Podcasts about both amy

Kat and Amy go over the Drama Triangle today! Kat helps us unpack the difference between content vs. context (aka fact vs. the story we write about the fact), why our brains default to meaning-making, and how those stories can lift us above the line into possibility…or pull us below the line into fear, lack, and powerlessness. Kat explains the 3 unconscious roles of the Drama Triangle: Victim, Rescuer, and Persecutor + why each one feels rewarding in the moment, and how they keep us trapped in unhealthy communication loops. Both Amy and Kat share some personal stories on the Drama Triangle showing up in their own lives. They also talk about how quickly we rotate roles and what actually breaks the cycle: noticing your patterns, naming your feelings, setting boundaries, lowering expectations, and taking radical responsibility for yourself. It’s an eye-opening and immediately practical episode. Plus, Amy brings in the “burnt toast theory” to show how reframing even the smallest moments can be helpful. Get some Feeling Things merch by clicking HERE! (FeelingThingsPodcast.com) Sign up for the Feeling Things newsletter HERE! Watch us on Youtube HERE! Call and leave a voicemail: 877-207-2077 Email: heythere@feelingthingspodcast.com HOSTS: Amy Brown // RadioAmy.com // @RadioAmy Kat Van Buren // threecordstherapy.com // @KatVanburenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Embracing Enchantment: From Corporate Struggles to Spiritual AwakeningIn this episode of Women Making Moves, host Amy Pons is joined by Megan Hamilton, a speaker, coach, and founder of Impact Witch. They discuss the journey from corporate life to discovering and embracing spiritual practices like tarot. Megan shares insights on trusting one's intuition, navigating toxic work environments, and the importance of following what feels right internally. They delve into how societal conditioning affects personal growth and how to deconstruct norms to find true alignment with one's purpose. Both Amy and Megan emphasize the value of embracing change, listening to one's inner truth, and creating a life that feels genuinely fulfilling.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome00:58 Personal Experiences with Energy and Spaces03:09 Corporate Life and Awakening06:08 Navigating Toxic Environments07:50 Permission to Change and Free Will12:58 Holiday Stress and Perfectionism19:45 Unsubscribing from Mainstream Norms22:12 Releasing Relationships with Love23:10 Questioning Archetypes in Tarot23:57 Creating Impact 3325:25 Rebranding to Impact Witch26:13 Trusting Your Intuition in Business27:31 Magic School and Intuition28:21 Science and Magic: Infinite Possibilities30:55 The Journey of Impact Witch34:21 Embracing Tarot and Spirituality40:24 Navigating Cosmic Changes44:06 Final Thoughts and EncouragementConnect with Megan via Impact Witch, @ImpactWitch on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok or follow on LinkedIn.

My Honey Cousin: Part 2. Darren's Morning Shag. Based on a post by Guzzler 21. Listen to the Podcast at My First Time. All was dark. Darren felt his mouth was dry, he was waking up in a warm and sweaty cave. It took some seconds before his brain caught up to his senses. Last night's happenings slowly dawned on him. Apart from the darkness and the sweaty warm body he was pressed up against, his face was also feeling itself surrounded by Amy’s tangled hair. His body was slowly doing sensory checks and sending them back to his brain. As he slowly started sensing his own body, pressed tightly against his cousin’s back he quickly became aware of other things pressing against him. If he had blacked out, fainted, or just fallen asleep from exhaustion; was unclear. But that his cock was still impaled and bound tight into Cousin Amy, from behind; was now very clear. He felt himself only semi-hard. But the realization of having spent the whole night with his cock inside of the sweet, sexy cousin, got his blood rushing; and his meat twitching. Darren didn’t dare to move a muscle, apart from his cock muscles; but they were pulsing on their own accord. He could feel his cousin breathing slowly and calmly. She must still be asleep. Although he was still covered by her blankets and still wedged between the wall and his cousin, he could hear faint bird chirps from outside. He used his fingers to carefully peek out from under the blanket and could see that Amy’s bedroom was growing lighter from the morning twilight. All was still. Darren dared to pull the covering blanket away a little more and lift his head to look out. To his fright he saw aunt Lily there, still lying in the bed. Her large, luscious tits were exposed and Amy was still latched on to the closest of them. Amy was humming softly, and slowly suckling in her sleep. Every few seconds, she sucked at the nipple hidden in her wide open mouth. Only the very outer rim of aunt’s areola could be observed, outside of Amy’s wet lips. It was an extremely sensual sight. Darren’s cock was quickly turning into a raging boner. As it grew in length, it pressed deeper and deeper into Amy, who started to stir in her sleep. Her body was surely taking notice of the increasing impalement of her most secret, wet cave. As she stirred some, the suckling of her mother’s tits increased, in pace and force; so Darren snuck his head back under the covers and prayed to any gods out there, that he wouldn’t be detected when his aunt finally woke up. It had been hot under the blankets when he woke up, but now the heat was building even more under the covers where he was deeply embedded in his cousin Amy. His face was full of her wild, sandy blonde hair. It smelled like sex. Memory flashes from last night were coming back to him. Although their bodies weren’t moving, Darren could feel the pressure inside of his balls was building up. All his turgid cock now wanted to do, was to start moving; in and out of that glorious wet crevice, which it had spent the night in. He could easily feel that there would be no friction whatsoever. Amy’s cunt had acclimated to his cock during the night and she was filled with fluids. Both her own and his. It would be a dream to just pull out a little and slowly push himself back in. He fought the urge for a long time. There was no room whatsoever for him to pull back. The wall was pressed tightly against his back and ass, so instead he carefully moved a hand down to Amy’s nicely rounded ass and ever so slowly tried to push it away from himself. Half an inch; one inch; one and a half; Amy moved! Her body started the process of waking up. His pushing of her hips forward, had woken her enough to move. She instinctively pushed her ass back to where it had first been, and Darren's cock sunk back deep into her slippery, steaming hole. He now heard aunt Lily mumble, in her own fleeting sleep. Darren felt the tidal wave course through his thighs and up towards his rock hard phallus. He came, hard! He didn’t dare to move at all. Darren even held his breath and strangled a scream of lust, deep in his lungs. The only thing that moved was his pulsating cock, sending stream after stream, deep into the waking Amy impaled on his cock! Before Amy was even aware of it herself, her pussy contracted and opened in unison with Darren's cock pumping into her. Her womb was effectively milking his cock, trying to absorb every little ounce of semen shooting out from its swollen crown! Through his silent climax, Darren could feel Amy’s hand, in panic, probing for what was behind her! He felt her hand finally land on his hip, so close to where their young bodies were connected; and had been through all of the night. As Amy became clearly awake, Darren could feel her cunt, tightening around his rocket. As if to push him out. But he was stuck in, deep; and the wall behind him kept his cock deep inside of his wet cousin! He now heard aunt Lily waking up. At first, sleepy murmurs, then a shocked gasp! Probably as a kind of distraction, he heard Amy start to loudly suckle on her mothers tit! “Oh; I’m sorry honey! I must’ve fallen asleep!” she whispered in a rather hoarse voice. Amy just moaned and kept on suckling. Darren could only lay there under the covers, listening and imagining the images of Amy’s cute lips holding on to aunt Lily’s large, heavy tit. The bed jostled as aunt Lily stood up from it. Amy’s lips let go of her tit with a wet ‘plopp’ and Darrens, still pulsating, cock bounced ever so slightly in and out of his cousin's warm entrance! He bit his lip and worked hard to not let any sound slip from his lips. Amy on the other hand, let out a weary gasp as their sexes bounced into each other. But Lily was probably too newly awakened to notice anything strange. “I’ll just go and freshen up. Then I’ll check on Darren and make breakfast for you” she whispered and gave Amy what sounded like a kiss on the cheek before her footsteps could be heard on the rug as she left Amy’s bedroom. Amy pushed her behind hard against Darren's hips, sinking his leaking boner in even deeper! She buried her head in her pillow and let out a muffled groan! “Damn; have you been in me all night?” she then whispered in a baffled tone, still seeming to wake up from the deepest of sleeps. “I’m sorry;” was all that Darren could reply in a meek tone. Amy suddenly became very still. Darren could feel her entrance gripping and relaxing a few times; it felt excruciatingly erotic, but he himself didn’t dare to move at all. “Are you still coming into me right now; ?” she asked slowly, her body trying to feel all of his staff stuck inside of her. “I couldn’t help it; it came by itself;” was the weak excuse he could muster. Amy turned her head to him, she was smiling. She rocked her hips a little, her hole squeezing along his cock. “This is so hot;” she whispered and her tongue involuntarily licked her lips. Then she sprung into action! Morning Dash. “Quick! Mom is going to come and check on you! You have to get back to your room; NOW!” she hissed, panic in her voice. She moved forward from him, his still hard cock slipping out of its wet, nightly folds! He heard the faucet from the bathroom. Aunt Lily was in there. He didn’t have much time. He didn’t even have time to be embarrassed about Amy seeing his glistening hard-on, flailing about as he scurried out of bed. The back of his mind did manage to take a sneak peek at her gorgeous boobs as the blanket was tossed aside. But no time for any prolonged stares. Without a word, and as silent as a mouse he snuck out into the hallway, past the bathroom door, from where he could still hear the faucet running; and into his own room. With a move that would’ve made any ninja envious he flung himself into his untouched bed and under the covers just as he heard the faucet turn off and the bathroom door out in the hallway open. Darren was laying flat on his back in the most unnatural sleeping position to be imagined, and just the split second between the soft knock on his door, and his aunt opening it and coming in, he realized that his hard-on would be making a tent out of the covers. Too late now! He already heard his aunt's footsteps on the floor, entering his room. With closed eyes he again prayed to any gods, that his boner was not too visible in the morning dawn, flowing through the curtains in the room. Aunt Lily’s footsteps paused for a moment then he felt her sitting down softly on his bedside, her curvy hip pressing up against his own. He could feel the blanket pulling at its tent pole. She leaned in on him as he lay there, pretending to be fast asleep. He could feel her heavy tit softly land on his chest and her erect nipple was easily noticeable through the bedsheet over his chest. “Darren? It’s time to wake up” she whispered in the softest of motherly voices. Darren could feel her breath on his cheek, she was that close. She smelled of mint. It also dawned on him that the nipple now pressing against his chest was the one that Amy had been sucking on all through the night. This made his boner twitch. Hopefully aunt Lily wouldn’t see that from her position of leaning in over his face. Linton slowly opened one eye, playing groggy and sleepy. He saw Lily’s lovely brown eyes meeting his as she leaned in to kiss him on the forehead. Her lips were warm and soft. She held them to his forehead long enough for him to feel it thoroughly. His cock twitched again under the covers but he made sure to move his knee up and hopefully that would disguise his manly tent pole under the blanket. Aunt Lily sat up again, her firm tit leaving Darren's chest and gave him a loving look. “Come down for some breakfast when you’re ready;” and then she left. Darren couldn’t help but to watch her hips rolling under that flimsy robe she had on. As soon as the door closed, he wished that she had stayed longer. He took his time before coming downstairs. First he had to wait for his boner to soften. He thought about stroking one out, amazed that it was still hard after coming both last night and also this morning. But, again, this room gave him nowhere to hide tissue paper. So if he was to jerk off, it would have to be in the bathroom. He listened to Amy, up and washing in the bathroom. Then, when he was sure both his aunt and cousin were downstairs, he dared to sneak out to the bathroom, himself. His cock had now gone back to normal size. He was actually surprised to see it looking quite normal, after all it had been put through. But he washed it off quickly, under cold water and then changed to go downstairs where he could hear Amy and aunt Lily chatting in the kitchen. He had chosen his baggy, grey sweatpants and a worn out tee-shirt with some soft drink logo on it. He was suspecting that he might get hard again during the day, and the sweatpants were thick enough to hopefully hide any such stiffness from sight. Breakfast Protein Drinks. Down in the kitchen, the girls were in full swing, having breakfast. Amy sat at the table, munching on an egg sandwich and aunt Lily was busy by the sink. It was when Aunt Lily swung around to greet him that he was happy about his plan, wearing the sweatpants. Aunt Lily was wearing a thin white shirt dress. The long kind that looked like a common blouse, but went all the way down to her knees. It had buttons down to her front, but the top four buttons were left open, so her full tits swung enticingly under the thin fabric and the shirt opening showed almost the whole length of her cleavage. Her nipples were plainly visible, poking at the textile; and the darker areola around them could be distinguished through the thin white cotton. “Good morning handsome!” she said and Darren got embarrassed immediately! Partly because he couldn’t think of a single word to give back as a greeting; and partly because he felt how his stare and widening eyes must’ve been noticed by both Amy and Lily. Darren just mumbled and averted his eyes. Aunt Lily, of course, didn’t let him get off that easily. She hurled herself towards him and embraced him in a warm full body hug! It was pure bliss to be hugged by aunt Lily. At 6 foot 2, she was nearly 8 inches taller than him, and getting her boobs pressed against one’s face and her thighs pressed against his groin was unbearably arousing! He couldn't help but to close his eyes and revel in the feeling of being held to her bosom. His arm even caught one of her stiff nipples as he hugged her back. But when he opened his eyes they met Amy's, who was sitting at the table with a wide grin. He disengaged and felt his cheeks redden. He quickly sat himself down at the table, across from Amy who hadn’t left his gaze for a moment. It felt like she very well knew that his cock must’ve stiffened from that embrace. Or, he was just imagining things. Aunt Lily served up some sandwiches and juice for him. Only now, did Darren discovered how hungry he was! He stuffed his face and asked for more, always making sure to catch a glimpse of his aunt’s cleavage every time she turned around. Darren and Amy ate in silence, the radio playing in the background. Amy was all the time trying to catch Darren's eye. He had to work hard to not let her lock on. Darren was afraid that he’d blush, or stutter, or something else awkward; if he let her focus her eyes into his. It was clear she had mischievous thoughts. Images of how he’d been embedded deep into her wet folds, kept creeping up to the front of his mind. He was glad there was a kitchen table to hide his bulge under, now. Aunt Lily stood herself beside Amy across the table from Darren, “Amy, dear, your hair is a mess, darling. Let me sort that out for you” she said and started untangling Amy’s wild and unruly strands. As Darren looked up from the remains of his fourth sandwich, Amy caught his eye. She had a broad smile on her lips and slowly raised her hand towards her mothers tit. Darren wanted to look away, but couldn’t. He was hypnotized. Aunt Lily's tits jiggled and swayed, as she was pulling and shifting Amy’s hair, trying to get a braid started. Her large tits were just in face height of Amy as she was sat by the table. The big pokey nipples twice slid across Amy's nose. Very deliberately Amy took hold of Lily’s shirt cleavage and almost too slowly pulled it to the side, revealing her mother’s stiff nipple and dark areola. All the time her eyes held fast into Darren's glare at what was unfolding in front of him. “Ahmee, noht nuw..” Lily said, her mouth full of Amy’s hair, she was trying to organize. Lily had to let go of one of the chunks of hair to pull back the shirt, and cover her tit again. Amy was still keeping her eyes on Darren as she again, slowly let her hand come up to Lily’s jiggling boob. Once again, Darren got to see his aunt's full tit and succulent nipple bounce out from its cleavage. Lily spat out the hairs she had between her lips and sounded a bit annoyed. “Please love! Not now!” Lily pulled her shirt back over her enticing mound of boob flesh. “But mom; I want some;” Amy pleaded, still not taking her eyes off Listson's. “Please, Darren doesn't want to see this;” Lily sighed; but this time she let her tits stay exposed. Swaying just right by her daughter’s cute face. “You don’t mind, do you Darren?” Amy said in a beckoning, sad tone whilst she squeezed at her mother’s tit, pushing the nipple closer to her mouth. “Uhm.. no. No! I don’t.. ehm, mind..” Darren croaked, trying to sound blasé . Amy let go of Darren's eyes and turned her face to the huge tit just beside her face. She closed her eyes and planted her mouth lewdly over aunt Lily’s prominent nipple. Lily let out a small gasp, but quickly found herself and continued doing Amy’s hair. Darren was in awe. He found it impossible to look away! Amy had her lips around almost all of Lily’s areola, her fingers squeezing at the massive flesh around it. She looked like she’d never tasted anything as good as this, ever! Still focused on braiding Amy’s hair, Lily explained, “You know Darren, I’ve always given Amy of my milk. Most mothers stop early, but I never did. It's nourishing, and she’s almost never been sick in her life.” Amy turned her face to Darren, still holding Lily’s tit against her mouth, “And itsch schoo good;” she said with her mouth half full of white milk. A trickle of the milk streamed down her chin as she spoke. Amy quickly let her lips surround Lily’s nipple again and continued sucking, eyes closed. Darren was just sitting and nodding as a dumbfounded response to Lily’s explanation. He couldn’t think of having seen anything more sensual than this scene, that was now playing out in front of him. Even though time stood still, Lily somehow finished with Amy’s hair. She had made two braids on her. Each one on the top sides of her head. Like two pigtails, but in braid form. Amy looked so incredibly cute, and aunt Lily was now just caressing the back of her head as she kept on nursing from her. Darren wasn’t sure what to do. Inside of his sweatpants he had a hard-on so stiff, it it mimicked a mast of a British man o' war. He had already finished his sandwiches, and was just sipping slowly at his orange juice; wanting it never to end. He was afraid to break up this spectacular scene with any sudden moves. To his sorrow, but also relief, Amy finally let go of Lily’s tit and licked her lips. Aunt Lily's engorged nipple looked as big as a whole thumb! Amy smiled at Darren, and her eyes gave him the kind of look siblings give each other, when the other one didn’t get as nice of a christmas present as the first. Lily bent down and gave Amy a kiss on the lips before she pulled her shirt over her tit again, indicating that this moment was over. Tree House Tryst. “So, what are you guys gonna do today?” Lily asked, as she took some plates from the table over to the sink. Amy was looking intently as Darren; with that ever alluring smile of hers. “Maybe we’ll go and check out the old tree house” Amy said, still staring Darren in the eye. “Oh, that’s nice. You haven’t been up there in forever;” Lily replied, whilst pouring dishwater over the plates, a wet stain could be seen darkening the fabric over her nipple, which Amy had just been sucking on. “Come on Darren!” Amy grabbed his hand and yanked him with her. At 5 foot 10; She was bigger and heavier than him. Her curves gave her the weight and strength advantage over his own slender body, and he had no say in the matter. He trotted after her like a rag doll. Darren hadn’t noticed earlier, but Amy had a very short polka dotted skirt on. As she was running in front of him now, to the old tree house out back; he glimpsed her ass cheeks now and then, as her skirt flapped up and down. Either she was wearing minimal string panties, or nothing at all, underneath. Up top; she had a tight, yellow tee-shirt, that did nothing to disguise her lovely bra-less tits. At the base of the old oak, in which the tree house was set, Darren got the answer to what Amy was wearing underneath; or rather, what she was not wearing. She climbed up before him, and he got a full view of her nakedness under that little skirt. His cock had been hard since the breakfast table and was not feeling like softening any time soon. He was only a little worried about climbing, and had to tear his gaze away from Amy’s nude pussy, to check that he wouldn't snag his boner on the old wooden planks that were nailed to the tree as a kind of ladder. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been up in that tree house. It must’ve been many years ago. Then, he and Amy would pretend they were in a crows nest on a pirate ship, looking for land or fighting off other pirates, trying to get at them. Although the nails in the planks were much more rusty than he remembered, it was still a sturdy build. The walls were made out of all kinds of planks from some barn house nearby, there was a square hole in the floor of it that you climbed up through from the plank-ladder nailed to the tree trunk. The excitement he remembered when climbing up to this tree house, was just as prominent now as then, but for totally different reasons. As he got close to the entrance in the tree house floor he looked up again and saw Amy’s strong, naked legs slip through the hole and to the side. Darren had no idea of what would happen up there, but he knew it would be exciting! It was secluded and high up. It would only be the two of them. He kind of regretted that he had chosen to wear his boxer briefs under his sweat pants now. Amy had clearly planned ahead and chosen ‘easy access’, instead. But, she didn’t have a raging boner to hide away. Girls have it so easy. They can easily get away with being horny in front of others and no one would know, unless you got to feel them between their legs. Darren's mind was racing! Visions of his naked cousin on the bed last night, floated past his mind's eye as he finally managed to crawl up and into the tree house. Amy sat in the corner of the small space, leaning against the wooden boards serving as a wall behind her. She had her knees up and legs slightly parted, but was holding her skirt down over her crotch so her nakedness under there couldn’t be seen. She had her mischievous smile on again. Since there was a plank roof on top of the tree house, she was a bit shadowed, which made her blue eyes look gleaming. “We haven’t been up here in a long time;” Amy said. “Yeah, I can’t remember the last time even” Darren lied. “You were very good with your tongue last night;” It was subtle, but Darren noticed how the hand she was pressing down her skirt with was also slowly moving around, pressing against her crotch. Both the sight of her hand and the words, got him stumped again, “Ehm.” “I know we’ve just had breakfast, and I didn’t bring any honey; but; maybe you’d like to taste me without?” Amy said and almost looked a bit shy for once. This was really not Darren’s area of expertise, and he had no plan or tactic. But his libido answered for him, “Of course!” Whatever he did last night seemed to work, so he was confident that he could make it work again. His luscious cousin was sitting on an old, ragged seat cushion, which she scooted herself forward on, towards Darren who was kneeling in front of her. As she slid forward she let go of her skirt and let her knees shift apart more. It was an incredible sight! Last night he’d not really been able to get a good look. Amy’s bedroom had been dim. Only her bed lamp had been shining softly. And to be honest, Darren had been way too aroused, shocked and excited to imbibe any details his eyes might have had a chance to see. But now; Although the planks shaded her a bit, it was daylight. She was right in front of him. It was right in front of him. It was strange and immensely erotic at the same time. “I’ve shaven it bare;” Amy said softly, as if to get his approval. Being a guy in his late teens, his reference of understanding was of course always infused with a lot of those kinds of ‘sex ads in the back of trashy news stand publications. But here he was; right in front of a real pussy. Her pussy was like a small swollen mound, with a thin slit going down the middle of it. Her slit was clearly wet and between her outer pussy lips, a hint of more folds could be seen. Her wetness showed, even on the sides of her slit. It was all the same cute pinkish skin color as the beautiful, smooth thighs framing it in. After the first amazement had been overcome, Darren’s eyes desperately searched for her clitoris. He didn’t know much about women, but this he knew! And since he was momentarily going to put his mouth and tongue into that alluring crevice, he really wanted to find her most sensitive spot. He got a bit nervous when he couldn’t easily spot it. On erotic stories he’d read, there was always a little bulb at the top of the slit, but Amy had none. Maybe the claims weren’t all that realistic, after all. He caught himself staring too intently, and when he looked up at Amy he could see that she was nervous too. She was biting her lower lip in anticipation. Her eyes’ looked bigger and were begging for appreciation. Darren made himself brave and leaned in on his elbows. Had he not been totally preoccupied by his own horniness, he would have understood that this was an extremely uncomfortable position for him. But that was nothing that his body was able to convince his mind of, right now. As he lowered his head, towards her lusty cunt lips ;Amy saw that he wouldn’t really reach all the way down while still sitting crouched on his knees. So, instead she shifted, folding her legs in under her and also now kneeling wide on the bench, making her pussy come up a bit higher towards his face. Darren was transfixed watching her little pussy writhe as she moved. Her pussy lips sliding against each other and some more wetness being pressed out of the soaking, pink slit between them. As she settled, his mouth was now just lined up with her cunt. He could feel the warmth of it radiating on his lips. He felt himself breathing heavily; Tentatively his tongue probed, he felt her fresh womanly taste in all of his body, even though only the tip of his tongue had touched her skin. Amy inhaled sharply, which gave Darren new courage. Again he let his tongue touch her. More of it this time. He could feel her thighs stiffen up. Darren quickly learned what effect his tongue had on Amy. He licked her; in longer and longer strokes, very much enjoying the effect it had on his horny cousin. She tasted heavenly! He had no idea of how a woman should taste, but he was sure he liked the taste of Amy’s wet pussy! Somehow it tasted fresh, even though it was so warm! Darren soon got into a rhythm, lapping at Amy like a dog in heat. Longer and longer licks. As his confidence grew, he started mixing it up a little. Sometimes, long and fast strokes with his tongue, sometimes short and slow. As his own arousal grew, he pressed his tongue deeper and deeper into her folds. His nose and chin, were now also part of the connection to her slippery, smooth skin. Amy’s lower body was now trembling, and no coherent sounds were coming from her. Her inner thighs sometimes spasmed and pressed against his ears, only to again spread out wide, letting his mouth and tongue come deeper into her slit. Now and then his tongue would find, what he assumed, to be Amy's clit. Somewhere at the top of her slit was an illusive little part of stiffer flesh that really sent her off, whenever his tongue would pass over it. But just as he thought he knew where it was, his tongue failed to thrash at it again. But Amy seemed to love it, no matter where he was licking at, so Darren just continued to explore her as much as he could. “Amy? Are you up there?” The sound of aunt Lily’s voice from below the tree house rang out like a bell whistle in a library! Amy’s body froze and went still as night! Darren still had his face pressed in between her legs and stopped in mid-lick. His tongue still in-bedded in her folds: “Yeah?” Amy croaked with the voice of someone who’s not used her voice for speaking in a long time. “Are you alright? Is Darren up there with you?” Darren felt that the very tip of his tongue was placed tight at the entrance of Amy’s twitching hole in there. Her fluids pooling on his tongue. Amy grabbed the hair on the back of Darren's head. “I’m fine. Darren went to the pond;” she said. Her voice was still a bit shaky and flustered. Darren let the tip of his tongue make its way in through Amy’s, now twitching, hole. “Should I come up?” Lily asked with the worried tone of a mother who wants to investigate. “No!” Amy answered and then hissed a whispering ‘no’ also to Darren. “I can’t talk to you when you’re hiding;” Lily complained from down there at the bottom of the tree. Amy had a firm grip of Darren’s head and pressed it tight against her pussy as she rose up on her knees, forcing his head to follow along. To keep his balance, and not get his hair torn off, Darren grabbed Amy’s thighs and let himself fall backwards as she moved forward on her knees. With his mouth still connected to her sopping pussy, and his head pressed hard between her legs, Amy moved forward to where the wall had a sawed up opening, like a window and poked her head out. She let go of Darren's hair, but he did not let go of her thighs and kept his face planted on her wet sex. “Ah, there you are;” Lily said with true relief. Darren started licking again; “What do you, ugh; want mom?” Amy tried to sound normal, but when Darren's eager tongue teased the right spots she didn’t seem to be able to control her voice in full. Darren of course didn’t want to be found out by his shapely aunt, but he had never seen her climb up to the tree house and felt quite confident that she wouldn’t come up. Also, Amy had already said he wasn’t up there, so; he felt well hidden. But seeing how much effect his tongue had on Amy made him feel powerful. She was the older of them and had always been the dominant one. Now she was at his mercy for once. Darren was intensely aroused at the situation she was in now. Him eating her out whilst she had to play it cool in front of her mother. He got back to his rhythm of licking and even added some sucking here and there. He would get as much of her swollen pussy in his mouth as possible and suck it into his mouth, while his tongue flicked at wherever that clit was hiding at the moment. “Well; I was wondering; “ aunt Lily was in no rush. Amy was breathing heavily and whimpering softly. There was no way Lily could hear her, but Darren did! “Do you think Darren was weirded out by; you drinking from me this morning?” “No mom. You know how guys are. He probably loved to see your boob;” Amy went up an octave in both sound and frequency on that last word. Darren had made another lunge upward with his tongue. Again trying to press it as far up into her as humanly possible. He felt her wetness now running down his cheeks. Her hips and thighs were quivering. “I know, but;” Darren had found his pace now. His tongue pressing into Amy’s tight pussy hole, sliding back out and pressing in again. He was actually tongue fucking her. A faint sloshing sound could be heard by anyone inside of the tree house. “He’s not used to stuff like that;” Lily continued, “I think I’ll talk to him about it. Maybe explain it better.” “Uh umm.” Amy nodded down the hole, but her eyes were closed and her lips were hanging open. She felt herself building up to something now. Darren’s relentless tongue, forming a spearhead and penetrating her over and over again, his hands tightly gripping around her thighs. She felt his chin pressing against her ass hole. It was too much! Amy climaxed violently. Well, her face and arms were perched on the sawed out window, she kept them quiet still. She gritted her teeth and her eyes were pressed shut from the energy it took to not let it show to Lily and at the same time having her body throw her into the best orgasm she’d ever had! A gush of hot fluids sprayed Darren’s mouth as Amy’s hole tightened around his intruding tongue! Her lower body shuddered and Darren pulled his face away from her pussy in pure surprise! Another gush splashed against his face and still open mouth! Darren’s grip of her thighs loosened and his head fell back against the wooden floor! With the third out-pour from Amy’s cunt, she couldn’t help but to let out a licentious groan from between her clenched teeth. Darren just laid there, drenched a third time. His eyes blinking in amazement at what he had managed to do to his sexy cousin! She had actually squirted! He had made her cum so hard that she squirted! This was something he’d only ever heard about in exaggerated porn stories. Darren’s thought was, that squirting is something that only happens to a handful of women, ever. And even then, it just happens when the full moon coincides with a leap year! Now he was an actual part of that odd fantasy! He felt like the star of an Asian porn flick. He felt so exceptionally proud! He made Amy come to that highest degree! “Hey! Are you listening? Amy!” Lily’s voice was only a background disturbance in the world Darren was now in. He was lying on the hard wooden floor with Amy above his face. She was raised up on her knees and he had a clear view right up her dotted skirt. Her pussy literally dripping. The taste and smell of her all over his face. He felt her juices still trickling down his cheeks and onto his neck. He saw her pussy contracting and relaxing at a fast pace and her wet thighs twitch in unison. With very contraction her nethers made a stream of more fluids roll down along the inside of her thigh! Damn! Amy was still coming! Darren was so hypnotized that he didn’t even think about his own throbbing meat. “Sorry; what were you saying mom?” Aunt Lily started again, with the annoyed tone of someone who has to repeat themselves, “I said; there is an old matinee showing soon on the tv. The old musical, State Fair; will be on in about 30 minutes. Maybe you can find Darren and I’ll make you some milkshakes?” It was now not a question; as it might have been the first time around. “Oh, that; that sounds great, mom;” Amy replied with the tone of someone who had just slept after a marathon. “Okay, then. See you inside.” Lily left back towards the house. Amy’s thighs had now relaxed, but her pussy was still making involuntary movements up there, over Darren's drenched and astounded face. As her mother left, Amy leaned back in from the tree house entrance. She slowly sat herself down on Darren’s chest. He felt his shirt getting thoroughly soaked as she let her weight press her ravished pussy lips onto him. As she looked down on him she gave him a tired smile. Her eyes only half open. “God damn; cuz! That was; that was amazing!” Amy wiped a strand of his wet hair from his forehead. Darren now felt a bit awkward. The earlier feeling of being in control, and a true sex god; drained away from him as he was now held down by Amy sitting on his chest. Looking down, her skirt was crunched up around her waist and he could see the top of her slit against his tee-shirt, her wet thighs down his sides and her body towering over him. Her nipples were threatening to poke holes in her thin tee. “Sorry if I made you squirt.” Darren tried. He wasn’t, of course. But it felt better to be humble and get praise instead of the opposite. Also, he was again the younger of the two; and Amy was the one who seemed to be in charge. “Oh. no, no, no; don’t be! That was the best; ever. I didn’t even know I was a squirter; Until now.” She sat there, on him, and steadied her breathing for a while before she spoke again. “Mom said the musical, State Fair, will be on TV. We should see; ” Darren had just been reveling at the feeling of Amy’s wet snatch, pressing down on his chest and nodded. He would’ve agreed to anything Amy had said, anyway. Amy climbed off of him and started straightening out her clothes. Darren sat up and could now feel really how wet she’d made him. His tee-shirt was clinging to him. The whole front of it was soaked and he felt a trickle of Amy’s juices down his neck as he rose to a sitting position. Amy laughed, “Look at you! We really need to dry you off.” After Amy had peeked out, making sure that Lily wouldn’t happen to see them, they climbed down from the tree house and made their way over to the barn. The excited rush there, made it feel almost like the times they’d snuck around when they were little, and hiding from aunt Lily. Barn Tryst. The barn was pretty big, but now only housed a few chickens and two cows. This time of day, all the animals were out and about, somewhere on the lands, so it was quiet. Amy helped Darren to wrangle his wet shirt off and wiped him down with a towel she’d found on a hook. “Man, I came a lot;” she said, with a hint of pride as she demonstratively rung out his shirt between her hands. Some drops actually came out of it, flowing over her knuckles. “Do I taste good?” she asked, as she licked the upper part of her hand with a sexy grin? “Very;” Darren nodded, and felt his cheeks blush. It felt like a dream he'd just had, and now that they were out in the daylight, it felt like it might have just been a fantasy. Now he felt a bit out of place. He was standing there, shirtless, with a hard on, in his pants as his super hot cousin was licking her own juices off her hand, and asking him what she tastes like! 'You couldn’t even write stuff like this,' he thought to himself. But that thought also took away from the fact, of what he’d just experienced. How could this ever be true?! And what now? He didn’t have to wonder for long, about that last thought; as Amy grabbed his crotch. There was no hiding that he was hard. Hard as hell. “Poor you! You didn’t get anything from me;” Amy said, with puppy dog eyes and playful sorrow, “Well. Maybe now I can get to see what you taste like?” Darren’s head was spinning! In reality, he knew exactly what she meant and insinuated. But this was far beyond his wildest dreams! Having his luscious, sweet Amy suck him off?! That would be so; “It’s starting!” Lily’s shout broke his soaring thought! The Matinee Movie. Aunt Lily was standing on the porch calling out to them, that the movie was starting. Amy made a sad face, but then smiled and rushed down to the house. Darren made a much slower walk, trying to walk in a way so that his hard-on wouldn’t show. Having his hands in his pockets helped. Of course, his 'crotch rocket' was very sensitive to the touch, and it did not let him relax. While he was still a bit away from the farm house, he saw Amy hug aunt Lily, as they went into the house. Darren realized he was still bare-chested and as he came to the open door, he heard that aunt Lily was in the kitchen. So he made a dash upstairs, and changed into a dry tee-shirt, before making his way down to the living room from where he could hear the movie playing. It was an old classic. He and Amy had watched it nearly 10 years ago. Amy was on the sofa under the huge quilt that was usually draped over it. She gave Darren a sly smile and beckoned him to join her under the quilt. Darren sat down on her left, close to the sofa's armrest. Amy scooted herself close to him and put the quilt over them both, so only their heads were uncovered. Amy slouched low, and had her feet up, on the ottoman Feeling her curvy body pressing into his side was very cozy, and Darren had trouble focusing on the film. He had, of course; seen this movie a million times, so it was much more enjoyable to relish in the feeling of Amy’s body so close beside him. The classic movie did little to distract his arousal, Even the lead actress, Vivian Blaine, looked very much like cousin Amy, if Amy's hair wasn't in braids. Darren held his breath, gathered some courage, and caressed her arm under the quilt. Amy identified with the young Emily Edwards in the movie. A debutante, Emily desires the affections of the strapping young man who comes to town. But Cousin Amy is bolder and more daring than the heroine of the musical. Spurred on by Darren's compliance, she let out a soft sigh, while still watching the TV. This felt so good. Like if they were boyfriend and girlfriend, cuddling up to a movie together. It was really quite romantic. The romance quickly changed to sensuality, as Amy took hold of his hand and forcefully steered it over to her tit. It was an awkward angle for his hand when Amy pressed his palm over her luscious boob. But Darren was not about to complain. She slowly rubbed his hand against her tit. Darren could feel her hardened nipple through the fabric of her tee-shirt. She still had her gaze fixed on the television, like nothing special was happening under their blanket. This was so much better than the film. Amy would taunt the movie's heroine for her lack of courage and assertiveness to initiate a heated interlude. Then Darren felt her moving his hand downward, over her belly. He tried to breathe normally, but all of his insides were quivering with sex-infused joy! Just as he had hoped, in silence, she led his palm down to between her legs. She had already flipped up her skirt beforehand so Darren could feel the smooth, shaven skin of her mound slowly pass under his palm. His fingers reached her slit and there she planted his hand firmly. Not that Darren wanted to pull it away, but if he had wanted to, he was not sure he would’ve been able to. Amy was pretty strong, actually. His middle finger was placed right over Amy’s slit. He felt the wetness in there, as she pressed his finger in between her slippery labia. They were both using all their energy to breathe calmly, but Darren could feel the tenseness of her body. She dragged his hand slowly up and down along her soaked cunt, and Darren let her guide him. He could hear her almost silent, sudden inhalations, when his finger hit ‘the spot’. Her thighs stiffened under the quilt and around his hand. It was heavenly to feel her most secret place, all while the old familiar movie played in the background. Not that Darren needed any more excitement, but it came anyway; when he felt Amy’s left hand make its way over his hip and down to the hem of his sweatpants! He felt her fingers tugging at the knot on them. The back of her hand brushed against his rock hard cock tenting his pants below. Darren felt his nostrils flaring and he could hear his own heartbeat inside of his ears! With his free left hand under the quilt, he helped Amy loosen the knot and her hand soon slid in under his sweatpants. A short sting as her fingernail was the first to find his hard cock, but that quickly shifted to the very exciting feeling of her fingertips slowly exploring him around the base of his erection. Darren was now no longer breathing calmly anymore. Having his hand over Amy’s pussy mound with one finger deeply embedded between her folds, and her nimble fingers now slowly caressing his rock hard cock was sending erotic chills all through his spine. Above the big quilt, both of them were still ‘just’ looking at the tv-screen. As Darren snuck a glance, he was impressed at how Amy was keeping such a straight face. Wasn’t she also enjoying this? But every once in a while he could see the tiniest of her face muscles twitch a little as his finger slowly pressed and slipped around in her slit. He tried to mimic her coolness and made it so his face would show as little reaction as possible. Unexpectedly her right hand quickly left his where it was holding down his right hand over her pussy. It was aunt Lily who had entered the room. “Here you go;” she chimed, carrying two strawberry milkshakes for them. Aunt Lily was proud of her milkshakes, as she well should be. They were always perfectly smooth and just the right amount of sweetness. They were a lot better than the ones you get in any restaurant Darren had ever been to. Darren didn’t really keep his hand on Amy’s pussy on purpose. He was just too surprised to react normally. He felt Amy’s thighs shuffle a little and she pulled the quilt up more over herself, as if to cover the outline of his right arm, which was laying down over her belly. There was of course, no way aunt Lily could’ve seen any of the lewd things that were going on under there, but her reaction was understandable. Amy received the milkshake with her now free hand and Lily leaned in and gave her a short hug, still holding Darren’s milkshake. He felt Amy’s hand now taking a grip around the base of his cock. He gritted his teeth in pleasure, but let nothing show on his face. Aunt Lily then made her way over to Darren with the other glass of milkshake. Darren pulled his left hand out from under the protective covering and took it. The glass was cold and heavy. It was adorned with whipped cream on top and a straw with that classical red and white swirl pattern around it. Lily leaned in on him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “It’s so nice to have you here;” she whispered warmly. As she leaned in, her heavy tits pressed up against his chest. Even through the quilt he could feel her stiff nipples. The nipples Amy had been sucking on, only this morning. He also felt Amy’s grip around his cock tighten, but managed not to give himself away! As aunt Lily stood back up, he could feel Amy’s hand slowly sliding its way up the length of his pole. He gave Lily a polite smile, hoping his blushing cheeks wouldn’t give him away. The events in the tree house had made his precum pretty prominent the last hour. He had been worried it might even soak through his sweat pants. His underwear was stained, but the sweat pants were thick enough to not let anything seep through. But his swollen crown was, of course drenched in the slippery stuff, and Amy’s thumb made good use of that. She let it circle over and around his glans, ever so slowly. Luckily, aunt Lily turned away from him; otherwise she’d surely see his head jerk back, from the incredible feeling of Amy’s fingers massaging the top of his pulsating cock! A quick glance at Amy, told him that she was displaying an evil smirk. She knew what she was doing, and putting him through; in front of his aunt, her own mother! Did she want to get caught? A streak of vengefulness ran through him, and he quickly let his middle finger plunge deep into Amy’s wet cunt hole! It was so slippery that there was almost no resistance. Probably, she wasn’t ready for it, because her mouth opened wide and she let out a silent gasp. He could feel her entrance tighten around his finger. But it was too late, it was already deeply inserted in her! The feeling of his finger inside of his hot cousin, almost made him forget the pleasure of her hand on his own love parts, but Amy’s thumb movements now became more deliberate. As she spread out his precum more and more over his shaft, she also started stroking it in longer and longer motions. Still in slow motion though, so no movement could be seen from outside of the quilt. Darren thought that aunt Lily would leave and go back out into the kitchen, or something. To his horror she moved over to Amy’s other side, and made herself comfortable on the sofa, instead! The big sofa was for three people, but pretty large. Darren and Amy were scrunched up to one side so Lily decided that she could lay down on the 1 1⁄2 seats that were left over, a little closer to the television. To his dread, and in some kind of slow motion he could only watch as his sexy aunt took a big soft sofa pillow, then laid it over Amy’s lap, and his arm. Lily laid her head down on it. His arm was now locked in place under her pillow, his finger still inserted into Amy! He froze his movements for a bit, then bravely pressed his impaling middle finger hard against Amy's G-spot. Amy's mouth again opened wide, but she held her breathe until the urge to scream had become controllable. Darren thought it would compel Amy to retreat from her torrid assault on his cock tip. Amy did not. In a slow unrelenting pace, she kept on stroking his cock, ever so slowly. Darren could not believe what was happening! He finally decided to pause his torturing of Amy's G-spot. Would Cousin Amy honor the truce? Aunt Lily pretended to be engaged in the film, asking questions about whatever was on the screen, “Is that the prize pig they're entering in the contest?” or “Has the scene of the state fair beauty pageant been already?” Every time she talked, her head moved and Darren's finger in Amy moved also! Amy tried to answer as casually as she could, but Darren could easily hear that her voice sounded strained and trembling. With Amy still stroking him slowly, he felt like he was losing control again. Her message was clear. The ceasefire was rejected. It was on! He found that he could move his middle finger a little; and bend it inside her cunt! This way his arm could be totally still and Aunt Lily wouldn’t notice. Amy noticed though! Her breathing was heavier and when faint sloshing sounds from between her legs could be heard, she started slurping loudly on her milkshake. It became like some kind of silent competition between them now. Who could make the other one cum first! Darren was at a disadvantage. He had no idea there even was such a thing as a G-spot! And he could only move his middle finger, and not very much. He tried different ways. Pushing it in and out of her, moving it from side to side; But from what he could tell on Amy´s breathing, the best effect was when he curled it upwards and sort of pressed against the roof of her tunnel! Amy had more freedom to move though. She still kept her stroking slow, but firm and steady. Amy was also lacking insight on Darren's most sensitive zones. But when her thumb gently stroked the underside of his cock tip, Darren gritted his teeth. Darren felt things well up inside of him. He nudged Amy with his shoulder and tried to make a face that would make her understand that he couldn’t hold it anymore! Amy just grinned, slurping loudly on the straw in her mouth! Darren let his head fall back and stopped fighting it! He couldn’t. The geyser in him was stronger! He felt Amy pull her hand up over the top of his cock as he came. Again, and again. His mind groaned in pleasure. He could only hope that his mouth didn’t do the same. Amy was cupping her hand around the head of his throbbing cock, trying to catch as much of his seed as possible, in it. When he calmed down, she snuck her hand out from under the blanket. Darren tried to read her expression as she looked at the fluids, collected in her palm, was it astoundment, he detected? Hard to say. Lily stirred on the pillow, on Amy's lap; again pressing down on Darren's hand, which was pressed on Amy's cunt, with his middle finger impaled inside of her. She quickly wiped her hand against the top rim of her milkshake glass, to get as much of it off as possible. Thick globules of Darren’s cum ran down on the inside of the glass. Lily sat up and turned to Amy, “It seems you're not going to finish your milkshake darling.” “Oh? Eh;” Amy stuttered. She felt Darren's finger in her move, as Lily shifted from her position on the sofa. “That’s alright,” Aunt Lily assured her. “I’ll finish the rest;” she said, and took the glass from her daughter. Darren was dumbstruck as he watched his aunt open her red lips and see her pink, sexy tongue lick the rim of the glass, scooping up the chilled thick cum collected there. Then she sucked in the straw between her lips, and slurped up some of the milkshake; as she rose up from the sofa. Both Amy and Darren just stared at her, with blank faces; as she turned and went to the kitchen; happily slurping up the rest of Amy’s milkshake and all of the cum in it. “Damn, Darren! Mom got to taste you before I did!” Amy whispered when aunt Lily was out of earshot. She licked her palm and started sucking on her fingers. Darren could still only sit there, mouth wide open, not believing what his eyes saw! When Amy had licked her hand clean, she again snuck it in under the quilt and found Darren’s now softening cock. She held it in a soft grip and leaned her head on his shoulder, turning her eyes back to the movie. Darren leaned back, forgetting that his hand was still on her pussy and his finger inside of that wet, warm canal. When he remembered, and moved his finger a little, Amy whispered, “Shush; just leave it still. Otherwise I’m gonna soak all of mom’s sofa cushions. She snuck her other hand under and laid it firmly on his hand, between her thighs. Darren did as he was told, and just let it be there, motionless. It was incredibly cozy, in an erotic way. They both held on to each other's heated sexes, peacefully breathing and just letting the wonderful glow burn slowly inside of them. When the film finally finished, they let each other go. Darren couldn’t help but to put his middle finger in his mouth and give off a satisfied ‘Hmm..’. Amy smiled, “There is more where that came from;” and gave him a wink. As she was straightening out the quilt that had protected them throughout, they both saw a large wet stain, shaped like Amy’s ass cheeks and thighs on the sofa cushion she’d been sitting on! Amy gave off a worried curse word and quickly turned the cushion over and then covered the sofa with the quilt. “Maybe we should both change some clothes;” she smiled, and tugged down on her short skirt hem. It was clearly also wet from her fluids; and Darren agreed. As they went upstairs to their rooms, Lily called to them from the kitchen, “Lunch will be ready shortly!” Darren rummaged through his bag of clothes. His sweatpants needed changing. They were drenched with his own jizz. Although Amy had caught a lot of it with her hand, just as much had run down along his cock and was then soaked up by his think fleece sweatpants. It again dawned on him that his buxom aunt had actually licked and drank his cum! She didn’t know it, but just the thought of some of him entering her mouth; him being swallowed by his buxom sexy milf auntie. He felt his cock twitching again, and had to fight the thoughts! Instead of throwing his sweatpants in the hamper, he hung them on the lampshade to dry and decided to go commando with a clean pair of pants. To be continued. Based on a post by Guzzler 21, for Sex Stories.

