DON'T SLEEP ON THE MALL
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Term
car reliability
“Car reliability” means how dependable a car is—how often it breaks down or needs expensive repairs. Two cars that look similar can have very different reliability depending on the exact model and how they were maintained.
Concept
vehicle service contract
A vehicle service contract is like an extra warranty you can buy. It helps cover some repair costs if something breaks after the original warranty ends.
Concept
trade it in
“Trade it in” means you give your current car to the dealer and use that as part of the payment for a new one. It matters because many people switch cars after a few years.
Car
Honda Odyssey
The Honda Odyssey is a family van made to carry people comfortably. It has seats that can be rearranged and lots of space for trips or daily errands. It comes up in conversation because it’s a well-known model that Honda has kept in the lineup for a long time.
Car
Honda Hrv
The Honda HR-V is a small SUV meant for everyday driving. It sits higher than a typical car, which can make it easier to get in and out. It’s mentioned because it’s a popular, practical model that Honda has kept around as plans for other vehicles changed.
Term
life cycle
“Life cycle” here means how long a particular generation of a car stays in production before it gets replaced or heavily redesigned.
Concept
electric vehicle (EV) pullback
“EV pullback” means Honda is backing off a bit from its electric-car plans. The idea is they’re changing course because the original plan didn’t go as expected.
Term
powertrain
A powertrain is what makes the car move—basically the main mechanical/electrical system that includes the engine or motor and the parts that send power to the wheels.
Concept
proven platforms
“Proven platforms” means car “building blocks” that already work well and have been used before. Automakers reuse them to save money and reduce risk while they develop newer tech.
LIVE
Welcome to the Carpool podcast with Kelly.
I brought all three of my big kids in the room and I said who cut off Libby's ponytail?
Because when I'm telling you like the rubber band was intact, like it was a clear cut of
the ponytail.
And Liz.
But I'm like can we just like not call out other people and try to make people feel bad?
Like we're already all trying our best to like make it through.
Can we not make people feel bad for wearing biker shorts to the park?
Your mom time off starts now.
Welcome back to the Carpool podcast with Kelly and Liz.
Mom told me the other day, Liz, she goes, I could just tell you girls had your sparkle
back.
She's like, you know, Liz was sick and then you were sick and I'm like, so the podcast
has been sucking.
She's like, no, no, no, she's like, I could just, you guys were both like, I was like
our last two episodes.
She's like, you guys just felt back and like, thanks mom.
That's good to hear.
We have really been kicked down slightly, but we're on the up and up totally.
So kind of a big week for the people.
It's teacher appreciation week nationwide.
I thought this was just my school's thing and it's nurses appreciation week.
Don't love it.
They're on the same week.
Okay.
Yeah, sure.
Hell, like who was in charge of all these days, national days, national weeks, like
get it together.
If I had my way with that calendar, I would make such different decisions, you know?
No, that isn't, that is interesting.
And are we sure the teachers want, the teachers and parents want to be doing this in May?
Like, isn't there another month where this would also make sense?
Well, it also kind of feels like, yeah, it feels a little late in the game.
It's like you're saying goodbye to this teacher.
Which maybe it's like we've appreciated your hard work this year.
And depending on how much we've appreciated your hard work, that depends on what I'm
giving you.
I'm very generous to my teachers.
I'm sure.
Because I love my kids' teachers.
I love my kids' school.
And something that our school did, which I feel like this is not the norm.
But I guess our teachers do lunch and recess duty.
Okay.
But don't you remember like when we were in grade school, like there was recess in lunch
moms?
Yeah, the parents did it.
They had to volunteer to do it.
So during teacher appreciation week, all the parents signed up to work either a lunch
or a recess.
Okay.
I guess the parents who did it.
And it did just give me thinking like I could do this once or twice a month to give the
teachers some reprieve.
Like really the preschool teacher during recess was like, well, I'm going to go take a walk
and listen to my audio book.
And I'm like, you should definitely do that.
You need a break.
Like you're so hard.
So I worked today.
I worked both lunch and recess preschool.
It didn't work.
I couldn't work when I was a Georgia, like a shiffer, Georgia's class, but I was able
to do Hatties.
And in another life, I would have loved to have been a teacher.
And I think I would have been an excellent teacher.
No, you would have been.
And that's not me say that I know the job is incredibly hard, but I do like kind of
to do hard things sometimes.
And I just really enjoyed doing this today.
And like there was one kid in the preschool who's like kind of just, he's probably the
troublemaker.
He was my favorite one.
I was like, I love that kid.
You get kids.
I totally get kids.
You get kids knows nothing better than like when mom would work the lunch shift and like
you would get to see your mom in the middle of the day was so fun.
I know it was so fun.
So today was a blast.
I loved doing it.
And I love to see Hattie interact like in the wild because I feel like George is the
same with me as he is with his friends.
Like I just kind of think George is like that, but Hattie, I don't always know about that
one.
Yeah.
No, it's so interesting.
So that's what I've been up to today.
And then I have just been doing my teacher guess.
I don't know if you saw my story.
You know me, I am normally one just to kind of throw money at a problem, not necessarily
like do something creative, but I found these little plastic clear apples and I filled them
with confetti paper, red candies and red related gift cards.
And then it comes with a little green step and it's darling.
It is cute.
The gift card, I feel like that's a really like safe idea.
Oh, here.
No, I'm not.
I know you don't need another cup or a tumbler or like a thing with my kids face on it.
Like I'm not doing, I know you just want the gift card and I wanted to bring it to you.
Well, and I know that I wanted to bring it to you in a cute way.
Yeah.
But I, yeah, I'm, I am self-aware enough to know you don't want something homemade from
me.
Like it's here's a gift card.
Yeah.
Totally.
But I also didn't want to do Starbucks.
I feel like they always get Starbucks gift cards.
So I did Jersey Mike's and Chick-fil-A.
Oh, good ones.
It's just like lunch on us, you know, lunch on the stumpies.
Cute.
Very cute.
Um, well, I had a, um, are you done with teacher appreciation?
