Homemaker Portrait | Hannah Stewart

I am chatting with In-the-Trenches homemaker and fellow podcaster, Hannah Stewart, of the Sugar and Spice Mom Life Podcast. 

Growing up, Hannah said she never wanted to get married or have kids, but God used the hospitable families of the church she attended in college to birth in her heart a desire for marriage, motherhood and homemaking. 

She left home with plenty of skills, but without the correct mindset regarding the emotional and relational work of the homemaker; nor was she prepared for the lack of cultural respect for her chosen occupation. 

She’s had to let go of many expectations and her tendency towards perfectionism, but in the letting go, God is teaching her the powerful impact of the tone she sets through her homemaking. 

We cover all the usual ground, so get ready for an hour full of trials and triumphs, tips, recipes and hard-won homemaking wisdom from this delightful and very insightful guest. 

CONNECT WITH HANNAH

Website | sugarandspicemomlife.com

Podcast | apple | Spotify 

Youtube

Instagram: @sugarandspicemomlife

Morning Bag Mini Course

Quiet Time Crash Course

SHOW NOTES

All links and resources, including Hannah's signature dish will be on the blog. Click the link below or go to www.theartofhomepodcast.com/blog and search "Hannah Stewart."

https://www.theartofhomepodcast.com/post/sweet-spicy-homemaker-life

Transcript

Allison 0:02

Hello, homemakers, and welcome to the Art of Home podcast, where we are exploring how homemakers cultivate a place to belong. I'm your host, Alison Weeks. I'm a wife, a mom, a granny, and I've been practicing the Art of Home for over three decades, since 1992, to be exact. Welcome everybody, whether you are a brand new listener or you've been around for a while. Thank you so much for trusting me with some of your time today. If you uh think my voice sounds a little off, it does. I'm still getting over that cold. But I'm definitely on the upswing. We're going to hear a brand new interview from an In the Trenches homemaker. But before we get to that, let's check the mailbag, shall we? This is the part of the show where I respond to messages and I answer questions that you all have sent to me either via email, voicemail, or text message. This mailbag segment is brought to you by the listeners who support the Art of Home through Buy Me a Coffee. Buy Me a Coffee is a virtual tip jar where you can show your appreciation and support for the show by giving a one-time tip or by becoming a Titus Two Women supporter and setting up a recurring tip of $5 per month. Titus Two Women supporters receive my undying gratitude and the occasional perk, such as free registration for the recipe exchange, discounts on the magazine, and other fun things. Whichever way you choose to give, I'm grateful for your support. Melanie from Canada sent a text and she said, The family road trip episode was so fun to listen to. My husband and I do many road trips and we have wonderful memories of each trip. When Jenny mentioned that she feels closer to God on her trips, it was a good reminder to stop and thank him for the beauty he has given us. We're headed to a national park here in Canada tomorrow, and I'll definitely be more aware of the beauty around us. Thank you for all the work you do to bring us such amazing content. It is my pleasure to make this content, Melanie. It is amazing because of all the amazing women who are guests here at the Art of Home. And I am thrilled that our timing on the road trip episode has inspired your trip right now. So enjoy the beauty out there and thanks for the message. Julie S from Pennsylvania left a tip on Buy Me a Coffee and a very kind note. Here's a little excerpt about how the show has impacted her as a working mom. A close friend shared this podcast with me after I messaged her after a visit, letting her know her home was noticeably more tidy than mine, even though we both have toddlers and other kids. She exclaimed, I have been listening to this podcast. And since that day in August of 2025, I have been devouring your past and current episodes. I now refer other women to the podcast and tell them, start with the pillars, then cherry-pick your way through wonderful topics with real life love and guidance with Christ at the forefront. It has been a pleasure reconnecting to my desire to be a homemaker. I work full-time and I am an in-the-trenches mom of two. I thought I had to let go of homemaking before listening. Now I see that they can coexist. I also found so many helpful resources to achieve the goal of full-time homemaker just by listening. Yes, Julie, they can exist together. If you have a home, you are a homemaker, whether you practice your art as your main occupation or not. And I hope all of you listening will remember that as well. If you have friends who are not full-time homemakers, there is still so much value for them in these stories of home because they are still doing the work, but they have to juggle it with another job. So if one of those ladies comes to mind, please tell her about the art of home. And thank you, Julie, for your note and for sharing about the art of home with women you know and telling them to start with the pillars. I 100% agree. I think that is a fantastic place to start and get an idea for what we're all about here at the Art of Home. And speaking of Buy Me a Coffee, we have a couple of brand new Titus 2 members this month. Annette and Camilla joined as monthly supporters of the Art of Home. Thank you so much, ladies. If you are considering becoming a Titus 2 supporter, I just want to let you know that I have added a new perk for members. You will get a free digital version of Homemaker's Journal as long as your membership is active, whether you tip monthly or annually. Links to sign up are in the description box. Today marks the end of our spring season on the Art of Home. After a little break, I will return in June with all new content for the summer season, and I'm going to talk a bit more about that at the end of the episode. But now let's get to today's guest. I'm chatting with In the Trenches Homemaker and fellow podcaster Hannah Stewart of the Sugar and Spice Mom Life podcast. Growing up, Hannah said she never wanted to get married or have kids. But God used the hospitable families of the church she attended in college to birth in her heart a desire for marriage, motherhood, and homemaking. She left home with plenty of skills, but without the correct mindset regarding the emotional and relational work of the homemaker, nor was she prepared for the lack of cultural respect for her chosen occupation. She's had to let go of many expectations and her tendency towards perfectionism. But in the letting go, God is teaching her the powerful impact of the tone she sets through her homemaking. We cover all the usual ground, so get ready for an hour full of trials and triumphs, tips, recipes, and hard-won homemaking wisdom from this delightful and very insightful guest. I will be back at the end with some closing thoughts, reminders, and this episode's emoji code and a little sneak peek at next season. Whatever you are applying your hands to as you listen, I know you will enjoy Hannah's Story of Home. Welcome to the Art of Home. I'm here with Hannah Stewart, who is an in-the-trenches homemaker who's going to share all about her experience of keeping a home. Before we go back to the beginning of your story, Hannah, just say hi to everybody. Tell us a little bit about who you are today.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

Well, I'm Hannah Stewart, and I wanted to say thank you so much to Allison for having me on today. And I have been a homemaker for seven years. I currently have three kids. I used to say three and under. Now it's three kids, four and under. So it's definitely in the trenches in all senses of the word. And it's so funny that I'm on this podcast actually because growing up, I was the kid that said, I'm never gonna get married, I'm never gonna have kids. And I would say that to all my friends. And of course, God has a sense of humor. And I was the first one out of all my friends to get married and the first one to have kids and very close together. So the Lord definitely has a sense of humor there. But it was a pretty massive transition for me, just because I really did think it would be simple in a lot of ways. I thought it would be pretty easy. And one of the hardest things actually was when I would go to like holiday parties or things like that, and they would say, What do you do? And I would just say, Oh, I'm a stay-at-home mom, and it'd just kind of kill the conversation. So it's been a little bit of a learning curve. Yeah. It's been a learning curve for sure, just to view it as the vocation that it is. And yeah, so that's a little bit about me. And then just in my free time, I do a podcast, I garden, I yeah, love to be active outside. So I'm kind of one of those people I have a lot of irons in the fire and have to slow down. So yeah. It's a little about me.

