Elevating Motherhood

What if your child’s mouth breathing, restless sleep, or even focus issues weren’t behavioral—but biological?

In this eye-opening episode, I sit down with a pediatric airway dentist to explore the critical (and often overlooked) role of airway health in childhood development. We talk about how things like tongue ties, narrow palates, and poor oral posture can impact sleep, behavior, and even long-term health—and why early intervention matters.

If you’ve ever been told “they’ll grow out of it,” or felt dismissed when raising concerns about your child’s breathing or sleep, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

* The difference between traditional and airway-focused dentistry

* How mouth breathing can lead to misdiagnoses like ADHD or anxiety

* Signs parents can look for at home

* What treatment and support can look like

* Why airway health is a foundational part of whole-child wellness

This episode is full of insight, practical takeaways, and encouragement for parents who want to better understand what’s going on beneath the surface of their child’s symptoms.

Dr. Hilary’s Bio: Dr. Hilary Fritsch is a leading airway and biological dentist, one of the very few in the country with deep expertise in proper jaw development and airway health. She is also Montana’s premier Toothpillow provider, offering cutting-edge, nonsurgical techniques to optimizeairway growth and function.

Practicing dentistry since 2006, Dr. Fritsch has been featured on The Today Show (NBC), New York Magazine, Business Insider, Pop Sugar, Fatherly, and Romper. Her passion for wellness is deeply personal—shaped by her own struggles with childhood sleep apnea and a debilitating autoimmunedisease that once impaired her ability to see and even walk unassisted. These experiences fuel her commitment to helping patients and their families optimize their health through airway-focused dentistry.

Dr. Fritsch is the founder of Western Sleep Solutions andSaddle Peak Dental, both rooted in the philosophy that oral health is intricately connected to whole-body health. She specializes in nonsurgical airway development and the treatment of sleep apnea, breathing disorders, andorthodontic issues that impact long-term wellness.

Determined to bring the best possible care to her patients,Dr. Fritsch has trained under one of the most elite airway dentists in the world and continuously pursues advanced education in airway-aware orthodontics, occlusion, and oral microbiome health. She is an active member of theInternational Academy of Sleep and other leading organizations dedicated to uncovering the root causes of airway dysfunction.

Dr. Fritsch is passionate about educating and empowering her patients—both young and old—to take ownership of their health, breathing, and longevity.

The Kind of Decluttering That Actually Lastswith Julia Ubbenga

Julia Ubbenga is a minimalist. I’m not.But I read her new book Declutter Your Heart and Your Home from cover to cover—and I was both challenged and changed.

In this episode, we talk about what it really means to live with less—less clutter, less noise, less pressure—and how that can create more space for peace, purpose, and presence. We dive into the emotional side of decluttering, why stuff isn’t the real problem, and how simplifying your outer world can lead to deep inner clarity.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the chaos in your home or your calendar... this conversation will speak to you.

In this episode:

• ​Why emotional clutter keeps us stuck
• ​How to start simplifying when minimalism feels extreme
• ​The surprising link between physical space and spiritual freedom
• ​What Julia let go of—and what she gained
• ​And why this kind of decluttering actually lasts

Whether you're a seasoned minimalist or just starting to rethink what “enough” looks like, this episode will encourage you to move toward a simpler, more intentional way of living.

Julia's Links:

Instagram: @richinwhatmatters

Website: www.richinwhatmatters.com

Lori Beth's Links:

Instagram: @loribethauldridge

Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com

This episode is my audio version of my contribution to the 2025 For the Love of Homeschooling Homesteading & Skillful Living Mega Bundle – available now through April 25, 2025

*Must Read* Book Alert! + *Must Listen* Episode!

Patience, purpose, perfectionism, stagnation, doubts, worries, fear…there aren’t many stones we leave unturned in this episode of Elevating Motherhood!

Britt Maher and Cassandra Speer co-authored a book called Ready As You Are: Discovering a Life of Aundance When You Feel Inadequate, Uncertain, & Disqualified...Britt is here today to share about the book and their incredible mission to encourage women (especially moms!)

Britt’s Bio: Brittany Maher (Britt) is the founder and president of Her True Worth, a large and growing online community designed to liberate an entire generation of faith-filled women with the freedom found in discovering their true worth in Christ. She and her husband Ryan invest most of their time in equipping and empowering God's people for digital evangelism across the globe. Brittany is planted in Michigan with her husband, Ryan, and their daughter, Ariana.

We’ve known and seen how consumerism, materialism, and sugar have taken over Christmas. We see it, know it, and understand it…and we’re still influenced and affected by it, even when we “know better.”

I know many parents who are wanting to step out of the holiday spending swirl and get their kids less stuff this stuff this year. But many (myself included at times) are conflicted because we don’t want to let our kids down by giving them less than previous years. And yet the need for change and simplification can’t be ignored. So how do we make peace with downsizing Christmas this year?

We’ve got to get to a place where we feel confident and calm about our decision to simplify Christmas and get/give less stuff.

 Listen to the full episode for tips, suggestions, and idea for how to confidently downsize Christmas gracefully with grace.

Merry Christmas! I appreciate you!

Winter is upon us...and so are so many common childhood sicknesses.

In this episode, I'll help you:

1. Teach your child how to swallow pills (starting at age 3!)

2. Teach them how to barf (without drama)

3. Share my top 3 basics I always have on hand before sickness strikes (spoiler alert: they are NAC, activated charcoal, & hot tea)

Listen, like, subscribe, & leave a 5 star review if this episode is helpful to you!

