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little women christmas 🎄
133 Plays2 months ago
Today we’re settling in with a cozy, little women christmas kind of vibe talking hair drama, mom life, the kids’ big feelings, and all the holiday chaos we’re trying to make magical. We’re sharing what we’re actually doing (and not doing) this year, the traditions that matter to us, the gifts we love, and the little moments that make December feel special. Grab a warm drink and sit by the tree with us, this one feels like a slow, sister-y catch-up in the middle of the season. 🎄💕
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Transcript
Introduction to Park Moms Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Hi, welcome to the Park Moms podcast where your host Haley and Becca. This is a place where we laugh and chat about the chaotic bliss of raising young kids. So whether you're about to take a hot mom walk or start a little laundry, let's get to yapping. I felt like I was saying that wrong. so I miss? No, you did it right. Yeah. We're back. been a again. We're back, baby. Santa baby. It's been a minute.
00:00:19
Speaker
We needed to take a few weeks. How many weeks has it been? It's been two weeks since recording? Yeah, it's only been two weeks, but this time of year is just crazy. It's It is. i think it's a crazy time of year.
00:00:30
Speaker
I feel like the most, like the busiest months of the year are May and November. May, what's in May? End of school, birthday, I don't know why, May. When we have May come this year, circle back, you'll realize how crazy it is. And then like, December's kind of crazy too, but feel like November's more crazy, like leading up to like closing down fall, getting into Thanksgiving, yes Black Friday.
Becca's Hair Journey
00:00:53
Speaker
It's a lot. It's a lot. Okay, I actually have kind of a lot of life updates because- because we've haven't recorded yeah it and we haven't seen each other so I'm gonna I'm gonna power through these okay but my first headliner is hair trauma is real um what what happened well like hair causing you trauma is actually the head oh okay so it's funny i actually listened to a podcast probably maybe a couple years ago now and the girl literally talked about her hair
00:01:21
Speaker
For like 20 minutes straight. And I'm like, this is extensive. Like, no more talking about your hair. but also, i kind of get it. Like, your hair is a big part of like your confidence as a woman. Yes, 100%. So I have some hair trauma.
00:01:34
Speaker
but but So what's your hair trauma? Well. just wanted to talk about like hair trauma in general. My trauma is that lately I've been feeling like the color of my hair isn't like exactly what I'm wanting. Like, and I'm trying like. that It's more like, um.
00:01:52
Speaker
I don't know, more brown, but not like a warm brown, but like kind of a dishwatery brown, like blondish color than like a warm blonde. When we did your family pictures, I was literally thinking I would kill for her hair.
00:02:04
Speaker
I will say though, and this is my tip that's going to come along with this trauma, is that if you actually take care of your hair and do it, yeah why does it give you so much more confidence? Okay. The Abby Young method, I mentioned it last time, but look it up on TikTok. She like goes through all the different products you should be using in different ways and people swear by it. Really? Yes. I haven't looked it Okay. Look up. I'll be young method. Where's your phone so that you can hear me say it.
00:02:28
Speaker
Um, she just like really breaks down like the products that you should be using in what order. And what I really like about her is she includes like drugstore products. Like her number one product she recommends is like the $5 Moroccan oil. she talks about like hair oiling before you wash it. Like, I don't know. I don't know. Just look up Abby Young Method.
00:02:48
Speaker
It was a lot to like take in when I first looked it up. So I only took like a few tips from it, but type it in TikTok and just like, I feel like it will change your, My hair. Well, and I feel like my hair is not very thick either. So I do need those tips. What does she suggest suggest for like shampoo and conditioner? Cause that's a, that's a hard one for me. clare what i sha whom Clarify Clarify shampoo. She uses a lot of like Dove brands, which is very affordable.
00:03:12
Speaker
Yes. Yes. She loves the Dove brands. Um, there's like going down rabbit hole, but the Dove Intense Repair, i have been starting to use that because, cause also Ainsley Ovard. Yeah.
00:03:23
Speaker
The like hair girl. Yes. I love her TikTok videos, even though I don't have girls with hair. Oh, yeah. But she um recommended it probably like two months ago. And I will say my hair feels a lot thicker, but I'm also pregnant. So I yeah feel like my hair is just like...
00:03:37
Speaker
I don't know. You can't trust it. It's hard know for sure if you're pregnant. Okay, my other problem is it's like, it's almost like my hair is oily but also dry. It's like flaky but oily. Okay, look up the Abbey Young method. I feel like she talks about that. Okay, I'm going to look it up. We should talk about that. But my one tip that's actually made my hair feel better, and I think when I had family photos, this is...
00:03:57
Speaker
uh the tip i use is um using your dyson air wrap but instead of doing like the full curl in your dyson just curling the ends yeah and it gives like a really cute like i mine i'm a a few days out but like a really cute like blowout look your hair looked so good you need to post one of those pictures one of the photos but i i think i do think it makes a difference everyone's gonna be like air trauma who i like air drying i've been a big fan of the air dry lately It's like you have to just wash your hair more frequently if you're going air dry. 100%. like, also, i kind of like that.
00:04:28
Speaker
Yeah. I just think – I feel like the blowout actually has made me feel happier. Okay. To each their own.
Cleaning Satisfaction and Home Dynamics
00:04:34
Speaker
Okay. Yeah. I was just thinking this week, like, it is very satisfying to clean. Like, I think cleaning really is for the girls. I know it's like, oh, we don't want to be housewives and, like, clean all the time. it does bring a level of, like, calm.
00:04:48
Speaker
And I do think like when you're off-cute duty and just cleaning, why is that? Put your headphones in. I would rather like at night, one of us will clean up dinner and the other one will do bath time. I would 100% every single time rather clean up dinner. Yes. And I feel like change of the season gives you the cleaning itch even more so. Yeah. What projects have you been doing? You're the cleaning pro actually.
00:05:07
Speaker
Honestly, we stopped doing projects right now because we ran out of the will to do them and money to do them. But I did decorate for Christmas. Yes, it looks so cute. And i don't know. I actually have to say having a smaller house, it gets messier way quicker. Really? Oh, like I turn around and I'm like, what? I just cleaned that. But I can clean it so fast. So it's almost a little bit worth it.
00:05:31
Speaker
It's worth it I kind of love it. Well, it's nice. You have like one space to just kind of keep clean all the time. And then yes if you make a mess, it's just like clean. Well, and I feel like my old house, everything was kind of more spread out. Like the bedrooms were spread out. So even like putting away laundry took so much longer. Whereas like our rooms are all in this like little, i don't know, this really little hallway. And I can...
00:05:52
Speaker
Literally just like- Go from hallway to hallway. No, just like from room to room. Yeah. They're so small. Put this away. Put this away. You need to come over and see it since we've kind of we've kind of finished things. Like we did a lot really, really quick. And now we're like, okay, no more projects till after the baby. How does that feel? Like does it feel- It feels But now like I'm definitely getting the creative edge to do more, but I'm putting that into my Christmas crafting. Oh, yes. So is like an outlet there, but- We'll get into it later in the episode, but I feel like half the reason of this episode, you inspired me with your Christmas crafting. like It is such good vibes. I'm just like trying to get through this third trimester. and Can we talk? Okay. No, finish your life updates, and then I'll Okay. Because I was going to talk about this, actually.
00:06:32
Speaker
Okay. Next life update.
Work-Life Balance Reflection
00:06:34
Speaker
This is kind of a sad one. oh no. It's not that sad. You already know. I was just thinking, maybe you feel this way too. I was thinking a lot about work and my job, and I had like a very negative...
