The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby - Answering CONTROVERSIAL questions w/ my parents *Christmas edition*

Episode Date: December 11, 2024

Matt and Abby are joined by Matt's parents for a special Christmas edition, tackling controversial holiday questions like regifting, keeping Santa a secret, and "doing it" at other family members hous...es. They also share heartfelt stories about the most generous Christmas gifts and Matt’s dad navigating job losses during the holidays. This episode is sponsored by Hiya, HexClad, Rocket Money, Chime & Liquid IV. Hiya: Go to https://hiyahealth.com/UNPLANNED and receive 50% off your first order. Get your kids the full-body nourishment they need to grow into healthy adults. HexClad: For a very limited time, shop the biggest sale of the year and find your forever cookware @hexclad at https://hexclad.com/UNPLANNED ! #hexcladpartner RocketMoney: Cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to https://RocketMoney.com/unplanned. Chime: Turn everyday purchases into steps toward your financial goals with Chime’s secure credit card. Get started today https://chime.com/UNPLANNED. Liquid IV: Get 20% off your first order of Liquid I.V. when you go to https://LiquidIV.com and use code UNPLANNED at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 A courtside legend is born. The Raptor Chicken Nacho Poutine from McDonald's. Our world famous fries topped with seasoned chicken, gravy, stringy cheese curds, tortilla strips and drizzled with nacho cheese sauce. Get your claws on it. For a limited time only, at participating participating in McDonald's restaurants in Ontario. We fight before every party we throw. And after everybody's gone, she's like, that worked out so great!
Starting point is 00:00:31 Hey! What side of the family do you like celebrating with the most? Oh. Oh, we can't say that. We know that I'm the favorite, but like, we gotta pretend we like my older brother. Matt, you are not the favorite. Would you ever dress up as Mr. or Mrs. Claus? Dad, have you been Santa?
Starting point is 00:00:43 Well, he should be. No. Have you ever done the deed while staying with family over the holidays? Well, we know you did. Not us. Why did you ask it? You're just gonna call us out like that, Mom?
Starting point is 00:00:55 Your hair looks terrible, Matt. Stop. You need a haircut. Welcome back to the Unplanned Podcast. We are your hosts, Matt and Abby, and today we are joined by two very special guests who we had to work so hard to get on. My parents, John and Teresa.
Starting point is 00:01:11 Woo! They're the easiest guests to book. They're always down. I know we told you guys we're gonna be talking about holiday hot takes, some controversial holiday questions, but we actually lied. We're gonna be doing a conversation about your sex life.
Starting point is 00:01:25 So you guys can just kind of give us a little rundown. No. It's gonna be really short. Hey, you talk about yourself. She likes it like that. Oh my God. Okay. Okay, stop. We're actually gonna end the podcast right here.
Starting point is 00:01:42 Thanks everybody for tuning in. Hit that like button. If everyone wants to know where Matt gets it from. Okay. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Okay, well I think this is a good, this is a safe way to start out. Real tree or fake tree? Are you guys a fan of the real Christmas trees?
Starting point is 00:01:59 Are we more of fake tree people? Do you want to start? Holiday, what's your hot take, mom? I love a real tree. I think it's prettier. I think it smells better, but I would always have allergy attacks and start feeling sick from it.
Starting point is 00:02:15 So we've gone to fake, but I think a real is gorgeous. I'm all about the fake. We did the real tree. We went out and cut the tree down and argued and fought the whole time. I did not about to fake. We did the real tree. We went out and cut the tree down and argued and fought the whole time. I did not like that experience. No, and it fell over. It's all in a holiday special that whoever owns those tree farms, it's great.
Starting point is 00:02:33 You can enjoy yourself, but when it really happens, it's just, it's not for me. And we had carpeting with the real tree and it fell over in the night and got water all over the carpet, remember? I was so mad at you. This is when Matt was born. When he was a baby, you know, when they were little. The whole time cutting down a tree, picking out the right. No, not that one. Not that one. And then we get it home. I get it up, decorated in the middle of night. I was exhausted. Awesome. Here.
Starting point is 00:03:01 I just took the whole thing out of front yard, shut the door and just went back to bed. Broke some special ornaments. Yeah. You yard, shut the door and just went back to bed. Broke some special ornaments. Yeah, you were mad at me. Wait, you threw it out the door? Oh yeah, I just drug it out through the front door. You didn't throw it.
