This week, I’m sharing a conversation I had with Ashley Stevens about how she and her three girls thrive when her husband, Brad, has to travel for work. She share some great tips and general advice.
My weekly recap:
- Our kids are participating in the Diocese of Lincoln’s Totus Tuus program this week
- It is so much fun to finally be a read-aloud family! Audiobooks before naptime are a major hit. The kids usually color or play with their Plus-Plus tubes. We are about halfway through the Henry Huggins audiobooks. Our bedtime read-aloud is Where the Red Fern grows. We have 3 contenders for our next read-aloud, and we’d love for you to weigh in with your vote:
- Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
- The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
- The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
- Big milestone last Friday night: I took the kids to the pool by myself for the first time!
- What are your limiting beliefs? How are you battling them?
Links/Resources mentioned this episode:
- FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students)
- Ashley’s blog and ministry page, Mountains Unmoved
- Ashley’s post, “Why Are Some Mountains Left Unmoved?” where she shares about the inspiration for the name of her ministry and links to her interview on the 700 Club
- The lie of “this is the way things will always be forever”
- How Brad participates in disciplining when he’s traveling
- Favorite games to play with Brad when he’s home:
- Ashley’s blog post, “Friendship is Worth the Awkwardness“
- Making friendship connections when Brad is gone
- What makes life simple when Brad is gone:
- Making a big meal before Brad leaves and reheating each day
- Blessings/pros of having Brad travel for work
- Travel reward points to visit relatives
- Getting to watch her shows on Netflix!
- More time to work on her ministry
- Self time to recharge
- In Praise of ‘Scruffy Hospitality’
- Things “saving Ashley’s life” when Brad is gone:
- Roomba
- YMCA’s 2-hour babysitting
- The Well-Behaved Child by Dr. John Rosemond check discipline system
- 6 Checks (keep track on dry erase board in kitchen)
- Checks 1-3 are warnings (“buffer zone,” limit this for older kids)
- Check 4: Lose dessert
- Check 5: Lose screens
- Check 6: Go to bed 1 hour early
- Ashley’s “holiness hack”
- Book: He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J.
- Quote: “What can ultimately trouble the soul that accepts every moment of every day as a gift from the hands of God and strives always to do his will?”
- Turning her alarm back another 30 minutes to add to prayer time and bring peace to morning routine
- Book: He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Ciszek, S.J.
Connect with Ashley!
- Book her to speak to your group or come to your event: Mountains Unmoved
Get in touch!
- As always, you can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram
- Please subscribe to, rate, and review the show in iTunes to help grow our audience!
- Remember, I’d like your feedback on:
- our next read-aloud
- your limiting beliefs
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
