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EP 81: February Catch Up
1.6k Plays4 months ago
Welcome to our very first monthly catch-up episode! At the start of each month, we’re taking a beat to check in, share life updates, and chat about what’s been on our minds. And wow—January felt like it lasted a whole year, right?
In this episode, Candace opens up about a major life update following the flooding of her home, sharing what life has looked like as her family rebuilds. We commiserate over the never-ending stretch of January and the collective sigh that is finally reaching February. Plus, we talk all things Evie—Candace’s youngest is turning ONE, and we’re reflecting on the past year of baby snuggles, milestones, and the chaos of toddler + baby life.
Whitney gives an update on work and what’s been keeping her busy, and we wrap things up with an exciting announcement: Mom Group Chat Merch is coming! We’re putting together something special for our community, and if you want to be the first to know when it drops, sign up for our MERCH WAITLIST!
Join the official Mom Group Chat Facebook group: Mom Group Chat | Facebook
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
00:00:07
Speaker
There's no right way to do it.
00:00:12
Speaker
Oh, we're going to get into it.
Introduction to the Mom Group Chat Podcast
00:00:14
Speaker
What up moms? I'm Whitney Williams and I'm here with my best friend, Candace, and this is the Mom Group Chat Podcast. Hello. Hey guys.
January Blues and Groundhog Day Humor
00:00:24
Speaker
It is February. I mean, um I'm telling you, January was the longest year of my life.
00:00:33
Speaker
No, I'm not kidding. i think And it seems to be a collective feeling. It seems like flu season took everyone down this year. Six season has been hitting everyone hard. January ray was so long. Well, Chris and I were talking about it last night and we were like, there was literally five weeks in January. like And this whole freaking week is long. ah Yeah, the fact that we don't get to the first until Saturday, we still have this whole week.
00:01:03
Speaker
Yeah, but when you hear this, it's February and we've moved on and yeah, Groundhog's Day has passed, my friends. Oh, did it? Hold on. Okay, wait a second. We need to talk about this because I, when you posted that ah TikTok on our stories, that was so fucking funny, by the way. So funny. I love that that came up on my algorithm. like Was that like actually the Groundhog's Day? like Did he see a shadow? Is that what happened? No, I think it was a countdown to Groundhog's Day and it was like nine days until. um And I mean, it's on February 2nd, usually. And it's actually funny because, you know, I posted that on our stories and my mom texted me and goes, what show was that that you're talking about? I was like, that is not a show.
00:01:53
Speaker
That is just the groundhog. What's his name again? It's like Patuxy. Yeah, Patuxy Phil or something. Isn't that it? Yeah.
Personal Struggles and New Beginnings
00:02:04
Speaker
Oh, my God.
00:02:05
Speaker
Well, umm I have not been a very good groundhog over here. I've been a naughty, naughty groundhog.
00:02:17
Speaker
so But for real, I just haven't quite started my journey. But it's it's on the horizon. I just feel like I can't focus on that right now with like us still being at my mom's. and And we just are out of the flu fog, as I'm calling it.
00:02:32
Speaker
So it's it's on the horizon. But I have had a lot. You've had a lot going on. And I mean, everyone is on their own frickin journey. Like, you know how they say, like, you can't make anyone do anything. And, you know, for me, it was like I had just like hit that wall and was like devastated. I guess it was like two weeks ago. So it was like I was there and you were like, you know what? I want to be there, too. But until you can get there, you know, it is what it is.
00:03:02
Speaker
Yeah, no, it's it's a coming. It's a coming. But it's like we got to make our big change first, which I'm excited to tell everyone about because we are at the end of this insurance hurricane flood road. And I never want to visit ever again. OK, I never want to go down this yellow brick road ever, ever, ever again.
Podcast Format and House Hunting Tales
00:03:30
Speaker
Yeah, you have to tell everyone like what you all have decided to do, what you've been doing behind the scenes, like indulge us. Tell us everything. Yes. So, OK, I'm going to pause quickly and just say that we have started a new like structure of mom group chat to where the first episode of every month will always be an update. It'll just be like the February update, the March update. It's funny because you know we always like plan ah we always plan like topics and you know things we want to talk about, but a lot of the times are just like random catch-up episodes seem to be everyone's favorite where we just like shoot the shit and catch up on life.
00:04:12
Speaker
So we are taking the notes that you guys have given us and every, the first episode of every month will always just be a life catch up. So that's, I just want to start by saying that, which we always do in the beginning of every, but this one's like, we're just gonna.
