Lighten Up with Melanie Dale
Author Melanie Dale is perpetually trying to figure out how we can all calm the heck down about parenting, friendship, getting older, and the world around us. Each episode she chats with a friend about ways we can let go and lighten up.
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Lighten Up #132: Calm the H*ck Down
12/08/2020
Lighten Up #132: Calm the H*ck Down
Our series "Lighten Up about Parenting," wraps up today, which is perfect because, drumroll please, Calm the H*ck Down is officially out in the world! So we're running out of podcast but I have a whole book waiting for you, all about parenting. As you probably know by now, I invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my book, . They were given an early copy and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if this thing actually works. Will Calm the H*ck Down actually calm you the heck down? Because I think after the year we've all had, we need it. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Amy, special needs mom of three and middle school teacher from Texas, about Calm the H*ck Down, processing her kids getting diagnosed with autism, and how she calms the heck down as a special needs mom. And then, stay tuned, because I'm interviewing myself and answering some frequently asked questions about the book. Hey, you are invited to a with me and Coffee+Crumbs founder Ashlee Gadd on January 14. We are going to have so much fun, and there's swag! I'm personally mailing everyone who comes to the event a Calm the H*ck Down koozie and personalized bookplate to stick in your book and I hope so many of you register that I spend half of January at the post office. Links from the show: Join me for a on January 14! Pick up a copy of ! _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #131: Alex Dale
12/01/2020
Lighten Up #131: Alex Dale
After a brief hiatus, we're back with the penultimate episode of our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and in each episode, we have not one but two awesome conversations for you. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if this thing actually works. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Jeniffer from Mississippi about Calm the H*ck Down. And then, stay tuned, because my husband Alex is coming on to talk about how we handle technology in our house. Yes that's right. Everything you want to know about how we make choices about tech for our kids, social media, the interwebz, LoJacking them and tracking their every move, and even learning to trust them. So stay tuned for that, but first, here's my conversation with Jeniffer about Calm the H*ck Down! Beyond being the sexiest, most amazing husband ever (Alex wrote his own intro, can you tell?), Alex has worked in design and marketing for more than two decades and founded his agency Loudmark in 2008. He specializes in branding, advertising, app and web development, and more, and divides his time between managing our families technology and serving his clients including Disney, Under Armour, Universal Studios, Kraft Foods, and most importantly, me. You can learn more at , but join us first as we break down how we do technology with our kids. Should we give them everything or smash the WiFi router altogether? Listen in and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Alex put together to encourage our kids to swear less. Setting up for tracking your kid's location and driving safety provides parental control at the router level _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #130: Osheta Moore
09/22/2020
Lighten Up #130: Osheta Moore
We are in our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and in each episode, we have not one but two awesome conversations for you. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if this thing actually works. Will Calm the H*ck Down actually calm you the heck down? Inquiring minds want to know. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Kelsi, mother of twin boys and a girl, from Kansas City, MO, about Calm the H*ck Down. And then, stay tuned, because author and pastor Osheta Moore is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Osheta is an author, pastor, anti-racism encourager, and an everyday peacemaker. She's working on a new book for us called Dear White Peacemakers that I am so stoked about. We talk about her insider Starbucks hookup, raising biracial children, siblings fighting, and how her parenting changed as her theology changed. Then we chat about the difference between peace keeping and peace making, and how intergenerational relationships help her with parenting teenagers. Osheta is one of my very favorite people to talk to, so listen in and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Connect with her on Find Check out Osheta's book, tutorial _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #129: Alli Worthington
09/15/2020
Lighten Up #129: Alli Worthington
We are in our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, this series is cool because you're getting bonus interviews. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if my book actually works. I want to make sure if you grab a copy of Calm the H*ck Down that it's going to help you, as well as hopefully make you laugh. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Jen from Colorado about Calm the H*ck Down. We talk about trying to play video games with our kids, letting our kids experience consequences, and the time I charged my daughter for a Mommy Uber driver. And then, stay tuned, because author, speaker, and business coach Alli Worthington is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Alli is the mother of five boys and has a new book coming out called Standing Strong: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence. We chat about how losing everything - her husband's job, their home, filing bankruptcy - led to her work-from-home life. She talks about getting rid of mom guilt, letting kids be who they are, and what helps her calm down about parenting. Whether you're standing strong, lying in the fetal position, or somewhere in between, listen in and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Alli's new book, Connect with her on _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #129: Alli Worthington