My Honey Cousin: Part 2. Darren's Morning Shag. Based on a post by Guzzler 21. Listen to the Podcast at My First Time. All was dark. Darren felt his mouth was dry, he was waking up in a warm and sweaty cave. It took some seconds before his brain caught up to his senses. Last night's happenings slowly dawned on him. Apart from the darkness and the sweaty warm body he was pressed up against, his face was also feeling itself surrounded by Amy’s tangled hair. His body was slowly doing sensory checks and sending them back to his brain. As he slowly started sensing his own body, pressed tightly against his cousin’s back he quickly became aware of other things pressing against him. If he had blacked out, fainted, or just fallen asleep from exhaustion; was unclear. But that his cock was still impaled and bound tight into Cousin Amy, from behind; was now very clear. He felt himself only semi-hard. But the realization of having spent the whole night with his cock inside of the sweet, sexy cousin, got his blood rushing; and his meat twitching. Darren didn’t dare to move a muscle, apart from his cock muscles; but they were pulsing on their own accord. He could feel his cousin breathing slowly and calmly. She must still be asleep. Although he was still covered by her blankets and still wedged between the wall and his cousin, he could hear faint bird chirps from outside. He used his fingers to carefully peek out from under the blanket and could see that Amy’s bedroom was growing lighter from the morning twilight. All was still. Darren dared to pull the covering blanket away a little more and lift his head to look out. To his fright he saw aunt Lily there, still lying in the bed. Her large, luscious tits were exposed and Amy was still latched on to the closest of them. Amy was humming softly, and slowly suckling in her sleep. Every few seconds, she sucked at the nipple hidden in her wide open mouth. Only the very outer rim of aunt’s areola could be observed, outside of Amy’s wet lips. It was an extremely sensual sight. Darren’s cock was quickly turning into a raging boner. As it grew in length, it pressed deeper and deeper into Amy, who started to stir in her sleep. Her body was surely taking notice of the increasing impalement of her most secret, wet cave. As she stirred some, the suckling of her mother’s tits increased, in pace and force; so Darren snuck his head back under the covers and prayed to any gods out there, that he wouldn’t be detected when his aunt finally woke up. It had been hot under the blankets when he woke up, but now the heat was building even more under the covers where he was deeply embedded in his cousin Amy. His face was full of her wild, sandy blonde hair. It smelled like sex. Memory flashes from last night were coming back to him. Although their bodies weren’t moving, Darren could feel the pressure inside of his balls was building up. All his turgid cock now wanted to do, was to start moving; in and out of that glorious wet crevice, which it had spent the night in. He could easily feel that there would be no friction whatsoever. Amy’s cunt had acclimated to his cock during the night and she was filled with fluids. Both her own and his. It would be a dream to just pull out a little and slowly push himself back in. He fought the urge for a long time. There was no room whatsoever for him to pull back. The wall was pressed tightly against his back and ass, so instead he carefully moved a hand down to Amy’s nicely rounded ass and ever so slowly tried to push it away from himself. Half an inch; one inch; one and a half; Amy moved! Her body started the process of waking up. His pushing of her hips forward, had woken her enough to move. She instinctively pushed her ass back to where it had first been, and Darren's cock sunk back deep into her slippery, steaming hole. He now heard aunt Lily mumble, in her own fleeting sleep. Darren felt the tidal wave course through his thighs and up towards his rock hard phallus. He came, hard! He didn’t dare to move at all. Darren even held his breath and strangled a scream of lust, deep in his lungs. The only thing that moved was his pulsating cock, sending stream after stream, deep into the waking Amy impaled on his cock! Before Amy was even aware of it herself, her pussy contracted and opened in unison with Darren's cock pumping into her. Her womb was effectively milking his cock, trying to absorb every little ounce of semen shooting out from its swollen crown! Through his silent climax, Darren could feel Amy’s hand, in panic, probing for what was behind her! He felt her hand finally land on his hip, so close to where their young bodies were connected; and had been through all of the night. As Amy became clearly awake, Darren could feel her cunt, tightening around his rocket. As if to push him out. But he was stuck in, deep; and the wall behind him kept his cock deep inside of his wet cousin! He now heard aunt Lily waking up. At first, sleepy murmurs, then a shocked gasp! Probably as a kind of distraction, he heard Amy start to loudly suckle on her mothers tit! “Oh; I’m sorry honey! I must’ve fallen asleep!” she whispered in a rather hoarse voice. Amy just moaned and kept on suckling. Darren could only lay there under the covers, listening and imagining the images of Amy’s cute lips holding on to aunt Lily’s large, heavy tit. The bed jostled as aunt Lily stood up from it. Amy’s lips let go of her tit with a wet ‘plopp’ and Darrens, still pulsating, cock bounced ever so slightly in and out of his cousin's warm entrance! He bit his lip and worked hard to not let any sound slip from his lips. Amy on the other hand, let out a weary gasp as their sexes bounced into each other. But Lily was probably too newly awakened to notice anything strange. “I’ll just go and freshen up. Then I’ll check on Darren and make breakfast for you” she whispered and gave Amy what sounded like a kiss on the cheek before her footsteps could be heard on the rug as she left Amy’s bedroom. Amy pushed her behind hard against Darren's hips, sinking his leaking boner in even deeper! She buried her head in her pillow and let out a muffled groan! “Damn; have you been in me all night?” she then whispered in a baffled tone, still seeming to wake up from the deepest of sleeps. “I’m sorry;” was all that Darren could reply in a meek tone. Amy suddenly became very still. Darren could feel her entrance gripping and relaxing a few times; it felt excruciatingly erotic, but he himself didn’t dare to move at all. “Are you still coming into me right now; ?” she asked slowly, her body trying to feel all of his staff stuck inside of her. “I couldn’t help it; it came by itself;” was the weak excuse he could muster. Amy turned her head to him, she was smiling. She rocked her hips a little, her hole squeezing along his cock. “This is so hot;” she whispered and her tongue involuntarily licked her lips. Then she sprung into action! Morning Dash. “Quick! Mom is going to come and check on you! You have to get back to your room; NOW!” she hissed, panic in her voice. She moved forward from him, his still hard cock slipping out of its wet, nightly folds! He heard the faucet from the bathroom. Aunt Lily was in there. He didn’t have much time. He didn’t even have time to be embarrassed about Amy seeing his glistening hard-on, flailing about as he scurried out of bed. The back of his mind did manage to take a sneak peek at her gorgeous boobs as the blanket was tossed aside. But no time for any prolonged stares. Without a word, and as silent as a mouse he snuck out into the hallway, past the bathroom door, from where he could still hear the faucet running; and into his own room. With a move that would’ve made any ninja envious he flung himself into his untouched bed and under the covers just as he heard the faucet turn off and the bathroom door out in the hallway open. Darren was laying flat on his back in the most unnatural sleeping position to be imagined, and just the split second between the soft knock on his door, and his aunt opening it and coming in, he realized that his hard-on would be making a tent out of the covers. Too late now! He already heard his aunt's footsteps on the floor, entering his room. With closed eyes he again prayed to any gods, that his boner was not too visible in the morning dawn, flowing through the curtains in the room. Aunt Lily’s footsteps paused for a moment then he felt her sitting down softly on his bedside, her curvy hip pressing up against his own. He could feel the blanket pulling at its tent pole. She leaned in on him as he lay there, pretending to be fast asleep. He could feel her heavy tit softly land on his chest and her erect nipple was easily noticeable through the bedsheet over his chest. “Darren? It’s time to wake up” she whispered in the softest of motherly voices. Darren could feel her breath on his cheek, she was that close. She smelled of mint. It also dawned on him that the nipple now pressing against his chest was the one that Amy had been sucking on all through the night. This made his boner twitch. Hopefully aunt Lily wouldn’t see that from her position of leaning in over his face. Linton slowly opened one eye, playing groggy and sleepy. He saw Lily’s lovely brown eyes meeting his as she leaned in to kiss him on the forehead. Her lips were warm and soft. She held them to his forehead long enough for him to feel it thoroughly. His cock twitched again under the covers but he made sure to move his knee up and hopefully that would disguise his manly tent pole under the blanket. Aunt Lily sat up again, her firm tit leaving Darren's chest and gave him a loving look. “Come down for some breakfast when you’re ready;” and then she left. Darren couldn’t help but to watch her hips rolling under that flimsy robe she had on. As soon as the door closed, he wished that she had stayed longer. He took his time before coming downstairs. First he had to wait for his boner to soften. He thought about stroking one out, amazed that it was still hard after coming both last night and also this morning. But, again, this room gave him nowhere to hide tissue paper. So if he was to jerk off, it would have to be in the bathroom. He listened to Amy, up and washing in the bathroom. Then, when he was sure both his aunt and cousin were downstairs, he dared to sneak out to the bathroom, himself. His cock had now gone back to normal size. He was actually surprised to see it looking quite normal, after all it had been put through. But he washed it off quickly, under cold water and then changed to go downstairs where he could hear Amy and aunt Lily chatting in the kitchen. He had chosen his baggy, grey sweatpants and a worn out tee-shirt with some soft drink logo on it. He was suspecting that he might get hard again during the day, and the sweatpants were thick enough to hopefully hide any such stiffness from sight. Breakfast Protein Drinks. Down in the kitchen, the girls were in full swing, having breakfast. Amy sat at the table, munching on an egg sandwich and aunt Lily was busy by the sink. It was when Aunt Lily swung around to greet him that he was happy about his plan, wearing the sweatpants. Aunt Lily was wearing a thin white shirt dress. The long kind that looked like a common blouse, but went all the way down to her knees. It had buttons down to her front, but the top four buttons were left open, so her full tits swung enticingly under the thin fabric and the shirt opening showed almost the whole length of her cleavage. Her nipples were plainly visible, poking at the textile; and the darker areola around them could be distinguished through the thin white cotton. “Good morning handsome!” she said and Darren got embarrassed immediately! Partly because he couldn’t think of a single word to give back as a greeting; and partly because he felt how his stare and widening eyes must’ve been noticed by both Amy and Lily. Darren just mumbled and averted his eyes. Aunt Lily, of course, didn’t let him get off that easily. She hurled herself towards him and embraced him in a warm full body hug! It was pure bliss to be hugged by aunt Lily. At 6 foot 2, she was nearly 8 inches taller than him, and getting her boobs pressed against one’s face and her thighs pressed against his groin was unbearably arousing! He couldn't help but to close his eyes and revel in the feeling of being held to her bosom. His arm even caught one of her stiff nipples as he hugged her back. But when he opened his eyes they met Amy's, who was sitting at the table with a wide grin. He disengaged and felt his cheeks redden. He quickly sat himself down at the table, across from Amy who hadn’t left his gaze for a moment. It felt like she very well knew that his cock must’ve stiffened from that embrace. Or, he was just imagining things. Aunt Lily served up some sandwiches and juice for him. Only now, did Darren discovered how hungry he was! He stuffed his face and asked for more, always making sure to catch a glimpse of his aunt’s cleavage every time she turned around. Darren and Amy ate in silence, the radio playing in the background. Amy was all the time trying to catch Darren's eye. He had to work hard to not let her lock on. Darren was afraid that he’d blush, or stutter, or something else awkward; if he let her focus her eyes into his. It was clear she had mischievous thoughts. Images of how he’d been embedded deep into her wet folds, kept creeping up to the front of his mind. He was glad there was a kitchen table to hide his bulge under, now. Aunt Lily stood herself beside Amy across the table from Darren, “Amy, dear, your hair is a mess, darling. Let me sort that out for you” she said and started untangling Amy’s wild and unruly strands. As Darren looked up from the remains of his fourth sandwich, Amy caught his eye. She had a broad smile on her lips and slowly raised her hand towards her mothers tit. Darren wanted to look away, but couldn’t. He was hypnotized. Aunt Lily's tits jiggled and swayed, as she was pulling and shifting Amy’s hair, trying to get a braid started. Her large tits were just in face height of Amy as she was sat by the table. The big pokey nipples twice slid across Amy's nose. Very deliberately Amy took hold of Lily’s shirt cleavage and almost too slowly pulled it to the side, revealing her mother’s stiff nipple and dark areola. All the time her eyes held fast into Darren's glare at what was unfolding in front of him. “Ahmee, noht nuw..” Lily said, her mouth full of Amy’s hair, she was trying to organize. Lily had to let go of one of the chunks of hair to pull back the shirt, and cover her tit again. Amy was still keeping her eyes on Darren as she again, slowly let her hand come up to Lily’s jiggling boob. Once again, Darren got to see his aunt's full tit and succulent nipple bounce out from its cleavage. Lily spat out the hairs she had between her lips and sounded a bit annoyed. “Please love! Not now!” Lily pulled her shirt back over her enticing mound of boob flesh. “But mom; I want some;” Amy pleaded, still not taking her eyes off Listson's. “Please, Darren doesn't want to see this;” Lily sighed; but this time she let her tits stay exposed. Swaying just right by her daughter’s cute face. “You don’t mind, do you Darren?” Amy said in a beckoning, sad tone whilst she squeezed at her mother’s tit, pushing the nipple closer to her mouth. “Uhm.. no. No! I don’t.. ehm, mind..” Darren croaked, trying to sound blasé . Amy let go of Darren's eyes and turned her face to the huge tit just beside her face. She closed her eyes and planted her mouth lewdly over aunt Lily’s prominent nipple. Lily let out a small gasp, but quickly found herself and continued doing Amy’s hair. Darren was in awe. He found it impossible to look away! Amy had her lips around almost all of Lily’s areola, her fingers squeezing at the massive flesh around it. She looked like she’d never tasted anything as good as this, ever! Still focused on braiding Amy’s hair, Lily explained, “You know Darren, I’ve always given Amy of my milk. Most mothers stop early, but I never did. It's nourishing, and she’s almost never been sick in her life.” Amy turned her face to Darren, still holding Lily’s tit against her mouth, “And itsch schoo good;” she said with her mouth half full of white milk. A trickle of the milk streamed down her chin as she spoke. Amy quickly let her lips surround Lily’s nipple again and continued sucking, eyes closed. Darren was just sitting and nodding as a dumbfounded response to Lily’s explanation. He couldn’t think of having seen anything more sensual than this scene, that was now playing out in front of him. Even though time stood still, Lily somehow finished with Amy’s hair. She had made two braids on her. Each one on the top sides of her head. Like two pigtails, but in braid form. Amy looked so incredibly cute, and aunt Lily was now just caressing the back of her head as she kept on nursing from her. Darren wasn’t sure what to do. Inside of his sweatpants he had a hard-on so stiff, it it mimicked a mast of a British man o' war. He had already finished his sandwiches, and was just sipping slowly at his orange juice; wanting it never to end. He was afraid to break up this spectacular scene with any sudden moves. To his sorrow, but also relief, Amy finally let go of Lily’s tit and licked her lips. Aunt Lily's engorged nipple looked as big as a whole thumb! Amy smiled at Darren, and her eyes gave him the kind of look siblings give each other, when the other one didn’t get as nice of a christmas present as the first. Lily bent down and gave Amy a kiss on the lips before she pulled her shirt over her tit again, indicating that this moment was over. Tree House Tryst. “So, what are you guys gonna do today?” Lily asked, as she took some plates from the table over to the sink. Amy was looking intently as Darren; with that ever alluring smile of hers. “Maybe we’ll go and check out the old tree house” Amy said, still staring Darren in the eye. “Oh, that’s nice. You haven’t been up there in forever;” Lily replied, whilst pouring dishwater over the plates, a wet stain could be seen darkening the fabric over her nipple, which Amy had just been sucking on. “Come on Darren!” Amy grabbed his hand and yanked him with her. At 5 foot 10; She was bigger and heavier than him. Her curves gave her the weight and strength advantage over his own slender body, and he had no say in the matter. He trotted after her like a rag doll. Darren hadn’t noticed earlier, but Amy had a very short polka dotted skirt on. As she was running in front of him now, to the old tree house out back; he glimpsed her ass cheeks now and then, as her skirt flapped up and down. Either she was wearing minimal string panties, or nothing at all, underneath. Up top; she had a tight, yellow tee-shirt, that did nothing to disguise her lovely bra-less tits. At the base of the old oak, in which the tree house was set, Darren got the answer to what Amy was wearing underneath; or rather, what she was not wearing. She climbed up before him, and he got a full view of her nakedness under that little skirt. His cock had been hard since the breakfast table and was not feeling like softening any time soon. He was only a little worried about climbing, and had to tear his gaze away from Amy’s nude pussy, to check that he wouldn't snag his boner on the old wooden planks that were nailed to the tree as a kind of ladder. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been up in that tree house. It must’ve been many years ago. Then, he and Amy would pretend they were in a crows nest on a pirate ship, looking for land or fighting off other pirates, trying to get at them. Although the nails in the planks were much more rusty than he remembered, it was still a sturdy build. The walls were made out of all kinds of planks from some barn house nearby, there was a square hole in the floor of it that you climbed up through from the plank-ladder nailed to the tree trunk. The excitement he remembered when climbing up to this tree house, was just as prominent now as then, but for totally different reasons. As he got close to the entrance in the tree house floor he looked up again and saw Amy’s strong, naked legs slip through the hole and to the side. Darren had no idea of what would happen up there, but he knew it would be exciting! It was secluded and high up. It would only be the two of them. He kind of regretted that he had chosen to wear his boxer briefs under his sweat pants now. Amy had clearly planned ahead and chosen ‘easy access’, instead. But, she didn’t have a raging boner to hide away. Girls have it so easy. They can easily get away with being horny in front of others and no one would know, unless you got to feel them between their legs. Darren's mind was racing! Visions of his naked cousin on the bed last night, floated past his mind's eye as he finally managed to crawl up and into the tree house. Amy sat in the corner of the small space, leaning against the wooden boards serving as a wall behind her. She had her knees up and legs slightly parted, but was holding her skirt down over her crotch so her nakedness under there couldn’t be seen. She had her mischievous smile on again. Since there was a plank roof on top of the tree house, she was a bit shadowed, which made her blue eyes look gleaming. “We haven’t been up here in a long time;” Amy said. “Yeah, I can’t remember the last time even” Darren lied. “You were very good with your tongue last night;” It was subtle, but Darren noticed how the hand she was pressing down her skirt with was also slowly moving around, pressing against her crotch. Both the sight of her hand and the words, got him stumped again, “Ehm.” “I know we’ve just had breakfast, and I didn’t bring any honey; but; maybe you’d like to taste me without?” Amy said and almost looked a bit shy for once. This was really not Darren’s area of expertise, and he had no plan or tactic. But his libido answered for him, “Of course!” Whatever he did last night seemed to work, so he was confident that he could make it work again. His luscious cousin was sitting on an old, ragged seat cushion, which she scooted herself forward on, towards Darren who was kneeling in front of her. As she slid forward she let go of her skirt and let her knees shift apart more. It was an incredible sight! Last night he’d not really been able to get a good look. Amy’s bedroom had been dim. Only her bed lamp had been shining softly. And to be honest, Darren had been way too aroused, shocked and excited to imbibe any details his eyes might have had a chance to see. But now; Although the planks shaded her a bit, it was daylight. She was right in front of him. It was right in front of him. It was strange and immensely erotic at the same time. “I’ve shaven it bare;” Amy said softly, as if to get his approval. Being a guy in his late teens, his reference of understanding was of course always infused with a lot of those kinds of ‘sex ads in the back of trashy news stand publications. But here he was; right in front of a real pussy. Her pussy was like a small swollen mound, with a thin slit going down the middle of it. Her slit was clearly wet and between her outer pussy lips, a hint of more folds could be seen. Her wetness showed, even on the sides of her slit. It was all the same cute pinkish skin color as the beautiful, smooth thighs framing it in. After the first amazement had been overcome, Darren’s eyes desperately searched for her clitoris. He didn’t know much about women, but this he knew! And since he was momentarily going to put his mouth and tongue into that alluring crevice, he really wanted to find her most sensitive spot. He got a bit nervous when he couldn’t easily spot it. On erotic stories he’d read, there was always a little bulb at the top of the slit, but Amy had none. Maybe the claims weren’t all that realistic, after all. He caught himself staring too intently, and when he looked up at Amy he could see that she was nervous too. She was biting her lower lip in anticipation. Her eyes’ looked bigger and were begging for appreciation. Darren made himself brave and leaned in on his elbows. Had he not been totally preoccupied by his own horniness, he would have understood that this was an extremely uncomfortable position for him. But that was nothing that his body was able to convince his mind of, right now. As he lowered his head, towards her lusty cunt lips ;Amy saw that he wouldn’t really reach all the way down while still sitting crouched on his knees. So, instead she shifted, folding her legs in under her and also now kneeling wide on the bench, making her pussy come up a bit higher towards his face. Darren was transfixed watching her little pussy writhe as she moved. Her pussy lips sliding against each other and some more wetness being pressed out of the soaking, pink slit between them. As she settled, his mouth was now just lined up with her cunt. He could feel the warmth of it radiating on his lips. He felt himself breathing heavily; Tentatively his tongue probed, he felt her fresh womanly taste in all of his body, even though only the tip of his tongue had touched her skin. Amy inhaled sharply, which gave Darren new courage. Again he let his tongue touch her. More of it this time. He could feel her thighs stiffen up. Darren quickly learned what effect his tongue had on Amy. He licked her; in longer and longer strokes, very much enjoying the effect it had on his horny cousin. She tasted heavenly! He had no idea of how a woman should taste, but he was sure he liked the taste of Amy’s wet pussy! Somehow it tasted fresh, even though it was so warm! Darren soon got into a rhythm, lapping at Amy like a dog in heat. Longer and longer licks. As his confidence grew, he started mixing it up a little. Sometimes, long and fast strokes with his tongue, sometimes short and slow. As his own arousal grew, he pressed his tongue deeper and deeper into her folds. His nose and chin, were now also part of the connection to her slippery, smooth skin. Amy’s lower body was now trembling, and no coherent sounds were coming from her. Her inner thighs sometimes spasmed and pressed against his ears, only to again spread out wide, letting his mouth and tongue come deeper into her slit. Now and then his tongue would find, what he assumed, to be Amy's clit. Somewhere at the top of her slit was an illusive little part of stiffer flesh that really sent her off, whenever his tongue would pass over it. But just as he thought he knew where it was, his tongue failed to thrash at it again. But Amy seemed to love it, no matter where he was licking at, so Darren just continued to explore her as much as he could. “Amy? Are you up there?” The sound of aunt Lily’s voice from below the tree house rang out like a bell whistle in a library! Amy’s body froze and went still as night! Darren still had his face pressed in between her legs and stopped in mid-lick. His tongue still in-bedded in her folds: “Yeah?” Amy croaked with the voice of someone who’s not used her voice for speaking in a long time. “Are you alright? Is Darren up there with you?” Darren felt that the very tip of his tongue was placed tight at the entrance of Amy’s twitching hole in there. Her fluids pooling on his tongue. Amy grabbed the hair on the back of Darren's head. “I’m fine. Darren went to the pond;” she said. Her voice was still a bit shaky and flustered. Darren let the tip of his tongue make its way in through Amy’s, now twitching, hole. “Should I come up?” Lily asked with the worried tone of a mother who wants to investigate. “No!” Amy answered and then hissed a whispering ‘no’ also to Darren. “I can’t talk to you when you’re hiding;” Lily complained from down there at the bottom of the tree. Amy had a firm grip of Darren’s head and pressed it tight against her pussy as she rose up on her knees, forcing his head to follow along. To keep his balance, and not get his hair torn off, Darren grabbed Amy’s thighs and let himself fall backwards as she moved forward on her knees. With his mouth still connected to her sopping pussy, and his head pressed hard between her legs, Amy moved forward to where the wall had a sawed up opening, like a window and poked her head out. She let go of Darren's hair, but he did not let go of her thighs and kept his face planted on her wet sex. “Ah, there you are;” Lily said with true relief. Darren started licking again; “What do you, ugh; want mom?” Amy tried to sound normal, but when Darren's eager tongue teased the right spots she didn’t seem to be able to control her voice in full. Darren of course didn’t want to be found out by his shapely aunt, but he had never seen her climb up to the tree house and felt quite confident that she wouldn’t come up. Also, Amy had already said he wasn’t up there, so; he felt well hidden. But seeing how much effect his tongue had on Amy made him feel powerful. She was the older of them and had always been the dominant one. Now she was at his mercy for once. Darren was intensely aroused at the situation she was in now. Him eating her out whilst she had to play it cool in front of her mother. He got back to his rhythm of licking and even added some sucking here and there. He would get as much of her swollen pussy in his mouth as possible and suck it into his mouth, while his tongue flicked at wherever that clit was hiding at the moment. “Well; I was wondering; “ aunt Lily was in no rush. Amy was breathing heavily and whimpering softly. There was no way Lily could hear her, but Darren did! “Do you think Darren was weirded out by; you drinking from me this morning?” “No mom. You know how guys are. He probably loved to see your boob;” Amy went up an octave in both sound and frequency on that last word. Darren had made another lunge upward with his tongue. Again trying to press it as far up into her as humanly possible. He felt her wetness now running down his cheeks. Her hips and thighs were quivering. “I know, but;” Darren had found his pace now. His tongue pressing into Amy’s tight pussy hole, sliding back out and pressing in again. He was actually tongue fucking her. A faint sloshing sound could be heard by anyone inside of the tree house. “He’s not used to stuff like that;” Lily continued, “I think I’ll talk to him about it. Maybe explain it better.” “Uh umm.” Amy nodded down the hole, but her eyes were closed and her lips were hanging open. She felt herself building up to something now. Darren’s relentless tongue, forming a spearhead and penetrating her over and over again, his hands tightly gripping around her thighs. She felt his chin pressing against her ass hole. It was too much! Amy climaxed violently. Well, her face and arms were perched on the sawed out window, she kept them quiet still. She gritted her teeth and her eyes were pressed shut from the energy it took to not let it show to Lily and at the same time having her body throw her into the best orgasm she’d ever had! A gush of hot fluids sprayed Darren’s mouth as Amy’s hole tightened around his intruding tongue! Her lower body shuddered and Darren pulled his face away from her pussy in pure surprise! Another gush splashed against his face and still open mouth! Darren’s grip of her thighs loosened and his head fell back against the wooden floor! With the third out-pour from Amy’s cunt, she couldn’t help but to let out a licentious groan from between her clenched teeth. Darren just laid there, drenched a third time. His eyes blinking in amazement at what he had managed to do to his sexy cousin! She had actually squirted! He had made her cum so hard that she squirted! This was something he’d only ever heard about in exaggerated porn stories. Darren’s thought was, that squirting is something that only happens to a handful of women, ever. And even then, it just happens when the full moon coincides with a leap year! Now he was an actual part of that odd fantasy! He felt like the star of an Asian porn flick. He felt so exceptionally proud! He made Amy come to that highest degree! “Hey! Are you listening? Amy!” Lily’s voice was only a background disturbance in the world Darren was now in. He was lying on the hard wooden floor with Amy above his face. She was raised up on her knees and he had a clear view right up her dotted skirt. Her pussy literally dripping. The taste and smell of her all over his face. He felt her juices still trickling down his cheeks and onto his neck. He saw her pussy contracting and relaxing at a fast pace and her wet thighs twitch in unison. With very contraction her nethers made a stream of more fluids roll down along the inside of her thigh! Damn! Amy was still coming! Darren was so hypnotized that he didn’t even think about his own throbbing meat. “Sorry; what were you saying mom?” Aunt Lily started again, with the annoyed tone of someone who has to repeat themselves, “I said; there is an old matinee showing soon on the tv. The old musical, State Fair; will be on in about 30 minutes. Maybe you can find Darren and I’ll make you some milkshakes?” It was now not a question; as it might have been the first time around. “Oh, that; that sounds great, mom;” Amy replied with the tone of someone who had just slept after a marathon. “Okay, then. See you inside.” Lily left back towards the house. Amy’s thighs had now relaxed, but her pussy was still making involuntary movements up there, over Darren's drenched and astounded face. As her mother left, Amy leaned back in from the tree house entrance. She slowly sat herself down on Darren’s chest. He felt his shirt getting thoroughly soaked as she let her weight press her ravished pussy lips onto him. As she looked down on him she gave him a tired smile. Her eyes only half open. “God damn; cuz! That was; that was amazing!” Amy wiped a strand of his wet hair from his forehead. Darren now felt a bit awkward. The earlier feeling of being in control, and a true sex god; drained away from him as he was now held down by Amy sitting on his chest. Looking down, her skirt was crunched up around her waist and he could see the top of her slit against his tee-shirt, her wet thighs down his sides and her body towering over him. Her nipples were threatening to poke holes in her thin tee. “Sorry if I made you squirt.” Darren tried. He wasn’t, of course. But it felt better to be humble and get praise instead of the opposite. Also, he was again the younger of the two; and Amy was the one who seemed to be in charge. “Oh. no, no, no; don’t be! That was the best; ever. I didn’t even know I was a squirter; Until now.” She sat there, on him, and steadied her breathing for a while before she spoke again. “Mom said the musical, State Fair, will be on TV. We should see; ” Darren had just been reveling at the feeling of Amy’s wet snatch, pressing down on his chest and nodded. He would’ve agreed to anything Amy had said, anyway. Amy climbed off of him and started straightening out her clothes. Darren sat up and could now feel really how wet she’d made him. His tee-shirt was clinging to him. The whole front of it was soaked and he felt a trickle of Amy’s juices down his neck as he rose to a sitting position. Amy laughed, “Look at you! We really need to dry you off.” After Amy had peeked out, making sure that Lily wouldn’t happen to see them, they climbed down from the tree house and made their way over to the barn. The excited rush there, made it feel almost like the times they’d snuck around when they were little, and hiding from aunt Lily. Barn Tryst. The barn was pretty big, but now only housed a few chickens and two cows. This time of day, all the animals were out and about, somewhere on the lands, so it was quiet. Amy helped Darren to wrangle his wet shirt off and wiped him down with a towel she’d found on a hook. “Man, I came a lot;” she said, with a hint of pride as she demonstratively rung out his shirt between her hands. Some drops actually came out of it, flowing over her knuckles. “Do I taste good?” she asked, as she licked the upper part of her hand with a sexy grin? “Very;” Darren nodded, and felt his cheeks blush. It felt like a dream he'd just had, and now that they were out in the daylight, it felt like it might have just been a fantasy. Now he felt a bit out of place. He was standing there, shirtless, with a hard on, in his pants as his super hot cousin was licking her own juices off her hand, and asking him what she tastes like! 'You couldn’t even write stuff like this,' he thought to himself. But that thought also took away from the fact, of what he’d just experienced. How could this ever be true?! And what now? He didn’t have to wonder for long, about that last thought; as Amy grabbed his crotch. There was no hiding that he was hard. Hard as hell. “Poor you! You didn’t get anything from me;” Amy said, with puppy dog eyes and playful sorrow, “Well. Maybe now I can get to see what you taste like?” Darren’s head was spinning! In reality, he knew exactly what she meant and insinuated. But this was far beyond his wildest dreams! Having his luscious, sweet Amy suck him off?! That would be so; “It’s starting!” Lily’s shout broke his soaring thought! The Matinee Movie. Aunt Lily was standing on the porch calling out to them, that the movie was starting. Amy made a sad face, but then smiled and rushed down to the house. Darren made a much slower walk, trying to walk in a way so that his hard-on wouldn’t show. Having his hands in his pockets helped. Of course, his 'crotch rocket' was very sensitive to the touch, and it did not let him relax. While he was still a bit away from the farm house, he saw Amy hug aunt Lily, as they went into the house. Darren realized he was still bare-chested and as he came to the open door, he heard that aunt Lily was in the kitchen. So he made a dash upstairs, and changed into a dry tee-shirt, before making his way down to the living room from where he could hear the movie playing. It was an old classic. He and Amy had watched it nearly 10 years ago. Amy was on the sofa under the huge quilt that was usually draped over it. She gave Darren a sly smile and beckoned him to join her under the quilt. Darren sat down on her left, close to the sofa's armrest. Amy scooted herself close to him and put the quilt over them both, so only their heads were uncovered. Amy slouched low, and had her feet up, on the ottoman Feeling her curvy body pressing into his side was very cozy, and Darren had trouble focusing on the film. He had, of course; seen this movie a million times, so it was much more enjoyable to relish in the feeling of Amy’s body so close beside him. The classic movie did little to distract his arousal, Even the lead actress, Vivian Blaine, looked very much like cousin Amy, if Amy's hair wasn't in braids. Darren held his breath, gathered some courage, and caressed her arm under the quilt. Amy identified with the young Emily Edwards in the movie. A debutante, Emily desires the affections of the strapping young man who comes to town. But Cousin Amy is bolder and more daring than the heroine of the musical. Spurred on by Darren's compliance, she let out a soft sigh, while still watching the TV. This felt so good. Like if they were boyfriend and girlfriend, cuddling up to a movie together. It was really quite romantic. The romance quickly changed to sensuality, as Amy took hold of his hand and forcefully steered it over to her tit. It was an awkward angle for his hand when Amy pressed his palm over her luscious boob. But Darren was not about to complain. She slowly rubbed his hand against her tit. Darren could feel her hardened nipple through the fabric of her tee-shirt. She still had her gaze fixed on the television, like nothing special was happening under their blanket. This was so much better than the film. Amy would taunt the movie's heroine for her lack of courage and assertiveness to initiate a heated interlude. Then Darren felt her moving his hand downward, over her belly. He tried to breathe normally, but all of his insides were quivering with sex-infused joy! Just as he had hoped, in silence, she led his palm down to between her legs. She had already flipped up her skirt beforehand so Darren could feel the smooth, shaven skin of her mound slowly pass under his palm. His fingers reached her slit and there she planted his hand firmly. Not that Darren wanted to pull it away, but if he had wanted to, he was not sure he would’ve been able to. Amy was pretty strong, actually. His middle finger was placed right over Amy’s slit. He felt the wetness in there, as she pressed his finger in between her slippery labia. They were both using all their energy to breathe calmly, but Darren could feel the tenseness of her body. She dragged his hand slowly up and down along her soaked cunt, and Darren let her guide him. He could hear her almost silent, sudden inhalations, when his finger hit ‘the spot’. Her thighs stiffened under the quilt and around his hand. It was heavenly to feel her most secret place, all while the old familiar movie played in the background. Not that Darren needed any more excitement, but it came anyway; when he felt Amy’s left hand make its way over his hip and down to the hem of his sweatpants! He felt her fingers tugging at the knot on them. The back of her hand brushed against his rock hard cock tenting his pants below. Darren felt his nostrils flaring and he could hear his own heartbeat inside of his ears! With his free left hand under the quilt, he helped Amy loosen the knot and her hand soon slid in under his sweatpants. A short sting as her fingernail was the first to find his hard cock, but that quickly shifted to the very exciting feeling of her fingertips slowly exploring him around the base of his erection. Darren was now no longer breathing calmly anymore. Having his hand over Amy’s pussy mound with one finger deeply embedded between her folds, and her nimble fingers now slowly caressing his rock hard cock was sending erotic chills all through his spine. Above the big quilt, both of them were still ‘just’ looking at the tv-screen. As Darren snuck a glance, he was impressed at how Amy was keeping such a straight face. Wasn’t she also enjoying this? But every once in a while he could see the tiniest of her face muscles twitch a little as his finger slowly pressed and slipped around in her slit. He tried to mimic her coolness and made it so his face would show as little reaction as possible. Unexpectedly her right hand quickly left his where it was holding down his right hand over her pussy. It was aunt Lily who had entered the room. “Here you go;” she chimed, carrying two strawberry milkshakes for them. Aunt Lily was proud of her milkshakes, as she well should be. They were always perfectly smooth and just the right amount of sweetness. They were a lot better than the ones you get in any restaurant Darren had ever been to. Darren didn’t really keep his hand on Amy’s pussy on purpose. He was just too surprised to react normally. He felt Amy’s thighs shuffle a little and she pulled the quilt up more over herself, as if to cover the outline of his right arm, which was laying down over her belly. There was of course, no way aunt Lily could’ve seen any of the lewd things that were going on under there, but her reaction was understandable. Amy received the milkshake with her now free hand and Lily leaned in and gave her a short hug, still holding Darren’s milkshake. He felt Amy’s hand now taking a grip around the base of his cock. He gritted his teeth in pleasure, but let nothing show on his face. Aunt Lily then made her way over to Darren with the other glass of milkshake. Darren pulled his left hand out from under the protective covering and took it. The glass was cold and heavy. It was adorned with whipped cream on top and a straw with that classical red and white swirl pattern around it. Lily leaned in on him and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “It’s so nice to have you here;” she whispered warmly. As she leaned in, her heavy tits pressed up against his chest. Even through the quilt he could feel her stiff nipples. The nipples Amy had been sucking on, only this morning. He also felt Amy’s grip around his cock tighten, but managed not to give himself away! As aunt Lily stood back up, he could feel Amy’s hand slowly sliding its way up the length of his pole. He gave Lily a polite smile, hoping his blushing cheeks wouldn’t give him away. The events in the tree house had made his precum pretty prominent the last hour. He had been worried it might even soak through his sweat pants. His underwear was stained, but the sweat pants were thick enough to not let anything seep through. But his swollen crown was, of course drenched in the slippery stuff, and Amy’s thumb made good use of that. She let it circle over and around his glans, ever so slowly. Luckily, aunt Lily turned away from him; otherwise she’d surely see his head jerk back, from the incredible feeling of Amy’s fingers massaging the top of his pulsating cock! A quick glance at Amy, told him that she was displaying an evil smirk. She knew what she was doing, and putting him through; in front of his aunt, her own mother! Did she want to get caught? A streak of vengefulness ran through him, and he quickly let his middle finger plunge deep into Amy’s wet cunt hole! It was so slippery that there was almost no resistance. Probably, she wasn’t ready for it, because her mouth opened wide and she let out a silent gasp. He could feel her entrance tighten around his finger. But it was too late, it was already deeply inserted in her! The feeling of his finger inside of his hot cousin, almost made him forget the pleasure of her hand on his own love parts, but Amy’s thumb movements now became more deliberate. As she spread out his precum more and more over his shaft, she also started stroking it in longer and longer motions. Still in slow motion though, so no movement could be seen from outside of the quilt. Darren thought that aunt Lily would leave and go back out into the kitchen, or something. To his horror she moved over to Amy’s other side, and made herself comfortable on the sofa, instead! The big sofa was for three people, but pretty large. Darren and Amy were scrunched up to one side so Lily decided that she could lay down on the 1 1⁄2 seats that were left over, a little closer to the television. To his dread, and in some kind of slow motion he could only watch as his sexy aunt took a big soft sofa pillow, then laid it over Amy’s lap, and his arm. Lily laid her head down on it. His arm was now locked in place under her pillow, his finger still inserted into Amy! He froze his movements for a bit, then bravely pressed his impaling middle finger hard against Amy's G-spot. Amy's mouth again opened wide, but she held her breathe until the urge to scream had become controllable. Darren thought it would compel Amy to retreat from her torrid assault on his cock tip. Amy did not. In a slow unrelenting pace, she kept on stroking his cock, ever so slowly. Darren could not believe what was happening! He finally decided to pause his torturing of Amy's G-spot. Would Cousin Amy honor the truce? Aunt Lily pretended to be engaged in the film, asking questions about whatever was on the screen, “Is that the prize pig they're entering in the contest?” or “Has the scene of the state fair beauty pageant been already?” Every time she talked, her head moved and Darren's finger in Amy moved also! Amy tried to answer as casually as she could, but Darren could easily hear that her voice sounded strained and trembling. With Amy still stroking him slowly, he felt like he was losing control again. Her message was clear. The ceasefire was rejected. It was on! He found that he could move his middle finger a little; and bend it inside her cunt! This way his arm could be totally still and Aunt Lily wouldn’t notice. Amy noticed though! Her breathing was heavier and when faint sloshing sounds from between her legs could be heard, she started slurping loudly on her milkshake. It became like some kind of silent competition between them now. Who could make the other one cum first! Darren was at a disadvantage. He had no idea there even was such a thing as a G-spot! And he could only move his middle finger, and not very much. He tried different ways. Pushing it in and out of her, moving it from side to side; But from what he could tell on Amy´s breathing, the best effect was when he curled it upwards and sort of pressed against the roof of her tunnel! Amy had more freedom to move though. She still kept her stroking slow, but firm and steady. Amy was also lacking insight on Darren's most sensitive zones. But when her thumb gently stroked the underside of his cock tip, Darren gritted his teeth. Darren felt things well up inside of him. He nudged Amy with his shoulder and tried to make a face that would make her understand that he couldn’t hold it anymore! Amy just grinned, slurping loudly on the straw in her mouth! Darren let his head fall back and stopped fighting it! He couldn’t. The geyser in him was stronger! He felt Amy pull her hand up over the top of his cock as he came. Again, and again. His mind groaned in pleasure. He could only hope that his mouth didn’t do the same. Amy was cupping her hand around the head of his throbbing cock, trying to catch as much of his seed as possible, in it. When he calmed down, she snuck her hand out from under the blanket. Darren tried to read her expression as she looked at the fluids, collected in her palm, was it astoundment, he detected? Hard to say. Lily stirred on the pillow, on Amy's lap; again pressing down on Darren's hand, which was pressed on Amy's cunt, with his middle finger impaled inside of her. She quickly wiped her hand against the top rim of her milkshake glass, to get as much of it off as possible. Thick globules of Darren’s cum ran down on the inside of the glass. Lily sat up and turned to Amy, “It seems you're not going to finish your milkshake darling.” “Oh? Eh;” Amy stuttered. She felt Darren's finger in her move, as Lily shifted from her position on the sofa. “That’s alright,” Aunt Lily assured her. “I’ll finish the rest;” she said, and took the glass from her daughter. Darren was dumbstruck as he watched his aunt open her red lips and see her pink, sexy tongue lick the rim of the glass, scooping up the chilled thick cum collected there. Then she sucked in the straw between her lips, and slurped up some of the milkshake; as she rose up from the sofa. Both Amy and Darren just stared at her, with blank faces; as she turned and went to the kitchen; happily slurping up the rest of Amy’s milkshake and all of the cum in it. “Damn, Darren! Mom got to taste you before I did!” Amy whispered when aunt Lily was out of earshot. She licked her palm and started sucking on her fingers. Darren could still only sit there, mouth wide open, not believing what his eyes saw! When Amy had licked her hand clean, she again snuck it in under the quilt and found Darren’s now softening cock. She held it in a soft grip and leaned her head on his shoulder, turning her eyes back to the movie. Darren leaned back, forgetting that his hand was still on her pussy and his finger inside of that wet, warm canal. When he remembered, and moved his finger a little, Amy whispered, “Shush; just leave it still. Otherwise I’m gonna soak all of mom’s sofa cushions. She snuck her other hand under and laid it firmly on his hand, between her thighs. Darren did as he was told, and just let it be there, motionless. It was incredibly cozy, in an erotic way. They both held on to each other's heated sexes, peacefully breathing and just letting the wonderful glow burn slowly inside of them. When the film finally finished, they let each other go. Darren couldn’t help but to put his middle finger in his mouth and give off a satisfied ‘Hmm..’. Amy smiled, “There is more where that came from;” and gave him a wink. As she was straightening out the quilt that had protected them throughout, they both saw a large wet stain, shaped like Amy’s ass cheeks and thighs on the sofa cushion she’d been sitting on! Amy gave off a worried curse word and quickly turned the cushion over and then covered the sofa with the quilt. “Maybe we should both change some clothes;” she smiled, and tugged down on her short skirt hem. It was clearly also wet from her fluids; and Darren agreed. As they went upstairs to their rooms, Lily called to them from the kitchen, “Lunch will be ready shortly!” Darren rummaged through his bag of clothes. His sweatpants needed changing. They were drenched with his own jizz. Although Amy had caught a lot of it with her hand, just as much had run down along his cock and was then soaked up by his think fleece sweatpants. It again dawned on him that his buxom aunt had actually licked and drank his cum! She didn’t know it, but just the thought of some of him entering her mouth; him being swallowed by his buxom sexy milf auntie. He felt his cock twitching again, and had to fight the thoughts! Instead of throwing his sweatpants in the hamper, he hung them on the lampshade to dry and decided to go commando with a clean pair of pants. To be continued. Based on a post by Guzzler 21, for Sex Stories.

