MAYBE THE MILLENNIALS HAD IT FIGURED OUT

Welcome to the carpool podcast with Kelly.

But yesterday I like got a new pair of shorts in from Abercrombie,

like a cute pair of like sweatpants shorts.

And I was like, oh, I'm gonna wear those shorts.

It was jarring to look at my legs.

And Liz.

Oh my God, you guys, she can't stop talking about this.

That's how you said it.

Okay, well, I was gonna gift you a $14 pancake battered dispenser

and just gonna change your life, but it's fine.

Your mom time off starts now.

Welcome back to the carpool podcast with Kelly and Liz.

Happy Friday, everyone.

This has been the longest, maybe it's having a third child,

but this is just the longest week of my entire life.

It's Tuesday at the time of our recording.

No, I know, I say that because it was literally Monday

and we went to our neighbor's house to grill.

I was like, so what are you doing this weekend?

And I'm like, that's an inappropriate question

to ask on a Monday.

Is it just like the puppy keeping you up?

Are you sleep deprived?

Well, I'm not because Maddie is handling that.

Well, as you should.

Well, yeah.

And I'm so thankful.

But, you know, it is like that level of,

okay, well, I know where the kids are.

And I'm like, Maddie, you got eyes on the dog.

And he's like, whoa, sorry, where'd the dog go?

Like when we're inside, everything's fine.

But it's another person, another life to look out for.

And there is a level of transition

that you have to go through.

And it's fine, but like a puppy is like a baby.

Like a toddler.

Except it's like a toddler because they're moving.

Like a baby is actually easier.

Has he like chewed anything in your house?

Because I've heard.

No.

You told me that Golden's are chewers.

No, we've actually done a really, here's what's interesting.

Now, when we had our other dogs, like that,

we like kind of like loosely crate train,

like we'd create train at night.

Like we weren't really great.

We'd put them in crates when we would leave.

But like, I really let puppies like nap in bed with me.

And like, oh, cause I've got free time.

I'll just lay down and like watch TV in the middle of the day.

Like you take a nap on me.

And now we're very regimented where it's like,

oh, you're ready for a nap.

You're going to go in your crate, which is good for you

because the kids won't be able to get to you.

You can actually relax.

And it's, it's a lot.

It's almost easier now that I'm a mom,

because when that nap time comes, I'm like,

the best nap for you is away from everyone in a crib.

And now I get to go do, now I need to go do something.

Like I'm not sitting down, relaxing.

Like let's just like love and dove and pet and like,

like veg out on the couch.

So he, all is to say, and the weather's been really nice.

So all is to say he hasn't spent that much time inside unattended.

Like if you were either outside all playing or we're inside

and he's taking a nap in his crate.

So there's a level of it that's been easier.

So do you recommend?

Um, you know, I do the seeing my children with a puppy.

Well, that's, yeah, that's, that's fine.

The greatest gift.

Um, I again, I'm not getting up in the middle of the night

with the dog.

So that's not really bothering me, but I know my husband is.

And so then I'm like, Oh, I feel bad that he's going to be tired

the next day or whatever.

And like now the kids are all sleeping through the night.

And, you know, we're going to be welcoming welcoming a baby in a few months.

And then it's just going to be the endless cycle again.

But I don't know.

I, I would also say like my tolerance for like whining has like when you have

that, when you have that first kid and they're crying in their crib,

you're like, it's gut wrenching.

And then by the time like you're like, you kind of get it.

And so it's when I hear a puppy like whining in a crate after I put him

in there, doesn't affect me.

Used to make me feel bad.

I'm like, you, you'll wear yourself out.

You need to take a nap.

You're tired.

I feel like Tyler's like trying to convince me, which I don't know why

because like he'll probably just do it.

I don't think we're going to do it though.

We have like, I know I don't talk about Tommy enough in my life,

but like Tommy is the best dog on the face of the earth.

Like this dog, he just doesn't bark, doesn't jump.

Like he's just, he's a big cat, but he's a 80 pound Australian shepherd.

Like he's the biggest Australian shepherd you've ever seen in your life.

Like they literally stopped breeding the dad because his dog has got too big.

So I think that makes him very chill.

His size.

Because they say like great Danes are like a super chill dog.

Yeah.

And he's only six.

And I also don't think, well, he's actually, he's almost seven.

I actually don't think Tommy would enjoy a puppy.

I need to see Tommy with your pup.

Tommy.

Yeah.

No, I don't think I know.

I also don't.

Tommy is not much of like a player.

Yeah.

No.

Like he likes to nap.

He's a cat.

Yeah.

Like you, like when we had texts, like we would be thrown the frizzy for text.

Like text was always wanting to play.

Tommy's not, Tommy doesn't really play.

No, Tommy likes to chase the barn cat sometimes.

And that's about the extent of his play.

Yeah.

And then he needs to nap.

But anyway, it has been such beautiful weather here.

Like Groundhog who like this is spring as far as I'm concerned.

It's been, it's going to be 84 degrees today.

My legs are not prepared for that.

You forget like, of course, like I see my legs in the winter months.

Like, of course, like going from the shower to like the sweatpants.

Like I see my legs.

But yesterday I like got a new pair of shorts in from Abercrombie.

Like a cute pair of like sweatpants shorts.

And I was like, oh, I'm going to wear those shorts.

It was jarring to look at my legs.

All the spots that like I've missed shaving, the discoloration, the dryness.

Like it was, it shocked my system.

No, in like 84 degrees, like you have to be in shorts.

Yeah.

I need like a few weeks of nice weather where I have nothing to do

because I need like some private time to like sit outside and get my legs.

I need private time.

I mean, I need to put self-tanner on.

