Coffee + Crumbs Podcast

Fear not: this week’s episode has nothing to do with screen time dos and don’ts. Instead, join us for a (very) lighthearted chat about our favorite books, podcasts, and TV shows. From how we score affordable books to our individual headphone preferences, today we're discussing when and how we consume different types of media. We're also making quite a few confessions, so feel free to giggle along as we learn who loves to make friends at the library, who's obsessed with polygamist escape memoirs, and which podcast host doesn't really listen to podcasts Don't forget to visit Coffee + Crumbs for our show notes and links to everything we talked about in today's episode!  Like what you heard? Subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

Between the meals and the snacks and the laundry and the messes, some days it’s hard to view parenting as anything more than surviving those pre-bedtime hours. But we know parenting is not a short-term gig—we're in this for the long haul. In today's episode, we're chatting with author and speaker Krista Gilbert about how we can maintain our long-term priorities in the immediate chaos of motherhood. From the importance of building trust to keeping a sense of humor, this conversation is full of wisdom and practical tips for keeping the long view of parenting in mind. Plus, Krista shares the magic of "tiny traditions" and gives us insight into the coming-of-age trips she does with her children. Whether your kids are learning how to walk or learning how to use a cell phone, we hope today's conversation encourages you to take a few moments to think about how you can parent for the future, right from the present.  Visit Coffee + Crumbs for today's show notes and to find links to everything talked about in today's

In this week’s episode, we’re talking about all things sibling-related, from managing age gaps to mitigating disagreements. With a collective 10 kids between Indiana, Ashlee, and April—and a whopping FORTY-TWO among the full C+C team—we offer our take on how we foster friendships between our kids without forcing them, and the unexpected moments of joy we find along the way. Don't forget to visit Coffee + Crumbs for our show notes and links to everything we talked about in today's episode!  Like what you heard? Subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

From fear of awkward small talk to embarrassment about baseboard dust bunnies, most of us have our own hangups around hospitality. And yet, inviting people into our imperfect lives and homes is how we build real, authentic relationships. In this week’s episode, we confess to the small stuff we sweat (like the evidence people actually live in our homes) and share how we’re learning to roll out the welcome mat anyway. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review here on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

With endless time and unlimited budgets, self care becomes pretty easy (hello tropical beach vacation and weekly massages!). But when we’re balancing motherhood, marriage, and careers—and our bank account isn’t bottomless—how do we make time and give ourselves permission to care for ourselves? This week we’re talking about what self care looks like for each of us and how that varies depending on the season of life we’re in. April also offers a powerful reminder of the importance of letting our kids see us experience the joyful and delightful parts of life. We hope this conversation leaves you feeling encouraged and empowered to explore what self care looks like for you, whether you have five whole hours a week or just five minutes a day. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review here on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.  

In this week’s episode, we’re talking labor pains and epidurals, amazing nurses and redemptive birth experiences, as Ashlee and April recount the births of their daughters earlier this year. Grab a coffee (and maybe some headphones for this episode!) and settle in for an honest, funny, and heartfelt chat about the nuts and bolts of bringing a baby into the world. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review here on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.    

From our hospital bag favorites to how we make time for baby-bonding with other children running rampant through the house—in this episode, we’re chatting about all things baby prep. Whether you secretly pin nursery decor for months or Amazon Prime a Dock-a-Tot the week before your due date, we hope our conversation today brings some peace (and humor!) to an expectant season. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review here on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

We’re baaaaack! Today we’re kicking off Season Four with an honest conversation about how we can really help the new moms in our lives. From avoiding the “just you wait” dump truck to reading cues on whether your Meal Train recipient wants you to sit and chat or drop the food and leave, consider this episode a crash course in new-mom-awareness. We also talk about the hard work of setting our pride aside and asking for help when we need it. Plus, Indiana and Ashlee confess the moments with new moms they wish they could do over. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Four of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

It’s our final episode of 2018, cue the sobs! We’re wrapping up season three by answering YOUR questions, ask us anything style. In this extra-long episode, we’re talking about everything from how motherhood has shaped our faith to what snacks we indulge in when no one is watching. We also share how we chose our kids’ names, how we maintain friendships in this season of life, our favorite feel-good movies, and April spills the details on the book she just finished writing (that’s H-O-S-S, if any literary agents are listening). Plus, you’ll hear the one thing we all agree we wish we had done more of before having kids. We hope you enjoy this last chat of 2018 as much as we enjoyed recording it. From all of us at Coffee + Crumbs, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our

Today Indiana is chatting with Hunter Beless, creator of the Journeywomen podcast, and Christy Curtis, founder of the Military Moms blog, about life at the intersection of motherhood and the military. From surviving deployments to managing fear and anxiety, Christy and Hunter open up about the challenges and emotions they face as military spouses. They also share how non-military families can love their military friends well and one big thing they’d like civilians to please stop doing. Whether you’re a seasoned military mom or a civilian without a clue what life as an enlisted spouse looks like, we hope this episode reminds you of the strength we can all find in community, and grows your empathy for the families serving our country. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

All season we’ve been sharing our tips, tricks and life hacks in our ‘This Is How We Do’ episodes. This time around, we’re flipping the script and sharing what we DON’T do. From outsourcing grocery shopping to not making the bed to not washing our hair—this conversation is full of confessions about our mothering, home upkeep, school involvement, and everything in between. We hope this episode makes you laugh and gives you a much-needed permission slip to pursue the things you’re good at, and let go of all the rest. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

