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EP 134: All About Whitney
1k Plays1 day ago
If you’ve been listening for a while, you know Whitney.
But do you really know Whitney?
In this episode, we’re flipping the mic and diving deeper into the woman behind the one-liners, the calm presence, and the steady wisdom on Mom Group Chat.
We talk about:
- How motherhood has changed her 10+ year marriage (the good, the hard, and the unexpected)
- What’s shifted in her identity since becoming a mom
- The real dynamic of balancing partnership while raising kids
- Her favorite place to shop for home decor and the vibe she’s always going for at home
- The parts of her personality that don’t always show up on the podcast
- How she wants to be remembered here at Mom Group Chat
It’s reflective. It’s honest. It’s a little nostalgic. And it might surprise you.
If you’re new here, this is the perfect episode to get to know Whitney on a deeper level. And if you’ve been around for a while, we think you’ll love seeing another layer of her heart.
We hope this one feels like you’re right here in the room with us. 💛
Keep up with the Moms and join the conversation on our socials:
📸 Instagram: @momgroupchat
🎵 TikTok: @momgroupchat
Questions/comments/need to vent? Email us at momgroupchat@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction to the 'Mom Group Chat' Podcast
00:00:07
Speaker
There's no right way to do it.
00:00:12
Speaker
Oh, we're going to get into it. What up, moms? I'm here with my very best friend, Whitney, and I'm Candice. I messed that up, but I'm going with it anyway. And ah this is a mom group chat podcast. Hi.
00:00:28
Speaker
Are y'all ready to go deep?
Interviewing Whitney with Varied Questions
00:00:32
Speaker
You know, I hate this. Candice is like, I'm going to pepper you with all these deep questions. I'm like, oh, God.
00:00:41
Speaker
oh God. no I'm going to keep I have a good mixy moo of questions. I've got light. I've got deep. I've got fun. I've got obviously questions from our audience. And I'm so excited to be Barbara Walters today and interview you.
00:01:00
Speaker
You were so thought provoking. um Yeah, me too. It was really fun interviewing you. And i don't know why I'm nervous. I feel like I'm actually doing an interview when I talk to you every day. So it's more so the like you're the focus, you know, which I think always feels a little bit scary.
00:01:18
Speaker
You know, really it truly does. um and Go ahead. But you're the main you're the main character, girl. OK, you're the main character. You know, what you know, I don't like that.
00:01:29
Speaker
I want you to be. Let's make this about you. No, no, no, no, no. no I love you. I love you so much.
Whitney's Family Background
00:01:41
Speaker
Okay.
00:01:41
Speaker
I want to start by doing kind of what we did for me and like Whitney Williams, tell us about yourself. Tell us about you and your kids and your family and just like the general overview of Whitney Williams.
00:01:55
Speaker
Well, I was born on a Tuesday morning in October in Clarksville, Tennessee. Oh my you sound so country. I did that on purpose. I'm from Tennessee. Okay, so I'm Whitney and I have two kids, Margo and Graydon, who are four and two.
00:02:20
Speaker
And i am married to my college sweetheart, Christopher. um And we met sophomore a year and um we have lived in a few different places together. So we've lived, we met at Alabama where we went to school where I met also met Candice. And then we lived here in Nashville for a while. And then Chris got into school in Chattanooga. So we lived in Chattanooga and then we lived in Rhode Island. Then we moved back to Nashville. So we've had a little journey. We've been married.
00:02:56
Speaker
12 which is so crazy um i was a child bride and we we put out my coffee he yeah we do not have any pets currently chris is always on the prowl so you can send me any dog pics i will still say no for now Um, and also like controversial, like I'm more of a cat
Whitney's Career and Interests
00:03:22
Speaker
person. I'm sorry. I just am. So whenever I can get a whenever I can get a cat, I will take it.
00:03:29
Speaker
Um, i am also a working mom. So I work full time, even though if you've been listening for a while, I did do like a part-time stint, which was like a godsend when my kids were super little,
00:03:43
Speaker
But I went back full time about a year and a half ago and I work in marketing. So I love all things marketing. i loved watching all the Super Bowl ads. It like tickled a part of my brain. And then um things that I'm really into.
00:03:57
Speaker
um i love TV, which I don't really watch um like, i don't know, Bachelor, those types shows. Like I do like reality TV, but it's more of like the Bravo sphere.
00:04:12
Speaker
um But I love a period piece. I'm very into that. I'm also very into art and antiquing and home decor. And I also love clothes, but now more in particular, my children's clothes. I love dressing them up and I love finding different brands and stores. But um what else?
Candice and Whitney's Relationship History
00:04:35
Speaker
I think that's a lot about me. Amazing. um There's so many, like, literally, as you were giving your little spiel about you, I was like, okay, we're going to take that road. We're going take that. We're going to like so many deep dives. The first thing I want to say is making it about me. But you left out the part. you have done oh here we go I introduced you and Chris. Here we go. we Yeah. So Candace knew Chris from freshman year. um
00:05:06
Speaker
And I had a boyfriend at the time. So like I wasn't really like on the prowl my freshman year. I i loved to party, though. Like I was always looking for things to do. um And like Candice and Des and like y'all were my hookup and and my big and my sorority. So I was always like sourcing like where's the party at?
