Podcast appearances and mentions of melanie dale

Today we are celebrating 100 episodes of the Girls Talking Life podcast with a special behind the scenes show, answering your questions, sharing favorite episodes, and of course, my Favorite 5! Cheers!   Mentioned in this Episode Don't Ignore the Nudge Podcast Open Door Sisterhood Podcast #19 with Hollie Daniels   Favorite Episodes (of 50-100): #85 Confront the Limits of your love with Amy Wolff #79 Manage Your Money on Mission with Katie Jones #74 A Warm and Welcoming Home for the Holidays with Alieta Casey #73 Breast Cancer Warrior with Kaci Sintek #61 Living Victoriously with Mental Illness with Carla Arges #57 Finding Mom Friends with Melanie Dale #51 Taking Left Turns with Jesus with Kristan Dooley   Summer of Friendship Series   Ways You Can Support the Show Leave a Review on Apple Podcasts Share the Show with a Friend Make a Purchase Using an Affiliate Link Shop Girls Talking Life Products   Yohonna's Favorite 5 Juice Beauty Stem Cellular CC Cream Stitchfix* Pure Haven Pink Grapefruit Sugar Body Scrub* The Faster Way to Fat Loss with Abby Miller* The Bible Recap Podcast and Reading Plan (Let me know if you're starting the plan in January 2023)! *This is an affiliate link, but please know that this is something I truly love and would (and do!) recommend to my friends and family. Using one of these links to purchase a product or service directly supports Girls Talking Life at no extra cost to you.   CONNECT WITH GIRLS TALKING LIFE Get the GTL Newsletter | Instagram | Facebook

Let's talk about parenting and breast cancer and the pandemic and all the things that are distinctly PLAN B (C? D? Z?), but can we please figure out how to laugh about it? If that sounds like the way to go, you need to listen to my conversation with author Melanie Dale. Melanie's newest book, Calm the H*ck Down: How to Let Go and Lighten Up About Parenting had me in stitches, even in the tough parts, which is, of course, the point. I think you are going to love hearing Melanie's fantastic help on how to approach the life you've been given with laughter, honesty, and practical ways we can all lighten up. Melanie is the author of four books, including her latest, Calm the H*ck Down: How to Let Go and Lighten Up about Parenting. She's a writer for the TV series Creepshow and her essays are featured monthly at Coffee+Crumbs. For the last five years she played numerous zombies on The Walking Dead when she wasn't writing or parenting her three kids from three different continents. You can find her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Visit KimberlyStuart.com/podcast for more from this episode.

This recording of the Final Days Advent Bible Study is a gift from Becky Kiser and Online Women's Bible Study. If you'd like to get even more out of this Advent season, join OWBS at onlinewomensbiblestudy.com, use code “HEARERSANDDOERS” for 10% off! Be sure to tell your friends about this and share on social media (don't forget to tag @BeckyKiser so I can connect with you!).

GET TRANSCRIPT AND FULL SHOWNOTES: melanieavalon.com/parenting 2:30 - Follow Melanie On Instagram To See The Latest Moments, Products, And #AllTheThings! @MelanieAvalon 2:40 - IF Biohackers: Intermittent Fasting + Real Foods + Life: Join Melanie's Facebook Group At facebook.com/groups/paleoOMAD For A Weekly Episode GIVEAWAY, And To Discuss And Learn About All Things Biohacking! All Conversations Welcome! 3:15 - FOOD SENSE GUIDE: Get Melanie's App At melanieavalon.com/foodsenseguide To Tackle Your Food Sensitivities! Food Sense Includes A Searchable Catalogue Of 300+ Foods, Revealing Their Gluten, FODMAP, Lectin, Histamine, Amine, Glutamate, Oxalate, Salicylate, Sulfite, And Thiol Status. Food Sense Also Includes Compound Overviews, Reactions To Look For, Lists Of Foods High And Low In Them, The Ability To Create Your Own Personal Lists, And More! 3:50 - BEAUTYCOUNTER: Non-Toxic Beauty Products Tested For Heavy Metals, Which Support Skin Health And Look Amazing! Shop At beautycounter.com/melanieavalon For Something Magical! For Exclusive Offers And Discounts, And More On The Science Of Skincare, Get On Melanie's Private Beautycounter Email List At melanieavalon.com/cleanbeauty! Find Your Perfect Beautycounter Products With Melanie's Quiz: melanieavalon.com/beautycounterquiz Join Melanie's Facebook Group Clean Beauty And Safe Skincare With Melanie Avalon At Facebook.com/groups/cleanbeautymelanieavalon To Discuss And Learn About All The Things Clean Beauty, Beautycounter, And Safe Skincare! 10:00 - Melanie's Background 13:00 - Focusing On The Mindset Of Parenthood 14:00 - Expectations Vs Reality 15:40 - Non-Negotiables And Places Where You Can Give In A Little 16:30 - Parenting In A Pandemic 17:50 - Parenting Styles For Different Kids  19:25 - Age Appropriate Chores And Independent Activities 25:30 - Teaching With Movies 28:15 - Kids And Social Media 32:25 - DRY FARM WINES: Low Sugar, Low Alcohol, Toxin-Free, Mold-Free, Pesticide-Free, Hang-Over Free Natural Wine! Use The Link dryfarmwines.com/melanieavalon To Get A Bottle For A Penny! 34:15 - Setting Rules 35:35 - The Importance Of Honesty 38:25 - How To Stay Calm When You're Overwhelmed 39:45 - G.R.A.C.E: Gratitude, Read, Adapt, Create, Engage, & The Value Of Laughter 45:00 - The Story Of The Stolen Golf Cart 47:55 - How To React When Your Child Is Attention Seeking 51:50 - The Role Of Therapists For Parent And Child 55:30 - Body Image And Insecurity 58:20 - SUNLIGHTEN: Get $200 Off Any Sunlighten Cabin Model Or $100 Off The Solo Unit (That Melanie Has!) AND $99 Shipping (Regularly $598) With The Code MelanieAvalon At melanieavalon.com/sunlighten. Forward Your Proof Of Purchase To Podcast@MelanieAvalon.com, To Receive A Signed Copy Of What When Wine! 59:50 - Food, Diet, And Eating 1:06:15 - Kids & Bedtime Go To BluBlox.com And Use The Code melanieavalon For 15% Off! 1:11:10 - Working Parents 1:14:30 - Religion And Spirituality

Today Author Melanie Dale and I chat about questioning your faith during infertility and IVF.  We unpack why it's such a normal and expected part of this journey. 