Allison 7:50

Let's go back to the beginning of your story and tell me about when do you feel like you first became a homemaker? And did you have any skills?

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Yeah, so I would say I lived with my parents till I graduated college. So it's kind of after that point when I got married that I would say I officially became a homemaker. And I actually think my mom prepared me really well in the skills department. She homeschooled all of us kids and she really did teach us life skills. So I was cooking meals and grocery shopping, all of that good stuff before I became a wife and a mom. So I felt like in the skills department, I had a lot going for me. And my mom was also very good at relationships. So she was good at creating like a warm environment in the home. So in that sense, I feel like I was well prepared. But I think uh one of the things that I wasn't prepared for was like the mindset of it. So kind of what I mentioned before, viewing it, I really did think it would just be easy, you know. So mentally, I I actually struggled after becoming a mom, realizing it was much harder than I thought. And I told someone recently when I started becoming a mom, it it was like it was the hardest job I've ever done, but everyone said I was wasting my life. So in that sense, I was like, this is hard. But in terms of the skills, you know, I think my mom did prepare me well in a lot of ways. But it's humbling. I think no matter whatever walk of life you come from, just being in the home, there are challenges. And yeah, so it's been a humbling journey for sure.

Allison 9:22

I love the way you put that. Um, it's the hardest job you've ever done, and everybody's everybody's telling you you're wasting your life. So it's like this is the hardest waste of my life I've ever done.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

Right. Yeah. So it's not just the physical work, but it's like the drop in respect, which obviously the Lord sees. So I've just had to learn that over time. He is my audience of one. And so if I'm doing what I feel like the Lord's calling me to right now, then I can find joy in that, you know. But it has been a learning curve because in college or career, you know, you get a lot of like out of girls from the world. And so yeah, it's been a learning curve.

Allison 9:57

Sure. Yeah. So what would you say seven years in is your biggest homemaking weakness?

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Yeah. So let's see, for this one, I actually said being a perfectionist. And I know that's like the stereotypical job answer, which actually means you're just really good at your job. And that's actually not what I'm saying at all. Because I think when you're in a job, being a perfection perfectionist maybe means you just do really good work. But at home, I have seen this side of it come out, this kind of the ugly side where I can actually be critical. And even if like the day is going fine, if it wasn't perfect, you know, we're not perfectly on schedule, or the meal was mediocre, I can actually kind of let that eat away at me a little bit. And I know it was a while back, I actually went to a counselor because I kept going to these postpartum visits and they kept saying, You're depressed, you're depressed. I was like, I don't know that I'm depressed, I'm just kind of down. But she actually told me that even though my life was fine, because I kept fixating just on the one thing I wanted to tweak to make it a little bit better, that was actually a huge problem for me that I was totally not aware of. So yeah, that has been a big learning curve as well. I remember at Christmas, I think it was two years ago, actually, it was a fine Christmas, like everything was going well. But there was this one thing I wanted the kids to be able to unwrap the bike like already put together, and they had to unwrap it in a box. And I just was like really upset about that and actually let that kind of ruin my attitude about it, even though everyone else was having a great time, you know. But I I've just realized that is a huge weakness because if I can't enjoy the 98% of the beauty that's around me, I'm fixating on the 1% that's not ideal, you know, that really can steal joy and change the tone of our home, you know. I don't, yeah. So that's I feel like, oh, tone is important. It's not just the meals done, but it's like, what is the presence of the parent at the table who prepared the meal, you know? Exactly.

Allison 11:55

How is that how is that meal? How is that meal served up? With what attitude?

SPEAKER_01 12:00

Yes, yeah. So that, yeah, that's something I just yeah, really respect my mom for because she was really good at setting the tone. And yeah, it really is an art.

Allison 12:11

So I bet she would probably tell you um that it took her a while to get there.

SPEAKER_01 12:18

Probably, yeah. We seem to have different memories of. I just remember it being this wonderful childhood, and she's pretty hard on herself. So so funny. But it's it's encouraging to me though, as a mom, that kids tend to remember highlights, you know.

Allison 12:31

They do, they really do. I think I've said that before that your children will remember things very differently from you. Um, and I think that's just everybody has that that experience. Um, and we do tend to be way, way hard on ourselves as we look back and think, oh, I I messed up here, I messed up there, I could have done this better, I could have done that better. But they tend to focus on the highlights and the positive. So that's actually a real, I feel like that's a gift from the Lord. Yeah. That sort of love covers a multitude of sins concept, you know? Okay, tell me what do you feel like is your biggest homemaking strength right now?

SPEAKER_01 13:08

You know, I think um something that has been through me kind of across the board is that I do love learning. So I love listening to podcasts. I'm a big fan of your podcast. I love reading. And I do love just asking older women in my life, like, what's one piece of advice you would give a younger mom, or what's one thing you're really glad you did with your kids? And that has been really helpful just to be able to look around at the women in my life and to see like they're doing this really well. I want to try to imitate that or or put that into practice in my own home. So I'd say, um, yeah, I'm thankful just for that curiosity, I think, that the Lord's given me. So sometimes I have to temper it because you do, yeah, you can get into, you know, too much information and being overwhelmed. But yeah, think done well. It could be a strength. So yeah.

Allison 13:58

Yeah. Um, I love that you're asking very specific questions of the older moms. Um, that's really good advice for anybody listening. Like, don't just come at somebody with like, give me all your wisdom. Ask specific questions.

SPEAKER_01 14:12

Yeah, I do think that makes a difference because I think sometimes you ask like a mom with 30 years experience, just like, what did you learn? And it's so open-ended, they really struggle to answer. But if it you're like, okay, what what did you do with your toddler when they did this? They're super, they're phenomenal, you know? Yeah. So yeah, yeah. Tap into that.

Allison 14:32

Yeah. So um besides your mom, um, is there anybody else that you would say had a big influence on your homemaking or anything else you want to say about mom?

