Episode Summary:

How do you survive shopping when you just feel lost? Well, for Gina, you go get tacos! This week Dawn and Gina talk about the adventures in shopping. The good, the bad, and the sweaty. Swimsuit shopping is a hard to thing to do, never mind doing it in February. From towels, to cars crazy things happen when you mix margarita's and shopping. What's the craziest thing you've ever purchased after lunch drinks?

Be sure to follow us on iTunes or Google Play.

Links to Know:

Gina Luker: The Shabby Creek Cottage + GinaLuker.com

iTunes: Hot Mess Moms Podcast

Facebook: Hot Mess Moms

Instagram: Hot Mess Moms Podcast

Chuy's Tex-Mex: OH MY GOD THE JALAPENO RANCH!!!

Episode Summary:

Why is taking risk so HARD?? And why is taking one risk completely intimidating for one person, while that same thing doesn't even count as a risk for another? Dawn would go skydiving again, while Gina wouldn't ever consider it. Can taking risk be good for your soul? Or, is it overrated? What risks are you completely willing to take, while others give you immediate cold sweats?

Don't forget to follow us on iTunes or Google Play, and leave a review. We love hearing from you!

Episode Transcript:

Show me more...This week was a lesson in taking risks. Because our risk failed, you'll understand when you listen to the episode, our weekly transcript will be missing this week. Next week we will return to our normal schedule of adding the transcript for each episode. We hope you understand!

Links to Know:

Gina Luker: The Shabby Creek Cottage + GinaLuker.com

iTunes: Hot Mess Moms Podcast

Facebook: Hot Mess Moms

Episode Summary:

Fear is ripping you off! I'm serious. This week Dawn and Gina get into a discussion about making the choice to belly flop through our fear and do the work anyways. What work? Any of it. Getting out of a job you don't love. Moving past the loss of a relationship. Changing a habit. Anything can be done when you realize that fear is ripping you off. Sometimes you need to set your grace aside and belly flop your way into the life you REALLY want.

Links to know are linked below and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast, or our mailing list.

Episode Transcript:

Show more...Gina: (Laughing) Are you ready to start the podcast?

Dawn: (Laughing) NO!!!

(Both laughing)

Gina: Why?

Dawn: I can’t stop laughing.

(intro music)

Gina: Are you done now?

Dawn: (laughing) No, wait, ooww! Yay, I’m done.

Gina: We have a podcast to record.

Dawn: Everybody likes humor.

Gina: (Giggles) They don’t even know why you’re laughing.

Dawn: I don’t even know why I’m laughing. (Starts laughing again)

Gina: (Giggles) What else is new? Hey guys, I’m Gina.

Dawn: I’m Dawn.

Gina: Welcome back to the Hot Mess Mom’s podcast. Ok, that’s it. We have to quite laughing. We are supposed to have a serious conversation today.

Dawn: Yes, we are.

Gina: Ok, I don’t want it to be overly serious.

Dawn: Absolutely, cuz laughter is contagious and laughter is an amazing part of life.

Gina: I agree, I but….

Dawn: But that’s not today’s topic.

Gina: No. (Sighs) That’s a good topic for another day. Today however, I really want to talk about (pause) inspiring people. Which sounds completely hokie. Because, I’m not the, “I want to inspire you!” I’m that, “look if you want to do this I will be your biggest cheerleader, but I will also kick your butt, if you’ve told me you want to do it, but don’t follow through.”

Dawn: Yeah, you’re very much the supportive, like you got this, you can do this, type of person. But not in a fluffy, like just pour glitter over your head kind of way. In a very like, you want to do it? Alright, here’s some tactical, like this is exactly what you can do, you can make it happen, cuz I know I’ve done it. Cuz I’ve been there. Whatever the situation calls for.

Gina: Yeah! Absolutely. I want to help people, I really do. But, I also don’t have any patience for who come to me and their like; I want to do this but…. I have every excuse under the book. And I’m like…. I have no patience for excuses.

Dawn: Which is funny, to me that is one of the reasons why it is so funny that you and I are as close as we are. Because I will analyze an idea to the death, and then I will analyze forty-seven different ways to funeral it.

Gina: (laughs)

Dawn: Because that is just who I am. I over think every feasible aspect of it, because I want it to… I want the whole thing to be perfect before, I’ve even begun.

Gina: And I don’t…

Dawn: And you’re the

Gina: think things through enough.

Dawn: You’re the, way more the nitty, gritty, dirty, let’s get alive and born, and have this thing, we can upgrade it as we go along.

Gina: Exactly.

Dawn: You’re totally that girl. I’m not that girl. (Laughs) I’ve tried to be, it’s really, really hard for me to be that girl.

