Mary Ann Johnson - Podcast Details

Shows

The Breakfast ClubHunting 4 Answers: Unfinished Business: Mary Ann JohnsonThe Black Effect Presents... Hunting 4 Answers! In this episode of Hunting 4 Answers: Days before Christmas in 1994, Mary Ann Johnson disappeared without a trace. But before she vanished, she received a chilling warning—two men had been hired to break her legs, yet instead of carrying out the act, they let her go. Who wanted to harm her? And why? Decades later, no suspects have been named, no leads have surfaced, and the mystery of her disappearance remains unsolved. Anyone with information about this case should contact the Los Angeles Police Department- Adult Missing Persons Unit at 877-275-5...2025-04-0705 min

Gotta Love Family Podcast12-1-24 If We Have Been Foolish, We Can Then Be Wise. It Is A Choice.Parenting is a place to learn to grow as a person. Seriously. : ) Even now, when I’m caregiving, rather than parenting, I experience examples of this type of growth. It always takes me off guard because I would like to think that in almost 75 years, I had gotten this growth thing handled. Silly, because learning and personal growth are a lifetime endeavor. Today I am being vulnerable and sharing one of these growth moments. I hope it brings a smile to your face and puts you in a thoughtful position about how you teach and communicate with yo...2024-12-0108 min

Gotta Love Family Podcast11-17-24 Time is My Friend. Well, I Am Working On It!Recently, I read an entry from Feb. 2023 that contained information I thought would be useful to some of you. It isn’t new. I’ve written on, the power of story, the importance of perspective, and the value of controlling our thoughts often. But when you attach powerful ideas to an event, they become more relatable and easier to institute into one’s life. In February 2023, I was taking an Emotional Resilience class. At the same time, I was endeavoring to come to terms with time because my story wasn’t helpful and I knew it. Coming to terms w...2024-11-1709 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHow Can We Consitently Say – You Are in My Thoughts, You Matter to Me?In October I asked myself this question - “How can I strengthen my relationship with each grandchild and great-grandchild despite age, technology, or distance.” There are impediments of time, finances, the ability to travel, different lifestyles, and beliefs, kids who are adults or teens, and technology, which often gets in the way of real connection. Recently a friend mentioned that her son, Curtis, said - “When you only send cards and not letters, I can’t reread them.” What, this from a grown man who uses all the available tech? He wants letters from his mom so he can rere...2024-11-1010 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHow to Determine a Successful Activity - Story 2Let’s pick up where we left off last week. I shared a cookie-baking experience I had with some neighbor children, who were my buddies. Today, I share the second baking experience, one I had with two of my grandchildren. Watch for the connections as we explore how to determine a successful activity. You are going to love Story 2, my second baking experience with kids and you will love how both stories illustrate what makes a successful activity.2024-11-0306 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHow To Determine A successful ActivityIn the article published on Oct. 13, I told you I LOVE using sparks and that in the coming months, I would share experiences I have had with them that can Spark you with bonding activities for your family. As promised, here is a spark I followed with two groups of children. However, I want you to notice something else as important as following a spark or igniting one. Often, we let our expectations get in the way of learning and fun. As I said in my book, Becoming A Present Parent, “Keep expectations from getting in the wa...2024-10-2705 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSolidify Family Relationships with Structure, Consistency, and PresenceThirteen years ago, I had a wonderful evening with my eight-year-old friend, Hailey. It was successful because time had been set apart for the activity, it happened consistently so Hailey could count on it, and I was present. When we want to solidify relationships in our family these three ingredients make all the difference. I was 61 when I had this experience. Hailey was eight. Join me as I share an experience that illustrates how important structured family activities, held consistently, and with you present, both body and spirit will be for your relationships. These elements, when inserted...2024-10-2005 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastWhy Not Have Some Fun Learning. It is Possible. Part 2Two weeks ago, I shared a few examples of how useful and fun seeing and responding to your children's Sparks can be. I explained sparks and how they can help you and your kids connect. Last week I illustrated how you can Spark your kids and give them interesting and fun opportunities for learning. This week is more of the same. : ) I have written