Melanie Dale joins me for a fabulous conversation about Mom Friends; how we make them, why we need them and how it helps our kids. Melanie tells us that it’s important for us to have other mom friends so we can model healthy relationships for our kids and so we realize that we’re not alone in the parenting challenges we face. She says, “my mom friends actually make me a better parent.” Melanie walks us through the bases for mom friends, the four phases our relationships may go through from an acquaintance you make small talk with at soccer practice, to someone you invite for a night out without the kids. Melanie shares her “wow, that’s so awesome” approach for when another mom gives us the lowdown on her strong opinion of something we might not agree with. She says it allows the “relationship to breathe and to develop trust.” She tells us to lighten up about different parenting choices. And finally we talk about teaching our kids to be good friends. Melanie says “as my kids are going through relationship challenges and dealing with other friends” she tries “to coach from the sidelines and not get on the field.” Melanie is the author of four books, including Calm the H*ck Down: How to Let Go and Lighten Up about Parenting. She’s a staff writer for Coffee+Crumbs, hosts the podcast Lighten Up with Melanie Dale, and has contributed writing to everything from the (in)courage Devotional Bible to Shudder’s Creepshow. She lives in the Atlanta area with her husband of twenty years and their three kids from three different continents.   MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Calm the H*ck Down: How to Let Go and Lighten Up About Parenting Women Are Scary: The Total Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends 20 Ideas for Zoom Calls BESIDES talking about Coronavirus   MELANIE’S FAVORITE 5 Vampire Teeth Jammies Doc Martins Abel Perfume Harney and Sons Cinnamon Tea Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmer   CONNECT WITH MELANIE Instagram | Facebook | Website   THE GATHERING PROJECT A five-day experience to plan, prep and gather with your girlfriends. The Gathering Project begins on March 15th. Register today at girlstalkinglife.com/thegatheringproject. Use code GTL50 for 50% off your registration. My mission is to help you gather, have conversations, create meaningful connections, and build lasting friendships.

Join me as I chat with Author Melanie Dale. She is an author, speaker, and mother of three children from three different continents. Her book is Calm the H*ck Down is infused with quirky humor, profound insight, and accessible advice. This book teaches you how to dial back the stress of raising children with the simple premise that we all just need to lighten up a bit. Grab her books at Calm the H*ck Down https://amzn.to/2Joz0Lr { affiliate link} Infreakinfertility : How to Survive when Getting Pregnant Hard https://amzn.to/38TgYJZ { Affiliate link} It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose https://amzn.to/3hAQFfp {Affiliate link} Women are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends https://amzn.to/382qBqD { affiliate link) Add links to other books here --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/chatsfromtheblogcabin/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/chatsfromtheblogcabin/support

Everything we talked about in this episode can be found here: https://www.buildyourbestfamily.com/podcast/episode-113

WIO #144 Calm the Heck Down with Melanie Dale. If you need a little inspiration in your parenting, you'll want to listen in! Enjoy! For links on what we chatted about and graphics to share for this week's episode, visit: https://triciagoyer.com/144 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/walkitoutwithtriciagoyer/support

Melanie Dale talks about writing horror, parenting books, becoming a zombie on The Walking Dead, and her journey into special needs parenting. We reflect on the first time we met (in a careening minivan) and how the creative life is always taking us in the directions we least expect.  Check out her new book here: Calm the H*ck Down

Melanie Dale, author of Calm the H*ck Down, talks about how you need to dial back the stress of raising children and to realize that we all need to lighten up a little bit.

I am so happy to welcome my good friend, Melanie Dale, back to the show. If you have been listening to the show for awhile, then you know that back in 2017-2018, Melanie and I did an episode together every month. It is always fun to have friends on the show. In case you don’t know Melanie, she is an author, speaker and podcaster who lives outside of Atlanta. She and her husband are raising 3 kids from 3 continents.    And today, she joins me to talk about her new book Calm the Heck Down: How to Let Go and Lighten Up About Parenting. In this episode, we talk about a few things in regards to parenting that we need to calm down about. I go first and share something that I need to calm down about. We could have easily talked about every single topic in Melanie’s book but instead we narrowed it down to a few things we need to calm down about: school, sex, work.   Check out bonus content from today's episode over on Patreon.   Sign up for Sarah's monthly Survival Kit Newsletter   Connect with Sarah: Website | Instagram

There is so much pressure on parents to do everything and be everything for their kids. How calm down and lighten up about parenting? If you feel the need to let go a bit, this episode is for you! Melanie Dale and I are chatting about how to calm down about parenting. You will be encouraged by Melanie’s joy and walk away with some great tools to calm the h*ck down! Episode 27: Can my parenting survive the apocalypse? with Melanie Dale Calm the H*ck Down Book Follow me on social media: INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER Subscribe to my newsletter and check out the free resources I offer! ******* --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theaskingpod/message

The wonderful, hilarious, insightful and always fun Melanie Dale joins Cynthia Yanoff (Pardon the Mess Podcast) and Kay to chat about calm-parenting at any stage - even in a Pandemic. Her latest book, Calm the Heck Down: How to Let Go & Lighten Up About Parenting comes out in December. we're lucky to get this uplifting preview. Melanie shares about: * palms up parenting * parenting in the pandemic * giving grace & breathing to yourself * her terrific, life-infusing GRACE acronym! We hope you'll get as much from this as we did -- and that you'll be inspired to go SaySomething encouraging to the folks walking alongside you today. Melanie Dale is an author, speaker, podcaster, and mother of three children from three different continents. She and her husband live in the Atlanta area. They have successfully kept their kids alive for a combined total of 227,760 hours, give or take. Melanie has appeared on numerous radio shows and podcasts and has been featured in articles in Real Simple, The Bump, Working Mother, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Los Angeles Times. Find Melanie at melaniedale.com or @melanierdale on Instagram SaySomething: a-come-as-you-are vodcast for walking life's roads (relationships, friendship, parenting, hardship, entertainment,...) together

How do we learn to calm the heck down?  I'm with my hilarious, horror-movie loving friend Melanie Dale and we are talking about the book she swore she'd never write. Melanie share why she ended up writing a parenting book after all and that title just may be perfect for every parent during this global pandemic, "Calm The Heck Down"! We have a great time getting honest about topics on marriage, parenting, work, and Melanie tells all on this fun episode.   She also shares: -How she ran accidentally in a 15K (really!)   -How we can drop the expectations and stop majoring in the minors. -The 90s show she's letting her kids currently binge with her.   In this episode I answer these questions: 1. Should I let my son play with toy guns? My husband says yes but I'm not so sure(46:45) 2. Is it wrong for Christians to watch rated R movies? (49:34)    Favorite quote: Whether you work from home, you work out in the world, or you are a stay at home mom and you're working in that capacity, I think the idea of communicating the value of work to our kids is important. 

