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EP 25: Catch Up With Shannon & Candace
2.1k Plays2 years ago
What is better than catching up with your best friend?! NOTHING. In this week’s episode, join Candace and Shannon as they catch up on everything going on their lives while Whitney is on maternity leave. Candace recaps her beach vacation and Shannon even comes clean about some things she said on previous podcast episodes. Plus, the moms give you a quick update about how Whitney and baby Margot are doing which causes both Shannon and Candace to panic about incoming baby #2.
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Transcript
Introduction and Updates
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, Candace? I'm Shannon and I'm here with Candace. And this is the Mom Group Chat Podcast. We are giving Whitney a little breaky break because she's in the depths right now.
Postpartum Realities and Motherhood Challenges
00:00:27
Speaker
Yeah, she is in the depths of New Portland. And it's so interesting to hear her updates because I truly, like the amnesia is real. I don't remember anything.
00:00:38
Speaker
Truly. I know. I feel like we need to give the listeners just a little bit of an update because our like welcome Margot episode was very rosy, which like it was. Yeah, we were at three. I think she was like three or four days postpartum. And we were like, everything's amazing. Everything is perfect. Like families doing awesome, which I'm so glad they were. But it's been
00:01:07
Speaker
some time now and you know those first weeks are really hard and I forgot and I'm kind of nervous as I listen to Whitney's just like general situation at the moment.
Candace's Countdown to Motherhood
00:01:22
Speaker
Yeah it's it's scary I have like the pre newborn scaries I feel like I'm still far enough away to it that like my brain is able to compartmentalize and be like not yet we don't need to worry about that yet
00:01:34
Speaker
You on the other hand, you have a countdown app on your phone. How many days until your due date? Well, everyone's posting all these Christmas countdowns. Like there is a Christmas countdown. I don't know thing that was shared a bunch on Instagram recently. And everyone's like, I'm not ready. No, not Christmas. And I'm like, no, not my second child. Yeah. Like I think it's like, you know, a little over 100 days.
00:02:04
Speaker
And I am starting to panic. I looked at your master list the other day. And then I kind of like coupled that with just all the other shit I have to do. That's like, I just want to get done outside of
00:02:23
Speaker
her, but just things I want to complete before she gets home, before we get home. And then I like compiled it and I really freaked out. I like I had a few nights where I haven't had these in a while where like I can't sleep because I'm just like thinking about stuff and it's like waking me up at night. And then it goes away and you wake up in the morning and you're like, okay, I can like I can do this. I just need to plan. But
00:02:49
Speaker
I took that list and I was like, Andrew, I need to show you everything that we have to do. I was like, I just want you to know how much we have to do and what I will be working on.
00:03:01
Speaker
And I'm going to need your help." And he was like, this is so much stuff. And I was like, yeah, it is. Did you show him my list and how psychotic it is? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, he thinks you're like, I mean, this is like a side thing, but you know, Andrew is a small business person and he's like, Candace Ever just wants to come run one of my companies. I will find a spot for her at Fincorp.
00:03:31
Speaker
I'm like, I love that. That's so nice. Thank you so much. You'll have to be working in some kind of random ass niche small business like like duct cleaning or like dumpster delivery service or something. Yes. Yes.
Career Opportunities and Seasonal Changes
00:03:49
Speaker
Which I know is not necessarily your passion, but just know the door is open if you ever want to work together on two things.
00:03:56
Speaker
Okay, thank you so much, Andrew and Finn Corp. Also, I don't really care what the industry is. Like a lot of my clients work in all different industries. I just like getting inside of people's businesses and helping them like organize it and things run, makes things run smoother. So really, it doesn't matter. Duct cleaning, dumpsters, I can do it. Just let me know. Okay, be careful what you wish for.
00:04:26
Speaker
But anyway, I'm done. I feel like the fall, I don't know, the summer is always chaotic. I feel like when we start to get into the end of September and the beginning of October is really when like, I don't know, things just start to like settle and you can focus a little more on like projects. And I know TJ just started school, right? So that probably opens up a little bit of time.
00:04:50
Speaker
And also I just want an update like how's that going? How's he liking it? How was your first drop off?
School and Parenting Dynamics
00:04:57
Speaker
Tell us everything. It is a little bit of time and just so everyone knows it's six hours a week. Like we are dipping our tail into this type of thing. But it is an extra six hours that I didn't have.
00:05:10
Speaker
before. And it's been going really well. Like the first day he he just ran off and like started playing. They start them off in the in the playground, which I think is really nice. Yeah, yes. So all the teachers are in there and they're doing like bubbles and they've got the trucks and they've just got like everything going right away. So that the kids Yeah, they get sucked in and he immediately like goes to the bubbles. And then I just
00:05:39
Speaker
leave. I mean, I just really trust them. Obviously, I have friends who send their kids there. So the first day it was hard to just like drop him off and then go. And I did cry. And the little principal was like, so sweet. And she was like, you're gonna you're doing great. Mom, like
00:05:57
Speaker
Oh, she was really sweet. But then since then, it's been good. I there have been a couple babies in the class that I've noticed have been crying like every day. And I feel for those parents. But he's been doing awesome. And I'm very happy to have the extra time I've been
00:06:15
Speaker
100% and also just like having the mental break of like not being with him for three hours is like yeah I mean I'm sure we'll get into this but I we were on vacation last week with Alice at the beach so I was with her for a whole week and I'm pretty sure I message you on Monday and was like I like so many props to you Shannon because I love my child so much and truly we had the best week ever but I
00:06:42
Speaker
could not wait to drop her somewhere on Monday. I was like, goodbye. I got to go.
