Extraordinary Moms Podcast

Today’s episode is going to kick off a theme we are doing for the month of May. May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is a serious issue that doesn’t get a lot of attention not because it’s not important or not because it’s uncommon, but because women feel embarrassed, or confused, or guilty about feeling anything but bliss after bringing home a new baby. Feelings of depression or anxiety leave mothers feeling hopeless and isolated. Often times women don’t recognize the symptoms in themselves and continue living under a dark cloud, when they would otherwise be feeling more joy. I feel like the Extraordinary Moms Podcast is a place where we can get real about motherhood. We can cheer each other on, we can cry for one another, we can identify with the emotional ups and downs that occur every day in this job… and when we can put down our walls and share our stories with one another, we can in turn help others to feel less alone. My fear was that doing a whole month of mental health-related stories in a row would be too…. “depressing”… but there was just something in me that felt like these stories needed to be told… now! So today I’m talking with Peggy O’Neil Nosti, who personally suffered from Postpartum Anxiety after her third baby, and went on to start a nonprofit called the Bluedot Project, which created a universal symbol to promote maternal mental health awareness. She is honest, she is vulnerable, and she offers great hope to those who may be feeling similarly in their lives. In the coming weeks I will bring you several more episodes featuring mothers who have dealt with postpartum mental health issues, and I will also include a few episodes focused on self-care, because that can have a strong effect on one’s ability to cope during a difficult time. I hope these episodes help you feel validated in your feelings and encouraged that YOU ARE NOT ALONE. There is hope, and there is help. We are not doctors, so if you or someone you know might be suffering from a mental health issue, talk to your doctor and find out what you can do to start feeling like yourself again! Blessings to all of you moms out there… you are warriors! Show Notes:  * To get your BlueDot: http://www.thebluedotproject.org/ * To advocate, including information on the May Campaign- National Coalition for Maternal Mental Health:  http://mmhcoalition.com/ * Check out this awesome resource for mental health and addiction: https://www.drugrehab.com/guides/pregnancy/ * If you need help, go to BlueDot’s website, or start at the national level and follow it to your local area- Postpartum Support International: http://www.postpartum.net/ * To find a screening in your area of the documentary ‘Dark Side of the Full Moon’: http://www.darksideofthefullmoon.com/ * * The place to order meat: https://www.instagram.com/maryheff.5marysfarms/ * The TJ’s cookbook: 

On today’s episode, I am going to share with you some of my favorite parenting resources. We are so lucky to live in an age where there are endless possibilities for learning. When it comes to motherhood, there is certainly no shortage of books on “how to do it”, but in addition to books, there are also online articles, podcasts, and e-courses. So many choices! Here are three of my favorite places to go when I feel in need of a parenting tune-up: Positive Parenting Solutions by Amy McCready. I love her parenting philosophy about parenting with love and intention. She offers new webinars frequently that can give you taste of her parenting program and if you like what you hear, she also has a full program you can purchase. But I felt like that one hour webinar really left me with great, applicable information. Check her out! Aha! Parenting with Dr. Laura Markham. First order of business… sign up for her FREE Email Coaching on her website. She sends out a fabulous newsletter with great parenting tips for all ages. You can also search through her articles for any number of topics and get some great ideas. Power of Moms. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… I love Power of Moms. Such a great resource for articles and podcasts, but did you know they also sell programs if you are looking for specific coaching on a certain topic? They have everything from Summer Success Kits to e-courses on organization (Mind Organization for Moms is fabulous!). Learning Circles is also another great program. It’s like a book club for moms, but you only have to read an article. Far more manageable than getting through a whole book.

Welcome back for another Book Club Episode. Our last book club episode went over really well, so we decided to bring it back. I’m chatting with my friend Stephanie again, and this month we are covering the book, “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk” by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. When you discuss any given parenting book, you’ll find that some ideas really resonate with you and others don’t feel as applicable. That’s totally normal. But I will say that both Stephanie and I have not been this excited about a parenting book in a while. This book is chocked full of ideas for every age on how to effectively improve communication with your child(ren). And these aren’t new procedures that are going to take a while to implement before you see an effect. Both Steph and I had positive experiences the very first time we used one of the techniques. Amazing! If you like what you hear, please leave us a comment and let us know what stuck out to you and what you enjoyed from the episode. Like we mention on the show, this is probably a book you want to purchase for yourself since there are little illustrations that go along with the principles. Enjoy today’s episode!

Hi Friends! Happy Friday. It’s been a good week around here, and I hope you’ve been feeling good too! Today’s episode is a fun one, where I answer some of your questions. Thanks so much if you submitted a question on Instagram or Facebook for me to answer. I love hearing from you and sharing with you as if I was chatting with one of my friends. I will definitely do this format again, so keep your eyes peeled for the next time I solicit some Q’s from you. Have an awesome weekend and I’m excited to bring you another book club episode on Tuesday!