Does anyone else feel like they are trapped in the apocalypse and can't escape? We are all trying to survive this crazy season, and many of us are wondering — will my parenting survive? Today I sat down with my friend Melanie Dale and we discussed our love for apocalyptic fiction (and dislike for the actual apocalypse). We share a lot of fun resources to read, Melanie encouraged us to find GRACE. LINKS FROM THE SHOW The Fireman by Joe Hill Outbreak on Netflix Station 11 by Emily St. John Mandel Prayer Forty Days of Practice by Justin McRoberts & Scott Erickson Twister The Iliza Schlesinger Sketch Show Mike Birbilglia: The New One Lock & Key Marvel Films in chronological order Lord of the Rings --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/theaskingpod/message

Today we’re chatting with Lindsay Swoboda about how being a military spouse experiencing seasons of deployment and living overseas has affected her creative journey. Along with being a military spouse, Lindsay is also a mom and writer. Her blog Uplifting Anchor encourages mothers and military spouses in their daily and creative lives.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeEating Popcorn in the Dark Because You’ve Earned This, by Melanie Dale on Coffee + CrumbsElise Blaha Cripe on Having Big Creative Dreams and Making Them Happen (Chasing Creative Season 6, Episode 3)The Get to WorkbookJessica Abel on Integrating Creativity Into Your Life (Chasing Creative Season 5, Episode 7)Mini Book ClubCirce by Madeline MillerGrit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela DuckworthLittle Women by Louisa May AlcottBig Dreams, Daily Joys by Elise Blaha CripeHere's where to find LindsayWebsite: www.upliftinganchor.comInstagram https://www.instagram.com/upliftinganchor/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/upliftinganchor/Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/upliftinganchor/pins/Here's where to find AbbieWebsite: www.inkwellsandimages.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/abbigailekriebsTwitter: www.twitter.com/abbigailekriebsPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/abbigailekriebs/Facebook:  http://facebook.com/inkwellsandimagesHere's where to find AshleyPersonal blog: www.ashleybrookswrites.comBusiness website: www.brookseditorial.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/ashleybrookswritesTwitter: www.twitter.com/brookseditorialPinterest:  www.pinterest.com/brookseditorial

This episode is an all about friendship in motherhood—the beauty and the challenges of building and maintaining relationships ...

Hey welcome to episode 106 of Lighten up with Melanie Dale. BONUS ILLNESS EDITION. I know I said we concluded the Lighten Up with Illness series, and I'm well into working on our next series, Lighten Up about Friendship Over 40, but recently Stephanie Tait ran across my path and she has a new book called The View from Rock Bottom so, I mean, I was dying to talk to her about how she lightens up down there at rock bottom. Stephanie talks about her tenacious 15-year journey to getting diagnosed with Lyme Disease, what it's like living with Lyme, and how she learned to lighten up and let herself have a life in the midst of disability, instead of waiting indefinitely until everything was all better. She asked herself, "What if this is my life...what am I waiting for?" Stephanie is hopeful and real and I know you'll love hanging out with her as much as I did, so listen in and lighten up. Links from the show: The View from Rock Bottom Check out Stephanie's website: www.stephanietaitwrites.com Find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Under Our Skin documentary Glorious Weakness by Alia Joy, who was just on episode 105 of Lighten Up Disability and the Way of Jesus Light from Distant Stars by Shawn Smucker, who was on episode 43 of Lighten Up

I'm with the wild and hilarious Melanie Dale who coaches us through the terrifying process of making new friends. We'll talk about how to effectively put ourselves out there no matter our personality type,  the importance of staying authentic, and how to round the "bases" of friendship.   In this episode we discuss: 1. How to bravely make female friends 2. Advice for introverts and extroverts when approaching new friendships 3. The horrifying and hilarious fail that Melanie experienced when she tried to host the perfect girlfriend gathering in her home   Favorite quotes: 1. There are two different kinds of people. There are people who are naturally gifted at initiating and there are people who that's not really their thing. I think if you are an initiator that's a superpower that not everyone has and you need to realize that. 2. I think we affirm people. We're developing a sense of trust. You can share your real beliefs and your real feelings and the way that you do life and the way you're raising kids. You can share that with me and I'm not going to be judgy about it. I'm going to listen and I'm gonna be interested more about you even if we arrive at different conclusions. 3. Don't bother putting on airs because your kids or pets will out you s the faker you are.    In this episode I answer these questions: 1. How can I become a more bold and courageous woman? (45:44) 2. What do I do if I think God is telling me one thing but no one in my life supports it? (56:50) 3. I'm multi-passionate in my pursuits, can I launch my brand and focus on multiple things at once?  (1:01:44)   Links to great things we discussed: 1. Unexpected.org 2. Lighten Up With Melanie Dale Podcast 3. Aerosmith 4. Dead to Me 5. Big Little Lies 6. North Point- Sheryl Sandberg  Interview 7. Toy Story 4 8. FABFITFUN Use code ALLI to save $10.00 9. Blissdom Conference   Hope you loved this episode! Be sure to subscribe in iTunes and slap some stars on a review! :)    xo, Alli   www.alliworthington.com/podcast/melaniedale

Today I am thrilled to have Melanie Dale on the podcast with me today! Melanie's life has been anything but what she expected- leading her to a ministry opportunity she never would have imagined for herself. Thus, her first book and website are entitled "Unexpected". Melanie pictured her life going as most of us do- getting married, having children, etc. But after a battle with infertility, Melanie realized the Lord had more in store for her life than she knew. We discuss major issues today that are all separate but all connected at the same time- marriage, intimacy, infertility, and parenting to name a few. Melanie discusses how her new saying is sur-thriving. She believes that life is never going to get to a place where everything is perfect, so we need to learn to thrive while we survive! We really tackle the difficult issue of not being able to bear children, and what avenues come from that in people's lives. One of Melanie's books was written intentionally in the midst of a storm in her life, so that she could claim the goodness of the Lord in the middle of the unknown. So often, we see people who discuss their issues after they have seen redemption in their lives. But we sometimes need to know what to do and what to pray in the middle of an issue where we do not know the outcome. Melanie's sincerity, vibrancy, and authenticity are truly refreshing in a world that tries so much to cover up failures and hardships. Melanie gives some great advice on intentionality in marriage, how to build authentic friendships with other women in a similar life stage, how to balance the many hats most of us are wearing, and how to do it all with originality and a little humor! I am so thankful to have spent today's episode of Thriving Beyond Belief with Melanie, and I hope you are able to face the unexpected with ferocity, vulnerability, and to be able to laugh as you go.