I don't have anything to add to that conversation.
Yeah.
I am completed with that conversation.
Go teachers.
I had, this is really exciting.
I do not talk about my solo parenting weekends, but with the exception of COVID, since I've
known Maddie, he has been gone for one weekend a month, every single month, which, but I'm
telling you, when you're living it, no offense, it feels like every other weekend.
Like I feel like he's always like, I swear he's always out of town.
So Maddie is in the reserves.
Um, when we met, he was in the reserves and then he was, went back on active duty to do
a year long deployment.
When he came back, he got back into the reserves and he's been in it, been in it ever since.
And so what that means is he leaves one week in a month to go do some marine stuff.
And then also occasionally, um, he'll have to be gone for like a month, like two weeks
to a month, a year in addition to the one week in a month.
Right now he just, this past year, he just started a new job or something in the reserve.
So he's doing a marine course.
He's doing a school schooling for two years.
Which means he gets summers off.
So he just, he was gone this past weekend and now he does not have to be gone again until
like September or whenever the school picks back up again.
So I'm going to have my husband home every weekend all summer, which is crazy.
Think about it.
Every single weekend that I've known, or once a month, one weekend a month, since I've
known him, he's been gone.
And when he was doing school, he was gone a weekend a month too.
Oh yeah.
And when he was getting, he was also gone one weekend a month.
And when he had to be gone for two weeks with no contact happened to be the time that we moved
houses and I had James and I was pregnant with Sloan.
I had to literally close on our house, move out of our house by myself.
Cause he was like on doing marine stuff on literally in the desert, unreachable.
So I don't talk about this stuff a lot because I don't want to put on the internet when my
husband is not home.
But I'm very, I'm just very happy for me.
And I wanted to talk about what I did on Friday night with my solo parenting and I went to
the mall with my kids.
So let's back up a second.
Okay.
Liz called me and I was like, what are you doing this weekend?
And she's like a little bit of this, a little bit of that.
She's like, I have to get to the mall.
So I'm going to do that at some point.
And I'm like, go to the mall tonight.
Go to the mall tonight, hit up the food court.
Like, good call.
We've made this just an us experience, but we have been sleeping on malls taking children to
the mall.
I have been so, I never considered taking my kids to the mall.
I almost ran that errand during the day when I had child care because it's like,
I have to make this return to little lemon.
But then I was like, I've got, I have too much to do at home.
I can't, I can't make this return.
But then you were like, just go, I'm thinking, go to the food court,
make my return, what we're fed, my kitchen's clean, the return is made.
It's fine.
I didn't realize the mall's the place to be with kids.
It's the indoor place to be our mall.
And I think a lot of malls have like a little small play area, which like my kids,
the toddler's age is just perfect for this little play area.
The food court was great.
They're, you know, you do have to sneak past a bill to bear in a Lego store and you got to
get past those things.
The only place that we spent any money was Barnes and Noble, which I also didn't know
Barnes and Noble is the freaking place to be as well with kids.
Huge kids section.
And they have like puppets for the kids to play with and like a stage for like story times.
But like my kids just kind of, we read some books, we bought like, I do think if you're
going to go to Barnes and Noble and you're going to like go and read books, I do think
you should buy something.
You should buy something.
It's not like the library where, you know, we did read some books that we didn't get,
but I'm testing it out, you know.
Had a great time, spent hours at the mall, killed my entire evening.
Yeah, I should take my kids to the mall.
And I do feel like there's a time, like I feel like James and Fred are miserable to like
walk past a Lego store, but like George and Hattie now are old enough where it's like,
we have the conversation in the car and like, they don't ask about it or they bring their
wallets and if they have the money, they have the money.
Like that wouldn't, they'd be fine with that.
Tread with throw fit, Libby with throw fit too.
But if you can avoid those stores, like it's also just so much to look at.
There's so much people to look at.
I actually like my kids to look at people sometimes too, because sometimes I think
it's important for them to like see what other people look like, what other families look like.
Like I just think that's all very important for children.
So yeah, it's kind of like a socialization thing, which is like getting out into the world.
Yeah, like smiling like, yeah, get literally getting out to the world.
And I think sometimes like, I think about Fred and Libby, you know, they stay here during the day.
And there's days where I'm just like, we should get you to look at people who don't just live in
this house. Totally. The mall is the place to do it. Let me tell you.
I know. No, I'm like, so I haven't been to a mall in forever.
And I also have a return that has to be done in person.
Long story. Why not that long of a story.
I got anthropology.
I bought something with a gift card online and I don't know how to like,
but it doesn't fit. So I want to return it.
But like, how did they give my gift card back?
Like, I don't know how to do that.
So I just want to go there and be like, give me store credit.
Yeah. And then pick out something like pick out something while you're there.
No, while I'm there. No, I'm going to.
And like, I don't even if I just end up getting candles,
if they don't have anything I like, that's fine.
But I bought these shoes. First of all, my feet grew again.
I think unfortunately, like I'm a size 10, which is so big.
I used to be as cute little nine, sometimes an eight and a half.
After these kids, my feet just keep growing and growing.
It's so weird.
Has this happened to anybody else?
It happened to me.
Now one of my feet is for sure a 10.
And one I can tell one of my feet is bigger than the other one.
So annoying.
I need to get my little foot thing out and measure my feet.
Yeah, you do. That's a good idea.
It's so weird.
You know, it's fine. Like I can handle a big foot.
I'm a big girl. I'm tall, like I'm fine.
Like I look proportional.
Yeah, you can carry it.
And more importantly, they can carry me.
No, the problem is, is you have so many shoes.
Well, I'll make them work.
I mean, I'm fine.
They come for, I mean, it's fine.
I'm fine.
But yeah.
Okay. So anyway, my takeaways.
Go to the mall and go around a meal time.
Go for lunch or go for dinner.
Yeah, totally.
Because you know what the mall also has is like Chick-fil-A.
You know, they have pandex, it's like a Chick-fil-A.
They got pizza.
Like it's not going to be necessarily the healthiest night out,
but it's like a meal fed nonetheless.
