JUDGING THE INTERNET'S NEW MOM CARS

Welcome to the Car Fool podcast with Kelly.

I thought it would be like, I'm like, take a beer, go to the garage, I'll watch the

kids and like tinker with your wrench.

Like I thought that sounded fun to him.

And Liz.

And you to just like show up on the podcast looking like really cute and snatched next

to me is just kind of toxic.

Your mom time off starts now.

Welcome back to the Car Fool podcast with Kelly and Liz.

Hey, everyone.

Happy Friday.

We're having some technical difficulties and like it's like I don't even know like

the technology is just failing us today.

Like we're doing everything like we're supposed to buy the books and our platform is just

like, no, thanks like contact support.

And I'm like, what?

It's like you contact support.

Oh, just the talent.

We're just the talent.

It's so hard to be a two woman show on this podcast, three women show because we have

someone who edits our podcast.

But we're just three women trying to put together a podcast.

Trying to scrap together two episodes a week.

It's it's hard.

It's crazy.

Some podcasters literally will have like a legit set like multiple people there like

monitoring, like making sure your audio sounds good.

Meanwhile, we're like, well, they have to be bleeding cash.

Let me tell you something.

They have to be bleeding cash.

I mean, but a lot of people don't do a podcast for the money.

Not even saying we do it, but like some people, well, we kind of do.

Some people only do a podcast to promote their other things.

I would say in a lot of ways, we're not doing a podcast for the money when you think

about the money that is made off of the podcast.

So I would say we may be falling to the camp, but I'm not trying to lose money on on it.

That's for sure.

I'm just trying to be in the green.

Just trying to be in the green.

Don't care what that green is.

It's so.

It's just a very interesting thing about podcasts.

Like it's when it's where it's so easy to make money on TikTok, Instagram.

Like there's a million ways to monetize those platforms.

Literally, anyone can do it.

Podcasters were two professional podcasters scratching the green.

It's crazy.

Yeah, no, it's yeah, whatever.

Our problem's not yours.

Something speaking of more of my problems, though.

You're like really pissing me off.

Totally.

Sounds all right.

So Kelly in January, not a challenge.

She is not wearing like leggings or like sweatpants or whatever.

She's only wearing something that can like button and zip.

Yeah.

And I'm at the stage of my pregnancy where maternity clothes don't fit,

but like my regular clothes are also like really uncomfortable.

So I kind of exclusively need to wear like leggings and sweatpants and stuff.

And you to just like show up on the podcast, looking like really cute and snatched

next to me is just kind of toxic.

And our first two pregnancy, my first two pregnancies,

we were pregnant together, so I didn't have this problem.

And I'm just curious how you sleep at night.

Well, first things first, I looked like a train wreck on Monday's episode,

Wednesday's episode.

I was doing the Olsen tuck into a Detroit Lions hoodie.

So yeah, you say that, but you're like, I'm low key, like look effortlessly

beautiful without makeup on.

Well, that's the Botox, which is something that you can't participate in right now.

I did just get retoxed and it had been like seven months

because after my allergic reaction, I just like had to chill on everything.

So I am looking snatched in the forehead.

I am up in my skincare routine.

Yeah, I'm wearing pants with buttons.

I mean, pregnancy is so crazy because I have to like scale down my my skincare

routine so I can't like do any of the things that like make me like glow a little bit.

No, I'm like face wash and moisturizer.

It's so annoying.

Well, and I'll just say, like the I have no sympathy at all.

Like I'm actually I'm just letting you know that because if you were calling

in 2019 when I got pregnant with George, what were you doing in 2019?

I was living in Texas.

I wasn't anywhere near you.

I was giving you space.

You came home from the holidays.

And when I was pregnant with Hattie, what were you doing?

Yeah, I was living.

I had to go through two pregnancies by myself looking cute until I wasn't in the pregnancy.

I mean, it's going to be the postpartum where you're really going to feel isolated from me.

But you will get back there and I just remember like I had to do two alone

and now you have to do this one alone.

And, you know, I'll be like, no, you look cute.

Sorry.

Do you remember?

Do you remember the day the day you know, so I George was born in May

and I was so at the time I was so unprepared for the fact that like I guess

I thought after I gave birth, my old clothes would fit.

Like I have no idea what I was thinking.

First time parents, they're so cute.

They're so cute.

They're adorable.

So I had like these, you know, pregnancy clothes and then George was born

and I realized I had nothing to wear, like nothing.

And I was like, oh, like I guess I forgot about like postpartum clothes.

So mom trying to serve me in any way she could went to Coles.

OK, she spent like $400 and was like, I just bought you a ton of stuff,

like try some stuff on and then like we'll return whatever doesn't fit.

Elizabeth came over to watch me try on these clothes.

I was what, like probably two weeks postpartum.

Super fresh.

And, you know, I'm not shy.

So I was like getting, like getting, I was like changing in front of her

and the look on her face was like, so.

No, none of the clothes look, no, none of the clothes were good.

Like I feel like you and I would have a hard time going to Coles

on our best day and finding like a bunch of stuff that fits like pants, shorts,

like the shorts were too short and they weren't they weren't fitting in the right

way. And I was just like, this is not working.

And it was like, it was jarring for sure.

You just saw my body and like on not and just in just a crazy way.

And like I had just always.

I was, I really, I honestly had some body image issues after that,

after going postpartum, because like when you're pregnant, it's just like,

you know what you're doing.

And then afterwards it's like, it's not a matter of the weight.

It's just like your body forever looks different after that.

Just the composition, like things are not where they used to be.

That was a really hard summer for me.