09/15/2020
Lighten Up #129: Alli Worthington
We are in our 10-part series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, this series is cool because you're getting bonus interviews. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout the series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to treat their kids like lab rats to see if my book actually works. I want to make sure if you grab a copy of Calm the H*ck Down that it's going to help you, as well as hopefully make you laugh. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Jen from Colorado about Calm the H*ck Down. We talk about trying to play video games with our kids, letting our kids experience consequences, and the time I charged my daughter for a Mommy Uber driver. And then, stay tuned, because author, speaker, and business coach Alli Worthington is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Alli is the mother of five boys and has a new book coming out called Standing Strong: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence. We chat about how losing everything - her husband's job, their home, filing bankruptcy - led to her work-from-home life. She talks about getting rid of mom guilt, letting kids be who they are, and what helps her calm down about parenting. Whether you're standing strong, lying in the fetal position, or somewhere in between, listen in and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Alli's new book, Connect with her on _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #128: Lorren Lemmons
09/08/2020
Lighten Up #128: Lorren Lemmons
Today's podcast is sponsored by a bag of frozen riced cauliflower that I found in my freezer, because in a freak podcasting accident, I gave myself a gigundous fat lip. Seriously, so painful. I'm just trying not to talk with a lisp right now. Alex saw me holding the frozen cauliflower bag on my face and I muttered, "I hate podcasting," and he observed, "It's certainly more dangerous than I thought." And this is a day in the life of someone as clumsy as I am. While trying to strap on my fancy headphones, I clocked myself in the lip. We are halfway through our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, this series is cool because you're getting bonus interviews, two for the price of one...which is still free...I'm not really sure about the math on that. In addition to an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, I've also invited 10 beta testers from all over the country to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . They were given an early copy of my book and volunteered to use their kids as guinea pigs to see if my book actually works. I want to make sure if you grab a copy of Calm the H*ck Down that it's going to help you, as well as hopefully make you laugh. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Sarah from Michigan, mother of two boys, one on the autism spectrum, about Calm the H*ck Down. We talk about the book and also what it was like getting an autism diagnosis, and she offers advice for parents in the middle of getting an autism diagnosis. And then, stay tuned, because writer and army wife Lorren Lemmons is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Lorren is a writer, a military spouse, and a former pediatric nurse. She talks about packing and moving with kids, and what it looks like preparing your kids to move. She has three kids and her four-year-old lived in four states before the age of four, so she knows a lot about this. We also talk about expectations she had going into parenting and how she calms the heck down. Lorren's got some really fun ideas, so listen in, and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Connect with her on _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #127: Sarah Hauser
09/01/2020
Lighten Up #127: Sarah Hauser
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Erin Mohring from Nebraska about Calm the H*ck Down, and then stay tuned, because my friend Sarah Hauser, mother of twins, writer, and our resident recipe guru at Coffee+Crumbs, is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Sarah Hauser is a food blogger who, in addition to creating delicious recipes, writes about the theology of food. She has three kids, including twins, and describes herself as a writer, speaker, and omnivore. If you're struggling with depression, this conversation is for you, and honestly maybe all of us are struggling more than usual right now because of this unusual time. Sarah shares candidly about depression and starting medication for it. I love her approach to cooking because she sees it as a creative outlet, and her recipes are accessible for regular people like me. We talk about what it was like finding out she was pregnant with twins, nursing twins, the parts of motherhood that are boring, and road-tripping with kids. Get comfy, listen in, and lighten up Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Sarah's essay on Coffee+Crumbs, "" Find Connect with her on _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #126: Jamie Sumner
08/25/2020
Lighten Up #126: Jamie Sumner