I can't imagine.
I'm telling you, I haven't taken George Hattie to the mall
since they were probably James and Sloan's age.
Like literally.
I cannot imagine the look on their faces.
If I was like, see any of these restaurants,
pick where you want to go.
Like they would make their minds.
Lose their mind.
Like if George would get Chick-fil-A and Hattie
could get Chick-fil-A, they would lose their minds.
Oh, and hey, hey, George, why don't you go grab a sample over there?
They're handing out for free.
Oh, my.
They would lose their minds.
It was great.
And then it's like you want a pretzel or ice cream.
No, I'm going to take them to the mall maybe this weekend.
That sounds actually so fun.
No, like a blast.
A blast.
Thankful.
They're still functioning most near us.
Something I'm, I need some parenting advice on this
and I'm welcome in your opinion too.
Okay.
So like one of my kids is a spender, one of my kids is a saver.
But like my saver, I'm going to have you guess which one is which.
Um, my saver borderline has like purchase anxiety.
Like she, like she can't pull the trigger on anything.
Like she has, I think like $150 in her wallet.
Like I, because it's like, I'm telling you,
she hasn't bought anything in like two birthdays and two Christmases.
Like it's insane.
And George has maybe, maybe five bucks.
Yeah.
But he's like, my birthday's around the corner.
I'll get more money that.
And there's a time when I'm like, and I was like,
was it better to save?
And I'm like, there, some of it, but also like, you know,
yeah, you can buy something if you want,
because then like, George is always walking out with something
and had he is never.
And I don't know how to like get this like buying anxiety out of her.
There's like, there's a, yeah, it's like you don't,
you do want to be cautious about the money you spend,
but you also like don't like miss opportunities.
Like I feel like she always thinks like there's something,
something better behind, behind the curtain.
And like sometimes there isn't.
No, and like she wants a giant squishmallow so bad.
Like what are those huge ones?
And she's got the money.
It wouldn't even make a dent.
It's like $45.
I think she has $200 last time I counted.
Well, I think it's 150.
I feel like you should encourage her to buy the thing
that she's been like talking about a lot
and then see how that makes her feel.
Yeah.
I think that she just hasn't seen
how it makes her feel in a long time.
I almost think it's time to be like,
no, you have to buy something today.
Yeah.
Or you just don't, I don't know, but I'm worried.
I'm with you because it's not, I'm worried that she,
it's causing anxiety.
And I can tell it's causing her stress
because like we'll go to the store
and like she gets paralyzed with,
with making a decision and she just doesn't make one.
Well, then I think she needs to get over the fears.
That's what I mean.
Yeah, I agree.
You need to encourage her like,
hey, I think this is a good investment.
It's something that you've been saying
you wanted for a really long time.
And I feel like this is a good,
like I think you need to give her a little bit of validation.
Yeah.
And tell her that it isn't,
it is a good and wise purchase.
The giant squash mellow.
And then she can maybe see how that makes her feel.
And then she can be like,
I shouldn't have spent my $45 on that.
Then she can live with that.
Yeah.
Then she can live with that.
That's a good point.
Okay.
I'm going to take that.
Okay.
Yeah.
Take a small letter, go crazy.
They're going to freak.
I can't wait.
I need to take them.
So aside from that,
what else did I do this weekend?
You know, when you like can't remember at all.
I came over to your house.
We always think it's going to be so much fun.
You know, it's so funny because I went over to Kelly's house
and it's almost like harder because Fred and James would be playing well together.
And then someone would play with a toy that the other one wanted.
And then it's like, had they not been together,
no one would be screaming and now they're both crying.
Yeah.
And we always think come over.
It'll be so fun.
You could have lunch here.
And I'm sorry.
Let's not stop because I think it's important to get the kids together.
But it's never as fun as we think it's going to be ever.
And it's so funny too, because like literally James and Fred will be like,
they love each other.
They play well.
And then they scream at each other and like hate each other.
And then three minutes later, Fred's like,
hey mom, can I go to Bea's house?
I'm like, yeah.
Do you guys even like it?
Like I'm so confused.
Yeah.
So I came over to your house.
You were in my house.
Oh, but before you came over to my house, as I was like, you know,
trying to straighten up a little bit before you came over,
I walked into my sunroom and I saw Libby's ponytail on the ground.
Oh yeah.
Yeah.
And I screamed and I brought all three of my big kids in the room and I said,
who cut off Libby's ponytail?
Because when I'm telling you like the rubber band was intact,
like it was a clear cut of the ponytail.
And I knew, I knew it wasn't George,
because you know, I had to make everyone even.
So I said to George, I don't think it's you.
Hattie, Fred, who cut Libby's ponytail?
Like it was one of them for like 15 minutes of me interrogating.
They didn't, I didn't do it.
I didn't do it.
Hattie's not a liar.
So I kind of was like, okay, it's probably not Hattie.
I'm like, Fred cut off her ponytail.
Like I am like so mad.
He won't admit it.
I'm like, there's this baby.
Libby does not have the motor skills to take a pair of scissors and cut off her ponytail.
Like there's no way.
Then I walk out of the sunroom, catch my breath.
Outside of the sunroom, I see a ponytail cutter,
like a rubber band cutter, which I use to take out Hattie's bubble braids,
which I had left in the sunroom the night before after taking out her bubble braids.
And Libby took it to her own ponytail and cut off her entire ponytail.
Sorry, it's not funny.
And a couple of things.
One mom was like 95% of children.
Like it's not a fun toy.
I don't even know how she knew what it did.
I don't even, I can't even believe she thought to put it to her head.
She took it to her ponytail.
She saw you doing it.
But like 90% of children would have just like,
it wasn't that fun of a toy.
Like would have just not done anything or they would have had it in their hand and like maybe
try like the fact that she not only attempted it, but was successful at it is insane.
And then everyone's like, oh, it's a ride of passage.
Haha.
It was like, had he cut her hair?
Like I've been through this, but here's the problem with this one.
She was too young for a learning moment.
There was no, what am I supposed to do?