The thing with self-tanner though, is it just, if you don't have a good base tan,

it just has consequences.

And those consequences then look like you have scales.

Yeah.

So hard.

Tan scales or.

Oh, tan scales.

I would take tan scales though.

I know.

People are always like, people always ask me for like my spray tan recipe.

It's like, I just ask for dark amethyst.

And it's like, but don't, don't, don't you turn a little orange?

It's like, yes.

Does it get on your hands?

Yes.

No.

Can you see it on your feet?

Yes.

But let me be clear.

A bad spray tan is better than being pale in my humble opinion.

Give me a bad spray tan.

I still like it better.

No, I like, I like an orange look on me.

Totally.

I want my money's worth.

Right.

So I'm with you.

I've never been self tan.

Like I've never had a person spraying it before.

I've always ever done booths, which I feel like is kind of crazy.

You didn't ever do that for like your wedding.

No, I'm like a bad spray tan.

You went to like Palm Beach before your wedding and you had your palms were a little bit

darker than the rest of your hands.

Yeah.

Didn't bother me none.

Yeah.

That was the only time it was for my wedding was the only time I've been sprayed by a person.

Do you ever wish maybe not?

Cause like you just got married.

But like I got married in like 2017.

And it was a certain look and there is days where I wish I could like do it again.

Do you wish that what you're saying is you wish you got married when middle parts were

in and outside parts?

Yeah.

That's what I'm saying.

Cause I actually, I love my dress.

My dress stands the test of time.

Your dress is timeless.

Your wedding was very timeless.

I mean, I think that in the world of when people like you didn't get married in 2012

or like the barn look was in with like sunflowers and mason jars.

You did a very classy intentional bar or farm wedding cause it was literally at the farm.

And I mean, yeah, there were stumps as centerpieces, but it worked.

I think.

Well, it was a stumpy.

That's what I'm saying.

Like I think it worked.

I think it was timeless.

I think it.

No.

Okay.

First of all, I don't, I, I'm only talking about my hair.

Yeah.

I wanted, I wanted to, I figured you were just talking about your hair.

Yeah.

No, I was only talking about my hair.

I just did a sunny.

I did a half a path down and I think hindsight it was too casual of a look like a hair look

like I wish I just would have gone all up.

Oh, I just agree.

Kelly, you are a hair down girl.

You will be changing like the nastiest poopy diaper with your hair down.

Like you're crazy.

So you just see, see you in an updo would be weird,

but she side parted me.

So hard.

Yeah.

Like it's the sightiest side part.

And then like I didn't stand like for our altar pictures are like main pictures of me and

Tyler.

I'm like standing on the wrong side.

So it's like just ear and like a part like it's so tragic.

Well, how did we get on this?

I'm just saying just side.

I don't know.

But anyway, you wish you got married later when side parts weren't in.

Yeah.

I need side parts to come back.

You know what?

I wouldn't know what hairstyle.

I'm just like itching to come back like hasn't been back since the 80s and I'm kind of ready

for it to come a side pony.

No, because all my Fisher price dolls that I've bought have side ponies and they're kind

of darling.

Yeah.

No, I think I'm okay with that one in the past.

Yeah.

Because I think you need the rest of the 80s get up to make it work.

Sure.

That's a good point.

You know what though?

I have a secret.

I have been side parting.

Well, I think it's a more flat.

It's just here's the thing.

Let me be clear.

I like a side part.

You guys don't understand how dramatic my side part used to be.

We'll have to post photos from your wedding.

It was really bad.

Yeah.

It was distracting.

But what I find so interesting about like the times right now is I feel like whenever

I'm on Tik Tok, Gen Zs are like, oh my gosh, this is so 2016.

It's like that was nine years ago.

Like you guys are already wanting to like wear things and like do things like apparently

like Coachella 2016 is like trending like that's what everyone wants to wear to Coachella

this year.

I mean, it was nine years ago, but you can't go back a little further.

The same little, I'm not going to say a bad word, but you know the word.

When I want to say that bullied us calling us Chuggy because we wore X, Y, and Z are

now wanting to come for our 2016 style.

Yeah.

That's what I'm saying.

That's like actually so annoying.

Yeah.

Like it's like, like they, the 2000s was trending.

Like now we're just getting up and up and up like now literally 2016, nine years ago

or 10 years ago.

I'm sorry.

I actually, I mean, I agree with them.

Like I think a fringe top and feather in your hair to go to a music festival is a really

cute look.

Yeah.

I think Coachella got like really weird and I think that was their doing.

And I think now they're like, maybe we need to just go back to maybe the millennials had

it figured out.

Well, we did.

We did.

And we did.

Yeah.

Anyway, all to say is today is Friday.

It's amazing weather outside.

I'm doing something so fun tonight.

I know.

And I still have to find a babysitter for it.

And Elizabeth is coming if she can find a babysitter pending that I can find a babysitter.

So at the dinner auction, I did a live auction, you know, a hand up and I was, I didn't stop.

And I won dinner with the priests where the priests of our parish come and make us dinner.

And if you think that doesn't sound fun, you just simply don't know our priests because

our priests are so fun.

Two of them are my age.

We have three, three in total are coming.

Two of them are my age and then one's a little bit older.

They are so funny.

What's on the menu?

They're cooking.

The priests cook.

I know.

What do you know what they're making?

Well, no, but I did choose a Friday in Lent and they were like, so we have to do fish.

And I'm like, obviously.

Yeah.

Fish or a pasta?

Yeah, fish or a pasta.

So I think we're doing, I think they're doing fish.

Okay.

But I'm so excited.

So like all of our friends are coming and it's just going to be like a grand old time.

Yeah.

No, I know.

I need to, I have like one saving grace of a babysitter option and I need to work on

that today.