But that's, you know what, you know what that summer brought me?

That's the summer I discovered the loft, like in a major way.

Oh, it totally was.

Yeah.

And like, thank you loft.

Because one thing I love about the loft is I'm a size four at the loft.

Lol's like the only place in the world.

I'm a small size four at loft.

Thank you loft for like your, for your made up numbers that are not true.

Uh-huh.

And the, you know, the clothes were just a little longer, a little bit more mature

because I was still trying to keep with my sisters, like shopping at Paxson

and forever 21.

Yeah.

And then I finally discovered loft and the second part of my life started.

And you guys all give me so much crap for my loft obsession.

And now you're a loft shopper.

Um, yeah, I don't think I think you have such again, we've talked about the,

the crap I'm using air quotes that I gave you for loft.

And we revisited this and we realized it was mom.

I would never give you crap for shopping a loft.

I actually do not care where you shop at all.

I don't care where anyone shops.

One of the things I don't care about that mom for, for some reason was thought

that the loft was too mature for you.

She has preconceived notions.

Yeah.

So, um, so all to say, yeah.

So we're, we're going out to lunch today with mom and like, you look so cute.

And like I'm, I am in my dress to the best I possibly can in the winter.

Um, and I have like a Spanx set on a sweat set on.

And I'm like, this is the best you're going to get from me.

Yeah.

And that's fine, Elizabeth.

And I'm happy.

I, one thing on me, I'm not going to say a thing.

Mom might.

To your face.

It is, it is a really tough.

It's one of the hardest parts about the first trimester.

It's like when your clothes just don't fit and you're not bumping yet.

Yeah.

And I think that is the good part about like your subsequent pregnancies because

you start bumping a lot earlier.

True.

So you can just kind of like slide into the bump phase a little bit sooner.

Yeah.

But like all my maternity clothes are summer.

So I'm like waiting for me to be able to wear a dress and then I'm in, and then

I'm set, but okay, whatever.

This is not anyone else's problem except for my own.

No, it's not.

Um, anyways, aside from that, yes, we are going to lunch with mom today.

And our mom just like randomly asked us.

She's like, I need to take you guys to this lunch spot.

And we're like, okay, she's like, when are you free?

Does Wednesday or Thursday work?

Like she's trying to get on the calendar.

Like I thought it was like a casual thing to say in passing.

Like, oh yeah, we'll let you know next time we're free.

She's like, no, this week, when can you go?

I'm like, what is her?

I have to take you here.

First of all, it's 53 minutes from my house.

I just put it in my maps.

Better be good.

Well, that's kind of par for the course for you though.

Yeah, I know.

But like 37, 42, like I'm used to driving that far.

One, there's a 50 in front of it.

So also we don't, I'm an hour away.

Luckily, I'm like so behind on my book on tape.

So like I have to, I need to get an hour under that.

Anyway, she's taking us to a fa, that's P.H.O.

place, which I've never had fa.

I think it's kind of like ramen noodles.

That's my understanding.

I think a little bit more brothy, a little less noodley.

And that's where we're going.

She says we have to have fa.

Well, I can't wait to have fa and fun.

But before we do that, we are going to get an episode in today.

Yeah, we are.

And we have, I have actually, I have like actually prepared

something for today's episode that I'm really excited about.

Are we just getting right into that?

Or do we want to talk about it?

I mean, do you have something you want to, do you have something?

Oh, you know what?

I watched another movie last night.

Oh, I watched Regretting You, which was like a Colleen Hoover.

Book and then they made it into a movie.

Sure.

You know, I realized that I am 31 when like the teenage romance,

I want absolutely nothing to do with, but there's a parents romance

going on at the same time.

And I'm like skipping the scenes to get through the kids,

to get through the teenagers.

I can't watch it.

So old.

We're literally so old.

Granted, the adult, the grown up male leading man was Dave Franco.

So, you know, I haven't thought about Dave Franco in forever.

Normally, he was really nice to see him in such a different role.

Normally, he's in like such funny roles.

But anyway, the movie was OK.

It was a little bit insufferable.

Again, the teenagers were like made no sense.

But it was on what was on Paramount, I think,

just trying to do anything I can to not watch Traders yet.

I miss Dave Franco.

What was he in?

He was in.

He was in Jump 21 Jump Street.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking of.

OK, well, so I'm not going to add that.

I do still need to watch the people we meet on vacation

and Traders comes came out yesterday.

So I'm excited to have had watch that by the time you guys

listen to this podcast.

I am kind of in the doghouse with my husband right now

because I bought a piece of furniture of Amazon

and it was the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life.

That's tough.

And I made him put it together.

That's tough.

And he did not enjoy putting it together.

I thought it would be like I'm like, take a beer, go to the garage.

I'll watch the kids and like tinker with your wrench.

Like, I thought that sounded fun to him.

It's like Legos.

Like, excuse me, like I was making a wonderful chicken

stir fry whilst watching the kids and I gave you a long time.

I mean, I'm sorry, if you can't have fun there, you just can't have fun.

Anyway, he built it and I was like, I looked at it

and he like could tell on my face I didn't like it.

He's like, are you serious?

I'm like, it's horrible.

Yeah, it's horrible.

Yeah, and I feel so duped by Amazon because it was like,

it's not the same color and it the pictures just weren't

it wasn't an accurate listing at all.

So I have to get rid of it.

I'm trying to like recoup my investment a little bit.

Like I tried to list it for like a hundred bucks.

I bought it for 130, which I mean, it wasn't like a giant investment.

And I thought I'd be able to just use it as like a placeholder more.

