THE EVANS LIFE: A Remarkable Adventure

The benefits of gratitude are many. In fact, gratitude can cancel out a whole host of negative emotions, and be the gateway to something that is in short supply in the world right now. Empathy. In this episode of the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure, Bob, Diane, and Stacey talk about ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily life. And they answer the Question of the Week; Why do we sometimes concentrate on what isn't right in our lives, instead of what is?

Diane and Stacey take over the microphones to talk about clarity; determining where you want to go, and setting up the way to get there. This week's question: How do you get your little ones to go to bed?

It's the little things that can make a big difference. In this episode we talk about that, answer the question "What's the deal with women?" And talk about Bob's interview with the Osmonds Second Generation that aired on FOX 13 News this past week. Here is the link. 

Murphy's Law is REAL!!!  These past two weeks (really) have been ones for the books. Challenge after challenge after challenge. Not life-shattering, just major developments that make you wonder if you should have stayed in bed.  If you've ever had days or weeks or months like that, Diane has some great advice to help you get through it.

Just showing up is 90% of it. Just showing up. And we almost didn't.  Join us on this episode of the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure podcast to hear how we snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in a way that we'll never forget.  And you probably won't either.

A busy week with birthdays and football tryouts, football camp, a new driver, preparing for a trip to California, juggling life, and staying connected through it all.  There is something you can do to make sure your family remains grounded. Diane has some great advice. 

Every four years our children get to retrace some of the footsteps of the Mormon Pioneers, many of whom lost their lives on their trek west. It is a life-changing event. In this episode, Joseph, Grace, Emmalee, and Isaac join us to recount what they experienced; the fun, the funny, and the sobering realizations that we all drink from wells we did not dig, and stand on the shoulders of giants.

Baby watch is over!!!! Paul and Lauren's little baby girl Lennon is finally here!!! And she is SO cute!!! Not only that, but Diane, Stacey, Grace, Emmalee, Jaxon, and Brock spent 7 DAYS in Las Vegas. Why? Grace won a scholarship to Season Finale, the national dance convention where the best dancers in the country are trained by the finest instructors and celebrity artists. Now, all the big kids are about to re-enact a pioneer trek across part of Wyoming. What a summer so far!!!!

In this fun episode of the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure Bob, Diane, and Stacey share some traditions and exciting things to do on America's birthday. And as a bonus, find out what was 6 year old Brock's "best day of {his} life". Hint: It involved pockets full of candy.

Have you ever had to be somewhere, and despite everything you did, it just didn't look like you were going to be able to get there? At all? In this episode of the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure Stacey shares the challenges of getting Emmalee to her competitive cheer convention in Dallas, despite terrible weather, canceled flights, and questionable airline tickets.  

When our ninth child Michael became one of two Crossfit athletes from Utah to qualify for the International NoBull Syndicate Crown Crossfit Semifinals to be held in Knoxville, Tennessee Diane's response was immediate, "We're going. All of us."  And so we did. Out of nearly 300,000 Crossfit athletes around the world, only 30 qualified for the semifinals in Knoxville. The top five athletes moved on to the finals. This episode of the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure recounts that incredible experience. To watch Michael win one of his heats, click on this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxR7QEWYTtw 

What if he thought she loves gifts, but in fact she loves quality time together? What if she thought he loves acts of service, but in fact he loves physical touch? Knowing your spouse, significant other, or children's love languages is critical in helping them to feel truly loved, and building a strong and lasting relationship. Bob, Diane, and Stacey take the 5 Love Languages Quiz, and encounter some surprises along the way.

Whether it's putting together a profile book for your upcoming adoption, or embarking on a new chapter in your life, listening to that inner voice and having the courage to do what it tells you to do makes all the difference.  Erica Chancellor (etsy.com/shop/littleknithomeco) shares her inspiring story of adoption, and how she helps other adoptive families prepare the all-important Family Profile Book. 

Adoption is very emotional. For everyone. The adoptive parents are nervous, anxious, longing to love, and full of hope and even faith. But what about the birth mother? This young woman will become a new mother, with all that that entails physically and emotionally. And will then, in what is usually a very short time, hand her baby over to strangers to raise and call their own. Ashley Mitchell (bigtoughgirl.com) became a birth mother at age 26. In this episode, Bob & Diane visit with her about what she was feeling then, and continues to feel now, as a wife and mother of two, and a birth mother of one.

