The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

It's May y'all! I don't know what it's like where you are, but May is starting off beautifully in Austin, TX. The weather is perfect, every thing is green and baseball season is in full gear. To kick the month off, Megan Tietz is joining me for episode #139 of The Happy Hour. Megan served as the soothing voice and spirited pen behind SortaCrunchy – blog hub for all things faith, family, and natural living from 2006-2014. She is also co-author of Spirit-Led Parenting: From Fear to Freedom in Baby’s First Year. In 2015, she launched Sorta Awesome and discovered she was born to host a podcast what with having that unique creative chemistry that thrives on in-depth analysis of pop culture, all things intentional living, and the next big thing you didn’t know you couldn’t live without. On today's show, we talk all about podcasting, which we're both obviously passionate about. Megan shares her latest favorites and we discuss the newest podcast craze, S-Town (don't worry...no spoilers this time). Megan is also a personality guru and shares her assessment of my personality type, and explains why she has found personality types fascinating and helping in interpersonal relationships. And finally, we talk about Megan's travels to Lebanon, the refugee crisis and how her perspective has shifted after her travels. There are a lot of links below if you are interested in learning more about how you can be involved. Enjoy your week, and make sure to join us next week for a very special edition of The Happy Hour as we celebrate our third anniversary! For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

Wynter Pitts + Jamie Ivey

My guest for The Happy Hour #138 is Lauren Casper. Lauren is the author of It's Okay About It: Lessons from a Remarkable Five-Year-Old about Living Life Wide Open, and founder of the internationally read blog laurencasper.com. Lauren is a top contributor to the TODAY Parenting Team and has had numerous articles syndicated by The Huffington Post, the TODAY show, Yahoo! News, and several other publications. She and her family live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Lauren is an adoptive momma of two kiddos from Ethiopia. On today's show, she shares about her adoption journey, including their struggle with infertility. She also shares about the unique experience of adopting from Ethiopia and how they decided to keep their children's birth names. Lauren's son was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. In our conversation, she shares about that life-changing diagnosis and how she has learned to reshape her expectations and see the beauty in the brokenness. Lauren's book about the lessons she has learned from her son is coming out next week, so make sure you scoot over and grab a copy here. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

Lauren Scruggs Kennedy is my guest for The Happy Hour #137. Lauren is a Texas girl who was swept away to California by the love her life. She has a love for fashion that has been tightly sewn through interning in wardrobe for the CW’s Gossip Girl, the Michael Kors showroom in New York City, and reporting for New York, Paris, and Montreal Fashion Weeks. She’s the author of two best-selling books and keeps up with a lifestyle blog that ignites honest talk and community by sharing stories rooted in balance. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #28 is Latasha Morrison. Tasha is a bridge-builder, reconciler and a compelling voice in the fight for racial justice. A native of North Carolina, Tasha attended East Carolina University, earned a Masters in Business from Liberty University. She has served as Children’s and Next Gen Director and recently joined staff at Gateway Church Central in Austin, Texas as the Director of Operations. In Addition to her church positions, she has simultaneously cultivated Be the Bridge; a ministry to equip and provide tools for those who are actively involved in taking the next steps toward racial solidarity. Tasha first joined us for The Happy Hour for episode #44. It was one of the very best shows from the early days. So, if you haven't listened to it, make sure to catch up here. Today, Tasha is back to catch up on what's new in her world, an update on Be the Bridge and to share what she hopes her legacy will be, the advice she loves to give out and what her definition of success. I am such a huge fan of all the things that Tasha has her hands in, and am so thrilled to have her back today. I hope you enjoy the show and have an incredible Easter celebrating the resurrection of our King. {You can listen to the show HERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Good Friday Service with Kirk Franklin Sparrow Conference Born a Crime by Trevor Noah + Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi My Blog Post: Raising Black Boys Music from Jason Poe Connect with Tasha Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsor: PrepDish Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #136 is Lisa-Jo Baker. Lisa-Jo has been the community manager for (in)courage, an online home for women all over the world, for nearly a decade. She is also the author of Surprised by Motherhood, and her most recent book, Never Unfriended. She lives just outside Washington, DC, with her husband and their three very loud kids, where she connects, encourages, and champions women in person and through her blog, lisajobaker.com. Lisa-Jo is a dear friend of mine, and I have been so anxious to have her on the show for a while now. I am so thrilled to have her today, after her recent release of her newest book, Never Unfriended. Before we get to the book talk, we chat about Aaron Sorkin, movies, Ryan Gosling and his Girl Scout Cookies escapade. We also discuss my family's media fast, and her family's media feast. Finally, we talk about Lisa-Jo's new book and the lengths to which God went to be a friend to his enemies. Lisa-Jo discusses the impact of championing the people around us. I know you're going to love this interview and if you'd like to join me and a handful of others for an online book club for Never Unfriended, it's going to be a real party. You can find more information here. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

