The Real Kathy Lee

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

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The REAL Kathy Lee is an honest podcast for REAL moms.

It didn’t take me long as a mom to realize that I make a lot of mistakes and can pretty much be summed up as a hot mess most days. I have lost shoes, let children eat Twizzlers for breakfast, forgotten birthday parties, and flat out pitched my own temper tantrums. Luckily, that isn’t the entire story. My journey has also included sweet connecting moments, learning some valuable lessons and making some outstanding memories along the way. Honestly, I have been all over the place during my twenty plus years as a mom. The most important thing I have learned is that grace is a beautiful thing. I even had the words FEARLESS GRACE tattooed on my arm so I would always remember that this mom is to fearlessly lead with grace.

We are going to get REAL during our times together. We are going to talk about real life… real motherhood. Topics will include helicopter parenting, how to really connect with your children, how to find your joy in motherhood, why every mom needs an “all by herself” vacation, how to refrain from jumping in the car and just driving away, and why saying YES is the most powerful response to a young child’s requests.

As a mother of many (both biological and adopted), I know that this mothering gig isn’t for whimps. Grab a cup of coffee (or other preferred beverage) and get ready to laugh, maybe cry, and hopefully be incredibly encouraged on this beautiful journey of motherhood.

Always remember that if this hot mess can rock motherhood, so can YOU!

You’ve got this!

Kathy

“Kathy Lee is one of the most loving and encouraging people I know. She is passionate about helping moms succeed, without ignoring the hardships that come along with the choice to homeschool. We admire and respect the openness with which she lives as well as the humor and encouragement that she brings into the messiness of the life we all live!

Kathy has gained much wisdom from her experience and she shares it willingly. Along with her wisdom, she thoughtfully shares the principles behind what she believes is most helpful when creating a wonderful home and family. From those principles she helps you decide what you should prioritize for your specific family and how to accomplish those goals. Kathy doesn’t give you a list of rules to follow, but instead she comes alongside you and helps you follow God’s leading for your family.  

Kathy is a wonderful teacher who will help you as you travel this parenting journey! We trust that you will come away from her teaching more encouraged and eager to continue on this path God has called you to. Enjoy!” — Michael and Jessica Somerville – Tapestry of Grace

The Real Kathy Lee
The Real Kathy Lee
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Momfessions Episodes

Replay: Are You a BAD Mom? When Motherhood Does Not Go As Expected

On this episode, I had the privilege of chatting with my beautiful daughter-in-love, Caroline. Last June, Caroline made me a grandmother when she gave birth to the coolest twin boys! Levi and Titus rocked all of our worlds, especially hers. Caroline gets real and vulnerable as she shares her journey of expectations vs reality. I […]

Special Replay | Mothering is a Marathon with Keri Vasek

Mothering is a Marathon with Keri Vasek It had been a while since I had Keri on the show. Actually, it had been a while since Keri and I had talked in real life. It was good to catch up with her and hear what was on her heart. Keri took a few minutes to […]

Mother’s Day Surprise Replay

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and all of you moms listening!! This week I thought I would share some reminders from a talk I have been giving this summer at conferences nationwide. At the end of this episode, I have a BIG surprise; you don’t want to miss it! This episode is brought to […]

Unrealistic Expectations | Special Replay

Unrealistic Mom Expectations with The Real Kathy Lee Episode #5 I had a great time talking with Keri Vasek about the unrealistic expectations we as moms put on ourselves. You might remember Keri from Episode 2 where we talked about Losing Your Joy in Motherhood. Keri is the mother of three “muddlings” and enjoys encouraging […]

How to Have Those BIG Talks with Your Kids with Christy Montes

How to Have Those Big Talks with Your Kids | Momfessions with the Real Kathy Lee We know we need to have those big talks with our kids. But, where to start? Thanks to our sponsor, CTCMath.com – we are pleased for their continued excellence in education and dedication to the homeschool community. It is due to […]

