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EP 69: Remembering Shannon
1.9k Plays1 year ago
In this week’s episode of Mom Group Chat, we’re taking a moment to remember someone incredibly special to us. It's been a year since we lost our co-host, best friend, and beloved sister in motherhood, Shannon. Today, we’re revisiting some of our favorite memories with her—the laughter, the heart-to-heart conversations, and the countless moments that left an unforgettable mark on our lives and this podcast.
Join us as we reflect on Shannon’s unique humor, her unwavering support, and the light she brought into every room. We’ll share stories that capture who she was and the legacy she left behind, along with the lessons she taught us that we carry forward every day.
We know many of you loved Shannon too, and we invite you to laugh, cry, and celebrate her spirit with us. Here's to a beautiful friend and an unforgettable co-host—one we’ll never stop missing but will always hold close in our hearts.
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Transcript
Introduction to Mom Group Chat Podcast
00:00:07
Speaker
There's no right way to do it.
00:00:12
Speaker
Oh, we're gonna get into it. What up moms? My name is Candice and I'm here with my best friend Whitney and this is the Mom Group Chat podcast. You know, on the trip, everyone said you had like the most soothing voice and I really listened to that intro and you're like, what up? And it sounded so soothing. Oh my
Candice's Voice Insecurity
00:00:35
Speaker
gosh. Okay. That makes me feel so good because I am deeply insecure that that that I have the most annoying voice.
00:00:43
Speaker
No, no, no, I don't think so at all. Like it was, it is great. And I've learned that I have like quite a deep voice. Yeah. Yours definitely doesn't like travel as much. Like in editing, I always have to amplify you. Yeah. I'm not a screamer. Um,
00:01:04
Speaker
But yeah, I I get it. Maybe I'm just so used to like listening to you all the time, but it sounded good. Oh, my God. Thank you so much. So it's funny that you were just talking about voices, because obviously, like my preparation for today's episode was going through old clips and listening to our episodes with Shannon and pulling some like funny moments or good moments or whatever.
00:01:31
Speaker
And um listening to her voice back, a I just love her voice and miss her voice so much. But we do have such similar like inflections and and remember how people used to say they couldn't tell you all apart. Yeah. And our voices are so similar. They're they're different. But I think it's our like our inflections and our pronunciations of things are similar. and Yeah, I remember people being like, I couldn't tell who was who was talking like y'all were. It's just you grew up the same way. I feel like if you were to put like me and like Chelsea in a room together, you'd be like, well, they talk the same just because we grew up with each other. So.
Authenticity and No Makeup
00:02:14
Speaker
Well, I was telling Whitney before we pressed record, this is my very first episode recording with not a stitch of makeup on. You guys are getting me raw and real today. And ah that is for sweet Candace. I was like, you look.
00:02:32
Speaker
normal to me, like this is how I know Candace. That's so sweet. and This is, this is a real, this is me. And yeah you probably don't know that because, do you know that song? Because you're not a Disney girl. I know Disney, but are you singing like some wild? Okay. Well, you know, I know, know that.
00:02:53
Speaker
ah i think my rock a show that you watched at seventeen that was for a five I don't know. Okay. People came to my defense in the Facebook group about that. They also loved high school musical at the same age. So I, I hold no shame. Okay.
00:03:10
Speaker
You know, that's crazy. um One thing I will bring up about Camp Rock is that like that Demi said she was like doing cocaine while we're doing that show. And she's so young. I know. That's crazy. So crazy. Yeah. um Where was I going with this? I've already lost my train of thought. Just let your bear naked. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And then I was going to give my reasoning. Not that I need to explain myself, but it's also going to explain a little bit
Therapy, Preparations, and Concert Plans
00:03:36
Speaker
about my day. So first of all, I had therapy at 10 a.m. And it's my first therapy session since all of the flooding and everything. And I knew I was going to ball my eyes out. And then tonight I'm going to the Sabrina Carpenter concert with my friend Shannon, another Shannon who
00:03:56
Speaker
is also very was also very close with Shannon. We all went to high school together. So this is Shannon. I know her, Shannon De La Torre. Now she's married. But she was also very good friends with Shannon McCarthy or Miss Shannon Finn. Anyways, now I'm making this confusing, but I'm going with her um and I am like going all out on glam and Serena Carpenter makeup tonight. And I just didn't want to have to like do makeup now and redo it.
00:04:23
Speaker
Yeah, plus I know today's episode is going to be emotional. And I was like, I'm just going to let it fly. I'm showing it up. I'm showing up without makeup. That way, if I cry, it's like not a big deal. And I don't have to like worry about things happening. You know, this might be a little puff, but for forgive reasons. Yeah, I'm already puffy. um I feel like I've done nothing but eat out and ah like But didn't you say you lost weight from the stress? So maybe it's just like balancing out. That's true. That's true. I definitely have lost weight because of anxiety and stress, but.
00:05:06
Speaker
You know, it is what it is. um Yeah, I feel like this is an episode like it's funny because I feel like we could do one of these episodes all the time.
Remembering Shannon: Dedication and Reflections
00:05:20
Speaker
Like, yes, we're doing it during this time period because we are coming up on the one year anniversary of Shannon's passing.
