rewrite this title Week 10 and 11: A Peek Into This Past Week + What I’m Reading, Listening to, and Watching!

I had the incredible privilege of getting to go on another Client Getaway with my business coach, Alli Worthington. We went to Disney again and spent 4 days…

…Laughing until we could barely breathe with tears streaming down our faces while we recounted stories and life experiences and core memories made together.

…Squealing at the top of our lungs with arms thrown up into the air while riding an epic ride together.

…Sharing deep heartfelt conversations about struggles and fears and insecurities.

…Cheering and clapping and celebrating for each other as we talked about wins and victories from this past year…

My heart is so insanely thankful to the Lord for bringing @alliworthington into my life. Not only has she changed my life and our business as my business coach, but she has helped me re-learn how to fully embrace and love play and childlike wonder. Plus, she has introduced me to a group of women who have become dear, dear friends through her client getaways.

Four years ago, I was praying that God would give me one woman who could mentor and encourage me and coach me. I had no idea that God was going to answer that prayer so much more abundantly than I could ever dream or imagine.

I also could never have imagined it was possible to be the CEO of a small business and have 6 kids while only working 40 hours a week and having margin for friendships and hobbies and prioritizing my health and rest and play.

I think this picture above captures the joy that I have, the passion for life I feel, and how fulfilling my life is. I’m so incredibly humbled and grateful.

One of the questions I’m asked most often is how to build a strong relationship with your teen son — especially in the pre-teen and early teen years when emotions can get bigger, hormones are coursing through their bodies, and communication can get trickier.

These are the simple, practical things that have mattered most for me.

Want to build a good relationship with your teen son? Do these 10 things…

Pray daily for your son and pray for God to give you wisdom to love him well.

Step into his world. Care about what he cares about.

Get interested in sports or video games or whatever your son is interested in.

Take him out for lunch or get his favorite treat.

Praise every tiny little thing he puts effort into.

Save your corrections for those times when it really, really matters.

Be his biggest cheerleader instead of his biggest critic.

Talk highly of him to him and to others.

Clearly communicate expectations built upon a strong foundation of relationship.

Keep him busy. Bored boys are often frustrated and have lots of energy with no outlet.

For more encouragement and practical ideas on how to be a calmer, happier mom, be sure to sign up for my free 10-day class: 10 Days to Be a Happier Mom.

“Busy is a choice. Peace is too.” I’ve been thinking about that line a lot.

We can’t always choose our circumstances and sometimes life is really full, but we always have agency over our responses and our attitude.

We can choose a calm, peaceful approach to our days. To add in more fun and life-giving things. To smile more. To stop and notice the gifts around us. To hand over our heavy burdens to Jesus and ask Him to carry them for us. To release our worries to Him. To share our struggles with a friend so we’re not alone. To see and acknowledge what we have to be grateful for.

And want to know something interesting? The more I’m pursuing rest and play and nourishing my soul instead of living life at a breakneck speed, the calmer my body is feeling and the more productive I am when I’m working because I’m showing up with energy instead of exhaustion!

You might not fully agree with this quote by @drcarolineleaf, but I hope it makes you stop and think.

I’m so grateful I cut my work hours so much this year!! I honestly didn’t know if I could — but we reduced a bunch of expenses and decided to just make it work.

And oh man… the business will likely gross less money this year but it is absolutely so worth it for the peace I feel in my heart and how much more present I am in our home!!

We also sat down and reviewed our personal budget and found multiple things to cut back on. I honestly think we’re going to end the year in a better financial position than we started the year (both personally and in the business) because I’m being so much more intentional in how we’re spending money.

This was a completely unexpected benefit of these changes — but even if that weren’t the case, the peace I feel in my soul is truly impossible to put a price tag on!

I took the three younger kids to a birthday party at the park last week. David had a blast!! Though he did accidentally knock some of the cupcakes off the table while trying to get a balloon (and the mama putting on the party was insanely gracious about it – which meant so much to me!)

I love watching him intently exploring the world. He teaches me to slow down and notice all sorts of little things I would easily overlook!

My sister has been raving about the Walmart jeans for awhile, so I stopped by this past week to see what I could find. I was super impressed! (Walmart currently has 10 styles priced under $15 right now on their website + you might find more on the clearance rack at your store!)

I picked up these 4 pairs (one of them I got in two different sizes since I wasn’t sure which size would be best). You can see them on me in these videos here and let me know which ones you think I should keep!

Q&A’s From This Week

So many of you writing in with parenting questions this week — and I have a free 10-day class I created for you on how to be a calmer, more joy-filled mom and build deep relationships with your kids!

Question: Can you talk about things you decided to cut back on finanacially and how you made that decision?

Answer: So many of you asked about this! The honest truth is that because the business income had increased so much the last two years and life was so full, I honestly got sloppy. Jesse and I weren’t regularly sitting down and looking at all our purchases/expenses for personal and the business, we had signed up for a lot of different services for the business and I wasn’t really paying attention to which ones we were really using and which ones we weren’t using as much because there always seemed to be so many other pressing things. I also wasn’t paying close attention to what parts of the business were bringing in income and which parts weren’t really profitable.