SPEAKER_01 14:43

Oh man, my mom was my mom was great. I think she was just really good at prioritizing what was most important, you know. So we didn't always have fancy, fancy dinners, but I just remember like these key moments where she would sit down with us to study the Bible and make time for that one-on-one. And she'd have like the other sibling um watch that so like the older sibling would play with the younger sibling. So she was really good at that and setting the tone of our home, like I've mentioned. And then the other one that came to mind is so crazy because in college, I kind of was took most of that for granted, of course, as we do. And but in college, I actually was in a church that was very, very hospitable. And so almost every single Sunday, I as a college student was invited over to a family home from someone in our church. And that was super key because what I saw then was these moments that I that I'm sure happened in my own home, but I had forgotten, where the dad is teaching the six-year-old about Christ or the mom is dealing with conflict resolution and people are being welcomed in. And I saw like the power of the home that I'd kind of take it for granted because when you live in one, you're just like, well, this is the way it is. But then when you look at it with an outsider perspective and you see, like the Lord is this is a huge opportunity, you know. Like these people that have never heard the gospel are hearing it because they're coming into this home, or these children are growing up knowing so much more about conflict resolution than most adults do, you know, because they are in a Christian home. So I kind of saw the power of that, just looking in, even though I had grown up with it. So that was another really crucial thing that actually kind of sold me. I that's kind of where the shift happened, where I went from not ever wanting to have kids to like, this has so much purpose. Like the Lord works in mighty ways through this. So that was the other one that I was thinking through when I looked at the questions. So yeah.

Allison 16:33

Yeah. Well, I would say that is a pretty, that's a pretty big um influence if it shape completely shifted your your worldview perspective as far as family and what you wanted uh for your own life. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Yeah. And I I think that is kind of, I mean, your whole podcast is the art of home. I do think the art piece is key because it is um, you know, I I was listening to someone else who was talking about you can do ethics flashcards with a kid, and that doesn't imprint the desire for goodness and truth and beauty on them. But when you see it's goodness, when you see the hope there, that actually is the biggest sell. And so I think that's kind of the beauty of the home environment is that it brings that beauty piece into the persuasion of the gospel.

Allison 17:17

So absolutely. Yeah, I love how you said that. Um, okay, expectations. What are some things that surprised you about homemaking? Good or bad, just something you did not expect.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

Oh man, yeah, I think going back to what I said, the skills, maybe I had like the raw skills, but I didn't, because I didn't value the job very much, I was um frustrated when it took time. And I think I really thought, um, I thought going into it, if I have the skills of being able to cook, then I'll be a good mom, you know, and just realizing how much of being a homemaker is about relationships with other people, whether that's your family, your neighbors, the people that come into your home. So I just remember I went to this mom's house. This is a little before I had kids, but she had, I think, eight kids. And I remember watching her, and I was in college at the time studying management, and I realized she's a manager, like she's delegating, she's doing quality assurance, she's doing like conflict mediation, all of these things. So I think that was the piece that was uh kind of took me by surprise. It's like, okay, I can get the meal on the table, but I don't know how to handle these toddlers that are squabbling with each other, you know, or I can get the meal on the table. But then I have the people over and I'm learning how to make conversation even when it's not perfect, or I'm learning how to have the conversation while the toddler's having a moment in his high chair, you know, and it's that like um it was the the relationship building and like the navigating, managing other people that is kind of a growth process for me. So yeah, the just adding that in, adding in the logistics of more children you have, I think has been the biggest shock to me, maybe.

Allison 19:04

Okay. Well, what's something that you have had to let go of, an expectation you've had to let go of for the well-being of yourself and your family?

SPEAKER_01 19:14

Yeah, so for this one I said impressing people because even this goes back to when we were first married, but I remember my husband saying, like, why are you rushing around before people get here? Like, just let them into your real life. And I was like, I don't want them to know my real life is like this. I want them to think my real life is much neater and tidier and more put together than this. So I've just had to realize um in certain seasons, it's not that you don't want to strive for excellence and work hard. But in certain seasons, if I want to have a play date and I have a newborn, you know, some people don't want that, but relationships are really important to me. So if I want that, I have to be willing to let people come over. And recently, I, you know, I keep being humbled in new ways the more I'm a mom. But recently I had a friend over. I really wanted to see her, but we had some homeschool out because I was doing homeschool. We were potty training, and then it would like the kids were out playing and there was like mud tracked all over. So she like comes in, my two-year-old has his pants off, and it, which is fine because you know, he's she's a friend. It was just like there, the baby's fussing, you know, it's just like, oh my goodness, like I can't believe I'm letting them into this. But then it ended up being one of the best conversations we've ever had, you know. And I think in some ways it does allow people to let their guard down a little if they realize, like, yeah, even yeah, whatever, you know, I may be an overachiever in certain ways, but like everyone has a messy house sometimes, everyone is potty training sometimes. Like it's just part of being a young mom. So I think I have had to just learn that again and again and again. And when I forget, the Lord just brings another opportunity to practice. So yeah, I have had to let that go because otherwise I could be miserable to be around, you know. If everyone has to be slaving away for three hours before company comes, that ruins the atmosphere of our home again. So yeah, it's a learning curve.

Allison 21:02

That's a good one. That's a good one. Yes, the Lord does, he is very consistent with his um teachable moments for sure.

SPEAKER_00 21:09

Yes, yeah, and yeah, definitely.

Allison 21:11

So, how about parenting? We're kind of on that uh topic here. Bringing these kids, you said you have three kids, four and under. That is a handful. So, how did the addition of children challenge and enrich your homemaking? You've kind of just spoken to one of the challenges, but but what else would you like to share about that?

SPEAKER_01 21:31

Yeah, I think the the challenges are maybe just navigating parenting with other people in your home. That is still, you know, something that you just are humbled by. But I would say when I saw this question, I was like, man, they do enrich it so much. Like one example that came to mind was at Christmas time. I remember when I was newly married, my mom made Christmas very magical, and we had our first Christmas together. And I was like, this just doesn't quite feel the same, you know? And it really I didn't until and I'm not saying you have to have kids to have a magical Christmas, but there is something about the excitement of children. You know, they get excited about anything. Like I put a matchbox car in their stocking and they are so excited, you know. Whereas you can give a very thoughtful gift to an adult and you get a nice thank you, but they are not jumping up and down, you know, and there's this is something so beautiful about that. Or even I remember this was, I think when I just had one child, but my son Elliot, we were eating breakfast together and it was Cheerios, you know, it's like a very basic meal. And he just looked at me and he was like, Thank you for this special meal, mommy. Because my husband, my husband is very, you know, appreciative. He's a very verbal person when it comes to food. So my kids have all picked up on that. It's like, you know, this would be a really sad meal if you weren't here with me. You know, so I do think they're just that enthusiasm is something kids really add. And I actually also think if you are a quieter person, it can actually make hospitality a little easier to have kids because they kind of break the ice. Like sometimes I don't always know what to say, but then, you know, you have this baby that you're holding, and so everyone wants to talk about the baby, or you can pass the baby off to someone and suddenly they feel like part of the family a lot of times, or they can, you know, the kids can hold the door for them, or I there's just so many little things like that where they do really help people feel more welcome, like you're actually inviting them in to something. So, and again, it that's particular that's specific to like my and my husband's personalities were a little bit quieter, so it's just been a real help there. And for some people, there are other benefits as well, and you don't need them to be welcoming, but it's just that has been a specific benefit that I have noticed with our family dynamics.

