In this episode, Larry & Dawne are joined by special guest, Ethan A Poetic.  In March of 2011, Ethan was involved in a horrific car accident with an 18 wheeler in Lancaster County, PA, and was given a 1% chance of survival.  And survive he did.....after a high risk surgery, woke up a few days later and was declared a walking, living miracle. Ethan shares some of the challenges of his life leading up to the accident and the inspiration he took from those he met along the way.   He also discusses his rehabilitation and long road to recovery and the eventual path he took in life, including graduating from Millersville University with a bachelors degree in Speech Communications.    The more people came to know his story, the more he discovered his purpose to inspire and help others.  Ethan became a self published author and wrote his Autobiography titled "The Inspirational Story of Ethan A. Poetic: Chronicles of Adversities, Education, Sports, Relationships, & Resiliency."Today, Ethan is the CEO & Founder of Ethan A. Poetic, LLC, to empower people towards overcoming their adversities, life’s challenges & hardships.   In addition to being an author, he is also a keynote speaker, life coach, mentor, and mental health advocate.Ethan helps bridge the gaps to inspire the youth inside the classrooms, cafes, playgrounds, sports, music, after school programs and community engagement. He sees himself inside the youth relating to their struggles, poverty, single-parent household and needing leadership towards the right direction in life.Ethan can be contacted through his website:Website https://ethanspeaks.com/

In this episode, Larry & Dawne are joined by special guest, Natalie Mullin, a Disruptive Wellness Activist and Holistic Life Coach based outside of Toronto, Canada.  We are excited for you to hear this podcast because it is another amazing story of overcoming life challenges when you did not see them coming.  Natalie shares her remarkable journey following a marriage separation that she did not want nor expect.   Left to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Natalie ultimately chooses to follow a path of self love, personal wellbeing, and surrendering to God.  While it sounds obvious and ideal, when you are in the midst of devastation and despair, choosing this path takes incredible strength and courage. Along the way, you will learn about the importance of:- Accepting what you cannot control- Surrendering to God even while questioning why this is happening- The importance of surrounding yourself with family, friends and mentors- Reconnecting with the person you used to be- Choosing joy, and the creative way Natalie's friend took to lead her to this pointAfter working through the pain to find joy, and ready to resume her life, an amazing twist of fate occurs when Natalie and her husband meet by chance and make the decision to give their marriage another try.   Hear the unique approach they took to forgive the past and focus on building a new relationship.   Today they live in Canada with their two and a half year old son.  Natalie is the host of the "From A Full Cup" Podcast, and uses her profound transformation and now purpose to help others going through a similar experience:- She runs a Separation to Restoration program to help people focus on healing themselves as they seek to reconcile their relationship.- She teaches Disruptive Wellness around creating barriers, walking away from toxic relationships, learning to say no, and advocating for themselves. Natalie can be reached at the following:Website: https://nataliemullin.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-mullin/ Complimentary Coaching Call: https://tidycal.com/nataliemullin/complimentary-coaching Wellness Audit: https://from-a-full-cup.ck.page/93236e5b48

Despite the title of their Podcast, Dawne & Larry discuss the times when you cannot just hack your way through life, or in particular, specific life circumstances.    These circumstances, such as a divorce, the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, or an adverse health diagnosis...and the personal pain associated with them...require a different approach to overcome and heal from.   Too often, we are wired to look for the quick fix, to figure out a way to suppress or go around the pain rather than through it.   While the immediate results might feel good in the moment, the quick fix approach often leads to remaining stuck from moving forward and having to deal with these same circumstances that worsen over time.  From their own personal experiences, some of their recent guests, and many others who they work with on a consistent basis, Dawne & Larry know the best way to deal with significant life challenges is to face them head on and do the necessary work to overcome.They discuss what it means to actually do the work and they also share practical advice and steps to take for a proactive approach that will help you move forward through the healing process.   Along the way, they discuss topics such as the influence of their faith as a guiding force, the importance of journaling, the decision on whether to take medicine or not, and the role of a coach or therapist to assist your efforts.The end result of doing the work instead of going around it is clarity.  Clarity to prioritize your life according to what's most important, to make clear decisions, to have meaningful relationships, to live the life you were meant for, and much more!

