Life Sunny-side Up

Sometimes, we get excited about starting a new project, beginning a new journey in life, and we imagine being successful overnight. We then realize that overnight turns into a road full of ups and downs, no matter what our end goal is.

When she first became a mother, Crystal found it difficult to create a balance between being there for her kids and being there for herself. In her quest to finding that balance, she started a blog, and there, her journey began.

Crystal Escobar started exploring her own personal quest for purpose and balance in 2010. She learned to embrace her inner mompreneur and used the blogging platform as a way to keep a personal journal of sorts. She found the time spent writing and sharing her thoughts with others to be extremely rewarding and even therapeutic. Crystal’s blog has evolved into more than just an online journal. It has become a mission for her. A mission to create a community of other Wannabe Balanced moms who have the desire to become a better version of themselves in motherhood and business, all while juggling the other demands placed upon them.

Crystal has been featured on several Television News Stations for her unique way of promoting a balanced life incorporating mind, body, and soul.

So, don’t miss Episode 11 of Life Sunny Side Up, and learn how to balance your road of ups and downs.  

Questions I ask:

• Why did you decide to start blogging and what did your life look like then? (05:58)
• What does balance look like to you and what does it look like on a daily basis? (13:24)
• How did you make that decision to go from homeschool to school? (16:34)
• Do you time-block, Crystal? (19:05)
• What is next for you? (28:55)

In this episode, you will learn:

• Crystal’s biggest advice for people. (03:59)
• Two things that she loves when it comes to balance. (22:27)
• How Crystal and her husband, Sean, invest in their marriage. (20:39)
• One of the best gifts that you can give to your children. (25:05)
• The reasons why she loves her podcast. (29:20)

Connect with Crystal:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook Page
• Youtube Channel
• Podcast

Book: Crystal Escobar - My Life As a Wannabe Balanced Mom

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As mothers, life can be messy, especially if you’re a work-at-home mom. You have to take care of your children and meet their needs, you have to do your job, take care of the house, and you also have to be a loving wife to your husband and make sure you spend quality time with him.

In the attempt of getting some balance in my life, I found that what helps me best is having a morning routine. Over the past years, I’ve perfected it, I’ve designed it according to my needs and now I dedicate the first hour of my day, every day, to it.

No morning routine is similar to another, and you have to find what best fits your lifestyle, but in today’s episode, I’m going to share with you my own routine, with the hope that it will motivate you to create your own so that your day can run smoothly.

So, don’t miss out, Episode 10 of Life Sunny Side Up, and start changing your habits today!

In this episode, you will learn:

• How to cope with the struggles of being a new mom. (05:08)
• Avoiding social media first thing in the morning is a game-changer. (10:07)
• Five steps to create your morning routine. (13:12)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the world of social media, Instagram is one of the big players and with its help, you get to make real, authentic connections with people that have the same passions as you.

But just being on Instagram doesn’t guarantee you those connections, so you have to bring in your share of the work and make yourself seen. Jenny Caspers is an expert of this platform and one of her purposes, besides sharing inspiring photos of her home, is to teach other people how to thrive on Instagram.

On today’s episode, she is going to share with us valuable information about Instagram, about taking and editing photos and so much more.

Jenny Caspers is the creator of “A Clean Prism Life”. She is an Interior Stylist, a Product Photographer, and Influencer. She loves being a wife and a mom, and creating clean, cozy and well-styled spaces in her home and others. She’s been featured on Better Homes and Gardens, she’s had partnerships with Ashley Homestore, Kirklands, Decor Steals, she was published in Heart in Hand and G&G magazine and she had the cover of Your Handmade Home magazine.

Jenny’s main focus is her Instagram page where she shares bright, high-quality photos of her home and recommends products, brands, and shops to her audience. So, don’t miss Episode 9 of Life Sunny-Side Up, to learn how she got started and tips for people who want to join the world of Instagram.