But like it's too ugly to even be used as a placeholder.

Like it sucks.

It sucks. It's so warm toned.

Like it's so much redder and like my floors are so cool, my walls are so cool.

And you know how my husband is.

It's like I had like one shot at this.

But I know now he now anytime you're like, well, I ordered something.

He's going to be like, well, it's just going to be like the Amazon.

Like now he has, you know, I hate that I gave him ammunition.

Like I'm sick to my stomach over it.

So that's a bummer for me.

So anyway, I need to sell it.

I need to get on my life ASAP.

And I did think I found another one from like a designer on Instagram message me.

She's like, get this one from Amazon and it's so cute and it comes in one piece.

Oh, OK, I think I'm going to do it.

OK, anyway, I tried to return it to Amazon because everyone's like, oh, return it.

Like sometimes they'll just like credit you back and tell you to keep it.

And I'm like, surely they're going to tell me that because what do they want me to do?

Like reassemble it back into this box.

Right. Impossible. What they say, they do, they do.

So I'm not doing that. Yeah.

So I have to cut my losses.

I have to figure out how to sell it at this point.

I'm going to give it like a week at a hundred bucks.

And then I'm going to like take it down to 50 and I'm going to take it down to 25.

And I just like not in my life.

Yeah. So that's thanks.

That's thanks. I'm sorry.

And so we were like, you should paint it.

I'm like, are you kidding?

It's like it's like Styrofoam.

Like it's so cheap. I'm not painting it.

Yeah. Oh, gosh.

Did you look at reviews?

Yeah, they had a four point six out of five.

But like photo reviews.

Yeah. I don't get it.

It looked better.

It looked better than I was expecting.

So super disappointing.

And and see, this is why I love shopping at consignment shops.

I know. Because you can see it in person and it's already assembled.

I just need like very specific dimensions in these spaces.

So like that's why I'm just like going to shopping new because and I have some

I have some marketplace stuff that I love, like my kitchen table, my kids bunk beds,

my kids are more.

But like in these very specific places, I'm just having trouble.

But you know what else I did?

What? This is a base model luxury.

I am now the proud owner of a purse tape measure.

Yeah, that was good.

Yeah, that was a good investment.

So now I have a tape measure in my purse.

OK, good.

Just like a small little tape measure.

And in my phone, I have the walls that need places, the dimensions.

So if I'm out and about.

Out of if I stumble into a consignment shop.

It's I'm ready to go.

OK, good.

I've been thinking that I read really love

I would really love to hit a consignment shop soon.

I've spent so long since I've been.

Well, we can go after lunch today.

We totally should.

I don't know how long it takes to eat, but we can see if we have time.

My other base model luxury that I have.

And I know you're always like, you have the stupidest ones.

OK.

I love a straw and a slim can.

OK.

So I'm drinking a clean, simple, each energy and focus drink right now.

Lava Tropic is the best flavor.

And I could like be like slurping it, but instead I'm a lady with a straw.

I love a straw and a slim can.

I'm going to keep the straw and a slim can.

OK, so add some straws to your purse.

You're honestly so now I have beef with you.

Like, let me tell you how a podcast works, Elizabeth.

All right. OK, Kelly, tell me I say something.

We have conversation about it.

Kelly, I don't know what kind of conversation you want me to have

about a straw and a slim can.

How am I what what is the next thing that's supposed to say?

Oh, that's interesting.

Anyway, being a podcaster is talking about nothing in an entertaining way.

I don't know how else to explain that to you.

Like, if you can't do that, let's hang up the mics now.

Kelly, you're going to have to give me a little bit more to work with, babe.

Straw and a slim can groundbreaking.

OK, I literally had like I literally had outwined like five minutes

for that conversation. Kelly, Kelly, how?

You know, I actually don't like straws.

I actually don't like straws and cans.

I don't like the noise that the straw makes around the the metal.

So like that's again, that's what I have to say about it.

Whatever. What's next?

OK, today's episode is brought to you by Quince,

starting the year with a wardrobe refresh.

Quince has you covered with lux essentials that feel effortless and look polished.

They're perfect for layering, mixing and building a wardrobe that lasts.

Their versatile styles makes it easy to reach for them day after day.

Quince has all the staples covered from soft

Mongolian cashmere sweaters that feel like designer pieces without the markup

to 100 percent silk tops and skirts for easy dressing up to perfectly

cut denim for everyday wear.

Their wardrobe essentials are crafted to last season after season.

Each piece from Quince is made with premium materials and ethical, trusted

factories, then priced far below what other luxury brands charge.

One of my favorite pieces that Kelly actually included in my Christmas gift

this year is the Quince women's cropped organic cotton cardigan.

So cute, true to size.

I wear a medium in it where all the time I have three of them.

I can't get enough of it. Refresh your wardrobe with Quince.

Don't wait. Go to Quince.com slash carpool for free shipping on your order

and three hundred and sixty five day returns now available in Canada, too.

That's Q U I N C E dot com slash carpool to get free

shipping and three hundred and sixty five day returns.

Quince dot com slash carpool.

I want to get into this thing that I actually prepared.

OK, so I posted on my Instagram how one of my favorite pieces of content

to watch is come with me to buy my new mom car.

And then I judge, obviously, their decision based on the very little I know

about them. And also, I'm like, I can tell of who who did and who did not

watch any car mom videos, which not to just like totally toot our own horn.

But if you are a family car shopping in twenty twenty six

and you don't stumble across one piece of car mom content.

That would be pretty shocking.

Yeah, that would be shocking.

So it's just like do your research.

