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

This week I’m sharing about one of my favorite rhythms in our family life: Sabbath. Why we keep it, how it shapes our week, and why rest is good for everyone — body, soul, family, and culture. 

I’ll talk about our own Sabbath table, the prep that makes it possible, and some wisdom from Genesis and beyond that has helped me see rest as not just a pause, but a gift.

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Today's episode is a Part II of breaking free from cell phone addiction by turning smartphones into "dumb phones." Reclaiming our attention through intentional boundaries, mainly by living like it's 1995 again.

• Deleting apps like banking, email, shopping, and browsers forces intentional computer-based usage
• Setting boundaries like no phone before 7am and designated check-in times reduces compulsive checking
• Switching to paper grocery lists and physical tracking systems eliminates constant phone dependency
• Leaving the phone in the car during errands creates freedom from constant digital connection
• Using an actual camera instead of phone camera brings back nostalgic imperfection in photography
• Placing the phone in one location at home (like an old house phone) prevents room-to-room carrying
• Weekly 25-hour "phone Sabbath" provides complete digital detox from Friday to Saturday night

If this journey inspires you to make changes in your own phone habits, I'd love to hear about your experience!

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I share my journey through 14 books read this summer - ten adult fiction and four children's books - reviewing the highlights, disappointments, and unexpected emotional moments along the way.

• My standout favorite was "The Wedding People" by Alison Espach, likely to be in my top five books of the year
• "Ask for Andrea" by Noelle Wehe captivated me with its unique perspective from murder victims in the afterlife
• Some highly-rated books like "The Grace Year" and "Don't Forget to Write" fell completely flat for me
• "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo made me ugly cry twice while reading it to my children
• Children's book "Pax" by Sarah Penny Packer dealt with themes too heavy for young children despite my initial excitement
• Some unexpected additions to my summer reading included Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Atmosphere" and Dr. Becky Kennedy's parenting guide
• Books that receive universal acclaim online can still be disappointing to individual readers
• The most satisfying reads often come from unexpected places

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Digital clutter may not take up physical space, but it consumes valuable mental bandwidth and creates background anxiety we often ignore. This episode provides a comprehensive September reset for five key digital areas.

• Phone usage is examined through the lens of "pickups" rather than screen time—revealing how we check phones every 8 minutes on average
• Simple strategies for breaking phone addiction include app deletion, grayscale display, and designated check-in times
• Computer organization focuses on desktop cleanup, download folder purging, and refreshing wallpapers
• Email management tips include separate addresses for different purposes (personal, kids' activities, shopping)
• Photo organization works best with timed 10-minute sessions, starting with older photos where emotional attachment is lower
• Color-coded family calendars serve as the "single source of truth" with different colors for each family member and activity type
• Breaking digital decluttering into small, manageable 10-minute sessions makes the process less overwhelming

Join me in this digital reset journey—I've already reduced my phone pickups from 90 to 37 per day and feel mentally lighter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on phone usage and digital decluttering strategies!

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"The Bright Years" by Sarah Damnoff is a debut novel that explores addiction's devastating impact across three generations of a family. This powerful story unfolds over three decades through alternating perspectives, weaving together themes of alcoholism, adoption, redemption, and the resilience of imperfect love. 

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Ever wonder what a real family budget looks like? This week I’m opening up our June 2025 numbers — every dollar we spent on groceries, clothes, dining out, birdseed (yes), birthday parties, and last-minute ice cream runs.

I’m sharing where the impulse spending sneaks in, what makes it worth it, and how I think about money not just as math but as a living record of our values, chaos, and care.

Come peek behind the budget curtain. I hope it inspires you to look at your own spending with a little more honesty — and a lot more grace.

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September has a way of rushing in with new routines, school schedules, and endless lists, leaving us feeling like we’re already behind. But what if this month didn’t have to feel so overwhelming?

In this episode, I’m sharing how I’m experimenting with a gentler rhythm for fall — including my idea of a “fall dashboard” to keep things simple — and how we can give ourselves permission to focus on what matters now, instead of everything at once.

Full Post Here.

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This week on the podcast, I’m sharing exactly what our family of six ate over the course of a full summer week—plus what we spent on groceries and dining out. With my dad visiting, it was a lively, food-filled few days of sourdough baking, summer dinners, and simple breakfasts. Tune in for a peek at our real-life meal rhythm, how I balance homemade with easy wins, and the total cost of feeding our crew this July.

Mentioned Recipes: 

• Sourdough Brownies 🍫
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies 🍪
• Sourdough Tortillas 🌮
• Greek Chicken Marinade 🍋

Full Post Here.

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In this episode of The Raw and the Cooked, I’m taking you inside a typical summer weekday morning in our house—with four kids under six, it’s as wild and sweet as you’d imagine. From the early wake-up call (courtesy of the cat) to swim lessons, snack prep, and that sacred solo coffee shop hour, I’m sharing the rhythms that help keep things (mostly) running. If you’re deep in the trenches too, I hope this one makes you feel a little less alone.

Full Post Here.

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The magic of audiobooks lies in the unique relationship between listener and narrator. Just as our parents became our first storytellers, reading bedtime stories with dramatic voices and engaging inflections, today's professional narrators transform words on a page into immersive experiences. The right narrator can elevate a good story into something extraordinary—think of George Saunders' "Lincoln in the Bardo" with its hundred-voice cast, or the perfect pacing in "Daisy Jones and the Six" that brings its interview format to vibrant life.

Mentioned Audiobooks:

• Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
• Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
• Everything, Everything and The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
• Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
• A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler
• Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore
• Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan
• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
• One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
• The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
• The Push by Ashley Audrain
• Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
• Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
• The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
• The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
• Nora Goes Off Script by Annabel Monaghan
• Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
• Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
• The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
• Thank You for Listening by Julia Whelan
• Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
• Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez
• The Candy House by Jennifer Egan
• Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
• Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson
• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
• The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer
• Bye, Baby by Caroline Lovering
• Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
• The Rachel Incident by Caroline O'Donoghue
• Miracle Creek by Angie Kim
• The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak
• The Wedding People by Alison Espach
• Ask for Andrea by Noelle Ihli
  
  

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