Mom Inspired Show With Amber Sandberg

Have you ever just wanted to hit the road in an RV and see what is out there? Today Kristina Bentle is back on the show for part 2 of our talk about living in an RV full time. We dive right in where we left off and talk about how Kristina had to go to the ER twice during her journey. How it is important to know where the closest hospital is in case of an emergency!  Kristina also shares with us what you need to consider if you do want to do this full time. I asked her what her least favorite part of doing this was and how complicated it is to set up and break down every time you move. One topic that stood out to me is that living in an RV is not a full time vacation.  Lastly, I have her share her story on how they ended up in Hawaii as their final destination. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out part 1 of this 2 part episode https://mominspiredshow.com/traveling-in-an-rv-full-time-part-1-kristina-bentle-207/   "My Favorite Things"

Have you ever thought about selling everything and hitting the road in an RV? Today for part 1 of this interview we have Kristina Bentle on the show and we talk all about RV living for a year.  I have her walk us through how long she had been thinking about this and the conversations that had to had to happen before starting the process of living in an RV full time.  She shares with us the steps that had to happen to get this ball rolling and make a dream a reality.  We also talked about why she bought a brand new RV vs. a used one.  Kristina also shared with us how long her journey was and how it got cut short by COVID. I did ask her if she wishes she would of stayed in certain locations longer or not? One topic that stood out me is when Kristina mentioned that she realized how much she wanted to be by the ocean and how that dictated the rest of their journey! Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode and love travel make sure to check out the episode I did on tr

Do you feel like your daughter is facing impossible expectations? Today we have founder of the brand Simplified Emily Ley on the show.  She shares with us some tactical tips on how to make life easier for our daughters especially during COVID.  For example, making their bedroom a sanctuary and creating a space that they can get away to from the rest of the world. Why it's important to teach them boundaries with people and knowing what to look for in a good friend.  As well as having difficult conversations with someone that might of hurt their feelings.  Emily also talks about dealing with "mean girls" and how to identify those characteristics and distance yourself from those girls.  Emily shared with us how to give our daughters undivided attention while making it practical and teaching them life lessons yet making it fun and creative.  One topic that really stood out to me was when Emily shared that one of the biggest gifts we can give our girls is being a soft place to land and allowing them to come to us

Are you feeling stressed out with money esp. during COVID? Today we have financial strategist Taunya Woods Richardson on the show. She shares with us her story on how she had to file bankruptcy and how that dramatically changed her life for the good! Taunya goes over the five financial pillars we can follow for sound money management as well as important money lessons we can pass on to our kids.  Also, she talks about being open with our kids and sharing our money mistakes with them and why that is important.  One topic that really stood out to me is when Taunya talked about financial legacy and how we can be passing on certain things to our kids unintentionally when it comes to our finances.  Lastly she shares with us what she feels is one of the most valuable life lessons we can teach our kids when it comes to money.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out the episode I did with Christina Lynn:  How do moms take care of themselves fina

Are you feeling like you are burning out? Today we have life coach Cherlyn Decker on the show. She shares with us how important it is to take care of ourselves as moms. That when we feel frazzled that we end up being short tempered and not being the person we want to be.  Cherlyn talks about not feeling good enough, especially when it comes to homeschooling and taking on that new role. Lastly, she talks about how it's so easy to hide what we are really feeling and what is going on. Also, why it's important to reach out to loved ones and let them know what is going on. One point that stood out to me is when Cherlyn said you can't pour from an empty cup, rest does not equal laziness! Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out the episode I did with Ann Kaplan:Are you exhausted trying to do it all?   "My Favorite Things" Segment: Are you looking to get back on track now that the kids are back into school? Maybe you didn't gain the COVID 1

Have you been thinking about starting something new? Going back to school, starting a side business, changing careers, maybe writing a book? Today we have author of the Night Night series Amy Parker back on the show. She shares with us how she started as an Editor at Tommy Nelson and one day as she was trying to put her young son to bed she came up with a story that would then become the Night Night Series.  The latest is Night Night Pumpkin, How to get a Mommy to Sleep, How to get a Daddy to Sleep and the Big Book of Bible Questions, a big book of factoids. Amy also shared with us her new adventure of going to Law school, even during COVID-19. We chatted about feeling called to do something and even if it seems scary to do it anyway! One topic that stood out to me is going after your dreams even if you are 40 and older, that it's never too late.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out my other episode with Amy Parker:Why the journey is

Are you having a hard time dealing with grief lately? Today, we have Shelley Buck, wife of Frozen and Frozen 2 director Chris Buck and author of Leave Your Light On: The Musical Mantra Left Behind by an Illuminating Spirit. Shelley shares with us her story with working at Disney and meeting her husband to finding out her oldest son Ryder had cancer, to then beat it then to lose his life a few months later in a car accident! Shelley shares with us her journey with Ryder through cancer and how it strengthened and changed their mother son relationship. She mentions that she realized she had to learn how to deal with grief in constructive and profound way.  One story that stood out to me is when Shelley mentions that one thing she learned was that she needed to let the ones in her life become the people they are meant to be. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out this episode with Suzanne Banker: What to do when life feels hard "My Favori

