In this week’s episode, we’re talking about all things sibling-related, from managing age gaps to mitigating disagreements. With a collective 10 kids between Indiana, Ashlee, and April—and a whopping FORTY-TWO among the full C+C team—we offer our take on how we foster friendships between our kids without forcing them, and the unexpected moments of joy we find along the way. Don't forget to visit Coffee + Crumbs for our show notes and links to everything we talked about in today's episode! Like w...
Apr 23, 2019•29 min
From fear of awkward small talk to embarrassment about baseboard dust bunnies, most of us have our own hangups around hospitality. And yet, inviting people into our imperfect lives and homes is how we build real, authentic relationships. In this week’s episode, we confess to the small stuff we sweat (like the evidence people actually live in our homes) and share how we’re learning to roll out the welcome mat anyway. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your moth...
Apr 16, 2019•36 min•Season 4Ep. 64
With endless time and unlimited budgets, self care becomes pretty easy (hello tropical beach vacation and weekly massages!). But when we’re balancing motherhood, marriage, and careers—and our bank account isn’t bottomless—how do we make time and give ourselves permission to care for ourselves? This week we’re talking about what self care looks like for each of us and how that varies depending on the season of life we’re in. April also offers a powerful reminder of the importance of letting our k...
Apr 09, 2019•44 min
In this week’s episode, we’re talking labor pains and epidurals, amazing nurses and redemptive birth experiences, as Ashlee and April recount the births of their daughters earlier this year. Grab a coffee (and maybe some headphones for this episode!) and settle in for an honest, funny, and heartfelt chat about the nuts and bolts of bringing a baby into the world. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subscribe and lea...
Apr 02, 2019•1 hr 7 min•Season 4Ep. 63
From our hospital bag favorites to how we make time for baby-bonding with other children running rampant through the house—in this episode, we’re chatting about all things baby prep. Whether you secretly pin nursery decor for months or Amazon Prime a Dock-a-Tot the week before your due date, we hope our conversation today brings some peace (and humor!) to an expectant season. Like what you heard? Visit coffeeandcrumbs.net for more inspiration on your motherhood journey. And, don’t forget to subs...
Mar 26, 2019•46 min
We’re baaaaack! Today we’re kicking off Season Four with an honest conversation about how we can really help the new moms in our lives. From avoiding the “just you wait” dump truck to reading cues on whether your Meal Train recipient wants you to sit and chat or drop the food and leave, consider this episode a crash course in new-mom-awareness. We also talk about the hard work of setting our pride aside and asking for help when we need it. Plus, Indiana and Ashlee confess the moments with new mo...
Mar 19, 2019•47 min•Season 4Ep. 62
It’s our final episode of 2018, cue the sobs! We’re wrapping up season three by answering YOUR questions, ask us anything style. In this extra-long episode, we’re talking about everything from how motherhood has shaped our faith to what snacks we indulge in when no one is watching. We also share how we chose our kids’ names, how we maintain friendships in this season of life, our favorite feel-good movies, and April spills the details on the book she just finished writing (that’s H-O-S-S, if any...
Nov 27, 2018•1 hr 29 min•Season 3Ep. 61
Today Indiana is chatting with Hunter Beless, creator of the Journeywomen podcast, and Christy Curtis, founder of the Military Moms blog, about life at the intersection of motherhood and the military. From surviving deployments to managing fear and anxiety, Christy and Hunter open up about the challenges and emotions they face as military spouses. They also share how non-military families can love their military friends well and one big thing they’d like civilians to please stop doing. Whether y...
Nov 20, 2018•42 min•Season 3Ep. 60
All season we’ve been sharing our tips, tricks and life hacks in our ‘This Is How We Do’ episodes. This time around, we’re flipping the script and sharing what we DON’T do. From outsourcing grocery shopping to not making the bed to not washing our hair—this conversation is full of confessions about our mothering, home upkeep, school involvement, and everything in between. We hope this episode makes you laugh and gives you a much-needed permission slip to pursue the things you’re good at, and let...
Nov 13, 2018•45 min
Do you ever feel like motherhood has you confined within the four walls of your home, unable to make a difference in the wider world? On today’s episode, we’re chatting with Osheta Moore— author of “Shalom Sistas: Living Wholeheartedly in a Broken World”—about peacemaking. Is there a better topic to cover the day of midterm elections? Osheta speaks passionately about peacemaking in our everyday lives, encourages us to seek subversive joy in the face of despair, and challenges us to tell better s...