Starting point is 00:03:11 Well, I chucked it. You're lying. Yeah, I chucked it. You chucked it. Well yeah, I mean I drug it out, I was so mad I was tired. Left it on the front yard? And I just put it on the front yard. You must have been pretty strong to carry an entire tree by yourself.
Starting point is 00:03:22 Not when you're mad. I would just leave it down if it happened in the night. No, it was getting water and everything. I was like, it's a real tree, you gotta fill that thing with water. Clean carpet and everything, and it fell over and is getting, I think this is our house.
Starting point is 00:03:35 So you didn't have a tree that Christmas? No, we put it back up, and I screwed it in to think around. I had to do some changes to the thing. But that piece said no more after that. We had a thing that you know because a real tree needs water right so then I got the idea anchoring it to a big piece of plywood so I got a big sheet of plywood cut it in half so it's four by four and put that on the stand and put that on there. They have to make something for that. And then we had a nice big skirt so it
Starting point is 00:04:02 covered it up. That looks so weird though that big piece of plywood. People don't usually do that do they? Well you have a massive piece of plywood on there. It goes around your trees you don't see it. But that's not like what a typical family does. The base wasn't big enough for the tree the tree toppled over. I feel like they probably make bigger bases. Yeah. Well yeah they make a pretty good sized base but we needed a base as big as that table there. Maybe your tree bass was just a piece of crap. Maybe you just needed a non-cheapo bass for your tree. Now it's my fault. I still have the bass. I will send you a picture.
Starting point is 00:04:30 By the way, I promise I'm not like a chain smoker. I've just been sick, so if I sound weird, apologies. Again. Yes. I think he's playing it up, because I think he kind of likes the way it sounds. The sexy voice.
Starting point is 00:04:40 I'm not trying to play it up. It's literally, it's the problem I've been having. Why are you laughing? I promise I'm not a chain smoker. I've heard you say it like seven times in the past 24 hours. And all of a sudden he's like talking like this and then all of a sudden he goes, I promise I'm not a chain smoker. Okay, this one is pretty controversial.
Starting point is 00:04:57 So hold your horses. Colorful lights or white lights? What do we think about that, mom and dad? I like white lights. I like just a plain white light. I. What do we think about that, mom and dad? I like white lights. I like just a plain white light. I think it looks better. I just think white light. Yeah, colored is fun for kids,
Starting point is 00:05:12 but I do like the classic white on the tree and outside, dad has always decorated outside. Have you ever fallen off the roof trying to put up Christmas lights? He did fall off a ladder once, babe. He fell off the ladder and he was dangling from like the top of... Not putting Christmas lights though. No, no, no.
Starting point is 00:05:29 I was painting the house a few years ago. A few years ago, I thought it was this year. No, it was about four or five years ago. What? So Josh was home and I'm out there painting and it was really hot and I had a safety harness on. Praise God. painting and it was really hot and I had a safety harness on. When I fell it caught me but I was dangling like a puppet. My ladder went one way and the
Starting point is 00:05:51 chimney was this way so I was like dangling like this and I was thinking the neighbors gonna see me because he had seen me the night before at the work he said be careful. So hey Jeff! And then when I fell, I was like this, thinking Jeff isn't gonna say, I told you so. But nothing was said and I'm just dangling there. So I started pushing myself, finally got down. And I went inside and Josh goes, what was all that banging? I was like, well, thanks, Josh.
Starting point is 00:06:17 I fell. That's such a Josh thing to say. When you were ringing the doorbell, he hit your door. So Josh heard a bunch of banging. He didn't come check on his dad. He's like in there eating his whatever's eating Just like when you guys get locked out And he goes I went back to sleep and you guys were out locked out of the house
Starting point is 00:06:37 Oh my gosh. No for anybody who's confused my little brother's Josh and a couple years ago He's also an adult 22 years old Okay, he's more than a few years ago. He also looks like he's older than me He has a whole beard. Yeah, this was like seven years ago. Anyway, but we were stuck outside of our house For the entire night because nobody in my house would enter the freaking door Well, you did have a key and you didn't have it. We did not have a key mom. We did not have a key. There was no key. We did not and we couldn't get the garage door open. Because the batteries were dead. The batteries were dead on the garage door opener and we were banging. We were trying to call you but you guys leave your phones in the kitchen and you go upstairs
Starting point is 00:07:16 and then you couldn't hear us ringing the doorbells of your sound machine. So anyway, Josh they were sleeping. Did not check on me when I fell off the roof, didn't check on you when you guys were trying to get out. When he heard us throwing rocks. Let me finish this story though, but I called you guys a million times, called Josh a million times, banging on the door, shouting. I'm like, I'm probably going to wake up the whole neighborhood trying to get in our house.
