A Refuge for Refugees, Part Three: This is the Response

In the third and final episode in her series on her trip to Lebanon, Megan takes us to experience the education initiatives from World Vision and other aid groups, explores how anyone can respond to the crisis from where they are, and asks the question if there is a bigger takeaway for all of us in how we respond to those who are fundamentally different from us.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A REFUGE FOR REFUGEES PART THREE

CLICK HERE to give a one-time donation to World Vision's work in Syria
CLICK HERE to give a one-time or monthly donation to World Vision's REFUGEE RESPONDER program

WeWelcomeRefugees.com

Project Hive

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

A Refuge for Refugees, Part Two: These are the Syrians

In part two of this special series from Megan's recent trip to Lebanon with World Vision USA, she gives a brief history of the Syrian conflict, explores what an Informal Tented Settlement in Lebanon is like for Syrian refugee families, and discusses some of the effects of the difficulties of life as a refugee.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD A REFUGE FOR REFUGEES PART TWO

Further reading:

Grapes of Wrath: Refugees Face Steinbeck Scenario in Lebanon's Napa Valley, Christianity Today

Memories of a different Syria (pre-war photographs of Syria), France24

Syria's refugee crisis in numbers, Amnesty International

How Lebanon is coping with more than one million refugees, PBS

Videos:

Photos:

Megan with Syrian host family in ITS

Host family mother in the doorway of their tented home

Overhead view of ITS

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

A Refuge for Refugees, Part One: This Is Lebanon

This is part one of a three-part series covering Megan's recent trip to Lebanon with World Vision USA. In this episode, she introduces you to the country and people of Lebanon, exploring the importance of hospitality and the centuries-long tradition of providing refuge for others there. She also explores why the current Syrian crisis has lots of complicated perspectives.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD REFUGE FOR REFUGEES PART ONE

Map of Lebanon and cities mentioned in part one

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

Ep. 73 Lebanon Q&A

Been wondering about the nitty-gritty of Megan's trip to Lebanon? Today, Kelly sits Megan down in the (not-so)-hot seat to talk all about her first trip overseas. From navigating airports to solving mysteries of the bathroom abroad, she tells all about this most amazing adventure. All of that, plus a brand-new take on a seasonal vegetable and tear-jerking TV in Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES:

Eat Within Your Means: how to cook spaghetti squash
This Is Us

World Vision
Rich Stearns' The Hole in our Gospel

Find Kelly on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 73 OF SORTA AWESOME

Ep. 72 A little risk goes a long way

Megan is home from her trip to Lebanon with World Vision USA, and you'll get to hear all about what she learned there very soon. BUT, before she left, she and Laura invited the Awesome community to talk about a time they took a risk on themselves personally or professionally. In this episode, you'll hear stories of picking up and moving, of starting a new path, and of making something happen - all because of taking a little risk. All of that plus fantastic eye cream and zen for your ears in Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES:

Clinique Pep Start and All About Eyes
ZenMix.io

Find Laura on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 72 OF SORTA AWESOME

Ep. 71 Finding our rhythms with the awesome of routines

Though the calendar says we technically still have a few days of summer left, everyone knows that now that Labor Day has come and gone, it's time to get back in the saddle of regular routines. This week, Kelly and Megan do a deep dive into routines - HOW their homes run on them and WHY people choose certain paths to setting up the rhythms of life based on personality and temperament.  All of that plus pretty earrings and groceries online in Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES:

Noonday's Crescent Moon Earrings

This week's episode is brought to you by Eat At Home dinner plans. Use code "awesome" for 20% off of your meal planning membership! Find the recipe from today's episode here: Pork Chop and Veggies One Pan Dinner

Find Kelly on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 71 OF SORTA AWESOME

Ep. 70 Kinda crunchy or sorta soggy? All about natural living!

Whether you consider yourself as crunchy as a box of granola or soggy as this morning's oatmeal, you don't want to miss Megan and Rebekah's talk on all things natural living. They retrace their own steps on the pathway to natural living, and then tell all of the crunchy things they've let go of as well as the naturally-minded ways they just can't quit. The awesome that Rebekah loves to hate and a new book from one of Megan's favorite authors all in Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES

The Just Clean Something Challenge
Assimilate or Go Home, D. L. Mayfield
The Ministry of Funfetti, D. L. Mayfield

Live Renewed Blog
Green Your Life, Emily McClements
Good Guide
Skin Deep Database
Traditional Cooking School
Ultimate Bundles
Plant Therapy Kidsafe line
Grove Collaborative

Find Rebekah on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/sortaawesome or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 70

Ep. 69 A bunch of books to keep your brain busy

What did we read on summer vacation? Megan invited regular co-host Laura and returning guest Amy Allen Clark of MomAdvice.com to come talk all things books and reading to get your brain geared up for fall. They give their honest thoughts on some of the most buzzed-about books right now, as well as non-fiction and fiction selections that have kept them turning pages. All of that plus a great gift idea, a fantastic hair tip, and a wonderful kid care idea in Awesome of the Week!