00:06:49
Speaker
experience last week. I had a performance review and I got like a meet expectation score. Which is so funny that that would throw you into a spiral. That just shows you how type A you are. That like you you were meeting expectations and it still upset you. Oh, it upset me. I literally called cried for eight hours straight. I'm so sorry. But i I feel like I'm used to getting like a gold star on my paper. yeah and like now that I have more context, I met with my team. They're basically like, oh, at this company, you'll never get like a that rating if you've only been here like less than a year and I just like barely hit my year mark and they're like and you'll get it next time because you're on this was the most annoying talk track you're on track to hit it now and you're already doing these things now and I'm just like ew especially because you're like me too where like words of affirmation and like being told you're doing a good job is such a motivator for you right Yes, absolutely. yeah But I think what made me really sad to think about it, like obviously I was sad about the score, but I think what like in reflection, like what made me really sad about it is I'm like, why do i care so much? like why am I so emotionally attached to like,
00:07:52
Speaker
the the like score or the great grade grade that I'm getting here at work. yeah And I think what I reflected on is that I have given so much energy to this job in the last year. like I've put aside other things that I should be prioritizing and like not even just hours, but just mental headspace. And I just, I don't know, it was a good like eye-opening thing for me that i'm And I don't know. I don't have like a solution or anything. But I just was like, I don't want this to be this deep for me anymore. And it's funny. My boss was like, oh, I don't want this to demotivate you. I'm like, it's not going to demotivate me. like I'm not the type person that will give like a half-ass effort. like That's just not my personality. I'm like, it'll be fine. like I'm going to still keep achieving things and hitting my goals. But I want to have like...
00:08:37
Speaker
the mental barrier of like, this isn't your whole identity. It's not my whole identity, yeah but it's easy for work to become that. And maybe you feel that same way. And I feel that same way. And I feel like when, especially when you're a working mom, it feels impossible to do anything a hundred percent right because you're juggling so many things. Yeah. And the mental load is like, it really is hard to go from mom mode. Like think about it. You're waking up in the morning, you're getting kids ready for school.
00:09:02
Speaker
And then you're switching to work mode and then you're kind of switching back to mom mode. Even if when you're working, you're thinking like, oh, I need to make that appointment. I need to text back about that play date. I need to do this. And so I feel like something I struggle with is feeling like I'm adequately doing any of it yep because you're doing so much of it. yeah And I think that's like just our personalities, but it's hard when...
00:09:24
Speaker
something like that happens and it's like, well, I'm just like, what's the point? yeah That's exactly i like, why did I even sacrifice this much? Yes. And it's funny. I've kind of made peace with it. At first I was like very mad. I'm like, this is not true. Like I disagree and I still kind of disagree. but I think like, I, I realized that like, I need to figure out how to prioritize my life over my job. And it's a difficult thing for me to do. Cause I think it's,
00:09:53
Speaker
very like achievement based at your work, right? Where it's like win, win. was just going say that. And that's very satisfying to me. Yes. And like, but when I'm with the kids, even at night, I'm still thinking about work and like things I should be doing. And I'll say in opposition to that, like a job where you have metrics you have to hit and you have goals that you're trying to hit. It's very like, you can look at them, you can get them done.
00:10:15
Speaker
Being a mom, yes you don't have those same sort of metrics. yes So you are working your ass off all day but you aren't like checking things off the list. exactly like You're literally going from thing to thing to thing, but like you don't have a boss or a manager or someone who's like, great job, you killed it on the laundry day. You did that in record time. Or like you know, it's just like, you don't have those metrics. And I think that that's maybe like why we still like to work in a way. and maybe deprioritize some motherhood things so it's not as short-term satisfying.
00:10:46
Speaker
prioritizing motherhood things because I think even as a stay-at-home mom fully like it's hard to completely kill it in every aspect of motherhood. But just especially when you're working, I think making that transition from just like work mode to mom mode all day, every day is exhausting.
00:11:02
Speaker
It's super exhausting. Anyway, so that was a sad a sad trauma moment for me. i like could not believe like how hard it hit me. Like I was like down. Sam's like, are you okay? Like I actually was like, I'm just gonna take the kids. You go do something. So I went and did something and I just like couldn't no stop crying. And then, oh yeah, the next day I had family pictures and I had puffy eyes for it. And I'm like, awesome.
00:11:20
Speaker
No, I can tell they're puffy. puffy eyes right now. And have puffy eyes, but like, yeah. I have puffy eyes right now. like when I edit these reels, I'm going to be like, oh, my eyes aren't open. I've been crying today too, guys, but it's okay. It's just like, it's a lot.
00:11:35
Speaker
It is oh Life's a lot. Life's a lot. And everyone's going through it, I feel like in a way. And I do feel like this season not to get into like too cheesy, but the whole thing that people are focusing on right now is like going back to like a 90s nostalgic Christmas. I'm like gonna get emotional talking about this. I think it's because life feels like a lot and we wanna go back to the simpler time of like a 90s Christmas. Absolutely. There wasn't the social media. There wasn't probably as many like political dramas. Maybe there were, but like we weren't constantly holding it in our pockets and like having everything on our phones and like getting distracted and just, Everything feels like a lot. And so I think this like pull of everyone wanting a nostalgic Christmas and like and a little women Christmas is genuinely because we're just like wanting to slow down.
00:12:24
Speaker
Absolutely. And I love that. It's like, maybe I'm just following millennial TikTok, but it's like millennials going back to their childhood and thinking, this is what I want. I just want a simpler time. I just want a simpler time. Yeah. Okay.
Cultural Experiences and Musical Insights
00:12:36
Speaker
My last update, I saw Wicked. Have you seen it yet?
00:12:39
Speaker
No. Because I knew you. And do you know why I haven't seen it? Because Elsie can't go? No. My daughter Elsie loves Wicked. We went last year together and it was literally something we bonded over for eight months we listened to it. But you know when you're kind of just having a hard time mentally and you feel like you don't want to go do something that you know you've been waiting to do because you feel like you can't fully enjoy it? Yeah. That's how I feel about Wicked. I feel like I need to get through... It's Black Friday. Speaking of work, Black Friday is the craziest time of year. Just like a lot. I work for an e-commerce company. And so it's just a lot going on right now. I'm prepping for a baby. And so I feel like I want to wait till I can breathe a little bit more and I can go and I can enjoy it. Like right now, I feel like I wouldn't fully enjoy Your mind would be out there. I need savor it.
00:13:28
Speaker
Maybe go the week after Thanksgiving. I'm going to that. Black Friday's over. It's not quite Christmas. Yes. And you can just go and take Elsie and it'll be a little date. Yeah. But how was it? It was so- Don't tell me too much.
00:13:39
Speaker
I mean, it's exactly what you expect, so there's no spoilers you've seen the play. Yeah, I've seen the play. And just saw it like not too long ago. It is so good. And I think like, it's funny when you go, you'll probably cry. Like if you're feeling emotional at all, I didn't cry because my kids went with me and so I was distracted with them. you bring of the boys? We took everybody. How was that?
00:14:00
Speaker
Honestly, the whole time I was channeling like the influencers, like channel with the boys who are like, take your kids places. yeah And I'm like, yeah this is me. My kid's going up and down the aisle and hopefully I'm not bothering people. Will you go again then?
00:14:12
Speaker
I want to go see it again. Okay. Without kids. Just with girls. Yeah. But I will say, i got the kids listening to the music um probably about six months ago. And so I wanted to take them because of that. And Walker, like, really loves Wicked. He he almost does it to please me. He'll be like, we'll drive in the car. And he'll be like, mom, guess what? And I'm like, what?
00:14:28
Speaker
I love Taylor Swift and I love Wicked. It's the best. And I'm like, I know he doesn't really like it, but he just wants be sweet. so Were there any scary parts that you felt like weren't like were bad for kids? Or would you suggest bringing kids?
00:14:43
Speaker
It's a hard one because I have like nieces and nephews who will watch like any Disney movie and like get nervous about it and yeah scared. And like my kids didn't like The Lion King, so like they do get scared of some things. They didn't the dad dying. like That was very hard for them. That is speaking drama. It is serious drama. That is a scary scene. It's a serious scene. And it's even scarier when it's like the real life Lion King. you know i've never seen it. Not the cartoon one. Anyways, but...
