Happy summer! I’m so excited that summer is finally here! Today’s episode is simply five tips for you to have a smoother summer.

We just got back from New York City celebrating Milly’s 10th birthday. Today’s episode is all about that trip and how we are celebrating big milestone birthdays in our family.

My nesting party was one of my favorite days of my life. I know that sounds so crazy, but it was so much more than just getting my home ready for having a baby. It was a day where I was surrounded by my favorite women on this earth, humbly receiving their love, work, and care. It’s a day that will always remind me that when I’m feeling alone, I’m actually not alone at all. I have women who love me. Today, I’m going to share the practical side of how to throw a nesting party and the heart side of why it meant so much to me. I’m going to have my friend and sister-in-law, Samantha Ray on to give her perspective of what it was like because she threw the nesting party for me. It’s going to be a lot of fun!

Last week’s episode was all about what’s saving my life right now - mom edition, but I focused on everything that was free. This week is everything else, so it’s part two of What’s Saving My Life Right Now - Mom Edition.

Let’s pretend you and I are sitting down at a coffee shop and you just asked me, “Nancy, what is saving your life right now as a mama of five?” Then I tell you everything that I can think of. That is what today’s episode is going to be.

Winsome Joy Ray, our precious fifth baby, was born at home on Christmas Day. This is her birth story.

Hello and welcome to May is for Mamas! I am so excited! I love this month of the year on the Work & Play podcast! We are kicking off this series with 20 of my favorite things that I have experienced this postpartum season. This is going to be a great episode for you to forward to a pregnant mama or someone who is postpartum. There is going to be a total of five episodes released every Thursday during the month of May with something for moms and something free for you (like a gift or a discount). It’s all going to be in every episode, but you have to stay and listen to the end, so don’t miss it. I can’t wait for May is for Mamas 2025. Let’s go!

Well, we just had our 5th baby and we decided to keep the news of our pregnancy all to ourselves until baby was born. Today, with the help of my friend Emily, I’ll be sharing all about why we chose this path.

Okay, friend! I have been keeping the biggest secret from you all year and I'm so excited to finally share it with you today. I don't think you're ready for this... Are you ready?

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Now it’s time to get into the Christmas spirit. Today, I’m going to be sharing my five favorite Christmas traditions, my five favorite gifts to give at Christmas time, and my five favorite Christmas albums to listen to.

Happy Thanksgiving week! Oh my goodness, I can’t believe we are here! Today’s episode is all about our very favorite Thanksgiving tradition. It’s so simple. It costs nothing. I hope you and your family enjoy it!

Happy November! I am setting the bar high this year for no one but myself. I feel like this is going to be a podcast experiment. I’ll let you know how it goes, but today I am sharing with you my extreme Christmas goals for this year.

If you’re anything like me, you’re already starting to think about the holidays and Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up. Today’s episode is simply going to be some questions for you to ask yourself (and for me to ask myself) before the holiday craziness begins.

Today’s episode is fun, lighthearted, and it’s all about fall. I am going to share with you ten things that I have tried and loved this time of year and ten things that I plan to try this autumn.

Today I have the privilege of talking with my friend, Hannah Brencher, the author of The Unplugged Hours: Cultivating a Life of Presence in a Digitally Connected World. Hannah is such a gift! I am so excited to share her with you today and the message of her new book that is already changing my life.

This episode of Work & Play with Nancy Ray is simply called, “Get Quiet, Then Go.”

We stare at the walls in our home every single day. Honestly, we just get used to them and we don’t think about what’s on them very much. Slowly, they become outdated or need a refresh. Old photos and artwork fill the walls of our home and we don’t love them like we used to. Today’s episode is meant to be a little boost for you and to remind you that the walls in your home are supposed to bring you joy. I am inviting you to refresh your walls with me.

The school year is here and it is time to get in that mode. I feel like today’s episode is a pep talk for us mamas who are getting ready to start the school year and we want to start it strong. This episode is called “School Prep and Play” because we are going to be talking about how to prepare well for the school year and also how to play more this school year.

Today’s episode is all about the purpose of summer. What is the purpose of summer? What is the purpose of your summer? What do you want to get out of it? How can we walk through summer with a heart of contentment, gratitude, really enjoy it and make the most out of it?

I believe the key to making your summer run smoothly is to do a lot of the work on the front end. So today’s episode is all about summer prep.