00:05:27
Speaker
But like I feel like there have been so many moments in our in the past year where we've like almost wanted to do an episode like this like for her birthday or yeah just a topic that maybe like she would really like be into, we would want to maybe remember her a little bit more than we would you know on a normal episode. And so i'm just I just wanted to say that I'm so happy that we're doing this episode and to bring her back into the fold a little bit. Also, because we have a lot of new listeners since in the past year. like Obviously, our show has grown so much, which is an amazing
00:06:08
Speaker
you know, thing. And i I hope that she's proud of us for growing it even more. But there's a lot of people, like I got a message from someone who was like, oh, I started listening after, you know, Shannon passed. So if you're listening to this and you have not listened to like the first, what, 20, 30 episodes of the show, like I highly, highly encourage you to go back and to start from the beginning and listen to the episodes with Shannon because Even me listening back to them preparing for this episode, like she brought so much value to the show and was so freaking funny. Like I was cackling trying to find some of these clips and. um I just miss her so much. Oh my gosh. You happy or sad?
00:07:02
Speaker
both, truly both. I'm like, I've wanted to go back and listen and I'm scared. Yeah. you know I mean, I'm not going to lie. It's an emotional roller coaster. I also need to say like, I'm definitely in like a sad place of life right now. So, and I, one of the things I like talked to my therapist about today is like,
00:07:25
Speaker
You know, I'm going through this super hard time personally, like with everything that's happened in the past month and to go through one of the hardest parts of your life without your best friend who you would normally like vent to and like, you know,
00:07:43
Speaker
it's really hard and it makes her absence like so apparent and so heavy, like almost heavier than it was before. um And so I have to say, like I am in a sad, like ah as far as like my you know grief with Shannon, like I'm sad about it still very much. like It's really hard. and But that being said, like I'm listening back to these clips and I'm cackling also. So you get both.
00:08:19
Speaker
I know. um I think just with it approaching approaching, it's like bubbling up again. Like there's not that I'm like trying to suppress it, but I'm all i'm it's easier to talk about because it's all surface level, like easier to like bring her into conversation, easy to like say, oh, yeah, Shannon, that is.
00:08:42
Speaker
But like as it's approaching, and I'm not like, I don't wanna cry, but like fall is like usually like my favorite time of year. And now that the leaves are changing and falling, like I find myself staring because that's like what I like saw at her funeral was like- 100%. And so now i'm I wanna cry. like I know.
00:09:10
Speaker
season, I'm like, I don't this is a bad reminder or something. Yeah, even like the way this is so specific, but even like the way the sun sets in the fall and like the timing of the day, very bright. bright And yeah, I agree. It reminds me of the of last year, like of how I felt during that time. Like it's so apparent. It's so earlier and it's like.
00:09:39
Speaker
Uh, yeah, I felt that way. Like when we were on the girls trip and like the leaves were starting to fall and I was just like, Oh no, I get, I get like a sick feeling. Like truly I get nauseous. I'm like, Oh my God. Like I just, that feeling is so, it's still very fresh. Like it's that I can feel it immediately, you know?
00:10:03
Speaker
ah So yeah, we don't.
Honoring Shannon's Humor and Spirit
00:10:06
Speaker
Yeah, we don't want this episode to be like all sad. I mean, there it will. There will be sad moments, obviously kind of remembering, I think the most heartbreaking part of like clipping some of my favorite moments or y'all's favorite moments that you submitted on Instagram is just like hearing her excitement about Avery and having a girl and just excitement for the future.
00:10:34
Speaker
is really hard and it's, um So it's just still like so unfair that she's not here to experience all of that. And that part is hard. And then, like I said, there are moments where she's telling a funny story that I just like out I can go from crying my eyes out to laughing and in point two seconds and I probably sound like a
00:11:11
Speaker
So. There will be sad moments, but we hope that this um episode will just kind of keep her alive in the show. She will always be a part of mom group chat and she brought so much to the table and we will never stop highlighting um her and everything she brought. so I mean, even like I'll bring it back to like what you just said, like that is just like so her to a T like she is also so raw and like willing to get so deep with you like that you could be like sitting on the floor crying and holding each other and then she would like crack a joke and pull us out of it type. thing Yeah, like that is just like her to a T. So I like that you said that. I mean, yeah, like that's how I remember her so.
00:12:04
Speaker
Totally. Okay, so I figured the way that we would go through this episode is I pulled some clips from different episodes that you guys mentioned in our question box, whether that's like something that made you laugh or a special moment.
Amusing Giggle Fest with Listeners
00:12:25
Speaker
um And then I also I havet haven't run this by Whitney, so I think she's fine. um But I was also going to play some of our Giggle Fest clips from before we even... You know I love these. Before we even like was able to get through our first recording,
00:12:51
Speaker
These were like test testing, like we were testing audio, we were trying to get through our first episodes. And I have all of these clips of us not being able to like stop laughing. And um so I thought, wash shanon two yeah, yeah, she couldn't keep her shit together. And it was so funny. So you guys have never heard some of these clips.
00:13:18
Speaker
but Literally this episode is titled episode four Shannon giggle fest intro got the gigs I know oh no
00:13:47
Speaker
Okay, let's do it. yeah Okay. Como estas mamacitas? I mean... Oh my God! I was supposed to do it! I know, but she's arrested! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Yeah, I'm ready. I felt the giggles so bad. All right. Okay. All right. Okay. Oh my God. Okay.
