On today’s episode of “Moms of the Lou” podcast, Rebekah welcomes Kalyn Harris, a former events director and current project manager for St. Louis Mom, to discuss Spring Break plans. Kalyn shares her family's upcoming trip to New York City for her daughter's fifth birthday, including activities like visiting the American Girl store and Rockefeller Center. They also discuss local family-friendly destinations in St. Louis, such as the Ferguson Farmer's Market, the Magic House, and various libraries. Additionally, they mention staycation options like Union Station and Innsbrook, and day trips to nearby cities like Cincinnati, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Chicago, Louisville, Nashville, and Branson. 

If you are traveling to Branson anytime soon, check out the Top of the Rock Golf Cart Tour mentioned in this episode. If you are staying in St. Louis during spring break, check out St. Louis Mom’s 100 Things to Do in St. Louis During Spring Break guide!

Kalyn, a St. Louis native, lives in Ferguson with her husband and two daughters. She earned her BA in Marketing and Hospitality Management from Southeast MO State University as well as an MBA from Webster University. After completing her degree, Kalyn set off on a huge adventure, teaching English to elementary school children in South Korea! During this year abroad she truly tapped into her adventurous side and her passion for traveling and exploring new cultures grew larger! Once back in the states, Kalyn relocated to Dallas, TX. Fast forward five years, Kalyn had her first daughter 2 weeks into the pandemic! She and her family decided to move back to St. Louis to be closer to family and friends at the end of 2020 and it was the best decision that they could’ve made! Kalyn loves being back in St. Louis and learning the city all over again through a new lens. Her family enjoys visiting new parks, restaurants and doing family friendly activities around town. There is literally always something going on here!

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

In this episode of the "Moms of the Lou" podcast, Rebekah and Lauren discuss coping with the winter blues and seasonal depression. They share their own personal experiences, noting that winter's lack of light and warmth can lead to low motivation and social isolation. Lauren and Rebekah also highlight the benefits of community support, like accepting help from neighbors and engaging in simple, fun activities with family. They encourage us all to prioritize mental health, stay connected, and to not be afraid of seeking professional help if needed. For more winter activities, check out our Mom’s Guide to the Winter Season in St. Louis.

Lauren lives in Kirkwood with her husband, Eric, and their two daughters, Claire and Frances. Both she and her husband are transplants, Lauren originally from San Diego and her husband, Charleston, SC. They’ve called St. Louis their home since 2013. Lauren taught both first and third grade for 10 years before becoming a full-time stay at home mom. Moving to a new city without friends or family forced her to get outside her comfort zone and establish friendships and discover all that St. Louis has to offer families. She understands the immense value of community which is what brought her to St. Louis Mom.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

Rebekah Coste hosts the Moms of the Lou podcast, and this episode features journalist & KMOV reporter, Alexis Zotos. Alexis, a mother of two boys, discusses her love for St. Louis and her career in journalism. She shares her transition from full-time to part-time work to balance motherhood, emphasizing the importance of community and support for working moms. Alexis highlights her favorite date night spots for Valentine’s Day and family-friendly restaurants in St. Louis. She also talks about the challenges of covering breaking news and the balance between work and family life, advocating for flexibility in the workplace. To learn more about Alexis and her work, you can go to https://www.alexiszotos.com/!

Alexis Zotos is a mom, journalist and St. Louis native. As a reporter, she spends her days chasing stories, meeting interesting people, and working to keep her community informed. But life isn’t all about breaking news! When she’s not in front of the camera, she’s at home juggling motherhood, discovering local gems in St. Louis, and figuring out how to balance it all. Her goal is to inspire, inform, and create a space where we can all connect. Whether you’re a fellow mom, a St. Louis enthusiast, or someone curious about the world of journalism, she hopes you find something in St. Louis that resonates with you.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

Kira Andersen sits down with Rebekah on the Moms of the Lou podcast and highlights the challenges and triumphs of her husband Kyle's battle with pancreatic cancer. Initially, Kyle's treatment was denied, but Kira persisted, eventually securing FDA approval for an experimental drug. The drug showed promise, reducing Kyle's tumor markers to normal levels. However, the cancer resurged, leading to Kyle's death in April 2023. Kira emphasizes the need for more funding and research into gastrointestinal cancers. She also discusses the emotional toll of her family’s journey, the importance of community support, and her ongoing efforts to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.To learn more about Kira and her work, you can visit her website at https://www.kiraandersen.com/.

