Extraordinary Moms Podcast

My guest is Laura Hernandez and she has some great ideas for you about setting up efficient and effective systems in your home to help you and your kids THRIVE! She and her husband Tony are raising ten exceptional children in the Dallas area. In the past four and a half years, they have added six new children to their family... three biologically and three through adoption. Needless to say, she NEEDS effective systems for pure survival. I love what she shares about chores, batching tasks, and adapting to the unexpected. Effective systems help families run smoothly, reduce your daily workload, and your house can become a place of peace... yes, even with ten kids! This Show is Sponsored by... You want to give those you love something meaningful for Christmas, well then let me recommend Skylight Frames as the perfect gift. My grandparents LOVE this frame! The whole family emails photos all the time and my parents just sit and watch the frame for hours. It brings them so much joy daily. It sets up effortlessly in

My guest today is Retha Nichole. If you feel overwhelmed and keep running up against stumbling blocks, this episode is for you. She is a business and life coach based in Birmingham and a fantastic mom, as well. She is going to share practical, accessible coaching tips for moms. From the busy business owner mom to the stay at home mom. Sunday Planning is the plan that will help them find the margin in their personal and professional life. Official Website - https://www.hillridgeco.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rethanichole/?hl=en This Show is Sponsored by... You want to give those you love something meaningful for Christmas, well then let me recommend Skylight Frames as the perfect gift. My grandparents LOVE this frame! The whole family emails photos all the time and my parents just sit and watch the frame for hours. It brings them so much joy daily. It sets up effortlessly in under 60 seconds! Just plug in, use the touch screen to connect to your wireless network, and enjoy! Choose from 2 size

My guest today is Lisa Appelo. What do you do when you are suddenly navigating a life you didn’t sign up for? Lisa Appelo understands deeply. She’s experienced the raw emotions and uncertainty that come when everything falls apart. Lisa went to bed married and woke up a widow and single mom to seven children. She wrestled with impossible questions about her future–and then found life-changing answers that gave her the strength to move forward with true joy. In her new book and in this conversation we talk about grief and the evolution of learning to live again after losing your spouse. Show Notes... Website: https://lisaappelo.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisaappelo/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisaappeloauthor Widow Mama Collective FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/WidowMamaCollective Free Braving the Broken Starter Kit video series: https://lisaappelo.com/lifecanbegoodagain Amazon link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Can-Be-Good-Again/dp/0764239287/ This Show is Sponsore

Today's guest is Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies. She's a mom of 11, including the being the first single American woman to adopt internationally. She is the mother in-law of Chelsea Clinton, grandma to 21, author of 5 books, and a 5x author. Margolies shares the arc of her remarkable career in her new memoir, "And How Are the Children?" and imparts wisdom and inspiration with self-effacing humor. It's a fascinating conversation and you're going to love hearing from her wealth of life experience. This Show is Sponsored by... Today’s episode is brought to you by DockAtot. Calling all Mamas! If you are expecting or you have a newborn, then listen closely because I’m about to change your life. DockAtot are the trusted experts in baby comfort and safety. This lifestyle brand is made for the modern parent and creates functional solutions for feeding, playing, resting, sleeping, lounging and beyond. From the award-winning dock to whimsical play tents and nursing pillows that double as home decor, the DockATot bran

My guest today is one of my most favorite food Instagrammers... Laney Schwartz of Life is But a Dish. Laney has two major passions in her life - teaching and cooking. After teaching elementary students, Laney turned to teaching in a new form through her food blog. Since day one, her mission has been to help busy home cooks gain confidence in the kitchen. Laney’s style of instilling confidence in everyday cooks is approachable and easy. She knows there is beauty in simple recipes that taste great and are easy to put together. As the sole recipe developer behind her blog, she has created over 600 recipes that people trust over and over again. Through her 8-week course, Cook With Confidence, Laney takes you through kitchen basics from how to utilize culinary tools to understanding the disciplines when it comes to the basics of food prep to help change people’s relationship with the kitchen. And she's a mom of two darling daughters. Enjoy our convo! Show Notes... Instagram: @lifeisbutadish Website: Life is

My best friend wrote a book and it's amazing! Alison Faulkner is the author of "You're Already Awesome," and if you are in need of some mental shifts... this book is for you. Today we're chatting about how the message of her book has evolved over the course of her life and how the message to believe you are already awesome right now is truly life changing. She's been a writer, business coach, marketing guru, and everyone's favorite dancer on the internet for years. Now I'm excited to officially call her author! Tune in and show Alison some love in the comments. This show is Sponsored by... Organifi, is a line of organic superfood blends that offers plant based nutrition made with high quality ingredients. Each Organifi blend is science backed to craft the most effective doses with ingredients that are organic and free of fillers and contain less than 3g of sugar per serving. Each Organifi blend is easy to use by simply mixing it with water or your favorite beverage while on the go. You can experience Organifi