Things got personal this week with hoax mass shootings sweeping the country’s college campuses. Both Amy and T.J. got phone calls from loved ones fearing the worst as false phone calls were placed, claiming active shooters were on campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things got personal this week with hoax mass shootings sweeping the country’s college campuses. Both Amy and T.J. got phone calls from loved ones fearing the worst as false phone calls were placed, claiming active shooters were on campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things got personal this week with hoax mass shootings sweeping the country’s college campuses. Both Amy and T.J. got phone calls from loved ones fearing the worst as false phone calls were placed, claiming active shooters were on campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Things got personal this week with hoax mass shootings sweeping the country’s college campuses. Both Amy and T.J. got phone calls from loved ones fearing the worst as false phone calls were placed, claiming active shooters were on campus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we welcome Amy Respini of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance and Jason Thomas of the Vegas Chamber, two powerhouse talent liaisons embedded within key business-facing organizations to support employer growth and regional economic development. Amy, who grew up between Southern California and Oregon, brings a background in psychology, mediation, and banking, along with early leadership experience serving on a Head Start board while still in college. Jason, a Los Angeles native and former UNLV quarterback, transitioned from juvenile probation work to workforce development, using his background in mentorship and community service to connect employers with job seekers. Together, they serve as the “tip of the spear” in a nationally recognized model that embeds workforce experts directly in chambers to make support seamless, responsive, and hyper-local.Both Amy and Jason help businesses tap into a whole ecosystem of no-cost resources, such as state and federal hiring incentives, training reimbursements, and access to job-ready talent. Amy recalls helping a new business owner hire her first employee and secure over $12,000 in incentives. Jason highlights a salon owner who, with ongoing support, just experienced her first profitable quarter. Whether supporting startups or established firms, they guide employers through workforce strategies that can unlock up to $30,000 in savings, a reinvestable source of capital that fuels long-term sustainability and growth. They also serve as bridges between chambers, municipalities, the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and community partners to ensure businesses have what they need at every stage.Outside of work, Amy is a music enthusiast who still plays saxophone during the holidays, and Jason is a family man whose UNLV journey led to meeting his wife, a fellow student-athlete. Both are driven by their shared commitment to service, relationships, and long-term impact. Their advice to young people? Be open to opportunity, learn to build connections, and lean into purpose. For in-person networking, don't miss the Vegas Chamber Mayoral Luncheon on August 12 at the Orleans, or LVGEA's Perspective event on August 7 at ARIA, where hundreds of business leaders will gather to shape the region's economic outlook.EmployNV Business Hub: www.employnvbusinesshub.org Amy Respini: amyr@lvgea.org (702) 350-2078Jason Thomas: JThomas@vegaschamber.com (702) 533-8255LVGEA Las Vegas Perspective | Las Vegas Global Economic AllianceVegas Chamber Events & Programs | Vegas Chamber 