Starting point is 00:07:39 Gives me sandwiching works. Yeah. You say you can't sleep, you are the deep sleeper. You guys are deep sleepers. You guys could be burglarized and have no idea how she would have known it. We could have robbed that house. Thanks a lot, Abby. So, here's where we live. You say you can't sleep, you are the deep sleeper. You guys are deep sleepers. You could be burglarized and have no idea. Thanks a lot Abby. How she would have known it.
Starting point is 00:07:48 So, here's where we live. But, but what I wanted to say though, is Abby and I had to spend the night in our car because nobody would open the door. In Baldwin, Missouri. It was very dangerous. And Josh, the funniest part though. And that's how Griffin was conceived.
Starting point is 00:08:01 Is Josh, we were so loud. Here's the funniest part. We were so loud. Josh said he woke up, heard people saying, let us in. He heard us, heard my voice banging, but he was like, I was just tired though. So I just went back to bed. He was like, I thought, yeah, maybe that's Matt and Abby stuck outside the house. Josh is here to defend himself. You can't keep. We better. That's enough. He told me that though.
Starting point is 00:08:23 I know he did. Stay tuned for the next episode with Josh, defending himself. All right, what's your next question? Matt, are we gonna answer these questions too? Oh yeah, what about you? Yeah, we probably should answer these. I guess for lights, what's your take?
Starting point is 00:08:33 I want to say colorful lights because it is more like, feels like vintage Christmas. Yeah, vintage. But the colored ones only look good if they're those big glass bulbs. And we can't have those with round kids. That's what I'm saying. The big glass bulb colorful lights are so iconic.
Starting point is 00:08:51 I love those, but it has to be the right ones. I think if you have the teeny little lights, it looks dinky. Yeah, that I don't like. Yeah. And then for trees, I'm fake because I want the tree to be up for a long time. And I'm team Christmas tree
Starting point is 00:09:04 that has the lights pre-installed. Plus that, we would not know, yeah, pre-installed. They don't do those in nature. No, I do our tree in about five minutes. It's so quick. Not ornaments, obviously, but setting up the tree itself. I don't want to fasten a tree to my car like that. I just want to put it in my tree.
Starting point is 00:09:19 We would definitely get into some sort of altercation. Yes, we do. If we were trying to chop a tree down. I know, we tried not to. Hey, life Yeah, we were trying to chop a tree down. We tried not to. Hey life hack, if you want to decorate early, go and put your tree up in around October and put a sheet over it, make it look like a big ghost. And then when it hollies over,
Starting point is 00:09:35 you pull the sheet off and you're ready. I saw it and I told him and he's acting like he made it. You probably saw this on Instagram Reels, didn't ya? No, I did a chat GPT. Okay, wait, hold up a second. You guys aren't on TikTok, but you're on Instagram Reels, didn't you? I did. No, I did a chat GPT. Okay, wait, hold up a second. You guys aren't on TikTok, but you're on Instagram Reels. Yes. Is that what everyone over 50 is doing these days? I think they're on Facebook. I just saw it on an Instagram somebody had done that and I thought that was a cute idea. That's kind of funny.
Starting point is 00:09:56 Because we used to never ever ever get anything out till after Thanksgiving because I feel like it's a ripoff for Thanksgiving. We should be thankful and grateful. But it's such a short time period, and this year it's especially short, and we are traveling here for Thanksgiving, so we're like, we have to get this stuff out. But if you want to do it really early, you can put the sheet over it and have a ghost in your house.
Starting point is 00:10:21 That's cute. It is cute. That is kind of cute. Genius. You're very protective of my younger brother Josh, because he is your house. That's cute. It is cute. It is kind of cute. Genius. You're very protective of my younger brother Josh because he is your youngest. He's still my baby. He's 22 years old with a beard.
Starting point is 00:10:31 But you know, the thing is about Josh is you were always like, we can't decorate for Christmas because that'll ruin Josh's birthday. But it's like, it's not like we don't celebrate Thanksgiving to not ruin Josh's birthday. So that always threw me off. You're kind of like, why are you holding off on Christmas until Josh's birthday? Well it was more Thanksgiving. It's combination Josh's birthday and Thanksgiving. Because Josh's birthday is the 26th and Thanksgiving is always a day or two around that. So you have Thanksgiving decorations? Well fall. That must be so hard for Josh
Starting point is 00:11:02 celebrating a major holiday right on his birthday. Man, I feel so bad. His life must be awful. That's so tough. He's scarred for it, yeah. That is really, really tough for him. That's why he got an ice cream cake last night. Dad, how have you dealt with having a birthday so close to Father's Day every year? It's been rough.