Ever heard of PDA? Pathological Demand Avoidance? It's a nervous system disability that falls on the autism spectrum. It's often confused with ODD.

In this episode, Casey and I talk about: * What PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is

* PDA awareness & caregiver strategies

* Traumatic birth and PDA

* Symptoms & Sign of PDA

* How a diagnosis of PDA happens

* The fact that PDA isn’t new, our awareness is deepening

* The anxiety driven need for control

* Trauma healing and nervous system regulation

* And SO MUCH MORE!

Casey’s Bio: Casey Ehrlich, Ph.D. is a social scientist, parent coach and educator, and the CEO and founder of At Peace Parents, LLC. Casey brings 15 years of work experience and expertise in social science methodology to help parents and therapists understand how to connect with and accommodate PDA Autistic children. She is currently working on empirical research with the University of Michigan Medical School on Pathological Demand Avoidance in children and teens. She helps parents radically accept the constraints of raising a child with a nervous system disability so they can find peace on their parenting journey.

Be Honest: How was your Mother's Day?

In this episode, I talk about:

* The importance of reflecting on what went well (and what didn’t) during this year’s Mother’s Day

* How my Mother’s Day this year ACTUALLY went

* Setting up everyone for success on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day

* Checking in with my husband before Father’s Day about what he wants and needs that weekend (and in his everyday life)

* Making Mother’s Day and Father’s Day a whole weekend celebration instead of just a day

* Taking time on Saturday to be by yourself before Mother’s Day

* Giving him time alone on Saturday before celebrating together on Father’s Day

* Meeting needs before celebrating and using frustrations as growing points instead of just frustration points

This is a high energy conversation. For some reason it’s highly political at the moment to talk about boys, men, gender, and masculinity. And here we are as moms, right smack dab the middle of the over-politicized nonsense, trying to have meaningful marriages with our husbands and raise our sons well in a world that bashes boys and men.

We need to talk about the tension—both the undercurrent in our culture and the outright hatred toward men. We need to stand up for our sons and raise them up at the same time. In this interview you’ll hear me tell the story about how when I found out I was pregnant at 40, I knew I was going to have a son. I knew I was going to be called to speak out about the war on men happening in our current culture.

My guest today is Durenda Wilson…she is a friend of mine but also a brilliant writer and podcaster. I look to her a lot for homeschool and parenting advice. She speaks out on this subject with so much grace and encouragement. Her perspective really takes the charge off our current cultural messaging and puts tools and encouragement back in the hands and hearts of moms so we can show up well in our marriages and in our motherhood.

You’ll leave this conversation feeling equipped as a boy mom and have a better understanding of what true masculinity is.

Durenda Bio: Durenda Wilson has been married to Darryl for 34 years. He wanted two children and she wanted ten. They compromised at eight. Durenda has over 30 years of homeschool experience. She also has 11 grandchildren (7 are boys) who are also being homeschooled. During her years of experience in home education, she has seen first hand how kids learn naturally and effectively when they are given time and space along with encouragement to trust their own learning processes. She wants to take this hard-earned wisdom and mentor moms—she believes an encouraged mom is always a better mom. Durenda began The Durenda Wilson Podcast for this purpose back in July 2017 which grew quickly and gained recognition with both families and leaders in the homeschool community. Durenda has over 500 episodes to choose from and boasts over 3 million downloads!

Hebrews 10:1 “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

Happy 2024, Mamas! We're grateful for 2023 and ready to move forward with confidence into 2024! 💜

In this episode I talk about:

* The continued need to pray for Maui

* Our move to the mainland

* Our family’s 2023 trials and wins

* Travel recap: we went to 19 states in 2023!

* Seeking comfort and ease…and then shifting away from that goal

* Trusting God’s timing

* Working on humility

* The spiritual ease that has come from moving to a Christian community

* Word of the year: Endurance

* How the word “endurance” has changed me on every level in just a few days

* Abandoning American hustle culture

* Self-control

* Fruits of the Spirit

* Following the path that God sets out for us

* “planning” and “goal setting” vs. acts of obedience

* The gift of aging and maturity and experience

* How fantastic it feels to grow up

* Following the shift in our path

* Understanding that God has a path laid out for us

* Count it all joy…even the hardships

* Going into 2024 with enthusiasm

* Ending 2023 with gratitude

* Endurance for a very specific purpose

* Following God’s path for me

* The ability to handle hardships

* Praying for you and your family in the new year!

I love today’s passionate and honest conversation with my in person friend Nikki Phillippi. We’re both freedom loving homeschooling who spend a LOT of time thinking about education standards, education philosophy, and education reform. We’re both life-long learners who like to dive deep into many topics that affect us as mothers and topics that affect our children’s education…and then we discuss them over long voice memos to each other. It’s pretty fun. I 10/10 recommend finding another mom friend to voice memo with. Today you get to be part of our in-depth back and forths as we talk about education reform, protecting our freedom to homeschool, misinformation about homeschool, and our own personal education journeys.

Nikki’s Bio: Nikki Phillippi is a very popular YouTube personality, author, recipe creator, and podcaster. She is a wife, mother, and second-generation homeschooler. Nikki is passionate, authentic, and honest in ways that inspire me--truly. If you already know Nikki, you’ll love hearing her show up in classic Nikki fashion as she shares about her education journey and why homeschool is her hill to die on. If this is your first introduction to Nikki, hold on tight! She is a ball of energy! I’ll be sure to link to her YouTube channel in the show notes as well as my recent episode with her on her YouTube channel where we go even deeper into homeschool freedoms and education reform.