00:15:07
Speaker
They don't get scared super easily. Like they've seen like Mandalorian and Star Wars and so they were fine. Yeah. They were a little scared when she's like, no one, no. Wait, no, no, that's not the right song. When she's singing like the chant, I'm a de yom. Oh, I'm a de yom. No, I can't know what it is. But that part's been scary. The chant part's a little like, bah. Okay. But it wasn't like scary, scary. I'm just trying to decide I bring Elsie and Blair or just Elsie. I think you should just take Elsie because I think she would enjoy it more. Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:33
Speaker
I'm probably going to end up going like six times, to honest. It is so good. I've listening to the music, and have you seen the TikToks with the old cast singing with the new cast? Like Ariana Grande and Cynthia, and then the, I can't remember their names, but the original. like anytime there's like even anything like it on my TikTok, i'm like, no, i I don't want any spoilers, because I truly like, it's crazy I haven't seen it yet, but I really just like want to see this. You're savoring this moment. I like want to save it for a time when I can really enjoy it. yeah i need that. You should paint your nails green. They actually have popcorn glitter, like green and purple glitter for popcorn. You should it. We should do a girls' night too. Yeah. And do it and get some girls together. Okay. Okay.
00:16:12
Speaker
um Was that your last life update? Yeah. So I had a quite a few to go through there. Okay, thanks for with don't have a ton interesting things besides 32 weeks pregnant and I'm feeling it. And I'm sorry, if one more person tells me I don't look pregnant, I'm going clock them in the face.
00:16:26
Speaker
I think people mean that as a compliment. I know they mean it as a compliment. And that's the thing. I know they mean it as a compliment, but we just moved. So we've been meeting a lot of new people and people like you don't even look pregnant. But I feel i am in pain 24 seven.
Pregnancy Challenges and Experiences
00:16:40
Speaker
I don't know what it is about this fourth pregnancy. It's a diss. You don't like it. Well, it's a diss because I'm like, I like don't take away from what I'm feeling because I've been having...
00:16:50
Speaker
Like Braxton Hicks with a mix of just like constant pressure, contractions, pelvic pain. Like yeah this fourth pregnancy is hitting different. Let me tell you, like, I don't know if it's because I stacked them so close all my pregnancies or because I'm chasing like three other kids, but literally every day at the end of the day, I'm like, this baby's coming. Like I'm having contractions. So I think that when people like, you don't even look pregnant. I'm like, well, I'm miserable. So I'm actually very pregnant. I'm very pregnant. And like,
00:17:17
Speaker
It doesn't, my stomach doesn't look huge, but it it's because it's very low. Yeah. You are a small pregnant person. Maybe that's what are meaning. No, think it's just because like my hips are growing. So like it doesn't look, but I, it doesn't feel as big as Graham was, who was my third.
00:17:32
Speaker
Yeah. Which makes me think it's a girl. It's going to be crazy when we find out. Oh my gosh. That's so exciting. It seemed like Christmas morning, but better. I know. I'm really excited. I'm like holding onto that. I think the moral of the story with pregnancy is you probably just shouldn't calm it.
00:17:44
Speaker
Like, I think at the end of the day, like, you shouldn't say, oh, you're a small pregnant person. Or like, or wow, you look pregnant. It's so funny when it's for my friends, but it's like people are meeting in the neighborhood for the first time. They're like, i wouldn't even know you're pregnant. I'm like, I so i promise you people mean that in in good faith. I know they do, but I'm just like, no. And that's the thing that almost makes it worse is I have to be like, oh, thank you. But in my mind, I'm like...
00:18:06
Speaker
F you. Like, I'm waddling down the street right now. When they say that, you should just say, like, I feel very pregnant. Yeah, I have to pee every 10 minutes. Like, if I am not near a bathroom, like, I'm sorry, we're probably gonna have to pause at some point because I'm gonna have to pee. But anyways, feeling really pregnant. Yeah, it's really on your bladder at that point, huh?
00:18:26
Speaker
Especially because this baby's so low. Yeah, I remember that. I literally felt like a hand, like, tickling down there. And i was like, is the hand out? Is the hand out right now? Ew. That's what feels I don't think I like that. I'm just saying like for perspective, it just feels like this baby could come out anytime. And I'm only 32 weeks. So we do not want that.
00:18:47
Speaker
Did you ever see or have you seen like your baby's like foot or anything like that? Because I remember with Walker when I was pregnant, he kicked my belly and I saw his footprints. Oh, I think that freaked me out. It freaked me out so It's like a little alien inside me. the one who's like, don't bring the mirror. I don't want the camera down there. i don't want my husband down there. Like there's no reason anyone needs to see that. Yeah. Like my eyes are closed. I am pushing my eyes are closed. I remember, I think I've told this story before, but there was a light fixture above me with my first. And so I could like, the way the light fixture was, the reflection I could kind of see down there. And I was like, can someone cover that up? Cause like, I don't want to know. Yeah. Same. I'm not about that. Which is funny because Camden loves that kind of stuff. He's like, yay Yeah, he's like, he like wants to. There's the hand. Tickling. Yes. Okay, wait. one
00:19:33
Speaker
positive thing for pregnancy that you should be thinking about is is like, this will be the last time you ever go through this. 100%. It's kind of sad, but it's also kind of like. like I'm not sad. I'm not sad. You won't have to feel this again. It's feel like I've been pregnant for the past 10 years. i do. Like, I am not an ounce of me as sad. Yeah. Like, I'm like, oh it's cute. Like, feeling the baby. Even last night, I go to Camden. and i was like, do you want to feel the baby? And then he was like, feeling the baby for a minute. He goes I love you. But this feels the same as every single time and it's not as exciting and I was like, okay, sorry. just thought you wanted to feel your baby. yeah I like feeling the baby. um
00:20:05
Speaker
But anyways, random things that are bringing me joy. Selling OC. Have you started it yet? Okay. I think it's... Did you watch Selling Sunset as well? Yes. It is way better than Selling Sunset. That was exactly what I was going to say. Selling OC is better. do you think so? Well, okay. I was going to ask you about it because i feel like I recognize a lot of the places that they are, like I'll recognize the neighborhood that they're in or I'll recognize like a place, just like a restaurant or something because i grew up half of my childhood in Orange County and my grandparents live there and our family lives there. So it almost feels more like home than San Diego does. So I'm like, okay, do I like this better because I feel like I have like an emotional nostalgic tie to it or is it just better?
TV Show Preferences and Analysis
00:20:46
Speaker
I think both. It's funny, I bet they're hotter. That's kind of why we like Secret Life's and Mormon Wife's because it feels like Very. Have you watched the new season yet either? i like started. Let's debrief on that next episode. Okay. Because we're going into selling I need to finish. But. I love my trash TV obviously. Selling OC is so much better than selling OC. It is the best one. you know i think it is?
00:21:06
Speaker
And I don't mean this in a rude way at all. I think like the drama on selling Sunset is just getting old. Like it's generally not even like entertaining anymore. Where OC, it's so fresh. And I also like they have the men and women dynamic in the office. So then you get to see all the different storylines. And i like that their like spouses are a little more involved. Yes.
00:21:24
Speaker
I don't know. And it's just like fun. Like when they were, so have you watched it? Yes. Okay. Like when they're in Palm Springs, just like drinking, hanging out in the pool. I'm like, that looks so fun. Like, want to go to Palm Springs. Yes. Or that surf, um, like place that they went to. Oh yeah. I want to try that. Should we go? Remember? Boogie boarding. That's our girls trip. We go boogie boarding in Palm Springs. We need to plan this. My dad has ownership. don't like Palm Springs though. Oh really? Okay. Have you been there?
00:21:50
Speaker
Well, as i love food is not good. The food is not good. I, wait, I, you don't know this's about me. I love Palm Springs. no I don't really love Palm Springs, but I used to go growing up. It was like, maybe just need Probably an hour and half away.
00:22:02
Speaker
I wouldn't call up myself a local Palm Springs resident, but the food isn't good. I'll tell you that. Like the food isn't good, but my dad has ownership in a hotel down there. Oh. And so we could, I was going to offer for us to go stay, but you hate Palm Springs. We need a boogie board. Let's, let's put that on our 2016 bucket list.
00:22:19
Speaker
twenty sixteen oh
00:22:23
Speaker
we really We really want to go back in time. um Anyway, I have a question too. This is very important. And this might show like my selfishness, but I don't like giving all the credit to S-A-N-T-A.