Where do our thoughts come from? Whose voice is that we're hearing in our head? How do our thoughts and inspiration intersect or overlap?  These are just some of the questions we put to psychologist Russell Hurlburt at UNLV, an expert on the inner experience, as we drill down on how what we think and feel affect the decisions we make, and how we behave. Prepare for a fascinating and stimulating discussion.

If you had to make a brochure that succinctly describes you and your family, could you do it? What would you say? What pictures would you include? How would you convey what you're truly like in a way that would touch someone's heart? In this episode we talk with Kendra from Adoption By Design about that very thing. And with Kendra being on her own adoption journey, we know you're going to fall in love with her, just as we did!

Sometimes adventure lies just beyond a spur-of-the-moment decision. Who knew what lie ahead for Stacey as she and her friends decided on a whim to buy those cheap airline tickets to Boston, and then New York? You'll find out in this episode, as Bob, Diane, and Stacey recount her Remarkable Adventure, and catch you up on their adventurous life back at home.

Sandy Hook, and other tragedies like it; infants dying of neglect as their parents played video games; the loss of real human interaction and person-to-person learning. These, and much more, are the terrible costs of our digital age. Little children, and even infants, are given screens in the name of educating, entertaining, and babysitting them. But what it's doing to their brains and their lives will terrify you when you hear what psychologist and best-selling author Nicholas Kardaras, Ph.D. presents in this interview with Bob & Diane.  

For ten years while he was growing up Rabbi Avremi Zippel was sexually abused by his caretaker. In recent years, he decided it was time to come forward. Now, his abuser is in prison. And he is a vocal advocate for sexual abuse victims in religious communities. Through his life experience and religious training he has developed tremendous insight into not only the worth of a soul, but making use of that divine spark in each of us to help guide our lives. You'll enjoy listening to Bob and Diane's conversation with this very wise man.

Oscar T. Moses grew up in a religious home but never thought the ministry would become his life's mission. As a police officer working in the projects of Chicago, he saw hopelessness firsthand and got very good at prayer. He tried to bless the lives of those he served, and eventually, guided by his inner voice, was led to the pulpit, and a life of service. Bob & Diane explore with him how to transition from just hearing your inner voice, to doing what it tells you to do. You'll love this fascinating and insightful conversation. 

There are angels among us. And in the second part of this series on listening to our inner voice, Bob and Diane talk with one of them.  Pamela Atkinson is considered by many to be the Mother Teresa of Utah. As an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, no one does more to advocate for the poor and homeless than Pamela does. And she is very much hands-on. But it wasn't always so. At one point in her life she wanted nothing to do with poor people. Hear how she came to become a beacon of hope to thousands across all ethnic and religous boundaries, and continues to bless the lives everyone who knows her.

Whether your trying to decide on a career, adoption, marriage, or a life calling, listening to your inner voice is critical. But how do you recognize those promptings, and how do you know they're right? In the first of a series, we talk with Father John Evans of St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Cottonwood Heights, Utah (www.stmutah.org) about his personal experiences with discerning, and how it has helped him make critical decisions.  A fascinating conversation that has broad application.  

There is a "kick" we all get when we're on our screens. It's because of a neurotransmitter called "dopamine". It plays a big role in how we feel pleasure. But too much dopamine can negatively affect a child's developing brain, and make it difficult for them to regulate behavior. In this episode, Bob and Diane talk with Drs. Diane Liu and Stan Brewer, pediatricians and pediatric psychiatrist about Children, Screens, and Dopamine. To see this podcast on Youtube, go to https://www.youtube.com/c/1of17MyStory For more information, go to https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/cover-kids-screens

As families, we use the internet for everything. From planning meals to doing homework to setting up vacations to family movie nights.  Since it's here to stay, how do we teach our children to navigate what can be a very scary and dangerous place?  In this episode, we talk with two experts from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force about how to help our children use the internet without becoming victims. For the video version of this podcast, and more information and outstanding resources go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SkUWW6PVtA

This Remarkable conversation with renowned child psychologist Dr. Doug Goldsmith looks at not just the signs of suicide ideation in our children, but at the family environment that leads to the stress and anxiety that are often precursors to young people taking their own lives. In the fast-paced world we live in, Dr. Goldsmith explores ways to change that environment, so children obtain the skills necessary to deal with stress, conflict, disappointment, depression, and other emotions that otherwise might lead them in a downward spiral. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - 1-800 273-8255, or text HELLO to 741741.