On this week's Talkhouse Podcast, we've got a pair of old friends who dive right in on some light-hearted topics like death and aging: Amy Millan and Kevin Drew. Both Amy and Kevin are deeply connected to the Canadian indie scene that took shape in the late 1990s around Broken Social Scene. That band was initially Kevin's baby, but a whole constellation seemed to spring from it, including Metric, Feist, and the band that Amy is most closely associated with, Stars. The impetus for today's conversation, though, is Millan's gorgeous new solo album, I Went to Find You. It's her first in 15 years, and as you'll hear in this conversation, was inspired by stirred-up feelings about the death of her father when she was just a little kid. Millan created the album with a musician she only met recently, Jay McCarrol, after a chance encounter with him that stirred up some dormant emotions about her childhood. It's a really beautiful and quietly triumphant record that's worth some time and attention in your headphones. Check out “Kiss That Summer” right here. Kevin Drew directed that great video for that song, and he's got bona fides when it comes to writing songs about difficult subjects, too: His latest solo album, Aging, came out in 2023, and you might be able to guess what it's about from that title. It's a topic that Kevin and Amy get into here as they get deep and sweet together—they were even a little worried they'd forget they were being recorded since they're such close friends. They talk about Amy's record but also, perhaps for the first time on Talkhouse, perimenopause. There's also memories of Hal Willner, a great name for Amy's tour that she didn't end up using, and living in your “who gives a fuck” years. Enjoy. Thanks for listening to the Talkhouse Podcast and thanks to Amy Millan and Kevin Drew for chatting. If you liked what you heard, please follow Talkhouse on your favorite podcasting platform and check out all the great stuff in the Talkhouse Podcast Network. This episode was produced by Myron Kaplan, and the Talkhouse theme is composed and performed by the Range. See you next time! Find more illuminating podcasts on the ⁠⁠⁠Talkhouse Podcast Network⁠⁠⁠. Visit ⁠⁠⁠talkhouse.com⁠⁠⁠ to read essays, reviews, and more. Follow @talkhouse on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Twitter (X)⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠.

Today I welcome back to the program Al Fadi and Amy McClintock, with the Strategic Resource Group, an organization that funds projects to reach unreached people groups in the Middle East and North Africa, the so-called MENA region of the world. Both Amy and Al have been on the program before to discuss a bible translation project for Hejazi speaking people. This is an Arabic language spoken by more than 11 million people. More than three years ago, I started reporting on a new initiative by the Strategic Resource Group that – if successful – could have a dramatic impact on the way we do Bible translation. They are using a so-called Translation Service Provider – an organization that normally translates contracts, treaties, movie scripts, books, and all manner of other material – to translate the Bible. I wrote my first article about this process in August of 2021. But one aspect of this project that is different from those undertaken by traditional Bible translation organizations is the remarkable degree of transparency SRG has shown to me in the process. Since this project began, I have been checking in with them every six months to get updates, and to hear lessons learned.  And that's what we are doing today. The very fact that Al and Amy and SRG are allowing me to have these regular check-ins is dramatically different from the way the Bible translation industry normally operates.  It's an industry cloaked in secrecy and layers of bureaucracy.  In fact, for the past four years or so, I've written about 50 articles on the industry and its practices, and I'll have links to some of those articles in today's show notes. I encourage you to check them out:  https://ministrywatch.com/bible-translations/

On this episode, Tara sits down with friend Amy Green who is the founder of Mamaya Health, an organization that provides therapy to mothers in all stages of the reproduction process. Both Amy and Tara talk about their personal pregnancy experiences and how a company Mamaya Health is a significant resource for women. Tune in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BariAftercare's movement contributor, Kelsey, who is a personal trainer and Burn Boot Camp instructor, met a post-op who is shaking things up in the best way, not only at the gym but in her life as a mom, a teacher, and through her posts on social media! In this episode, Amy highlights the fact that each of us is born to shine in this world! Listen as Amy shares how she made the choice to create a life rich in non-scale victories, how she shares her wisdom, her positive attitude and her understanding that each day is filled with difficult moments that we can work to handle in a healthy way because we CAN do hard things! Both Amy and Kelsey share the reasons they chose to overcome the physical and emotional hurdles they faced as they began their movement routines and how the accomplishments they experienced in their physical workouts translated to improvements in their overall confidence and self-esteem, which in turn, led to positive changes in other areas of their lives! We can all learn some great life lessons in this episode. Let's get started!Resources:BariAfterare: www.bariaftercare.comConnie Stapleton PhD website: www.conniestapletonphd.comBariAftercare website: https://www.conniestapletonphd.com/bariaftercareBariAftercare Facebook page (for members only): https://www.facebook.com/groups/BariAftercareKevin Stephens: Your Bariatric Buddy   https://www.facebook.com/groups/yourbariatricbuddy/peopleInstagram: @cale101 (Caleshia Haynes)Instagram: @therealbariboss (Tabitha Johnson)Instagram @drsusanmitchell (Dr. Susan Mitchell)Instagram: @lauraleepreston (Laura Preston)ProCare Vitamins (10% off with code ConnieStapleton)Please subscribe to the show and rate it on Apple Podcasts, download free information at www.conniestapletonphd.com, and follow me on Twitter (@cstapletonphd), Instagram (@cstapletonphd), YouTube, LinkedIn, and on Facebook.

The bonus episode titled "Special Hearts" centers around the theme of special needs foster care, spotlighting the experiences and insights of foster parents who have taken on this demanding yet rewarding role. Hosted by Deborah Linder and Liz Rivera, the episode features heartfelt conversations with Amy, a seasoned foster mother from Utah, and Katie Welling, who works with New Alternatives for Children in New York. **Amy's Journey:** Amy, a foster mom with 25 years of experience, shares her journey into fostering, particularly children with special needs. Initially a special education teacher, Amy's professional background naturally transitioned into her role as a foster parent. She has adopted eight out of her ten children and currently cares for a child in foster care. Amy explains that many children enter foster care without a prior diagnosis of special needs, such as ADHD or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, which often complicates their care. Despite these challenges, Amy emphasizes the profound joy and fulfillment that fostering brings, particularly when children surpass expectations. **Challenges and Rewards:** Amy discusses the common challenges faced in special needs foster care, such as accessing appropriate services and ensuring the children are seen beyond their diagnoses. She stresses the importance of recognizing and appreciating the individuality and potential of each child, rather than getting overwhelmed by their medical or developmental needs. Additionally, Amy highlights the rewarding aspects, recounting her personal story of a son who defied grim medical predictions and thrived, bringing immense joy and inspiration to her life. **Katie's Perspective:** Katie Welling adds her perspective from New York, focusing on the crucial role of community support for foster families. She notes that fostering children with special needs requires a robust support network, which can sometimes be a challenge in densely populated yet disconnected urban areas. Katie advocates for building and leveraging community connections to support foster parents, emphasizing the importance of practical help from friends, family, and neighbors. **Support Systems:** Both Amy and Katie underline the significance of support systems in successful fostering. Amy describes how her local community and family assist in various ways, from household help to emotional support. Katie echoes this, sharing how in New York, fostering agencies work to help families identify and utilize their support networks. This communal involvement is essential for managing the complexities of special needs care. **Parental Empowerment:** Another critical aspect discussed is the empowerment of biological parents. Amy shares her experiences of working alongside the parents of foster children to help them understand and manage their child's needs better. This collaborative approach not only benefits the children but also strengthens family bonds and aids in the reintegration process when children return to their biological families. **Encouragement and Call to Action:** The episode concludes with an encouraging message for potential foster parents. Both Amy and Katie highlight that fostering, especially children with special needs, though challenging, is incredibly rewarding. They call on those with the love and commitment to step forward, assuring them that the necessary support and resources are available. Katie, who has personal experience as an adoptee, underscores the transformative impact that compassionate foster care can have on children's lives. The episode "Special Hearts" thus paints a comprehensive and inspiring picture of special needs foster care, celebrating the dedication of foster parents and the resilience of the children they care for. It serves as both an informative guide and a motivational appeal to those considering embarking on this life-changing journey . Resources: New Alternatives for Children [Website] How Families are Advocating for Children with Disabilities in Foster Care [Article] Medical Home Portal [Website]

This week Karmen sits down with Amy Jackson, founder of MAYSON The Label. Amy shares her journey in the fashion industry from her start as a blogger and dives into the inspiration behind her brand, emphasizing the importance of getting clear on what you want and staying true to your identity. If it's not a "yes" it's a "hell no"! Some of the most important pieces of creating MAYSON were crafting the clothing with the perfect fit and using of high-quality fabrics to give each piece a luxury feel all while maintaining an approachable price point. She also highlights the importance of finding the right price point for her target audience.  Both Amy and Karmen highlight that connecting with like-minded women and building a community is essential for business success and personal growth. Life is all about authentic connections and meaningful experiences.Connect with Amy and MAYSON The Label:maysonthelabel.comfashionjackson.comIG: @maysonthelabel @fashion_jacksonConnect with Karmen and A Line:aline-online.comIG: @alineboutique@karmenberentsenYouTube: A Line BoutiqueTikTok: @a_line_boutiqueCheck out Karmen's memoir Learning to Fly, here.https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Fly-Memoir-Karmen-Berentsen/dp/1735235008

On Episode #9 of Season Four of Real Talk with Tedi, Tedi welcomes special guests Shelley Davis-Boyd, Integrare Collaborative, and Amy Mollitor, Intentional Energy Coaching.   Amy and Shelley tell us all about their amazing Podcast Wild Wisdom Her, why they started this and why it's important to them both.  Tedi asks Amy what 'Tapping' is and Shelley shares with her strong passion for helping others succeed.  Both Amy and Shelley, who are both Certified Life Coaches (CLC), share with us how they use their life-skills and past experiences to empower women to success.  This is a fascinating conversation, one you definitely do not want to miss, especially all the flubs, flaws and mistakes Tedi makes throughout the podcast.  You can connect with Shelley & Amy at:Shelley Davis Boyd, MBA, CAE, CLCCertified Life Coach | Certified EQ-i 2.0 Practitioner | Speaker  Integrare CollaborativeWebsite:  https://www.integrarecollaborative.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrareCollabLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mieshelimageInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/integrarecollaborative/Email:   shelley@integrarecollaborative.comAmy C. Mollitor, CPC, ELI-MPCertified Life Coach & EFT Tapping Master PractitionerIntentional Energy CoachingFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/intentionalenergycoaching/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmollitor/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/amycmollitor/Email:  amy@intentionalenergycoaching.comLinks & Resources:Learn EFT Tapping - Reduce Anxiety & Improve Focus in Minutes! (Event)Stress Management Workshop for Moms (Event: 5/11/2024)Real Talk w/Tedi - Season #1, Episode #7The opinions and statements made by guests on Real Talk with Tedi are/or do not necessarily reflect those of Real Talk with Tedi or the Real Talk Network . To learn more, please visit: https://www.realtalkmi.comThe music used for this podcast was provided by: ChilledMusic (Spark of Energy) . Check them out at: https://filmmusic.io/song/7535-spark-of-energy. License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.

This week, Wisconsin native Dawson Addis became the seventh contestant eliminated from NBC's new hit reality competition show, Deal or No Deal Island. As part of our Deal or No Deal Island coverage, Dawson visits the Jack Vita Show for his exit interview. Dawson formed a close alliance with Nick, Stephanie and Amy. They called themselves the Night Owls. The Night Owls positioned themselves to pick off another number from the other side in this week's episode. Nick won the excursion, security immunity and also earning the ability to pick which contestant would face the banker that night. Nick selected Dawson. Both Amy and Stephanie had faced the banker, and now it was Dawson's turn. Dawson made quick work of the board, knocking out nearly all of the lower-valued briefcases almost immediately. Later on, with a $3.25 million case, a $2.75 million case and a $300 case as the last three remaining cases in play, the banker called and made Dawson an offer that he couldn't refuse. Dawson was offered $1,399,000 for the prize pot. He also was offered $100,000 if he eliminated himself from contention. Only given a few minutes to arrive a decision, Dawson chose to take the deal, and he became the seventh contestant eliminated from Deal or No Deal Island. Dawson chats with Jack about his time on Deal or No Deal Island, his decision to self-eliminate, what his plan would have been had he defeated the banker, how he plans to spend his prize money, and so much more! This is only the first time you will be hearing from Dawson on the Jack Vita Show this week. Later in the week, he will join Miranda Rose Harrison and Jack for Deal or No Deal Island Insiders, as they dive deep into the episode, as well as Dawson's time on the show! You can follow Dawson on Instagram (@dawsonaddis) and Twitter (@DawsonAddis1).

You've caught the girls in an especially... let's say, "anxious" episode. Both Amy and Linds enjoyed the weekend and explain the reason behind the Sunday Scaries and dreaded "hangxiety." Sharing their own stories, the gals explore:What is Hangxiety?Thoughts match your physiology Breathwork for down-regulatingIncreasing parasympathetic tonePower of reframing As always, we SO appreciate you listening! AND, if there's any topics you'd like us to cover, be sure to shoot us a DM! Until next week, xo!Follow LindseyConnect with AmyLindsey is taking new CA-based clientsBook with Amy

Your host, Amy Sylvis, is joined by Trevor McGregor, an esteemed real estate investor and high-performance coach who's worked closely with Tony Robbins, to talk about the transformative power of the Five Freedoms Framework. Both Amy and Coach T share personal anecdotes and insights into designing an abundant life, navigating pitfalls, and taking inspired action.  This episode offers a roadmap for listeners to reflect on their goals, challenge limiting beliefs, and take steps towards living an abundant life. Key Takeaways: A breakdown of each of the 5 Freedoms The importance of intentional choices and inspired action The 3 paradigms we are always living in The CBA Goal-Setting System More about Trevor: Trevor McGregor has been a Real Estate Investor for over 2 decades now and is also a High Performance - Master Coach with over 40,000 one-to-one Coaching Sessions under his belt. He has worked with clients from around the world, including Fortune 500 Executives, Doctors, Attorneys, High-Level Real Estate Investors, Entrepreneurs and even Olympic Athletes. They all come to Trevor for one thing: Life Changing Transformation both personally and professionally, so that they can achieveMore Success, More Wealth and More Freedom, faster than they ever thought possible. Connect with Trevor: trevormcgregor.com linkedin.com/in/trevor-mcgregor-93375862 Connect with Amy Sylvis: sylviscapital.com sylviscapital.com/webinar  linkedin.com/in/amysylvis

Both Amy and Shunda had some foods they ate as kids but would be weird to eat as an adult!