about sparks, kids, and the connection between the two for almost fifteen years. I’ve watched for and used sparks with my grands all that time. When I switched fr...2024-10-1310 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastWhy Not Have Some Fun While Learning? It is Possible.Last episode I shared a few examples of how useful and fun seeing and responding to your children’s Sparks can be. But to engage our kids and help them learn new things we don’t need to wait for their Sparks. When it comes to learning, we can spark them and then watch a fire of interest take hold. It’s a fine way to engage as a family and to show our children that learning can be fun. Join me as I share how to treasure hunt your home so you can give your ch...2024-10-0608 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastListening and Responding to Children and Their SparksMy hairdresser, Emily, works out of her home. Most of the kids are in school but she has one little guy who is four and still at home during the day. We have fun conversations. The last time I was there he brought me two green balloons which he held close together in his hands. He asked me if I knew what they were. I said, “Sure, they’re green balloons.” He laughed and replied, “No they are butt cheeks.” His mom was a bit mortified, but I grinned and told her about a friend of mine and her ex...2024-09-2909 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastA Five-Year LessonWhen I lived in Montana with seven children, I was a busy mother. You’re smiling because you know exactly what I mean. A family, regardless of its size, is a handful; lots of cooking, laundry, cleaning, driving people here and there, and so forth. I look back and wonder how in the world I did it all. I have also pondered how I managed with so little connection to other women. I had my church friends. I had my school band club friends. I had friends when I was a Girl Scout Leader. I had friends th...2024-09-2216 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastAn Enlightening Response to 'Are You Afraid to Read Hard Books'On March 3, 2024, I published a podcast titled Are You Afraid to Read Hard Books? After that article was published, I got a wonderful email from one of my readers, who is also a dear friend. I get emails regularly telling me how good an article was or how helpful it was to the reader. This email contained some of that. What struck me though was another thing that happens now and then. Someone takes what I have written, and they build upon it! This is massively motivating for me. I asked Joy if I could...2024-09-0807 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSwitiching From Windows 10 to Windows 11. My Take Away!This has caused me some consternation as I have moved along life’s highway. Do you realize how much has changed since I was born in 1950!! It wasn’t such a big issue until I became an adult and technology exploded. Recently I was forced to move from Windows 10 to Windows 11. I was freaked out. Join me as I share how managing technology, with its twists and turns, is like moving down the road of life and parenting. It will be illuminating!2024-09-0110 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastWhy Take A Technology Break and Is It Even PossibleIn our world, we’re so used to having technology always with us that it’s challenging to be without it for even a short time. Technology, as wonderful as it is, can be a two-edged sword. I have written several articles on using, abusing, and letting go of technology. I have experimented with this myself. A recent email I received has me thinking about it again. Before I share the email, I want to share some of my experiences with technology, managing it, and not being managed by it. This has required that I commit...2024-08-2509 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSometimes You Get Blind!Early this spring Jodie was taking a short trip. She hauled the suitcase out of the garage so she could pack. Later, she asked me if I had seen it. No, I hadn’t but I went upstairs to help her look. We searched everywhere and then lo and behold we saw it! It was leaning up against the wall by the front door, in direct sight. It wasn’t hidden by anything. Sometimes we get blind! This type of blindness happens when we’re working on relationships, teaching our children, managing our home, figuring out how to use...2024-08-1810 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastBe A Pathmaker For Your ChildrenSeven years ago, Jodie and her family moved from Kearns, UT. to West Point, UT. We were living with them, helping with Maggie and the other children. Living in a home with kids was assisting Don with his health challenges. It was a win-win situation. Eventually, we needed a home that was more handicap accessible. Don found the house in West Point and when Jodie looked at it, she could see how good it would be for us. However, many things needed to be upgraded. That was daunting to think about. Join me as I...2024-08-0410 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastMy SSS Formula - Simple Systems = SolutionsI have