We vacuum crumbs only to have little hands drop more on the floor, and we try to figure out what’s for dinner (again!). At times, the monotony of being a mom can leave us wondering: does this even matter? Today, Jill and Katie talk with Coffee + Crumbs writer and author of All Who Are Weary, Sarah Hauser, who reminds us that although so much of motherhood goes unseen, God notices ordinary faithfulness and can use the most mundane moments for his glory. If you’re feeling weary, we hope this conversation refreshes your soul and reminds you that you’re seen, you’re deeply loved, and your work matters.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Substack community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $3/month, head to coffeeandcrumbs.substack.com to join the party. For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

After a loooong winter hiatus, we’re back just in time to celebrate the launch of Ashlee’s book, Create Anyway, which is now officially out in the wild (!). From infusing art into the most mundane tasks to reframing creativity as a posture, today we’re chatting about how creativity has changed us (and our mothering!) for the better. Plus, Katie and Ashlee get a little teary-eyed talking about photography. We hope this episode reminds you that creativity is valuable and worth carving out space for—not in spite of motherhood, but because of motherhood.

In other news at Coffee + Crumbs, our Spring Collection is here! Head over to coffeeandcrumbs.net/spring-collection to check it out.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Substack community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $3/month, head to coffeeandcrumbs.substack.com to join the party. For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

In our last episode of 2022, please queue up the dramatic music and prep the stage for an imaginary awards ceremony celebrating the best moments, products, and people that have brightened our year. From the natural deodorant that doesn’t leave Jill smelling like greek salad (lol) to the bike shorts that made Katie finally realize she’s not as insecure as she used to be—most of these awards are silly, but some of them are meaningful, too. We hope this lighthearted conversation inspires you to create your own Best of 2022 list for the year! 

Be sure to listen to the end for a few announcements about some exciting new changes coming to Coffee + Crumbs in 2023. For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

What is it like to be sober in a society that glamorizes and makes light of drinking so often, especially in correlation with motherhood? Today we’re chatting with Dana Bowman—a mother in recovery—who shares how she once found validation in “Wine Mom” culture, before hitting rock bottom in 2014. Through the honest lens of her own experience, Dana offers some alternative ways we can approach conversations, hospitality, and even social media posts more empathetically, to support those struggling with alcohol use. 

If you think you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol use, we hope this episode meets you with grace and encourages you to take the next right step toward health and healing.   

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

From five-dollar simple pleasures to the splurges that were totally worth it, today we’re sharing a few of our favorite things. While Jill teaches us how to level up our at-home spa game (hello, eucalyptus shower spray!), Katie is here to convince us that mushroom coffee is definitely worth trying. Plus, Ashlee’s undying love for the weighted blanket continues, per her confession of hauling all fifteen pounds of it when she travels. Whatever you fill your cart with this week, we hope you have a cozy and happy Thanksgiving! This episode is not sponsored by Aquaphor (or anyone for that matter), but it probably could have been.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

Today we’re talking with Aundi Kolber—a mother, professional counselor, and author—about motherhood and trauma. For many of us, trauma is a word we have reserved for people who have gone through life-altering, dangerous, or abusive experiences, and we have never given attention to the “little t traumas” that add up over a lifetime. No matter where you are, or what you’ve survived, Aundi compassionately walks us through this important conversation on honoring your story, learning how to be a mother even if you didn’t have a great example, and taking care of yourself so you can, in turn, take care of others. You’ll also learn a few ways to parent with empathy, so you can guide your children through their own pain. Whether you’ve endured a devastating circumstance, or many months of overwhelm, we hope this episode encourages you to make space for healing.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

In this honest and vulnerable episode, Katie talks with Sonya, Melanie, and Julie, three Coffee + Crumbs team members who were all diagnosed with breast cancer between 2020 and 2022. You’ll hear how all of these women felt or discovered something abnormal on their own and advocated for themselves to follow up on their intuition. You’ll listen in on the emotions that accompanied the agony of waiting for test results. They’ll let us in on how they shared the news with their kids. And mostly, you’ll hear from each of these women how cancer has forever changed them. 

This episode takes us up close to women who have had a life-altering diagnosis, and our hope is that by listening, we can all learn empathy, compassion, or – if this diagnosis is yours – a way to walk forward with both courage and grace for yourself. 

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

Do you ever feel like you spend too much time on your phone? Today we’re chatting with author Hannah Brencher about her 1,000 Unplugged Hours Challenge and how her creativity, marriage, and mothering have flourished since she’s started putting down her phone more often. Unplugging isn’t always easy (no more scrolling during date night arguments!), but as Hannah gently reminds us, there’s plenty of life to enjoy, even when we’re unavailable to the rest of the world. Whether you print Hannah’s tracker sheet, or simply take a quick inventory of your own habits, we hope this conversation encourages you to reclaim more of the beautiful life in front of you. 

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

Today we’re diving into the nuance of technology—acknowledging the good parts (access to information! efficiency! staying connected!) and the hard parts (overstimulation! addiction! lack of boundaries!). Plus, we take a sweet stroll down memory lane into some 90’s nostalgia. Whether you’re a tech guru or a digital minimalist, we hope this conversation encourages you as you continue navigating how to use the Internet wisely in 2022. 

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.

It’s the last episode of the season, and today we’re chatting about what makes a Fun Mom™. Confession: two out of three of us struggle with this, but we’re tapping into our younger selves and discovering what makes us feel light and free. Everything from riding scooters with our kids, to simply creating spaces that empower them to find the magic themselves. Whether you’re the mom dancing around the house wearing a feather boa or the mom simply orchestrating opportunities for delight behind the scenes, we hope this episode helps you embrace whatever type of unique fun YOU bring to your family. After all, fun is the opposite of frivolous—it’s rooted in joy, and we could all use an extra dose of that.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous and loving Patreon community. If you’d like to support the work we do for as little as $1/month, head to Patreon.com/coffeeandcrumbs to join the party (where we host discussions after every episode, offer bonus content, and more!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more encouragement in your motherhood journey, check out the stories at Coffee + Crumbs.