Allison 23:45

I love I love that you brought that up, and that's such a unique perspective because we don't often automatically think that way. You know, sometimes we might think, oh gosh, I don't want to invite, you know, this newly married couple over into our kid craziness, you know. Right. Because it's just crazy over here. Um, but right instead of looking at your children as a hospitality, you know, liability, if you will, looking at it more as their benefit because, like you said, they do help break the ice. Sometimes it might be in an inappropriate or awkward way, but um your kid. Yes. But it is it is an easy, um, just kind of an easy on-ramp to conversation for people who are a little more awkward and quiet around around others. So that's a great point. I really appreciate you.

SPEAKER_01 24:34

It's definitely both. Like you said, it's not always just this magical time around the table. Sometimes it's like we are gonna take the screaming child away for a moment, you know. But yeah, but there are some really sweet moments too.

SPEAKER_03 24:46

Or or they like overshare or something, you know, or yeah, just like I said, it depends on the kid. Um, totally.

Allison 24:53

But that makes for really good stories too. So yeah. All right. How the your kids are pretty young still. You've your oldest is four. Um, what are you doing at this point, if if anything, to kind of help help encourage them to participate in the homemaking with you?

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Yeah, I know this looks different for every family. Uh my oldest boy actually is really interested in helping. And that's something I've actually noticed that about a lot of kids. And I did hear a podcast that was really encouraging if you have little kids to try to include them when you can, just because it does help that carry longer. Like a lot of times we as parents are saying, Don't help, don't help. You're in the way, you're in the way. And then when they're 10, we want them to jump in. And then they're like, Well, I haven't been helping for 10 years, you know. So I have made an effort, it is, it's still small efforts to include them. So things like, I'll let my four-year-old flip the pancakes. And again, it's letting go of that perfectionism. They may not be perfect, but when they're for our family, he just gets the biggest kick out of that. And all of them, I just try to let them join in kind of with what I'm doing. So if I'm baking, if they're old enough, I'll scoop the flour and let them put it in. If they're really young, sometimes I'll give them a scoop and like a tub of oatmeal and just set them on the counter and they feel like they're baking with me, if that makes sense. Yeah. So just like having them with me, working and just whenever we can, bringing them in. Um, another one that's been helpful, we help with setup at our church and we bring them with and we actually like let them help. Like even if they're just pushing one chair across the room and it takes them super long, you know, it's kind of like the it's very basic, but they just get a real sense of satisfaction out of them. I think I'm not sure. I think it might be Joel Salatin. He talks about kids gain confidence by completing meaningful tasks, you know. So I think even if it's just a small task, but they know, okay, we're doing this so because old people at church can't lift these chairs, but you're strong, you can, you know, they just, especially little boys, they get a real kick out of that. So that's been really fun. It's not always um, you know, they're not always sometimes they're more helpful than others, but I think just including them as much as possible. Um, another one is like at the table, we practice like if someone spills something, everyone runs and grabs a rag, you know, and we have like four dirty rags, but just that mindset of like, okay, like we're all a team, you know, and trying to encourage that when they're young. But it is, you know, sometimes uh our kitchen is three times as messy because I included them. And again, just letting go. I feel like so much of me being a mom has been letting go of like a clean, spotless countertop when I'm cooking or little things like that. So yeah, but those have all helped.

SPEAKER_03 27:32

So those are great suggestions. I love those.

Allison 27:35

Um all right, now as you are managing a very busy household with three young children, what are some of the practical steps that you take to help set and keep your priorities?

SPEAKER_01 27:49

Yeah, so one of the things my mom did that I've tried to copy is she would do her quiet time in the morning. So she would sit down and study the Bible. Pretty much, I mean, I remember this very often. I don't know if she would say it was every day, but I just remember her doing that often. So that is something I do is I do devotions in the morning. And one thing that has helped is this concept called like a morning bag for me. And I I actually just made a course on this. But basically, what you do, you have the kids go back to the room after they wake up and you give them like special toys, a lot of times ones they don't usually play with, and you just have them play their 20 minutes or so. And that has really helped even when I have a newborn, because sometimes if I'm up like several times at night, I will wake up with the kids, but then I can still have 20 or 30 minutes to read before I start the day. And that has helped because I will say, like, if you wake up to the kids on the baby monitor and you have to like just jump into being a mom, that that is really hard for me. And I know some moms could do that really gracefully, but just having those 20 minutes has been a big, big help to be to know that I have that time with the Lord and they can play a little bit and they actually look forward to that. So that is one that I have done. Another one, we do a planning meeting like once a week, usually, and it doesn't always happen, but even just if we could touch base, my husband and I, like, what are we doing this week? And then we pick one night of the week to do a date, and that has helped as well. And sometimes that is just at home, you know, we put the kids to bed and we get a sonic drink or we watch a movie or we play a game, but just like having one night set aside because both my husband and I tend to be like project people where we have lots of things we would like to get done. That way we know we have one night for that. So that has really helped as well, I think. So those are kind of the main ways in this season of life of like doing devotions, date night. And yeah, we're doing pretty good if all those things are happening.

Allison 29:44

Yeah, those are great. Um, so you said you had um a morning bag. Is that what you called it?

SPEAKER_01 29:51

Yeah, so basically it's like a little backpack that kids can take back to their room. And it could be a backpack or just like a special toy that they get to pick out or whatever, but they take it back. You can even include like a snack if it's not a choking hazard. That's totally your call as a parent. But you could like have them go back to their room and it's like their special time to play with their new toy while mommy reads her Bible, and that is like a game changer.

Allison 30:16

The morning bag is for the kid. Okay, so yes, the course that so you just did a course, you just wrote a course that's gonna that's available, and we'll link that in the show notes, you guys. But how what is in the course? Does it explain how to do the morning bags with your kids or how does that work?

