The Chaos Commanders

It's the Season 1 Finale! 🎉 We are wrapping up the first season of The Chaos Commanders with a heartfelt conversation about the hidden magic of community — and how showing up for your kids can help you build your own village, too. From karate mats to cross-country meets, we'll explore how parent friendships form in the chaos of real life and why connection matters more than ever.   QUOTES "Parent...

Welcome back, Chaos Commanders! In this episode, we share practical, flexible planning strategies to help you set yourself up for a successful (and slightly less chaotic) month. From CEO Days to family command centers, we break down our five essential "Commander Calendar Moments" and favorite tools for keeping both business and life organized — without losing your mind.   QUOTES "Chaos doesn't sca...

Every mom has asked the question: Am I a good mom? But what happens when we stop measuring ourselves against social media highlight reels, outdated generational ideals, or the opinions of strangers—and instead define "good mom" on our own terms? In this episode, we open up about the pressures of motherhood, the comparison traps we've faced, and the courage it takes to parent differently than the g...

Let's be real—figuring out what to feed your people every single day can feel like a full-time job. In this episode, we each share an actual week of our go-to meals—complete with shortcuts and survival-mode strategies. Whether you're a meal prep queen or someone who forgets what's in the fridge by Wednesday, this one's for you. No shame, just solidarity. QUOTES "You're not a bad mom if meal planni...

It's the ultimate mom guilt trap: "If I love my kids, why do I still want to escape them?" In this episode, Annie and Katelynn are getting honest and unfiltered about the tension between loving your children fiercely… and still desperately needing space. If you've ever hidden in the bathroom for five minutes of silence (or screamed into a pillow between toddler tantrums), this one's for you. Let's...

Back-to-school chaos is officially here—and so is the evening overwhelm. Whether your toddler is melting down before dinner or your teen just remembered they need a poster board at 9 PM, nighttime can feel like the most chaotic part of the day. In this episode, we ditch the Pinterest-perfect pressure and talk about what real moms actually need: practical rhythms, a little breathing room, and the r...

Back-to-school season is here—and the chaos is real. In this episode, we delve into the emotional, logistical, and mental overload that accompanies the start of a new school year. Whether you're a Type A planner or a Type B vibes-only mom, this conversation offers validation, laughs, and practical tips to help you navigate it all like a true commander. From the emotional whiplash of first-day drop...

It's time to flip the script on fitness—and we're doing it with dumbbells in hand and our heads held high. This week on The Chaos Commanders, we're talking about why strength training is about so much more than looking a certain way. From perimenopause to postpartum to post-burnout seasons of life, building strength (physically and emotionally) is one of the most powerful ways to reclaim your ener...

Whether you love a color-coded meal board or you're still deciding what's for dinner at 5 p.m., this episode is for you. Commander A (Annie) and Commander K (Katelynn) break down the differences in how Type A and Type B moms approach mealtime—and how to make it less chaotic, no matter your style. From batch-cooking basics to "snack plate dinner" survival mode, we're covering practical tips, mom ha...

In this episode, we're taking a playful but honest look at the ways we accidentally create our own chaos as moms. From Annie's over-planning to Katelynn's time blindness, we're confessing our chaos-creating habits—not to shame ourselves, but to bring awareness and offer solutions. Whether you're a Type A, Type B, or somewhere in between, we're sharing stories, laughs, and tips to help you hold the...

In this hilarious and heartfelt episode, Katelynn and Annie are diving into the things solo moms hesitate to do—and the creative, clever, and sometimes chaotic workarounds they've discovered instead. From grilling (spoiler: Katelynn has a cast iron grill pan hack for those coveted "striped hot dogs") to car maintenance, camping, and tackling sports events alone, this conversation is packed with ho...

How The Virtual Savvy Helped Me Build a Business I Love In this special episode, Annie interviews Katelynn about the virtual assistant course that helped her go from single mom in survival mode to thriving CEO of Her Humble Hive. They talk about the messy middle of entrepreneurship, the mindset shifts that made the biggest difference, and why The Virtual Savvy program was a game changer in Katelyn...