And sometimes when I see these videos, I'm like, these people didn't do any research.

So anyway, I wanted to kind of like snark.

Everyone in my DMs is like, I do this, too, would love a reaction video.

And what I'm not going to do is like stitch

one and like snark on someone who I think made a horrible

seventy five thousand dollar decision because that's not nice.

But what I was thinking we could do is I could pull real examples

and we could not give their names, but we can just kind of judge their decisions.

I don't these don't come across my desk that often.

I also am very protective over like I don't love to consume other car content

because I find that it could like influence my style, my verbiage.

So I don't watch a ton of them and I will just preface with saying like.

I take the most problems with with people who don't.

Do their full diligence and who don't.

I really think you have to look at multiple cars.

Yeah. So like for you to just to make to make the best decision

to make the best, well informed decision because like if you just go

and look at one car and buy it and then make a video about it, like.

What are you comparing it to?

Like what did you so?

And like one thing, which I will to my own home with this, like I am so good.

At knowing what car people should buy.

I mean, I do this for a living and it's so funny because two people on our team

who work who I talk to every day have both been car shopping right now.

And I really told them in the beginning, like here's what you should do.

And like one of them didn't listen.

And I said, you know, it's fine.

Like we're like, we're fine.

Like I wasn't being sassy, but I'm like, that's fine.

If you don't want to do that, like take the scenic route.

But I promise you, you will end up here where I'm telling you.

But like, that's fine. Do it your way.

She did it her way. She ended up right back where I was going to tell her.

Same thing does happen with Tyler's sister bought a car.

I was like, look at it all.

You are going to end up with this car.

Exactly what happened.

Well, and I think it's I think it's important for people to go their own route

because it's a very expensive decision to make.

Hundred percent. And they have to feel good about it.

So yeah, I'll get to you.

I'm just like, should I get this car or this car?

And it's like, OK, well, both of them are going to work for your situation.

You have to go test drive them both.

I'm not I am not making that decision for you.

And there is a level.

So like another girl on our team was shopping for a Grand Highlander.

And she's like, do you think I will like the Palisade more than the Grand Highlander?

And I'm like, I don't know.

I like the Palisade more than the Grand Highlander.

But I don't know which one you will like better.

So I think you should look at both.

But always look at both.

Yeah, because once it's like once I know.

That that that a car will fit your situation,

like then it's a matter of your preferences.

And some families do have do get the luxury of preferences.

Some of us don't.

Some of us have five kids in car seats.

You have to get this car like the Volkswagen Atlas example of last time.

It's like, OK, that's the only midsize car that you can get. Sorry.

Yeah, thank you. Next. Yeah.

OK, well, I just pulled a few.

I just thought we could kind of like ingest talk about them.

And you can tell some of them, I think are fine.

Some of them are genuinely really bad.

And I just were to talk about it. OK.

The first one, the video starts off by her flipping off her Mercedes SUV.

And saying how she's going to go get her her perfect mom car.

She did this one.

And it's kind of crazy to flip off the luggage.

I mean, that was OK, whatever.

She has one child, maybe seven months old.

And she gets a new Chevy suburban high country.

The caption was looks like I need another baby.

Comments were mixed.

Comments were mostly bad.

Well, they weren't mostly bad, but a lot of the top ones are bad.

Upset, she flipped off her like nice SUV that like I'm sorry for one kid is totally fine.

And a lot of people are like, this is over consumption, like you have one kid.

Like, did you need a Chevy suburban high country?

Just kind of like frustrated with like the influencer, like luxury lifestyle.

Well, did you say why she flipped off her Mercedes?

She did it.

And I that I kind of wish we had like some more context for, like,

which where they put a lot of money into it, which she just, you know, right.

No, she didn't give that context.

So I will say we don't know like we don't know the year of the Mercedes.

Like it also could have been the car she had since high school

and maybe it was a money pit.

And I actually don't.

So like I'm going to live in the world where like, let's say she had to get a new car.

Like, let's say the Mercedes was causing a lot of issues and she's like, I need a new car.

I it sounds like she wants to have more kids.

I am always talking about the importance of forecasting your family's growth.

So I think I think if I think she made an OK decision, like if she knows

she wants to have more kids, if she plans to keep this car for a long time,

it's better than like have buying another slightly bigger Mercedes

and then having two kids and then not feeling like it's enough space and then

getting in a new car. Sure. It's over.

I mean, you could say it's overkill now.

But if you think about the forecasting, it might not be in three years.

I mean, you know how many you know how many kids you have. So so true.

OK, so this one doesn't bother you.

I mean, doesn't bother me like if I was like if let's say that

like she's unsure about how many kids she wants to have.

She likes nice expensive cars.

It sounds like I probably would have been like, let's go lease something for three years.

Let's kind of see how many kids are going to end up having how quickly.

Let's to kind of figure out like how how big of a car you need.

And then you can like buy the suburban like I probably would have advised her

to go like lease something in the midsize market. OK.

First and then maybe take bite off the mercy.

Did the OK, that's fine.

I that one didn't bother me that much either.

But it was just like the flipping off the Mercedes was kind of tiring.

Well, it's called a hook. It's called a hook.

And it was and it was a hook and got an engagement. OK. Next video.

Lexus GX 550. Oh, no.

Tell me they're empty nesters with captain's chairs.

Only so I wasn't sure I didn't dig that deep on these people.

She only has booster age kids, but she does have at least three kids.

Oh.

It made a comment about how her oldest is so excited to ride in the back.

I don't really like this game, because I don't have anything nice to say.

No, I know. That was a bad bite.