00:05:29
Speaker
um So I went out a lot, but I like was never on the prowl. And then all of a sudden Candice and I lived together sophomore year and she invited these boys over to the house.
00:05:41
Speaker
And it was like instant, instant lock of like boom. He's hot. So. Yeah. And like. And then he added me on Facebook. And the rest is history.
00:05:54
Speaker
Yeah. So I just wanted credit where credit's due, you know. She introduced us. um And I think I've told this before, but I literally had to ask Candace. i was like, you swear, like, you're not into him. You haven't hooked up.
00:06:08
Speaker
What? Hooked up with him? And she was like, no, I haven't at all. Like. I'm more interested in his ah yeah roommate. into his Yeah, I was into his friend. so like Chris and I were strict friends.
00:06:21
Speaker
So was like, all right, game on That's good. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So we did get some questions from the audience about how you guys met. So that checks that box. So I'm going to stay like in the marriage realm right
Evolution of Whitney's Marriage
00:06:35
Speaker
now. My marriage bubble.
00:06:37
Speaker
Yes, because you are obviously, like like you joked, you were a child bride. You got married very young. i would love to know like how you feel your marriage has changed over the past 12 years and specifically...
00:06:55
Speaker
um Maybe some examples of like things that have changed for the better and things that have changed for the worse. Okay. um This is a fun question just because i felt like we were so steady, like in lockstep for majority of our marriage. Like I felt like it was the easiest relationship I've ever had with anyone in my life besides Candice. Yeah.
00:07:20
Speaker
my other, my wife. um um But i don't know. We've always just like been down to do the same things. We both like going out. and We vibe off vibe off of each other. So it's always been like, I would say like relatively easy being married to Chris. Like he's one of my very best friends. But Um, we were married for about seven years when we decided, okay it's time to have kids. We're 30 years old. Like that's like the next step in the relationship. It was, um, 2020. We were like, all right, it's kind like fricking boring. Just me and you sitting in the house. Like, is this when we should start like thinking about having children? Like, are we going to be in lockdown for years? Like,
00:08:10
Speaker
we're not really traveling anyway, which is what was holding us back from having kids. So we decided let's do it And it it was like, honestly, the scariest decision of my life. Like I'm not a big like kid person personally. Like i yeah I'm the youngest in my family. So I didn't really grow up around children. I wasn't that person, like always knowing I was going to be a mom. Like If you knew me back in the day, I was always the person that said like, oh, I'm never having kids. Chris and I are traveling the world.
00:08:42
Speaker
um I'm so glad that all changed because, wow, I can't imagine my life without children. Yeah. um We wouldn't here on this spot. know. um But I will say, like, having kids, something about it, it is just hard. It adds a little bump in the road in the marriage. ah Totally.
00:09:03
Speaker
And not necessarily in the beginning. It was more like I'm just – we were sleep-deprived. Like, I'm – I was jealous that he was still working out every day and having time to and so himself doing um his hobbies. Like I was jealous that he got to leave for work and be gone. And I had to be home all day. Like I like felt this resentment building up in myself. um And then if I did carve out time for myself, I then felt the mom guilt that everyone feels. So it was just like double-edged sword. I like was not winning in any area.
00:09:38
Speaker
um And then we had Margo. So it was kind of back to back. And I believe I did talk about how Chris and I, like, I think it was like February last year. Not that like we were ever not getting along. It was just more like i felt like we weren't connecting like we used to, like almost like two ships in the night type of thing. And we had this like come to Jesus fight in February of last year.
00:10:05
Speaker
where I like, it was so eye eye opening. Like I knew everything that I was seeing about him that was bothering me. And for him to be so forthcoming about everything that was bothering him about me, i was like, shooketh. I was like, oh, how dare you think anything other than I'm your amazing wife? Yeah. You're like, what do you mean I perfect? know. I know.
00:10:27
Speaker
ah So it was just like so eye-opening. And i was like, wow. i i like Honestly, i take things and really reflect on like how I'm presenting myself. like I don't take things and like put a wall up immediately. I'm just like, whoa, am i doing that? Am I acting this way? Am I actually like really hard to be around because I am so resentful of all the things that he's just doing and not feeling guilty about? like It was just a huge like reflection and moment on me. So I'd say like since then, it's kind of like you and Vinny. We're on the same team. And now that they've gotten older, it's just gotten 10 times easier because they are just a little more independent. Yeah.
00:11:14
Speaker
I will say like we are like in this good groove again. but there that was a little hill to climb last year. I think Margo was what?
