Explore every episode of the podcast The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading

Managing evening routines with four kids under six presents daily challenges that require flexibility, patience, and a consistent framework. Parenthood transforms us into versions of ourselves we never imagined possible, handling the beautiful chaos of young family life.

• Striking a balance between consistent bedtime routines and summer flexibility
• Reset the entire house after dinner with a family "power tidy" system
• Divide evening responsibilities between partners without rigid role assignments
• Implement age-appropriate chores for children as young as four years old
• Coordinate multiple bedtime routines simultaneously while maintaining sanity
• Find small moments of personal time even within chaotic evenings
• Recognize that the intensity of parenting multiple young children is temporary
• Acknowledge both the exhaustion and the deep pride of raising young children

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This episode is part confession, part therapy, for any mom drowning under a sea of plastic toys, overzealous grandparents, and the guilt that keeps you from tossing it all in a donation bin. I’m sharing what our kids bedrooms really looks like (hint: 5 baskets of stuffed animals, and that’s just the start), the infamous Belle doll incident that broke me, and how I’m learning to set boundaries, release guilt, and reclaim our space. We’ll talk systems, scripts, and why you are allowed to say, “This doesn’t belong here.” It’s not about the stuff—it’s about protecting your peace, your kids’ imaginations, and your home’s heartbeat. If you need permission to do a ruthless toy purge, this is it.

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In honor of our late cousin Tim, I wanted to carry his birthday card legacy alive and well —armed with a spreadsheet, stamps, and a stack of Trader Joe’s finest $1 cards. In this episode, I share the surprisingly simple system that keeps me organized, why the little act of sending a card matters more than you think, and how you can keep the kindness ripple going in your own mailbox. Because maybe we all need a little less scrolling and a little more postage stamps.

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We're talking all about starting solids with sanity for babies around six to twelve months, sharing raw and honest approaches without losing your mind during this beautiful yet messy period of development.

• Most nutrition from birth to 12 months comes from milk/formula - solid foods are just a bonus
• Starting with simple whole foods like blueberries, bananas, and avocados requires minimal prep
• Balance both baby-led weaning for independence and purees for added nutrition
• Constipation challenges are normal - pears, prunes and peaches help get things moving
• Sanity-saving supplies: silicone bibs with catchers, easy-clean high chairs, and freezing homemade purees
• Feed babies in just a diaper to avoid constant outfit changes
• The "decoy spoon" trick: give baby a spoon to hold while using another to feed them
• Expose babies to family meals when possible but have backup options ready
• Give yourself grace - some days will be homemade purees, some days will be Cheerios

Just remember this challenging phase is temporary but meaningful - we're teaching our children that food is colorful, fun and nourishing.

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In this episode, I’m sharing my top picks for summer reading in 2025, from literary fiction and psychological thrillers to gripping dystopian tales. I also have a special selection for children ages 4-7, if you're planning on taking any family roadtrips, these would make excellent audiobooks! 

Read along with me this summer! Summer 2025 List: 

1. These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant 
2. The Light Pirate by Lily Brooks-Dalton 
3. The Grace Year by Kim Liggett 
4. Ask for Andrea by Noelle W. Ihli 
5. The Wedding People by Alison Espach 
6. The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding 
7. The Quiet Tenant by Clemance Michallon 
8. Long Bright River by Liz Moore 
9. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab 
10. Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino

Four Children's Books (ages ~4 to 7 years old)

1. The Wild Robot by Peter Brown 
2. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo 
3. Pax  by Sara Pennypacker 
4. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

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After a week of sickness, missed routines, and general chaos, getting back on track can feel overwhelming. In this gentle, honest episode, I share what it looks like to reset slowly—without pressure or perfection. From freezer meals and fresh bedsheets to spiritual grounding and small acts of beauty, this is an invitation to begin again with compassion. Whether you’re coming off a lost week or just craving a softer reentry into daily life, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to bounce back all at once.

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Welcome to Installment #6 of What We Ate This Week, how I prepped and what I spent! This was a lovely and smooth week filled with simple meals, lots of grilling, and zero food waste. The grand total for the 6 of us was $250+ for two Trader Joes trips and a super quick Costco run. 

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This week, we're diving into God of the Woods, a gripping literary mystery set in the Adirondacks. With shifting timelines, vivid imagery, and rich character work, Liz Moore weaves a haunting story of family secrets and long-buried truths. Stay tuned through the end for a spoiler segment and one big lingering question.

