Mother Plus Podcast

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In this episode:

1. Learn what drew Wendy to boudoir photography—and why she describes it as both her passion and her superpower.
2. Wendy talks about the ebb and flow of professional life for moms, and how a desire for flexibility caused her to start her own business as a photographer. 
3. "I realized from a young age that I wanted to teach whatever I mastered." Wendy finally found her calling in her 50s —you'll be blown away and inspired by the gift she's sharing with the women she works with. 
4. How Wendy has incorporated body positivity and affirmations into her boudoir work. 
5. The ripple effect of celebrating yourself as a woman—with a boudoir session, regular date nights, or even a retreat alone—YOU benefit, but your family does too. 

In this episode, we talk with Wendy Wood, mother of three + photographer. Wendy grew up in Rochester, New York, home of Kodak, and began taking photos at the age of 12. She has a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management followed by an Associate Degree in the Culinary Arts.

Wendy ran Bed and Breakfasts and small boutique hotels for years but after having children, opened her photography studio, where she has been photographing weddings, families, newborns, and corporate headshots, and high school seniors for 20 years. But she truly found her dream career four years ago with boudoir photography, where she combines her love of photography, finding light, and capturing beauty with teaching women to love themselves and their bodies as they are. Find Wendy at:

Her Website
Her Facebook Page
Her Private Facebook Page
Instagram

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

1. How journaling during pregnancy led to the publication of Maci's first book, Maggie Morris.
2. Maci's passion for mental health advocacy and the important message her book has for kids, teens, and adults: the super power of speaking up, asking for help, and talking about your struggles. 
3. How friendship changed the course of Maci's book, and the real power of community when pursuing our mother-plusser goals and dreams.
4. Writing a book with young kids isn't always a pretty picture: Maci shares her seven-year journey of writing Maggie Morris (think: writing in the bathroom and during car naps).
5. The complexity of being a mother + creative: honoring the ebb and flow of our creative seasons, tackling imposter syndrome, and the price we pay when we stop creating. 

Maci Welch is an author, illustrator, and lover of all things creative. She has dreamed of writing and illustrating children’s books since grade school. Maggie Morris, her debut novel, is based on her early childhood friendships and experiences. She is passionate about mental health advocacy and hopes this book will serve as a reminder to always ask for help and know you are never truly alone. Maci is currently a full-time psychology student at the University of Wyoming and resides in the Cowboy State with her husband, two daughters, and black Lab, Archer Boy.

You can find Maci and her book, Maggie Morris, on her website, on Instagram, on TikTok, and on Facebook.

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this solo Stacey episode, we cover: 

1. How childhood birthday celebrations raise the bar on birthday expectations, making it difficult to swallow a low-key, adulthood birthday.
2. What do birthdays look like when you become a mom? (Especially in those early days).
3. Stacey’s perfect birthday “me day” + Dozens of ideas from listeners on how to indulge yourself on your birthday, even when you’re a mom.
4. How can we change perspective on our birthdays and make it more about celebrating ourselves (because we’re amazing and we deserve it)
5. How can we stop waiting for our birthdays to celebrate ourselves?

About Stacey:
Stacey Hutson, co-host of the Mother Plus Podcast is a mother + writer, entrepreneur, and athlete. She is a mother to two could-not-be-more-different daughters, ages 2 and 5. Though they are adorable, hysterical, and quite possibly creative geniuses, she's not here to talk about them. Before-Children Stacey couldn’t stop talking about her future children. And by now, she thought she’d be totally immersed in motherhood, happily sitting on the floor, “doing voices,” tickling tummies, and trying desperately to hold on to every precious moment.

But instead, she found herself on that same floor reminiscing about the days when she was a writer (published in Paleo Magazine, Hub Spot, New You Magazine, and TheList.com), an ad girl (working on brands like Revlon, Green Toys, Enjoy Life, and Eco Tools), and health nut badass (with a successful food blog, health coaching certification, and stint as a personal chef).

Stacey finally got tired of daydreaming about the woman she wanted to be, and did something about it by creating the Mother Plus Podcast. Next on the list for her is to learn hip hop dancing, revisit one of her favorite places in the world - the Karaoke stage, and finally publish one of the three books safely saved in her Microsoft Word documents for nobody to see.

For more about the Mother Plus Podcast, visit
www.MotherPlusser.com
https://www.instagram.com/mother_plus_podcast/

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

1. When we experience an unexpected career pivot, why does the guilt and shame show up? Bri describes feeling a need to "Explain things to someone who doesn't exist." Does social media trigger our inner critics in a more intense way?
2. When preoccupation with making money derails our creativity and curiosity, and how a more traditional, stable job took the pressure off and opened Bri up to prioritizing her art in a different way. 
3. A simple mindset shift from "How is this going to benefit my business" to "How is this going to help me in my practice, aka my art," can make a huge difference. 
4. Setting emotional boundaries + the two amazing household hacks that Bri has found to set priorities in light of her new job. 
5. The ripple effect of being our best selves and inspiring our kids: "I don't want to become who I'm becoming for my children. . . but it's a nice side effect." 

