-Latina but fierce and amazing * Lena Khalaf Tuffaha * Naomi Shihab Nye
The male names * Pastor Rich Pérez * John Phillip Santos
Today I'm talking with my Coffee+Crumbs buddy Callie Feyen, author of the new book, The Teacher Diaries: Romeo & Juliet. We talk about dirty emojis, getting caught passing notes in class, pumping gas, and I think I drop my greatest segue ever, "speaking of blowing up at a gas station," how do you think people need to lighten up? Callie is super wise and she talks about teaching, writing, and her new book, The Teacher Diaries, which she says is a love letter to teaching middle school. Whether you're star-crossed lovers or would like to flip Cupid the bird this Valentine's day, listen in and lighten up.
Links from the show: * The Teacher Diaries: Romeo & Juliet * Find Callie on Twitter and Instagram * Coffee+Crumbs * Give Your Child the World, by Jamie Martin * Wonder * Auggie & Me * Festival of Faith & Writing
Two essays from Callie: * "Romeo & Juliet: Kissing a Fair Dragon in His Cave" * "How to Tell a Butt Joke"
Today I'm talking with Jen Lewis, founder and executive director of Purse & Clutch, my favorite bag company dedicated to ethical fashion. We talk about road rage and breastfeeding...not together, because that would be a mess and probably super illegal, and then we dig into how Jen started an ethical purse company, how she collaborates with artisans around the world, what she looks for in a bag, and what's she's learned as a businesswoman and entrepreneur over the years. As a special gift to Lighten Up listeners, Jen has given us a coupon code for free US shipping. Use code LIGHTENUP through February, and orders placed by Friday, February 9th should arrive by Valentine’s Day. So grab a new bag or wallet for Valentine's, Galentine's, or because you love yourself. To support artisans around the world, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Purse & Clutch * Find Jen and Purse & Clutch on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter * The Magic of Motherhood * Coffee+Crumbs * Children's HopeChest * Slave-Free Christmas Challenge * Joyn
What is the most exciting thing about your favorite TV show? It's when they do a crossover episode with your other favorite TV show, right? When Flash has a crossover with Supergirl, when The Walking Dead has a crossover with Fear the Walking Dead...it's very exciting. Well, I am a fan of Surviving Sarah Podcast, and the host Sarah Bragg is one of my favorite people. We have cooked up monthly crossover episodes for you guys where we take a topic and talk about how to lighten up about it on my show and how to survive it on her show. And today is the first one! We're talking about how we can lighten up about friendships, the challenges of maintaining friendships as we move into new life stages or locations, believing the best in each other, setting expectations for our friendships, and how developing friendships is an important part of self care. We're going to flip the script and ask, "How can I be a good friend?" rather than "How can I get a good friend?" If you have a friend, want a friend, or are a friend, there's something here for everyone, so listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Surviving Sarah Podcast * Sarah Bragg on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter * Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends
Listen, can I be totally honest with you? I think January can be such a killer for comparison. It's the hardest time of the year for me when it come to feeling discontent and bummed out about my life. I look around and see everybody taking the year by storm, and my kids just had one million snow days and all I want to do is watch Netflix all day and stay in my jammies. I look around at what everyone else is doing and feel like a hopeless slug. So today I got up and showered, yes -- sometimes that's the start of a brand new mood -- I went to yoga, prayed with a friend, sat down to edit this show, and I feel better. I recorded this episode a few weeks ago and guys, it was exactly what I needed today to lighten up and put a smile on my face, so I hope you enjoy it too. In today's episode I'm talking with counselor and author Holley Gerth about all kinds of things. The results of her extensive research on where you get the best jeans, her incredible story of adopting an adult out of foster care, being a brand new grandmother, and her new book, Fiercehearted, experiencing depression, and her Fiercehearted manifesto. Also, we cover some basics of chicken anatomy.