00:14:29
Speaker
Okay, here we go. I'm for real this time. For real, for real. Como estas mamacitas. I'm here with my two best friends, Shannon and Whitney, and this is the Mom Group Chat podcast.
00:14:40
Speaker
Oh, we're coming off a ah strong gig fest. Yeah. Giggly fest. Oh, man. Oh, my God. That was intense. I thought I was never going to get out of there. It truly you said it best when you said I feel like I'm in high school, you know, when you're in class and you can't you can't stop laughing. Yeah. Everything's a trigger. First of all.
00:15:01
Speaker
what was with that intro like were we trying to be i don't know which is so crazy because i'm it's it looks like from my like recordings that that was for shannon stay-at-home mom episode so why the hell would i be saying como estas mamacitas like i'm sorry what the hell is that about the rustling of the mics it's like such an amateur hour i was gonna say we are amateur hour in that Like literally we're all touching the mics and wrestling with the mics. And also you're clicking in the beginning. You're like, that is like chalk on a board ah or like nail nails. Oh my God. Help me. Nails on the chalkboard. My throat cackling. Um, but she was like, so, so perfect. It's, Oh my God. That's the laugh that she had, which is my favorite story.
00:15:54
Speaker
when she was like, she could not get that fish, theta fish story out. And she kept doing that same laugh, like where she just like, god could not. I have so many of these test audios. I have this one that says ASMR talk. Do you remember that? When she was like, I don't know. These clips are like, they're nothing, but they're everything. Do you know what I mean? Like oh it's just us talking and like being weird. Like there's a, there's one here that says,
00:16:23
Speaker
I can't even read the whole title. Oh, it says talk about photographs and say goodnight to TJ, which ah I feel like I need to listen to that and clip it. And if it is her like saying goodnight to TJ, like what a sweet thing to be able to deliver to TJ, you know, one day and like,
00:16:44
Speaker
have a little clip of his mom saying goodnight to him. Like that's so sweet. So I need to, I really need to go through
Cherished Memories of Podcast Beginnings
00:16:54
Speaker
these audios. I have so many of these. Like that this one says test clip Mac and cheese. Like, I don't know. oh no Who knows what that is.
00:17:03
Speaker
set like starting this show is truly one of my favorite moments of my whole life. Like that whole weekend of us together and starting to record and even just like planning the show and coming up with the concept like it's so special to me those days. And um I'm so happy that we did it like at Shannon's house and we got to spend more time with TJ and Andrew and That time is just like so I i cherish it, you know? Well, and like the fact that we like celebrated her birthday, like we all had dinner and got to dress up and have like a little girl's night together and have martinis and wine and are y'all did. I forgot I was pregnant. And I, um I drove for you guys. I was like, that's so funny. um Yeah, that was fun.
00:17:59
Speaker
So the next clip, I'm going to I'm going to keep it light and funny because I have it up and ready. And that is her vacuum story. um This was like probably the most submitted thing I feel like is people saying her Dyson story. This is in episode 11. Mom's favorite things. Yesterday, I get the vacuum out for.
00:18:23
Speaker
one of my thrice daily vacuums and it is so dusty. It's just like covered in dust. And I'm like, Oh my gosh, Nikki, maybe like the nanny, I don't know. Like there's nowhere in my house that's that dusty. But then I remember, yeah, like what what could she have done?
00:18:42
Speaker
But then literally my heart sank because I was like, oh, shit, I I have an idea of what happened here. um So to rewind before I lay that that punchline down, last year at my old house, we had a koi pond. So you guys remember the koi pond incident?
00:19:05
Speaker
Okay. We had this koi pond and we inherited it and we inherited the koi that came within it when we bought this house. And I was like, not that excited. And Andrew was like, this is my passion. These koi are my passion in my life. And I was like, thank God, because I don't give a shit at all. So he loves water features.
00:19:27
Speaker
um
00:19:29
Speaker
He was in charge of the quipond and we would have issues with the filter all the time. It was like this big filtration system that needed to be changed like once a week. It was crazy. We were having issues and Andrew like very proudly comes in one day and tells me that he has fixed filtration issue. And it was just, it was an air bubble in the filtration system. And I was like, okay, well, how'd you fix it? And he was like, oh, I just, I used the Dyson to create suction within the filtration system. And it,
00:20:00
Speaker
sucked everything right, right back into place. And there's no more air bubbles. And now it's like working. And I was like, I'm sorry. ah Do you mean to tell me you took our $2,000 vacuum and stuck it in a pond? Like you literally thought this electric machine should be used. This is not a shop vac. And it was a whole thing. I had to take it apart piece by piece.
00:20:26
Speaker
It smelled like fish for months. Every time I vacuumed, it was like fish in the house. and i was i was It was a huge ordeal. I was like, Andrew, use your brain. like Don't use the Dyson to fix water filtration issues in a pond full of fish shit.
00:20:45
Speaker
So yes, so that's why my heart sank because there's been a ah item on the honeydew list for months that's been to clean out our fireplace. We have a wood burning fireplace that's gorgeous in the winter, but it hasn't been cleaned out yet. And it's been smelling like smoke in the summer with the whatever. So it was like, Andrew, please like clear out all the ash, whatever. This is a full winter, a full winter's amount of ash. So I'm talking like,
00:21:14
Speaker
Six trees have been burnt in there over the winter. And he he did it and he used the Dyson to vacuum out the ash. And what do you know? It broke last night and wasn't working. And I was like, honey, did you use the Dyson to suck the ash out of our fireplace? And he was so humbled. you He was so scared of me. I was like,
00:21:47
Speaker
No, no, no, no, no, no. So we almost got divorced. Oh, Andrew. Oh, that's silicon's. I remember being like, Shannon, why are you taking apart the vacuum? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Also, I need to like honestly wellness check on Shannon's Dyson. Like that's what I. i For sure. I'm in a yeah. I'm in fact, I'm going to text her while we're on here and be like, how's that vacuum doing?