In this episode of The Mother Plus Podcast, we are bringing back our first guest ever—mother + artist + teacher Bri Hill. Bri fills us in on what she's been up to in the last year, the big career change that has shifted her goals, and how she's evolved as a mother, artist, and person.

Please visit Bri's original episode (episode #2) to see her evolution over the last year: How Curiosity Helped This Mother Find Her Creativity Again.

Want to stay updated with the podcast? Get new episodes, meetups, and calls for new guests on the Mother Plus Newsletter:
https://www.motherplusser.com/signup-page

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

1. Why are we obsessed with all things fall and pumpkin? It's not really about the pumpkins: Fall is the beginning of cozy season, and we naturally want to cocoon and nurture ourselves with all our favorite sensory treats.
2. Learn our new favorite word—Hygge—which means a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being. 
3. How can we dig into all the seasonal delights without being sucked into consumerism and overindulgence?
4. As moms who don't love "playing" with our kids, fall is a great season to spend quality time with them, have seasonal adventures and traditions, and get cozy together.
5. Create your own hygge with your nostalgic favorites and things that feel nourishing to you this season—no guilt about being "basic" allowed!

In this Stace + Steph episode, we dive into all things pumpkin, fall, and cozy. Stacey teaches us a new Danish vocabulary word that encapsulates everything we adore about fall, and we explore how both of us find our own fall favorites and ways to personally nurture ourselves. Fall feels so nostalgic and meaningful to us, and it's the perfect opportunity to reflect on all the things we loved about our own childhood fall traditions and dig into the rituals we love as mother plussers.

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

Join Stacey in this mini episode as she remembers why she started this podcast in the first place, how it came to be, and what it felt like to lose herself in motherhood, and then find herself again. 

In it, she reads a piece that she wrote for the live stage show, Listen To Your Mother called "Remembering Her." 

Join Stacey in remembering: 

• Saturday night karaoke and the "going out" days
• Dining out with her husband without kids
• Farmer's Market trips when her time there was slow and intentional
• Career-ladder climbing at her ad agency
• 90's TV binge-ing, and going "back in time" to her childhood
• Her friends, and the way things used to be

About Stacey:
Stacey Hutson, co-host of the Mother Plus Podcast is a mother + writer, entrepreneur, and athlete. She is a mother to two could-not-be-more-different daughters, ages 2 and 5. Though they are adorable, hysterical, and quite possibly creative geniuses, she's not here to talk about them. Before-Children Stacey couldn’t stop talking about her future children. And by now, she thought she’d be totally immersed in motherhood, happily sitting on the floor, “doing voices,” tickling tummies, and trying desperately to hold on to every precious moment.

But instead, she found herself on that same floor reminiscing about the days when she was a writer (published in Paleo Magazine, Hub Spot, New You Magazine, and TheList.com), an ad girl (working on brands like Revlon, Green Toys, Enjoy Life, and Eco Tools), and health nut badass (with a successful food blog, health coaching certification, and stint as a personal chef).

Stacey finally got tired of daydreaming about the woman she wanted to be, and did something about it by creating the Mother Plus Podcast. Next on the list for her is to learn hip hop dancing, revisit one of her favorite places in the world - the Karaoke stage, and finally publish one of the three books safely saved in her Microsoft Word documents for nobody to see.

For more about the Mother Plus Podcast, visit
www.MotherPlusser.com
https://www.instagram.com/mother_plus_podcast/

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

1. How being on a "success treadmill" caused Autumn to hit rock bottom with her health—and how she flipped the switch to get out of that stress state prior to motherhood. 
2. Autumn's pursuit of wellness—not just being fit but feeling good— and desiring a schedule that worked for her led to the creation of Paleovalley, a company that nourishes families with accessible whole foods.
3. Balancing motherhood with being a multi-business owner: how Autumn's company created a culture that prioritizes family, health, and wellness. 
4. It's a gift to our kids when we take time for ourselves + the lesson J Lo taught Autumn about integrating our passions into motherhood.
5. Taking yourself seriously: he value of firm boundaries, priorities, and saying no (even to things you like!), and how it's kept Autumn thriving as a business owner. 

Autumn Smith suffered from debilitating digestive issues and crippling anxiety for most of her life. Specialist after specialist told her nothing could be done, and she was ready to give up. But as one final attempt at a life free of health issues, Autumn decided to harness the power of whole foods. She cleaned up her diet and in just 30 days, her IBS was cured. But that was just the beginning. She also had less anxiety, was mentally sharper, and a bubbly side of her that she forgot existed came back. Since then, Autumn has dedicated her life to helping others harness the power of whole foods to live vibrant lives.