Links from the show: * Check out Holley's new book, Fiercehearted! * Find Holley on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter * fiercehearted.com * holleygerth.com * Not Your Daughter's Jeans * Lucky Brand * Old Navy
Hey welcome to episode 57 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Guys, Alex just showed me how to download the Netflix app to my phone. Oh. My gosh. Why didn't you guys tell me? I may never read or write a book again. I'm going to be a professional TV watcher. Isn't technology terrifyingly awesome? I am currently binge-watching Supernatural, so I am filled with all kinds of fear right now and assume that my toaster is possessed by an evil bread-burning spirit and Linda Blair is living under my bed. Luckily, today I have Alli Worthington on the show to talk about fear. In addition to my Netflix-inspired fear we also all struggle with real fear from time to time. Alli has a new book out called Fierce Faith: A Woman's Guide to Fighting Fear, Wrestling Worry, and Overcoming Anxiety. If you're struggling with fear and anxiety, you definitely want to listen to this episode because Alli unpacks a whole practical guide to battling fear. And speaking of battle, we totally talk about Star Wars, too. Since we recorded this right before The Last Jedi came out, please enjoy our timey whimey predictions and laugh at us worrying about whether or not Rey would go to the Dark Side. We were very concerned about Kylo Ren. If you've seen the movie, you know the truth now. Whether you're dealing with fear, fearing Kylo Ren, or have never seen Star Wars, listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Find Alli on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram * Check out Alli's new book, Fierce Faith * FierceFaithBook.com
Hey welcome to episode 56 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Jamie Ivey, host of The Happy Hour Podcast. Guys, I got to laughing so hard while I was editing this show that I had to hit pause. We had the best time together. We talk about fancy yurts at the glamping retreat center she owns, and she tells a story about when her manicurist asked her to testify in court. We unpack our views on the Southwest Airlines check-in line and share stories of people on planes. You guys...people on planes are weird. And then we discuss her new book, If You Only Knew. We talk about everything. Her story, growing up Christian, getting pregnant in college, pornography, dealing with shame, forgiveness, and finding safe places to confide our stories. If you feel trapped in your past and want to break free from shame, Jamie shares great advice, so listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the show: Check out Jamie's new book, If You Only Knew
Find Jamie on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter
Jamie's first Lighten Up episode, #3!
Green Acres Camp
Happy New Year, guys. Today I’m talking with my very favorite person on the planet, Alex Dale. Alex owns Loudmark, a strategic marketing and design company, but most importantly he’s been married to me for almost 18 years, bless his heart. We share our tips and ideas for 2018 in ten categories - parenting, marriage, character, beauty, food, exercise, friends, work, technology, and faith - something for everyone! Also, in what is probably the most guy-centric moment in Lighten Up history, he shares his remedy for swamp-ass. So anyway, come on over to our house, through the interwebz, join Alex and me for a cup of coffee, listen in, and lighten up!
Links from the Show * Loudmark * How to Raise an Adult * Mac Fluidline eyeliner and eyeliner brush * Alex's Under Armour love letter of an Amazon review * Chicken Enchilada Chili * 13 Things about Business I Learned from Monty Python and the Holy Grail * Circle with Disney * Our Pact * Chewbacca Mom's Defiant Joy study * Q Media's UpToUs Campaign * Mom Set Free workbook * Love Does
Today, I’m talking with Sally Clarkson about her new book, The Lifegiving Table. I love Sally because she’s already raised her kids into fabulous, functioning adults with jobs and lives of their own and she gives me great hope that it’s possible to successfully raise decent human beings! Yay! Who else is super relieved to hear this today? She shares tons of ideas for getting our families around the dinner table and what a difference we can make with these small deposits of time over a lifetime. Also, Sally is giving away two copies of her book, so head over to my Instagram @UnexpectedMel to enter to win! No matter who is gathering around your table this year for the holidays, I know you’ll enjoy this conversation with Sally, so listen in and lighten up!
