Back in my eighties childhood in northeastern Ohio, my summer consisted of bike rides to our neighborhood pool with my …
Coffee+Crumbs: Aerosmith, Sin City, and Flipping the Bird
I’m probably not winning any Christian parenting awards. This year my husband, Alex, and I skipped Easter and flew to …
Coffee+Crumbs: Our Family Ghost
This morning I flushed another dump that wasn’t mine. I didn’t bother asking whose it was, because all three of …
Coffee+Crumbs: A Stink Bug Tried to Mate with Me
I live in Georgia, where the spiders and bugs are the size of dinosaurs. Since we don’t have enough freezing …
Coffee+Crumbs: Middle-Aged Sexy Time
“Agghh! My back! Why did you do that?!” I gasped. “I was trying to be sexy,” Alex admitted sheepishly. “I …
Coffee+Crumbs: We’re Pooper Scoopers
Last spring I got a new dog, Khaleesi, Protector of the Dale Kingdom, Mother of Maltipoos. Spring in Georgia is …
Coffee+Crumbs: The Most Isolating Thing I’ve Ever Experienced
I plod up the steps and open the door into the waiting room of the therapist’s office, coaxing my child …
Coffee+Crumbs: Moms Should Get a Pass for Public Peeing
Once there was a young mom. Well, young-ish. Okay, middle-ish mom with small children. Medium children. Okay, once there was …
Lighten Up #100: ONE HUNDRED. We did it. I need a nap.
I’m celebrating my 100th episode! ONE HUNDRED. This reminds me of the 100th day of school shenanigans when our kids …
Lighten Up #99: Alia Joy
Today I’m talking with Alia Joy, author of Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack. We start out trading colonoscopy stories. Anytime …
Lighten Up #98: Shannan Martin
Today I’m soooo excited for you to get to know Shannan Martin. Shannan is one of my faves. She’s wise …
Lighten Up #97: Failure Crossover with Sarah Bragg
Today, Sarah Bragg and I are talking about failure on our monthly crossover episode. We pick all the super fun …
Coffee+Crumbs: When Getting Pregnant Gets Hard
Monica: “I can’t believe this. My uterus is an inhospitable environment? I’ve always tried so hard to be a good …
Lighten Up #96: Infreakinfertility with Alex Dale
Hey and welcome to episode 96 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. AND Alex Dale. Because today my husband is …
Lighten Up #95: Tricia Goyer
Today I’m talking with Tricia Goyer, author of several million books and mother of several billion kids, about her new …
Lighten Up #94: Kay Wyma
Today I’m talking with author and host of the Say Something Show, Kay Wyma. We chat about that time she …
Lighten Up #93: Rachel Linden
Today I’m talking with Rachel Linden, author of the new novel Becoming the Talbot Sisters. She tells the riveting and …
Lighten Up #92: Fashion Crossover with Sarah Bragg
It’s time yet again for our monthly crossover episode with my good friend Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah. This month …
Lighten Up #91: Kimberly Stuart
Today I’m talking with Kimberly Stuart, writer of romance and author of the new book, Heart Land. Kimberly is incredibly …
Coffee+Crumbs: I See You, Teenage Daughter
Dropping the kids off for camp each year is a big event requiring weeks of preparation on my part to …
Lighten Up #90: Sarah Clarkson
Today I’m talking with author Sarah Clarkson, the daughter of Sally Clarkson, who we had on the show last year. …
Lighten Up #89: Patrice Gopo
Hey welcome to episode 89 of Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. Today I’m talking with Patrice Gopo, author of All the …
Lighten Up #88: Angry Crossover with Sarah Bragg
Today is our monthly crossover episode with Sarah Bragg of Surviving Sarah. You guys know the drill. Two podcasters, one …
Lighten Up #87: Liz Ditty
Today I’m talking with Liz Ditty, a spiritual director and teacher at Westgate Church in Silicon Valley and the author …