Every Mom Needs a Friend

My brain is hardwired for logistics, planning, and packing! This was a super simple episode for me to (lol) plan for and produce because its so deep in my soul to want to make things efficient and be prepared.  But also I'm STOKED for the beach and for us, a new place! I've had it on my bucket list to go to the Hawaiian Islands ever since I learned that my parents honeymoon was there. Ca...

So so so much here. Too many tidbits to count! I needed to record this episode to full digest all that I learned. So apologies as I work it out on y'all and do it as succinctly as possible. But sorry not sorry - hope this leaves you wanting more and tuning into next year's IF Gathering!  https://www.ifgathering.com/if2023/ It's worth it y'all... Get ready to hear lots of script...

Let's work through this together because this is definitely a WIP-life-documentation-stream-of-conciousness-chit-chat. What a weighty topic and I do my best to squish it into 20 mins. Don't mix my speedy descriptions with light-heartedness! I am fully feeling the charge as these three girls' mama to make them strong women who know the Lord and love Him fully.  Here's the summar...

What are we even supposed to do with self-care? Society tells us as moms that we are supposed to prioritize ourself and YOLO and get those moms-night-out... and with almost everything in life needing balance, I hope you hear my heart today that I fully acknowledge that we are a generation that is BURNT-OUT. But also we are strong, resilient Bad-A mothers who can do this, we have been called for th...

Want the biggest diet secret? You're not eating enough vegetables! Ash has quickly become our family's moral compass to what's "good" and "bad" to eat, but she's quick to talk through balance and how we don't eat enough veggies.  And, she's wildly Type A so the way she personally organizes her family's meal plan is intense (in a good way). She...

We all need this kick in the butt sometimes. I pride myself on looking for the best in every situation but then I became a parent.  Parenting is rough and tough and really taxing on your mental state. But we are called to speak positively over our kids. They are precious and formable and our goal as parents is to work towards them being full-functioning humans that are independent and capable of s...

Raise your hand if you have kids! Now keeping your hands raised, who has emotional kids? (assuming everyone is keeping their hands up here...) Big feelings are felt at the Duffy household DAILY. So when the speaker at my MOPS meeting talked about how to talk to kids with big feelings, I listened up (and took copious notes). My notes are shared today and I hope y'all find something encouraging...

Today is the first installment of me working through a pretty typical problem in the parenting world... building trust in your kids by listening to them with your full attention! Coming from a place of grace and mistakes here, y'all! I really want y'all to hear my humbleness as I am working through this alongside you. But you got this, Mama! Let's together do better to love our kids...

Calling all planners (and even you last minute people)!! Pay it forward to your future self with these 7 ways (and I'm sure you have plenty more that you do)! I'd love to hear from you with what resonated and what else you do in this arena.  Oooooof  - love y'all deep. Send me some love on insta (@everymomneedsafriend)!  As always, please join me over on instagram (@everymomneedsafr...

I've been dying to tell y'all this... tune into today's episode to hear what our last couple weeks have entailed as we prepared and started this moving process. We are pumped and tired... but sure do love y'all!  And hop on over to the instagram @everymomneedsafriend to connect!  As always, please join me over on instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to talk with me in real time! L...

oof - it was bad. no other way to slice it. Not our worst, though. Good to keep it in perspective! But happy 2023! Let's start this year off with a bang and a cRrRrrrrazy story.  Love y'all! xoxo, but also jump on over to the instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to follow along on the daily. As always, please join me over on instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to talk with me in real time! Lo...

The 12 Days of Podmas comes to a close! So many things to be thankful for this year, but THANK YOU for joining me as I chit-chat about it. Today's short, but so SWEET episode focuses on the hope that came and the rest that can be presently yours.  Love y'all so so deep. xoxoxo As always, please join me over on instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to talk with me in real time! Love y'al...

Christopher, hellooooo!!! It's a Christmas miracle that we were able to keep the episode under 10 mins. More to come in 2023 from Christopher and me! Big thanks to y'all for listening to 11/12 of these... I'll see you tomorrow, right? And head to the instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to connect with me, I'd love that! Love y'all so deep!!! xoxoxoxoxo As always, please join...

