The Momma Moment

The final episode of The Momma Moment show, with a small feature from 'The Dad' in my life! The most important thing I want you to take away from this show is that being a successful and happy mom really means being something more than a mom! What will you do that is different in 2024?

This episode is LOOONG! But here are the cliffs notes! Books that have ** were not described in today's episode, because I couldn't ramble on any longer than I did!! Links are provided only so you can read a review - yall know I love FREE BOOKS from the library!

Catch-all Category (novels not falling somewhere else!)

Remarkably Bright Creatures (Van Pelt) https://amzn.to/3GBczN2

The Invisible Life of Addie Larue (Schwab) https://amzn.to/3uVgRMM

Where'd You Go Bernadette (Semple) https://amzn.to/3NoKGeP

Hello Beautiful (Napolitano) https://amzn.to/3NizxMF

The Little French Bistro (George) https://amzn.to/3RzZOIO

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (Reid) https://amzn.to/3uXuhYk

Hotel On The Corner of Bitter & Sweet (Ford) https://amzn.to/47RRha2

The Wishing Game (Shaffer) https://amzn.to/47Nc0M8

**Extra Recs: 

Pachinko (Lee) https://amzn.to/47Nc0M8

American Dirt (Cummins) https://amzn.to/3sZrXje

Cutting For Stone (Verghese) https://amzn.to/41ctJKr

Mysteries/Keep Us Guessing

Mad Honey (Picoult/Boylan) https://amzn.to/4863304

Silent Patient (Michealides) https://amzn.to/48aLkEy

None of This is True (Jewell) https://amzn.to/41cVqCQ

Drowning (Newman) https://amzn.to/3RzFmrD

**Murder Rule (McTiernan) https://amzn.to/3GGYflX

Historical Fiction (ish)

The Nightingale (Hannah) https://amzn.to/3NkVNFs

The Things We Leave Unfinished (Yarros) https://amzn.to/3RvLroR

The Codebreakers Secret (Ackerman) https://amzn.to/3TiEIzZ

The Only Woman In The Room (Benedict) https://amzn.to/3ThZ3W5

Before We Were Yours (Wingate) https://amzn.to/3uNAV3r

Rose Code (Quinn) https://amzn.to/3GBzvvB

Orphan Code (Wiseman) https://amzn.to/3Ri3Eou

Fun Stories/Rom-Coms/Somewhat Lighter

Mrs Nash's Ashes (Adler) https://amzn.to/3NjXF1p

Part of Your World (Jimenez) https://amzn.to/3TiuEXI

Yours Truly (Jimenez) https://amzn.to/3Tb3n9E

** 3 Other Jimenez Books: The Friend Zone, Happier Ever After Playlist, & Life's Too Short

Pineapple Street (Jackson) https://amzn.to/41e6zTO

Romantic Comedy (Sittenfeld) https://amzn.to/41eFJLf

** Jojo Moyes Trilogy: Me Before You, After You, & Still Me

Ready to give memoirs a chance in 2024?

Year of Yes, by Shonda Rhimes is fabulous place to start! Extra stars for the audio version.

https://amzn.to/4a4USTs

Self-Help Books

Ikigai - The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life https://amzn.to/4aaxrbs

If you make any purchases from these links, they could send some spare change my way. But like I said, GRAB THESE FOR FREE at the library!

Join me for a quick chat about ideas to up our gift giving game this holiday season! 

Taking a quick look at some specific phrases to use in communication with our spouses and childrens for the most successful conversations.

The 9 Phrases from today's show comes from this article.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/07/harvard-psychologist-if-you-use-these-phrases-your-relationship-is-more-successful-than-most-couples.html?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook%7Cmain&fbclid=IwAR27hLrxpQnAcG35oPk06HAiT_I_fbwQseEw-bJeylHciat45ypKxAad_xM

Thank you to Dr. Cortney Warren and CNBC Make It!

Tune in to hear the phrases and my ideas on how we can use these with parenting as well

Taking a look at increasing how we feel and show gratitude, just in time for Thanksgiving! Here is the full description of the Iceberg of Gratitude as mentioned in today's show:

Sansone & Sansone (2010):

"Often when we consider what we are grateful for, overt and profound life experiences, circumstances and events come to mind. We may feel grateful for our upbringing, family, job, good health and the opportunity to gain an education. While recognizing and being grateful for these experiences is important, our gratitude practice must also venture below the surface. Below the surface we find simple every day pleasures that often go unnoticed. This may be a great book we read, laughter with a friend, or even the joy of eating ice cream in the sunshine. Whatever the simple pleasures may be, consciously expressing our gratitude for them can help us grow our daily gratitude practice beyond the surface level.”

Final Thought For Today's Show:

Gratitude turns what little you have into abundance.

Gratitude is so much more than saying thank you.

Gratitude changes your perspective of the world.

Let's laugh at ourselves a bit as we reflect on judgements we made or the things 'we'd never do' before we were moms! 

Self Help for November is IMPROVING OUR COOKING!! Let's get ready for the holidays by leveling up our skills in the kitchen! 

Here are a couple links for items mentioned in today's show. 

3 Helpful Knives:

https://amzn.to/479iGU1

Knife Sharpener (Actually makes your knives SAFER to use!)

https://amzn.to/3Q8BATW

Plastic Cutting Boards

https://amzn.to/3FDi0dQ

Article on 11 Spices Everyone Should Have In Their Pantry

11 Spices Everyone Should Have in Their Pantry | SELF

2 Salad Dressing Recipes:

https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/cilantro-lime-salad-dressing/

Everyday Salad Dressing - Gimme Some Oven

Please note that if you purchase items from my links above, I may get a little kickback from Amazon. This does not impact the items I select to share with you. Happy Shopping! 

Happy Halloween! Here are some Spooky Books and Scary Movies to get us in the Halloween Spirit!!

Books:

Behind Closed Doors

https://amzn.to/49b8JqW

Stillhouse Lake

https://amzn.to/49dlh0Y

Sadie

https://amzn.to/3tSeHNk

Watching You 

https://amzn.to/40e8Xta

Classics that are Books & Movies

Exorcist

The Shining

IT

3 others in Rotten Tomatoes' Top 5 Scary Movies

Hereditary

Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The Conjuring

A few other rec's from friends:

Orphan 

(Prequel to Orphan) Orphan First Kill

The Strangers

A Couple Netflix Options for Something Scary

It Follows

Cam

YouTube (or TikTok) Sam & Colby - "Surviving A Week at the Real Conjuring House"

Letting go of false or unrealistic expectations for ourselves and starting to feel joy in all that we accomplish every single day.