Episode 67 will remind you why laughing through hard times is beneficial. My guest Melanie Dale is an author and podcaster that takes the hard things seriously but with a spin of approachable, quirky humor that makes her so relatable. She wrote a book called Infreakinfertiltiiy: It’s a survival guide for those attempting pregnancy with a ton of Melanie’s real-life experiences from her own infertility journey.    Melanie and I had fun talking about a variety of things that will amuse you and make you think : From sex in your 40s to Nerdy TV shows and Books, and finally Melanie’s one weird trick she does to connect with Jesus.  I hope you’ll enjoy our conversation.    You can find all things Melanie Dale on her website:  Connect with Melanie on Instagram:  Buy her newest book Infreakinfertiliy:    Fun Stuff to Share -  Link to her Middle Aged Sexy time post:  Neil Gaiman Books:  

Listen in as your host Blake chats with Melanie Dale - author, podcaster, & sci fi aficionado. They dive in on how life is typically pretty unfair, how to be a friend to someone who is walking through difficult seasons, and how God has really big shoulders capable of taking on our disappointment and frustration. Find all the links from the episode in the show notes.

Today I have a convo with my friend Krista about a friendship breakup and what good friends mean to her and I wrap up Melanie Dale’s book, Women Are Scary --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/livewithlulu/message

We go over what ultimate friendships are made of ... from Melanie Dale’s book, “Women Are Scary” --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/livewithlulu/message

I continue to review Melanie Dale’s book, “Women Are Scary”, we rounded third base where the friendship starts getting real, for real ... --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/livewithlulu/message

I talk about more of Melanie Dale’s book “Women Are Scary”,... we’re on second base now --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/livewithlulu/message

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. Each month, Melanie and I sit down and have a conversation about a topic that we are both surviving and that we could lighten up about. So one part is here and the part of the conversation is on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So be sure to hop over there when are you are finished listening to this one. Today, we talk about the jobs we dreamed of having as kids, what work looked like for us before and after having kids, ways to be present wherever you are, tips to be more efficient and some survival skills when it comes to managing your family.  Sponsors: Lasting - Surviving Sarah listeners can unlock the entire app and get your first month of Lasting Premium for just ninety-nine cents by visiting getlasting.com/survive and using the offer code SURVIVE. The Gift That I Can Give by Kathie Lee Gifford - get 30% off with code SURVIVE. Visit Store.Faithgateway.com and apply the code at checkout to redeem your offer! What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation on Instagram or Twitter or Website Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.    

Welcome friends and Happy Thanksgiving week!  I hope you' re all making your grocery lists and getting decorations together for those you'll be serving and entertaining this week.  I absolutely love Thanksgiving.  Taking time to reflect on all the things we are thankful for is the key to happiness, I think.  Reach out to me … Continue reading "Episode 76: In-freakin-fertility with Melanie Dale"

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. Each month, Melanie and I sit down and have a conversation about a topic that we are both surviving and that we could lighten up about. So one part is here and the part of the conversation is on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So be sure to hop over there when are you are finished listening to this one. Today’s topic is near and dear to my heart and I have been having all the thoughts and feelings about it. We have a whole conversation about failure. We talk about what we learned about failure early on, how rejection is connected to failure, and how fear plays a role. So much good stuff packed in a small window of time. Links: Lighten Up with Melanie Dale crossover show with Surviving Sarah Daring Greatly by Brené Brown Infreakinfertility by Melanie Dale Crossover episodes with Melanie about marriage here & here Sponsors: EveryPlate - For $50 off your first box of EveryPlate, go to EveryPlate.com and enter the code SURVIVE 
 Lasting - Surviving Sarah listeners can unlock the entire app and get your first month of Lasting Premium for just ninety-nine cents by visiting getlasting.com/survive and using the offer code SURVIVE. What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter Be sure to sign up for my monthly survival kit newsletter over at SarahBragg.com Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

Hey and welcome to episode 96 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. AND Alex Dale. Because today my husband is joining me to talk about our new book, Infreakinfertility: How to Survive When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard, which is available today! This book has been a dream of mine for many, many years and today I can say, it’s here! Please visit the Amazon and go buy it! Maybe listen to this podcast while you do. Alex and I chat about two main things, our experience with infertility and our experience working together on this book. Lemme just mention here at the beginning in case you’re cranking this podcast around small children, we’re going to be talking a bit about reproductive biology, so…biological terminology ahead. Peach and eggplant emojis, people. Peaches and eggplants. You’ve been warned. So whether you’re dealing with infertility yourself, have a loved one who is, or have experienced the joys and challenges of working with your partner on a project, or appreciate a good penis illustration, there’s something here for everyone, so listen in and lighten up. Links from the show: Check out Infreakinfertility: How to Survive When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard Get a monthly email from Melanie with stories, updates, and fun things Subscribe to Lighten Up on iTunes or on Stitcher  

To wrap up our mini-series on growing your family, today we’re talking about infertility with C+C writer Melanie Dale. We discuss how infertility can put pressure on your sex life, the depression Melanie experienced as she was going through fertility treatments, and how she eventually broke through to a healthy place with the help of girlfriends and a counselor. Plus, we hear all about the sperm illustrations in her forthcoming book, Infreakinfertility! For those of you who have walked this road before or are currently walking it now, we hope Melanie’s voice gives you hope for the future and possibly helps you find a tiny bit of humor in it along the way. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. Each month, Melanie and I sit down and have a conversation about a topic that we are both surviving and that we could lighten up about. So one part is here and the part of the conversation is on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So be sure to hop over there when are you are finished listening to this one.   Today, two non-fashion blogger girls talk about how we survive the fashion world. We talk about our fashion icons growing up, some embarrassing clothing moments, our favorite fashion season, where we shop, our make up survival kit and where fashion & faith intersect for us. It was a fun conversation with lots of laughter.   Links: Lighten Up with Melanie Dale crossover show with Surviving Sarah Check out some of my favorite fashion pieces here Sponsors: Hello Fresh - For a total of $60 off, that’s $20 off your first 3 boxes, visit HelloFresh.com/surviving60 and enter SURVIVING60 at checkout. What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