00:04:29
Speaker
Literally, shoot the shit. And I love it. I'm excited. Let's catch up. Me too. Me too. OK, so I guess back um the very beginning of January, like right after New Year's, we um a house popped. I mean, I don't know how detailed I want to get with this. Anyways, I guess I'll just try and I'll try and shorten it. But, you know, a house popped on the market that we were interested in, that we got excited about.
00:04:57
Speaker
but We went to see it. It was a weird situation. The house, like it was like illegally turned into like an eight bedroom rental. It was a strange situation. But we saw the potential in it and it got Vinny excited and I was able to convince him to put our house on the market. I was like, listen, worst case scenario, we take it off the market and we can still build. like you know We'll see.
00:05:20
Speaker
So we put our house on the market. We ended up putting an offer on that weird house, um but they were being kind of sketchy. It was owned by an investment company and they just were being kind of sketchy. They weren't like responding to us right away. They countered us twice with full asking price, even though the house needs like a lot of work.
00:05:40
Speaker
So we just kind of, were we got the ick from that house and we decided to walk away, but we kept our house on the market and we got a couple of cash offers like right when it was listed. and um And then things really like took a turn two weeks ago, I guess, or so, I don't know. And we got an amazing cash offer from a builder who obviously, like that's who ah that's who's buying our lot. I mean, it's a flooded house. The house has to be torn down.
00:06:08
Speaker
it is substantially damaged. like There's no repairing it. We couldn't repair it even if we wanted to. We wouldn't be allowed per FEMA laws because it's over the 50% rule. So who that's who's buying our lot is people who just want to build. So an amazing builder offered us an amazing offer for our lot. And then at the same time, we saw a house that we fell in love with and made an offer there.
00:06:35
Speaker
And we are under contract for both of our houses.
00:06:40
Speaker
Finally. Yes. And for those of you wondering, yeah, insurance is still processing LOL, but we learned, we learned some things along the way that even if our house were to sell before that insurance money is processed,
00:06:58
Speaker
like That money is ours. It actually does not go to build to the builder. The only way it would go to the builder is if um like the house were under foreclosure or something, which isn't the case. We've been paying our mortgage, all that stuff. So even if we were to close before we got our insurance money,
00:07:17
Speaker
that insurance money would just go straight to our mortgage company. They are required to like release it, but they could see that our loan is paid off and they would release that money to us immediately. So that's all good news. Um, and yeah, it's been so such a journey. And I know I, I've probably been on here a million times talking about a million different options like building. We're going to move to Tennessee. We're going to move to Dade city. Like, I don't know. You ever said you were going to move here, but there was a moment.
00:07:47
Speaker
No. Y'all. I mean, we didn't really talk about that. There was no like, I'm not kidding. guy Well, I just need you to know, like I had firmly planted my stake in that ground. Like I was like, we're moving to Nashville. I mean, we talked with a realtor. Like we were serious for real. We were serious. I was like, yeah, I um was really excited about that. And then And then I think, yeah, I think that's when y'all switch and you're like, no, we're going to rebuild. And like Vinny got in his head. He's like, I'm not leaving this spot, but something you also didn't mention is that the house that you found is like within the area of where you live. Yes. It's like a win-win.
00:08:31
Speaker
Yeah, we'll be six minutes from our old house, just more inland. This house did not flood in either storm. Thank God. And, um, a little bit more inland. Um, but still like super close to Alice's school. We don't have to like move her. We'll still be able to be close to all of our friends and everything. So, you know, I think the long and short of it is that we are just Tampanians and we love Tampa and.
Deciding to Stay in Tampa
00:09:00
Speaker
we do like being close to family and there are so many, like we just feel like our life is here. you know yeah So we you know we decided to stay, even though I was like ready, I was packing my bag. I had full like dream thoughts of us feel like recording the podcast in person every week and shooting YouTube videos like I was in.
00:09:23
Speaker
um hey That dream can still happen, but I think we all made the best decision for you. Well, I think for you yeah the biggest drivers for us were the fastest route to stability yeah because this house is currently vacant. So as soon as we close, we are able to be in there like we get the keys and it does not need a single thing done to it. It is turnkey ready. Like we don't have to do anything.
00:09:52
Speaker
And then to be honest, the offer on our current lot was just such a great offer and is putting us in a place financially where we can like breathe a little bit and is not like a total loss.
