Shows
Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess"Just" Do ItWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie discuss the Nike tag line "JUST DO IT" and how that applies to deciding to take a trip to reconnect. They also share the challenges of trip preparation. The conversation also touches on family dynamics, the anxiety of leaving children behind, and the significance of making time for family activities. Aric and Angie also share the challenges and "growth" opportunities in parenting, particularly with teenagers. Angie reflected on the power of trusting God's plan ESPECIALLY during stressful times. Are you wi...2025-03-1642 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessAngie's 10 Tips for SurvivalWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Angie shares her 10 tips for survival in life. We are all put on this earth for purpose. And every experience in life has something to teach us. So, grab a pen and paper and hit play as Angie walks through the ways she has learned to survive through the hardest of times. You are stronger than you think! Thanks for listening! Angie & Aric Reference Links:https://jensgetfitgroup.com/ Discount Code: FIRE for $8 off your first month. #faith...2024-08-1827 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessAngie's Voice is Getting LouderWe would love to hear from you!!! Ever get so wrapped up with discomfort that you forget about the people right in front of you that can help you through it? In this episode, we discuss Angie's first major speaking engagement and all the emotions and challenges that came with it. Communication is so key in relationships and it can easily get overlooked when insecurities raise their ugly head. Guess who comes in clutch? God..when you are seeking comfort. Try it. As always, thank you for listening! Make today count. Love, Angie & Aric2024-07-0733 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessSummer Time "Heat" and ChoresWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie discuss various topics that happen during summertime. They start by diving into new beginnings and then move on to Angie's experience with her horse, Phoenix, and her learning journey as a horse owner (a little embarrassing)! Aric and Angie talk through chores for the summer and a recent add to the Crew's chore list that might just become a weekly task! They share funny stories about their kids' cleaning mishaps and talk about the value of chores in teaching life skills. They...2024-06-0931 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessShannon Self: Part 2 Life after Grief?We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Shannon Self, a bereavement coordinator, joins Aric and Angie to discuss various aspects of grief and loss. They emphasize that grief is individual and there is no right or wrong way to grieve. The importance of listening, being vulnerable, and supporting each other is highlighted. Communication and asking for what you need are crucial in navigating grief. They also discuss re-engaging with life after loss and the challenges of guilt and letting go. The episode concludes with a discussion on processing feelings of jealousy and finding peace...2024-04-1433 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessShannon Self - Part 1: Understanding GriefWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we are joined by Shannon Self, a bereavement coordinator, to discuss the topic of grief. Shannon shares her personal journey of losing her mother and how it led her to her current role. The conversation explores the importance of understanding grief and the difference between grieving and mourning. They also discuss the challenges of supporting someone who has lost a child and the need for active listening and validation. The episode concludes with advice on how to be supportive to those who are grieving. The conversation highlights...2024-04-0739 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessJesus Brings Refuge - Happy Easter He Is Risen!We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we discuss the significance of Easter Sunday and the hope found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They talk about finding refuge in God and share a personal story of receiving a surprise gift that symbolizes refuge. The Psalms are highlighted as a source of comfort and guidance, and the importance of being raw with God and accepting His love is emphasized. We also reflect on Easter traditions! This Easter Sunday reflect on the true meaning of Easter and the refuge we can find in Jesus.2024-03-3130 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessTravel: Sedona VibesWe would love to hear from you!!! We went away together...re-connected and felt like we had one of the best trips we've ever taken as a couple. That's saying something because we both like to travel.Sedona, Arizona is a place for healing and we did our absolute best to heal both personally and as a team.Our goal for this episode: Share all things Sedona and give you the inspiration to carve out the time to just BE. Thanks for Listening!Love,Aric & AngiePS...2024-03-1739 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Hardest Ask: Wait PatientlyWe would love to hear from you!!! As you grow in your faith, you learn that God ask you to "Wait Patiently" in every season of life. In this episode, we discuss all the things we've been up to lately from a new podcast recording tool, Aric's birthday, our therapy session, PLUS ALL the things we are "waiting patiently" for. What are you waiting patiently for? Thanks for listening! Love, Aric & AngiePS - If you have a moment, please rate and review our podcast. Link...2024-03-1051 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Bigger Story with Dave CoverWe would love to hear from you!!! If you only listen to one of our podcast in Season 3, LISTEN to this one. We've recorded over 100 podcasts and we both believe this one might be the most powerful.We invited our Pastor, Dave Cover, from the Crossing Church in Columbia, MO to discuss his perspective on grief and suffering thru a biblical lens. We both were captivated the entire time. Our hope is this conversation will help you see The BIGGER STORY. Thanks for listening!Love, Aric & AngieChristian Meditation For a...2024-03-0343 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessParenting Knee Deep in GriefWe would love to hear from you!!! Our topic for this episode was to discuss how hard parenting is especially when grieving. While we do eventually accomplish that, we also end up covering many other topics. We laughed, we cried, we had good conversation that we hope you can relate to this week!And while Aric is often the one losing his sh!t on the kids...every now and then Angie does too!Thanks for listening! Love, Aric & AngiePS - If you have a moment, please rate and review our podcast. 