Well, if not, you should just bring your kid and you can put him in my basement because

my kids aren't going to be here.

My mother-in-law did something so kind for me and she's taking my kids for the night

all four of them.

Wow.

Yeah.

And you know how much I love being in my house without my kids, not because I don't

love my kids, but because I love my house and I never get to enjoy it clean.

I never get to enjoy it clean.

Yeah.

So I'm looking forward to cleaning my house, inviting adults over.

And yeah, I'm trying to set if I'm going to like play a game or like if we're just

going to like let the, like let the convo flow, the game could be fun.

Yeah.

The game I was thinking of, well, it's all this on Instagram and you hold a ping

pong ball in one hand and egg in the other and you have to throw, like just toss and

catch the ping pong, no toss and catch the egg and you have to bounce the ping pong

ball.

Okay.

And then someone will be like, egg, egg, egg, ping pong, switch.

And they have to switch them.

And like the joke is it's like, do you, like when do you drop the egg?

Cause you think it's the ping pong ball.

Okay.

But you have to do that outside.

No, I don't think so.

I think it's just like a counter thing.

Oh, but you want to clean up egg on your counter?

Yeah, maybe not.

My husband certainly won't like that.

No, I think it's, but I think an outside activity is fine.

Could be a fun, just like put that game in your back pocket.

I don't think an outside activity is really the vibe because I don't want to

separate the party.

Totally.

Or I was thinking threes are free, which is like a fun dice game that we know.

Yeah.

But I could also see this crowd just being like, no, we don't want to play games.

Well, yeah, no, but I feel like when you have kids around, all you can do is like chat.

So it's like, this feels like the opportunity to play.

Or it's like, do we just go so 2016 and bring out the flip cup?

You know what mom told me, maybe you know what mom told me of yesterday.

She's having a conversation with like a friend, like a friend of hers who they

used to hang out with a lot.

Like when we were younger, like he played the man played football with dad.

So like they knew him in college and then like into their young adulthood.

And they were having a conversation about and so they have kids our age.

And they were saying how they have so much more fun that they had so much

more fun at our age than we have at our age.

Mom has told me that also.

No, yes, let's dive into this.

Mom, literally the other day I was like, yeah, I'm just like that drinking as much.

She's like, I like just started drinking when I was your age.

And I'm like, okay.

They definitely like that generation, less and less people are people are

drinking less and less that generation drank a lot more.

We, I feel like we're drinking less.

And then, you know, there's studies like alcohol companies are big alcohol is

feeling the hurt of Gen Z not drinking as much as even our generation as millennials.

So drinking is becoming like a little bit less of a thing.

I do think that has to do with the they had their perception is that they had

more fun, but also, I don't know.

I think they just like plan more things.

Like they had mom and dad had dinner parties.

Like they would go out like they had people over like, I don't know.

They just seem to do more.

Maybe there is more of like a community aspect to it.

But I don't I don't know.

I just also it's so hard to do anything right now.

It feels like.

Yeah, I don't know either.

I feel like I do a decent amount of fun things, but I agree.

I remember like, I think my dad had more fun than we did at our age,

but I'm having fun.

I'm not really looking to do more things.

Maybe we're just different.

I also just like I'm also really fine with like staying at home with my kids

and my husband like that's just like I have a lot of fun hanging out with them.

That's fun to me.

Yeah, but I am looking forward to my dinner tonight.

I also say I think an activity could be like a memory making thing.

Well, and they do say that if you want to like grow your friendship deeper to do activities,

I do feel like dinner with the priest is enough of an activity.

You know, like they're coming to my house, like it'll be some good camaraderie.

I might make margaritas.

I might bring out my shot glass is like, I don't know, it could get kind of wild.

This is kind of like when when provoked, this is kind of a drinking crowd who's coming.

Yeah, and I am including the priests.

Well, because Catholics don't say anything about not drinking.

No, no, that's like one thing in our faith that's like not that's pretty much like a major perk.

Yeah.

I mean, we have wine every Sunday.

Literally the blood of Christ.

So anyway, that's tonight.

So stay tuned.

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And aside from that, can we just get into industry news because it's kind of a

good segue? Yeah, we're going to go out of order today.

Yeah. OK, so now it's time for industry news where I saw the hot tea going into

the auto industry because Ford, speaking of priests, Ford

surprised Pope Leo with a custom explorer.

Talk about this is the ultimate car mom story.

Yeah, this is like the ultimate club.

I mean, could be an expedition, which I feel like should have been an expedition

like the pope because here's the thing.

The pope is not driving himself, obviously.

Sure. Yeah.

And the expedition is much more of a chauffeur type car.

Yeah. So I do think they should have done an expedition.

Yeah. But I'm wondering if there's like one of the better PR for the explorer.

Probably. But so cute.

They put like the Chicago

sky on it, like the Chicago flag on it everywhere.

So fun. It's so fun.

It's really cute. It was a good collab.

I wonder if they've done this in the past.

I was kind of like surprised to see this.

Well, and I don't even think they collabed.

I just like a PR thing.

You like they just made it for him. Yeah.

Like Pope Leo didn't have a hand in it. No.

Kind of like a major gift, though.

Yeah. Is Jim Farley Catholic?

See, I don't know.

The CEO of Ford.

It does feel a little like I mean, I'm so happy about it.

It does feel a little random.

Yeah, it wasn't a story I was expecting to see.

No, no, I know.

And I don't think he'll drive it.

No, again, I really think it's probably just a PR thing.

Well, and most things are.

And that's what you have to remember in this world of marketing.

Let me see if he's Catholic.

Oh, Jim Farley, the current CEO for motor company,

comes from a family with deep Catholic roots in Detroit.