Even Second Generation Homeschoolers Make Mistakes

Special Replay: Even Second-Generation Homeschoolers Make Mistakes Episode #4 Do second-generation homeschoolers make mistakes? As I travel across the country, I am fortunate to meet some amazing people. Two of those I have met along the way are Mike and Jessica Somerville with Tapestry of Grace. Recently, I met up with Mike and Jessica at […]

Holiday Replay | Genuine Hospitality

As many of you know, I am getting ready to host some lovely women in my home next weekend. My goal is for these ladies to feel at home from the moment they drive up. A recent FB post in our THGP- Playing Skillfully in Action group got me thinking about genuine hospitality. What makes […]

Gearing Up for the Holidays

If you are like me, you are freaking out a little that Thanksgiving is in two weeks. Yep, two weeks until the Turkey, Dressing, and Pumpkin Pie. I decided to chat about the rapidly approaching holidays and some of the pitfalls that moms face this time of year. Ashley Pomerory (formerly known as Ashley Smoot), […]

Special Replay| Teaching the Fruits of the Spirit to Little Ones

I often get asked how to handle spiritual training with little ones. I believe spiritual lessons should be like every other lesson at this age, taught in a concrete manner. I often suggest parents start with the Fruit of the Spirit when helping little ones understand God and His world. In this podcast, I share […]

Why Every Mom Should Say Yes

My goal is for every child to have a childhood full of beautiful memories and that starts with us saying YES!

Little Ones CAN (and SHOULD) Do It!

In this episode Jan and I talk about the benefits of letting (encouraging) little ones to get involved in home life.

Special Replay: Why NO and MINE are good words for Toddlers

I often get asked how to deal with NO and MINE in toddler world. I see them both as positive words for this age. Toddlers are realizing that they are indeed human and separate from their parents. Isn’t what we hope all of our children realize! 😉 Up until this point someone has made all […]

Special Replay: Rediscovering The Joy In Motherhood

Rediscovering the Joy in Motherhood with Kathy Lee On this episode, I have the pleasure of talking with one of my favorite homeschooling moms on the planet. Keri Vasek is the mother of three muddlings and opens up to share her journey of losing her joy (and rediscovering it). You will see in this episode […]

Special Replay: Creating Inviting Spaces with Your Little Ones

Special Replay of The Real Kathy Lee:  When my sweet friend, Misty sent me a Marco Polo (a cool video app) asking my opinion on her child’s playroom, I thought it would be a good idea to share my thoughts with all of you on creating inviting spaces for your little ones! Everyone is worthy […]

Special Replay: Schooling Out of the Box with Holly Giles

What happens when life throws you a curve ball and you suspect that you need to throw out your entire school plan? This episode is for you!

Back to School Replay – Homeschool Children Across The Ages

Jamie, Arlene, and I had so much fun recording our podcast for last week, we decided to keep the party going and record a second one. At every conference people ask us how we homeschool children across the ages. We figured it might be something the podcast world would want us to talk about as […]

Special Replay: Facing the Fall

Since Ashley and I were talking summer, we thought we would also talk about the thing that comes right after summer… THE FALL. It seems that as soon as July 4th passes, my brain immediately turns to the fall and making plans. Over the years I have learned a few things that help me as […]

Special Replay: What If I Think My Child Needs a Diagnosis?

Special Replay from Kathy Lee!  I have the coolest friends. Sometimes I forget that they are even more amazing in their careers. This is the case with my friend, Lei Rhyne. Not only did she homeschool her kiddos fro several years, is beautiful and funny, she is also a psychometrist… say that three times fast. […]

Summer Replay: Put Me in Coach – An Interview with Mary Aldrich!

