Thriving In Motherhood Podcast | Productivity, Planning, Family Systems, Time Management, Survival Mode, Mental Health, Vision

As moms, it's easy to believe our limitations are holding us back. Not enough time, not enough energy, too much on our plates. But what if those very limits are the key to growth? In this week's Thriving in Motherhood Podcast, Stephanie Stutznegger shares how embracing her limitations as a mom of four transformed her family life from burnout and clutter to systems that actually work. We talk about...

As I got ready to welcome our fifth baby, I kept coming back to one question: What would this look like if it were awesome? Instead of bracing for survival mode, I asked better questions and came up with simple, practical solutions to make this postpartum season calmer and more enjoyable. In this episode, I'm sharing the four things I focused on during pregnancy to get ready, plus how you can appl...

This year I did something different: I prepped our homeschool year before  it started. Since we've added a new baby to our family, I knew I needed systems that would help us stay consistent, without relying on me to coordinate everything in the moment. We're using Alveary again, and after learning what worked (and what didn't) last year, I made four big changes to help this year run more smoothly....

If you're a mom with a house full of hungry people, you already know: they eat all day long. And if you're trying to cook more from scratch - whether to save money, reduce processed foods, or just feed your family real meals - you've probably hit that point where it feels overwhelming to keep up. In this episode, I'm sharing exactly what I cook from scratch every single week. This isn't a big batc...

What does it really look like to move out of endless survival mode? In this episode, I'm joined by Chelsie Jenkins, a mom of five who has weathered some of the most intense seasons life can bring: the loss of a child, cross-country moves, special needs caregiving, supporting a spouse through grad school, and more. Chelsie shares how, despite years of feeling like she was barely keeping her head ab...

I'm just days away from entering the newborn phase with my fifth baby, and as we prepare for all the unknowns ahead, I've been reflecting on the lessons that have carried me through over the last 12 years of motherhood. In this episode, I'm sharing five truths I'm reminding myself of right now. Truths I've leaned on through moves, healths challenges, grief, and growing a family. If you're in a har...

I've been through five pregnancies and honestly, none of them have been easy. But this one surprised me. Yes, there were hard days, but something was different. I wasn't drowning in the way I had in the past. In fact, I've found myself feeling grateful, even in the middle of the hard.  And I believe anyone, pregnant or not, can experience the same shift.  In this episode, I'm talking about some si...

Today on the podcast, I'm talking with Ginny Yurich from 1000 Hours Outside all about her : new book Homeschooling: You're Doing It Right Just By Doing It.  But we go way beyond homeschooling — into faith, resilience, growth, and how to stop feeling behind. If you've ever questioned your path as a parent, homeschooler, or entrepreneur — this conversation will remind you: You're more capable than y...

When life feels overwhelming or you know you're headed into a hard season the last thing on your mind might be a quarterly review. But I've found it's exactly when I need it most. In this week's episode of the Thriving in Motherhood Podcast, I'm walking you through how I do a quarterly review when I'm in survival mode—like right now, at the end of my pregnancy, heading into the newborn phase. Spoi...

Feeling stressed about your child's writing progress? You're not alone—and in this episode, I'm joined by the one and only Julie Bogart to talk all things homeschool writing. Julie is the creator of the award-winning Brave Writer program and has helped hundreds of thousands of families find a more peaceful, effective way to teach writing at home. With over 25 years of experience (and five kids of...

Over the years, I've built a rhythms that helps me manage the things I want to do, the person I want to become, and the reality of a very digital world.  In this episode, I'm walking you through a 3-part system I use to stay focused and present: The Thriving in Motherhood Planner that helps me move forward in small pockets of time A reflection notebook based on the core of the bullet journaling me...

At the start of each year, I don't just set goals, I also build a personal curriculum. It's something I first heard from Brendon Burchard years ago, and it's completely changed how I approach growth in the middle of real life. In this episode, I'm walking you through the exact steps I'm using to design my personal curriculum for 2025. I'm sharing how I choose a few meaningful books, link them to m...

