The Just Because Diaries: Mom Life Stories & Finding Whimsy in Motherhood

Real motherhood shows up messy, emotional, and awkward - and this episode is full of it. I’m sharing real mom life stories from my week, including a volunteer luncheon social disaster, an Instagram personality type that explained my entire existence, and an unexpectedly emotional school pickup.

These are real mom life moments, awkward mom moments, and a reminder that motherhood is often equal parts chaos and comedy. If you’re here for community and a little bit of whimsy in motherhood - the small, surprising moments that make it all feel strangely beautiful - this one’s for you.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment! I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries

This week on The Just Because Diaries, I’m sharing all about our first ever kid-free trip to New York City! Including my catastrophic pre-trip anxiety, whimsy and magical Broadway moments, and why this weekend ended up meaning way more to me than I expected.

We’re talking:

• leaving the kids overnight for the first time

• traveling without children (which honestly felt revolutionary)

• New York pizza

• Broadway shows

• Drunk Shakespeare

• Titanique

• Stardust Diner

• Tom Felton returning as Draco Malfoy in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

• stage door chaos

• and the emotional experience of remembering that I still exist outside of motherhood too.

Plus, this week’s Just Because Moment is inspired by Miles and his little blue thumb nails, and the reminder that sometimes the best things are the ones we do simply because they make us happy.

If you’ve ever struggled with mom guilt, anxiety, identity outside of parenting, or just wanted a cozy chaotic NYC trip recap from another millennial mom trying her best…this episode is for you.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment! I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries

Episode Topics Include: Family travel, mom travel, real motherhood, motherhood stories, mom guilt, Tom Felton, mom life, whimsy in motherhood, Broadway, mom self care

In this deeply personal episode, I’ve finally had my reckoning with weight, health and what it really means to take care of myself.

We talk about the stigma around GLP-1 Medications, the fear of being judged, and what it really means to ask for help with your health. Plus cycle breaking as a real mom and the importance of self care in motherhood.

From childhood experiences with being labeled “the chubby girl,” to dieting at a young age, to navigating BMI standards, postpartum body changes, and therapy, this is the full, honest story.

Plus, in this week’s Just Because Moment: a fun and whimsical spring recipe for lilac shortbread cookies inspired by @blackforager 🌸 to bring a little whimsy in motherhood.

Links Mentioned This Episode:

Lilac Shortbread Cookies by Baking for Friends

Lilac Sugar by Baking for Friends

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment! I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode topics include: GLP-1, tirzepatide, weight loss journey, body image, diet culture, postpartum weight, motherhood stories, real motherhood, whimsy in motherhood, mom life

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a mix of funny, chaotic, and unexpectedly emotional motherhood moments—from planning my toddler’s second birthday party (hello Oh Twodles theme, balloon fails, and hot-diggity-dogs) to the surprisingly deep feelings that hit me when I realized I’m nearing the end of the diaper bag phase.

Because somehow… it’s never really about the diaper bag.

We’re also getting into:

• Toddler birthday party planning (and what not to do with Amazon balloons 🙃)

• The debate: should you serve alcohol at kids’ birthday parties?

• That weird moment when you realize your “last baby” isn’t a baby anymore

• Unexpected emotions around parenting milestones and transitions

• The small, random things that hit way harder than the “big” moments

And in this week’s Just Because Moment, I’m officially stepping out of my kitchen and into a tap class…with a performance in just 8 weeks 😅 We’re talking about doing scary things, being the “new person,” and how sometimes the thing you sign up for isn’t the thing you end up getting.

Because sometimes you go for the hobby… and stay for the community.

If you’ve ever felt emotional over something totally random (hi, diaper bags), questioned your parenting choices, or hovered over the “sign up” button for something that scares you—this one’s for you.

Grab a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and let’s chat 💛

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment! I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠⁠⁠

Episode topics include: real mom stories, mom life, whimsy in motherhood, choosing joy, motherhood, joy in motherhood, motherhood identity

In this heartfelt episode of The Just Because Diaries, Celeste shares her personal emergency C-section story in honor of C-Section Awareness Month, diving deep into the challenges of postpartum recovery and the parts about birth no one often prepares you for.

This real motherhood story touches on trauma, confusion, and the lasting impact on a mom's life, along with the healing journey that followed.

As part of C-section Awareness Month, this episode is dedicated to anyone who has faced a C-section - planned or unplanned - felt ill-prepared for birth or recovery, or is simply seeking connection through authentic mom life stories.