Starting point is 00:11:17 He's been ripped off. I think, yeah, I've been ripped off. I got one gift for both events and it really messed with me. Do you have to grill? I've been to therapy and I'm over it now, with me. Do you have to grill? I've been to therapy and I'm over it now I think. What did your therapist say? He said deal with it. He said suck it up buttercup. You're a man. And then Flag Day is running out at that same time too. So or act like a man. The Blues won the Stanley Cup Playoffs Championship on my birthday a few
Starting point is 00:11:44 years ago so now everybody just thinks of the blues and they forget about me. So what would you say to someone out there who has a birthday also? Okay, how long are you going to get back? She's going to tell them that and I'm going to move on. Attention deficit issue. I'm trying to be funny too hard. Okay. Bad joke.
Starting point is 00:12:04 I didn't even know this was a hot take. Why is this even a hot take? But I guess I'll read it. Opening Christmas presents, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. No, some people do open presents on Christmas Eve. New Year's. So there's three options. When do you open them and why?
Starting point is 00:12:18 I Christmas Day. I Christmas Day. I like Christmas Day. Yeah, my vote is Christmas Day. But my family, my extended family, we're doing Christmas Eve because I get with my aunts and uncles but in Christmas Day you know my immediate family would be you know gathered around the tree. And they were Catholic and a lot of Catholic families I think make a big deal about Christmas Eve at least the Catholic families I
Starting point is 00:12:42 know like our brother-in-law Bob they would all meet Christmas Eve and do it your family did so that was kind of your thing, right? But my family always Christmas Day only Mmm, and it was about your extended family cheating if you and uncles Yeah, we all did it Christmas Day Christmas Day. How did you get there for his house? We did one lunch and one supper What about like not wrapping the the gifts for your kids? Cause I've heard there's some wacko families out there that won't wrap their kids gifts and just like lay them out. Wait, that's what you guys did?
Starting point is 00:13:13 Yeah. Yeah, when Matt told me that, I was like, that's crazy. Well, everybody else wraps your gifts. I've heard it's pretty traumatic for some kids. Do we have to keep this, you know, is this parental guidance or you know children watching how we oh kids don't watch this show this is an adult show you know I don't want to say you can say whatever we already said sex, santa you know all that. Don't listen to this with your three-year-old or your kids around
Starting point is 00:13:37 So everybody wraps your gifts which is awesome But I was raised and then this is what we did. We came down and it was three girls, and then with us it was three boys. Like you come down and you each have your pile of stuff, your section, you know, and it's just like, and they're unwrapped. Yes, all together.
Starting point is 00:13:59 And we did that too. We did that. We had wrapped and unwrapped. I was so sad. Unwrapped was from Santa, wrapped was from family members. Every Christmas I was so disappointed to see that Santa didn't wrap my presents or my parents. They were just all out there. Okay, wait, that's actually so then you guys just start playing like yes So we did they were wrapped and everyone had to open them one at a time and ours were numbered
Starting point is 00:14:22 Like we would work up to like the biggest gift. You're so pretty by the way, sorry to drop. You're so pretty. Dad already said that earlier. I mean not to add. I'm like that's weird. No, that's funny. They were numbered, I don't know,
Starting point is 00:14:37 cause it was like all the attention was on the person opening them. No, no, we did that at both grandmas when we did it with the aunts and uncles. Everything was wrapped and we each took a turn. Yeah, each person got their pile in front of them with, you know, wrapped and each one, and we all sat there and watched each one do it.