In This Episode, Nikki & I Talk About:

· Growing Up: Nikki’s homeschool journey as a child

· Bullying in school

· Homeschool advocacy

· Being advanced and being behind in school at the same time

· Feeling held back in subjects in school

· Feeling “stupid” in school

· Physical and mental abuse in school

· John Taylor Gatto's Book Dumbing Us Down

· Kids are convinced they are stupid

· Learning to love learning

· Tailoring education to individuals...& so much more!

Ruth Chou Simons is an artist in so many senses of the word. Her latest book Pilgrim: 25 Ways God’s Character Leads Us Onward is stunning and inspiring. It’s a beautiful exploration of God’s character and faithfulness and is bursting with Ruth’s signature watercolor art. It’s a gift for the eyes and the heart.

Years ago I had a friend say to me, “I think Jesus was a great person and someone worth striving to be like. I don’t like all the religion and church stuff, and I wouldn’t call myself a Christian, but I do think that Jesus was real and someone worth striving to be like.” Pilgrim is the book I wish I had to give her in that moment. Understanding the character of God in a biblical context where we can start to break down who He is and what His works show us is important. Understanding His character helps us understand His strength—it gives us not only something to lean in to, but an example of compassionate character to strive toward.

We’re on a journey, a path that we travel every day and I can tell you that walking a path set out for me by Jesus is a lot easier than trying to create my own. As mothers, we need strength for our daily journey. It’s available to us. Sometimes we need reminders that nothing separates us from God’s love. Pilgrim is a beautiful reminder of that. Pretty enough to leave out on the table as our daily reminder that God’s provision and grace is available to us.

Ruth is wonderful. If you already know who Ruth Chou Simons is, you’re going to love this interview. If you’re hearing about her for the first time here, know that I am so honored to be the one to introduce you to her and her work.

Ruth’s Bio: Ruth Chou Simons is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and When Strivings Cease. She is an artist, entrepreneur, podcaster, and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people's hearts. Through social media, her online shop at GraceLaced.com, and the GraceLaced Collective community, Simons shares her journey of God's grace intersecting daily life with word and art. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys—their greatest adventure.

God’s timing is so good. If you follow me on IG, you’ve probably heard me talk about how I feel like my current life lessons all center around humility and God’s timing over mine. Well, the timing of this episode’s release is just perfect. I needed this episode when I recorded it and I needed it again this week with our family moving (again! We’re still in Idaho, but moving is pretty all consuming no matter the distance!) I have been feeling overwhelmed in this unexpected season of chaos. Bonnie’s books have truly been gifts to me at different moments in my life. Today we’re talking about her newest book Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm (but I also recommend her other book Sweet Like Jasmine).

You’ll probably hear the surprise in my voice at how Bonnie and I just jumped right into the deep end with this conversation. Bonnie’s willingness to be vulnerable and connect with people honestly and openly is part of what makes her such a special guest.

If you are in a season of chaos (which I feel like is probably most moms with kids at home), this episode is for you. If you’re a mother who is getting things done but you often feel like you’re surviving alone, this episode is for you.

Bonnie’s Bio: Bonnie Gray is the author of Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm, Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace and Sweet Like Jasmine. An inspirational speaker and podcast host of Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast, Bonnie touches thousands of lives using storytelling, soul care, and prayer. Bonnie’s global following of readers come to her for inspiring Christian content in her authentic, unique voice. Her writing has been published and syndicated across a broad online audience. Bonnie lives in California with her husband and two sons.

“We need sandpaper in our lives.” – Shallon Payne

Today I’m excited to introduce you to my friend Shallon from The Appalachian Homestead. Shallon and I talk often over IG and text about all kinds of things. It’s so nice because the two of us share a bit of an automatic understanding of each other and the way we see life because we were both raised in the Appalachian Mountains. I was raised farther North in the foothills and she’s in the heart of Appalachia, but there are things we just “get” about each other and life. I know that our upbringing allows us to see the world differently. We’re a proud people with big ideas. People from Appalachia have a strong sense of family. And yet here I am living far, far away from my family and have for a long, long time.

Shallon and I intended to talk about how the internet is ruining motherhood and how it’s gonna be alright because everything comes out in the wash. But we ended up talking about way more than that! This is a different kind of episode…it’s like y’all are gonna walk into the middle of a conversation with Shallon and I. And in that sense it’s waaaaaaay different than my other episodes.

I’m glad it turned out this way because I want you to see that it’s possible and important to talk about big ideas about motherhood with other moms. You can be similar in some ways and totally different in others, you can agree, disagree, and still love, respect, and glean from the wisdom of other moms. None of us are exactly the same, even if we’re from a similar area or have a similar background. But all of us need community, “Big C Community”—especially us moms—so we can sort out this world that gets a little cattywompus at times.

Shallon’s Bio: Family wisdom is the generational wealth of The Appalachian Homestead. Shallon and her husband Mark share this with their followers via their website and social media platforms. I hope you will join them on their platforms as they share life, the old ways, and the wisdom of the ages.

Happy Mother's Day, Mama!

This is a super special episode…not just because it’s in honor of Mother’s Day, but because there will be 4 mamas speaking life over you today!  3 of my dear friends in life and business—Jennifer Ford Berry, Amy Debrucque, and Becky Kopitzke are joining me for this conversation. These lovely mamas are all members of the mastermind I’ve had the honor of being a part of for a while now, they are also authors, speakers, podcasters, coaches, wives, and mothers. We talk often about how these multiple roles take a lot of our time and energy and brainstorm together on a weekly basis about how we can thrive in various seasons of motherhood and live a more integrated life where family and business exist to support one another.