Plus, to balance the heaviness, Celeste shares a whimsical "Just Because Moment" involving yellow tap shoes, symbolizing finding whimsy in motherhood and reclaiming joy after hardship. Tune in for an honest, relatable episode that embraces both the raw realities and the lighthearted moments of mom life.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment! I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠⁠

Episode topics include: real mom stories, mom life, whimsy in motherhood, choosing joy, motherhood, birth, birth trauma, c-section awareness

If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably romanticized your ancestry at some point - imagining distant relatives, old-world charm, and a story that somehow explains who you are.

In this episode of The Just Because Diaries, I’m sharing the real-life story of how I followed my curiosity all the way to a tiny Sicilian village, convinced I had found my long-lost family…only to discover that the truth about my ancestry was different than I expected. From an unforgettable (and slightly chaotic) visit to a local butcher shop in Italy to uncovering surprising details about my great grandfather years later, this story is a reminder that family history isn’t always what we imagine it to be.

We’ll also explore the idea of belonging - what it means, where we find it, and how sometimes the most meaningful connections come from the most unexpected places.

And later, a listener-submitted Just Because Moment featuring small, whimsical habits people use to bring a little more magic into their everyday lives - no international travel required.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment! I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠⁠

Episode topics include: real motherhood stories, ancestry, Italian ancestry, whimsy in motherhood, whimsy, motherhood

Is creativity just a hobby? Or is it how we cope with anxiety?

In this episode, I'm sharing my thoughts on the connection between creativity and stress, the rise of “granny hobbies,” and why so many of us are craving something hands-on right now. As a creative mom navigating motherhood and anxiety, I’ve found that engaging in something creative - even imperfectly - can feel grounding and restorative.

We’ll talk about why creativity isn’t just about being artistic, how it shows up in real motherhood, and why you are entitled to the work, not the result. And later, a little dose of whimsy as I attempt to revive some Victorian-era slang that sounds completely made up.

In this episode I mention S2E3 of The Telepathy Tapes! If you'd like to listen to the full episode, here's the link for you!

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment — I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠⁠

Episode topics include: real mom moments, mom life, whimsy in motherhood, choosing joy, motherhood, creativity, anxiety, mom hobbies

In this episode of The Just Because Diaries, explore real mothering moments filled with whimsy in motherhood and the power of choosing joy in daily mom life. Join Celeste as she shares creative, spontaneous projects and revisits passions to highlight how small choices shape the experience of motherhood.

Discover how unexpected synchronicities and new mental pathways transform ordinary days into moments of magic. We discuss why whimsy is not merely found but actively practiced in the real mom journey.

Plus, tune in for a Just Because Moment focused on protecting joy and why Celeste is embracing the DNF culture.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment — I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠

Episode topics include: real mom moments, mom life, whimsy in motherhood, choosing joy, motherhood

This episode of The Just Because Diaries came together a little differently than usual. It starts with mom moments from a recent solo trip to California - a quiet weekend away that turned into an unexpected reset - and unfolds into some thoughts I’ve been carrying during a season that’s felt especially heavy.

Lately, it’s been hard to hold space for both rage and whimsy, heartbreak and joy. In this episode, I talk honestly about that tension — about motherhood, the world our kids are growing up in, and the choice to let love, creativity, and small moments of joy exist alongside the outrage. This isn’t a political podcast, but it is a human one. And sometimes being a mom means naming the hard things while still choosing softness, kindness, and whimsy where we can.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, numb, hopeful and hopeless all at once, this one’s for you. No big lessons. No perfect wrap-up. Just a voice notes style conversation, a few stories, and a reminder that two things can be true at the same time.

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment — I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries

Episode topics include: mom moments and solo travel, navigating heavy moments as a parent, finding joy as a mom, whimsy in motherhood and choosing joy.

Feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list? You're not alone! In this episode of The Just Because Diaries, join me as I share real mom moments of overwhelm and burnout — tackling motherhood's mental load one step at a time while rediscovering the whimsy in everyday life.

From chaotic toy rooms to finding joy in small wins, this episode is a reminder to all moms to pause, smile, and embrace the magic in the mundane. Discover how leaning into whimsy in motherhood can transform your mom moments into joyful experiences, even when life feels frozen.

Whether you’re juggling mom burnout or just craving a little lighthearted fun, this episode offers authentic stories and encouragement to choose joy. If this resonates, please share it with a fellow mom friend, and don’t forget to reach out with your own Just Because Moments!

Want to keep the conversation going?

Write in with your thoughts, questions, or your own Just Because Moment — I’d love to celebrate it and give you a shoutout in a future episode. You can email me anytime at ⁠[email protected]⁠.

Follow along on Instagram for more Just Because fun!: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@TheJustBecauesDiaries⁠⁠⁠⁠

Episode topics include: motherhood mental load, mom burnout, finding joy as a mom, whimsy in motherhood, everyday mom life, slow living, finding whimsy, whimsy in motherhood and choosing joy.