As we head into a season full of special occasions, extended family dynamics, and old patterns, I've been thinking a lot about boundaries, forgiveness, reconciliation, and what it actually means to be self-sacrificing.

We all need better boundaries, especially with the people outside our immediate home during the holidays, because boundaries are vital for protecting our peace.

But so often, boundaries feel bad because we confuse protecting our peace with being selfish.

We get told to "offer it up" and "serve others," and while those are beautiful invitations, how we go about doing that matters just as much as the actions we take

In today's podcast episode I explore the difference between harboring a grudge and simply being guarded, the distinction between forgiveness and reconciliation, and why you can forgive someone fully and still not want them present in certain spaces of your life.

And how setting healthy boundaries to protect your peace can be an act of unconditional love.

Because Christ calls us to unconditional love, not servitude.

Self-sacrificial love is intentional, it bears good fruit. If the fruits of your actions are guilt, shame, resentment, or emotional turmoil, that's a sign you might be acting sacrificial, not being sacrificial.

And we talk sort through it all in today's value-packed episode!

So, if you're wrestling with grudges, navigating historically hard family dynamics, and dreading the upcoming holidays (or even just homeschooling today), then grab your earbuds and join me for: Boundaries, Forgiveness, and Being Self-Sacrificial.

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You know those seasons when you know you should be grateful, but you can't quite feel it?

Like when life feels heavy, when the house is loud, and your heart just can't catch its breath?

In today's episode, I talk about why gratitude can feel so hard, especially when you're overwhelmed, when blessings don't look the way we expected, or when fear and unworthiness sneak in.

Listen, there's nothing wrong with you. You just don't know how to release the tension or recognize God's presence in the middle of the mess.

That's okay, most people don't know how to do that either.

Which is why I am re-releasing this most valuable podcast episode to help you see how even the hardest moments can become invitations to deeper trust with our Lord, especially right before the holidays.

Gratitude isn't about pretending everything's okay, it's about finding peace and hope right where God has permitted you to be.

I always say, gratitude is the gateway to hope. Grab your earbuds and I'll explain how that works in: MVP When Gratitude Feels Hard.

You're having a bad day, a bad week, maybe even a bad semester, and you start to think…maybe it's me.

Listen, there's nothing wrong with you, your family isn't broken, you're not awful at time management, and you're honestly the best homeschooling mom for your family on the planet.

You're just stuck in the negative emotions of life and don't know how to move forward, let alone grow through them.

You are not alone, my friend.

In fact, this has been coming up in coaching so frequently that I've made a podcast for all my clients to give them some extra coaching love between our sessions…and I want you to benefit from it, too!

So, please grab your earbuds and join me for some free coaching in: How to Get Unstuck and Grow Through the Hard Parts of Life.

And then come work with me in Happy, Holy Mama to get unstuck anytime, any place, with an awesome community of Catholic homeschooling mamas just like you.

Get the details HERE!

This past week my whole family (myself included!) has been fighting a cold.

It got me thinking about what we do as homeschool moms when we get sick and how hard it can be to actually give ourselves permission to rest and recuperate.

So I'm keeping this episode short and sweet and giving you some really practical ideas for how to take a sick day!

We'll talk about how to do things a little differently, redefine what "counts," and still feel peaceful about your homeschool when life doesn't go as planned.

We'll also talk about the mindset that either helps us rest well or keeps us stuck in guilt and perfectionism.

When mom is sick, it can actually be an opportunity to model self-care, compassion, and teamwork for our kids. Grab your earbuds to hear more in: How to Take a Mom Sick Day

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We do this as moms all the time: we think it'll be better when.

When the kids are older.

When it's the weekend.

When the semester is over.

When Christmas finally comes.

But the truth is, there's no such thing as "over there." There's only here, this present moment, which is the culmination of all the little moments that led you here.

In this episode, we're talking about the Arrival Fallacy, that sneaky lie that tells us peace and joy are waiting for us at the finish line, when really, the way you go through something is the way you'll arrive.

If you've ever found yourself frustrated, overwhelmed, or disappointed by the holidays (again), I want to help you build a new foundation, one rooted in peace, presence, and hope.

We'll talk about how Mary's Way of calm generosity, peaceful presence, and unwavering hope can change the way you walk through busy seasons, and how to start magnifying hope instead of stress in your home.

Because just like Mary, we can learn to expect sorrow and still live in hope.Grab your earbuds and join me for: Mary's Way: Choosing Hope Over Disappointment.