00:11:25
Speaker
One-ish? 14 months old. So when we like had that fight. Yeah. I just think marriage kind of opens up so many windows that like are never open before a kids. It's just like you see things you didn't see before. i don't know. There's just so many ways it can go sour. you know, they they say that if you like the hardest time in a marriage is when you have kids like newborn to age five. That's like yeah you can make it through those young years like you're gonna have, you have a strong foundation because that's like the hardest time for marriages. Well, that's like kind of what I said in your episode where I was like, isn't it weird looking back? You're like trudging through the mud and you're like, whoa, that was a really hard time. um
00:12:13
Speaker
But yeah, I feel like we've come out on the other side and we're kind of like getting our groove back with our friends. Like I mentioned playing cards again with my friends because my kids are all playing with other kids and it's just like those little joys and sparks are coming back of like I'm a human again so i don't know we've like found a new groove with that and it's it's feeling like we're back you know Yeah.
00:12:41
Speaker
Okay. So on the heels of that question, what would be your advice to someone who is about to have their first baby in regards to marriage?
Advice for New Parents
00:12:54
Speaker
Oh, I feel like the beginning is kind of like a, it's a hard stage, but also so like sweet seeing your husband as a dad for the first time. um so Like I just remember it leading up Graydon being born and being so proud, like, oh my God, that's the person I chose to like create life with and um just seeing him as a dad because he took to it so well, like way better than I did just because like he is a natural giver. He works in the medical field. Like he just came to it so naturally. So it like was such a comfort for me.
00:13:35
Speaker
Um, but like I said, i did not do well postpartum. I don't think that that's a secret. i um was sleep deprived. I had so much postpartum anxiety, which I've now learned like is a form of depression. So I just had a ton of like irrational fears. I was neurotic. I don't know. My hormones were all over the place. So I would say like Candace and I always talked about your, you don't feel like yourself again until what?
00:14:06
Speaker
Eight months plus. So it's like, I was going to say nine months. Well, now that they're older, i'm like, I think I was giving myself a timeframe just to make myself feel better. I'm like if I make it to eight months, it'll get better. But like looking back, it's a year.
00:14:23
Speaker
I was going to say, even not like if I'm being really honest, I feel like it's like 18 months, honestly. Yeah, but but when we were going through it, i was like, oh, it feels a little better now. But now that I am like so, like two and I'm at two and a half, I'm like, now's better. Yeah. I don't know. It really just depends on your temperament. Like I just was not in a great space, but um and don't know. It's like such a loving experience. there' there The babies are such potatoes. So you feel this like gush of love. i don't know. it is the craziest experience. Like when you're like taking pictures of them, you're just so proud. But at the same time, you're like so sleep deprived. Yeah.
00:15:08
Speaker
Yeah. Everyone says give yourself grace, but it's like if I just, i don't know, I'm a time person. So I just like would count it by every month. I'm like, I made it another month. I made it another month and then it got easier. And then they started learning to sit by themselves. And it was just like the little milestones got me back.
00:15:27
Speaker
I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Last question about Chris, because someone asked, what does your husband do? um So he is a CNRA. Wow. at i think Yes. So a certified nurse anesthetist. So um that's what Chris is. Wow. I couldn't even like spit it out. But he went he in college went to nursing school at Alabama. um He worked as a nurse here in Nashville for three years and then got into school.
00:16:04
Speaker
so that he could start doing anesthesia. And so he works with an anesthesiologist, putting people to sleep. um And so he just works at the hospital. And um yeah. Yep.
00:16:17
Speaker
ye My little medical boy. Okay. We're going switch into a more fun topic so that, and then we'll get back to some more like deep stuff. Okay. We got so many questions about how you style your house, home decor, all of the things. So we're just going to do a couple like rapid fire questions about your house. Okay.
Whitney's Home Decor Preferences
00:16:41
Speaker
Hi.
00:16:42
Speaker
ah Okay. Okay. Other than antique stores, where is your favorite place to buy home decor? Wow.
00:16:51
Speaker
I don't know what to choose. No, no, no, no. I would say antiquing is like really low on the totem pole. That is more of like, you feel like a treasure hunter when you are antiquing. um I would say that is not even the majority of my house. And really, I only like it for like art. Yeah.
00:17:09
Speaker
Um, because I love new furniture. I don't necessarily like, like old furniture because you got to mix the old with the new or it makes your house just look old. Yeah. Um, so I love Serena and Lily.
00:17:26
Speaker
i have stuff from Pottery Barn. I love a Ballard design. I like Ballard it a lot too. Me too. And we have a store here in Nashville and it's just such a treat to go in there and it's gorgeous.
00:17:40
Speaker
I sometimes will go go and get a coffee and just walk through the store. i used to drive to Boston just to go to Serena and Lily. like, god I just want to like look at it. Yeah. i would I've never been in a Serena and Lily store. I want to do that. That sounds so fun. It's so light and airy and you're just like, God, this is so lovely.
00:18:00
Speaker
Yes. It's so coastal, which I love. um But yeah. And then like I'd say i do have like some stuff like antique-y, but um I really love an antique show like I told Candice like nothing made me happier than going to a show and like finding those treasures, like um finding art that like really catches my eye and I can envision it in a room. Like I'm not kidding. It's probably the happiest I am ever yeah shopping. I love shopping.
00:18:33
Speaker
Follow up question on that because – and I think someone might have asked this, not in the question box for this episode, but I think someone has asked it in our DMs and it's a question I have – Where do you find antique shows? Like, do I just like, is there an alert that I can sign up for? um do I know coming my way?