learned from lived experience that simple systems are usually the solution to difficult problems in time and life management. This was not an easy lesson to learn, and I occasionally still ignore this truth, but when I do, I suffer. Join me as I help you understand what a system is, how it works, and how it can change your life. If you are living with default systems then it is harder to care for yourself, do the important things, and still care for your family. Join me as I help you understand what a s...2024-07-2809 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastBe Careful Not to Put Management Ahead of RelationshipI had a funny conversation with a single dad. We were talking about how to keep things clean and how to get our kids to clean. I noticed he wasn’t an efficient housekeeper. He felt he was doing ok, and it was ok, just not very clean. : ) This comes from someone who was a professional housekeeper for almost two decades. This dad told me they have a long-time family friend named Steffanie. She is a natural-born cleaner, like me. When he asked the kids to clean anything they would respond, “Dad’s clean, or Stefanie’s clean.”...2024-07-2118 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastManaging What Is and Where You AreI had a conversation last March with a young friend. Yes, it has taken me over a year to figure out how to share our conversation. The topic is challenging, and I am busy caregiving. This last comment leads us into my conversation with my friend. She was overwhelmed and felt like a parenting and personal failure. She wanted to know how to identify the essentials and have some control. : ) I could relate to everything she was feeling and suffering. Frankly, I was in the same boat but for different reasons. She was asking me something I...2024-07-1417 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastChoose the Scenic RouteI have a granddaughter and a dear friend with special needs. I have another friend who has six children with special needs. These relationships require us to face many challenges but if we can find beauty and joy in the journey, as my friend with the six special needs children says, we choose the scenic route. This doesn't just apply to families with children like my granddaughter and friends. Doesn't every child have 'special needs?' Isn't parenting any child a challenge of change and growth? Join me as I share some tips on how...2024-06-3014 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastRead, Learn and Bless Your FamilyI read a verse of scripture that sparked this article. “I have commanded you to bring up your children in light and truth. . .therefore, First, set in order thy house” Doctrine and Covenants 93:43 On this day, I read it in a new way. I focused on “First, set in order thy house”. It brought to my mind another verse of scripture. “For now we see through a glass darkly”. 1 Cor. 14:12 Seeing through a glass darkly is an apt analogy when we are sharing knowledge with our children. If the windows to our home are dark, we cannot see out of t...2024-06-2311 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastMary Ann - Cleaning - For the List MakersThis is the last article in the series on cleaning systems. This is the system I use today. Let me give you the back story. I have tried many cleaning systems, but I always returned to ‘THE LIST.’ I am a list maker. It seemed the most useful and satisfying way to manage my daily work. However, I am also a finisher. This and list-making can be a combination for failure. It isn’t that you fail, but you always feel like a failure because you can never finish the list. In real life, you never f...2024-06-1614 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastCleaning - An Experiment for FunI read an article my friend Donna Goff wrote called Trade in Your To-Do List. The article I read, resonated with me because my daily worksheet can feel overwhelming. The problem is, I rarely get each item on the list finished, even if I am running circles all day long, Donna had experienced the same thing. And no matter how much you accomplish in a day, if there are unchecked items left on your list it can leave you with a sense of not having done enough. It shouldn’t. I know better. You probably know better. Donna knows be...2024-06-0905 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastAnne Murdock – Cleaning –Why Am I in Such a MessAnne Murdock just retired from decades of working with special needs children. That is our big link, as I have a special needs granddaughter. We met in church and became fast friends. Although I moved, we have stayed in touch. Recently we began meeting for lunch. We each drive about 30 minutes and it has been fun. A few months ago, we discussed a cool system Anne uses to help women stay on top of their work at home and have fewer moments of feeling like they can’t manage. It’s called Household Bingo. You check off the boxes as...2024-05-2609 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastDonna Goff - Cleaning - A System For Staying on TopIn the next few weeks, I will be sharing some cleaning systems