April is Autism Awareness month and I am so excited to bring you an interview in celebration of that theme today! LeeAndra Chergey is a mom of two children, a home stager, and now… an author. She just penned her first book called “Make a Wish for Me” based upon her family’s journey when her son was diagnosed with autism. It’s a realistic look at the ups and downs of that experience, and offers great hope to anyone who might be facing a similar challenge. I love LeeAndra’s positivity, but also her willingness to tell it like it is. Enjoy the interview…   Show Notes:  Autism Awareness Month Buy her book “Make a Wish for Me“ Jessica’s article “Embracing Each Season“ Follow LeeAndra on:  Facebook//Blog//Twitter  Connect with Jessica: Instagram//Facebook//Email

Hi Friends… another Friday episode for you. Today I share with you my love for writing snail mail. I was raised to write hand written thank you notes and since I was very young, I’ve always loved sending cards to people. Raise your hand if you love getting something besides a bill or junk in the mail? I do! So make someone’s day and send them an encouraging note in the mail today. The Target Dollar Spot is a great place to find inexpensive, cute cards. I also wanted to share with you a new favorite podcast. Coffee and Crumbs (I had one of their contributor’s Lesley Miller on the show) recently launched a podcast and it is so good. If you are enjoying Extraordinary Moms, this is another one that will feed your mother-soul. And lastly, I give my response to that question, “Is this my last baby?” It’s a hard question for many to answer, and knowing that your family is complete can be hard to wrap your mind around, but I have come to a certain way of thinking about it that helps me not stress over that question. On next week’s show, I am talking with LeeAndra Chergey who will share her story of her son’s diagnosis with Autism. I hope you all have a great weekend!

      I love to cook and get so much of my dinner inspiration from social media. Whether it’s Pinterest for endless dinner ideas, my favorite food blogs for new tried and true recipes, or Instagram for beautiful pics that leave me dreaming of having an at-home chef… there’s never a shortage of ideas surrounding me. I became so intrigued by the Instagram account of Lisa McLeod, who posts daily pics of her beautiful (and healthy) meals. I was especially impressed by her gorgeous breakfast bowls. I literally need her to move into my home to cook for me. I reached out to her to ask how she got into healthy eating and what role that plays in her motherhood journey, and she happily agreed to share her journey with all of you. In today’s episode, Lisa will share why she decided to try out the Whole30 approach to eating, in an effort to clean up her eating and impact her overall wellbeing. After developing healthier habits, her whole life changed and she feels like a better mom because of it. I had so many questions for her about simple ways to eat more healthfully and she shares some tips about dealing with picky eaters. It’s a really practical episode that focuses on not only being intentional about what we eat, but also being more intentional in motherhood. Show Notes:  Learn more about Lisa on Instagram or on her website “Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo Other recipe sources on Instagram: Stupid Easy Paleo or Whole30recipes Alton Brown sweet potato recipe “Running with the Mind of Meditation” by Sakyong Mipham Contact Jessica: Instagram//Facebook//Email

I’m back! I’ve had so many people reach out to me to bring back Friday episodes. And to be honest, I’ve really missed chatting with you and sharing my own journey and my own heart with you, so here we are. Instead of strictly following the Friday Favorites format, I’ve decided that Friday episodes will just be me sharing what’s been on my mind. Maybe it’s favorites, maybe it’s thoughts on motherhood, maybe it’s an article or book I read, maybe it’s a life moment I want to share. Ultimately, I want the listeners to feel like we just got real and chatted about our life. Motherhood can be isolating, and in case you are in need of some adult conversation, I hope this can fill that need a bit. Then the last Friday of the month I will still feature a Mom of the Month. Hooray! So today I am chatting about my evolution as a mom, two articles I wrote for Power of Moms, and a sneak peak about next Tuesday’s guest. So I hope you enjoy today’s episode!