00:22:19
Speaker
Shannon had such a good way of telling stories like the fact that like she like even thought to say we burned six trees like is so funny. Yeah. Like what a little girl that just like brought that story to life. So freaking funny. Oh my God. um Oh, key dokey.
00:22:41
Speaker
I feel like this episode's so fun because you're pulling up these clips. It's like we're like watching like, remember like VH1 used to be like the 90s and it would pull up videos and they would all recap them. Wait, that's so funny. In that episode, or sorry, in the, it was when I was listening, we were talking about that VH1 like remember the 90s. Like we literally mentioned that in Ask the Mom or yeah, Ask the Mom's part, part duh.
00:23:08
Speaker
Oh, remember? Yes. Well, I don't remember talking about that, but that's like how this feels. And yeah, she said my thrice daily. Yeah. Good for her. My mom literally was here the other day and she has ever heard of a vacuum. OK, I'm sorry. Oh, my God. I can't keep up with these kids, girl. Dude, I mean, I talk about it in this episode or in that episode, we just listen to I do not like vacuuming. Like vacuuming is so annoying to me.
00:23:38
Speaker
I love it. But I know that's what you said. And you said that's why we are perfect roommates. It's all coming back. Yeah. um OK, the next clip is I feel like a little bit of a sad one because it is about it's from our warm and fuzzy episode, our very first warm and fuzzy episode. And it
Shannon's Family and Life Perspectives
00:24:02
Speaker
is Shannon talking about how she was so excited to come back home to her house and her family and like to the people that love her. And she gets pretty emotional in the clip. But it's also just like such a beautiful moment. So this is also one of the
00:24:24
Speaker
This was also one of our most requested like things that people submitted that of like favorite Shannon moments. so I don't know. I know in our mom group chat, we've talked a lot about like it's just so easy to get frustrated with your situation, no matter how good it is. like We're all so blessed and lucky. We have like wonderful families, safe homes, beautiful neighborhoods. like We have everything.
00:24:51
Speaker
but it's so easy to just let small things get in your head and like make you feel like you're not doing enough or like other people have it better than you and do the comparison game. But I was away. I had a couple of weekends where I was away and I was just gone for a few days and driving home from the airport and like getting to your house and like seeing your house like turning into the street that your house is on. And then like knowing you're going to be home soon. And then pulling into the driveway and seeing my house. I was just like, I love my life. Like I'm so happy to be coming home to this house and going inside. Oh, you know,
00:25:38
Speaker
so people who love you the most in your house. You know that they're there for you and like, they're going to be excited to see you too. Yeah. A couple of weeks ago. And I think just being away from home.
00:25:58
Speaker
is good perspective. So I guess this is your sign to book a girls trip. Yeah, go get out of the house for a while. um Because then coming home, ah you just like I just appreciated my life so much and yeah was so excited to see TJ the next morning and see his cute little face and wake him up.
00:26:21
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It's not as clear of a picture as what Candice painted. No, it is. It's such a beautiful moment. It's just like coming home after a while away. Everyone's so excited to get away and like, just get me out of this routine. And then when the second you're gone, you're like, oh my God, I want nothing more than my routines right now. Yeah. And be back with my family.
00:26:44
Speaker
But I feel like it can be sandwiched with an LOL because she was like, don't post that video of me crying. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. She didn't want that. She also she also even in this clip, like you'll hear it. She says she like sandwiches the sad moment with being like, so this is your. Yeah, she like she was like, so this is your sign to book a girls trip and to go away.
00:27:11
Speaker
so that you can come back and have this warm fuzzy feeling. And I remember one of the things that Andrew said in his like eulogy at her funeral here in Tampa was just like how she truly like left this earth like at which again this is like both a heartbreaking thing and a ah very happy thing is like she left at like the happiest point of her life like she loved her family she loved what she was doing with mom group chat she was like at
00:27:46
Speaker
Like she was just like the happiest she had been, which again is like kind of a double-edged sword. But I just loved, you know, I hope that one day TJ can listen to that clip and hear how much his mom loved him and how excited she was to like see him every morning and see him. So, yeah, that's like so heartbreaking. the Oh. Say, oh my god.
00:28:20
Speaker
um But yes, i I love how she said like coming home to the people that love you the most and when you are away and I don't know if it's even with work and you know you feel like you need those like mom trips and stuff but then it's like after a day or two you're just like I just want to get back to my family so bad and yeah it is such a nice feeling like you know how you and I always say like getting the kids up from their naps or from morning is like your favorite time and That's the feeling you get when you're away for a long time and you come home. It's like you just cannot wait to be like wrapped in hugs. Yeah, it's amazing. It's the best.
00:29:00
Speaker
Oh, okay. The next clip I have here is a funny one. One
Parenting Challenges and Humor
00:29:08
Speaker
of my favorites. It's probably the one I think of first, because it's the quote I say all the time in my head when I'm feeding my children. And it is from the feeding baby episode when Shannon says, because I forgot about this. I already know what you're talking about. Go through the effort of making something that you think they're going to like.