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Sallie, IVF mom and former schoolteacher from South Carolina, about Calm the H*ck Down, and then stay tuned, because author Jamie Sumner is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Jamie is the author of , a book for special needs parents filled with encouragement about what we're already doing right. Jamie was so much fun to talk to. She has a son with cerebral palsy who's in a wheelchair and communicates with a speaking device AND she's the mom of twins. We chat about that weird place called IEP meetings, or individualized education plan for the uninitiated, the real fears in parenting, both big and small, and what helps her calm down. I had a great time with Jamie and I can't wait for you to meet her too, so listen in and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Jamie's book, Find Connect with her on _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #125: Bronwyn Lea
08/18/2020
Lighten Up #125: Bronwyn Lea
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you're just joining us, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. They volunteered to go first and kick the tires on this thing, you know, make sure the book works before you buy it. This is the most nervous I've ever been on my own show, because I had no idea what they'd say before they came on. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Staci from Tennessee about Calm the H*ck Down, and then stay tuned, because author Bronwyn Lea is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Bronwyn is the author of and also a super wise mom. I loved hearing what she's learning about parenting, what her kids need from her, and how she calms the heck down. Whether you're driving to work, jogging, folding laundry, or hiding in the bathtub, hopefully with chocolate, listen in, and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Bronwyn's book, Find Connect with her on _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #124: Kara-Kae James
08/11/2020
Lighten Up #124: Kara-Kae James
We are in our series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and if you missed last week, let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. They volunteered to go first and kick the tires on this thing, you know, make sure the book works before you buy it. This is the most nervous I've ever been on my own show, because I had no idea what they'd say before they came on. So today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Gianina from Florida about Calm the H*ck Down, and then stay tuned, because author and podcaster Kara-Kae James is joining me to talk about how she lightens up about parenting. Kara-Kae is the founder of ThriveMoms, a ministry dedicated to encouraging and inspiring moms to more than just survive motherhood. She’s the author of and a new book , and she co-hosts the podcast Asking for a Friend. Pop in some earbuds, pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up! Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Find Kara-Kae's podcast, by Jamie C. Martin
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Lighten Up #123: Jennifer Fulwiler
08/04/2020
Lighten Up #123: Jennifer Fulwiler
Today I'm kicking off a new series, "Lighten Up about Parenting," and let me tell you why I'm so excited. Not only do I have an awesome guest line-up for you throughout this 10-part series, but I'm putting myself in the hot seat and inviting 10 beta testers to share their honest thoughts about my upcoming book, . These beta testers hail from all over the country and they were given an assignment: read an early copy of my book, then come on the show and tell me what they thought. They volunteered to go first and kick the tires on this thing, you know, make sure the book works before you buy it. This is the most nervous I've ever been on my own show, because I had no idea what they'd say before they came on. So first up, today I'm chatting for a few minutes with Kelly from Minnesota about Calm the H*ck Down, and then stay tuned, because radio host and stand-up comedian Jennifer Fulwiler is joining me to talk about her new book, Your Blue Flame. She's funny! She's smart! I had a blast talking with her about parenting, following her dreams, and her new book Your Blue Flame. We talk about expectations she had going into parenting, the one thing she does every night to calm down, and how her kids are making her laugh. She decided to become a stand-up comedian and worked hard and made it happen, and she has fantastic advice for us as we pursue what makes us come alive. We chat about how can we identify our own blue flame, how do we find time to pursue our blue flame, and then she gives us a peek behind the curtain about how she developed her comedy routine and booking her first comedy tour by herself. Talking with Jennifer is fascinating and inspiring, as well as hilarious, so listen in and lighten up Free when you preorder Calm the H*ck Down! Calm the H*ck Down comes out December 8, and if you preorder it now, you'll immediately receive my ebook, , available exclusively to those who preorder. Links from the show: Check out Jen's book, Catch up with
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Lighten Up #122: Knox McCoy
04/21/2020
Lighten Up #122: Knox McCoy
