Simply Whole Moms

Whoops! We forgot we recorded a whole intro to Season 3 of the podcast. Ha! So, you get this bonus intro episode where we catch up on life: moving, remodeling, health, all the things. It’s a little out of date, but we always have a blast catching up. Enjoy, mamas!

Kara and Nicole LOVE to talk birth stories, and this was the ultimate guest for just that topic of conversation. Josephine Cawthon is a mom to seven and a doula of 21 years. She has been a part of 1,400 births throughout her career and is currently a part of the SA Birth Blessings team in San Antonio, Texas. Nicole, Kara and Josephine discuss how Josephine was led into birth education and support, and the benefits of a doula not only for the birth but also postpartum. If you’ve had babies or are still in the season of having babies, this is a great episode for you!

Alaena Haber is a mama to two, OT/L (Occupational Therapist) and one of our favorite people to follow over on the ‘gram. She is genuine and passionate about women’s health and non-toxic living. She’s a cookbook author, cookie mix maker and Beautycounter boss. Alaena, Kara and Nicole talk about everything from parasite cleanses to Hashimoto’s thyroid disease to conscious parenting. This conversation is a must for anyone with a chronic illness who could use some encouragement from someone who has been able to achieve great health success with diet and lifestyle. Alaena also reminds us chronic illness warriors that sometimes this stuff is “two steps forward and one step back.”

Dr. Ashtiani owns Essence Chiropractic & Wellness in San Antonio, Texas. She specializes in prenatal, postpartum and pediatric care and provides services for the whole family. “Chiropractors focus on the structure and condition of the body influences and body functions and its ability to heal itself. The mind-body relationship is instrumental in maintaining health and in the healing processes.”Dr. Shabby and Nicole discuss the benefits of chiropractic care, freeing your home of environmental toxins and how important it is to take care of mom. They discuss wellness as a whole and how we can work towards wellness even in today’s fast-paced world.

Kate Oseen is a mom to two, former owner of an ethical children’s clothing company and digital marketing guru. She is a powerful advocate for prevention and awareness of human trafficking. Kate uses her social media platform to share trafficking facts as well as resources for those being trafficked and ways we can do work to help end modern day slavery. Kate and Nicole discuss how we consume media and headlines and ways we can get involved to help raise awareness and work to prevent this ever-growing and heartbreaking industry.

The time has come to wrap up not only the Quarantine Diaries series but also Season 2 of the Simply Whole Moms Podcast! We can’t believe it’s already been a whole second season of podcast fun.Today’s episode features an intro from Kara & Nicole, highlighting some of their most memorable episodes of this season, and their special guest is another mom in the medical field. Gillian Crow, PA-C is a Physician Assistant, practicing in Emergency Medicine. She also works part time in the Burn and Wound Care specialties. Gillian and Nicole talk about how quarantine has impacted not only her professional life but also her personal life. We cover the changes in work and family schedules, and Gillian shares what has been encouraging to her during this pandemic.

Alaina is a single mom to three beautiful girls (two of them are twins!), a writer, a speaker, a wellness advocate and an overall encourager of all the moms. I tune in to Alaina’s IG stories daily because she’s always there with a bright smile and something to say to put a pep in my step. She did NOT disappoint during our conversation together.We talk about life as a single mom during quarantine, her journey to where she is today and how God continues to work in her life. Today’s episode is a pure delight because of Alaina. Tune in and share with a friend who needs a smile today.

Kara is joined by Licensed Professional Counselor, Esmeralda Cardenas, who is the owner of Pillars of Life Counseling. Esmeralda’s goal is to “support you and provide a safe space where you can discuss parenthood openly and heal from wounds that pregnancy, birth, postpartum or other parenthood transitions has opened.” Kara and Esmeralda discuss how this quarantine is affecting families and offers insight into loss and grief and how we can implement coping mechanisms to help during this time. This is beautiful and encouraging episode.