And that’s what today’s conversation is about. Thriving in each season of motherhood. Integrating our different roles in different seasons. And what it looks like to work on our own personal growth along the way. This is a beautiful conversation filled with vulnerability and stories as we share about our own personal struggles, times of worry, moments of judgement, and times we grappled for control…as well as how we got to the other side of those tough moments. This episode is packed with truths and encouragement!

Today is a very special interview. I had the honor of interviewing Sally Clarkson, someone whose work I’ve leaned into often. Sally is such a loving resource for my homeschool, mothering, and spiritual growth. In this episode we’re talking about her new book Teatime Discipleship: Sharing Faith One Cup at a Time. I read it from cover to cover and wow—what a gift. Sally shares from the heart about how simple everyday practices like teatime can be a catalyst for connection, friendship, hospitality, ministry, and encouragement. It’s a foundational tool for women to center their hearts and draw nearer to God and one another. And wow, do mothers need more of that right now—we need the opportunity to be impacted by an encouraging host and the opportunity to be such a host. The world tells us we’re too busy for such things…Sally reminds us that we’re not and that there is everlasting greatness in the small moments with those we love.

Sally’s Bio: Sally Clarkson is a bestselling author, renowned speaker, and beloved mentor who has dedicated her life to inspiring countless women to live for Christ. She’s sold more than a million books and her podcast, At Home with Sally, has received more than 20 million downloads. Sally has been married to her husband Clay for more than forty years. They have raised four adult children. Today, Sally splits her time between the mountains of Colorado and the rolling fields of England.

There are so many times in my life I’ve wondered if I’m a people pleaser. I’ve wondered if I was taught to be, if everyone in our society is to some degree. I’ve questioned if some of my decisions are centered around people pleasing, and if it’s something I need to work on it my life. Am I modeling it for my kids? Expecting it from them unintentionally? I’m sure you’re here because you’ve wondered similar things.

My friend Lynn Carter is here to help us unpack our people pleasing habits and provide us with some much needed perspective to refocus our time, attention, values, and schedules and shake our people pleasing tendencies. She’s sweet, funny, kind, and encouraging. She tackles this conversation without making it a “heavy” and for that I’m so grateful.

Lynn’s Bio: Lynn Carter is the creator and host of The Good News Mama Podcast, she is a wife, boy mom, her sons’ coach (which she talks about in the show), and my dear friend.

“What does it mean to be creative…it’s allowing yourself to be so inspired by the beauty of the world that you want to capture it in some kind of form and then having the discipline to actually carry it out.” -Ashlee Gadd on the Elevating Motherhood Podcast

Mothers often feel guilt when they pursue something that takes time away from their children, especially when that something could be deemed less important than parenting. Writer Ashlee Gadd felt the same way when she was navigating being a first-time mother, exhausted yet yearning to be creative. Now a mother of three and the founder of Coffee + Crumbs, an online community bringing mothers together through storytelling, Gadd intentionally finds time to be creative.

Ashlee Gadd is someone I’ve followed my entire motherhood journey…for almost a decade. I’ve listened to her podcast and read her blog. Ashlee has been showing up for years through her brand Coffee + Crumbs. She’s been creating and mothering that entire time and all of those years of experience with creating and mothering are now brought together in her beautiful new book Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood.

Her book and this interview inspired me so much and I know they will inspire you. In a world that tells moms they are too busy to go to the bathroom by themselves let alone create anything, Ashlee is a voice of compassion and practicality that says “yes you can be a mom and create. Yes you can take matters into your own hands and make the time. Your ideas matter. Your creations have great purpose in this world. You’re not alone in your desire to want to create and bring more beauty into your life and the lives of your family and community.”

Ashlee’s Bio: Ashlee Gadd is author of Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood and the founder of Coffee + Crumbs—a beautiful online space where motherhood and storytelling intersect. As a writer and photographer, Ashlee has spent her entire motherhood creating in the margins. When she's not writing or vacuuming Cheerios out of the carpet, she loves making friends on the internet, eating cereal for dinner, and rearranging bookshelves. She and her husband have three kids and live in Northern California.

My children are homeschooled at home in Idaho but are technically private school students at Clonlara School in Michigan. How does that work? I get that question A LOT so I’ve invited April Huard, the Director of Education at Clonlara School onto the show to answer that question and share more about Clonlara’s unique and transformative mission.  

Clonlara’s Mission: The mission of Clonlara School is to transform education on a global scale through a highly personalized approach that fosters authenticity, autonomy, and joy in the learning process. We are passionate about supporting homeschooling families as they follow their curiosities and become lifelong learners.

April Huard Bio: April is currently the Director of Education at Clonlara School, but started her education career as a second-grade teacher in a public school. When her oldest child was ready for kindergarten, she quit her job to start homeschooling her. April had no idea at the time that homeschooling would turn into a lifelong passion and prepare her for a career at Clonlara School. April and her husband have homeschooled all five of their children at various points during their school years. At Clonlara, April works with on-campus and off-campus students and an amazing global team of passionate educators.

“The modern homestead movement is 100% a state of mind. It’s the strive for self-sufficiency.”