In this episode, Amy and Tray Cassles discuss various aspects of their lives, including the recent holiday season and Amy's second sinus surgery. They share insights into how they navigated the festive season stress-free and the motivation behind it. The episode also reaches into their goals for the new year, focusing on deepening relationships and embracing simplicity.Key Points:Amy and Tray reflect on their approach to holidays, emphasizing the importance of avoiding stress and enjoying the festive season.Amy shares her experience with sinus surgery and the motivation to have Christmas preparations completed before the surgery.The couple discusses the success of hosting Christmas, making many things from scratch, and enjoying a stress-free holiday season.Tray opens up about his spiritual journey and the desire for a peaceful and Christ-like mindset amidst life's chaos.Both Amy and Tray reveal their chosen words for the year - Amy's is simplicity, while Tray's is relationships.The discussion extends to their individual growth, intentions, and the continuous effort to better relationships with family, friends, and each other.Amy and Tray share humorous moments, including their morning routines and the importance of family meals without distractions.The episode concludes with expressions of gratitude, and well wishes for the new year.Quotable Moments:"I read, 'The only thing that you can grasp without losing your soul is God's hand. Anything else you grasp, you're risking your soul because God is who you need to grab in any and all things.'” - Tray @ 38:59"Simplicity is my word. And that's it. It's my word, and I'm sticking to it.”- Amy @ 41:14"My focus this year is if I can deepen and strengthen my relationship in everything, I can really look towards an amazing year.” - Tray @ 41:012

This episode features Amy Whiteford and Dave Phinney in a conversation about the development of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills and Santa Barbara County AVA. Both Amy and Dave have independently been on the podcast before Amy back in 2014 and 2016. Our conversation ranges from their shared work background, the reasons for developing a vineyard in Santa Rita Hills, the characteristics of the site, the diversity of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay selections, challenges of hillside plantings, avocado trees in the vineyard, straddling the AVA line, the name Our Lady of Guadalupe, the wine I get to make using fruit from this vineyard for Naked Wines, and the launch of the new wine brand Our Lady of Guadalupe Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Our hosts Chris and Amy spend one hundred minutes gushing over Alice Oseman's wonderful series, Heartstopper. No topic is off the table as they dive into all the details that make Heartstopper the queer story they wish they had growing up. Learn more about your hosts as they open up about how a story like Heartstopper leaves its lasting impact on them. Both Amy and Chris see themselves in one of the two main characters, but if you want to find out which, you're going to have to listen!A special thank you to the author, Alice Oseman, for their brilliant work in bringing this important and magical story to the page, as well as the big (tv) screen. Their influence on queer pop culture and their amplification of queer stories centered around positivity and acceptance are both something Chris and Amy appreciate immensely.Thank you to Kevin MacLeod for the use of our theme song, 'Werq.' You can find more of their music on https://www.incompetech.com/.If you'd like to contact us with book recommendations or questions for our upcoming episodes, email thebiggaybookclub@gmail.com or message us on Instagram @tbgbookclub. We'd love to hear from you! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our next episode of the Mindset Practice podcast. In this episode we are delighted to welcome Amy Shelton and Rachel Cornah from Nuclear Waste Management. Amy and Rachel are in a unique position that they share the position of Principal Site Evaluation manager and manage a team and all the day to day activities together full time.Both Amy and Rachel have experienced Mindset Practices approach individually and with their team.Our conversation included their experiences of being women in  a leadership role in a STEM organisation, the challenges they faced and have discovered leading and sharing a role and how understanding their mindset enabled them to resolve many of these issues.They also shared the transformational change they have seen and felt in themselves and thier team since working with us at Mindset Practice.#stem #leadership #womeninleadership #growthmindset #emotionalintelligence To find out more contact us at support@mindsetpractice.com or follow us on linked in Mindset Practice: Company Page Admin | LinkedIn

Are you the “default parent”? Do you find you feel guilty for taking time for yourself away from the kids? Are you struggling with the invisible load in motherhood? My guest, Amy Kiefer, joins me in this week's episode as we discuss the emotional, mental and physical labor it takes to keep a family and household. Amy Kiefer's purpose in life is simple yet transformative — to help and empower others. A multi-passionate entrepreneur, small business owner, and mom of three, she got her start by launching a blog and later developing the pregnancy and postpartum workout app, Expecting and Empowered.  In her mission to give women the confidence and care they deserve, Amy has since gone on to create numerous outlets for her purpose-driven mindset. Drawing from her exercise science education, a nursing career in oncology, and her daily challenges as a mom, her endeavors have grown into a vibrant and supportive community – prompting the collaborative development of Amy's two other online businesses: Pursuing Her Purpose and the top-rated HERself Podcast, with over 2.5 million downloads. Acclaimed for empowering women through some of their most difficult seasons, Amy is proud to help her community move past stress, guilt, and common obstacles to lead happier, healthier lives that are more aligned with their dreams.Amy provides resources as well as practical tips that will challenge and encourage you to ask yourself how you can make visible some of your load. Both Amy and myself share personal stories of how the invisible load in motherhood has affected our own motherhood stories.Be sure to check out Amy Kiefer!Amy's InstagramPursuing Her PurposeHerself PodcastExpecting and EmpoweredBooks discussed in the Show:*Fair Play by Eve Rodsky*Drop the Ball: Achieving More by Doing Less by Tiffany DufuLet's Connect: Follow over on Instagram: @experiencemotherhood GET MY WEEKLY EMAIL Discover YOU again after kids by Joining the Experience Identity Waitlist Get access to other resources over at https://www.experiencemotherhood.com/resources -->Take one minute to subscribe, rate and review the podcast! Your support is incredibly meaningful!Support the ShowA small monetary gesture helps me keep this podcast going, so thank you in advance!Until next time. . . Go Experience Motherhood!Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only.

On this episode of Career Chat, Tedi welcomes Co-Host Amy Pierce-Danders, Founder of E3 Coaching Studio, located in Grand Rapids, MI to the podcast.   Tedi and Amy 'go back in the day' to talk about the first job they had that helped them define their careers and provided lifelong self-management and transferrable skills.  Both Amy and Tedi worked at the same place and share how they had parallel experiences that helped shape their career trajectories.  This is a great conversation between friends and respected colleagues.   You can connect with Career Chat Co-Host Amy Pierce-Danders at:Amy Pierce-Danders, Founder & Owner, Career Chat Podcast Co-HostE3 Coaching StudioWebsite:  https://www.e3coachingstudio.com/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/amypierceFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/E3CoachingStudioEmail:   amy@e3coachingstudio.comPhone:  (616) 552-9702The opinions and statements made by guests on RTWT Career Chat are/or do not necessarily reflect those of  Career Chat  podcast on the Real Talk Network  Learn more  at:    https://www.teditalks.comThe music used for this podcast was provided by: Funky Logo 12 by TaigaSoundProd.  Check them out at: https://filmmusic.io/song/8045-funky-logo-12.  License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license.   Artist Website: https://linktr.ee/taigasoundprod.

Today, I am thrilled to welcome TWO (yes TWO) badass mindset coaches to join me on this very special episode of The Mindset Coach Academy Podcast! Amy Oliphant is the founder of Transcend Mental training and a Positive Performance Certified Mindset Coach. Fun fact, Amy was actually in our very first MCA Certification course, and has been a Team Captain for us over the past 4 years. When she joined us, she had no intention of starting a business. Now, she's getting paid to be a mindset coach and scaling her business, with plans to expand in 2023. In her words, “If you run towards that fear, the possibilities are endless”. Nikki Dieball does it all. As the Associate Head Volleyball Coach at Southern Nazarene University and the owner of RISE volleyball club, Nikki has set up her mindset coaching business to scale however and whenever she needs it to. Wearing so many different hats and being a mom to a 10 year old and 2 month old at the same time, growing her mindset coaching business on the side has allowed Nikki tremendous flexibility and peace-of-mind. If you are thinking about joining us for our Mindset Coach Academy Certification program in the spring, or simply want to know what it's like to become a Mindset Coach, this episode is a must-listen. A huge thank you to Nikki and Amy for being my guests today and being so open about what it's really like, on a day-to-day basis, to be a mindset coach. Juggling kids, adult responsibilities, and other jobs, these two are real, raw, and don't hold anything back. Follow Amy:Website: www.transcendmentaltraining.comInstagram: @transcendmentaltraining LinkedIn: Amy OliphantFollow Nikki:Website: risevbcoaklahoma.comInstagram: @nikkidieball23If you are inspired by Nikki and Amy and are interested in becoming a PPT Certified Mindset Coach… Download our free e-book: The Ultimate Mindset Coaching Toolkit will help you land and train your very first client! This is the perfect way to get a real taste for what it's like to be a mindset coach. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/ultimate-mindset-coaching-toolkit Join The Mindset Coach Academy Certification: This is the same program both Amy and Nikki went through. Learn more and sign up for our waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens in 2023! www.positiveperformancetraining.com/MCACertification Links to other resources mentioned in the episode: Mistake Ritual: Stop watching your athletes turn one mistake into five. Instead, be proactive and help them develop a mistake ritual to fall back on when things get tough. In this online video workshop you'll learn how to use our mistake ritual system (worksheet included) so you can easily teach it to your athletes or team in a simple 30 minute workshop. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/mistake-ritual BRAVR Method: The BRAVR™ is a step-by-step SYSTEM designed to get you and your athletes the focus, toughness and resiliency in practice (and beyond) that you ALL deserve. Trusted by hundreds of coaches to have highly productive, focused team practices. For the coach that KNOWS the mental game IS the game. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/bravr-system ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's a glance at this episode:[1:00] Amy gives a quick intro about her business, Transcend Mental Training, and Nikki gives a quick intro about her job as an Assistant Volleyball coach at Southern Nazarene University and owner of RISE volleyball club.[6:45] “Either decide it's gonna be a hobby or jump in with both feet”. Amy talks about the importance of intentionally choosing your path as a mindset coach. [8:30] Nikki was fortunate enough to be introduced to mental training at a young age. She shares how her passion for mental training led her to finding Lindsey and joining The Mindset Coach Academy. . [12:55] “I can make it as big as I want” Nikki talks about the peace of mind that comes with having a side hustle that can scale whenever she needs it to (while helping people).[15:30] What's a day-in-the-life of a Mindset Coach really look like? Amy talks about her own mindset routine. She also shares some personal wins - getting her first corporate client, launching a group subscription program for hockey players (and eventually swimmers), and prepping for end-of-the-year presentations at highschools. [17:45] Athletes today are faced with unique challenges. Nikki is seeing a ton of confidence issues and overwhelm with schedules, mental health, pressure to perform, and learning to “win” without a scoreboard.[20:27] The ripple effect of mindset coaching is REAL. In Nikki's words, “It can't help but bleed over into every aspect of their life [...] the classroom, relationships…”[23:09] Both Amy and Nikki agree they used to “frankenstein” their training programs from scratch. Now, Amy's created a choose-your-own-adventure “mental performance roadmap” and reminds us there's no such thing as a one-size-fits all. Nikki's created a structured-yet-unscripted program that's tailored to each client. [27:22] The Mistake Ritual is one tool that both Amy and Nikki use consistently. In Nikki's words, “It can change things for them in an instant”. Amy believes most athletes have no idea what they're thinking. She shares about the one tool she uses to help them get their inner thoughts to work FOR them. [31:21] Amy and Nikki share their favorite metaphors for creating custom visualizations for clients. Then, they share what's next for them and their businesses.[34:33] Nikki talks about her new project that is tailor-made to help athletes navigate the recruitment experience; including dealing with rejection. [36:15] How does a mindset coach grow their own mindset? Both Nikki and Amy talk about the importance of weaving mindset work into their daily routines. They both agree that lists, organization, and time management is key! [39:44] Wrapping up this episode, Lindsey asks Nikki and Amy to share what they would say to someone who is thinking about joining The MCA Certification. From the incredible community, to the learning environment that challenges you and builds your confidence, In Amy's words, “I wouldn't be where I am without it”. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Lindsey's straight forward, realistic approach to motivation and living your best life.”

Today, I am thrilled to welcome TWO (yes TWO) badass mindset coaches to join me on this very special episode of The Mindset Coach Academy Podcast!  Amy Oliphant is the founder of Transcend Mental training and a Positive Performance Certified Mindset Coach. Fun fact, Amy was actually in our very first MCA Certification course, and has been a Team Captain for us over the past 4 years. When she joined us, she had no intention of starting a business. Now, she's getting paid to be a mindset coach and scaling her business, with plans to expand in 2023. In her words, “If you run towards that fear, the possibilities are endless”.  Nikki Dieball does it all. As the Associate Head Volleyball Coach at Southern Nazarene University and the owner of RISE volleyball club, Nikki has set up her mindset coaching business to scale however and whenever she needs it to. Wearing so many different hats and being a mom to a 10 year old and 2 month old at the same time, growing her mindset coaching business on the side has allowed Nikki tremendous flexibility and peace-of-mind.  If you are thinking about joining us for our Mindset Coach Academy Certification program in the spring, or simply want to know what it's like to become a Mindset Coach, this episode is a must-listen.  A huge thank you to Nikki and Amy for being my guests today and being so open about what it's really like, on a day-to-day basis, to be a mindset coach. Juggling kids, adult responsibilities, and other jobs, these two are real, raw, and don't hold anything back.  Follow Amy: Website: www.transcendmentaltraining.com Instagram: @transcendmentaltraining  LinkedIn: Amy Oliphant Follow Nikki: Website: risevbcoaklahoma.com Instagram: @nikkidieball23 If you are inspired by Nikki and Amy and are interested in becoming a PPT Certified Mindset Coach… Download our free e-book: The Ultimate Mindset Coaching Toolkit will help you land and train your very first client! This is the perfect way to get a real taste for what it's like to be a mindset coach. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/ultimate-mindset-coaching-toolkit  Join The Mindset Coach Academy Certification: This is the same program both Amy and Nikki went through. Learn more and sign up for our waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens in 2023! www.positiveperformancetraining.com/MCACertification   Links to other resources mentioned in the episode: Mistake Ritual: Stop watching your athletes turn one mistake into five. Instead, be proactive and help them develop a mistake ritual to fall back on when things get tough. In this online video workshop you'll learn how to use our mistake ritual system (worksheet included) so you can easily teach it to your athletes or team in a simple 30 minute workshop. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/mistake-ritual BRAVR Method: The BRAVR™ is a step-by-step SYSTEM designed to get you and your athletes the focus, toughness and resiliency in practice (and beyond) that you ALL deserve. Trusted by hundreds of coaches to have highly productive, focused team practices. For the coach that KNOWS the mental game IS the game. www.positiveperformancetraining.com/bravr-system  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here's a glance at this episode: [1:00] Amy gives a quick intro about her business, Transcend Mental Training, and Nikki gives a quick intro about her job as an Assistant Volleyball coach at Southern Nazarene University and owner of RISE volleyball club. [6:45] “Either decide it's gonna be a hobby or jump in with both feet”. Amy talks about the importance of intentionally choosing your path as a mindset coach.  [8:30] Nikki was fortunate enough to be introduced to mental training at a young age. She shares how her passion for mental training led her to finding Lindsey and joining The Mindset Coach Academy. .  [12:55] “I can make it as big as I want” Nikki talks about the peace of mind that comes with having a side hustle that can scale whenever she needs it to (while helping people). [15:30] What's a day-in-the-life of a Mindset Coach really look like? Amy talks about her own mindset routine. She also shares some personal wins - getting her first corporate client, launching a group subscription program for hockey players (and eventually swimmers), and prepping for end-of-the-year presentations at highschools.  [17:45] Athletes today are faced with unique challenges. Nikki is seeing a ton of confidence issues and overwhelm with schedules, mental health, pressure to perform, and learning to “win” without a scoreboard. [20:27] The ripple effect of mindset coaching is REAL. In Nikki's words, “It can't help but bleed over into every aspect of their life [...] the classroom, relationships…” [23:09] Both Amy and Nikki agree they used to “frankenstein” their training programs from scratch. Now, Amy's created a choose-your-own-adventure “mental performance roadmap” and reminds us there's no such thing as a one-size-fits all. Nikki's created a structured-yet-unscripted program that's tailored to each client.  [27:22] The Mistake Ritual is one tool that both Amy and Nikki use consistently. In Nikki's words, “It can change things for them in an instant”. Amy believes most athletes have no idea what they're thinking. She shares about the one tool she uses to help them get their inner thoughts to work FOR them.  [31:21] Amy and Nikki share their favorite metaphors for creating custom visualizations for clients. Then, they share what's next for them and their businesses. [34:33] Nikki talks about her new project that is tailor-made to help athletes navigate the recruitment experience; including dealing with rejection.  [36:15] How does a mindset coach grow their own mindset? Both Nikki and Amy talk about the importance of weaving mindset work into their daily routines. They both agree that lists, organization, and time management is key!  [39:44] Wrapping up this episode, Lindsey asks Nikki and Amy to share what they would say to someone who is thinking about joining The MCA Certification. From the incredible community, to the learning environment that challenges you and builds your confidence,  In Amy's words, “I wouldn't be where I am without it”.    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts “I love Lindsey's straight forward, realistic approach to motivation and living your best life.” 

We are excited to bring you the third episode of the Couples Who Tri series where we sit down with couples who are both active in the sport of triathlon. Do they train together? Race together? Did triathlon unite them or did it come to be after the fact? And WHAT will a world championship race in 2 different locations look like for competitive triathlon couples?Amy & Seamus Woods live and train in Cape Cod, Massachusetts and race in the 45-49 age group. They are parents to 2 kids, so we spend some time chatting about how they manage busy lives and schedules, and how staying active has been a part of their relationship from the very start.Seamus raced Ironman Kona in 2022 and shares a recap of how he got there and how the day played out for him (SPOILER: his finish time of 9:59:59 might be the best thing ever!).Amy (fellow @iracelikeagirl teammate to Michelle!) most recently raced Florida 70.3 in 2022 after a year of battling injury. With a finish time of 5:20:33, I think it's safe to say she's BACK and more than ready for her 2023 season!Both Amy & Seamus have some great advice for busy athletes and parents, and we appreciated their honesty when it comes to balance and staying true to your own goals and dreams.Follow Amy & Seamus:@amywoodsfitness@rhymes_w_famousSupport the show Follow Mission Kona Podcast hosted by Mike & Michelle Payne: · Instagram missionkonapodcast · Do you know an age group athlete who has a great story to share? Send us a message on Instagram!

Welcome to The Herd FIT Podcast @herdfitpodcast with Coaches David Syvertsen @davesy85 and Sam Rhee @bergencosmetic. This podcast is aimed at helping anyone and everyone looking to enhance their healthy lifestyle through fitness, nutrition, and most importantly, MINDSET.Special guest Amy Edelman @amyfitnyc returns with Dave, two time champion of the Legends Masters Championship @_legendschampionship presented by Mayhem Athlete @mayhemathlete. Both Amy and Dave are headed to compete in Cookeville, TN on December 8-11.Amy, Dave and Sam speculate on the possible events at Legends, what the competition may hold, and how they have prepared for this premiere CrossFit Masters Competition. The competition is programmed by the GOAT @richfroning himself!@thebobjennings @joe_linton84 #MayhemMasters #MayhemAthlete #MayhemNation #LegendsChampionship #MayhemFamily@crossfittraining @crossfit @crossfitgames #crossfit #sports #exercise #health #movement #crossfitcoach #agoq #clean #fitness #ItAllStartsHere #CrossFitOpen #CrossFit #CrossFitCommunity @CrossFitAffiliates #supportyourlocalbox #crossfitaffiliate #personalizedfitness 

A League of Their Own | Season 1 Episode 8 Recap with Agus (LeLop) and Amy Nico Schwartz Amazon Prime's A League of Their Own comes to a season 1 end in this dramatic finale. For the final recap of season one host Amanda Costner is joined by YouTuber Agus, who's channel LeLop has covered the show extensively. She is also joined by guest host Amy Nico Schwartz, a Chicago producer, comedian, actor and writer. The three discuss each beat of the finale, answering difficult questions and laughing a lot along the way. Agus, who started watching the show before watching the movie A League of their Own, offers a unique perspective on the series. Amy brings her background in stand-up and improv to the podcast as well. Everyone agrees Clance and Max have a lot of fun this episode. Amanda hopes we see more Clance and Shirl in the future. Amy and Agus love that Carson has the team writing their names on the lockerroom wall--Amanda jokes about how small the list is. Both Amy and Agus love the decisions the writers made towards the end of the finale, particularly concerning Jo. Although Amanda has some hesitations about those same decisions. At the end of the podcast all three hosts give their opinions on the season as a whole, as well as what they'd like to see in season 2. BUY TICKETS TO BAD WAVES REMIX in CHICAGO: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bad-waves-remix-tickets-293497688487 Subscribe to Agus' YouTube channel | Follow Agus on Twitter @LeLopstuff | Insta: @aguslelop | Watch Agus react to A League of Their Own Subscribe to BAD WAVES RADIO on YouTube | Follow Amy on Twitter @AmyNicoSchwartz | Insta: @AmyNicoSchwartz This podcast is available in video form on our YouTube channel Follow us on twitter to stay up to date with all the shows we're covering! @lezCastPod Follow host Amanda Costner on twitter Find out more at https://lezpod-queer-lesbian-podcast.pinecast.co

A League of Their Own | Season 1 Episode 8 Recap with Agus (LeLop) and Amy Nico Schwartz Amazon Prime's A League of Their Own comes to a season 1 end in this dramatic finale. For the final recap of season one host Amanda Costner is joined by YouTuber Agus, who's channel LeLop has covered the show extensively. She is also joined by guest host Amy Nico Schwartz, a Chicago producer, comedian, actor and writer. The three discuss each beat of the finale, answering difficult questions and laughing a lot along the way. Agus, who started watching the show before watching the movie A League of their Own, offers a unique perspective on the series. Amy brings her background in stand-up and improv to the podcast as well. Everyone agrees Clance and Max have a lot of fun this episode. Amanda hopes we see more Clance and Shirl in the future. Amy and Agus love that Carson has the team writing their names on the lockerroom wall--Amanda jokes about how small the list is. Both Amy and Agus love the decisions the writers made towards the end of the finale, particularly concerning Jo. Although Amanda has some hesitations about those same decisions. At the end of the podcast all three hosts give their opinions on the season as a whole, as well as what they'd like to see in season 2. BUY TICKETS TO BAD WAVES REMIX in CHICAGO: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bad-waves-remix-tickets-293497688487 Subscribe to Agus' YouTube channel | Follow Agus on Twitter @LeLopstuff | Insta: @aguslelop | Watch Agus react to A League of Their Own Subscribe to BAD WAVES RADIO on YouTube | Follow Amy on Twitter @AmyNicoSchwartz | Insta: @AmyNicoSchwartz This podcast is available in video form on our YouTube channel Follow us on twitter to stay up to date with all the shows we're covering! @lezCastPod Follow host Amanda Costner on twitter Find out more at https://a-league-of-their-own-recaps-l.pinecast.co

If you have a small marketing operations team supporting a marketing team creating a lot of campaigns, you might be interested or even have a decentralized campaign operations models where marketers can create campaigns send emails themselves. This can be great for giving your team more time to be strategic on other projects. But how do you do it well? What processes and documentation need to be put in place? And what happens when your marketing scales so fast, the decentralized models starts to shows some signs that it is not working anymore? On this week's podcast we will dive into all of that with two incredible women marketing operators, https://www.linkedin.com/in/amygoldfine/ (Amy Goldfine, Head of Marketing Ops) and https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldine-gudino-garcia/ (Geraldine Gudiño Garcia, Marketing Operations Manager) at https://iterable.com/ (Iterable.) Both Amy and Geraldine have had experience with adding process and enabling the decentralized model at their organization and share their experience and tips with us all. And, SPOILER ALERT they also go into why they are planning a to change to a new model this year. This episode is so informative and jam packed with great advice and things to consider if you have or you are thinking of putting in a decentralized campaign ops model. To learn more from Amy Goldfine, https://www.linkedin.com/in/amygoldfine/ (check her out on LinkedIn) or go to her website http://MarketingOpsAdvice.com (MarketingOpsAdvice.com) and to learn more from Geraldine, you can also https://www.linkedin.com/in/geraldine-gudino-garcia/ (connect with her on LinkedIn.)

A sport's popularity depends on the people and community to push it to new levels. Today we are joined by two such people, Amy Charity and Chris Lyman, Founders and Partners of FNLD GRVL, to talk everything about the gravel movement. Amy has been a guest previously on the show, where we discussed her career as a professional cyclist. Both Amy and Chris are respected figures in cycling and share a passion for expanding the impact of the sport and making it inclusive. In our conversation, we learn how Amy and Chris first met, the road to forming their professional relationship, and the moments leading up to the first official event. We also discuss an aspect essential to both of them, inclusivity, and why they think this is vital to keep growing the gravel movement. They also share advice and best strategies for people interested in joining future events and unpack the controversy surrounding the pro men's race event. Hear how the idea for FNLD GRVL first came about, how the partnership with Valtteri Bottas was formed, and what it is like working with a Formula One superstar. Don't miss out as we take a deep dive into the gravel revolution with Amy Charity and Chris Lyman!

This episode's guests are from the transformative nonprofit organization Trips for Kids. Joining us is Amy Carver, Director of Community and Development and RJ Heckelman, Director of Partnerships and Resources. Both Amy and RJ have been putting passion, energy, and resources into developmental programming at Trips for Kids. Trips for Kids is a nonprofit that provides meaningful cycling programs that inspire children to achieve their highest potential. Since 1988, they have been providing transformative cycling experiences through a network of members that promote healthy, recreational lifestyles, environmental awareness, and personal empowerment for young people of all communities, especially those most in need. The NBDA is a proud community partner of their work. Listen in and learn more about Trips for Kids, current and new programming, and how you as a retailer can and should get involved. Save the Earth, Ride a Bike CampaignSupport the show (https://www.nbda.com/donate)

We talked Amy into chatting with us. I'm sure glad she did. Both Amy and Patrick are Lay Canossians, both are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and both are catechists for RCIA. Let's Talk Parish is co-produced by Rex Rallanka, Titi Kila, and Chris Jensen. The theme music is “Live and Be Happy” by Valentina Gribanova. Our host is Chris Jensen. If you would like to call us and leave a comment or a suggestion, the phone # to leave a message is 916.545.5376. Please subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss any episodes. A special thanks goes to the Very Reverend, Father Michael O'Reilly, Rector of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. The Cathedral appreciates your financial support. Please consider giving online as we continue our ministry via the Internet. Click https://secure.etransfer.com/CathBles... to donate.

60, One Nine ThreeDanielle Remigio has not only shown up for herself, but her younger sister and a larger extended family. She hasn't only shown up once, twice, but three times, and each of these times she has written and given her person's eulogy. Danielle is one of many, but shouldered a lot of the loss in her family over the last several years, and presenting the eulogies was just a portion of how she supported her family. Danielle discusses the lives and the loss of her parents, Amy and Louis, along with the fluidity of her relationship with her sister, and how her own loss has shaped her life today. Both Amy and Louis gave to their community throughout their lives, and Danielle and her family found meaningful ways to give back to the community in their honor. Danielle created a tool to help others with their own grief, and she had the honor of presenting this as a TEDx speaker. Search for Cleaning up the Grief Process on YouTube because you don't want to miss Danielle's amazing presentation! Instagram: @dl_remigioWebsite: https://www.danielleremigio.com/Podcast Spotlight: Amplify Ambition with Kristen EdwardsGrief, Gratitude, and the Grey in Between by Kendra RenaldiIf you'd like to donate to Tim Harris' project of providing free therapy to at least one person for one year, please visit www.grievingisbreath.com/donateThis is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ.Additional production and music by Ian Releford. Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds.Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share? https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcastEmail: parentlesspodcast@gmail.comInstagram: @parentlesspodcastVoicemail: 623.396.6069You are not alone.