Support in Parenting
00:06:48
Speaker
Like you need to know that they're getting a little bit older. Like we're entering what feels like the hardest period so far. Like it's, it's a lot to be with them all the time. And then I say thank you for the props, but also props to
00:07:04
Speaker
the moms who have less support. I feel very fortunate to have the support and the breaks that I get. I truly cannot imagine raw dog in it and just doing it by herself. And especially people whose husbands can't pitch in so much. True saints out there.
00:07:26
Speaker
Um, there's a couple, there's a couple of moms in my group whose husbands are either military or in, um, one of them is like a, uh, he's like a firefighter engineer or something. And he is on like 48 hour plus shifts. So he is gone out of the house for like, and she right now is a stay at home mom. And I'm like, and they don't have a lot of family here. I don't think.
00:07:54
Speaker
And I'm like, you are an absolute saint. Like, oh, and she has twins. Sorry. I forgot to mention that. Like she has twins that are 18 months old. Her husband is gone for like 48 hours at a time. And oh my gosh. Yeah. Yeah. That's like, I'm always like, I always tell her, I'm like, you are a literal superhero. Like, I don't know.
00:08:17
Speaker
Yeah. I don't know how you do it. That is, that is tough. The only light at the end of the tunnel, I think with twins is like she's close to the part where they start playing with each other.
00:08:29
Speaker
Yes, I think so. I'm hoping for her. That's what the twin moms that I know say. They're like, it's so rough in the beginning. And then you turn a corner and they're like, they just entertain each other.
Pregnancy Reflections
00:08:41
Speaker
That's what I'm hoping with the second kid as well. Yeah, except we're going to have to wait two years. I know. See you in 2026.
00:08:51
Speaker
I'll be having another, who knows? I don't know. I can't even talk about that. Feels so far away, but like my friend Sarah, who you know, she's due soon, like mid October. And she was like, because she wants three, we both want three. And she was like, we're over halfway done being pregnant in our lives. And that blew my mind. Yeah. Like, even if I have a third kid, I'm past the halfway point of
00:09:20
Speaker
being pregnant in my life. Yeah, that's good. I hate being pregnant. So I like don't, although I'm in a, I'm in a very, very, very sweet spot right now, which is when we got on today to record, you were like, you look cute. And I was like, I'm going to tell you about my morning because do you ever just wake up and have a morning where you're like, I'm going to have a hot girl day. Like I am going, they're few. Okay.
00:09:48
Speaker
It's been a minute, but sometimes you need it. I usually plan it the night before. I decide the night before that tomorrow. That's kind of how it was. So yesterday, my cleaners came in the afternoon. So first of all, instant
00:10:03
Speaker
Mental health serotonin through the roof. Yes, like I came home
Self-Care and Mindset
00:10:07
Speaker
at 4 30 p.m I always get out of the house while they're here. I came home and my house is like pristine and I went to bed I had clean sheets and it was just like one of those days where I was like tomorrow is gonna be The best day and I'm gonna make sure that it's the best day So I just woke up and was like I'm having a hot girl day today. That's what I kept saying to myself Yes, and so
00:10:31
Speaker
And listen, guys, I am not in my hot girl era. I am in my I am in my pregnant, fat, look like Tim Allen from Santa Claus era. So, but it's mindset. It's a mindset. So.
00:10:46
Speaker
So I woke up and I put on makeup. I blew up my hair. I put on, I want to say an outfit, but really it's leggings and this like sweater top. So from the waist up, I look really put together. The sweater top is very cute. Thank you. Amazon. It's the best. Okay. Send me the link because
00:11:04
Speaker
Yeah, I need it. Yeah. And then I made a hot grill breakfast. That's what I said. I made avocado toast and eggs, which I cannot tell you I never do. I usually eat something super quick and probably not nutritious for breakfast. I sat and I put on my ambiance YouTube and I worked and drank my coffee and ate my avocado toast. And I was just like,
00:11:27
Speaker
Today is a good day. Yes. Yeah. And, um, beautiful. I know. I'm telling you, it was the best morning ever. And you'll notice if you see the video of this, I am in a different, I have a different background than normal. And that's because part of my hot girl morning was avoiding my office because we just got back from vacation on Saturday and everything that I didn't know what to do with when we unpacked, I just threw
00:11:55
Speaker
in my office to like get it out of sight. So there's boxes in there. There's like pack and plays and slumber pods. And I just went in there and I was like, this is gonna ruin my hot girl morning. So I'm going to work in the living room. And luckily I have one of those coffee tables that like comes up to desk height.
