Mom Jeans and Minivans

Is It Perimenopause or Menopause?

Morgen and Trisha are back and diving straight into a sizzling topic (pun intended)—perimenopause! Get ready for an eye-opening conversation that promises to spark insightful discussions and shed light on this important phase of life.
At just 43, Trisha is navigating the rocky waters of perimenopause. She's battling her ovaries' not-so-subtle protests and experiencing ovulation cramps like never before. To top it off, she's grappling with debilitating menstrual migraines, a complete loss of libido, and a mood that rarely rises above the gray. Determined to reclaim her balance, Trisha has started exploring natural remedies to help ease her symptoms. She’s learned that Black cohosh can work wonders in balancing hormones, while Ashwagandha may offer some relief by boosting her mood, enhancing sleep, and promoting relaxation. Trisha is on a journey to find her way back to feeling like herself!
Tune in to discover more, and we’d love to hear your stories too! Feel free to drop us an email at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com. As Morgen puts it, happy hour has definitely taken on a whole new vibe these days—can you relate? 😂

Parental Learnings, The Things We Figure Out As We Navigate Parenthood

It’s been a while, but Morgen and Trisha could not be happier about being back together to record! Life gets a little crazy, but finding their space here means so much to them, so thank you to everyone joining. Today is all about their parental learnings! 

Screentime is topic #1: How much is too much? How do you monitor it? Have you noticed any changes in your child’s behavior?
Don’t miss out on the rest: potty training, healthy eating, swimming comfort levels, and navigating kid emotions. 

New to this episode, Morgen and Trisha added the one-liners—you know, those things that the kids say that make you mortified, chuckle, and sometimes at a loss for words. They give the top three things their kids have said in addition to their momfessions. Till next time, ciao!!!

Life Has Been Happening, and It's Time for Us to Catch Up

Well, this episode will give you some insight into why we’ve been off the grid for a while (with pop-in appearances from all the kiddos). Morgen and Trisha catch up on life, love, health, and family as they keep it real with all the big feelings. Life has a funny way of reminding us how short it is, what is truly important, and what we’re made of. Transitions and challenges are inevitable in life, and it’s how we handle them that builds our character.

Listen in to get an update on what has been happening in the lives of Morgen and Trisha, and give them an update on your own life at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com.

Family Moving Day and Big Life Changes

Strap in for a heavy one. Trisha and Morgen dive into some significant life events they have recently experienced and are working through and processing. 
Trisha's twin sister, Jessica, moved her and the kids 10 hours away. Trisha and Jessica have been together for everything… their children's births, their marriages, Trisha's divorce, the birth of their children, all the way up to the passing of Jessica's husband two years ago. They have never been more than an hour apart. 
Morgen talks about the nostalgia of visiting with family she hasn't seen in over a decade, partaking in traditions and food recipes she had forgotten about, and even driving by her birth mother's house. 
There are phone calls, texts, FaceTime, and emails, but nothing can replace face-to-face interactions with the ones you love. Change is inevitable in life. It's how quickly you can adapt, make the most of your new situation, and embrace all that there is to learn along the way. 

And Then There Were Three... The Parents Are Outnumbered

Apparently, Trisha and Morgen need to record in the mornings because the energy level is palpable. And how appropriate as we introduce Morgen and Phil’s 3rd edition to the family, Harlow Rae! 
Trisha and Morgen catch up on life with the three and the dynamics in the home. They discuss the challenges of giving each child one-on-one attention while also managing big emotions and ensuring there is quiet downtime from the constant go. 
As the family grows and being working parents, it also means recruiting childcare to help out. You won’t want to miss Charlie and Auggie’s little voices at the end of this episode and the momfessions. Please don’t hesitate reach out and say hello at momjeansandminivins@yahoo.com

Viewer Email - Newborn Bonding, Books, Diapering Tricks, and More

Get ready for some Morgen and Trisha squirrel moments because this episode got them. Every once in a while, Mom Jeans and Minivans likes to take a listener email and share their responses with the whole listening clan. Follow along as Morgen and Trisha tackle newborn bonding and entertainment, sensory bin ideas, their favorite children’s books, diaper-changing tricks, tv shows, and parental advice. It’s like eight mini-episodes rolled into one, a smorgasbord of topics. Enjoy! Reach out, and maybe you’ll make the next episode, momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com!

Raising Grateful Kids and Not Spoiled Kids

How do we teach gratitude to our children? Morgen and Trisha discuss how they have been handling the girls, who are four years old and with an influx of birthday parties to attend. Charlie has been struggling with gift-giving and being unable to keep or open the presents herself. Morgen can't help but wonder if there is more she should be doing to teach her about giving to others and ensure Charlie isn't becoming spoiled. Morgen is hoping Trisha is right and this is simply a phase. 🤞🏽

Trisha continues to teach Remi the importance of giving to children and people who are less fortunate. It is challenging to go into a store and not have Remi ask for toys, so Trisha made a rule that she will purchase a small item for Remi with every four toys she donates. 

What do you do to help teach gratitude to your children? Please share because, as parents, we are constantly learning and growing! Also, you're not going to want to miss our end of the episode mom-fessions! They're the best part. 

3’s Company... Having Three Kids and Being One of Three

We’re talking 3’s today. Morgen is expecting baby #3, and Trisha is one of 3, with an older sister and twin sister (who also has three children!) There are 3s all around! 
So what’s the big difference going from 2 to 3 kids? How do the dynamics change except for the obvious, being officially outnumbered? We can say that 3, whether having three or having two siblings and being 1 of 3, definitely adds an extra layer of adventure. A.k.a., it’s pretty awesome! Con: Be ready to upgrade your vehicle to one with a third row. Space gets tight quickly with the bulky car seats.

Do you have three kids? Are you one of three? Are you thinking of having three? Write in and share! We can be reached at momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com.

It’s Time to Pat Yourself on the Back as a Parent

It’s time for a pat on the back.

Morgen and Trisha, more like Trisha, wanted to take the time to acknowledge what we think we do well as parents. Morgen is the ‘but mom,’ lol, no pun intended, who has a hard time admitting what she loves about herself as a parent because she feels she could do it all better. Unless we are the exception from the norm, pretty sure that’s a prerequisite to becoming a mom! Us moms (and dads) don’t take enough time to stop and acknowledge what we do well, regardless of whether it could use improvement. So here we are!

Morgen even came around at the end and had two things she thinks she excels at in her mama role! Listen in for what we think they do well at when it comes to parenting (shout out to Phil in this episode as well) with some fun stories and examples. Please share what you love about yourself as a parent to momjeansandminivans@yahoo.com. It will feel so good! 

Riddles, Surprises, and Announcements

Wait until you find out the punch line of this riddle. Hint hint, Mom Jeans And Minivans is growing!! Did you catch on or need more time like Trisha did in this episode? 🤣
Not to give too much away, Morgen talks about pregnancy, medical scares, complications, morning sickness, and the joy of surprising your little's with news that they will be a big sister or brother… again. Ok, we gave it away! MORGEN'S HAVING A BABY!!🤭
Charlie is very excited about "Pirates Booty Girl," and her true nurturing side really emerged. Good thing because mom-brain is in full effect, so some sympathy and understanding is needed. You'll have to listen in to Morgen's momfession(s) for a good laugh, at her expense, of course. Sorry mama's, gotta laugh right?!