Opinions That Change

You asked the questions… and I’m answering them! 

In this episode, we’re getting personal and talking about everything from how I met my husband to the realities of parenting, work, keeping a house somewhat under control, and learning to finally say NO.

I’m sharing my thoughts on working vs. staying home vs. finding a balance somewhere in between, my monthly cleaning routine (having a house cleaner), and the ongoing struggle of trying to balance all the things without feeling like I’m failing at all of them.

We’re also talking about being a chronic “yes” person, why I’ve had to learn that saying no doesn’t make me a bad person, and what I’m doing to protect my time, energy, and sanity.

Basically… you asked, I’m oversharing. Come hang out for a very honest Q&A!

Plus, if you have an in-law story, family drama, or a question you want me to weigh in on, I want to hear it! You can submit your story or question here:

👉 https://forms.gle/eYQYw2bvnakhssJB9

Send me the good, the messy, the complicated, and the “what would you do?” questions. I’ll answer more of them in an upcoming episode!

This week, we’re getting real about parenting — the things I feel strongly about, the things I’m still figuring out, and the very big difference between knowing how you’re “supposed” to parent and actually being able to do it when you’re exhausted, overstimulated, and running on fumes.

I’m sharing my thoughts on spanking and why I’m against it, why I genuinely cannot understand why we’re still handing smartphones to kids, and why I believe positive reinforcement can be so much more powerful than punishment.

But more than anything, we’re talking about the part of parenting that doesn’t get talked about enough: regulating yourself. Because it’s one thing to know all the “right” parenting strategies. It’s another thing to stay calm, patient, and connected when your kid is melting down, you’re overstimulated, life is stressful, and you’re one minor inconvenience away from losing it yourself.

I definitely don’t have parenting figured out. And honestly, I don’t think any of us do.

Our kids don’t need perfect parents. They need parents who love them, want the best for them, are willing to admit when they get it wrong, apologize when necessary, and keep growing alongside them.

Because maybe good parenting isn’t about getting everything right. Maybe it’s about being willing to keep trying.

Plus, if you have an in-law story, family drama, or a question you want me to weigh in on, I want to hear it! You can submit your story or question here:

👉 https://forms.gle/eYQYw2bvnakhssJB9

Send me the good, the messy, the complicated, and the “what would you do?” questions. I’ll answer more of them in an upcoming episode!

This week’s episode is basically a collection of things I have apparently decided to have VERY strong opinions about. 

First up: my gambling era may officially be coming to an end. After listening to President Christofferson’s General Conference talk, I had some things to think about… and, yes, I may have gotten a little rebuked. 

Then we’re casting my dream Dancing with the Stars season because obviously I know exactly who should be on that show and, more importantly, who they should be paired with.

We’re also talking about people who complain about noise in apartments and hotels. Like… my guy. You voluntarily chose communal living. Did you think everyone else was going to silently levitate around the building?!

And finally, we’re getting into EVENT ETIQUETTE. Why does nobody RSVP? Why is everyone late? Why do people cancel at the last possible second? And when did being dependable, respecting someone’s time, and actually doing what you said you were going to do become such a wild concept?!

So basically, this episode is gambling, rebukes, DWTS casting, noisy neighbors, and me wondering if basic social etiquette has officially left the building.

Come hang out. I have thoughts. 

Plus, if you have an in-law story, family drama, or a question you want me to weigh in on, I want to hear it! You can submit your story or question here:

👉 https://forms.gle/eYQYw2bvnakhssJB9

Send me the good, the messy, the complicated, and the “what would you do?” questions. I’ll answer more of them in an upcoming episode!

You asked, I answered. 

In this Q&A episode, I’m answering some of the questions you’ve been sending my way — and we’re covering a little bit of everything.

Should you buy a car in cash, or take out a loan and get something newer and more reliable? Do I think it’s better to rent or buy a home? How many siblings do I have, and are we actually close? And in the battle of physical books vs. Kindle vs. audiobooks… where do I stand?

I’m also sharing my thoughts on kids and ADHD medication, along with if you should loan money to family?

Plus, if you have an in-law story, family drama, or a question you want me to weigh in on, I want to hear it! You can submit your story or question here:

👉 https://forms.gle/eYQYw2bvnakhssJB9

Send me the good, the messy, the complicated, and the “what would you do?” questions. I’ll answer more of them in an upcoming episode!

Therapy: Is It Always the Answer?

I used to be very pro-therapy. I thought almost everyone should probably do it. But after several different experiences with therapy—both personally and with my kids—my perspective has become much more nuanced.

In this episode, I’m sharing what therapy has taught me, including a positive experience with ART therapy, why I eventually stopped going, and how I realized that sometimes therapy can help us process—and sometimes we can accidentally start ruminating.

I also talk about my experiences with my kids and the uncomfortable realization that sometimes, before asking, “What’s wrong with my child?” we need to ask, “What can I change?”

I still believe therapy can be incredibly valuable, and there are absolutely situations where professional help is important. But I no longer believe therapy is automatically the answer to every difficult emotion or problem.

Sometimes we need to talk. Sometimes we need to heal. And sometimes we just need to take action, change our habits, set a boundary, or decide to move on.

What has therapy taught you—and has your perspective on it changed over time?

For years, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it meant to be healthy. I went an entire year without eating treats because I thought that made me healthier… while eating Fruity Pebbles, SpaghettiOs, and Taquitos on the regular. 