You should have bought a Lexus. You should have bought an escalade.

Yeah. And you will find that.

I mean, your oldest is going to be incredibly squished back there.

You will have absolutely no trunk with the third row up.

So what are you going to do?

Try to lay down a portion of the third row and then put that child at extreme risk

for like things projectiles next to it. I mean, that's just about it's.

Or you should have bought the Lexus TX.

But I mean, I get it. Like people people like the problem with the Lexus lineup

is like the TX, I'm sorry, isn't the best looking car.

Like the GX and the LX are so much better looking.

And it's crazy because like why can't the TX should just look more?

I wish it would look more like the Palisade.

Like give us some more of like that boxy Range Rover Esk vibes.

There are so many more car better cars she could have bought.

She could have bought a Land Rover Defender.

That would have been a much better choice.

The escalade would have been a better choice.

Or what was the other one I said? The TX.

Yeah, that would not.

I. I would not have advised that.

I will say that. OK.

OK, so this is this next one.

She was a Hyundai partner, but she got the 2026 Hyundai Palisade

with captain's chairs.

She has three under three.

What year did she got the new Palisade? 26. Yeah, yeah, 26.

I mean, for a free car to work, like I don't think you're putting your children

in danger if it was a free car, it was a free car.

Yeah, what's so crazy is like, I mean, I thought I would ever do it.

But like I have never asked to be.

I have never been asked to be a Hyundai partner.

And I just wanted to point that out to people.

It's so interesting.

I would never do it ever.

I'd never take money from a car.

Like to promote a car.

I would never do that ever.

But I would like it to come across my desk as like an offer.

Hope you're on.

You know what, that's that's actually a great segue into this next one.

And this is more just like a rant that I have.

But I came across quite a few videos from when Nissan had a bunch of mom influencers

come out on a first drive event to review the Nissan Armada now.

And I will make many get invited to that.

We did get invited, but we couldn't go.

OK, and the comments were this is the ultimate mom car.

How cars should have been designed getting in and out has never been easier.

And just like making all of these like comments like, well, you literally have

the Nissan lanyard on and it's like clearly you don't like you're not getting

in a bunch of cars and you're like making these blanket statements

about how this is the ultimate mom car and it just couldn't be further from the truth.

And here's where I'll take umbrage with this, because I could see how it would

come off a little contradictory, because like I'm also an influencer

who gets paid to promote some brands like I 100 percent do that.

But I would never.

And I mean, I'm not trying to sound so dramatic when I say this,

but I would never promote a brand where I feel like your child's life is at stake.

And I'm not saying to say that dramatic at all.

And like the Nissan Armada is actually an incredibly safe car.

Like I would never try to influence a purchase that expensive.

I would never do that.

And that's where I just think it's kind of.

And it's not even that like, I don't think Nissan should invite influencers

out there to like go on the events and like show the cars.

I just think those influencers go and need to be really careful about their language.

Yeah, like just take like take a beat and think about like, OK, how influential am I?

And is someone going to go like buy this 80,000 this 50, 60, 70, 80,000 dollar car?

It's really it's really hairy.

That's that's all I'll say.

It's really hairy.

And I'm not really faulting the influencers or the brand for doing it.

I just would didn't power.

I would just would rather spend my time and attention and empowering

the consumer to always be thinking about like who you're getting your car

and car seat content from. Yeah.

But it's also like on the facts of getting paid, like these first start events,

they don't you don't get paid.

Like it's just like a free trip to get right.

We don't know that's true.

That's what I'm saying.

It's like some of these like they're at like, we've been to these events.

Like we've made the same content.

And I'm like, like she's not she didn't get paid for it, you know.

So I don't know.

Yeah, I mean, you guys know, we just don't travel because like,

I'm just not in it for the free trip.

Like I just don't need the free trip.

I don't even want to leave.

Like if it's a car that I feel like I can't see quickly,

I'll go on the first drive events.

And I do also like to go to like try to genuinely and Elizabeth can attest to this.

We also try to go to like make some real freaking change happen.

Because like you're talking to the people who designed the car.

So like like when we went to the Kentucky area with Ford,

we had some awkward dinners because I was like, why are you doing this?

Yeah, but you got good answers.

Yeah, we did get good answers.

It was a good trip.

OK, hold on.

That's the Nissan Armada for just a quick second.

It has come a long way.

Like it definitely is like I am.

I will say it's a lot more family friendly than it ever has been.

And I do think I mean, it was one of our finalists for the car of the year

because there are people who want a big car who don't want to drive an expedition

or a suburban like they want something a little bit more different and unique.

And I do think the Nissan Armada can kind of provide that.

It's just not really.

I think the Achilles heel of that car is like it doesn't have a great trunk

and there's no extended wheelbase option.

Yeah, you know, and I just.

It's hard to say why would why would I ever buy that over the Toyota Sequoia?

Because like those two cars are very comparable in terms of like size and styling.

And I think the Sequoia, although maybe not quite as car seat friendly,

like if you're after older kids like the Sequoia over the Armada, 10 times out of 10.

OK, I've got another kind of rough one.

Two toddlers, one newborn.

Volvo XC90 with captain's chairs.

Comment the caption, the safety rating sold me immediately.

Very, very positive comments in her comment section.

Now, let's talk about the problem with this one.

Because people love the Volvo XC90.

I love the Volvo XC90 for two kids for two kids or for three across.

If you if you don't mind being a little squished because it is it is good at three across it.

Well, three across is possible.

It's not very wide, but it has several three across combinations like work.

For her combination, we could have found a combination of car seats.

The third row doesn't have tether anchors.