Today I'm talking with Knox McCoy, swashbuckling co-host of The Popcast with Knox and Jamie and author of the new book, . As I'm trying to edit this podcast, my kids are literally screaming at the top of their lungs above me. I don't know what's happening. We are at DEFCON ONE right now. I can only assume we've been attacked by zombies and at this point, I kinda don't mind? Knox and I talk about our current apocalypse, trying to work at home with kids, is this really easier on introverts, dealing with sleeplessness, and soul diarrhea. What is soul diarrhea and how can we avoid catching it? You'll have to listen to the show. Knox also gives his apocalypse movie recommendations for both kids and adults. Now above me someone is stomping around like an elephant. We may in fact have an elephant loose in the house. My first order of business after this social distancing is to trick out my office like a bomb shelter, with sound proofing and a month's supply of Doritos and bourbon. I know there are a lot of horrible things happening in the world. People losing loved ones, losing jobs, and losing their minds at home with their kids. I don't know what your life is like now, if you're on the front lines battling this pandemic, serving your community as an essential worker, or just trying to do the right thing and stay home to flatten the curve, but wherever you are, I hope this puts a smile on your face, so listen in and lighten up! Links from the show: Connect with Knox on and Check out Knox's new book,
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Lighten Up #121: Sophie Hudson
04/14/2020
Lighten Up #121: Sophie Hudson
Today to wrap up our series Lighten Up about Pop Culture, I'm talking with Sophie Hudson, author of the new book . The Miss America Pageant brought us together and today we're taking our love of show biz all the way to Broadway. We talk about shows from Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton to the Buffy musical and Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. We cover which cast recordings we could perform flawlessly if called upon, as well as what shows have emotionally impacted us. I love talking to Sophie because she's one of the funniest people I know, but she also shares some insights about the theatre that are so beautiful and profound. Grab your tap shoes, warm up your jazz hands, listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Find Sophie on Sophie's new book,
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Lighten Up #120: Osheta Moore
04/07/2020
Lighten Up #120: Osheta Moore
We are in our "lighten up about pop culture" series and today I'm talking with my friend Osheta Moore, pastor and author of . She hosts the podcast Shalom Y'all and has a series called "Dear White Peacemakers," so after this, run don't walk to go check that out and subscribe. Today we're talking about our mutual love of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We talk favorite superheroes, favorite villains, favorite movies, and what TV shows have shaped us. Then, we chat honestly about when our favorites become problematic. Cosby, Michael Jackson, Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, R Kelly...Osheta brings her peacemaking wisdom to this space and really helps me grapple with some of the tension we all feel between our favorite shows and songs and the people who create them, so listen in and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out Osheta's book, Find Osheta on Neil Gaiman's Rick Riordan's series series
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Lighten Up #119: Kendall Ashley
03/31/2020
Lighten Up #119: Kendall Ashley
Today as part of our "lighten up about pop culture" series, I'm talking with my friend and freelance editor and writer Kendall Ashley about fandoms, from Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy to Battlestar Galactica and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I'm gonna go ahead and put it out there that Kendall and I are both huge nerds, and by that I mean we are so super cool and you should be jealous of our combined knowledge of monster lore and wizarding prowess. We get downright emotional about Star Wars. We talk about fans policing other fans, when writers makes choices we don't like, I'm looking at you Game of Thrones, breaking up with fandoms, how we're indoctrinating our kids into our fandoms...bingeing Supernatural, Firefly, movies that made us cry, and adult Dungeons & Dragons. We chat about our first fandoms that we ever really got into and when we first discovered we were big nerds. I regret that I didn't even get to my obsession with Doctor Who, but Kendall blew my mind, rendering me speechless, speechless I say, with her perspective on Hayden Christensen as emo teen Anakin Skywalker. Throw on your favorite cosplay, grab your Funko collection, listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Visit Check her out
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Lighten Up #118: Shawn Smucker
03/24/2020
Lighten Up #118: Shawn Smucker
Today I'm talking with novelist Shawn Smucker in our series "lighten up about pop culture," about the books that have shaped us and what's influencing us now. He shares some of his favorite books and authors and what music he listens to while writing, and you guys I got a total scoop. Shawn revealed the title of his next book and what it's about, for the first time ever, to me on this very podcast. However, an addendum to that: I'm going to pull back the curtain on this here podcastery a bit and tell you that because of scheduling wonkiness with some of the guests for this series, Shawn and I recorded this approximately 47 years ago but I'm just now releasing it. Which is why I would never make a good reporter, on account of my lack of timeliness. Hey guys I got a big scoop for you that I kept to myself! The good news is his next book comes out in June and is available for preorder, so go check it out, but first, listen in and lighten up! Links from the Show Shawn and Maile's podcast, Shawn's latest: Shawn's YA books: and
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Lighten Up #117: Sarah Bragg
03/17/2020
Lighten Up #117: Sarah Bragg