00:10:07
Speaker
um which you know just feels so good to like think about going into like a new era or chapter of our lives where we can like just be stable and like get into a true routine where I'm not like in someone else's space or like it's it oh my god I could just I mean I could cry thinking about it it's I'm just so excited to move and to get settled. I have so many like things I want to share with you guys on social media, like decorating these rooms and like furnishing our house. And, you know, we lost everything like you guys know. So I we don't have much to move. Like we have Vinny Edward Candice. I was like, oh, my God, you don't have to like pack up
00:11:00
Speaker
No. No, like I'm not kidding. Vinny and I said everything that we own and that our take is that we're taking to the new house can fit in the back of his truck bed. How crazy is that? That is wild. I mean, you're going to like move right in and like how fun that you get to kind of do a whole new start in
New House Excitement and Personalization
00:11:18
Speaker
your house. Totally. Which is like yes and no, that sucks. But at the same time, like I think I would really love that. No, i I'm excited. era This is going to be fun. We are. I know you can post. if We're going to have to start a mom group chat home account.
00:11:36
Speaker
Honestly, for those of you that are interested. But yeah, I'm excited. i And we've been like getting the girls excited. Alice, actually both girls went with us to look at the house the first time. And Alice has already told me about her birthday party with the bounce house she wants in the backyard. So we got plans happening there. um Yeah, Candace's backyard is huge. I was like, you can have 10 bounce houses, Alice. like Go at it.
00:12:03
Speaker
um And another, I feel like another good thing is like you will have your office space in this house. Yes. Yes. So we do have an extra bedroom in this house. It's very small, but it doesn't matter because it's just mine. It's just my office and why a it's mine.
00:12:20
Speaker
No, like for real, I've already like I'm it's going that that is mine. And also our master bedroom closet is quite small. So I've already told many like I'm probably going to hang most of my clothes in my office because that has a closet. And then That way you're like on makeup room slash. Yeah. Oh wow. Cause there's not really anywhere for me to like in my, in our old house, I had like a vanity that I sat at. We don't really have room for that in this master bedroom. So my office desk, like I already planned it. Like I'm going to do L shapes and the one side of the L is going to have like a tabletop mirror on it. And then the storage on that side of the L shape will be like beauty and makeup. And then,
00:13:06
Speaker
The other half of the L is going to be more like work focus and I'll have some like officey things. But I mean, my work supplies are literally like my computer and my own. So, you know.
00:13:18
Speaker
exciting stuff. I can't wait to see it. I was like, send me videos immediately. Oh yeah. I took a video. I never sent it to you today. No, I've been waiting for days. Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry. We're also going to be fair. I, my, the video I took is not great because the inspector was there with me and I just thought he was judging me, yeah which he probably was. But tomorrow we're going over again at five with our realtor. Cause I wanted to measure the windows to get blind. So we're getting back in there tomorrow.
00:13:48
Speaker
God, you're so lucky. Once you buy the house, it's all you want to do is like get in there and measure and our people lived here. Gosh, I don't um't even remember when we signed, but they lived here for like a month or two and I was like, please let us come over, which they were so nice and they let us, because they honestly had to show us how to work everything. we're like What goes to this and how do you turn on the lights outside? You know, it was just they walked us through everything. And meanwhile, I had my tape measurer running around by myself while Chris was learning about the house. Yeah. And I was like, I must. You'll fit me in later, dude. Yeah. Decorate. It's so fun.
00:14:30
Speaker
Yeah, I'm really excited. The house is small. It's actually smaller than our old house, but it's very well laid out and it's like, that's the other thing. Like Vinny and I know that this house we're buying is not our forever home. Like we just needed, again, the fastest route to stability. So we- Smaller as in like, it just doesn't have like that playroom. um Like square footage.
00:14:58
Speaker
Oh, well, you have more bedroom and. Yeah, such. But yeah, we have one more bedroom. That's the thing. It's like our old house, like the dining room was huge. You know what I mean? Like we had that office space and the kitchen. The bedrooms were pretty good size in my old house. Like the square footage was just like distributed differently. And it was more it was more square footage.
00:15:22
Speaker
but this one is very well laid out and like a little bit more open than our old house. like The kitchen is open to the dining room and living room. so Also, this is so such a niche thing that I'm excited about, but if you have dogs, I think you'll understand. We have dogs that like they're going to sleep on the couch and like be on the couch. i'm not I'm not going to be the person that's like, no dogs on the couch, but they definitely ruin my couch. okay And our new house has French doors, glass French doors that can close off the living room. So when we're not there, I can close off the living room and keep Finn from doing naughty things on my couch. It's just Finn. Go to your bed. No, we'll keep all the other doors shut.
00:16:13
Speaker
No, that's me in my new house. I'm like, you know, like Remy isn't here, obviously, but all of our rugs are stained. I'm Remy. It's like, it looks like we have a dog here because literally you see pee stains everywhere in my house. I'm like, well, now it's just Remy. She's here with us.