00:22:37
Speaker
Really? No, because this is the thing. I feel like we work so hard to find the perfect gift for our kids, right? I want to give them their big gift. i want i want the recognition.
00:22:53
Speaker
So how do you do that? Like, are we giving S-A-N-T-A, trigger warning, if your kids are in the car and you're listening to this, spell it out Spell it out. We will try not to say S-A-N-T-A.
00:23:04
Speaker
But who are you giving the credit to? call them the man. Yeah, the big man. Are we giving the credit to the big man are we taking the credit for ourselves? Well, that you're saying the big man, we should definitely not give the big man the credit. No, I've heard, and I actually think this is a cute idea for a lot of different reasons, that Santa just gives...
00:23:21
Speaker
Oh, big man just gives. Bleep. You're going to have to bleep that out. Do you know how to do that when you edit? Yeah. I think I do. Like a curse word. The man just gives. Actually, this isn't a spoiler. Santa just gives one gift and then the rest comes from the parents. Okay. Because it's a little bit. kinder too for like other people where Santa comes to their house and like if they're not getting a ton of gifts like it yes less comparison okay I kind of think that's a good idea of like Santa does a few but my question is that like is it the big gift because I feel like there's a big gift right do you kind of do that for your kids like there's like one big gift and then like some more honestly we'll get into this but
00:23:57
Speaker
i I have thoughts. um That we don't need more shit in our house? i i like I don't know why I'm not feeling like... i don't want want any Maybe it's because Colson's birthday is also in November. yeah we just did a bunch of toys. But I am just not feeling like we need more junk. I feel that way because our playroom is also our TV room, which is the size of like an 8x10 rug. like It's literally so small.
00:24:23
Speaker
I'm like, where are we going to put it? yeah and like I saw TikTok clean out. what Wait, so giving us a tiny of context, what kind of the idea for this episode is diving into like getting ready for Christmas. Obviously, it's like craft girl Christmas. We talked about the nostalgic of that. But I did see another TikTok that was specifically around like what are your kids going to remember from the gifts they get from Christmas? And like they said, ask your kids if they can remember any of the gifts you give them for Christmas. They absolutely can't. They cannot.
00:24:53
Speaker
No, they can't. And so... It is fun to open. I'm all about that. So i'm like, how do I balance the like need for like make it magical but not overdoing it yeah and just buying stuff that we don't need?
00:25:03
Speaker
No, 100%. I don't know. I don't know. If someone has answers, please let us know because I feel like it's a lot. That's why I have leaned into like craftmas a lot this year. yeah I have my box of crafts. that I've been doing and then the kids have their box of crafts and so like whenever we have like a free moment they'll do their crafts and I'll do my crafts and we like put a tree yeah which we're like getting into the episode but it's okay but we put a tree in the playroom and they're like decorating the tree with their crafts and so I feel like that's been like a fun way to like celebrate celebrate without toys and I'm hoping that someday
00:25:36
Speaker
that they remember when they're older, that like that was a tradition we did. um Okay, before we get too much into Christmas though, I have a question. do you have Do you and Sam have your side of the bed or is the side far closest to the door always the man's side?
00:25:54
Speaker
We have our side of the bed. Because this is a huge debate. So okay, if you're staying in a hotel and your side of the bed is closer to the door, you'll still stay on that side?
00:26:05
Speaker
It doesn't matter. We stay on the side. That's our side. Not anything to do with the door. i don't even think we even consider the door. Okay, what about an intruder? but I mean, that's a good point, but I actually think... You don't think about that? uh-uh.
00:26:19
Speaker
we lock this So you're the man of the house. We double lock the door when we go to bed. but like we don't in a hotel? Yeah. I know, but it's it's not the point. It's just closer to the door. It's the feeling of being closer to the door that like you're the first point of So I'm guessing you go away from the door? Okay, well, so in our last house, it worked out that our sides, Camden was closer to the door. Okay. Okay.
00:26:45
Speaker
which was also his side. When we moved, we had a huge discrepancy because his side was on the side farthest from the door. So I was like, okay, fine, I'll try it.
00:26:56
Speaker
I could not sleep. There was multiple nights where I was like, did you hear that? Did you hear that? I felt like i was the man of the house. I felt like I was the protector. I felt like I couldn't sleep next to the door. So we had to switch sides, which was very traumatic for him apparently.
00:27:14
Speaker
But that's why I asked, like, what, so Like if you guys are staying in an Airbnb, you're sleeping next to the door? I have not even ever, I'm not going to lie, I've never considered where the door is. Maybe I just ruined it for you. not once That's crazy. i think though for me, honestly, there's not a ton of reason to it. For me, because here's why.
00:27:34
Speaker
ah Let me give you some context. You have windows. You have the door. You have like the entry door. And so it's not like being close to the door necessarily means you're more in danger. Okay, you're the first person I've talked to about this that That disagrees that the man shouldn't shouldn't always be the one by the door.
00:27:51
Speaker
This is the first. Like, I probably talked to 10 people. Who you talked to about it? Like, we should do a survey. Friends, family. So, I want to know. I'm not going to lie. I've never considered it. Like, ever. Interesting. Okay.
00:28:02
Speaker
Well, jury's out. Okay. The last thing that I want to talk about is we went to um our first NHL, NHL, National Hockey League. Yeah.
00:28:12
Speaker
We went to a hockey game. I'm sorry, those those men are so dramatic. Was it fun? It was so fun. And like the vibes are really fun. Utah just got its first like hockey team. So you can tell everyone's like super excited. We are playing the team in Vegas. So like I feel like that has to be like a rivalry, yeah right? That's probably the closest team to us.
00:28:32
Speaker
Anyways, I know nothing about hockey. Like, my knowledge of hockey before this game was Happy Gilmore. Like, the scene in the beginning. But
Hockey Game First Impressions
00:28:40
Speaker
a few fights did break out. Really? Yes. Which which kind of the fun of it, right? Like, it's kind of, like, supposed to be intense yeah but in that way. but my head, I'm like, this feels... It felt like, when I was watching it felt like two toddlers fighting. Like, the they would, like, stare each other down, and then they would, like...
00:28:58
Speaker
kind of like one of them would hit and they would like glare at each other. And do you know the refs just watch it? Really? So it's all part of the sport? No, it's all part of it. But like go to therapy. like It felt so like dramatic. Like use your words. Was it fun? Like, would you go again? No, I would. But have you ever been to a hockey game?
00:29:16
Speaker
I have, but not in a very, very long time. I really want to go though. Cause I've heard it's like very rowdy and like fun. No, it is rowdy. And maybe I'm just like too pregnant that I was like, you guys need to calm down. Yeah. It was not it. you like camden We went on a double date with some friends and I was just like, I don't know if I like the unnecessary fighting. yeah Like in football, it's like, yeah, there's like rules.
00:29:36
Speaker
You don't like want to fight, but they're literally just like punching each other in the face. Like, it feels Sounds like I need to check out the NHL. It feels barbaric. I was like, am I getting... I'm like, I don't know. It was a weird experience. Okay, I will have to go and report back, but I've been wanting to go because it's like fun. We finally got like a hockey league here in Utah. Yeah, that was fun. Like, I had my iceberg milkshake. Like, I was i was definitely... There's no kids. I was just chilling. Enjoying. Did you get like seats further down or further Yeah, we were like in pretty good seats. I know. We're going to get some tickets, but I'm like, I don't know if I didn't want to pay. That would be a good...
00:30:10
Speaker
I don't know if Sam got any Christmas present. An experience is always a better present. Yes. Like Sam got me Noah Con tickets last year and I really love that. He did a really good job with my Christmas gift last year actually. He got me. shoes to fill. I know. He got me a purse and I know that sounds like random but he's like I noticed I don't really like purse purses but he like I have purse. Do you know what TikTok sounds? I think they've done a have first race that I don't know. That was one of our first ever TikToks. It might be. Yeah. Oh, yes.