When Heather Crockett was just 13 years old she learned she would never have biological children. Now, this social media influencer with more than 204,000 followers, in a mother of five, with a husband who is the rock of her life. The story of how their three adopted children found them will delight and inspire you. It is Remarkable!

They were just barely out of college, no job, no money, living with parents, two little ones, and the strong, unmistakable prompting that they MUST adopt. "No way," you say?  Justin and Lindsay Bowen look back now and realize what seemed like every logical obstacle to bringing little (now big) Denali into their family were actually just minor distractions. And now, running their own highly successful touring company and non-profit humanitarian organization, they are changing many young lives for the better. Meet them at https://youtu.be/S7YNV3JhDOk.

Talk about Remarkable Adventures. Greg and Holly Richardson are living theirs. And so are their 25 children! You will not believe how they got to where they are now. And they aren't just surviving, they're thriving! You've gotta hear how they're doing it. Find out what drives them forward, and how you can learn to face your challenges without winding up in a heap on the floor. Meet them at https://youtu.be/6nVdwYkrVJs

Incredible! Amazing!! Remarkable!!! 34 of us in six RV's on a Remarkable Adventure to Alaska!!!! Finally, all the planning, plotting, and preparation came to a head, and we took off for a nine-day journey "North to the Future", to the 49th state in the union.  And after all that preparation, find out what worked, what didn't, and how you and your family can get the most out of your trip North to Alaska, or wherever you're headed.

Moving a large family with small and medium-sized children anywhere can be daunting. Imagine getting them all ready to go to Alaska! But that's what Bob, Diane, and Stacey are doing. And it's going to be great! An ounce of organization is worth pound of  fun once you get there.  Here are some great tips for making your summer vacation a lot more enjoyable. 

Adoption often transcends earthly understanding. Ask any adoptive parent, and they'll tell you there is a higher power at work in bringing their child to them.  Fara Dawn Bastian is an adoption advocate who is not only the dearest of friends, but was intimately and intricately involved in each one of our adoptions. This Remarkable woman shares the very heart and soul of adoption in a way that will astound you. 

Family Law attorney Mary Jensen has had a front-row seat to the Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure. As our guest in this episode, she shares her insight into the legal side of adoption, and how adoptive families don't need to stress. And she shares some touching and emotional stories of how adoptive children wind up right where they belong.

In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure we talk with Linda Hackett, Clinical Director of One Love Adoption Agency, about what adoptive parents can expect when using an agency, and the stories of love and miracles she's been a part of.

As we get ready to hopefully leave Covid-19 behind, it's time to plan that summer vacation. After 41 years of planning summer vacations, Bob, Diane, and Stacey have six things you must consider. And even if you're not quite ready to burst out of Covid isolation, it's good to get the vacation juices flowing. And this will help! Enjoy!

402 days in relative isolation. That's what the pandemic has forced on the Evans Family. That is a long time. In this episode Bob and Diane interview the younger children about what it's been like to be largely sequestered at the house, avoiding Covid-19. We learn what they have learned and come to feel as the number of cases where they live has dropped, and restrictions are starting to be lifted.  It's a delightful visit and glimpse at what all of this has meant through the eyes of these insightful children.

Kim and Kent Farnsworth had no idea their little family would turn out like this! But as they listened to their inner voice, things began to happen in a Remarkable way.  Now they're living in England, and share with Bob and Diane what they have learned about promptings, and the courage to not just listen, but DO what that inner voice tells you, even if those around you think you're CRAZY!!!  

There is nothing more powerful than creating new life. Our son and daughter in-law got to experience that for the first time with the birth of little Renee. Michael and Stephanie reflect on this wonderous new chapter in their lives. This beautiful baby girl has captivated everyone's hearts, with her full head of hair and long beautiful eyelashes.  See for yourself! This podcast was recorded on Zoom, and can be found on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA8xYpJcu4U.  

