Heart Filled Holidays

Simplicity seems to be the buzzword of the day, but can it backfire? Can paring down your life actually make it more difficult? We'll take a look at simplification and when more is better. Then we'll chat with baby and toddler expert, Blythe Lipman. The toddler years are exciting and amazing but can be hair-raising as well. Blythe's work is focused on helping parents enjoy these years while still teaching their children. Get her insights, hints, tips and inspiration for handling common problems. In Christmas Corner we're finding out what you can do right now to slow down your holidays, making them less busy and less stressful. Hint: it doesn't involve to-do lists, shopping or any other holiday tasks. Then we'll take a peek at ideas for creating homemade gifts.

One of the biggest complaints from women everywhere is that they don’t get enough sleep and don’t feel rested. It’s no surprise when you look at our lifestyles. But even when we make the effort and implement some of the commonly suggested solutions it doesn’t always work. Dr. Sara Gottfried knows why and she’ll be sharing that information along with real tips and strategies that actually work. And the bonus is that she’ll address energy, mood, and weight at the same time. We’ll also share tips from the experts on taking better photos, refute some common wisdom, and talk about why it’s okay for kids to be unhappy about chores. And in Christmas Corner we’re talking about gifts for grandparents.

Life is good and summer is just meant to be savored. We'll share ideas for enjoying the summer and finding fun in your own backyard. Plus we'll have a tip or two for a cool summer treat along with some tips that were shared during our last mom chat. But life doesn't always go the way we want and money can often times be at the root. Stress, arguments, guilt, these are just a few of the negative impacts of money in our life. And when we search for solutions we find a slew of financial information about budgets and money management. But sometimes the problem isn't a lack of knowledge or self-discipline. And that's where we're going with today's guest. Bari Tessler is a financial therapist, coach, and even a mompreneur, so she "gets" all the family issues too. We'll be chatting about money shame, money healing, and we might even find out about dates, chocolate, and what they have to with money too. And in Christmas Corner we'll share tips for quick cleaning during the busy holiday season.

It's all about you! That's the truth and we'll explore why as we kick off our Christmas in July show and special celebrations. Then we'll dig into the the 3Cs of having a better Christmas this year and what you can do right now to ensure a happier holiday season. And we'll cap things off with ideas for your Christmas in July party. From food to games to decorations, we'll bring cold weather fun into the heart of summer.

Do you ever feel inadequate as a mom? Do you look around and wonder how everyone else gets it all done or feel guilty about the meals your putting on the table or worry about letting your kids make their own choices? If you've ever experienced any of this you'll want to hear our conversation about motherhood and your ability to do it well. Dana White is back! After sharing her secrets for overcoming her "slobification" now she's back to tell us how she keeps it all going during the summer AND how to teach our kids to help. No more avoiding having company because you can't keep the house clean. No more embarrassment when someone shows up unexpectedly. And, believe it or not, the kids can do some of it for you after using Dana's tips for teaching them how to clean. And in Christmas Corner we'll talk about turning trash into treasure you can give as gifts so you can keep more cash in your pocket and still give great presents.

Summer makes me think of excitement and fun which is perfect for this week's episode. We'll be chatting with Lisa Anderson about her family's round the world journey. Yes, she and her husband packed up their 4 children and visited 6 continents in 5 months. It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and we'll get all the outrageous details. We'll talk about summer crafts, girlfriend get-a-ways, and some fun ideas for your Christmas-in-July party.

This week we're talking about some of the challenges of family life and looking at tips and ideas for making life easier. Starting with the family dinner table, we'll talk about 10 conversation starters that can bring on not only conversation but laughter as well as insights into your family. Then we'll share a simple strategy to make cleaning easier. Life isn't always smooth sailing and living with ADD/ADHD can add to the challenges. Coach Margit Crane will be joining us to share her personal stories as well as tips, strategies and ideas for making it easier to run a household and enjoy your life. If you're a mom with ADD, or living with someone with ADD, this is a must listen. Then we'll take our weekly visit to Christmas Corner where we'll take a look at alternative gifts for kids that will let you make over your holiday gift giving.