Special summer replay this month, Mary Aldrich now has her own podcast on a sister network of this one, the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network!  Go check her out at Fruit Pursuit podcast! I had the privilege of being introduced to Mary Aldrich at a homeschool convention this past summer. When I heard about Mary’s coaching […]

Special Replay: Keeping Your Calm This School Year

Special Replay!  School approaches … can you believe it?  Here’s a special replay with some special tips to help you get ready to have a calm school year!   As this school year approaches, I thought I would share some of my plans to have a calm year! This year I have one 7th grader, […]

Sharing the Secret of Sexual Abuse

Has anyone watched the Leaving Neverland Documentary or the Oprah special that followed? Well, I did, and boy did it stir up all kinds of emotions for me. While I am a fan of the #metoo movement and the fact that adults are sharing their stories of sexual abuse and hopefully healing through that, I […]

The Enneagram and Self-Care- with Keri Vasek

I think Keri and I could talk for thirty minutes about almost anything, but this thirty minutes was especially fun and went by super-fast. This topic is one of interest to both of us. Honestly, I barely know anything about The Enneagram, but I am passionate about self-care. Not because I do it well but […]

Is YES Really Best? with Keri Vasek

I always have a blast catching up with Keri Vasek. I think I need to purposely schedule to have her on the podcast so we will take time to chat on the phone. This week we decided to talk about the YES I always talk about in my talks, on this show, and pretty much […]

What REALLY Matters with with Keri Vasek

I know I have said it more than a thousand times, but I absolutely love meeting young moms and dads, encouraging them on their parenting journey. It has now been four years since I first met Keri at a conference in Fort Worth, TX. If you haven’t heard how we met, check out TRKL – […]

I Didn’t Want This to be Part of My Story

Some of you might be wondering why I took the past few months off from the podcast. I thought I would take the chance in my first podcast back to explain. A few days before Christmas, we thought our 19 year-old son, Joshua had the flu. He had a fever, vomiting and sore joints. Most […]

Best of The Real Kathy Lee: Let’s Get Organized!

This week, the second top podcast episode of all time!  Let’s Get Organized:  Things don’t always work out as planned, but I have learned that it is usually for a good reason. Hoping that is the case with this week’s episode. I was scheduled to talk to my good friend, Mary Ann Kohl (author and […]

Best of The Real Kathy Lee: You’ve Got This! When Motherhood is Hard

This week we are running a few “Best of” episodes you might have missed!  This is the #1 episode for my podcast!  If you have listened to my podcast for very long, you have heard me say… You’ve Got This. You might have wondered what in the world I actually mean by that statement. Today’s […]

Teaching the Fruits of the Spirit to Little Ones

I often get asked how to handle spiritual training with little ones. I believe spiritual lessons should be like every other lesson at this age, taught in a concrete manner. I often suggest parents start with the Fruit of the Spirit when helping little ones understand God and His world. In this podcast, I share […]

Are you a good guest?

Many of you will be traveling with young kids during the holidays. My friend, Ashley will be traveling too. She and I had a great chat today about traveling with young kids and tips for being remembered as a good guest. Make a phone call to the host family. Ask if you need to bring […]

When You Don’t Feel Like It

After a two week break, I am back! To be honest, I wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t have a topic to talk about, I have been sick all week, and I have been a bit down in the dumps. So, staying true to myself, I decided to talk about that this week. How do you […]

Gearing Up for the Holidays

If you are like me, you are freaking out a little that Thanksgiving is in two weeks. Yep, two weeks until the Turkey, Dressing, and Pumpkin Pie. I decided to chat about the rapidly approaching holidays and some of the pitfalls that moms face this time of year. Ashley Pomerory (formerly known as Ashley Smoot), […]

Leaving a Legacy – An Interview with Ashley Wiggers

This week’s podcast is such a sweet episode. However, you will definitely want to grab your journal and a box of tissues before you hit play. Five years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Debbie Strayer at the Southeast Homeschool Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. We had just released our book, The Homegrown Preschooler and […]

When Your Plan is Not in the Plan – Part 2: The Blending of Lives

Last week, Kari Oakley Miller shared her story of loss and how it forced her to find a new plan for her family. This week, Kari is back to share the rest of her story. After the death of her husband, Kari remained single for ten years. Fear of the unknown and concern for her […]