60, One Nine Three Danielle Remigio has not only shown up for herself, but her younger sister and a larger extended family. She hasn't only shown up once, twice, but three times, and each of these times she has written and given her person's eulogy. Danielle is one of many, but shouldered a lot of the loss in her family over the last several years, and presenting the eulogies was just a portion of how she supported her family. Danielle discusses the lives and the loss of her parents, Amy and Louis, along with the fluidity of her relationship with her sister, and how her own loss has shaped her life today. Both Amy and Louis gave to their community throughout their lives, and Danielle and her family found meaningful ways to give back to the community in their honor. Danielle created a tool to help others with their own grief, and she had the honor of presenting this as a TEDx speaker. Search for Cleaning up the Grief Process on YouTube because you don't want to miss Danielle's amazing presentation! Instagram: @dl_remigio Website: https://www.danielleremigio.com/ Podcast Spotlight: Amplify Ambition with Kristen Edwards Grief, Gratitude, and the Grey in Between by Kendra Renaldi If you'd like to donate to Tim Harris' project of providing free therapy to at least one person for one year, please visit www.grievingisbreath.com/donate This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ. Additional production and music by Ian Releford. Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds. Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share? https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast Email: parentlesspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @parentlesspodcast Voicemail: 623.396.6069 You are not alone.

60, One Nine Three Danielle Remigio has not only shown up for herself, but her younger sister and a larger extended family. She hasn't only shown up once, twice, but three times, and each of these times she has written and given her person's eulogy. Danielle is one of many, but shouldered a lot of the loss in her family over the last several years, and presenting the eulogies was just a portion of how she supported her family. Danielle discusses the lives and the loss of her parents, Amy and Louis, along with the fluidity of her relationship with her sister, and how her own loss has shaped her life today. Both Amy and Louis gave to their community throughout their lives, and Danielle and her family found meaningful ways to give back to the community in their honor. Danielle created a tool to help others with their own grief, and she had the honor of presenting this as a TEDx speaker. Search for Cleaning up the Grief Process on YouTube because you don't want to miss Danielle's amazing presentation! Instagram: @dl_remigio Website: https://www.danielleremigio.com/ Podcast Spotlight: Amplify Ambition with Kristen Edwards Grief, Gratitude, and the Grey in Between by Kendra Renaldi If you'd like to donate to Tim Harris' project of providing free therapy to at least one person for one year, please visit www.grievingisbreathing.com/donate This is a Back Home Media production, recorded and produced in Phoenix, AZ. Additional production and music by Ian Releford. Music by Colen Lococo and The Revolving Birds. Like what you hear? Helped by what you heard? Have something to share? https://www.patreon.com/parentlesspodcast Email: parentlesspodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @parentlesspodcast Voicemail: 623.396.6069 You are not alone.

It is 'National Eating Disorder Awareness' Week. NEDA Week helps spread awareness, reduces the stigma, and educates others about eating disorders, so Amy (@RadioAmy) sat down with Kat Defatta (@Kat.Defatta), a licensed therapist that specializes in eating disorders, to do just that by answering some questions on the topic. In this episode you will hear their thoughts (personally and professionally) on OA (overeaters anonymous), using Vyvanse for BED (binge eating disorder), and what to do when you are over stressed and want to engage in a maladaptive coping skill or eating disorder behavior. Both Amy and Kat want you to know that you are not alone and help is available. To spread that message we just have to start talking about it more. Visit NEDA.ORG to find more resources that can help guide you or a loved one on a path that can lead to a life of recovery.Follow the hosts on instagram:@lisahayim@radioamySUBSCRIBE and follow so you never miss an episode and SHARE with your friends & family. Questions? Guest Submissions? Email us: hello@outweighpodcast.comWanna Ditch the rules but don't know where to begin? It starts when you know THE TRUTH about how the body works, and use it as armor against the noise. Enroll in Lisa's mini course Ditch Diets for Good for just $10 dollars and take a giant first step in learning to F*RK THE NOISE. Code: OUTWEIGH at checkout HERE.This podcast was edited by Houston Tilley Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is 'National Eating Disorder Awareness' Week. NEDA Week helps spread awareness, reduces the stigma, and educates others about eating disorders, so Amy (@RadioAmy) sat down with Kat Defatta (@Kat.Defatta), a licensed therapist that specializes in eating disorders, to do just that by answering some questions on the topic. In this episode you will hear their thoughts (personally and professionally) on OA (overeaters anonymous), using Vyvanse for BED (binge eating disorder), and what to do when you are over stressed and want to engage in a maladaptive coping skill or eating disorder behavior. Both Amy and Kat want you to know that you are not alone and help is available. To spread that message we just have to start talking about it more. Visit NEDA.ORG to find more resources that can help guide you or a loved one on a path that can lead to a life of recovery. Follow the hosts on instagram: @lisahayim @radioamy SUBSCRIBE and follow so you never miss an episode and SHARE with your friends & family.  Questions? Guest Submissions? Email us: hello@outweighpodcast.com Wanna Ditch the rules but don't know where to begin? It starts when you know THE TRUTH about how the body works, and use it as armor against the noise. Enroll in Lisa's mini course Ditch Diets for Good for just $10 dollars and take a giant first step in learning to F*RK THE NOISE.  Code: OUTWEIGH at checkout HERE. This podcast was edited by Houston Tilley Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

National Eating Disorder Awareness (NEDA) Week is here. To help spread awareness, reduce the stigma, and educate others Kat brought Amy Brown (@radioamy) back on the show to answer some listener questions about Eating disorders. In this episode you will hear their thoughts (personally and professionally) on OA (overeaters anonymous), using Vyvanse for BED, and what to do when you are over stressed and want to engage in a maladaptive coping skill or eating disorder behavior. Both Amy and Kat want you to know that you are not alone and help is available. To spread that message we just have to start talking about it more. Visit NEDA.ORG to find more resources that can help guide you or a loved one on a path that can lead to a life of recovery. Follow Kat on Instagram: @Kat.Defatta Follow the podcast Instagram: @YouNeedTherapyPodcast Have a question, concern, guest idea, something else? Reach Kat at: Kathryn@youneedtherapyodcast.com Heard about Three Cords Therapy but don't know what it is? Click here! Produced by: @HoustonTilley Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This Valentine's Day edition of OSP, I am joined by Amy, aka Ms. Pollyvous, to discus ethical non monogamy and polyamory. Both Amy & Dave shared their personal experiences within the world of non monogamy both positive and not so positive and how we have learned from each of these experiences.

With the pause in the federal student loan repayment program scheduled to expire at the end of September, are borrowers prepared to turn repayment back on? Amy and Carlo share their perspectives on what systems exist for this transition and what we can do to streamline the process.It is impossible to discuss loan repayment without talking about the pressure to pass federal student loan forgiveness. Causing the discussion to shift to the question: will this be a short-term band-aid that doesn't solve the actual problem? Carlo mentions the recent study showing student debt will rise to current levels in 10-15 years, arguing that forgiving student loans for this generation will only shunt the problem to the next.Both Amy and Carlo agree we must acknowledge that the system we currently have in place is producing the problems we currently face and that allocating energy and resources to create novel solutions to the root problems is needed. Tune in for the full discussion and connect with us below to share your thoughts.Connect With UsEmail us to join as a guest: studentfinancialsuccess@campuslogic.comConnect with Amy on Twitter: @amyglynn15Connect with Carlo on Twitter: @EDAnalyst

Today, I’m excited to talk to Amy & Adam Fazackerley, Co-Founders of Lay-n-Go, a company that designs and manufactures innovative organizational solutions for life, play, and travel.  I’ve interviewed them both individually, so if you haven’t listened to those episodes, add them to your playlist! But today we’re doing something different - and talking to them about what it’s like to work with your spouse day in, day out. Welcome, Adam & Amy! In this episode… Instead of the speed round, they start out with a few either / or questions.  Both Amy and Adam both feel it is easier to work with their spouse than anyone else in the family!  They have very distinct strengths and weaknesses, which, perhaps is part of the secret.  Adam laughs as he shared his weakness is he is always in trouble and Amy’s strength is she is forgiving.  Amy shared a true benefit in being founders together is the ability to work things together versus another founder who hops in his or her car and drives away.   Together, they run their business a different way.  They are lifestyle based, work hard, and always want what is best for their family. However, it isn’t always smooth, and days do not always start out with having breakfast casually.  What is really important is really understanding the other person.  For Amy, balance is really important to each of them.  Stephanie wanted to know if they feel as though they are working more than an average person because they work together.  Both, Amy and Adam, stated yes and that is the nature of the base.  They both agree their kids have been a pretty cool part of the journey.  Making best use of their time, such as in the car, it very important.  They’re very focused and intentional on what they want their business to be.  After ten years in business, the number one question is where do they want to be in five years or ten years and what do they want it to look like?  What they do fall back on is the trust they have in each other.      One of the other things they like to do is give back by teaching the next generation about the things they went through in starting and running their business.  Together they are very active in extracurricular entrepreneurship things.  Working with other people is what makes them tick. Other than a shared vision, there are other parts of working together that have contributed to their success.  They include communication, trust, and really looking at going back to the strengths.  Adam feels understanding those hot spots is ultra-important.  For instance, if there is friction, Amy does not want any part of that.  It isn’t always as easy as a line down the middle.  When it comes to other founders, there are certain things they should look for, but there are also those they should avoid.  Adam shares that a lot of times the teams that come to them are paired up, but if they’re not, just remember you are picking a partner so find someone who has the strengths where you may lack.  If there are issues between partners, they like to push for resolutions that are fair.  Amy shares that it is important to stick with what you love, what will get you out of bed every day and stick with that.  It shouldn’t feel like work.  Just look at what drives and motivates you. Before involving a family member in your business, there are some questions that need to be asked of yourself.  Such as, “What do you want out of this?”  In fact, that should be a mutual question.  If everyone wants success and progression, it’s a pretty good start.  If you are going to involve family, figure out ways they will help build the business but also do it in the family role.  They do consider their friends as their family as well.  For them, their friends also started as their first focus groups.  On the flip side, everyone needs to make sure it is working for those involved.  Keeping open lines of communication are so important, family or not.  They close with one piece of advice for others who are going to work with family, and that is to just have fun and move on.  Also, give one another enough slack to make mistakes, forgive and learn. Resources Mentioned in this Episode LinkedIn Profile : https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamfazackerley/ UUNET : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UUNET Fortify.vc : https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/fortify-ventures Lay-n-Go : www.layngo.com PATENT 9,0984,459 (July 2015) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US9084459 PATENT 10,016,036 (July 2018) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US10016036  PATENT 10,561,213 (February 2020) : https://patents.google.com/patent/US10561213B2 Finance-Ability Stephanie Sims Stephanie Sims LinkedIn Sponsor for this episode... Finance-Ability is a boutique consulting firm dedicated to helping business owners and startups find their best options for growth funding. Founded by financial strategist and transaction expert Stephanie Sims, Finance-Ability can help any business owner identify the right funding partners and get through fundraising as painlessly as possible. Visit their website to take their online assessment test to help you find out which kind of funding is the best fit for your business right now. They also have a ton of resources to help you understand business processes and financial decision-making that can help you start and build your own empire so be sure to check them out. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience having worked with companies like Goldman Sachs and CSFB. If there’s anyone with their heart in the right place when it comes to championing the dreams of small business owners and startup companies, Stephanie is that person. Let Finance-Ability help you get the funding you need and deserve to get your dreams soaring high towards your own brand of success.

Amy Lawrence and James McNicholas join Ian Stone to vent about Villareal, wonder what's next for Joe Willock and reveal the genesis of the chant "1-0 To The Arsenal".Both Amy and James' favourite cup finals happened on this day (in different years) so our writers from The Athletic are put through their paces in a fiendish quiz on the cup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Lawrence and James McNicholas join Ian Stone to vent about Villareal, wonder what's next for Joe Willock and reveal the genesis of the chant "1-0 To The Arsenal". Both Amy and James' favourite cup finals happened on this day (in different years) so our writers from The Athletic are put through their paces in a fiendish quiz on the cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the post-pandemic world of global isolation, our entire reality was shifted to the online space. How do you create a feeling of community + inclusiveness in the online space, while feeling completely held by feminine energy? Today’s episode will light the way for you, as I interview Amy Stout + Liz Cirelli, the founders of Hearts Rising. Both Amy and Liz offer a dynamic in their coaching that is unseen in the online space, where spiritual awakening meets a therapeutic journey where one can truly see sides of themselves that have been dormant, and through this awakening, true transformation blossoms. There aren’t enough words to truly capture the spirit of the synergy and collective magic that sparks in the Hearts Rising experience. I had no idea what to expect when I joined, and from my first session was immediately transported to a sacred space that felt so connected, so inclusive, so loving, and so safe to speak the words that have stayed stuck within me for fear of being judged, shamed, or seen differently.Both Amy and Liz offer a dynamic in their coaching that is unseen in the online space, where spiritual awakening meets a therapeutic journey where one can truly see sides of themselves that have been dormant, and through this awakening, true transformation blossoms.About Amy + Liz: Amy Stout is an entrepreneur and owns and operates Amy Stout Coaching.  She helps unfulfilled women step into their power, own their gifts and live a more meaningful life through clarity, courage and confidence.  Amy is also a motivational and inspirational speaker.Liz Cirelli is an entrepreneur and owns and operates Elizabeth Cirelli Holistic Services.  She is a Certified Yoga Teacher, Master Level Reiki Practitioner, Meditation Teacher and Life Coach, specializing in trauma, anxiety and depression.  Liz recently co-published her second book with Blair Hayse Publishing.Amy Website: http://amy-stout.com/Liz Website: http://www.elizabethcirelli.com/3 ways to learn more about Amy + Liz:1. Snag your spot in Hearts Rising here! 2. Join the free community Women Supporting Women with Liz Cirelli3. Join the free community Courageously Taking Action with Amy Stout Connect with Me:https://jessicasilverman.vipmembervault.comInstagram: @mozen_wellness https://www.instagram.com/mozen_wellness/Facebook Group: A.L.I.V.E. with Jessica Silverman - bit.ly/mozenwellnessSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/alivepodcast)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/alivepodcast) Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/alivepodcast)

Topics: -This week we welcome Amy McKnight, owner of The Mac Spa and Mac Mentor.  -Amy talks about choosing the Fit Bit over the Apple Watch.  -It spawns a conversation about fitness.  -She tells us her story about dealing with the pandemic in the early days and how it affected her businesses. She also used it as an opportunity to pursue other avenues.  -Amy’s goal has been to reach more people in more places. To that end, they have put their classes on Zoom and made them available to customers outside of the Denver area.  -As they go more virtual, her company is looking for more partners to help broaden their reach.  -Joe has been doing remote work for a lot longer than any of us and her inadvertently prepared for these times.  -How much of these changes are permanent? -Amy’s primary market is the residential space and focus is on empowering people to understand the technology.  -Classes are more scalable than the break/fix part of IT.  -Mac Mentor has some core classes like intro to Mac and managing passwords.  -Both Amy and Steve have a presentation setup with multiple computers and devices.  -Friday’s are Q&A sessions just for members.  -Recurring fees for classes is a great way to keep a good customer base.  -The Class Pass is now available as an affiliate program. Interested affiliates can sign up with Mac Mentor -Jerry describes how this can fill a niche for consultants that are busy “fixing”.  -Stress free support appears to be the opposite of Jerry’s experience.  -Amy ordered a new MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. 

Lorraine Peck’s The Second Son is an all out riot of action and ideas that takes us into the dark heart of Sydney.I’m going to try not to use too much in the way of cliches here but The Second Son is the kind of novel that pours petrol on the drama and then dangles a lit match while you squirm.All right, that's enough, let me tell you about it...Among the gangs of Western Sydney Johnny Novak has always played second-fiddle to his brother Ivan. But when Ivan is murdered in his driveway; a professional hit that threatens to ignite a gang war, Johnny will be forced to step up.Johnny’s always played his gang connections close to his chest. He manages the more legitimate parts of the family a choice that makes him weak in his father Milan’s eyes. Now Milan wants Johnny to avenge his brother. It should be a simple eye-for-an-eye but something doesn’t seem quite right...Lorraine Peck’s debut novel is a testosterone charged ride through Sydney and is resplendent with an arsenal of fast cars and weaponry fit for a fast and furious movie. There’s also a lot of riffing on family and the ties that bind and it’s here that Peck really got my interest.Johnny’s father is a real ‘make him an offer he can’t refuse’ kinda guy. And there would be enough in this tension between the family to keep the pages turning except that Peck splits her point of view and gives us interlacing narratives of both Johnny and his wife Amy.Amy is very much not part of the family. She’s the light to his dark and she knows Johnny’s Dad wished he’d married a good Croatian girl. Milan loves his grandson Sacha but is not so sure about Amy. In the tension between Amy’s wish for a normal life and the twisting, interweaving perspectives we have the driving ethos of family first split with Johnny torn in his loyalties.This dynamic plays out particularly well in the fight for Sacha’s future. Both Amy and Johnny are terrified that as the violence gets closer to home that Sacha will inevitably be drawn into the family business.Maybe it’s me but I can’t read (or even watch) violence in an unproblematic way these days. Here in the Second Son the violence always has stakes.Johnny Novak is a hard character to like but we are backed into a corner as the rogues gallery lining up around him look increasingly less appealing. He’s our hero like it or not but as Amy continually reminds us, his choices are putting all their lives at risk.The treatment of women and violence against women also comes in for scrutiny in the Second Son. I’ve gotta say I’d have preferred more vigorous exploration of the ways violence is enacted both physically and through coercive control but the book does explore these forces and gives Amy agency in her story even as she falls victim of many of the mobster wife tropes.The Second Son is a tense and pacey thriller that also makes you think. I’ll admit there were chapters that I finished at a gallop and realised my heart was racing and that’s not something a lot of books make me do.Check out Loraine Peck’s The Second Son; it’s got all the Sydney action we used to enjoy before we had to do our secret back alley exchanges at a social distance.

Amy Mosset is a Registered Professional Counsellor and owner of Interactive Counselling. With a passion for supporting others and helping clients through tough times, Amy has always wanted to do it differently so she has built a wonderful team and two locations to make that happen! Both Amy and her team cater to you as an individual, so you can be assured that when you reach out to us, you are well taken care of every single step of the way through your mental health journey.The first step is most often the hardest, but you will find compassion and comfort when you contact us. Interactive Counselling is based on you!Whether you prefer sessions in the comfort of your own home through video chat, in office, or out in the community, we are here to support you.Amy has also recognized that schedules are often a barrier for seeking a Counsellor, but don’t worry! With Interactive Counselling you can come during the day, evening or even weekends.With a passion for people, and a love for supporting others, Amy is on a mission to take the stigma out of mental health!Support the show (https://paypal.me/lukemenkes)

In this episode, Willy interviews two experts in human interaction, emotional intelligence, and conflict management: Amy Gallo and Dr. Sigal Barsade. Author of HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict, Amy Gallo is an expert in communication and conflict management. Dr. Sigal Barsade, a professor of management at Wharton Business School, is also an expert in her field of emotional intelligence, organizational culture, and team dynamics. Willy begins the interview asking Amy and Sigal to share a disappointment they encountered during quarantine along with how they overcame it. Both Amy and Sigal share that their biggest disappointment was the inability to see family members. The two then define their own disappointment management strategies and give advice to listeners suffering from similar circumstances. (2:26-10:59) Willy asks his guests if conflict is always a bad thing. Amy responds by pointing out how an environment with no conflict contains artificial harmony, which does not reach to deeper levels of creativity. Sigal adds to Amy's response by bringing in the emotional side and explains task conflict with positive emotions can create an environment of innovation and creativity. (11:00-16:15) Amy advises listeners to check their mindset before entering a conversation with someone that addresses a conflict. This can be knowing how you will bring it up, what questions you will ask, and choosing the right time and place for it. Sigal adds to this by speaking on the importance of having the ability to read others' emotions. (16:16-25:28) Amy explains how identifying patterns in yourself shows you your default reaction to conflict and knowing this will help you prepare to respond in a positive way when conflict arises. Additionally, Sigal explains how we often follow the cynical attribution error, which is constantly attributing negative attributes to people. (25:29-31:01) Willy asks Amy how to deal with this personality conflict in a positive way in a work setting. Amy explains how this conflict needs to be faced by realizing that you can only control your own reaction and not the other person's. (31:02-35:18) Willy asks Amy to share even more specifically how to deal with this in family settings. The important thing to remember in this situation is knowing what your goal is. You don't have to focus on changing someone's perspective, only on being true to your own values and sense of self. (35:19-39:50) Willy asks Sigal to share her wisdom on emotional norms, specifically in the virtual world and business environment. Sigal explains that emotional norms are the emotions that should be expressed versus those that should not be expressed. (39:51-47:25) The virtual setting of the business world over the last several months has dampened shared emotion and depressed the process of emotional contagion. Because of this, the virtual world is requiring people to be more explicit about emotional norms. Paying attention to emotions is important in understanding how people feel, think, and behave. (47:26-52:58)

Though not a traditional Christmas movie, Prometheus (2012) does take place in the final days of 2093. Unfortunately, there's nothing particularly cheery about this film, despite its star-studded cast and fancy director. Both Amy and Sarah were less than impressed…Love the show? Please subscribe, rate, and review us here. Also, check out our website: www.seeyounextweekinspace.com and follow us on Instagram @seeyounextweekinspaceHosts: Amy and Sarah WalshEditor: Amy WalshProducers: Amy and Sarah WalshArt: Riley Brown

Biohackers Amy Lamotte and Leslie Kenny teach us how to hack autoimmune disease with simple and effective techniques that anyone can follow. Their tips come from their own battles with autoimmune disease as well as the many people they have been coaching in their clinical nutrition and health coaching practices. Leslie was misdiagnosed at 34 with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis requiring thousands of dollars to be spent on medication, until she hacked her autoimmune disease treating it and reversing it herself through diet, supplementation and testing. Now at age 55 she lives free of signs and symptoms of autoimmunity. Amy started having the signs of autoimmune disease at 18, but was continually turned down by doctors who couldn't or wouldn't help until she was diagnosed 16 years later of Hashimoto's Disease. Today Amy lives free of the symptoms of her autoimmune disease through diet, lifestyle and supplementation. Both Amy and Leslie agree that gut health is fundamental for autoimmune diseases. A few books that were influential to Amy's and Leslie's journey to fight their gut issues were Barry Sears' The Anti-Inflammation Zone and The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain. Leslie Kenny is a certified health coach, patient advocate, sexologist and founder of Oxford Healthspan, a nutraceutical company promoting a healthier, longer life for everyone. You may connect with Leslie on Instagram @lesliesnewprime or on Twitter at @ridgepath Amy Lamotte is the Managing Director of Vallotte Nutrigenomics Limited in Hong Kong. She is a clinical nutritionist and researcher specializing in personalized nutrition, nutritional genomics, nutrition for anti-aging, circadian biology, and the microbiome. She has a Master's of Science in Human Nutrition (summa cum laude) from the University of Bridgeport and a J.D. from Yale Law School. You may connect with Amy on Instagram at @amylamotte and on LinkedIn at Amy Valley Lamotte Follow Amy Lamotte on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amylamotte/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-valley-lamotte-501676111/ Follow Leslie Kenny on: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliesnewprime/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ridgepath Don't forget to subscribe to the Hack My Age podcast for updates on the latest episodes. If you're tempted, you can also leave a review so others can find this great content too. Join the Hack My Age community on: Facebook : http://facebook.com/hackmyage Instagram: http://instagram.com/hackmyage Website: http://www.hackmyage.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hackmyage/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hackmyage/support

Taylor and Amy are back from their home (okay, from baby Charlie’s room) to vlog about having a BABY!! In this episode, they share all the tips to being new parents and taking care of a baby. They talk about both pregnancy and postpartum, as well as Amy’s experience with postpartum depression (which began a little bit before the baby was born). Both Amy and Taylor agree that one of the most important things you can do is cut yourself some slack (and your partner as well). Having a baby is tough! And the difficulty doesn’t end with the baby entering the world… there is a lot of adjusting that is so unique and challenging to becoming parents — but also immensely rewarding (just look at cute baby Charlie if you’re curious ;)). Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/saintsunscripted

This week on the podcast, I “sat” down with my friend and fellow coach, Amy Pearson, to discuss finding “your peeps”.  Both Amy and I strive to live a life that feels connected, purpose driven and good in our bodies. I think that more of us than we realize, are living a life that doesn’t feel great. You can be surrounded by people, have a full or “busy” schedule and social calendar and still feel a sense of “stuckness”. Amy and I candidly discuss all these issues and more. I LOVE her ⅓ rule and I can’t wait for you to learn it straight from the source. Warning: You may listen to this episode and have some real aha’s about the people you’ve chosen to “sit next” to. As “they” say, it’s important to take stock of the people you surround yourself with and notice whether it’s a relationship meant for a reason, a season or a lifetime.  To access Amy Pearson’s  personality assessment, “The Approval Quiz”, Click here. Join the Mastermind Parenting VIP Membership If you are interested in joining the Mastermind Parenting VIP Membership, but not sure if it’s for you, book a call with a Mastermind Parenting Coach here: www.mastermindparenting.com/call and get the support you need to create a peaceful home. Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a note in the comment section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device.

This week's episode about Innerspace (1987) marks an important moment in the evolution of the podcast. Both Amy and Sarah don't like it. Chalk it up to absurdist humor that hits their stone hearts like so much dust…Love the show? Please subscribe, rate, and review us here. Also, check out our website: www.seeyounextweekinspace.com and follow us on Instagram @seeyounextweekinspaceHosts: Amy and Sarah WalshEditor: Amy WalshProducers: Amy and Sarah WalshArt: Riley Brown

By Ken Paulson – We’ve been fans of Amy Rigby since meeting her at a party at Greg Trooper’s home in Nashville in 2002. Both Amy and Greg were working on new albums and played some new songs. Trooper played “Muhammed Ali (The Real Meaning of Christmas)” and Amy followed with “Are We Ever Going to Have Sex Again?” Both… Read more The post Show 43 “Girl to City:” The Remarkable Amy Rigby appeared first on Americana One.