SPEAKER_01 30:30

Yeah, exactly. So it explains kind of the what so what to put in the morning bag, how to get how to kind of sell it, because so much of your uh life with small children is like making it fun. So we talk a lot about like how do you set the tone for this? And then with the different ages, like if you have a one-year-old, I go into like how to get them to go back into their crib after you feed them or whatever, because a lot of times you give them a bottle, then how do you get them to go back in their crib so you can have that time and they're not not everyone in the house is screaming? Cause that's really not what you're going for in like your peaceful devotions with the Lord, is like everyone's screaming in their pack and plays or whatever, you know. So I kind of just go into like the logistics and like how to implement it because the start is really important for something like that. If you just plop them in their pack and play and it's negative, it's like, ooh, it's gonna be rough. So yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Allison 31:20

Okay, that's cool. That's that sounds like a really neat resource. We'll make sure that we link that down below. Um, okay, let's talk about media for a minute. So, how do you maintain a healthy relationship with social media and media in general? Um, or do you just I I've started asking this. Are you just a complete uh analog person? Are you breaking up with all of that? Or do you find some happy medium?

SPEAKER_01 31:45

Oh, I went, I'm like getting closer to the analog. Like I am very seriously considering switching to like a dumb phone. I guess I don't know what other people call them, and a non-smartphone. Um, but yes, I'm considering that. But right now I do have a smartphone, but I just try not to put like the social media apps on my smartphone. I feel like it is harder. Like I didn't struggle with it in the same way prior to becoming a mom. But when you're home more and you have more open-ended time, that's when I've really had to start putting limits on myself. When I was at work, I just wouldn't check it when I was at work, you know. But there's more gray of like when I when am I at work, when am I not as a mom? So I have had to do more intentional things of like not having social media on my phone. Sometimes I'll put it in the other room or in a drawer for that. And another thing, I I try now that my kids are older, not to like listen to a podcast or an audiobook when they're around all the time, just because I I for me, this is not at all like if you don't do this, you're instant. This is not that is not the point of this. But for me, what happens is I zone into whatever I'm listening to, and then I tend to tune out if there's like parenting things I need to deal with, or I'm irritated. So, like if someone comes to me and they it's like I'm annoyed that I have this parenting obligation and it's like, actually, that's my job. You know, why am I annoyed that my kid just asked me for a drink of water or that they need help going potty or that there's a fight that I need to go deal with, you know. But I think for some reason, for me personally, if I have that going on while the kids are awake, that actually changes the tone of our home. So I I try not to do that when they're awake. I save it. And right now, you know, I have small children. I that may again change as the seasons go on. And then for our kids, obviously they're too young to have social media. Uh, we've done this thing where we let them do a show whenever we get a haircut and when they're sick. And that's like their. So I because I'm not, I don't think they're evil, but I especially for me, I'm someone that's very I love checking things off my list. So for me, that's a real temptation with screens, is like, oh, I could get so much done if they had a screen. So I've actually had to be more careful with myself. Whereas I think some more free-spirited moms maybe wouldn't struggle as much with that. And like any, it would be like a bonding thing between them. But for me, it's like, oh, good, this is a way I can like get more done instead of doing the work of parenting, you know. So I have had to kind of have that limit for myself and for them. So it's usually, yeah, once a month or so when they get their haircut. We do that and hair loving.

Allison 34:17

Haircut and what else do you haircut and something else?

SPEAKER_01 34:20

If they're sick, I say if you're throwing up or if mommy's throwing up, you could. I've even had to define that because, you know, then there's all kinds of stomach aches and our how yeah. We have no idea how many stomach aches you can have if you get a show and you watch a, you know, so we have to define our terms in this season of life. Yeah. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 34:40

I love that.

Allison 34:43

We will get back to Hannah's story in just a few minutes. Right now, it's time for historical homemaker hints. This is the part of the podcast where I highlight some of the helpful and not so helpful hints doled out to homemakers throughout history. Today's hints are from Don'ts for Wives by Blanche Abbott, published in 1913 by A and C Black, London. Don't say it is a waste of time to make marmalade at home when you can get it better made from the stores. Your husband and children never like any so well as yours, and it is worth the trouble of making to see how they enjoy eating it. I will have to say, I'm right with Blanche on this one. If you've never had homemade marmalade, you are missing out, and it's really not that hard to make. Don't omit to learn how to put on a bandage. You will be very lucky if you get through your married life without having to do it for some member of the family. And the right way is so much better than the wrong one. Don't forget to reduce the housework to a minimum by abolishing all unnecessary polishing of metal, washing of curtains, and sweeping of carpets. Okay, Blanche, but please wash your curtains at least every couple of years. If you heard my curtain story in the spring cleaning series, you understand. Don't arrange the chimney sweep to come on a day your husband happens to be staying at home. He won't like either the sooty smell or the subsequent upset for cleaning purposes. I don't know, Blanche, but my guy would love to be here so he can watch how it's done and quiz the chimney cleaner, trying to figure out if he could DIY it next time. Here's some don'ts from Blanche regarding parenting. Don't omit to take your husband into your confidence on matters connected with the training of the children. Let him bring his wits to bear on the problems that are troubling you. Don't let your husband become merely your children's father after the arrival of the first baby. You can give him an extra share of love in that capacity, but he won't want to be any less than your husband and chum. Don't cease to call him by his Christian name and begin to address him always in the children's presence as a father or daddy. Don't think your baby is as interesting to everyone else as he is to you. It is quite natural for you to think that there never was such a wonderful baby before. But other people are apt to smile at each other or become horribly bored if you can talk of nothing else. Don't grudge the years you spend on childbearing and child rearing. Remember, you are training future citizens, and it is the most important mission in the world. Hear here, Blanche. And I would add that you are shaping souls that will live for eternity by enfleshing the truths of the gospel through hot meals, warm beds, clean towels, and open arms. So do not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. Galatians 6 9. Well, that's all for today's historical homemaking hints. As always, these hints are for entertainment purposes only, and we leave it up to you, the listener, to determine the safety and soundness of this advice. Now back to Hannah's story. Um, okay, so we've already touched on this a little bit, but I'd like to spend um a little more time here. Which of these challenges have you struggled with the most, and what is God teaching you through it? So, A, comparison to other homemakers, B, I am just a homemaker, not getting paid. This is not a real job, or C, superwoman trying to do all the things.