Also! We would love for you to check out a new podcast project from Laura and Megan: Smartest Person in the Room! Find it now in your favorite podcast app or on the website.

This week's episode is brought to you by Eat At Home dinner plans. Use code "awesome" for 20% off of your meal planning membership! Find the recipe from today's episode here: 15 Minute Creamy Chicken Florentine Quesadillas at Eat At Home.

SHOW NOTES:

Framebridge
Love Taza: How I Style My Bangs!
Spontaneity Kid Care (Oklahoma CIty)

Mom Advice Reading Round-Ups
Mom Advice author interviews

The Nest; Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeny
All Things Cease to Appear; Elizabeth Brundage (Amy's interview with Elizabeth Brundage)
Dark Matter; Blake Crouch
The Girls; Emma Cline
The City of Mirrors; Justin Cronin
Truly Madly Guilty; Liane Moriarty
Hillbilly Elegy; J.D. Vance (American Conservative interview)
The Glass Castle; Jeannette Walls
American Heiress; Jeffrey Toobin
A Mother’s Reckoning; Sue Klebold
Columbine; Dave Cullen
The Mysterious Benedict Society; Trenton Lee Stewart
This Must Be The Place; Kate Racculia
A Murder in Time; Julie McElwain
A Thousand Pieces of You; Claudia Gray
All the Missing Girls; Megan Miranda
Love Warrior; Glennon Melton
The Trespasser; Tana French
Before the Fall; Noah Hawley
Lilac Girls; Martha Hall Kelly
The Underground Railroad; Colson Whitehead

MomAdvice Hangout Group
Global Book Club (Big Library Read)

Find Laura on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Find Amy at MomAdvice.com and on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 69

Ep. 68 Awesomes of our lives!

You already know that YOU are one of our favorites, right? We hope you do know that! In this week's episode, Megan and Kelly run through a list of other favorites of theirs - a collection of the awesomes of their lives. Megan makes a big announcement and, as always, there's plenty of Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES

EasyLunchboxes, Lunch Blox, plastic Ball jars. (UPDATE: we discovered since the show was recorded that the Ball freezer jars no longer have screw-on lids; so here's a better brand to use for lunch smoothies, they are more like what Kelly has: Bernadin Freezer Jars), silicone yogurt or nut tubes 
The Babysitter's Club Club podcast

1. Mo Willems' books
2. Shopping with Dad
3. The Best Pet of All
4. Riley and Rose in the Picture

Find Kelly on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 68 OF SORTA AWESOME

Ep. 67 Sweet little bundles of joy (and awesome!)

This week is all things pregnancy and new baby, and with good reason. The stork will soon be visiting the Sorta Awesome team! Tune in to find out who is expecting as well as hear some classic pregnancy confessions, thoughts on what to find out and when, and some of the best gift ideas for new moms. All of that, plus Awesome of the Week!

This week’s episode is brought to you by Your Camera and Your Life: A Beginner’s Photography Workshop. an 8-week, online photography class for DSLR users who want to know to use that big girl camera!

You can find out more at www.andreakatolin.com/workshop $10 off with the code "awesome" at checkout and you’ll hear more from course creator and teacher Andrea Katolin later in today’s episode!

SHOW NOTES:

The Royals
Modern Kiwi maxi dress

Wrong gender reveal
First year calendars
Pregnancy announcement!

Find Rebekah on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/sortaawesome or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 67
 

Ep. 66 Soundtracks of our lives (a group show!)

Hail, hail! The Sorta Awesome gang is all here, and our month-long summer break is over! Are you ready for a new group show? Rebekah, Kelly, and Laura join Megan this week as they break down the power of music in moments big and small. You'll hear their milestone music moments, songs that have had the most impact, and the silliest misunderstood lyrics from each of them. All of that plus DOUBLE the Awesome of the Week!

Don't forget to shop Sorta Awesome's Amazon link as you get ready for back to school and the (here before you know it!) autumn season. Thank you for supporting Sorta Awesome!

SHOW NOTES:

Garlicky Green Beans, Love Well Blog
Sweet Sally’s Soap
Amazon Echo
Stranger Things

SONGS AND ALBUMS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons
Little Miss Magic, Jimmy Buffett
You Never Even Called Me By My Name, David Allen Coe
Hands to Heaven, Breathe
No Woman, No Cry, Bob Marley
Wonderful World, Beautiful People, Jimmy Cliff
1200 Curfews, Indigo Girls
Language or the Kiss, Indigo Girls
Gold, Ryan Adams
I'm Wide Awake It's Morning, Bright Eyes
Some Nights, fun.
Carry On, fun.
No Longer Slaves, Bethel Music
Golden Slumbers, A Father's Lullaby
Blank Space, Taylor Swift
Tainted Love, Soft Cell
Voices Carry, 'Til Tuesday
Secret Agent Man, Johnny Rivers
Long Time Gone, Dixie Chicks

Find Kelly on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

Find Laura on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

Find Rebekah on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/sortaawesome or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 66
 

Ep. 65 Sisters, singles, and tingles with Emily Harris

Megan is joined this week by someone who has known her nearly since birth. Her younger sister Emily Harris is the very special guest co-host for this week's episode! They dish about sister dynamics, INFJ + ENFP, what the dating scene is like for a single woman in her late 30s, and make-up recommendations you don't want to miss. All of that, plus Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES
1. Maidenform Self-Expression high-waisted thigh slimmer
2. ASMR channels: massageASMR, Rhosgobel Rabbit ASMR, GentleWhispering, HeatherFeather
3. NYX Butter Lip Balm in Brownie
4. Dior Hydra Life BB cream
5. Make-up Geek
6. Charlotte Tilbury on Youtube
7. Gruene Hall

Find Emily on Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 65 OF SORTA AWESOME
 

Extra Awesome: Tsh Oxenreider on Hamilton

This is an EXTRA Extra Awesome episode featuring blogger, author, and podcaster Tsh Oxenreider who joins Megan to talk all about the musical Hamilton! Neither of them can contain their enthusiasm for this smash Broadway musical - the creator, the cast, the songs, and the message. In this bonus episode, you'll hear their takes on the show itself as well as why this musical is so important to our culture right now.

SHOW NOTES
1. Two Bossy Dames newsletter
2. Genius.com Hamilton soundtrack
3. Pop Culture Happy Hour interview with Leslie Odom Jr
4. Digital Ham4Ham at the White House

Find Tsh on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and wherever you listen to podcasts!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EXTRA AWESOME: TSH OXENREIDER

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram

Ep. 64 Love, marriage, and natural disasters

Summer love is in full effect for Sorta Awesome, and Megan and Laura are celebrating this week by sharing their love stories, from their very first loves to how they met their husbands. Later in the show, they dish on some of the biggest surprises marriage has brought. All of that, plus Awesome of the Week!

LAST CHANCE to take the Sorta Awesome Listener survey!
http://sortaawesomeshow.com/survey

SHOW NOTES

1. Jonathan Gold's Top 20 Restaurants in LA
2. Cary Elwes' As You Wish AUDIO BOOK
3. The Narrative Breakdown: Rainbow Rowell

Find Laura on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 64

Ep. 63 What we know now that we're here

Kelly joins Megan this week to indulge her in her birthday-inspired moment of deep reflection about life and learning and what wisdom they've gained along the way. They talk about how they've grown intellectually, what they are learning about their bodies, and the matters of the soul that they now know to be true. Lots of introspection ahead! And as always, Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES
1. Yoga with Adriene
NY Magazine: The best free yoga classes online
2. Code Switch: Can we talk about whiteness?
3. Dr. Emily Nagoski Come As You Are
4. D. L. Mayfield: the ministry of funfetti
 

Find Kelly on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 63
 

Extra Awesome: Jerusalem Greer on making summer great awesome as a working mom

Our latest Extra Awesome is an excellent follow-up to Sorta Awesome Episode 60: All the awesome for summer 2016. Jerusalem Greer joins us today to inspire all of our working moms to make a plan to make this summer great! She also shares some great tips and ideas for technology and teens in the summer months.