Hey welcome to episode 89 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Patrice Gopo, author of All the Colors We Will See. We chat about the importance of storytelling and talking about race and immigration. Patrice has a unique and important perspective and her story is captivating. Her parents are from Jamaica, she grew up in Alaska, moved to South Africa, married a Zimbabwean man, and now she lives in North Carolina. She shares about the complexity of her identity, feeling different, and how she's processed her identity in her new book All the Colors We Will See. Patrice also offers great advice on how we can welcome immigrants around us, in our neighborhoods and communities, so listen in and lighten up! Episode sponsor: Today's episode is sponsored by Teami Blends. As you head into fall, try this 30-day, two-step detox process. You drink Teami Skinny tea in the morning and Teami Colon tea every other night and that's it. A two-step process to more energy and less bloat. Teami is offering Lighten Up listeners 15% off any order with code UNEXPECTED so check out teamiblends.com. Links from the show: Check out Patrice's new book, All the Colors We Will See Find Patrice on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook Patrice's website Kate Motaung's interview on Lighten Up  

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. Each month, Melanie and I sit down and have a conversation about a topic that we are both surviving and that we could lighten up about. So one part is here and the part of the conversation is on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So be sure to hop over there when are you are finished listening to this one.   This month we are talking about our emotions—specifically about anger. We talk about the last time we were angry, what triggers our anger, what helps us control our anger and what helps us control the anger before we erupt like a volcano.   Links: Lighten Up with Melanie Dale crossover show with Surviving Sarah Rising Strong by Brene Brown Are My Kids On Track podcast & book Feelings Chart She's Gonna Blow by Julie Barnhill  - Surviving Sarah episode 80 Triggers by Wendy Speake & Amber Lia - Surviving Sarah episode 10 Calming Angry Kids by Tricia Goyer Lisa Jo Baker on anger Sponsors: True Botanicals (Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.) What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

We'll be honest, the gingerbread man on the cover is what hooked us. What followed was a hilarious and heartfelt adventure into the mind of one of our favorite new authors Melanie Dale. How do you laugh in the face of crippling injustice? "Fair" is an illusion. We are not promised anything. The best strategy? Steer into the surprise.    Melanie's books include:  It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends Infreakinfertility (Coming soon)   Visit Unexpected.org and follow @unexpectedmel for more hilarity and heart. Subscribe to her podcast to Lighten Up on iTunes!

Hey, welcome to episode 86 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Rachelle Dekker. You may recognize that last name, because her dad is the author Ted Dekker, and we talk about what's it like to be the daughter of an author. But Rachelle is also an incredible author herself and we talk about her latest supernatural suspense novel, When Through Deep Waters. We chat about everything from where do the worlds she creates come from to dealing with darkness, as her characters wrestle with tragedy, grief, and shame. Oh my gosh I love fiction and the supernatural so I am excited for you to meet Rachelle, so listen in and lighten up! Episode sponsor: Today’s episode is sponsored by FabFitFun! FabFitFun is a seasonal subscription box with full-size beauty, fitness, fashion, and lifestyle products. It’s like getting a birthday present in the mail four times a year. It retails for $49.99 but always contains products totaling over $200, and they’re giving Lighten Up listeners $10 off your first box when you use code LIGHTENUP at fabfitfun.com. Links from the show: Check out Rachelle's new book, When Through Deep Waters Find Rachelle on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter Rachelle's site Melanie's Edgar Allen Poe boxers

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. And if you are new to the show and haven’t heard one of these episodes you are in for a treat! Each month, Melanie and I sit down and have a conversation about a topic that we are both surviving and that we could lighten up about. So one part is here and the part of the conversation is on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So be sure to hop over there when are you are finished listening to this one. This month we are talking about going back to school. Can you believe summer is over??? We talk about our favorite grades growing up, being our kid’s advocate at school, tips on how to relate to your kids’ teachers in non-overbearing ways, how we handle homework and first day of school traditions.  Links: Lighten Up with Melanie Dale crossover show with Surviving Sarah What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. And if you are new to the show and haven’t heard one of these episodes you are in for a treat! Each month, Melanie and I sit down and have a conversation about a topic that we are both surviving and that we could lighten up about. So one part is here and the part of the conversation is on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So be sure to hop over there when are you are finished listening to this one. This month, we are having a conversation about something that I tend to struggle with a lot—contentment. Does anybody else ride the struggle bus, too? We talk about the different categories of discontentment, the byproduct emotions of our discontentment, and what has helped us when we feel like we are spinning out of control with discontentment.  Listen to the other part of this conversation over at Lighten Up with Melanie Dale What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

As part of our debut mini-series on how to have important conversations with your kids, today we’re talking all about race. Latasha Morrison, founder of beabridgebuilder.com, joins host Indiana Adams and Coffee + Crumbs writer Melanie Dale to educate us on how to approach this topic with our children, and how to lead by example in the quest for racial unity. Tasha also speaks about the difference between diversity and racial reconciliation, the difference between being color brave and color blind, and how we can equip our children to speak up when they witness an injustice. We hope this dialogue inspires you to start having some conversations about race in your home, if you haven’t already. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my good friend, Melanie Dale. I hope you enjoy these episodes as much as we do. And this month, we are tackling summer. If you are in the south, summer has begun and many of us have mixed emotions about it. Before I had kids, summer was just another season. After kids, summer now carrying a mixed bag of emotions. I equally dread while looking forward to it. So in this part of the crossover episode, we talk about our feelings about summer, our no’s of summer, how we survive working from home while our people are home and screen time. And per usual, there is some slightly inappropriate dialog. Heaven help us. After you listen to this episode, be sure to jump over to Melanie’s podcast, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale, to hear the other half. Sponsors: The Phonics Museum - Phonics Museum FREE for 2 weeks. Go to PhonicsMuseum.com/SURVIVE to gain access to the freebies to help your child learn to read. What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my friend, Melanie Dale. I just love getting to sit down with her and talk about life. Each month we pick a topic and have a conversation about it. Then, you get to listen to one part here on Surviving Sarah and another part over on Melanie’s podcast called Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So don’t forget to head over to her podcast and listen to the other half. With spring having sprung—at least for the south—we thought it would be a good time to talk about personal growth and self-care. In this part of the conversation, we talk about how we are doing on personal growth goals that we set in January, how we incorporate self-care into our week, what it looks like when we don’t take care of ourselves and how we can learn to pay attention to our bodies and minds so that we don’t crash.  BioClarity - You will get your first month for only $9.95 plus free shipping!  That’s a $20 savings and it comes with a 100% risk-free money back guarantee. To get this deal, you need to enter my code "SURVIVE" FabFitFun - Check out FABFITFUN.com and use the code “SS” so you can save $10 off your first box, making it only $39.99. What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