00:29:28
Speaker
And then they throw it on the floor. I feel so personally attacked oh yeah by him. And depending on how that day went for me otherwise, like I will be crying. I will be crying. I will be upset. Never do I feel like I need a cocktail more than like,
00:29:45
Speaker
It's already the end of the day and you got to feed the monster. And he's like, there's a 90% chance I'm going to say, fuck you to all of this food. And I'm just like, yeah why is happening to me? in my noodles Yeah, it's, it's a struggle. And then the audacity he has sometimes he'll throw the food all over the ground. And then I'm like, fine. Dinner's over. Take him down.
00:30:12
Speaker
he starts eating it off the ground. Have you ever seen that? Oh my God. Alex does it all the time. And guess what? I let her. Me too. I'm like, enjoy your dog hair and fuse. Broccoli bites. Honestly, I'm like, listen, if you're going to eat it, just eat it off the floor. Then I don't care. But he is at that point now where he'll ask for food. Like he does his sign for eating and then he still won't be eating or he'll thrash all of his food off of his tray and then he'll say more. And I'm just like, this is frustrating. I know he's frustrated too, cause like he's trying to say like, more bananas, you dumb whore.
00:30:53
Speaker
Put that on a t-shirt Shannon. He's like, I didn't say more applesauce. Like read my mind. um That clip makes me laugh so hard. I go back and visit that often on our Instagram because that clip is on our Instagram. And holy moly, it's so funny. Oh, my God. And we were like trying to come up with like merch ideas and like that quote. We were like that could live on a hat or 100 percent bananas you dumb whore is so funny or like on a back of a T-shirt. We're like, man, that is great.
00:31:27
Speaker
There are definitely parts of me that wish we nate because we are very on the nose with our episodes because we want them to be searchable. So our episodes are very much just like feeding baby like, you know, postpartum depression or like we're very. But I kind of wish that our episodes were like a funny quote from the show. And that episode would 100 percent be titled more bananas, you dumb whore.
00:31:56
Speaker
That was so off the cuff. I loved it. It's so funny. One of my favorite things about Shannon, actually like this has just reminded me of it, is how like she is so simultaneously like refined and like. That's what I'm saying. Yeah, like she is so refined and like put together but can also say things that are like so unhinged and like Real that you're like oh my god like it's impossible not to like absolutely love her like because She's all the things you know well yeah, and that was something when we were at her house following the funeral and um Andrew and the family like so graciously had like everyone over and Mm hmm. Because they had like finished building this beautiful back porch that Shannon had been working on or I don't even know. what Yeah. If it's called a porch, but it was it's gorgeous. Yeah, it's gorgeous. And people were like kind of talking and like everyone was saying like I cannot believe like I had met like a 10 out of 10 person. Yeah. In beauty and personality and been in smarts. And I just like everyone was shaking their head in agreeance. Like I know like I cannot believe like
00:33:12
Speaker
She existed. Yeah. Like she's genuinely like the most gorgeous, the most kind, the funniest, the smartest. Like it actually like they're exactly right. Like it's, it it's kind of mind boggling to be like, Oh, a person like that exists. Well, you stare at her. Like, yeah. I mean, getting to like be with her in person, it's even more like a parent. You're like, Holy crap. Like she has the biggest eyes, which TJ has. They look so similar. It's so crazy. Um,
00:33:40
Speaker
and they're captivating and yeah then she will talk with you and you're like and you're freaking smart as shit like and can carry a conversation and I mean literally she belonged at that table at Hogwarts I know you say that in that episode and she loved that. So that's why yeah i got because she was like, thank you so much. Yeah, I was talking to Hannah this. I mean, I talk to Hannah every day, but I was talking to Hannah yesterday and I asked them like if they had any plans for like the anniversary of
00:34:15
Speaker
her death and they said um they're planting a tree in their backyard, like a memory tree for her. And then they're watching Harry Potter. And I was like, that's what she would want.
00:34:29
Speaker
You know, that's so yeah. um And Shannon's parents are going to be there with Andrew and TJ and Andrew's sisters coming into town, so they will be surrounded by love and support. And um I know a lot of people have asked for an update like on TJ and honestly, like he's amazing sweet potato boy, which is our another another thing, yeah, that everyone love.
00:34:59
Speaker
He's just amazing. They have um something they called the mama book that they um read often and like it has tons of pictures of her about and it's like about her that they read. um And I mean, he misses her like he I think he understands like what has happened and like He definitely has sad moments. um But overall, he's doing really well. And I'm going to post that picture of him next to Shannon's baby picture because it is wild. They look exactly the same. And he's just genuinely like the most gorgeous little boy. Holy moly. So crazy. Oh, birth. Talk to the story.
00:35:50
Speaker
um so i didn't Obviously, that episode, like there's so many things. There's funny and there's like special things. like i Literally, if I have a friend that's about to give birth, I always send them Shannon's email. It's now become my tradition and I love that i that email gets to live and see so many women like through the show and through me. like i hope If you are about to give birth and you're listening to this, definitely go to our Instagram. It's in our highlights or just message me. I'll send it to you. It is such a good like hype email um if you're about to give birth. and Also, just Shannon's outlook on birth was so amazing. and
00:36:37
Speaker
definitely go listen to the birth stories episode to hear some of that. And then on the flip side of that, again, like funny and meaningful. Her telling the story of her going into birth is so funny. The exact part that I clipped to fit into this episode was of her when they finally got in the car to go. And she was like, they waited ah probably a little bit too long and her doula was like, why the hell are haven't you left yet?
