I am trying to shift my perspective and thinking about this as a sabbath, instead of a snow day. It’s going to be a time to rest, without distractions of our own obligations. It’s a time for us to love the people best right within our own walls. It’s a time to slow, and find new rhythms, to try new things and things we haven’t had a time for. It’s a time to cook and experiment, and a time to be lazy, and watch movies and read books. And also a friendly reminder, mostly to myself, this is going to be a marathon, not a sprint… So let’s do this. Together. Thanks for listening!

Quarantined activities 

OutsideWalkRunDo speed work in your driveway! Try SprintsBikeClean up your yard, pull weeds, pick up sticks, rake your leavesChalk! Play hopscotch, chalk your driveway, your neighbors driveways with a fun messageFly a kitBubbles! Plant somethingPlay sports! Make a compost pile for gardens/plantsMake a bird feederBird watch, catalog the birds or animals you see every day

Write

Write and send letters  Keep a journal, prayer journal, gratitudeWrite a storeWrite a prequel/sequel about your favorite movie

Books 

Read books (Books I read in 2019)Virtual book clubRead books via facetime to othersListen to audio booksBook swapsWrite a book review, video it!

Music 

Make and share Playlists Listen to podcastsMake up dance videosFaceTime others and practice singing, or playing instruments song togetherWrite a songLearn something off YouTube – how to sing, play, read music

Exercise 

Run / Walk – doesn’t matter what shape you are in!Yoga Competitions – push ups, jumping jacks, planks, sit ups

Cooking 

Top chefBake offBake cookiesBake breadCook around the world Progressive dinner, each person make/pick one part of the mealPicnic in your home/yardFancy dinner where everyone dresses up Chocolate chip cookie contest, try a few different recipes and have test testers to make a votePretend cooking shows, record making somethingMake something you don’t normally have time to do 

Games 

Board gamesBoard games tournament, like a bracket stylePuzzlesBlocksSee what you can build or repurpose from recyclingMake your own pictionary, or charades, or “fishbowl” Make up your own scavenger huntEaster egg hunt (put puzzles pieces, or clues in them)Have a fashion show! Pick themes and find outfits in your own closets to dress up and give fun prizes or awards

Art

Paint rocks of encouragement and leave them around your neighborhoodPaint recycle goodsMake a comic strip/ flip booksMake a birdhouseDraw your back/front porchDraw your familyPrint your pictures and make a photo album, or scrapbookLook at old photos and tell the stories, memories together as a family

Organize 

PantryKitchenBasement/StorageClothes & ClosetsToys, books, games – see if you can do a book swap or a game swapMovies/DVDsPhotos

I love to read so I thought I would kick off the podcast in 2020 with a roundup of the books I read in 2019. I love hearing directly from people after they’ve read a book more than reviews or just finding something on a best sellers list.

A few of them during the episode I messed up the title or author but here is the complete list with direct Amazon links.Love lives here – Maria Goff 

The road back to you Suzanne Stable; Ian Morgan Cron

The hate you give – Angie Thomas

It’s not supposed to be this way – Lysa TerKeurst

If you only knew  – Jamie Ivy

Who thought this was a good idea – And Other Questions You Should Have Answers to When You Work in the White House – Alyssa Mastronmonaco

Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds – Jen Wilkin

Unbroken Faith: Spiritual Recovery for the Special Needs Parent – Diana Dokko Kim

Dare to lead – Brene Brown

 The gospel comes with a house key – Rosaria Butterfield

 Not forsaken – Louie Giglio

The lucky few – Heather Avis

Digital minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in Noisy World – Cal Newport

Deep work: Rules for focused success in a distracted world – Cal Newport

Maybe you should talk to someone – Lori Gottlieb

The last time I lied – Riley Sager

Where the crawdad sings: Delia Owens

Final Girls – Riley Sage

Mismatch: How inclusion shapes design – Kat Holmes

Talking to strangers: What we should know about people we don’t know – Malcom Gladwell

The Tattooist of Auschwitz – Heather Morris

When less becomes more: Making space for slow, simple and good – Emily Ley

Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine – Gail Honeyman

Seven principles for Making Marriage work – John Gottman

The Homebody: A guide to creating spaces you never want to leave – Joanna Gaines

The Home Edit: A guide organizing and realizing your house goals – Clea Shearer

The silent patient  – Alex Michaelides

Gay Girl, Good God: The story of who I was, and who God has always been – Jackie Hill Perry

And if reading paper books isn’t your jam, listen to books on audio! Happy new year and here’s to 2020 of more reading!