In this episode, Dawne & Larry are joined by a very special guest, Dawne's oldest daughter Lexi Jacoby.   Lexi has had quite the health journey over the past few years.  It started with an array of symptoms - sudden unexplained weight gain, problems with her monthly cycle, horrible acne, constantly bloated and sick after everything she ate, sleep issues, constant fatigue, racing heart and much more.  Her first step was going to her primary care physician to get bloodwork done and discuss the issues to find out what was going on. She had to beg for the bloodwork despite her symptoms, but she finally got it done.The bloodwork revealed elevated levels in her liver functions to which her doctor suggested that she should lay off alcohol and decrease Tylenol, neither of which she consumed often.Lexi ultimately felt let down by her doctor so she took matters into her own hands and sought out a holistic physician.  One who would get to the root cause of the issues - not try to put a bandaid on it.  Lexi knew in her heart there was something wrong and thank goodness she was an advocate for her own health because there was a lot wrong....which she shares in great detail on this episode today.Lexi was on a mission to heal from the inside out and has transformed her health through a lifestyle change which incorporates the food she eats, the products she uses, her exercise regimen, natural calming remedies, and everyday self care.  Her mission is to now help others who have had or are currently having these same issues.To learn more, you can follow Lexi's Instagram dedicated to this topic @ healing_lifestyle_with_lexiand her tiktok is linked in her bio as well.Resources that she mentions in this episode are as follows:My instagram: healing_lifestyle_with_lexi - tiktok is linked in bio as well Holistic Healing in Wayne, PA - Dr. Nadia AliLionville Natural Pharmacy, Lionville, PA - Ben Briggs, and Mike BriggsFullscript for high quality supplements physicians use: https://fullscript.com/ - a lot of physicians will have discount codes available through their websites/instagramEWG Website and App for rating clean/toxic home and self products along with information about what every ingredient and chemical is and does to our body *amazing resourceEWG Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen - which to buy organic, highest/lowest pesticide and chemical amoutnsDirty Dozen: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.phpClean Fifteen: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.phpAldi for cheaper produce (organic if possible!)Good RX for coupons for medicationsGhia for non-alcoholic aperitif or seltzers: drinkghia.comYuka app - easily scan (free version) or type in ($8/year) products to have ingredient list rated for toxic ingredients like endocrine disruptorsBobby approved app - guide for clean eating / food productsThink Dirty app - another scan or type in products app like Yuka to see if there are any harmful ingredients or "clean"Flo app - for tracking cycle naturallyPremom app - use the app along with the LH test strips to test ovulation and then log in the app for results so can track cycle along with FloDown Dog app - free or paid, amazing at home yoga app with many customizations/various types of yoga practices, focus areas, levels, etc.Insight timer - free meditation app

In this episode, Larry & Dawne focus on the difficult topic of suicide awareness and prevention.    Their community outside of Philadelphia has been devastated by teenage suicide over the past six years, and they would like to bring insights and tools to anyone who feels they are at risk or those supporting them.    They are joined by special guest Dennis Gillan, founder and executive director of the Half a Sorrow Foundation.  Dennis turned his tragedy into purpose after losing his two brothers to suicide. He is a highly sought-after speaker and mental health advocate. His candid story of perseverance creates connection, instills hope, and helps break the stigma of talking about mental health. Dennis shares the heart wrenching story of his brothers Mark and Matthew, and how that ultimately became the motivation to turn his misery into his mission to help others avoid the same heartbreak that he has endured.  He talks about the 15-24 age group and the work he does in schools and on college campuses, including a hopeful story about one student who had the courage to raise his hand to say "that's me" as Dennis was going through the warning signs, and how his friends surrounded him and wouldn't let him go anywhere.     Dennis also addresses some of the other demographic groups and their challenges.  Dennis discloses some of the warning signs to look out for across three groups - talk/text, behavior and mood.   He also shares a very direct way to approach someone who you suspect may be considering suicide.   He explains the genesis of his "purple file" and how it made it into Entrepreneur magazine.   The size of that file tells you everything you need to know about the impact that Dennis is making in this world.  Dennis closes with information about his foundation, Half A Sorrow.    We would encourage all of you to go to his site and review the information and services that he provides, and if you are leading a school, organization or company and want to provide your students/members/employee's with critical information in the area of Suicide Awareness and Prevention, please consider bringing in Dennis to give a Keynote or lead a workshop.    More information, including his highly impactful TEDx talk on combating loneliness, can be found at:halfasorrow.orgYou can reach Dennis directly at:dennis@halfasorrow.orgIf in crisis, please call or text 988 to the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