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If you flinch every time someone asks “What’s for dinner?”—you’re not alone. In this episode, we unpack why that one simple question feels so loaded, especially for moms juggling the mental load. I share real talk on meal planning stress, emotional exhaustion, and why the timing of that question makes it feel like a personal attack. Plus, I offer practical tips (and a little humor) to make dinner planning just a little easier.

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I’ve really noticed a difference in how much less overwhelmed I feel. The best part? I’m not trying to keep everything in my head anymore. If you’re anything like me, that mental load can get heavy. But having this simple, month-by-month reference has made it so much easier to keep everything on track.

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1. Baby #1 Birth Story — Episode #41
2. Baby #2 Birth Story — Episode #42
3. Baby #3 Birth Story — Episode #92
4. Baby #4 Birth Story — Episode #146

Practical Resources:

1. The Mama Natural by Genevieve Howland
2. Ina Mya's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin

Pro Tips: 

• Ask for Natera's self-pay option - $250
• Fresh Test for alternative glucose screenings (non-GMO, gluten free, artificial flavoring free, dye free, BPA free and preservative free)

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Five Overrated Books I've Read Recently: 

1. A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
2. The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
3. The Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
4. The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
5. We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer

PS. The new to us children’s book we loved: Truman by Jean Reidy

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Outdoor Spring Activities with Kids

1. Nature Walks: Around the neighborhood, a new to you trail, or park
2. Staring a Simple Gardening
3. Picnics, try one in your own backyard! 
4. Exploring New-to-You Playgrounds / Parks / Trails 
5. Biking + Walking + Scootering around the neighborhood
6. Outdoor Art Projects (using chalk, grass, flowers, rocks, & sticks)
7. Bird Watching -- so fun!

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So much to love with this novel, however the ending was terrible that made so little sense. 

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Mindfulness Practices Motherhood This Spring:

1. Evening cup of tea
2. Daily gratitude journaling
3. Moment of mindfulness in the mornings
4. Phone-free time challenge
5. Mindful listening 

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I tracked all my 20204 impulse purchases on Amazon and Target. Here are the things I loved, and worked out super well, in addition to all the things I deeply regret. 

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Peaks and Valleys: Making Good and Bad Times Work for You by Spencer Johnson

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Oh boy, this book left me very underwhelmed, which was a bit disappointing from a Liane Moriarty book! Here's why... 

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1. Starting the day with an empty dishwasher. This typically happens the night before, it’s the last thing my husband does before coming up stairs for bed. 
2. The daily load of laundry, ideally started first thing in the morning
3. A shower. Doesn’t happen everyday, at this point
4. 10-15 minutes of weights and or a 30+ minute stroller walk
5. One small home task, like vacuuming a room, or wiping down the bathroom, organizing a drawer, etc. 
6. A clean kitchen after breakfast + a home reset before leaving the house
7. Dinner prep while my kids eat lunch
8. Reseting the coffee maker for the next day
9. Another home reset during post-lunch nap / quiet time
10.  Rest in bed while kids are napping / doing quiet time. 
11. Putting together a snack plate for my kids before my daughter gets home from school
12.  Resetting school backpacks 
13. Putting away the load of laundry from the morning
14. Getting a healthy and delicious home cooked meal on the table
15. Durning down the home for the night by shutting blinds, taking out the trash, starting the dishwasher

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Welcome to Installment #5 of WWATW, how I prepped and what I spent! This was an unusual week for us, as we had two epic snowstorms, so grocery shopping and meal planning were very much fly by night. We did manage to get groceries mid-week and the grand total for the 6 of us was $228 at Trader Joes. 

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A very daunting, but totally doable task! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you tackle this beast in bite sized chunks:

1. Upload and sort all photos from your phone, digital camera, USBs, etc. to an external hard drive (I have this one 1T External Hard Drive). Go slowly, month by month, year by year. 
2. From there, delete excess from your phone, digital camera, USBs, etc.
3. Pick out favorites from each event / year — Upload to DropBox, Google Drive, Amazon Photos as a 3rd back-up choice
4. Print physical copies of favorite photos (mPix is a great place!), and update photo frames around house
5. Order photo boxes for each child, and fill them as the years by by
6. Finally order 2024 Book -- Episode #49 How to Curate a Family Yearbook
7. Another item I've been negligent on are baby books, so that's getting added to this projects list! 

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Each of these were quite enjoyable! 

