August Coffee Date! {Edition: Updates, Photos, and…Can I get your Vote?!}
Hey friends! Happy August..
Well, it feels like I haven’t written a regular blog post in a very long time. It’s been a crazy busy season of launching Boy Mom and learning to be a podcaster, but trust me — I still love blogging! I miss these short and sweet messages and I really miss all of your comments! (You know you CAN comment on Podcast posts too, right?…*hint hint.*)
Well, I’m coming out of the fog now and have, like, a thousand things I want to get caught up on!
First: HOW ARE YOU? Like: Really? Are you worn out from a crazy summer? (Or winter, depending on which hemisphere you live! :)) Are you refreshed? Are you so excited to get those wild children on a school bus? Or, are you (like me) trying to remember how to homeschool? I really want to know what’s new and I really care, so I’m trusting you’ll leave me a comment at the end here!
Next: Can you believe we made it to August 6th and Boy Mom is out in the world!? Who remembers way back when…when I started announcing this Boy Mom book? It feels like a whole long time ago. I think we’ve had a really strong first few weeks and I am blown away hearing from so many people who have read Boy Mom, or listened to it on Audio! {Quick shameless request? IF you’ve read or listened to Boy Mom, would you please leave a review over on Amazon (or Audible?) Thank you so much!! (I read every one!) }
If you were on my Launch Team: YOU ROCK. Wasn’t that fun? I don’t mean to brag, but I’m pretty sure it was the best book launch team that has ever been. My Launch Coordinator, Kaitlyn Bouchillon, was amazing, and she even told me that this was an unusually outstanding team of women! If you missed it!? It’s ok! Just be sure to sign up next time!
Wait — did I say next time!? Yes! I’m really excited to start working on a next book! But I have a few different ideas I am passionate about, and I would absolutely appreciate some feedback from you! So, would you please…
VOTE!: WHAT WOULD YOU BE MOST INTERESTED IN FOR A NEXT BOOK? **Here are 3 top ideas to begin with…
A. A book about raising kids (siblings!) who like each other. (and love each other.) My four sons are best friends and I get a lot of questions about that. They treat each other well and cheer each other on. How can you start that process when they are young? Want to raise kids who are friends…for life? Vote A, and LET ME KNOW!
B. A book to give families practical tools to be AWESOME!? Truth is, this was what I was working on before I decided to narrow in on Boy Mom! I’m SO passionate about building a healthy, strong family and I have found a solid list of practical things that strong families have in common! Want to know what they are? VOTE for B! 🙂
C. A book to inspire moms to be healthy and whole — mind, body, and soul! Many of you have read my (self-published) book The Secret of Your Naturally Skinny Friends, and I am a huge believer in being intentional about taking care of ourselves — choosing our thoughts, finding balance, and planning our days so we do not burn out but stay healthy and well for a lifetime. Interested in this one? CHOOSE C AND LET ME KNOW!
IF you have another idea NOT mentioned here, you can name that too! JUST VOTE IN COMMENTS!
That Boy Mom Podcast?! You guys! I AM LOVING PODCASTING! It’s been so much fun, and yes– I have SO much to learn, but I don’t mind at all…Thank you for growing with me and for telling your friends about it and leaving so many kind reviews!! So…now I’m adding…
a 2nd WEEKLY EPISODE?! Yes! I’m experimenting with adding a 2nd episode, ON FRIDAYS! (Like today! Find my first episode HERE!) The plan is to share some shorter, mostly-solo, (or with one of my guys!) episodes to offer some “connecting points” for you and your family for the weekend ahead. I’ll also try to cover a Q&A, so — as always — feel free to comment or email me with questions you’d like me to tackle!
DID YOU CATCH THIS!? My 3-part Family Life Today Radio (and Podcast!) Interview aired this week on more than 100,000 radio stations in over 30 countries! (what!?) I just loved meeting the Family Life crew in Arkansas last June and I think you’ll enjoy our conversation! (Find: 1st episode, 2nd, and 3rd!)
New Recipes!? I promise to get back to sharing some of my own recipes eventually…but until then, here’s what I’ve been feeding my family:
— These Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Burgers are incredible. (from Cookie and Kate)
— This Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole is gluten free and so tasty!! (from Isabel Eats)
— My favorite baked oatmeal (because it is not too soon for pumpkin.)
— One Bowl Skinny Blueberry Crumble, because I just bought almost every last package of fresh blueberries at Costco and this recipe is on my counter! (From ChewoutLoud.)
Finally I’ll leave you with some photos of my book release day and launch party (it was so much fun!) and then one from my quick trip to Gig Harbor, Wa. for a girl’s weekend for my 30th Class reunion. (Go ahead and do that math…I can handle it… 🙂 )
^Launch party photos compliments of Emily Turner.