from friends of mine and myself. We all need help managing the 'pile' of things that need to be done so that we don't get bogged down and feel like failures. This is a very familiar feeling to most of us! I begin with my friend Donna Goff who is a writer, teacher, mentor, and mother to a large family. Join me as we explore how she stays on time and avoids the dreaded 'neverending list.'2024-05-1911 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastRecharging – Do You Know What Works for YouThere are many ways to recharge and care for yourself but they aren't helpful unless you know what works for you. and did you know that what works can change and then you have to go back to the drawing board. Join me as I share an experience from 2011 and another from 2024 that is illuminating when it comes to understanding what works for you when you need to recharge. I will also share why I don't buy the idea that to recharge we have to go outside of the chaos of daily living. If that is...2024-04-0709 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSPARKS = Loving to LearnIn the last two weeks, I’ve given you some information on Sparks and how to use them to connect with your children. In the article on March 10 – SPARKS - The Big Fail, I mentioned that when we learn to utilize Sparks, we can help our children love the idea of learning. Kids have a lot to learn, and often, whether we homeschool or use public or private schools, the love of learning can get buried. We can’t prevent times when school is boring or too hard. But we can keep the desire to learn alive, as we u...2024-03-2410 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSPARKS - The BIG WinLast week I shared information about Sparks and how valuable they can be in building child-parent relationships. I also shared my big failure when it came to one of my grandsons Sparks. Let’s have a quick review. In my book Becoming a Present Parent I wrote that the value of seeing your child’s Sparks is that it’s a wonderful way to get Present with your child. It’s powerful not only in helping them love learning but also in creating tighter relationships. So, what is a Spark? Simply put, a Spark is anything that a child says...2024-03-1706 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSPARKS - The Big Fail!In my book Becoming a Present Parent I wrote that the value of seeing your child’s Sparks is that it’s a wonderful way to get Present with your child. It’s powerful not only in helping them love learning but also in creating tighter relationships. Over the next few months, I want to share some examples of how I, and other parents, were able to use Sparks to connect with our kids. They are fun ideas that you can incorporate with your children, even if they haven’t shown up as a Spark, because you can also...2024-03-1011 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastAre You Afraid of Reading Hard Books?Have you ever wondered how to read books that aren’t easy reads? This has been an issue for me. I LOVE reading but sometimes the classics are a challenge. History can be dry. Some books deal with tough topics. How do you manage those? I just finished a book while at my daughter's in Seattle, The Midnight Library. It’s a book I would recommend to others, but it wasn’t what I would call a ‘tough read.’ It was a thoughtful and enjoyable read. We all need those now and then but to learn and grow we oc...2024-03-0308 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastDo You Have a 'Family Thing'?Every mother struggles to bring all that she has to the family table. We all want to teach our children to be kind, to have manners, to be honest, to do their chores, to share, and on and on. We also want to teach skills that can help them as adults. We desire to encourage them to develop talents for the joy of it. It can feel daunting. But there is something else that many of us struggle with; we want to have meaningful ‘family learning’, where our families connect and where the connection we create is pass...2024-02-2513 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHarness the Power of FocusI have a friend that I admire very much, Alysia Humphries. What got me thinking about her this last couple of weeks was that tonight (Saturday) I am going to a special event for caregivers. She and a handful of other women are giving some nurturing to caregivers. I fit into that group and so Alysia asked me to come. I am going to have some foot zoning done and Alysia is giving me some light therapy. Restful! That got me thinking about Alysia and a letter she sent to me after an event I participated in...2024-02-1107 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHELP! I Need Activities for Small ChildrenI recall getting an email from a very harried mom with a three-year-old. I laugh about it still because I can relate! “YIKES!! My three-year-old wants me to help him with everything!! I need some activities and games for small children!” Not long after, I got an email from a mom who was homeschooling. She loved working with her eight-year-old, but she had two littles who made it difficult to give