Life Bites - Bite Back

Today I give you a chapter from my new book - A Walk Through December - the eBook and paperback are released on Amazon right now and the audio version will be available any day now!!

One of the best epiphanies I’ve had growing older is ... just how important the struggle really is!

Chapter 28 from Land of the Free was really thought provoking for me. In this episode, I read to you the chapter. No opinions. You need your own opinion - you don’t need my opinion.

What could that little pessimist have done to bring about this attitude now?!

I had a friend message me that she felt I could have gone deeper into the traumas and the hurt. If you’ve read it - message me and let me know what you think?!

A fun hearted discussion with a Masters Degree holding, Middle School Teacher/Warrior, fun-loving friend … Jamie Maupins.

Maybe “what Not to say” would fit this better? In this episode I recount some of the things either that I’ve mistakenly said or that people have said to me during loss that just didn’t quite sit well. If you can add to this, please comment and share!

My friend Jamie Maupins is a tried and true warrior. Highly educated with a Masters Degree, Jamie’s highest accolade comes because she willingly walks into a war zone every day. Her War Zone?! A Middle School! 😱 It’s not my gift. Join us as we discuss the fun and the danger of middle school in today’s culture!

What are some of the things we tell people in our lives about how to deal with rejection? What tools do we try to give others to combat these moments?

Thank you all for being on this ride with me - let’s recap 2021 and look ahead to this new gift of 2022

Every young couple faces the decision of whether they are going to use Santa with their children or not. So do just because it always has been. Some don’t for the opposite extreme and look down on those who do. Join my husband Corey and I as we discuss how our choice was made and how we carried it out.

There are people who use it and people who don’t. It seems most of my friends use it a lot - some can’t form a sentence without it. It still makes me blush at times. I’m definitely not the one who’ll be peppering a conversation with it. Join me as Wilma Johnson and I debate the use of the word, it’s relationship to social proprietary normals, and Christianity. Weigh in with comments and join the community!

Have we gone from America the Beautiful to America the Narcissist? Following a conversation with a friend, Wilma Johnson where this phrase was brought up - I could not stop thinking about it. Join us as we explore the culture in America today.

In this 15 minute episode I establish the foundation for the fact I probably owe my siblings a couple apologies for being a little "extra" 😬

I'm the 4th of 5 kids and my parents had to deal with 3 females who were all legit babies of the family because there were so many years between the three of us. That, and my Dad just loved spoiling a little girl. I might have been tomboy through and through but make no mistake -- I was a princess. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂

I’ve received many questions about writing my first book. The first one is “what made you decide to write it” another is “what is it about anyway”? Join me for a visit about why and what the process looks like!

Sarah Mumy shares the story of her family. Together with her husband Jordan, Sarah embarked on a journey to grow their family through adoption. The first adoption was through a private agency and the second through Department of Human Services (DHS). Their story is a little different in the fact that both adoptions are open. The birth moms and families meet up with Sarah, Jordan, and their family for holidays and birthdays on a regular basis. When I met them, her son was preschool age. One day he was caught showing a little friend a picture of his two moms, and him as an infant. “See, my moms tummy is broken so God had to put me in “birth mom’s” tummy and she had to bring me to my mom.” That’s when my heart melted.

On this particular event, I went toe to toe with a hormonal young man after one of my daughters. He had used some words in a text that NEVER made their way into my vocabulary on a normal basis and I just could not stop. Every time I think of this, I still feel like I need to apologize to God. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But I was taking my job of protecting my daughters VERY seriously. Oh boy ... here goes nothing

Social Emotional Regulation - a process internal to one's self that involves "controlling one's behavior, emotions, and thoughts in the pursuit of long-term goals” Today I discuss with my friend, and career teacher just what Social Emotional Regulation is and how it is relevant to the home as well as the classroom. Helping people become fully aware, and I control of their emotions increases people’s abilities to feel empathy for others and over-all be more kind to themselves and the world around them. Please leave thoughts and responses we could maybe address with a part 2 of this topic!

Join me as I visit with my 2nd daughter Carly. She is no doubt the worst case or rebellion and stubbornness I’ve seen in my 51 years. She just happened to be my kid (yay me)! We were not friends - and that’s putting it mildly. But There Is HOPE! Listen to our story, well a fraction of it anyway. She finally came out of it, we are now more than mother/daughter, we are friends. I love her relentlessly and maybe that’s what kept us connected for those 19 years it took for her to come around!

Native American, Woman-owned business dedicated to helping educate Native people that you really Don’t Have to get Diabetes! There are things that can be done to help avoid it and even reverse it! Along with other services, Jacqui Ashford’s company, Native Health Advisors wants to help you by offering screenings to your tribes, your employees, and groups whether they are Native American or not! Listen to learn about new products and tools they can offer to help combat and manage different diseases that plague us today!

Sometimes I really can’t help it y’all! Especially if you a grown adult is bullying a child you don’t even know! I waited - I tried y’all. But when no one else is up for the job? I ain’t skeerd. 🙄😁😬🥴🥴🥴

My husband Corey joins me again as we discuss how our family grew. As he puts it, we were confused half the time! But with all the unique dynamics we had I think it’s acceptable!

Donna Frick, RN, goes into greater detail about the challenges of Severe Mental Illnesses and the obstacles of appropriate care through laws in place and policies adopted everywhere. These issues have made adequate care for her son not even be available when he needs it most, in the moment of crisis. Please note that neither Donna, nor myself are a licensed professional in the mental health field we are just lay people sharing our experiences as we hope to progress and create a better world for those dealing with these diseases.

Donna Frick came into my life when her daughter and my daughter decided they were one and the same and couldn’t go a week without hanging out. I’ve watched her family grow and eventually get hijacked by mental illness when it jumped all over her oldest child. In part 1 I share my own personal experience with depression and how I coped. I also ask many questions that I just don’t feel are answered in typical daily life. Please note that neither Donna, nor myself are a licensed professional in the mental health field we are just lay people sharing our experiences as we hope to progress and create a better world for those dealing with these diseases.

Corey and I married right after high school. It hasn’t always been easy. In fact we spent almost 1/3 of our marriage so far in complete loathing of one another. Listen to chapter one in our story. Maybe some day we will share about that horrible decade. For now - listen to the fun stuff.

My life is a series of embarrassing moments. I finally learned to embrace them. Then I named them. This short podcast gives you a glimpse into my chaos. Enjoy!!

There’s been a lot of attention brought to the TikTok challenges. They are directed straight at students and almost all of them are actual illegal offenses. It’s Our responsibility parents to stand up and derail these things before they take off. We can do better America

This is a quick opportunity for getting my introduction and the vision I have for this podcast out to you! I look forward to seeing you at an episode soon!