People don't realize that.

We talk about all the time.

There's no tether anchor in the third row of the Volvo XC90,

which is bonkers to me because I agree.

The Volvo XC90 is incredibly safe.

It's one of like it has one of the best crash ratings out there.

But let's talk about crash ratings.

They're talking about how the driver performed.

So it's really good at keeping the driver safe.

The third row with your forward facing car toddler without a tether anchor.

That's not the same correlation.

That's not I can't I can't say that that is as safe

as a Volkswagen Atlas with a tether anchor.

So what you're saying is you you have to have a tether anchor

to install forward facing car seat.

Yes, correct. Yeah. Yeah.

So like, yes, you can.

Unfortunately, her car seats and unproperly installed.

And what I would probably try to do if I was her

is I would probably tell her to try to find a way to fit to fit the newborn

in the third row, which is going to be incredibly difficult

and then have to move that second row seat all the way up to accommodate

for the rear facing seat. I mean, that's just that.

Well, and the third row isn't the third row.

Access isn't very good.

The third access is not great.

And the problem with the third row is the way that the seat belt is fixated

on the the pillar of the side of the car.

It's very difficult to get a good booster fit back there.

Like I really do not like the third row of the Volvo XC90 at all.

And I would 100 percent only get the bench seat.

And I would probably only advise it for two kids if I'm being 100 percent,

because there's just so many better cars that you could get for totally.

For three kids, that's a really hard one, because that one's not.

There's nothing really objective about that.

Like you there's not a tether anchor.

So I really hate to say that.

I'm not. I really don't want to make that mom feel bad.

Like I'm happy. I don't know who these people are.

But I do want to put a PSA out there.

Like it's not you can't check your tether anchor positionings

because we run into the same thing with the Sequoia.

I brought that example up earlier.

Well, pop quiz.

Where is the tether anchor in the Sequoia in the third row?

Is it on the ceiling?

It's in the middle seat only.

Oh, it's in the middle seat. OK.

Only one tether anchor in the third row and it's in the middle.

So that means you can't put down a portion of the third row.

Not that I advise that.

And you have no visibility if you have a child back there

and you can't put a forward facing seat on the sides.

Disgusting.

You know, you really forget that, like, oh, well,

when you have rear facing, you're like, oh, well,

just install with a seat belt.

Like you can do a seat belt install.

Like go the way, just do a seat belt.

Exactly. Exactly.

And forward facing has to are there any forward facing car seats

that don't allow that allow you to just do a seat belt install?

You know, the waters get a little murky there.

I don't really want to.

I don't feel comfortable speaking blankantly about.

Yeah, sure. Sure.

Oh, I just like in general,

don't get the Volvo XC90 if you have three kids in car seats.

And in general, work as your family's growth

and like watch one of my tours, because I was I would have pointed that out.

I know, I know.

So that was kind of fun, kind of sad, kind of fun, kind of fun, kind of.

Whatever.

I can't believe those videos don't come across your explore.

Well, they do. I'm telling you, I just don't always watch them.

You're not curious.

I guess you deal with it a lot.

So maybe honestly, no, I want to break.

And then sometimes I get a little

if I'm being honest, sometimes I also get a little jealous and a little mad

because like sometimes those videos perform really well.

Oh, yeah.

And then I'm like, OK, like, yeah,

which it is so hard because I'm not trying to be like,

like they shouldn't share about their life and their aspects of things.

But.

No, and granted, like I only pulled like the kind of questionable ones,

like anyone who like got a Ford Expeditioner and a Minivan or whatever.

Like I didn't I didn't pull those, you know.

Yeah, I do like I should probably watch them more, though, because it is.

I do, I guess I would like to see like what what they highlight

and what they liked, I guess, could be a good learning experience.

Yeah.

But I was speaking of car shopping.

We are I meant to hit this little housekeeping announcements.

We are bringing back consultations, hopefully next week.

Oh, good.

They will fill up quick.

And I'm excited to talk to you guys again.

I had just kind of had to take a break mainly because of my.

Health issues, but now I'm back to being healthy.

You're thriving.

Well, the Botox helped.

Oh, except how about the fact that I went into my facial on Wednesday

or recorded our podcast and she's like, did you get Botox?

I'm like, yeah, I just got it on Friday.

And she's like, well, then we can't do a facial.

And I'm like, oh, she's like, I'll move all your Botox around.

I'm like, oh, well, I don't want that.

So could you imagine if she didn't ask you, Kelly?

Well, she did her diligence.

She's a professional.

You would have been botched.

I would have been so botched.

So anyway, I did get my brows tinted.

I don't know if you noticed.

No, I've never done that before.

Yeah, I got my brows tinted and then I got a massage and I hated it.

So that was fun.

I had that feeling that you did where like it just didn't feel productive at all.

I know.

And it's not my version of relaxing like.

I don't know.

You know, that actually reminds me of a Vaseline philosophy that I've been having.

And that is the idea of productivity and how I think I saw a real or something.

This wasn't my original thought.

But, you know, when you become a parent, your productivity feels like it goes down

a lot and you can't get anything done.

And how sad is it that we don't see feeding our kids, playing with our kids,

reading our kids a book, spending time with our kids as a productive thing to do.

Wow.

And so the other yesterday, that's like really, that's like really striking

a nerve with me.

Some might say it could be one of the most productive things you could do.

So yesterday, I kind of hit a wall around like one o'clock, like I just

was feeling like so exhausted, just like growing this baby.

And I was literally like laying on the floor.

Just like in just like not feeling well.