Questions I ask:

• Just for our listeners, we'd love to hear the journey of Jenny becoming A Clean Prism Life. How did you decide to start the account? (02:42)
• How did you decorate on a budget before you were working with brands and they were giving you things or paying you to take pictures? (07:43)
• Do you remember the first brand that reached out to you? And how did you feel? (09:53)
• Do you take your pictures with your iPhone? Do you use a professional camera? What do you recommend? (13:27)
• What do you think about the future for A Clean Prism Life? (28:27)
• How do you figure out what your style is and not get distracted by everything else it's out there? (30:00)

In this episode, you will learn:

• How Jenny decided to help other people create their Instagram accounts. (10:48)
• The apps she is using to edit her photos. (15:03)
• 5 Tips that Jenny shares, for people who want to start an Instagram account. (18:11)
• About the concept of “the follow train” on Instagram. (21:55)
• Jenny’s advice on hashtags. (23:56)
• The benefits of working from home and how it influences your children. (26:08)

Connect with Jenny:

• Instagram
• Website

Resources mentioned:

• Picmonkey
• Snapseed
• Presco App

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's difficult to focus as a business owner, to focus as a mom,

And to have all the extra things thrown at you,

But you find what works, and you do it.

You just make it happen because there's a solution for everything.

It may not be the solution that you like, but there is a solution for everything.

On today’s episode, my guest is Nichole Roberts, a woman in a man’s world. She is a mom, but also a super successful career woman and she gives us advice on how to find our work-life balance.

Nichole Roberts is a licensed Florida Real Estate Broker and the owner of Nichole Roberts & The All Florida Homes Realty Group. She didn’t always know she wanted to be in the real estate business, and the idea came to her when she was working in a bank doing mortgages. She noticed that working in real estate was profitable so, in her early 20s, she took a semester off from college and went to get her real estate license. She worked for different companies and at one point in her life, she boldly decided that she wanted to have a baby and open her own office, simultaneously.

She said there were times when she wanted to quit because the real estate is hard, but what kept her going were perseverance and a passion for what she does.

Learn Nichole’s entire story on how she became successful, and some useful tips you should be aware of, if you want to sell your house.

Questions I ask:

• At the beginning, did you have a moment of “Is this really going to work? Can I do this?” (07:30)
• Do you struggle, at all, with mom guilt? (16:58)
• Are you still working with your husband? (18:08)
• Do realtors usually work together as a team? (29:45)
• What is next for Nichole Roberts? (30:59)

In this episode, you will learn:

• The best way to start a career in real estate. (09:16)
• The experience of having a baby and starting a career at the same time. (12:42)
• What you should and should not have inside your house when you’re trying to sell it. (19:34)
• What colors you should choose for your kitchen and bathroom, to raise your chances of selling your house. (22:17)
• What you should look for in a realtor. (26:45)

Connect with Nichole:

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook Page

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you tired of wasting at least half an hour a day, searching for the things you lose inside your house? What if it rains outside and you need an umbrella – do you know where to find it? On the outside, your house may look organized, but what’s in your drawers? 

Cassandra was once a super slob and now she’s one of the most organized people I know. And she even makes a living out of organizing tips and helping people find their own style of decluttering their homes. 

On today’s episode, Cas and I discuss how she started her business, what are the four types of clutter bugs, their characteristics and so much more.

Cassandra Aarssen is the creator of the Clutterbug Philosophy, which helps people get organized by understanding their unique organizational style. She has an engaged community, both in print and online, with two best-selling books and over half a million online followers. Her popular Youtube Channel, blog and Podcast – Clutterbug, teaches families real-life organizing ideas on a small budget.

So, listen to Episode 7 of Life Sunny Side Up, to find out what type of clutter bug are you.

Questions I ask:

• Were you going basically for function over necessarily looking pretty in the beginning? (08:17)
• When did Clutterbug start? (09:27)
• What are your do or die things that have to happen before you go to sleep? (25:21)
• What do chores look like for your kids? (29:06)
• Are you still a dollar-store bin girl? (30:43)

In this episode, you will learn:

• About Cassandra’s background and why she started being more organized. (03:22)
• Why Cassandra regrets having filmed her daughters when they were little girls, when she was doing her videos around the house. (15:28)
• About the four types of clutter bug. (16:55)
• What’s the first thing to do if you want to start organizing your life. (20:57)
• Cassandra’s advice for people that have dreams and don't necessarily dare to follow them. (33:41)

Connect with Cassandra:

• Website
• Youtube Channel
• Pinterest
• Facebook Page
• Instagram
• ClutterBug Podcast
• Twitter

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Food allergies and seasonal allergies are more prevalent in our children than ever before, and milk allergy is the number one allergy in kids.

