Making a Mother is a collection of raw, honest stories about some of the complex circumstances and unthinkable challenges women face in the pursuit of motherhood. These stories speak to the physical scars left on our bodies, as well as the emotional scars left on our hearts. Featuring universal themes of loss and redemption, broken dreams and resilience, deep heartache and unwavering love—each episode showcases one woman’s unique story of courage, hope, and tenacity.

Making a Mother will be released in January of 2025. If getting a peek into these stories moves you the way it moves us, we’d love for you to be part of our Making a Mother podcast launch team.

From deserted baby books to the tens of thousands of photos sitting on our phones, it’s easy to feel perpetually behind in memory keeping. Today, as we talk about the challenges of commemorating all the milestones, we also share our imperfect wins and how our approach has drastically changed since becoming first-time moms. Katie has a revelation about redefining what is actually worth remembering, while Ashlee shares her desire to capture the “essence” of her kids instead of data. We’ve come to the conclusion that a) we need to lower our expectations, and b) the chaotic, silly, and in-between moments are the ones that actually make up our lives. We hope this episode inspires you to keep doing your best—via quick notes jotted in a journal or by leaving the camera on the counter—to make those everyday memories the ones you keep. 

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 us (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

Listen to this bonus episode to see what else is saving our lives, besides taking the pressure off of memory keeping. 

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

Today, we’re taking a look at hospitality with a twist(!) and sharing intentional creative gatherings we’ve either hosted or been invited to. Ashlee raves about a good ol’ fashioned book club (surprise, surprise), show-and-tell parties, and gives more gold stars and hearts for Galentine’s Day, while Katie loves commemorating the change of seasons—think fall soup competitions and end-of-summer backyard movies—and also makes a point to honor special dates like friendaverseries in unique-to-you ways. We hope this episode inspires you to host your own creative get-together. And hey, if you only take one thing from this episode, let it be this: any party where you can wear pajamas is a good party. 

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 us (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

We’ll be sure to celebrate this festive time of year with a creative gathering. Listen to this bonus episode to hear our Very Strong Opinions about other holiday happenings.

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

Today we’re talking with a board certified dermatologist, Dr. Cameron Chesnut, about how aging affects our skin. Dr. Chesnut gives us holistic insight on our most potent anti-aging defenses (exercise! sleep! nutrition!) and gives us the sought-after scoop on which products actually do make a difference (collagen! retinols! Vitamin C!). He also weighs in on the great sunscreen debate, gives the pros and cons of Botox, and takes our rapid-fire “worth it, or not?” quiz. Whether you’re planning to age naturally or maximize modern technology to erase your wrinkles, we hope this conversation brings clarity to some of the most common skin care questions.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

We wish more people knew all the good stuff Dr. Chesnut shared about taking care of our skin. Listen to this bonus episode to see what else we wish more people knew about.

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

Just in time for the most divisive political week of the year, special guests Elizabeth and Chris McKinney—authors of Neighborhoods Reimagined—are here today to share the importance of finding common ground with those living near us. How do we go from pulling into the garage and shutting it behind us to actually befriending our neighbors? Using the Beatitudes as a launching point, the McKinneys offer encouragement and practical tips (simply wave! remember names! start a Facebook page! invite one or two families to gather with you!) to create neighborhood flourishing.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

The McKinneys are helping us make the most of our neighborhoods. Listen to Money Saving Hacks to see how we’re making the most of our paychecks.   

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

Today, our girl Jill Atogwe is back (!) to chat about her new children’s book: Left Out — a rhyming reminder that while God didn't give everyone the same bodies or abilities, everything God left out is something He can use for His glory. From pool party insecurities and complicated health issues to feeling “left behind” in certain stages of life, we confess that trusting God’s limits and timing is not always easy—even though we know it’s always for our good. We hope this conversation reminds you that you are not alone, and also encourages you to be on the lookout for other women who might be feeling left out.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

It’s easy to feel left out of all the commitments for kids’ activities these days. Listen to this bonus episode to see how we do extracurriculars without the guilt.   

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

We’re kicking off Season 10 by asking a mentor mom we adore and admire—Ruth Chou Simons—all the things about motherhood. A mom of six boys, Ruth shares her best strategy for navigating sibling arguments, how to cultivate life-long friendships with your kids, and openly answers the mother lode question: what’s your biggest regret in parenting? From small practical tips to big picture hope, this conversation ends with an encouraging line we’re still thinking about.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

Ruth shared about all seasons of motherhood. But if you’re interested in hearing about how autumn is going for us, listen to this bonus episode: The Great Fall Reset.

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

We’ve covered a lot of ground this season, so today—as a grand finale before we break for sabbatical—we’re doing a quick refresher on our favorite episodes. As we rehash what stuck with us—like asking better questions, gathering around the table with our families, and how technology is affecting our kids—we also give a quick update on some previously mentioned intentions (gotta love public accountability!). If you’re looking for some fun life-savers before the end of summer, Ashlee shares her go-to Costco “English Muffin Situation,” and Katie raves about the decaf cold brew she’s drinking on tap. If you missed any of the episodes mentioned, there’s plenty of time to play catchup over the summer while you try to remove sand from your kids’ swimsuits.    

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous Substack community. We’d love for you to join us! Our yearly subscriptions are on sale through July 31st. You can support us for a whole year for around $25. 

For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

Listen to one of our favorite episodes from the season: What’s Saving My Life Right Now.

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

Today we’re going back—waaay back—and reliving the nostalgic moments, foods, songs, and smells of our younger years. Katie reminisces about the fresh scent of dewy grass on the soccer field and her Nona’s simmering spaghetti, while Ashlee shares about her childhood days doused in chlorine and the love language of her youth: mixed CDs, featuring Dashboard and Death Cab. Of course, we couldn’t chat about adolescence in the ‘90s without taking an intoxicating stroll through Bath & Body Works and remembering the anticipation of TGIF gracing our televisions. We hope this episode inspires you to crank up that old school jam and take a trip of your own down memory lane. 

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

You just heard what influenced our childhoods and adolescent years, listen to this bonus episode to see what’s influencing us now.

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

Open those library accounts and Amazon carts, because today we’re sharing our latest favorite books, just in time for summer reading. We cover everything from non-fiction to novels, with a little bit of mystery, research, and personal essays sprinkled in between. And of course, Anne Lamott’s most recent work is included (surprise, surprise). Whether you listen on Audible, read on your Kindle, or like to hold a good ol’ fashioned paperback in your hands (it all counts!), we hope these stories inspire and entertain you while you sip refreshing bubbly water and lounge in the perfect chair.

This show is brought to you ad-free by our generous 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 (and get bonus episodes!). For show notes, go to coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast.

For more stories—this time written by the Coffee + Crumbs team—listen to this bonus episode: Story Slam.

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