With his grandfather having raised funds for the Pope.

He also attended Catholic prep school.

OK, Jim Farley.

That's fun.

It was the high.

OK, it was the highest trim level I'm learning about the car now.

Well, I would hope so.

I mean, can you imagine?

It's a hybrid.

Yeah, that's nice.

I'm just like wondering, like, did they actually send it to?

Well, I think I think they sent it to the Vatican.

We'll see what happens with it.

They sent it to Rome.

There you go.

Does it say anything about, like, why they chose the explorer?

Farley's faith led him to reach out to the Vatican.

Probably should have, like, read this whole article before just like talking.

Sorry, the headline was just so captivating.

I reached out to the Vatican a few months ago, and that's how this began.

Pope Leo has deep roots in Chicago's south side, just like Ford.

We thought it would be especially fitting for him to drive and explore a built

out or Chicago assembly plant, which has been in continuous operation

for more than a century.

So it's because the explorer is built in Chicago.

That's so cute.

This is like so cute.

Pope Leo wanted a black vehicle and a hybrid.

At the moment, a customer can't order this system, but we do have a hybrid

systems for police vehicles.

So they figured out a way to do a hybrid for the Platinum Explorer.

So no, like, Pope Leo was like very involved in this.

Wait, we should have read the article.

I'm so sorry, everyone.

But how fun that you're, how fun that we're all doing this together.

I know.

Because I was going to say, I thought they stopped making the explorer hybrid.

Unless you're.

Pope Leo.

So Jim and his wife made the donation personally, but it only became possible

because of the group of Ford employees helped to bring this special vehicle to life.

The team in Chicago knew they were customizing a VIP vehicle, but we kept

the details tightly held until everything was complete.

No, this is like, it's like even cuter as it goes on.

Like literally Ford didn't send it like Jim Farley and his wife sent it.

Obsessed.

No, it's like so great.

OK, well, that's industry news, everyone.

That's a good one.

That's a great thing to bring about a fish Friday night.

Elizabeth, totally.

Just a great thing for anybody to bring up.

Speaking of industry news, auto tickets are available.

Get your tickets.

I believe the VIP night is sold out, so that's sad for you guys if you missed it.

But you can still get tickets to the regular auto show.

We will still be there the whole day.

And I have been similar to Pope Leo.

I have been in contact with manufacturers.

Mm hmm.

And I am cultivating the best, the best inventory I've ever had the auto show.

I'm very excited about it.

Yeah.

And I will be sure, like, literally, like every manufacturer's

chomping at the bit to send their cars.

And I'm having to tell them, like, no, sorry, you can only send two

because, like, they all want to send them.

It's so crazy.

No, it's really fun.

And it's it's really exciting because, like.

If you guys would see, like, what we had to do to set up the auto show

in the past, like Kelly and I are spending multiple days driving

all around St. Louis, picking up cars from dealerships, like it was such.

We had so many friends volunteer to help us to do this.

It was such a pain in the butt, but worth it.

So if we can just get, like, some brought to us, then it will make our life

so much easier.

So anyway, that's your industry news.

Liz, what is next?

I believe we have some advice questions and then we'll do it to drive.

We do have some advice questions.

I mean, we were going to do last three transactions today, but I have already

told you on my recent transactions.

So, I mean, if you want to spill.

Well, you know, I recently realized that it's like so crazy.

You have to, like, buy a whole wardrobe of for your children every season.

Yeah.

And I didn't realize this with James because I got so many hand me

downs from you because him and Fred were, like, far enough apart.

But Sloan, I have nothing.

And so I just had to place, like, a huge gap order.

They're having a sale and I like gaps close, but it was just, like, pieces.

Like, it's not a full wardrobe.

So I'm actually going to go to the Jbf sale just between friends.

Secondhand sale next week.

Just this is like my favorite.

I think this is actually my favorite sale to go to because I can get all of our summer stuff.

Yeah.

Like the August sale, I find it harder because I'm like, I'm not, I could buy

stuff for Christmas, but like, I'm inevitably going to give it to them before Christmas.

Yeah.

So this one, I'm really excited to go to him.

OK. That's what that was, my big last three, one of my big last three transactions.

Oh, also, I post this on my stories.

I haven't talked about this, but I got a you need to buy this, Kelly.

It's a pancake batter dispenser.

Oh, my gosh, you won't stop talking about this, you guys.

I've literally never talked to you about it one single time.

That's a crazy thing for you to say.

That's not true.

I heard you when I'm talking about it.

And then I saw you posting about it and I am bringing it up here.

I posted about it one time.

When did you hear me and mom talking about it?

I don't know. I've heard it before, but I'm happy for you.

Sorry, I'm sorry.

And to think I was going to gift you one because I was like, Kelly could really use this in her life.

No, fine.

No, it wasn't something that's fine.

You can you can scoop your pancake batter out like a commoner.

I said she can't stop talking about this.

It's like a compliment.

Like I'm happy you're showing passion for something.

No, you rolled your eyes when you said it.

Roll the tape.

I will.

I did not roll my eyes.

Oh, man. Oh, my God, guys, she can't stop talking about this.

That's how you said it.

OK, well, I was going to gift you a $14 pancake batter dispenser.

I'm just going to change your life, but it's fine. It's fine.

Hot take. I'm not doing what you're doing.

Hot take. We're not a pancake family.

Oh, OK. Well, maybe you would be a little bit more joyful.

Oh, are we going to really came for my pancake battered

dispenser? I'm really going to fight on this podcast right now.

Do you have a skillet or like a griddle?

Yeah, mom gave us both one for mom gave us both one for Christmas.

I don't need to find that.

OK, anyway, tell us about your battered dispenser.