00:37:07
Speaker
And her getting in the car and being like, Andrew, go. yeah Yeah. And it was like a movie. She was banging on the dashboard and all of that. And I love that. Again, she's such a good storyteller. By the time we got in the car, I was like, let's fucking go. like I even came and we took a picture. We like took a selfie that looks so calm in the car. But it was like a movie where I was like,
00:37:37
Speaker
banging on the like windshield and I was like, Andrew, it's faster. We get to the hospital and there's like a line, you know? And I was just like, he Andrew was like, she's having a baby, like, you know, like in the movie. And they were like, funny okay, come to the front. And I had to stop a couple times on the way up to labor and delivery because I was like,
00:38:05
Speaker
feeling it. But again, I'm i'm surviving. like I don't know how bad it's supposed to get. So I'm like, this hurts, but I'm okay. Get up there. There's a bed available for us. The doula gets there. This is like not chill at all at this point. like I packed like a diffuser with scents in it. yeah An iPad to watch newbies.
00:38:28
Speaker
like They were like, bring pictures of your friends and family to have around you. And like by the time we got up there, I was like, but that when the fuck am I supposed to set up my diffuser?
00:38:41
Speaker
I love her letter. It is the most fricking emotional thing, like reading it, especially like as a second time mom hits home so fricking hard. And I think, yeah, if you are a first time mom and you were going into this being scared, like a lot of people are, all you hear about is the epidural and everyone's scared about the epidural and everyone talks about, you know, birth is painful. And it's like, yes, those things exist, but like it is the craziest, most like she says magical thing you will ever do on this earth. And there's a reason people are able to do it and continue to do it. And they do it more than once. Um, you forget it is a blip in time, yeah bringing your best little people, your favorite people in the world into the world.
00:39:36
Speaker
So don't be scared. Read this letter. It is like literally the mushiest, gushiest, best thing you'll ever read. I love it too. So good. I read it all the time. Like I probably read it like once a month, even though I'm not giving birth, just cause it's just such a lovely reminder of her and like,
00:39:51
Speaker
how supportive she was. like Yeah totally. interro like It's like oh my gosh and actually the whole warm and fuzzy episode is like that when I was looking for that clip of her. There's so many moments in there where she's talking about motherhood and how like, yes, it's hard. And yes, like there you can play the comparison game and like all of that. But like you have learned so many new skills and new things through motherhood. And like she just had such a good perspective. So yeah, definitely go listen to the birth episode. And then the other episode that I didn't get to clip because truly there are it's just filled with nuggets.
00:40:36
Speaker
And actually where you should start if you haven't listened to any of Shannon's episode is go to episode, I believe four and it is meet Shannon. And it is all
Shannon's Impactful Journey as a Stay-at-Home Mom
00:40:46
Speaker
about Shannon's journey as a stay at home mom and being a stay at home mom and how she came to that decision. and I think that episode is probably one of our most like messaged about or listen and it is one of our most listened to episodes.
00:41:03
Speaker
um Because she will make you feel so empowered for your decision. and also just make you feel so seen about what it's like to be at a stay at home mom. um So I feel like that's an episode that we will continue to talk about and continue to reference and continue to send moms to if they're thinking about making the change to be a stay at home mom. um It is so empowering and
00:41:36
Speaker
I don't know. It's just so good. So good. no I really miss having that perspective on the show because she made moms feel seen. It is hard. It's hard to go back to work. It's hard to be a stay at home mom. Um, but making that decision, I mean, is probably one of the most important decisions you're going to make. And, and I mean, from what I've learned, like going part time and then being able to just go back into work, like,
00:42:04
Speaker
youll You'll be able to have those decisions, but to decide to be stay at home mom and and take it on full time is tough. But if it's something that you're like able to do with your family and.
00:42:16
Speaker
that you're like wanting to do, then that is the episode that will like give you the push that you need and making in making that decision. And I really miss hearing about like how she filled her day, too. Because on days that are on like a long weekend or something, it feels long. But I know if I did it all the time, it would just feel like everyday life to me. So I loved having her like ideas and nuggets of info and like little projects they did. like I loved.
00:42:45
Speaker
taking those ideas and using them for myself. So I missed that part, man. Me too. Me too. But I still use her advice and I brought it up probably like 10 times already. Like have an activity in the morning and just get outside at night. Like I use that all the time. I was going to ask you like, what is a favorite memory that you replay a lot of Shannon? Oh gosh, there are so many.
00:43:15
Speaker
There's a couple. The two that come to mind are so silly and stupid. But um one of them was we were in high school and it was like when YouTube was new. OK, like, you know, YouTube videos were kind of new. Like freshman year, maybe. and Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Freshman or sophomore year of high school, probably. And we were in her like bonus room of her parents' house.
00:43:43
Speaker
And this is like not going to be funny to anyone else, and it really like isn't that funny. But there was a video of these alpacas eating apples. Have you ever seen that video? I don't think so. OK, this video, I honestly want to look it up to see how many views it has because I feel like it was popular, but maybe it wasn't. And this is just like a weird thing. Hold on.