13 years ago, Jamie experienced with her own son the effects of milk allergies and since then she constantly searched for ways to improve her son’s life.

On today’s episode, I talk with her about Oral Immunotherapy, desensitization, her blog and all her allergy mom journey that led her up to the point where now her kiddo eats his dream food – pizza.

Jamie Kaufmann is the creator of milkallergymom.com. She has created a space and a community where all of us moms can come together and encourage each other, find recipes and really be able to deal with the pressure and the lifestyle that is taking care of an allergy kiddo.

She says that her recipes are allergy-friendly, simple and kid-approved.

So don’t miss Episode 6 of Life Sunny Side Up podcast, to see that keeping allergies under control is not that difficult anymore. It requires a lot of attention and patience but with little steps, 

allergic people will find their freedom.

Questions I ask:

• Share with us a little bit about yourself and how milkallergymom.com came to be? (02:53)
• How did it start - what did you guys do as far as food and then, what has happened from there? (11:05)
• Which allergies did the therapy help with? (28:37)
• Can your son actually eat a crispy cream donut? (35:59)
• I would love to talk about milkallergymom.com and all the things that it offers. What are the things that you guys offer? (38:42)

In this episode, you will learn:

• The latest statistics with regards to allergies. (08:53)
• What is Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) and how it helped Jamie and her kid. (22:36)
• The steps you have to take when you’re starting the desensitizing process. (32:26)
• How her sister’s death inspired Jamie to start a membership program. (42:29)
• About the allergy binder and the challenge that goes with it. (46:38)

Connect with Jamie:

• Website
• Facebook Page
• Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you following your dreams?

What’s stopping you from diving in headfirst?

Nicole Johnson, singer/songwriter of Elenowen, is someone who truly lives each day intentionally, working toward her dreams and goals. She might not have all the details ironed out each day, but she has direction and the drive to get there. Nicole has found a way to pursue her dreams and fulfill her destiny while balancing the responsibilities that come along with being a wife and mother.

Nicole and I discuss all about chasing your dreams while taking on motherhood and finding ways to thrive all along the way. Nicole shares her personal story: how she met her husband, what it was like to start writing music together, what it was like performing on The Voice and on the road, and so much more. All along her journey, she remained authentic and inspired to continue writing music alongside her husband.

Tune in to this episode to hear all about Nicole’s life as a Rockstar, wife, and mother.

Some Questions I Ask:

• What’s the story behind how you and your husband met? (4:09)
• Have you always felt confident in your own skin? (7:47)
• What moment did you feel like official musicians? (15:05)
• How did you decide to start having kids? (16:54)
• How has motherhood affected your songwriting? (24:24)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• About Nicole’s experience being homeschooled. (7:53)
• How Elenowen was started. (11:27)
• How writing music together impacted Nicole and Josh’s first year of marriage. (13:06)
• How Nicole and Josh found space to write music after becoming parents. (19:39)
• What is next for Elenowen. (26:09)

Resources:

Elenowen

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Everything that you do, give it everything you have.”

For Melissa, this meant devoting everything that she had into her children, her family, and their family unit. She is 100% committed to her family, even though it doesn’t look the way she had expected in the very beginning.

Melissa Fleming is a mother of five that has dedicated her life to taking care of her family. She homeschools all of her children, teaching them everything that there is to know, and she is an example for all women that are - or intend to be - mothers.

Melissa and I talk about her shift from never wanting to be married and have children to being a wife and having a house full of kids, about the benefits of homeschooling and what efforts it requires, and she gives amazing advice to new mothers on how to deal with motherhood.

Listen to Episode 04 of Life, Sunny-Side Up, to learn from Melissa that every family is different and that you are the best mother for your child, so don’t compare to anyone else.