My friend Kody Hanner wrote a homestead curriculum that my family adores. It’s being used by homeschoolers, schools, and I know some adults who could benefit from the huge amount of information in her homestead curriculum. Kody joins us today to talk about her curriculum, how it came to be, the modern homestead movement, life-long learning, parenting, and so much more. 

Kody has generously offered a discount code for listeners of Elevating Motherhood. Use the code LORIBETH for 10% your purchase of the Homestead Education Curriculum

Kody’s Bio: Kody is a wife of a veteran, mother of 6, homesteader, and homeschooler, that has devoted her life to agriculture and embracing rural living. She created and authored the Homestead Education series of homeschool curricula that includes homestead science. She is the host of The Homestead Education Podcast, which is rapidly growing in popularity where she chats candidly about homesteading, homeschooling, and personal growth.

In This Episode, Kody and I Talk About:

· What qualifies as homesteading

· How she got started as a homesteader

· Her homestead background

· Homestead flexing

· Permaculture

· How she stared writing a curriculum

· The need for a homeschool homestead curriculum

· The writing process

· How long it took her to write the curriculum

· You don’t need to know everything, you need to know how to find good information

· The modern homestead movement

· Reach out to your county’s extension office for resources

· Production over consumption

· Slowing down

· Taking responsibility for your life

· Having entrepreneurial values

· People like to quiz homeschoolers randomly

· Adding depth to science experiments

· Who the curriculum is for

· Complaints she has received about the curriculum

· Writing to a broad audience

· Healing disconnect

· Integrating topics into your homeschool...and SO MUCH MORE!

What is your homeschool freedom worth? Today’s episode is probably going to be controversial to some listeners. My guest, Aby Rinella, and I are going to talk about School Choice and Public School Partnerships and what effect these have on homeschool freedom. You might not agree with what Aby and I have to say on these topics. You might agree with part of it. You might agree with all of it. And that is okay. We’re here to share a perspective that is not shared very often during recent conversations about School Choice. I always trust my listeners to use their discernment. You know what is best for your family. And I think we can all agree that there is no one size fits all solution for anything ever.

All of that being said, Aby and I are here today to share our perspective as two veteran homeschool moms with a lot of kids between the two of us. We are both passionate freedom fighting homeschool mamas who have been active in homeschool politics for quite a few years. Homeschool freedoms are under attack & are very much affected by the School Choice movement happening right now. I appreciate you showing up for today’s show and considering a different perspective than the one being sold by politicians…if nothing else, I’m hoping this conversation helps bring foresight to discussions surrounding school choice and public school partnerships as well as much needed perspective from homeschool families who have opted out of mainstream education.

Aby’s Bio: Aby Rinella lives in the mountains of the west with her college sweetheart and their three kids. Aby writes and speaks to encourage and inspire parents to answer the call to train up their children in God’s Word and to stand on truth in a culture that has lost it’s foundation. Aby can be found as a frequent guest on the Schoolhouse Rocked podcast and she and her husband serve on their state homeschool board. Aby also writes for the outdoor industry, sharing her family’s experiences in the outdoors. You can find her at www.calledtothetop.com

Leah Boden is back! Leah & I recorded Charlotte Mason 101 back in Episode 56…I highly recommend both of her episodes! Leah truly is the Modern Miss Mason and now has a book with the same title. I 10/10 recommend her book—it’s my favorite book of the year!

Charlotte Mason is a niche pedagogy that I passionately believe should be less niche and more mainstream. Charlotte Mason’s philosophies can be applied to education, homeschool, parenting, and life in general. I know I’m a better woman and mother after being introduced to her philosophies…and who better to introduce us to all things Charlotte Mason than Leah Boden!

Leah’s Bio: Leah Boden is wife to Dave, mother to four children, and a longtime home educator. With over two decades of experience in church leadership, Leah’s background also features many years in youth, children’s, and family work within the church and for the local education authority. Leah speaks, hosts podcasts and coaching sessions, and runs workshops sharing the beauty of a Charlotte Mason approach to childhood, motherhood, and education. She and her family live in the West Midlands, England.

This is a very raw episode about a woman who is very dear to my heart.

My beloved Grandma Huck passed away at the end of 2022. We just got back to Idaho after her funeral in Ohio and I have to tell you that with her passing, I feel changed. I feel like our family’s hearts will be forever full and forever broken at the same time.

I debated on sharing about her. She was so special it’s one of those loves, one of those special relationships you hold super close to your heart because it was that special. But I also think that her legacy is too powerful not to share.

Books are incredibly powerful. We know this and yet as moms we don’t always make time to read. The world tells us that there is no time for anything, ever. And in the same breath often tells us what to do, what to read, how to think, how to mother…and a lot of that messaging leaves us feeling fearful, unworthy, and like we aren’t doing enough.

What if there was a way to step off the hamster wheel of modern motherhood and find ourselves feeling more whole, more worthy, and like we’re getting it right? And what if the secret to that was found in reading more books?

Today’s conversation with Jennifer Pepito is so enlightening. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am a changed person, a changed mother, and I believe a better mother because I read books. Namely the books of the authors I have interviewed here on the podcast, including Jennifer’s book Mothering by the Book: The Power of Reading Aloud to Overcome Fear and Recapture Joy. Jennifer is here to expand our book lists and shine a light on our motherhood journeys with deep, mature insights, ideas for battling comparison and other daily fears that arise in our mama hearts.