She doesn't know what she did.
Yeah.
Like she wasn't, so I'm telling you when she's three years old, I will be here again.
I'll be here again.
Cause she will cut her hair.
And then we'll have the teaching moment and she probably won't do it again.
Well, in most kids that age don't even have that much hair to do that either.
Like it was just, no, I can't believe, I never thought, I mean,
I knew that thing could cut hair cause they can cut through ponytails,
but like I just never thought it was a threat.
Yeah.
Now you know, it's so tough.
Her hair looks horrible.
She has a mullet.
Yeah, it looks bad.
And, you know, she heard me say, I wanted to cut bangs like Ella Langley.
And she goes, I'll just do it myself, mom.
So I do think I'm going to go take her in to get bangs.
I really do.
I think you should.
I respectfully, before she caught her hair, I've been telling you,
you need to do that for a while.
Her hair is super long.
Yeah.
So.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Yeah.
So that was kind of like my, that was like the crazy part of my weekend.
And yeah, she looks, she looks rough.
She looks rough.
Well, we're figuring it out.
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I guess like last thing about me before we get into other stuff.
I'm potty training James this weekend.
Yep, I'm going to start.
We tried potty training him around two and a half and we were living in my parents'
house during the renovation and I wasn't prepared.
I was overwhelmed.
It didn't happen.
I gave up.
He's going to be three in June.
I'm going to give birth to this baby in August, you know, a lot.
I've been consuming all of the, I'm not buying a book because I'm not going to read a book,
but I've been consuming Instagram content by people who are reading the book.
And everyone says to, you know, try the three day method, three days at home, no pants,
get the puppy pads out, like cover your couches with towels, lots of liquid.
So this is like the only open weekend that I have for the foreseeable future before I get too
pregnant.
So I'm mortified.
This has to be the hardest thing you have to teach kid.
You know, and it feels like you're not, you're kind of forgetting that I have done this two
times.
You haven't like called me for advice or like checked in on me at all.
I have.
I've literally, I've talked to you about it today earlier.
But it was like, I'm doing all these methods.
Not like, what did you do since you've been so successful in your past?
I know, I know what you did.
Which is what?
You told George that you had an orca whale for him if he was successful.
And how'd he got it done in a day?
And Fred's been taking months and Fred is not potty trained.
So no, Fred's not potty trained.
So I'm first of all, let's start with you.
I think you're going to be successful.
I can tell in your voice, you have dedication to this.
And I think that's what it takes.
You know, I'm, I'm, I do think kids, I don't always think you have to wait for,
till quote unquote, kids are ready.
Like I do think this can be, I think he, he has the ability to understand what's happening.
Totally.
And I think James likes to make you happy.
And I think, I actually think it'll be easy for you.
I really do.
He did randomly ask me this morning.
He goes, um, can we go to the grocery store and buy more diapers?
I'm like, why on all the weeks of your, like you've never once inquired about our diaper stock.
Just say, how about the mall and we'll get underwear?
I know.
And I said, oh, you know, why don't we go buy some underwear?
No, I just want to get some new diapers.
I'm like, oh, no.
Yeah, that's not good.
I know.
So I got to get on it.
Okay.
Back to you.
Um, so, you know, I'm going to share this because I went to, so Fred has really been
strongly with the potty training and like it's been months and we are making no progress.
So Fred actually, two things we're doing.
One, he has seen a chiropractor now because I noticed and I'm actually coming to this,
this safe community because I, I honestly would like some advice on this.
Um, I noticed when Fred goes to the bathroom in his diaper, instead of squatting, like most kids
do, like most kids will go behind a table and squat.
Fred lays on his stomach.
Like that's how I know he's doing it.
And I thought to myself, well, that's really strange.
And like we've been trying to get him to go on the potty for months and I'm wondering if like
his body's not working that way or if the squatting is uncomfortable.
So he's been seeing a chiropractor.
Honestly, haven't had much improvement there, but you know, I don't know.
That was Tyler's idea.
And I'm getting him an OT therapy because I think he need, I don't, I think he doesn't squat.
And like, you know how James always like squat and play?
Like James is old, James is a little bird.
He's always perched.
James is always perched.
Yeah.
I've like never seen Fred perched.
Hmm.
So, and like Fred's not a stubborn kid.
He would, he, I think he's equally frustrated, but just like something's not happening.
And we work on this over a month.
I've worked with a potty training consultant.
They were great, but like, unfortunately, none of the stuff worked.
And I think I need more help.
Yeah.
So my next step is OT, which I am very excited about.
Yeah.
I think it will be good for, I think it's a good, I think there's a level of it where
all kids could benefit from it.
I agree.
But I'll, I'll keep everyone posted.
But if anyone else has experiences, like I wouldn't even describe it as like,
um, like a resistant, like he is frustrated as well.
Yeah.
So my next step has been, I'm just trying to get him to go in, to go in his diaper,
laying down if he has to, but in the bathroom.
I see.
Okay.
That was from my potty training consultant, Tinkle and Toot, which I do think was good advice.
Yeah.
So at least like you can go, but you have to go in the bathroom.
Yeah.
I'm just like, really, I'm trying to keep my cool.
I'm trying not to put pressure on it.
I put too much pressure on it the first time.
I just don't, this is just, I'm dreading this aspect of parenthood in a big way,
but we will get through it.
The keep everyone posted would love any advice people have
because I'm consuming all the content right now.
So the next thing is I posted a reel about car reliability.
I'm like, I'm not going to, I mean, you can go watch the reel because I've been in a lot of
comments about just like how, why I never talk about reliability.
You're like, how could you recommend that car where it's so unreliable?
And like there's so much nuance in reliability.
Like it's just, it's because it's the newest buzzword and automotive in my opinion.
Yeah.
Anyway, you can watch my reel to kind of figure out my reasoning,
but I kind of said something that I just,
things like a good reminder for everybody in like so many aspects of life and careers.
Like I'm not an expert in everything.
I'm not even an expert in everything auto related.
And too many people in the world, too many influencers,
too many people with a platform are trying to cosplay as experts and everything
because they don't want to sound like they don't know what they're talking about.