her older son the attention she wanted to. She needed some diversions for those little ones. She planned for all of them to be in th...2024-02-0410 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastI No Longer Have a Bucket List or Is Parenting the End of My Dreams!Do you have cherished dreams? Is there a goal you want as much as breathing? Do you worry that because you chose to be a parent they may never come to pass? I can relate. I raised seven children. I was busy and overwhelmed lots of the time. I had goals and dreams and there were times I felt they could come to pass. Then, just when I felt I was moving towards them, I would be called home physically or emotionally and the dream would be on hold again. Today, I want to encourage...2024-01-2812 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSimple Techniques for Stress-Free Single ParentingLife as a single parent is a challenging journey, but it can also be filled with growth, resilience, and moments of joy. I have a daughter navigating this path, and it can be both painful and joyous watching her and her children as they move through this new territory. To manage well requires a blend of practical strategies and emotional fortitude. Understanding how to manage as a single parent, either a mom or dad, requires support and resources. In April of 2023, I posted an article by a fellow writer, Laura Pearson, filled with resources to assist parents...2024-01-2107 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastAre You Prepared for the New Year? I am NOT talking New Years Resolutions!I no longer make New Year's Resolutions. Instead, I have a few useful tools I use. Today I will be talking about three ways you can put the coming year in order in your mind, and manifest what you want your life to look and feel like. Doing these simple steps has made the last ten years more powerful for me and I have been able to accomplish some BIG things, while busily working and caregivng. I hope you join me and discover what it is you want in the next three to five years. 2024-01-1408 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastThoughts On My WallLast week, I shared my daughter’s journey from a traumatic brain injury to a life of love and service. I shared one of the secrets to her success – she had taken charge of what she focused on. I, like my daughter, put ideas on my wall. I post on my walls thoughts and ideas that I want to understand and incorporate into my life and way of being. I thought it would be fun to share some of what I have on my walls with you. If it resonates you may want to post it on...2024-01-0721 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastYou Are What You Think About and Focus OnIn 2003, my world turned upside down when my daughter, Jenny, was hit head-on by a drunk driver going the wrong way on a California freeway. Five years later, I wrote an article about Jenny’s journey and how she turned a major head injury into a life worth living. Another eleven years have passed, and I have watched my daughter live these words – You are what you think about and focus on. Jenny's sixteen-year odyssey is powerful. If you find yourself frustrated, angry, discouraged, resentful, sad, feeling less than, or any number of other difficult emotions, then this...2023-12-3109 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastA Response to the Article on Dec. 17 - Tough Article - A Tender MercyOn December 17 I posted an article on my website and made a podcast called How to Enjoy Life More, Even When It's Hard. That same day I received a tender mercy that fit in perfectly with the theme of the article. I am sharing it here. 2023-12-2103 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHow to Enjoy Life More, Even when It's HardToday, although there are things I could share that would be less time-consuming and less emotionally draining, I am telling you about my morning. I am sharing this experience for a reason. After several decades of working on two principles, they can still trip me up. They are also stumbling blocks for many moms I talk with. I have written about them often, and I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but this is pivotal for our happiness and our ability to parent and relationship well. Join me as I share two principles, that when le...2023-12-1712 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastSay Yes More Than You Say NoMy daughter has a saying she lives by and I have seen the amazing results in her family. "What if we said yes as often as we could and not only when we had to?" Join me today as I share three crazy family examples of how living this way can impact your family relationships in a BIG way.2023-12-1008 min