Starting point is 00:14:55 And I know, especially our brother-in-law's were like, I'm gonna lose my mind, this is taking forever. It does take a long time. Did you think that the first time? Yeah, I liked having that opportunity where the kids would be at the top of the stairs at our house, we'd do this every Christmas, film up at the top of the stairs
Starting point is 00:15:13 and have them come down and see their faces. And I would film them coming down the stairs, make that turn and go, look at all this stuff. Thank you to Liquid IV for sponsoring this portion of today's episode. Liquid IV is key for getting your hydration and I know how hard that can be when you're going from place to place, especially on the holidays, it feels like you're traveling a lot and you're doing so many things that are outside of your normal routine and it's really
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Starting point is 00:16:26 rainbow sherbert. Amazing. I'm telling you there's so many delicious ones. So stay hydrated through the holidays with Liquid IV. Get 20% off your first order of Liquid IV when you go to liquidiv.com and use code unplanned at checkout. That's 20% off your first order when you shop better hydration today using promo code unplanned at liquidiv.com. You guys also Liquid IV would make an amazing stocking stuffer so definitely use that code and stick it in your love and stocking yes did you have like a we spend this much on each kid or was like a number of gifts thing well Teresa handled that like 90% of it every once in a while I would blow the budget and get something that I wanted
Starting point is 00:17:00 them to have and she would know about it it. Like an iPad? What? Like an iPad? Is that you? I gave you an iPad, I guess I gave you guys an iPad. That was like 15 years ago, yeah. 15 years? Yeah, so I wanted to blow the budget and get my stuff, but Teresa's a very good shopper, she would buy things in advance, and she likes to have that bargain,
Starting point is 00:17:19 and that's her thrill, so I didn't want to take that from her, but I would be more of an impulse person going, oh my gosh, look at this, this would be great. We would be broke if it wasn't. I would be asking for money at the curb if it wasn't for Tracy. I don't mean that. No, I mean it was a, it wasn't exact number amount, but around. And then some things were to share. Like you got those, the drum set, which was mainly for you, but obviously you could share it with your brothers. But so, and then, right, I would,
Starting point is 00:17:49 if somebody looked like they had a lot, and somebody didn't, I'd get a couple little things that made it look better. I think they're just gonna share so much. I already bought our kids main, all their Christmas presents. I'm so excited this year. And I feel like we just had a budget amount, but then I was like, it really is just gonna go for just shared gifts. Yes that's the good thing.
Starting point is 00:18:07 Yeah. What was your favorite gift you ever got as a child? We actually have a question kind of like that coming up so sorry we're gonna wait until we're there. You think you're in charge here? He can take over the interview. We're letting my dad take over the interview? I have an answer. Okay, all right. My dog, we got Max for Christmas. It was so sweet. What kind of dog was it? He's a Bichon. You met Max, my little white dog?
Starting point is 00:18:31 Yeah. Have I? He passed when I was in college. But I could still cry about it. Mine would probably be my stage that you guys made for me or dad you built for me. Oh my gosh. That went from one thing to another to another.
Starting point is 00:18:45 Yeah. I think we talked about that in the past. We talked about that. But for those that didn't know about it, Matt wanted to sing a dance, so I just put a piece of plywood on the ground because he had colored our brand new carpeting with a permanent marker.
Starting point is 00:18:57 And after he got that out, he said I wanted a stage, so I was creating a stage with his markers. So I put a plywood on the ground and I could use it, color on that plywood. He goes, no I want it to make a noise so then I put it on a frame of two by four so they could dance. He goes, no I want curtains. So then I end up getting some help from a friend of mine help create these curtains with the drawstrings so I could say now the show would never think it would open up like this. He goes, but I want dress rooms on both sides because people so it became a big huge ordeal. So started off with marking up the floor to plywood, to framing,
Starting point is 00:19:30 to frame, to curtains, to dressing room on both sides so people could go in and out to the back side and we had lighting. It was a big deal and I sold it for 150 bucks like 10 years later or whatever. And I was devastated. I could see. No, I was like in high school. I was in high school, I didn't care about the stage anymore. I was way over that.
Starting point is 00:19:54 Oh, he had graduated, he was already at the uni. No, but I do wanna thank you guys though for doing that because I think as a kid, I had so many crazy ideas and I was always putting on shows and Convincing my cousins to be in whatever show I was directing that day for whatever holiday we're celebrating and you guys really encouraged me to do what I loved and That's part of the reason I get to do what I do today. Oh great you like that That's why we have the show
Starting point is 00:20:21 We gotta find those old videos We gotta find those old videos when you're a little kid and you're doing all these dances and stuff and he would have his cousins and they'd give him different things to say and direct everything. It was a lot of fun. That's so cute, yeah.
Starting point is 00:20:36 No, but I realized, I think I don't know if it was this year, a couple years ago, but I was like, why do I have so much fun making content on the internet? And I'm like, I think it's just because I enjoyed creating things as a kid. And it's just like using that same part of your brain to do it as an adult is like so fun.