00:18:52
Speaker
I only know about the ones here, the two that I go to just because they have them every year. i think you could look up like Tampa antique shows, but like, There are ones that I'm dreaming of dying to go to, one of them being in like Cashers, North Carolina. and then there's one um in Houston area, which God, I'm b blanking on what it's called. Round Top. which I've been dying to go to for years and years and years. And they do like a few shows a year.
00:19:24
Speaker
It's um pretty similar. There's like a Brimfield show, which is outside of Boston that is like kind of similar to Round Top. But like there are like national shows that happen every year and they do a few like maybe once a quarter.
00:19:37
Speaker
um But those are like the big ones I would love to go to. Round Top looks like a blast. They said you have to go for like... cop Yeah. Like for three days and then you dress like all Western and cute and they have really fun pop-up tents. um I don't know. I just think I would just love to go to that, but it never lines up with my schedule. There's one in June. There's one in the spring, June and October. Same with Brimfield and Brimfield's so fun. and It's very folk art, which I love. Yeah.
00:20:10
Speaker
Amazing. Amazing. um I will be looking that up. I actually did just a quick search and there are some coming in March here in Tampa. I'm like, wow, I got to go. i think I'm going to go. it's fun. i need some, even if I don't even buy anything, I just want to go to like, just look and like feel inspired, you know? That's what I do. I like buy some random like tchotchke things. Like I literally have one right here. I don't know if you can see that duck.
00:20:37
Speaker
It's like almost like yeah it's but it's a nut bowl and I just love it. I don't know why, but i don't know. Got that in an antique show. i'm like, you have, fun you have such a good eye, like such a good eye for things.
00:20:50
Speaker
Oh, thanks. Okay. Another home question, um that I'm asking is that you if you had to choose a favorite room in your house, whose room it it is it?
00:21:02
Speaker
Hmm. Hmm. probably Margo's or my office just because those are like the two rooms that I had in influence on.
00:21:15
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. um I have visions for every room in this house. I have ideas for my bedroom. I have ideas for Graydon's room. Graydon's room's next. i havet I have ideas for my bonus room. Like, I know what I want them to be. I'm just poor. Like, if I had money the way, like, my house would look, like, ain't nobody tell me nothing. Like, I know the potential that I have and I can't do it. And it really, um it really hurts, you know?
00:21:44
Speaker
Yeah, totally. I feel the same way, honestly. ah Okay. All right. This is a fun question. If you listen to the show, you know Whitney is a little bit of a picky eater.
00:21:56
Speaker
what is the no What is the number one food that gives you the ick?
Whitney's Eating Habits and Social Impact
00:22:01
Speaker
That is so crazy. like Do y'all think i I'd be out here eating dino nugs? Like, for No, you've come so far. Like you really have. I need everyone to know that Whitney has really come so far. don't even know what that means.
00:22:19
Speaker
Okay. ah the one You used to be really picky, Whitney. Probably the biggest controversial one slash my biggest embarrassment is that I don't eat salad. Yeah, you don't like lettuce. Let me tell you, like nothing like is worse than going to a work dinner and a salad is served in front of me and everyone starts eating and I'm the only one not touching my plate and I'm pushing stuff around to make it look like I ate a little bit of it or I'm just eating the croutons off of it.
00:22:54
Speaker
nothing worse than that moment for me. Like, I wish I could walk away and go the bathroom. Like, yeah it is so embarrassing. I just don't like it. And then everyone's like, oh my God, you don't eat salad. It's just a whole social fat thing for me. Yeah, yeah, I get it. It's like an annoying, yeah.
00:23:14
Speaker
But I like a lot of foods. I just am not a lettuce girl. um Maybe that will be my vegetable next year, but it's not this year. so Yeah, yeah. I totally hear you. So funny. Y'all are crazy. Yeah.
00:23:28
Speaker
Crazy. Okay.
Ideal Music Festival Lineup
00:23:31
Speaker
um I'm going to ask a fun question too now because we got asked a question of who you would love to see in concert, but I'm going to take it a step further and ask you if you had to create like a five artist lineup for like, if if it was like Whitney's music festival lineup and it could be anyone, that are anyone dead or alive, five people or artists, who would you want?
00:23:59
Speaker
Okay. First of all, I'm going to set the setting. Okay. Perfect. We're in Tomorrow World in Belgium. That's where we are. Perfect. Perfect. This is 2009.
00:24:12
Speaker
Okay. This is where we are. yeah Perfect. I'm there. i i'm I don't do drugs, guys, but you would think I did at this concert. Okay.
00:24:23
Speaker
is so we're in belgium okay i'm on i'm on candace's shoulders yeah yeah oh okay i would say this is so stupid i would probably say like i would love to see outcast um yeah that's my number one thing i thought you would say I love them. i know so many the songs, so I think that that would be amazing for me.
00:24:50
Speaker
um yeah Jungle would be one of the headliners. like i love that band so much. I've seen them in ah in concert here at the Ryman, and i know every song on every album.