00:12:15
Speaker
And I open the windows and I'm in my clean living room. I see you have candles lit. You have, yeah, you really set the scene and you are an inspiration. If I didn't have the dentist this morning, because TJ had school this morning, I'm, I think like next week on Monday, that's what I need to do is be like, okay, one of these
00:12:38
Speaker
mornings per week, I'm going to just like make myself a nice breakfast, light a candle, like work on something for myself, like work on the pod or do a little journaling. I'm not going to clean. I'm not going to attack the list. I'm going to spend a little bit of time on me. It'll change your life for that day. Like it changed my life today.
00:13:03
Speaker
I'm so happy. And it's the best. So I just encourage you listeners to just decide the night before, like tomorrow's going to be a hot mom day and make romanticize your morning and your day and make yourself feel good. It will change. I promise. Like it will change your life.
00:13:24
Speaker
Well, I'm so happy for you. Thank you. It's very uplifting. It's really sad because I have looked like an actual troll since we got home from our trip. I haven't worn makeup in four or five days. And the one day, I'm like, I'm going to have a hot girl day. I'm feeling good. My husband literally is out of town.
00:13:43
Speaker
he left this morning and he doesn't even get to reap the benefits. He's gonna come home and I'll be back in my troll era and he'll be like, oh, you are just as I left you and he'll have no idea that I actually looked good for a day. No, you gotta tell him. Send him a pic. Maybe.
00:14:00
Speaker
Spice it up. OK, so let's talk about the closed room with all of the gear from the beach. Yeah. So I want to hear how the beach went. We are basically like we gave ourselves a little break. We haven't caught up in a while, which is spoiler alert. That's what we're doing this episode. Yeah, yeah. This is just catch up with Shannon and Candice and just get a full update of everything. Yes. So the beach was like a big moment. You are preparing for a while. This is like Anna Maria, right?
00:14:29
Speaker
Yeah, so this was our yeah, this was our first real I mean we've traveled with Alice for like long weekends and I guess we did go to Lake Tahoe with her which was our first like real trip with her but this was the first trip with her like walking and talking and being like so funny and
00:14:48
Speaker
We just knew that this was, it's also the beach. We love the beach. We live in Florida. I feel like both Vinny and I have very strong memories of going to the beach for a week with our families. And that's something like we definitely wanted to continue with our family is like summer beach weeks type things. Yeah. So, and Anna Maria is literally so cute just to like plug in Maria for a second. Like I really, I'm jealous. I want to go. I want to go back at some point.
00:15:18
Speaker
Oh, it was so,
Family Trips and Disney Plans
00:15:19
Speaker
so nice. The island was dead because I guess it was after Labor Day. So it was technically like off season, but it was a dream. There was like hardly anyone there. There was like no traffic. I guess the only thing we ran into is there were a couple restaurants that were closed for like
00:15:38
Speaker
I guess things do shut down for a couple of weeks in September to prepare for the next season, I guess, or something, or to give people time off after the summer. I guess that was the only thing, but it wasn't altering of our trip, really. You just go somewhere else. But it was so nice. Is there anything better than waking up and putting on a swimsuit and just walking outside to the pool and having your coffee?
00:16:04
Speaker
while your little one plays in the pool, there's nothing better. I love a beach vacation where the first thing you put on is your bathing suit. You just are like, I'm going to maybe switch to another one later in the day after this one gets wet.
00:16:19
Speaker
I will be wearing bathing suits and coverups. And that's what I'm wearing. Literally, I didn't, I barely, I brought a couple like cute things and cute, I didn't wear a single one. Like we weren't, you're just in bathing suits and coverups the whole week, which is the dream. And we just had the best week. It was so fun and so chill. We didn't like do anything crazy other than like go to the beach and go to the pool and go out to dinner a couple of nights. It was just so relaxing and nice.
00:16:48
Speaker
And Vinny and I were so emotional leaving the trip because it was just such, it was like, it kind of reminded me of like the feelings we talked about during our warm and fuzzy episode. It's like, it was just like that. She, having her on the speech trip and watching her explore things she's like never seen before or
00:17:11
Speaker
you know, just the hilarious thing she does and says like, we just both like, truthfully, we both were like teary when we got home because we just were like, she made our lives and this week like so special and sweet. And it was so fun that, you know, we kind of always thought this was like going to be our last hurrah before the new baby.
00:17:38
Speaker
But the way that that beach trip went and the way the week went and how I think we both are just, it's starting to set in for real that like another being is coming into our family. And these truly are our last months with just Alice. And it makes me so emotional because our life is so, she's just so fun and cute right now. So we made a decision.
00:18:03
Speaker
and you're buying a beach house and I'm invited no I wish I wish literally I wish more than anything my dream so we me especially and my my side of the family like my mom and brother we are definitely like Disney people
00:18:20
Speaker
And we've always said we didn't want to take Alice until she was past two and then I'm having this baby in February. So we kind of always thought next October, we would go as a family when the new baby is like seven months ish and Alice is over two. Yeah, whatever.
