Crazy Cool Family

Hot Take - Burned out parents don’t build spiritually thriving families.

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, Don and Suzanne talk about how parents can learn to lead from overflow instead of exhaustion. They share honestly about what their own relationship with God looked like in different seasons of marriage and parenting — from babies and busyness to work stress, spiritual dry seasons, and building rhythms that last.

This episode is a practical and encouraging conversation for parents who want to stay connected to God, but feel like they don’t have enough time, energy, or margin.

In this episode, families will hear:

why parents need overflow to lead well

how to pursue Jesus in busy parenting seasons

practical ways to spend time with God when life feels full

what to do in spiritual dry seasons

how worship, Scripture, prayer, and simple habits can help parents stay spiritually filled

Don and Suzanne also share personal stories, spiritual practices that have stood the test of time, and encouragement for overwhelmed parents who want to raise kids who love Jesus.

If parenting has felt draining lately, this episode is a reminder that God wants to fill parents up first — so they can lead their families from a place of hope, peace, and overflow.

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Listen to this before your next Credit Card Statement...

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family podcast, Don and Suzanne tackle one of the most tension-filled topics in marriage: money.

After 35 years of marriage, they openly share how finances were one of the biggest sources of misunderstanding and conflict in their relationship — not because of bad intentions, but because they came into marriage with completely different money mindsets.

Don, a CPA with a master’s in tax accounting, approached finances with structure, planning, and spreadsheets. Suzanne, a self-described free spirit, had never balanced a checkbook before marriage and associated financial control with painful childhood memories. What one saw as responsibility, the other experienced as restriction. What one saw as freedom, the other interpreted as carelessness.

The result? Decades of miscommunication, avoidance, and tension around money.

In this honest and practical conversation, they unpack:

How early money misunderstandings created distance in their marriage

Why systems like strict budgeting and cash envelopes didn’t work for their personalities

The importance of building a financial system that fits both spouses

How generosity — especially tithing — changed their posture toward money

A simple “10-10 rule” concept: 10% giving, 10% saving, live on the rest

The importance of aligning spending with shared family values

Why discussing money before it’s spent prevents conflict later

The danger of credit card debt and the power of tackling it together

How hiring a financial coach became a turning point in their communication

They also reflect on how their financial journey shaped their children — and how today their married kids are handling money in healthier, more unified ways because they learned from their parents’ mistakes.

One of the most powerful takeaways from this episode is this:
The enemy will use money to create division if you let it.

But through communication, generosity, flexibility, and faith, money can shift from a source of contention to a tool for unity and blessing.

If you are in a season where finances feel tense, tight, or divisive — you are not alone. There is hope. The best is still ahead.

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Money Deep Dive

MoneySavingMom - podcast from earlier this month and a great resource!

March is about Money!

Episode 330 is a fun, practical, and faith-filled conversation as Suzanne sits down with Crystal Paine (MoneySavingMom.com) to help families approach money, time, and motherhood with wisdom and peace.

Crystal—mom of six (from almost 21 to age 3), writer, speaker, podcaster, and CEO of a small team—shares how her family learned to live intentionally and stay out of debt during law school by getting creative with groceries, simplifying, and focusing on what actually works in real life. She breaks down why saving money doesn’t have to mean clipping paper coupons (hello, digital deals!) and introduces a powerful mindset shift: time is money—so any “money-saving” habit should be worth the time it takes.

You’ll hear practical, step-by-step encouragement for overwhelmed moms, including why menu planning is the best first step (before trying to overhaul a budget), how to set a realistic grocery budget, and how to make slow, steady progress without stress. Crystal also explains why learning money systems can feel like learning a foreign language—and why starting small is the key to long-term success.

The conversation goes deeper as Crystal shares her parenting journey through a hard season, how God reshaped her heart, and the story of foster care, adoption, and unexpected pregnancies that changed everything. She reminds listeners that the foundation for home management isn’t hustle—it’s starting with prayer, trusting God with the day, and letting Him multiply what we don’t have.

Crystal leaves families with one central takeaway: Emmanuel—God with us. You don’t have to white-knuckle life alone. God is present, powerful, and faithful in the details.

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MoneySavingMom

Don't save your marriage for.... later!

In this episode of the Crazy Cool Family Podcast, we sit down with McKenzie (our 4th daughter) to introduce the marriage Deep Dive “Fostering Love in Your Marriage.” She has been married for 4 1/2 years and has two tiny, beautiful daughters.

Together they unpack why the word fostering matters — nurturing, cultivating, and fighting toward something good — and why so many couples drift into fighting against each other instead of fighting for their relationship. Suz and Kenz talk about how marriage can become a “back burner” once kids arrive, but why it’s worth prioritizing again because children can feel unity and disunity in the home.

The conversation centers on returning to what God says about love and marriage, using Scripture as the anchor rather than relying only on the world’s tools. They also share practical rhythms couples can start using right away, including making time, practicing honesty, doing regular check-ins, and choosing to love with intentionality.

If you are looking for a way to invest in your marriage this month, this is the podcast for you. Listen and share with a friend, today!

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In this episode, Don and Suzanne talk with Casey and Meygan Caston from Marriage365 about simple, practical marriage tools for busy parents. If your relationship feels stuck in logistics, resentment, or disconnection, this conversation gives you actionable habits you can start right away.

You’ll learn how small, daily investments — not grand gestures — build strong, lasting marriages.

In This Episode:

The weekly marriage check-in meeting that reduces conflict

How to share the mental load as a couple

Why thriving marriages use tools and systems

How to apologize in a way that actually repairs relationships

The power of forgiveness and humility in family life

Why initiation is leadership in marriage

How to work on your marriage — even if your spouse won’t engage yet

How healthy marriage habits impact your kids

Get Their BOOK! The Marriage Habit — practical habits and tools to build connection, repair conflict, and strengthen your marriage.

Something to Try This Week:

Schedule a 30-minute weekly marriage meeting

Practice one intentional apology

Initiate one connection moment daily

Ask your spouse how you can lighten their load

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