My guest for The Happy Hour #135 is Jenny Randle. Jenny is a Creative Ninja, a speaker, art director and Emmy-winning video editor. She’s collaborated on billion dollar franchises in the heart of Hollywood and currently specializes in design and advertising. Jenny has a passion for empowering others to understand their God-given identity, purpose and creativity. She lives in Upstate New York with her husband, Matt, and two young children. Jenny’s preferred creative fuel is Jesus, lattes and freestyle rap battles with her family. In our conversation, Jenny and I chat about how adults seem to let their creative sides fizzle, and how she's committed to bringing that back to life. She does that through some creative exercises that she subjected me to. I won't spoil the big moment, but I'll just say I think you're going to love my impression of a household appliance. Jenny also talks about her husband's battle with depression - how it started, when they sought help and where they are now. I am always so grateful for women share stories like this, because I know how lonely stories like this can feel. Jenny does such a great job of talking about their journey and offering hope to those that are in their own fight. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #28 is Shay Shull. Shay is a cookbook author, blogger, world traveler, baseball lover and mom to four. With her husband, Andrew, they live in McKinney, TX, where they each own their own businesses, drink way too much coffee and argue over whose baseball team is superior (she loves the Sox, he's a Yankee fan). Shay's passionate about food, family, faith, travel and adoption. Shay was on The Happy Hour exactly one year ago for episode #82. If you missed that show, make sure to catch up here. Since then, she and her husband have adopted another baby and she's written a second cookbook: Mix-and-Match Mama Kids in the Kitchen. In our chat today, we talk about the latest goings on of the Shull family, resolving that we should catch up more than once a year. Shay shares her newest obsession - her Sleep Number bed. And she answers what she'd like her legacy to be, the advice she loves to give out and where she'd love to live for a year. I know you'll love catching back up with Shay. Make sure to keep an eye out for her on the next Sleep Number Bed campaign. {You can listen to the show HERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Shay's Cookbooks: Mix-and-Match Mama Eats + Mix-and-Match Mama Kids in the Kitchen Sleep Number Bed Gossip Girl Music from Jason Poe Connect with Shay Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsor: PrepDish Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour

My guest for The Happy Hour #134 is Tsh Oxenreider. Tsh is the author of Notes from a Blue Bike and Organized Simplicity, and is the founder of the community blog The Art of Simple. She’s the top-ranked podcaster of The Simple Show, and her writing has been featured in The Washington Post, CNN, Real Simple magazine, and more. A graduate of the University of Texas, where she studied English and anthropology, Tsh currently lives near Austin, with her family and eats tacos several times a week. A girl after my very own heart. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

My guest for The Happy Half Hour #27 is Logan Wolfram. Logan would give you full access to her pantry if you lived next door. She is a plate-juggling mom and interior decorator turned author, speaker, and host of the Allume Conference. She is a passionate leader who desires to see women live fully in Christ. Logan is the author of Curious Faith; Rediscovering Hope in the God of Possibility. She is currently working on her second book which is set to release in Fall 2018. Along with her husband, Jeremy, she divides most of her time between wrangling two inquisitive boys and a 175-pound dog named Titan.  Logan was first on The Happy Hour for episode #57. If you missed her then, make sure to catch up here. In our conversation today, Logan shares about traveling to China with her young kids and consequently, a truancy report. We also talk about our Voxer mastermind group, which we both use to bounce ideas off each other, ask questions and encourage one another in our work.  And Logan gets the usual Happy Half Hour routine, with questions like what advice she likes to give out, what success means to her and where she'd like to live for a year. Y'all enjoy catching back up with Logan, and have a great weekend! {You can listen to the show HERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron Logan's Post: A Life Hack That Saves My Sanity (and my leftovers!) Music from Jason Poe Connect with Logan Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsor: PrepDish Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour