Female friendship in early motherhood can feel thin—even when you’re surrounded by people. Maddie shares why connection changes after kids, what’s helped her build real support (text threads, Marco Polo, evolving community), and permission slips for creating deeper friendships in your season. If you’re starting from scratch, you’ll leave with small, practical next steps.

If you've ever wanted a fun, low-pressure way to make a trip more memorable for your kids — and actually turn the photos into something they'll revisit — this episode is for you. I'm sharing how two tiny souvenirs from our Japan trip became a creative travel activity, and eventually a custom children's storybook made in Chatbooks.

Here's what I've learned from 15 years and 50+ photo books about which platforms are actually worth your time and money.

We took the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle with our 10-week-old — and it became one of our most memorable family trips. In this story episode, Maddie shares the behind-the-scenes moments and what surprised her most about slow travel by train.

Everything you need to know about taking the Amtrak Coast Starlight from Los Angeles to Seattle with a baby or kids — booking tips, what to pack, what it’s really like, and our honest 35-hour experience.

You take 500+ photos on vacation. Then what? Here's my system for actually preserving travel memories—from planning through creating tangible memories to revisit.

If you’ve ever wished you could bottle up your voice reading bedtime stories—or make it easier for your child to hear family voices without needing your phone—this episode is for you.

The books my daughter has loved from baby through toddler—and a few new additions that help with the emotional chaos of being three.