My guest today is the amazing Jennifer Hubbard, who is mom of two and the executive director of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary and Foundation. Jenny founded the organization in memory of her late daughter Catherine who was a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012. Despite the tragedy of her daughter's death, Jenny has been able to heal through her work on the sanctuary and the raising of her son, Fredrick, who is currently a high school senior. Under Jenny's leadership, CVH received a state conveyance of 34 acres of pristine farmland for the sanctuary’s use, raised nearly $7 million in funding and garnered the attention and support of nationally recognized organizations including the ASPCA, Cornell University of Veterinary Medicine and the Jane Goodall Foundation. The sanctuary is also currently working on expanding the sanctuary's facilities to include a library, veterinary in-take facility and learning barn. You can find more information about current sanctuary projects here. She is a warr

My guest today is Lauren Barrett. She is a multi-passionate mom, teaching students who are deaf and hard-of-hearing, coaching cross country, blogging about mindful/positive parenting, and as of recently writing an inclusive children's book called Henry's Hiccups which features a deaf character and biracial family. What is even better is that my book was illustrated by two of her former deaf students. :) Show Notes: Find all things Lauren HERE This Show is Sponsored by... In the novel "Heirlooms", author Sandra Byrd intertwines the lives of four women across generations and explores the impact of secrets kept, love passed down, and the heirlooms inherited from a well-lived life. Two friends learn the depth of their grandmothers’ friendship and the sacrifices they made that are impacting the younger generation in the present-day. Readers will also get a taste of how emotional the journey can be for immigrants seeking the “American Dream” and how common life experiences can bridge cultural gaps to turn friends i

Brigitte Shipman is my guest today and she is going to share How to Get to Joy and Resilience When You're Hit with Life Tsunamis. She shares her journey of raising her son Joseph (who is now 29) with autism and how she found joy and resilience in spite of many challenges along the way. Her new book  is "Mother’s Guide Through Autism", co-authored by her son Joseph, released in May of 2022. She's an autism parenting coach, writer, podcast host, and a proud mom of two adult sons. You can find out more about her on my website mothersguidethroughautism.com. This Show is Sponsored by... Crispy Fruit snacks from Crispy Green are 100% pure freeze-dried fruit! No added sugar, additives or preservatives. Crispy Green uses food as a force for good by providing the highest quality natural food products, while inspiring others to live a healthy, adventurous and fulfilling life. Crispy Fruit snacks from Crispy Green are a great way to add fruit to your diet when fresh fruit may not be available or the most convenient opt

My guest today is Lindsay Foley. She's a mom of four, who got the unexpected news last year that her daughter had a rare form of cancer. This conversation reminds us of how life can flip on a dime, but no matter what, you truly can endure even the hardest of challenges. She also shares how she started a small pie baking business in her home that has literally exploded and makes me wish we lived closer! Show Notes: Follow Lindsay on Instagram This Show is Sponsored by... ParentEducate.com is the go-to provider of research-based online parenting courses. The online, science-backed courses contain the same info as those taken by early childhood teachers. ParentEducate.com’s ever-growing course catalog includes 100+ engaging, online courses that cover a variety of topics, including behavior, development, nutrition, play safety and more. From learning how the first three years of a child’s life affect brain development to child passenger safety to learning positive discipline techniques, ParentEducate.com has some

Today my guest is Kimberly Beam-Holmes. She's an adoptive mom and she’s also the CEO of Marriage Helper, where they celebrate more than 70% success rate of saving marriages. She believes that ANY marriage could be saved from divorce. According to Kimberly, there are 4 phases to falling in love – Attraction, Acceptance, Attachment, and Aspiration. She would love to share with your audience why every couple AND parent should follow the LovePath, what happens if you stop following the path, and how to resolve those tiny and common fights among couples and make a happy home. Healthy relationships being modeled in the home is a huge component to raising happy and thriving kids, and I hope you have some aha moments in the episode today! Show Notes... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marriagehelper/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/marriagehelper Marriage Helper Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MarriageHelper/videos This Show is Sponsored by... ParentEducate.com is the go-to provider of research-based onl

My guest today is Whitney English. Whitney English, author of A More Beautiful Life, discusses how the HEART framework can help parents avoid burnout and make life a little more meaningful and manageable.  In the book, Whitney English shares personal stories and a proven system called the HEART method – which stands for Help Yourself, Empower Yourself, All Your People, Resources and Responsibilities, Trade and Talents - to encourage woman to discover and prioritize what matters most and dream better, not bigger! Whitney has boot-strapped two businesses to seven figures, has a degree in interior design, has studied management at Parsons in New York City, and has had her work featured in O magazine, The Wall Street Journal, the TODAY show. This Show is Sponsored by... Crispy Fruit snacks from Crispy Green are 100% pure freeze-dried fruit! No added sugar, additives or preservatives. Crispy Green uses food as a force for good by providing the highest quality natural food products, while inspiring others to live a