00:16:35
Speaker
Oh yeah. No Finn's been a naughty boy peeing on everything in this, in my mom's house. Honestly, he almost got us evicted for real. So Mm hmm. Yeah. It's hard to get out and I don't know. Yeah. For me, like it's never really fully. I mean, she peed outside, but it was like sometimes she I don't know would just pee inside. I'm like, why? You know what to do out there?
00:16:59
Speaker
Yeah. Same with Finn. Finn knows he's just, I don't know what is up with him, but he's means's a naughty boy mark for sure. third in yeah That'll be so fun. I'm so excited for this new face. Like honestly, you can already tell like your spark is coming back. Oh, it totally is.
00:17:19
Speaker
I'm getting my personality back, you know, that's hot. No, I definitely am getting my spark back. I'm so excited to like share more about our home and everything. So if you don't follow me on Instagram, make sure to follow me over there. And yeah, I'm so excited. No, and I mean, even since we like had our our mental breakdown or maybe I have mine and then it was more like Am I okay? It's like, even since then, I feel like we've taken a turn from the beginning of January to now. It's like, wow, so much has changed. Oh my gosh. So the ground, we are ground hogging, maybe not like fully physically, but we are, we're doing it in like mental and emotional ways as well.
00:18:10
Speaker
Yeah, I feel like for me, i I mean, I've been kind of concentrating on the ground hogging, but also like we've done a lot of updates to the house, which is just a fricking weight off my shoulders. Yeah. Just getting like some stuff done and um things have been just sitting around like, oh, we took off some curtains, which were like fucked up one of our walls. And then Chris and I fixed it together and I was like, look at us. Like we're like contractors, we're handymen.
00:18:37
Speaker
And it felt so good to get that done. We got Margo's wallpaper done, which is so, so cute. And we're going to work on all that, but yeah, I don't know. I've been walking again. I feel like I've gotten like my swagger back. I'm not as like, I don't know, depressed, whatever the hell I was going through. Well, you know, I mean, that's fair. You were just like having a down slump. You were in the valley instead of the mountain. And that's like so normal, especially for this time of year. And also just motherhood is filled with peaks and valleys, honestly. Did you ever watch land before time? Of course, all the time. Oh, my God, actually, I thought of the Great Valley, which is their home.
00:19:25
Speaker
That, okay, the beginning of that movie, can we just talk about it for a second, is one of the saddest pieces of film ever made. know I actually think I need to see it again. oh i mean I think it would make me ball my eyes. The way it makes me want to eat a tree star. I don't know what it is. It a i don't i would eat You don't even eat lettuce. i want I would take a chunk out of that leaf.
00:19:54
Speaker
Like I want it. Oh my God. That is so funny. Um, okay. Wow. I need to watch them before time. Maybe that's something I could dive into with Alice. Well, it's one of the shows that like is on you on YouTube and has dinosaurs in it that we let Graydon watch because there was this weird like thing that we started letting him watch. It's like this brand called pink Fong. Okay. Yeah. the Don't they make cocoa melon?
00:20:22
Speaker
Yeah, it's like ping pong. Anyway, they do a lot of like dinosaur stuff and like whatever that SMA or whatever that is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Stuff. But they play with toys. And I mean, he was like angry when we would turn it off. And we've learned like, hey, if you watch like land before time, before bed, he's fine. It was like something about all that stuff was aggravating him. But um they have like a whole show about it. He loves it.
00:20:53
Speaker
Highly recommend. Damn. That's amazing. Yeah. And it's so cute. um I think I might try that on Alice because she also is kind of into dinosaurs right now. Like that's a thing for her. Well, I i mean, that movie came out when we were really little and it was probably my like comfort movie when. Yeah, me too. I i always wanted that on.
00:21:17
Speaker
wow I know.
Catching Up with Life's Challenges
00:21:19
Speaker
um What else is new with you other than like house projects and house work? Like what else is new? I just feel like with with work, it was like we just got launched into the stratosphere. It was it's been so freaking busy and nonstop, like taking those that break from Christmas and all that I felt like was a detriment because now I'm just playing catch up. And then we had I had surgery and then it was MLK. And I'm like,
00:21:48
Speaker
And then it was a snow day. I'm like, oh my God, we've had so many days just like sporadically off. I don't know. I'm just playing catch up, trying to keep everyone happy. Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's hard. Um, I do think I've like, to be honest, I feel the same way as far as I catch up with work.
00:22:10
Speaker
and all of the holidays. And then for us, like we had Gasparilla, which is like kind of a weird holiday and a lot of my, or I guess not a lot of my clients, but some of my clients are local. So like people's take off Thursday, Friday around Gasparilla weekends, which there are two of them. So there's, and then MLK day. And then I mean, it's just been gasparilla, the super spreader. No, literally, Gasparilla is where we caught the flu. Oh, yeah, for sure. It's crazy. Every single person that we came into contact with on Gasparilla weekend during the children's parade, their kids caught the flu. No shit. Yeah.