Links from the show: * Check out The Lifegiving Table * Wonder * Different: The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him * God Is in the Manger, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer * Conversation Cups
Anne Watson hosts the Declare Conference podcast and we had a blast today. We start the conversation with undies and vomit, but I promise it goes up from there. Anne's story is riveting, from getting bullied in high school to finding God in her 30s through pop culture, and she shares how she recently quit trying to be holy. We talk about battling insecurity and learning how to be yourself, and then we share our Christmas fails. Guys, Anne is that fun friend you can talk with about anything, so listen in and lighten up!
http://unexpected.org
Quotes from the Show: "Can we bring back chain smoking...because I feel like that's calming."
"I'm so tired of trying to be holy and look holy so I'm just gonna let it all hang out."
"Whoever I am is just not a surprise to God."
"We need a freakjob support group."
Links from the Show: * Declare Conference * Declare podcast hosted by Anne Watson * Find Anne on Twitter and Instagram * Anne's website * new Avengers: Infinity Wars trailer * It's Okay to Suck at Some Stuff * Wonder * The Handmaid's Tale * Neverwhere * Bram Stoker's Dracula * Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children * Hollow City * Library of Souls * The Girl with All the Gifts * All the Light We Cannot See
This is my sixth annual Slave-Free Christmas Challenge, so it feels like the right time to change things up a bit. Every year I blog about my favorite companies that help and not hurt people in the world, and this year my annual blog post is leaping from the screen into your ears. Since apparently I podcast now, let's podcast the crap outta this thing. As always, I have some fabulous companies to which I want to introduce you, and I've invited my friend Courtney DeFeo, author of In This House We Will Giggle, on the podcast to talk about them. We discuss our favorite products to give, what we're most excited about, and how giving gifts can brighten the lives of more than just the people receiving them. Courtney also shares great ideas to light up the people around you and inspire a heart for giving and service in our kids during the Christmas season. Listen in, and lighten up! And if you're not into podcasts but want the bare bones info about some of my favorites, don't worry - I've included the info below so you can click and shop.
Links from the show: * Last year's 25 Days of Slave-Free Christmas list * b.a.r.e. soaps (coupon code LIGHTEN15) * Ornaments4Orphans (Check out episode #17 with owner Jamie Laslo) * Scenery Bags * All the Feels Co. * Parker Clay * Karama Collection * Preemptive Love Coalition * Purse & Clutch * Forever We * Courtney's Screen-Free Gift Ideas
Hey welcome to episode 51 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today Sarah Bragg from Surviving Sarah Podcast is joining me to talk about All the Thankfulness. Sheesh, I love talking to this girl so dang much. We chat about things we're thankful for, favorite Thanksgiving food, and favorite Thanksgiving traditions. I try to describe giblet gravy -- what is giblet gravy, what in fact is a giblet -- and we discuss our extremely different views on the best way to spend Thanksgiving morning. Also, we play Thanksgiving word associations. Happy Thanksgiving, listen in, and lighten up!
Quote from the show: "Giving thanks is active. It's something that you do. It's not always a feeling."
Links from the Show: Definition of husbandry and Definition of giblet (This is clearly a very educational show.)
Lion Coffee
Carpool Karaoke with Bruno Mars
Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends
History of Hot Brown
Hey welcome to episode 50 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. 50! We've made it to 50, guys, and I'm so excited that for the 50th episode I get to share my conversation with Chewbacca Mom Candace Payne with you. We've all seen her viral Facebook video wearing the Chewbacca mask, and it's impossible not to laugh right along with her. We do a lot of laughing together on the show, and talk about her happy Chewbacca tattoo, her lofty goal before she turns 40 (hint: it involves Michael Jackson's "Thriller"), being on the Late Late Show with James Corden, and her theories about The Last Jedi. We also chat about her faith journey, experiencing homelessness as a child, her new book, Laugh It Up,and how we can embrace defiant joy in the middle of hard times.
Episode Sponsor: Today's sponsor is b.a.r.e. soaps! Use LIGHTEN15 for 15% off. Also, they're giving away a BARE Kindness Box to one lucky listener. To enter to win, leave a review of the show on iTunes this week.