Today I'm kicking off a new series with my good friend Sarah Bragg, "lighten up about pop culture." To introduce this series, Sarah and I are unpacking some of our pop culture baggage from childhood, the scare tactics used on us from being raised in the 80s, the ooky danger of Dungeons and Dragons and evil Satan Smurfs. We talk Psalty the Singing Songbook, that devastating day when Amy Grant WENT SECULAR (gasp), and how we can relate to Lane on Gilmore Girls. (All in good fun, Mom and Dad. All in good fun.) Then we turn the tables on ourselves and talk about what we're protecting our own kids from and how we're trying to do things differently but also accidentally developed Sponge Bob phobia. Parenting is hard. Sarah is one of my very favorite people and we have a blast together, so listen in and lighten up! Notes from the show: Sarah on - the book with the story "The Green Ribbon" that turned me on to horror in second grade
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Lighten Up #116: Kelly Minter
02/18/2020
Lighten Up #116: Kelly Minter
Today I'm talking with Kelly Minter, Bible teacher and author of the beautiful new cookbook, . Years ago I went to a group for moms where we went through Kelly's study of the book of Nehemiah, which was about this guy who goes back to his hometown to lead his people to rebuild their security wall that had fallen down. It's this ancient Hebrew scripture about leading a big group project and all the challenges along the way. And anyway, at the end of each chapter of this really cool book about leadership, Kelly shared a recipe. And they were good recipes, and pretty easy to pull off. So when her new cookbook landed on my desk, I got excited and knew I wanted to have her on the show to wrap up our series on hospitality. We are going to talk charcuterie boards, potlucks, and how cooking is the hope for community. As a single woman, Kelly gives great insight about how couples with or without kids can be inclusive for our single friends, so listen in and lighten up! Links from the show: Kelly's Find Kelly on
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Lighten Up #115: Polly Conner
02/11/2020
Lighten Up #115: Polly Conner
Today I'm talking with Polly Conner, who is half of the team of wizards over at Thriving Home. Polly and Rachel have a new cookbook out, , and today Polly is on the show to help us feed our people and the people our people bring home. Polly kicks us off with a hilarious recipe fail, then she gives us a ton of ideas to help us lighten up about hospitality. We chat about her go-to things for feeding big groups of teens and tweens, what she buys in bulk, how freezing meals has revolutionized how she preps for dinner, and how she uses her Instant Pot for hands-free meals. After talking with Polly, I have so many new ideas for meal planning and prepping, and I'll have links to everything she shares in the show notes, so grab a snack, kick back, listen in, and lighten up. Links from the show: Polly made us a with all the recipes and ideas from the show! Polly's website, Find Polly on
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Lighten Up #114: Chantel Adams
02/04/2020
Lighten Up #114: Chantel Adams
I'm talking with my good friend Chantel Adams about practicing hospitality to our families. Chantel has four kids, some who are grown and some who are growing and she is chock full of practical, creative ways to show hospitality to the people we're raising. We chat about fun ideas for the family dinner table, how family time has changed as her kids have grown up, and our biggest struggles with showing hospitality to our kids. No matter how old your kids are, there's something for you in this episode, so listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: and
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Lighten Up #113: Melissa Camara Wilkins
01/28/2020
Lighten Up #113: Melissa Camara Wilkins
We're in the middle of our series, Lighten Up about Hospitality, and today I'm chatting with Melissa Camara Wilkins, author of . She tells the story of the time she wore jeans to a yoga class and actually learned kind of a profound lesson through it. Melissa extends to us an invitation to soul-level simplicity, giving yourself permission to be who you really are. We chat about making life simpler and how we apply simplicity to hospitality. She shares her Three Breaths Rule, we talk about our go-to hacks for having people over, and as a bonus, I pick her brain about her number one practical piece of advice for launching kids to college, and it's a good one. Whether you're joining us from your commute or your treadmill, your laundry room or your kitchen, listen in and lighten up! Links from the Show: Melissa's book, Find her on
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Lighten Up #112: Leslie Verner
01/21/2020
Lighten Up #112: Leslie Verner
Today I'm kicking off a new series, Lighten Up about Hospitality, with a conversation with Leslie Verner, the author of . We talk about why we're lonely, how smartphones and our culture of independence are contributing to loneliness. Leslie lived in China and Uganda, studied the differences in culture, and talks about what she's learned from other cultures, like putting people above tasks. We chat about how we can cultivate a love of strangers and actively put ourselves in the path of strangers to meet. And then we talk practically about prepping before people come over, what doesn't matter to us when inviting people over, and how the practice of solitude is important for filling up in order to provide hospitality. Whether you love meeting people and practicing hospitality or would rather live deep in the woods by yourself surrounded by woodland animals, there's something here for everyone, so listen in and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out Leslie's book, Find her on , , and Leslie's site, (On the show, she shares the really cool reason she named her site this!)
