Coffee with a Twist!

Send us Fan Mail Grief doesn’t stay in your heart, it lives in your calendar, your routines, and even the rooms you walk through every day. We’re back on Coffee With a Twist with a raw life update on why we went quiet for a few weeks and what it’s like returning after saying goodbye to Layla, our 19-year-old dog. We talk honestly about how a pet can be family, how death can bring up older losses,...

Send us Fan Mail Nineteen years is a lifetime with a dog, and saying goodbye can stop you cold even when you know it’s coming. We sit down for a short, heartfelt check-in as Madam Ballou shares the passing of Leliah , her red-nosed pit bull, and the wave of grief and gratitude that hit the same morning. If you’ve ever searched for “pet loss support,” “grieving a dog,” or “how to cope when your dog...

Send us Fan Mail You ever discover a tiny daily habit you thought was universal and then realize you might be the odd one? That’s where we start today, with coffee. I’m making my cup the way I always do, sugar packets first, then the pour, and someone beside me says she does it the opposite way. That one comment opens up a surprisingly fun question: does coffee taste different when you add condime...

Send us Fan Mail A month after buying a pre-owned Tesla Model Y, the honeymoon phase turns into something more useful: real-world lessons you only learn once you’re charging, commuting, and living with the car day after day. We talk honestly about what we love so far, what surprised us, and what we wish we knew earlier, especially for anyone shopping the electric vehicle market because gas prices...

Send us Fan Mail Buying a car is usually a long day, a lot of waiting, and at least one conversation you don’t want to have. This time, it turned into a late-night decision on a website, a $500 deposit, and a process so fast it honestly felt fake for a minute.  We’re catching up on real life first: new jobs in the house, travel on the calendar, and the sprint to the end of the school year while I...

Send us Fan Mail We talk through the love and doubt that come with parenting, including what it means to feel responsible for every decision as a special needs mom. Then we shift into real-life safety, decluttering, and life updates that reflect a busy season with more hope than heaviness.  • reflecting on parenting as an “investment” and why that framing changes over time  • naming the hardest pa...

Send us Fan Mail Seven years can pass in a blink, and still leave you standing in the same spot emotionally, holding one sentence you wish you’d said differently. Tonight, I’m sharing something personal: the goodbye I didn’t fully give my dad when everything was happening fast and shock made my love come out too small. If you’ve ever replayed a final moment, or wondered why your “I love you” didn’...

Send us Fan Mail Parenting looks simple from the outside until you’re the one trying to keep a tiny human safe, fed, respectful, and still yourself. We reunited the sisters on Coffee With A Twist for a real-family conversation about parenting styles, old school rules, and the modern parenting anxiety that comes with phones, social media, and nonstop headlines. Three of us are parents, one of us is...

Send us Fan Mail Spring break vibes turn into a real-time life update with sunshine, bowling plans, and a big thank you for record downloads and new listeners. I share how I’m trying to reset my health, why I’m cautious about posting my son’s journey online, and what I’m learning about IEPs, behavior, and advocacy.  • spring break plans with my son, from the park to bowling  • gratitude for new fo...

Send us Fan Mail We catch a quick moment of real life at the playground, then a simple car ride with the windows down flips a switch and pulls me straight back to childhood. I talk through why nostalgia hits so hard, how sensory memories work, and the one family car memory that still feels crystal clear.  • recording outside while my son plays  • an old reliable car with no A/C  • the wind through...

Send us Fan Mail I got a question I hear a lot: why did the music disappear from Coffee with a Twist? The honest answer is podcast copyright. Using music the wrong way can trigger takedowns, restrictions, or worse, and I’m not willing to risk the content I’ve worked hard to build. So I talk through what changed, what I’d do instead (like a simple original jingle), and why “safe and consistent” bea...

Send us Fan Mail A cup of coffee sounds simple until it opens the door to everything we’ve been carrying. We start with a real morning moment, a new coffee we unexpectedly love, a loud little Rumba in the background, and an honest check on why we’re trying to cut back. It’s not a “perfect wellness routine” talk. It’s the kind of everyday health reality most of us live in: caffeine, cream and sugar...

Send us Fan Mail We’re hit with a heavy run of loss in our family and it shakes us into telling the truth about time, love, and what really matters. We talk through grief, stress, faith, and the small health changes we can start right now so we show up longer for the people who need us.  • sudden deaths and funerals piling up fast  • feeling numb from nonstop bad news and refusing to stay there  •...

Send us Fan Mail A cold morning at the playground turns into a gut-level talk about the messy middle of school, support plans, and the daily work of advocating for your child without burning bridges. We open up about what it really feels like to sit across from a table of professionals, push for services, and still honor the reality that teachers are carrying more than ever. If you’ve ever left an...

Send us Fan Mail We share a warm check-in over coffee, celebrate a real potty training breakthrough, and talk about getting back to Zumba while juggling a commuting spouse and a rambunctious seven-year-old. The thread is presence: how we protect attention, tag team at events, and choose routines that bring joy. • returning to Zumba for energy and identity • balancing schedules with a commuting spo...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt strangely uplifted right when life hands you a plot twist? That’s where we start: a snowy Sunday, a very full mug, and a heart that somehow feels lighter after a contract ends. We open up about choosing a calmer rhythm with caffeine, the comfort of small home refreshes, and why a tight job market can still be a good time to sharpen skills and standards. From there, we ge...

Send us Fan Mail We share how a firm test date, simple study rules, and servant-leadership thinking led to first-try passes on ITIL 4 and PMP. Between sick days, snow, and late-night classes, we found a way to study smarter, manage time, and stop waiting for perfect timing. • passing ITIL 4 with targeted mock questions • choosing a firm PMP date despite life chaos • using the 200 hardest PMP quest...

Send us Fan Mail A cold can of V8 sparked a flood of memory—fishing trips, a convenience store that sold worms, and a father who made ordinary moments feel solid. That small joy became the on-ramp to a bigger truth: after ten years of delays, detours, and self-doubt, I’m finally sitting for the PMP. Not because life got easier, but because life didn’t—and I’m choosing to move anyway. I open up abo...

Send us Fan Mail Fresh snow framed a tough confession: I set a smart career goal, then let a big project push it aside. When a new opportunity appeared, I didn’t have the certification I’d planned to earn months ago. That single delay flipped the script—from confident “yes” to a scramble of midnight classes, rushed exams, and a hope that timing would still work. The lesson is simple and hard at on...

Send us Fan Mail We sit with the tension of grief and gratitude as the year winds down, sharing how listening, community, and small, specific goals helped us keep moving. Parenting wins, mom guilt, and the quiet power of timing shape a practical plan for a gentler new year. • holiday stress and year-end reflection  • unexpected loss, funerals, and shared remembrance  • empathy through listening ra...

Send us Fan Mail We share a warm, unedited talk about surviving a hard year, carrying grief, and using small wins to steady the week. The tone stays honest and gentle while offering practical ways to find light as the holidays approach. • why we keep the show light and personal • how grief stacks and reopens old wounds • seeing layoffs and setbacks as redirection • lowering the bar to stay consist...

Send us Fan Mail We reset for year-end with a calm plan: review the vision board, sequence big goals into early 2026 if needed, and design a holiday season that protects cash and peace. Practical DIY gift ideas, budget boundaries, and low-stress hosting make generosity doable. • year-end vision board check and goal triage • sequencing certifications and realistic timelines • spending limits that a...

Send us Fan Mail A humming parking garage. A head full of bass and stage lights. A ponytail headache and a stomach running on fumes. That’s where this story turns. We headed to D.C. for a Chris Brown show that exceeded every expectation—tight choreography, big production, and the kind of stamina that reminds you why you go now, not “next time.” But the real pivot came after the encore, trapped bet...

Send us Fan Mail Join us in this engaging episode of "Coffee with a Twist," where we dive deep into the realities of parenting relationships and the intricate web of sharing among children. As we sip our favorite brews, we unravel the challenges that come with maintaining friendships for our kids and ourselves. It's fascinating how friendships evolve as we transition from childhood...

Send us Fan Mail Greetings, dear listeners, it's Madame Ballou here with a heartwarming invitation to join me as we reassess our ambitions with the dawn of spring. I've been taking strides, quite literally, towards a healthier lifestyle and I'm eager to share the milestones I've hit and hear about yours. It's time to break down those looming goals into attainable steps and...