Jerusalem Greer: A Working Mom's Summer Survival Kit

Find Jerusalem on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EXTRA AWESOME WITH JERUSALEM GREER

Ep. 62 The good, bad, and (rarely) ugly of blogging

*** You can take our brand new listener survey by clicking here. It will only take a few minutes of your time and will help us SO MUCH! Thank you! ***

Rebekah is here this week to team up with Megan to answer a listener question about their blogging histories - what were the good, the bad, and the ugly parts? They also ponder whether or not blogging is dead and discuss current alternatives to blogging. All of that, plus Awesome of the Week!

SHOW NOTES

1. Do It On A Dime: Dollar Tree Hacks
2. Reply All
3. Simply Rebekah: Washing Disposable Swim Diapers
4. Simply Rebekah: The Day the Natural Living Community Turned On Me
5. SortaCrunchy: 15 Tips for Highly Sensitive Parents 
6. SortaCrunchy: the depressed christian: why the dark night is no measure of your soul 

Find Rebekah on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 62 OF SORTA AWESOME

Ep. 61 The best books to read right now!

Track down your library cards, charge up the Kindles, and find a bag big enough to haul all of your books to the pool this summer! This week, Megan welcomes regular co-host Laura Tremaine and returning guest Cara Pence to Sorta Awesome to spill on the best books you're going to want to read right now. From gorgeously crafted fiction to engaging true stories to books they can't wait to be released, this list won't let you down!

Awesome of the Week
Unreal
Raise You Up/Just Be, Kinky Boots
A Color Story

SHOW NOTES

Voxer app
SortaLiterary Facebook group

Books mentioned in this episode (in order of discussion)

Just Mercy, Bryan Stevenson
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
A Man Called Ove, Fredrick Backman
The Neopolitan Novels, Elena Ferrante
Pretty Baby, The Good Girl, Mary Kubica
Big Little Lies, Liane Moriarty
Ruby, Cynthia Bond
Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi
I Shall Not Hate, Izzeldin Abuelaish
While The City Slept, Eli Sanders
The Stranger Beside Me, Ann Rule
Becoming Wise, Krista Tippett
The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander
Girls & Sex, Peggy Orenstein
Life After Life, Kate Atkinson
City On Fire, Garth Risk Hallberg
The City of Mirrors, Justin Cronin
Truly Madly Guilty, Liane Moriarty
The Trespasser, Tana French
 

Find Laura on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EPISODE 61
 

Ep. 60 All the awesome for summer 2016!

Summer is just weeks away, and Megan and Kelly are both so giddy about it! This episode has ten awesome recommendations and top picks to make your summer better than ever. Everything from summer desserts and drinks to kissable lipstick and sweat-free skin are included in their top ten list. All of that, plus Awesome of the Week!

Awesome of the Week
The Liturgists Episode 34 - Black and White: Racism in America
Genius.com

SHOW NOTES

1. Circle by Disney
2. Summer Playlists
Summer Vibes for Moms + Kids
In the Summer Twilight
Tsh's Summer 2016
Lighten Up, Man
3. secret to great ribs!
4. Summer hair - highlights and hot oil from Heartful Habits
5. Revlon ColorBurst Balm (Cherish)
6. Fresh Body's Fresh Breasts
Jockey Skimmies
7. glow sticks
8. Summer Camp at Home
NurtureStore Art Spark
Playful Learning Online Classes
Pars Caeli Summer Explorers Series
9. Summer Desserts
Spicy Grilled Pineapple
Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Gourmet S'mores
10. Summer Drinks
Dark and stormy
Full thread in Hangout Group

Find Kelly on her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. And don’t forget to find us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 60

Ep. 59 Nate Hoffer crushing misconceptions about homelessness

You've been asking to hear from more of the Sorta Awesome husbands, and this week, we are thrilled to welcome co-host Rebekah's husband Nate to the show! Nate is the executive director of a homeless shelter, and in this week's episode, he challenges many of the misunderstandings and misconceptions regarding people experiencing homelessness. We know you'll appreciate his humble approach to this topic that is a blend of invigorating inspiration as well as practical advice. All of that plus Awesome of the Week!

Awesome of the Week
Thermos Funtainer
Ultimate Self-Care Guide for Highly Sensitive Parents
(find it here: https://www.facebook.com/highlysensitiveparents/)

SHOW NOTES
TED TALK: Dan Pallotta The Way We Think About Charity Is Dead Wrong

Find Rebekah on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

You can find Megan on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Visit sortaawesomeshow.com for show notes on this and every episode. Find us on Facebook or @sortaawesomeshow on Instagram

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EPISODE 59 OF SORTA AWESOME