Business ChoreographyNavigating the Media Landscape: Traditional meets Digital Marketing with Mary Ann PruittDive into the evolving world of media consumption and advertising strategies as Mary Ann Pruitt, an expert in marrying traditional and digital media, shares insights from her extensive experience. Learn how data storytelling, niche targeting, and omnichannel approaches can reshape your business's success in today's dynamic market Mary Ann Pruitt is the CEO and President of Mosaic Media, a collection of media buying experts and creative strategists who negotiate, purchase, and monitor advertising space and airtime. She’s here today to share some marketing wisdom gleaned from her extensive career in media strategy and how it relates...2023-12-0526 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHow Long Can You Carry the Weight?I walk daily. Walking is the only exercise I get because, as I understand it, you can’t count housework. LOL I walk five blocks. My sister, a fitness instructor, suggested I could employ the weights I carry better. I took her advice and began utilizing my weights in a new way. I raise one arm into the air and keep it lifted as I walk, for as long as I can. The pain begins slowly, but eventually, I must put my arm down. Then I lift the other arm and repeat the process. Then I l...2023-12-0306 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastThe Power of LoveBack in 2012, I read an article by Kerry Patterson of the Arbinger Institute, a company designed to build leaders and businesses. He has also helped author several wonderful books designed to help people have better relationships in families, at work, and in communities. I have enjoyed reading his work for many years. This article, which was published around the holidays, beautifully showcased the power of love. I am sharing it with you because it is powerful. I hope it will bless you and help change your life. : )2023-12-0309 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastWhy I Decided to Commit to Meditation When I Said I Couldn'tOn October 15th of this year, I posted an article called Are You Self-Aware? What Does That Even Look Like? In the article, I listed ideas for becoming more aware of our own emotional state. Then I listed things I was committing to do for myself. At the end of the article, there was this P. S. “Mediation came up often on the lists. I have meditated in the past but right now, I can’t commit to it.” Join me as I share my meditation journey. I will share what I have done to make it workab...2023-11-1912 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastWhat is Family PhilanthropyNovember and December are perfect months to teach our children about gratitude and sharing. It’s an excellent time to review our family culture around giving and receiving. During these months, there are multiple opportunities to teach our children that no matter how wonderful it is to receive, giving brings deep satisfaction and joy. Today I want to share a few stories about family philanthropy, how it benefits children, how you can make it part of your family culture, and why it isn't just about giving money.2023-11-1210 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastThe Two-edged Sword of InnovationI like Kerry Patterson. He is a great writer and from my era, so I relate to everything he writes. Back in September 2012, Kerry wrote an article about unplugging from the workplace, the difficulty and the benefits. I saw amazing parallels for a family. In the ensuing eleven years, I have seen what Kerry shared become even more challenging. Join me as I share thoughts, ideas, and facts on how technology may be causing your feelings of dissatisfaction and lack of family connectedness. 2023-10-2909 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastDon't Be a MastodonLast week I included in my weekly newsletter the link to a podcast I did a few weeks ago for Beyond the Cookie Cutter. It was about managing change. Then this week, out of nowhere, I found myself faced with another possible change. It will require a shift in a hope I have held on to for a long time and an adjustment in how I deal with a current situation. This reminded me of where I was back in 2013 and some hard lessons I had to learn. I want to share what I learned in 2013 because it is so 202...2023-10-2209 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastAre You Self Aware? What Does That Even Look Like?Last spring, I was listening to a talk at church and the speaker gave a statistic that I found intriguing and a bit surprising. He said that most people think they are self-aware but that when tested only about 15% are. That is a low number of people who really know where they are emotionally, at any given time. You are probably not surprised that this information would catch my eye. After all, I did a little counseling for myself this year because I knew there were issues with my self-awareness which made it difficult to manage triggers...2023-10-1511 min