Do you ever feel like motherhood has you confined within the four walls of your home, unable to make a difference in the wider world? On today’s episode, we’re chatting with Osheta Moore— author of “Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Broken World”—about peacemaking. Is there a better topic to cover the day of midterm elections? Osheta speaks passionately about peacemaking in our everyday lives, encourages us to seek subversive joy in the face of despair, and challenges us to tell better stories about the people who frustrate us. Plus, don’t miss her hilarious story about adjusting to the “vehicular Hunger Games” of the school car line and the one uncomplicated question Osheta asks her kids every day to keep their focus on joy. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the world, we hope this episode lifts you up and reminds you that you can be a peacemaker right here, right now, right where you are.   Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journ

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered: where did I go? Today we’re talking about how our personal style has shifted from pre-kid life to mom life. From getting dressed in the morning to washing our face at night—we’re spilling the beans on our makeup, clothing, and skin care must-haves. In this episode, Ashlee divulges which magical perfume earns her compliments from both flight attendants and sandwich shop employees, while Indiana shares a hack for keeping her wardrobe fresh through the holiday season. Plus, April explains why it’s necessary to hire a babysitter to go shoe shopping with her husband. Whether your daily uniform is a ponytail and yoga pants or you can’t leave the house without a swipe of red lipstick, we hope this lighthearted chat puts a smile on your face and reminds you that you’re beautiful inside and out. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season

Today Indiana is chatting with two of her real-life friends about the logistics of being full-time working moms. Jesse Coulter and Akia Ng join us to discuss the tightrope act of daily life, how they juggle childcare drop-offs and pick-ups, what they’ve had to “let go” of, and more. You’ll also hear Jesse share how she prioritizes time with her husband (day dates!) and Akia admits she sometimes has stay-at-home-mom envy. Plus, we hear what moments make it all worthwhile. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

Calling all Monica Gellers! From family schedules and laundry to email and to-do lists—today we’re sharing the organizational tips and systems that keep our homes running (relatively?) smoothly. In this episode, April shares a smart hack for managing mail (tip: don’t let it enter the house!), Ashlee passionately discusses her cutthroat approach to clutter, and Indi is mostly just here to listen and learn. Whether you geek out over a pretty color-coded calendar like April or keep your entire family’s schedule in your head like Ashlee, we hope this conversation makes you smile and possibly inspires you to finally tackle that one system in your house that isn’t working. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

Today we’re talking about motherhood and work with Noonday Collection founder, Jessica Honegger. Despite the internal grappling she endured while building her company as a young mom, Jessica has learned in recent years to embrace the paradox of “and” instead of “either/or” when it comes to working. She also shares about an aha moment she experienced during an exchange with a stay-at-home mom in the middle of Starbucks. (Indi may or may not have cried.) Whether you work full-time or stay at home or find yourself somewhere in between, we hope this dialogue reminds you there is no one-size-fits-all for mothering, and that all of our unique roles are special and worth celebrating.  Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.  

Today we’re pulling back the curtain on how we communicate with our spouses—from arguments to resolutions and everything in between. We’re spilling the beans on our silliest recurring fights, how we do (and don’t) flirt, and when/how we tackle hard conversations in our homes. Plus, you’ll learn our stances on R-rated text messages and why nacho cheese is a surprisingly contentious topic! Whether you’ve been married for two years or two decades, we hope this conversation makes you smile and reminds you that all of our marriages are a work in progress. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

To wrap up our mini-series on growing your family, today we’re talking about infertility with C+C writer Melanie Dale. We discuss how infertility can put pressure on your sex life, the depression Melanie experienced as she was going through fertility treatments, and how she eventually broke through to a healthy place with the help of girlfriends and a counselor. Plus, we hear all about the sperm illustrations in her forthcoming book, Infreakinfertility! For those of you who have walked this road before or are currently walking it now, we hope Melanie’s voice gives you hope for the future and possibly helps you find a tiny bit of humor in it along the way. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.

With Ashlee and April both being pregnant, we thought it was high time to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of gestating (speaking of ugly—does anyone else hate that word?). Tune in today to hear us discuss everything from first trimester puking to maternity fashion to whether or not it’s appropriate to register for your third (or fourth!) baby. You’ll also hear a short rant about the awkwardness of prenatal weigh-ins, and find out which host didn’t know she was pregnant until she was 18 weeks along. Whether you’re in the throes of morning sickness, debating if you can pull off maternity overalls (you so can!), or waddling around three days past your due date—this one goes out to all our fellow pregnant mommas. Growing a human is hard work, and you’re doing an awesome job!   As always, we hope this conversation fills you up like a coffee date with good girlfriends. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a re

In part two of our mini-series on growing a family, today we’re addressing a side that isn’t often discussed publicly: what happens when spouses disagree on whether or not their family is complete? C+C writers Jenn Batchelor and Anna Quinlan join host Indiana Adams for a vulnerable conversation on what it looks like when one spouse wants another baby, and the other doesn’t. While we don’t have a beautiful bow to wrap up today’s episode with, we hope this raw and honest discussion encourages you, especially if you’re walking a similar road with your spouse. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review on iTunes! To help fund Season Three of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, head on over to our Patreon support page.