The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading
Dara Boxer is a stay-at-home mom to four kids six and under, committed to living a simple, well-organized, and beautifully functional life — mostly for her own sanity. A former personal chef and cooking instructor, she brings that same intention to her home: from seasonal meal planning to laundry systems, quiet time routines, toy storage, and everything in between.
Episodes release on Thursdays, and alternate between honest book reviews and practical strategies for managing the chaos of home life with little kids. Come for the rhythm tips, stay for the raw motherhood truths — and maybe leave with a better grocery list.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 14 minutes
- Episodes
- 189
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
#169: The Power of the Monthly Note
I’ve really noticed a difference in how much less overwhelmed I feel. The best part? I’m not trying to keep everything in my head anymore. If you’re anything like me, that mental load can get heavy. …
#168: Navigating Pregnancy and Childbirth in the American Medical System
- Baby #1 Birth Story — Episode #41
- Baby #2 Birth Story — Episode #42
- Baby #3 Birth Story — Episode #92
- Baby #4 Birth Story — Episode #146
Practical Resources:
- The Mama Natural by Genevieve Howland
- Ina Mya's…
#167: Five Overrated Reads
Five Overrated Books I've Read Recently:
- A Novel Love Story by Ashley Poston
- The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
- The Middle of the Night by Riley Sager
- The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose
- We Used to Live Here…
#166: SAHM of 4's Rhythm for a New Month, a New Week, and a New Day
www.daraboxer.com
#165: Getting Your Kids Outside This Spring
Outdoor Spring Activities with Kids
- Nature Walks: Around the neighborhood, a new to you trail, or park
- Staring a Simple Gardening
- Picnics, try one in your own backyard!
- Exploring New-to-You Playgrounds …
#164: Book Club | All The Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker
So much to love with this novel, however the ending was terrible that made so little sense.
www.daraboxer.com
#163: Finding Mindfulness in Motherhood this Spring
Mindfulness Practices Motherhood This Spring:
- Evening cup of tea
- Daily gratitude journaling
- Moment of mindfulness in the mornings
- Phone-free time challenge
- Mindful listening
www.daraboxer.co…
#162: Impulse Spending | The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
I tracked all my 20204 impulse purchases on Amazon and Target. Here are the things I loved, and worked out super well, in addition to all the things I deeply regret.
www.daraboxer.com
#159: Book Club | Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
Oh boy, this book left me very underwhelmed, which was a bit disappointing from a Liane Moriarty book! Here's why...
www.daraboxer.com
#158: Daily Goals as a SAHM of 4 Kids 6 and Under
- Starting the day with an empty dishwasher. This typically happens the night before, it’s the last thing my husband does before coming up stairs for bed.
- The daily load of laundry, ideally started fir…
#157: What We Ate This Week, How I Prepped, & What I Spent, Part V
Welcome to Installment #5 of WWATW, how I prepped and what I spent! This was an unusual week for us, as we had two epic snowstorms, so grocery shopping and meal planning were very much fly by night. …
#156: Organizing Your Family Photos
A very daunting, but totally doable task! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you tackle this beast in bite sized chunks:
- Upload and sort all photos from your phone, digital camera, USBs, etc. to an e…
#155: 3 Thrillers to Kick off Your January Reading
Each of these were quite enjoyable!
- That’s Not My Name by Megan Lally
- Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
- The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak
www.daraboxer.com
#154: Surviving with 2 Under 2
The most important piece of the puzzle for 2 Under 2 is grace and patience for yourself. You're doing great, this is a very challenging season of life! Second, here are a few past episodes that will …
#153: The 10 Non Fiction Books I’m Revisiting Annually
- Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches by Rachel Jankovic
- How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A survival guide to life with children ages 2-7 by Joanna Faber
- The Blessing of a Skinned …
#152: Planning 2025 | The Week in Between Xmas & NYE
Some ideas for planning out 2025 during this slower week, the last week of the year:
- Digital Declutter
- phone
- laptop
- photos
- Closet Cleanout
- Unsubscribing to Junkmail
- Writing out Goals for 2025
- Moving in…
#150: Book Club | The PLAN by Kendra Adachi
The PLAN by Kendra Adachi is a NO for me. The feminist rage was just off the chart here, in addition to the inception of acronym and list within acronyms and lists, it was just so much here, yet noth…