Heart Filled Holidays

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. Disco

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 gre

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.

Spring has sprung and it's time for some family fun. We'll talk about candy-free Easter fun, ideas for family fun when you don't celebrate Easter, as well as a couple tips for making family life better and easier. Spring brings many wonderful things but it also brings seasonal allergies. Allergies, whether seasonal or chronic, can be a simple annoyance or a serious problem. Today's guest has experienced the pain and frustration a mother feels when her child's allergies are interfering with their life. Dr. Susanne Bennett has found a way out of the allergy jungle and will be sharing her experience and what she's learned about natural cures. And in Christmas Corner we're going for broke in our series on creating a holiday you'll love that fits your family's style and budget. We're figuring out what to change and what to leave alone - and it's not what you think.

This week on Heart Filled Holidays we'll be increasing our happiness by taking care of ourselves. From sleep to Easter to crafts we have a wealth of information for making every day better. Amanda Owen is joining us for a look at the power of receiving. We've all heard the adage that it's better to give than to receive but, in order for others to give, someone must receive. And, in order to be our best and do our best, we must be willing to receive. We'll delve into this idea of receiving, learning new concepts and new techniques from the expert. We'll find out the truth about this often overlooked but important part of a happy life. And in Christmas Corner we'll share more ideas for great gifts kids can make with projects that will keep them occupied during those long summer months coming up.

Spring is in the air and we’re taking advantage of that to talk about Easter preparations. Easter entertaining can be challenging with all of the different activities vying for your attention so we’ll walk through some ideas for designing an Easter celebration you’ll love – and have time to enjoy. Plus we have a couple fun edible treats; one for the brunch and another for dessert. Then Erika Torres is joining us for a chat about money and marriage. She’s the author of the blog Newlyweds on a Budget where she shares her stories and what she and her husband have learned from their mistakes. Find out some simple ways to grow together as a couple as well as the 5 money habits that can ruin your marriage. And we’ll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with a guide for holiday tipping including how to avoid some sticky situations. Plus we have ideas for keeping the kids occupied during the upcoming breaks in ways that will ease your stress and add joy to your Christmas season.

We have lots of great ideas in this week's show. We're talking about Easter, sleep, change, decorations, Christmas and more! With Easter right around the corner we'll have fun exploring some fun, easy, and even tasty ideas for decorating your home and creating a fabulous brunch celebration. Then we have happiness champion Shannon Kaiser joining us for a chat about change. Change is the one inevitable in life; sometimes dreaded, sometimes anticipated, sometimes creating joy and sometimes despair. Whether you created it or it was thrust upon you, change can be a marvelous thing. Shannon is joining us today to explore that, to find out how to embrace the change in our life and how use it to create more joy and satisfaction. In Christmas Corner we're continuing our conversation on creating a holiday you'll love. We'll be sharing a strategy for discovering your perfect celebration.

Today we're talking about ways to enjoy your life to the fullest. We're looking at time, money, and how to create a joyful life without depleting either resource. Joining us is Ruth Soukup, author of the blog Living Well, Spending Less. We'll hear about Ruth's wild spending and the toll it took on her life and her marriage. We'll find out how she overcame her spending and created a full and happy life she loves. We'll also take a look at our time, priorities and to-do list. We'll explore ways you can create flexibility and breathing room in your life even while getting the important stuff done. Then we'll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with strategies for designing a holiday season you'll love on the budget you're willing to spend. We'll also look at Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's history and the real Christmas spirit behind his creation. Plus we'll share a simple, fun way to decorate the holiday table.

