Lighten Up with Melanie Dale

Latest Episodes:

Lighten Up #43: Shawn Smucker Sep 26, 2017

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Melanie talks with Shawn Smucker, author of the new novel, The Day the Angels Fell. They cover Shawn's Amish roots, his connection to Auntie Anne's pretzels, his harrowing RV experience in Willie Nelson's old touring bus, developing relationships with Syrian refugees, and his incredible new book. Shawn is a fantastic storyteller, from the pages of his book to his conversation on this podcast, so listen in and lighten up!

Lighten Up #42: Heather Avis Sep 19, 2017

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Melanie talks with Heather Avis, author of The Lucky Few: Finding God's Best in the Most Unlikely Places. They rank kids' movies from tolerable to "please, God, I can't take it anymore,” and they discuss parenting kids with Down Syndrome. They chat about how Heather’s kids are a light in their community, and she says, "I've understood the heart of God more fully in the places that have been hard for me."

Lighten Up #41: Catherine McNiel Sep 13, 2017

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Melanie talks with Catherine McNiel, author of Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline. They talk about the greatest popcorn in the world, how they find time for spiritual disciplines, finding God in the chaos -- in changing diapers, in washing dishes, in driving to work -- and also how they need to lighten up about other people's advice about their parenting. They also dig into the importance of bringing women's voices into the forefront, and Star Wars bad lip reading, so listen in and lighten up!

Lighten Up #40: Sarah Bragg Sep 05, 2017

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Melanie talks with one of her favorite podcasters, Sarah Bragg, of Surviving Sarah. They unpack Sarah's extreme deer fear, that's right, her fear of deer, like the kind with spindly legs and antlers, and Melanie shares her own irrational fear…it’s too weird to write down. They also process living on a sailboat, what Sarah loves about podcasting, and lightening up about school and homework.

Lighten Up #39: KariAnne Wood Aug 29, 2017

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Melanie talks with KariAnne Wood, the DIY expert behind the award-winning lifestyle blog, Thistlewood Farms, and the author of So Close to Amazing. They share their pancake-making fails, talk about smiling at strangers, and how they can embrace imperfection. KariAnne is fun and funny, so listen in, and lighten up!

Lighten Up #38: Jeannie Cunnion Aug 22, 2017

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Melanie talks with Jeannie Cunnion, author of Parenting the Wholehearted Child and a brand new book, Mom Set Free, about how they chose their kids' names, not having to prove anything, why they put so much pressure on themselves to parent perfectly, and also a fun Somebody Posted This on Facebook segment involving hilarious historical words. If parenting is stressing you out, Jeannie wants to help, so listen in, and lighten up!

Lighten Up #37: Lisa Lloyd Aug 15, 2017

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Melanie talks with Lisa Lloyd, a professional actress and author of Chasing Famous: Living the Life You’ve Always Auditioned For. They talk about how they overanalyze everything they say in conversations, their issues with people pleasing, and Lisa also shares about healing after her abortion. She tells a funny story about trying to give her book Chasing Famous to an actual famous person, and for all you Bachelorette lovers out there, Lisa explains why she thinks the Bachelorette chose wrong.

Lighten Up #36: Leslie Klipsch Aug 08, 2017

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Melanie talks with Leslie Klipsch, author of Mama Bear's Manifesto and cohost of the Mama Bear Dares podcast. Whether you have kids or you love on some kids around you, she is going to talk about how to identify your rumble. What is it in the world that makes you mad? What keeps you up at night? Where do you want to spend your mama bear energy? Grrr. They also discuss their opinions on RompHims, flossers, gender reveal parties, and which Schuyler sister they think they'd be.

Lighten Up #35: Kari Sowers Aug 01, 2017

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Melanie talks with Kari Sowers, owner of Manifest Collab and the Manifest Collab+Create Podcast about important things like how Kari multitasks in the shower, Melanie's toilet-cleaning saga of woe, and their inability to Vox. And Kari offers great advice on lightening up, saying, "Own your own priorities,” so listen in, and lighten up!

Lighten Up #34: Summer Reading Jul 18, 2017

Show notes

Melanie and Courtney Westlake talk about traveling with kids, her experience with Whole 30, and summer reading. They also do a “hellish" round of Somebody Posted This on Facebook.

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