Jennifer’s Bio: Jennifer Pepito is the author of Mothering by the Book and the founder of The Peaceful Press (http://thepeacefulpress.com). Jennifer is on a mission to help moms overcome fear and love their life, and her homeschool curriculum empowers this through heroic stories, heartwarming poetry, and engaging life skills development. Her resources help create joyful memories among families, which leads to deeper connections and lasting relationships. Jennifer’s writing has been featured in several online and print journals, including Wild and Free, Commonplace Quarterly, and Home Educating Family. She’s a Wild and Free podcast host and has made guest appearances on popular podcasts such as 1000 Hours Outside, At Home with Sally, and Charlotte Mason Poetry. Jennifer lives in the mountains with her beloved family, where she enjoys reading aloud, working in her garden, and watching the sunset.

This brief episode is a follow up to Episode 136…if you haven’t listened to that one, I highly recommend listening to that one first, otherwise this one won’t make very much sense.

I feel like it’s really important to not just talk about ideas or make plans, but to take time for self-reflection after an event to see how you’re feeling—especially as a mom.

Mamas set the tone for their entire family and sometimes it can feel really out of control to create a plan only to have the day come and the plan go out the window. Halloween 2022 was no exception for us. There were frantic moments the day of Halloween with costume preparation and getting everyone out the door on time, but all in all, I’d say this holiday went well and my goals ended up being more of a guideline than a set in stone plan of action.

My Original Goals From Episode 136 Included:

· Wean off of Halloween traditions (trick or treating)

· Switch Witch

· Harvest Festivals and parties over mainstream celebrations

· Heirloom costumes (no darkness)

· Celebrate with neighbors, make it clear we will use our discernment & leave if necessary

· Talk openly about Halloween and spiritual warfare

· Make pie instead of scary jack-o-lanterns

· Be aware of sweets consumption and ingredients

· Set a good example for our kids with either no costumes or innocent ones

· Up our vitamin regiment, get good sleep, take care of our health

How Halloween 2022 Actually Went:

· We’re still upping our vitamin regiment, getting good sleep and taking care of our health

· Switch Witch went off without a hitch

· We’re aware of sweets consumptions and ingredients—the kids asked about the candies they received and tried a few. They all agreed most of them were gross (green snickers, smarties, fire balls, etc). We let them have chocolates I bought at the health food store, let them keep just a few from trick-or-treating (they all chose less than 5 each!), and in general, candy was a non-issue

· We set a good example with no costumes…truthfully, I just didn’t have it in me this year. I was not motivated to spend money on Halloween costumes for the grownups

Talking about mediocre motherhood is—believe it or not—probably one of my favorite things. I don’t align with a lot of the modern motherhood messaging that we’re fed and I know that our mama hearts desire more than mediocrity. I like talking about it so we can name it…and I name it so we can change it. Abbie Halberstadt is fighting mediocrity head on in her new book M is for Mama. She is here to remind us that hard is not the same thing as bad, she delivers so many other truths and encouragments. Hold on to your hats, mamas…today’s episode is on fire.

Abbie’s Bio: Abbie Halberstadt is a homeschooling mama to 10, former high school Spanish teacher, she is married to renaissance man with whom she’s built two DIY houses, she’s also a fitness instructor, business owner, blogger, bestselling motherhood author.

Halloween…you might be here because you feel something is different this year, too. Or you might be like “What’s the big deal? It’s just Halloween.” Or you might be here hoping I’ll expose it for the demonic celebration you think it is. Wherever you fall on this spectrum of perspectives, I’m glad you’re here.

People are super passionate about Halloween. Some love it and can hardly wait (my bestie from Episode 135 literally dresses up in 31 costumes and posts pictures of each online—one for every day of the month). And then there are those who are passionately believe Halloween is demonic with pagan origins. They see it as an invitation to invite darkness into our world unnecessarily. Some people view it as harmless and a holiday for people to just have a little fun, and there are those of us who land somewhere in the middle of all of these perspectives and aren’t sure how to feel about it or if we should take part in it. I think most of us in this middle are moms with little kids.

We don’t want our kids to be scared. We don’t like them exposed to evil or grotesque imagery and Halloween takes that control out of our hands. We don’t have control over what stores put on display, what people put up in our front yards (heaven forbid our neighbors put up a Freddy image on their front door for our toddler to stare at for a month), we don’t know who is going to open the door, what they’re dressed as, or if someone is going to jump out and try to scare us. And scare us anonymously…that’s the part that gets me…the masks make pranksters anonymous. That never sat right with me even before kids.

We live in a world where we tell our kids not to take candy from strangers…and then parade them around to the homes of strangers and instruct them to accept candy from them.

If you’re a “crunchy” mom like me, your kids don’t even know what reeses peanut butter cups and kit kats are…we stick to the healthier options when it comes to candy and rebuke mainstream, chemical laden crap. But that’s all people hand out because that’s what Costco, Walmart, and Target sell within our budgets.

And then there’s the costumes. Have you heard the term “prostitot?” It’s the kid sides prostitute worthy outfits that make most parents with any morals want to barf. Why on Earth do they sell midriff baring, mini skirt, way to adult costumes for kids (especially little girls)? They’re bad enough for the grownups (seriously…do an image search for “adult woman costumes” and tell me if anything comes up that doesn’t look like a hooker outfit with spandex, mini skirts, ruffles, boostiees, high heeled boots, and thigh high stockings)…but when they apply these same styles to outfits for children? I think a line needs to be drawn.

So.

Here we are. Parents acting hypocritically while often dressed as prostitutes filling ourselves up with chemical laden sugar all for the sake of “tradition” and “having a little fun.”