2024-02-2548 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessGamechangers On Dealing with Hardship in LifeWe would love to hear from you!!! During Angie's work conference last week in Orlando one of her guest speakers was Molly Fletcher who hosts a Podcast called Gamechangers.During Molly's presentation, she talked about different ways for people to achieve and become peak performers in life even during the grind.Definitely a message we all need to hear and thankfully Angie took copious notes to share on this week's episode!Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post...2024-02-1831 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessOne Word That Gave Aric HopeWe would love to hear from you!!! We are all part of a BIGGER story and there are so many chapters, some that are good and some that are bad. Early in the week Angie messaged me and I caught one word from that text that really stood out; REBIRTH!!!And now I'm ALL IN on REBIRTH (It has to be all CAPITOL LETTERS!) Shout it with me if you want! Or if you are like Angie, don't..So in this episode we talk about ways I've been evolving over the last several w...2024-02-1125 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessPow-HER-Ful BeliefsWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we dive into the Jen's Get Fit Pow-HER-Ful weekend that Angie helped organize last week. Not surprising, Hallie made her presence known for Angie AGAIN. Because of all the signs, we've been asked the question recently, "Why and how does Angie get so many signs from Hal?" Press play to hear the answer to that question! Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieJen's Get Fit Group https://jensgetfitgroup.com/Link to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=product2024-02-0432 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessLexi & Hal - What Life Looks Like NowWe would love to hear from you!!! In this week's episode we check in with Lexi on multiple topics. We discuss what it was like to lose Hallie, how it's impacted her and her thoughts on how the Crew is handling the loss. Lexi also shares some fun memories she has of Hallie. What's on the horizon for Lexi as she prepares for college graduation? You will just have to hit play to find out! Thanks for listening,Love, Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post...2024-01-2826 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessHallie's 22nd Birthday SignsWe would love to hear from you!!! This week was a difficult reminder that Hallie's life was "stolen" from us way too young. On January 17th, Hallie would have turned 22. Instead, for the 2nd time she spent her birthday in heaven. That makes things heavier than usual...So in this episode we discuss the UPS and the DOWNS of the week and share some amazing signs from Hallie. She was coming in HOT! Thanks for listening! God Bless,Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=pr...2024-01-2129 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessBe Like a BuffaloWe would love to hear from you!!! Are you like a buffalo or a cow? Listen to this episode to learn what that means. We dive into trusting God, tips for nourishing your soul and finding a higher purpose. If you enjoy listening, please leave us a review! Thanks for Listening!Love, Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Facebook: https://www...2024-01-1433 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Sun Will Always RiseWe would love to hear from you!!! Welcome to Season 3 of our podcast! It's a new year, new season and a new chapter for all of us! Some things will never change such as always saying Hallie's name and HONORING her. Last season our focus was on grief and healing. While that will always be a part of our lives, this new season we are FOCUSED on growth. Growing our faith, who we are as humans, and growing out of our comfort zones. We hope you join us for this new season! Speaking of comfort z...2024-01-0740 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe 8 Of HeartsWe would love to hear from you!!! We all made it through another Christmas without Hallie. More importantly, Angie survived her second Christmas without Hallie 💔In this episode, we dive into some new traditions we came up with along with a few old ones. Hallie continues to show up with her number games… like the 8 of Hearts. There’s also some interesting numbers connected to the updated court proceedings. Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite...2023-12-3127 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess3 C’s to Navigate The SeasonWe would love to hear from you!!! The Holidays can be a BEAUTIFUL time of year but they can also be extremely PAINFUL if you're in a season of grief...In this episode we talk about ways to grieve around the Holidays while also trying to find joy and helping others...AND...letting you help us as well...We wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas!Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess...2023-12-2439 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessAngels On EarthWe would love to hear from you!!! What an emotional episode as we were able to re-connect with Hallie's ICU nurses for the first time. Together, we chat about what it was like for Bailey and Haley to take care of Hallie and us in the hospital.These are two very special ladies who truly are Angels on earth.Grab some tissue for this one...you're gonna need it. 💔❤️Thanks for listening,Love, Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite: www.ble...2023-12-1742 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWalking Into the Arms of JesusWe would love to hear from you!!! It's been a CRAZY week so we apologize for the late release of this week's episode...We almost re-aired an episode from earlier this season because Angie and I couldn't get together to record...However...last minute Pastor Shay Roush of the Crossing Church in Columbia, MO was able to join me to talk about Walking People Into the Arms of Jesus.Shay walked with our family thru the worst days of our lives and walked Hallie right into Jesus arms when she passed...2023-12-1140 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe 1 Year Traumaversary and AngelversaryWe would love to hear from you!!! This past week has been filled with ups and downs and a roller coaster of emotions as we reached Hallie's 1 Year Traumaversary and Angelversary...In this episode we discuss the ways we attempted to stay busy...sit in the suck and how people showed up for us in amazing ways. ALLL THE FEELS. We laughed, we cried, we smiled because we LOVE. M-I-Z!Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=product2023-12-0334 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessFinding Gratitude in the PainWe would love to hear from you!!! It's Thanksgiving Week which starts our traumaversary as we approach the one year of Hallie gaining her angel wings. Not something we were ever prepared for and still struggle to wrap our minds around that she is really gone. But one thing we have learned is that we ALL can find ways to be grateful even in the midst of the sucky times...And the more grateful we are the more Christ-Like we are in being able to help others. Prayers to you and your family...2023-11-2535 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWhich Wolf Are You Feeding?We would love to hear from you!!! This past week has been a world wind of emotions...SO many of you have bought "Feathers Matter" and sent videos reading to your kids and grandkids. Unbelievable and breathtaking moments and it's so much to process because we wouldn't have gotten to this point had we not lost Hallie. The Painful Journey to Finding Purpose. Many of us are on this journey and it is HARD. While it may feel like I have found my purpose, Aric has been struggling a LOT the last few months. We...2023-11-1936 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessFeathers Matter and the Why Behind It!We would love to hear from you!!! Angie is OFFICIALLY an AUTHOR!!!Her children's book "Feathers Matter" has arrived! And we've even started shipping the pre-orders!In this episode Angie describes her "why" for writing the book...Sommer B reads the book for you AND Angie shares some "Easter Eggs" as they are called in the publishing world to explain some very special meanings you'll find in the book!We are so excited and hope you will get a copy today!Thanks for listening!Love,Aric & Angie2023-11-1231 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessParenting at Its FinestWe would love to hear from you!!! The original intent of our podcast was focused around challenges of parenting in a blended family. And while the last year has brought about significant grief in our home that doesn't mean we get to stop parenting. We wish it did because it would be a hell of a lot easier. Over the last month we've had SEVERAL parenting challenges or "opportunities". It can be complicated for parents to agree on the best way to handle. Our ideas sometimes are extremely different as you will hear on this e...2023-11-0532 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Beach And A Bat?We would love to hear from you!!! This week we discuss some of our healthy and unhealthy ways we have processed the incredible grief. When this episode drops it will be 11 months since we said goodbye to Hallie. But she's not really gone from our life, she continues to show us her crossing over powers. Her signs could be as simple as connecting us to people that share our same pain or as complicated as having to chase a bat with a swifter. (Yeah, reread that if you need to). Thanks for listening,Love...2023-10-2934 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe 2nd Worst Traumatic DayWe would love to hear from you!!! The "experience" we share in this episode changed us...for good and bad reasons. It has shown us what this crazy and sometimes VERY scary world has to offer but also just how AMAZING PEOPLE can be. There is HOPE. Our goal in sharing this story is to help raise awareness and prevent this from happening to you or your family!Thanks for listening! Love, Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comT...2023-10-2236 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessModern Husbands with Brian PageWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we visit with the founder of Modern Husbands Brian Page about the dreaded word "Budgets" and how married couples make this work! It's even more complex in blended families. WOOF. We also dive into what exactly IS a modern husband? I think we can all agree men need to show up differently for their wives in this day and age! It's not the 50's and 60's anymore.😜Thanks for listening and enjoy! Love,Aric & AngieModern Husbands Podcast: https://www.modernh...2023-10-1537 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessA Sliver of UsWe would love to hear from you!!! Are you showing your entire self or a sliver of who you really are? Do you know what truly fills your cup? How do you know? We discuss our answers to those questions on this episode. Thanks for listening,Love, Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?mibextid=LQQJ4d2023-10-0835 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessShock and AweWe would love to hear from you!!! This week was full of SHOCK and AWE. From Angie's first birthday without Hallie, to the first Scholarship Dinner for Hallie at Mizzou, to Angie's book being released for preorder today, October 1st! We cover all the painful beauty that has happened in just a week. Thank you for listening and God Bless!Aric & AngieLink to Order Feathers Matter: https://blendedblessedalwaysamess.com/?post_type=productWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com...2023-10-0130 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessCollateral LossWe would love to hear from you!!! A few episodes ago, Aric recorded a solo podcast sharing the struggles he is working through. It was sweet and vulnerable. Now, it's only fitting that Angie records her own podcast. And as fate would have it, it will be released on her birthday. It's raw and real. It's all the pain rolled up into the collateral loss we face when losing a child. Thanks for your support and listening,Love,Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tikt...2023-09-2419 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessSigns of Love: Part 2 “Are You With Me?”We would love to hear from you!!! In this week's episode we share more signs of love from Hallie letting us know she is with us. We are keeping Hal busy as we continue to pray for her and God to watch over us and protect us. And that is not a small ask especially lately (hu-um, Carter). Also, tune in this week to find out how the question “Are you with me?” was asked of Angie. Thanks for listening!Love, Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tikto...2023-09-1729 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessSigns of Love - Part 1We would love to hear from you!!! As Angie continues reading a new book about signs...it's helping both of us “FEEL" Hallie's presence more than ever 🙌So we thought we would share some of the different signs that Hallie has been giving us recently. If you are missing a loved one maybe this will give you some ideas to feel closer to them! Angie shares at the end of the episode a message she received from a close friend. One of our favorite signs to date! It’s the moral of the story 👼! 2023-09-1031 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessLove Speaks with Katelyn LoveWe would love to hear from you!!! Ever wonder how people navigate life when going through extreme tragedy? Ever wonder how they could possibly be standing, much less breathing? There’s one answer and we will share it on this episode. Join us as we chat with Katelyn Love. She has gone thru severe loss and tragedy just a couple of months ago. Her energy will no doubt make you smile. 🙏🏻We hope you enjoy this week's episode!Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieBook References: ✅ Heaven: A Com...2023-08-2739 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"God Winks" As Kids Head Back to SchoolWe would love to hear from you!!! Ever heard of a "God Wink"? We share what that means and one that we experienced this week!Any parents out there ready for their precious children to head back to school? We are!!! Mainly because our kids are not using their brains (no names mentioned) and have left us scratching our heads 🤷♀️ many times this summer. We share a few stories on this episode.Grateful for all the teachers out there!!! God bless you!Thanks for listening!Love, Aric & AngieWebsite...2023-08-2032 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWriting New StoriesWe would love to hear from you!!! New stories are being written for many Crew Members including Phoenix (Hallie's bucket list foal). It was time to move Phoenix to her new home and of course we experienced all the feels. First excitement because she's weaned from her mom and all ours! But heavy because I know Hal would have been so pumped and I would have watched from the sidelines if she was still with us. Instead, we are rolling up our sleeves and making it happen while Hal watches us from the sidelines. 💔...2023-08-1328 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThis Is How I Fight My BattlesWe would love to hear from you!!! It feels like the Devil has been coming at us a LOT lately...We both believe that happens when the Devil knows you are close to breaking thru and shining Jesus's light brighter into this dark world!In this episode we talk about how we use Jesus, friends and our Faith to "Fight Our Battles"...Thanks for listening,Love, Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2...2023-08-0527 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessIs This A Dream?We would love to hear from you!!! So many times we think this must be some horrible dream. Please be a dream that we wake up from!!! 🥺 Then there are times we dream of Hallie and we DON'T want to wake up from it. Sommer was starting to worry that Hallie was maybe mad at her because so many other people had dreams with Hallie in them. Eight months into this nightmare, she was still waiting. FINALLY!!! Sommer had an amazing dream with Hallie! Even though Sommer would rather be shopping than be a guest on a...2023-07-3024 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessTurning Your Cheek and Clinging to FaithWe would love to hear from you!!! First, we apologize for we did not drop an episode last week. We had big plans to record one on vacation but the big guy upstairs had other plans. Speaking of vacation, it was NOT a vacation. We had a very hard week. In this week's episode, we share the MANY different events that occurred and how we HAD TO CLING to our faith or we wouldn't have made it through. Please note, we are asking God to give us a little break. Thanks for Listening a...2023-07-2335 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"With You In The Weeds" - Red Flags EpisodeWe would love to hear from you!!! You might remember about a year ago our friend and licensed therapist Lynn Roush joined us for a two-part series on blending families...Since that time Lynn and her colleagues have started their own Podcast called "With You in the Weeds"...A few weeks ago Lynn invited Angie to partake in a series about Narcissists and they did an episode about Relationship Red Flags that you won't want to miss because Angie details the Red Flags our family has seen firsthand. Lynn talks thru the steps...2023-07-0952 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess“I've Had Worse Days”We would love to hear from you!!! In the last week, Angie took the twins on one of Hallie's "Bucket List" trips to see their cousin's in New York...But coming home was a complete mess!!!However...due to the perspective we've gained losing Hallie it wasn't hard for Angie to realize "I've Had Worse Days"...In this episode, we explain how the grief journey helps keep things in perspective...Thanks for listening,Love, Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears...2023-07-0226 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"You Can't Fix This..."We would love to hear from you!!! Warning: If you are looking for a pick-me-up, this episode is not for you. Some days we can fight the fight and other days the grief is so heavy to carry. THIS CAN'T BE FIXED. As much as we try, there is no solution, Our home has been in a state of INCREDIBLE SADNESS (more than normal) for the last several weeks. It's been rough for all of us. We decided to free-flow this convo and share the raw challenges of navigating loss. No script was wr...2023-06-2533 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessPreparing for "Hallie's House"We would love to hear from you!!! NO ONE likes to budget!!! Sometimes it feels like complete B.S. However, in order to achieve one of our family goals, we've had to tighten the purse strings and change the way we live. No Starbucks or eating out! GASP! We are learning it's actually a way to bring the family closer together! Tune into this episode to hear what Hallie's House is all about! #sayhernameAnd we can't miss the opportunity to wish all the dads out there a Happy Father's Day! You play a...2023-06-1833 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessLiving For Hal 💚We would love to hear from you!!! “Be the things you loved most about the person that is gone.”In this episode we share how we are TRYING to LIVE for Hallie.When we live FOR her it feels like we are closer to her and honoring her! And it might actually ease up the heavy weight of GRIEF. Thank you for listening,Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Face...2023-06-1134 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWe Open Up About Our Fight ForwardWe would love to hear from you!!! The last few months have been extremely difficult. In this episode, we wanted to pull back the curtain and be really vulnerable about our struggles and how we've been fighting forward to claw our way out of this hole. From little battles to big ones, we cover it all.Thank you so much for being here for the journey. We appreciate this community we have built so much!!!!We love you,Aric & AngieBlended Blessed ReferencesSoundtracks Book:https://www.amazon.c...2023-06-0438 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessNavigating Facts And Feelings with JC & RoWe would love to hear from you!!! This podcast began to help build a community for blended families. While our focus has shifted greatly trying to navigate this grief journey, we still want to help families trying to blend.In this episode, JC and Rolanda share what their 20 year blending experience has been like and dive into the difference between "Facts and Feelings". It totally resonated with us and we think it will with you too! It’s VERY important to understand this as a couple but also as a parents!Thank you for...2023-05-2843 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessAre you Stall High? With Kendra DicksonWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we were blessed to sit down with professional barrel racer, Kendra Dickson. God is in this story! Somehow we crossed paths and I have no doubt Hallie was enjoying the conversation we had! Kendra shares her journey to create an app called Stall High. The app enables her to virtually share her horse knowledge with her love of Jesus! Kendra turns brain power into horse power! We have so much to learn about our own foal Phoenix. One