Join Kara and Nicole as they chat with Heather Brown from My Life Well Loved. Heather is mama to two little boys and the beauty and brains behind My Life Well Loved , which is a place where you can find fitness, fashion, mom hacks, wellness tips and fun for moms! She has created a beautiful online community where her goal is to “affirm women to embrace the balance, get their sweat on, enjoy a glass of wine and savor the little things.” We cover quarantine, the Enneagram and mom life with some laughs and a dose of honesty.

The Quarantine Diaries series is rolling right along, and we’ve got a new kind of special guest this week. This is our first male guest on the podcast, and we were thrilled to have him on. We really wanted to dive into the topic of fear and faith as we all try to navigate this unprecedented time. So much info is throw at us via the media and social media, we wanted to take some time to stop, wrestle and discuss faith and fear. Join us as we talk with Rev. Dr. Darrell Smith. He is a teacher, writer, and an aspiring integral theologian who has served in the Alamo Heights United Methodist family of churches since 1999.

It’s time for another episode in our Quarantine Diaries series, and this was a special interview with an old high school classmate of Kara and Nicole. Kara chats with Alyssa Jordan, wife to AJ, mama to Brodie and who also happens to be 9 months pregnant in the middle of a pandemic. Kara and Alyssa discuss how the shelter-in-place orders and the Coronavirus have impacted the end of her pregnancy and what that means for birth plans. Alyssa is encouraging, honest and ray of sunshine. Tune in and share with a friend!

It was a pleasure to hear from our friend, Kristin, about her current experience working in the medical field during quarantine. Kristin Navarro is mom two boys, wife to AJ and also a BSN, RNC-Nic at one of San Antonio’s biggest hospitals. Quarantine is keeping her boys home from school, but she’s still heading into work in the NICU, caring for babies and families.We chat about how her time in the NICU has already introduced her to the idea of “anticipatory grief”, as well as how protocols have changed at work and how it’s going with the boys at home. They’re juggling schooling at home as well as finding time for fun bikes rides together. Tune in to hear Kristin’s point of view, and share with a friend!

Well, the Quarantine Diaries series continues with a perspective we had to share, a mom with kids home full time who is also working full time. Aleigh Sanchez is a Senior Manager of Customer Insights at HEB - which if you’re not from South Texas, is the end all be all of all grocery stores on the planet. It’s legit, guys. Aleigh is also VERY legit in her job. She conducts market research to really understand why customers do what they do and connect customers to their store experience at HEB.Not only is she an amazing mom to three boys and doing a kick-booty job at HEB, Aleigh is a personal friend of ours. We love watching how she mothers like a boss and also works like a boss, particularly during this unique season of quarantine. Share with a working mama friend who needs some encouragement today!

We’ve all got lots of time at home, but how much of it are we able to spend taking care of ourselves for a couple of minutes? We know it’s not easy for everyone and our suggestions may not be your cup of tea, but we want to encourage you to find something small that helps you feel like you’re taking care of you right now.We don’t love throwing around the term “self care”, rather we are on board with you finding something you love to care of yourself! This episode features two conversations: one with Kara and Nicole and another with Nicole and MJ, a yoga teacher and certified meditation guide. MJ also provided a guided Yoga Nidra meditation at the end of this episode to offer you a spot of solitude in your day. You can find it around the 50 minute mark.

The subtitle of this book says it all: “One Type A Mama’s Journey Learning to Laugh and Let Go” . We had the pleasure of chatting with mama to 4, journalist and author, Christie Cuthbert. Her book, “Mom! I Farted In Church”, released this past January and has been making moms laugh and feel encouraged all at the same time for months. Tune in to hear Christie, Kara and Nicole discuss motherhood - the ups, the downs and all the laughs.

