About the Overwhelmed Momma
Hi, I’m Dana!
I’m a mom of five living in Colorado, homeschooling my kids and trying to build a home that feels peaceful instead of overwhelming.
But it didn’t always feel that way.
For a long time, the kitchen—especially dinner—felt like the place I was failing the most. And if you’ve ever stood in front of the fridge at 5:30 with a completely blank mind… you probably know that feeling.
When Everything Felt Too Heavy
There was a season when dinner time felt like a daily test I kept failing. The kids would start asking the question around five—“Mom, what’s for dinner?”—and my brain would go completely blank.
I’d open the fridge and stare. There was food in there. I knew there was. But somehow nothing made sense together.
The baby would cling to my legs. The older kids would start getting hungry and cranky. And the clock kept moving closer to six.
My mind would spiral: Why can’t I figure this out? Why is this so hard? Why does it feel like this is always on me?
It might sound dramatic to say dinner made me feel like a failure. But when it happens every night, it slowly wears on your heart.
The Night I Cried in the Pantry
One night it all caught up with me.
I had just gone grocery shopping days earlier, but I still couldn’t think of a single thing to make. The kids were hungry, the baby was crying, and time kept slipping by.
So I just sank right there in the pantry and cried.
Hot tears. Cold tile. The weight of another failed dinner sitting heavy on my chest.
That’s where my husband found me. He didn’t judge me or ask why dinner wasn’t ready. He just sat with me and said, “It’s okay. Let’s figure it out together.”
We went back into the kitchen and looked again. There were tortillas, a can of chicken, and some shredded cheese. So we made quesadillas.
Fifteen minutes later dinner was on the table, and the kids were happy.
And I remember thinking, That was it? That’s all it took?
What I Started to See
That night shifted something in me.
Dinner wasn’t actually the problem. The pressure was.
I had been trying to do dinner “the right way”—full meals, perfect plans, recipes that required energy I didn’t have.
What I really needed was a simpler way to think about food.
So I started using a tiny formula: protein + starch + fruit or vegetable.
Sausage, eggs, and hash browns.
Grilled cheese with apple slices.
Roasted chicken with potatoes and a salad.
Simple meals. Real food. And suddenly dinner started working again.
What Life Looks Like Now
Dinner still isn’t perfect.
My house is still loud. The kids still argue sometimes. And there are nights when everything feels chaotic.
But the difference now is this: I don’t feel frozen anymore.
I don’t feel ashamed when dinner is simple, and I definitely don’t cry in the pantry over what to cook.
Now I have rhythms that work with real life. Some nights we bake with fresh milled flour. Some nights we cook from scratch. And some nights it’s premade chicken tenders and fruit—and that’s okay.
Because feeding your family well doesn’t have to be complicated to be good.
Why I Started The Overwhelmed Momma
Over time I realized something important.
I wasn’t the only mom crying in the pantry.
So many moms are carrying the same weight—the responsibility of feeding everyone, the pressure to do it “right,” and the exhaustion of trying to keep up.
But here’s what I’ve learned: you’re not the problem. The pressure is.
When we replace pressure with simple rhythms, everything starts to feel lighter.
That’s why I created The Overwhelmed Momma—to help tired moms create calmer kitchens and homes through simple dinner rhythms, from-scratch food that’s actually doable, and small steps that build real confidence.
My Approach
Everything I teach follows a simple path I call the Calm & Capable Method.
First, we reset the mindset. You’re not failing—you’re tired.
Then we simplify the systems by building flexible rhythms instead of rigid routines.
Next, we make food work for you by using what you already have and learning one kitchen skill at a time.
And finally, we grow slowly and steadily, building confidence along the way.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s steadiness.
A Few Things About Me
Outside the kitchen, you’ll usually find me homeschooling my five kids, reading with my emotional support water bottle, baking with fresh milled flour, or trying to keep our Colorado home somewhat tidy.
I love learning simple homemaking skills—gardening, cooking from scratch, and finding small ways to make everyday life feel more beautiful.
I’m not a Pinterest-perfect homemaker. I’m just a mom who figured out how to make things work a little better.
And I love helping other moms do the same.
If You’re in That Pantry Moment
If dinner feels overwhelming…
If your brain goes blank at 5:30…
If you’ve ever felt like everyone else somehow knows how to do this except you…
I want you to hear this:
You’re not behind. You’re building something new.
And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
Here at The Overwhelmed Momma, I’ll help you find simple rhythms and doable meals so your kitchen can feel calm and capable again—one small step at a time.