And like I just have no problem admitting where my shortcomings are,
even when it's in auto.
Like I'm not an expert on reliability.
I'm an expert on family cars.
Like I can't be an expert at everything, but you know what I'm saying?
Like I just think some people will always like give their opinion
outside of their area of expertise.
Well, reliability is also, is also like such a, it's not a very black and white issue.
No, there, there are so many reasons why, why I don't cover it.
And I kind of said that in the real, but I just wanted to say that I was like,
it's just not my area.
Like I am a mama for and I'm a car seat tech.
I'm not a mechanic.
Like I can regard to say what consumer report says, but I can't,
you can Google that yourself.
You don't need me for that.
Yeah.
Like here's my, here's what, here's what you can't Google.
Here's what you need from me.
And I think it's like normalized getting what you need from me and then like getting
what you need from someone else, from someone else.
Yeah.
I mean, it's a, it's cars, especially it's a very big decision.
And while the car mom offers so many great resources, it's still a 40, 60, 70 thousand
dollar decision that you're making.
I do think you should look at other opinions as well.
And like there's other parts to it that's not just like, how will it fit your family?
Which is what we cover.
But in the same sense, some people put way too much emphasis on reliability and they buy
the wrong car.
And also you have to define reliability for yourself.
I think that's the first steps.
Like what does reliability mean to you?
How long do you want to keep the car for?
How long do you need the car to be reliable for?
Because like the, and people don't like the statistic, but you have to realize it's most
people, the majority of people only keep a car for 36 months.
They trade it in.
Most people are in the car market every three to four years.
So respectfully for most of my audience, I'm not saying you, Sarah, but I'm saying for most
of my audience, reliability actually doesn't matter that much because they're not driving
a car for 200,000 miles.
And I think you preach a lot that you don't always think you should because you're right
now, you are buying such a specific, you're buying a car for such a specific stage of life,
whether that be a complicated car seat situation or, you know, you've got kids that play sports
or whatever it is, you're buying it for this season of life and it's okay to own a car for
three to four years and then get one that fits your different season of life.
Because again, that's what the majority people are doing.
Yeah.
And so for you to just like also like you are some of the questions, some of the consultations
that you do, they're looking for such a specific car seat setup, such a specific budget,
such specific things that if you were to also throw in like, well, here's what some
reliability data says, that's going to dwindle down their list even more, slash their list
doesn't exist anymore, slash, no, exactly.
And what does reliability even mean?
No, like what a privilege to say, and it's really whatever.
I don't even want to get into it anymore.
I'm like, I can't beat the worst out of it.
It's not the problem is it's not this audience because this audience all has a brain and they
understand what I'm saying and they get it.
I'm telling you, and Instagram, thank you for the exposure, but I've had some reels
pop off and it's a lot of men.
I don't like it.
I don't like it.
I like the dads.
The dads can stay.
The men get out of here.
Speaking of men, my book club meets tonight.
I don't know what that has to do with men, but there's men in the book were reading.
So my book club meets tonight and everyone's on the edge of their seat.
Haven't finished the book.
I've got about 50 pages left.
I know.
So I'm going to finish it this afternoon.
My problem is, Elizabeth, something I'm really going to work on this summer.
Like this is officially on my summer to-do list.
I can't allow myself to read during the day.
So if it's a nap time, I would feel insane to pick up my book and start on the couch.
But I'll scroll my phone for 20 minutes.
Totally.
Because I feel like, no, no, I'm not going to be here for very long.
And here I am here for long.
If I wake up early and it's just George up and whatever he's watching TV,
I can't read my book.
I have to start doing stuff.
The only time I feel like I have permission to read, and I'm not doing an audible,
so I can't even do it in the car, is once all the kids are asleep and I'm exhausted.
But I have so many beautiful places in my house, I would love to read.
Like I have a rocking chair on my front porch.
Why during nap time can I not go out there and read for 40 minutes?
Yeah, I don't know.
I do know, but yeah, I understand.
But it's just reading, because I do my self-care here and there.
Like I have no qualms with taking a shower, curling my hair, taking my time,
even sitting on the couch to learn my phone.
Sometimes you'll do that or online shopping.
But then what the book just feels like?
Such a waste of time.
It's insane, right?
Well, because I think you can be on your phone and you can start by doing something productive,
like online shopping can be productive or scheduling an appointment.
Like you start doing something on your phone and then it leads to doom scrolling,
like endless scrolling.
But yeah, to like go grab your book, like sit out, like no, that's crazy.
Yeah, so I'm going to work on that this summer.
Yeah, that would be something for me.
That would be good.
So is it time for last few transactions?
Will we share or read some big accounts?
Subtractions?
Yeah.
Have you been transacting?
Yeah.
Same.
A lot.
Um, just place like, you know, the big Amazon order for the potty training.
What the heck did you buy, Elizabeth?
Here's what I bought.
I bought some James Love's books.
Okay.
He's a total book kid.
So I bought three potty training books because I'm trying to just get him excited about it.
I don't have like one of those.
I don't have a timer.
Like I don't have a kitchen timer.
Like I just don't have a timer.
And if I just feels like I'm at the age where I need to get a timer,
like a visual timer for my kids.
So I got that.
And I got like a trap, like a to go potty.
Like I just don't have one of those.
Okay.
So that was my big potty order and some new underwear for James.
Okay.
So I have found my new favorite influencer.
Okay.
Get your phone out.
I'm literally doing it right now.
Her name is called she teaches fifth.
She underscore teaches underscore fifth.
Her name is Alyssa.
She's a fifth grade teacher, obviously.
And she does all these like a budget Amazon fashion finds.
Her content is excellent.
And I'm just always looking like she does a lot of dupes,
like anthro dupes, free people dupes.
And they are so now here's what I'll say.
So here's why it's my last section.
I just placed my first order from her link.
I am such an Amazon clothes skeptic.
Like I'm sorry.
I just like think that they're all horrible.
But I don't know.
I could really trust her.