      Social media is amazing, because it can give you the opportunity to look into the lives of people that you would never otherwise meet. When I first started following The Bucketlist Family on Instagram, I was blown away. First, their photos of various places from around the world are amazing. Second, they have two little kids in tow. Third, how did this whole thing start? So I reached out to Jessica, the mom of the Bucketlist Family, and she kindly agreed to chat with me about their travels on today’s episode. Jessica Gee never dreamed she would set out on an around the world travel adventure with her husband, Garrett, and two children, but she has really learned to love the minimalism, the adventure, and the art of living out of a suitcase. This is a fascinating look into a unique lifestyle that they are embracing as they check places off their “bucket list” and make family memories that will last a lifetime. You may not be in the position to take an around the world trek of your own, but talking with Jessica allows you to live vicariously through them. Show Notes:  Find out more about the Gee family on YouTube or Instagram Travel Resources: Airbnb and I Like Local Contact Jessica: Instagram//Facebook//Email

I’ve missed you, friends! When you start a new venture, like this podcast, you are constantly assessing and reassessing every decision you make. When I first started the show, I knew that I wanted to bring you a new episode every week featuring a different mom sharing their story. But very early on I realized that I wanted a chance to talk to you too… however, I didn’t necessarily know if you wanted to hear from me. It’s all trial and error. While the Friday episodes generally seemed to go over well, the uncertainty won over and I decided to do just one Friday episode a month where I featured an Extraordinary Mom of the Month Award recipient and a few favorite things. I’m still wavering on if that’s how things will continue around here, but I’d love to hear from you and know if you miss the Friday episodes and want them back on a weekly basis. Let me know!!!! You guys… I LOVE hearing about all the extraordinary moms you know, so thank you if you submitted a name for this month’s Extraordinary Mom of the Month Award, and our winner for March is….. Sherrie Burton. Sherrie is a Navy wife, mom of three boys, and her friend Brooke who nominated her says this of Sherrie, “She doesn’t show up at your house with a loaf of bread when you need help- she shows up with a bucket to scrub your floors or car seats to whisk away your kids to the park. You will be happy you had the chance to know her even if it was only briefly.” Wow! You can hear more from her on today’s episode. Now for my favorites… I have some good ones today friends: * The Great British Baking Show on Netflix. Now, lest you think I am one of those people that love British television… I am not. I like Downton Abbey, but that’s about as deep as I get into that genre of entertainment. PBS has done it again and has produced a fabulous series (that sadly only has one season), based around a baking competition. I like cooking shows in general, but there is something about this one that is so endearing. First, the accents are to die for. Second, their baking challenges are so complex and impressive. Third, the variety of competitors makes this show! You have a construction worker, an 18-year-old girl, a grandmother, etc… These are not professional bakers. They are real people with a deep baking talent. And the hosts are so funny. My personal favorites are Norman and Martha. Let me know what you think. I really enjoyed it and teared up on the final episode… I’m weak. * What am I reading lately? Thanks for asking. I’m reading, “Big Magic”, by Elizabeth Gilbert. I’m sure you’ve already heard about this book but I give it my full recommendation. It is such a pleasant read, as she discusses how we are all creative beings and it is our duty to share whatever it is that is within us, with the world. When we let fear talk us out of creating or sharing our talents and passions, we are doing a disservice to the world and to ourselves. I’m about 3/4 of the way through and I never want the book to end. Check it out! * Rach Talk. If you aren’t already familiar with Rachel Hollis (of The Chic Site)… get familiar. I heard her on another podcast and instantly fell in love with her spunk, can-do attitude, and style. You can follow her on Instagram here and you can also watch these videos she puts together on YouTube called Rach Talk. Every week she just chats about random stuff, but each video is hilarious and so well edited. It just makes me smile and I know you’ll love these. She also wrote some books that are a fun read as well.

I feel so lucky that this podcast has allowed me the opportunity to connect with moms all around the world, and have meaningful conversations with extraordinary moms I would have never otherwise met. Heather Avis is one of those people. I originally found out about Heather through her Instagram account Macymakesmyday. On this feed, she gives a daily dose of positivity to her followers as she posts pictures and videos of her children, specifically Macy, her daughter with Down Syndrome. In today’s episode, Heather will share with us about her battle with infertility and ultimately their decision to adopt three children, two of which have Down Syndrome. She is so vulnerable as she opens up about adopting a child with significant health challenges and struggling to bond with another one of her children. She offers hope to those who might be facing similar challenges of parenting children with special needs and by the end of the conversation, I feel like I’ve made a new friend. And I know you will feel the same. Enjoy my conversation with Heather.   Show Notes:  Follow Heather on Instagram or on her blog This is one of my favorite posts from Heather’s blog speaking to parents of typical children Contact me: Instagram//Facebook//Email

