Planned-ish

Alexandra & Joe

Planned-ish is the parenting podcast for people who love a good plan… but also know life rarely follows one. Hosted by Alexandra (planner, mom of twins, hosting enthusiast) and her husband Joe (reluctant co-host, golf & football guy, hilarious dad), this show brings real talk, big laughs, and zero judgment to the beautiful chaos of modern parenting. Every other week, we unpack the mess and magic of raising kids, managing relationships, navigating careers, and keeping your sanity somewhere in between. With recurring segments like The Debrief and the Elite-ish 8, we bring the kind of conversations you’re already having at home or late-night texts with your friends. Expect guests who do cool things, actually helpful insights, and a podcast that’s fun, real, and never takes itself too seriously — because parenting isn’t perfect, and we’re not pretending it is. Let’s figure it out as we go — Planned-ish style.

  1. 31 - Airport Wings & 90s Things

    6D AGO

    31 - Airport Wings & 90s Things

    We're back after a month and a half and honestly? We have no regrets. In this comeback episode, Alexandra and Joe break down why they hit pause — travel, sick kids, burnout, and Joe being home for a grand total of six days in April — and why they're relaunching with a new format, a new cadence, and a whole lot more energy. In the Debrief: the Bahamas trip, toddlers who now eat hors d'oeuvres, a garage sale operation that's made $580 on Facebook Marketplace, and the storage unit that is actively robbing them both. Then we introduce our brand new segment — the Hot Take — and Joe kicks it off with what might be his most unhinged opinion yet: is it actually socially acceptable to ask a stranger at a bar if you can eat their leftover wings? Joe says yes. Alexandra says absolutely not. The beers were flowing, the wings were untouched, and he really almost did it. Plus the Elite-ish 8 is BACK — zero to zero, best of seven, and this week's topic is the best things only 90s kids will truly understand. AIM messenger, MapQuest, rewinding VHS tapes, one family computer for six people, Disney Channel original movies, and the absolute anxiety of watching the school closure ticker at the bottom of the news. Go vote on Instagram to crown the winner. And a quick Home Base Moment — the Hosting Club has two fresh themes ready for your summer entertaining, and the new Planned-ish Party Moodboard series drops every Friday on Instagram. New episodes every other Thursday. Subscribe, leave a review, and for the love of all things good — go vote on the wings poll. planned-ish podcast comeback episode parenting podcast twin mom toddler twins mom podcast marriage podcast 90s nostalgia 90s kids AIM messenger VHS tapes MapQuest hot take podcast funny podcast couples lifestyle podcast back two home base hosting club entertaining ideas summer hosting mom burnout working mom podcast relaunch Elite-ish 8 funny marriage content Florida mom small business mom party planning toddler life airport food couples podcast

    45 min
  2. 30 - Potty Training & Party Planning (With Sarah Mechling)

    MAR 11

    30 - Potty Training & Party Planning (With Sarah Mechling)

    This week on Planned-ish, we’re celebrating episode 30 the most Planned-ish way possible: by being behind and slightly chaotic 😅 Joe and I kick things off with a debrief on the last week— hand, foot, and mouth took out the boys, then made its way to me, Joe was gone all week for work, and my aunt Laura absolutely saved us by stepping in to help with the twins, the house, and honestly my sanity. We also chat about joes birthday food gauntlet, why kids only sleep in when they’re sick, how potty training is still very much alive in our house, and how this podcast somehow made it to 30 episodes when we thought it might be a three-episode experiment. Then I sit down with Sarah from Tinkle & Toot — a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, mom of four, and potty training expert — for a super helpful conversation on why potty training feels so defeating for parents, what’s actually normal, how to motivate your kid without turning it into a battle, and why the “three-day potty training” mindset can mess with parents more than it helps. Plus: I hosted a girls brunch inspired by my Home Base Hosting Club theme Petals & Plates, but turned it into Bouquets, Bracelets & Brunch — and it was such a fun reminder that hosting can be simple, creative, and still feel special without being over the top. And of course, we wrap with Elite-ish 8: Best Things About Vacation — random edition. If you’re in a sick-kid season, potty training season, or just trying to create some good moments in the middle of chaos… this one’s for you. 🔗 Follow Sarah: @tinkleandtoot ✨Check out her site for her A++ potty training course: https://www.tinkleandtoot.com/ 🔗 Follow along: @backtwohomebase ✨ Home Base Hosting Club: backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub planned-ish podcast | potty training twins | toddler mom life | parenting podcast | real life parenting | episode 30 podcast | sick kids survival | hand foot and mouth | solo parenting while husband travels | twin toddler chaos | girls brunch hosting | bouquets bracelets and brunch | petals and plates | back two home base | home base hosting club | spring hosting ideas | potty training help | low pressure potty training | parenting in the trenches | marriage and parenting banter #PlannedishPodcast #TwinToddlerLife #PottyTrainingHelp #MomLifeUnfiltered #HostingMadeEasy