thing we do know.. there i...2023-05-2135 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessA Tribute to MomsWe would love to hear from you!!! Happy Mother's Day to ALL the beautiful and strong Mamas listening!Being a mom is such an amazing gift. At the same time, it's one of the hardest journeys. In this episode, we share all the highs and lows. If this Mother's Day is a tough season for you, you are not alone. We are finding the moments of joy, but sitting in the suck knowing we will never have all the kids together again. Thank you so much for all the love and s...2023-05-1433 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessHonoring Hal: Tips to Help Others GrievingWe would love to hear from you!!! Do you sometimes struggle with knowing what to say or how to show up for people that are grieving? In this episode, we walk through simple ways to let people know that you care. It's easier than you think! We also share how the community rallied to honor Hallie in a big way! You don't want to miss this episode! If you like listening to our podcast, please take a minute and leave a review! Thank you! Love, Aric & Angie Website: w...2023-04-3033 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessKeeping It Real with Jerrell JacksonWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, the other half of API Project Fitness, Jerrell Jackson stops by to talk about growing up in the toughest part of Houston, Texas.Going on to become the first person in his family to attend college and play high-level college football!He talks about "turning the light switch on no matter how you feel" and "growing out of concrete". Jerrell reflects on the kind of mindset it takes to transition life when injuries take away your professional football dreams! Hope you e...2023-04-1738 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessDerailed Spring Break ConvoWe would love to hear from you!!! Tune into this episode as we tried to dive into our spring break trip with the Crew many times but kept getting sidetracked on what was really top of mind. Raw and real emotions kept coming out whether we liked it or not. Quick shout out to Lexi and Grandma Alice! Their birthdays are today!!!We are ALWAYS A MESS. Thanks for listening! Love,Aric & AngieP.S. As promised, the link to the VRBO we rented in Phoenix, AZhttps://w...2023-04-0230 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWhen Your TikTok Goes ViralWe would love to hear from you!!! Shortly after we lost Hallie, we wanted to reach young kids to educate them on relationship red flags and gun safety. Where do all the young kids hang out? Tiktok. Angie created several videos like the Honor walk, Relationship Red Flags, and Gun Safety. They blew up. The kids kept saying...Mom/Ang you're going viral!!! They might be jealous of her following.As we shared last week, we are trying to find purpose through the pain in the midst of this extreme heartache. Heather Pettey (who...2023-03-2639 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessFinding Purpose in the Pain: Phoenix RisingWe would love to hear from you!!! Exciting News this Week! A beautiful, perfect foal was born. Hallie's dream came true. The Crew, Hallie’s family and especially Hallie's Aunt Jessi and Uncle Matt are making it happen!On this episode we discuss how finding purpose can help work through the pain even in the worst of times. Let's saddle up. We ride at dawn! Thanks for listening! Quick ask: Please rate our podcast if you enjoy listening.Love,Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.com2023-03-1935 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"Choosing Faith over Fear"We would love to hear from you!!! Have you ever had fear take over your life and paralyze you? Have you ever questioned your faith? Does uncertainty scare you? Well, you are not alone!Tune into this episode as we dive into our faith and fear battle. We laugh and cry on this episode—all the feels. Thanks for Listening,Love,Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=Facebook: https://www.facebook.co...2023-03-1230 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"No" is a Complete Sentence.We would love to hear from you!!! "No" can be a tricky word to say. We have both struggled to say no to people, events, work, and kids. Sometimes life throws unimaginable curveballs that force you with no other option than to say No. Tune in as we discuss how to say no, when to say yes, and the value each of those simple words brings! Thanks for listening!Love,Aric & AngieP.S. Sometimes, we are in a groove when recording, and this time we were not. Angie...2023-03-0530 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess5 Ways to Become A Strong Dad and HusbandWe would love to hear from you!!! Angie has requested this podcast topic for quite some time. Although Aric is not sure he feels qualified to share his thoughts, he sure shows up for all of us with grit and determination to be a strong Dad and Husband. At the end of the day, that is what matters! So here we go...we hope this helps some dads and husbands! One request, if you are enjoying our podcasts, would you give us a review on your favorite podcast listening platform? Thanks...2023-02-2634 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"Building Fire In the Rain" with Heather PetteyWe would love to hear from you!!! We continue to find that it is incredibly important to surround yourself with people who will walk with you thru life by following Jesus...In this week's episode, we visit with Heather Pettey, the author of "Keep It Simple, Sarah" and The Life Coach BFF Show Podcast.Heather talks to us about building your Fire in the Rain as you face adversity! And the choices we have when FEAR enters into our lives...We hope you enjoy our visit with Heather!2023-02-1937 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessRaw RealizationsWe would love to hear from you!!! This week we reflect on some hard and raw realizations of things no one tells you about losing a child...No longer fearing death...the unexpected PTSD...legitimate physical pain that your body endures...It's a lot...and we hope it helps some of you as we lean into our Faith in Jesus...Thanks for listening, Love,Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.com/blendedblessedalwaysamess?igshid=YmMyMTA2...2023-02-1233 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"Climbing Out of the Hole" with Michael EgnewWe would love to hear from you!!! Grab your family and tune into this episode!We truly believe that for any of us to survive and thrive that we need to surround ourselves with good people...Someone that Aric has surrounded himself with in the last year is his trainer Michael Egnew. He pushes him and the kids to have a POSITIVE mindset every time they work out.Michael has lived one of the more difficult lives although as he shares with us he doesn't feel that way. His perspective on l...2023-02-0538 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Day She DeservedWe would love to hear from you!!! We've never planned a Celebration of Life...so obviously getting it right for our Beautiful Hallie was incredibly important. Thanks to Angie's sisters and besties...it couldn't have been a more perfect day!In this episode, we reflect on a day that filled our hearts with friendship, love, and remembering Hallie.Thanks for listening and keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers. Love,Aric & AngieWebsite: www.blendedblessedalwaysamess.comTiktok: www.tiktok.com/@halliebears.momInstagram: https://instagram.c...2023-01-2930 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe ThiefWe would love to hear from you!!! Every week we deal with a whirlwind of emotions. Some days an emotion is stronger than others. This week, anger has been at the forefront. A wise man was asked, "What is Anger?" He gave a beautiful answer. It's a punishment we give to ourselves for somebody else's mistake. And that's exactly what it feels like to us. Listen to this week's episode as we share our anger and how we are processing the hurt and the frustration of THE THIEF. Thanks for listening. 