Everything feels a little bit crazy right now, doesn’t it? We still have so many thoughts, feelings and opinions we want to put into words, but for now, we’ve plugged in our microphones, figured out a Zoom call and recorded a convo with each other (and all the kiddos) to briefly touch on current events AKA an actual pandemic. That was an epic run on sentence.There are mic bumps, kiddo input, stomping footsteps and door slams all rolled up into this episode. It feels appropriate because this is life currently, rolling with the punches and figuring it out as we go. Tune in, share with a friend and do something for yourself today!

Kristen Jenson is the author of the best-selling book series Good Pictures, Bad Pictures, both #1 sellers on Amazon. Kristen is also the founder of Protect Young Minds - an organization working to “empower parents, professionals and community leaders to protect young kids from pornography, and promote healing from any sexual exploitation.”Kara and Nicole chat with Kristen about her books and about the importance of discussing good pictures and bad pictures with your child in today’s day of prevalent technology. The goal of the conversation is not to provoke fear rather encourage and equip parents to help their children as they navigate technology.

Kayla is running a not for profit here in San Antonio. For Her is focusing on fostering dignity & growing equity for women at risk, especially those who have been sexually exploited. Mommas the heart she has to do this work well shows in this podcast. You will leave feeling encouraged that what you are doing at your home matters. Tune in to hear the way the Lord has showed up in her life and her business.

Hey, friends! Join us as we sit down with health updates for the both of us. Nicole gives us what’s been happening as she deals with Wegener’s, and Kara shares her most recent developments in her journey with Stargardt's. If you or someone you know is working through a chronic illness, reach out to us and we’d love to help encourage you! See the show notes for links to our full health stories.

Join Kara and Nicole as they chat with Ashley Abercrombie about her new book, Rise of the Truth Teller. Ashley is an author, speaker, pastor, wife, and mama - she is a bright light that seeks justice and wants to encourage us all to step into honesty and truth telling. This conversation covers all the things from motherhood to women’s role in the church - you don’t want to miss this episode!

Courtney is the host of All The Best Days, a podcast all about how to have the best day in every city…. with your kids. She has three of her own, and has travel down to an art. Talking to her changed my perspective on why I would make the effort to travel with my kids. All the while giving us tons of practical ideas to make traveling easier. If you are thinking you want a little adventure this spring break this episode is for you. Listen in and be inspired to get out with your kiddos.

We got to talk “THE TALK” with Megan from Birds & Bees. Mary Flo and Megan are on a mission to equip parents with a different approach to addressing “the birds and the bees” with our children. One of my very favorite quotes on their website is, “Our children deserve more than an awkward conversation at an awkward age.” Absolutely, yes!Megan gives us a sneak peek into the why and the how for how to address this topic differently. She’s a mama herself, and we so appreciate her knowledge and guidance in this area. Tune in and share this episode with another mama friend!

Karissa is the mom behind The Sanding Blonde. She is a carpenter and wood worker. Karissa is a single mom of two littles, all the while runing her own business. She is a creative and an adventurer. This episode is lighthearted and all aobut finding the joy in life and motherhood.

How fitting that for Episode #20 of Season 2, Kara and Nicole share their words of the year for 2020! Join Kara and Nicole as they catch up on life post-Christmas and dive into what words they’ll be focusing on and taking with them throughout this next year.

Kara is joined by Allison, one of the co-creators of The Giving Manger, which is “a complete tradition to help families focus on giving and the real meaning of Christmas.” The Giving Manger is a book and practice of giving and serving as we anticipate the birth of Jesus. This tradition creates beautiful conversation and opportunities for your family to serve this holiday season. Tune in to hear the story behind The Giving Manger and how you can work this into your family’s Christmas tradition.

Katy is a momma and minimalist and just a whole lot of fun. Who better to talk to about Christmas? On this episode we go into the story of how Katy became a minimalist and how this looks in her day to day life. We also get into how to think aobut the holidays and gift giving. If you are feeling overwhelmed this holiday season Katy gives some real life tips on how to enjoy this time of year.