When Your Plan is Not in the Plan – An Interview with Kari Oakley Miller

I met Kari almost twenty years ago, when her youngest son was just a baby.  She and I began an accountability group and started meeting on a weekly basis. We would share our struggles, our successes, encourage and pray for one another. We shared some precious times all those years ago. If you would have […]

Adding the Third Baby – Catching up with my Daughter In Law, Caroline Batres

My heart overflows with joy when this beautiful family comes to visit Nana and Bruce Bruce! Seriously, I love to hear the sounds of toddler voices and a cooing baby. Of course, I love seeing my son and daughter-in-law too, as well. I thought it would be fun to check in with Caroline and have […]

To The Mom Who Constantly Questions Herself

Guilt has been on mind so much this past week. It seems everywhere I turn, women are sharing with me how much they are questioning their every decision and how guilty they feel if they someone disagrees with them. Oh ladies, I want you to live a guilt free life. Honestly, this has been one […]

An Honest Conversation about White Mommas Raising Kids of Color

As I sit on my porch, listening to the waterfall and birds chirping I find myself so grateful for friends who are willing to talk about real life and the tough subjects. This week, I had the privilege of chatting with the beautiful Natalie about her son, Jordan. Natalie became the mom of Jordan when […]

Teens Speak Up About Everyday Life

My 17-year-old nephew drove over from Alabama to spend the weekend with us. I love having chatting with him and hearing his perspective about life and the struggles that come with being a teenager in 2018. I thought you might enjoy from Alex, as well. My daughter, Sarah was hanging out with us, so I […]

Put Me in Coach – An Interview with Mary Aldrich!

I had the privilege of being introduced to Mary Aldrich at a homeschool convention this past summer. When I heard about Mary’s coaching business, I knew I wanted to hear more. I figured if this was something I was interested in learning about, there was a good chance that you all would want to get […]

Turning the Big 50!

It sure seems like yesterday that my friend Donna and I were running around on this Gulf Coast Beach in South Mississippi. In reality, it was more than 30 years ago. So thankful that Donna and I are still friends today, even though neither of us live in Mississippi anymore. The really cool thing is […]

Keeping Your Calm This School Year

As this school year approaches, I thought I would share some of my plans to have a calm year! This year I have one 7th grader, one 9th grader, two high school seniors, one in Estethecian School and one junior in college. Whew, that is a lot. I will be honest, the first couple of […]

A Weekend at Kathy’s – Part 2

As I approached 50 (my birthday is September 10th), I started thinking about the legacy I was leaving behind. As a young college student, I was discipled by several amazing women… Susan Felker, Betsy Stark, Donna George, and Debbie Mabry. These women poured into me in a variety of ways. Some met with me over […]

A Weekend at Kathy’s – Part 1

It happened, it really happened!!! Women from all over the country took a leap of faith by joining me in my home for an entire weekend. Nope, they didn’t know each other. Some of them had never even met me in person. They were all so very different and yet shared a beautiful bond of […]

Debt, Tattoos, and Sex… Oh My! (a heart to heart with Christy and Kailee Montes)

Let me start off by saying that I don’t think I have all the answers about life. I know I say that all the time, but I want you to hear my heart on this one. Life is a journey, it is tough, it is full of twists and turns you don’t expect. I have […]

Genuine Hospitality

As many of you know, I am getting ready to host some lovely women in my home next weekend. It is my goal that these ladies will feel at home from the moment they drive up. A recent FB post in our THGP- Playing Skillfully in Action group, got me thinking about genuine hospitality. What […]

Loving Children Who Have Experienced Trauma

What is trauma? trau·ma ˈtroumə,ˈtrômə/ noun 1. a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. What causes trauma in young children? Past or Present Abuse Stress in the home Divorce Death of Pet Death of Family Member/Friend Unhealthy environment Adding a new family member. Move Witnessing something horrible, scary, or stressful. This can be a real life […]