00:25:04
Speaker
They're probably the only band I know every song to, so Jungle is coming because that just like trips me up. I love them so much. Yep. And then, ooh, let's throw in Earth, Wind, and Fire just because what a bop. Yeah.
00:25:21
Speaker
We're going to throw in some 70s and the main, the lead singer died, but I think his replacement's pretty good. But we're bringing back the old band. Yeah, yeah.
00:25:32
Speaker
who I want to throw in a ah gal, but like, who would I pick? don't know. Um...
00:25:43
Speaker
I don't know Fiona Apple? me wow I thought you might say Jewel. And Jewel. Two banging albums from, um i would say, the title album from Fiona Apple and then Jewel's Intuition album.
00:26:01
Speaker
ah That is like one of the first times Whitney and I bonded. just some some history here. I'll never forget being in your car in college and you had that album. and like but you don't You guys don't understand. like That album, it came out when we were in middle school. 2003, I think.
00:26:18
Speaker
I don't know why I that. And no one knew it. Like it was, and I was obsessed with that CD. Like I took it with me to sleep away camp because you were only allowed to bring like a couple things. And that was like my one. And so when it, when Whitney turned on her car and the jewel intuition album started to play, I remember looking at her and being like, like my my soul lifted from my body. I was like,
00:26:45
Speaker
What do you mean? Like we are soulmates. so And that's like when you had to have a CD too. So it was, yeah it was in there. Um, that is such I can hear the first notes in my head playing in your car. Like it's so sensory for me. Like I can feel myself sitting in your car and hearing those first notes. um in lead the light on um I also took it away to sleep away camp and, um,
00:27:15
Speaker
yeah anyway i love her fiona apple was like a big part of my life that's a solid lineup honestly i love it you would come love it yeah oh 100 okay 100 i like all of those people honestly i i'm the only person other people i thought you were gonna say is three six mafia i thought about it um Yeah. But they're kind of like them and outcast are like both like very pivotal. Like, I don't know. All of these people are who I except for jungle jungles, like a new ad. But those are like my middle school, high school.
Managing Anxiety
00:27:54
Speaker
We're going to go back to a little bit more of like a deeper question, although not like crazy. But what does like overwhelmed look like for you personally and what specific things like overwhelm you the most? everything overwhelms me. i think that is like my issue. Like I didn't realize I had so much anxiety. Like I felt like in college it was the first time I experienced it, but I feel like I'm so go with the flow at the same time. But wow, i present a lot of like OCD anxiety tendencies. um And I felt like becoming a mom really brought them to the forefront. Yeah.
00:28:35
Speaker
Yeah. um Overwhelmed to me is literally like my kids talking over me. um Anything that has to do with them acting out in public gives me anxiety.
00:28:52
Speaker
yeah ah Check, check. um I don't know. I think being a full-time working mom, like honestly, it's easier than being part-time. Like I was having a real hard balance being part-time and then being, trying to be able to turn it off. Like I'd say like it's gotten better, but like, wow, I feel like I still, it's hard to close the laptop. Yeah.
00:29:16
Speaker
At the end of the day, i almost like always wonder, i I wish I had it in me. I wish I was a night owl that I could reopen like you do at night and just like be done. But I'm such a morning person. And then i have to do the stuff with my kids in the morning. So I don't get to be my morning best self for work.
00:29:36
Speaker
I'm giving it to my children. which is probably good because I'm very upbeat in the morning. Don't catch me in the afternoon. I don't i don't want to talk to anyone. Well, it's funny. we got We got questions about your morning routine and what that looks like.
00:29:53
Speaker
Oh, which I can switch to. um But yeah, i'd I'd say like I've become a little more anxious. I don't like being in trouble. Like I'm a very like do-gooder. You're peacemaker. Yeah. Oh, well, yeah. There it is. You're the Enneagram 9 peacemaker. yeah So you don't like conflict.
00:30:11
Speaker
yeah Yeah, I don't. And i just want everyone to be... kumbaya. Like I want everyone to be friends. I don't like, like I said, I don't like being in trouble.
00:30:23
Speaker
So I just, I'm always trying to be like, everyone let's calm down. We're the, we're all fine. But even everyone's fine. um My morning routine, i'd be doing it all y'all. Like luckily i don't have to go into work every day. I just go in on Thursdays.
00:30:44
Speaker
So my Thursday is like a little more chaotic, but honestly, it's probably way more structured than the rest of the days. Like I actually like get up, shower this and that. And then by the time my kids come down the stairs, I'm like, I'm ready to go. So maybe I should implement that in the rest of my days. But, um, I've seen like in our Facebook group where they're like, how do you like wake up so upbeat? And I'm like, my tip is that I am just a morning person. like That's just who I am. like I've been like this my whole life. My mom said even in when she would come in my room, I'd be like, hi
00:31:16
Speaker
or And she's like all grumpy growing up. And I'm like, why why are you grumpy? like I'm the happiest I've ever been a part of the day. Um, but I'm the one that gets the kids ready for school. Um, I don't have to pack lunch or anything, which is ah so nice.
00:31:35
Speaker
yeah So I don't have to do that, but, um, I'm the ones that I'm the one that takes the kids to school. I'm there pretty early. I'm usually there by seven 20. We have breakfast at school and I trot them to class and I come home and I start working.