Quotes from the show: * "It's not self-deprecation. It's self-aware." * "No matter where you're at, joy is available to you."
Links from the show: * Check out Candace's new book, Laugh It Up! * Defiant Joy: What Happens When You're Full of It study guide and DVD * Defiant Joy study guide * Candace on the Late Late Show with James Corden * Candace's website * Find Candace on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram
Hey welcome to episode 49 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale! Today I'm talking with poet and author Amena Brown. You guys I love her. She shares with us her process of writing and performing her spoken word poem about miscarriage, called "Mothers of Invisible Children." And then somehow we segue from hard stuff into light and laughter. We tell stories about our awkward relationships, awkward coworkers, awkward church people, favorite albums we own on vinyl, why she wrote How to Fix a Broken Record, food rules for a happy marriage, and what it's like to really be yourself. Whether you're heading to the office or your office is the laundry room, listen in and lighten up!
Episode Sponsor: Today's sponsor is b.a.r.e. soaps! Use LIGHTEN15 for 15% off. Also, they're giving away a BARE Kindness Box of soaps to one lucky listener. To enter to win, leave a review of the show on iTunes this week.
Links from the show: Check out Amena's book, How To Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself
Amena on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
Amena's website
Mothers of Invisible Children
Open mic nights in Atlanta: Urban Grind and Curate
Destiny - The Jacksons
A Seat at the Table - Solange
Melanie and Kendall Ashley and talk about their favorite Halloween costumes from childhood and adulthood, trick or treating etiquette, their feelings on haunted houses and horror movies, favorite and least favorite candy, and favorite Halloween traditions. Melanie says in the episode, "I just love creepy things. Creepy things are my favorite." So let the Halloweenie fun wash over you like a river of Ghostbustery slime, listen in, and lighten up!
Melanie Dale turns 40 this week and can't think of a better person to process this milestone with than her bestie Chantel Adams. Chantel is the owner of Forever We, which connect kids with a story with families who care. They cover everything about aging -- weird growths on your skin, perceptions of getting old, midlife crises, favorite things about getting older, lessons they’ve learned, Melanie’s husband's month of gifts, and a fun game of growing older word associations.
Melanie talks with Shauna Shanks about receiving the unexpected honor of “Ohio’s Exemplary Citizen.” No seriously, that’s a thing, and don’t you wish you could get random awards in the mail from your state? They also talk about her brief obsession with making fancy pop tarts, building a house out of shipping containers, and of course her book, A Fierce Love, about her husband’s infidelity and how her marriage healed from the brink of divorce one step at a time. Whether you’re married or not, divorced or not, her personal story is inspiring and beautiful and you’re gonna love getting to know her a little bit here on the show, so listen in and lighten up.
Melanie talks with Tricia Goyer, author of more than SEVENTY BOOKS, including her newest, Walk It Out. She shares about getting mistaken for a Parisian prostitute, her daughter trying to be emo to freak her out, adopting kids out of birth order, her heart for teen moms and being a teen mom herself, how she writes so many books, and advice she has for writers!
Melanie talks with Sharon Hodde Miller, author of Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It's Not about You. They chat about their love of caffeine, women doing amazing things while pregnant, PhDs, and she shares a totally embarrassing story of falling asleep in class. They also talk about resisting cynicism, unleashing women in leadership, and her new book, so listen in and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Shawn Smucker, author of the new novel, The Day the Angels Fell. They cover Shawn's Amish roots, his connection to Auntie Anne's pretzels, his harrowing RV experience in Willie Nelson's old touring bus, developing relationships with Syrian refugees, and his incredible new book. Shawn is a fantastic storyteller, from the pages of his book to his conversation on this podcast, so listen in and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Heather Avis, author of The Lucky Few: Finding God's Best in the Most Unlikely Places. They rank kids' movies from tolerable to "please, God, I can't take it anymore,” and they discuss parenting kids with Down Syndrome. They chat about how Heather’s kids are a light in their community, and she says, "I've understood the heart of God more fully in the places that have been hard for me."