00:18:38
Speaker
But after the way this week went and also she is like in her princess era, Alice is like she's obsessed with Tangled and Moana. She knows all the princesses by name. She loves the movies. Like we recognize characters now. And I think that's kind of what we were always worried about is like her to go to Disney and not even like know anything.
00:18:57
Speaker
But just how aware she is of everything. And we were emotional, reminiscing about this week. Then he was like, we gotta take her to Disney before the new day comes. And I was like, okay, yeah, I love that idea.
00:19:13
Speaker
Wait, I thought she's been to Disney though, but you haven't done a big family trip. We went to Epcot when she was just before a year old, which Epcot, if you know, is not really a- So that's the only Disney you've done with her? Yeah, that's the only Disney we've done. We did go to Epcot. It was for my brother's birthday, but she didn't see any characters. I remember. It was a whole debacle, whether you're going to bring her or not.
00:19:38
Speaker
Yeah. I ended up playing her. It was twisted. I had to bring her. You're doing a proper Alice's first trip to Disney. Yeah. We just love her so much, obviously. And our time with her is so special that we just were like, we want one more all about Alice special trip before this new baby comes. And I'm just going to brave Disney. We're going to go, I think, between Thanksgiving and before Christmas break.
00:20:07
Speaker
after the Thanksgiving crowd, but before school gets out for Christmas. And so it'll be cooler. It'll be less crowded. And that's our plan is to do. And we're not going to do like a bunch of days, like a week. We're just going to do like a day or two at Magic Kingdom. She can like meet the characters and like do the thing and really just have like one last.
00:20:33
Speaker
special trip with her where like she's the center of our little world. Okay, that's amazing. If you want to come, you can come. I do that is so fun and so exciting. I was actually just talking to my mom yesterday about Disney, you know, I've been talking about Disney for like, yeah,
00:20:53
Speaker
five years. I haven't been in so long and I'm dying to go. I'm going to Orlando for Thanksgiving for my husband's family reunion, but I'm going to be so freaking large at that point. I don't think I can go to Disney, so I'm sad because I'm not going to go. Then I'm going to have this baby. I don't know when I'm going to get there, but
00:21:16
Speaker
I'm very excited for you and very I know for sure there is a Shannon Whitney Candice mom group chat trip to Disney in our future after this second baby like I know that and really literally tingle at the thought I tingle like I want to wear matching outfits I want to like
00:21:40
Speaker
have an itinerary, I want to like, make swag for our children. Like, I want to do all that cheesy stuff and have it be so magical.
00:21:52
Speaker
I'm so excited. It'll be so amazing. I think a good episode would be Disney with Baby. If you want to do something around that. Well, Candace's brother, Rob, is a Disney aficionado. He goes all the time. He has a Disney Instagram. You should go follow it. I think it's called Rope Drop Duo. Yes, yes. So I was going to ask if you plan to use any
00:22:21
Speaker
travel agents or concierge services, which is apparently what most people do now. I didn't realize this or if Rob just handles all that for you. Rob does it all for me. Just for the listeners, back when I was a full-time nanny, I went twice a year with the family I nannied for and pretty much Rob and I together
00:22:46
Speaker
planned those trips. Rob is an amazing Disney resource. We should have him on to do like a best practices like Disney episode because he has so many good tips and it's truly just like he's, he's a Disney adult, you know, and hardcore. Yeah.
00:23:05
Speaker
So I do have a lot of tips for like doing Disney with little ones. I think we took the girl I need for. I think we took her for the first time when she was 19 months. So and it was magical. Even at that age, like we learned so much. And I just love Disney World so much. And I cannot wait to take Alice. So cute. Who's her favorite character right now? Like, do you know who she's going to
00:23:33
Speaker
Yeah, C first. She has a top three right now, I would say. And it's Anna, Elsa, and Moana. Oh, I love her. Yeah, she's very, I almost, if I had to choose just one, I think we're in a Moana phase right now. We're very, very into Moana. Yes.
00:23:54
Speaker
I'm trying to decide what to have her be for Halloween. And I'm trying to decide if I should let her be something she like, like, should we just be Moana or yeah, why not? Is this my last year to like have her be something that I get to choose, you know? Well, what would you choose? I don't know. Something cool and funny or something.
00:24:16
Speaker
Yeah, I guess like you probably have a lot of Disney character years ahead of you. Yeah, that's kind of what I'm feeling. But I also don't know what to do about TJ. He needs a costume because he has school now. Like they have Halloween. Oh, that'll be so cute. But the boy doesn't wear hats. So like, can you think of a costume that doesn't involve a hat? It's hard to wear a hat either. We tried at the beach. It was so hard.