Mr. Rogers and Me

If you know me, you know I love Mr. Rogers. As I was researching the history of Fred Rogers and his TV show, I realized that his show started about the same time my mom found out that she was expecting me. I guess you could say that I have been in Mr. Rogers Neighborhood […]

The Damage of Disengaging

July 4th is always a favorite holiday for our family. For the past few years, one of my dearest friends on the planet shows up for coffee, long talks, and sitting by the pool. I always try and record a podcast episode during Ash-a- lee’s visit and was so excited that we were able to […]

It Only Takes an Hour – An Interview with Three15 founder, Mandy Moseley

This week is extra special because I get to share my baby sister with my podcasting family. Ya’ll, I love her so much and I can’t believe that she is all grown up and shaking up the fitness world in Birmingham, Alabama. Actually, I can totally believe it, she was meant for a time such […]

Thoughts from the Road – Father’s Day

As Father’s Day approaches, I wanted to take time to celebrate the men that make such a difference in our children’s lives. Since we are at the GHC conference in California, I decided to walk around and chat with some of the men that are here and get their thoughts on Fatherhood. You are going […]

Foreign Language in a Day

Today was a fun one! While in Richmond, VA for the HEAV conference, I got the chance to chat with the founder of TALKBOX.MOM and learn more about her super cool business that helps families speak a new language the first day you put it into practice. If you are like me, the idea of […]

What’s The Deal With Ages and Stages?

Why are ages and stages important??? So that we can set developmentally appropriate expectations. Developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) is an approach to teaching grounded in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education. Its framework is designed to promote young children’s optimal learning and development. […]

Mother’s Day Surprise

Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and all of you moms listening!! This week I thought I would share some reminders from a talk I have been giving this summer at conferences across the country. At the end of this episode, I have a BIG surprise; you don’t want to miss it! During my talk, […]

Looking in the Mirror

This week I spent hours and hours talking with some friends that were going through some pretty serious issues. Ladies, we need each other. This week isn’t about your toddler biting or your four year-old who wets the bed. This week, let’s talk honestly about YOU… and me… and all of us. self-a·ware·ness ˈˌself əˈwernəs/ […]

You Feel How You Feel

Henry was not too happy about taking a picture as a COW! I tried to explain that getting FREE Chick Fil A was definitely a reason to be happy, but he would have NO part in it. He was mad. Helping kids navigate through their emotions is one of the toughest parts of parenting. Heck, […]

Lessons From the Road – Families: Does Size Matter?

I had such a great time speaking at the Midwest Great Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio! I met so many moms and dads who all desire to love and teach their kids well. This weekend, I heard a lot of moms share how overwhelmed they were and how they were struggling at home. This combined […]

What’s A Dad Supposed To Do – Catching Up With Michael Somerville

I am back from the cruise with Grace (we had a wonderful time) and in Cincinnati for the GHC convention. This was a great time to catch up with Mike Somerville with Tapestry of Grace! I adore Michael and his family (Jessica and the girls). They are a beautiful example of to new homeschool families. […]

Thoughts about my Upcoming Graduate

I can’t believe that I have another senior this year (insert tears)! In just a few short weeks, Grace will be graduating high school and pursuing her passions as a make up artist and esthetician. I am so proud of the young woman she has become. Before she graduates, we are heading on a senior […]

Loving Yourself with Dr. Angie Ates

Oh, this episode is going to make you cry. Well, I can’t guarantee that it will make you cry. I cried. Dr. Angie Ates is a Natural Health Educator and a mom of three who has been on an amazing journey and is now helping others find physical and emotional health.  Please do yourself a […]

Lessons Learned on the Road – Making a Difference

Wow, what a week! I had planned to have Mike and Jessica Somerville on the show this week, but I bet you have learned by now that my life rarely goes as planned. We will have the Somerville’s on soon, I promise. Instead, this week I decided to share about my latest lessons learned on […]