00:44:07
Speaker
1.7 million views, which it says 12 years ago. So I don't know if that was the original time it came out because it definitely was older than 12 years. But I remember sitting on the couch of her bonus room and literally us, we were in full tears over this video of these alpacas eating apples. And it was one of those things where like neither of us could breathe. And like and it was like the longer you watched it, the funnier it got.
00:44:39
Speaker
Oh my God, that video is so funny to me. And then the other one, I actually have this video somewhere deep in the depths of either my computer, I think my brother might have it somewhere. But this was when both Shannon and I were going through a breakup in high school.
00:44:59
Speaker
OK, so just for some context here, our boyfriends were like best friends. OK, this is yeah tough. Yes. So I was dating Mason and she was like dating Kyle and they were best friends. And both of us had like broken up or cut ties or whatever. I don't even I don't know.
00:45:21
Speaker
And I remember that song by All American Rejects came out the, when you see my face, hope it gives you hell song. yeah And I don't know what we thought we were doing, but we had set up, I think a digital camera.
00:45:36
Speaker
and on our my car dashboard or her car dashboard. And and we sat there and we like filmed a lip sync video basically of us like singing this gives you hell song. And we were like flicking off the camera. like It's really so cringy.
00:45:56
Speaker
But it was one of my favorite like moments. And i I am sure when I watch that video back, I'll be like, I'll equally equal parts, like be so cringed out and then but also like love us, you know? Yeah, that is like such a what's the word ah core memory. Yeah. Everyone goes through a breakup and everyone like tries to make the other party jealous in some way. And like that is so frickin like 2006. Yeah. Yeah. It totally is. So I don't know. Those are the two that come to mind. But like, I mean, she was such like a core person in my life for so long that like the memories are just like endless. Like I remember like so like niche. And yeah.
00:46:50
Speaker
funny and like that's like when I because I'm comparing like my Chelsea to Shannon like having her like for a very very long time like we have like similar parallel stories to that and it's like how you like explain that to somebody like you've been through so much together like seeing like a a viral YouTube together for the first time like going through a breakup together and putting it on YouTube for the masses. Cause you know what? That's going to make our ex-boyfriends wish they still had us. You know, it's just like, how do you explain that other than like living it with somebody? So I love those. Yeah.
00:47:29
Speaker
you What about you? Anything that comes to mind? I think like I was I mean, there's also so many, but like I think it was when um I texted you all that I was pregnant and you were at a party. And so it was just me and Shannon really having like a quick moment in our yeah chat.
00:47:53
Speaker
And like, first of all, I sent the pregnancy tests upside down and I was just like so frazzled and Shannon's like in all caps, like, Oh my God. Holy shit. Holy shit. And we both were like, Candace, where are you? Candace, where are you? And it was just like so funny because she was so excited for me and I was so like,
00:48:15
Speaker
scared. Yeah, I don't want to say devastated. I was like so beside myself. And you just weren't exactly planning on that yet. And it happened. Yeah. And she made me excited ah about. Yeah. So I loved that. And um I used to like go back and I like would go back and read the text like every two weeks. And I freaking I hate.
00:48:42
Speaker
this about myself. I accidentally deleted our group text, like cleaning up my phone when I ran out of storage. and i just like That's okay. I have it all. Anything that was like six months or older, i just like and then one day I went to go search it just to... like It's like my feel-good fuzzy. like You know how like some people watch Gilmore Girls? like I would go back and like type in, like I'm pregnant, and I would find like where Shannon was excited.
00:49:07
Speaker
And it was gone and I was like devastated. I was like, oh, my warm and fuzzy blanket is gone. Yeah. um But it lives in my memory because I looked at it so much. I should have just freaking screenshotted it. yeah Well, i I can do that because I. Yay. It's still up there. Thank you. I it. I just can't bring myself to delete any of it. And I know that it's probably taking up the most space in my phone.
00:49:37
Speaker
But I just can't. I look through this thread all the time. um It's just such like a feel good. yeah Well, I'm mad at myself because like I had saved voice notes and like. You know, but um that memory is way up there.
00:49:58
Speaker
um I don't know. She just got me in there like a better mindset and she was so nice. And then you like came in and you're like, like ah from martini night. Oh my God. Yeah. We were at Vinnie's family was hosting like a holiday martini night where they made all these different martinis. And yeah. i Oh, which that party sounds fire. Like I honestly, it was, it didn't happen last year and I can't remember why.
00:50:29
Speaker
I don't know. I'm hoping it happens this year. ah Yeah. I don't know. I just thought that that was so funny. And like if I'm like thinking about the podcast and I've I brought it up earlier, but like her telling the story of the video she left on your Facebook or you left on her Facebook page about. Oh, my God. Yeah. The most delicious dinner at state of the night. It was fish and she like was crying laughing.
00:50:58
Speaker
And it made me like just her laugh made me laugh. And I just we got to find that video because it is so freaking funny. Yeah. Oh, my God. That there's so many. Oh, I have that video for sure. I can't. The hottest boys in Alabama. I know. And now I'm like, literally no.