Last August, we found unexpectedly found ourselves in a place we hadn’t been in in years – we were spending more than we were making with the business!! It was a pretty shocking revelation and I knew I needed to make major changes swiftly.

So we did a complete audit of the business and discovered that many parts that I thought were profitable weren’t. We had to make some big changes and cuts and completely revamp our business budget.

Question: You already seemed very frugal before. What things did you cut back on to save more money?

Answer: For those of you who know me well, you can imagine that this discovery was pretty unsettling. I struggling with feelings of shame and failure. But I am so grateful for the wise counsel around me (like my business coach, Alli) who helped me make a swift turnaround of the sinking ship.

After we started with macro changes (like shutting down parts of the business that weren’t turning a profit and scaling back a lot of other parts), we then moved to micro changes. Over the past three months, I’ve gone through every single business expense with a fine-toothed comb. We’ve discovered that many services we were paying for weren’t necessary, we’ve found a number of monthly services we were over-paying for (a few to the tune of hundreds of dollars a month!) and by reaching out to the companies, we were able to get costs reduced, and we’ve just tightened up our overall spending.

These changes are saving us thousands of dollars a month and allowing the business to be well in the black again! It also means myself and the team can cut back our hours because we don’t need to make as much to cover our expenses!

Question: Based on your recent post, what are some things that you found to cut back on?

Answer: Motivated by all these business changes, we did a deep dive audit into our personal finances. And we ended up finding quite a few things we could cut or reduce.

For instance, we are shutting down two small side businesses we own that we were paying hundreds of dollars a year for taxes, accounting, etc. and not really doing much with. We decided to try to go back to using gift cards we earn from various places like Fetch, Swagbucks, etc. to pay for eating out.

We found a few subscriptions we were paying for that we weren’t really using much anymore. And we found a few other budget categories we could reduce. Honestly, we were shocked at how much we will be saving per month by making these changes! I kept telling Jesse the entire time we were doing these audits, this is SO much fun!!

Question: Since the girls are older, do they still confide in you? How do you build close relationships?

Answer: I feel like the girls confide in me more now that they are older than did when they were younger. I’m so grateful.

My biggest advice to build strong relationships with girls: care about what they care about. Listen to their music, watch their shows with them, go shopping with them, ask for their input on things they care about, be available to listen whenever they want to talk. And actually listen – don’t just preach sermons.

Have fun with them. Share inside jokes. Talk highly of them to them and to others. Tell them how proud you are of them. Praise 10 times more than you correct. Save your correction for when it really, really matters.

Be a relaxed mom who has fun and doesn’t take herself too seriously. Surprise them with special things that communicate, “I was thinking about you.”

Don’t freak out when they make choices or decisions that are different than you. Deeply consider, “Is this something that is truly unsafe or something I just don’t like because of personal preference or because I care what other people are going to think?”

Question: Do you think David will eventually feed himself?

Answer: I don’t know. And honestly, I’m okay with that. He is happy. He is thriving. He feels safe and secure. And he’s able to communicate his needs. That’s what matters to us.

If David decides he wants to feed himself, he will definitely figure out how to do it. But until then, we can only model, encourage, and give him opportunities to try. Right now, if you encourage him to hold a spoon or try to pick up food, he gets really frustrated. But we still keep offering him opportunities and if he pushes it away, we move on.

Question: Book review any time coming up?

Answer: I share about what I’m reading every week in my personal newsletter. If you don’t get that, you can sign up here!

I have dropped the ball on sharing my current reads on Instagram recently so thank you for the reminder to get back to that!

Question: Can you explain how working with Nourish and and a nutritionist/dietician worked? If insurance covered it, was it all of it or a portion? Were you happy with the results?

Answer: Yes! Insurance covered all of it – and they continue to do so! They say that usually they cover 100% for 94% of people. So it’s definitely worth checking into!

My dietitian has changed my life! Not only has she helped me have a much healthier perspective on food and helped me have food freedom, but she’s given me so many practical ideas and tools to prioritize a healthier lifestyle that works for me for the full life I have. Plus, she just helps me feel so heard and seen. It feels like a bit of a therapy and cheerleading session when we meet!

See if your insurance covers it here.

Spring Break officially started for Kierstyn and Micah on Friday and David was still on Spring Break so Jesse and I went to the gym and Sam’s Club with the three younger kids!

Kierstyn had never been to Sam’s Club before and she was pretty psyched about everything they had there! (We have been loving our membership that we got for just $20 — and it’s available at that price again!!)

Kierstyn was quite disappointed that the free sample machine gave her Dude Wipes and not something to eat.

(If you need a laugh about Sam’s Club, check out this reel!)

David has a very limited repertoire of foods he likes to eat and Chobani yogurt is one of them so I’m so happy with this price at Sam’s! ($13.87 for 16 cups!)

Books I Finished This Past Week

I finished listened to Holy Disrupter last week. It wasn’t at all what I expected and I thought it had a lot of impactful sections. I appreciated Amy sharing about her background and filling in some of the details on the Duggar family (like Jim Bob’s upbringing) that I wasn’t aware of before.

Obviously, this is her story and there are two sides to every story, but I think there was a lot of value in hearing her perspective. That said, I felt like the story was hard to follow at times as it felt like she jumped around in a lot of places and didn’t give enough context for some things and then repeated herself and some details in other places.

What I’m Watching

I’m still on season 10 of When Calls the Heart. I haven’t had much time to watch anything the past two weeks with travel and my last round of book edits, but I’m hoping to make some good headway on it this coming week and maybe almost finish out the show (there are 14 seasons).

Jesse and I also started watching season 3 of The Night Agent. Silas and I had watched the other seasons together and really liked it, so I convinced Jesse to to watch the first two seasons so we could watch season 3 together. So far, we’re only a few episodes in, but we are enjoying it. (Do note that the show has some language, quite a bit of action and intense scenes, and some more mature themes. As always, I recommend doing your own research before watching a show to decide if it’s a good fit for you!)

What I’m Listening To

I randomly found this audiobook available on Libby and started listening to it. It’s different than the books I usually listen to, but it has been intriguing enough for me to keep listening! Note: I’m only about two hours in, so I can’t vouch for the book as a whole and whether there is anything in it I wouldn’t recommend or would make me stop listening, but so far I haven’t encountered anything other than some very brief language.

In Case You Missed It – Posts From This Week

Where to Get Books for Free — I love books, I love learning, and I truly believe reading is one of the best (and most affordable!) ways to grow. So, over the years, I’ve gotten pretty creative and discovered that it is possible to read a lot without spending a lot. Check out this post for my best tips for getting free books!

Where to Buy Cheap Books (So You Can Read More Without Spending a Fortune) — Can’t find the book free? No worries! These spots will get the books you love without making your wallet cry.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe ($10 Family Dinner Idea) — If you haven’t ever tried chicken pot pie with a homemade cream cheese crust, you are absolutely missing out! This crust takes regular ol’ comfort food up a whole notch! And, since it uses frozen vegetables and pre-cooked chicken, it’s a quick weeknight dinner that feels extra special.

From Instagram: My Advice for Raising Teen Sons — I shared my advice for building a strong relationship with your teen son. If you’re in the thick of raising boys right now, I hope this encourages you. 

And My Advice for Raising Teen Daughters — Some of this advice matches what teen boys need, but these are some of the things I think you can do strengthen your relationship, especially during those often-tumultuous tween and early-teen years.

Why Walmart+ Just Became Even More Valuable for Pet Owners (Free 24/7 Vet Access!) — If you have a pet, you know how quickly those little “uh-oh” moments can turn into expensive vet visits. That’s why Walmart+ adding free 24/7 virtual vet access through Pawp is such a big deal and, honestly, one of the most underrated perks of the membership right now. Check out this post for all the details!

Best Devotionals and Christian Books for Women — Whether you’re craving deep truths or a little daily encouragement, there’s something here with your name on it. 

Crustless Spinach Quiche with Easy Whole Wheat Bread ($10 Dinner Idea) — This crustless quiche is one of the easiest recipes ever! And, when paired with this go-to whole wheat bread, it’s an affordable, healthy weeknight dinner.

Zuppa Toscana — My sister’s creamy, delicious soup with potatoes and sausage is one of the first meals my niece requests when she comes home from college. I think your family will love it too! 

This Week’s Podcast Episode

I am so excited to be bringing this conversation with repeat guest Addison Bevere to you! Addison is the author of the book Words with God: Trading Boring, Empty Prayer for Real Connection, and his work has really stayed with me since our last discussion. I have, in fact, told so many people about how his heart for faith feels so authentic and alive. His genuine spirit deeply touched me in our first interview, so I was honored to get to have him back — and this interview is one that I’ve thought about again and again since we recorded it.

In this podcast episode, we talk about his new prayer journal that accompanies his book which is designed as a 40-day invitation to build a more real rhythm with God rather than trying to achieve perfect performance. After all, prayer should not be performative!

One of the themes that keeps coming up throughout our conversation is the idea that prayer isn’t about getting the words right, and I reflect a bit about my own experience learning to slow down and practice rest as a spiritual discipline, something I never really thought much about before. Addison explains how many people feel they are “bad at prayer” because they approach it through shame or expectation rather than connection, and, instead, he frames prayer as simply showing up honestly and paying attention.

We also unpack how quickly our mornings can be hijacked by screens, anxiety, or the pressure to immediately start producing, with Addison sharing a simple but powerful practice: when you wake up, breathe, rest in the moment, and allow your mind and heart to settle before grabbing your phone.

He explains how early morning brain states may be uniquely open to reflection, creativity, and spiritual awareness, and I also talk about about how this practice has helped me move from feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands to seeing them as opportunities to respond with love and intention. Addison highlights the importance of writing down fears, burdens, or questions that can help name what we are carrying and create space for clarity.

If you have ever felt unsure how to pray, struggled with slowing down, or longed for a deeper sense of closeness with God, this conversation offers a gentle, practical framework for beginning. I hope that you enjoy this conversation with Addison, and, as always, I would love for you to reach out with your thoughts!

Listen to the episode here. I am almost 100% positive, you’ll walk away from it deeply inspired, too!