In this episode, Larry & Dawne are joined by a very special guest, Dawne's youngest daughter Cierra Jacoby.   Cierra teaches 3rd grade at a local school in the suburbs of Philadelphia.  She takes them through a day in the life of a teacher, intermixing heartwarming and hilarious stories with the serious realities of teaching in 2024.  Amongst the topics that Cierra discusses:- The many hats that a teacher must wear each day.- How the reality of teaching is so much different than her college prep.- Handling the everchanging emotions of the kids throughout the day.- Working with parents for the benefit of their children.- The harsh reality of the topics they need to deal with and be prepared for today.- The impact of social media and how the kids are growing up too fast.- How Covid changed the teaching and learning process.- Positive and negative impact of technology.They also discuss Cierra's exciting plans for the upcoming year with her fiance Doug and their golden puppy, Missy May.   Finally, Cierra closes with her advice for all new teachers who are facing a different reality than their expectations - spoiler alert - she loves the joy and fulfillment that she receives from being with the students each day!

In this episode, Larry & Dawne are joined by special guest and friend, Heidi Watson.  Heidi is a Lifetime Fitness instructor who overcame her own battle with obesity from childhood into adulthood and knew she needed to make a change.  She is here to discuss the importance of health and fitness at every age and share her inspirational story of overcoming, which all started with her courage to walk through the door of a Zumba class one day, at the height of her pain.Larry & Dawne picked this topic because it's something they are passionate about and it's a way of life for them.  They share their personal benefits to exercise as parents, entrepreneurs and active participants in life.Heidi's journey started with the tragic passing of her adoptive mother at age two and the chaos that ensued, leading to a childhood of binge eating and being bullied.   These patterns continued well into her 30's when her "why"...her two daughters... provided the impetus for change.    Wanting to be active and strong for them and to let them know she cared, she accepted an invite from her cousin to join her at a Zumba dance class.   Overcoming the flashbacks to the trauma from her childhood, she summoned the courage to walk in the door and face all the "perfect" people...who just so happened to be perfect, but not in the way she imagined.   Coming from all different shapes, sizes and backgrounds, they welcomed her with open arms and she had a blast.   It was the spark for change she needed, and she never looked back.You will be inspired by her path toward healing her childhood wounds while also healing her overall health, including seeking professional input from a nutritionist and therapist, highlighting the importance of gathering input from experts to assist you in making life altering changes. Motivated by her new found love for fitness, Heidi invested in herself by taking additional fitness classes, ultimately leading to a career change from hair dresser to a full time instructor role at Lifetime Fitness's first location in the State of Pennsylvania.   She now teaches all of Lifetime's classes in multiple locations and brings high energy, expertise and enthusiasm to her students...completing a truly remarkable journey of transforming her pain into her purpose to serve others.   You can follow Heidi on Instagram @scribegirl18 and Facebook @Heidi Watson.

In this episode, Larry & Dawne encourage anyone who is thinking of starting a Podcast to go for it!Starting a podcast can be scary and intimidating, at least it was for them.  But after producing their first 10 episodes of the His & Her Life Hacks Podcast, they tear down this preconceived notion and take you through the straightforward steps to produce a show.With the caveat that there are certainly more advanced and sophisticated methods, they walk you through their relatively simple hardware setup.   Then they explain the software platforms that they use to record and edit both the video and audio version of the podcast and distribute to YouTube, Apple, Spotify, etc. They divulge their secret for how they prepare for each episode and some of the emotions they have gone through right before filming...how they show up on screen isn't always how they looked moments before!   Then there are the challenges of handling the noise interruptions, like when the landscapers start up their engines a few minutes into filming!They also share some of the awesome feedback they received from the listeners during the first season, from the direct messages, texts, emails and in person exchanges.   You told them that there is value in their content and to keep going.   So they are onto Season 2!Season 2 will be a mixture of more of their own life hacks, along with bringing on special guests.   They have received requests for topics beyond their own expertise, so they will be inviting experts on to share their knowledge, best practices and unique inspirational stories of overcoming.    There may even be a few special guests with the same last names!  The calendar is being developed now, so stay tuned for an exciting new episode each week.  Finally, they would like to thank you for all of your support and engagement throughout Season 1.   Your feedback and positive reaction to each episode made the effort to produce the show well worth it!   #blueyeti#riversidefm#buzzsprout

