Crazy Cool Family

#245: Talking Motherhood (feat. McKenzie Reaume and Macy Robinson)

New to motherhood?
Suz is joined by McKenzie and Macy (daughters #3 and #4) to talk about becoming a mom. They both recently had baby girls and are fresh in the motherhood journey. If you are planning to have a family, pregnant, or recently had a child, this podcast will encourage and challenge you.
Here are main points from today's episode:
How to grasp time when entering motherhood
How to thrive after pregnancy and birth
The value of community when building a family
Inner healing for births and how to do it
Celebrating a baby's development and soaking it all up
Similarities between mothers and Holy Spirit
There is so much change that comes in the transition of motherhood. If you feel vulnerable, alone, or worried about any aspect of motherhood - we are here with you. We believe God wants to show you His love, character, and plan through becoming a mother.
Macy shared how God is rewriting her identity as she steps in to motherhood - specifically her self-worth. She is seeing breakthrough slowly and deeply. McKenzie said God is showing her how the waiting is worth it and when you need breakthrough, it is close - keep enduring well and find Him in the midst of the struggle.
God designed marriage and building a family to help us depend on Him desperately. No matter where you are on your parenting journey, we encourage you to strengthen your relationship with God and you will see breakthrough. You can do it new moms! We are in this adventure together.
Please reach out with anyway we can pray for you OR questions you have about stepping into motherhood.
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#244: Marriage Coaching and Intensives (Feat. Bruce McCracken)

Are you looking for a way to invest in your marriage?
When marriages are neglected they often affect the entire family.
Is your marriage okay but not thriving?
Join Don as he interviews Bruce McCracken, a family pastor and marriage coach. He loves the American family and felt called to reach families when he was 19 years old.
Don and Bruce discuss marriage intensives and coaching opportunities for marriages at any stage or season.
If you are looking for a way to invest in your marriage- this podcast is for you!
Podcast Resources:
The Marriage Hub
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#243: Getting Your Kids to Invest in Each Other (Feat. Madeline Jones)

Need creative ways to get your kids to like each other?
Don, Suz, and Madeline talk about relationships- specifically the sibling relational line. Madeline is a product of Don and Suz taking this value seriously because she can truly say her siblings are some of her very best friends.
Here are a few gold nuggets from the podcast:
How we (the Mannings) valued siblings as best friends
Evaluate each sibling relationship and see where more investment is needed
Siblings love each other, even when they don’t like each other
How to keep kindness within the sibling relationship – is it okay to be firm??
If you have kids who are struggling to love each other (or even like each other) - this podcast is a great place to start! If you want more guidance on how to build up the kid-kid relational line, check out our Building Family Relationship Guide – available now on Amazon AND in the CCF Store!!
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#242: BONUS Episode - Healing Marriages in EVERY Season (Feat. Nick and Haley Teixeria)

Single? Dating? Engaged? Married? STARTING TO HAVE KIDS?
No matter where you are on your marriage relational journey, this podcast is for you!
Nick and Haley Teixeria have seen God restore and build so many things within their marriage relationship. God placed in their hearts to start their podcast, Thriving Relationships for His Kingdom, to help people see the fruit in relationships – especially the ones God gave us to steward.
Nick and Haley are helping people kick off their marriage right!
Don, Haley, and Nick discuss the raw truths about marriage and how you can prepare well for marriage. No matter where you are in this relational line – single, dating, engaged, or married – this podcast will inspire you to pursue healing for yourself and for your marriage.
Here are topics they discuss in the podcast:
Preparing for marriage BEFORE you are married
The shift from marriage to marriage PLUS parenting
How to transform family and break off lies from enemy about relationships
Working through victimhood
Working with a spouse who is different from you
Working with others through first years of transitions into parenthood
How to value time as you step into parenthood
Keeping God at the center of marriage as you become parents
“Having kids will NOT fix your marriage – that is insanity!” - Haley
Main points:
Manage emotional changes
Navigate relational changes
Keep God at the center of all family relationships
Bottom line is Haley and Nick desire couples to prepare well for marriage and parenting. Their podcast and groups are designed with the marriage relationship in mind. We love their heart and commitment to marriages. If you want to invest in your marriage – start connecting with the Teixeria’s today!
Podcast Resources:
Nick and Haley's Resources
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#241: Loving on Your Marriage