Lessons Learned from the Road – GHC Greenville Conference

Last week was the first conference of the season and I was reminded why it is so important to get out there on the road and share my message of play and imperfect motherhood. In addition to sharing my heart, I get the pleasure of knowing some amazing people. I got to catch up with […]

Lost and Found with Kendra Fletcher

The “right” homeschooling philosophy. The right brand of theology. The “right” meal-planning, home-managing, keep-it-all-together parenting. Kendra Fletcher, homeschooling mom of eight, had it all “right,” until it all fell apart. In the course of eighteen months, Kendra found her baby in a coma, ran over her five-year-old, and nearly lost her eight-year-old to a septic […]

Nobody Doesn’t Like Sarah Lee

My sweet Sarah Lee. I thought it would be fun to have my youngest daughter, Sarah on the show today. Fun fact about Sarah, when she was born we named her Sarah Elizabeth. Her sister and I wanted to call her by the nickname Ellie and so we did. However, when Sarah turned five she […]

Showing LOVE after Valentine’s Day is OVER!

Valentine’s Day is a fun holiday for me as a mom. I so enjoy getting up early to write my kids love notes, set the table with candles and red, sparkly runners and cook a special breakfast. I want my children to know on this day that they are loved! Once Valentine’s Day was over, […]

When You Lose Your Junk (with Ashley Smoot)

Today’s show was full of honesty. We covered some topics that have come up from conversations with moms over the past couple of months. First, we chatted about how and why we ALL lose our JUNK with our kids sometimes. You know what I mean. Those times when you yell, freak out, and act like […]

Who is Your Tribe and What is Your Scheduling Vibe?

On this week’s show, I ramble… in a parking lot…in Albany, NY. Yesterday afternoon I got a call saying that one of my oldest son’s was being transferred by ambulance to a hospital forty-five minutes from his university campus. When you get that kind of call, you immediately book a flight to Albany, NY (even […]

Mothering is a Marathon with Keri Vasek

It had been a while since I had Keri on the show. Actually, it had been a while since Keri and I had talked in real life. It was good to catch up with her and hear what was on her heart. Keri took a few minutes to catch us up on her home and […]

Fun Ways to Survive the Winter with Little Ones

On this week’s show, I share my thoughts about winter… YUCK. I am a sunny, warm weather girl all the way. I admit, the dreary winter days can get tough. I think they are tougher when you have little ones who are tired of being inside and are whining their way through winter. Hopefully, the […]

Hitting Reset in 2018

I am still blown away that it is 2018! I was just texting a friend that I met back in 1988 during a summer mission trip to Daytona Beach Florida. Thirty years… what? How has it been thirty years since that magnificent summer? Okay, I digress. Back to the show.   This week I wanted […]

Setting Intentions for 2018 with Christy Montes

I can’t believe 2017 is coming to an end. It seems just yesterday I was ringing in 2017 with family and sweet friends, including ASH A LEE. I remember last year, Ashley and I decided that FORWARD would be our word for 2017 and I think both of us lived out that word in our […]

Headache Free Holiday Traditions

Today, Lesli (my business partner and friend) and I chatted about our holiday traditions. We agreed that holiday traditions can be a blessing as long as you don’t get sucked into believing that things must go a certain way every year. We each have traditions that have been carried on from our parents/grandparents. I shared […]

Holidays on a Budget with Lesli Richards

On today’s show, I invited my business partner, Lesli Richards from www.thehomegrownpreschooler.com to chat with me about enjoying the holidays during the lean years.Lesli and I have both experienced years when we had no idea how we would pay for Christmas. However, with a little creativity and lowered expectations we did it.   The gifts… […]

What I Think Your Preschooler Really Needs for Christmas

On today’s show I talked about Christmas presents for young learners. Well-meaning adults often focus on the amount of presents under the tree, but this year I want to encourage them (and you) to focus on quality toys and presents instead. Quality Wooden Blocks – I mention Constructive Playthings on the show and they have […]