Well, it's just I mean, it's you can you mix the batter in the dispenser

so you don't have to get a bowl dirty.

You don't have to get a spoon dirty and then you shake it.

It comes with like a protein shaker, a protein shaker, like those things.

And then you just plop them out and they create perfect circles every time

and it's not messy at all.

OK, I retract my form.

I roll. Thank you so much.

I didn't know two things.

I didn't know you could mix it in there.

Yeah. So that's incredible.

And I didn't account for the fact

that you're not like going to have like spoon drippings from the bowl to the stove.

That's like the big thing about it.

And it's really it's really quick so that you're also not,

you know, sometimes when you're doing the spoon to the to the griddle

or however.

You it takes a minute to like get to get each one.

So then they're not cooking all at the same like this is squirts, squirts,

squirts, squirts, squirts, squirts, flip, flip, flip, flip, flip.

I'm a restaurant.

Mm hmm.

Anyway, it's from Amazon.

It was a great buy. OK.

I'll consider.

OK, we can move on to advice questions.

Full size versus pilot.

This is hard.

Hi, Kelly.

Hi, Jen.

A little background.

I was hit by a semi in a civic about nine years ago.

So she did.

I'm sorry, she did send like the beginning stuff,

but I just wanted to get to the question.

And walked away from it.

Are you?

Sorry, this is not funny.

This is like a that's like a horrific thing to happen.

OK.

You just like skipped her pleasantries.

I'm trying to do it.

I'm sorry.

OK, and she walked away from it.

So she has an unrealistic image of Honda being super safe.

That's a thing.

People who get in accidents in that car.

That's a thing I won't touch, though,

because I who am I to say?

If you feel like the car saved your life, I agree with you.

Yeah, totally. Get the car again.

I agree.

OK, so she has an image of Honda being super safe

because of the incident.

I hate not being the biggest thing on the road.

My husband and I are getting ready to move out of a 2016 Ford edge.

Our other car is a 24 F 150.

I used to have a suburban and loved it.

However, we're not in a position to spend 70 K on a vehicle,

and I prefer not to buy with high mileage.

We have two kids in car seats, a dog and my husband is six seven.

So space is huge for us.

We travel three hours each way one to two times a month

and do a quarterly five to eight hour

trip each way to see family.

We're considering a full size vehicles and the Honda pilot.

I want the third road for our dog,

but I just don't know if I'm going to have the same feeling

in the pilot as I do that that I do in the edge of it being too small.

If we go full size, I feel like we need the expedition max,

Yukon XL or the suburban versus the shorter versions of the vehicle.

So we have room for our bags of the third row up.

Objectively, am I crazy for feeling like we need a second large vehicle?

And all of these options,

what would you recommend the most bang for our buck on how much we travel?

Thanks so much for your help.

So the other thing is that they have the 24 F 150

and they they have two kids, but they do have a dog.

So I think they're trying to decide like what to do.

I do think it's kind of I do think it's kind of

a true she's like Honda pilot or long wheelbase car.

Well, I don't think she was a long wheelbase car.

I don't think they have that.

I don't think she wants to spend the money.

Like I know what she said,

but like I just don't think she wants to spend the money or do with the mileage.

So I think you will be happier in in in something in the midsize category.

And I don't think I agree with you.

I don't think you need a full size.

I mean, you're going from a four edge now, like it's which is such a good car.

I love that car.

I don't hate the pilot.

How old are her kids?

She didn't she just said we have two kids in car seats, car seats.

I'm a little worried about the leg room for the tall husband

with car seats behind him, if I'm being honest.

Hmm.

I don't wonder if like the traverse or the Alice would be better options,

which are very similar in size to the pilot.

They're both top safety picks from the IHS as well.

All three of them are.

But I don't hate the pilot.

And we also don't know if the kids are forward facing though.

That's true.

We also don't know like I think she's asking pilot or full size.

So I think she has like maybe other reasons.

I don't want to try to talk her out of a Honda because I think it's good.

I think it'll work.

I don't think you need a full size.

So I'm going to lock in with the pilot.

Okay.

I think you should do what we did with Merrick and you should go see the pilot

and then you should go see a short wheelbase full size.

Totally.

But it's still the money thing.

But because you yeah, because it's just interesting because she said

we're not in a position to spend 70 K on a vehicle.

But then she says if we go full size, I feel like we need the expedition max.

Why do you need the expedition max?

Like that's a crazy that you don't need the expedition max.

I just, I urge you because if you, she said because we want the more room with the trunks.

But like the trunk space is going to be better in the regular expedition

than it is in the Honda pilot.

Yeah.

So I would just urge you to actually go take a look at them both.

I think that's good advice.

Okay.

Next question.

I also think like just like on the topic of trunk space, like, and I mean, I mean this

with such love for you guys.

I think some of us are a little dramatic with the amount of trunk space we need.

And I'm going to be totally honest with you.

Some of us are not.

But again, like let's not buy.

I don't think you should buy an extended wheelbase for the trunk space for the road trips.

I think you should get a cargo cover or cargo topper.

I think you should be more mindful about how you're packing.

I just feel like if unless you need the extended wheelbase or the bigger trunk for your daily life,

I think there's other workarounds that you can use.

It's the max.

I can't express to you if you've never driven the difference between the expedition,

the expedition max or the Tahoe versus the suburban.

The extended wheelbases drive so much different.

They're so much more expensive and they're so much harder to park.

They feel so much bigger.

It's such a difference.

Sometimes they don't fit in your garage.

Sometimes they don't fit in the garage.

So it's just such an extra step if you're not needing the trunk for your daily life.

And again, like the expedition trunk is okay as is.

It's like to your point.

It's the same size as anything in the midsize category.