00:24:45
Speaker
Yeah, he won't do it. So I got to come up with something that's hatless. But everyone's asking me and I'm like, cool your jets. We don't. Yeah, I don't know either. I'm also just not. Whitney would strike me down if she were here, but I'm just not. I'm not a big like Halloween girl. So I just don't know. I got to figure out. I feel like one of the things we wanted to talk about today was like,
00:25:12
Speaker
There have been a few things that I've said on the podcast that I feel like I need to come clean about. Okay. One of them is I've decided I'm not decorating for Halloween. Like your secret is safe here. Don't tell Whitney. Don't tell her. I'm going to get some pumpkins at the grocery store or whatever and put those out. But I was going through that list.
00:25:37
Speaker
Also simultaneously while I was going through that huge nesting list, this is what I was working on
Financial Planning and Home Management
00:25:43
Speaker
last week. Basically, Andrew was out of town. We were texting about parenting like motherfuckers, just like parenting so hard while you were at the beach and I was alone. Um, but when TJ was napping, I was working on.
00:25:59
Speaker
all of the nesting stuff, but then also simultaneously our budget. So those two kind of go hand in hand because everything freaking costs money. And I hadn't gone through and like really combed through our finances in a while. So I did like a big batch, like what have we been doing?
00:26:19
Speaker
It was illuminating and kind of frightening. Everything's fine, but it's good to go through and really get a hold on what you're doing. It's so easy to just ignore and be like, if I don't know, it doesn't exist. Things just pile up. We left New York and we thought, okay, we're going to move to a suburb and we're
00:26:49
Speaker
leaving an expensive state and we're going to like stay home and we're going to be like transitioning to this more like home oriented lifestyle. So I think probably our expenses will go down. No. False. And then you had a baby. We have a yard now and yards are freaking expensive. They're horrible. Yards are awful. And we have a house that has so much
00:27:17
Speaker
Like the house itself is just a, it consumes so much. Like the amount of stuff you have to pay for for a house is unbelievable.
00:27:27
Speaker
And I think we just didn't really account for that. So anyway. Houses are so expensive. I say all the time, being a homeowner is such a bittersweet feeling. And I need to say, I know that both of us are so privileged to own a home and that the housing market is so tumultuous right now. And there are probably so many people listening who are in the process of buying houses and dealing with interest rates and all of that stuff.
00:27:55
Speaker
my heart goes out to you for real. And I know that we are blessed. However, being a homeowner fucking sucks sometimes. Like it's just constant, especially our house, like our houses and I mean, don't get me wrong, everyone has their own things. But I our houses was built in 1930 and it's just fucking old and constantly shit is breaking. It's stressful. It's so stressful.
00:28:21
Speaker
It's stressful, but what that was leading me to was basically I was like, I need to cut back. Like I'm going to start, I told Candace's the other day, like this is my new thing that I'm doing with purchases is I started, I have a list on my refrigerator. Now, one of those like little whiteboard things that you sent to me. And that's where I write. Like if I think of something I need, I put it on the list.
00:28:48
Speaker
So like right now it's like new toys for Harvey because all of her toys are pretty nasty hoodies for TJ just like that random shit that pops up that I need to buy
00:28:59
Speaker
There was like something, oh, I need a new air fryer because my air fryer got recalled. Just like, I know it's going to be like three things a day. And then at the end of the week, I'm going to have allocated Amazon time where I go through the list and I've been looking at those like pajamas for literally like months. So I put those on the list.
00:29:19
Speaker
Probably not going to make the cut. That's a really good gift idea for other people though. Things like that. Or maybe if anybody knows anybody, they could send us some. If you like pajamas, if you're listening, we would love to try a pair and I will rave about them on my Instagram, okay? I heard they're so soft. I know.
00:29:42
Speaker
Um, but I feel like when people ask me, like, what do you need? What do you want? And I blank, like, that's one of the things I was like, you know what? I would love a pair of like pajamas. And then it's like, I'll put it on my Christmas list for my secret Santa. But anyway, I go to the list. I'm going to go to the list during my allocated Amazon time and try and only buy half of what's on the list. That's a good idea.
00:30:06
Speaker
And then I can add those, the items that didn't make the cut, I can add them to the next week's list. And one thing that I decided I'm just, I'm just not going to worry about seasonal decor.
00:30:18
Speaker
for Thanksgiving and or fall like, sorry, I'm just going to skip it. I have everything I need for Christmas already. And I'm just going to bring that down early and do Christmas early and not stress myself out with doing fall slash Halloween. Yeah, I'll save money and I'll save the headache.
00:30:37
Speaker
I have some pumpkin candles like it'll be fine. You're also going to be very pregnant at the time when like the transition to after fall to Christmas starts. And it would just be one more like physical thing you have to do to like change everything out, you know. So just save yourself the time, the headache. So sorry, Whitney, if you're listening. I'm sorry. And I'm sorry to the listeners.
00:31:03
Speaker
letting you down. Maybe you needed to hear this. If you got really excited about fall and now you're feeling like you have to just cut it, it's okay. Fall will still happen. Obviously, I'm going to decorate for Christmas, although catch me in two months. I'm going to be like, I've decided Christmas is canceled.