    59 min
  3. 29 - From Chaos Parenting to Calm: Feng Shui & Real Life (With Brittany Berman)

    MAR 4

    29 - From Chaos Parenting to Calm: Feng Shui & Real Life (With Brittany Berman)

    Joe and I are back with a real-life debrief after a couple weeks of hand, foot, and mouth chaos, birthday celebrations, travel, sick kids, and me trying to survive on applesauce and mint chocolate chip ice cream. We’re talking: – Parenting in the thick of it – Why kids only sleep in when they’re sick – Potty training wins (and skid mark confessions 😅) – The mental load of sickness + schedules – And our ongoing Elite-ish 8 showdown (ice cream edition) Then I sit down with Brittany Berman for a conversation that completely shifted how I see our home. We talk about how your space impacts your nervous system, why fluorescent lighting might be sabotaging your sleep, and how flow matters more than perfection — especially in a house full of toddlers. This episode is equal parts chaotic debrief and grounding reset. We also share what’s happening inside Back to Home Base, including the brand new Home Base Hosting Club theme: Petals & Plates — think spring hosting energy without the overwhelm. Florals, brunch, simple beauty, and real-life gatherings. If your house feels loud, your schedule feels heavy, or you just need a reset — this one’s for you. As always… keep showing up. 🔗 Follow Brittany: @brittanyberman ✨Check out her site: https://www.brittanyberman.com/ 🔗 Follow along: @backtwohomebase ✨ Home Base Hosting Club: backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub parenting podcast | toddler life | twin mom life | home energy | feng shui for moms | nervous system regulation | real life parenting | marriage and parenting | potty training wins | sick kids survival | working from home mom | home reset ideas | spring hosting ideas | mom mental load | stay at home mom life | marriage banter | relatable mom podcast | home organization tips | mom burnout | planned-ish life #ParentingPodcast #MomLifeUnfiltered #TwinMomLife #HomeReset #PlannedIsh

    45 min
  4. 28 - Valentine’s Day, Strawberry Picking, and a Sourdough That Runs Our House

    FEB 11

    28 - Valentine’s Day, Strawberry Picking, and a Sourdough That Runs Our House

    We’re debriefing the week exactly as it happened: twin potty training is still very much alive, we took the boys strawberry picking—where Brodie tapped out in 10 minutes and immediately found mud, obviously—plus quick Super Bowl thoughts and the snack situation. We also talk Valentine’s Day, because it’s coming whether we’re ready or not. We wrap with Elite-ish 8: Valentine’s Edition—our picks for date ideas that don’t feel forced, overdone, or like a rom-com from 2004. Think realistic, fun, and doable… even in the toddler trenches. Also: we did our Home Base Hosting Club theme “A Slice of Home” as a family pizza night and it was exactly the kind of “this feels special without being a whole production” moment we needed. Brody went rogue with the cheese. Tate turned potty time into a game. Balance. AND my sourdough starter has officially become the neediest member of our household. Apparently she requires warmth, distilled water, constant feeding, and emotional support (same). TBD if she rises or ruins my confidence. If you want the full pizza night plan + menu + timeline—whether you’re hosting people or just making a regular night feel fun—it’s live inside Home Base Hosting Club. 🔗 Follow along: @backtwohomebase ✨ Home Base Hosting Club: backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub 🔗 Potty Training blog & items we used: https://www.backtwohomebase.com/elite-ish-edit/pottytrainingtwins planned-ish podcast | twin toddler life | potty training regression | potty training twins | strawberry picking with kids | mom life unfiltered | marriage + parenting | Super Bowl snacks | Valentine’s Day date ideas | realistic Valentine’s Day | Elite-ish 8 | family pizza night | make your own pizza night | hosting made easy | intentional family moments | sourdough starter | beginner sourdough | weekly debrief | Back Two Home Base | Home Base Hosting Club #PlannedishPodcast #TwinToddlerLife #ValentinesRealLife #MomLifeUnfiltered #HostingMadeEasy