00:51:19
Speaker
Oh, my God. It's so funny. It's so funny. OK, I think there was one more thing I wanted to mention. Someone mentioned this and I know it's just stupid and like Taylor Swift things, but I some of the things that I cherish is that her and I did get to like talk about Taylor and Travis before like she passed away. That has become such like a cherished conversation. I know that sounds so silly because it's just Taylor Swift, but like I just loved hearing her take on them and knowing that that made her so excited.
Taylor Swift Concert Memories
00:51:53
Speaker
And then someone messaged us about like they love that she got to go to that show literally like weeks before that was like her last post. And it was a concert and her. Yeah. That she got to sit second row and like experience that and
00:52:12
Speaker
I went back and I clipped the story. And then I just started envisioning myself there. Second row. And every time I was listening to Taylor Swift in the car, I was like, I, I have the option to sit second row. Oh, and it's the last night of the tour. It's the finale. yeah It's the finale. So I like came to Andrew hat in hand because, you know, I was like,
00:52:38
Speaker
Stephanie went crazy. She did something wild. The other thing that's funny is like it Stephanie's husband is Andrew's like very good friend. One of his best friends and he is like one of their bits is that Andrew doesn't spend any money and Chris like spends all of his money on like fun toys and stuff.
00:52:58
Speaker
And Andrew's like a big time saver guy. And so Chris is always like trying to get him to spend money on shit, you know? And so Chris was also go to him. He was like, you gotta let Shannon go to this concert. I basically begged. I was like, this will be my Christmas birthday. Push present everything for the rest of my life. And he was like, okay. And I'll see you there.
00:53:25
Speaker
you I like Taylor Swift is so like woven into the fabric of our friendship that like everything reminds me everything Taylor does. I wish I could talk to her about it. Every song that comes out, every outfit she wears. Like I miss that so much. ah That's hard because music is such a memory. Oh my gosh. You're like that would.
00:53:50
Speaker
I don't know, almost be like it would pop on and I'd be like freak out or something. No, there are definitely moments that I a song will take me like it will catch my guard. Yeah. It'll like catch me off guard to the point where I'm like, oh, shit, I need to turn this off or I'm going to like fully spiral. Or there's also moments, though, that like, I don't know that. Like.
00:54:19
Speaker
make me happy or appreciative of like something we experienced together or I don't know. There's so many things with Taylor Swift that like catch me off guard and are you still as I mean, last year was such a big year for Taylor Swift. So I like obviously it was like top of mind. Like, are you still ingrained or like you still talk to like Mark and Mackenzie and Hannah about it? Yeah. Okay. I'm still i feel like, you never really talk, which I'm sorry. yeah
00:54:54
Speaker
yeah
00:54:57
Speaker
No, you I like it's not it wouldn't like and I don't mean this as a diss at all. It just wouldn't be worth talking with you about because you don't you don't know the lore, you know, like you don't know all the things. All right. No, and I don't I don't want to, you know, yeah get that see, that's fine like it's fine. I'm not at all like I have Hannah and Mark and Mackenzie and like all those people that like just are in it with me. So yeah. Yeah.
00:55:26
Speaker
So but yes, still very much obsessed and in it and love her more than ever, honestly. um And I think about I. Well, one thing that gives this is a weird thing that like gives me some ounce of peace about Shannon's passing is like, I just know she is following her around like I know it like that bitch is on every day. She has seen Taylor Swift have sex. I'm just I if I.
00:55:55
Speaker
I would watch her shower. Like 100 percent. I'm telling you. Shannon has followed her around and I hope she is like if she's not, I'm upset. Don't you know that like Taylor Swift has like a cloud of like angels all around her? Like everyone is like for sure in like Rhode Island, like at her house chilling. Why I another like weird thing that gives me peace is like one day when I see Shannon again, like I cannot wait.
00:56:25
Speaker
for her to spill all of the secrets of things she's seen. Like, wow. They're like, tell me the tea. OK, I want to hear all the tea on all the celebrities. I want like, what's my husband doing behind my back? Tell me like you think many stories. No, not really. But yeah I just know she's following that bitch around. I know it. And I would be, too. Whoa. Does she still have a flat in London?
00:56:55
Speaker
What? Does she still have a flat in London? That's a good question. I don't know.
00:57:04
Speaker
I really haven't heard much about her lately. ah She's back on tour. So yeah. um Well, it's hard because she was like trying to be at all of Travis's games. But now that she's back on tour, she can't really like go to them. So I feel like she's not as like she's seen like on tour.
00:57:27
Speaker
I'm
Yearly Reflection on Shannon's Impact
00:57:28
Speaker
so glad we got to talk ah about our but beloved Shannon. And my gosh, I cannot believe that a year has gone by. It felt, I don't know, in the beginning like every day was like, I don't know, slow. And yeah now all of a sudden like life is just, I don't know.
00:57:51
Speaker
but We miss her and thank you guys for like giving us the space to remember her and talk through like some of our favorite moments in your favorite moments. It like means a lot to us to do that. um And yeah.
00:58:09
Speaker
We love her so much and we love you guys and I know that she loved all of you and loved this show. It meant so much to her. So we will continue to remember her and talk about her and all of those things like we have said and we'll keep doing.
00:58:26
Speaker
um but Yeah. um And again, I know I said this in the beginning, but if you haven't listened to any of Shannon's episodes, highly recommend you will find so much value in them. I know you will. Plus you'll have a damn good laugh. That's for sure. So we love you, Shannon. Love you.
00:58:49
Speaker
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, gotta go. My toddler just put something in her mouth.