Q & A with Ashley Smoot

We had some great questions come in for this episode. I will be the first to say that I don’t have all the answers, but I usually do have an opinion. Hope you enjoy this candid Q & A with one of my besties, Ash-A-Lee!!! 1. Jessica asked…. “How do you follow the lead of […]

Top Ten Things Your Preschooler Wants You to Know

Tomorrow, I get to share my passion for preschoolers with about 100 preschool teachers. I am sharing with them the Top Ten Things Preschooler Want You to Know. I thought you might enjoy hearing this list, as well. #10 –Just because I use potty talk does not mean I have to go potty. When I […]

Living on the Offense

The past few months have been exhausting… physically and emotionally. Although lots of great things have been happening, they have taken their toll. I have found myself moving from living on the Offense to living on the Defense. Have you ever been there? I don’t think any of us make a conscience decision to live […]

Creating Inviting Spaces with Your Little Ones

When my sweet friend, Misty sent me a Marco Polo (a cool video app) asking my opinion on her child’s playroom, I thought it would be a good idea to share my thoughts with all of you on creating inviting spaces for your little ones! Everyone is worthy of feeling as if they belong, especially […]

How to Have Those BIG Talks with Your Kids with Christy Montes

Christy Montes is back to chat about those BIG talks. Christy and I have had many talks with all of our kids over the years and thought you guys might benefit from hearing from us on this topic. We have done some things well, but we have messed up plenty. If you want to have […]

Fangirling over Brene’ Brown at Catalyst (Catalyst Leader, Atlanta)

As I mentioned last week, I recently attended my first ever Catalyst Leadership Conference.  Day one of the conference was inspiring and convicting, however it was Day two that I was really excited about. If I am being honest, the only way my business partner convinced me to attend was by telling me that Brene’ […]

The Courage to Love Big

The Courage to Love Big – with The Real Kathy Lee Today I attended my first ever Catalyst Leadership Conference. Wow. The theme of this year’s conference is Of Good Courage. That theme rang throughout everyone’s message, but there was a sub them ringing even a little louder in my heart. Speaker after speaker mentioned […]

You’ve Got This! When Motherhood is Hard

If you have listened to my podcast for very long, you have heard me say… You’ve Got This. You might have wondered what in the world I actually mean by that statement. Today’s podcast explains my thoughts as I share such an empowering phrase. Motherhood is hard. We become parents through pregnancy or adoption, both […]

Bringing out the Master Chef in Your Child – with Samantha Barnes of Raddish

I remember walking by this super cute booth at a homeschool conference and wondering what in the world they were selling. At first glance I noticed measuring cups, colorful picture cards and other cooking utensils. I decided to stop and take a closer look and quickly began chatting with the exhibitor at the booth. The […]

Let’s Get Organized!

Things don’t always work out as planned, but I have learned that it is usually for a good reason. Hoping that is the case with this week’s episode. I was scheduled to talk to my good friend, Mary Ann Kohl (author and process art expert). However, Mary Ann had to cancel so I called up […]

How to Intentionally Connect with Your Children with Graeme Pitman

OOOOOHHHH, I love the show this week. Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Graeme Pitman, creative director of The Circe Institute. As I have watched his social media accounts, I have giggled and sat in amazement at the connecting moments he has had with his three young children. […]

What If I Think My Child Needs a Diagnosis?

I have the coolest friends. Sometimes I forget that they are even more amazing in their careers. This is the case with my friend, Lei Rhyne. Not only did she homeschool her kiddos fro several years, is beautiful and funny, she is also a psychometrist… say that three times fast. When she mentioned to me […]

Are You An Unaware Mommy Shamer?