*Crazy girls! There’s nothing like old friends, right? ^^ We laughed until my face hurt.
YOUR TURN!!
What’s new? Comment with some life updates…Comment with your vote for my next big project. And comment to remind me that you’re still out there…
XO
Hey there sweet Monica!
My vote is B – it was a hard one to choose though as they’re all great topics. Just listened to your family life radio interview – so great. Praying for you!
Thank you so much Heather!! Big hugs 😉
A book on how to raise kids who like each other. So A for sure. I have a boy, 13 and a girl 9, obviously they don’t always get along but sometimes I can see how they can really HATE each other and I fear and wonder about their future relationship. I see some families with siblings who get along so well and I wonder the secrets behind it.
Loving your current book and sharing with friends.
Option C! Pretty please. 😬
Hi Monica, I recently became a boy mom in May; and even though he’s still young (14 weeks) I found you as I was seeking resources to become better equipped for raising him in the years to come. As soon as I started listening I felt connected to you; your tone and voice is so inviting and the topics you are discussing make me so excited to learn more! I even send them to my husband so he can listen 😉 I would love to read books on topics A + C.
Looking forward to learning more from you,
Hannah V.
Thank you so so much Hannah! SO happy you found my site and love that you are enjoying the podcast! Keep in touch as your sweet little guy grows!! ENJOY him while he’s little. 😉 XO
I vote for A!!
A, then B, then C. For C, there’s already so much on the market about this, we need good “soul food” -being a biblical mom (family) in this culture! Love the friend concept!!
I vote A! 3 boys here who love each other but also get on each others nerves!
I vote A – I wish my boys would be more kind to one another and be best friends,
Ugh- I cannot decide— all of the topics sound amazing…. probably A, C, then B 🙂
I like choice a and c for next book topic., My two boys despise each other and my heart is completely broken to watch them interact. They are 14. They were playmates early on and this changed a year or two ago. I wish I had more mom support over the years. My church is not very helpful and I’m a bit of a misfit there with an unequallly told spouse . I know god sees my momma heart and hears all my prayers. I’m confident this is just a phase and will pass. Thanks for all your encouragement over the years. Your family is blessed and beautiful ❤️❤️🏀☀️💥🌈
A and C, please! And then B 🙂 (So helpful, right?) I have been following your blog for ages and already love the book and your podcasts!! So glad to have found/‘met’ you 🙂
Feeling’s mutual! 🙂 Thank you so much… Aloha
At this point in my life, I feel like option C would be most beneficial to me. I struggle keeping everything in balance and letting myself take “me” time without a ton of guilt.
Thanks Becky!! XO
C please 😉
A! B is a close second. But A takes time I imagine and would love to be able to start that as soon as possible as my oldest is almost 14. 4 more boys and 1 girl following behind! 🙂
You are awesome! Thanks for your ministry to all the moms of boys and girls!
Wow you are a busy momma!! Thanks so much for taking time to comment! Much aloha – 🙂
I vote for B
Thank you for sharing! I love pics! They say more than just words, and I love seeing your smile 🙂
I vote for all of them!! Wait… Picking only 1 is way more helpful? Fine… I love the first one, A. I have 4 small boys (7, 4, 2, 6 months) and the 3 oldest wrestle around like angry weasels…
How am I? /sigh… That is a loaded question… You saw the ages of my kids. I work full time outside the home as the sole income for my home, and my husband has UC. Everyday we feel like we are just barely making it. And by making it, I mean nothing has fallen apart too horribly yet, and no wheels have completely come off… yet.
Such an exciting chapter for you, Monica! I hope you are soaking it all in. Did I tell you that I am hosting a “Boy Mom” book club? I’ll send you photos of our meeting! Exciting to discuss with some incredible boy moms in my crew!
If I can’t vote for A B & C, I vote B! I like the angle of looking at family and family relationships as a whole.
All the best as you start your homeschooling year!
Hey Shannon! Thank you for the vote! And yay for a Boy Mom Book Club!! 🙂 If we can work out a time for me to FaceTime in, I’d love it!! 🙂 Message me if you want to coordinate! xo
I vote C… They all sound Fab!
C is just where I’m at … at the moment 😉
Love it. Thank you! 🙂 (and hopefully you’re following my @healthyhappyandfree insta?…I am hoping to get back and fill that space with much more helpful content soon!)
Blessings
B please! I want my family to be strong and I want to start early with encouraging those traits.
Love it! 🙂 Thank you.
My vote is A. One of my consistent prayers is to raise my boys to be lifelong friends and not fall away from each other as they grow older.