2023-01-2230 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessGood GriefWe would love to hear from you!!! Did you know that Grief is the only emotion that you have to voluntarily choose to go thru?Perhaps that's why SOOOO many people choose NOT to grieve...We can honestly tell you that we are TRYING to walk thru the grief process and in this episode we talk about ways to grieve that might work for you...Is it ever really good grief? We're not sure...but we are trying...Thanks for listening...Love,Aric & Angie2023-01-1531 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessSigns She's Ok - Part 2We would love to hear from you!!! God’s grace and the special signs that Hallie is more than ok gets us through the darkest of times. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were incredibly difficult. We received two incredibly amazing signs; one during church on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas Day.As humans, we are incredibly limited in our understanding and perception. Only through God’s grace can we find something to rejoice about. Thanks for listening,Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2023-01-0845 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Signs She's Ok - Part 1We would love to hear from you!!! The last thing Hallie said to us was "Don't worry about me Mama, I'm going to be OK". While things have been incredibly heavy and we are filled with sadness, God has been good to us in that He's given us many signs that Hallie is with Him in Heaven...The signs give us hope and keep us moving forward every day, no matter how difficult. In this episode, we begin to share some of the many different signs that Hallie and the Lord ha...2023-01-0133 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessSaying GoodbyeWe would love to hear from you!!! Merry Christmas,If we're being 100% honest this doesn't feel like Christmas in our home...we are surrounded by sadness...missing Hallie more than we can explain...And yet the meaning of Christmas is the one reason we can hold onto Hope of seeing Hallie again one day...that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born as a child...so that he could one day die for us and our sin...so we could be with Him and Hallie again one day in Heaven......2022-12-2534 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Day That Changed Our Lives ForeverWe would love to hear from you!!! Thank you to everyone who has reached out and offered condolences as The Crew walks thru this unbelievably complex and life-changing set of circumstances.The pain is unimaginable. Yet, "The sun will still rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it's here is up to us. Journey wisely".Season 2 of Blended, Blessed, and Always A Mess begins NOW as we learn to cope with the loss of our beautiful Hallie and discover how we can shine our lights brighter. 2022-12-1832 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessAric's Radio Tribute to Hallie...We would love to hear from you!!! As many of you know I've been on Today's Best Country Clear 99 for most of the last 25 years...So I couldn't go back on the air without be real and authentic (like Hallie) and share with our listeners why I've been off the air and what our family has been going thru...Angie and I will do an entire Episode dedicated to Hallie and the light that she continues to SHINE on the world...But this is a quick 18 minutes that I shared about...2022-12-0617 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe Episode that Almost Never Aired...We would love to hear from you!!! This episode should have aired one week ago...BUT God had other plans...5 Minutes before uploading this episode about narcissism ...God had other plans...Our world was changed forever when we got the phone call that our daughter Hallie (oldest Crew Member) had been involved in a tragic accident...why? Because God had other plans...This past Tuesday, November 29th, 2022 our daughter Hallie left this Earth to get her Angel Wings...we can only find comfort in the fact that God had other plans...2022-12-0432 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessYou Know What That's Called? Leadership!!!We would love to hear from you!!! In this week's episode we were pleasantly surprised at some feedback we've been receiving lately about Chace at school...And in a very nice twist...he's really taking an interest in becoming a leader...This is a complete 180 from where this kid was 2+ years ago...We hope you enjoy learning more about his journey and can possibly apply it with your own kids and bonus kids!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-11-2033 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess“What Do We Have to Eat?”We would love to hear from you!!! If you've got kids in sports then you know how hard it is to sit down together for dinner...Everyone is coming and going so fast we need quick meals...In this episode we share some of our favorite recipes that we then re-purpose into other meals throughout the week...We also share tips on getting your kids to eat their fruits and veggies!Hope you enjoy!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-11-1328 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessTips for Surviving The HolidaysWe would love to hear from you!!! Hard to believe but we are less than 3 weeks away from Thanksgiving and less than 8 weeks from Christmas...The Holidays are hard no matter what...divorced or not...they are stressful!We decided to share some tips on things that work for us to help you cope and get thru the Holidays!Hopefully you have a wonderful Holiday Season!