Since the beginning and the first episode, I haven’t done a full update on what’s been going on in Mason’s world so here it is!

I first share about his progress in therapy, including PT, OT, Speech and vision. You’ll hear what’s important right now and what we are working on.

Next I share some of Mason’s favorite things, just like Oprah! This was fun for me to think through because a few months ago I wasn’t sure if Mason had any preference.

I also share about the Shopping Cart project that we are working on, what our field trip was like and the prototype that followed. I also share about how we got the project accepted by a program called the Inclusioneers, where University of Akron students are paired with a project and mentors from the business world to help bring this product to life. We should be starting soon and I am excited.

If you haven’t heard me share about Miles for Mason and the Move to Cure STXBP1 Events, there’s still time to sign up or donate! Check out the events page on 3Milemom for the specific meet up details.

And finally I share what we’re hopeful for this season, and how we talk about the progression we’ve seen so far. Thanks for your support!

I started my motherhood journey with Kari Juola, our first born daughters were born on the same day. She’s an Air Force wife and mom to two girls in Louisiana.

We talk about her current season, life with littles. We walk through the day to day of motherhood and what she’s learning and loving in this season.

Kari also shares about her husband Brian and his time in weapon school and how her family works through the different times he’s away. Brian has been deployed twice and Kari shares about how she and her family got through the time apart. Her family and community and big celebrations after the hard work helped pass the time.

Kari shares about what she’s learning this season, more specifically from the bible study she’s doing “No Other Gods, by Kelly Minter”. She talks about the idols in our lives, and some that show up that we may not even realize it was an idol, like fear or anxiety.

Kari shares about generosity, but probably not in the way that you would think. She talks about she’s learning to be more generous to her children, her husband. And to be more generous to her community with her skills and talents. It’s leading her to love big instead of wondering what she will get in return.

We talk about how to make the most out a season when you are solo parenting. Kari shares about being intentional about communication with her husband throughout the time he’s away, as well as what she can do to support him too. She also had to think and prepare for his return back to family life and what that new normal looks like.

We also talk about parenting, and the score-keeping or resentment that could come along with it when your partner is away, either for a long deployment or on a quick business trip. She also talks about we have to communicate with our spouses to let them know when we need help, it’s our opportunity to parent side by side with them.

Her mom hack is a good reminder to take time for God even when you are doing the thing you dread, like pumping or taking out the trash.

If you want to connect with Kari – feel free to send her a note at [email protected]

I had a blast catching up and cheering on Alyssa Serchia from I am Strong like Mom. She is an author, momma of 3 kiddos, and wife of a college football coach living in south Texas.

Alyssa and I talk about her current season with little ones is crazy but she shares about she feels like doing what counts for her family. We also talk about being present and content with where you are instead of looking ahead.

She also shares about the lessons she’s learning the hard way, including slowing down and thinking strategically about her business. I loved her advice for all moms, and I hope you are encouraged by her.

Alyssa also talks about the behind the scenes of her new book, I am Strong like Mom. Her sister illustrated this book. She talks about the process and how it became a project that they grew closer together even though they were an ocean apart.

Alyssa reads us one of her favorite pages from the book, and I cannot wait to get mine to read it to my kiddos. Watch the book trailer, including the letters to moms.

Alyssa reading her book to her kiddos.

Alyssa shares two mom hacks, the first one is practical for those who are doing road trips with little ones. And her second mom hack is a brilliant idea if you are doing bedtime solo!