For all those who are considering giving a puppy to your children this holiday, or for those who have already done so in the past......this episode is for you!In this episode, Larry & Dawne share the heartwarming and hilarious story of how their precious Oakley, an English Cream Golden Retriever, was introduced into Larry's family.  Although Larry grew up with dogs, getting a puppy for a growing family of eight children was never something he seriously considered, despite the best persuasion efforts of his daughter Carmel, who had a puppy at the top of her Christmas wish list for 5 years.But along comes Dawne, a lover of dogs, who thinks it would be a perfect gift for the children.  She convinces Larry that it is time, and they embark on the journey to pick out a puppy and surprise the kids on Christmas Eve.   But their perfect plan needs to change after a nightmare first night of an overactive bowel system, a nasty rain storm, and no sleep!Despite the challenges, the gifting of Oakley to the Ambrose children produces the perfect moment when the kids come to the realization that the puppy that Dawne is holding as she walks into their family room, is actually theirs!   And Carmel's reaction?  Well in the words of the famous commercial...Priceless!They close by describing how Oakley has perfectly complemented their family and how they could not imagine life without him.   So, if you are on the fence on whether or not to gift your kids a new pup....our recommendation is a resounding YES!

In this episode, Larry & Dawne discuss how to cope during the holiday's when you are going though challenges in your life.    The holiday season is supposed to be the most joyous time of the year.    But there are seasons of your life when you may be going through significant hardship due to the loss of a job, financial struggles, a loved one who has passed away, a medical issue, a broken relationship, etc.    During these times, the holiday's can be anything but joyous.  Larry & Dawne share some of their own personal coping mechanisms that helped them navigate very emotional and stressful times, while trying to maintain the joyous experience for their children.   They share how keeping traditions and creating new ones, can be helpful to everyone involved, and ways in which you can stay in gratitude along the way.They offer hope and support to those who find themselves in this predicament as the calendar turns to December, and in this season of giving, encourage others who are in a position to do so, to seek out family and friends in need and offer a helping hand.  It could make all the difference in the world for them and their family!

What is your origin story?    In this episode, Larry & Dawne discuss the fascinating topic of your origin story, the wounds that we experience typically during the formative years of our childhood and create a blueprint that unconsciously influence our behavior into adulthood.    Everyone has something, whether occurring  in a moment or over a period of time.  Examples of this would be parental abuse, addiction within the family dynamic, a traumatic event that took place, or the loss of a close family member or friend.  They discuss their respective origin stories, and how they manifested themselves, from Larry always feeling unsettled and anxious - resulting in a feeling of unworthiness and always needing to prove himself,  to Dawne feeling anxious, scared, alone to figure things out herself and always walking on eggshells as a people pleaser - which resulted in her not wanting to use her voice professionally or personally, having an extreme lack of confidence. These were all unconscious until triggered, then came to surface unknowingly and impacted their relationships and career.  They then discuss the events in their lives that led them to face directly into the pain that these wounds had caused in order to heal.   A perspective of gratitude enabled them to accept and forgive the past, allowing them to operate as whole healthy person, and live in a spirit of joy.   We hope you enjoy this episode.   It is really a thought provoking topic.   Most importantly, it is never too late to dig in and do the hard work, to resolve any conflict caused by your origin story/childhood wounds, in order to live the life you deserve!

In this episode, Larry & Dawne discuss the differences they had following Larry's traditional career path with a college degree vs. Dawne's, without a college degree.   Dawne dives into the challenges she came up against while trying to climb the corporate ladder, but also how that instilled in her a strong determination and work ethic to succeed.   They then dive into the dynamic that took place during Covid between the applicants and HR leaders as the job market shifted from massive layoffs to the accelerated demand for hiring quality candidates.  They discuss how the career landscape has evolved for both their children and themselves providing additional options beyond pursuing a career that requires a college degree.   These are the traditional trades, such as plumbing, electrical and HVAC, as well as the creator economy, which has boomed since Covid in which anyone with a purpose, a set of skills that solves a specific need, and a laptop, can launch a business from anywhere and reach a global audience.We hope you enjoy it!

In this episode, Larry & Dawne discuss the difficult balance between enabling and empowering your children.   As parents, our natural instincts are to do whatever we can to protect and shelter our children from negative experiences.   But by working through failure and pain, our children grow and mature, setting themselves up for success in the future.   Larry and Dawne discuss how their parenting styles were completely different due to life's circumstances....and how they feel their parenting positively and negatively affected their children.Raising 10 children between them, spanning from middle school to  high school to college to adulthood, they share a few experiences where their children were stuck in different situations which left Larry and Dawne to make the difficult decision to push them through the pain and discomfort of doing what they didn't want to do....ultimately ending positively....but the pain of doing it was real!Parenting is hard stuff!!