1. That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally 
2. Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera 
3. The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak 

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The most important piece of the puzzle for 2 Under 2 is grace and patience for yourself. You're doing great, this is a very challenging season of life! Second, here are a few past episodes that will help get your home squared away, because life is hard enough:

• #45: A Simple Laundry Routine
• #37: A Simple Cleaning Schedule Throughout the Week
• #36: Simple Meal Prepping Throughout the Week
• #113: Simple Everyday Habits for the SAHM
• #98: 10 Rules for Getting Things Done in Busy Seasons
• #72: Finding Time to Exercise Surrounded by Little Screaming People
• #74: A Consistent Bedtime Routine for Moms

Book resource: How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7

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1. Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic
2. How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A survival guide to life with children ages 2-7 by Joanna Faber
3. The Blessing of a Skinned Knee: Using Jewish Teachings to Raise Self-Reliant Children by Wendy Motel
4. The Conscious Parent: Transforming Ourselves, Empowering Our Children by Shefali Tsabary
5. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by Comer, John Mark *
6. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Tolle, Eckhart
7. You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters by Murphy, Kate *
8. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan Peterson
9. Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay Gibson
10. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

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Some ideas for planning out 2025 during this slower week, the last week of the year: 

1. Digital Declutter
   • phone
   • email
   • laptop
   • photos
2. Closet Cleanout
3. Unsubscribing to Junkmail
4. Writing out Goals for 2025
5. Moving into new 2025 planner
6. Reviewing finances from this past year
7. A new plant!

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The PLAN by Kendra Adachi is a NO for me. The feminist rage was just off the chart here, in addition to the inception of acronym and list within acronyms and lists, it was just so much here, yet nothing at all. I guess that's what happens when you try to market a book to everyone? 

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Our fourth trimester is coming to a rapid end soon, and I wanted to share the experience and what it was like the fourth time around. What was easier, what was harder, and all the beautiful messy things in between. And what life is like with four kids under six years old. 

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TLDR; preparation and a fresh perspective! 

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Our fourth baby is here! We delivered her at a birth center at 40+1 weeks. It was an uncomplicated delivery up until the tail end, overall a very positive experience. 

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1. How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
2. Happiness Falls by Angie Kim
3. Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo
4. The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy
5. The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll 
6. The Survivors by Jane Harper
7. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
8. Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering
9. Wayward by Emilia Hart 
10. Funny Story by Emily Henry

Other books I read this summer: 

1. Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic
2. Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
3. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
4. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
5. How to Walk into a Room by Emily Freeman  
6. Close to Death by Anthony Horowitz
7. The Heiress by Rachel Hawkins
8. Miracle Creek by Angie Kim  
9. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
10. The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
11. Friends with Secrets by Christine Gunderson
12. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury 
13. Within Arm’s Reach by Ann Napolitano 
14. The Third Wife by Lisa Jewell
15. Family of Liars by E. Lockhart

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Welcome to another episode of WWATW (What We Ate This Week), How I Prepped and What I Spent (hint: it was a lot $$$)! 

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Don't let this episode stress you out. These are all gentle suggestions of things to maybe think through if you're in your second or third trimester. Even if you do nothing, you and your baby will survive! 

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Just 38 weeks pregnant, and super hormonal, reflecting on what a blessing it is to raise little children, that's all. 

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Today, I'm reviewing three popular 2024 summer romance novels (spoiler: I strongly disliked two of them):

1. Funny Story by Emily Henry
2. The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren
3. Just for the Summer by Abby Jiminez

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These are the cleared zipper pouches I use.

And here is the Tote Savvy Bag. 

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Starting a 75 Hard / 75 Soft / 75 Mom / 75 Pregnancy Challenge is the perfect way to focus your mind, body, and spirit. And that's exactly what I'm looking forward to during these last few weeks of my fourth pregnancy. Here's my *super* adapted version of the 75 Pregnancy Challenge: 

1. Drink a gallon of water every day (128-ounces = 1 gallon) — this will include a mix of water and coconut water for the electrolytes. 
2. Exercise 2-3 times per week for 45 minutes -- this will include an upper and lower body workout + a walk
3. Read 10 pages of a book everyday
4. No screens past 9pm — this is for my mental health more than anything. It’s so easy to find myself scrolling on X until 10 / 1030 / 11pm when the best thing to do is to unplug, and not have the last thing I look at be a blue screen. 
5. Gratitude journal — because the days are long and hard with three kids, and it just keeps a healthy spirit. 
6. Take a picture everyday, I like this idea, mainly because I’ve gotten really terrible with taking photos. I hardly take them anymore, yet I know I’ll be thrilled to have them. Especially during this sweet time as a family of 5 for just a few more weeks. 

