Manic Mommies

Nothing like a week when the dads are away - one traveling for work, and one overwhelmed by appointments - to make us appreciate how much we need them to keep our lives, and schedules, on track!

The kids are getting older, the schedules are getting busier, and now we're being invited to watch the fifth grade puberty movie! Erin is convinced it hasn't changed since we were in school, while Kristin is sure when it's her turn she will get kicked out of the private viewing for parents. We also due our part for health awareness by discussing mammograms, and by welcoming back our resident dermatologist, Manasi, to discuss sun and skin cancer awareness.

It's been a tough week and while we are  heartbroken for our city, the victims and their families, we are also feeling more connected to our hometown and neighbors than ever before. Throughout the week, we found ourselves both craving information and feeling overwhelmed by the onslaught from traditional and non-traditional sources. Originally scheduled to come on the show to talk about our favorite tv shows, we welcome university journalism & writing professor Meredith O'Brien to als...

It's a random kind of weekend and the podcast reflects it! We're all over the map this week as we chat about playing spring sports when it still feels like winter, the need for mom friends at the baseball field, pop songs and lyrics that make us reach for the dial and privacy in the digital age.

After spending a week with family and friends, Erin is back in the saddle and the Manic Mommies are catching up on missing weekends, pregnancy fashions, eating out, and saying no to all the spending.

When did parenting start feeling so overwhelming? Christine Koh and Asha Dornfest, authors of Minimalist Parenting have advice and ideas for how can we take control and "enjoy modern family life more by doing less." Christine pulls double duty (no problem for this multi-tasking mama) filling in as co-host while Erin is on vacation, and sharing how she came to embrace being a "minimalist" mommy.

We all know we should exercise, but how do you find the time? This week we're joined by Brenda, a fitness teacher, personal trainer and Manic Mommies listener who tells us how she motivates clients to get started with a fitness routine. If you're looking to jump start your fitness routine, or need a little motivation to keep going, Brenda's positive outlook and practical suggestions are for you! Then join us as we lament our boys growing older and how they're beginning to ask questions and t...

Leading up to St. Patrick's Day, Erin and Kristin consider their leprechaun names, talk about the ramifications of an unobservant husband, and consider cheerleading, the publicity machine behind Sheryl Sandberg's new book and why it's almost always a good idea to say no. (See our future series of pamphlets for more details). Apologies for the sound quality - Kristin had some recording issues which we will be trouble shooting.

This week we are taking the phrase "trying to do it all . . . and then some" literally as we record the show between Odyssey of the Mind activities (Erin) and sitting on the sidewalk in Austin (Kristin). We also welcome our friend, and husband of Manic Mommies listener, C.C. Chapman who wants us all to know that "Amazing Things Can Happen."

Reunited, Erin & Kristin catch up on all that happened over vacation including Sheryl Sandburg's new book, Marissa Mayer's decision to ban telecommuting at Google, meeting listeners in Rochester and Florida, Kristin's running of the Run Disney Princess Half Marathon.