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-11-0632 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessHallie & Lexi: Learning Their WhyWe would love to hear from you!!! A few weeks back we shared the Enneagram test on the podcast and our results to better communicate with each other...We've thought it would be really cool if our kids took the test so we could also better interact with them...So...Hallie and Lexi volunteered and in this episode the girls have a LOT of fun sharing what they've learned...We all really believe this test could be VERY beneficial in EVERY family setting...Blended or Traditional!We hope you...2022-10-3038 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWhat is Mini Husband-Wife Syndrome?We would love to hear from you!!! What in the world is Mini Husband-Wife Syndrome? And is it happening in your home and you don't even realize it?!We read an article about Mini Husband/Mini Wife Syndrome and were immediately aware we needed to tackle the topic in this week's episode!It should hopefully bring some awareness to the topic if you are dealing with it at home and some ways to intentionally work thru it!We hope you Enjoy!Love,Aric & AngieSupport t...2022-10-2332 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessEmpathy vs Toxic PositivityWe would love to hear from you!!! Empathy is hard...why?Because it means we are sometimes swallowing our pride and removing selfish tendencies to realize that other people are going thru hard things too...With 6 kids and crazy jobs remembering why empathy is important is crucial to staying on the right track!We hope you can relate!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-10-1635 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessThe TornadoWe would love to hear from you!!! In this week's episode of Blended, Blessed and Always a Mess we visit with our best friends Adam and Amber Addison...They too have a Blended Family and it hasn't always been easy...at times it's even been a little tornadic to steal a phrase from Adam...We love to celebrate success stories! Their hard work battled the turmoil and came out on the other side!We hope you enjoy their story!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-10-0944 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessLet's Huddle UpWe would love to hear from you!!! We are super excited to dive deeper into what it means to create a Blended Family "Huddle".Angie helped put on an amazing women's event last week called Grit with Grace. The goal was to create a sense of connection and community for her customer base. It just so happened that the guest speaker, Brooke Baldwin, wrote a book called "Huddle" geared towards creating a community for women. The theme really hit home in so many ways. We want to apply that concept to our blended f...2022-10-0229 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess3 Years: Time to ReflectWe would love to hear from you!!! In this week's episode we celebrate our 3rd anniversary of "becoming friends" on Facebook...To reflect on that we did an exercise that we think would benefit any couple...we reflected on three things that we love about the other person and then three things that we've brought into the other person's life...It definitely made us appreciate each other!Hope you enjoy the exercise and getting to know us better!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-09-2536 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessCheck Up From The Neck UpWe would love to hear from you!!! No one has it 100% together all of the time...and we realized our communication has dipped the last several weeks...So...rather than build up walls and shut each other out we decided to dig our heels in and do some work...a little "Check Up from the Neck Up" if you will...We each took the Enneagram personality test to better figure out how to communicate and be there for each other! This is a great tool that you can use in your relationships too! Wi...2022-09-1833 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessCo-Parenting: Tips to Survive & ThriveWe would love to hear from you!!! We get asked A LOT...how do you co-parent with your ex's? Let's be honest...it's definitely a different kind of challenge for everyone...Overall we believe that we have a positive co-parenting relationship with all parties. In this episode, we share our do's and don'ts that we try to follow.Hopefully it can help you in your current situation! Thanks for listening!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-09-1132 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessBribing Carter & Sommer to Be on the Podcast!We would love to hear from you!!! It took a lot of work but we finally convinced Carter and Sommer to be on the Podcast together! They started a little shy but really came around for some good conversation!We hope you enjoy getting to know the final two members of the Crew!LoveAric & AngieSupport the show2022-09-0436 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWhich kid did Aric call the Cops on?We would love to hear from you!!! After three incredible interviews, we thought we would take some time to bring you up to speed on the last four weeks of our home life...Many different things have been happening...including Aric calling the cops on one of the crew members. Here's hoping that NEVER happens again LOL...I hope you enjoy it!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-08-2828 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessPart 2: Breaking the Rules of Dysfunction with Lynn RoushWe would love to hear from you!!! In our very first 2 part episode we continue visiting with Counselor Lynn Roush...In this episode she breaks down the 3 Rules to break dsyfunction...by working thru these rules you can end years of cyclical dysfunction in your life and relationships!We hope you enjoy!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-08-2129 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessWhen The Rivers of Anger and Sadness Meet with Lynn RoushWe would love to hear from you!!! We couldn't be more excited to share this week's episode of Blended, Blessed and Always A Mess with Licensed Counselor Lynn Roush...Lynn walks with us thru the difficulties of blending a family but also the path of HEALING that allows for parents and children to truly build a bond of trust that allows for the blending to work!This chat with Lynn was AMAZING for our SOULS! We hope it is for yours too!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the s...2022-08-1439 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"Unbelievable Roadmap": Real Talk with David RoweWe would love to hear from you!!! Hey friends...it's Aric...And this episode hits me HARD...David and his Bonus-Dad Bill have provided a road map that we've followed as we go through the journey of blending our family. The two of them worked hard for years to build a success story. And now we are sharing that with each and every one of you! You don't want to miss this "real talk" episode. The work I've put in specifically with Chace has been from so many different angles and comes from so...2022-08-0741 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess"Try" to Find the PositivesWe would love to hear from you!!! Every crew member has a ROLE on this TEAM...But we understand sometimes it's hard to know what your role is and how you belong...This week we visit with our youngest Crew Member Dane to hear about the positives and negatives of joining this Blended Family!We hope Dane helps you in your journey with the youngest child in your