FREE STANDARD SHIPPING, ALWAYS
Back to Our Storytelling Roots
Published 9/23/25
Welcome to Season 7 of the Mom Force Podcast: A Return to Our Roots
The Beginning of a Movement
When we launched the Mom Force Podcast in 2019, we didn't know it would become what it is today. But looking back, the seeds were planted long before that first episode aired.
It all started at Chatbooks in 2014 with our customer support team—a group of passionate moms who wanted flexible, part-time work so they could stay home with their families. These women weren't just employees; they were our customers. They understood our mission to connect and strengthen families, and they brought that understanding to every interaction. They were women helping women, and that became the heartbeat of everything we do.
From Facebook Group to Podcast
As our support team grew, we created a Facebook community for like-minded moms. What started as a small group quickly blossomed into something special. I watched women cheer each other on, swap advice, crowdsource answers to life's hardest questions, and lift each other up. It became crystal clear: together as women and mothers, we are stronger. We can absolutely be a force for good.
Fast forward to 2019. I was sitting in a Chatbooks board meeting when one of our board members, Gavin, looked right at me and said, "You need to start a podcast." I knew instantly what it had to be called: the Mom Force Podcast.
Here's where another beautiful "women supporting women" moment happened: I reached out to Monica Packer, host of the Progress Podcast, and asked if she'd coach me through launching. She said yes. Within weeks, we had our first episode ready to go—complete with a theme song written by my oldest daughter, a singer-songwriter.
How We Started
That first season, my four sisters joined me as co-hosts. Between the five of us, we have 31 kids and were raised in a family of 12, so we had plenty to talk about. We tackled the real, nitty-gritty parts of mom life in what we called "Mom Force Quickies"—15-minute episodes packed with substance but respectful of everyone's time.
As life got busier for my sisters and for me (podcasting isn't my full-time job at Chatbooks), the show evolved. By season three, I was mostly doing one-on-one interviews. Six seasons in, we've had incredible guests and amazing conversations. I especially love our "Enter the Chat" episodes, where we tackle real questions from our Mom Force Facebook community.
What We've Learned
What I've loved most about this podcast is the storytelling, the connection through vulnerability, and hearing other moms' wins and fails. Most importantly, it's remembering that there is no one right way to do this mom job.
What's Coming in Season 7
As we thought about season seven, I felt pulled back to our roots. Here's what you can expect:
Incredible Guests: We have Ashley Rose Reeves, Kate Kennedy from the Be There in Five podcast, and yes—Catherine Schwarzenegger Pratt (married to Chris Pratt). But these episodes will feel less like interviews and more like conversations with your girlfriend or sister.
My Sisters Are Back: You asked for them, and they're coming back. We've missed them, and we have so many family stories to reminisce on and laugh about.
New Perspectives: My daughters will be joining me to give that cross-generational perspective I love. We'll also tackle some of the challenges we're facing as moms and show that there are so many different ways to handle them.
Shorter, Punchier Episodes: I'm committing to keeping episodes under 30 minutes, packed with juicy stories, real-life advice, and hopefully lots of laughter. Because honestly, if you can't laugh, you're going to cry.
A Vulnerable Moment
To give you a taste of what's to come, I want to share something I've kept in the vault for about 15 years—a story that perfectly captures the messy reality of motherhood.
There was a season when I was all in on being "all natural." I was grinding wheat, baking bread, making green smoothies with young Thai coconuts I'd crack open with a machete. I was determined to stop buying snacks at Publix and make everything from scratch.
One day, I tried a new granola bar recipe with a dozen ingredients. As I was cutting the last bars, I noticed something odd—little black things I didn't remember adding. I looked at the recipe again. No flax seeds listed. Then I looked at the bucket of oats I'd used, and I saw something moving. Something alive.
I had a choice: dump them all in the trash or... leave them there.
Growing up in a frugal household, "waste not, want not" is deep in my DNA. Plus, cultures around the world eat bugs for protein, right? So I left them on the plate.
Sure enough, my kids came home and ate every single one. They never knew.
Children, if you're listening: I'm sorry. But look, it didn't hurt you. You're doing great. And who knows? Maybe it actually helped somehow. (Okay, I'm probably rationalizing, but that's me being vulnerable with you.)
Join Us
This is what I hope to hear more of on the Mom Force Podcast—real stories, real struggles, real laughter. My sisters will open up. My guests will open up. And I'll keep opening up too.
Here's my invitation to you: Join us every other week for new episodes. Invite your friends to listen. Let's keep the conversation going on Instagram @Chatbooks and @VanessaQuigley.
I'm dying to hear your juicy stories too. Thanks for being here. I can't wait for everything we have coming this season.
Until next time.
Why We Miss the Everyday Magic Hiding in Plain Sight
What are everyday moments and why do they matter?
The other morning, I was a one-woman marching band: wrestling a half-broken curling iron, prepping for a podcast recording, closing every single cupboard door my kids left open, scooping up tiny socks courtesy of my granddaughter, and packing for a quick weekend escape.