She could be pulling my leg, but she's also taller, Elizabeth.
See, that's what's important because I can't always trust Amazon links
because if you're, you know, five, five, it's like you can kind of make things work.
I'm seeing if she says her, she says there,
she would say things like they're tall, girl friendly,
but then I don't know what that means to her.
Oh, she's five, nine.
Okay.
Nice.
But she's so skinny.
So like also things like probably just, you know,
things work out for those people sometimes clothing wise.
But she's darling.
Her content is so fun.
I honestly just like love her regardless.
Like she does an excellent job.
I can tell the work she puts into it.
And I'm excited for my pieces to come in order to two things from her.
Okay.
All right.
You know what?
You got it from Amazon?
Yeah.
I think my rule though is going to be before I'll recommend an Amazon purchase.
I think I need to wear, wash, wear and wash it.
Oh, I agree.
I agree.
Because that's really what matters to me.
And yes, it's cheaper.
So like I'm not looking to hold up for years,
but I'm looking to get a cut.
I'm looking to get at least a couple of seasons out of it.
You know.
Yeah.
Totally.
I agree.
Day two to see what I bought if it passes my wash and wear test.
Okay.
I'm excited to find out.
Okay.
Something that I have been transacting is I've really been in like my free people era.
Well, as you would like this girl then.
Yeah.
I know.
Well, I'm trying to find stuff that makes me feel okay.
Like I don't know.
It's nothing really fits, but I ordered these like oversized shirts.
Um, I have them now in four colors just because I just feel like I'm like I go
wearing with biker shorts and like sneakers and I'm like, I'm a mom on the go and
it's like an oversized shirt, but it looks like slightly less frumpy because of the cut
and like the quality of it, like being free people.
Is it like long is like longer sleeved?
I've been wearing one right now.
Oh yeah, that is cute.
You can, it looks better when I'm standing up.
Like I'm kind of sitting.
And I, I'm wearing them constantly.
I've gotten a lot of compliments.
And then I also ordered some like sports bras from them because I've been wearing
like the Lulu lemon, the athletic like sports bras.
And those for me right now are just like, I don't know, just like the very like spandexy
material or like athleticy material is just not comfortable right now.
And so free people, FFP, FP movement or something like that.
They have like sports bras that are just different materials that are just like
more comfortable, but still kind of supportive.
These look comfortable.
I'm looking at the website.
I ordered some, I ordered a sports bra from them, loved it ordered two more.
I'm very much like, I have not been spending many, much money on my clothes lately.
But when I do find something that I feel good in right now, I am buying it in multiple colors.
Well, and I'm happy just to see you like really go full fledged sporty spices pregnancy.
I just think this is a good, I think it's fine for your summer uniform to be oversized shirt
and biker shorts.
Like you're pregnant.
That's what I'm trying to do.
I'm just, go ahead.
I thought of a fun pool cover up for you this, this summer.
Okay.
I almost bought it.
I almost bought it for you when I thought maybe you should be offended.
So I wondered about you here first.
I think you should just get a big oversized t-shirt of like a bikini body.
Oh yeah.
I have one of those.
Like, okay.
Perfect.
Like I think at the lake this summer, like you just wear that.
No, I don't know.
No, I think that's fine.
I think it's like, she's pregnant.
It's cute.
Yeah.
I don't know.
It's just like, you know, under construction, ATM.
Yeah.
No, it's fine.
It's all good.
Yeah.
Like you said, I'm just, I'm sporty and I'm, and I'm,
You're a sporty spice.
I'm comfortable.
Which is so important, especially with toddlers.
I'm sorry.
It's important for me.
And, you know, your job allows.
I saw this reel that really rubbed me the wrong way and it was like,
how I used to dress.
And it was like a girl wearing an athleisure.
And she's like, how I dress now, or she was, I used to dress like I,
it was like running a marathon or something.
Now I dress for motherhood.
And she was like, had all these like cute clothes on,
but now you've got all these accessories and stuff.
And I'm like, maybe that's motherhood with older kids.
And like, I can only see motherhood through one lens,
which is like on the ground constantly,
like chasing kids like on the playground.
I just, I, that's fine.
I just don't like the shame of like, if you wear athleisure,
you're not dressing properly for motherhood,
or you're being lazy, or you're doing one of these things.
Like this, it is a contact sport actually for me at least.
Yeah.
It is marathon training right now.
And I just, I don't know, maybe just like,
I centered myself too much in that content.
But I'm like, can we just like not call out other people
and try to make people feel bad?
Like we're already all trying our best to like make it through.
Can we not make people feel bad for wearing biker shorts to the park?
I don't think they're trying to make you feel,
but maybe they are.
But I also think some people just are going to make themselves feel better.
And they're making themselves feel better by dressing up and saying like,
I'm better than you.
Better than you.
And you're, oh, you can't, oh, you don't have time to shop
and carry all these outfits like I do.
Oh, you, you're not going to put a chunky necklace on to go to the park.
Wow.
Liz, that's some, that's some mom's self-expression.
I know. Sorry. Just hit me the wrong way.
That's okay. That's okay.
You're definitely, you're definitely centering yourself though.
Okay.
As George would say, don't yuck their yums,
but they're yucking your yums.
So maybe it's, maybe it's fine.
It's like, that's fine.
Just do, you do you.
There's nothing for them to see.
Now I'm lashing out at her cause I feel attacked and I don't know her.
And she looks really cute.
I'm not going to lie.
Maybe you should take your advice.
Okay. Next thing I bought was I am on my
fairy garden grind.
So we bought, we have a place at our house that's like,
just like one singular tree.
My husband ripped out all of our landscaping when we moved here
and he refuses to replace it.
It's a, it's honestly a really big pain point in my marriage right now.
But we have one little section I didn't let him tear.
And that is our fairy garden.
And I wanted to do this last year because I wanted like,
had you to have like an outside thing.
The kids love it.
The kids love it.
So I bought another house off Amazon, which I don't know.
I need to find, I need to get to my butt to like a tractor supply.
Yeah.