SPEAKER_01 38:52

Yeah, I think definitely the just a homemaker one for me. And I really had to start remembering like being a mom is a vocation. And this is something I was thinking about recently. I feel like being a mom is one of the only things people will sit make comments like, oh, I'm just not cut out for this, or um, sometimes they'll say, I'm a better mom when I'm at work all day. And I think that's like the only job that we would say that with, right? Like my husband wouldn't say, I'm a better engineer if I don't go to work, you know? Yeah. But it's like because we so undervalue what being a homemaker is or what being a mom is, then we we view it as like if we're not immediately fantastic as a mom, or we're not immediately fantastic at hosting, then we're just not cut out for it. And so it has really helped me because I think I was really good at school and being a mom was very different from school. Um, so it has really helped me to view this as like, okay, this is a new vocation that I'm gonna try to grow in. And like next year, I want to try to grow in these ways instead of viewing it as like, well, I, you know, I'm not, I'm kind of a grumpy mom, so I guess that's the way I'll be for the next 60 years, you know. So okay, like I could learn and grow and I can learn skills. So that has helped me a lot.

Allison 40:09

That's great advice. I love that. Just thinking of it more occupationally and just like you would any other occupation. How can I continue to challenge myself to grow? You know, how can I keep leveling up my skills? Um, and I think too, the thing you said earlier about recognizing that so much of your job as a mom and a homemaker is about really, it's about relationships. So just recognizing that, I think, completely is a complete paradigm shift.

SPEAKER_01 40:38

Yeah. Well, that's such a good point. Cause like with relationships, we don't say that, you know. But if we view it only as I'm doing the dishes, you know, if that's all being a homemaker is, then there's not much to learn. But if it's like, oh, you know, I would never say that about my spouse. Like, oh, there's nothing left to learn, you know, I just have it all mastered. You know, it's like, no, you want to get to know them the rest of your life. So yeah, I think that's a real key.

Allison 41:00

Exactly. Yeah. Are there any special challenges that you've had to face so far in your homemaking journey? And what have you learned from that?

SPEAKER_01 41:08

You know, when I listen to your podcast, people have much greater challenges than I have so far. One of the ones that came to mind for me was we do live in a small house. So it's around 800 square feet. And that has been a little bit of a challenge because we have the two bedrooms. So actually, right now, my son is napping in the laundry room, and then my daughter sleeps in our room, and then my other son is doing a quiet time in his room. So we kind of have to, yeah, the hosting piece has had to look a little bit different. But I think one of the things that I've had to manage the most for myself is the mindset because if I'm focused on all the things that I can't do, you know, we can't have 60 people over for a pot like we can't host people at our house overnight in the same way. That could be really limiting. But I think if I'm focused on like, how can I use the home that we do have for the glory of God? I know, um, I don't, I know you had Missy Winkler on, and she just came on my podcast to talk about her new book, Home is for Hospitality, but she talked about viewing the home as like a talent, like in the parable of the talents. And that was really helpful because I realized I was kind of burying my talent, so to speak. Like I was saying, well, my house is small, so I'm not gonna do anything with it. So that book really convicted me, like, okay, I need to invite one, like I maybe can't have 20 people over, but I can have the college student over from church, you know? Yeah, like how can I use the home that I have for God's glory? So that has been a learning curve, just to view it with like gratitude and patience instead of like looking down the road to say, well, I'll just be hospitable then, or yeah, yeah, putting that off.

Allison 42:49

So I love that. I love that perspective so much. Um, what's something that you're doing? So, what is something having the college student over? What are some of the practical ways that you're showing hospitality in your little 800 square foot house?

SPEAKER_01 43:02

Yeah. So I think it's just meant like having, you know, whether it's one or two people over, that is one way. Another, another way that we have done this recently is just like having people over for play dates. And that's something I realized that a lot of moms are actually really lonely. Like young moms are really lonely. And my mom is a counselor and she has told me this. I was like, oh, you're right. So even just having people over, and we have a backyard. So that has been really helpful. And so what we did is we have like a trampoline out there, we have a garden, we have a lot of toys. So we have these friends over with little boys, and they just go and they dig in the dirt in my backyard and they jump in the trampoline in my backyard, and then they come in and we have a really simple snack, like I'll make popcorn or something, and everyone has a blast, you know? And it's like it is it is small, it's not fancy. You wouldn't see your home on Instagram, but that has just been so fun to see. Like, people are actually having fun at my house, and and I Think so much of that is people just want community and relationships, and yes, they don't actually want this, they don't actually want a spotless, curated house, they want a friend, you know. So just realizing like we can offer that we have kids, we have a trampoline, and just sharing what we do have, I think has gone a long way.

Allison 44:19

Absolutely. That's you're I think you reached out to me initially after Jenny's um Jenny Nanningga's episode. Was that you that sent me the note about like because she lived in a really tiny house for a long, long time with a bunch of kids and they had a big yard? That was one of the benefits of their little tiny house. I don't know if you remember that.

SPEAKER_01 44:36

Was that I remember that episode because that one I was like, she like I just I feel like the Lord really used that in my life because I was a little bit discouraged. So I don't remember if I reached out or not, but I do remember her episode specifically and just being so inspired by that. Like, because she said they just did it anyways. Yes, because she's maybe less of a perfectionist, and I've been waiting for the perfect home. It's like, oh, I can host right now, you know. So I yeah, that was a phenomenal episode. So yeah.

Allison 45:04

Oh, good. Okay. Um, rapid fire questions. Are you ready?

SPEAKER_01 45:08

Okay, I will try. Yeah, to be rapid.

Allison 45:12

You can tell me a story if you like, or give me a quick answer. It's totally up to you. So biggest homemaking fail so far.

SPEAKER_01 45:19

Okay, I'll tell a story for this one, but then I will try not to for the other. So we we had these smoke detectors in our home for the longest time, and they were the most sensitive smoke detectors. So, like the very first time we hosted, I made pizza, they went off for a long time. And they were the kind you can't turn them off. So you they're all connected to each other. Yes, and so you're like waving random objects at these smoke detectors to try to get them to go off. And that happened with increasing frequency. So it would get to the point where I plan like the nap time of my kids around when I was roasting veggies because I knew it would set them off. But this one time, this is kind of like one of the last straws. We had people over and we were baking cookies together and they went off, and it was like the dead of winter, it was very cold. It was probably Christmas cookies, and they did not go off for like 10 minutes. And so our guests are like contemplating leaving our house because it's so loud and like their kids are crying. I was like, this is not going well. But finally, when we decided to do something, was when we actually caught something on fire in the oven and our house was full of smoke and they did not go off. And I was like, these smoke detectors are in the trash, and it was like a week, and we had all new. We're like, this has gone too far. But that was a pretty big fail just because people were wanting to leave my home. I mean, that's not a very welcoming thing. So that was probably the biggest one.

SPEAKER_03 46:42

All right, how about a recent win, homemaking win?