And at the same time, I heard James crying in his room because my nanny was

trying to put him down for a nap and it wasn't going well.

And so I was like, look, I'm feeling not great right now.

I let me go help put James down for a nap because what I can't do mentally right

now is sit in front of my computer and do more work, but I also can't do right

now because I don't feel good as go full laundry.

So I'm going to go lay in bed with my son so he can take a good nap, which of

course he did.

And then I was like, you know what, I'm also growing a baby right now.

And like if I want to be able to be helpful to my family for the rest of the

evening, I also need to rest.

So I'm going to rest.

And I just kind of like in another world, I think I would have seen like me

literally laying down in James' bed in the middle of my work day as an lazy

thing to do.

And I was like, this is productive.

Because my son is resting so he can have a good day.

I'm resting so I can then go turn around and put dinner on the table and do

everything for my family.

That wasn't who told us that was a productive.

I know.

Why have I been brainwashed into thinking that's not productive?

Why have you been brainwashed into thinking that's lazy?

Wow.

So you know, it's like a little bit more meaty than like straws in a slim can.

Maybe we can have a conversation surrounding it.

Um, so, you know, the dishes aren't going anywhere.

The laundry is not going anywhere.

The work is not going anywhere.

The time you have with your kids is going somewhere.

And the time that you have them at home to pour into them is not forever.

So how can we be productive in that?

That is a bone chilling statement.

I'm going to really work on that this week.

Just like being like just, and I do it.

I still do that, but I want to do that and see it as more productive.

It's going to be my big goal for the week.

And then when you rest your head at the end of the day, you're like,

nothing done today.

It's like, well, did you read your child a book?

Did your child learn a new, did you help your child develop a new skill?

Like what did you do with that?

You just play with them?

Did you comfort them?

Like all of that is incredibly productive and incredibly important.

Okay.

So let's challenge ourselves.

Not that I love it.

Not that I like to do a challenge, but like let's on next episode,

like let's bring some productive things we do with our kids this weekend.

Okay.

You know, sure.

Yeah, just like some mindset shifts.

Well, and I don't even think it has to be like anything crazy.

Like you said the other day, your niece is has an incredible talker

and she's younger than Fred.

And, you know, her mom is what a speech speech therapist.

Pathologist, yeah, pathologist.

And so they have been reading her since the day she was born.

They've been doing things to her.

It's like, so I'm not saying it has to be anything crazy,

but like just reading your kid a book.

Yeah, that's that actually helps incredibly.

Yeah, sitting there and saying, what noise does the cow make?

Like for Sloan, like that's helping her.

That's productive.

And it seems like just like nothing.

Chels, Chels.

OK, anyway, we have two more segments on today's episode.

And that is I have one industry news story and then I have a dish to drive

through what do you want first?

And we don't have to go in order, but we can if you want.

Well, let's do industry news.

OK, so now it's time for industry news rise with a hot tea going on in the auto industry.

And let me just tell you something.

There's not a tongue going on in the auto industry.

Like basically, it's all just like

like supercars are being made, like Dodge is making a race car,

like Lamborghini is bringing in a hybrid, like literally could care less.

But there's one story that's not really.

It's not really auto related technically, but it also is.

And did you know that chat GPT open AI is going to start running ads?

No.

What what how and what capacity feels like this was kind of a long time coming.

OK, it says this is from CNN.

Chat GPT may soon serve up ads for products it thinks you'd like to buy.

Open AI announced on Friday that it will be testing ads in its free version

for logged in adult users.

It's rolling out an eight dollars per month go subscription tier

that includes some upgraded capabilities such as longer memory

and more image creation opportunities.

A lower price than its plus go subscribers will also get ads

while plus pro and open AI's business customers won't.

Sam Altman has previously expressed reservations about introducing ads

to chat GPT, but the move comes as open AI is urgently trying to figure out

how to bring more revenue from its 800 million monthly users to help it afford.

It's one point four trillion.

It has committed to spending on infrastructure over the next eight years.

Altman said that in November, the company expected to end 2025

with around 20 billion in annual revenue.

So we don't really have a ton of like what it could look like yet.

But it says like advertising could prove a lucrative strategy for open AI

as using the information from people's conversions with chat.

GPT could make it high could make it for highly targeted that, for example,

if a user asked to be for help playing a trip, it could serve up ads

for a hotel or entertainment in the area.

I am OK with this.

If it is labeled as this hotel is an ad, it will be.

They says it will not affect their their answers.

It will be like what Google does.

It'll be like what Google does. OK. Yeah.

No, I'm OK with it. Yeah.

I mean, nothing's free anymore.

And like literally chat GPT, I mean, is free.

Just crazy. Yeah.

So and I'm also just like,

I just don't mind a targeted ad.

Like show me what I want to see.

I mean, you know me well.

What do I want to see?

What might I like easier?

But just interesting.

And now it's time for Ditch The Drive

through we share an easy dinner recipe to mix it up to get you out of y'all.

Dinner rut.

And boy, do I have one for you, kind of.

So I'm going through like a major freezer clean out

and I'm just really trying to.

Use up what we have.

I mean, I feel like a lot of us are like, you know, you come off the holidays

and it's like I have I bought so much like random ingredients for holiday stuff.

And like, I've got to get this stuff out of here.

And I've had cube steaks in the back of my freezer for a year.

And I was like, I have to use these cube steaks.

Because it was getting depressing,

like I would go in my deep freezer to find meat for the week

and like everything I picked up was a cube steak.

And I'm like, it's finally time.

Yeah. Like I've used all the steaks.

I've used all the roasts.