Some of the things families want: a little peace, some relaxation, spiritual calm, and maybe some fun crafts to enjoy making or to give as gifts. This week's guest has it all covered. Maggie Oman Shannon has pulled together spiritual wisdom and the joy of crafting into her book, Crafting Calm. She combines spiritual practices from around the world with the crafting craze growing in the west to bring us the peace and calm we crave in our hectic lives. She'll inspire us with a broad assortment of spiritual practices gathered from crafts communities around the world, as well as from everyday people who have adopted creative forms of spiritual practice. And she'll help us "tap into that deep well within ourselves where the waters of creativity, spirituality and personal identity blend and swirl." Discover the joy of making things with your hands and opening creative flow, as you relax. Before we chat with Maggie, we'll sleep deprivation and 3 ways to add a touch of spring to your life. Then we'll wrap things up

We're in for a treat! Judy Davis, The Direction Diva, is joining us to talk about her recent post on Facebook that started with a laugh and may just spark a revolution. Judy shared a comment about finding the perfect bra which created conversation about clothes, particularly bras, jeans and bathing suits, and how women struggle to find the ones that are comfortable and in which we look and feel good; not to mention the self-flagellation that can come with the process. So Judy is joining us today to talk about society's standards, our own standards, and how she went all Scarlet O'Hara on us and doesn't give a rat's tiny hiney about them anymore. Before chatting with Judy we'll talk about the Oscars, teenagers, and share a few tips for mom. In Christmas Corner we'll wrap things up with some tips for storing those holiday treasures.

Today we're living graciously and happily. We'll kick things off by beating the end-of-winter blues. As these final weeks of winter loom in front of us it can be hard to keep our spirits up. We have a few fun suggestions for keeping warm and having fun. Plus we'll talk about organizing and all of the amazing products out there to help us do it. We have a special guest, Mindy Lockard, joining us to chat about etiquette and the role it has in creating a better life for us and our children. Discover the things that can help you land a job, parent better, and just simply enjoy living more. We'll especially focus on how to improve our children's lives through gracious living. And in Christmas Corner we're taking our next step toward having the money in the bank to cover our next Christmas season along with a few helpful tips for storing wrapping paper and your favorite decorations.

The New Year is a time for resolutions but I want more than that for you, I want you to live a life you love every day. So we're taking a look at how to do that including a special guest, Lisa Giruzzi, who will join us for an inside look at achieving successful outcomes. Lisa has some surprising ways of looking at your life and simple solutions for getting what you want out of every area of your life. Plus, I'll show you how to simplify your life with the Little Black Wardrobe and share another emergency meal, one of those dinners you can toss together in 10 minutes with ingredients that are easy to keep around the kitchen. In Christmas Corner we'll deal with the overload of toys your kids received for Christmas. I know you've been tripping over them and constantly cleaning them up for the last few weeks. Today you can find out how to stop doing that and live in a clutter-free zone.

Between the winter storms and winter germs we haven’t had a normal week around our house since before Christmas. Snow days extended the Christmas break and have shown up several times since. Hubby’s tutoring sessions are in constant flux because clients can’t get out of their subdivisions or libraries where they meet are closed. Our baby missed a couple days of school due to some strange bug going around and, to top it off, one of our cars decided that it’s just too cold to leave the garage so we’ve been juggling rides with one car while Tom fixes that. I’m hearing similar stories from families all over the country. There was even an article in the paper about the weather and how it’s contributing to families’ crankiness. Between the cabin fever and the disrupted schedules, we’re all feeling the pinch. Today I want to share some ideas to help you move past that. We’ll be kicking things off with a few ways you and your spouse can cozy up and enjoy the extra indoor time followed by some tips for creating easy

We have lots of fun stuff to cover today from entertaining to massages to money. Kicking things off, we'll take a look at six hostess gifts inspired by the cold weather as well as a few fun ways to celebrate upcoming holidays. Then we're moving into a girlfriend chat with Leslie Irish Evans. Leslie is a mom who has a passion for de-stressing other moms. Today she'll be talking to us about her book Peeling Mom Off the Ceiling where she lovingly calls us on our crap and then shows us how we can fix things and really, honestly, love our crazy lives. Finally, in Christmas Corner, we'll continue our conversation about holidays and finances and how to subsidize your celebrations. Once we know how to handle the financial side of Christmas we'll peek at the history of elves as well.