Nov 06, 2018•45 min•Season 3Ep. 59
Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered: where did I go? Today we’re talking about how our personal style has shifted from pre-kid life to mom life. From getting dressed in the morning to washing our face at night—we’re spilling the beans on our makeup, clothing, and skin care must-haves. In this episode, Ashlee divulges which magical perfume earns her compliments from both flight attendants and sandwich shop employees, while Indiana shares a hack for keeping her wardrobe fresh through t...
Oct 30, 2018•48 min
Today Indiana is chatting with two of her real-life friends about the logistics of being full-time working moms. Jesse Coulter and Akia Ng join us to discuss the tightrope act of daily life, how they juggle childcare drop-offs and pick-ups, what they’ve had to “let go” of, and more. You’ll also hear Jesse share how she prioritizes time with her husband (day dates!) and Akia admits she sometimes has stay-at-home-mom envy. Plus, we hear what moments make it all worthwhile. Like what you heard? Vis...
Oct 23, 2018•58 min•Season 3Ep. 58
Calling all Monica Gellers! From family schedules and laundry to email and to-do lists—today we’re sharing the organizational tips and systems that keep our homes running (relatively?) smoothly. In this episode, April shares a smart hack for managing mail (tip: don’t let it enter the house!), Ashlee passionately discusses her cutthroat approach to clutter, and Indi is mostly just here to listen and learn. Whether you geek out over a pretty color-coded calendar like April or keep your entire fami...
Oct 16, 2018•45 min
Today we’re talking about motherhood and work with Noonday Collection founder, Jessica Honegger. Despite the internal grappling she endured while building her company as a young mom, Jessica has learned in recent years to embrace the paradox of “and” instead of “either/or” when it comes to working. She also shares about an aha moment she experienced during an exchange with a stay-at-home mom in the middle of Starbucks. (Indi may or may not have cried.) Whether you work full-time or stay at home ...
Oct 09, 2018•45 min•Season 3Ep. 57
Today we’re pulling back the curtain on how we communicate with our spouses—from arguments to resolutions and everything in between. We’re spilling the beans on our silliest recurring fights, how we do (and don’t) flirt, and when/how we tackle hard conversations in our homes. Plus, you’ll learn our stances on R-rated text messages and why nacho cheese is a surprisingly contentious topic! Whether you’ve been married for two years or two decades, we hope this conversation makes you smile and remin...
Oct 02, 2018•43 min
To wrap up our mini-series on growing your family, today we’re talking about infertility with C+C writer Melanie Dale. We discuss how infertility can put pressure on your sex life, the depression Melanie experienced as she was going through fertility treatments, and how she eventually broke through to a healthy place with the help of girlfriends and a counselor. Plus, we hear all about the sperm illustrations in her forthcoming book, Infreakinfertility! For those of you who have walked this road...
Sep 25, 2018•39 min•Season 3Ep. 56
With Ashlee and April both being pregnant, we thought it was high time to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of gestating (speaking of ugly—does anyone else hate that word?). Tune in today to hear us discuss everything from first trimester puking to maternity fashion to whether or not it’s appropriate to register for your third (or fourth!) baby. You’ll also hear a short rant about the awkwardness of prenatal weigh-ins, and find out which host didn’t know she was pregnant until she was 18 we...
Sep 18, 2018•44 min
In part two of our mini-series on growing a family, today we’re addressing a side that isn’t often discussed publicly: what happens when spouses disagree on whether or not their family is complete? C+C writers Jenn Batchelor and Anna Quinlan join host Indiana Adams for a vulnerable conversation on what it looks like when one spouse wants another baby, and the other doesn’t. While we don’t have a beautiful bow to wrap up today’s episode with, we hope this raw and honest discussion encourages you,...
Sep 11, 2018•38 min•Season 3Ep. 55
Bedtime: the struggle is real. Today we’re talking about how we handle the end of the day—who’s in charge of the routine, what tricks we use to keep our kids sleeping as long as possible, and what creative stunts our children can be found pulling at the 8pm hour. We all commiserate over sleep deprivation during those newborn months and April shares her personal philosophy on how getting your baby to sleep is kind of like meeting someone’s pit bull. We hope this conversation makes you smile and r...
Sep 04, 2018•35 min
At Coffee + Crumbs, motherhood is what brings us together, but how did we get here? On today’s episode, we discuss whether or not we always wanted to be mothers, what those conversations looked like with our partners, and if we’re “done” now. You’ll learn who used to play pregnancy by stashing pillows under her shirt, who dreams of having a Home Alone sized family around her Thanksgiving table, and who never thought she’d be a mom but had a change of heart. Stick around for a big announcement du...