00:30:41
Speaker
At first. Anyways, and and I like always just would carry my wallet and keys around and he's like, I wanted to like have a bag where you have your stuff and like when you move from place to place, you have like your lip gloss and your sunglasses and everything. That's cute. That was like really thoughtful. It's cute because it's not something you asked for. Yes. But it's something that he just like noticed. Yes, I know. So that's what like really good gift giving is. I use it all the time. oh good. See, I was not a purse girl until I got a purse. And I was like, makes sense. I need like a big bag now because it's like a smaller one. But like, I feel like I need like a mom purse where can throw bunch of junk in there. Yeah, yeah actually. That thing is a Mary Poppins bag. That's what I need. But it is fun. I think that is the best side of gift giving is if you're actually giving something that...
00:31:21
Speaker
like you're very thoughtful about but it's hard not to just like buy something because you have like maybe you should think about things throughout the year and write it down yeah that would be a good advice okay we kind of have like done some spoilers of the episode but basically the idea is around like creating a really fun and crafty and cozy Christmas um so I guess jumping into what are your thoughts on just like Christmas December like how are you feeling about it all Um, I'm so excited. I also feel like I'm just in a chaotic time and I can feel myself getting overwhelmed. So we kind of took like opposite takes on this episode. Yeah. And so I can't, you want me talk about it first? Kind of like what I'm feeling and some tips that I'm working on so that I can keep my cool. And then you can talk about the fun stuff. Yeah,
Holiday Stress Management Tips
00:32:06
Speaker
let's do that. I'll go through this really fast. But if you are a mom that just like tends to be a perfectionist, tends to want things a certain way, and sometimes it can take away from actually enjoying the moment, like me, then these are good tips. So I'm just going to kind of rapid fire them. Um,
00:32:21
Speaker
This was really good. Choose one moment each day to intentionally slow down, which like, I feel like we say we're going to do this and when then we never do. But some ideas were like drinking a hot drink before the chaos. I'm actually going to try this. I'm going to try waking up a little bit earlier than my kids yeah for the next couple of weeks, even though I'm so pregnant and so tired. And just like having a moment before it's like the chaos of getting them ready for school yeah like rushing out the door. I just like need a moment. I need a moment because it's so hard to like listen to the whining and crying at just like 6.30 a.m. m before you've even had your own thought. Yeah.
00:32:55
Speaker
Um... Reading a book with your kid. I like, I'm really trying to do this. Cause I do think it's something, it's something my mom did during December. We had like a bunch of Christmas books and we could choose one every night and read it.
00:33:07
Speaker
um And just like having a minute to yourself, like just take it, yeah tell your spouse you're taking it and really like, don't just scroll on your phone. Like go and just like sit by the tree without like scrolling on your phone yeah and drink your drink. Like just take a minute is the biggest thing. um I really liked this one is,
00:33:25
Speaker
pick your, the I asked chat these things, because you know, he's our best friend. It said, pick your big rocks and ignore the rest, which I've never heard like the term big rocks before. Maybe like your big battles kind of. Well, it said, well, like the big things, like choose two to three things that matter most to you this season and like not trying to do it all. And this is something that we, I think we both try to do is like, you're trying to do so much yeah that you like don't actually enjoy it. Because there is so much, it's like, the gingerbread houses, the crafts, yeah the cookies, the Christmas cards, that like there's so much and it's impossible to do it all. And it feels like everyone else is doing it all. So we like sat down as a family and talked about like, okay, let's all think about two to three things that we like really want to make sure that we do. yeah Whether it's like looking at Christmas lights, like choose what's important to your family and what you guys actually enjoy instead of comparing yourself to what everyone is doing on Instagram. Yeah, that's so smart.
00:34:21
Speaker
um You have done some really cute crafts, though. I'm not going to lie. Thank you. You should highlight real quick like what you've been doing from a craft side. Well, my biggest tip, really quick, is go to Hobby Lobby, if you live next to a Hobby Lobby, and let your kids choose a bunch of crafts. They have so many like pre-made ornaments oh ke that we're going to do for like gifts for grandparents and that they use to decorate their own tree. And they're so cheap. They're 50% off.
00:34:44
Speaker
They're so easy. like The kids love them. So that has been like such a highlight of this season is... just doing the crafts and they're all from Hobby Lobby. I don't have to think about it. I don't have to plan them. I don't have um to buy a million things. It's like, they come with a kit where you can make four ornaments. You don't have a bunch of extra.
00:35:01
Speaker
I've been loving doing that. And then I'm just like all about the homemade ornaments this year. It is something that like- They're so cute though. Thank you. I love just like putting the kids to bed, putting, selling OC on and just like making some ornaments, trying to like decompress from the day. Trying to do that instead of just like scrolling on TikTok. Smart. Or like,
00:35:19
Speaker
doing chores. Yeah. Because like I need to decompress right now. She did these really cute like glass um ornaments and then you used like, was it paper? Like wrapping paper or tissue paper? I used napkins. Okay, napkins and put on top of it and then did Mod Podge. Yeah, yeah. That was so cute. I have, I'm working on some fabric ones right now.
00:35:37
Speaker
dar I'll be posting that on Instagram soon. um Okay, and then the last thing was decide what you're not doing this year, which is kind of what I was just saying. Like, I'm not doing Christmas cards this year. Yeah. I'm all taking it off. I know. It's sad, but we tried to find a picture in the past six months, and there isn't a single picture yeah of us. That's hard time. Because I was like, I'm just going to do casual. like Yeah. I'm too pregnant right now to like take a picture. like its just Yeah. i wouldn't It what doesn't sound fun. it doesn't It sounds more work than it would bring me joy. I love getting other people's... like
00:36:09
Speaker
I still want everyone else's, which is selfish. I will do mine next year. But I just like told myself- It's say no to it this year. Yeah, I'm not doing Christmas cards this year and that's okay. Yeah. And like verbally saying it to your spouse and saying it out loud, like, hey, this is something like I want to do I kind of want to do, but I just don't have the bandwidth for it. Let's just do it next year. Like feels like taking a breath of fresh air.
00:36:31
Speaker
Yeah, we did something like that with um Sam's siblings. We stopped doing sibling gifts for each other. Amazing. And like, honestly, it felt like it got to a point where we were just like all exchanging the $50 to each each other. Like we literally were doing REI gift cards because we wouldn't know exactly what they'd want. To get someone, especially when you have to get like your sister's husband something and you're like i don't know what do you wants. Exactly. And so what we do and now instead is like take that money and go to like a nice dinner as a family. I love that idea. Yeah. And it's so much less pressure and we still do the kids gift exchange. i think that's very important for them to like think of their cousins and stuff like that.
00:37:04
Speaker
But um like, I feel like we never even got like things we were like super excited about. and it And it was just stressful trying to figure out what to get for other people. Exactly. Yeah. No, I i think I told my mom that we should do that because we don't do sibling gifts at all right now.
00:37:19
Speaker
But just having like a nice adult dinner, that's what we really want. It's like a kid's free dinner. Yes, exactly. My mom did a really cute thing for our gifts this year. She sent a little note out and it said like, hey, Santa's calling. Everyone go to Anthropologie and spend X amount and send me what you want by Sunday. And then she ordered all for us. So she's getting it all so get all wrapped. But then it's like something we all got to like choose out. And we just had like a budget to do. I'm like, that's such a good idea because then people get to like Spoil themselves, especially moms who don't spoil themselves. Yeah. So something my husband's family does that like I have a love and hate relationship for because it can be, I think I've talked about it last year on the podcast is we do make gifts.
00:37:59
Speaker
What? Make gifts. What's make? Like you have to make it. So all the adults. I don't think I could handle that. I don't know how to make. All the adults will draw names and will make each other gifts. And like, they're not just like, oh here's a cute little ornament. Like they are all out. Like his family is very creative. And the idea is like. Like what? I don't, I wouldn't even know where to start. Like give one idea that you've made.
00:38:24
Speaker
something and Okay, last year my brother-in-law was doing an internship in Chicago. So my main gift was i got him a journal and I did a ton of research on Chicago, like the best restaurants, things you have to do. And I made him a journal of like a checklist of all the things he has to do while he's on his internship.