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Lighten Up #111: Melanie Shankle
10/08/2019
Lighten Up #111: Melanie Shankle
Today we're wrapping up our Friendship Over 40 series with New York Times bestselling author Melanie Shankle! Ahh, you guys, she's so funny. I laughed my way through this whole thing. We chat about her 30-year friendship with her best friend Gully and how it's hard making new friends during this stage of life, as well as the things we're talking about with our friends, sexy things like waning eyesight and needing readers to see a menu, the joys of perimenopause, and our 40-something periods. (Women in their forties are so hot, and I do mean literally.) Between her funny memoirs, Big Mama blog, and Big Boo podcast, Melanie has kept me laughing for years, and today we're hanging out right here, so pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out all of ! Find Melanie on or Listen to the Read the _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #110: Callie Feyen
10/01/2019
Lighten Up #110: Callie Feyen
Today for our friendship over 40 series I'm talking with my friend Callie Feyen, author of and . We chat about how making friends has changed for us as we've gotten older and how our conversations have morphed from nap schedules to navigating our teens' technology and talking about our jobs. Callie introduces us to her friends in her memoir Twirl, so we talk about she's maintaining these friendships from high school all the way into her forties, as well as what she would tell her thirty-year-old self. We talk about hanging out without the kids, how we coach our kids to be kind to each other so the adults can still hang out during these volatile middle school years, and how, thankfully, we are separate from our kids, with separate friendships. Come on over and hang out with Callie and me, listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out Callie's books: Find Callie on and _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #109: Kathy Khang
09/24/2019
Lighten Up #109: Kathy Khang
We're continuing our series on friendship over 40, and today I'm talking with author, speaker, and yoga teacher Kathy Khang. She's the author of the book , and she has great advice for us as we navigate the difficult subjects with our friends. How do we speak up about things we care about with the people we love? We also chat about making your own friends without your kids as a buffer, maintaining your friends as your kids' friendships change, letting go of friendships when you grow in different directions, and mom drama. And, we talk about that thing when your kids get older and want to join you and your friends at the grownup table. Ugh, I miss the old days of spelling swear words so they wouldn't understand. Pour a cup of coffee, pop a squat on your yoga mat, listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out Kathy's book Find her on , , and _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #108: Jamie C. Martin
09/17/2019
Lighten Up #108: Jamie C. Martin
We are in our series Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40 and today I'm talking with one of my longest-running friends, Jamie C. Martin, author of . We chat about what friendship over 40 looks like, specifically in regard to introverts and extroverts. As an extrovert, I'm always worried about being annoying, so Jamie equips us with fantastic advice on how to engage our introverted friends. She shares how she likes to get to know someone, her favorite things to do with friends, and how she maintains friendships during this busy season of life. If you don't already know Jamie, I'm so excited to introduce you to MY friend, so screw in your earbuds or airpods, crank up Alexa, push the button thingy on the interwebz, listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out Find by Lori Gottlieb by Bram Stoker by Tara Westover by Charlotte Bronte by Anne Bronte _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #107: Elisha Beach
09/10/2019
Lighten Up #107: Elisha Beach
