The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading

This week, I’m talking about something that’s been quietly changing the way I read: slowing down.

For years, I chased ambitious reading goals and measured my reading life by numbers — how many books I finished, how quickly I moved onto the next one, how much I could “keep up.” But lately, I’ve started asking a different question: what’s the point of rushing through books if none of them actually stay with me?

In this episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on reading slower, highlighting more, abandoning books guilt-free, my complicated relationship with “popcorn thrillers,” and why I’m no longer interested in turning reading into a productivity contest.

Maybe reading isn’t meant to be completed. Maybe it’s meant to be experienced. 📚

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A book shows up in the mailbox and suddenly I’m reading a format I normally avoid. That’s how The Correspondent by Virginia Evans landed in my hands, and it’s why this review turns into something bigger than a thumbs up or thumbs down. When a trusted friend mails you her copy, you can’t help but listen a little closer and I’m glad I did.

We talk through what makes this epistolary novel so readable, even if you think “books written in letters aren’t for me.” The letters feel simple, elegant, and surprisingly gripping, and the structure makes it easy to read in small bursts. At the same time, the story can be painful and intense, with messy relationship dynamics and moments that crack your heart open. I also share what didn’t work for me, including frustrations with Sybil’s choices and a few plot threads that didn’t fully land.

Then we zoom out to the real takeaway: letter writing as a lost art worth reviving. I share my own weekly outgoing mail rhythm, why receiving a handwritten note still feels uniquely human, and how one small habit can cut through the noise of a digital world. If you love book reviews, slow living routines, and practical ways to build connection, you’ll feel right at home here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves reading, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show.

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In this episode, I walk through what I call the 2 p.m. reset—those moments in the afternoon when the day starts to feel like it’s slipping away. I paint a realistic picture of that mid-day overwhelm: a messy kitchen, kids needing constant attention, dinner still unplanned, and a growing sense that nothing has really been accomplished yet. I talk about why this time of day feels so hard, not because we’re failing, but because of decision fatigue, energy dips, and the weight of everything still ahead. Then I share a simple, flexible reset I use in real life: choosing one small admin task, one household task, and one thing that helps my future self at dinner time or tomorrow. It’s not about catching up or fixing the whole day—it’s about re-entering the afternoon with a little more clarity, calm, and intention so the rest of the day feels steadier instead of chaotic.

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This week I’m sharing how I actually use AI in my real life as a stay-at-home mom of four—without understanding anything technical. From building flexible routines that actually work, to planning holidays, breaking down home projects, writing emails, meal planning, and even figuring out “clean” products, ChatGPT has quietly become one of the most helpful tools in my home. If you’ve been curious about AI but feel intimidated or behind, this episode is a simple, honest look at how you can start using it in ways that genuinely make your life easier.

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I went into George Saunders’ Vigil with the kind of excitement you only get when an author has already given you a personal classic. Lincoln In The Bardo is still one of my favorite audiobook experiences, the kind that feels less like “listening to a book” and more like being pulled into a full cast performance. So when I saw Vigil drop, I skipped the description, hit purchase, and hoped for that same strange, powerful spark.

What I got instead was something that never emotionally clicked, even with Judy Greer delivering a genuinely great narration. I talk through the moment it dawned on me that the central engine feels uncomfortably familiar: another story built around a liminal space where the living and the dying blur together. Vigil shifts the frame to modern times and a smaller set of characters, but the structural DNA still felt like a repeat rather than a reinvention. And when the story leans into a deathbed-rich-guy vibe mixed with climate change commentary, I found myself asking what the book was trying to be and who it was trying to move.

That doesn’t mean the writing is “bad” at all. Saunders can still drop a sentence that stops you cold, and there are flashes of beauty that remind you why his work gets so much love. But for me, those moments weren’t enough to anchor the experience, and I left feeling more tired than changed. If you’re searching for an honest Vigil review, curious about the Vigil audiobook, or wondering whether Saunders’ new book is worth your time, this conversation will help you decide where you might land.

Subscribe for weekly simple-home routines and raw book reviews, share this with a Saunders fan, and leave a rating or review. Have you read Vigil yet, and did it work for you?

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In this episode, I’m sharing a Q1 budget recap as part of our “use it up, wear it out, make do or do without” year. I walk through what worked over the past three months, including areas where we saved money, lowered recurring expenses, and leaned into a thrift-first mindset for clothing, home items, and kids’ needs.

I also talk about where real life didn’t line up with the budget—things like higher utility bills, car expenses, and annual costs that I didn’t plan for. Some categories weren’t overspending issues, just reality, and it was helpful to see that distinction more clearly.

Finally, I share a few simple shifts I’m making for Q2, including adding sinking funds, adjusting categories, and continuing habits that are already working well. If you’ve been wanting to check in on your own spending without feeling overwhelmed, this is a great place to start.

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Today, I'm sharing three recent favorites I can’t stop thinking about, then unpack one widely loved novel that surprised me in the wrong way. 

1. How To Read A Book by Monica Wood, a prison book club - fun! 
2. What Kind Of Paradise by Janelle Brown as a lingering, introspective audiobook. Set in the late 90's with tech on the horizon and the tension between protection and control 
3. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen as sharp, funny, uncomfortable family drama  + why a 500-plus page novel can feel fast when the writing is masterful 
4. An unpopular opinion on Buckeye by Patrick Ryan and what didn’t work for me 

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We tie a bow on the rhythmic home series by zooming out to seasonal flow and the small resets that keep our routines working as life changes. We share how we review what’s working, adjust what’s not, and stay grounded as people so our home supports us instead of controlling us.
• zooming out from microhabits and weekly flow to seasonal rhythms
• asking what’s working, what feels chaotic, and what this season needs
• using last year’s photos and notes to plan without reinventing
• doing a light seasonal reset with closets, toy rotation, and budget check-in
• swapping gear for the weather and making seasonal supplies easy to reach
• setting a home goal, personal goal, and relational goal each season
• choosing stewardship over productivity to build a calm, sustainable home
• giving yourself grace when one closet still overwhelms you

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In this episode, we continue the Rhythmic Home series by exploring the layer that often gets overlooked: what’s actually inside your home. Because even with strong habits and a well-planned weekly flow, your home can still feel overwhelming if the volume of what you own is working against you.

We talk through the difference between daily tasks, weekly rhythms, and ongoing projects—and why keeping a running project list can immediately calm mental clutter. From there, we get into a gentle, sustainable approach to decluttering, and finally, the real root of the issue: consumption. This episode will help you shift from constantly managing your home… to thoughtfully curating what enters and stays in it.

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In this second episode of the series on building a rhythmic home, we move from micro-habits into structure — specifically, how to create a daily and weekly flow that actually supports your life. Because the truth is, even the best systems won’t work if your days feel reactive and scattered. This episode walks through how to organize your week in a way that feels calm, flexible, and realistic for motherhood.

We’ll talk about creating one “source of truth” for your tasks, how to sit down and plan your week in just 15 minutes, and the three daily reset anchors that keep a home running smoothly. This episode builds directly on the ideas from Atomic Habits by James Clear — because ultimately, your systems only work if your behaviors support them. And when those two things come together, that’s when a home starts to feel truly sustainable.

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