Kara and Nicole share their favorite gift options for this holiday season. All the links you need to snag your gifts are located in the show notes. Tune in for some fun conversation about gifting this season!

We share it all… the good, the bad and the true confessions of tired moms. Kara & Nicole talk through the hard parts of the holidays, the boundaries they are working to set and the traditions they have, that they love. If you are looking for a little comfort in the crazy of the holiday, while also grabbing a few good ideas, this episode is for you. Kara & Nicole decided by in season 1 that they weren’t going to B.S. So they talk about how they split the time between families and even how they want to spoil their kids in a healthy way. Merry Christmas and enjoy!

Sometimes the stress of getting that perfect family photo can be overwhelming. Or maybe you’re haunted by the thousands of photos just sitting on your phone? Jen Brazeal is here to help us navigate photography in motherhood and how to capture some special moment this holiday season even with your iPhone.

SURPRISE! We’re launching the Simply Whole Moms 2020 Planner just for you, mamas! Tune in to hear us give the details and how you can order yours today!

Well, ya’ll asked so we delivered. You are reading this right. We found a sex enthusiast to talk all things marriage and sex. kirsten is a faith-based advocate for finding clarity and healing in our spirituality and our sexuality. She’s healed through sexual trauma and is here to help others do the same. Many (most) of us have been wounded by culture, church or our upbringing around our bodies and what we are supposed to do (or not supposed to do) with them! Kirsten aims to tackle the core of these messages and bring new understanding to some of the challenges we face in our marriages, relationships and raising our kids. Let’s do this….

This episode is full of mama wisdom and some great encouragement from THE Mica May herself on how to incorporate creativity into that mom life. We chat work-mom life balance, how to facilitate creativity for our kids in our homes and how to tackle mom guilt. She also gives us a snapshot of how she uses her own May Books day-to-day!

Naomi is first and foremost a WHOLEHEARTED follower of Jesus Christ! She grew up as a missionary kid in Outer Mongolia until moving to Lakeland, Florida at the age of 18. In early 2018 she felt led to create a Bible study tool called the Quiet Time Companion, along with an online community of women who would be dedicated to encouraging each other in their daily walk with Jesus. In our conversation today we talk aout the sweet grace of Jesus, how to best meet with Him, and what a quiet time means to Naomi. Leave feeling encouraged!

It’s that time again! We sit down to chat about their current three favorite things. There’s nothing like a good late night chat with a friend in your car about what you’re currently loving - that’s right, we just hunkered down in my (Nicole’s) car in the Local Coffee parking lot one night to have a nice girl chat. Check the show notes for more details on what we’re loving at the moment.

Kristi Clover is a home organization and efficiency expert. She is the author of “M.O.M Master Organizer of Mathem.” a book written to give you simple solution to organize chaos and bring more joy into your home. She is a mom to five kids, and you can hear the joy in her voice. Tune in to get some advice on organizing, and leave feeling encouraged to bring joy in your home.

Tune in to hear Nicole chat with one of her favorite people in the world! Liz Forkin Bohannon is the founder and CEO of Sseko Designs - a socially conscious fashion brand that creates jobs for women in Uganda, across the world and in the United States. Liz is a gifted speaker, storyteller and entrepreneur, and she is releasing her first book, Beginner’s Pluck, on October 1st. Listen in as they discuss Liz’s story to Sseko as well as what this pluck is all about.

Do you ever encounter someone who makes you feel at ease, peaceful and so welcome? I (Nicole) had the pleasure of sitting down in person with MJ, the Mindful Mama. MJ opened her studio up for this beautiful conversation, where we dive into the practice of Ayurveda (eye-oor-vay-duh), which is a science of life developed and practiced in India over thousands of years ago to help prevent disease and also help healing.