Today by popular demand, I'm starting a new series called Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40. Back when I wrote Women Are Scary, about finding mom friends during the early childhood years, I had women ask me when I was going to write a book about finding mom friends later in life, and finding mom friends when you have teenagers. My response was always, hold on lemme get there first. Well I'm here now and several of you have asked me about friendship over 40 so we're going to explore this over the next few weeks. I'm excited about this series because I've got some fantastic guests coming on to unpack all this with me. And this series is for everyone. If you're in your twenties and thirties, there's some relationship gold in here, so enjoy hearing people a little farther along prepare you for what's coming. If you're in your forties, you know what we're talking about, so pull up a chair and come help us solve all our problems. If you're out of your forties, send us all your thoughts and prayers and feel free to laugh at us behind our backs. Wherever you are in life, text a friend, grab a cup of coffee, and keep working hard at those relationships. To kick us off, my friend Elisha Beach, founder of , is joining me. Elisha and I met on the set of Moms Everyday, a TV show we were on several years ago, and I just love her. She's so easy to talk to and open and honest - so open and honest in fact that a photo she posted of herself nursing while on the toilet went viral a few years ago. I knew we had to be friends immediately. She was on the show all the way back on episode 27, back when I think we both were still in our thirties, in fact, so let's welcome her 40 year old self back on the show. And I'm so glad YOU'RE here joining us today, so get comfy, listen in, and lighten up. Links from the show: Find Elisha on social media: Want more Elisha? She was on , too! by Celeste Barber _____________________________________________ As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Lighten Up #106: Stephanie Tait
08/06/2019
Lighten Up #106: Stephanie Tait
Hey welcome to episode 106 of Lighten up with Melanie Dale. BONUS ILLNESS EDITION. I know I said we concluded the Lighten Up with Illness series, and I'm well into working on our next series, Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40, but recently Stephanie Tait ran across my path and she has a new book called so, I mean, I was dying to talk to her about how she lightens up down there at rock bottom. Stephanie talks about her tenacious 15-year journey to getting diagnosed with Lyme Disease, what it's like living with Lyme, and how she learned to lighten up and let herself have a life in the midst of disability, instead of waiting indefinitely until everything was all better. She asked herself, "What if this is my life...what am I waiting for?" Stephanie is hopeful and real and I know you'll love hanging out with her as much as I did, so listen in and lighten up. Links from the show: Check out Stephanie's website: Find her on , , and documentary by Alia Joy, who was just on by Shawn Smucker, who was on
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Lighten Up #105: Alia Joy
07/23/2019
Lighten Up #105: Alia Joy
Today for the finale to our series, Lighten Up about Illness, I'm talking with Alia Joy. You may remember her from episode 99, and now I'm happy to share that her new book, , is available now. Today we talk about her bipolar disorder, how it's impacted her life and her kids, and the unpredictability that comes with illness. She says, "I have to be okay with undone things." We talk about what she's learned from bipolar disorder, and Alia says, "Everybody goes through seasons. Mine are just more noticeable...Bipolar is like you're making sandcastles and they're just constantly being swept away." She shares about looking for beauty and wonder in places you'd never expect to find it, and the way she lightens up in the middle of everything is by raising funny kids. We talk about the amazing comedic timing of her kids and the blessings of having a funny family. Through her book and our conversation, Alia is teaching me so much, so grab a fuzzy blanket, get comfy, listen in, and lighten up. Links from the show: Check out Alia’s new book, Find Alia on , , and Alia’s Listen to Alia’s essays:
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Lighten Up #104: Lauren Gaskill
07/16/2019
Lighten Up #104: Lauren Gaskill
We are in the middle of our series "Lighten Up about Illness" and today I'm talking with Lauren Gaskill, author of , and host of the podcast She Found Joy. Lauren has hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which affects her collagen, joints, and muscles. We chat about her road to finding a diagnosis, her treatments for EDS, and how she is lightening up and finding joy while managing her symptoms. Lauren shares how keeping an eternal perspective helps her lighten up about her circumstances, how she figures out the safe people to talk with about her disorder, and her advice for developing a supportive community. I'm so glad you're with us, so pull up a chair, listen in, and lighten up. Links from the show: Check out Lauren's book, "" - my bug essay on Coffee+Crumbs by Francis Chan by Barb Roose (Barb was on !) by Rachel Hauck by Stephen King by Veronica Roth
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