00:31:51
Speaker
Um, so nothing like groundbreaking here. I usually wake up around five ish. Like naturally I don't set an alarm. Isn't that crazy? Never had you literally could not be more different. Like i literally could not, but I was also like, I was up till almost 1am last night. So we're just built, we're built different.
00:32:12
Speaker
And see, that sounds horrible to me, which is why I think I don't do well in newborn. Like I want to go to bed at 9. I'm in 9.
00:32:23
Speaker
the yeah Okay, good to know. All right, this is a question that I came up with and and it's like multiple parts, okay? Okay.
00:32:35
Speaker
So it's all about trading lives with someone, but it's gonna be like different aspects of life and you're gonna have to pick someone to trade lives with in regards to these like categories, okay?
Dream Home Description
00:32:47
Speaker
So first up, if you had to trade houses with someone, who would you trade? Oh my God.
00:32:57
Speaker
Probably. I don't even know if I know who that person is, but I would say like anyone on Nantucket, like give me your house and I'll trade with you. Like that is the perfect style home. I love a little coastal, a little laps, like cedar shake, a little American flag on a pole. Like it's 4th of July every single day. i want it. yeah Pebbled driveway, maybe seashell driveway. God.
00:33:25
Speaker
Gorgeous. Gorgeous. Okay. If you had to trade bodies with someone, who would you trade bodies with?
Body Swap with Tiana Taylor
00:33:35
Speaker
Tiana Taylor.
00:33:38
Speaker
God damn. God. Did you see her? my God. At the Grammys. who She still looks unreal. and She's unreal. I would walk out around you my pool naked for my neighbors to see if I looked like that.
00:33:55
Speaker
100% like I'd be naked all the time she is the epitome of like I love like an athlete and that goes for like men and women um and she is giving strong athlete like could throw a jabal like across a football field or something like she is a warrior and and she's like hot she's hot And she's gorgeous. Oh, my God.
00:34:22
Speaker
Oh, my God. Yeah, i want I would love to have her body. Growing up, it was all about, like, I wanted to show my stomach in low-rise jeans. So, yeah.
00:34:32
Speaker
Yeah, that was like middle school one, like Paris Hilton or something. I don't know. Yeah. We we were 100%. That was like – and it was – for me, it was like Britney Spears. I want to be like Britney Spears in the low-rise jeans and the tied-up top. You just like unlocked a memory for me um when the toxic video came out. This is embarrassing.
00:34:56
Speaker
I remember – She wore, it was like ah a top that showed her midriff, but she like turned to the back. So you saw her back. And so I would do 50 crunches a day. This is so toxic in middle school. And then I would look at myself in the mirror to see if my back looked like hers in jeans.
00:35:17
Speaker
But else it's also funny that you were looking at your back, but crunches don't really work your back. you know It was like more, i I've always been hippie in like big, bigger legs. So I think I was looking at like my muffin top.
00:35:30
Speaker
I don't know. I was so psycho. Oh, toxic diet culture vibes. Yeah. Yeah. No, I remember doing similar things for me. Like my insecurity was always my arms. And I remember like literally doing, I would tell myself like, I'm going to do 50 pushups a day. and like, or I'm gonna, you know, do X, Y, and Z to get my arms to be thinner whatever. It's like, it's so crazy. I had a set list. I would work out to no doubt.
00:36:00
Speaker
Like album, sorry, I'm not home right now. I'm walking and misss Yeah. So I, um, I would work out to that and do abs and I would run back and forth in my room, which was what five feet and just would touch the ground, touch the ground. I would like, I was doing conditioning.
00:36:19
Speaker
That is so funny. Crazy. That was back when I was like on travel soccer too. Like I was doing it all. Wow. Okay. Last like trade question. If you had to trade closets with someone.
00:36:37
Speaker
I don't know. Do I go influencer? I feel like Megan Stokes is so cute. She's like an influencer I follow in um North Carolina. That's so cute. Natalie is such a cute closet. i thought you might say Nat Note.
00:36:55
Speaker
Nat Note. Natalie, um she also has ah such a cute body and like I feel like everything looks good on her. And then if I would say like um a celebrity, now that I'm watching Real Housewives, oh, my makeup, of Beverly Hills, Rachel Zoe's like brought back to the forefront for me.
00:37:13
Speaker
She's so cool. And Indy and boho. Like, not that I'm boho, but, like, she's chic and so cool. Still is. She is. She is chic. She's such a good addition to the show. Like, I missed her.
00:37:25
Speaker
And seeing her single, like, she's so wise. And she's just, like, silent wealth. Like, she's cool. Yeah. Yeah. I love that. Okay. Staying in line with like fashion and clothes. We got a lot of questions from our audience about favorite clothing brands for you. And then also favorite clothing brands for ah toddler.
00:37:50
Speaker
I'm going to say toddlers. This person specifically specifically said toddler girls, but let's do both boy and girl. What a fun topic. I love shopping. I do it constantly. i am a huge shopper. I shop all things and I love clothes. I used to be really, really into clothes for myself. um And like I said, I really switched and pivoted to my kids a little bit.