Looking back, I realize my definition of health was shaped by diet culture, restriction, weight loss, and the idea that a workout only counted if I was completely exhausted.

In this episode, I’m sharing the very honest story of how my relationship with food, exercise, my body, and health has changed over the years—from my Little Caesars era, to discovering how much I thrive on community and accountability, to training for a marathon I never thought I could run.

I’ll also talk about motherhood, pregnancy and postpartum, losing and regaining weight, getting a pre-diabetes-range A1C, and the wake-up call that forced me to rethink what “healthy” actually means.

Most importantly, I’m sharing what I believe about health now: that it’s about so much more than food and exercise. It’s about strength, movement, sleep, stress, relationships, community, peace, and building habits you can actually sustain.

I’ve learned that consistency doesn’t mean I never miss—it means I keep coming back. That healthy doesn’t mean perfect. And sometimes the healthier choice is the one that gives you more peace, not the one with the most perfect ingredient list. 

I’m still learning, and I’m sure I’ll look back five years from now and realize there are things I don’t understand today. But for the first time, I don’t feel like I’m chasing the perfect diet or workout.

I’m trying to build a life where healthy choices can actually fit.

And I don’t want a quick fix. I want lifelong habits.

What does it actually take to stand out at work?

In this episode of Opinions That Change, I sit down with my dad to talk about work ethic, leadership, reputation, and the simple habits that can set you apart.

After variety of different jobs over the past few decades, he shares lessons on why no job is beneath you, what to do when nobody is watching, how to build a great reputation, and how to become someone people can count on.

We also get practical with interview advice, asking for a raise, and learning to think like a leader before you have the title.

And because this is Opinions That Change, we talk about what he believes differently now than he did earlier in his career.

This conversation is about more than getting ahead at work. It's about becoming the kind of person who serves, contributes, and makes every room better because they walked into it.

The Way We Feed Our Kids Matters

How we feed our kids can shape so much more than what ends up on their plate.

In this episode, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about helping my kids eat a wide variety of foods, creating structure around meals, introducing whole foods, and navigating picky eating without turning every meal into a battle.

I’ll share our experience with an elimination diet, what I noticed when we shifted toward more whole, minimally processed foods, and why I believe food can be an important piece of the bigger picture when it comes to our kids’ overall well-being.

We’ll also talk about “kid food,” why I don’t make separate meals every night, the importance of exposure and modeling, and how I’ve tried to teach my kids that they don’t have to love everything they eat.

This isn’t about being a perfect parent, eliminating every treat, or forcing kids to eat vegetables. It’s about creating a healthy relationship with food while giving our kids a strong foundation for nourishing their bodies.

Because the way we feed our kids matters.

In this episode, I’m sitting down with my sister to talk about why we chose homeschooling for our families — and what we’ve loved most about it.

We talk about the freedom homeschooling has given us: more family time, slower mornings, the ability to travel, sleep in, and create a rhythm that actually works for our families. We also talk about letting our kids follow their interests, spending more time on the subjects they love, and giving them the freedom to learn in a way that feels natural to them.

One of our favorite parts of homeschooling has been watching our kids’ sibling relationships grow. When you spend more time together, there are more opportunities for connection, play, learning, and building those bonds that we hope will last a lifetime.

We also dive into some of the biggest myths and fears surrounding homeschooling:

• “My kids will be socially awkward.”
• “I don’t have enough patience.”
• “I’m not qualified to teach my kids.”
• “I need a teaching degree.”
• “What if I start homeschooling and realize it isn’t for us?”

And this year, we’re actually doing something a little different. Our kids are attending a private school a few days a week, which has given us a chance to talk about something we think is really important: you don’t have to commit to one educational path forever.

There are so many options — public school, private school, charter school, hybrid school, microschool, unschooling, homeschooling, and everything in between. You can try something, learn from it, make a change, and try something else. There is no rule saying you have to choose one path and stay on it for the next 13 years.

At the end of the day, you know your child better than anyone. You know what lights them up, what challenges them, when something feels off, and what they need to thrive. No one is more invested in helping your child become a good, capable human being than you are.

You don’t have to have all the answers. You just have to be willing to pay attention, stay curious, and trust that you know your child better than you may realize.

Whether you homeschool, send your kids to public or private school, do a hybrid, or change your mind somewhere along the way, we hope this conversation reminds you that there isn’t one right way to educate your child — there’s the way that works best for your family in this season.

Ten years of marriage, a whole lot of life, kids, disagreements, growth, and learning how to choose each other over and over again.

For this episode, my husband and I each came up with our own list of 10 things we’ve learned in 10 years of marriage—without showing the other person what was on our list. Then we took turns going through them and found out, in real time, where we completely agreed, where our perspectives were different, and what lessons have stuck with us the most.

We talk about why keeping score in marriage will only leave both people feeling resentful, how having different parenting styles might actually be a good thing, and why you can't build a healthy marriage around comparing whose life is harder.

We also get into the importance of not resenting your spouse for the choices you've made, supporting each other's goals, combining finances, being careful about how you talk about your spouse to other people, and learning when to stop complaining about something and either accept it or change it.

After 10 years, we've definitely learned that marriage isn't about always agreeing, doing everything the same way, or having it all figured out. It's about communication, teamwork, giving each other grace, and continuing to grow together.

And because we didn't know what was on each other's lists…there were definitely a few surprises along the way. 😂

If you're married, newly married, dating, or just curious about what actually keeps a marriage going for the long haul, this conversation is for you. ❤️