Questions I ask:

• How did you meet your husband? (06:39)
• Once you, guys, decided, "Okay, we are going to have children", did you have a number on it? Had you always wanted five from the moment you decided? (08:31)
• How did you guys decide to home-educate? (12:15)
• Do you mind sharing the curriculum that you're currently using? (17:21)
• How have you balanced raising 5 kids and still connecting with your husband and not being strangers in the night? (33:53)

In this episode, you will learn:

• How Melissa decided that devoting her entire life to being a homemaker, was what she was supposed to do in life. (02:58)
• How her oldest daughter, Kate, who is 13 now, developed a passion for baking cakes and cupcakes. (18:31)
• Melissa’s advice to new moms. (24:37)
• The importance of being surrounded by like-minded people. (28:15)
• The age that her kids started to do chores and help her around the house. (38:02)

Connect with Melissa

• Instagram
• Kate’s Instagram

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's all about authenticity in anything that you do.

For Lacey, a businesswoman in the hair salon industry, the words above mean everything. She truly believes in creating long-lasting relationships with her clientele by being authentic, communicative and skilled.

Lacey Hanmer owns two hair salons in Florida, Tallahassee and she works as an educator for Living Proof. She is happily married and has one daughter, aged 9 months now. She is one strong, tough-as-nails woman who grew up in Ohio, in the middle of nowhere. Her determination and strong attitude kept her going whenever things got rough.

She says that the only control you have is over yourself and what you do about it.

So, listen to Episode 03 of Life, Sunny-Side Up, to find out how she managed to open a salon without getting into debt, and her view on facing life’s difficulties. She also shares with us important advice on taking care of our hair, so don’t miss it!  

Questions I ask:

• I remember you did the first salon debt-free. You paid everything in cash, you worked like a maniac. How did you decide to do that because that was not the easy road? (13:53)
• Did you ever have burnout? (20:54)
• How has motherhood changed you? (27:49)
• What do you think, Lacey, you're most proud of? (30:50)
• Lacey, what do you think it's next for you? (43:52)

In this episode, you will learn:

• Lacey’s story. (02:26)
• The most important quality she looks for when she hires stylists. (23:02)
• What you should never ever do with your hair. (32:55)
• How she became an educator for Living Proof. (35:31)
• Lacey’s favorite products from Living Proof. (41:52)

Connect with Lacey:

• Personal Instagram
• Salon Instagram

Resources mentioned:

• Living Proof website

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freedom and flexibility.

It’s what so many people say they strive for, but what does it practically look like?

Tricia Regar has created a lifestyle for herself, her husband, and their six children focused on achieving freedom and flexibility. Tricia Regar is the creator of Clean House with Kids, entrepreneur, and author. She’s also a minimalist—which is how she and her family achieve a life of freedom and flexibility, without being bogged down by material items and responsibilities.

Together, Tricia and I talk about how she created this life for her and her family, and what led to the breaking point that pushed Tricia to live in a more intentional way. We also discuss the financial and personal hardships, miscarriages, and so much more that Tricia has overcome throughout her life so far.

Tune in to this episode to learn more about Tricia’s journey as a minimalist mother and entrepreneur.

Some Questions I Ask:

• How did you decide to make Instagram your platform? (4:20)
• Do you feel like the value of hard work was instilled in you from an early age? (6:27)
• How did you and Matt meet? (7:24)
• How do you handle grandparents and loving relatives that want to shower your kids with gifts? (16:06)
• Was there a conscious decision to keep going on the path of minimalism as time went on? (18:24)
• What would you say to the mom who has gone through similar struggles? (20:15)
• What steps did you take to make your home look and feel like you wanted it to? (22:32)

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

• How Clean House with Kids came to be. (2:25)
• How Tricia’s childhood experiences set her up for disciplined and productive adult life. (6:50)
• How Tricia’s dreams and ambitions evolved throughout her life. (7:29)
• How homeschooling provides Tricia’s family with freedom and flexibility. (10:09)
• How Tricia implemented minimalism into her family’s life and culture. (12:46)
• How Tricia keeps peace and happiness at the forefront of her home. (17:12)

Connect with Tricia:

Instagram

Blog

Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.