00:22:50
Speaker
Oh, my God. Yeah. Which is crazy, though, because I I don't know. I must have some super immunity. Knock on some motherfucking wood right now. But I have not caught it. Neither has Vinny. And I was just joking. I thought it was just I was talking about you and Brittany just because. But no, no, no. No, I talked with Danny and Paige, who are two families that go to school with us. And I saw them on Gasparilla. Both had the flu.
00:23:20
Speaker
Which is crazy, because like Brittany, who I saw, Poppy and Alice didn't even touch. They didn't even touch. I don't even know if I touched Poppy. It was crazy. Yeah, it's a wonder you didn't get it. Honestly, I don't know how, truly. I don't know how.
00:23:39
Speaker
ah I feel like so many people have been like had some like crazy thing. It's not just a cold. It's like, Oh, you got pneumonia. You have flu. You have COVID. I'm like, yeah, RSV. I'm just like, Oh my God. It's wild out there. It's a wild, wild west. And no one's immune. You know, that's the thing. It's like, Oh, I can feel sorry for y'all and like feel bad for what you're going through. And then it's like, boom, it happens to me. I'm like, no, you know my mom is down bad right now.
00:24:09
Speaker
I'll see. Which is why I have Evie rolling around talking to herself in the monitor.
00:24:18
Speaker
lord Are'all just like staying on either opposite sides of the house? Yeah, she's kind of staying in her room and I've heard her a couple of times come out and like she'll get water or something really quick and then go back to her room and you grab. But like. you're like I mean, at this point, like we've been living in the same house together this whole time while Alice has been had the flu. I just feel like I'm not that worried about her germs. like They're definitely the same germs we already had, you know? And Alice was all over you. So yeah, Alice was all over me, all over her. My mom is primarily, especially when Alice was really sick and she was stuck to me. Like my mom primarily had Evie and Evie's totally fine. So so weird. I feel it's so weird every time um Chris gets the flu, which
00:25:09
Speaker
He gets it sporadically, and he gets the flu shot a lot. I mean, he has to. But he gets it sporadically, and every time he's gotten it, I've been out of town. I don't think he's had it since our kids have been born. We've only had COVID since Graydon's been born, which we all had it at the same time. So it was just like we all were miserable together. But every single time he's had the flu, I've just been out of town, and I've missed it completely. like Your body knows. I'm like like, I'm in Wisconsin for work or I'm somewhere else. And he's like, I feel like shit. And I'm like, thank God, I'm not there. The other thing that's on the horizon is Evie's first birthday. I know. I'm like, when are we going to
Mom Guilt and Family Reflections
00:25:51
Speaker
talk about this? It's like literally coming up.
00:25:54
Speaker
I know it's so soon and I am having all the feels, like way more feels than I had with Alice and I know why. I mean, I'm not to like get all therapy on us right now, but it's because the floods obviously like happened in September and I just feel like our life has been so uprooted that I haven't been able to like relish in these last like four or five months. like yesterday when Hannah was texting us pictures of TJ and I went back to like look at pick look for pictures of Alice and Evie and I just realized like I don't have a ton of photos. like I haven't been taking as many photos and videos as I did with Alice, which makes me feel guilty and like shitty about it. I feel like I missed things that like
00:26:43
Speaker
you know, I should have been like soaking in more. And I feel like this maybe is a common feeling for second time moms that yeah I feel like the first way. Yeah. Well, that way with Margo and that didn't happen to me. Yeah. You just have more time to give. But just because like this isn't the same childhood that Graydon had doesn't mean like this isn't her childhood. You know, like she doesn't know what she doesn't know. And Yeah, you might not have taken all the pictures, but you've been there. And I mean, she doesn't know what's going on. So that's good. I wouldn't beat yourself up about it. But I do recognize that I've felt that way. I thought about it the other day where I think it's like Chris took Graydon. And I like rarely get a alone time with Margot. And I was like,
00:27:37
Speaker
wow it's so nice to like spend some one-on-one time with you like you never get to be alone with me and it's kind of weird that way no I and you know today I'm alone with Evie my mom is sick with the flu like I said and ah my in-laws took Alice So today has been like a one-on-one day and I've been trying to like take lots of photos and videos of her and like just like really relish this one-on-one time with her and she is just oh my god I'm gonna cry.
00:28:09
Speaker
She's just the cutest, s sweetest, like i like the biggest ray of light, like truly. I love her so much. I thank God for her during this season because she is just along for the ride. She's so chill. She is like zero problematic, like zero percent but problematic.
