FAMILY

188. You Can Become a Stay-at-Home Homesteading Mama | Katie of Lost Oak Sheep Farm

I hear from countless women who have a dream of starting a homestead and making it their full-time lifestyle.  Katie of Lost Oak Sheep Farm had the same dream, and she put her nose to the grindstone to make it a reality.  In our conversation, we talk through what it looked like for Katie to leave her full-time career as a teacher and begin her life as a stay-at-home homesteading mama raising sheep with a baby strapped to her back.  Whether the homesteading lifestyle seems like a far-off dream or it is your current reality, I know this chat with Katie will inspire you with what is possible!

Episode 186 | Create Your Own Home Grocery Store | Jamerrill Stewart of Large Family Table

Wouldn’t you love to have access to all of your grocery staples within a few steps of your kitchen?  This is what Jamerrill has spent the last several years working towards in her home, and she’s here to talk to us about her systems!  She shares what it looks like to start small when you are building up your long-term food storage.  We also discuss how this type of bulk buying and storage can benefit you on a short-term basis.  Even if you have a small home or a small budget, Jamerrill’s systems for stocking your pantry and freezer are possible for you!

Episode 184 | Transform Your Homeschool Days with Delight Directed Learning | Julie Kreke

The pressure is off!  If your homeschool days have become overrun with stress and pressure to do all things perfectly, this episode is for you.  My friend, Julie, has been homeschooling her large family for over a decade, and she loves helping moms free themselves from the pressures of homeschooling by embracing delight directed learning.  Not only does this approach free moms to thrive in homeschooling, it liberates our children too.  I hope our conversation about the beauty of delight directed learning inspires you as you steward your child’s education.

Episode 183 | The Value of a Homemaker | RuthAnn Zimmerman

Homemaking is truly an art, which means each of us expresses our own personalities and interests and values in unique ways in our homes.  But one thing all homemakers share in common is the value they bring to their families.  In my conversation with RuthAnn, we dive into some of the whys and hows of homemaking.  If you are seeking encouragement and inspiration in your role as a homemaker, you don’t want to miss this chat with RuthAnn!

Episode 182 | Creating Rhythms of Rest and Connection in Your Family and Community | Sally Clarkson

I’m so delighted to bring Sally back on the podcast to share her wisdom and encouragement for mothers in every stage.  We discuss Sally’s latest book, Tea Time Discipleship, all about the beauty of incorporating a tea time ritual into your life and home.  This simple daily routine creates endless opportunities for personal refreshment, family discipleship, and cultivation of friendships.  Join us for this rich, insightful, encouraging conversation with Sally.

Episode 181 | When Old-Fashioned Makes More Sense (How Vintage Ideas Can Make Modern Life Healthier & Happier) | Jill Winger of The Prairie Homestead

In our modern world, it is easy to accept all of the latest conveniences and innovations that are offered to us.  At face value, they may seem to make our lives easier or better, but at what cost?  Jill Winger has been asking these kinds of critical questions for many years, and this questioning is the basis for her upcoming book on how many of the old-fashioned ways may actually be superior.  Our discussion is nuanced (we don’t throw out all modernity!) and serves as an interesting conversation starter as you weigh the costs and benefits of modern ways in your own life.

Episode 176 | Educating Our Kids About Real Food | Liz Haselmayer of Homegrown Education

The task of educating our children about real food has never been more important than it is now, but it can feel like swimming upstream in a culture saturated with highly processed and denatured foods.  Thankfully, we have access to more information and resources than ever before to educate ourselves and our children on this foundational topic.  

My conversation with Liz of Homegrown Education dove into the nutritional philosophies of our homes as well as practical ways to incorporate more real food into our children’s diets.  Whether you have prioritized real food from your child’s first meal or you are just now beginning to make food swaps in your home, this episode will encourage you to keep making strides in this worthwhile journey.

Episode 175 | Answering Your Homebirth Questions | Katelyn Fusco of Happy Homebirth Podcast

Based on the questions I received on Instagram, you all are just as excited about this homebirth episode with Katelyn as I am!  No matter where you are on the spectrum of homebirth—curious about it, preparing for your first or second homebirth, or a veteran homebirth mama—this episode addresses all of it.

We speak to the mom who is wondering if homebirth is possible for her, the mom preparing her body and mind for an upcoming birth, the mom trying to find the right care provider, the mom dealing with unsupportive family.

As a mother of seven, homebirth is near and dear to my heart, and Katelyn is a wealth of wisdom on this topic.  Join us for this rich discussion!

Episode 174 | A Homeschool Mom’s Mindset | Angela Braniff of This Gathered Nest

Homeschooling goes far beyond choosing curriculum and planning field trips.  It is equally as important to establish a firm grasp on why we are homeschooling and what our homeschool philosophy is.

I so enjoyed this conversation with Angela where we had a chance to get honest about the ups and downs of our homeschooling journeys.  We chatted about important mindset shifts we have had to embrace along the way and old paradigms we are moving away from.

Are you considering homeschooling but you are fearful?  Are you in the thick of it and need some encouragement to keep going?  Join us for this inspiring conversation!

Episode 173 | Chatting Motherhood, Homeschool, Minimalism, Pregnancy, Business (and More!) with Sarah Therése

Sarah Therése and I are a decade apart in our motherhood journeys, and our different perspectives and experiences made this conversation so interesting.  We tackled a variety of topics based on questions we received from you on Instagram, everything from minimalism to pregnancy to homeschooling to business.  

Throughout our many topics of conversation, one overarching theme kept resurfacing: as women and mothers, we have the power to make changes in our homes and families when something is not going well.  While we cannot control everything, we have the ability to improve things way more than we think!  May this conversation be an encouragement to you as you assess your own challenges and endeavor to move forward in boldness!