The Moms I Know Podcast

Have you ever felt that your family home was out of balance? That the chores were piling up and you were the only one juggling it all?  What if we told you that there is a system unique to your family's needs and abilities that will finally help you create peace in your home?  Meet Laura Hernandez, founder of Mama Systems.   "Calm house, calm life." – Unknown.   In this final episode of The Moms I Know Podcast, we introduce you to Laura Hernandez, a mom to 10 children and teens, and the founder of her own small business, Mama Systems.  If anyone knows what overwhelm and chaos feel like, Laura does, and not only did she figure out a way to create peace in her own home and life, she's designed a system that will help you to discover peace in your home as well. No, there is not one system or structure for every family - it's not one size fits all - but Laura believes that every family can develop a system that works uniquely for them, she's been helping other families to achieve this goal for years, and she's here to help you, too. Listen in to learn more about Laura, how her family of 12 came to be, and how she works with families now to help them discover their family's unique strengths in order to develop systems that are sustainable and empowering for the whole family.  Laura says that the best things about creating systems in her own home are that she's now able to spend more time focussing on her own passions and she's more able to enjoy the time she gets to spend with the people she loves most.  The best part of this interview is that she's here with us today because she wants the same thing for you.  We hope you enjoy this episode.   About Laura Hernandez: Laura is a wife and mom of 10.  After adding 6 children to her family in 4.5 years, she decided that she needed to find a way to create peace in her home so that her large family could really mesh and thrive together.  After reading countless books on homeschooling, large family logistics, and family dynamics, she decided that she needed something different, something that uniquely fit the needs and abilities of her own family - it was then that Mama Systems was born.  Having discovered her own secret sauce, Laura now coaches other families through the process of defining their own systems through the use of schedules, deligation, incentives, and creativity with flexibility for all the realness of life.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

If you've ever attended a birthday party, graduation, wedding, or baby shower, you have participated in celebrating an important milestone in a person's life.  Persephone Rising Rituals co-create with individuals and families, meaningful ceremonies, rituals and rites of passage that invoke ancient wisdom and sacred practices to witness and honor a person's journey through some of the most meaningful and challenging of life's transitions.    "When a baby is born, so is a mother." - Rachel Hollinger   It's easy to get caught up in the fast pace of life and to be overwhelmed by all the current events happening around the world.  One thing we know is that healing and rebuilding starts within ourselves, our families and our communities and how we honor and support ourselves and others through the many phases and changes of life.  Through rituals and rites of passage, both community and inner awareness are strengthened.   In this episode, Rebecca Tumason and Louisa Carter of Persephone Rising Rituals share some of the many ways that they support individuals and families through the assisted practice of rituals and ceremonies that inspire connection, strength, growth, and community as well as some of their own personal stories and experiences with rituals and ceremonies from their own lives.   Whether you are seeking big ways to honor some of the biggest milestones in your families lives or you're looking for simpler ways that you can honor the ordinary inside and around your home daily or seasonally, we think you'll really enjoy this episode.   Resources From This Episode: Persephone Rising Rituals on Instagram @persephone_rising_rituals NOURIS(her) Doula by Rachel Hollinger  Mother Rising by Yana Courtland, Barb Lucke, and Donna Miller Watelet - - -  About Louisa Carter: Louisa lives with her husband, two children and cat in Bozeman, Montana. She completed her doctorate in counseling psychology where she studied mindfulness, social justice and women's empowerment. Becoming a mother was akin to opening a portal into healing her own childhood and intergenerational trauma. It was also the catalyst for creating ritual and ceremony to help understand and move through important life phases such as miscarriage, childbirth and birth trauma. She is passionate about working alongside women to create support systems and is an advocate for the importance of self-care during the wildly transformative time of motherhood.   About Rebecca Tumason: Rebecca lives outside Bozeman, Montana on a little family farm with her husband, three sons and daughter. Her days are mostly filled with mothering and surrendering to the homemaker title which her wanderlust is learning to love. Her background is in art and design, which before kids, took her many places throughout the world. Experiencing and living immersed in different cultures instilled an understanding of the importance of rhythm and ritual. She has a design studio in Bozeman and when time allows loves to create objects and spaces that evoke a calm, sacred serenity.  Be it for a body. A ceremony. A room. Or a whole house.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