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So often, we feel torn between caring for ourselves and serving our families, wondering if self-care and self-sacrifice can truly coexist.

It happens all year long, but it really can become a problem during the holidays, if you're not intentional about how you balance the two during the ordinary seasons of life.

I want to help you see that they not only can — they must — if we're going to love from a place of peace, presence, and abundance all year long.

In this week's episode of the Happy, Holy Mama Podcast, we'll explore how to care for ourselves in ways that strengthen our ability to pour out love freely, without resentment or burnout.

My prayer is that by the end of this episode, you'll feel renewed in your vocation, confident in your "yes" to God, and ready to embrace your daily sacrifices with joy and grace.

Grab your earbuds and join me for this most valuable podcast episode: Joyful Self-Sacrifice.

Join MAGNIFY the only extended Advent life coaching course for Catholic homeschooling mothers to help you have more peace and presence before, during, and after the holidays!

I want to invite you to pause for a moment and take a deep breath.

Now ask yourself this gentle question: Do I believe my child is capable?

Not just when they're doing well… but when they're struggling, when they're distracted, when they roll their eyes, or when they say "I can't"?

It's easy to believe in our kids when they're showing us proof. But the real work of motherhood — the holy work — is believing in them before we see the fruit.

Belief isn't pretending. It's choosing to see your child the way God does — full of potential, still learning, still growing, still worthy of love and respect every step of the way.

And sometimes, the hardest part isn't believing in them — it's believing in yourself as their mom.

You're the first model of what belief looks like in action. When you let go of the judgments, the comparisons, and the "shoulds," you create the space for your children to rise into who they were made to be.

It's not instant, and it's not easy — but it's holy ground. And this is just the first of five Mom mindset shifts and skills that I share about on this week's podcast episode.

So grab your earbuds and join me today for: Five MOM Skills for Raising Self-Sufficient Kids.

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Have you ever wondered how to actually teach your kids to study, without turning it into one more lesson plan?

Over coffee with a friend, I realized I'd never sat down and created "study lessons" for my children.

Instead, what we've done has been years of practicing, trying, failing, and repeating small, doable habits that slowly grew into something powerful.

In this week's episode, I share the simple shifts that helped my kids develop confidence, motivation, and focus. And not through lectures or checklists, but through everyday moments of learning and living together.

You'll hear what it looks like in real time, why it matters for both moms and kids, and how these practices can actually transform the atmosphere in your homeschool.

Working on these skills takes time, patience, and consistency, but the fruit is so worth it: kids who are more self-sufficient, a family who fights less, and a homeschool that feel more like the joyful, connected, faith-filled places we all long for.

Grab your earbuds to listen in and discover how these skills for students and moms alike can come together to create harmony in your home and homeschool in: Study Skills for Self-Sufficient Students.

Come work with me HERE!

I can't tell you how often I get frustrated when things don't go the way I want them to.

It's super frustrating!

Whether it's kids fighting, everyone interrupting me at once, or a lesson that just isn't sinking in, it can feel like pressure building up inside that just has to burst.

And in those moments, it feels urgent—like the house is on fire and I need to fix it right now.

But one of the coolest things I've learned in my work as a life coach is how to respond to these 'fires' calmly and intentionally, instead of exploding.

In this week's episode of Happy, Holy Mama, I share how to bring calm acceptance into those fiery moments, so you can see more clearly what your real role is, respond with peace, and stop pouring gasoline on the very fires you want to put out.

You can't control every circumstance, but you can choose how to respond. And that choice is where peace begins.

Grab your earbuds and join me for: When Things Aren't Going Your Way

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When I first started homeschooling, I can't tell you how many times I found myself erasing and rewriting plans in my planner every time something didn't go the way I thought it would.

Someone would get sick, or we'd want to linger longer on a subject, or a new documentary would pull us down a rabbit trail—and suddenly all my careful planning for the year felt ruined.

Then I discovered a new, simpler way of homeschooling that felt like a lifeline.

This simple rhythm, and one intentional mindset shift, completely changed how I planned and gave me the freedom to take things one step at a time.

I finally had the space to be present with each of my kids while still moving forward with confidence.

The thing that was missing? Feeling overwhelmed.

This rhythm has been a game-changer in our home and I'm really excited to share it with you this week!

You really can do it all—you just can't do it all in one day, especially on a school day.

And that's okay. Let me explain how!

Grab your earbuds and join me for: Getting More Done with Focus Time

Come work with me HERE!