Melanie Dale is the Author of It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose.  She also has a podcast called Lighten Up with Melanie Dale, and a blog Unexpected.org. Today Melanie Dale talks about loving the life you didn’t choose. We have a great discussion about how we deal with challenges, find joy in our circumstances, find support from others, support others, and laugh through it all.   One part I really enjoyed is when we talked about keeping your relationship strong while going through hard times.  Every week Melanie and her husband schedule time to talk. Two questions they ask each other each week are How have you felt loved by me this week? How can I love you better? This episode is perfect for anyone who has ever had any struggle in their lives...and we have all had PLENTY!  Listen to this episode for some advice, motivation, tips, and laughs.  Melanie’s Mom Squad Challenge: One of the best ways to help you feel more grateful is to serve others.  This week Melanie challenges us all to be intentional, look around your community, and take your family out and serve.

Today, my fun friend, Melanie Dale, joins me around the table for another Crossover Episode. Each month we pick a topic and have a conversation about it. Then, you get to listen to one part here on Surviving Sarah and another part over on Melanie’s podcast called Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. We decided to have a little chat about marriage. We talk about how we met our husbands (spoiler alert: Melanie’s story is vaguely similar to Ross and Rachel); we talk about what we wish we had known about marriage, what to do when you don’t agree on something and what we are currently learning about marriage. Sponsors: FASTer Way to Fat Loss - If you are looking for a great way to change the way you treat health then follow this link. I first did the this program back at the beginning of February and saw amazing results! Weight loss, inches lost, better sleep, more energy.  Listen to the other part of our conversation: Lighten Up with Melanie Dale crossover show with Surviving Sarah What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

It’s time again for our special crossover episode with Melanie Dale and her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. And today, we tackle the topic of body image—because that isn’t relatable to anyone. When I was in my early twenties, I truly thought that women in their 40’s didn’t deal with this struggle. That is was just a adolescence or twenty-something problem. But news flash, I still want to be attractive. I still struggle to base my worth on something that changes. And that’s why we felt like it was a topic worth talking about. We talk about what shaped our view of bodies in elementary school, triggers for the struggle, what helps us to maintain a healthy view of ourselves, how we feel about our bodies at 40 and how our past affects who we raise our daughters. Be sure to check out Melanie's podcast to hear the other part to our conversation. What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

If you’ve been listening to the show for awhile, then you know that Melanie Dale and I are good pals. After being guests on each others shows, we wondered how we could hang out more because we simply laugh together. So that’s when this idea was born. We decided to do some crossover episodes for you guys. So every month, you will hear us talk about a different topic. But here’s the fun part: One part will be on her show, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale and the other part will be on my show, Surviving Sarah. We will pick a topic and talk about how we need to lighten up about it and then how we are surviving it. And today’s episode is all about friendships. We talk about on Surviving Sarah how we can survive friendships--finding them, keeping them and what to do if we lose them. And head over to Melanie's site to listen to ways we can lighten up about friendship. What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here.  Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

Hey welcome to episode 57 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Guys, Alex just showed me how to download the Netflix app to my phone. Oh. My gosh. Why didn't you guys tell me? I may never read or write a book again. I'm going to be a professional TV watcher. Isn't technology terrifyingly awesome? I am currently binge-watching Supernatural, so I am filled with all kinds of fear right now and assume that my toaster is possessed by an evil bread-burning spirit and Linda Blair is living under my bed. Luckily, today I have Alli Worthington on the show to talk about fear. In addition to my Netflix-inspired fear we also all struggle with real fear from time to time. Alli has a new book out called Fierce Faith: A Woman's Guide to Fighting Fear, Wrestling Worry, and Overcoming Anxiety. If you're struggling with fear and anxiety, you definitely want to listen to this episode because Alli unpacks a whole practical guide to battling fear. And speaking of battle, we totally talk about Star Wars, too. Since we recorded this right before The Last Jedi came out, please enjoy our timey whimey predictions and laugh at us worrying about whether or not Rey would go to the Dark Side. We were very concerned about Kylo Ren. If you've seen the movie, you know the truth now. Whether you're dealing with fear, fearing Kylo Ren, or have never seen Star Wars, listen in and lighten up! Links from the show: Find Alli on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram Check out Alli's new book, Fierce Faith FierceFaithBook.com

Hey welcome to episode 56 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I'm talking with Jamie Ivey, host of The Happy Hour Podcast. Guys, I got to laughing so hard while I was editing this show that I had to hit pause. We had the best time together. We talk about fancy yurts at the glamping retreat center she owns, and she tells a story about when her manicurist asked her to testify in court. We unpack our views on the Southwest Airlines check-in line and share stories of people on planes. You guys...people on planes are weird. And then we discuss her new book, If You Only Knew. We talk about everything. Her story, growing up Christian, getting pregnant in college, pornography, dealing with shame, forgiveness, and finding safe places to confide our stories. If you feel trapped in your past and want to break free from shame, Jamie shares great advice, so listen in, and lighten up! Links from the show: Check out Jamie's new book, If You Only Knew Find Jamie on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter Jamie's first Lighten Up episode, #3! Green Acres Camp  

Hey welcome to episode 51 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today Sarah Bragg from Surviving Sarah Podcast is joining me to talk about All the Thankfulness. Sheesh, I love talking to this girl so dang much. We chat about things we're thankful for, favorite Thanksgiving food, and favorite Thanksgiving traditions. I try to describe giblet gravy -- what is giblet gravy, what in fact is a giblet -- and we discuss our extremely different views on the best way to spend Thanksgiving morning. Also, we play Thanksgiving word associations. Happy Thanksgiving, listen in, and lighten up! Quote from the show: "Giving thanks is active. It's something that you do. It's not always a feeling." Links from the Show: Definition of husbandry and Definition of giblet (This is clearly a very educational show.) Lion Coffee Carpool Karaoke with Bruno Mars Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends History of Hot Brown