Melanie talks with Catherine McNiel, author of Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline. They talk about the greatest popcorn in the world, how they find time for spiritual disciplines, finding God in the chaos -- in changing diapers, in washing dishes, in driving to work -- and also how they need to lighten up about other people's advice about their parenting. They also dig into the importance of bringing women's voices into the forefront, and Star Wars bad lip reading, so listen in and lighten up!
Melanie talks with one of her favorite podcasters, Sarah Bragg, of Surviving Sarah. They unpack Sarah's extreme deer fear, that's right, her fear of deer, like the kind with spindly legs and antlers, and Melanie shares her own irrational fear…it’s too weird to write down. They also process living on a sailboat, what Sarah loves about podcasting, and lightening up about school and homework.
Melanie talks with KariAnne Wood, the DIY expert behind the award-winning lifestyle blog, Thistlewood Farms, and the author of So Close to Amazing. They share their pancake-making fails, talk about smiling at strangers, and how they can embrace imperfection. KariAnne is fun and funny, so listen in, and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Jeannie Cunnion, author of Parenting the Wholehearted Child and a brand new book, Mom Set Free, about how they chose their kids' names, not having to prove anything, why they put so much pressure on themselves to parent perfectly, and also a fun Somebody Posted This on Facebook segment involving hilarious historical words. If parenting is stressing you out, Jeannie wants to help, so listen in, and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Lisa Lloyd, a professional actress and author of Chasing Famous: Living the Life You’ve Always Auditioned For. They talk about how they overanalyze everything they say in conversations, their issues with people pleasing, and Lisa also shares about healing after her abortion. She tells a funny story about trying to give her book Chasing Famous to an actual famous person, and for all you Bachelorette lovers out there, Lisa explains why she thinks the Bachelorette chose wrong.
Melanie talks with Leslie Klipsch, author of Mama Bear's Manifesto and cohost of the Mama Bear Dares podcast. Whether you have kids or you love on some kids around you, she is going to talk about how to identify your rumble. What is it in the world that makes you mad? What keeps you up at night? Where do you want to spend your mama bear energy? Grrr. They also discuss their opinions on RompHims, flossers, gender reveal parties, and which Schuyler sister they think they'd be.
Melanie talks with Kari Sowers, owner of Manifest Collab and the Manifest Collab+Create Podcast about important things like how Kari multitasks in the shower, Melanie's toilet-cleaning saga of woe, and their inability to Vox. And Kari offers great advice on lightening up, saying, "Own your own priorities,” so listen in, and lighten up!
Melanie and Courtney Westlake talk about traveling with kids, her experience with Whole 30, and summer reading. They also do a “hellish" round of Somebody Posted This on Facebook.
Melanie and Courtney DeFeo talk about pool etiquette and disturbing swimsuit trends. Melanie meant for this to be totally family-friendly but accidentally described her wetsuit as a body condom. You’ve been warned.
Melanie and Zach Hoag talk about their most embarrassing moments in church and he shares his “You May Have Grown Up in a Cult If...” list.
Melanie and Logan Wolfram talk about surviving summer and cultivating relationships with everyone from coffee shop hipsters to neighbors. HOT DANG IT’S SUMMER, so listen in, and lighten up!
Osheta Moore and Melanie talk about all things summer camp-related and camp-adjacent, including tender camp love, Jesus camp, camp foods, packing for camp, and favorite camp movies. This kicks off Melanie's HOT DANG IT’S SUMMER! series, so listen in, and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Emily Freeman, author of several books including Grace for the Good Girl and Simply Tuesday, and co-founder of hope*writers. They talk about 90s pop music, writing, building benches, blogging, and what song she’d perform in an epic lip sync battle. Tornado sirens go off during the interview and Melanie wonders if talking to Emily is worth dying for. So find out if she survives, listen in, and lighten up.
