It's Giving Back to School!

Six years old?! How did we get here?!In this laid-back episode of It's Giving Motherhood, we're catching up on all things motherhood, life, and everything in between!We're talking about the boys turning six, navigating school, new diagnoses, and celebrating some health wins along the way. Plus, we're getting into Halloween snacks, our latest movie-watching homework, and deteching, the growing trend of ditching streaming services and going back to DVDs and VHS tapes!No big agenda this week, just two moms catching up, sharing some laughs, and figuring it out as we go.

Kindergarten is here! Kate and Jayme discuss preparing their kids for their first big year of school and the emotions that come with it. Kate shares how visual schedules and social stories are helping her kiddo prepare, while Jayme tackles lunch planning and the harsh realization that kindergarten is five days a week. They also catch up on what they’re reading and watching, Kate’s portion-control journey, and Jayme’s latest snack obsession: Member’s Mark Thin & Crunchy Mini Cookie Thins.A little back-to-school anxiety, true crime, snacks, and two moms wondering how their babies are already old enough for kindergarten.

Summer is winding down, routines are nowhere to be found, and Kate and Jayme have THOUGHTS. This week, we’re catching up on what summer has looked like lately, from parenting wins and stressful mom moments to backyard gardens, basement renovations, new drinks, spicy books, reality TV, and the emotional roller coaster that is simply trying to cook dinner without setting a timer.Jayme shares a scary experience with Ben’s first blood draw and the abnormal results they’re now following up on, plus a major personal win: pushing through social anxiety at a birthday party and actually connecting with another mom.Kate talks about the chaos that comes when summer camp ends and the routine disappears, why the new pool may have officially changed her opinion of summer, and a recent liver health scare that has her making some changes while waiting for more answers.Also in this episode: What We’re Reading: Memoirs, hockey romance that was MUCH spicier than anticipated, Love at First Sighting, Paris Hilton, and the possibility of an official It’s Giving Motherhood book club. What We’re Watching: Blue Bloods, Criminal Minds, Below Deck Mediterranean, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, psychological thrillers, and apparently a Charles Manson family mystery because our watchlists are nothing if not diverse. Summer Wins: CSA veggies, four surviving tomato plants, accidental compost squash, baby corn, a finished basement, Mediterranean bowls, and homemade meatballs that nearly caused an emotional breakdown before turning out perfectly. What We’re Drinking: Javvy Mango Pineapple Refreshers, pineapple sparkling water, and Arbonne fizz sticks. Plus, Jayme has officially entered her Arbonne era!And because summer is almost over, we’re looking ahead to BACK TO SCHOOL, which means schedules, transitions, lunchboxes, emotions, and parents everywhere wondering how summer disappeared so fast. We want to hear from you!What was your biggest summer win? What are you reading right now? And what’s your best back-to-school tip?Send us your book recs, summer recaps, and back-to-school survival strategies on Facebook or Instagram at @ItsGivingMotherhood.Grab your coffee, sparkling water, protein drink, or whatever is currently keeping you functional, and hang out with us!

This week, Kate and Jayme are embracing the holiday with a fun, completely unstructured episode of It's Giving Motherhood. Think less "carefully curated content" and more "the conversation we'd have if we grabbed coffee together."They're catching up on recent mom wins and challenges, sharing what they're currently eating, drinking, watching, and reading, talking through a few current events, and finishing things off with a festive round of 4th of July This or That.It's lighthearted, a little all over the place, and exactly the kind of conversation summer calls for. We hope you'll join us!