Hey welcome to episode 50 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. 50! We've made it to 50, guys, and I'm so excited that for the 50th episode I get to share my conversation with Chewbacca Mom Candace Payne with you. We've all seen her viral Facebook video wearing the Chewbacca mask, and it's impossible not to laugh right along with her. We do a lot of laughing together on the show, and talk about her happy Chewbacca tattoo, her lofty goal before she turns 40 (hint: it involves Michael Jackson's "Thriller"), being on the Late Late Show with James Corden, and her theories about The Last Jedi. We also chat about her faith journey, experiencing homelessness as a child, her new book, Laugh It Up, and how we can embrace defiant joy in the middle of hard times. Episode Sponsor: Today's sponsor is b.a.r.e. soaps! Use LIGHTEN15 for 15% off. Also, they're giving away a BARE Kindness Box to one lucky listener. To enter to win, leave a review of the show on iTunes this week. Quotes from the show: "It's not self-deprecation. It's self-aware." "No matter where you're at, joy is available to you." Links from the show: Check out Candace's new book, Laugh It Up! Defiant Joy: What Happens When You're Full of It study guide and DVD Defiant Joy study guide Candace on the Late Late Show with James Corden Candace's website Find Candace on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram

Hey welcome to episode 49 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale! Today I'm talking with poet and author Amena Brown. You guys I love her. She shares with us her process of writing and performing her spoken word poem about miscarriage, called "Mothers of Invisible Children." And then somehow we segue from hard stuff into light and laughter. We tell stories about our awkward relationships, awkward coworkers, awkward church people, favorite albums we own on vinyl, why she wrote How to Fix a Broken Record, food rules for a happy marriage, and what it's like to really be yourself. Whether you're heading to the office or your office is the laundry room, listen in and lighten up!   Episode Sponsor: Today's sponsor is b.a.r.e. soaps! Use LIGHTEN15 for 15% off. Also, they're giving away a BARE Kindness Box of soaps to one lucky listener. To enter to win, leave a review of the show on iTunes this week.   Links from the show: Check out Amena's book, How To Fix a Broken Record: Thoughts on Vinyl Records, Awkward Relationships, and Learning to Be Myself Amena on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram Amena's website Mothers of Invisible Children Open mic nights in Atlanta: Urban Grind and Curate Destiny - The Jacksons A Seat at the Table - Solange

Leah Heffner talks with Melanie Dale about her work with Children's Hope Chest and how she and her family work with this organization. They also discuss essential oils and the Zombie Apocalypse. As always they discuss using their gifts and what that looks like and Leah shares what would be her Epic Lip Sync Battles song of choice. -Children's Hope Chest -Essential Oils and the Zombie Apocalypse About Melanie Dale Melanie Dale is a minivan mama and total weirdo who stinks at small talk. Her laugh is a combination honk-snort, and it’s so bad that people have moved away from her in the movie theater. She adores sci-fi and superheroes and is terrified of Pinterest. Author of Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends and It’s Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn’t Choose, she’s also a monthly contributor for Coffee+Crumbs, and her essays are featured in their book, The Magic of Motherhood. She’s a panelist for MomsEveryday TV, an advocate for Children’s HopeChest, and a speaker for churches, conferences, and events across the country. Living in the Atlanta area, she enjoys recording her podcast, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale, blogging at Unexpected.org, and raising her three kids from three different continents. - Women Are Scary -It's Not Fair Melanie Online Unexpected - Facebook - Instagram  Leah and Life Around the Coffee Cup Online Life Around the Coffee Cup - Facebook - Instagram  Subscribe on iTunes                 Subscribe on Android   A big thank you to this month's sponsor: I love Seeds Family Worship because it is word-for-word Bible verses set to great music. There is not one ounce of kids boppy type tunes, but songs that the whole family will love. Their DVDs teach hand motions to go alone with the songs. They have CDs on different topics to learn more about God and the Bible. And, what I love MOST is how the songs get stuck in my head and they work their way into my heart. Life Around the Coffee Cup listeners get 20% off their order + Free Shipping at Seeds Family Worship. Just enter promo code LIFE at checkout.

Melanie Dale turns 40 this week and can't think of a better person to process this milestone with than her bestie Chantel Adams. Chantel is the owner of Forever We, which connect kids with a story with families who care. They cover everything about aging -- weird growths on your skin, perceptions of getting old, midlife crises, favorite things about getting older, lessons they’ve learned, Melanie’s husband's month of gifts, and a fun game of growing older word associations.

Subscribe on iTunes                 Subscribe by Email In This Episode Leah Heffner talks with Melanie Dale about personality types and how they impact marriages and other relationships, how they are both pro facial hair on men, thumbs down on chin hairs for the ladies, while also finding mustaches ironic except on Tom Selleck. They also marvel over their kids getting older. -Personality Types (Myers Briggs and Enneagram) -Love Stories and Not Remembering or Not Being Remembered The First Time We Met our Husbands -Facial Hair -Tom Selleck and Daveed Diggs as narrators -Port-a-Potty Swim Meet -Having Big Kids About Melanie Dale Melanie Dale is a minivan mama and total weirdo who stinks at small talk. Her laugh is a combination honk-snort, and it’s so bad that people have moved away from her in the movie theater. She adores sci-fi and superheroes and is terrified of Pinterest. Author of Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends and It’s Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn’t Choose, she’s also a monthly contributor for Coffee+Crumbs, and her essays are featured in their book, The Magic of Motherhood. She’s a panelist for MomsEveryday TV, an advocate for Children’s HopeChest, and a speaker for churches, conferences, and events across the country. Living in the Atlanta area, she enjoys recording her podcast, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale, blogging at Unexpected.org, and raising her three kids from three different continents. - Women Are Scary -It's Not Fair Melanie Online Unexpected - Facebook - Instagram  Leah and Life Around the Coffee Cup Online Life Around the Coffee Cup - Facebook - Instagram  Subscribe on iTunes                 Subscribe by Email Don't forget to enter the LATCC Launch Giveaway! You can win one of FIVE great bundles. Find out how to enter here.    A big thank you to this month's sponsor: I love Seeds Family Worship because it is word-for-word Bible verses set to great music. There is not one ounce of kids boppy type tunes, but songs that the whole family will love. Their DVDs teach hand motions to go alone with the songs. They have CDs on different topics to learn more about God and the Bible. And, what I love MOST is how the songs get stuck in my head and they work their way into my heart. Life Around the Coffee Cup listeners get 20% off their order + Free Shipping at Seeds Family Worship. Just enter promo code LIFE at checkout.