    28 min
  5. 27 - Potty Training Twins: White on Rice

    FEB 4

    27 - Potty Training Twins: White on Rice

    Hello, you lovely, lovely planned-ish people. 😅 We just wrapped a three-day potty training bender with the twins — no spoilers yet, but we’ve never been more aware of everyone’s bathroom schedule in our lives. Before we dive into the chaos, we hit our classic weekly debrief: Dry-ish January is still alive, the to-do lists are list-ing, and we’re realizing we genuinely don’t have the time (or emotional capacity) to be hungover with toddlers. Also: Alexandra officially entered her “two-times-ever permanent hair color era”… and let’s just say the balayage math had us questioning career choices. Then we get into potty training weekend with Brodie & Tate — the surprises, the mental exhaustion, the tiny wins that feel like Super Bowl-level celebrations, and why twins make everything a two-person job. (We’re saving the deep dive for an upcoming guest episode, but we HAD to debrief the household chaos.) We wrap with this week’s Elite-ish 8: Things That Are Green — and it’s way funnier than it sounds. (Money, green lights, pickles, The Grinch… we’re unwell.) Go vote on Instagram and help us keep this season moving. 🔗 Follow along: @backtwohomebase ✨ Home Base Hosting Club: backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub potty training twins | toddler potty training | twin mom life | parenting podcast | planned-ish podcast | dry January | sober-ish January | marriage and parenting | toddler routines | potty training tips | family routines | sleep deprived parents | mom life humor | Tampa mom | hosting at home | family dinners | home organization | Back Two Home Base | Home Base Hosting Club | Elite-ish 8 #PlannedishPodcast #TwinMomLife #PottyTrainingWeekend #DryJanuary #ParentingHumor

    37 min
  6. 26 - Football Energy, Overhyped Foods, Zero Chill

    JAN 28

    26 - Football Energy, Overhyped Foods, Zero Chill

    Welcome back, you wonderful planned-ish people. If you’ve ever tried to make dinner while your husband is yelling at the TV and your toddler is sprinting around chanting “GO PACK GO”… welcome home. 😅 We chat on: our painful recording fail (RIP to the lost episode thanks to an echo + two mics + zero headphones 🙃)sharing what “dry-ish January” has actually done for our energydebriefing Joe’s first-ever Traeger brisket (complete with the stall, the wrap, and the “we were hungry so we rushed the rest” moment). Then we dive into what you requested: football + sports in our household how we became a sports house (or more accurately… a “sports husband”)why football hits differenthow a win vs. loss shifts the vibewhat it’s like living with playoff-mode Joe. also talk kids + sports, screen time during football season (we’re fine with it), and why game day = food… but the goal is great meals with minimal kitchen destruction. And of course, we wrap with a heated Elite-ish 8: the most overrated foods (margs, Nutella, avocado toast, Eggs Benedict… we said what we said). Go vote on Instagram and help us break the season tie. Plus: if you missed our cleaner-swaps convo, I put the whole “starter kit” in my blog + you can grab my Reset Sheet in that post to make the switch without going full 180. 🔗 Follow along: @backtwohomebase | www.backtwohomebase.com ✨ Home Base Hosting Club: backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub planned-ish podcast, football marriage, sports household, Packers fans, game day meals, hosting game day, dry January, Traeger brisket, toddler mom life, potty training weekend, clean reset, cleaner swaps, Branch Basics, family routines, Super Bowl food ideas #PlannedishPodcast #MomLifeUnfiltered #GameDayEats #FootballFamily #HostingMadeEasy

    47 min
  7. 25 - Real Life > Resolutions: Our 2026 Reset + Lifestyle-First Business (With Lindsey Wagnon)

    JAN 14

    25 - Real Life > Resolutions: Our 2026 Reset + Lifestyle-First Business (With Lindsey Wagnon)

    This week on Planned-ish, Joe and I kick off the first episode of the year with a brutally real debrief: toddler Christmas programs, the “not-the-4pm-flu” flu that took us OUT, and what it looks like to parent when you’re running on Zofran + vibes. We also talk New Year intentions that actually work in real life (not fantasy-land), plus our Elite-ish 8: things that instantly make the week better. Then I’m joined by Lindsey Wagnon — mom of two, former corporate marketing leader turned agency owner, recovering perfectionist, and marketing strategist who helps small businesses launch with smart messaging. We get into burnout, priorities, and building a business that fits your life (not the other way around). We talk: – The moment she knew corporate life wasn’t sustainable anymore (& what pushed her to leave) – Ditching the expectation that moms have to want the “standard path” – Recovering perfectionism + embracing the “B+ lifestyle” in motherhood – Why priorities come before business goals (lifestyle-first planning) – How to simplify an overloaded to-do list without guilt – Marketing strategy vs. brand storytelling (and what actually moves the needle) Plus: ✨ Debrief + New Year Reset with Joe: the holiday flu chaos, the post-holiday overstimulation crash, and our real-life 2026 intentions (communication + active listening, less guilt, less comparison, more realistic routines) 📝 Resolutions + Reflections: what we’re leaving in 2025, what we’re focusing on in 2026 (health, communication), and goals that are actually doable in the toddler trenches 🏆 Elite-ish 8: things that instantly improve your week (sleep, meal plan, clean sheets, a midweek treat, to-do lists, quality time with the kids, and more) ✨ Follow Lindsey: Instagram | www.lindseywagnon.com 🎧 Her podcast: Savvy Startup Marketer 🔗 Follow along: @backtwohomebase | www.backtwohomebase.com ✨ Home Base Hosting Club: backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub 🔗 New Years Vision Canvas + Q1 Bingo Card: https://www.backtwohomebase.com/elite-ish-edit/newyearvisions mom podcast, parenting toddlers, mom burnout, marriage communication, realistic New Year goals, family routines, mental load, burnout recovery, working mom life, corporate to entrepreneur, mom business owner, lifestyle-first business, recovering perfectionist, mental load, priorities over perfection, time management for moms, productivity for moms, marketing strategy, messaging strategy, content strategy, small business marketing, agency owner, mom routines, realistic goal setting #mompreneur #momlifeunfiltered #parentingpodcast #marketingstrategy #toddlermomlife