After a long hiatus, Kate and Jayme are back behind the microphones and catching listeners up on all the life changes that have happened since their last episode.This week, the hosts share recent mom wins, current challenges, and what life looks like in the beautiful chaos of motherhood.In This Episode:Jayme celebrates Ben's preschool graduation and introduces the family's newest addition, a puppy named Pippi.The realities of bringing a puppy into a home with a toddler and the challenges of helping everyone adjust.Kate shares updates on her MomCo grant project, which provided sensory supports for schools and churches serving neurodivergent children and families.The completion of Kate's devotional created specifically for neurodivergent parents.Honest conversation about Walter's upcoming transition to kindergarten and the emotions that come with parenting a neurodivergent child through major life changes.A fun round of "This or That" questions.What Kate and Jayme are currently reading, including The Book of Enoch and The Mistake by Elle Kennedy.Encouragement for parents navigating difficult preschool seasons, behavioral challenges, and the uncertainty that often comes with early childhood.A Reminder for ParentsIf you're in the thick of a challenging preschool phase, you're not alone. Kate and Jayme share encouragement for parents who may be questioning themselves or feeling overwhelmed by behavioral struggles. Sometimes the hardest seasons of parenting are simply that, a season. Your child's challenges are not a reflection of your worth as a parent.We hope this episode feels like catching up with friends and reminds you that motherhood is easier when we walk through it together.Thanks for listening to It's Giving Motherhood!

The holidays are here, the kids are feral, and the pressure to make it magical is… a lot. In this episode, Kate and Jayme settle in for a real-life conversation about holiday parenting wins, struggles, and traditions that actually feel doable.Kate confesses her confusion with modern kids’ entertainment and why it sometimes feels like decoding a foreign language, while Jayme celebrates surviving toddler life plus an ear infection like the true warrior she is. Wins are wins.We also talk stress management, including Kate’s unexpected love affair with running while watching musicals. Because nothing says self-care like sprinting through Broadway show tunes.From there, we dive into the holiday overwhelm fueled by social media perfection, why intentional breaks matter more than trendy traditions, and how doing less can sometimes mean more for our kids. Traditions, But Make Them YoursKate shares her family’s faith-based twist on Elf on the Shelf, while Jayme explains how her family keeps Thanksgiving flexible and festive with in-law celebrations and Christmas light adventures. There’s talk of thankful trees, ornament collecting as a travel time capsule, and why not every tradition needs to look the same to be meaningful.Black Friday: Love It or Leave ItDifferent takes, zero judgment. Whether you’re clicking “add to cart” at midnight or ignoring the chaos entirely, we’re here for whatever keeps your peace intact. Thanksgiving Without the PressureCatered meals? Yes please. Green bean casserole? Optional. We talk about letting go of expectations and leaning into what actually works for your family.Christmas Cards, Keepsakes & New Year’s VibesKate loves crafting unique Christmas cards, Jayme loves receiving them, and we all agree they’re better appreciated when they don’t come with stress. Plus, Kate shares her New Year’s Eve tradition involving movies, champagne, and shrimp cocktail because honestly… iconic.If you’re a first-time mom heading into the holidays, or a seasoned mom just trying to keep everyone fed and mostly happy, this episode is your reminder that you don’t have to do it all to do it well. Grab your eggnog and press play.

This week on It’s Giving Motherhood, Jayme sits down with Kate for an honest, emotional, and faith filled episode that will leave you inspired, fired up, and reminded that God really does use ordinary women to move mountains in ordinary moments.Kate just won the 2025 MomCo Pitch Night Grand Prize. Yes. OUR Kate. And today she opens up about what that moment meant, how the pitch process stretched her, and how MomCo itself has reshaped the way she mothers, serves, and sees herself in the Kingdom.They talk about the messy middle of motherhood. The seasons of crying in the car. The women who hugged us when we hid in the church bathroom. The fact that motherhood is not meant to be done alone. And how MomCo has brought new life, new friendships, and deep intentional faith into both of their homes.Then Kate shares the heart behind her winning project — Come As You Are.Come As You Are is a movement to make church accessible, welcoming, and emotionally safe for neurodivergent children and their families. Through sensory regulated worship services, teacher training, devotional development, and practical physical tools, the project makes room in God’s House for every child — exactly as they are.Because church should never be a place kids are asked to “be smaller” to fit in. Church should be the place where they are seen, supported, and celebrated.And mothers should not have to decide between attending worship and managing meltdowns alone in the lobby.This conversation is about motherhood, faith, imperfection, nervous system safety, and the wild way God takes our most painful stories and turns them into purpose.And it is about how a small idea — whispered in prayer — became a project that is already changing families, schools, and communities.Grab a coffee. Grab a tissue. And jump in.Links Mentioned:• MomCo:  Home | The MomCo• Follow along with “Come As You Are” updates: Come as You Are | KM Faith and ArtIf this episode blessed you — share it.There is a mother somewhere right now who feels like she is “too much” or “not enough” — and this might be the message she needs today.