Kira is a devoted mom to three young children, all under the age of 7. As a health and wellness coach and podcast host, she is passionate about inspiring growth—mentally, physically, and spiritually—in both her clients and herself. After losing her spouse to pancreatic cancer, Kira has embraced the role of a solo parent with strength and determination. She is deeply committed to raising awareness and critical funds for cancer research. Guided by a positive outlook, Kira strives each day to be the best mom, friend, and individual she can be.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

In this episode of Moms of the Lou, Rebekah sits down with Kira Andersen, a St. Louis mom and health and wellness coach. Kira shares her family's journey with her husband Kyle's stage four pancreatic cancer diagnosis in October 2021. Despite initial misdiagnoses and a dire prognosis, Kira relentlessly advocated for advanced treatments. She raised funds to access a promising drug in order to help her husband. Kyle underwent treatment, including chemo and immunotherapy, but faced numerous challenges, including hospitalizations and blood transfusions. Kira's story highlights the importance of being a health advocate for your family and the complexities of accessing innovative cancer treatments. To learn more about Kira and her work, you can visit her website at https://www.kiraandersen.com/.

Kira is a devoted mom to three young children, all under the age of 7. As a health and wellness coach and podcast host, she is passionate about inspiring growth—mentally, physically, and spiritually—in both her clients and herself. After losing her spouse to pancreatic cancer, Kira has embraced the role of a solo parent with strength and determination. She is deeply committed to raising awareness and critical funds for cancer research. Guided by a positive outlook, Kira strives each day to be the best mom, friend, and individual she can be.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

In the final episode of the Moms of the Lou podcast for 2024, Rebekah Coste chats with Meg Smidt, a champion, coach, and consultant for small businesses. They discuss the importance of shopping local in St. Louis this holiday season! Meg, who has worked in retail and as a business coach, emphasizes the significant impact of supporting local businesses, which are crucial for community vibrancy and the livelihoods of their owners. Rebekah & Meg highlight various local shops and products in Webster Groves, Clayton, and beyond. Meg also shares insights into the life of a small business owner, stressing the passion and dedication required to succeed. Meg & Rebekah remind us of the unique experiences and personal connections that local businesses offer, which often surpass those of large corporations. Check out St. Louis Mom’s Holiday Guide for more local shops to support this holiday season!

Meg Smidt is a confetti-throwing life and business coach, mother, grandmother, sister, devoted friend and love-spreader. She is super passionate about helping driven and compassionate women create balanced, joy-filled, intentional lives that they love (and that love them back). She spends her days strategizing with and encouraging women all over the world to be their very best. YourCoach Meg lives in Benton Park/ St Louis with her husband, one of her five adult kids and 2 silly dogs. Connect with Meg on her website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

Rebekah Coste is back to host the Moms of the Lou podcast! In this episode, Rebekah welcomes Diana Waldman, a St. Louis native and mother of three, to discuss the holiday season. Diana shares her love for the holidays, highlighting traditions like attending the Nutcracker and making cinnamon cookies. They discuss various holiday activities in St. Louis, including Zoo Lights, Winter Wonderland, and the Missouri Botanical Garden's Glow. Diana emphasizes the importance of having mom friends and balancing holiday activities with rest of family life. Check out St. Louis Mom’s Holiday Guide and don’t forget to check out St. Louis Mom's annual Donuts with Santa event!

