Have you ever gotten a bad review?  As children we learn sticks and stones may break our bones but words may never hurt us but sometimes they really do hurt our feelings.  It is a painful experience that I have endured many times but recently I have found a positive lesson from it.

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

When was the last time you played?  As children, this was the main item on the agenda with no time constraints and a whole lot of freedom!  We dressed our dolls and gave them the ages and names we desired.  Our building blocks and Legos transformed into sky scrapers and cities of our dreams in no time.  However, we grow up and life responsibilities set in and play time becomes frivolous and silly.  I am here to tell you that it is not.  Play time is just as important to adults as it is to children.  

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

Happy National Coloring Day!!!  I could not think of a better way to celebrate this day than having a conversation with my dear friend and fellow children’s author, Kathleen B Williams. 

When I first saw Kathleen’s coloring book, “Love Is?”, I knew we needed to have a deeper conversation about coloring.  In this episode Kathleen and I discuss how coloring is a simple daily activity that can improve how we communication with each other and spread more kindness and love throughout the world.  

Kathleen Williams was a potential seeker turned purpose seeker to Re-Present Christ. Kathleen has always had a love for children. From teaching to wanting to open her own school, Kathleen felt on her heart in 2021 to write a series of children’s stories based on the Bible. Knowing and learning about God and Christ her entire life, it wasn’t until the age of 40 she truly began to understand the word.

Based on the teachings of Transformation Church, Kathleen felt inspired to share what she was learning with others. Not wanting them to have to wait their entire lives
to learn the truth and in a way for them to understand, Kathleen Williams went
ahead with the series.

Writing has given Kathleen so much joy and she looks forward to writing every book each child and family will read and enjoy.

Website: Shine Your Light Website

Love Is Coloring Book

Amazon Page

Instagram: @ kathleenbshineyourlight

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

Children’s Author and Illustration is only a week away-starting February 1st!  In preparation of this week it felt right to reflect on my journey of becoming a Children’s Author and Illustrator.  I speak of how writing taught me to deal with imposter syndrome and gain confidence in my writing skills as well as how the publishing process has given me the courage to trust others with my art.  At the same time there is a freedom in being able to both write and illustrate my books in that I can create Easter eggs for loved ones to discover.  Most importantly, this process has allowed my mom and I to reach a compromise.  She always wanted me to be a teacher and here I am wiring and illustrating my children’s book series.  I believe she would agree that she and I reached a healthy compromise.

Love Always, 

Kristina Lucia xoxo

http://cccokl.com/

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

It is a New Year and many of us are looking  for a new start!  The common question we hear is “how do I start?”

In this episode I am joined by my guest, Miranda Paige, who shares her story of how she pivoted careers and launched her own podcast.  As a young girl, Miranda discovered her dream of becoming a journalist but in the midst of her career found that this path was not right for her.  She made the courageous decision to shift careers and pursue new opportunities including launching her podcast, Plot Twist!  

Miranda shares not only her story but the tools that helped her along the way from daily affirmations, seeking new communities, and more.  

Plot Twist Story

Plot Twist Website

Instagram: @plottwiststory

Facebook: Plot Twist Podcast

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

In this week’s episode I sat down with my friend and fellow podcaster, Jamie Buttigieg.  As a father, grandfather, and educator, Jamie shares with us how traditions have brought the generations of his family together through focusing on “why we gather”.  

Jamie fondly shares his family’s traditions of game night and barbaques and joy of seeing his children initiate these traditions and more!  

 In addition to his career with Skill Samurai, he is also the host of Parenting in the Digital Age Podcast.  Jamie is passionate about kids education, in particular Coding and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math). The mission of Skill Samurai is to help kids build a healthy relationship with technology while preparing them for the careers of tomorrow.“We believe that kids deserve a fun place that helps them explore and understand technology. We've developed a world-class curriculum to help our kids develop computational thinking skills, leadership, resilience and future-ready skills to help propel their career.”  Here are ways you can connect with Jamie!  

Parenting in the Digital Age

LinkedIn

Skilled Samurai Website

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

In this episode I share the story of my family's famous Christmas Cookie Tradition.

Over the years this tradition has taught me many things about both myself and others.

Most importantly it has demonstrated to me the importance of being open to change and always putting the motivation of love first.

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo! Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always, Kristina Lucia xoxohttps://cccokl.com/

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

Happy National Children’s Book Day!  Who does not love a children book?  Children’s books are quite magical and a wonder of resources.  From the colorful illustrations to the story itself these books fulfill many needs not only for the child but for our own inner child as adults.  In this episode I explore how children’s books touch the topics of emotions, exposure to different people, challenges, vocabulary, and of course escape not only for our kiddos but for grown ups too!  

Love Always, 

Kristina Lucia xoxo

http://cccokl.com/

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

It is a great pleasure to kick off Read Across American week and celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday with author and literacy advocate, Maya Payne Smart!  

Maya Payne Smart is a parent educator, literacy advocate, and the author of Reading for Our Lives: A Literacy Action Plan from Birth to Six (Avery/Penguin Random House). Her website, MayaSmart.com, publishes new book lists, literacy activities, and other free family resources weekly to help parents play their dual roles as first teachers and educational advocates. 

In our conversation Maya gives many insights on the opportunities that reading can bring to both your child and family as a whole.  

- Building deeper connections and bonds with your little one for memories to be created.  

- Enhancing communication between you and your kiddo.

- Involving family and friends and building further community.

She holds a master’s degree in journalism from the Medill School at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s in social studies with honors from Harvard University. She serves as affiliated faculty in Educational Policy and Leadership in the College of Eduction at Marquette University.

Website: https://mayasmart.com/

Facebook: Maya Smart Reports

Twitter: @MayaSmart

Instagram: Mayasmarty

Pinterest: Maya Smart

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/

Along with Valentine’s Day it is also my birthday and the birthday of the blog.  To celebrate it is only fitting to speak about the childhood memory that I wrote about in my first blog.  This blog lead me to start writing my children’s book series as well as many other opportunities.  I invite you to join me in hearing a story of an eight year old girl who became a winner of Valentine’s parade and the doors that this memory is still opening for her/ me so many years later.  

Love Always, 

Kristina Lucia xoxo

http://cccokl.com/

Please be sure to check out this freebie download for you and your kiddo!

Thank you for joining Bella and I on this journey.

Love Always,
Kristina Lucia xoxo
https://cccokl.com/