You've seen the makeover shows where they style someone's hair and tweak her makeup, well today we're focusing on giving you the tools to give your life a makeover, starting with your house and moving on to the family dinner, adding peace and order to your world. Then we'll interview Mayna Sgaramella McVey, the owner of Closet Fly. Mayna is sharing tips and advice that will help you work over your wardrobe so you can de-clutter your closet and boost your image all at once. You'll be able to save time, money, and energy while looking fabulous - and I'm all for that! And in Christmas Corner we're going to make over your holiday with the "Why Game".

Gearing up for a fabulous summer! First we'll chat about graduation, "free lunches", and what they have to do with happiness along with some ideas for Father's Day. Then we have a great guest, Jennifer Tetreault who is the creative mind behind the blog Passion for Parties where she shares her fun ideas for family gatherings, kids' birthdays and more. She'll be joining us for a chat about summer celebrations; BBQ, 4th of July, camping, kids' parties, and parent party ideas. We'll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with tips for setting a festive table that you can use for the holidays or any time of year. Plus we'll take a peek at a fun and festive technique for wrapping gifts.

One of the most coveted things in family life is a peaceful home, not always in the sense of quiet but in our relationships. We want our children to behave and to do what's necessary and what's right, and we don't want a lot of friction. Lori Petro is brilliant at giving us exactly what we want, it just might happen in a way you never expected. She'll be chatting with us about building a relationship with your kids that allows peace in your home and changes your child's behavior. We'll also be chatting about graduation including some fun gifts to give the graduate. And we'll wrap up the show with a fresh idea for an advent calendar. Join us for ideas, inspiration, and conversation designed to make your life better for holidays and every day.

Today we'll kick things off with tips for writing thank you notes and observations about screens in our lives. And we'll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with 5 more tips for a Frugal Christmas and a great gift idea. Sandwiched in between, where all the best stuff is like the middle of an oreo or the center of a pasczki, we have Anne Pillsbury. Anne is a change catalyst for moms, someone who helps you when you're ready for the next chapter in your life, even if you don't know what that looks like. And she's joining us today to talk about why we should give up on the notion of life balance. We hear it everywhere, find balance! But Anne says no and we'll find out why as well as what to do instead.

On today's show we're exploring rest & rejuvenation. Sleep can be elusive to women and yet it's one of the aspects of a woman's life that can have a great impact. Karen Rachel Brody, founder of the BOLD Movement and creator of BoldAction.org, will join us to share her innovative solution to this pervasive problem. In addition to Karen's insights we will talk about getting organized and bust the myth that can stop you before you even get started. We also have ideas for fun and easy gift wrap and a way you can be financially savvy while having fun and giving great gifts.

As we kick off the month of May we're sharing all sorts of tips, tricks, and stories for moms. From 3 ways to bring spring into your home to looking at how money CAN buy happiness we're covering it all. Then Leslie Irish Evans will make you gasp and laugh as you discover the madness behind mommy self-care. Leslie is a self-described smart aleck who specializes in helping moms learn how to take care of themselves in the midst of taking care of their families. She'll be joining us for some frank conversation about the reality of self-care as well as a chat about her Touch Manifesto. And we'll wrap things up in Christmas Corner with homemade gifts that are just as great for Mother's Day and Father's Day as they are for Christmas.

Mother's Day is a landmine holiday. This is a day set aside to honor and celebrate the person is usually in charge of making these kinds of plans and who wants and needs to honor and celebrate her own mother, grandmother, or mother-in-law. So what's a mom to do? Should she just kick back and enjoy the day? How can she involve the kids without having to plan it? And what if you're single or money is tight? Tough questions and we'll get real answers from Dr. G. Find out how you can celebrate, enjoy yourself, and still honor those you love. In addition to this terrific interview we'll share some simple strategies and tips for making every day better and more fulfilling. Plus we'll pop in to Christmas Corner to find out how a little trip to WhoVille can change our holiday and other celebrations too.

