Mom Inspired Show With Amber Sandberg

Are you feeling super stressed with the decision you are making or made about what kind of schooling your kids will do this year? Today, we have Jenny Stemmerman back on the show to talk about being a mom during a pandemic with school age kids! We have a casual conversation about what its like with trying to figure all the school stuff with COVID. That so many moms are stressed out trying to make the best decision for their kids and their families and how its really taking a toll on their emotional health.  She shares with us that she has created a "Back to school guide" with 8 different areas of life for kids and how to think through how you are supporting your kids in each area: Faith, Friends, Health, Money, Family Education, Personal Responsibility, Fun. Jenny also works full time and discusses what that will look like for her to figure out how to carve out time to homeschool.   One story that stood out to me is when Jenny mentioned that she is nervous about homeschooling, does she have the patience, can

Why should you be traveling right now, because deals are phenomenal! Today we have Laurie Palumbo, COO of ID Travel Group on the show. Laurie shares with us some amazing vacation destinations to travel to during COVID.  Not only are these places a safe place to visit, most of these resorts are operating at 70% so you are getting more privacy than usual.  Also,  ID Travel has an amazing promo going on called Vitamin Sea, there are some great deals on luxury properties that you normally would never find as well as breakfast being included! If you are wondering how you get these deals, well it's easy, I can help you as your travel advisor!  Laurie focuses on properties in Cancun, Cabo and Turks and Caicos.  One thing that stood out to me is when Laurie mentioned that there is a guaranteed upgrade at these 5 star resorts that can be a 1k to 2k savings!  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to take a listen to part 1 and 2  to this travel series: Tra

Are you racking your brain trying to figure out where you can travel to for the rest of the year and next? Today we have Heidi La Russo from Lush Experience on the show to share with us some amazing places we can go this year and next!  She shares with us 3 different locations and 4 amazing resorts that are perfect during the pandemic. Heidi mentions that she is starting to see bookings again and its mainly in the Caribbean.  So let's get started with some great places that are perfect for social distancing and relaxation. Eden Roc is not your typical all inclusive Dominican Republic hotel. It's privately gated located in Cap Cana.  Flying into Punta Cana is a 15 minute ride. All cars are being sanitized before and after clients. You can only go to Cap Cana if you are staying on Cap Cana and there is so much to do there. You can go to the marina for dinner, water activities, bike tours, walking tours and equestrian center to mention just a few.  Eden Roc is located directly on the beach, and on a Jack Nickl

Are you trying to figure out if you want to do private homeschooling vs. online learning through the public school system? Today I have Shannon Carpenter from Heart of Homeschooling back on the show.  I wanted to talk to her about choosing curriculum's.  I know so many parents who have decided to do remote learning are trying to figure out if they want to do their own thing vs. remote learning through the school system so that they can have more flexibility.  So Shannon shared the curriculum she has used over the years.  She suggests doing a learning style assessment and factor in what personality do your kids have. Are they organized and structure or loose and flexible? Also to consider what season of life are you in and what is the personality of the mom. She shares with us that some curriculum work better if you need your kids to be more independent say you are really busy and don't have as much time to sit down with them vs. picking a different curriculum where you are more involved.  Also,  she suggeste

Are you considering remote learning for this school year 2020/2021, and feeling anxious on what that might look like? Today I have mom of 7 kids Shannon Carpenter from Heart of Homeschooling on the show.  I asked her what does she recommend to moms that are considering if homeschooling is a good option for them?  Shannon also shares with us how important it is to build a community around you if you do decide to homeschool.   She also mentions why it's good to create some quiet time for yourself so you can feel rejuvenated before your day starts and take in the quiet before your kiddos wake up! I also asked her about setting up the house and the best way to organize our space for home school.  One story that stood out to me is when she mentioned that a rigid schedule for example doing 30 min segments were not working well for their family.  That loosening up the routine truly helped!  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to check out the first 2

Have you ever wondered how do you organize your day when you homeschool, even when you work outside the home? Today, we have Erin Barry back on the show to talk more in depth about homeschooling and what that looks like.  We dive into the advantages of homeschooling at each age level, what do co-ops look like and how socialization works in regards to building a community for your kids and yourself!  Erin also shares with us how you can make subjects that are non traditional activities count as credit. She also mentioned the importance of having a routine and schedule even if you are more of a free spirit kind of person that it still makes a huge difference for the family!  She emphasizes that you can be flexible but its good to start off with some structure.  One point that stood out to me is when she mentioned that having structure it actually gives you the freedom to be creative. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to check out the first epis

SHOW NOTES: Homeschooling 101 series: Part 1 Erin Barry: 194 Is Homeschooling starting to look like a good back up plan? Today, we have Erin Barry on the show and we talk all about homeschooling!  She shares with us that many people can feel overwhelmed by the thought of homeschooling and that it isn't once you are familiar with it.  Erin mentions that you actually have more control over your schedule when you homeschool. I ask Erin how to go about figuring out different curriculum for all ages and grade levels.  She also shared with us the fears that people have and the challenges that come with homeschooling.  One topic that stood out to me is when she shared her experience as a teacher in the public school system and what her thoughts are on it. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast.   If you liked this episode make sure to check out this episode that is part of a 4- part series on simplifying with Stephanie Sikora. Simplifying daily systems   "My Favorite Things" Segment:

Do you ever find yourself saying is this it, is this our new normal? Today, we have Jennifer Thompson back on the show and we talk all about quarantine and what that looked like for Jennifer as well as what life is looking like as we come out of "shelter at home".  She shares with us how she started cooking more with her kids and some of the fun recipes she has fallen in love with. We chat about COVID birthdays for the kids and what that looks like and how birthday parades became a "thing"!  We talked about what has been challenging during all of this and how Jennifer has been making time for herself with the help of her husband! One topic that stood out to me is when Jennifer said that we need to show grace to others right now, that we don't know what other people are going through and it's easy to judge what people are doing.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out this episode with Natalie Hixson, where she talks about being tired of

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better."- Maya Angelou Today we have author Angie White Stone back on the show to have a peaceful but honest conversation between two moms about what is happening right now.  I wanted to pick her brain on how do we start taking steps, even small steps to move in the right direction especially with our children. What do we need to do now so that our kids don't have to do this 10-30 years from now.  Angie shares her story on what is was like growing up as the first black family in her neighborhood and how that shaped her today.  I talked to her about feeling like it's easy to say the wrong things and how that could prevent people from saying anything at all.  Also, that this will not get fixed overnight and hopefully we will see all of this change in our children's generation. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you want to check out my first interview I did with Angie, click here: https://mominspiredshow.com

Do you ever wonder how you could be a better mom to your boys? Today, we have Monica Swanson on the show and we talk all about being a boy mom! Monica shares with us what its like raising 4 sons in Hawaii.  She talks about building relationships with her sons that last and what does that look like. We talk about raising boys to have their own personal faith as well as navigating the teenage years. One topic that really stood out to me is when Monica shared with us her experience with pornography and what she has taught her sons about this topic and how she monitors that on their devices. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you liked this episode make sure to check out the one I did about raising men not boys with Mike Fabarez: Raising Men Not Boys     "My Favorite Things" Segment: -Enneagram Courses with Beth McCord the Enneagram Coach Discovering You Course When you understand what makes you (and those around you) tick, you can: Break free from the mundane St

Has quarantine made you think about your design choices in your home? Today, we have Rachel from Crate and Cottage on the show to talk all about house design without breaking the bank. She shares with us that after having her first son she had postpartum, experienced a lot of depression and anxiety. So she was looking for a creative outlet that was just for herself other than being a mom and it came in the form of decorating.  I feel like for most of us being stuck at home for COVID-19 it has either made you really appreciate how you have designed your home or its made you think twice about how your home is currently set up.  Rachel shares with us her journey of building her dream farmhouse and how she is already changing the aesthetic after 3 years of living in it.  I also picked her brain about buying things online especially rugs and how to easily return them. She talks about her favorite shopping places with us from where to buy rugs, lighting and decorations for the house. Lastly, I asked her how to mak

Have some of you enjoyed this time of quarantine, especially if you have teens? Today, we have Ann Kaplan on the show.  Ann talks about seeing her teens more than she normally would because of quarantine and how she has actually enjoyed it!  We talk about disappointments, from not being able to travel, to hanging out with friends and how we now have to think about "how to be with other people" and what that looks like.  Ann also points out that whatever issues we are dealing with now that most likely we were dealing with them before COVID-19.  She shares with us about not white knuckling motherhood and hopefully this moment in time will actually help us to learn to not do that. That we can believe in ourselves as moms and know we can do this and not just wait for reprieve.  Lastly, she talks about how figuring out how to get work done and getting time to yourself.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. Please share with your friends, my goal is to get these episodes into as many moms'

Since COVID-19 hit have you found yourself making different decisions in regards to your health? Today we have Lindsay Young back on the show and we talk all about taking care of ourselves.  Even when the quarantine gets lifted everywhere we still want to stay healthy. Lindsay shares with us some things that are key in order to best take care of ourselves.  The first things she talks about is sleep and how good quality sleep is essential for a healthy immune system.  As well as moving daily, reducing stress and eating a healthy diet so that you can get a wide range of vitamins and minerals. Lastly she talks about gut health and how up to 80% of our immune system is in our gut! One topic that really stood out to me is something I have noticed for myself personally and how going to sleep before midnight makes a huge difference. Hear what we have to say on this topic and more on the podcast. ⁣ If you are on a health kick and want some inspiration, make sure to check out my recent series I did on how I lost 50l