SPEAKER_01 46:45

Uh, I would say maybe Christmas this last year. I actually used some ideas from your podcast, and I felt like it was more special and I wasn't stressed. And I feel like that's a really big deal for me if I'm not like stressed out with my kids the morning of Christmas. So I felt like we actually enjoyed it. So that was a huge win.

SPEAKER_03 47:03

Yeah. Oh, good, good. I'm glad the podcast was helpful. And congratulations on a non-stressful Christmas morning.

SPEAKER_01 47:10

Thank you. Yes. We'll see if that happens again. But I was very thankful.

Allison 47:14

Okay. How about a homemaking product or resource that you are loving right now?

SPEAKER_01 47:19

Uh, I already mentioned Missy Winkler. So her books, but also the book Atomic Habits. It's not at all related to homemaking, but it basically just talks about how to like implement small changes in your life. And I've applied a lot of that to homemaking because I wasn't someone that had a bunch of really good habits starting out. So, like even doing the dishes after meals, we're like, oh, you know, I would like to save them for days, which does not work now. Like that would not work at all. So that has actually really helped me to just like figure out okay, how do I every day read the Bible with my kids? How do I every day do the the dishes? So implementing those principles actually has helped me a lot in my home. So I'd recommend it to your listeners.

Allison 47:57

Yes, I second that. Um Okay. Yeah, it's not, it's not a homemaking book at all. It's a habit book and it's about, but it is so helpful. It is so, so helpful. And I've actually thought about, I would love to do an episode one time, um, like atomic habits for homemakers. Like take the principles from that book and talk about them, how they would specifically apply and be and benefit the homemakers. I think that would be really, really cool.

SPEAKER_01 48:22

Oh, you should. I will listen. Okay. You should. I'll put that on the list.

Allison 48:30

All right, favorite homemaking hack or tip?

SPEAKER_01 48:33

Okay, so this is one that actually has to do with the atmosphere of your home, just because that has been the biggest learning curve for me personally. And I heard this from Melissa Krueger, and I guess she heard it from the Oprah show. But the tip is that anytime your child or your spouse or roommate, whoever's in your home, walks into the room, try to light up when you see them. Because especially if you're really task-oriented, it can feel like, oh, my husband's saying hi to me and I was in the middle of this project, or oh, my child needs help again. You know, and that actually is a really that's not a great thing for the tone of your home. So that has really helped just to discipline myself. Like if someone walks in, I'm gonna look up, I'm gonna smile at them and like say, How are you? or welcome when they come in the door instead of sighing. And I really do think it has made a big difference in our home life, just that little tip.

Allison 49:23

So that is a great tip. I love that. All right, tell me about your signature dish or one that you are developing into your signature.

SPEAKER_01 49:32

Um, so I think for me, this would probably be homemade soft pretzels. So we had those all the time growing up at Christmas, and it was something it's especially kind of special to my family because my dad grew up on the East Coast. So pretzels are really big out there. And then we're also kind of German. So we have, you know, somewhere there we have German. I'm sure there's other things too, but we yeah, pretzels are like the perfect mix of that. So we love our bread, and so soft pretzels have been a big win that we have done around Christmas time at our house.

Allison 50:04

So oh, I love that. I I think I've only tried to make those maybe once. Um, but are aren't you supposed to do you have I know they're like bagels, like you boil them before you bake them, correct? Correct. But don't you need some kind of special solution to boil them in? Or am I thinking of something else?

SPEAKER_01 50:22

No, I think you're right, because I usually use baking soda. I I believe people may also use another ingredient, but I've always used baking soda, and they that's like what makes them brown and it gives them that like salty, chewy exterior. Okay, so good. Yeah.

Allison 50:38

Awesome. Can you share the recipe with us?

SPEAKER_01 50:40

Yeah, I would love to.

Allison 50:42

Oh, yes, I would love to see that, and I would love to give that, give that a try. Okay, let's talk about the art of home. So, how do you see homemaking as an art and where do you find beauty in it?

SPEAKER_01 50:53

Yeah, so I feel like this theme is definitely coming through, but I think um, again, if it were just the cooking, that's like a science, right? You can weigh out the food and it would be a science. But the art is how do you make a home welcoming and inviting? And I have been at people's homes for leftovers and felt so welcomed. And I have been at people's homes for very fancy dinners and felt like an inconvenience, you know. So I really think that's where the art is is like um, yeah, figuring out how to make your home inviting and welcoming and how to set that tone and build those relationships with people. So that's one I think I'll be learning for the rest of my life.

Allison 51:34

But uh-huh, definitely. What is something that you are thankful for about homemaking?

SPEAKER_01 51:40

I love the meaning behind homemaking because I have worked other jobs and they were ones where I didn't interact very much with people. And you did kind of wonder like, will this make a difference? And I obviously don't have control over my kids' salvation or anything like that, but I do have a lot of confidence just from my mom's example. Like, I know that she made a difference in my life, so good or bad, I know that I am impacting my kids in some way, and so there's a lot of purpose in that, and just recognizing like we're shaping eternal souls, you know. Like anytime someone encounters the gospel in our home or sees the beauty of Christ, that's like eternal value. So that makes me so happy. Like as someone, even just with a little teeny tiny home in Kansas that people won't remember, but the gospel, you know, will go on forever. So that's just really exciting to me.

SPEAKER_03 52:34

That's that is beautiful. I love that. Okay, let's talk to the other women.

Allison 52:38

You're in the middle, so we're gonna talk to both sides. First, let's talk to the younger girls. What would you say to those younger girls coming behind you? Um, a word of encouragement or or warning, um, just something that you would like them to know.

SPEAKER_01 52:54

Yeah, I've definitely more in this category and have fallen into this myself, but I do think as a young mom in a social media age, there is a lot of noise. So it could be easy to jump from like a podcast about sharing the gospel with your kids, but then you jump to a podcast about milling your own grain, and then you jump to one about the importance of wooden toys, and then you jump to one about using this certain kind of fabric, and they all feel like they're equal importance. And one of the things my mom did really well that I had to keep coming back to is like keeping the priorities in your home. So you have to take an honest look, not just at what you set out to do, but like what you're using your time for. So, like at different times I have realized, okay, I'm saying my priority is teaching my kids about Christ, but actually I'm not doing a great job of that. But I am making bread from scratch every single day, you know, and that's great. Again, there's nothing wrong with cooking from scratch. Like, none of those things are wrong, but just if you are running out of time for the main priorities that you had, you may have to actually not do those other good things, but not the best things, you know. So just having that discernment to like look at your actual life and say, like, am I actually living by my priorities? Or am I kind of getting swept along with these really beautiful things? Like I know you listen to Farmhouse on Boone, you know, so cool, or you watch her sometimes, and I think it's so fun. But I've had to walk myself back from that sometimes, like, okay, I am not biblically mandated to cook from scratch, but I yeah, like, you know, just going back to what scripture says, I think is really helpful for all of us, but especially young moms that are just trying to learn as much as they can about everything, we might be more prone to it.