Because this was a $26, which was like definitely more than I wanted to spend,
but the kids love it.
I don't know.
I was looking for like a $12.99 option and I just like couldn't find that.
But you know, this might be an in person tractor supply thing.
But anyway, I'll be posting my fairy garden updates because it is
such a fun outdoor thing to do.
And a fairy garden is like something anyone can do.
Like you don't, you don't have to have like,
you should probably start yours maybe next summer when someone's a little older.
Yeah.
What do you mean start mine?
Like you just add to it every year?
I guess, I don't know.
Sure.
But like you buy like the kids like a house and like a couple of like figurines
and then they kind of take it from there.
So like they made then like they took sticks and twigs and like then they made like a fence
and like a river and stuff like that.
I see.
Yeah.
No, I let I load it.
It's just like outside.
It's just stuff that's outside and it gets a little hot.
So it's more of like an evening thing.
But sometimes I'll be like, why don't you kids go play in the fairy garden?
It's like just a little whimsical kind of vibe.
So love my fairy garden.
I'm here for the fairy garden.
Okay.
Well, then I guess that my last transaction
like kind of a common theme.
If I like it, I'll buy it in another color.
I bought more of these old Navy maternity biker shorts.
Good for you.
Another pair.
You need to be linking all this stuff, Liz, because I haven't seen you.
I linked these.
I linked these ones, but I've I linked them once when I first got them.
And now I've been wearing them constantly and I only have three pairs.
So I'm like constantly doing laundry.
So I'm like, I really just need like five.
I need five pairs because I wear them every day.
They're so comfortable.
Well, let's see it.
Throw some links.
Okay.
I'm telling you, I'm like, my uniform is this is this
Fp movement.
I do not like that name.
That's hard for me to say.
It's a bad name.
It is a bad name.
Fp movement, sports bra, free people, oversized tee, biker shorts, shoes.
Kizzix.
Yeah.
First of all, Kizzix came in.
They're sponsoring the auto show.
They're like bringing in activation.
The auto show's sponsors.
Kind of it.
Yeah.
So make sure you get a bunch of the car and auto show brought to you by Capital One Auto Navigator.
We also placed our merch order.
Oh yeah.
And it is cute, cute, cute.
Let's just say it's an oversized tee that Liz might be wanting to start wearing.
You know what?
That is another oversized tee that I do wear is the never say never one.
That's such a good one.
That's such a good one.
That's such a good quality.
That's such a good loose shirt.
I love that one.
Anyway, so that could be my last transaction because that was the biggest transaction I've made.
500 tee shirts.
But I'll give you a different one.
I bought a fake fern to put in the planter.
Yeah, that's right.
I'm going to buy my fake plant grind, you guys.
You know what?
That leads me to such a good point.
I have to read this.
Mom sent me this because I have fake boxwoods on my front porch,
but I do not have any shade on my front porch.
So they have really faded.
And I told mom because I noticed she had some fake plants and like those are going to fade.
And she said, I have the solution.
And she sent it to me.
There's a spray that you need to get.
Oh, well, the ones that I said said they were UV resistant.
So I just kind of assumed that was checking the box.
Scotch guard heavy duty water shield repels water ideal for outerwear,
tents, backpats, canvas, polyester.
I don't know.
Mom said this is supposed to keep them looking good.
Okay.
The vinyl stuff or whatever.
Maybe I'll take a peek.
I would just really love if I could do some planted ferns.
Like I don't think the fake flowers ever look that good.
Someone send me a link.
If they have a good, because I'm not above a fake flower at all.
Just like the Amazon listings don't look good.
But like a fern's a fern.
Yeah, a fern's a fern.
A fern's a fern.
So I'm pretty excited.
That should be arriving today, actually.
It's like the most excited because I can't put it in the pot.
Totally.
It's going to be like the most excited.
It's like the most exciting package I've had.
Like literally tracking Amazon for my fern.
Okay.
So that's last three.
We can quickly move on to industry news, but I don't have any.
You don't?
Liz, but here's the thing.
It's like, do you want me to just throw crap on the wall?
Or do you want like me to only bring you?
So, yeah.
I'll read you a headline, which I only kind of understand what it means.
Okay.
Okay.
Honda stretches life cycles of a cord odyssey in HRV after costly EV pullback.
American Honda is stretching the life cycles.
In some cases, by more than a decade, as it takes a $15.8 billion hit,
pivoting away from its ambitious electric vehicle plan.
Then it says, the job needs automakers squeezing more cash from proven platforms
while developing more efficient higher power trains for each other.
I'm sorry.
Like, so it sounds like more of the same.
I'm not that smart.
I'm dyslexic.
And I knew this EV thing wasn't going to work out like this.
Kel, there's a difference between book smart and street smart.
And that's a, that's a street smart thing.
I was like, I wish they would just focus on the hybrids.
And now it's like headline after headline after headline.
It's just so interesting.
You can't, you can't teach common sense.
Okay.
Well, you're ready for digital drive through.
We give you an easy recipe to mix it up to get into the right.
I'm going to hate this podcast episode.
Well, Liz, you know what?
Here's what I have to say.
To any, to any of our critiques, okay, you get on the mic two times a week
and just talk to your sister and we'll see if we agree with everything you say.
Yeah.
You know what I'm saying?
Yeah.
You are not for everyone.
No, and also sometimes, can I just say sometimes the things I say on this podcast,
like aren't fully thought out thoughts.
And they're just like, nothing on here is meant to be all that serious.
That's the thing.
Nothing here is that serious and nothing here is forever.
This is, I mean,
most of the opinions that I have on here, like I would never like actually plant
like a super strong flat.
No, that's fine.
It convinced me differently.
Like I don't care.
Yeah, I don't care.
That's fine.
Anyway, we're just having fun.
I'm having fun.
I'm having fun.
Okay.
Get to the drive through where we give you an easy dinner
recipe to mix it up to get you out of your dinner rut.
If you want to mix it up to get you out of your dinner rut,
I suggest you go to the food court, the mall food court.
It's not a drive through.
No, it's not a really drive through.