Sometimes I just think people are kind of oversteering the trunk space they need.

I'm not going to debate you.

I'm not going to debate the hockey or the lacrosse moms because yeah,

I'm starting to probably do need that trunk space.

But like stack tall, you know what I mean?

Let's stack it tall.

You're fine.

You're probably fine.

And I mean, I do think to your point, because they do sound like they travel a lot.

So like they are kind of a road trip family.

But if you are a road trip family, I could see the argument made that maybe you want the full

size, but I could also see the argument made that actually investing in a good cargo topper,

you're the perfect person to invest in it.

Because if you're just doing it occasionally, then it might be like, okay,

well, then we got to buy it and we got to store it and all the things.

But if you're using it all the time, it's probably a good thing to invest in.

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Okay.

Next question.

I'll read the repositories first.

Hi, first and foremost, I love the pot and all your content.

My sisters and I are best friends and love seeing other families with close bonds like mine.

A little bit about me.

Are we ready to learn now?

Sorry.

I'm like, I can feel the giggles coming on like, you know, when you just like

have to laugh at everything, like you're in church and like you're not supposed to laugh,

but you can't, I'm feeling that coming on.

So I'm sorry if I start acting inappropriate.

A little about me.

I am a new single mom with two little girls.

My oldest is three and my youngest is two-ish.

They are in, they are both in gray coat slim fits.

I just had to give my ex-husband our 23 Honda Pilot and I got the 2014 Mazda CX-5.

Well, I love the CX-5 when I was in college.

I now hate it with the girls.

I need to get something bigger, but I'm very overwhelmed on where to start.

Below, I've listed a few things to help you steer me in the right direction.

I trust you explicitly.

I'm open to, I'm open to leasing since my whole life is up in the air right now,

but I drive about 25,000 miles a year.

I work in Atlanta.

Absolutely not.

You're not leasing that.

Okay.

We're not leasing.

Okay.

So she lives 20 miles from her office and goes in two to three times a week.

I am open to a hybrid, but nothing fully electric.

I need a third road.

I love my Honda Pilot and could get the same thing, but kind of want,

but kind of think I want something different.

I was looking at the Ford Expedition, but don't know if I need that much car.

I don't like super fancy tax.

I'm fully happy with just Apple CarPlay.

If buying my budget would be $40,000.

Any assistant is helpful.

I am having a ton of decisions to fatigue these days.

Um, okay.

She shouldn't lease because if you drive more than 15,000 miles a year,

like leasing just doesn't make sense for you.

Like you drive very high mileage.

So because you're a high, she's a 25 a year, right?

Yeah.

That's a lot of miles.

Yeah.

So because of that and because of the $40,000 budget and because the need for a third row,

I'm kind of left with like, okay, we need something that is good because $40,000,

unfortunately just like doesn't get you as far as it used to get you.

So we're going to have to go, we're probably going to have to find a car with mileage to

get the third row, but it also needs to be a car that can handle a lot of mileage because

you're going to put them on so quickly.

So I'm going to kind of land on a car that you're probably not expecting.

And it's going to be smaller than the pilot, but it's bigger than the CX-5.

And I think that's a W that you should just take at the moment.

And I think you should go buy a Toyota Highlander.

Oh, that was so random.

Not the Grand Highlander.

It's because that's going to be out of budget, but just the Toyota Highlander,

filing for $40,000, it'll go for forever.

It'll be reliable for you.

It'll hold its value.

It has, it's not like the most functional third row in trunk space.

Like you just have the two kids.

So, and I don't, I'm assuming you're not going to have any more anytime soon.

So I'm locking in with that.

And that's honestly the perfect car for you.

Okay.

All right.

Is there like a certain year, like wouldn't go this far would kind of stay within this

year range?

Just kind of see what you can get.

I would honestly prioritize low mileage.

Okay.

So like I wouldn't be scared of going back further to get lower mileage because of how

high mileage of a driver you are.

Okay.

We have one more, Cal.

Hi ladies.

Love the podcast and I'm looking for some advice as we embark on the two under two journey

next month and we have to get a new car in July.

Right now we have a Jeep Grand Cherokee L with captain's chairs and we like the size of it.

However, my dream is to eventually go bigger.

I absolutely require a bench in this next car.

I'm an open to pretty much anything beyond that.

I've, I've been a leaser my whole life, but financially would like to buy.

So we have some trade in value down the road if necessary.

I think our options are, I think our options are down to buying a new large mid size

tester of the pilot and that list so far both fine.

I still want to test drive the Traverse as well or buy a used Tahoe expedition or Yukon.

We will, God willing, have one to two more kids over the next, over the course of the

next two to five years and we'd possibly be in a rear-facing, rear-facing, forward-facing

situation by 2028.

What car slash situation do you think will be best hold its resale value and fingers cross

stay 50K and under?

Well, if you had to do the bench, you absolutely don't need to waste your time driving a Traverse.

Okay.

Great information.

Traverse is not very three across friendly.

A bunch of seats are almost impossible to find.

To do three across in the mid-test category, it's Atlas by a mile and then behind that is

the pilot.

The Atlas is more versatile.

The Atlas is wider.

So like the pilot works and the pilot has the fundamental middle seat and everyone talks

about it, but the Atlas has a bigger bench.

Like if you're doing three boosters, you're in an Atlas and it's still tight, but you're

in an Atlas.

You're not doing three boosters in the pilot.

So if you're going to have three, if you want to keep this thing for a long time,

I don't really get what you're saying about trade in value.

I think that's like not, doesn't really make any sense to me.

It sounds like this might be the first car that she's buying.

And so she's excited to have a trade in.

So she's just like, that's very forefront of her mind.

Okay.