00:38:41
Speaker
So like it doesn't have to be necessarily like made handmade, but... A lot of them are. But that was like me kind of being like, I don't know what to get him. I need to be like super creative. People like build things. They'll like weld things.
00:38:55
Speaker
They'll like, there's, I'll have to think of some You're putting me on the spot, but it's, it is really might be thinking like a sourdough kit would be kind of cute. Maybe sourdough starter and then like buy something. And it just depends on who you get. But anyways, this year we're combining...
00:39:10
Speaker
Make gifts with thrift miss so you can either make a gift or thrift a gift. Oh, which is like really fun. Yes. I like a little more up my head. Yeah, I mean I love making stuff. I love making stuff but it like it is like what do you for honestly had to be bad at thrift miss thrift miss. But it's kind of stressful beforehand because you're just like, oh my gosh. It's like you really to think about it. You can't just like go to the store and something. You can't do it minute. But it is so fun on Christmas Day seeing what everyone Like seeing everyone's creativity. It's more the end the You don't know who got who. So it's like always like a fun little surprise. Yeah. that's something we do with the adults. Instead of buying gifts for each other, we do make gifts. That's super cute. Yeah. With my mom's side, we do favorite things. So everyone brings two favorite things. Then you get to go home. I remember last year we were shopping for your favorite things party.
00:40:00
Speaker
with them what did i get we're at anthropology and i just remember you were being like is this a good favorite things i need to go christmas shopping i like going in person because it's kind of fun okay so i talked about this already at the beginning like kids won't remember the gifts we actually asked like our audience to write in like what's like a gift that like your kid loves and like remembers and no one wrote in one thing i'm not kidding that just shows you is it can you think of anything for that my kids have gotten Yeah. Or from my childhood. No, no, no. Either one, I guess. But like, is there anything where you're like, oh my kids really love that gift?
00:40:34
Speaker
It was the Barbie dream house last year and when we moved we got rid of Really? Yeah, they did play with that a lot but there wasn't room for it in our new house. I do feel like yeah, something that that can entertain them for a long time. yes I'm like trying to think with my kids. But they don't know that that was from Christmas. Like I don't think they necessarily connect like, oh yeah, I got that on Christmas or I got that for my birthday. Like they know it was a gift. Yeah.
00:40:56
Speaker
I feel like the things that I think are really fun for kids are things that you can do like over Christmas break, like Legos, building trains, like crafts, yeah like things that you can actually make the activity and experience. you have a gift from your childhood that you remember?
00:41:11
Speaker
i got a snowboard one year. Okay. I was going to say the only present I ever remember was I got a surfboard. Yeah. So, but it was something that you used a lot. Yeah. And I remember you begged for it, probably. Yes. You begged for mine. Mine was like behind the tree. Same. My parents act like I didn't get it. Yes. After everyone ordered their... It's the Christmas story. It's the BB gun. It's the Red Ryder BB gun. Well, our parents were the same. But like I think even at... But I was older.
00:41:37
Speaker
was probably... I think I was like 17. Yeah. And so I think at this age... they're not there's not gonna be a Red Rider BB gun for them. They're mostly gonna remember. And like we have to prepare ourselves. We have kids, we're ages where like they might cry on Christmas and be like, I don't want this. yeah And like that's so hard as a mom when you've put so much time and effort and like frankly money yeah into gifts. And then they're like, I don't like this. And you just wanna like...
00:42:05
Speaker
slap them but you just have to be like well like that's part of getting a gift to like I'm preparing myself mentally that there's probably going to be tears. Yes well and I think like they do just love opening everything I think that's honestly the most fun is like opening a lot of different things and I think like I'm trying to make it like fun for them to give things like when they give something to their sibling that they chose out and they get to see like their facial expressions or excitement. Like, so that's that's what I'm trying That's something did growing up is we'd go to Target as a family and we would split up.
00:42:35
Speaker
Cute. And it'd be like, okay, you two go get a gift for this person. Now we're going to split. You two go get a gift for this person. And it was fun because you're like doing it all at once. So I think we're actually going to try that this year. I think the kids like might be big enough where they can understand it. I feel they would be. For sure. I'll report back on how that.
00:42:52
Speaker
Ghosts. Okay. So obviously we talked about like the gifts being not the most important thing. So it's more creating the feeling. So a few things that I've done and like done added like what you've done too.
Creating a Magical Christmas for Kids
00:43:02
Speaker
I love the Christmas countdown. My kids love every day changing the Santa like 30 more days. like It's almost like the build up. That's actually my next Christmas craft is I got a wooden one and I'm going to hand paint it. So that it can be like nostalgic and Look it up on ChadGPT what numbers to add on it because it's only six sides.
00:43:18
Speaker
Okay, i was gonna i was I was trying to do the math in my head, like what numbers do I paint on it? I don't know answer because I was surprised by the numbers this one had. Okay. um Okay. You mentioned this, having the kids do their own Christmas tree and they can add their ornaments and craft ornaments on And then your tree gets to be how you want. Exactly. It's actually just like such a mom hack. I do think, as much as I said, I don't care if my kids know about the big man. Oh, yeah.
00:43:43
Speaker
i I do love this the changed your tune magic of Santa. i just think like I do think it's sweet, right? Mm-hmm. It's, again, that surprise element, like thinking of, like, Colson was asking Walker the other day. he's like, so, Walker, how do you think Santa gets down the fireplace? I'm like, okay. It is, like, kind of magical. Yes. And then you mentioned this, but I have my Christmas books out. I always bring the books out for the season and just reading and stuff.
00:44:08
Speaker
Okay, so that's kind of what I'm thinking as far as like, you know, making it very special. I wanted to end with, um oh, actually, I'll add one more tip. I think it's good to clean out your toys before Christmas and like make a bag for donation. And like, I always tell my kids, like, we're going to new things. You get take the toys that you have donate to someone else who may not have these. Yes. Yes. We always that too. so that's always helpful. And then I think also like the things you can do to make those memories and also make Christmas about like serving other people and gifting to other people. Like that's going to resonate with the kids. There's like so many resources to do this too. Like I know our school is doing it where you can like get gifts for a family.
00:44:45
Speaker
um Like usually church churches are doing it So this is like such a good thing. i feel like at this age, Tim's still in them. Like not everyone gets as many gifts on Christmas. Let's go.
00:44:57
Speaker
like give a gift and like that feels so much better. Yes. This is something I like really want to start doing. I think we're going to do it this year. Yeah, it's so sweet. And it's just like the season of serving, whether it's like buying a coffee for the person behind you or like, because it's amazing as the holidays can be. It also can be a very stressful time and lonely time. Stop, I'm going cry actually thinking about people not having family on Christmas. Buy a coffee for someone at Starbucks behind you. way too hormonal for you to be talking about this. I'll shift gears then. Okay, so I did want to, I know it's not all about gifts, but I did want to create like a mom wish list because I think like obviously you're,
00:45:32
Speaker
putting together a lot of Christmas and so sometimes it's fun to like get a couple things that are special for you. And I'm so glad you're doing this because not being pick me, but I literally have nothing that I can think of that I want right now. And I know when you talk about this, I'll be like, oh yeah, actually I do want that.
00:45:46
Speaker
it's just like such a crazy season of life that I'm thinking about the new baby. We just moved. like I'm like, what do I what do i want? I haven't even thought about it. Okay, so these are some of my tried and true. As a pretty picky person, like honestly, like I don't like a lot. Like I'm not like, I'm obsessed with that about many things. yeah But these are like my tried and true, like things I'm like, I am obsessed with. I own these. And I'm going to start with like the lower ticket items that could be used for like a favorite thing, the sifter's gift or best gift. And then I'll go to the big ticket items, which is like if you're getting one big expensive gift this then This one might be Allie. will say the gift you got me last year is, to this day, probably one of my most used favorite items. And I am going to mention that Is it the It's on the list. Okay, wait. Hold And I think about you every time I use it, which is so, and like it's something I use ton. That's the best. Like when you can actually nail a gift, like so. You nailed that gift. It's it's a good one. Okay.