Have you ever wondered if the career path you were on before becoming a parent is still right for you now that you are raising your family?  Our guest for this episode, Carolyn Eckman of FIT4MOM Santa Cruz, joins us to share her story and her new definition of success in motherhood.   "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of the intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the beauty in others; to leave the world a bit better weather by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here.  This is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson   For this episode, we are joined by a very special guest.  Carolyn Eckman has been our administrative assistant extraordinaire for the past 4 years and is an integral part of the production of this podcast.  We have watched her and have been inspired by her evolution over the years and we are so excited to finally introduce you to her here.  Like many parents, Carolyn faced a hard decision after becoming a mama.  The cost of childcare was hardly offset by her salary and the trade-off of spending her days working in an office and away from her new baby caused her to adjust her compass.  On her daughter's first birthday, she launched her first entrepreneurial endeavor, Rebirth Business Consulting, and never looked back.  4 years later she is the owner of 3 small businesses that she operates from her home and has found more joy, more life-balance, and more time to spend with her family. If you've been feeling the pull to make a change in your life to make more room for the things that are important to you, this is an episode you won't want to miss.  Carolyn has been an inspiration to us and a joy to work and grow with.  We hope you enjoy this episode.   Resources From This Episode: Carolyn Eckman: @carolyneckman_ on Instagram Rebirth Business Consulting: https://rebirthbusiness.com FIT4MOM Santa Cruz: https://santacruz.fit4mom.com + @fit4momsantacruz on Instagram FIT4MOM Location Finder: https://fit4mom.com/locations Fun.For.Nails: https://rebrand.ly/fun-for-nails   - - - About Carolyn Eckman: Carolyn Eckman is a wife and mom of 2 living in Aptos, CA.  After becoming a mom, Carolyn realized the need to adjust her success compass and, with the support of her family, she left her 9-5 career 4 years ago.  She now finds herself in the position of supporting and bringing joy to other moms, whether that is by supporting their entrepreneurial endeavors as a business consultant with Rebirth Business Consulting, bringing them a touch of Sparkle with Fun.For.Nails, creating outdoor opportunities for exercise and community with FIT4MOM Santa Cruz, or volunteering with The Santa Cruz Babywearing Group.  When Carolyn isn't spending time with her family, dancing, or out in nature, she most enjoys creating opportunities for other mamas to feel empowered and successful in their own unique ways.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

An organized space creates a sense of security and peace of mind that allows our nervous systems to relax and feel at ease.  For this episode we had the privilege of sitting down with Mia Keenan, an organizing expert and the owner of Tidy Evolution, to learn more about the practice and benefit of the KonMari Method®.     "I want to live my life in such a way that it colors my things with memories." - Marie Kondo   Growing up in a family that frequently relocated, Mia was drawn to organization as a way of coping with change.  As a child, these systems allowed her to create a calm and welcoming environment for herself in the midst of vulnerability and uncertainty.   It wasn't until later in life, after learning more about and eventually studying the KonMari Method® that she was able to correlate this behavior with the philosophy and benefits of organizing.  She is now an organizing professional helping families of all kinds create tidy spaces that bring more ease and flow to their daily lives. In this episode Mia candidly shares her story and experience.  From the philosophy of the KonMari Method® to practical tips for tidying up your own home in a way that incorporates your children and deepens your family culture and connectedness, this episode is sure to leave you feeling inspired and motivated to begin your own tidy evolution.   Resources From This Episode: Mia Keenan: tidyevolution.com   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

There are many many questions we are faced with daily as parents and nothing is cut and dry.  With so much gray area, how do we confidently make choices that align consistently withour values and stand strong in our own intuition?  In this episode we give you 3 steps to stand confident in your parenting choices.   "Don't stand unmoving outside the door of a crying baby.  Go to your baby.  Go to your baby a million times. Demonstrate that people can be trusted.  That the environment can be trusted.  That we live in a benign universe." - Peggy O'Mara   When it comes to following our hearts and our intuition as parents, it really comes down to how tuned in we are to our values and how deeply we're rooted in our convictions. When making choices of all kinds, from what we will eat and how we will conduct ourselves during pregnancy, to how we will birth and feed our children, how we will educate them, how and where we will live, how we will work, how we will navigate the use of technology in our homes, and so on and so forth, there will always be critics to question your choices or try to lead you down another path.   The way we navigate these choices is unique to each parent, child and family and we want you to be able to confidently make the choices that best serve you and your family. In this episode we give you 3 steps to stand confident in your choices as well as how to forgive yourself for any past choices you regret so that you can confidently move forward from this moment on with empathy and love.   Resources From This Episode: Peggy O'Mara: peggyomara.com   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