But she said she wants to keep it for a long time.

I don't think she said that she'll keep it forever, but she talked two to five years.

They want to have more kids.

So I'm getting the vibe this is like a long-term car.

Under 40.

Under 50.

Thank you.

I think the problem with, well, one, like 100%, like the only, to me, like the bench is,

it's the expedition.

Like that's the, that's the full-size expedition.

That's the full-size bench option.

It's just going to be kind of a unicorn to find.

Like to find under 50, and then not impossible, but like it's just, I wouldn't,

I don't want to put you on a wild goose chase.

But if you can find under 50 expedition with a bench or a Tahoe, I mean a Tahoe will work.

It is good for three across.

I think definitely I would not go extended wheelbase.

I don't think you need that.

How many kids do they have now?

They're about to have two under two.

Well, it's kind of like, and then these are really hard consoles to do because like,

I feel like my, like three kids versus four kids, like it kind of has different answers.

You know what I mean?

Well, and it kind of sounds to me like, she said like within the next two to five years,

they might have three, and then, you know, who knows when they're going to have four.

So it's kind of as like, if you're getting a car right now, because you have to, for whatever

reason, get the Atlas and then in five years, I agree with you.

You can revisit where you're at.

I agree with you.

Let's lock in with that.

Okay.

Locked.

That was so fun.

Such different answers.

So what did we have?

We had the Highlander, Trivert, Highlander, Atlas and.

Pilot.

All different.

That's so fun.

And that's why there's no best family car, because everyone is so different.

If there was, I'd be out of work.

Classic.

Okay, guys.

Well, I believe we just have to wrap this up with little detail and then we're done.

Yeah, sure.

Well, now it's time for Ditch The Drive-Thru.

We give you an easy dinner recipe to mix it up to get you out of your.

Dinner rep.

So I have a new hyper fixation meal that I've been dying to share on the podcast.

Oh yeah, shoot, guys.

She will not.

And I'm so excited to hear about it again.

That is the hard part about doing a podcast, isn't what I talk to every day.

It's like, we literally do just hear the same stories over and over and over again.

But we just have to have the same conversations.

And sometimes when you hear it the first time, you have the best reaction.

But I don't think I gave you a great, I did give you a good reaction the first time.

I'll try and recreate it.

Well, on Instagram also gave me a good reaction.

So I think like everyone's been waiting for me to dive into this hyper fixation meal more.

Because I don't know if I've mentioned, but I'm on a sugar-free journey.

And it's been a really hard week for that journey because I'm craving,

my cravings are like through the roof.

And I'm probably just not, I'm having that sensation when like I'm having trouble getting

full no matter how much I'm eating.

You know, same.

Yeah, but like I'm not pregnant.

So that's just like not the most fun.

Anyway though, so I wanted to do like an Asian inspired salad.

So I've really been into air frying chicken.

Like I cannot believe I haven't just been doing this for years.

I haven't been, I like don't think I've ever air fried like raw chicken.

Elizabeth, I can't believe I've been wasting my time over a hot stove to make chicken.

Really?

It's disgusting that I've been wasting my time.

So what I do is I chop up a breast into like cubes.

And then I put it in my air fryer.

I like an air fryer liner because I'm just like looking for easy cleanup.

And I spray it with some avocado oil and I add paprika and garlic salt.

Now, I don't actually know what paprika tastes like, but it's good for the color.

Oh, no, paprika has a good taste.

Sure.

But I don't want to taste like.

Even if it didn't, like it adds the color that you're looking for.

So it's not just like white white because that's not as appetizing.

No.

So like don't skimp on the paprika.

So I do paprika and garlic salt and I put in the air fryer 385 for 10 minutes.

It comes like it's perfectly cooked every time.

And then you just have these chicken bites that could literally go in and on anything.

I'm like, I'm hearing you and I know you did it and you live to tell the tale

because you're here right now.

But like cooking raw chicken in my air fryer, I don't know if that's something I can do.

But people are doing this.

People are cooking fish in their air fryer.

And you know what?

I can cook a salmon in my air fryer, but like for some chicken.

People are weird about chicken.

Myself included, myself included.

It's changed my whole trajectory.

Like now when I use my chicken from the store, I'd be like,

Oh, what am I going to turn this into?

It's like, I'm going to turn into chicken bites because they're delicious.

The kids just dip them in ketchup.

So I made my chicken bites and I'm like, I want to do a salad.

And I had bought at the store like coleslaw mix, which is basically just cabbage.

It's like just plain coleslaw mix.

But I like the crunch of the coleslaw mix and it's very low calorie, very high volume.

So like it's good for someone who's like trying to, I'm trying to eat a lot

and it's not like too high in calorie.

So do a cup and a half of the coleslaw mix.

I add my air fried chicken.

Something I really enjoyed on my sugar free journey has been herbs because they're like

sugar free, but they pack so much flavor.

They're also again, so low calorie.

So then I chop up cilantro, like a ton of cilantro, throw it in my coleslaw mix,

squeeze a lime on top.

So good.

Cut up a cucumber.

Then after my chicken was cooking, I went back to my air fryer

and we had some leftover cooked rice in our fridge.

I just put a thin layer of that cooked rice, slammed it down.

I mean, things were touching.

So it was a layer, sprayed it with avocado oil.

Again, added the paprika for color, put it in the air fryer

until I made it had crispy rice.

You use air fryer liners, which I think is an important note because...

No, I can't say that enough.

This is made possible by air fryer liners.

Okay.

I don't know if you already said that.

And like, I did say that.

Oh, sorry.

But that has been such a difference.

So then I pull out the crispy rice, added it to my salad for a little crunch,

for a little carb, just like yummy.