Happy Valentine's Day, Parents!
Ready to love on your marriage this week?
Don and Suz answer your questions about how to take care of your marriage. If you are looking for inspiration and practical ways to build your marriage relationship line- this podcast is made for you!
Questions we’ve gotten about marriage:
How do you invest time in your marriage?
1. Get date nights with your spouse!! It’s so valuable to spend intentional times with your spouse and if finances if a hindrance, get creative and find friends who would kid trade for a night. The benefits of being away from kids for an extended period of time can help create connections and a space to dream about your family’s future.
“Men often care about building a life with their teammate and investing in the marriage relationship by dreaming about what is next.” - Suz
“Women love getting a break from the constant needs and it fills up their cup. And we love having adult conversation.” - Suz
“Date nights are a must – if you don’t feel connected to your spouse – date nights are essential.” -Don and Suz
2. Go to bed together! Suzanne remembers asking Don to go to bed with her. She remembers her parents didn’t and she valued the sacrifice Don made to stay up later than he planned to spend a few moments processing with Suz before bed. It will change in certain seasons but going to bed together creates space for connection.
3.Sit by each other. A lot of parents are bookends for their kids (playing defense) but we chose to sit together no matter what. So much so it feels weird when we don’t sit next to each other.
4. Get your kids out of your bed!! This may be easier said then done (or controversial in today's society) BUT it gives both spouses a better chance of getting lucky😊 AND its a sacred space for connection between husband and wife.
How do you “learn” your spouse?
"Learning each other was essential in our first decade of marriage because we did not know how the other person operated. It took time to figure each other out but it was worth it! Often conflict and decision making were the main ways we learned how the other one operated." Suz
Don remembers the marriage getting better by the decade and working hard to understand each other’s differences is to our benefit, not detriment.
Both Don and Suz use the eneagram to help them learn their spouse. The 5 Love Languages also helped them know how to love and interact with their spouse in any given season.
No matter how old your marriage is, the goal is to be good to each other and build a life together you can submit to God when you reach Heaven.
A great question to ask yourself, is “what are you doing to take care of your marriage? How are you investing and finding new tools to help you have the best marriage possible.”
One of Suz’s favorite things is the shift in their humility- they went from always thinking their way was the right way. Now it is more of a place of connections. She feels like they come into situations with more of an open mind and heart to hear the other person out and decide together.
“When you accept your spouse, they will feel more accepted.” - Don
It’s simple but changing your perspective of how your spouse should act, respond, or love is essential to helping your marriage thrive. As a spouse, it is powerful to work on ourselves and change our perspective when our spouse interacts with us.
Main point: look at intent.
It’s not often the spouse is trying to deliberately hurt the other spouse. Our perspective needs to be benefit of the doubt instead of offense. It allows us to be kinder and more compassionate.
“A common phrase we say is, ‘we are on the same team- they are for me!’” - Suz
This is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to insights from Don and Suz's 30+ years of marriage. Hopefully you heard one takeaway you can start practicing TODAY!
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#240: Raising Little Boys (feat. Mollie Torres & Madeline Jones)

Are you a boy mom?
Mollie and Madeline (or first and second daughter) join Suz to talk about the honor of raising boys. They both have little boys and are pregnant with more boys! As a mom, today, we need the Holy Spirit’s guidance to raise mighty men of God.
Mollie and Madeline share their insights and struggles to raising 5 (and almost 5) year olds.
Bash is strong willed, emotional, and a collector😊
Truett is driven, curious, and loves sports.
God made both boys in HIS image and allowed Mollie and Madeline + their husbands the honor of raising them up to be like Jesus.
If you want to have a strong, fruitful relationship with your son, this podcast is a great place to start! Listen as each woman shares her revelations from God about mothering a son.
“God, show us how to parent your child.” -Mollie
Main Points:
Raising emotional sons + how to love them without catering to every emotion
Asking husband to help in areas you don’t understand
Training boys to have authority and honor
Getting them on your team + be a protector
Learning what they are interested in + building relationships
Walking with Holy Spirit + what to pray for them
Battling society when raising men of God
Want more insight on building relationships? Check out our Relationship and Culture Guides! Now available on Amazon!
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#239: It’s NOT too Late for Your Marriage (Feat. Dr. Wyatt Fisher)