00:38:15
Speaker
But I still, I'm like a big... I don't know. I get really influenced on Instagram. I think I've said that before. um If an ad is pointed my way, I'm probably to buy it. Like I love Tucker knock is probably my favorite web website to shop. They have a ton of different brands. Um,
00:38:37
Speaker
I really like Hunter Bell, which is super expensive, but I just love their clothes. I love their patterns. um I love, where else do I stuff? Actually, the sweater is Hunter Bell.
00:38:50
Speaker
It's so fun. It's giving. I've never heard of that. It's so cute. ah What else? I feel like those are like my two where I've been shopping like lately. um And I really love a turtleneck.
00:39:05
Speaker
Um, that's probably my favorite thing to wear. You look so good in a turtleneck. I love a turtleneck. It's so fun. And then for my kids, I shop a lot of like local boutiques. Um, and I've talked about like doing old Navy and target for like daycare stuff. But if I'm really, if you really want to know, um For girls, I love like overseas brands, which is like... Yeah, you shop a lot of... Yeah, which you always send me the cutest things, honestly. Yeah, um Emily and Ida is one of them. it's called This other one's called like Kongschloid, which is a um ah brand out of um Amsterdam.
00:39:49
Speaker
um I love Peppa. London and i love Liberty Fabrics. So like they're all overseas. But since we have this crazy fucking tariff, like you got to find stores in the US that sell those brands because otherwise you're going to be charged an arm and a leg for kids clothes. So that's what I've been doing. I like will research where you can purchase some of these brands. And a lot.
00:40:14
Speaker
ah The reason I found a lot of them is because Patch Nashville sells some of these brands so I love those um and then for boys i I love like Oso and Me which is a local brand um they have the cutest like boy shorts because I like them a little shorter i am southern so I don't like love a long short I want them to be shorter Um, and then, um, I, I like lean grading a little preppy. So I've bought him Ralph Lauren off of Poshmark, like a, a resale thing. Um, and yeah, I'm trying to think what else, anything that's local. And I just, it catches my eye. like, I'm in.
00:40:58
Speaker
Yeah. I feel like Tampa lacks in kids boutiques, to be honest. Like we lack. um And I feel like Nashville has really, really cute ones. But um everyone go check out Whitney's shop. My page. That's where she shares like things she buys. And you always have such good things on there, like things that I don't see very often. You know, I feel like I don't know if you're like on Instagram and like influencer page, you see a lot of the same like Amazon, Old Navy, Gap, like stuff. I feel like one thing about you is that you really lean, like you unique, like you like unique things. And it's just not stuff you see all the time. And it's so refreshing. You're such a good...
00:41:41
Speaker
I tell you all the time. I'm like, can you just shop for my kids for me? Because I'm not, i don't, I am like the opposite of you. I don't shop a lot for my kids. I'm always like panicking. I'm like, I need, I realize I don't have any clothes for them and all of a sudden. so Well, that's funny because on the Nat note, when I get them, I scroll all the way to the bottom and I skip all the adult stuff and I look at the kids stuff first because she does a good job at that. But i yeah, I started yeah doing it on shop. I have like things that catch my eye like on a monthly basis because I'm constantly shopping. So I'll just link it. I'm like, I would buy that. I want that. This is awesome. Like, and I'm going on a beach trip. So right now there's a lot of like
00:42:23
Speaker
I don't know. I love like a little fish jewelry. Like I'm very, so there's like lots of cutesy beach stuff that I'm starting to add and find. So what else? I have so many other questions, but we don't have time for them all. Okay. Sorry. I like, it's okay. I like this question.
00:42:43
Speaker
um what is a, this is so me habit that you've had since childhood? Biting my nails. Yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm just kidding. But yeah, i that is probably a bad habit I need to break. um Actually, I know I do.
00:42:59
Speaker
Like, I thought that that would be over by the time I was an adult and I still freaking do it. Almost like you think, oh, I'm only going to have pimples in middle school and I still get them. I'm like, I'm 35 years old. Like, why am I still getting pimples? Yeah.
00:43:17
Speaker
Um, but a thing about me since I was like little, a habit, like what's an example? Like, what would you say about yourself? I would maybe say like singing everywhere. Like I've been doing that forever and like I'm always singing around my house. Like if if there was a camera in here while I was like cleaning and stuff, y'all would be like, are you okay? I'm always like – I'm literally doing an American Idol performance while I'm cleaning my house. so Do your kids tell you to stop singing?
00:43:48
Speaker
oh all the time. Okay, okay. Honestly. Mine are too. They're like, you're too loud. They say that. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mine don't like me singing. Although, although I had one moment last week, I was singing a marin Morris song, very random, because I don't listen to her very often, but it's from her very first album that I love. And I was like really so singing it. You know what i mean? Like I was like really trying. And for the first time ever, Alice was like, wow, mommy, you sound really good.
00:44:18
Speaker
you're like, hell yeah. You know, when they say it, they mean it, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like when my kids tell me I smell good, I'm like, thank you. Like that's such a nice thing to say.