00:28:30
Speaker
like she's just such a sweet happy angel baby and I love her so much and I'm excited to celebrate her. I think another reason I'm like having serious mom guilt is like I just don't have any plans for her birthday. Like
00:28:46
Speaker
It's just so hard. I feel like first birthday is such a like at home thing, you know, and we obviously are at my mom's and my mom is also like not down with like hosting here. She's like, you know, she I mean, I get saying that.
00:29:04
Speaker
Yeah, she's just not like we wouldn't have it here. Am I in love with like a condo building? I don't know. It's just I feel like I have a mental block about Evie's birthday to the point where I'm just like, I think we're just going to get a cake and like celebrate. Yeah. Or maybe nothing wrong with that.
00:29:21
Speaker
Yeah. Or maybe like we do it two or three weeks late because we're, we are going to be able to be in our house on February 14th. Like is it weird if I wait two weeks and do a birthday party like after to where I don't think so at all. It's like a housewarming slash. Yeah. Like housewarming slash celebrate Evie to where we could set up her high chair and like do a cake and you know,
00:29:45
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, even making it less pressure by being like, come and go between the hours of whatever after her nap and and six, you know, and just, we are going to be having cake. That's honestly what Shannon did for TJ. She was like, hey, we're having a New Year's party, but also TJ's having cake because it's his birthday. Yeah. ah yeah Yeah, maybe we just need to do that. I'm just like oh, okay cuz I it's it's been weighing on me and I feel like I like go back and forth of like Oh, maybe I'll book like a music class thing. I'm like, she's one. I just I don't know just do it at your house get it
00:30:25
Speaker
It doesn't have to be perfect. You don't have to have all the furniture. Just be outside and enjoy. Yeah, we do have a we have like an amazing covered huge back patio. And we decided that our TV that wasn't our master, our master doesn't really like we don't really want a TV in at this go around, which is either.
00:30:45
Speaker
Yeah. So we're going to hang our TV in the back porch with like a outdoor TV cover so that we'll be able to like enjoy the TV out there and like watch football and, you know, have a cool like outdoor space. Perfect. So yeah, I'm excited. think that'll be perfect And since she's your sunshine, it's one lap around the sun.
00:31:10
Speaker
all that Oh, I know. I mean, I like that. I mean, that'd be so cute. And it's like your new beginning. Mm hmm. The sun is here.
00:31:22
Speaker
Okay. Wait, I like that. I'm stealing that idea. wow perfect Um, but yeah, I just can't believe she's one. And also I was thinking we are closing on these houses on Valentine's day, February 14th. And we brought her home on February 14th last year. That is so cute. I remember that. Um, she had a little Valentine's outfit on. It was so cute. I remember I wanted that. Where was that from? What brand was that?
00:31:50
Speaker
Someone gave gifted it to me. I remember being like, I want that for Margo. But I think it was sold out in my size or in her size.
00:32:02
Speaker
i I'm picturing you in a Valentine's ones. I remember. ah So I know Evie was like, she's scooting around. How is she on the walking? Oh, she's fully walking. Have I not told you that? No. Yep. Gets up and walks like fully. I mean, she'll take probably a good like 10, 15 steps and then she'll plop down. But she's like fully walking and has been for the past like two weeks.
00:32:29
Speaker
the second kid man, which again, I know that's, it that's another thing. Like I feel guilty about is like, she started walking and like, I don't even have any proof. It wasn't even like that big of a deal. It was just like, Oh yay, go Evie. And then it was like, that's it. Now you're like, well, now it begins because yeah everything and it's more like,
00:32:51
Speaker
Yay, you're walking. Yeah, for sure. I will say also, and I'm i'm curious if there are any third time moms in here, if this is true. I feel like the way I feel like the mom guilt I feel about Evie and like not be not as tuned in is almost fueling my need for a third baby. Oh, really?
00:33:16
Speaker
Yeah, like I feel like, okay, like if i if I knew it was my last time for real, I would soak it in more. I would do it differently, but would I? But I don't know. I don't know. I definitely, like it's so, I mean,
00:33:34
Speaker
I actually sent Vinny a video earlier, like an Instagram video, and it was like a video of a woman. It's like me on my way to ask my husband for a third baby after my after a full mental breakdown about the two I already have. And I'm like, that's literally me. like I do not want a third baby right now, but like I also want a third baby, like a psycho. so You're going to have a third. It's just a matter of like, get set. We're going to wait till Evie's. Yeah. We're going to wait till Evie like turns two and a half or three. And then we'll talk about it. Yeah. I think that that is perfectly smart. And oh my gosh, like how freaking cute will that be? And it's so weird because, you know, my best friend Morgan had her baby.