Have you ever been guilty of mommy shaming? I sure have. I honestly did not realize I was doing it until years later, but unfortunately that doesn’t change the fact that I did it in the first place. I hope this episode will encourage you to look at yourself and make sure you aren’t guilty […]

Schooling Out of the Box with Holly Giles

What happens when life throws you a curve ball and you suspect that you need to throw out your entire school plan? Holly Giles knows what happens, you throw the plan out the window.  If you have ever considered schooling out of the box, you will not want to miss this episode. Holly shares openly […]

Q and A from the Road: The Woodlands

During a recent trip to Texas, I had the pleasure of attending Morning in the Mud with Keri, speaking and sharing A Year of Playing Skillfully at the THSC conference in The Woodlands, meeting and receiving a makeover from the adorable Cuore, and several late night podcast recordings in the hotel room with Jamie and […]

Bigs, Middles, and Littles – Homeschool Children Across The Ages

Jamie, Arlene, and I had so much fun recording our podcast for last week, we decided to keep the party going and record a second one. At every conference people ask us how we homeschool children across the ages. We figured it might be something the podcast world would want us to talk about as […]

If WE Could Turn Back Time

THSC in The Woodlands is always a fun conference. One of the reasons I love it so much is that I get to hang out with two of my favorite ladies on the planet, Arlene and Jamie. We even wore the same NAME on our nametags all weekend and enjoyed the confused looks we received. […]

Morning in the Mud with Keri Vasek

What a morning! Once a month, my sweet friend Keri Vasek opens her home up to mommas in the Houston area for a morning of togetherness and MUD! Yes, MUD! I wanted to see this event first hand so before I headed to the THSC conference in The Woodlands, I made a stop at Keri’s […]

Facing the Fall

Since Ashley and I were talking summer, we thought we would also talk about the thing that comes right after summer… THE FALL. It seems that as soon as July 4th passes, my brain immediately turns to the fall and making plans. Over the years I have learned a few things that help me as […]

Surviving Summer with Ashley Smoot

Well, it was the week of July 4th and summer is in full swing. Boat rides at the lake, sun in the fun at the pool, cookouts, and fireworks. What makes those events even more fun is one of your besties coming in town to celebrate with you. Ashley and I had a blast hanging […]

Activities that Guarantee a Great Summer

I can’t believe that the first official day of summer was last week. Here in Georgia, it has been HOT for a couple of months now. While I love summer, sometimes I feel it throws me off my game because I am out of my routine. If you are like me, try some of these […]

Thoughts for Dads from One Daddy’s Little Girl

I hope all of the dads listening today had a great Father’s Day! In honor of my dad I thought I would share some thoughts on Fatherhood from a “daddy’s little girl” and mom’s perspective. I think the most important things for dads to remember is: Be present. – There is a famous saying, the […]

Real Talk for Real Fathers with John Finch

About this time last year, I was introduced to John Finch on Twitter. John asked me to write an article for his encouraging dads project. You can read that here… http://www.encouragingdads.com/2016/05/memories-are-made-in-the-everyday-moments/ As I learned more about John and what he does for fathers, I knew I wanted to have him on the show. In this […]

Fathers as Storytellers with SD and Josiah Smith

On this episode I had the privilege of speaking with the SD (Sam) Smith and his brother, Josiah. I met these sharp dressed men a couple of years ago as Sam’s book, The Green Ember was being launched. Sam and Josiah are one of four boys and have a passion for fatherhood and making every […]

Interview with Elsie Iudicello from FARMHOUSE SCHOOLHOUSE

It has been two years since I first met Elsie from Farmhouse Schoolhouse. Since then, she has become an Instagram and blogging rock star! When I read her post, Why We Said Yes, I teared up reading how Elsie found us at FPEA (Florida Parent-Educators Association) and why she chose to buy our curriculum. Since […]

Why NO and MINE are good words for Toddlers

I often get asked how to deal with NO and MINE in toddler world. I see them both as positive words for this age. Toddlers are realizing that they are indeed human and separate from their parents. Isn’t what we hope all of our children realize! 😉 Up until this point someone has made all […]

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