Allison 54:34

So oh, for sure. That's such that is such a good word of wisdom. And that whole, what are the main things? Am I putting those big rocks in first? You know, am I focusing on um first things, first things first, and then the other things can follow once you've uh attended to those first things that God has called you to. No matter how good all that other stuff is, gotta do the first things first.

SPEAKER_01 54:59

Exactly. Yeah, and it like you said, like in different seasons, you could do all the extra fun things too. But it's just if you're in an intense season knowing what has to get cut, I think is helpful.

Allison 55:08

Yeah. Absolutely. Okay, so the older women, what would you say to all those older women ahead of you? Um, how can they better understand what it's like to be an in-the-trenches homemaker right now? And what do you need help with? How can they come alongside and help you?

SPEAKER_01 55:26

Yeah, you know, I think there is kind of this divide in in um like expectations. So I think a lot of my young friends are looking for a mentor, and a lot of my older women friends are wanting to like speak into the young women's lives, and they don't always, there's like a lit, it's almost like a just nobody's sure how to make it happen. So one thing I was thinking about, because I know an older mom that does that well, is she just seeks out younger moms and invites that like several younger moms over for a play date at her house, and then all of a sudden she has all these mentoring relationships, right? But I would say I think because younger women they don't want to inconvenience older women, sometimes they're just kind of waiting for that like invitation. And I it's not always the case, like I you might invite someone over and get rejected. I don't know, but I know this this older mom in my community has done that. And like I yeah, I have two moms that come to mind, and it's like as soon as that door is open, suddenly they're mentoring all these people, you know, because young moms I think do struggle with anxiety, especially in our culture where there's so much you hear about ways to mess up your kids, and you know, there's just so much information. So I think it there is that desire and longing there. So maybe uh if you have time and you're looking to mentor someone, just making the first move can sometimes help because young moms are, yeah. Um, we need you guys. Like I need the older women in my life have been so pivotal to yeah, my parenting and encouragement and motherhood. So yeah.

Allison 56:56

Yes, what a great, what a great example. I love that she um this one that you mentioned, she reached out to a couple of different ones and she invited more than one over for, you know, she basically coordinates a play date at her house. Yes. So there's uh it's not like having because it might be a little awkward to have like if I invited a young mom over, not my daughter-in-law, but like a young mom for my church with her small children, she might feel a little bit awkward because like I don't, I mean, I I have my I'm a granny now, so I do have more kid stuff than I did say five years ago, but it's not really a kid house um per se. So if there was another mom here with young kids, somebody that their kids could play together, and then we could just have um that sweet time together, that's a really good idea. I like that strategy a lot. And then what you also said something that's really important, I want to I wanna uh say it again, that you have to know that if you invite people, you might be rejected. That is just a reality.

SPEAKER_01 57:55

Yeah, and it's not always about you, you know, sometimes it's just like yeah, I think it's so easy um if you like work up the courage to be hospitable, and then it doesn't work out to just assume it was about you and that there's so many different factors. But yeah, yeah, but I do think like I do know so many young moms that are looking for places to get out in the in the wintertime, especially, you know, and she just like has, yeah, like a couple moms over, puts out some toys. And honestly, like my kids, if it's at someone else's house, they will play with whatever, you know, they'll be like, oh look, a cool brick and uh and I'm like, we have like boxes of toys, like, but they'll just like find the most random object and think it's so cool because it's someone else's. So anyway, I do think there is something to that of like we could be overly aware of like, oh, I don't have enough toys, or I don't have a fun, and it's like just a new place for a mom with toddlers is like a huge win. So just some, yeah, somewhere that's getting out. Yeah, yes.

SPEAKER_03 58:53

I love that.

Allison 58:54

That's great perspective. Well, tell listeners um where they can find you. Tell you have a podcast. What is your podcast about exactly?

SPEAKER_01 59:04

Yeah, so it's called Sugar and Spice Mom Life. And the reason for that is I I wanted to get at like motherhood is so wonderful, but it's hard, but I didn't want it to be like sweet and salty because it's not bad. But I was like, but it's just there's some spicy moments. So that's the name. And it's the primary focus is like helping young moms level up. And I talk a lot about mindset, so like how we're thinking about motherhood, kind of like what we've been chatting through about viewing it as a vocation. And then I try to invite older moms in to speak more to like practically what does this look like in our life, just because I do have so much wisdom to offer. So you can find me there, and then sugarandsvice momlife.com is where my courses are and blog posts and things like that. So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 59:44

Okay, that's great.

Allison 59:46

Well, Hannah, thank you so much for being here. This has been a delightful conversation. You have much wisdom to share for one so young. So I really appreciate you taking the time.

SPEAKER_01 59:55

Oh, thank you so much for having me. It's been an honor.

Allison 59:58

You're welcome. Thank you for listening to this homemaker portrait of Hannah Stewart. I hope you have found some inspiration for your own homemaking from Hannah's story. Don't you just love the reason behind Hannah's podcast name? Mom Life is sweet, but certainly has its spicy moments. In honor of her podcast, drop me two emojis in a comment. Something sweet and something spicy. And tell me what you find to be sweet and what you find to be spicy in homemaking andor motherhood. I can't wait to hear from you. I want to thank Hannah again for sharing her story of home with us. Make sure you go check out her podcast. She is full of great ideas and insight, especially for moms of littles. I will put all her links in the description box, and her signature dish will be up on the blog and the show notes post for this episode. Go to the Artof Home Podcast.com slash blog and search Hannah Stewart. Thank you for listening to the end. Your reward is a little sneak peek on what is coming in the summer season. First, I am hoping to host the J.R. Miller Homemaking Book Club again. So look for information on that when the season begins in mid-June. If I'm able to pull it off, it will run July through August. This summer I have six new portraits lined up, a couple of deep dive episodes, including one on sentimental decorating with Britney Shepard, who shared her single homemaker story with us this winter. And a summer seasonal ramble with Jessica Fisher. On Mondays, I will be highlighting some of the content from the first issue of Homemakers Journal. And I will be doing a homemaking content creator spotlight series, talking to some women who are putting books, podcasts, blogs, and YouTube videos out in the world to equip and encourage homemakers. It's going to be a great season, and it will kick off June 22nd. That's all for this episode and for the spring season. Don't forget to share, follow, rate, and review so that stories like Hannah's can reach more homemakers all over the world. I will be back in June. Until then, keep practicing your art of making a home.