A native St. Louisan, Diana lives in Clayton with her husband, young son, two daughters, and two dogs. She has her Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, which she uses as an excuse to be nosy regarding other people’s lives. She left a career in legal marketing to work part-time from home and focus on her babies (furry and otherwise). Her current parenting mantras are: “I can do it all, just not all at once,” and “It will probably be fine?” Diana gets her kicks by going for long runs, reading a mix of high-brow and low-brow literature, and seeking out activities her whole family (including the puppies!) can enjoy around town.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

In this episode of the Moms of the Lou podcast, Trina Harger, the podcast manager, sits down with Angelica Mitchell and discusses her journey from Southern California to St. Louis. Angelica - a teacher for over 25 years, works at the International Welcome Center in the Ritenour School District and supports new students adjusting to life in the United States. In this episode, Angelica reflects on the challenges and rewards of raising her two children, now 20 and 17, through the empty nesting phase. She emphasizes the importance of presence and intentionality in parenting older children, the complexities of the college search process, and the emotional dynamics of having children who are becoming independent adults. Check out Angelica’s blog post about “Mommy Get-Tos.”

Wife. Mom. Educator. Explorer. Angelica is an L.A. born girl who embraces the slower rhythms of the Midwest. She has a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from DePauw University and a master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She moved to St. Charles, Missouri, in June 2016 with her college sweetheart, Milton Mitchell, and her two children, Lea, 20, and Benji, 17. Angelica loves people and has a heart for healthy connections and community. Her desire is to be a safe space for other women and to share the joys and complexities of this life journey.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month! In this episode of Moms of the Lou, Trina sits down with Caitlin Ladd, a contributing writer for St. Louis Mom since 2020. They discuss their shared experience with type one diabetes. Caitlin’s husband was diagnosed with type one diabetes at 17, and their son, Harrison, was diagnosed at 2.5 years old. Caitlin emphasizes the importance of mental health and community support, particularly through organizations like JDRF. She details the daily challenges of managing Harrison's diabetes, including balancing blood sugars, packing supplies, and dealing with the anxiety and responsibility it brings. Check out Caitlin’s blog post to learn more about type one diabetes.

Caitlin Ladd is mom to two boys, Harrison (2014) and Anderson (2019) and wife to George living in St. Charles, Mo. A St. Louis transplant who came to the area for college and never left, Caitlin is continuously busy exploring community philanthropic and cultural diversity efforts which has truly made St. Louis her hometown. As a working mom, she’s eager to discuss balance, embracing a full life in this mommin’ season and what it means to “have it all.” With that, she tries to layer in opportunities for self-care, sanity checks, some Shiraz and most importantly, SLEEP as a mom of two littles.

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.

Get ready for Halloween! In this episode, Trina sits down with Kristi Denner, the sales director of St. Louis Mom and they chat about all the fun Halloween activities in St. Louis. Kristi talks about her family’s low-key Halloween traditions, such as making chili, s'mores, and doing fun Halloween STEM activities. Trina and Kristi mention local Halloween events like Boo at the Zoo and Union Station's Halloween activities. Kristi explains the local tradition of telling a joke to get candy while trick-or-treating. Trina and Kristi both share their favorite jokes to get ready for Halloween. Check out St. Louis Mom’s Fall Season Guide for all the fun Halloween activities!

Kristi, a small-town IL farm girl, finally feels she can call St. Louis “home” after 12 years. She and her husband Dan have four boys – Carson, Harrison (who happens to be rocking an extra chromosome), Nelson, and Dawson. A former Parkway teacher, Kristi now stays home with her boys and leads a local MOPS group. A ripple of life changes quickly taught her that adapting and pivoting is the name of the game: starting over in a new state, full-time working mom to stay-at-home mom, battling PPD, navigating Down syndrome and Autism diagnoses, and most recently walking the painful road of grief after the loss of her brother. Her faith roots have been her lifeline, and she always seeks to be a voice of truth, compassion and hope, especially in the messy. 

We hope you enjoyed this podcast episode! To learn more about Moms of the Lou you can go to stlouismom.com or follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcast and Spotify. And don’t forget to rate and review so more people can tune in! 

This episode was produced by the St. Louis Mom. It was recorded and edited by Half Coast Studios in St. Louis, Missouri. Music composed by Trina Harger.