The Christmas is blahhhhh episode. Are you with me that sometimes Christmas can suck? Today's episode titled: "Grace over Grades" is an important one for us moms who put SO much pressure on ourselves. Today episode is meant to remind you that you're a good mom and that if you're dreading Christmas Day, I've been there. The good and the bad, right? That's what you...

Our Kitty Kate's 2nd Bday is today! It's not her golden birthday as I once thought lol... but it's still a big one! Oh the "2s"... they are fun! Ever wondered what's up with the nickname "Kitty"? Do y'all nickname as much as the Duffys do? Cheers to my holiday babe, born so close to Christmas just 2 years ago! I adore you, Katherine Louise, our Kit Kat,...

Have all the date nights! Have that glass of wine!  You should make your marriage a huge priority all times of the year, but if you're like me, this was a good reminder that December can be super busy and stressful so don't let your marriage fall by the wayside. My sweet Christopher is the rock in our house and I want to make sure he feels the love this Christmastime too. Hope y'all...

The Nutcracker Ballet, Advent Calendars, and Shopping... Oh my! Christmastime brings up all the warm-fuzzies because I loved growing up getting to do Daddy Daughter Dates! Feeling like a princess for a day was just so much fun and watching Christopher do it with our girls is THE BEST.  A full circle moment for sure. Enjoy this episode where I talk about some extra fun traditions. Do y'all hav...

My mom would bake with love and I hope my girls say the same about me! What do you love to bake over the holidays? What do you picture when you think of Christmas dinner?  Today's episode I go into my family's very important debate of pale pink or pale green... which tastes better? Also, I share some insecurities I'm feeling as I'm working through this postpartum body that I&ap...

When do you start listening to Christmas music? If I thought that Christmas Cards would create a divide, there's something funny about how passionate people can be about when is appropriate to start listening to Christmas music?! Enter: Christmas Jazz! (ex. The Classic Christmas Album by Kenny G) What a way to bridge the gap between the "sooner the better" people and the "you&a...

Let's get our heart and home prepared for the holidays! I pulled on the thread from the line in "Joy to the World" where it says: "Prepare Him Room" and it's really sunk in this year as I am doing my best to fully do this even when I'm in a city that doesn't exactly feel like home yet. Jump on over to the insta to chat with me about it, I'd love to hear...

Giving gifts are so so much fun for me, but some years it feels easier and some quite hard! And then there's the "what the heck do I get my husband this year..." especially because sweet Christopher's bday falls a couple days into the new year and we just celebrated our anniversary in November so that's a perfect storm of fun and a frenzy. Also, anyone else get travel inso...

Goodness I had no idea Christmas cards would have such a divide! Some people see them as something that will just ultimately be thrown in the trash, others see them as a way to connect, and some think they're silly before you have kids. And then there's me who hasn't missed a year of sending them out since we got married 9 years ago. That's a lot of addressing and lots of stamp...

The holidays are my favorite time of year, but also a breeding ground for conflict... how do we deal with this?? Today's podmas episode breaks down that and the art of small talk. Be sure to head to the instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to share your thoughts. Enjoy! Love y'all deep! As always, please join me over on instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) to talk with me in real time! Love y&...

Podmas is coming!!! Mark your calendar for this Wednesday, December 14th... because I'm going go help you count down the 12 days leading up to Christmas with the hope of Jesus and some silly little bits full of all the Christmasy things! Today is a leeeettle trailer of what's ahead to get you excited! But please head over to the instagram (@everymomneedsafriend) because if you like Chris...

Sickness in kiddos is the worst! But sickness that continually gets worse and you have to make the judgement call of when to take them to the hospital... that's worser.  I have my BFFL Kailyn on the pod today to discuss how she's spent too many times in the hospital for RSV with her infants. She breaks down when she decided to go, what she was told to look for, and what they had to do wh...