family!Love,Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-07-3127 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessSandy Life LessonsWe would love to hear from you!!! We aren't going to bore you with our family vacation BUT we also aren't going to lie and say it was easy-breezy...This year the Crew fought more than Angie and I were used to BUT we also realized some of it had to do with being away from each other for so long...at the end of our trip their were great memories and we just want to share how we dealt with the hard times and how fun the good times were!Thanks for...2022-07-2429 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessMiddle of the RoadWe would love to hear from you!!! In this week's episode, we visited with Angie's mom and dad (Kenny and Alice Oligschlaeger) while we were on vacation with them...We talked about their 52 years of marriage...how they met...how it can be hard...raising LOTS of kids (they have 7) and what their secrets to staying together are! (5 Tips)They were SUPER nervous but definitely felt more comfortable when we got rolling! Since we were on vacation you'll occasionally hear some kiddos and background noise, too!We hope you enjoy!2022-07-1726 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessAccountability is Scary AFWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we decided to revisit the goals we set individually and as a couple for 2022.We need to hold each other accountable for our progress. But let's be honest...that's scary AF and requires some vulnerability! So how do we help each other achieve our goals and not be a nag? We did some research on this topic. We hope your family can utilize some of the tips to finish the back half of 2022 strong!Love,Aric & AngieSupport th...2022-07-1030 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessBlending After Loss: So Much to GainWe would love to hear from you!!! In today's episode we welcome our first remote guests to the Podcast...Kim and Dustin have a different story than mine and Angie's...Kim lost her husband to a battle with cancer...and so finding love again wasn't necessarily something she was looking for until her friendship with Dustin couldn't be ignored any longer...(it's a truly hilarious story they will share in today's episode...)We think you will find some similarities in how Kim and Dustin do things to how We do things...but also...2022-07-0339 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessYou Asked; We AnsweredWe would love to hear from you!!! We are super excited about the amount of listeners we are reaching across the entire country! Our goal when we started this podcast was to just help one family! To know that we are helping many is incredibly rewarding and we feel so blessed!Today we answer some of your questions we've been getting via social media and the website!We hope you enjoy!LoveAric & AngieSupport the show2022-06-2630 minBlended, Blessed & Always A Mess18 Magical WordsWe would love to hear from you!!! Keeping your family engaged is HARD!!! And that goes for Nuclear and Blended Families!!!Angie convinced me to read this book called "Take Back Your Family" and we both absolutely LOVED IT!!!So...in this episode we do a little "book report" if you will...we discuss high points of the book and things we would like to start implementing with "Our Crew"...We used new editing software so I'm hopeful our audio problems are behind us and we've also advanced to having an i...2022-06-1928 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessLife Hacks for Our SanityWe would love to hear from you!!! People always ask...How do you do it? Or they say...I bet your calendar is crazy! (And our calendar is CRAZY)...So in this episode we tried to detail just how crazy it is AND some of the life hacks we use to make our Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess life work...Update...we feel like the audio is a little off for Angie on this so we are working to fix that and apologize in advance!Enjoy!Love Aric & An...2022-06-1228 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessLife Hacks for Our SanityPeople always ask...How do you do it? Or they say...I bet your calendar is crazy! (And our calendar is CRAZY)...So in this episode we tried to detail just how crazy it is AND some of the life hacks we use to make our Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess life work...Update...we feel like the audio is a little off for Angie on this so we are working to fix that and apologize in advance!Enjoy!Love Aric & Angie2022-06-1228 min
Blended, Blessed & Always A MessIs Therapy Weird?We would love to hear from you!!! We have both done therapy...BUT...we came into it with different views and we realize that most people have very different views on therapy...In this episode, we talk about how/why it was helpful for us and how it can be helpful for you/your kids and others and shouldn't be seen as something filled with shame...it's a healthy avenue to live a better life!Enjoy!Love, Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-06-0530 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessEpisode 8: I Beg To DifferWe would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Angie that it would be a great idea to talk about many of our differences! LOL...It was actually kind of fun to re-visit all of them...some we have worked thru...some we compromised on and some we have just had to learn to live with...But they not only effect us but our kids too so we thought it was definitely worth exploring...Enjoy!Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-05-0138 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessEpisode 6: You're The Devil!We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode Chace and Aric really go to work on their relationship...and trust us when we say it was a LOT of HARD Work...Many times it pushed Angie out of her comfort zone! But now the work is paying off very handsomely!!!Hope this episode lets you see there truly is LIGHT at the end of the tunnel!Aric & AngieSupport the show2022-04-1734 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessEpisode 3: Did Angie Die?We would love to hear from you!!! In Episode #3 of "Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess" Angie THOUGHT "air quotes" THOUGHT she was going to Die when I wanted to call her my girlfriend...News flash...SHE SURVIVED!!!But we break down her concerns and fears and become an official couple to the public during this Episode...Hope you enjoy!Aric and AngieSupport the show2022-03-2330 minBlended, Blessed & Always A MessHow the Blended Mess StartedWe would love to hear from you!!! Like so many families today...ours is blended...And that's super rewarding and full of love! It's also super crazy and always busy...So we decided to launch a Podcast called "Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess" to chronicle our Crew (Our Nickname for them since they've never seen the Brady Bunch)!We hope it helps other families who have some of the same ups and downs build a stronger community!We will start with how we met.. Hope you enjoy! Lo...2022-03-0632 min