In 2013, she and her husband Chas launched Paleovalley, a company dedicated to helping people get the essential nutrients they need, without added sugars, grains, and other harmful ingredients. But they didn’t stop there. After learning about the healing powers of grass fed, pasture raised meat - both for our bodies and the planet - Autumn and Chas started their next venture. In 2018, they launched Wild Pastures, a regenerative meat delivery service that sends 100% grass fed pasture raised meat directly to your doorstep.

Autumn has a masters of science in holistic nutrition. She is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and she is a Certified Eating Psychology Coach by the Institute for the Psychology of Eating. In her previous life, she was a celebrity fitness trainer for The Tracy Anderson Method and a dancer for Jennifer Lopez.  She is currently a doctoral candidate.

Where you can find her (prepare yourself, it's a long list):
Email: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/autumnsmithwellness/
https://www.facebook.com/LovePaleovalley/
https://www.instagram.com/paleovalley/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/wildpastures/
https://www.instagram.com/wildpasturesofficial/

To sign up for the Mother Plus newsletter, visit: https://www.motherplusser.com/signup-page

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

1. The after-school transition to being with our kids again can be all-consuming, even when we are practicing good self-care. 
2. How can we be OK when our kids aren't OK? Having healthy boundaries between their crises and our crises is easier said than done. 
3. The more sensitive and emotional we are, the harder it can be to shift between alone time/work time and parenting time. 
4. Our parenting journey is not linear—we get better at some things and worse at others and have to ride the waves as they come. 

In this solo episode with Steph, she reads a piece she wrote for Mutha Magazine about her challenges with the after-school transition. In "Greeting My Kids After School is Like a Bucket of Cold Water," she shares how she struggles to cope with the stress of reuniting with her kids after a day apart.

Link to article: https://www.muthamagazine.com/2021/10/greeting-my-kids-after-school-is-like-a-bucket-of-cold-water/

To join the Mother Plus Community: https://www.motherplusser.com/signup-page 

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

1. Why it's important to keep our back-to-school expectations and ambitions in check. 
2. Parenting can still be a full time job even when your kids are in school—don't underestimate the workload in managing a family calendar and daily transitions. 
3. Carrying our children's back-to-school emotional burdens is a heavy weight—give yourself grace and recognize how hard it is!
4. Allow for some extreme decadence at the beginning of the school year—whatever that looks like for you. 
5. Getting organized is part of self-care: staying on top of things allows you to avoid unnecessary anxiety and unwind and unplug when you need to. 

In this Stace and Steph "back to school" episode, we talk candidly about going from the stress of having kids home over the summer to the stress of the transition to school. We cover things like packing in WAY too much the minute our kids head back to school, having unrealistic expectations about how much time we actually have (sound familiar?), giving ourselves permission to exhale, and striking the right balance between being organized and truly checking out to relax and enjoy the time and space without the kids.

Where to find us:
www.motherplusser.com
Instagram: @motherpluspodcast

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we cover:

1. Information overload: there are two different kinds—the active, intentional information we seek out (online courses, podcasts) and the mindless stimuli that bombards us daily (social media notifications, message alerts, etc)
2. The internet can be an accelerant for the addiction to learning: with digital courses, influencers, podcasts, and workshops at our fingertips (and social feeds), we are constantly consuming information.  
3. Being constantly “on call” and “checking in” isn’t just overwhelming—it can fry our nervous systems and make it more difficult to participate in our actual, real lives. Beware the dangers of divided attention and multi-tasking!
4. Forgetting our own wise voice and intuition—in this age of information overload, it’s hard to remember to trust our gut when we are seeking answers elsewhere. Rather than turning to “experts” and Google to tell us how to do all the things, remember to turn inward and trust your own wisdom.
5. Remember the “C’s”: The casualties of constant consumption—creativity and connection. It is easy to burn out amidst digital bombardment, and creativity and genuine connection can be the first thing to go! 

In this Stace and Steph episode, we cover the murky territory of information overload, internet overwhelm, and digital bombardment. Stacey and Stephanie are both impacted by the effects of information overload . . . but in almost completely different ways. Find out what we learned when we talked about Stacey's lifelong love of learning and Stephanie's anxiety response to constant notifications and alerts, and then get curious about your OWN response to information overload. We think you might find a way to apply the "small, incremental steps" approach to a healthier balance between intuition and information.

Source of stats:
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2005/apr/22/money.workandcareers
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/oct/14/the-lost-art-of-concentration-being-distracted-in-a-digital-world

WHERE TO FIND US NOW

Connect with Stacey

• 🎧 The Next Phase Podcast —  
• on Apple & Spotify 
• 📸 Instagram: @stacehutson

Connect with Steph

• 🎧 The Peri-Normal Podcast
  on Apple and Spotify
• ✍️ The Reclamation Era
  on Substack
• 📝 MidCircle
  — a writing community for midlife women
• 📸 Instagram: @stephsprenger