How do you process when things don’t go the way you planned in your birth? We deconstruct this question with mamas Amy and Mallory Caldwell in today’s episode by taking it back to the beginning of their pregnancy journey. Both Amy and Mallory knew that they’d like to carry children at some point in their marriage and growing their family. So for their first, they made the decision for Mallory to go first as the gestational parent. They share the process of insemination, selecting a donor, and how they’re aiming to use the same sperm for their future children. They made the decision to have a home birth around 16 weeks. They found a queer midwife who works largely in the LGBTQ community and fell in love with her. We also discuss the legality of home birth in their state of Ohio and what that looks like with cooperation of midwives and hospitals. And hey - creative, business savvy people out there - there’s a huge opportunity for expanding the options in maternity clothing. For Mallory, it was quite frustrating to find clothing that she liked. Wearing primarily men’s clothing when she’s not pregnant, it was challenging and disappointing. It’s a simple and yet profound example of how there are variations of normal in how pregnancy looks and how gestational parents can be represented in the pregnancy and birth world of products and services. We then get the full breakdown of the birth story, which includes an ECV (external cephalic version) procedure to flip baby from the breech position, and multiple trips back and forth from the hospital back to home. That’s all I’ll say here, and let you listen to get the rest of the story. It’s such a powerful and inspiring conversation, and we’re so grateful to Amy, Mallory and baby Sebastian for joining us on the podcast! Show Notes: Le Pooch - http://lepooch.net/Cryo Bio - https://www.cryobio.com/Milk and Hannah -  https://www.milkandhannahphoto.com/journal/2018/2/17/welcome-sebastian-birth-story-from-mama-columbus-birth-photographer-milk-Hannah?rq=Sebastian

Welcome to a new week at NGP! Today we are chatting about your morning routine and why it likely won't work for you...well, not how you have always thought of it, anyways. Work life balance is sooo hard to nail down. Both Amy and Olivia discuss their schedules and how they have felt with success and a little bit of not-so-much this past week. We cover the slippery slope of comparing someone else's routine to yours and how troublesome that can be. We also get down and dirty with the social media traps that can make you feel like you're not doing ANYTHING right. So, sit down with us and give us a listen as we actually took this one and ran with it! Have a great week! Train nasty, babes. --Amy & Olivia Resources The Best Self Journal Ya dig it? We would LOVE for you to share the podcast with your friends and family. Leave a review. Share it on social. Tag us so we can give you some love. YOU matter.

Thought leaders in mentoring and networking join this episode to share stories and lessons for men as allies and those looking to diversify their networks. Dr. David Smith, co-author of Athena Rising:  How and Why Men Should Mentor Women and gender expert, shares his candid conversation giving a peer constructive feedback.  In his story, he confronts benevolent sexist behavior with one of his peers in the military.  Similar to chivalry, benevolent sexism refers to protecting or treating women differently.  It is often done with good intentions, yet is unhelpful for women long term.  While men often are socialized to be the “knights in shining armor,” that is not what an ally does.  Allies help those they mentor, sponsor, and/or champion to instead advocate for themselves. Amy is the author of Networking Beyond Bias:  Making Diversity a Competitive Edge in Your Career.  She shares her own personal story of addressing gender bias in the moment and how she called out negative behavior, leading to positive change.  As Amy describes for our listeners, diversity goes beyond just race, gender, LGBTQ, or abilities, it is how we think and how we behave.  She offers a clear strategy to diversify your network – reach out to those outside of your own industry.  While it feels good to be comfortable with those like us, we learn when we are uncomfortable.  We learn more from others different than us. Both Amy and David have an important message for men to engage as allies and mentors, rather than shy away, especially in a #metoo era.  Follow David at http://www.davidgsmithphd.com/. Follow Amy at https://leadatanylevel.com/. You can also access her complimentary eBook at https://leadatanylevel.com/pivotpoint.  Both books are also available on Amazon.   Follow us @nextpivotpoint on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook and connect with us 1:1 at www.NextPivotPoint.com.  We post daily about leadership, equality, and career development on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliekratz/.

Welcome to episode 146 of the Therapy Chat Podcast with host Laura Reagan, LCSW-C. This week Laura re-visits the issue of when your partner doesn't understand trauma. *The names and characters in this episode represent a composite of people I have know personally and professionally. No real person is represented in this episode, which is intended for educational purposes.* When Your Partner Doesn't Understand Your Trauma Michael can't understand it. He just doesn't get what is going on with his wife of over 25 years, Amy. Michael is concerned about her and wondering when she is going to "get over" the childhood physical and sexual abuse she went through years ago.  He really just wants her to be okay. And honestly, he's sick of her trauma symptoms affecting her, him and their children. He's not sure how much longer he can take it.  Why can't she just get over it? To be fair, Michael doesn't realize that Amy's mood and behavior are related to her childhood trauma. He just knows that despite years of therapy with various therapists, she sometimes becomes deeply depressed and can't seem to get off the couch for days. Other times the smallest thing will seem to trigger her becoming highly anxious, which can turn into controlling behavior towards himself and the kids. She will sometimes go shopping, overspending with abandon even though they have agreed to stop running up credit card debt - then she hides it from him and acts like she is afraid he will hurt her when he receives the credit card bill. Although he does get really frustrated when this happens, it bothers him that she feels afraid of him at times, because he feels he would never harm her, and he never has gotten physical with her in more than 25 years. He also suspects she may be binging and purging, but they don't talk about it. He's afraid to bring it up and he suspects she would deny it if he asked.. Although she takes medication, her mood swings are still pretty unpredictable and he's never really sure whether he is going to come home from work and find the smiling, got-it-together wife he married; or the disorganized, scattered, overwhelmed and controlling woman she sometimes becomes; or the sad, crying woman he barely recognizes who just wants to sleep as much as possible. He doesn't know how to help her. "She's Changed." All Michael knows is that Amy has changed.  He knew when they got married that she had a "difficult" childhood. He also saw how resilient Amy was then. Despite being abused throughout her childhood she had finished college and started a great career before they married. Although she spoke openly about having experienced that abuse, it didn't seem to have a negative impact on her then. Other than acknowledging that it happened, she didn't really talk about it. And he didn't really want to talk about it - then or now - because just the thought of what she went through, particularly the sexual abuse, horrifies him.  He's not sure if the physical abuse was really all that bad, or why it affects her so much. He wonders if she is really trying in therapy, or whether she somehow is doing all this just for attention. Michael isn't sure how to deal with the emotions that come up for him when Amy is not okay. It reminds him of how he felt responsible for taking care of his mother after his dad died when he was 10. He would often come home from school and his mom would be sitting in the dark on the sofa in her bathrobe. He found himself needing to be adult-like to take care of her, and he was kind of on his own to take care of himself and his younger brother too. He was so relieved to get away from that unhappy childhood, to go to college and start his career, but sometimes he wonders if he married someone he will always have to take care of too. The burden of handling Amy's emotional needs feels very heavy and familiar to Michael. He feels sad, hopeless and discouraged.  Image credit: Canva She feels disconnected. Amy, too, was overjoyed to leave her abusive family behind to marry Michael. She thought things would be so much better once she got away from her controlling, abusive father and her passive mother who was mostly focused on pretending everything was perfect. And things were so much better! She loved her career, she and Michael got along great, and she was very happy to raise her three beautiful children. However, when her third child, little Megan, turned 5 years old Amy started having flashbacks to the abuse that her father inflicted on her as a little girl. A part of her had always felt that she was somehow responsible for the sexual abuse and deserving of the beatings. But seeing her sweet, innocent little Megan, a bright, inquisitive kindergartner, she pictured herself as a little girl and wondered whether it was really true that an innocent child could ever be deserving of being harmed the way her father had harmed her. These thoughts were so sad and overwhelming she tried to push them away. Sometimes she was successful, but other times, particularly in the Spring, she was overwhelmed with fear and worry that something bad would happen to Megan or her two sons. She is bothered by nightmares, trouble sleeping and physical symptoms like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and a feeling that someone is watching her which makes her skin crawl. Sometimes she suddenly vomits, just out of the blue, and she never knows when a panic attack is coming. Much of the time she feels like she is going through the motions of life. She feels disconnected from her neighbors and the other moms in her community. She describes herself as "on the outside looking in" to her life. She doesn't work outside the home now, and she's not sure if she ever will again. Most of the time she feels like she is barely holding it together. She wishes Michael were more empathetic and supportive of what she's going through but he doesn't seem to understand why she can't just "put the past behind her." She feels alone and disconnected from him, and wonders what happened to the happy newlyweds they once were. She is sad and worried about the way she feels, but she doesn't know what to do about it. The Truth Is, They Are Both Struggling This dynamic is all too common and I hear stories from both sides of the relationship described above in my office every day. Many of my clients are women like Amy who feel deeply ashamed that they are still affected by the abuse from their childhood years. And others are men like Michael who wonder if they can handle the emotional burden of their partner's PTSD. Regardless of gender, both Amy and Michael could be any one of us. They both feel alone and don't know how to reach the other partner. Whether you can relate to Amy's feelings or Michael's, it's helpful to understand a few things.  Three Things to Remember: You are not alone. Whether you are the person who experienced childhood trauma or the person who loves them, what you are feeling is common. Many people are affected by childhood trauma. It is so much more common than most of us realize. Click here to learn more about the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) and the prevalence of childhood trauma.   Trauma survivors aren't trying to be difficult.They are actually just trying to feel normal. In the scenario I described above, both Amy and Michael are affected by childhood trauma, though neither of them understands the effects in depth. Amy could be described as the "identified patient" - she's the one who is seen as having a problem and needing help. And she does need help. She is suffering so much. Amy's trauma is that she was physically and sexually abused by an adult (her father) whom she trusted to take care of her and keep her safe. Her mother was unable to protect her and pretended nothing was wrong. So both of her primary caregivers, whom she depended on for safety and protection, let her down. She is affected by a loss of attachment as well as the effects of the abuse. But Amy's not the only one in this example who needs help. Michael, too, experienced childhood trauma. His father died when he was only ten, and in her grief his mother was unable to attend to Michael's emotional needs. Instead, in order to be safe, Michael had to take care of his mom's emotional needs, and his own needs were ignored. He also had a younger brother to look out for. So Michael experienced a loss of attachment when neither of his parents was available to take care of his emotional needs, as well as the trauma of his dad's sudden death.  It's no wonder that Amy and Michael were drawn to each other, because they both had unresolved pain they were trying to escape when they met. However, Michael's role as a caregiver in his family may have helped him feel comfortable marrying someone who he perceived as having gone through something terrible (without realizing how he himself was affected by his own trauma). Both Amy and Michael were young when they met, and they were both doing the best they could. They both wanted to be okay, and they were trying to be okay together. For a while they were, but the effects of trauma always pop up just when you least expect them. Neither Amy nor Michael is able to be a support for the other, because they are both affected by their own childhood trauma. They can both benefit from counseling with a skilled trauma therapist. Trauma therapy can help. The reason Amy has been in and out of therapy for 10 years without experiencing relief from her trauma symptoms is that she hasn't had the right kind of therapy. 9 times out of 10, my clients with extensive trauma histories will tell me that their previous therapists never explained trauma to them or told them that their symptoms could be related to trauma. Why? The therapists probably didn't know. Trauma is still a newer field of study, although its effects have been documented for years.  Understanding that your symptoms are caused by trauma helps take an overwhelming set of symptoms that are seemingly unrelated and offers hope and clarity. You begin to recognize that you developed these coping methods (like dissociation, comfort eating, compulsive shopping, depression, anxiety) because of the effects of trauma, and not because there is something wrong with you.  Can You Relate? You may be wondering if you are an Amy or a Michael. I can't answer that for you, but here are some symptoms which may indicate that you are affected by childhood trauma.  If you have had some kind of disturbing experience in childhood that has always bothered you, for example: Loss of a primary caregiver Any unwanted sexual experience Any sexual experience you were too young to understand Witnessing violence, whether it happened to you, your caregiver or another family member Feeling that no one understood you, no one cared about you, or that you were abandoned, unwanted, or unloved Being bullied Receiving physical punishment, including spanking, beating, whipping, or being physically abused or harmed by an adult when you were a child Having a parent or primary caregiver who abused alcohol or drugs These are just a few examples of situations that could be traumatic in childhood. Read this article for more, and consider taking the ACES quiz as well.  So if you have some kind of childhood experience you think might have been traumatic AND you have some of these symptoms: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, nightmares, sleep paralysis Feeling numb, detached, zoning out, trouble concentrating, easily distracted, losing time Memory issues - feeling forgetful, being disorganized Feeling a nagging sense that there is just something wrong with you, something that makes you different from everyone else Feeling like you are on the outside looking in Trouble feeling close with other people, trust issues, feeling suspicious of other people's motives, thoughts like "no one can be trusted" and a feeling that it's you against the world Panic attacks, anxiety, need to maintain control at all times, rigidity, need for order Feeling mistrustful of your partner, feeling judgmental and critical of others and yourself Body image issues, physical symptoms like chronic pain, stomach issues, migraines,  Sexual problems - lack of interest in sex, shame related to sex Constantly on high alert, watchful, vigilant, can't relax - you hate it when someone comes up behind you and touches your shoulder or stands too close to you You might be affected by childhood trauma. No article can substitute for talking with a qualified therapist. If you are wondering if you are affected by childhood trauma, talk to a therapist. You can usually speak to them by phone before scheduling an appointment to make sure they feel qualified to help with the issue that affects you.  Here are some resources for finding a qualified trauma therapist: National Child Traumatic Stress Network ISSTD Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute EMDRIA Sidran Institute Somatic Experiencing Institute RAINN And here are some suggestions for further reading and learning: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk In the Realm Of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté ACES Primer (video) Finding a therapist who understands the effects of trauma on child development and has specialized training in trauma recovery can make a huge difference. Whether you are directly affected by childhood trauma or it is a problem for someone you love, therapy can help. You don't have to keep suffering.   The first step is understanding that your trauma is real, that it matters, and that you can feel better. Then the hard part comes - trusting a therapist to help you. I know there are many caring and skilled trauma therapists out there who want to help. I am one of them. If you're in the Baltimore area of Maryland, I would love to talk about how we can work together to help you feel better. Give me a call at 443-510-1048 or e-mail me at laura@laurareaganlcswc.com.  You can also contact me directly through my website at this link. Or visit my website to learn about how I work with trauma.  Please consider supporting Therapy Chat by becoming a member on Patreon! Just $1 a month would make a huge impact to keep Therapy Chat going strong! To learn more: https://patreon.com/TherapyChat - members get special perks and swag too! Register now for the next Daring Way™ and Relational Equine Assisted Learning retreat: https://laurareaganlcswc.com/retreat Leave me a message via Speakpipe by going to https://therapychatpodcast.com and clicking on the green Speakpipe button. Thank you for listening to Therapy Chat! Please be sure to go to iTunes and leave a rating and review, subscribe and download episodes. You can also download the Therapy Chat app on iTunes by clicking here.

Both Amy and Eddie’s kids listened to the Laurel/Yanny clip and gave their take on it! Bobby invites a few members of the crew to his Memorial Day party. Also, everyone shares the most beautiful person they’ve ever seen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How do you process when things don’t go the way you planned in your birth? We deconstruct this question with mamas Amy and Mallory Caldwell in today’s episode by taking it back to the beginning of their pregnancy journey. Both Amy and Mallory knew that they’d like to carry children at some point in their marriage and growing their family. So for their first, they made the decision for Mallory to go first as the gestational parent.

*The names and characters in this episode represent a composite of people I have know personally and professionally. No real person is represented in this episode, which is intended for educational purposes.* When Your Partner Doesn't Understand Your Trauma   Michael can't understand it. He just doesn't get what is going on with his wife of over 25 years, Amy. Michael is concerned about her and wondering when she is going to "get over" the childhood physical and sexual abuse she went through years ago.  He really just wants her to be okay. And honestly, he's sick of her trauma symptoms affecting her, him and their children. He's not sure how much longer he can take it.  Why can't she just get over it? To be fair, Michael doesn't realize that Amy's mood and behavior are related to her childhood trauma. He just knows that despite years of therapy with various therapists, she sometimes becomes deeply depressed and can't seem to get off the couch for days. Other times the smallest thing will seem to trigger her becoming highly anxious, which can turn into controlling behavior towards himself and the kids. She will sometimes go shopping, overspending with abandon even though they have agreed to stop running up credit card debt - then she hides it from him and acts like she is afraid he will hurt her when he receives the credit card bill. Although he does get really frustrated when this happens, it bothers him that she feels afraid of him at times, because he feels he would never harm her, and he never has gotten physical with her in more than 25 years. He also suspects she may be binging and purging, but they don't talk about it. He's afraid to bring it up and he suspects she would deny it if he asked.. Although she takes medication, her mood swings are still pretty unpredictable and he's never really sure whether he is going to come home from work and find the smiling, got-it-together wife he married; or the disorganized, scattered, overwhelmed and controlling woman she sometimes becomes; or the sad, crying woman he barely recognizes who just wants to sleep as much as possible. He doesn't know how to help her. "She's Changed." All Michael knows is that Amy has changed.  He knew when they got married that she had a "difficult" childhood. He also saw how resilient Amy was then. Despite being abused throughout her childhood she had finished college and started a great career before they married. Although she spoke openly about having experienced that abuse, it didn't seem to have a negative impact on her then. Other than acknowledging that it happened, she didn't really talk about it. And he didn't really want to talk about it - then or now - because just the thought of what she went through, particularly the sexual abuse, horrifies him.  He's not sure if the physical abuse was really all that bad, or why it affects her so much. He wonders if she is really trying in therapy, or whether she somehow is doing all this just for attention. Michael isn't sure how to deal with the emotions that come up for him when Amy is not okay. It reminds him of how he felt responsible for taking care of his mother after his dad died when he was 10. He would often come home from school and his mom would be sitting in the dark on the sofa in her bathrobe. He found himself needing to be adult-like to take care of her, and he was kind of on his own to take care of himself and his younger brother too. He was so relieved to get away from that unhappy childhood, to go to college and start his career, but sometimes he wonders if he married someone he will always have to take care of too. The burden of handling Amy's emotional needs feels very heavy and familiar to Michael. He feels sad, hopeless and discouraged.   Image credit: Canva She feels disconnected. Amy, too, was overjoyed to leave her abusive family behind to marry Michael. She thought things would be so much better once she got away from her controlling, abusive father and her passive mother who was mostly focused on pretending everything was perfect. And things were so much better! She loved her career, she and Michael got along great, and she was very happy to raise her three beautiful children. However, when her third child, little Megan, turned 5 years old Amy started having flashbacks to the abuse that her father inflicted on her as a little girl. A part of her had always felt that she was somehow responsible for the sexual abuse and deserving of the beatings. But seeing her sweet, innocent little Megan, a bright, inquisitive kindergartner, she pictured herself as a little girl and wondered whether it was really true that an innocent child could ever be deserving of being harmed the way her father had harmed her. These thoughts were so sad and overwhelming she tried to push them away. Sometimes she was successful, but other times, particularly in the Spring, she was overwhelmed with fear and worry that something bad would happen to Megan or her two sons. She is bothered by nightmares, trouble sleeping and physical symptoms like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and a feeling that someone is watching her which makes her skin crawl. Sometimes she suddenly vomits, just out of the blue, and she never knows when a panic attack is coming. Much of the time she feels like she is going through the motions of life. She feels disconnected from her neighbors and the other moms in her community. She describes herself as "on the outside looking in" to her life. She doesn't work outside the home now, and she's not sure if she ever will again. Most of the time she feels like she is barely holding it together. She wishes Michael were more empathetic and supportive of what she's going through but he doesn't seem to understand why she can't just "put the past behind her." She feels alone and disconnected from him, and wonders what happened to the happy newlyweds they once were. She is sad and worried about the way she feels, but she doesn't know what to do about it. The Truth Is, They Are Both Struggling This dynamic is all too common and I hear stories from both sides of the relationship described above in my office every day. Many of my clients are women like Amy who feel deeply ashamed that they are still affected by the abuse from their childhood years. And others are men like Michael who wonder if they can handle the emotional burden of their partner's PTSD. Regardless of gender, both Amy and Michael could be any one of us. They both feel alone and don't know how to reach the other partner. Whether you can relate to Amy's feelings or Michael's, it's helpful to understand a few things.  Three Things to Remember: You are not alone. Whether you are the person who experienced childhood trauma or the person who loves them, what you are feeling is common. Many people are affected by childhood trauma. It is so much more common than most of us realize. Click here to learn more about the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) and the prevalence of childhood trauma.   Trauma survivors aren't trying to be difficult.They are actually just trying to feel normal. In the scenario I described above, both Amy and Michael are affected by childhood trauma, though neither of them understands the effects in depth. Amy could be described as the "identified patient" - she's the one who is seen as having a problem and needing help. And she does need help. She is suffering so much. Amy's trauma is that she was physically and sexually abused by an adult (her father) whom she trusted to take care of her and keep her safe. Her mother was unable to protect her and pretended nothing was wrong. So both of her primary caregivers, whom she depended on for safety and protection, let her down. She is affected by a loss of attachment as well as the effects of the abuse. But Amy's not the only one in this example who needs help. Michael, too, experienced childhood trauma. His father died when he was only ten, and in her grief his mother was unable to attend to Michael's emotional needs. Instead, in order to be safe, Michael had to take care of his mom's emotional needs, and his own needs were ignored. He also had a younger brother to look out for. So Michael experienced a loss of attachment when neither of his parents was available to take care of his emotional needs, as well as the trauma of his dad's sudden death.  It's no wonder that Amy and Michael were drawn to each other, because they both had unresolved pain they were trying to escape when they met. However, Michael's role as a caregiver in his family may have helped him feel comfortable marrying someone who he perceived as having gone through something terrible (without realizing how he himself was affected by his own trauma). Both Amy and Michael were young when they met, and they were both doing the best they could. They both wanted to be okay, and they were trying to be okay together. For a while they were, but the effects of trauma always pop up just when you least expect them. Neither Amy nor Michael is able to be a support for the other, because they are both affected by their own childhood trauma. They can both benefit from counseling with a skilled trauma therapist. Trauma therapy can help. The reason Amy has been in and out of therapy for 10 years without experiencing relief from her trauma symptoms is that she hasn't had the right kind of therapy. 9 times out of 10, my clients with extensive trauma histories will tell me that their previous therapists never explained trauma to them or told them that their symptoms could be related to trauma. Why? The therapists probably didn't know. Trauma is still a newer field of study, although its effects have been documented for years.  Understanding that your symptoms are caused by trauma helps take an overwhelming set of symptoms that are seemingly unrelated and offers hope and clarity. You begin to recognize that you developed these coping methods (like dissociation, comfort eating, compulsive shopping, depression, anxiety) because of the effects of trauma, and not because there is something wrong with you.  Can You Relate? You may be wondering if you are an Amy or a Michael. I can't answer that for you, but here are some symptoms which may indicate that you are affected by childhood trauma.  If you have had some kind of disturbing experience in childhood that has always bothered you, for example: Loss of a primary caregiver Any unwanted sexual experience Any sexual experience you were too young to understand Witnessing violence, whether it happened to you, your caregiver or another family member Feeling that no one understood you, no one cared about you, or that you were abandoned, unwanted, or unloved Being bullied Receiving physical punishment, including spanking, beating, whipping, or being physically abused or harmed by an adult when you were a child Having a parent or primary caregiver who abused alcohol or drugs These are just a few examples of situations that could be traumatic in childhood. Read this article for more, and consider taking the ACES quiz as well.  So if you have some kind of childhood experience you think might have been traumatic AND you have some of these symptoms: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, nightmares, sleep paralysis Feeling numb, detached, zoning out, trouble concentrating, easily distracted, losing time Memory issues - feeling forgetful, being disorganized Feeling a nagging sense that there is just something wrong with you, something that makes you different from everyone else Feeling like you are on the outside looking in Trouble feeling close with other people, trust issues, feeling suspicious of other people's motives, thoughts like "no one can be trusted" and a feeling that it's you against the world Panic attacks, anxiety, need to maintain control at all times, rigidity, need for order Feeling mistrustful of your partner, feeling judgmental and critical of others and yourself Body image issues, physical symptoms like chronic pain, stomach issues, migraines,  Sexual problems - lack of interest in sex, shame related to sex Constantly on high alert, watchful, vigilant, can't relax - you hate it when someone comes up behind you and touches your shoulder or stands too close to you You might be affected by childhood trauma. No article can substitute for talking with a qualified therapist. If you are wondering if you are affected by childhood trauma, talk to a therapist. You can usually speak to them by phone before scheduling an appointment to make sure they feel qualified to help with the issue that affects you.  Here are some resources for finding a qualified trauma therapist: National Child Traumatic Stress Network ISSTD Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute EMDRIA Sidran Institute Somatic Experiencing Institute RAINN And here are some suggestions for further reading and learning: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk In the Realm Of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté ACES Primer (video) Finding a therapist who understands the effects of trauma on child development and has specialized training in trauma recovery can make a huge difference. Whether you are directly affected by childhood trauma or it is a problem for someone you love, therapy can help. You don't have to keep suffering.   The first step is understanding that your trauma is real, that it matters, and that you can feel better. Then the hard part comes - trusting a therapist to help you. I know there are many caring and skilled trauma therapists out there who want to help. I am one of them. If you're in the Baltimore area of Maryland, I would love to talk about how we can work together to help you feel better. Give me a call at 443-510-1048 or e-mail me at laura@laurareaganlcswc.com.  You can also contact me directly through my website at this link. Or visit my website to learn about how I work with trauma. 

http://yourkickasslife.com/163 Hey Ass Kickers! I can absolutely guarantee that this episode of the podcast is unlike any that you’ve listened to (as if you couldn’t tell by the title)? I wanted to do something a bit different, so I’m bringing on two good friends, and pasts guests: Amy Smith of The Joy Junkie and Kira Sabin of The League of Adventurous Singles. Both Amy and Kira will be co-hosting Tanning, Tacos and Transformation with me, and I thought this episode would be a great way for me to introduce you to them - if you don’t already know who they are! I promise you are going to hear some personal development and topics we talk about a lot of the podcast: worthiness, confidence, boundaries, relationships and more. Most of this chat though is us asking each other some ridiculous questions, for which we have some even more ridiculous answers. I do want to warn you that there is a lot of foul language in this one, and it contains probably the most bad words I’ve ever had in an episode (needless to say, today’s conversation isn’t for children)!  