00:34:21
Speaker
Two weeks ago and like I got to go visit. Did I tell you I visited her? No, how was it? So freaking cute. I haven't been ah around a newborn and I mean forever now. um but I like walked in and she's like, do you want to hold them? I was like, I'll feed them. Cause you know, it's so nice to like not have to feed at least one of the bottles of the eight that you feed them. So I was like, I'll feed them. Like I'm feeling like the hero here. And he was so good and ate his whole bottle. He was so quiet and he just fell asleep on me and he was so sweet. And I was like, Oh my God, they're so cute. It's fun when they're not.
00:35:00
Speaker
Yours. Yours. And I'm like, oh, I love him. He was so sweet. um He is genuinely the cutest like baby I've ever seen. He's like perfect looking. He's perfection. and Good job, Mo. Good job. He's so cute. But it was really fun like to have that feeling, knowing like that I'm not having him anymore. And I was like, oh, I just felt so comfortable with him. And he was so cute. And then I was like, all right.
00:35:29
Speaker
Every time to go. It was really fun. I don't know, something about like your best friend's babies. It's just really special and sweet. so It totally is. I love it. That's so exciting. Gosh, so many new babies. It's so, yeah.
00:35:50
Speaker
It's such a special like memory to think about, like not only obviously like bringing home our little babies, but thinking about like meeting your babies and meeting Shannon's babies. It's just such a special thing to like be able to experience that with your friends.
00:36:08
Speaker
But yeah, it's like, we're just in that crazy phase of life. Like I went and saw Morgan and then um my other best friend that I grew up with is getting married and like, we went and tried on wedding dresses. And I was like, all right, this is- Whiplash. so I'm like, and wedding dresses, I'm back to wedding planning and not babies. And this is her, I mean, she has not been married before. So it's like, I gotta remember like, oh, this is so special for her and- Totally.
00:36:36
Speaker
Uh, I mean, and she looked great in everything cause she has the best body ever. So it was really fun. I was like, this is like dressing a Barbie. Yeah, that's so fun. I love like if someone else, whatever, but it just was fun with her. So yeah yeah. Yeah.
Merchandise and Disney Trip Plans
00:36:54
Speaker
So the other exciting update we have here at mom group chat is that merch is coming, which we have teased. I swear to God for a year now, but for real this time guys, it is coming.
00:37:06
Speaker
So we want to start by like gauging interest. If you are interested in purchasing merch, um there will be a link in the show notes of this episode. It will also be on our Instagram and we'll create a highlight that says merch. um If you will go up and just sign up in the Flowdesk form of just being like, it's just like an opt-in like you would to get an email newsletter, but we're just trying to gauge interest to see how much we should order and what you guys would be interested in. um We'll probably do a poll on our Instagram too to be like, what do you want to see? That sort of thing. But we do have thoughts. love Yeah. We've already wanted to. do Are we telling?
00:37:49
Speaker
what our thoughts are. Sure. Okay. So we're thinking definitely a hat because freaking cute. And then a pullover because hello, that is our lives. We live in that. Yeah. Crew neck. Yes. Crew neck. Yeah. A crew neck. And then a t-shirt.
00:38:05
Speaker
T-shirt, woo! So, and the designs are so cute. We're so excited. The hat'll be definitely like something you could wear with a lot of different stuff. It'll be great for summertime, like spring and summer. So we're excited to show you everything we've created. And um yeah, if you're interested, just go to the link and sign that baby up. And yeah.
00:38:31
Speaker
Send that baby up and then once we get stuff in like hello, we're gonna be doing giveaways, too So yeah, definitely so fun. Look at us I'm excited with our new logo stuff and all the cute cute things that we have I Can't wait to wrap Me too. I'm excited with my new groundhog body obviously I know No, I didn't even get to say, okay, since, ah but oh, this is actually really fucking funny. Okay, so I was asking Chris, I'm like, so did you listen? Cause you know, I was like, I don't want Chris to know. And he was like, no. And then as the day went on, he's like, so has anyone like said anything about your episode? I'm like, why did you listen? And he's like, no. And I'm like, Chris,
00:39:19
Speaker
Yes, you did. He's like, no, I didn't. I don't know what you're talking about. And then finally, I was like, Chris, I'll tell you what people said if you told me you listened. He's like, okay, of course I listened. I listened every time. He was like, I was just trying to let you do your thing. And I was like, Chris, just tell me, God. He's like, I didn't wanna like,
00:39:37
Speaker
get in your business about it. I'm like, whatever, dude. Like I knew you were going to fricking listen, but, um, that just made me laugh. And that is funny. yeah We did get a lot of DMS on ground hogging, but, um, anyway, the journey. Yeah. if you If you're, if you're listening to this episode and you haven't listened to a previous episode, you're probably like, why the fuck do they keep talking about ground hogs? Go listen to when it was our I don't want a mom today episode right when we talked about that We talked about like 21 days. We're gonna you know, it's like groundhogs day. We're gonna come out and see our shadow and That whole thing go back and listen to that episode and you will get the reference But now it's just become a part of our vocabulary. We're groundhogging. We're groundhogs Groundhogs day
00:40:27
Speaker
And you know how like people name their listeners like the giggler. They're the gigglers for giggling. So it's like the ground hoggians. OK, I love the idea behind that, but it's not sticking. It it has to be chat related. Like mom, the chatters, log in, stick and piss off Candace. No, I don't like that. I don't want the ground hoggians.