00:46:35
Speaker
So the first thing is actually North Face Puffy the vest. Oh. Do you have one of those? No. Okay, they're super comfy. They're very cute. That's a little more on bigger ticket items. was going to say, I thought you were sorry with lower ticket items. is a clothing item, though, but it's not like... I have the vest. I would like to get the cropped puffy as well. Oh, so cute. Classic, cute. Everyone would love it. have a Patagonia one that I love.
00:47:00
Speaker
Oh, puffy? Yeah. Same. I love my Patagonia. Okay, a Jet Mask. We're from Sephora. The Jet Mask... from Summer Fridays. o It's like a very, i give it I've given it to friends as I could get before. it's just a very creamy lotion that just feels like, like it seeps into your skin. Okay, actually I have one to add. I just got the Oak Essentials, which is the Jenny Kane brand. Oh, I've heard of that.
00:47:23
Speaker
Oh my gosh. So it's more expensive and you know me, I like a drugstore item. yes So when I try an item that is a little more expensive and it works so well, I'm kind of like, oh, dang it. Is it a lotion? It is an exfoliating like wash, but it's so gentle.
00:47:37
Speaker
You come out of the shower or like come out from using it and it seriously feels like you got a facial. Like your skin feels insanely soft. Well, and I feel like those big ticket items are worth it because it's also like self-care for yourself. Yes, luxury. Okay, this is a new one that I just got because I was having a hard time finding a perfume that I liked. It's the glossier you brand, but it's the flavor floor or floor. where How do you say that? Yeah. Floor.
00:48:02
Speaker
Have you heard of this? It's like really popular on TikTok. You can get the little sampler set if you're wanting to go for more, something more affordable. Yeah. But it smells amazing. I think it's a perfect mix of like. Husband, listen up. Yeah. Listen, perfect mix of like not too sweet, but not too florally. I love that. Yeah. I should have put it on site and let you smell it. Okay, I will say I love, I've been obsessed with Dime Beauty lately. Really? Yes. I've never gotten anything from them, but I love that. Oh, I am like obsessed with Dime Beauty, and I've gotten a few of their perfumes, and I love them, and they're clean.
00:48:33
Speaker
And I've gotten Camden some other cologne. So also, if you're a husband, they have a sampler pack. Get your wife the Dime Beauty perfume sampler pack. Okay, we will link these. And I think good for...
00:48:44
Speaker
Mother-in-law, yeah sisters, yourself. yeah You can shop for yourself. Okay. Go-to every day. These are actually a few of my go-tos every day. The Laneige Lip Mask. Every day I use it. I love it so much. i know you use keep it on my bedside. Yes. Yes.
00:48:59
Speaker
And I know there's dupes. The dupes aren't as good, though. They're not as good. The classic. not good. And I like not the lip gloss one, the circular tube. Yes. Yes. That you put your finger in. just raw dog it yep okay you know i love this one i actually have given an added favorite things before sai don't know say brand the slip tint yes you love that it's just uh i still haven't tried it i love it do you have like a favorite um tinted moisturizer yes what is it merit no the amazon it's on amazon really it's korean skincare the herborean
00:49:33
Speaker
It like for some reason my skin just loves it. I have dry skin and it is it's cheap But it's it's one of those where it goes on white. Oh, yes gets tinted after yes, and it's the perfect amount of coverage for me and it's just like sunscreen and It just like never looks cakey, which I love yeah, and just so cheap. That's like my career obsession where is like or skinwear. Korean skinwear is really in um Okay. i Let's see.
00:50:00
Speaker
i like... Talk about the one. Oh, and this one is a new one, but I am level 10 obsessed. Really? Yeah. It does a lot for you to be obsessed. So like you, this is, these are good recs. I'm actually wearing them right now. The Ritzia socks. Have you tried them? No, but I have heard. They are like, this would be such a three pack of these. they And they're like thick.
00:50:20
Speaker
The reason why they're so amazing is they're thick. Hopefully my feet aren't like sweaty. They are. Mine are right now. I'm wearing my slippers. Like, I have three pairs of them. I will wash them to avoid, like, put wearing my other pairs. I wouldn't say they're, like, gym socks. How much are they?
00:50:35
Speaker
Like, uh... I think a three-pack is, like, $45. But worth it. I think... And, like, that would be ah such a good favorite thing. Even one pair of them. child finally just got an Aritzia. Yeah, I bought them in person. Really? And I'm like, like is this worth it? This is so expensive. And I can get one for $10 at H&M for six pairs. But they don't last.
00:50:51
Speaker
I do love my H&M, but these are a different level of quality. And if you put them on, it just feels like a cozy slipper vibe. I love the Bombas. boom bo Yes, people are obsessed with those too. I wonder if they're a similar vibe. Yeah. Okay. um These are a little more pricey, I guess, but they're not my buy big ticket items. These are just some things from Anthro that I really love. um I feel like everyone has these, but they're honestly the best. The platform slippers from Uggs.
00:51:18
Speaker
Oh yeah, the tops. have them. They're amazing. I love them. And they also give you a little bit height. I have to say, these Amazon slippers that I got for $16 have been, i own, they're actually, as good they're actually my house slippers. So I broke the rules by wearing them tonight, but I only went from the car to inside. yeah But I am obsessed they're $16. I need to link these because these would be a good gift for like that you need for under $20 for like mother-in-law, wife, sister-in-law, stocking stuffer. Like I got these for my birthday and just the fact that they're 16 bucks and I don't care about them.
00:51:49
Speaker
Well, everyone needs a new slipper always. I also added, I haven't bought these yet, but um I know that I'm getting them for Christmas, the Doc Martin um mules. They have a huge, chunky platform, so you can wear them in the snow. And heard from a high schooler that those are very cool right now. know, got to stay up with the high kids. I'm over here with my Amazon slippers. I didn't share my update about the girl. please share it. Please share it, actually. One of our friends, her little daughter came up to me picked up. She's like probably 11 or 12, and she goes, have to tell you something. I'm like, okay, what? She goes, I thought you were 17 because I thought you're Colson's babysitter, not his mom. And I'm like, Thank you. Honestly, that's the best compliment. I love feeling younger than I am.
00:52:31
Speaker
um But I did have like the realization of the other day, I'm like, I'm going to be like 40 in eight years. No, don't talk about it. Don't talk. So I don't think about it? Okay. And then the last thing, I just put some mugs from Anthro. I feel like that's a classic. Yeah.
00:52:43
Speaker
Everyone loves a cute mug. When we went shopping at Anthro last year during Christmas, I got two mugs. Do you remember this? Yes. They like had little gold yeah things and I use them every single night. We got them on sale too. Yeah, they were like $6. Should we go back? We need to go back. and We need another Christmas shopping. Okay, big ticket items. Wait, before you talk about big ticket, what did you get me last year that I'm obsessed with? And that is worth the hype.
00:53:04
Speaker
The glow brush. The glow beauty brush. I got it from all my sisters. I bought Black Friday and got six of them. And like, I'm upset. I can't use other brushes. No, I can't use other brushes. And there is something after a long day of just like oh the scalp massage. And I do really feel like it's helped my hair. Yes. Which, wait, hold on. Go back to hair really quick. I bought a satin bonnet. Oh, did it help? Has it helped? I don't know. I can't. I put it on every night. And Camden's like, I can't. Like, I can't with you. Like, you're wearing your granny slippers. You're wearing, like, your...
00:53:36
Speaker
Pregnancy pajamas and now you have. and i Yeah, I have my red light before I go to bed and he's like and now you have a freaking bonnet like I can't he makes so many jokes But I'm really trying to focus on my hair health. That's also like you go to bed ugly to look up wake up beautiful. Yes He hates it I do want try those like twisty things really bad.
00:53:54
Speaker
like Like heatless curls? Yes. i like I've tried the sock curls and I feel like they didn't work out. Well, this is a problem with the bonnet. i go to sleep with it on. I wake up. at the like And I am tying it tight. But like you also don't want to tie it so tight that you're uncomfortable. so like if you are a satin bonnet girl, can someone give me tips? Yes. Am I just...