Read or learn more at http://www.iamstronglikemom.com/

Follow along with all of the @Iamstronglikemom on Instagram

Order the book (or a few for gifts) on Amazon

I am Strong like Mom Shop (#strollersquad shirts, I am strong like mom)

Hi friends – here’s a bonus episode for you! A few weeks ago I asked on Facebook and on Instagram if you had questions for me. I answer them here in this episode! It was fun to talk about what I am reading, what this season looks like, how to include special needs families, motherhood, family, faith and more.

Links to the things I share in the episode:

Love lives here – Maria Goff

@Skiptomyluca – special needs parent, advocat and resource http://skiptomyluca.com/

Even If – Mercy Me

Daniel 3:16-20 New International Version (NIV)16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us[a] from Your Majesty’s hand. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Everything happens for a reason and other lies I’ve loved. – Kate Bowler

Listen, text a friend to share it, and review on iTunes.

More questions? Just ask!

I really enjoyed my conversation with Megan Wright. She is a wife, a mom, and she and her husband have their own business. She talks about their new home purchase and renovation and the challenges that come with that.

We talk about being able to do something versus being called to do something. Even when it is a good thing, to be able to give something up to be able to provide the space to do other things. I’ve experienced something similar and love what she’s shares about letting go of control of these opportunities.

Megan also talks about the animals and her horses. She’s learning and loving so much of this, and there are so many lessons from these animals. She talks about how even though the horses are a lot of work, she feels like the fruits of her labor have been an unexpected opportunity for spiritual growth.

Megan has recently started to teach and write her own Bible studies and we talk about where it started and what her dreams are for leading women. Her passion to write was ignited after a trip to Jerusalem. She talks about how she’s teaching not from a place of having it all together, but from a place of vulnerability of her own testimony. I love how she shares a few stories of how women’s lives are being impacted by her passion and past and finding what she’s called to do.

The lesson she learns the hard way is something she wishes she would have learned sooner. We also talk about a shift in her mindset of praying for her husband to change, to praying for her own changes.

Megan’s mom hack is simple yet impactful for your children, always pointing back to Jesus.

Follow and connect with Megan on Instagram.

One of my dear friends Tracy Holland caught up with me today on the podcast. Tracy is a stay at home mom to two boys and married to Alex for almost 6 years. Alex is a farmer. Yes, he’s a real farmer! She talks about this and about the lack of control they have on the weather and the crops and a crazy incident of hail in Arizona that nearly wiped them out!

Tracy has been by my side every step of my journey through Mason’s diagnosis. She talks a lot about her both her sons issues with reflux and how it impacted their family and her perspective. We both learned that we have to advocate for our kids. We often know our kids better than anyone, including the doctors. She shares about a specific incident where a perspective shift was helpful in a really hard moment in her hard season.

Tracy talks and shares a lot about living intentionally and simply in this current season. She shares the big rocks in her life – her faith and her family. Tracy talks about slowing down and making family time so important. She shares a few ways to gracefully say no, as she has simplified her week and saves the sanity of her family. She says, “I am not going to sacrifice my family’s happiness to just say yes to all the stuff.”

On the Sunday drive to church, she uses that time with her entire family to have a weekly meeting. They talk through the week to plan and schedule the big things and do the meal plan. She puts in the big rocks first in the calendar and then she knows the other spaces in her week for opportunities she can say yes. She looks for the fringe hours in her week to make it productive and helpful time spent for her family.

Tracy and Alex are a great example of keeping their marriage a priority. She talks about how they made weekly date nights a priority from a New Year’s resolution. Even on a budget! She talks about how it has been such a game changer for their marriage. She also shares about a date night swap – the families swap kiddos once a month so that the couple can do a longer (free) date night.

Another thing that she’s loving this season is that she knows her neighbors. I LOVE her example within her neighborhood and she shares how she got the conversation started, by knocking on the door and introducing herself. Tracy has super simple ideas of ways they’ve connected with the people that live in their neighborhood. She’s a natural connector and hostess, but the neighborhood has benefited from events and weekly rhythms as they’ve built the community. She realized that a lot of her neighbors wanted to know each other, someone just had to go first. Her hospitality and generosity have had an awesome ripple effect within her neighborhood. I can’t wait to try a few things with my own neighbors.

