Gotta Love Family Podcast

To a post I made about my Sept. 3 hip surgery, a friend responded with: Hope you both recover quickly! I love how you make the best out of any situation. Kristine A. Two weeks later, my life went into the dumpster. After a lot of thought, I decided to share what happened, why, and what I finally did about it.  If you want five great tips on how to take control of your response when life is tough,...

Join me as I share the magic of Christmas in our lower-middle-class home and how the anticipation my parents created can bless your family, even when it comes to Family Work. Don't believe it? Listen in and be converted. 

My mother had a stroke in February. She wasn't doing well and was put in hospice. In the ensuing months, she had an astonishing recovery and will be leaving hospice at the end of December. Her current nurse, Laurie, said it is a joy because it rarely happens. Our hospice caregivers have been wonderful, and we've enjoyed getting to know them. They have made a difference in our lives. This week, we...

In 2010, I hosted an essay contest. The topic was The Inspiration Connection: How Being Inspired Transforms the Quality and Effectiveness of Our Education. A friend, Jody Jarvis, who lived in Nevada at the time, won. The prize was awesome and was inspired. You will enjoy that story also. You will learn from and appreciate the experience she had, inspiring her boys by being an example for them. Her...

A fun Christmas season activity is watching children perform Christmas plays. When Maggie was five and Jack was three, they had the opportunity to be in a play depicting the First Christmas. All the actors were under eleven, and many were under five years old. Maggie has severe cerebral palsy, which posed challenges; fortunately for her, Cindie Walker, her best friend, was the director. Maggie nee...

A fun Christmas season activity is watching children perform Christmas plays. When Maggie was five and Jack was three, they had the opportunity to be in a play depicting the First Christmas. All the actors were under eleven, and many were under five years old. Maggie has severe cerebral palsy, which posed challenges; fortunately for her, Cindie Walker, her best friend, was the director. Maggie nee...

The article I had prepared to post on November 30, 2025, had been published in 2017. My Excel sheet wasn't as in order as it needed to be. Instead of getting another article ready at the last minute, I wrote a note to my readers and sent it out via the Sunday newsletter. It made an impact, and I got emails. I realized that I had written an article with an important message without even knowing it....

Join me as I share the things that I am most grateful for this year. You will find yourself included. : ) It may help you ponder what you are grateful for and bring joy to your heart for Thanksgiving Day.

Several years ago, I wrote an article about the importance of gratitude . I'm posting it again because this is the season when we think about expressing gratitude. However, I hope it helps you take some daily actions that move you to think about what you are grateful for every day . Join me as I share the story of the Turbo Pickle and other ways that gratitude changed my life. My story may change...

In an article I wrote in September 2024, titled The Five-Year Lesson , I detailed how I transitioned from not nurturing relationships to consistently engaging in them. In the latter half of 2025, I've experienced the wisdom of that five-year lesson. I'm glad I listened to God and myself and took some challenging steps, even though it seemed like just another thing on my very full plate. Join me as...

This week, I had an experience that brought to mind the importance of letting our kids know, daily, that we see them and that they matter. It brought back many memories of families I have worked with, parents I have mentored, and the huge impact I've seen when moms and dads learn to 'see' their kids during the mundane moments of every day. A universal human need is to matter , especially to those...

Today, let's look at the fifth Principle of Power. I love all five principles; they all matter, but this seems to be the most challenging to implement. Many of us fly by the seat of our pants. Don and I did that in our marriage and family life for many years, and we paid a price; our family paid a price. Things go better, even if they don't go exactly as we envisioned, when we have a plan. This is...

Recently, I wrote about principles that I consider powerful for a healthier and happier family life. Last week, we delved into principles one and two. Today, I will share information and examples on principles three and four. Principle 3 - Make It Special Principle 4 - Make It Simple You will relate to the stories I share, and I know you will see the value in adding these principles to your life. 

I love the Five Principles of Power (formerly the Five Rules of Engagement). I didn't have them fully formed in my mind when I began working with parents and helping them connect with their children. I just knew what children needed: to learn well, connect, and thrive. In the beginning, I connected the principles with education, as I worked with families who homeschooled. As I have transitioned to...

A mother who attended one of my classes in the early days of my teaching career mentioned that because what I taught was based on principles, she could go home and put it right to work. A principle is a fundamental truth that we can build on. There are five principles I have focused on in my life and career that determine success, or mediocrity, and failure in our efforts. In the beginning, I call...

I was watching Jack, almost 3, and Mary, who was 10 months old. It was getting crazy. I was trying to write an article and keep the Christmas Tree from tipping over for the third time that day. I began asking myself, "What can I get Jack interested in?" We have a large rain stick in the living room, so I got it out. Jack was fascinated. Join me as I share how I helped these very young children cre...

Most of you know that I live in a four-generation home. What caused that to happen almost fifteen years ago was my granddaughter, Maggie . She was born with severe cerebral palsy, which requires a lot of one-on-one care. It finally made sense to live together rather than having our daughter, Jodie, call for help and us driving to give it. We began by sharing a regular home. We lived in the basemen...

Today, I'm sharing an article written by my friend, Laura Pearson. I've watched my daughter, Jodie, do much of what Laura has shared in this well-written article, so I can appreciate the value of the counsel. I know this information will be helpful to both you and your children. Enjoy. : ) "Leadership isn't reserved for boardrooms or political arenas—it's a skill set that can begin forming in the...

As I've mentioned before,  there's a story that has caused me grief.  I've worked on rewriting it, but  it continues to morph  as I move into my 9th year of caregiving. Despite the work I've done and the changes I've made,  it still rears its ugly head and causes negative emotions. When it does, I take immediate control and look at how the story has changed . It's annoying and sometimes exhausting...

In 2012, the week after Christmas, Don and I traveled to Colorado to visit our grandkids. We loved and missed our daughter and her husband, but we went to see the grands! I'm always grateful for the time we took, in those early days, to spend time with them. Ashley, the grand in this story, is now in her mid-twenties and a wonderful hairdresser. They grow so fast, and you can't reclaim their child...

A few days before my 54th anniversary, May 28th, I spoke to my good friend, Joy. I had been down with bronchitis for three weeks. I was challenged to keep up with caregiving and was feeling down, not at all like myself. At the time, I was reading the book Master Your Mindpower . One exercise was to make a list of 100 things you would like to see happen in your life. I didn't know if that was possi...

Here is part 2 of the wonderful experience I had with my Colorado grands in the summer of 2012, as we embarked on our chemistry adventure. If you haven't listened to part 1 of this amazing learning play saga, you can find it here - https://five.libsyn.com/show/episodes/view/37552330

The wonderful experience I had with my Colorado grands in the summer of 2012 is too long for one article, so I am breaking it into two parts. When we had this adventure, Ashley was eight, Lizzy was six, and their little brother, Parker, was three. I asked Lizzy and Ashley if they wanted to help me put some family mementoes into my hutch. It was fun work and led the girls on our chemistry adventure...

Learning by doing is a powerful way to teach children. When they experience something new or exciting, it's an effective way to absorb information and to learn.   Join me as I share numerous experiences I have had, and that my friend, Joy, has had, as we have helped children experience the power of immersive learning. It will assist you to give your children more powerful learning expereiences.

Sometimes something happens that dictates what you introduce to your children or grandchildren. Don and I sat on the balcony to enjoy the fall sunshine one afternoon. Right there on the deck was a perfectly preserved dragonfly. These happen to be my FAVORITE insect, next to the Cat Spider, which isn't an insect. LOL A few days later, while I was walking to the car, there on the sidewalk, in plain...