00:31:28
Speaker
And then the other thing I wanted to come clean on is I think during my pregnancy announcement, or maybe it was yours, somebody asked like,
Exercise Challenges in Pregnancy
00:31:38
Speaker
what are you going to do differently this pregnancy? And I said, I'm going to, I can't even say it. I said, I'm going to keep working out.
00:31:55
Speaker
And I just have to be honest with everybody that like I have not worked out in three months. Yeah. I've done one, maybe two workouts in my entire pregnancy and I'm about to be 20 weeks. So I just haven't like.
00:32:11
Speaker
I find myself feeling still like I'm feeling better in the second trimester, but my God, the second trimester is over for me in two weeks, which is crazy. That is so crazy. Yeah. Yeah. These kids come hard and fast. I feel like what? Yeah. So I think that was also like I have to get my shit together for nesting, but.
00:32:37
Speaker
I have been feeling just like low energy. And honestly, like every bit of what I have to give has been going to my day job, which is taking care of TJ and like trying to obtain some level of anti chaos in the house. Um, and then like, I have done 15 to 20 minute, like little Pilates, Melissa Wood health has like really gentle Pilates flows that are prenatal. And if I can squeeze one of those in, I've probably done that like 10 times.
00:33:07
Speaker
in three months, but I just have to be honest, like that's where I'm at. And I take a walk, but I'm like, I love my bar studio and I've been thinking of going back, but at this point I'm honestly nervous too. At this stage. You're almost in your third try. I personally would not go to a bar studio in my third, close to my third.
00:33:31
Speaker
Let's be real, I'm not going to a bar studio in any of the trimesters. I had high hopes, but my only hope for myself the rest of this pregnancy is that as the temperature drops a little, like my thing is like walking is really the only thing I could see myself like really doing other than maybe a Sculpt Society like workout here and there like 10 minute, 15 minute type thing.
00:33:58
Speaker
But I really would love to put Alice in the stroller in the evenings or in the mornings and go for a walk, but it is still 90 degrees here. I feel like I woke up two days ago and I went outside in the morning and I was like, oh?
00:34:10
Speaker
Okay. Okay. We're like four or five degrees lower than we are normally. Like usually around October is when it's, it's not, don't get me wrong. It's not a chill by any means, but it drops a little bit. So my hope for myself is that I will at least walk like three or four times a week is my hope. Yeah.
00:34:30
Speaker
That's all, that's all I can give. Honestly. When the weather is nice, it really does make a big difference. Like we've had nice evening weather here for a while now. And it's a nice way we kind of do dinner. Our evening routine is dinner, five 30. And then we take a family walk at six and that gets us to like six 45. And then it's time for bath and books in bed. So that's like a nice.
00:34:57
Speaker
flow of the day, but when the weather is nice, it definitely makes it much better. I just had to be honest there. We appreciate it. This is a safe space for you to be honest. Okay. This question I was thinking about asking you is literally the exact opposite of what you were just talking about, but I have to ask because you are having a girl and she does need different things than TJ does. So, zero things.
00:35:25
Speaker
I mean, you are going to need like girl clothes and stuff. You're going to need some new things. Yeah, like I feel like if people want to get me a gift, which I don't expect people to get me gifts at all for the second baby, but what? I just don't. Maybe like my closest friends would get me something, but I'm not going to have like a big shower and no expect to send me stuff like.
00:35:51
Speaker
I don't know. I just don't expect that. But I think my friends who would get me something would just get me cute girl clothes. Okay. Well, I just need you to know that I have already been planning your gift for this new baby and one of the pieces arrived. I'm looking at it right now. It's still in the package.
00:36:14
Speaker
I can't give any more than that because this needs to be a full surprise. Oh, my God. But there is an elaborate like there's an elaborate. Oh, my God. And I have and Taylor Swift themed. I can't tell you anything. But I have been thinking about it, planning it for a while. And I'm so excited to.
00:36:40
Speaker
Oh my God, you're so cute. But one of the things arrived today and I want to open it. So that's literally the only thing that I can think of that's been acquired for her.
00:36:53
Speaker
from Auntie Candice. Oh my gosh, you're so sweet. You're the best friend. I just love giving gifts, so I'm excited. You will be getting gifts multiple from me. I know. I do love to give gifts to my loved ones, and I always have no problem spending money on people's gifts. And then for my own child, I'm like,
00:37:14
Speaker
hand me down secondhand store. But I did go to my favorite thrift store around here. And I did look through the girl section, something about the newborn clothes in the thrift store. They're very like
00:37:32
Speaker
Crumply. Yeah. They're like worn. Yeah. Yeah. They looked so crumply that I was like, even I cannot. Yeah. This is not enticing me. This is not exciting me. So no, I haven't bought anything. Um, I've been really blowing some dough and effort on TJ's big boy room. Oh, okay. Oh, I do feel like
00:37:59
Speaker
He's going to be in there for like 18 years, whereas like the nursery they're going to be in for a year. So I'm, or for a couple of years, I'm less focused on the nursery than TJ's big boy room, which is kind of.