00:54:13
Speaker
too pregnant? Am I trying this at the wrong time? Maybe it needs to be tighter on your head. Because actually you said, what do you want for Christmas? The only thing I want, and because I'm so worried about, my hair always falls out like crazy postpartum and I know I'm going to be entering that.
00:54:24
Speaker
And I can already see it like starting to fall out a little bit on my hairline. So like Camden, if you're listening, I just want like a three month supply of Nutrafolia. Also Nutriful. You should let know if that's worth it. If you want to sponsor me. They probably would sponsor us. Let's just tag them and see if they give us free product. Nutriful, we need you. We should do. We actually want a free Hot Mom Christmas and we'll give it to someone if you send us all the products for the brands. Oh, yeah. A Hot Mom Christmas. Yeah. I like that. Our little woman princess.
00:54:54
Speaker
Stop. Don't make me laugh. I will pee my pants. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Big ticket items. Oh, and I forgot to say another good ah favorite things gift is the slip um hair elastics. They're actually so
Gifts and Luxuries: What's Worth It?
00:55:07
Speaker
good. and They're the same brand that does the silk head bonnets. Are they the kitsch ones?
00:55:11
Speaker
Because I got the Kitsch one. see if i have one on. I actually remember one time you let me borrow it, and I made sure to give it back to you. I think it was when were Nashville. I was like, i want to make sure that you get this because I know this isn't a normal hair tie. And you were like, thank you. I appreciate that. really appreciate it because, honestly, they're they're like $40 for like a pack of five. And so I'm like, that's the thing is – The reason why I come going like luxury items is because like you wouldn't buy that for yourself necessarily, but when you have them, you're like obsessed. Yeah. As a mom, youre like, I don't need I have so much shit to buy. Like I'm not going to. So it's nice to get it as a gift. I love it. um Okay. Big ticket items.
00:55:44
Speaker
I have three. Okay. My espresso machine. Did you get that last year for Christmas? I think I got it for Black Friday. Okay. I guess it's not a holiday. it is it's Which you should link your espresso machine and I'll link mine because mine was significantly cheaper.
00:55:59
Speaker
i feel can go either way. I wouldn't even say there's a specific one you need to buy, but I'll tell you what, I've saved money a thousand percent with that. yeah, you have. The Chobana Creams, I'm addicted to my own situation now. and just having like it my i I go to bed thinking about how excited I am to wake up to my espresso machine Yeah, and you go to Starbucks, and I went to Starbucks today, and I got a vanilla latte, and I was like, honestly, eh.
00:56:20
Speaker
That's how felt a Dutch Bros. It was so sweet. I know. I'm like, this is insane. It's so fun, like a little treat vibe, but. Oh, yeah, sometimes you need someone else to make your coffee. Also, like, 15 bucks for two coffees, like, okay, I can pass. got a cake pop and a vanilla latte today. I did go because our power was out, so I needed to charge my laptop. Yes. So it was like, I don't know, a work.
00:56:37
Speaker
But I was just kind of like, if I didn't come here to work, this wouldn't be worth it. Exactly. sorry Starbucks, I love you, but like. I do love a little outing, but it's like so nice when you come and get home. Okay. hundred percent I think we both can agree on this. We've talked about it a lot on the podcast.
00:56:50
Speaker
Robot vacuum. Okay, mom but my question for you is like, if Sam got this for you for Christmas, it's Christmas morning and he's gifting you a robot vacuum and that's your present. How would you feel?
00:57:02
Speaker
i I don't know. I'm not like, I have to like, I don't know if I, like we've talked about this before and I don't necessarily, i am not offended to get a cleaning supply Christmas. Because I have a memory of my mom going bat shit on my dad for getting her a vacuum for Christmas. Cause she was just kind of like, how dare you? That's valid. I think if you're going to get that,
00:57:20
Speaker
Make it the family gift and it's for everybody because it is for everybody. Yeah. And then, but like, if you want to spoil yourself, like, yeah I think that's a great gift because you're doing way less work. Because we need You have to do anything. Yes. It's so nice. They're literally, it's life changing. And like, if you're going to give your spouse that gift, make sure her stocking is full of Sephora good and diamonds. Yeah. Like i I almost love a st stocking more than like a gift because I love all the links come in small boxes. Yeah, and they all but like nicer Sephora stuff, like those hair ties, the brush, all that would fit in a stocking. Totally. um
00:57:53
Speaker
What was I going to say about, oh, we need new sheets this year. And Cameron's like, I'll get you new sheets for Christmas. And I'm like, both sleep on the sheets. He's like, we should get new sheets for Christmas. But like, he could probably care less about the sheets. You should say, no, sweetie, it's okay. already got them for you for Christmas. I said, what if we just like pass it back and forth? Cause like I want the nice quince sheets again. Shout out quince if you want to work together.
00:58:13
Speaker
Um, but like I want good sheets. Yeah. I'm getting old and I want good sheets. Good sheets matter. and you should keep an eye on Black Friday cause I feel like everything has, know about quince though. Cause they're already so low price. don't think they do a time of sales. Shout out quince. I just love them. Yeah, theres stuff that's actually where my bag's from. It's like a dupe. I remember I took it to San Francisco and my ah boss was like, is that a Balenciaga? Balenciaga? Whatever, yeah. I don't know the main brands. And I'm like, no. And she's like, oh. And I looked it it's a $4,000 bag. Like, Quince does a good job on the dupes. Can we talk about how it's so embarrassing when you ask someone, like, oh, is that from Target? Like, is that the one from Target? And they're like, no this is like... The real one? The real one? And you're like...
00:58:53
Speaker
oh Oh, like it just sucks. I have the same one from Target. It's so nice when people say like, oh my gosh, you got the free people this or like the real one of this and you're like, no, it's the dupe, but it wouldn't. The other way around. Not the vibe. It is awkward. It is so awkward. Okay, wait. i What's your third big ticket item?
00:59:11
Speaker
I can't remember now. I need to look. Do you remember what it was? No. ah Oh, yes. Speaking of hair trauma, the shark blow dryer, $1,000, $1,000.
00:59:23
Speaker
If you don't know what to get your wife, girlfriend, someone for Christmas, and you're a guy listening to this, which why are you listening to a podcast about moms? If you're getting this DM from your wife. Yes, if you're getting this DM, she wants the shark beauty. okay And if you want to upgrade, also get the carrying case. I got the $13 carrying case on Amazon that organizes it. Yes.
00:59:45
Speaker
game changer. Also- For travel too, that's nice. Yes. Also, My brain just stopped working. Oh, also they have different attachments. Like this year I'm like in my stocking, I want like the bigger barrel. Yes, I have that. Yes, want the attachments. They're like 15 bucks. How do you feel about shark versus Dyson? they Okay, when we went on our girls trip, I think two of them, two of us had Dysons and two of us had sharks, right? That's not funny. You all brought on the girls trip. There go. That's your evidence. Yes. you We went on a trip and we all brought it because then we didn't have bring curling iron and we could just do our hair with a shark. Yes, but I think that they, i okay, the shark was louder.
01:00:18
Speaker
Yeah. I noticed that. But I really did I use Savannah's Dyson and I feel like for the price difference it wasn't that much better for how much more it was. I love my Shark equally as much as I would love a Dyson if I had which I don't have one, so I can't really compare, but it's been high quality, that's for sure. I haven't had any issues with my Shark, and I'm very happy with it. Do you clean the filter? No. Make sure to clean the filter. I need to, because it's a couple years old. But they have some more affordable ones, too, on Shark. I was looking, because I was looking links on our shop, and they have some for under $200. I bought mine at Costco. Yeah, mine's at Costco. Shout out, Costco.
01:00:55
Speaker
And if you really need a good gift, go to Costco. They don't let us link them, but. I know. Can you link on Costco? I don't think so. I don't think Costco's on Shop. My savings are too good. Anyways, we need to wrap this up because going to pee my pants. All right. Bye, guys. Bye, guys.