00:44:32
Speaker
yeah Okay. Let's see. i mean, we got this question. I don't know if you're going to want to answer it or not. It's I'm going to leave it up to you and I can always cut it out. Someone asked, what's your biggest due date drama, so like due date group drama story?
00:44:47
Speaker
Oh, yeah. I feel like the biggest one we – honestly, it's so stupid. It was like a controversial thing on boo baskets. Like if you – almost like a Valentine's Day basket. It was like a fight about doing it versus not doing it and then it making feel making the moms feel bad about not doing one. When the people that were doing one, that like wasn't their intention. Like, like I feel like that was probably fight. That's such a silly thing for there to be like a big fight over.
00:45:25
Speaker
You know, i don't know. It like made some moms feel a certain way that just because they weren't doing it, maybe they didn't have the energy. Maybe they didn't have the time or the money. And then seeing someone else go all out and having all this time and setting up all this stuff, like I think, I don't know, it just went sour quick. It was crazy. Yeah, it sent to people over the edge, I guess, huh? Yeah.
00:45:49
Speaker
It's hard. Like, due date groups are so great, but, like, there's people from all over and all walks of life. So you get all kinds of personalities. So it's crazy. And we have, we had a big group, like, 78 people.
00:46:03
Speaker
It's since, like, yeah dissipated because our kids are two and a half. Like, not much going on, but. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Last two questions, I think.
00:46:15
Speaker
What do you find hardest to navigate about being a mom?
Challenges of Motherhood
00:46:23
Speaker
I just kind of like what you said, probably like hope I'm doing the right thing. um i also thought I would never be that parent that yelled. I've always been so calm tempered and like the night I consider myself like very nice and soft spoken. So for me to be the disciplinarian is like kind of crazy. Like, I don't know. I get. Yeah.
00:46:49
Speaker
Yeah. i get I get what you're saying. It's hard. It's really hard. But from an outsider's perspective of like someone who has seen you parent in real life, I know I've said this on this podcast before, but I feel like you are so good at like keeping it light and silly while also setting like boundaries. And it's something I really admire about you as a mom of like – I don't know. I just feel like you do such a good job of like keeping it silly willy nilly while also like being, you know,
00:47:21
Speaker
stern That's so nice of you to say. um I definitely am like the silly one, but I'm ah like I said, also the disciplinarian. I just like always reflect back on how I was as a child and I was so sensitive. I think I was just like babied to death that like if anyone raised their voice at me at all, like I would shut down immediately. And so like when I raise my voice at all, I'm just like,
00:47:50
Speaker
Younger me would have hated this. And I, yeah I just like, I don't know. Sometimes it just like gets to the point where i'm like, just put on your shoes because you've asked 10,000 times. And I'm like, I don't think my parents, I don't even remember that ever happening, but maybe just because I got older and I also was, a I also listened. I was very well-mannered and whatever, but I don't know that that part has been hard for sure. Yeah, it is hard.
00:48:21
Speaker
Okay. So my last question to you is if you had to like give three words of how you hope you're remembered, like on the mom group chat show, like on our podcast, like what are three words that you hope people like remember you as or like like see you as?
Whitney's Legacy on the Podcast
00:48:45
Speaker
Ooh, okay. um I'd say like enthusiastic, funny, and um like sincere.
00:48:57
Speaker
Yeah. I like all of those things. um Like I just want the show. i mean, Candice and I say it all the time. Like we just want to be relatable and we mean and that so sincerely. Like we are showing up how we actually are. um And I am always in a silly, goofy mood. So um I'm always trying to like joke around and stuff. But yeah.
00:49:22
Speaker
Um, also the show like gives me so much energy. So that one time I was sick. Sorry about that, that my energy was low, but like Candace really like she's my energizer bunny. So like, I hope that that shines through that.
00:49:37
Speaker
We both love doing it. Yay. We do love doing it. We love doing the show and we love you guys. i love you, Whitney. It's been so fun to interview you. You were nice. These weren't too crazy, so they were easy.
00:49:50
Speaker
i mean, I didn't go too deep. That was nice of you. I love you. but One day, probably in like a year from now or a year and a half, we'll just have another one of these, but it's literally just going to be called like Going Deep with Candice and That is too funny. um I was going to say like if you were going to ask me like a favorite episode, i would probably name the ones that y'all made me do that I was like not looking forward to because you made me like reflect on feelings like like the letter to our like past selves type of thing. And then like – thinking why we love being a mother, like all those things that I like don't spend a ton of time doing. Like y'all really push me to reflect a lot. And um maybe we should do another one of those where we actually like really have to prep.
00:50:39
Speaker
I know that's crazy me saying that, but. I know you've come so far. But those are some of my favorite. Amazing. All right. Well, we love you guys. This has been so fun. I hope you learned a little bit more about Whitney and we'll see you guys next time.
00:50:54
Speaker
Love you. Bye. Thank you so much for being a part of our mom group chat. New episodes drop every Tuesday. And don't forget, the group chat is blowing up on our Instagram page. So make sure you're following along over there. All right. Got to go. My toddler just put something in her mouth.