Kate and Jayme are back with fresh updates from their day-to-day lives of moming—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. From juggling school routines and toddler meltdowns to finding those tiny moments of joy (and caffeine), they’re pulling back the curtain on what life looks like right now.But that’s not all… they’ve got some HUGE news to share with the It’s Giving Motherhood community, and you won’t want to miss this reveal! Tune in for laughter, honesty, and the reminder that none of us are doing this motherhood thing alone.

In this episode of It’s Giving Motherhood, we welcome the mystical and wildly talented Blair M. Shadows, author of the Crystal Iris series. Blair crafts emotionally rich, fate-entwined romances that tug at your heartstrings and remind you of the beauty in breaking down and building yourself back up.We talk with Blair about the real-life magic behind her writing journey — from finding time to write in the chaos of motherhood to redefining her creative identity as a mom. She opens up about the gritty, vulnerable, and powerful moments that led to her debut series and the lessons she hopes her children (and our listeners) take away from seeing her chase her dreams.✨ In this episode, we talk about:When the dream of writing Crystal Iris first sparkedHow motherhood reshaped her relationship with creativity and storytellingThe emotional evolution of claiming “writer” and “mother” as equally powerful identitiesTips for carving out time for creative work (even when life is messy)Why it’s never too late — or too busy — to chase the fire in your chest📚 About Blair:Blair M. Shadows writes mystical, emotionally charged romances about aching hearts, fate-tangled lives, and the slow, glorious unraveling of love. Her characters are smart, impulsive, and deeply human — and her stories will leave you reeling in the best way. She’s a caffeine enthusiast, low-key adventurer, and self-proclaimed skeptic of destiny (except when she totally believes in it).Whether you're a mom, a creative, or someone just trying to hold onto a dream in the middle of the chaos — this one’s for you.

🎙️ It’s Giving MotherhoodGuest: Dr. Sarah Daccarett, Hormone Whisperer + Founder of Inner BalanceEpisode Vibe:If you’ve ever stared into the fridge and forgotten why you opened it... again… this one’s for you.This week, we’re diving headfirst into the hormone haze with Dr. Sarah Daccarett, one of the leading experts in women’s hormone health and the founder of Inner Balance—a game-changing clinic helping women finally feel like themselves again.We’re talking real symptoms (not just “you’re being dramatic”), what perimenopause actually is (hint: it doesn’t wait until you’re 50), and why feeling tired, foggy, or moody isn’t just mom life—it might be your hormones waving a white flag.💥 Expect myth-busting, truth-telling, and a whole lot of “OMG, that’s me” moments.We ask Dr. Sarah:· When does perimenopause really start—and what’s going on in our bodies?· How can we tell if it's hormone shifts or just parenting chaos?· Do birth control, IUDs, or breastfeeding mess with our hormone signals?· Are there actually routines or foods that help… or is that just Instagram fluff?· What’s one truth every woman in her 30s and 40s needs to hear about her hormones?👩‍⚕️ Dr. Sarah is here to remind us: You’re not broken. You’re not crazy. You’re not alone.Tune in, take notes, and take your power back.🌀 Want to learn more about Inner Balance? Inner Balance