    1h 15m
  8. 24 - Tinsel, Toddlers & Thriving in the Interruptions (With Sydney O’Brien)

    12/17/2025

    24 - Tinsel, Toddlers & Thriving in the Interruptions (With Sydney O’Brien)

    This week on Planned-ish, we’re sitting down with Sydney O’Brien — content & messaging strategist, military spouse, mom of three, and queen of building a business in the cracks of real life. From deployment seasons to school transitions and schedules that never look the same two days in a row, Sydney basically lives in the planned-ish trenches every day. We talk: – Starting a business during deployment with a 6-month-old, 2-year-old, and 4-year-old – How to build something meaningful when plans change every five minutes – Letting “good enough” actually be enough for the house, the business, and the to-do list – Mental load, invisible labor, and why communication with your partner + kids matters so much – Boundaries, expectations, and how to talk about what you need without burning out Plus: ✨ Debrief of the Week: Two and a half weeks of family in town, school Christmas programs, Mickey’s Once & Twice Upon a Christmas on repeat, and the great “treadmill” Christmas gift reveal 💩 Poopgate 2025: Twin diaper removals, mystery corner piles, Reddit-level research on potty training, and our very scientific January plan 🎄 Holiday Survival Vibes: Half-hearted workouts, nightly walks, Christmas Eve/Day pasta + burger traditions, and setting tiny, actually-doable New Year’s resolutions 🏆 Elite-ish 8: Top Christmas Movies — Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause, Home Alone, The Grinch, Christmas with the Kranks, The Holiday, and more comfort-watch chaos Whether you’re hiding Amazon boxes, stepping over toys, debating if Instagram can wait, or just here for Christmas movie talk and twin potty-training solidarity — this one’s got it all, Planned-ish style. 💙 ______________________________________________________________ ✨ Follow Sydney on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sydneyobrien.co/ or visit her site https://sydneyobrien.com/ She helps mompreneurs create content that leads to clients, even with limited time. Check out her podcast too Mompreneur Mastery: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mompreneur-mastery/id1695196941 ______________________________________________________________ 🔗 Follow along: ✨ Follow https://www.instagram.com/backtwohomebase/ for lifestyle, hosting, and podcast updates ✨ Visit www.backtwohomebase.com for great family recipes, hosting kits, party planning vibes ✨Join the Home Base Hosting Club for monthly hosting inspo: https://www.backtwohomebase.com/homebasehostingclub ______________________________________________________________ 💸 Discount Codes: ✨Use code ALEXANDRA40 to get 20% off planners and productivity tools at https://hustlesanely.com?bg_ref=hy0sXI9E0v ✨ Use code: PLANNEDISH to get 10% off Brick at https://getbrick.app/ and take back your time!!

    46 min
5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Planned-ish is the parenting podcast for people who love a good plan… but also know life rarely follows one. Hosted by Alexandra (planner, mom of twins, hosting enthusiast) and her husband Joe (reluctant co-host, golf & football guy, hilarious dad), this show brings real talk, big laughs, and zero judgment to the beautiful chaos of modern parenting. Every other week, we unpack the mess and magic of raising kids, managing relationships, navigating careers, and keeping your sanity somewhere in between. With recurring segments like The Debrief and the Elite-ish 8, we bring the kind of conversations you’re already having at home or late-night texts with your friends. Expect guests who do cool things, actually helpful insights, and a podcast that’s fun, real, and never takes itself too seriously — because parenting isn’t perfect, and we’re not pretending it is. Let’s figure it out as we go — Planned-ish style.