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And continuing on in the Toddler Books We Currently Love Series, today we have installment number 4. My three children are 5 and under, and that's the target audience for most of these books:

1. Piranahas Don’t Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey 
2. Eat Pete by Michael Rex
3. Snail Crossing by Corey Tabor 
4. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
5. Alice ’s Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol
6. Ten in a Hurry by Lo Cole
7. Bear Feels Scared by Karma Wilson
8. Don’t Worry Little Crab by Chris Haughton 
9. I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello by Barbara Garriel 
10. 999 Frogs and a Little Brother by Ken Kimura
11. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? By Jane Yolen
12. The Dinos on the Bus by Peter Millett 
13. Spot Goes to the Farm by Eric Hill 
14. Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet by Kelly DiPucchio
15. Bad Dog by Mike Boldt

Also, be sure to listen to Parts 1-3! 

• Episode #13: Toddler Books We Currently Love, Part 1
• Episode #46: Toddler Books We Currently Love, Part 2
• Episode #81: Toddler Books We Currently Love, Part 3

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Welcome back to another episode of What We Ate This Week, How I Prepped, & What I Spent in a Week as a family of 5! 

• Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken
• Pasta Bolognese
• Lemon-Berry Crumb Cake

 
And the beloved cherry pitter!

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Using paper plates on Friday nights and when we host our family & friends has simplified my life so much. 

And here other ways I've made my life easier as a SAHM to 3 kids 5 and under:

1. In busy parking lots, having my kids all get in and out of the car through the same door
2. Making an afternoon snack plate
3. Rotisserie chicken for dinner, and hot dogs for lunch on Costco Run days
4. Dedicate one day for running errands, or batch them with appointments or other commitments (episode #106)
5. Small load of laundry every morning (episode #45)
6. Scheduling my workouts and sticking with it
7. Keeping approved snacks on a shelf where my kids can reach
8. Having a weekly meal plan (episode #36)
9. A simple and do-able cleaning schedule (episode #37)
10. Different to-go pouches for throwing together a bag (future episode to come!)

PS. the set of disposable party plates we use

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Today, we’re going to talk about keeping the playroom clean, tidy, and organized for a more peaceful home. 

As for the clean and tidy portion of our episode, I wanted to say again how much I really loved the book How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis,  the best thing I took from her book is the 5 Step Cleaning method. The basics of the method is that there are only ever 5 kinds of items found in any cluttered or  messy room: 

1. trash
2. dishes
3. laundry
4. things out of place and 
5. things that DON'T have a place (yet)....

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Today, we’re going to discuss the ten books I plan to read this summer and I’m hoping you’ll join me, so we can discuss and have a large and in charge book club episode at the end of summer:

1. How to Solve Your Own Murder by Kristen Perrin
2. Happiness Falls by Angie Kim 
3. Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo
4. The Possessions by Sara Flannery Murphy 
5. The Favorite Sister by Jessica Knoll
6. The Survivors by Jane Harper
7. The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue
8. Bye, Baby by Carola Lovering
9. Wayward by Emilia Hart
10. Funny Story by Emily Henry
11. *The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren * (bonus read!)

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Dear Contemporary Fiction Authors, please stop including Covid in your novels, Sincerely a Lover of Contemporary Fiction. 

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As with everything, there are constant changes. Especially with growing children. On today's episode, I'm sharing an updated list of the 10 things that are simplifying my life right now  with a 5, 3, and 1 year old at home. 

1. Setting a timer for my kids clean-up at the end of the day or it gets tossed, stray legos get tossed
2. Library story-time + a tote bag dedicated for library books
3. Shop vacuum in the garage for my mini-van and the strollers for crumbs, grass, leaves, etc.
4. Tote bag dedicated for snacks + water bottles for the day
5. Childcare at the gym
6. Slow cooker meals on really busy days
7. Cooking or prepping dinner during nap-time
8. BBQ’ing on summer nights + melamine outdoor plates + serving platters
9. Slow afternoons at home
10. The monthly note (episode #169)

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We only have 18 summers with them. 

Now is a great time to evaluate what your average week will look like come summer, with all the appointments, and activities, and summer camps, and commitments, and cleaning, and meal prep, and laundry, and really stopping to evaluate if you have margin in your schedule to start tackling additional items on your to-do list. Is there a project you’ve been putting off? Is there a goal on your annual list you’ve been ignoring? Or is your schedule so jam packed this summer that the thought of adding anything on is hurting your brain?

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