My guest is Karin Jakubowski. Dr. Jakubowski is a well-respected international influencer on helping kids live happier, healthier lives. She has touched the lives of thousands of families in multiple states with her ability to connect and help kids experience success from challenging behaviors. With a doctorate in Educational Leadership, and nearly 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, assistant principal and principal, she is highly regarded as an educational game-changer. Her insights have been featured in various media outlets including The Washington Times and Delaware State News and heard in multiple speaking engagements internationally such as the National Principals Conference and as far-reaching as India. As an empowerment coach, she provides a framework for parents who feel helpless when their child is experiencing challenging problems at school or home to experience the happy life they always dreamed of. Show Notes:  Check out her NEW Course - Happy Kids, Not Perfect Kids (Click Here) F

My guest today is one of my favorite authors, Shauna Niequist. Not only was it incredible to talk about her new book "I Guess I Haven't Learned that Yet", but talking motherhood with her was an absolute pleasure. She is so wise and real, and I think that's why she is so beloved by so many. Check out her new book and enjoy this episode! Show Notes... Get her new book TODAY https://www.shaunaniequist.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sniequist/ This Show is Sponsored by... Skylight Frames! This amazing digital picture frame is a great way to feel close to those you love even when you’re far away. Anyone in the family can send photos to the frame using a given email address, so it’s a great way to keep family members in touch. It sets up effortlessly in under 60 seconds and even the least tech-savvy can use it! Skylight Frame has a gorgeous 10” touch screen. You can swipe through photos with your finger, and even tap to thank the person who sent a photo. Pre-load it with favorite photos for a special Mother’s Day

My guest today is back for her third time... Kelsey Nixon. Today we're talking about welcoming her daughter Penny via gestational carrier during the pandemic. You will love hearing that update! We also talk about her new podcast, Kitchen Prescription and her incredible new recipe community Recipe Club (definitely try the chicken parm bake! It's incredible!). You're going to LOVE This episode and definitely check out Kelsey's other episodes! Show Notes... Follow Kelsey on Instagram or on her website Sign up for Recipe Club! Your family will thank you. $50 well spent! Check out her podcast Kitchen Prescription for great tips and meal ideas! Check out her other episodes here and here, and the one with her gestational carrier and sis-in-law Betsey!  

You won't believe my guest's story today. Jessie Boeckmann flew to Ukraine to bring home her second daughter via gestational surrogate. On Feb 22, her daughter was born in Kyiv and on Feb 24, she started hearing the bombings from the Russian invasion. She knew they had to get out quickly. And so began her journey out of the capital and out of the country with her days old newborn and her husband. She is incredible and you won't believe her story! Show Notes:  Follow Jessie on Instagram Corrine Stokoe's podcast episode with Andre who is helping feed Ukrainians right now Donation options: Unicef, Feed the Children This Show is Sponsored by... Baby MORI creates all the essentials a parent needs, crafted from soft, safe & sustainable materials. Baby MORI aims to make parenting simpler through innovative designs, such as two-way zips and extendable sleeping bags. Cooper loves these jammies and I love that they are darling AND functional! All their products are designed to be the highest-quality, long-lasting and

Re-air with Down Syndrome mom x2 Mollie Glasgow!

World Down Syndrome Day! Re-air with Heather Avis of the Lucky Few

My guest is Heather Evans. She battled infertility for 4 years and then became pregnant with boy/girl twins (Hannah and Gavin) via their fourth round of IVF and an egg donor. She went into premature labor and delivered them at 24 weeks, 1 day (1.5 pounds each). They spent four months in the NICU including 7 weeks on a ventilator, both had brain bleeds, multiple infections, my son had heart vessel surgery, and both twins came home on oxygen. Her son has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy (although he now walks, runs, etc. without even using his braces), and he had a selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery four years ago. Both twins have ADHD, Hannah is working through some sensory and social/emotional work, and Gavin gets PT/OT/speech. She is also a pelvic floor physical therapist which means one of her specialties is treating pregnant and post-partum women. She has two books called Learning to Breathe which is her NICU story. The most recent (just out a month!) is called the NICU Mama Survival Guide, and it combin

My guest today is Tara Miko Ballentine. Tara has an interesting story, with 25 years of marketing skills, and past professional experiences – from working with Maria Shriver to the Kardashians – to now changing the way we think about parenting. She finally started her passion project, Bright Littles, to “talk” parenting in a whole new light.  Sparked by a conversation with her 6-year-old daughter, Tara is on a mission to empower parents to have an “outside the box” conversation with their little ones. Show Notes:  Check out Bright Littles conversation cards! Follow her on Instagram And check out the Kickstarter for her amazing book- follow on Instagram for updates on when that goes live! This Show is Sponsored by... Baby MORI creates all the essentials a parent needs, crafted from soft, safe & sustainable materials. Baby MORI aims to make parenting simpler through innovative designs, such as two-way zips and extendable sleeping bags. Cooper loves these jammies and I love that they are darling AND functional