How many loads of laundry do you do everyday? Can you name all your children? Do you drive a school bus?  Those are just some of the questions we get on a regular basis when people find out we have 18 children.  In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure we explore those questions and a lot more, as Stacey seizes control of the podcast.

Just because 2020 has been a difficult year doesn't mean we can't continue with meaningful family traditions. In fact, those traditions help keep us grounded in the values that make us who we are.  In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure we share some Christmas traditions we've come to love over the years, and hear from each of the children living at home about the traditions they love the most.

As we ponder the things we're grateful for, we need to acknowledge the difference between gratitude and appreciation. In this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure Bob, Diane, and Stacey talk about how truly great people have one thing in common. Can you guess what it is?

Thank goodness for November! What a great reminder to be grateful, no matter what's going on around you.  In this episode you'll hear of one of our dear friends who is going through the loss of her husband to dementia. Talk about the embodiment of gratitude, she is it. It will inspire you! Also, how gratitude changes you and your brain. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain. You'll also hear about the three gratitude projects we're working on this month that have already changed our family. And for an incredible lift that will change your life, check out our dear friend Nathan Osmond's podcast, Achieving Awesomeness Now. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/achieving-awesomeness-now/id1474544835 

Making your life a Remarkable Adventure sometimes means just jumping in the car and going! Come with us to Goblin Valley State Park, an indescribably beautiful place! Don't worry that it's three and a half hours away and it's 1:30pm. Just come on! It'll be fun!!! Find out what to put in your "Go Box", as you set out on your own Remarkable Adventure. Listen and see for yourself how this Remarkable Adventure not only took us there, but was a real nail biter on the way home! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDHekfP6GFM  

We'll never forget the look on Emmalee's face when Santa brought her a puppy for Christmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq7rLFrWhdg at 7:24). That was incredibly magical. You'll love it! They can be the source of great joy, comfort, companionship, and love. But getting a pet, be it a dog, cat, gold fish, or tarantula requires a little forethought. Come with us as we recount our pet adventures, and explore the value of making this part of your life a Remarkable Adventure.

The average person will change careers five to seven times in their lifetime, according to career change statistics. In fact, with so many career choices, 30% of the workforce will change careers every 12 months!  So how do you know it's time to change? And how do you know whether you're "singing the song" you were meant to sing in this life? Get some deep insight in this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure.

Almost six months of contemplating, planning, worrying, scheming, gathering, and preparing - and finally it's here. The question is - Can We Actually Do This? It was certainly not our first choice. And it isn't something we would naturally do. But faced with the realities of our situation, we had no alternative. In this episode Bob, Diane, and Stacey look back to see if it worked.   

"I know, let's have Brian do your emergency oral surgery!" I said. "It'll save us money!" I said. So with that in mind, we packed up the big van with all the kids, and off to California we went. And everything was going great. The kids were happy. The car was running fine. Until about half way.  And that's where the adventure begins.

Turmoil. Confusion. Unanswered questions.  Going back to school in the fall of 2020 had so many if's, and's, and but's that we just decided, you know what? we're going a different direction.  Come with us on this Remarkable Adventure. It'll be fun!

Getting out and going on vacation can be just the answer to recharge your batteries and give your family a Remarkable Adventure. But what happens if you can't do that? Bob and Diane Evans describe the "stay-cation" this year that has turned out to be a Remarkable Adventure too!

The New Normal has turned out to be something we never anticipated. We worried that by the time we got to this point in the pandemic we'd be climbing the walls and pulling our (and each others) hair out. But guess what.  Not only that, we've got some exciting news for you! And you are going to LOVE it!

Staying home all this time, the children have discovered something they wouldn't have otherwise. Could it be that Covid-19 has taught us something about ourselves, and the other members of our family that we didn't know? Joseph, Grace, Emmalee, and Isaac join Bob, Diane, and Stacey in this episode of The Evans Life, A Remarkable Adventure.

Everyday Bob Evans reports on television the effects of COVID-19 on people and society. Whether you believe the reaction to the virus has been overblown or not, it continues to spread, with varying degrees of devastation.  In this episode, Bob appeals to those who feel their rights are being trampled by how the government and health officials who have imposed restrictions. And he cautions all of us.