Are you feeling super stressed with the decision you are making or made about what kind of schooling your kids will do this year? Today, we have Jenny Stemmerman back on the show to talk about being a mom during a pandemic with school age kids! We have a casual conversation about what its like with trying to figure all the school stuff with COVID. That so many moms are stressed out trying to make the best decision for their kids and their families and how its really taking a toll on their emotional health.  She shares with us that she has created a "Back to school guide" with 8 different areas of life for kids and how to think through how you are supporting your kids in each area: Faith, Friends, Health, Money, Family Education, Personal Responsibility, Fun. Jenny also works full time and discusses what that will look like for her to figure out how to carve out time to homeschool.   One story that stood out to me is when Jenny mentioned that she is nervous about homeschooling, does she have the patience, can

Why should you be traveling right now, because deals are phenomenal! Today we have Laurie Palumbo, COO of ID Travel Group on the show. Laurie shares with us some amazing vacation destinations to travel to during COVID.  Not only are these places a safe place to visit, most of these resorts are operating at 70% so you are getting more privacy than usual.  Also,  ID Travel has an amazing promo going on called Vitamin Sea, there are some great deals on luxury properties that you normally would never find as well as breakfast being included! If you are wondering how you get these deals, well it's easy, I can help you as your travel advisor!  Laurie focuses on properties in Cancun, Cabo and Turks and Caicos.  One thing that stood out to me is when Laurie mentioned that there is a guaranteed upgrade at these 5 star resorts that can be a 1k to 2k savings!  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to take a listen to part 1 and 2  to this travel series: Tra

Are you racking your brain trying to figure out where you can travel to for the rest of the year and next? Today we have Heidi La Russo from Lush Experience on the show to share with us some amazing places we can go this year and next!  She shares with us 3 different locations and 4 amazing resorts that are perfect during the pandemic. Heidi mentions that she is starting to see bookings again and its mainly in the Caribbean.  So let's get started with some great places that are perfect for social distancing and relaxation. Eden Roc is not your typical all inclusive Dominican Republic hotel. It's privately gated located in Cap Cana.  Flying into Punta Cana is a 15 minute ride. All cars are being sanitized before and after clients. You can only go to Cap Cana if you are staying on Cap Cana and there is so much to do there. You can go to the marina for dinner, water activities, bike tours, walking tours and equestrian center to mention just a few.  Eden Roc is located directly on the beach, and on a Jack Nickl

Are you trying to figure out if you want to do private homeschooling vs. online learning through the public school system? Today I have Shannon Carpenter from Heart of Homeschooling back on the show.  I wanted to talk to her about choosing curriculum's.  I know so many parents who have decided to do remote learning are trying to figure out if they want to do their own thing vs. remote learning through the school system so that they can have more flexibility.  So Shannon shared the curriculum she has used over the years.  She suggests doing a learning style assessment and factor in what personality do your kids have. Are they organized and structure or loose and flexible? Also to consider what season of life are you in and what is the personality of the mom. She shares with us that some curriculum work better if you need your kids to be more independent say you are really busy and don't have as much time to sit down with them vs. picking a different curriculum where you are more involved.  Also,  she suggeste

Are you considering remote learning for this school year 2020/2021, and feeling anxious on what that might look like? Today I have mom of 7 kids Shannon Carpenter from Heart of Homeschooling on the show.  I asked her what does she recommend to moms that are considering if homeschooling is a good option for them?  Shannon also shares with us how important it is to build a community around you if you do decide to homeschool.   She also mentions why it's good to create some quiet time for yourself so you can feel rejuvenated before your day starts and take in the quiet before your kiddos wake up! I also asked her about setting up the house and the best way to organize our space for home school.  One story that stood out to me is when she mentioned that a rigid schedule for example doing 30 min segments were not working well for their family.  That loosening up the routine truly helped!  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to check out the first 2

Have you ever wondered how do you organize your day when you homeschool, even when you work outside the home? Today, we have Erin Barry back on the show to talk more in depth about homeschooling and what that looks like.  We dive into the advantages of homeschooling at each age level, what do co-ops look like and how socialization works in regards to building a community for your kids and yourself!  Erin also shares with us how you can make subjects that are non traditional activities count as credit. She also mentioned the importance of having a routine and schedule even if you are more of a free spirit kind of person that it still makes a huge difference for the family!  She emphasizes that you can be flexible but its good to start off with some structure.  One point that stood out to me is when she mentioned that having structure it actually gives you the freedom to be creative. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to check out the first epis