Can Feng Shui transform your life?  For our special guest on this episode, Sara Fletcher, it certainly transformed her outlook, empowered her to reach beyond her limits, altered the trajectory of her life, and elevated her to a new purpose.     "Nothing teaches children more than a parent who is willing to learn." - William Martin, The Parent's Tao Te Ching   The art of Feng Shui is to create energy flow throughout a space, and that is exactly what Sara does in her work as a Feng Shui Consultant.  By making changes - small or large - within a space, Feng Shui has the power to uplift, encourage, motivate, energize, and help you to become the highest good version of yourself.  But Sara's story begins long before she ever thought of walking this career path. Growing up, Sara was always drawn toward the elements of design and the power of creating beautiful, feel-good spaces.  It wasn't until later in life, when she suffered a medical crisis, that she stumbled upon Feng Shui as a catalyst for change.  Through her own life transformation, Sara has seen the power of Feng Shui first hand, and now as a Feng Shui practitioner, she helps others to transform their lives as well. Listen to the full episode to hear this mom's inspiring story.   Resources From This Episode: Sara Fletcher: Lovehomelifecenter.com The Parent's Tao Te Ching: Ancient Advice for Modern Parents by William Martin   - - - - -  About Sara Fletcher: Sara Fletcher is an Intuitive Home Environment Guide, Certified Feng Shui Practitioner and Founder of Love Home Life.  She works with individuals and families who feel overwhelmed and ashamed in their home environments to develop healthier, more empowering relationships with their homes and STUFF.  Sara guides her clients to make conscious changes around them that lead to improvements in their mental, emotional and physical health, deeper connections in their relationships and a stronger ability to live up to their true potential in life.  She lives in the mountains of Santa Cruz, CA  with her husband and two teenage kids, and is currently preparing to launch her Home Metamorphosis Series of virtual retreats, designed for holistic women who are committed to radically upleveling their health, wealth, happiness and homes in 2022.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

For this episode, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Kelly Kennedy, a Bio-Regulatory practitioner with a passion for naturally oriented wellness.  Join us for a lively conversation about childhood, lifelong learning, holistic wellness, motherhood, and everything in between.     "If you wish to understand the universe, you must first think of energy, frequency and vibration." - Nikola Tesla   With the headlines today, more and more people are becoming interested in alternative approaches to health and wellness.  Our special guest for this episode, Kelly Kennedy, is an expert in this field.  She has been led to the practice of biological and energetic healing through some very personal life circumstances and it has brought her to a wonderful place.   In this dynamic interview, Kelly shares her personal journey with us from how she became interested in medicine, to her awakening to the power of energetic healing, to her decision to become a mom and everything her journey through motherhood has taught her.   We think you will enjoy listening to this dynamic interview as Kelly opens up about her personal childhood, her journey of lifelong learning, balancing work and motherhood, and everything in between. This episode provides an introduction to the world of biological and energetic healing and you'll leave feeling inspired for your own family wellness journey.   Resources From This Episode: The True Wellness Center: https://thetruewellnesscenter.com/ Not Meds Global: https://www.notmedsglobal.com/ The Beats Podcast: https://www.notmedsglobal.com/the-beats-podcast   - - - - - About Kelly Kennedy: Like many who enter the world of biological & energetic healing, Kelly Kennedy had her own traumatic experiences that stimulated her in finding another approach to health.  Her training started more traditionally at Cornell University with a desire to be an allopathic medical doctor.  However, one particular year she was faced with her own health matters and the premature passing of her father. These experiences confirmed what Kelly intuitively knew within her bones; that good health was not restored through prescriptions.   After twenty-three years of building a health and wellness practice based in Bio-Regulatory medicine, Kelly is now paving the way for a new wellness system to blossom. A Bio-Regulatory system, where therapists, doctors, and specialists work collaboratively within a paradigm that focuses on allowing the innate intelligence of each unique individual to truly heal the body.   Kelly loves to talk about Regulation and Lymph and is often referred to as the "lymph queen". Kelly is physically based outside of Philadelphia, PA with her husband Ian (her original practitioner in this world, blessed to be his wife now) and their son Silas. She continues to see and help clients with a bio-regulatory approach at The True Wellness Center in North Wales, PA and in Bluffton, SC. You can find Kelly virtually at notmedsglobal.com, NOTMEDSglobal YouTube channel & Instagram handle as well as on her podcast "The Beats with Kelly Kennedy". Kelly has many projects in the works; make sure to subscribe to stay in touch as she continues to bring her heart to the world.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | YouTube