Is there anything cuter than a baby fresh out of the bath? It’s hands down one of the most precious sights you will ever see. Since having Jackson, I’ve been exclusively using Tubby Todd Bath Co products on his skin and let me tell you why for two reasons: 1) The scent is heavenly. Their flagship product has a lavender scent, and I find myself using it on my own hands with it after I’m done putting it on my baby! and 2) Jackson suffered from some eczema and we had trouble clearing it up on his cheeks. Tubby Todd products are ultimately what made the biggest difference on his skin. Halleluia. It just so happens that my friend Andrea Williams is the founder of this amazing bath company. She and her husband Brian founded the company when they were searching for natural, effective products to use on their own children. And it was a success! She has two little ones with one on the way. Today, Andrea and I will chat about how she manages to incorporate self-care into her life, while juggling motherhood and running a business. As someone who often times puts my own needs on the back burner, this was a conversation I needed to hear. You will love Andrea, her wisdom, and if you haven’t already tried them, her Tubby Todd Bath Co products.               Show Notes:  Check out Tubby Todd Bath Co products (dream cream was dreamy on my eczema baby) Enter Andrea’s Babylist Giveaway to win over $2000 of products (ends Friday 3/18) Follow Andrea of Instagram She mentioned her friend Elle’s baby wrap company called Solly Baby Here’s the book Andrea wrote Contact me: Instagram//Facebook//Email

Today’s episode is a must listen. Almost 18 months ago, my friend Amy Kaechele got the terrible news that she had breast cancer. The road ahead entailed 4 months of chemo, followed by a double mastectomy. On top of all of this, she has three little kids who need their mom!  Bravely and with great positivity, she battled for her life and inspired all of us along the way. On today’s interview, she will share with us how she felt when she heard those dreaded words “You have cancer,” and what she feared the most. Amy is a fighter, and I can’t wait for you to hear her story. Show Notes: Here’s her video fundraising for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk! (get your tissues!) Here’s a video she put together of all the photos she received from around the country on her first day of chemo. If you ever know someone in a similar situation, this is a great way to boost their morale! Contact Jessica: Instagram//Facebook//Email

Welcome to Episode 18 of the Extraordinary Moms Podcast! I’m so excited to share with you my conversation with Janssen Bradshaw. Janssen is the creator of the blog Everyday Reading, where she shares books reviews, top book lists she’s curated, as well as other fun content like fashion finds, recipes, and thoughts on motherhood. Janssen worked for several years as an elementary school librarian and has passed along her love of reading to her three young girls. In today’s interview, Janssen will share how she fits reading into her busy life, tips for making the most out of library visits, and what she advises for parents of struggling readers. And in case you are looking for some book recommendations, she gives her favorites for every demographic. You’ll love Janssen and she will get you excited to start reading! Show Notes:  Find out more about Janssen on her blog, on Instagram, or on Facebook Alexander’s Amazing Adventures– we talked about this audio series which teaches children values. Sunlit Pages– another great reading resource Book Recommendations:  Her favorite adult book: “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty Picture Books: “Oliver and Amanda Pig“, “Bread and Jam for Francis“, “Make Way for Ducklings“, “The Book with No Pictures“, Mac Barnett books (funny!) like “Count the Monkeys“ Wordless Books: “Journey” series by Aaron Becker Read Aloud chapter books: Beverly Cleary books, “The Boxcar Children“, “Little House on the Prairie“, “

Oh hey… we’re back with another Friday Favorites episode. In addition, I am happy to announce our very first Extraordinary Mom of the Month Award recipient. We had some great nominations, and I plan to do this every month to give you a chance to share with the world who you think is an extraordinary mom. Wouldn’t you love to be called out for being EXTRAORDINARY??? That’s the idea… to lift each other up. So our Extraordinary Mom of the Month for February is Robin Smith. Robin was nominated by her friend/niece Kristen. As you’ll hear in the episode, Kristen’s aunt sadly died of a heart condition when she was only 38 years old. She left behind her loving husband and 7 children! Then, her widow met Robin, a divorced mom of four children. When they met online, Robin laughed it off… imagine… 11 children! But, they fell in love and blended their two families. It’s an amazing story of hope, love, and faith. You’ll love my conversation with Robin. She truly is extraordinary! Now my favorites… I will just do two since I gave the award… and Robin counts as one of my favorites. 1.This quote… “Be gentle with yourself, you’re doing the best you can.” I have this posted above my computer and everyday it reminds me to afford myself the grace I so willingly give to others on a daily basis. As long as we are doing our best, we are doing enough. And best does not mean perfect! 2. Coffee and Crumbs blog. I spoke with Lesley Miller on Episode 14, and she is a contributor for this blog. There are multiple writers who share their thoughts on life and motherhood, and everytime I read an essay I just feel wonderful. They touch on themes that are so relevant to my life and with complete candor, the thoughts they share both glorify motherhood as well as keep it real. I love this essay by Lesley and this one about acknowledging that you’re a wonderful mom (I literally cried while reading it). As a mom, I love finding out about new resources that can inspire me, teach me, and make me laugh. This blog is one of those resources. I hope everyone has an awesome week and I can’t wait for Tuesday’s episode! I am talking with Janssen Bradshaw of Everyday Reading, and she’ll share how she makes time for reading and her top book recommendations. Get excited!