This episode is a deeply personal one. Annie and Katelynn are joined by Annie's husband, Andre, to talk about the upcoming end of his military career—and the beginning of their next chapter as a reunited family. After years of geo-baching (living apart due to military assignments), they're finally 17 days away from living under one roof again, with retirement coming in just 169 days. Together, the...

Title: Go Take a Hike: Tips for Outdoor Adventures with Kids In this episode, we're lacing up our boots and heading into the great outdoors—chaos commander style. From the benefits of hiking with kids to the little lessons learned on the trail, we're sharing what works, what doesn't, and what snacks are essential to avoid a meltdown (yours or theirs). Katelynn and Annie are joined by their kids, C...

In this heartfelt episode, we're diving deep into the realities of military life—including the infamous TDY Curse. If you're wondering what that even is (Katelynn sure was!), Annie explains this very real phenomenon military families know all too well: the string of things that seem to break or go wrong the moment your soldier leaves. Annie shares her personal experiences—including an ICU scare, s...

In this episode, we're diving into the world of AI—and how it can actually help you mom smarter, not harder. Katelynn shares the many ways she uses ChatGPT in her everyday life (from meal planning to mental health support), and Annie finally accepts the challenge to give it a try. Whether you're tech-curious or just desperate for a little help with your to-do list, this one's packed with real-life...

It's officially summer, and the Chaos Commanders are here with survival strategies, snack updates, and some serious summer planning realness. In this episode, we share our personal summer plans—from sleepaway camps and teen jobs to field trips, screen-time boundaries, and even learning to cook. Whether you're navigating toddler chaos or managing a teen's packed schedule, this episode is full of pr...

In this episode, we're diving deep into the different ways two very different moms handle everyday stress. Annie, our Type A, military mom and fitness queen, copes with high-energy workouts, weighted walks, and Taekwondo. Katelynn, our Type B, solo-parenting creative, leans into cozy routines, naps, reading, and journaling. Together, we're talking about everything from electric scooter wipeouts an...

In this episode of The Chaos Commanders Podcast, we're talking about one of the trickiest parts of solo parenting, military life, and adulting in general—building community from scratch. From clever icebreakers like delivering wine with your number on it, to emergency contact awkwardness (yes, we've asked strangers at the gym), we're sharing stories, tips, and real talk about how to meet people wh...

In this heartfelt (and hilarious) episode of The Chaos Commanders Podcast, Annie and Katelynn dive into the magic of staying connected, no matter the chaos, the distance, or the busy schedules. They explore how apps like Marco Polo (not the pool game, we promise) and others have helped them maintain deep friendships across miles and years. Whether you're a military mom constantly relocating, a sol...

In this episode of The Chaos Commanders Podcast, we get vulnerable about the emotional rollercoaster of unemployment—and how to hold on to your worth when the world makes you question it. Annie opens up about her recent layoff, the toll it took on her mental health, and how the bureaucratic unemployment system in Iowa left her feeling more like a number than a human. Katelynn shares her journey th...

In this episode of The Chaos Commanders Podcast, we explore the hilarity, heart, and cultural richness that comes with raising multicultural families. From Jamaican Patois to tamales at Thanksgiving, Commander Annie and Commander Katelynn share the stories that make their parenting journeys unique—and occasionally, laugh-out-loud funny. You'll hear about language mix-ups that turned spelling time...

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Katelynn (aka Commander K) opens up about her journey—from surviving domestic violence and rebuilding after loss, to raising a neurodivergent son and starting over in a new state. She shares the raw, unfiltered truth about her childhood trauma, being a NICU mom, leaving an abusive relationship (with help from a well-timed Dr. Phil episode), and creatin...

In this episode of The Chaos Commanders Podcast, we pull back the curtain on Annie—aka Commander A. From Des Moines to Rochester to deployments and peanut allergies, Annie shares the incredible journey that shaped her into the chaos-commanding mom, martial artist, and military wife she is today. You'll hear how she navigated single-parenting while her husband was deployed (including giving birth s...

Welcome to the very first episode of The Chaos Commanders Podcast! In "If You Give Two Moms Prosecco, They Just Might Start a Podcast," we open up about who we are, how we met (spoiler: it involves martial arts and some powerful breathing techniques), and what inspired us to launch this show. Get to know two moms navigating solo parenting, military life, neurodivergent parenting, and building comm...