Jul 31, 2018•34 min•Season 3Ep. 54
While we may still be hitting the pool daily and enjoying ice cream all-too-frequently, we can almost hear the school bus rambling around the corner. Today we’re talking about all things back to school: packed lunches, first day of school traditions, the carpool situation, and more! Plus, April shares some tips for getting off to a great start with your child’s teacher and it does NOT involve a mason jar (phew!). We also come up with a million dollar business idea so if you’d like to take MUber ...
Jul 24, 2018•35 min
Today we’re wrapping up our mini-series on how to have important conversations with your kids, and, well, this one is going to make you blush the most because we’re talking about SEX. Our guest today is Kristen Crichton, a marriage and family therapist and professor of human sexuality at William Jessup University. Kristen packs a punch in this conversation, reminding us why this dialogue should start at birth—because the greatest enemy of sexual wholeness is silence. Plus, she reminds us that we...
Jul 17, 2018•44 min•Season 3Ep. 53
While our homes may have been overtaken by Cheerios and Legos, we still have dreams of their potential. Today we’re talking about all things home decor: how we define our home style, where we like to shop, what room we’d love to make over if we won the lottery, and some of our worst home decorating flops. Plus, Indiana tells us about her prized golden armadillo, and Ashlee shares why she’ll never buy another rocking chair off Craigslist. We hope this conversation leaves you feeling inspired to c...
Jul 10, 2018•32 min
Continuing our mini-series on how to have important conversations with your kids, on today’s episode we tackle how to talk about tricky people. Sam Sutherland—a social worker with more than 10 years of experience working with schools and social welfare organizations—joins Indiana and Ashlee to share her expertise on this topic. In this conversation, you’ll learn why it’s best to use the term “tricky people” over stranger danger, five rules to teach our kids by the time they’re five years old, an...
Jul 03, 2018•42 min•Season 3Ep. 52
To Pinterest or not to Pinterest—that is the question. On today’s episode we’re talking about all things birthday party! From big themed bashes to simple parties at the park, we cover invitations, menus, gifts and more on this much-requested topic. Plus, Indiana reveals the full name of Chuck E. Cheese (who knew he had a real name?!), and Ashlee goes on an accidental rant about her deep hatred of goody bags. Whether you’re an overachiever, underachiever, or fall right in the middle when it comes...
Jun 26, 2018•28 min
As part of our debut mini-series on how to have important conversations with your kids, today we’re talking all about race. Latasha Morrison, founder of beabridgebuilder.com , joins host Indiana Adams and Coffee + Crumbs writer Melanie Dale to educate us on how to approach this topic with our children, and how to lead by example in the quest for racial unity. Tasha also speaks about the difference between diversity and racial reconciliation, the difference between being color brave and color bli...
Jun 19, 2018•46 min•Season 3Ep. 51
Join us for today’s episode as we reflect on our love/hate relationship with exercise. We may as well have titled this episode, Fitness: This is How We Don’t. You’ll hear Ashlee share about the first and last Bikram yoga class she ever took, find out the real reason Indiana takes up new exercise hobbies (hint: shoes are involved) and cringe along with us as April shares her horrifying yet hilarious ballet class fail. You may not walk away with many practical tips from this episode, but maybe you...
Jun 12, 2018•29 min
Let’s hear it for the dads! On today’s episode, Kevin Madsen (hilarious host of the HeyDad podcast ) joins us to talk about all things #dadlife. We discuss the cultural shift taking place in modern day fatherhood, dad stereotypes that drive Kevin nuts, and why men need good friends just like women do. Plus, Kevin shares an encouraging word for women who want to empower their husbands to lean into their roles as fathers. As you know, we only have a man on our show once in a blue moon, so we hope ...
Jun 05, 2018•49 min•Season 3Ep. 50
On today’s episode, we’re chatting about all things summer vacation. From flying with babies to surviving epic road trips, we hope this conversation leaves you feeling better equipped next time you head out of town with kiddos in tow. In this episode, Ashlee shares her secret for keeping kids quiet in the car, Indiana reveals her deep-seated love of all things Disney, and everyone has a good laugh over April’s travel motto: Eat, Pray, Prime. (As Melanie Shankle would say—put that on a t-shirt.) ...
May 29, 2018•25 min
On today’s episode of the Coffee + Crumbs podcast, we approach a topic that every mother has likely faced at some point: loneliness. In this honest conversation, we unpack why motherhood in particular feels so isolating sometimes and ask ourselves, how can we be good friends even when we feel lonely ourselves? Whether you’re new to motherhood altogether, or a veteran mom who hasn’t found her tribe yet, we hope you can relate to this vulnerable conversation and walk away inspired to put yourself ...
May 22, 2018•36 min•Season 3Ep. 49