Both Amy and Jason are sleepy this week and a poll said that sleep won for theme of the week.  Amy comes prepared with her jammies, bathrobe, and wine while Jason is forced to put on pants to record.  Get your blankets out and your slippers on, it is going to be a chill ride.  Flute is still in the shop, guys, the podcasters are very sad about it. Voicemail Line: 731-400-2837  Email: EandEPod@gmail.com  Website: www.EandEPod.com Photo Credit: http://www.dallasfeldenkrais.com/2014/07/28/many-pillows-sound-sleep/  Music:  The Chordettes - Mr. Sandman Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night? Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song Thundercat - 3AM Jack White - I Guess I Should Go to Sleep The Postal Service - Sleeping In The Smiths - Asleep Neon Trees - Sleeping With a Friend LCD Soundsystem - Never As Tired As When I’m Waking Up Travie McCoy- Billionaire Ft. Bruno Mars

Creating A Babysitting App Audrey remembers the specific moment she realized she needed creative childcare solutions. She was talking with her soon-to-be partner Amy in their church lobby, lamenting their childcare problems: the expense of a babysitter, the struggle of finding a good babysitter, the guilt of asking family for favors again... you get the idea. Thinking outside the box, they "decided to change (their) own destiny and formed a local babysitting co-op.” After lots of quick wins and great successes, these ladies realized they had stumbled upon a parenting hack that could help lots of families. They eventually changed their mission from serving their local group of about 16 moms to helping moms across the country. On a personal note, my mother was part of a babysitting co-op when I was little. She always talked about how amazing it was and how lucky they were. When Chris and I lived in South Carolina, I nearly got a co-op together -- but I found the logistics difficult and it never got off the ground. I absolutely love the idea of having an app do all of the work of a co-op for me. The app deals with the administrative headaches and even the potential social awkwardness of ‘who’s in and who’s out’ of my co-op. How Komae Works Each individual parent gets to decide who to trust as babysitters among their friends, and those friends get to decide, etc. A request for a "sit" will only be seen by hand-selected, pre-approved people. Using the App It's a straightforward process: -Download the app in iTunes or Android Store. -Create a profile, and tell Komae about you and your family. Do your kids have allergies? When is nap time? Are they bottle fed? Do they still wear diapers? -Once you’re set up, just post a request including the date and time you need a babysitter. -Your friends will see, “Audrey has a need from 8 to 9 on Wednesday, are you available?” And a friend can say if they’re available or not. -Connect with friends in your village by either searching a name or email if they’re already a Komae user or link to your Facebook account and invite friends from there. Behind the Name Komae means village in Greek. When naming their app, Audrey and Amy borrowed from the saying, "It takes a village to raise a child." And like a village, this app functions around reciprocity; you give to and receive from those around you. They were so excited when, as the app gained popularity, users requested the ability to post when they were available to give care, not just when they needed a sitter. Isn’t that great!? Earning Babysitting Points Komae has a babysitting point system where 1 hour of babysitting equates to 1 point. When users put in the details of their sit, Komae calculates how much the sit is worth. In this way, the app removes that social friction of figuring out which kids require more effort, and how many points to assign per sit. Earning and using credits is a simple banking system: You earn points by watching your friends' kids, and you spend points when your friends watch your kids. The app makes it fair for everyone, and it's so much easier than having those awkward conversations. (And I have to say at this point, I was SO excited to get started with Komae - I couldn’t wait until we were done interviewing to download the app!) Developing an App The thought of actually developing an app sounds insanely difficult and stressful! I absolutely needed to hear from Amy and Audrey about what their process was to get this app up and running. When they launched the Komae mobile friendly web app in May of 2016, they had already been helping moms with the babysitting struggle for 2 years. Of course, the pair didn’t start working 40 hours a week until closer to launch time. In fact, they used their babysitting co-op to gain a couple of afternoons a week to work, plus they worked after bedtime. As of this air date, the My Komae app is available in iTunes and Google Play Store. It's not a quick process, though it's definitely worthwhile. Tip: "You don't need to be at your end goal in 1 month, 2 months, 12 months. It might take a couple years...Just focus on the next dot." Finding an App Developer How do you know if your developer will be the right fit or that they have the right skills? Both Amy and Audrey had husbands that worked in tech, and while they weren’t developers, they had the network and knowledge to find the right people. They used Upwork to find freelance developers. (With Upwork, you post a specific job and different people apply, then you get to choose the freelancers you want.) Alternatively, there are app development agencies. This option is very expensive but very effective. To raise funds to make this all happen, 6 months into their development process, the Komae team ran a Kickstarter and used that money to begin developing their Minimum Viable Product. (Minimum viable product means the simplest, slimmest version of your idea. The purpose is to gauge interest and success.) They did fully fund their Kickstarter - and also pursued a unique funding option I had never heard of, which I had to ask about! Funding with Pitch Competitions and Kickstarter At first, the pair set out to fund this project via Kickstarter. Their goal was $20,000. The Kickstarter was a bit of a nail-biter, as they fully funded (just over $20K) on Day 34 of a 35-day campaign! 2 days after their Kickstarter ended, they went to a pitch competition. A pitch competition is basically like Shark Tank in real life; it’s an opportunity to share your idea and be considered for financing. In fact, Amy and Audrey said they binge-watched Shark Tank episodes to prepare for their pitches! In just 2 minutes they pitched their Komae app and earned $10,000 more dollars (on top of their Kickstarter funds) to pursue development. Over the past 2 years, they’ve won 7 competitions that resulted in grants or investments for Komae. And with such a fabulous first success with pitch competitions, it’s easy to see why they kept going back for more! Pitch competitions are a savvy way to fund a project that needs a higher investment, or that you don’t have the skills to develop. If you want to find a local pitch competition, just Google search ‘pitch competition [your city name]’. One of the best pitch competitions they entered was from Jen and Jenny of the company Rent the Runway, whose foundation is called Project Entrepreneur. It’s an intensive weekend with training from other female business founders. 800 people started the application process, and only 12 were picked to pitch on stage. Not only were Amy and Audrey chosen to pitch, they were chosen as one of the 3 winners! They earned another $10,000 for their business, as well as 5 weeks of working in the Rent the Runway Manhattan office. It was an incredible experience, to say the least! They were able to network and learn from other companies. Even if a pitch competition doesn’t end in financing, it might have come with a consultation or networking opportunity that makes a big difference for a new business. Moms Spending 5 Weeks In Manhattan!? Of course, the Komae ladies were so excited to have won this mega prize, but then the reality set in: “Oh my gosh, what are we going to tell our husbands!?” Their husbands stepped up to the challenge. These sweet hubbies hunkered down and took care of the kids, while Amy and Audrey drove to and from New York every weekend (an 8-hour drive) to see their families. It was a big sacrifice for big gains. High five, husbands, for handling the kids for 5 weeks! I would have had no idea that all these resources were available for start-up business owners. But actually there’s a big focus on female entrepreneurs, and "it’s a sexy time to be a female entrepreneur, especially in the Midwest.” The girls have really enjoyed the community of support they’ve gained from their pitch competitions. App Development Difficulties Komae’s “biggest hurdle by far was having a vision of a deadline, and then the reality of when things came to fruition.” (And I can totally relate! Our podcast break was way longer than I expected.) Komae’s 4-week timeline turned into 20 weeks, especially with the glitches technology can often experience. But the best thing an entrepreneur can do is to learn that "it’s okay to take longer than planned, and to roll with the punches.” Marketing An App Within a week of becoming available in the iTunes store in fall of 2016, Komae already had 1,000 users. I had to know how they spread the word and marketed their product! At first, Komae was a mobile friendly web app, which was their minimum viable product. Komae spread organically at first through word of mouth, with moms inviting their mom friends using the irresistible hook of free babysitting. Plus, they were interviewed on the local news and were featured in a few articles that have also been a bit of a PR boost. But what they’re super excited about is putting marketing dollars behind their initiatives. Komae is focusing on creating social media campaigns, primarily, since moms hang out on social media. It’s the perfect place to market an app aimed at moms. Using a Launch Party Model They’ll do traditional marketing, but they know word of mouth won’t go away because, in order to benefit, moms need their friends to sign up too! Since moms add their friends to the app, the viral spread won’t go away. It’s like built-in marketing for the app; each new user potentially brings in five or ten more. They’ve got a great idea of moms throwing launch parties within their own local communities of moms. The Komae team knows they could spend time and money getting one person on board at a time, or they can spend money on something like the launch party model to get 20 new users at once. And the launch party model doesn’t estrange those who may not want to share babysitting with everyone at the party. Because of the way the app works, each user gets to choose who is in their village, their group of babysitters. The purpose of the launch party is simply to get everyone to download the app and get excited. Then they can connect with the people they are comfortable with at the party, but even more, they'll go home and invite other friends. Solving Your Own Problem Not only were Audrey and Amy solving the problem other moms had, they were trying to solve their own problem of needing childcare to run their side businesses. Audrey remembers that she hated spending money on a sitter for a business meeting that she wasn’t sure would end up making her money. It felt silly to spend that cash she wouldn’t necessarily get back! And then sometimes she would get a spur of the moment business meeting request, but had to scramble like a crazy woman behind the scenes to line up childcare for the meeting, before she could even give an answer. Once she had the babysitting co-op, she could immediately say, “Yes! I can meet you tomorrow at 2,” and find childcare through the co-op. Amy’s side business was a boutique bakery. Can’t you just imagine the kids trying to lick the icing off the spoon while Amy filled orders? It’s healthy for mom to have that time to work -- and for kids to have time to play with their friends -- and then be fully engaged with the kids when they are all home. And, it’s really helpful for someone who is the "sometimes working mom," or the mom with unpredictable babysitting needs. And with Komae, your kids basically get an automatic playdate, rather than a babysitter coming to your house to entertain your children. The kids are truly getting active, social playtime, having a blast with friends. They don't even know they're being babysat--you're dropping them off to play! Komae is a great solution all around. When it comes to the actual sitters, because you hand-select your village, you’re choosing the role models for your kids. You’re building a trusted network of mentors for your children to look up to. Social media usually brings people further apart, but with Komae it brings people together. Now when you stop at your friend's house, they know what you're doing and they care about your life, and they’ve built a bond with your children. Beth Anne’s Mom Confession I spill a hilarious Mom confession in this episode. You’ll have to listen to catch it! But let’s just say it has to do with babysitters and a secret we’ve been keeping from Holden! For the Mom who isn’t a Super-Fan of Babysitting Other People’s Kids One objection Komae gets a lot is, "I don’t have time to watch other people's kids!" or even, "I don’t WANT to watch other people’s kids!" And really, if that's you, you are not alone! Komae sits are not like babysitting, though. It’s more like you’re making your home a fun and safe place for your children’s friends to play. You can even get laundry and dishes done while the kiddos enjoy the playdate, plus earn points to get free time later! Amy’s Adorable Mom Moment Amy lives in Ohio and in the middle of winter they can get days and days and days of snow. Once dHer son was desperate to play outside, but because of all the snow days, she was behind on her work and said no. Let’s just say it was a day when Amy wasn’t getting along with her toddler! Her little guy got so frustrated that he was insisting on going outside while standing in the foyer naked, in only his snowboots! Amy posted a request on Komae, and soon was able to take her son to a friend’s house. Turns out, the friend was already planning to play in the snow! Amy got her work done, and when she reunited with her son everyone was much happier and had a great afternoon together. I absolutely loved learning from these two ladies. Their story is totally inspiring for any business mom. I think this product is an absolute must for all busy moms! And from their story, you should be encouraged to go out and take action on the brilliant business idea that you have. Stay In Touch With Amy and Audrey www.mykomae.com iTunes App Google Play Instagram: @my_komae Facebook: MyKomae

Live Live Thrive's guests are award-winning producer Amy Ziering and Nicole Ehrlich. Both Amy and Nicole talk about their award-winning films including their latest “The Hunting Ground” – an expose about rape culture on college campuses. The movie's song performed by Lady Gaga, “It Can Happen To You” won an Emmy and was nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar. The two women share their amazing stories about using film to tell stories and make a difference!

This week on StoryWeb: Willa Cather’s novel O Pioneers! for Amy Young For many of us, certain books immediately release a flood of memories – where we were when we first read them, friends and relatives who read the books with us. Such is the case for me with Willa Cather’s 1913 novel, O Pioneers! This wonderful book calls to mind Shepherdstown, West Virginia, almost twenty-five years ago. My new friend Amy and I were sharing book after book, poem after poem, film after film with each other. We’d met in Shepherdstown’s just-opened independent bookstore, Four Seasons Books, where Amy was a sales clerk and I was a customer. Since the beautiful October day that first brought us together, we’d been reveling in our shared love of literature. So it was inevitable that we’d be plopped in front of Amy’s TV when Jessica Lange’s made-for-TV adaptation of Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! premiered as a Hallmark Hall of Fame special. Perhaps the Hallmark branding should have tipped us off. It’s not that the movie was terrible. It’s more that it made us laugh – and O Pioneers! is most certainly not a comedy. Of special note was Lange’s feigned Nebraska accent, the overdone quality of which sent Amy and I into fits of laughter. Every three minutes, it seemed, Lange – who was playing the heroine, Alexandra Bergson – sang the praises of “the land.” But this nails-on-a-chalkboard television adaptation didn’t diminish our love of Cather or her marvelous novel. Both Amy and I had read a lot of Cather’s work – My Ántonia, A Lost Lady, Death Comes for the Archbishop, The Song of the Lark, My Mortal Enemy, Sapphira and the Slave Girl, and of course, O Pioneers!, which is perhaps the great work of the prairie. Even if she was a bit tone deaf in her accent, Lange was nevertheless right to emphasize “the land,” for the sheer fact of the land – the huge, sprawling, open, expansive prairie land – is indeed the heart of everything on the Great Plains. Unlikely as it would be in prairie culture and as unpleasant as it is to her brothers, Alexandra Bergson is the primary architect of her family’s land. It falls to her to take their inherited land and shape it into something robust, fertile, productive, rich. That she does just that is the proof Cather offers that a fully realized female protagonist can be a full-on hero of the story, that she can be identified with the land and bring it to its full fruition. Ready to read O Pioneers? You can do so for free at Project Gutenberg, but you’ll probably want a hard copy of this magnificent book. And if you like geeking out on literary criticism, then exploring Willa Cather scholarship will yield significant rewards. I especially recommend my friend Janis Stout’s extensive work on Cather. She has written a biography – Willa Cather: The Writer and Her World – and has edited The Selected Letters of Willa Cather. You might also find her critical study of Cather and Mary Austin interesting: it’s titled Picturing a Different West: Vision, Illustration, and the Tradition of Cather and Austin. Another of my favorites is Judith Fryer’s completely imaginative response to Cather’s work in Felicitous Space, which looks also at the work of Edith Wharton. For more on Cather, check out the earlier StoryWeb post on My Ántonia. For links to all these resources, visit thestoryweb.com/pioneers. When I think of Willa Cather, I think of my dear friend Amy. What books take you back in time? Listen now as I read Chapter Two of Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! In this scene, the dying patriarch, John Bergson, bequeaths the family land to his daughter, Alexandra.   On one of the ridges of that wintry waste stood the low log house in which John Bergson was dying. The Bergson homestead was easier to find than many another, because it overlooked Norway Creek, a shallow, muddy stream that sometimes flowed, and sometimes stood still, at the bottom of a winding ravine with steep, shelving sides overgrown with brush and cottonwoods and dwarf ash. This creek gave a sort of identity to the farms that bordered upon it. Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening. The houses on the Divide were small and were usually tucked away in low places; you did not see them until you came directly upon them. Most of them were built of the sod itself, and were only the unescapable ground in another form. The roads were but faint tracks in the grass, and the fields were scarcely noticeable. The record of the plow was insignificant, like the feeble scratches on stone left by prehistoric races, so indeterminate that they may, after all, be only the markings of glaciers, and not a record of human strivings. In eleven long years John Bergson had made but little impression upon the wild land he had come to tame. It was still a wild thing that had its ugly moods; and no one knew when they were likely to come, or why. Mischance hung over it. Its Genius was unfriendly to man. The sick man was feeling this as he lay looking out of the window, after the doctor had left him, on the day following Alexandra's trip to town. There it lay outside his door, the same land, the same lead-colored miles. He knew every ridge and draw and gully between him and the horizon. To the south, his plowed fields; to the east, the sod stables, the cattle corral, the pond,—and then the grass. Bergson went over in his mind the things that had held him back. One winter his cattle had perished in a blizzard. The next summer one of his plow horses broke its leg in a prairiedog hole and had to be shot. Another summer he lost his hogs from cholera, and a valuable stallion died from a rattlesnake bite. Time and again his crops had failed. He had lost two children, boys, that came between Lou and Emil, and there had been the cost of sickness and death. Now, when he had at last struggled out of debt, he was going to die himself. He was only forty-six, and had, of course, counted upon more time. Bergson had spent his first five years on the Divide getting into debt, and the last six getting out. He had paid off his mortgages and had ended pretty much where he began, with the land. He owned exactly six hundred and forty acres of what stretched outside his door; his own original homestead and timber claim, making three hundred and twenty acres, and the half-section adjoining, the homestead of a younger brother who had given up the fight, gone back to Chicago to work in a fancy bakery and distinguish himself in a Swedish athletic club. So far John had not attempted to cultivate the second half-section, but used it for pasture land, and one of his sons rode herd there in open weather. John Bergson had the Old-World belief that land, in itself, is desirable. But this land was an enigma. It was like a horse that no one knows how to break to harness, that runs wild and kicks things to pieces. He had an idea that no one understood how to farm it properly, and this he often discussed with Alexandra. Their neighbors, certainly, knew even less about farming than he did. Many of them had never worked on a farm until they took up their homesteads. They had been HANDWERKERS at home; tailors, locksmiths, joiners, cigar-makers, etc. Bergson himself had worked in a shipyard. For weeks, John Bergson had been thinking about these things. His bed stood in the sitting-room, next to the kitchen. Through the day, while the baking and washing and ironing were going on, the father lay and looked up at the roof beams that he himself had hewn, or out at the cattle in the corral. He counted the cattle over and over. It diverted him to speculate as to how much weight each of the steers would probably put on by spring. He often called his daughter in to talk to her about this. Before Alexandra was twelve years old she had begun to be a help to him, and as she grew older he had come to depend more and more upon her resourcefulness and good judgment. His boys were willing enough to work, but when he talked with them they usually irritated him. It was Alexandra who read the papers and followed the markets, and who learned by the mistakes of their neighbors. It was Alexandra who could always tell about what it had cost to fatten each steer, and who could guess the weight of a hog before it went on the scales closer than John Bergson himself. Lou and Oscar were industrious, but he could never teach them to use their heads about their work. Alexandra, her father often said to himself, was like her grandfather; which was his way of saying that she was intelligent. John Bergson's father had been a shipbuilder, a man of considerable force and of some fortune. Late in life he married a second time, a Stockholm woman of questionable character, much younger than he, who goaded him into every sort of extravagance. On the shipbuilder's part, this marriage was an infatuation, the despairing folly of a powerful man who cannot bear to grow old. In a few years his unprincipled wife warped the probity of a lifetime. He speculated, lost his own fortune and funds entrusted to him by poor seafaring men, and died disgraced, leaving his children nothing. But when all was said, he had come up from the sea himself, had built up a proud little business with no capital but his own skill and foresight, and had proved himself a man. In his daughter, John Bergson recognized the strength of will, and the simple direct way of thinking things out, that had characterized his father in his better days. He would much rather, of course, have seen this likeness in one of his sons, but it was not a question of choice. As he lay there day after day he had to accept the situation as it was, and to be thankful that there was one among his children to whom he could entrust the future of his family and the possibilities of his hard-won land. The winter twilight was fading. The sick man heard his wife strike a match in the kitchen, and the light of a lamp glimmered through the cracks of the door. It seemed like a light shining far away. He turned painfully in his bed and looked at his white hands, with all the work gone out of them. He was ready to give up, he felt. He did not know how it had come about, but he was quite willing to go deep under his fields and rest, where the plow could not find him. He was tired of making mistakes. He was content to leave the tangle to other hands; he thought of his Alexandra's strong ones. "DOTTER," he called feebly, "DOTTER!" He heard her quick step and saw her tall figure appear in the doorway, with the light of the lamp behind her. He felt her youth and strength, how easily she moved and stooped and lifted. But he would not have had it again if he could, not he! He knew the end too well to wish to begin again. He knew where it all went to, what it all became. His daughter came and lifted him up on his pillows. She called him by an old Swedish name that she used to call him when she was little and took his dinner to him in the shipyard. "Tell the boys to come here, daughter. I want to speak to them." "They are feeding the horses, father. They have just come back from the Blue. Shall I call them?" He sighed. "No, no. Wait until they come in. Alexandra, you will have to do the best you can for your brothers. Everything will come on you." "I will do all I can, father." "Don't let them get discouraged and go off like Uncle Otto. I want them to keep the land." "We will, father. We will never lose the land." There was a sound of heavy feet in the kitchen. Alexandra went to the door and beckoned to her brothers, two strapping boys of seventeen and nineteen. They came in and stood at the foot of the bed. Their father looked at them searchingly, though it was too dark to see their faces; they were just the same boys, he told himself, he had not been mistaken in them. The square head and heavy shoulders belonged to Oscar, the elder. The younger boy was quicker, but vacillating. "Boys," said the father wearily, "I want you to keep the land together and to be guided by your sister. I have talked to her since I have been sick, and she knows all my wishes. I want no quarrels among my children, and so long as there is one house there must be one head. Alexandra is the oldest, and she knows my wishes. She will do the best she can. If she makes mistakes, she will not make so many as I have made. When you marry, and want a house of your own, the land will be divided fairly, according to the courts. But for the next few years you will have it hard, and you must all keep together. Alexandra will manage the best she can." Oscar, who was usually the last to speak, replied because he was the older, "Yes, father. It would be so anyway, without your speaking. We will all work the place together." "And you will be guided by your sister, boys, and be good brothers to her, and good sons to your mother? That is good. And Alexandra must not work in the fields any more. There is no necessity now. Hire a man when you need help. She can make much more with her eggs and butter than the wages of a man. It was one of my mistakes that I did not find that out sooner. Try to break a little more land every year; sod corn is good for fodder. Keep turning the land, and always put up more hay than you need. Don't grudge your mother a little time for plowing her garden and setting out fruit trees, even if it comes in a busy season. She has been a good mother to you, and she has always missed the old country." When they went back to the kitchen the boys sat down silently at the table. Throughout the meal they looked down at their plates and did not lift their red eyes. They did not eat much, although they had been working in the cold all day, and there was a rabbit stewed in gravy for supper, and prune pies. John Bergson had married beneath him, but he had married a good housewife. Mrs. Bergson was a fair-skinned, corpulent woman, heavy and placid like her son, Oscar, but there was something comfortable about her; perhaps it was her own love of comfort. For eleven years she had worthily striven to maintain some semblance of household order amid conditions that made order very difficult. Habit was very strong with Mrs. Bergson, and her unremitting efforts to repeat the routine of her old life among new surroundings had done a great deal to keep the family from disintegrating morally and getting careless in their ways. The Bergsons had a log house, for instance, only because Mrs. Bergson would not live in a sod house. She missed the fish diet of her own country, and twice every summer she sent the boys to the river, twenty miles to the southward, to fish for channel cat. When the children were little she used to load them all into the wagon, the baby in its crib, and go fishing herself. Alexandra often said that if her mother were cast upon a desert island, she would thank God for her deliverance, make a garden, and find something to preserve. Preserving was almost a mania with Mrs. Bergson. Stout as she was, she roamed the scrubby banks of Norway Creek looking for fox grapes and goose plums, like a wild creature in search of prey. She made a yellow jam of the insipid ground-cherries that grew on the prairie, flavoring it with lemon peel; and she made a sticky dark conserve of garden tomatoes. She had experimented even with the rank buffalo-pea, and she could not see a fine bronze cluster of them without shaking her head and murmuring, "What a pity!" When there was nothing more to preserve, she began to pickle. The amount of sugar she used in these processes was sometimes a serious drain upon the family resources. She was a good mother, but she was glad when her children were old enough not to be in her way in the kitchen. She had never quite forgiven John Bergson for bringing her to the end of the earth; but, now that she was there, she wanted to be let alone to reconstruct her old life in so far as that was possible. She could still take some comfort in the world if she had bacon in the cave, glass jars on the shelves, and sheets in the press. She disapproved of all her neighbors because of their slovenly housekeeping, and the women thought her very proud. Once when Mrs. Bergson, on her way to Norway Creek, stopped to see old Mrs. Lee, the old woman hid in the haymow "for fear Mis' Bergson would catch her barefoot."    

This is what The Beauty Podcast with Emma G is all about - two people sitting down, sharing information and having an absolute giggle along the way. In this episode I meet with SkinFix CEO Amy Regan during the UK launch of the range to talk beauty, being the boss and the importance of mentors. It was my first time getting to chat to Amy, but I have a feeling it won't be the last.You can also download The Beauty Podcast with Emma G on iTunes and Soundcloud.Links from this episode include:For more information and to buy SkinFix - click here.My friend Hannah's fertility blog featuring, among many other things, our awkwardness with the 'V' word and a real time account of her quest to fall pregnant via IVF.Both Amy and Gabrielle Shaw referenced the book Brainfluence as a must-read.Want to know more about Mercury in Retrograde? This article on The Huffington Post gives the low-down on what not to do during the 3-week phenomenon.You can get in touch with me via my website Emma Gunavardhana, where you can also sign up for the show's newsletter or on social media; Twitter @EmmaG_Beauty and Instagram where I'm @emmaguns Permalink See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the first episode of Season 3 of the Animals’ Voice Pawdcast, we speak with Amy Pawson, Director of Operations, Petland and Erica Coomber, Shelter Administrator, Alberta Animal Services. Both Amy... Through its province-wide network of 50 plus Communities, the Ontario SPCA is one of the largest, most responsive animal welfare organizations in the country, providing care and shelter for tens of thousands of animals every year. The Ontario SPCA is unique amongst animal welfare organizations in Ontario: the Ontario SPCA Act mandates the Society to enforce animal cruelty laws and provides Society Branch and Affiliate investigators with police powers to do so.

Please click on the POD button to listen to the latest Atlanta Business Radio  show podcast broadcasting live each Wednesday at 10am EDT from Atlanta, GA, USA.   Atlanta Business Radio is sponsored by Fast Pitch! Networking - a one-stop shop for networking and marketing your business online and offline. Please go to their website www.fastpitchnetworking.com. When you sign up, please mention you were referred by Lee Kantor. That will help the show! Thanks.Here's how to listen to the podcast of our show. First click on the title of the show you are interested in. Then there should be a player in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Now just press play and the show you chose should start playing. You can also download the show to listen on your mp3 player. We also will soon be in iTunes. Remember if you want a pretty comprehensive listing of all kinds of Atlanta Events including Business Networking events please check out www.AtlantaEvent.com. And for a great BlueTooth headset for anyone who drives a convertible check out www.jawbone.com. Both Amy and Lee are big fans. And don't forget Amy, Lee and Andy will be hosting a Fast Pitch business networking event Wednesday October 17 from 5-6:30pm at Eclipse di Luna across from Perimeter Mall. Please go to http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/meeting.cfm?MeetingID=220 to RSVP.This morning we were joined by Maria Goldsholl, COO of The MomCorps. Maria shared her story of how she was working full time then had her 2 children and wanted more balance in her life. She became the third employee of the Mom Corps and the rest is history. She now helps moms, dads and boomers find those flexible work opportunities in forward thinking companies around the country. For more information on Mom Corps, please check out their website at www.momcorps.com. It is filled with a ton of resources for people who are looking for flex jobs including  workshops, seminars and other resources for people who have been out of the workplace for awhile and are a little nervous about getting back in. We were also privileged to have on Teresa M from I Run You Play, Atlanta's supreme concierge and errand service. Teresa's company does all the stuff you have to do but aren't really thrilled about doing. For example, her staff waits for the cable guy for you, they pick up your dinner, they can even help you if you recently had surgery and need help around the house. Check out her website www.irunyouplay.com for more information.We also had on Doug MacGinnitie who is running for Sandy Springs City Council in District 1. Doug talked about his vision for Sandy Springs as well as his impressive background in the private sector. For more information about Doug and his take on the issues please go to his website www.dougforsandysprings.org.Also if you know of a business in Atlanta that we should know about please email Amy Otto at Amy @ atlantabusinessradio.com and we will try and get them on the show.