Gina: The thing is, if you want to be successful, you’re gonna have to jump out of your comfort zone. Not just step out, tip toe out, you’re gonna have to like a full belly flop on the gro...

Episode Summary:

Simple living can be overwhelming when you don't know where or how to start. Gina and Dawn talk about the freedom that comes with simple living when you take time to focus on what your goals are. From eating cleanly to shopping for furniture, most areas of our lives can use a little simplicity. Gina takes it a step further in the way she approaches her daily schedule and routine and proves to Dawn that being intentional in the beginning of a project can save so much time and money in the long run. Which if she had learned sooner, would have saved Dawn hundreds of dollars and nearly two years of time. Listen for that story and more in this week’s episode of Hot Mess Moms Podcast. Links to websites, products, and things discussed in this week’s episode are listed at the bottom for your convenience (some links may be affiliate links that pay us to keep the coffee flowing. Click HERE to read my full disclosure policy.) Don’t forget to subscribe to Hot Mess Moms Podcast on iTunes or Google Play.

Episode Transcript:

Show more...Dawn: Hey, Gina

Gina: Yes, ma’am

Dawn: You know how you’ve been doing this simplifying your life thing for the past few months?

Gina: Yeah.

Dawn: You know what would make life really simple?

Gina: What?

Dawn: If we don’t over record our podcast by thirty minutes.

Gina: Ooops!

Dawn: Yeah!

(intro music)

Gina: So I guess the last couple weeks, when you were like, “Hey, the episodes were fifty minutes long, and I was like uh, no it’s not. Umm”

Dawn: Yea, it really was.

Gina: You were right. See, we edit these as we record.

Dawn: Because, we thought it would be simpler that way.

Gina: Yeah! No!! And we listen to as we record, it’s not that we don’t listen. I don’t know. The bars in the recording program are not set by seconds, by the way. So, now lesson learned.

Dawn: Yeah, the program lied to us, and so now we got it fixed.

Gina: Yeah.

Dawn: So we won’t be taking up as much of your time every week.

Gina: (Laughing) If we can hot mess something up we’re gonna.

Dawn: At least once or twice. Yeah!

Gina: (Laughs)

Dawn: Why not.

Gina: I’m Gina.

Dawn: I’m Dawn.

Gina: And, um yeah, we’re still you’re hot mess moms like we were last week and the week before that, and the week before that. (Laughing)

Dawn: Yes, we have definitely earned our Hot Mess podcaster title this week. And I kinda want my Tierra.

Gina: (laughing)

Dawn: I don’t know where you have it in your prop room, but I want it.

Gina: My Tierra is not in my prop room. It is in my closet with my Disney stuff.

Dawn: That’s actually a really good place for your Tierra and the organizer in me loves hearing that. But I still want it.

Gina: Then you’re gonna have to go to Disney World yourself and buy your own Tierra, cuz you ain’t getting mine.

Dawn: That doesn’t even hurt my feelings, and I’m ok with that.

Gina: (laughing)

Dawn: So, alright, fine I’ll go to Disney World and buy my own.

Gina: Oh, ok. What do you want to talk about today?

Dawn: Umm, simplifying our lives.

Gina: Simplifying, I like.. That’s kinda of my thing this year.

Dawn: Oh, yeah, it is.

Gina: I want to be simple. I want to simplify all the things.

Episode Summary:

Dawn shares three tips to cut the clutter and get your house organized. You'd be surprised how much can be accomplished with just a bit of planning. Dawn and Gina get into a conversation about ways to help make your life just a little bit easier. Gina also gets 'fluster-pated' with the whole situation! Links to things discussed during the episode are at the bottom of the show notes.

Episode Transcript:

Show more...

Dawn: Hey Gina?

Gina: Yes, ma’am!

Dawn: Are you ready to organize?

Gina: Wait? ACTUALLY organize, or talk about organizing?

Dawn: Um! Do you want me to lie to you?

Gina: Oh boy!

(intro music)

Dawn: Hi, everyone!

Gina: Hi! I’m Gina.

Dawn: I’m Dawn. We’re your Hot Mess Moms!

Gina: Every week, actually every day. We’re hot messes every day.

Dawn: Yeah, It’s just once a week it gets put on audio and recorded for the world to hear.

Gina: What would you like to talk about my friend?

Dawn: Well the New Year has 'beguns.'

Gina: Yes, rip the Band-Aid off and jump into talking about organizing.

Dawn: Full throttle baby. So you have told me for the past couple of months that you want to reorganize stuff.

Gina: I do, I do.