I know that might seem harsh, but when I take a step back and actually look at the holiday…that’s what I see. And I’ve been guilty of more than one of those offenses.

But we’re talking about THIS Halloween. And how many of us are feeling THIS year. 2022 is just hitting differently. It’s been over 2 years of divisiveness and 2 years of spiritual warfare being out in the open. So anything that causes division (like attitudes about a holiday) and anything that is obvious spiritual warfare (think light vs. dark…which, no one can argue that Halloween doesn’t fall into the “dark” category) is a huge turn off.

My best friend wrote a book about business and I couldn’t help but read it through the motherhood lens as well. So that’s what this episode is about: applying business principles to motherhood as a way for moms to find their balance between the two. We’ll talk about the principles of growth mindset in both our professional and personal lives. We’re besties, so this episode starts out super informal and has it’s off the cuff moments throughout, but we do dive into the nitty gritty and I can promise you’ll walk away with some useful insights on how to show up as your best self in both motherhood and business.

Amanda has a section in her book where she talks about growth mindset. Finding joy in work and living the life you want to have. Finding what gives you life and joy. She lists the following elements of growth mindset that we’re going to talk about:

1. Reflection

2. Cultivating Your Purpose

3. Take on Challenges

4. Foster Grit

5. Write Your Goals

6. Check Your Attitude

7. Ask for Feedback

8. Stop Seeking Approval

9. Reward Actions, Not Traits

Amanda’s Bio: Amanda Furgiuele is a sole parent, multiple-business owner and entrepreneur, international performer, and an expert in creative problem-solving and time management. She is also the co-author of the Amazon best-selling book, The Pursuit of Badasserie: How to Create Badass Business Abundance, and co-hosts The Pursuit of Badasserie podcast. With over 16 years of experience as an entrepreneur, Amanda has extensive knowledge in productivity, structural development, strategic planning, crisis management, and business process improvements across multiple fields. She challenges her clients to stop making excuses and start making progress through innovative solutions to even the most mundane problems.

Elevating Motherhood Links:

“It’s ridiculous that birth plans even have to exist. The purpose of a birth plan really is to decrease the likelihood that you are going to be abused while you’re in this setting. To decrease the likelihood that people are going to do stuff to you that you don’t want done.”

-Dr. Sarah Leahy

Summer flies by...we only have 18 summers with our kiddos (but do we?) In this episode, I address the mom guilt that surrounds creating magical summer for and with our kids + give you some great ideas to have fun with ease--the ease that comes from living an aligned life. 

The 2 Lists:

1. Family Values List

2. Summer Bucket List

Add meaning to your summer by creating a family bucket list that aligns with your family’s values. I know that my family thrives most when we align our actions and values…and that includes things like summer fun!

1. Identify what your family values—make a values list first!

· Examples: Faith, Social, Character, Health, Education, Time, Financial

· Our family values: time in nature, friendships, trying new activities, going to new places, eating quality foods, and rest.

2. Take everyone into consideration—create your activities/wish list!

· Take the pressure off yourself to be the one who does it all and plans it all. Summer magic can happen with the help and input of your family

· Ask everyone what they hope to do this summer

· Write down their suggestions. See what is feasible and which ones align with your family’s values

· If your kids are too young to give their input, use your values as a guide to create plans, adventures, or daily habits

3. Put your lists into action

· Every Day Goals: If you value being outside, an everyday goal could be to eat outside as much as possible or prioritize having your morning coffee outside or get outside first thing in the morning or last thing at night catching fireflies with your kids.

· Destination Goals: your value of being outside could look more adventurous and out of the ordinary rhythm of life, like booking a camping trip or planning a trip to a local park or stream you’ve never been to.

· Look to see which items overlap. For our family, our summer list includes requests for fishing, swimming, and being on a boat. One day on the lake in a boat could check all 3 of those hopes off our bucket list.

4. Troubleshoot with your Values List First.

· Use your values list to troubleshoot as needed. Plans go awry. Attitudes go sideways. The weather turns. Plans get messed up. How can we re-center? Go back to our values list first. It’s your values list that is going to inspire you and give you perspective when your bucket list of hopes goes sideways.

New Discount Code! For Wellnesse!

Organizing is not my strong suit. It’s actually something that I tend to shy away from if I can help it. But in the interest of life-long learning and personal growth—and out of necessity because we had the huge move from Maui to Idaho coming up—I decided to tackle the topic with your help! This episode is packed with questions from Elevating Motherhood listeners.

My friend Jennifer Ford Berry made this deep dive into getting more organized so easy! She helped me so much during this transition. This interview took place before I even started packing the first box (and before the baby was born in December!) I got to apply her insights from this chat to the move and WOW what a difference. Her guidance was with me the whole time and has even carried over into setting up my new home here in Idaho.

Jennifer’s Bio: Jennifer Ford Berry is a professional organizer, best-selling author of the Organize Now series and Purpose Over Possessions…and she has a new book in May! She is also the host of The 29 Minute Mom Podcast—I was a guest on her show, too! She owns a semi-annual family consignment event: Mothertime Marketplace, is the president of Jennifer Ford Berry Ministries, and is a loving wife and mom of 2.

She shares all kinds of insights and tips for organizing your life and home. We all come to this topic with different energy—some of us love organization, some of us avoid it—no matter where you are on your organization journey, Jennifer has some helpful thoughts that will speak to you!

“Ultimately, we recognize the season of Lent before Easter not because God demands it of us, not because Christ commanded it to prove our mettle, and not because we must perfect ourselves before we’re worthy of Easter,” writes Oxenreider. “We observe Lenten practices because they’re good for us… In a world that celebrates indulging our whims whenever we want, to practice the traditions of Lent is countercultural.”