Tracy is the one I usually go to when I need a hack. She has a way that she looks at things and makes it more productive and make you feel so much better about tackling the big things and little things. SO we have a mom hack marathon – she shares four different mom hacks that are AMAZING. She talks about Emily Ley’s book, Simplified Life.

Connect with Tracy on Instagram.

“Everyday, ordinary motherhood” was a theme of my conversation with Hannah Nitz. Hannah is a wife and mom of Harvey, who recently turned one. This past spring I saw Hannah on a Panel called “Not my Plan” (she starts at minute 5:30) at Akron Women on Purpose. After I heard what she shared about everyday ordinary motherhood, I knew I wanted to bring her on the podcast.

Hannah dives deep into the specific call of God on her life and how it looks different for every individual and how it looks different than she expected.

She and I talk about the repetition of motherhood, yet the layers of God. We are grateful for the depth that God brings to His word, regardless of how many times you’ve read the same verse, chapter, book.

She talks about how 2018 compared to 2019 has been so freeing and she talks about how she barely recognizes herself. Hannah shares about freedom, and what it means for her life and her purpose and motherhood. We also talk about how God is often asking us to do small acts of obedience, between us and God, even when it doesn’t have a HUGE impact or it doesn’t sense. She dives into faith working through love, and faith through works, and what it means for us as moms.

She also talks about reading the bible for herself. She shares about what she learned over these past few months and more specifically during Lent. She talks about this book “A Call to Die: A 40 Day Journey from the World & Feasting on God.” She challenged herself to 40 days of being intentional for 30 minutes a day, and it hasn’t stopped since. We talk about doing, resting, and playing with our kiddos.

A few weeks ago she went to her husband about her not feeling like she was doing enough, and his response is so good and she wishes she would have asked earlier.

Hannah shares her heart on the panel and dives into it during our conversation. Another book she recommends is, A Theology of the Ordinary. And one of the verses that she shared on the panel and during the episode that has a made an impact in her season. I loved this translation of this verse.

Romans 12 1 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Romans 12:1 The Message (MSG)

Check out Akron Women on Purpose and watch the videos from previous years to be encouraged from ordinary women living in faith. The entire conference challenges the women to say yes to whatever God is asking them to do, how would our city and lives be different. I love what they are doing and can’t wait to attend next year.

Finally, her mom hack revolve around photos and doing something with all the million pictures on our phones! She gives us 4 practical tips for photos and I have already done a few since we’ve talked!

Connect with Hannah on Instagram

I feel like Amy and I could have talked for hours. And actually even after I ended the podcast recording, we stayed and talked for probably another 30 minutes or so. She’s a brand new momma and wife and works as a financial analyst. I thoroughly enjoyed her passion of her faith and honesty of her season. I am encouraged by her commitment to herself and to her family.

In the episode, she talks about how God knows what she needs to be the best mom in this season, even if it might not match her expectations. Amy also talks about how her gifting may look different than other moms she sees, but she knows that they do benefit her family.

Amy also shares about comparison and gratitude – one used to combat the other. She encourages us to not look right or left of our own season. She also speaks about how sometimes she’s not ok and that’s ok. She talks about how she can still love everything about the moment, yet not be ok.

Amy shares about how she considers herself an oversharer, yet she feels tension about pulling back on social media, especially when you are going through something. She talks about a specific and recent experience with her husband and how that unfolds. Amy shares about the anxiety in the midst of the everyday grind of that experience, yet she can look back and see the gifts and how faithful God was.

Recently she started blogging again (read more from her at https://www.cosentinoliving.com/blog ) , as a form of rest. Amy shares about her blogging journey and how it’s been helpful for her to have something of her own, and her own space in the internet.

She shares 2 mom hacks and if you are mom in need of snack ideas, you’ll love her second mom hack. It’s simple and healthy and great for one handed snacks for those nursing mommas.

Follow Amy on Instagram; Read more on Amy’s Blog