I've used all I'm almost out of ground beef.

It's like I only have cube steaks left.

And I found a cook in the Midwest,

who's one of my favorite food, Instagram follows,

and he did a cube steak crock pot recipe.

And I'm like, OK, that sounds fun, because yeah, the best way to cook

cube steak is chicken fried steak.

And I just simply don't have the headspace to be flowering and frying

steak cutlets with four kids around me.

Like I can't be doing that.

Just I'm not in my chicken fried steak era.

I made it one time, but I like did it during the work day

when the kids weren't home.

Like I just I can't be doing it.

So I put it in the crock pot.

It was like a French onion cream of mushroom brown gravy recipe.

I did make mashed potatoes with it.

And it was average.

Oh, that stinks.

And how was the chicken fried steak?

Was the chicken fried steak amazing?

Yeah, it was amazing.

OK, because like if cube steak is just like not it.

It was amazing.

This recipe and this recipe, like by all stretch, it was good.

Like I followed it to a tea.

It tasted like what you would expect.

It was like a very salty French onion gravy

smothered with these like chops.

But the cube steak itself, I mean, I cooked it for six hours on high.

And it was still just a little tough.

Like it was hard to feed to Libby, I felt like.

Yeah.

I mean, the kids ate it, but.

Just still. So, I mean.

Did we use it up to my family eat it?

Tyler liked it.

Tyler was like, oh, my mom used to make these all the time.

OK, so he he liked it.

It just didn't give me the same like high that I felt when like I made my family

like the pork ramen bowls or like a chicken pot pie or like.

Yeah, it didn't leave me with that.

Yeah, you know, the kids ate their supper to get their M&M's.

OK, so something this wasn't a very good ditch to the drive through.

Well, no, but if you have cube steaks, I'm saying like it was.

Dinner and not everything has to be amazing.

That's what I said. Here's what I made last night.

Just I made chicken cutlets again.

I'm sad. And so maybe I need to just get my head out of my butt

because you're obviously sitting there frying food.

I think I baked it.

But you baked the chicken cutlets.

Here's how you bake a chicken cutlet, though.

Did they turn out good?

Yeah, yeah, turn out great.

So what you can do is you can, if I'm not, if I'm feeling like myself,

I'll sear it first and then I will bake it.

But I put them, I put it on a cookie sheet and then I take my cookie

like racks that when you have like hot cookies, a drying rack, whatever.

I put that on top of my cookie sheet so that way it cooks a little bit more evenly.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

OK, but you can sear it for like two minutes first,

but I just didn't want to dirty another thing.

So I said whatever.

So you're searing it if you want to.

Yeah, yeah.

And so what I did is I didn't even like top them with cheese.

Like I just made the cutlets and then we had chicken parm the first night.

And then the next night I just cut them up and served it kind of like

you did the other night with your pork over fried rice.

And I like so those like Trader Joe's, Gyoza's.

I love, yeah.

And then that Japanese barbecue sauce just really takes over the top.

That stuff.

And it was just like it felt so good to use the same thing,

but have two totally different flavor profiles. Sure. Sure.

OK, maybe I need to make chicken cutlets.

Yeah, there's so much you can do in my freezer or chicken thighs.

And I don't really like chicken thighs very much.

I love chicken thighs.

Not my favorite. You make Sam's chicken thighs, Kelly.

I know, but like Tyler doesn't like them very much.

What?

You know, he doesn't like dark meat.

Oh, he just doesn't like the texture of a chicken thigh. Yeah.

Oh, I prefer chicken thigh.

Well, so I was thinking of putting them in a pot pie

because I feel like that kind of hides it a little bit. Yeah.

Because that's the next thing I have to use up chicken thighs.

And then I have a couple of like arm roasts from beefs that I have to use up.

And we have no steak left, no hamburger. Yeah.

Yeah.

So I'm going to. So tomorrow, so tonight, I'm going to make a chicken pot pie.

Tomorrow, I'm going to do a chuck roast.

It's not a chuck roast. It's like an arm roast.

But I'm going to season it like with Mexican like taco seasoning and rotel.

And then I'm going to try to do like a shredded beef taco moment.

Yeah, so I think.

Yeah. And then, you know, I have I have like half a jar of salsa to use.

I have some cheese to use.

I have some tortillas that are getting a little hard.

So like I think that'll be kind of like a good

I have some corn. I have some black beans.

So I'm going to try to do like a taco bar, but instead of ground beef,

I'm going to do these shredded beef, which I think will actually be good.

I think it'll be better.

I think that'll be the best dinner of the week.

Yeah. OK.

Well, with that, that's going to be our episode.

So I'm ready for some fun.

I'm ready for some fun, too.

Thank you so much for listening to the Carpool podcast.

And we'll talk to you next time.

Love you guys. Bye.

Thank you for listening to the Carpool podcast with Kelly and Liz.

Make sure you're subscribed so you never miss an episode.

And if you enjoyed riding with us, tell everybody, you know,

there's room in the car for everyone.

JUDGING THE INTERNET'S NEW MOM CARS

About this episode

Toyota Grand Highlander

Hyundai Palisade

Volkswagen Atlas

Mercedes SUV

Chevrolet Suburban

Mercedes

Lexus GX 550

Cadillac Escalade

Lexus TX

Lexus GX

Lexus LX

Land Rover Range Rover

Land Rover Defender

Toyota TX

captain's chairs

Nissan Armada

ultimate mom car

Ford Expedition

Toyota Sequoia

Volvo XC90

safety rating

tether anchors

Request an Explanation

Want to learn more?

Help improve this episode

More from The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz