Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess

We would love to hear from you!!! How does youth sports help build mental toughness? In this episode of Blended Blessed and Always a Mess, hosts Aric and Angie Phillips welcome guests Trevor Rosenthal (former St. Louis Cardinal) and Jason Holzer from The Game Plan Show. The conversation explores the significance of youth sports, the impact of grief and loss, and the importance of mental resilience...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, the hosts welcome Ashley Minor, their wedding planner and close friend, to discuss her journey through profound loss and grief. The conversation explores the impact of losing both parents at a young age, the importance of faith and resilience, and the challenges of navigating life as an only child. Ashley shares her experiences of building walls f...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode of 'Blended, Blessed, and Always a Mess', hosts Aric and Angie Phillips discuss various themes surrounding family dynamics, parenting challenges, and the emotional journey of navigating different stages of life. The conversation delves into the complexities of parenting teenage boys, particularly during the 'wander stage', where...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie explore the complexities of relationships, politics, and personal growth. They share humorous anecdotes about their interactions, delve into the challenges of grief and anger, and reflect on the importance of family time. The conversation also touches on spiritual messages from nature and the concept of strength in vulnerability. Th...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode of 'Blended, Blessed and Always a Mess', Aric and Angie reflect on their recent experiences, discussing the balance of grief and joy, the importance of finding glimmers of hope amidst pain, and the healing power of nature. They share personal stories about their trip to Florida, signs from their late daughter Hallie, and the challenges of...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode of 'Blended Blessed and Always a Mess', Aric and Angie reflect on the emotional journey following the tragic loss of their daughter, Hallie. They discuss the recent sentencing of the individual responsible for her death and share the powerful victim impact statements delivered by family members. The episode captures the profound grief, th...

We would love to hear from you!!! Angie takes on the topic of self-worth. She explores the concepts of self-worth and self-esteem, emphasizing the importance of recognizing one's inherent value. She shares personal anecdotes about motherhood, the challenges of maintaining self-worth in relationships, and the necessity of setting boundaries. Angie encourages listeners to embrace their purpose...

We would love to hear from you!!! Ever feel like you were put in time out as an adult? In this episode, we continue the conversations about our communication improvement journey and the steps we are taking to reintroduce ourselves to each other. We share insights from our therapy sessions, a movie fail and more ways we continue to honor our beautiful daughter, Hallie, who's no longer with us....

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, the we invite Lynn Roush, a licensed professional counselor, to discuss the topic of the dreaded F Word --- forgiveness. We explore the challenges and complexities of forgiveness, emphasizing that it is a divine act that goes against our natural human instincts. Forgiveness involves releasing someone from a debt they owe us, just as God forgives u...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, we get real and raw talking about our communication challenges! We discuss the importance of communication in all types of relationships. We get into the weeds sharing our recent struggle with communication and what we are doing to improve it.  IT IS HARD especially in the context of grief and complicated emotions.  We have to be super intentional...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie answer listener questions. They discuss the possibility of writing a book about their life story, coping with longing after the loss of a child, and how their parenting style has changed since Hallie's passing. They also talk about how they come up with podcast topics, their self-care routines, and their approach to discipline...

We would love to hear from you!!! Do you cry when your kids go back to school or too overjoyed to cry? In this episode, we discuss recent experiences with back-to-school season and the emotions that come with it. We share personal stories about our kids starting school, the challenges of letting go, and the importance of rest and self-care. We also provide tips for setting study schedules and gett...

We 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 Refer...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie discuss the experience of finding REAL joy after the loss of their daughter, Hallie. They share their journey of grief and how they were able to feel true joy again at a wedding. They talk about the importance of giving oneself grace and patience during a long and hard season, and how dancing can be a powerful way to combat depressi...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie discuss the challenges of living in a divided world and the importance of staying true to oneself. Not one person escapes this world without experiencing some type of division whether it's politics or personal events. They share their experiences of facing judgment and criticism for their beliefs and actions, particularly in re...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode of Blended Blessed and Always A Mess, the trial of Hallie Phillips is discussed.  The hosts, Aric and Angie, share their experience and emotions leading up to the trial and the verdict. They clarify misconceptions about the criminal justice system and emphasize that they had no control over the charges or the trial process. The trial revealed the l...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie reflect on the emotional toll of preparing for the upcoming trial. It's gut wrenching, which naturally leads into sharing 10 things they recommend you can do to support people going through extreme grief and loss. They emphasize the importance of reaching out to those individuals and offering specific help, such as cleaning the...

We 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....

We would love to hear from you!!! In this conversation, Aric and Angie delve into the topic of grief and share three valuable lessons Angie has learned from her grief journey: finding a firm foundation in faith, recognizing that everything is temporary, and zooming out to gain perspective. They reflect on the impact of grief and the importance of kindness in navigating through difficult times. The...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode,  Angie shares a powerful message from a homeless man she encounters in Chicago. There is a level of fear of losing a child that we all encounter as parents. But once you experience such great loss, the fear of losing another child is something that doesn't seem so far fetched. Angie is also learning more about the healing power of horses. Joi...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and guest, David Hockman,  discuss the challenges and experiences of fatherhood, reflecting on their own upbringing and parenting styles. They explore the themes of grace, love, and the pursuit of their children's hearts, highlighting the importance of open communication and understanding in parenting. The conversation covers various asp...

We 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 m...

We would love to hear from you!!! This episode was hard for us to listen to after we recorded it. We are raw and real about the challenges with intimacy and connection in the face of deep personal struggles and grief.  We explores the impact of trauma on our identity and the LONELY  journey to healing.  How do we attempt to keep our connection? Put in the AirPods and hit play! Thanks for listening...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode,  Angie and Aric celebrate Carter's high school graduation!  Angie also shares details on a  trip back to her old school that involved a mishap that felt very much like kindergarten.  They express gratitude for their family, friends, and moments of joy.  Everything minus Jesus equals nothing. Thanks for listening! Angie & Aric PS If you ha...

We would love to hear from you!!! In this episode, Aric and Angie discuss their experiences during their daughters' graduations and Mother's Day. They share their emotions, grief, and the importance of their faith in navigating through difficult times. They also introduce the concept of the 'Seven F's' as guiding principles for dealing with grief and storms in life. 1. Fai...