00:38:15
Speaker
my focus and it's going to be really cute. I'm excited to see. You'll have to share with the IG or Facebook group for sure. Okay, so you're, hold on, back to you for a second, because you are having some work done in your house, obviously, which I'm sure has been a wild ride.
Home Renovation and Travel Concerns
00:38:35
Speaker
How is that going? Give us. I mean, it hasn't been that wild because we're redoing our back deck. So nothing has really intruded our day-to-day lives, but it's going to end up taking double the amount of time that was originally forecasted for us. And there was a point in time where we were thinking of redoing our whole home.
00:39:05
Speaker
as a part of all in one fell swoop and they assured us it could be done before the baby gets here and I'm just so glad we decided to start small and not rip up our whole house before the baby gets here and then also did the budget last week and I don't know that we're ever going to renovate our entire home but if we do,
00:39:33
Speaker
I don't know what we're going to do. Like, I don't know how we're going to manage that and like be without a kitchen for months on end. So I don't know. Maybe I'll just end up doing something smaller, like making smaller updates or just like waiting, you know, like in five to seven years when we have like way more money, hopefully, and can, you know,
00:39:58
Speaker
figure something out for like living somewhere else temporarily. But for now, you know, this has been a learning experience. Things do we've learned how to like project manage a little bit better, advocate for ourselves, communicate with the people who are helping us.
00:40:15
Speaker
And I think it's going to be beautiful when it's done. And I just want to sit out there on that cozy patio. It's like a covered patio. We have the fireplace, big screen TV, like grill, a little outdoor kitchen. And I just want to like watch football like with a sweater and the fireplace outside. Oh, the dream. But still probably like six weeks away from that. But.
00:40:43
Speaker
It's coming along and we've learned a lot. I mean, so it'll be done before baby then. Yeah. Could you imagine sitting out there with a newborn on your chest? That's really nice. It'll be cold then, but. But. You know, bundled. Bundled or like, you know, in the spring, we'll definitely be out there and next summer, like we want to have a big party. I'll be there.
00:41:12
Speaker
Yeah, we definitely will be a good entertaining space and I'm excited for it when it's all done, but these things just take time. And if Vinnie was my husband, maybe it would take less time. Maybe he's a ball buster, so it probably would honestly. I mean, to be fair, like we're not ball busters at all. We're just like, thank you for being here. Please come back.
00:41:37
Speaker
If you could please finish, that would be amazing. Thank you. I hate confronting vendors like that. So finally in the past few weeks, I've had to be like become a little bit more stern and like flex my old corporate sales muscles, but it's different. It's just like a different industry. They literally like, I have no leverage. Everybody around here wants to redo their house.
00:42:03
Speaker
Literally every other home is being worked on. I'm one of hundreds of people that want to give them money. They're like, whatever. And also my biggest thing is like, I just don't know anything about what they're doing. So like I have, they could be like, well, you know, we're waiting on this quarter round and like, but I'm like, I don't know what that is. Like, I don't like glaze over it. They're like, the rebar supports need to be re-inspected on according to the,
00:42:29
Speaker
the angle of the, I'm like, okay. I don't know. Yeah, that's what we've been working on.
00:42:38
Speaker
I'm playing in a golf tournament on Friday. You are? So golf is for the ladies. I've actually followed through a little bit on that one by signing up for this golf tournament. Um, so yeah, I'll let you know. Are you any, I don't even know what good is and isn't cause I've never played golf really other than mini golf. Like are you pretty good? No. Okay. So you don't have to be good to play in a tournament.
00:43:05
Speaker
Not this one now. This is like kind of a fun tournament. Okay, this is so random, but I think I saw this on your calendar. Is it called like toy poodle something? Oh no, that's one of Andrew's things. So, but that is a golf tournament for Andrew.
00:43:26
Speaker
Wait, oh my Google calendar? Do you? Yeah, because you shared your Google calendar with me. And when I was scheduling our thing, our next episode with a guest we have coming up, it came up and it was like, I think it said like TA toy poodle or something. And I was like.
00:43:42
Speaker
I wonder if they're getting a toy poodle. Oh, no, I will never get a poodle. Mark my words, but no, that's funny. That's one of Andrew's. That's a fun tournament for Andrew. Mine was like, I don't know. I think it's called LGA. It's the ladies golf association.
00:44:00
Speaker
Um, so proper. Yeah. But then I popped into the pro shop yesterday just to be like, Hey, first tournament. Like, is there anything I need to know? Like anything I need to bring? And they were like, no, just come and have fun. Like it's really low key.
00:44:16
Speaker
So I think this is mostly like a social fun thing, but it is my first tournament. So wish me luck. Good luck. Honestly, I can't wait to get you on a golf course also and just like feed you drinks and just like watch you whack whack the clubs. Like whatever that happens, I cannot wait.
00:44:37
Speaker
It is fun. Yeah. We have to do that. I want a, we'll have a mom's mom group chat annual tournament where the rules don't matter and drinks are plenty. Yeah. That's normally how I play. Yes. Yeah. I love that. Anything else coming up in your life?