Then Aldi was selling this, first of all, I say Aldi's and I'm getting roasted for it.

I've noticed you've started to correct yourself and you've been saying Aldi.

Everyone around us says Aldi's.

It's Aldi's.

It's Aldi.

Aldi's is a better name.

We're going to Aldi's.

No, it doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't end right Aldi.

Ends in a vowel.

Fine.

You know me about ending in a vowel.

I'm not about it.

I'm going to go back to Aldi's because that's what we call it.

And I think our Cumin Western twang is part of our likability.

Sure.

So then anyway, at Aldi's, they had this ginger dressing that kind of tastes like the one that

you get, like when, you know, when you go to like a, like a hibachi.

Sure.

Not as good, but it has no sugar.

So I added that to the top and then I added just a little bit of soy sauce too.

And then I added a scoop of natural peanut butter because I was trying to like emulate

like a peanut sauce.

Mix it all together.

Best salad ever.

You added a lot.

I did add a lot.

Hopefully you guys are keeping that.

But like best salad ever.

Now last night, yesterday I had it without the crispy rice and it was still great.

Okay.

So that, you know, that saves you 10 minutes in the air fryer if you need to get on the table quicker.

But yeah, it was unbelievable.

No notes.

Sounds really good.

Sounds like something that like I want you to make me.

Like I don't really want to go through the hullabaloo of making it.

Totally.

But like I would love to have it presented in front of me.

I know.

I would too, but I will do that for you.

Thank you.

And then like for the kids, like then they just had chicken bites, cucumbers and rice.

Yeah.

Like I love when I can just deconstruct a meal.

Yeah, that's great.

Make something fab for me and Tyler, me and Tyler like, you know, kind of appreciates it.

And then the kids can just have a deconstructed version.

Sounds great.

It sounds, it sounds absolutely delicious.

Dinner tonight.

I'm so impressed you put all of those things together.

Thank you.

I was too.

Dinner tonight, all your girls got is two tubes of ground beef that I don't exactly know what to do with yet.

You know what I love to do with ground beef?

Tell me.

Big bang.

Maybe you'll have to go get the extra ingredients, but a crunch wrap.

You're always talking about crunch wraps.

I know.

Well, I make them a lot because it's like it is my version.

Hey, are you saying you literally buy a tostada and put it in a quesadilla and fold it up?

Here's how I make it because you're really simplifying the art.

I take my make my ground beef.

It's like it's as easy as making tacos, but packs a much bigger punch.

My husband is always so impressed with me, which is always a good feeling.

And it is the only fast food that I can genuinely remake at home flawlessly.

You're going to make your ground beef.

You're going to get a like extra large burrito sized tortilla.

You're going to lay the first layer is going to have queso.

So put queso on your tortilla, just like in a little circle.

Then you're going to top with ground beef.

Then you're going to take your tostada and you're going to put it on top.

Sour cream, lettuce, tomato, whatever you want.

Fold up the sides, throw them on the on a skillet to get toasted up.

Delicious.

Insane.

10 out of 10.

Everyone loves it.

It does sound good.

I asked him, I just like, I might, I just some kind of craving Taco Bell.

No, I know, but like you could just make this.

It is, and I get the jarred Taco Bell hot sauce too.

So I think that helps me like recreate the perfect Taco Bell.

It is insane.

Yeah, I'm starving now.

Thanks for that.

Yeah, you're welcome.

And if you have the toast, like if you always have those tortillas,

which like I always have tortillas, now I just have the large ones.

And the tostadas stay fine for like ever.

They're just like having chips.

You could even do it with a chip with chips.

No, I bought tostadas many moons ago, probably a fortnight ago.

And then we were out of tortilla chips one day.

So then I just had to bring in the tostada.

Yeah, and that too.

Yeah, you can use a tostada.

I've used tostada as chips before.

But now I'm out of tostadas.

So I never use them for the for their tostada destiny.

That's why you just like need to have crunch reps on the menu.

Have you ever made them before?

No.

Kelly, it'll change your life.

Just trust me.

I do need to double you in the kitchen.

And I kind of feel bad because like my husband,

because my husband didn't enjoy the salad.

And like he kind of has been scrounging lately, you know.

Maddie has told me it's my favorite thing that I make.

OK, maybe I'll give it a go.

Just like I need to get a lot of specialty ingredients before 5 p.m.

Yeah, you do.

You probably need to get going then.

Yeah.

So anyways, that's going to be our episode.

Thank you so much for listening to the Caramel Podcast.

We hope you have a fab dabbulous weekend.

And we will be back on Wednesday with much to recap.

I should have my dollhouse in by then.

And what else do you need?

You will have dinner with the priests.

I will have had dinner with the priests.

I will have had Indiana Jones Butter St. John for over a week.

We're so interesting.

Three under three.

I do it all.

All right.

I love saying.

I don't know why it's like such a like a badge of honor.

Four and five years.

Like when I can't say that.

I mean, well, I guess I can always say that because I did do that.

But I love saying like four, six and under right now.

Yeah.

At what point is it just like, OK, so you have four kids?

Well, I don't even think four, seven and under.

So I have a month left of that.

Four, seven and under doesn't have the same punch to it.

No.

Yeah.

It's a little bit.

A bit of a mouthful.

It doesn't really.

So I think this is my last year.

It doesn't mean much.

This is my last year.

Yeah.

Summer.

All right.

Well, thanks so much for listening to the carpool podcast.

We'll talk to you next time.

See you.

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.

MAYBE THE MILLENNIALS HAD IT FIGURED OUT

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Toyota A80

Ford Explorer

Ford Expedition

Ford Edge

Ford F150

Mazda Cx5

Toyota Grand Highlander

Jeep Grand

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