Jennifer Smith is on the podcast today, and she is talking all things marriage. Her and her husband recently release their new book Marriage After God: Chasing After God’s Will for Our Life Together. Jennifer and her husband have authored eleven books over the years. She run the blog Unveiled Wife where she encourages woman you chase intimacy with God and your husband. Tune in for how to use your marriage as a ministry, how to recognize what God wants out of your marriage, and even how to manage your money

It’s back to school, which inevitably means back to germs! Kara and Nicole sit down to chat about how you can be proactive to amp up your kiddos’ (and yours, too, Mom!) immune systems as we head into this germy time of year.

Do you every wonder what and how to teach your kids? This episode is just for you. Karyn is homeschooling four kids and is a trained teacher, she is an expert. She gives so many practical ideas to teach your children new things. Karyn gives super simple ideas for things to incorporate into your daily routine that foster a love of learning. Enjoy!

Bust out your notebooks and pens - this is an episode for taking notes! Kara and I had the privilege to sit down with Dr. Dian Ginsberg and Sheila Vuckovic all about women’s health, how food impacts our bodies and specifically their book, PCOS Environmental Roadmap. Dian and Sheila are FULL of knowledge about our bodies and have a goal to make optimal health attainable for all. Tune in for an empowering and encouraging conversation with these two powerhouses.

We had a blast at our one year birthday celebration on August 1st! In this episode, Kara gives a quick recap of the celebration and you get to hear from other moms from the party night share what they’re keeping simple in their lives right now. Listen in as these mamas share - there’s some great encouragement here!

Audrey is the owner of Let them Be Little Box, a subscription sensory box for toddlers. This company was born out of tragedy, that turned into such a beautiful story of hope. She knows how to participate in sensory play in a way that is super simple to do with your own kids. We hope you tune to be inspired about how much God loves you and your children, how sensory play can be fun, and how much hope and joy there is in motherhood.

Join us as we open up Season 2 of the Simply Whole Moms Podcast with a recap of our summers and what’s in store for season 2 of the podcast. We catch up on Nicole’s health journey, Kara’s kids’ swim lesson victories and introduce the new closing question for upcoming guests.

Join Kara and Nicole as they chat about their first year of podcasting. They cover some memorable topics and guests they've been able to connect with this past year.

Lily Nicols knows her stuff when it comes to pregnancy and nutrition. She has a real life approach that is very rooted in research. Lily Nichols is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition and exercise. If you have any questions about what to eat during pregnancy, she has you covered!

Tune in to hear Kara and Miranda chat all things babywearing. Miranda is the founder and owner of Tuck & Bundle, a baby wrap brand dedicated to giving moms the freedom to get out and about even in the heat. You’ll hear Miranda’s story of how her engineering background helped her start her own company.

In honor of Mother’s day Kara and Nicole wanted to share the story of how they became moms. If you are a birth story junkie like they are you will love this episode. They are proud of how they brought life into this world, though it wasn’t at all how they pictured. Happy Mother’s Day moms we are proud of you. We really do honor and respect all the ways life is brought into this world. We hope you enjoy!

Our conversation with Valerie Woerner was so encouraging! Val is the genius behind Val Marie Paper - where their motto is: “Where prayer meets practical” . Val Marie Paper offers prayer journals and even an online prayer course dedicated to helping mamas dive into a prayer life in the midst of chaos with small children. Val shared her heart for prayer as a mother and a wife. We also discussed her new book, Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday, which was released on April 9th.

Cassy’s new cookbook is changing the way you think about meal prep. This episode will give you ideas for how to bulk cook in a simple way, save money on your groceries, and generally just juggle all the things. Her new cookbook is out “Cook Once Eat All Week,” it will tell you how to cook one time and make three very different dinners off of it. Cassy is refreshing and encouraging on this whole mom gig, and getting dinner made in the mean time.

HEADS UP! This is an earbud episode, everyone! Jamie and I chat all things potty training and toddler, so we use several different kinds of potty words during our conversation. Pop on those headphones and get ready to take notes because Jamie shares how she became an expert in potty training and toddlers.