Snow, Sickness, and Surviving Solo Parenting: Navigating this Week's Chaos

Chaotic Compass Podcast Episode 92:

Norovirus, Snowstorms, and Solo Parenting Chaos

Episode Recap 🎧

Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs when we least expect it—and sometimes, it’s an entire storm of chaos. In Chaotic Compass Episode 92, I take you through a wild ride of sickness, snowstorms, and solo parenting moments that will leave you laughing, cringing, and hopefully feeling a little better about your own chaotic life. Here’s a peek at what went down in this episode, and trust me, it’s a doozy! 🤪

Norovirus: The Holiday Hangover Nobody Wanted 🤢

Just when I thought the post-holiday madness was behind me, the Norovirus decided to crash the party. It all started with my mother-in-law, and before we knew it, Liam got hit just in time for New Year’s. If you’ve ever spent your New Year’s Eve cleaning up after a stomach bug, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I share the ups and downs of surviving this holiday hangover and managing to stay (mostly) sane while praying the virus doesn’t come for the rest of us.


Weekend Getaway to Culpeper, VA: A Kid-Free Dream 🏞️

After surviving the holiday chaos and stomach bug apocalypse, my husband and I finally managed to sneak away for a rare weekend without the kids. Our getaway to Culpeper, VA, was nothing short of a dream. Breweries, cideries, and a retro arcade where I relived my glory days of Street Fighter—what more could we ask for? I give a big shoutout to Old Trade Cidery for their amazing cider flights and Throwback Arcade for the ultimate throwback experience. 🍺🍏🎮

Snowstorm Shenanigans: Trapped by Mother Nature ❄️

Our snowstorm adventure was one for the books. What was supposed to be a simple visit with friends outside Richmond turned into an unexpected overnight stay as the snow trapped us in. With school schedules derailed and plans turned upside down, we embraced the snowstorm chaos, good wine, and even better company. You never really know what kind of adventure awaits when snowflakes start falling! 🍷❄️

Solo Parenting: Send Coffee (and CIDER) ☕🍷

While my husband was off on a work trip, I was left to manage everything solo. Between early-morning theater drop-offs, kid-wrangling, and even feeding the fish (which, let’s be honest, probably hates me), I quickly realized just how much I rely on my partner. I also discuss my growing anticipation for Kylie to get her driver’s license—it can’t come soon enough! 🚗💨 If you’re a solo parent, you’ll definitely relate to my tales of juggling it all while trying not to burn the house down. 🏠🔥


Shoutouts from the Chaos 💖

In this episode, I share a few local gems that made my chaotic weekend a little brighter:

  • Old Trade Brewery: Their cider flights were the perfect pick-me-up after a chaotic start to the year. 🍏 Check them out here

  • Throwback Arcade: Unlimited pinball and retro games? Count me in! 🎮

  • Culpeper’s Main Street: A shoutout to the cute shops and small businesses that made our getaway extra special. 🛍️

  • Cozy Comfy Cabin Airbnb: This is the place we stayed. Check out the link here.


Join the Chaos 🌪️

I’d love to hear your chaotic stories too! Whether it’s a funny mishap or a moment where everything went wrong but somehow turned out right, send me your stories on social media. Your chaos might just inspire a future episode!

Follow along and stay in the loop:

Challenge for My Listeners 🏆

Got a crazy story of your own? Message me on social media (OR ON MY CONTACT PAGE HERE), and you might just get featured in a future episode. Let’s keep the chaos going!

Before You Go… 👋

If you’ve laughed, nodded along, or just felt a little better about your own life after listening, don’t forget to hit subscribe and leave a review. Share the chaos with your friends and family—they’ll thank you for it later! 🙌

Listen to the full episode here: EPISODE 92 🎧

Stefanie Wainwright