Have you been thinking about your life choices lately, are you ready for a change? Today, we have Angela Guzman on the show.  I wanted to have her on the show to talk about about life choices and what made her decide to live a more intentional life.  Angela shares with us why they decided as a family to have her become the breadwinner and become a single income family. She talks about what her kids are learning from their decision to do this. Angela also shares with us what kind of budgetary things they needed to do in order to maintain a financially healthy lifestyle and stay afloat.  One story that stood out to me is when she said that simplifying her life has been such a gift to her family. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. Please share with your friends, my goal is to get these episodes into as many moms's ears as possible! I don't want anyone to feel lonely, or feel like they are alone in all of this. If you enjoyed this episode make sure to check out the whole series, click

Has your business taken a hit from COVID-19 ? Today, we have Christy Wright from Business Boutique and Ramsey Solutions back on the show!  If you missed her last episode you can check her out on episode 93.  I wanted to have her back to share with us some business ideas to help during this time-frame. Christy tells us to think short term, she doesn't normally recommend that but we have never experienced this before so things are different.  She said we can't be thinking about 2022, she wants you to just keep your lights on! She mentions that you might need to get creative, do something right now that will help you keep the doors open and it doesn't need to be for forever.  One thing that stood out to me is when she said that fear can be loud and that we need to assess our situation and look at the facts and not let fear take over. Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. Please share with your friends, my goal is to get these episodes into as many moms's ears as possible! I don't want an

Has this quarantine actually been a blessing in disguise for your family ? Today, we have Laura Smith back on the show!  If you missed her last episode you can check her out on episode 172.  I wanted to have her back to share with us what it looks like to have older kids during quarantine.  We talk about that we are weathering the same storm but our experiences look different. She shares with us that the hardest part as a mom is dealing with her kids disappointments like missing prom, possibly graduation and having to come home from college abruptly and how she can't fix it.  Laura does acknowledge that there have been a lot of blessings during this time frame too.  One of the stories that really stood out to me is when she explained that there is such a renewed sense of family and that they are able to take a giant exhale.  During this time she has realized that they were all over extended and she hopes after this that they won't fall victim to do all the things they did before.  Hear what she says about th

Are you feeling a bit stressed or worried with money right now? Today, we have Rachel Cruze back on the show!  I had her on the show before on episode 100 where we talk about loving your life not theirs and it was so great. Make sure to check that out after this episode! So, I wanted to have her back on during this time frame because I know people have lost their jobs, or have had to take a pay cut, or just concerned that they may lose their job.  So she shares with us what to do if you have lost your job. She doesn't want you to blow through your emergency fund, she wants you to find another source of income if you can and go on unemployment to help not eat up your savings. I asked her what should people do if they are paying down credit card debt but lost their job. She also shared with us, that if you don't have 3-6 months emergency fund and currently are investing into your retirement that you need to pause that. She also wants everyone to leave their retirement alone, don't touch it, it's there for the

Have you lost track of what day it is, yeah me too! I decided to do a COVID-19 series through May, yes May because honestly, I really have no idea when life will get back to normal so I wanted to bring to you other moms and their experiences during this time frame!  I am going to be having guests talk about the challenges of homeschooling, working from home, the disappointments that come during this pandemic, enjoying older kids being all under one roof, keeping your business afloat, how to navigate your finances during this time frame, keeping yourself healthy not just physically but mentally, looking at life choices during this time, and ways to make the best of this quarantine! Please share with your friends, my goal is to get these episodes into as many moms's ears as possible! I don't want anyone to feel lonely, or feel like they are alone in all of this. Today, we have my friend Melissa Sharpe back on the show. She shares with us what its like right now in Canada to be going through this. We chat abo

How has your prayer life been lately? Today we have Kristen Pardue back on the show to talk all about prayer!  Kristen shares with us why it's so important to pray.  One story that she shared that I truly loved, was how she explains what it is like to pray to help her boys. She said that she tells them that it's just like talking with your best friend or Mommy.  I loved how simple she breaks it down for them so that they don't feel overwhelmed.  She mentions that elaborate prayers can feel so intimidating and it truly is just a conversation with Jesus.  Kristen shares with us that last year was really hard for her and her family that they went through a lot of trials.  That everyone has hard times even if social media doesn't show that part.  One story that I really enjoyed was how her son was healed and how God showed her in a dream what was going to happen!  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. If you want to check out another episode with Kristen, check out episode 166 https://mom

Have you ever thought about the things that you store in your house that you never use? Today we have Stephanie Sikora back on the show for part 4 of our simplifying series! Today we will be talking about storage and the cost that comes with storing a lot of things in our homes.  Stephanie challenges us to think about how much money we paying to store stuff in our house, how much of our mortgage are we spending to just store stuff? I thought that was such a great way to think about that.  Something I want to encourage you guys on is to think about what you are storing, if you had to pay for that space is that what you would want to be spending your money on in order to hold on those things? Maybe you would rather have that space for something else, take time to think about those things. One tip that Stephanie shared with us is start with easy projects, don't tackle the most difficult thing first.  Hear what she says about this topic and more on the podcast. Did you miss the last 3 weeks of our Simplifying S