This week we're creating a happier, easier life. We're kicking things off with tips for menu planning and a few tips for handling graduation. Then we'll be chatting with Audra Erwin. Audra is the High on Life Coach and the host of The Happy Hour radio show. She'll be sharing secrets for getting more joy out of life with less effort and less stress. We'll wrap things up with Christmas Corner where we're sharing a really simple idea for giving that you can use all year round, do on your own, with your kids or with a group. Plus I'll tell you how we're going to give you a better Mother's Day.

Graduation, prom, really cool cupcakes, and the thing you need to stop doing. Plus a great conversation with Shannon Kaiser on fear, guilt, and finding happiness through the simplicity of play. This week's show is geared toward helping you make memories and enjoy them as we explore a variety of topics and get Shannon's tips for making all of it better. And in Christmas Corner we've got The Christmas Pickle and Gifts for Grandparents. Don't miss a single tip or a fabulous story. Join us live at noon ET (11 CT, 10 MT, 9 PT) on www.radio.heartfilledholidays.com

Think stress is bad for you? Think again. This Monday I'll be sharing my unusual views on stress along with a game you can play to make it work for you. This week's guest is April O'Leary, a woman who changed her life 90 seconds at a time. This isn't about getting organized or managing your life in small chunks, rather it's about understanding our body's chemistry and how to use it to handle difficult moments and undesirable actions. Hear April's amazing story and find out how to harness the power of those 90 seconds for yourself. In Christmas Corner you'll find out how to double the joy you get from pampering yourself. Join us live at noon ET (11 CT, 10 MT, 9 PT).

We're going to have some fun this week, starting with your family dinners. We have ideas to make the family table easier and more fun. You'll get topics to talk about along with a couple conversation-starter questions you can use. Plus Sandy's sharing one of her Emergency Meals that you can use for last minute dinners. Melody Miller is joining us to add some fun to our gift wrap. She'll be sharing ideas from her book Ruby Star Wrapping: Creating Packaging to Reuse, Regive, and Relove where she inspires you to think resourceful, think reusable, think unusual when it comes to gift packaging. She'll show you how to raid the pantry for boxes, use old linens, and make beautiful accessories out of fabric and paper scraps. You'll learn how to create beautiful, reusable packaging from the common materials in your home. And in Christmas Corner we'll be looking at ways to give special gifts by thinking local.

This week we're covering clutter, Easter, food and decorating. We have some yummy ideas for Easter brunch as well as tips for getting the most out of your life experiences. Cristin Frank is joining us for a conversation about upcycling our life. She's the author of Living Simple, Free & Happy: How to Simplify, Declutter Your Home, and Reduce Stress, Debt & Waste. and the creator of www.eveofreduction.com where she shows us how to live a lifestyle of reducing waste - like money, time, talent and resources. We'll hear her story and find out how to recycle and repurpose to celebrate and decorate in a way that reduces stress and waste, and increases thoughtfulness and discovery. And in Christmas Corner we're talking about keepsakes and how you can give interesting and unique gifts to people based on those special items they have tucked away. Join us live at noon ET (11 CT, 10 MT, 9 PT) on www.radio.heartfilledholidays.com

The Good Life, it's what we all want and we have different thoughts about why we don't have it or when we can have it. Amy Clark is defying those thoughts and showing us how we can have it right now, regardless of circumstances. She'll be challenging our thinking and showing us how we can love our life right here, right now, and even do it on a budget. From delicious meals to a clean home to fabulous family celebrations, she has it all covered. We'll hear her story and pick her brain for terrific ideas we can use in our families. While we're enjoying our life we'll share a few tips for enjoying the month of March and our Easter celebrations plus we'll hop on over to Christmas Corner and peek at an old Christmas tradition.