Dawn: And, you have asked me when are you gonna come help me do this?

Gina: Mmhmm!

Dawn: And, then you get that look on your face that you kinda have right now.

Gina: (Laughs) Oh, my God!

Dawn: Like, I’m gonna walk into your house and make you throw away all the things.

Gina: I’m not so worried about throwing away all the things.

Dawn: Then what are you so terrified about?

Gina: Creative people are typically not neat people. And we have talked about this before.

Dawn: We have talked about this.

Gina: About, I have room to let things lay out for a couple of days, to let paint dry or whatever.

Dawn: You do, you built a whole studio for that.

Gina: I did, right! However the idea of like putting things in a place, where then I feel responsible to return them to said place, that’s a lot of pressure.

Dawn: You’ve been doing this for 10 years anyways.

Gina: Yeah!

Dawn: Over ten years.

Gina: But Pinterest pretty where things aren’t in the picture and real life pretty where things are actually put away, that’s two completely different things. Because my living room can look gorgeous, magazine worthy gorgeous. But, then my kitchen will be…

Dawn: A hot mess?

Gina: Yeah! (Laughs), Yeah, that’s the reality if you ever wonder, that’s the reality of what blogs look like behind the scene. Right outside the frame of the camera is….

Dawn: Hot Mess. Organizing for real life is just about finding functionality that works for your family.

Gina: I have a buffet in the living room, which my television sits on it, there’s drawers on either side of it. One drawer is just for remotes, all the remotes get put there. Maybe not every day, but if we’re not using them, their actually put away. So I’m not terrible at organizing, if it makes complete total sense.

Dawn: I think you are confusing organizing with cleaning.

Gina: Part your wisdom on me. I can’t even talk, you have me so fluster pated.

Dawn: Fluster-pated?

Gina: Fluster-pated.

Dawn: Y’all note that down, that’s a really good word to use. Umm, in case you didn’t know this,

Episode Summary:

Resolutions and goals. Are they the same thing? Yes, and no...depending on your idea of what a resolution is. Gina and Dawn talk about the beginning of the new year and what that means when it comes to setting goals or resolutions. Gina has VERY strong opinions about resolutions. Dawn, on the other hand, likes the idea of new beginnings. Along with new stories of our Hot Mess Mom moments...it's never a dull moment here. Enjoy!!

See the bottom of the show notes for links to sites, and things discussed or mentioned in the show.

Episode Transcript:

Show more...Gina: Hey when we're done, you wanna get a margarita?

Dawn: Aw, yes. I do! (laughing) Can I have one now while we record?

Gina: Um, yea. Let's do it. Pause for a second and we'll get a margarita.

Dawn: Y'all standby!

(intro music)

Dawn: Oh, this is so good. Ok. I'm ready. Let's do this. Hi everyone.

Gina: Hey. Welcome back to episode 3. I really think we should make margarita's every time we record a podcast.

Dawn: I'm down for that. Completely.

Gina: I'm Gina.

Dawn: I'm Dawn.

Gina: And...we're the Hot Mess Moms. You guys should know that by now.

Dawn: Yea. We also might be a little bit tipsy by the time this is done.

Gina: Nah.

Dawn: That's alright. So, I don't know if you realize this or not, this is the first podcast for 2018.

Gina: Wow it is. You're right.

Dawn: We're technically in year two of podcasting.

Gina: If you count that screeching your tires in at the last second of 2017.

Dawn: Those were all recorded and released in 2017. It totally counts.

Gina: Ok. I guess. You're right. You're right. You're right. Um, it's a new year.

Dawn: It is.

Gina: And, I think for you that means like resolution time.

Dawn: It absolutely means resolution time for me. Not for you?

Gina: No.

Dawn: Why?

Gina: Um, oh man. I'm not a fan of resolutions.

Dawn: Ok. Share your crazy theories with me. I need to know.

Gina: Well, why do you have to wait for some arbitrary moment in time. Do you really want to get me on a soapbox today?

Dawn: Well, I mean the box is right there in the corner. But you don't have to wait for...Ok, here's my thing. You don't have to wait for the year to start over to have a resolution. The year starting over is just, a lot of times, a good point or time in reference for somebody to say, "I've been doing this thing {a, b, or c} since the beginning of the year." Since January 1. It's a good marker to remember. Like, I started a diet on June 14th. It's harder for somebody to remember when they want to track how long they've been doing something. Or how long they've stuck with something.

Gina: I get that. I don't really...ok I have to be honest. This is why I don't like resolutions. Anytime I decided "come January 1st" I'm gonna do something, like start a new...whatever. Start a new diet, organize my home, whatever it is, it never happens. But, I've been doing this natural eating thing, I would say a kick, but I've been doing it for six months now. I don't know what day I started. I just decided one day to eat better and to know what was going into my body. So I read a book, it made a lot of sense, and...