As we search for ways to reconnect with ourselves and one another through big life and cultural transitions, we are reminded that music is medicine for the soul.  We're delighted to be joined for this episode by award winning singer-songwriter, Amanda West.  This episode is full of practical ways to bring more musicality into our daily family lives as well as hope and inspiration to guide us toward rewriting our relationship with music and singing together in our communities.   "No Mud, No Lotus" - Thich Nhat Hanh   If you've ever felt uplifted, energized or inspired by a song, then you've felt the power of music.  As humans we are rhythmic beings, drawn naturally to creating music and using it to process our life experiences and emotions, especially in community with our families and loved ones. For this episode we are joined by Amanda West, award-winning singer songwriter, music teacher, community leader, mother, and co-founder of Wombsong, U.S..  Amanda shares her inspiring story, the impact that music has had on her life from childhood through motherhood, and how she's managed to adapt and maintain her music career throughout the many phases of her life. From writing and performing her own music, to teaching music lessons and leading Wombsong circles, Amanda is committed to sharing the gift of music to enhance the lives of others and to remind us all that there is no right or wrong way to enjoy music and we can all benefit from it equally and powerfully.   Resources From This Episode: Amanda West: https://www.amandawest.com Amanda's Music: https://www.patreon.com/amandawestmusic Wombsong: https://wombsong.com The Circle Family Center: https://www.thecirclefamilycenter.org The Divided Heart: Art + Motherhood by Rachel Power Beth Berry - Revolution from Home   --- About Amanda West: Amanda West is an award-winning singer songwriter, music teacher, community leader and mother. Born with an old soul, she has devoted herself to a life of music and the study of what it means to be human. A native Californian, she grew up singing around campfires and recorded and released her first album of original songs at age 17. Earning a degree in Cultural Anthropology, Amanda set out to discover what it means to be human. This quest carried her around the world, touring with her music in both the U.S. and Europe, while releasing five more albums of mostly original compositions. In 2014 she co-founded Womb Song, U.S., an organization that supports womxn into motherhood through song. This work continues through community singing circles, rituals and workshops. Understanding music to be a part of our human birthright, playing an essential role in our experience of being alive, Amanda has found her life path and greatest joy through sharing music with others. She lives, creates and teaches in the unceded territory of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, now known as the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her British husband, two children and many musical instruments.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play

Join us for our 100th episode as we dive into a conversation of examining our own evolution as it parallels the current social and global period of evolution and change with an emphasis on what that means for all of us as parents and mothers.     "I am a human being, meant to be in perpetual becoming.  If I am living bravely, my entire life will become a million deaths and rebirths.  My goal is not to remain the same, but to live in such a way that each day, year, moment, relationship, conversation, and crisis is the material I use to become a truer, more beautiful version of myself." - Glennon Doyle   In this episode, we provide insight and inspiration to help you stay focussed on your values and continue to be the guardians of childhood for your children especially during these deep periods of personal and global evolution where isolation, uncertainty, and fear can easily become commonplace. Since we know that being in community together, having a strong sense of self, and sharing stories with others helps with these challenges, we offer, from decades of experiences, proven ways that you can we continue to create the experiences that you need most right now as well as ways to help you stay motivated to continue pursuing a family life that is truly aligned with your value, and to help you stay positive and present in your interactions with your loved ones while you create more family togetherness and build a stronger family culture even through these unprecedented challenges.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play

Are you running on the hamster wheel, trying to do all the things that you think you're expected to do as a mom?  Join us as Toni-Ann Mayembe shares her experience of freeing herself from these external pressures to discover her most joyful and authentic expression of motherhood.   "A bird that's sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because it trusts not in the branch, but in it's own wings. Always believe in yourself." - Unknown   Whether it be from family, friends, educators, or society in general, as parents it's common to feel the pressure of others' expectations and judgement.  It's also common that we jump in and try to meet these vast expectations to avoid the negative feelings associated with disappointment or feeling inadequate.   For this episode, we invite Toni-Ann Mayembe to offer another perspective.  You see, there are many ways to parent and the most joyful parent is probably not committing to lots of things that they don't want to do - there needs to be balance. Join us for this episode as we discuss ways to release the perfectionist mindset and offer you permission to begin to find your own path to a joyfully authentic parenting experience.   Resources From This Episode: Toni-Ann Mayembe's Ultimate Working Mom Hacks: https://the.realhappymom.com/working-mom-hacks   --- About Toni-Ann Mayembe: Toni-Ann is a full-time dentist, a reservist in the Navy, and the blogger and podcaster at Real Happy Mom. She is a wife and a boy mom that understands the struggle of juggling work and home. When she is not working, she enjoys watching WWE and watching stand-up comedy.   Subscribe Now: iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play