SHOW NOTES: Homeschooling 101 series: Part 1 Erin Barry: 194 Is Homeschooling starting to look like a good back up plan? Today, we have Erin Barry on the show and we talk all about homeschooling!  She shares with us that many people can feel overwhelmed by the thought of homeschooling and that it isn't once you are familiar with it.  Erin mentions that you actually have more control over your schedule when you homeschool. I ask Erin how to go about figuring out different curriculum for all ages and grade levels.  She also shared with us the fears that people have and the challenges that come with homeschooling.  One topic that stood out to me is when she shared her experience as a teacher in the public school system and what her thoughts are on it. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to check out this episode that is part of a 4- part series on simplifying with Stephanie Sikora. Simplifying daily systems   "My Favorite Things" Segment:

Do you ever find yourself saying is this it, is this our new normal? Today, we have Jennifer Thompson back on the show and we talk all about quarantine and what that looked like for Jennifer as well as what life is looking like as we come out of "shelter at home".  She shares with us how she started cooking more with her kids and some of the fun recipes she has fallen in love with. We chat about COVID birthdays for the kids and what that looks like and how birthday parades became a "thing"!  We talked about what has been challenging during all of this and how Jennifer has been making time for herself with the help of her husband! One topic that stood out to me is when Jennifer said that we need to show grace to others right now, that we don't know what other people are going through and it's easy to judge what people are doing.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out this episode with Natalie Hixson, where she talks about being tired of

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."- Maya Angelou Today we have author Angie White Stone back on the show to have a peaceful but honest conversation between two moms about what is happening right now.  I wanted to pick her brain on how do we start taking steps, even small steps to move in the right direction especially with our children. What do we need to do now so that our kids don't have to do this 10-30 years from now.  Angie shares her story on what is was like growing up as the first black family in her neighborhood and how that shaped her today.  I talked to her about feeling like it's easy to say the wrong things and how that could prevent people from saying anything at all.  Also, that this will not get fixed overnight and hopefully we will see all of this change in our children's generation. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you want to check out my first interview I did with Angie, click here: https://mominspiredshow.com

Do you ever wonder how you could be a better mom to your boys? Today, we have Monica Swanson on the show and we talk all about being a boy mom! Monica shares with us what its like raising 4 sons in Hawaii.  She talks about building relationships with her sons that last and what does that look like. We talk about raising boys to have their own personal faith as well as navigating the teenage years. One topic that really stood out to me is when Monica shared with us her experience with pornography and what she has taught her sons about this topic and how she monitors that on their devices. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out the one I did about raising men not boys with Mike Fabarez: Raising Men Not Boys     "My Favorite Things" Segment: -Enneagram Courses with Beth McCord the Enneagram Coach Discovering You Course When you understand what makes you (and those around you) tick, you can: Break free from the mundane St

Has quarantine made you think about your design choices in your home? Today, we have Rachel from Crate and Cottage on the show to talk all about house design without breaking the bank. She shares with us that after having her first son she had postpartum, experienced a lot of depression and anxiety. So she was looking for a creative outlet that was just for herself other than being a mom and it came in the form of decorating.  I feel like for most of us being stuck at home for COVID-19 it has either made you really appreciate how you have designed your home or its made you think twice about how your home is currently set up.  Rachel shares with us her journey of building her dream farmhouse and how she is already changing the aesthetic after 3 years of living in it.  I also picked her brain about buying things online especially rugs and how to easily return them. She talks about her favorite shopping places with us from where to buy rugs, lighting and decorations for the house. Lastly, I asked her how to mak

Have some of you enjoyed this time of quarantine, especially if you have teens? Today, we have Ann Kaplan on the show.  Ann talks about seeing her teens more than she normally would because of quarantine and how she has actually enjoyed it!  We talk about disappointments, from not being able to travel, to hanging out with friends and how we now have to think about "how to be with other people" and what that looks like.  Ann also points out that whatever issues we are dealing with now that most likely we were dealing with them before COVID-19.  She shares with us about not white knuckling motherhood and hopefully this moment in time will actually help us to learn to not do that. That we can believe in ourselves as moms and know we can do this and not just wait for reprieve.  Lastly, she talks about how figuring out how to get work done and getting time to yourself.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. Please share with your friends, my goal is to get these episodes into as many moms'

Since COVID-19 hit have you found yourself making different decisions in regards to your health? Today we have Lindsay Young back on the show and we talk all about taking care of ourselves.  Even when the quarantine gets lifted everywhere we still want to stay healthy. Lindsay shares with us some things that are key in order to best take care of ourselves.  The first things she talks about is sleep and how good quality sleep is essential for a healthy immune system.  As well as moving daily, reducing stress and eating a healthy diet so that you can get a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Lastly she talks about gut health and how up to 80% of our immune system is in our gut! One topic that really stood out to me is something I have noticed for myself personally and how going to sleep before midnight makes a huge difference. Hear what we have to say on this topic and more on the podcast. ⁣ If you are on a health kick and want some inspiration, make sure to check out my recent series I did on how I lost 50l