00:44:57
Speaker
Oh, well, I guess the only other like update that y'all know about like you and Whitney know about that the listeners don't know about is that my older brother is getting married in France in Bonjour. Bonjour. I've been taking French on Duolingo since I found out. It's very hard. I'm sorry. I don't mean to laugh. No. Good for you. It's so hard. Go girl.
00:45:25
Speaker
speak Spanish ish, like not a lot, but if I have spoken another language in my life, it's Spanish and it is so hard not to pronounce everything Spanish.
00:45:36
Speaker
And French is so different. Like if it doesn't end, it's like silent and like, you know what I mean? Like it's like so different. But anyways, my brother's getting married in France in May of next year. So I'm having a baby in February and almost three months exactly to the day after my due date, we are going to France.
00:45:59
Speaker
So that is exciting slash scary. I'm awesome. I'm super excited for him. And I love his fiance. It'll be the trip of a lifetime. But I also am freaking terrified to think about traveling with a two year old.
00:46:17
Speaker
and a three month old to Europe and the possibility of breastfeeding and pumping, all the logistics of traveling with a child, it'll be great content for this pod because I'm going to learn a lot. There's going to be a lot of prep. I think we might try to have one of our friends who
00:46:36
Speaker
Uh, lives in Europe now and has little ones and travels a lot. I think we might have her on, uh, as basically a like talk me down, talk Candace off of her panic attack. So yeah, I'll keep you guys updated on that as we plan. I have a call with a travel agent next Monday who is going to help us like plan the week while we're there.
00:46:57
Speaker
I love that. And the travel agent specifically that I chose. Well, it's an agency that we used when me and my family went to Hawaii, but I specifically inquired about someone who is travel, like has traveled with kids or is used to planning travel with kids. And so they matched me with a travel agent that has kids almost exactly the ages like there of the years apart. And Alice, you know what I mean? Same spread.
00:47:26
Speaker
And they've traveled with their little ones to Iceland and all these crazy places. And she was like, oh, I got you. I'm going to help you find the best places and give you all the tips and tricks. So I'm really excited to have her on. Does that make you feel better?
00:47:43
Speaker
Yes. I feel better for you. Yeah. I think it was just the initial shock of thinking about taking a three. When I think back to how I felt at three months, I was unwell mentally and physically. I'm hoping it's better this time around and I'm trying to manifest that my baby is just going to be an amazing
00:48:04
Speaker
breastfeeder and like maybe I don't have to pump this time or something, or maybe I switched to formula before we go. I'm not going to put pressure on myself this time, which I know Whitney has talked about too, but I feel better. I'm such a planner that just getting into the planning is going to make me feel better because it's going to be like, okay, there are solid plans in place. There are fixes to things like
00:48:30
Speaker
Yeah, there's so yes, I will. I do feel better now. I will feel even better after the travel agent. And let's just all say a prayer and send a wish to the universe that this new baby is just the chillest, the chillest of the chill and a great eater. I hope they're all chill. I know.
00:48:52
Speaker
Yeah. I think when you first told us that we were also panicked, but it's life. Like things happen. Yeah. People get married overseas and you have to be there and you got to bring your kids and there will be an amazing adventure. Um, and we will definitely be following along for all of that.
00:49:14
Speaker
Yeah. So if you're a mom who has traveled to Europe with young ones, like please send me a DM, please post in our Facebook group. I'll probably start a thread in there of like tips and tricks for sure. I cannot tell you how much your guys's tips and tricks tips and tricks helped me on this beach trip. Like it was game changing. I learned a lot, including that the slumber pot is worth every penny.
00:49:41
Speaker
It's the best. So if you're listening to this and you're making a registry, put the damn slumber pot on it. Yes. I tried to buy knockoffs. I probably spent like $120 on knockoffs when I should have just bought the slumber pot right off the bat. It's much better. She slept like a dream the whole trip. It was so nice.
00:50:01
Speaker
But yeah, this community is so valuable. I'm telling you, moms are just filled with information and always want to help, so I appreciate all of you so much, and I can't wait to hear all of your tips about helping me survive taking two little ones to Europe because...
00:50:20
Speaker
I'm scared. Amazing. Well, I loved catching up with you. I know this is fun. We had to talk about so you look hot. Continue loving your hot girl day. I have to go to Dick's Sporting Goods to get a score that fits me because I forgot that my golf clothes are not going to fit this big belly. So that's what I'm up to for the afternoon. But great excuse. OK, see the golf excuse is already working because
00:50:48
Speaker
Andrew's going to babysit for me this afternoon. Perfect. I'm like, I need to go get a golf squirt. And he's like, I support you doing athletics. So I will babysit. Yeah. I would drag that out. Stop and get a coffee or something. There's an old Navy next door. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. Yeah. We're going to drag it out. I love dicks.
00:51:11
Speaker
Me too. I went there recently and I was like, I really love it in here. I know. Amazing. All right. I love you. Love you. Bye. 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.