Melanie Dale is a minivan mama and total weirdo who stinks at small talk. Her laugh is a combination honk-snort, and it’s so bad that people have moved away from her in the movie theater. She adores sci-fi and superheroes and is terrified of Pinterest. Author of Women 
Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends and It’s Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn’t Choose, she’s also a contributor for Coffee+Crumbs, and her essays are featured in their book, The Magic of Motherhood. She’s a panelist for MomsEveryday TV, an advocate for Children’s HopeChest, and a speaker for churches, conferences, and events across the country. Living in the Atlanta area, she enjoys recording her podcast, Lighten Up with Melanie Dale, blogging at Unexpected.org, and raising her three kids from three different continents. Melanie is giving away a FREE 7-day guide to loving your life! Come on over to www.annieleigh.com to grab all the links and free stuff from the show!

This week's guest is Melanie Dale, author of the new book "It's Not Fair: Learning to Live the Life You Didn't Choose." Using her sharp wit, she chronicles the ups and downs of life and offers her discoveries for getting through the hard times.

MEET MELANIE: Melanie Dale is a minivan mama and total weirdo who stinks at small talk. Her laugh is a combination honk-snort, and it’s so bad that people have moved away from her in the movie theater. She adores sci-fi and superheroes and is terrified of Pinterest. Author of Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure […] The post Unexpected :: Melanie Dale {EP 51} appeared first on Declare.

On today's Coffee Break, regular C+C contributor Melanie Dale talks about that one time she snuck away to a movie theater in the middle of the day with a friend, and why having older kids is awesome.

Melanie Dale joins me for Episode 44. Some of you may know her from the blog world as Unexpected Mel. She is an author of two books which we talk about in the episode and has a podcast called Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Melanie is a self-professed minivan mama and total weirdo who stinks at small talk. We start our conversation with a lightning round which captures her personality and also exposes a crazy reoccurring dream from my past. I'm slightly embarrassed that I didn't edit that part out. But I'm going to be unbiased in my editing for your sake. In our conversation, we talk about important things like the struggle of math, how parenting is much like death therapy and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit via Snoop Dog. Y'all, the opening of the show is deep. On another note, we talk about the difficulty of finding friends, advice for what to do when relationships end and how to love the life you didn't choose. So, grab your coffee and join the conversation.

On the show today I talking to one of my favorite women, Melanie Dale. Melanie runs the website, Unexpected where she writes about motherhood, friendships, infertility, adoption, orphan care, and so much more.  What I love about her site is it feels like one big hug and then a completely satisfying belly laugh. Melanie is also the author of two books: Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends and It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose. We talk about that "It's Not Fair" on the episode since it just released LAST WEEK!  Whoo-hoo!  Go, Mel! In fact, I loved this book so much I have an extra copy to give away; directions are in the podcast episode.   On the podcast we talk about the Shalom Sista Manifesto point, "We Will Choose Subversive Joy".  She gives is the best advice on motherhood and laughter, she's gives us permission to own our feelings, and she her end of the show quote is spot on! It was a really great conversation and I hope you'll take a listen. Practicing the Shalom of Laughter, Osheta  

Heather MacFadyen, mother of four boys, interviews guests discussing the topic of staying God-centered...both replacing "me" with "He" and remembering we are centered in Him.

Jamie spends a Happy Half Hour with author Melanie Dale...

On Episode 48 of the Mama Bear Dares Podcast, co-hosts Tesi and Leslie talk to Melanie Dale about her new book It's Not Fair: Learning to Love the Life You Didn't Choose. The three women discuss coping mechanisms (both healthy and harmful), bearing hope during difficult periods, and the healing power of laughter when all you want to do is cry. As they explore the themes of loss and hardship, the women also discuss the ways in which we can be good friends to those who are suffering around us and how we might better express ourselves in times of personal darkness. The conversation is honest, uplifting, and filled with lighthearted moments. Tune in to learn more about author and mother Melanie and learn from her unique wisdom encouraging women to move through difficult times with courage and steadfast faith. For complete Show Notes, head to www.MamaBearDaresPodcast.com.

What’s scarier: a swanky cocktail party where you don’t know anyone, or trying to break into the mom circle at your local park? In this episode, Lesley and Ashlee talk with author Melanie Dale about why friendship with other moms is so important, the four bases in a mom dating relationship, and how to take a friendship to the next level. Plus, the easiest way to feel pretty when you’re six months pregnant. Like what you heard? Visit www.coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey, plus show notes on this and every episode. Also, don’t forget to subscribe and/or leave a review in iTunes!

Happy Hour #41 with Melanie Dale. Melanie is a geek on a God-ride, a minivan mama and total weirdo who stinks at small talk. Her laugh is a combination honk-snort, and it's so bad that people have moved away from her in the movie theater. She adores sci-fi and superheroes and is terrified of Pinterest. Author of Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends, she's also a contributor for Coffee+Crumbs and an advocate for Children's HopeChest. Living in the Atlanta area, she blogs at Unexpected.org about motherhood, orphan care, adoption, and sometimes poo. Her book: Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends Melanie talking about her "mom balls" and "sitting shirt" Melanie's reading: Rachel Held Evans Year of Biblical Womenhood& she's recently read Bossypantsby Tina Fey I'm reading (when we recorded this): The Girl on the Trainby Paula Hawkins (I have finished and recommend!) Three things Melanie is loving: The Walking Dead + Skinny Scarves by Freedom in Fashion + The Kentucky Mule

This week on Mom Talk Radio, Melanie Dale, author of Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends, shares tips on “mom-dating”. Spotlight on Moms features Melanie Herschorn of UdderlyHotMama.com. Belisa Silva, Head of Content and Communications at GLOSSYBOX, shares why GLOSSYBOX is good for moms. Michelle Brown, founder of ihelpmoms.org, shares how parenting has changed over the years. Vicki Reece, author of Joy of Mom: Celebrating a Mother’s Love, shares tips from her new book.

It takes a village. In this episode you will learn how to create one from "momlationship” expert Melanie Dale, the author of the new book Women Are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends. Learn how to take a new mom acquaintance through the four “bases” of mom dating to create the nourishing friendships you are craving. “We make each other better moms, better humans,” writes Dale. “We need each other, because mothering is just too darn hard." In this interview, Dale shares her unexpected journey into momalationships and the lessons she has learned as she has built her own support network. Learn how to develop real soul-southing relationships, avoid foot-in-the-mouth moments and navigate the pitfalls of new friendships. Sign up for Inspiring Mama's free online series 3 Minutes to Zen: Short Happiness Practices for Parents - Get Instant Access Learn more about Melanie Dale and buy her book: Show Notes