In this episode Larry and Dawne share how they started to date again in their adult years.    They discuss the difference between meeting organically, online dating and how being introduced by a mutual friend worked best for them.  They then dive into the importance of showing up to the first date as yourself and not trying to be someone else.   Key to having a meaningful relationship is healing the wounds from your past so that you don't transfer them to the next person. Listen in as they share some of their secrets and tips that help them stay connected through the distance that separates them.  Laugh along as they describe an event that took place early in their dating journey that converted two strong willed, independent individuals into a true couple that learned how to give and take for the benefit of their relationship and their kids.  Finally, they discuss some of the core values that are important to their relationship and making sure they stay focused on each other while they navigate the chaos and blessings in their life!

In this episode we take a step back to "Dawne's Story".  We received an overwhelming response to this podcast - filled with heartfelt testimonials of other similar stories and questions wanting us to expand on certain areas of Dawne's story. So, today we expand on Dawne's childhood, the mother wound, how this wound repeats in our life and continues to show up in our adulthood.  Dawne also points out the red flags to look for in new relationships, or even existing ones.Finally, Dawne shares how her faith was non-existent as a child but later restored and was the catalyst to learning that her pain she endured throughout her 47 years was not that she was put on this earth to be tortured, but meant for greater purpose. She now dedicates her life to helping people heal and overcome their pain by identifying where they are struggling - so they too can overcome their childhood wounds and live free from the pain and limiting beliefs that have been bestowed upon them and holding them back from living a life of joy.

In this episode, Larry shares the story of meeting his wife Chris in 1991 and her tragic passing in 2011.   Supported by family and a community that loved them, he and his eight children were eventually able to navigate life again.   But living a chaotic life as a single parent and corporate executive eventually took its toll, leading to a crash in 2017.    Forced to face into his reality, he doubled down on his faith in God and went through a gut wrenching and soul searching process to heal.   With clarity came a new life mission statement and the decision to leave his career to stay home and give his children what they needed most...a dad who was fully present to them.  Thriving again, he shares how living in faith and with joy led to meeting his fiancé Dawne and forming their company Grit2Grace to help those in need become unstuck, find their true purpose, and live a life of joy.

Dawne & Larry offer suggestions and relatable moments that derive from the transition from summer to back-to-school madness!   Topics discussed include:Back to school shopping and how men approach it differently than women.Moving kids back to college and into apartments, and how important the roommate coordination is!Helping the older boys avoid the pitfalls of selecting the right apartment.Navigating all of the medical appointments that seem to mount up this time of year.Supporting one of the girls through a very personal decision regarding a tattoo.  Doing all of this while we got engaged and launched our business!Reflecting on how handling all of this would have been a major challenge in the past, while now looking to create experiences with the kids and taking full advantage of our time together.How we stay connected with each other while living apart amidst the chaos, such as date nights, nightly FaceTime's, keeping it light and laughing, sharing our faith and attending church together, etc.

Dawne and Larry were former high-achieving corporate executives both living outwardly successful lives. Internally, they were spiraling. Life circumstances had brought them to their knees. Rather than giving up, they leaned into their Faith and did the hard work to make themselves whole again. Now thriving, they are on a mission to lead others to find their true purpose so they too can live a life of joy. Launching this Podcast is part of our mission. In today's episode, we will provide an introduction into who we are, why we are doing this podcast, and the mission behind it. Topics discussed include: • Life hacks from a his & her perspective. • Introducing ourselves and how we learned we had a common mission during our first date. • Some of our experiences that we will share with you including parenting 10 kids in total from ages 12 to 30, overcoming significant loss by digging deep to do the necessary work to find our purpose and thrive again, navigating 30 year career's in corporate America, many as a single parent, and falling in love and learning how to build a relationship again in our 50's.• Why we formed Grit2Grace, a company designed to offer hope, inspiration, and real-world solutions to those in need. Through our experiences and transformative process, we teach you how faith, resilience and hard work can help you: Get unstuck and find your true purpose Overcome and heal through loss Remove limiting beliefs Navigate single parenting challenges across many different ages and circumstances Double down on your Faith to find true joy.... and much more