Immortal Icons of DanceEp. 04 Mary Ann Lamb on Ann ReinkingIn this episode, host Lauryn Johnson interviews Broadway actress Mary Ann Lamb. Mary Ann shares insights about her collaborations with the Immortal Icon, Ann Reinking, and her experiences working on the long-running show "Chicago." She discusses the importance of honesty and hard work in dance, and reflects on her interactions with renowned performers like Gwen Verdon and Chita Rivera. Overall, it provides a fascinating look into the life and career of a dance icon. Additional Resources: Footage Ann Reinking Shirt Ann Reinking Sweatshirt All That Jazz (1979) Fosse (2002)2023-10-1131 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastPutting People Ahead of Projects. Can It Be DoneI am a finisher. This will be important for you to remember as you read this article. Being a finisher is a blessing in my life and the lives of those I live with and serve. But it has its drawbacks. I can get caught up in projects and leave people behind. Learning to STOP what we are doing in favor of something that is truly more important, usually having to do with our spouse or children, is a process. I have had to learn to give myself space and time to keep practicing. Changing one’s way of...2023-10-0807 min

Immortal Icons of DanceEp. 03 Mary Ann Lamb on Jerome RobbinsMary Ann Lamb, a Broadway veteran with 11 Broadway credits speaks about her experience working with Jerome Robbins, one of the great theater-makers of the 20th century. Additional Resources: Footage Somewhere: The Life of Jerome Robbins by Amanda Vaill Jerome Robbins, by Himself edited by Amanda Vaill Jerome Robbins: Something To Dance About Documentary Podcast Merch Disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize...2023-10-0429 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastWant to Laugh More, Remain Calmer, and Be Happier?If you had asked me twenty-five years ago if I had a sense of humor, I would have replied that fun and funny are not on top of my list. I don’t get jokes. I don’t see the humorous first. Getting stuff done is my thing. Being on time matters. Maintaining order is number one. I liked things and people to be a certain way. Because of this, I was easily frustrated or annoyed by situations and people, including my husband and kids. However, a decade and a half ago, when I began speaking and teac...2023-10-0108 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastDulaity Matters in ParentingI had a heart-to-heart conversation with my daughter, Kate, on pridefulness vs. pride. I recorded Part 1 and Part 2 of that conversation. This is part three. Join me as I share what duality is, how it looks in parenting, and why it matters. This was a great end to a powerful conversation.2023-09-2405 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastAs a Mother, You Won’t Know the Value You Bring Until LaterLast week I shared a conversation I had with my daughter Kate on pride vs. pridefulness. It was illuminating. This week I am sharing the part of the conversation that blew me away and shows, yet again, that you can't know the value you bring as a mother, until later, even if you think you are doing a poor job. Join me and be heartened on your parenting journey. 2023-09-1704 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastHow We Talk about Ourselves Sends a Powerful Message to Our ChildrenA few months ago, I had a conversation with one of my daughters on the issue of pride vs. pridefulness. It was amazing and insightful. Today I am going to share an experience my daughter had in sixth grade that taught her that girls and women should be self-deprecating to be accepted and liked. It will blow your socks off. You may even relate. Then we will delve into the difference between pride and pridefulness and how to help our kids to know the difference and allow themselves to take pride in their accomplishments. It matters!2023-09-1006 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastGrowing and Increasing in Wisdom One Thing at a TimeThis summer I took a few months off from writing. It was a wonderful rest, but in those off weeks, I had an experience that I want to share. When I read the book Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller, I created a list that allowed me to implement what I learned about rest, renewal, and space. But, I only implemented one item on the list. During my writing break, I found the list. Oh man, it was good! So I came up with a plan to intentionally implement more w...2023-09-0310 min

Really Personal PodcastThe First Choice Is to Actually Live An Integris LifeMany people claim they have integrity by saying I’m a good, decent human being. An integris life is much more than a statement- it’s walking the way I talk. It’s not about speaking your truth- it’s about telling the truth. To live with integrity is to make choices according to what I believe how I’m going to live. And to go further, this means I’m not going to betray myself, I’m not going to compromise myself, I’m not going to put myself in a position or situation, or force another person to...2023-08-2158 min

Gotta Love Family PodcastDeadheadingThe earth, if we are paying attention, can teach us so much symbolically, and metaphorically. Here is a lesson I was reminded of this week in my garden. Join me as I share a gardening concept - deadheading. It is a metaphor for life. Join me as I teach you what deadheading is and how it applies to you, your life, and your family. Life is never going to be perfect no matter how hard you try. When we can accept that, then we are free to enjoy the good job we are doing, despite...2023-06-1808 min