Liz, I do think that's a really good one.
I do.
I think so as well.
I'm wondering if other people are going to malls regularly.
I wonder if I wonder that too.
I don't know if we just offered a target.
And maybe it's like targets not always it.
Maybe it's the mall.
You know what's crazy?
One time I went to a mall that had a target attached.
Where?
Dream scenario.
Where was this?
I can't remember.
Was it a dream?
Do you think?
No, no, no, no, it was real.
Okay.
It might have been Columbia, Missouri,
but I can't say that for sure.
I don't know.
But I would like that.
I would like a target attached to a mall.
Like instead of a Sears at the end, it's like a target.
It's like a target.
Yeah, no, that's better.
Like a super target.
Like one side should be a target.
I like the Nordstrom, so keep the Nordstrom.
A home goods?
Yeah, like give us that.
Give us maybe we should be rethinking
our anchor stores a little bit, you know?
Totally.
Anyway, back to ditch the drive-thru.
So here's what I'm just going to give you
with three things that I'm making this week.
Nothing's groundbreaking, but maybe you could pick
one of the three for tonight.
If you're looking for an easy dinner recipe, okay?
Okay.
Number one, a classic in the Stumpy Household.
You already know it before I have to say it.
I made a chi chi pie pie last night, and it was excellent.
Everyone ate it.
We finished an entire chi chi pie pie.
George said, Mom, this is the best thing you ever had.
I'm going to have three plates.
Libby, Hoover and everyone was loving it.
I'm so happy for you.
Teller walked up and he goes, you made chicken pie pie?
I mean, that's like.
No, it was like just that's it.
That's the greatest gift.
That's all I need.
That's all you need for Mother's Day this weekend.
Literally.
Perfect.
Everyone likes what I made.
But you know what I did, which this is kind of a good idea
to do with your children or your husband,
if you need dinner ideas.
I said I'm making your favorite for dinner.
And then they say, they guess what it is.
And they took George four times to get to chicken pie.
But the other ideas he gave me was meatballs.
My kids love my homemade meatballs.
Oh yeah.
I don't make them enough.
So I'm making homemade meatballs.
And I don't even like do the spaghetti with it.
We just have meatballs.
Okay.
Like to me, spaghetti can be on its own
or I'll do like a meat sauce.
Do you put marinara with your meatballs?
No.
It's just straight up all catch up.
Ballow meat.
It's like a deconstructed meatloaf.
No, it's just a meatball without sauce.
It's a mini.
I want to make mini meatloaves in muffin tins.
I might attempt that tonight
because I have the ground beef thawed
and I haven't made anything yet.
And your sparkles back.
And my sparkles back.
But I have book club tonight.
So I think Tyler's actually going to take the kids out.
I see.
Because I'm slammed.
And then my last one was
I made California chicken sandwiches.
Speaking of food court.
Yes.
If you know what an oh Charlie's California chicken sandwich is,
then you know it is a thinly sliced chicken breast,
provolone cheese, hoagie roll, lettuce, tomato, ranch dressing,
some in Western.
Was it?
And it is.
Yeah, wasn't it?
No, I think was it Charlie's cheesesteaks?
I don't know.
We call them California chicken sandwiches,
but did everyone hear how I just said it?
It is such a delicious sandwich.
It's not a Charlie's.
It's Charlie's.
It's just Charlie's.
Charlie's California chicken sandwich.
So good.
My mom used to make them all the time growing up.
Mm hmm.
Such a good.
And it's just like a different.
It's just as easy as a burger,
but you're doing it with chicken.
But listen to me.
Like you have to do the ranch.
And the thinly sliced get like shredded lettuce,
get a tomato, salt the tomato,
don't be gross.
And sometimes you can add bacon.
Everyone, the crowd goes what?
I mean, the crowd goes wild.
Well, we made them the other weekend at the farm
and we put sauteed onions and peppers on top of it,
which was kind of like a different flavor profile as well.
I really liked it.
No, I mean, it was fine.
It wasn't.
It wasn't a California chicken sandwich.
No, it wasn't a California chicken sandwich,
but it was kind of like the same vibe,
but a different, different profile.
Yeah.
Very good.
So there's three to the drive through.
For nothing.
For.
But we get pizza on Friday.
There's your week.
About a bank.
So guys, we're going to wrap this topic
of podcast episode up.
Thank you as much for listening to The Carpool Podcast.
We will see you on Friday.
Everyone have a great week.
Thanks for listening.
Bye.
Bye.
Thank you for listening to The Carpool Podcast
with Kelly and Liz.
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About this episode
Kelly and Lizz bounce from teacher appreciation week and a solo-parenting update into a surprisingly enthusiastic defense of mall outings with kids. They talk through money-savvy children, a baby who cut off her own ponytail, and the realities of potty training before turning to car reliability and why big purchases deserve a fresh definition. The back half leans into shopping, pregnancy comfort clothes, and easy family dinners, with the mall food court emerging as a practical fix for dinner rut fatigue.
Original notes
The sparkle is back on the podcast!
This week, Kelly is in full teacher appreciation mode as she puts together gifts for her kids' teachers. But who scheduled Nurse Appreciation Week and Teacher Appreciation week on the same week? Lizz is basking in the glow of the end of solo weekends with the kids, at least for the time being. Her final weekend without Matty taught her a big lesson for the future: the mall is a great place to entertain the kids! Panda Express, Barnes & Noble and a playground all in one indoor place? Yes please!
Drama erupted in the Stumpe household when Libby's ponytail suddenly appeared on the floor instead of on her head. Who cut it off? The answer will surprise you! At Lizz's house, she is in full potty training mode with James. So it's no surprise that the first items in her Last Three Transaction is all potty training related. Kelly, on the other hand, is experimenting with Amazon fashion finds.
In Industry News, Honda is pulling back on their EVs and relying on their tride and true models. Hmmmm... who could have told you that would happen? Finally in Ditch the Drive-Thru, Kelly is reminding you of some Carpool classics!
The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz
The Car Mom LLC / tentwentytwo Projects
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56:22