Today is the first day of Lent—which is holding a new meaning for me this year as I pack up my house and life on Maui and get ready to move to Idaho (ironically in the middle of the Lenten season this year). The message and meaning of Lent is helping me get through this move by bringing in notions of self-discipline and reflection (which I need right now). Many of us think of Lent as a time of lack—of fasting & taking away. But what if we could expand that perspective and see the “lack” or “taking away” as making room for more, for celebration. Fasting making room for feasting. (Lent’s purpose is to quite literally makes room for Easter). What if this year we don’t skip straight to the Easter baskets and egg hunts, but use this time to come out of this season (a two year long season of lack) more meaningfully and intentionally?

If Lent is a new concept to you, don’t worry, we share the basics and history of Lent in this episode. If you’re an old hat at Lent, there’s something here for you, too, as Tsh Oxenreider walks us through her inspiring new book Bitter & Sweet as well her reasons why our world needs the life giving practice of Lent now more than ever.

Tsh’s Bio: Tsh Oxenreider is the bestselling author of several books, including Bitter and Sweet: A Journey Into Easter and At Home in the World, her memoir about her family’s year traveling around the world and living out of backpacks. She’s also a travel guide, teacher, and podcaster, and she lives in Georgetown, Texas, with her husband and three children. She is equally happy snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef with her family and putzing around her own backyard. Find Tsh online at tshoxenreider.com.

A wealth of inspiration and a breath of fresh air, Liz Galvan gives moms permission to look fully at their lives and figure out how to live with intention—not only within their homes but within their family unit and within themselves.

In this episode, we explore how we can bring beauty, peace, and a sense of coziness into our homes all year long by embracing the interconnectedness of our own actions with how we react and perceive the world we live in. It begins with us, and we can think about it, take action, and have fun, all with the way we show up for those around us.

My hair may be changing, but so am I.

Growing out my grey is about soooooooo much more than hair. A year in, I’m more genuinely confident –that doesn’t mean I love every day, but my gosh, I see the growth literally and figuratively. I see the beauty and the potential. Maybe it’s because I’m a mom, but I know how quickly this transition will fly by, even if it takes years.

In this episode I talk about:

· Why I’m growing out my grey

· Shout out to my hairdresser Tiana

· How it all started

· How it’s going

· Vanity

· Non-toxic shift

Have you thought about going back to school, pursuing your certification, degree, or even masters degree? Or maybe you’re dreaming of starting a business or passion project…but you’re a mom and busy and life seems overwhelming as is…so you question whether you can truly add one more thing to your plate financially, time wise, or even just mentally, emotionally, or physically.

There are so many factors to consider when wondering if your dream can or should come to life. And right as you are working out the details in your head or journal, cue the mom guilt and imposter syndrome.

But at the same time you look around and see that other moms are doing it or have done it. If you are anywhere on this journey toward making time for school, yourself, and/or your dreams, this episode is for you.

Maui mama Malika Dudley is here to answer questions about her story that led her to obtaining her masters degree and starting a podcast called Comminification (all about the beautification of communication). All while mom-ing, working, and processing loss.

She and I share about our masters degree journeys—and while we dive into the pragmatics of it (scheduling, cost, etc). you’ll see that this is a much bigger conversation than the questions and pros/cons list you might be compiling. At the end of our interview I was really struck by how much our journeys were about more than those initial lists in our heads…when really it came down to alignment, learning about ourselves, our families and our communities.

This conversation is a living, breathing example of what it’s like when moms take the time to show up and pursue their passions. So if you’re thinking about going for it—whatever that means for you—get ready! You’re going to learn so much about yourself!

“We repeat what we don’t repair.” – Christine Langley-Obaugh

Thanks for being here for this episode. You don’t have to be a mom to a daughter to benefit from today’s show. If you’re a woman, you’re already in a mother/daughter relationship (you are someone’s daughter). If you are a mom to a girl, there’s that dynamic, too. Do me a favor…hop over to IG after listening to this episode and look for the Episode 126 post…then share with me which relationship dynamic or lens first drew you to this topic. I’d love to know.

That’s the interesting part of today’s conversation…we’re all bringing a different perspective to the table. It’s like looking at our past (back at our childhood), looking at the now (and our children’s childhood as well as our current relationship with our own mothers), and into our future (what we want our relationship with our children to look like in the future, how we want our relationship with our own mothers to change, and even looking at future in-law relationships)—all at the same time.

The mother/daughter dynamic is so important in our everyday lives and in our society as a whole. Ann Dillard is here to tap into why that is, how we can heal every mother/daughter relationship in our lives, and offer us empowering, transformative insights into this vulnerable topic.

Ann’s Bio: Ann Dillard is the founder of KIP Consulting Services, LLC and passionate about instilling hope and empowering individuals to live their best lives. She operates a thriving private practice in Decatur, GA, where she offers mental health services to teens girls and their families. Ms. Ann hosts conversation circles and coaching programs internationally, where she helps women of all ages to navigate challenges in their mother/daughter relationships She is the a co-author of the Amazon #1 Bestseller Unchain My Legacy and has contributed to several other publications. Ms. Ann has created several tools to help foster healthy relationships and stronger mothers and daughter bonds, as well as parents and their teenagers. Ann Dillard is a Certified Daring Way Facilitator, Internal Family Systems, and Brainspotting Therapist