Ready to talk marriage?
Join Don and Dr. Wyatt as they discuss marriage, intimacy, and practical ways to work on your marriage – no matter the season!
Dr. Fisher shares from experience about his troubled marriage and the power of God’s redeeming love. He gives hope (and practical tools) for any marriage.
Listen as him and Don explore the ups and downs of marriage and how husbands and wives can lean into what God is saying to bring restoration.
If you, or someone you know is having marriage struggles, this podcast is worth the listen!
Podcast Resources:
Contact Dr. Wyatt
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#238: Relating to Littles, Middles, and Bigs - Lying & Building Trust

Did you lie as a kid? We did!
Do your kids lie? Ours did!
We are taking a "hot parenting" topic and breaking it down for littles, middles, and bigs. Today’s topic is Stopping Lying and Building Trust.
Do you want to have honest kids? We hope so!
Do you want your kids to trust you and share what is going on in their world? We do too!
Don and Suz discuss so many valuable parenting tools in today’s episode. If your kids are struggling with valuing the truth, this episode is for you!
Here are a few things they discussed:
What is the motivation for the lie?
Kids don’t feel safe
Afraid parents will overreact
Don’t want to get in trouble/face the consequences so the lie is more favorable than the truth
They want to be accepted by others or to protect others
They don’t feel good about themselves, so they lie about their achievements- stop this lie by speaking into their identity
The main reason kid’s lie is they want their parent’s approval over whatever the thing is they are lying about. They want our approval more than they want the truth - isn't that wild? So what do we do as parents? We must make telling the truth valuable. We cannot get angry when our children lie or they will continue to lie. Our reaction directly determines the continues behavior of lying or not.
How this applies to Littles, Middles, and Bigs:
For ALL ages: Don’t label your child a liar. Speak who they are and that’s who they will be
Littles lie to protect themselves and feel out boundaries
Middles lie out of insecurity of self, world, don’t know what to do, relationship with parents not open & safe
Bigs lie because of trust in parents, world is telling them not to tell parents
Final Thoughts:
Building trust with each age group
How to respond when you find out they are lying
Know that deep down kids want to tell their parents all the things so it’s our role to help them do that despite what the world says, how they feel, how we respond. We get to walk along beside them as they face the world
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#237: What it Takes to Do January Right!

How is your January going...?
We are already 1/2 way through January, but we think it's time to Stop. Pause. Reset.
Don and Suz unpack a timely word for 2024 which can help you have your BEST January yet.
Here are a few things they discuss in today's episode:
Give yourself space to get back into a rhythm
How do we as parents, connect with our kids as we kick off the year
Letting January be a space where we build up our child
January = a month where you listen to your child instead of lecture them
Isaiah 43:19 says, "Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert (our underline)."
How do we allow God to do a new thing in our family as we start 2024:
Creating space for conversation and connection
Set January aside like a tithe to the Lord
Make conversation about THEM (no lectures!)
Family connection time/vision casting for the new year
Allow January to be the month of GRACE! Lean into the transition and let it come a little slower. Choose family over resolutions or goals. Choose relationship over doing everything right. We believe there are many parents out there who need to hear this word as we kick off the new year.
Choose relationships & share this with someone who needs vision for 2024!
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Visit the CCF Store
Follow us on Instagram

#236: Is Your Wife Attracted to You? (Feat. Mike Frazier)

BONUS EPISODE ALERT!
Join Don as he interviews Dr. Mike Frazier specifically about marriage relationships. We don't normally release episodes twice a week but this one was too good to sit on.
We are focusing on relationships in season 6 and this is an episode you will not want to miss.
Here are a few things they discuss:
Why do marriages struggle with attraction over time?
Where the “Christian culture” gets it wrong with marriage.
How any man can be attractive to their wife again.
Breaking mindsets and building a healthy relationship with your wife again.
Dr. Mike is passionate about family, specifically the husband/father role. He shares how a marriages can feel dry, boring, and broken- but that doesn't mean the marriage will end. THERE IS HOPE!
This podcast breathes life into marriages – so if you are struggling to feel attracted to your spouse – this podcast is for you!
Listen and share today! He also has podcasts and resources for you in the link below.
Podcast Resources:
Join the 5 Day Family Challenge
Dr. Mike Frazier's Resources
Dr. Mike's Social Media