When it comes to parenting there are tons of books and lots of advice. I can’t tell you for certain what the answers are but I can tell you there is one universal truth in parenting: Kids watch you. Whether they are listening or not, whether they’re toddlers, tweens, teens or adults, they’re watching you. We’ll talk about that along with ideas for dealing with busy family and busy mom schedules and we’ll even share 12 ideas for a girls’ night out – which you can enjoy after we deal with the busy schedules.

Then Sandy Fowler will interview Patti Handy, The Teens Cash Coach. We’ll talk about saving, spending and allowance. We’ll get expert advice on raising money smart kids, dealing with the biggest issues teens face with finances and even how you might be unintentionally enabling your teen’s financial laziness or ignorance.

We’ll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with a tip for a great movie for a holiday themed girls’ night out. Then we’ll look at some ideas for holiday traditions. First there are things that involve your neighborhood and community. And then, of course, there’s food. We’ll look at how you can use food to freshen your holiday traditions or create new ones.

Shows air live at noon ET (11am CT, 10am MT, 9am PT) on www.radio.heartfilledholidays.com and podcasts are available for all prior shows.

Today we're talking about family gratitude. I know that at this point in the summer you may not be feeling grateful, you may be feeling stressed out. You're a busy mom with a busy family and you realize that summer is half over and the things on your summer bucket list just aren't happening.

At the beginning of the summer you were looking forward to family time and all of these great family activities. Family fun was at the top of your list. But the days are flying by, summer vacation is half over and you haven't checked off more than one or two items from your Family Fun Summer Bucket List.

It's a common concern at this time of year but there are things you can do. We'll share a simple strategy for making it happen.

Then Sandy Fowler interviews Brenda Knight about gratitude and the impact it can have on your life. Gratitude is such a simple notion. It's a beautiful concept that can change your life and only requires a tiny bit of time. The thing is that it's easy to do, but it's also easy not to do. Discover the ins and outs of gratitude and how your family can easily make it part of their life.

And in Christmas Corner we're talking more about Christmas in July. This can be another great idea for your Family Fun Summer Bucket List: Have a Christmas in July family dinner party with some friends or family members you've wanted to see.

We've talked before about hosting a Christmas in July party or family reunion, but it can be just as much fun to host a stress-free family dinner or a simple dinner party with a Christmas theme. We'll share some easy, stress-free tips for creating the event along with a couple ideas for entertaining the kids.

July is here and it's time for fun! But instead of having fun do you find yourself feeling stressed? Yup, just when there's great weather for picnics, bike rides, and beach time you find yourself fraying around the edges. It's a common issue and one that I ran into recently. Tune in to learn the details and to find out how you can de-stress your life and create more space for joy.

Then we're chatting with Lane Jordan about her book 12 Steps to Having a More Organized Christmas and Holiday Season. July might seem a bit early to be thinking about the holiday season but if you're planning on making your own gifts, traveling to visit family or friends, or you just want to make sure you enjoy this Christmas then July is the perfect time to take a peek and even do a little planning. Lane teaches women how to use simple planning and organization strategies to make their lives better and today she's sharing some ideas for the holiday season. You don't want to miss this!

This week we’re expanding on our ideas for keeping your home company-ready. Summer is fun and spontaneous but no one wants to invite guests into an unkempt home. We’ll share tips for easily keeping your home ship shape this summer so you’re comfortable inviting guests over any time.

Then we’ll look at the sun. Did you know you can protect your skin from skin cancer with the foods you eat? We’ll talk about this and a couple other tips.

Then we’ll be talking about marriage and money. Money is an important part of your life and must be managed but it can also be a source of tension and disagreement with your spouse. Stacy Willoughby is joining us for a conversation about keeping your marriage strong and happy even as you handle your money. You don’t want your marriage to feel like it’s all about money so tune in to learn strategies for having the tough conversations and creating a life of financial harmony.

Then we’ll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with tips for taking better photos. Whether you want great photos to help you remember all the warm and fuzzy moments from Christmas’ past or you want to take great pics to use for presents, we have tips that will help you out.

This week's show is chock full of hints, tips and simple ideas for enjoying your summer. We'll share the quick way to make iced tea, a tip for keeping your house clean during the summer, and a way you can actually have a sanctuary in your home, someplace free from the chaos.

Then we're talking to Jude Bijou, author of Attitude Reconstruction. Jude is the expert at changing our lives by simply shifting our attitudes. This week she's sharing insights and techniques for dealing with the destructive, negative thoughts that can sabotage our happiness.

And we're wrapping things up in Christmas Corner with a look at how you can create beautiful sugar cookies. I've always loved sugar cookies but they never looked like the ones in the magazine photos, until now.

Summer is a great time of year, the perfect time to ditch the schedules and have some fun. It's also a time where spending can easily get out of control. As you pop from one fun activity to the next it's easy to end up buying things you didn't expect. Today we'll share a few quick tips for spending less this summer while still having a great time.

Then we'll chat with Priscilla Stephan from Sweet Path Wellness. Priscilla takes a whole life view of wellness, working with us on body, mind, and spirit to bring us to that sweet spot that works in our own life. She'll be sharing insights and tips for finding your own sweet spot for living happy and healthy.

And in Christmas Corner I have a tip for creating beautiful sugar cookies, the kind that belong in a magazine photo. Then we'll take a look at a really simple homemade gift you'll want to make now so you can enjoy it yourself before giving it all away at the holidays.

After a year of shuttling kids, volunteering, helping out and generally taking care of everyone, it's time for you to take care of yourself. Of course, it's hard to find time to do that. Today we'll look at how you can create space in your life for the most important things, including caring for yourself.

Then we'll chat with Dr. Kristen Neff, an associate professor and a leading authority on Self-Compassion. She's the author of Self-Compassion: Stop Beating Yourself Up and Leave Insecurity Behind and she's joining us today to give us a different perspective self-compassion, self-esteem and happiness. Find out the truth about being happier and more confident.

Then we'll wrap things up with some tips for saving money. We have six simple ways you can save money to put into your holiday fund. We'll also look at a simple, fun, DIY Christmas present that helps keep great summer memories alive.

Today we're talking about Father's Day and looking at ways to honor the dads in your life. We'll take a look at a few ways to remember dads who've passed away as well as ideas for honoring the dad you'll be spending the with. And since this time of year is packed with celebrations we'll share tips for easier and greener party planning for any occasion.

Then we have Paula Galli joining us to talk about falling in love with yourself. We'll examine mindful eating, the healthy purge, and other ways to change our lives and our view of ourselves.

We're wrapping things up in Christmas Corner with a chat about Christmas in July. Whether you're grabbing the opportunity to celebrate Christmas a second time or moving your family party to a less stressful time of year, Christmas in July can be a ton of fun. Today we'll talk about some games you can play that will keep everyone happy.

It's time to look at ways to melt Mom's heart for Mother's Day so we'll be taking a look at 5 personalized gifts for Mom and Grandma. But's it's not just Mom's special day, Teacher Appreciation Day is upon us. Whether you're giving a gift now or looking for ideas for Christmas or back-to-school, we have ideas any teacher will love. And after you've made everyone else smile don't forget yourself. We also have a few tips for adding a breath of spring to your home and a smile to your face.

Then we'll be chatting with Lane Jordan about how to become a more organized woman. Lane has been coaching and speaking to women for years about how to organize our lives so we have time for what's truly important. Today she'll be sharing ideas and advice from recently released revised edition of 12 Steps to Becoming a More Organized Woman.

And we'll be wrapping up in Christmas Corner with tips for saving money on Christmas presents along with a little Christmas trivia.

May and June are the months filled with milestone events and family gatherings to celebrate them. Today we're sharing great ideas for unusual and meaningful gifts you can give during these celebrations along with ways to make gifts of money more fun. Then we're talking about the much anticipated summer vacation. We're sharing quick tips for a better vacation along with the 3 Cs and how they can totally change your family vacation.

And in Christmas Corner we're sharing 5 great ideas for family gifts. These are perfect for those times when you want to give a family a thank you gift or you were going to purchase gifts for each member of a family and you want to give a group gift instead.