Dawn: ...and you thought, "I can do that."

Gina: Yea. I totally thought I could do that. And, I've never looked back.

Dawn: Well that's fantastic and there have been times when I've done the same thing. Where if I say,

Oh, the Hot Mess Holidays. Welcome to week 2!! Dawn and Gina get into a conversation about the realities of the holiday season. We all want them to be perfect because we want to create perfect memories for our children and families. But let's face reality, perfect doesn't exist. Something is going to come up. Something will happen. Something will throw a kink in your very well thought out plan and schedule.

In this week's episode Dawn and Gina talk about the realities of what happens when those curve balls come your way. Can anything be done to avoid them? How do you mitigate the potential for unexpected events?

You'll find out that both girls ended up with sick kids over the holiday weekend, Dawn had to change plans when day job requirements crept into the picture, and how a good back up plan can be a total lifesaver. That old saying "it takes a village" is no lie, my friends. It really does take a ton of people to help a life progress smoothly forward.

But isn't that perfect theme for the holiday season? A time when we recognize and validate those who have helped and loved us through the year. When we make the point to spend time together and enjoy the company of those we cherish.

One thing we do figure out is that everyone has at least ONE thing they are amazing at. For Gina, it's making and keeping her schedule together for doctor's, hair and nail appointments! For Dawn, it's all about the Google Calendar and keeping the priorities separated and color coded.

Oh and if you're ever in the Northwest Alabama area, you should go visit The Pie Factory in downtown Florence. The food is seriously amazing, and it's all real food! Trust me, just go eat there, oh and that drink Gina mentioned is called a River Monster. You can tell them you heard about it from us, but they probably don't know who we are...lol.

Episode Transcript

Gina: Hey Dawn.

Dawn: Hey Gina.

Gina: Can ya hear me now?

Dawn: Lord I hope so because nobody could last week!

(intro music)

Dawn: Hi everyone.

Gina: Hi. Welcome to Episode 2 of the Hot Mess Mom's Podcast. I'm Gina

Dawn: and I'm Dawn.

Gina: and we are your Hot Mess Moms.

Dawn: Proudly. I wear that badge proudly.

Gina: So how was your week?

Dawn: It was a good week. It was a...um...it was a, ya know...it's a long weekend. The weekends not over yet is it?

Gina: Uh, no not quite.

Dawn: So y'all won't hear this until Friday, but it's technically Christmas Eve Eve.

Gina: Right! Two more sleep's 'till Christmas.

Dawn: Yes, two more sleeps till Christmas, and it's been a really long day. So all of the, like, wrapping things that an organized person would have done a week ago.

Gina: So not like gangster rapping?

Dawn: No, like present wrapping. All of that stuff.

Gina: That's not as much fun.

Dawn: No, well... I like it but it's not done. Because, I had to go to the day J.O.B. today, and work because the flu attacked us.

Gina: Ohhh, ewww.

Dawn: Yea, it did. And my poor child is sick. Which is never fun! If any of you have ever had an eight-year-old throw-up and give you that face of, 'mom, I'm miserable!' You know the face I'm talking about, I know you know the face I'm talking about.

Gina: Yes.

Dawn: and then you automatically feel like a crap parent because your child is sick. That was my day.

Gina: Yea...

Dawn: ...yea. So that's why it's almost 10 pm and we're recording a podcast. The things we do for love!!

Gina: So, the flu is running rampant this year.

Dawn: Dude,

What happens when two friends take an impromptu trip to IKEA? Hot Mess Moms Podcast is born!! Join Gina Luker of The Shabby Creek Cottage and me in our very first episode! This week we talk about perfection, expectation, and reality. Oh...and there's some origin story fun too. Also, I may or may not have spilled something...because real life happens, even when you are recording.

Gina and I get into a great conversation about the realities of expectation put on moms, through social media and social standards. What influence mental health plays when you just want to be "normal" and how normal doesn't even exist.

We brought this podcast to life because as a designer and professional organizer we have both been met with stereotyped expectation that we have this adult thing mastered! People assume that designers and organizers live in homes that are always camera ready. The truth is, we don't. Because perfection doesn't exist...and is overrated. What we do, however, is create homes that are full of simple solutions so wrangling in the chaos is so much easier.

Throughout this podcast we plan to share some of those solutions with you, cheer you on as you make your own, and laugh with you when something funny happens. Join us every Friday for the newest episodes!

Lots of love my friends!!!!