Kelsey started her career on the Food Network and went on to host her own show called Kelsey’s Essentials. As a busy mom raising kids, she realized the pressure that all parents have to get dinner on the table and wanted to provide a solution. Kelsey simplified meal-planning with her 5-ingredient dinners and Recipe Club subscription. On this episode, Kelsey answers questions from the MomForce community about everything from how to rein in all-day snacking with kids to eating dinner in the car! Along with her career as a chef and author, Kelsey has bravely shared her journey of becoming a mother. She opens up about infant loss and the path she took to grow her family. Kelsey tells Vanessa how she found strength during some of her darkest times. Listen in to be inspired! 

Use code: CHATBOOKS to get 20% off a monthly or annual subscription to Kelsey's Recipe Club! 

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I love a fresh start and January is a natural time to do just that. But so many of us can get overwhelmed by the all-or-nothing mentality of resolutions, especially when it comes to diet and physical fitness. Why do we do that to ourselves? This is why I wanted to chat with my friend Erika Peterson of Clean Simple Eats, she knows that when it comes to our bodies it is all about the long game! For more than a decade, and through lots of grit and hard work, she has built a health and fitness empire. In this episode, Erika shares what that's been like – including her experience with healing her postpartum depression. She also shares what healthy eating actually looks like at her house with her 4 kids. Blend up a protein shake and listen in to Erika's expert advice! 

Here is the Chattymonial video we mention in the episode 

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We first released this conversation with actress and singer Lea Michele in November 2021. At the time, she was a new mom and bravely shared her pregnancy and postpartum experience, including her struggles with PCOS and infertility. Since the release of this episode, Lea’s baby boy is now a toddler and she has taken on one of the biggest roles of her career - Fanny Brice in Funny Girl on Broadway! The critics love her and fans can’t help but give a standing ovation to the entire cast after every performance. Listen to this episode to hear Lea share her real and honest experiences with motherhood and a high-stakes career. 

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Artist Morgan Harper Nichols has inspired millions of people with her poetry, music, artwork, and affirmations. In this conversation, Morgan shares what it was like to find out that she is on the autism spectrum at the age of 31. In addition to that, Vanessa shares her experience getting an ADHD diagnosis last year. They both share their journeys of self-discovery since those diagnoses. Listen to this episode to hear why Morgan chose to write a book about finding peace and her practical tips for everyday life. 

Morgan shares daily affirmations and encouragement on Instagram @thestorytellerco and @morganharpernichols

Peace is a Practice 

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The sisters are back! Chatbooks co-founder Vanessa Quigley is joined by her 4 sisters for a special holiday episode. They dig into dozens of questions from our MomForce community about the holidays and how to navigate tricky family situations. They cover everything from healthy boundaries, relationships with inlaws, and how to make kids feel special. Listen in to be inspired to choose your own way this year!  

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Listen to more episodes with the sisters: Mini Holiday ep and the Gifting ep

Brooke Romney’s Modern Manners For Teens

Joy Cho is the founder of the Oh Joy! design studio and lifestyle brand. She launched the studio in 2005 and has since designed hundreds of products and collections with brands like Target and Keds. Joy recently wrote a book about kids and confidence. The book details her struggle to fit in and find confidence as a kid. Joy chats with Vanessa about the book and why she wrote it for parents and kids to read together. Listen in on their candid conversation about feeling guilt in motherhood, finding adult friendships, and being an entrepreneur. 

Joy has two daughters and lives in Los Angeles, California. She is a second-degree black belt, an avid tennis player, and a fashion icon. Joy also happens to be the most followed person on Pinterest! We know her advice and wisdom on confidence will inspire you. 

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Check out Oh Joy! 

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Confidence in Kids

Tiny but mighty, toddlers can be a rollercoaster of emotions! Ali Maffucci of @inspiralized shares her tips and tricks for creating teachable moments instead of tantrums in everyday life. She answers questions from our MomForce community on everything from how to enjoy mealtime with little ones to outsourcing the household chores you dislike.

Ali just released her fourth cookbook, which quickly became a New York Times bestseller. She is a mom to four kids – including one-year-old twins! Ali tells Vanessa what has helped her the most in her motherhood journey, especially when it comes to picky eaters! 

Check out her recipes here  

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Myriam Sandler discovered the power of sensory play when, at the age of 1, her oldest daughter would not eat any solid foods. As an in-tune first-time mom, she guessed that there might be a sensory issue and made taste-safe play dough, kinetic sand, and sensory rice bins. Myriam began working with her baby in this sensory-friendly way and witnessed her daughter start to eat all of the solids that were presented to her – even broccoli! Now she is the creator behind the brand, Mother Could, where she shares kid-friendly recipes and affordable parenting hacks (that regularly go viral!). Not only that, Myriam shares all of her projects in Spanish and English.

Myriam tells Vanessa Quigley, Chatbooks co-founder, all about raising bilingual kids and clears up common misconceptions. 

Check out her videos at mothercould.com 

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Motherhood is a rollercoaster, some days you see incredible moments, and other days you can’t wait for bedtime! Vanessa Quigley, co-founder of Chatbooks, invited some of her favorite women to share how they break free from the monotony of everyday life and see the magic. Come laugh and cry as you find strength in the experiences of these incredible women! 

In this episode you will hear from:

Si Foster, A Bountiful Kitchen

Alexis and Chante, Let's Talk Sis

Courtney Rich, Cake By Courtney

Olivia Gochnour, Utah Grubs 

Emily Frame, Small Fry 

Julie Taylor, Motherhood Revolution

Jenica Parcell, Fearless Infertility 

Ashley Rose Reeves, Ashley Rose Reeves 

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Ginny Yurich, a mom of 5 in Michigan, is the creator of a global movement known as 1,000 Hours Outside. The goal is to balance the average 1,000+ hours a child spends in front of a screen per year with 1,000 hours of unstructured outdoor play.

After a tricky start to motherhood, Ginny decided she wanted to try something new with her young kids. A friend invited her to take part in “nature days”. After a year of gathering together with friends and letting their kids play outside, Ginny realized they had spent more than 1,000 hours together. After looking back on the year and the changes she had seen not only in her kids but also in herself, she knew she was onto something. She coined the slogan, “1,000 Hours Outside: A movement for those who want a slower childhood and a fuller life”. Now her outdoor curriculum has been used around the globe and she is sent personal success stories on a daily basis. In this episode, Ginny tells Vanessa what life is like right now for her family, and what to do about video games! 

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Free 1,000 Hours Outside trackers

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