Nothing about this was glamorous. Nothing about it was "content." There was no soft natural light or curated countertop in sight.
But somewhere in the middle of that ordinary frenzy, it hit me: This chaos is undeniable evidence of a beautiful, full life.
We expend so much energy chasing the picture-perfect milestones—graduations, first steps, holidays, bucket-list vacations—that we forget about the essential glue. The small moments that stitch all those milestones together and define what "home" truly means:
- The weeknight dinners where everyone happens to be home at the same time
- Your partner's half-finished coffee cup on the counter
- The well-worn shoes by the door that remind you your teenager is safe inside
- The kitchen that's lived in, not merely curated
These are the moments that truly build a life. They don't trend. They won't go viral. They rarely make it into a highlight reel. But these are the memories your future self will desperately crave.
Stop Only Chasing the Big Moments
Why do we overlook ordinary moments?
Because we've been conditioned to think only the big stuff matters. The perfectly styled birthday parties. The vacation photos worthy of a travel magazine. The milestones that look good in an album.
But here's the truth: the ordinary moments are the majority of your life.
Your kids won't remember the expensive birthday party as much as they'll remember:
- Saturday morning pancakes in pajamas
- The way you always sing that one song in the car
- How the house smells when you're baking
- The specific spot on the couch where you always sit together
These patterns, these rhythms, these unremarkable moments—they're what create the feeling of home.
And if you're only documenting the highlights, you're missing the whole story.
How to Notice the Everyday Magic Around You
How can I be more present with my family?
Start by shifting what you're looking for. Stop waiting for the "photo-worthy" moment and start seeing what's actually in front of you.
Look for evidence of life being lived
The mess is proof someone played. The dishes prove you fed people you love. The scattered shoes mean your family came home to you.
Reframe the chaos: it's not clutter, it's evidence of a full life.
Notice the patterns and rituals
What do you do every single day without thinking? That's where the magic hides.
- The way your kid always leaves their backpack in the exact same spot
- Your partner's morning routine
- The time of day when everyone naturally gathers in the kitchen
- The jokes that only your family understands
These patterns are your family's signature. They're what make your life uniquely yours.
How to Document Your Everyday Life
How do I capture everyday moments without it feeling like a chore?
You don't need a fancy camera or perfect lighting. You just need to be present and notice. Turning your camera roll into something tangible is actually way easier than you think.
We already document the big moments well. The tiny things are what we often forget. The quiet mornings. The unglamorous carpool lane selfies. The block towers that only exist for five minutes.
Those ordinary moments are the ones worth seeing. Worth keeping. Worth printing. Worth being grateful for.
Because one day, the cupboards might actually stay closed. The tiny socks won't need picking up. And the chaos you're drowning in right now will soften into the thing you miss the most.
3 Simple Ways to Hold Onto Everyday Magic
1. Snap the Everyday Things, Not Just the Special Things
Take a photo in the moment—not because it's beautiful, but because it's authentic.
Photo ideas that capture real life:
- The mess on your toddler’s fact after literally any meal
- The aftermath of a really good play date
- A candid of your partner doing something sweet
- Your best attempt at latte art
- Your daily dog walk
These are the photos you’ll love coming back to in ten years.
2. Romanticize Your Day-to-Day Life
Reframe your thinking. Your "nothing special" moments today will be your most loved memories tomorrow.
Finding joy is about recognizing that this—right here, right now, messy and imperfect—is the good stuff.
3. Print Your Real Life
Why print photos instead of keeping them digital?
Because printed photos become part of your environment, they're not buried in your camera roll—they're on your fridge, your nightstand, your coffee table.
When you print the messy, the half-done, the funny, the chaotic, you're saying: this is our real life, and it matters.
Make a photo book of your everyday moments
Start a Monthbook subscription
Research shows that having printed photos around increases feelings of connection and belonging—especially for kids. When children see themselves in printed photos regularly, they develop stronger confidence and sense of identity.
Your ordinary, documented and visible, becomes extraordinary.
The Magic You're Already Creating
The magic isn't in the big trips or the curated celebrations. It's in your effort. It's in the steady rhythm of your real life—the one you're living, not the one you think you're supposed to have.
Your ordinary matters.
Your effort matters.
Your everyday magic is extraordinary, even when it doesn't look like it.
Start Noticing Today
Next time you catch yourself in one of those perfectly imperfect moments, take a quick photo.
Not for social media—for you. For your future self. For your kids. For the day when the house is quiet and you want to remember what it felt like when life was full and loud and wonderfully chaotic.
Because here's what I've learned: the moments that feel mundane right now are the ones you'll ache for later.
The cupboards left open. The tiny socks. The chaos. The beautiful, messy, ordinary magic of right now.
Don't wait for the highlight reel to start documenting your life.
Your real life—the one happening in between the big moments—deserves to be remembered too.
Ready to start capturing your everyday magic?
- Try Monthbooks- Capture life as it happens, month by month
- Order photo prints - Get your favorite moments on the fridge
- Create a photo book - 20 of your favorite everyday moments is all you need
- Read: Why printed photos help families connect