00:40:55
Speaker
It sounds like a Podunk football team. How do we explain that to like it brands? Be like, our fan are our listeners are called the Groundhoggians. They'd be like, excuse me? It's so funny. Oh my god. but It's stuck. I love it. It's funny. It is funny. Love you. Love you, Groundhoggians.
00:41:21
Speaker
Oh, well, I'm trying to think if there's anything else on my in my brain that I need to empty out. Were you traveling at all? Anything? Oh, OK. That is something actually my year has filled up quick all of a sudden. So we have um my cousin getting married in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Very random Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, April 25th. So we have that we have um
00:41:52
Speaker
I guess nothing right now for the summertime, but the end of August, we are going to Lake Tahoe, unclear about with who, or we just know that we have the dates, that's all.
00:42:05
Speaker
and then um I am going to me to Mexico with my Q1 moms in November. Shout out to the Q1 moms. So fun. We are doing it all inclusive in Mexico and I'm super excited for that. And then randomly Vinny popped on me. He's like, yeah, by the way, my friend's getting married at an all inclusive and resort on October 18th. And I was like, okay, so I'm going to Mexico twice in one month.
00:42:33
Speaker
Oh my God. Which is another reason I need to be a groundhog. That's how I feel. I'm like, Chelsea's wedding is in August. I'm like, oh.
00:42:45
Speaker
I gotta get it. Yeah. So that's happening. I guess that's it, but I don't know. It feels like a lot. Oh wait, in May, my friend Keller's birthday is in October. So, or sorry, is in May. Sorry. Oh my God. Let me throw that sentence over. I'm so sorry. Keller's birthday is in Orlando. I was, I meant to say Orlando and I said October.
00:43:07
Speaker
is in Orlando in May and she invited me. So we're gonna do we're gonna drink around the world and go to Disney. I'm so jealous. Like I wanna do that right now. Like we actually for real need to do a you and I and the kids and the husbands group.
00:43:27
Speaker
trip to Disney where we have like two or three days with the kids, but also a adults only drink around the world situation at Epcot where we get babysitters. Like I need that for my mental health. I think that they could be old enough next year. I think so too. I think we should get that on the books. Do we like splurge and stay somewhere? Yeah. we were okay What? Yeah, we need to be on a monorail, which means we're saying at the we got to be on a monorail. Yeah. Yeah. Which means we have to be at the Polynesian, the contemporary or the Grand Floridian.
00:44:07
Speaker
I want to stay at Grand Floridian. That sounds nice. Grand Floridian's so nice. I know. But Polynesian and contemporary are great too, but they're just different vibes. Contemporary is more like upscale, like modern. And then obviously Polynesians, like you're in Hawaii. And then. Great. Grand Floridian's very like old Florida. Wow. I want it all. I know.
00:44:33
Speaker
Do you show? um Yeah, that's got to be on the list. Honestly, I need that. I think I mean, they'll both be. Two. And then our kids will be four. Yeah. Wow. That sounds fine. Yeah, we're going to. Well, I'm going to get on that. Wow. OK. If you're a Disney travel agent, send us a message. I'm panicking. I'm like, hurry. Where are we going? That sounds so fun.
00:45:00
Speaker
Yeah, that sounds amazing. um Well, this has been so fun. I love chit-chatting with you, obviously. I feel like this was a really good update, positive update. Yes, only positive things. I do kind of feel like starting February 14th, like that's my new year's, like my all of the goals I have, all of the things I want to do, like I just feel so stuck.
00:45:26
Speaker
here at my mom's I love you mom so much but I just I need my own space in order to like make progress on the things I want to like do so I'm so like excited happy new year everyone and you're almost there and I can't wait to see everything I know I'll keep you guys abreast obviously Oh, perfect. Well, um, yeah, keep us updated. Awesome. All right. Love you guys. 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.