Melanie talks with Dr. Kelly Flanagan about his book Loveable: Embracing What Is Truest About You, So You Can Truly Embrace Your Life. They talk about worthiness, belonging, and purpose, as well as things they’ve Googled and their mutual love of Cadbury Eggs. Dr. Flanagan is a clinical psychologist and Melanie is always excited for more therapy, so listen in, and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Elisha Wilson Beach, blogger at mylifeisabeach.com, about motherhood, dance, her nursing photo that went viral, and walking the red carpet. Her brand new baby was cooing in her lap while they talked, and if you listen carefully, you’ll hear lil’ baby noises throughout. This is just some of the bonus material you get when you listen in and lighten up.
Melanie talks with Ann Swindell about her new book, Still Waiting: Hope for When God Doesn’t Give You What You Want. They talk about her battle with trichotillomania, the difficulty of waiting, and lightening up in difficult seasons, as well as writing advice and how to develop your unique voice as a writer.
Melanie talks with Ashlee Gadd, founder of Coffee+Crumbs, about her new book, The Magic of Motherhood, and the epic launch party she planned where all the Coffee+Crumbs writers came together for the first time ever. They also talk about running Coffee+Crumbs, writing and storytelling, and of course, motherhood. Listen in...and lighten up!
Melanie talks with Laila, a single mom, full-time PhD student, and blogger, about pursuing her goals, building relationships and a support network, watching The Bachelor, and the importance of names.
Melanie talks with Anna LeBaron, author of The Polygamist’s Daughter, about her life as the daughter of a polygamist cult leader wanted by the FBI and how she escaped. They also discuss The Tim Hawkins Handbook to Alternative Cuss Words, featuring words like “fartknocker" and "mother francis."
Melanie talks with Courtney Westlake, author of A Different Beautiful, about her daughter, Brenna, who was born with harlequin ichthyosis. Courtney shares what God has taught her through Brenna and finding beauty in the unexpected.
Melanie talks with Jen Glantz, author of Always a Bridesmaid (For Hire) about her new book and her business as a professional bridesmaid. They talk about wedding disasters, online dating, and their favorite and least favorite things about weddings. Jen offers advice about weddings and tells us what we need to get through the big day.
Melanie talks with Todd Phillips, founder and president of The Last Well. They talk about his mission to bring clean water and the gospel to every person in Liberia, hope after the Ebola outbreak, his transition from pastor to head of a global organization, and also pet rodents. Listen in and lighten up!
Melanie talks with with Laura Parker, co-founder of The Exodus Road, a nonprofit fighting human trafficking around the globe. Laura shares a KILLER rat story, talks about living abroad, and they discuss their feelings about New Years resolutions, spidery mascara, and live action Disney princess movies.
Melanie talks with Esther Emery about her new book, What Falls from the Sky. After her husband had an affair with her best friend, Esther moved across the country with her family and embarked on a year without the internet. She currently lives off the grid in a yurt in the mountains.
Melanie talks with Jamie Laslo, who co-founded Ornaments4Orphans with her husband, Scott. They talk about how they're using ornaments to empower artisans and preserve families in East Africa, and Melanie and Jamie share their favorite Christmas decorations, traditions, movies, and songs. They also have a major disagreement about a Christmas movie. Will their friendship survive? (Spoiler alert: it does.)
Melanie talks with Chantel Adams, founder of Forever We, which connects kids with cancer with families who care. They talk about Forever We's dolls and books, childhood cancer awareness, and also selfie sticks, high-waisted pants, and their Hogwarts houses.
Melanie interviews Bekah Jane Pogue, author of Choosing Real: An invitation to Celebrate When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned. They talk about the book, their Thanksgiving traditions, and Melanie may have processed some intense feelings about people posting videos of couples’ workouts on Facebook.