In this episode, I'm joined by time management coach Anna Dearmon Kornick to talk about what really happens when your well-oiled routines stop working. We're diving into why systems fall apart when life shifts, how to create new rhythms without starting from scratch, and the small habits that make a big difference in your week. From weekly planning that actually fits your season to routines that h...

Do you want to get your kids outside more, but feel intimidated by the work it takes to make it happen? What do you even do once you're out there? In this week's episode of the Thriving in Motherhood Podcast, I'm talking with Susie Spickle, naturalist, mother of three, and author of Forest Magic for Kids . She shares simple, practical ways to make getting outside a regular, joyful part of your lif...

I'm planning out our 2025–2026 homeschool year, and with a 6th grader, 4th grader, 3rd grader, Pre-K/kindergarten child—and a newborn arriving soon—it's going to be a full season. In this week's episode of the Thriving in Motherhood Podcast, I'm sharing a full behind-the-scenes look at how we're approaching curriculum, why we're sticking with the Alveary, and how I'm planning in a way that actuall...

Ever feel like you kids' toys are taking over, yet no one's actually playing with them? In this week's episode, I sit down with Myriam Sandler - creator of the popular MotherCould community and author of Playful By Design - to unpack the real reasons independent play feels so elusive…and what actually works. From play hotspots to boredom breakthroughs, you'll walk away with practical, judgement-fr...

Have you ever gotten really excited about decluttering your house, jumped in with both feet, started making progress, and then very quickly found yourself getting frustrated with your kids for undoing your work? Or maybe you cleared a space and felt great about it - until they moved in and started playing there and it drove you crazy? If that sounds familiar, I've been there too, and I want to sha...

Summer's coming, which means it's time to start asking some questions. Not the "what camps should we sign up for?" kind, but the deeper ones that help you create a summer rhythm that actually serves your family (and doesn't leave you burned out by mid-June.) In this week's episode, I'm sharing eight questions I'm working through right now as we prepare for summer in our home - questions that help...

On this week's episode, I'm talking with anger coach Elizabeth Androeski, an anger coach for Christian moms. She opens up about her journey from being an angry, reactive parent to finding peace in everyday motherhood. Elizabeth shares the practical steps that helped her cope with parenting challenges without responding in anger - changes that completely transformed her family life. In this convers...

We just back from a six-day road trip with our family of six, and I'm excited to share my latest tips for making travel work with a bunch of kids (especially while 25 weeks pregnant). After years of taking these trips - including our annual month-long summer adventure - we keep finding ways to make things 1% better each time.  In this episode I share: How we solved our food challenges by bringing...

I've been working with moms for years, helping them plan weeks they can win . One of the biggest challenges I see is what happens when you get to the end of the week with loads of unchecked tasks still on your list. In this episode, I'm sharing a brand new process (complete with a downloadable flowchart !) that I've been using for years but finally put down on paper.  This simple framework will he...

Problem solving is one of those skills I'm truly passionate about - for us moms and for our kids. When our children know how to solve problems, they can face whatever challenges come their way with confidence. In today's episode, I talk with Linsey Jensen about three simple principles that help our kids become better problem solvers. Whether you're dealing with homework struggles, teaching science...

Today I'm sharing a delightful conversation that I had with Erin Loechner author of, " The Opt Out Family ." Erin and I dive into what it really means to create a low-tech family life and explore practical ways to reduce technology's grip on your home while cultivating richer, more meaningful alternatives that both parents and children genuinely enjoy. This is longer than my usual episodes, but th...

The transition from quarter 1 to quarter 2 here from March to April is one of my absolute favorites because we're not coming off major holidays, our routines are set for the next little while, school schedules are still flowing, and the weather's warming up! It's such a perfect time to reset in a couple of different ways. In this episode I'll walk you through: A complete RESET framework for review...

Are you feeling overwhelmed by complicated clearing systems and endless to-do lists? In this episode, I'm sharing our family's journey from complete survival mode (where we abandoned all cleaning systems) to creating simple, sustainable routines that keep our home relatively clean without exhausting my limited pregnancy energy.  I'll walk you through: How to identify YOUR daily cleaning priorities...