Zach Hoag is an author, preacher, and creator from New England. Planting a church in one of the least churched cities in the U.S. (Burlington, Vermont), and pursuing ministry beyond that in a variety of spaces, Zach has learned a few things about the power of a deeply rooted life in Christ. Zach has found belonging in Westford, Vermont where he lives with his wife, Kalen, and their three girls. Find him writing at zhoag.com and follow him on Twitter @zhoag.
Melanie talks with Jennifer Dukes Lee about her new book, The Happiness Dare. She took the quiz to find her happiness style and Jennifer psychoanalyses her and explains all five happiness styles, Experiencer, Doer, Thinker, Giver, and Relater. What’s your happiness style? Listen in, and lighten up.
Melanie talks with Lydia Mays, the founder of See Beautiful, a philanthropic company focused on giving back, which empowers children and adults to see and create more beautiful in the world. They cover dogs in strollers and purses, plus adult Halloween costumes. Listen in and lighten up.
Melanie talks to Kari Kampakis, author of 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, about her new book, Liked, releasing November 15. They cover navigating your middle and high school girls through social media and "mean girls," as well as writing, lightening up, and this little known thing people are talking about called football season.
Melanie talks with Alli Worthington, COO of Propel, founder of Blissdom, and author of Breaking Busy, about cutting out distraction, writing books, and leading leaders, plus how we need to lighten up, movie reviews, and When Pumpkin Spice Goes Too Far. Alli has so much wisdom to share with us and she’s fun and funny and after listening to this you’ll want to be her friend.
Melanie talks with Alex Dale, her long-suffering graphic designer husband who of his own volition dressed up in a Maimed Cookie Man costume to become the It’s Not Fair mascot at the book launch party. They interview each other, discussing important topics like who is cooler, Batman or Iron Man, which John Cusack movie is the best, how they met when Melanie was a twerpy freshman, and how they learned to laugh through hard stuff. They also perform a dramatic reading of their kids talking about where babies come out of.
Melanie talks with Kendall Ashley, a writer at Nerdist and Geek & Sundry and editor at a publishing house, about bun-stuffing in ballet, her perspective as an editor, San Diego Comic-Con, and all their conflicted feelings about the new Harry Potter book, The Cursed Child. She has so many great recommendations for reading and viewing and Melanie shares about one of the most embarrassing moments of her life.
Melanie talks with Chris Marlow, founder of Help One Now and author of Doing Good Is Simple, about his new book, Ryan Reynold’s parenting tweets, and sending kids on mission trips. There may have been a moment when they were both talking about seals, but he meant Navy and Melanie was picturing the ones with whiskers and flippers.
Melanie talks with Steen Jones, new author and founder of COLORS scarves, about her debut novel, The Door Keeper, our awesome kids with autism, spending the night in a treehouse, and reasons women were committed to mental institutions in the ninetheenth century that will melt your brain. Also, doing the sniff test on clothes and the pros and cons of nose rings. World-changing stuff.
Melanie talks with Osheta Moore, podcaster and blogger at Shalom in the City, about her practice of shalom, lightening up about dinners, and her hair. Then they deep dive into The Princess Bride about everything from favorite quotes, characters, and scenes to if The Machine could suck one year of your life away, which one would you want it to suck?
Melanie talks with Jenny Rapson, editor of ForEveryMom.com, about three B’s: bad reviews, bikinis, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She reads her one-star reviews for the first time ever, Jenny shares how she thinks people need to lighten up, and they get all late-nineties nostalgic about the WB.
Melanie talks with The Happy Hour Podcast’s Jamie Ivey about visiting jail, The Walking Dead, books, being a sports mom, and what three things Jamie’s currently loving.
Melanie talks with Logan Wolfram, author of Curious Faith and head of Allume Conference, about how we can bring light to our communities, chopping off her hair and going gluten free, origami, launching her first book, and husbands buying maxipads.
Melanie talks with Courtney DeFeo, author of In This House We Will Giggle and creator of ABC Scripture Cards about how Courtney is helping her kids lighten up and other extremely important topics, like naked podcasting, arm-on-hip picture posing, carpool karaoke, and these dang mixed messages we hear from the world.