Starting point is 00:20:52 And you had a container of clothes to dress up and dress people in. My favorite memory would be like I was like six and my grandma and grandpa gave Cindy and I, they weren't real fur, they were fake fur, coat, fancy coats, so we had these little coats and we thought we were so special with these. That's cute.
Starting point is 00:21:14 Yeah, we felt like, I just had never had anything so nice or fancy, so. That's really sweet. It was fun. What about you, what was your favorite gift ever? My dad didn't like to hunt or fish, but for some reason I really wanted to hunt fish. So mine was probably either my first shotgun
Starting point is 00:21:30 when I was in eighth grade, or a air hockey table that he got my brother and I when I was probably about sixth grade. Those were probably my two biggest and favorite gifts. That's really sweet. Yep. That's awesome. And as far as the day of opening gifts,
Starting point is 00:21:47 I feel like I like opening gifts on Christmas day. Obviously you can't pick and choose. Sometimes you have holiday celebrations with different parts of the family. You didn't even tell your parents. What? I didn't even tell them what. Oh, we're gonna be home for Christmas.
Starting point is 00:21:59 We're gonna be home for Christmas. You're coming back. No, you didn't tell us. Yay. Right after that call I was sitting on the phone. We did not intend to tell you this on podcast by the way. Yay. We were. Don't let me hang in. I didn't want them to come back. He is kidding. Oh my gosh. We, right after we got off the phone on Sunday I was like, Matt let's just move our flight.
Starting point is 00:22:22 We'll pretend that Christmas Eve is the 23rd with the kids, they won't know any different, and then we'll pretend that the 24th is Christmas. And so our new tradition will probably be, we've talked about this, we wake up at our house on Christmas morning and then fly, but we probably wouldn't be there until like, later.
Starting point is 00:22:40 That's awesome. I think that'd be a fun tradition for the kids. I loved flying as a kid. I think they would think that's so fun to get to take one present on the plane and have that be part of their tradition and they go back to their grandparents' house. Awesome. Well, thank you. Awesome.
Starting point is 00:22:55 We're looking forward to seeing it. We're pretending that 23rd is Christmas Eve at our house and then switching it all around. Well, that's what I was going to say. In our day, everybody lived by each other and you could do that. Now that doesn't happen, so I don't think it matters the day. I get with the question, what you think you should, and it's Christmas Day. But I think it's more important to spend a day
Starting point is 00:23:14 with this family and a day with this family, whatever day that is, we don't care. So just to be together and not be rushed is what's important. Some grandmas, mine years ago, yeah, they wanted it that day and one had to be lunch and one had to be dinner. It was like, that's a lot.
Starting point is 00:23:33 It's nice if you can spread it out. Yeah. What is the worst gift you ever received? I try to put that stuff. Holiday hot takes people. I try to put that stuff out of my brain. I can't even think of it. I can't remember what that would have been.
Starting point is 00:23:50 Oh, I'm thinking of something I can't say it on the podcast though, because I don't want the person to hear about it. Oh, no, you can't. I don't want to hurt their feelings. No, I know where you're coming from. I do not. You know what it is? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:24:01 Don't do it. Yeah, that's not it. I can't say it. I can't say it. I sort of say like, you've never gotten me a vacuum and like hit it sister or something I mean like he's never done that I mean, you've never given me some women get like stuff for the house and they're like what the heck I didn't want this Yeah, somebody told me never give your wife anything that has to be plugged in. Oh Really rule of thumb. Yeah, cuz why like a like a vacuum sweeper. My dad gave my mom a vacuum sweeper one year for Christmas.
Starting point is 00:24:28 Oh, she's so mad. What the heck is this? And as a kid, I was like, hey, we have a new vacuum. But later on, I was like, that was not a good gift. OK, actually, though, I feel like, see, I can see where that would work for some people. But Abby literally would be so stoked if I got her a stand mixer because she was saying she saw some really cute stand mixers.
Starting point is 00:24:45 If it's something you wanted. The fact that you know that, but what does it look like the one that I want? You want the really cute one. Is it green? Is it Christmassy? It's green, right? Sage green? The bowl is, no, it's like an evergreen, the bowl is wood.
Starting point is 00:25:00 Yes, I was about to say that. Someone like her uses that and you know it's important to her. Well, she told me that too. She was like, I want this. And she's like, I don about to say that. But you know, someone like her uses that and you know it's important to her. Well she told me that too. She was like, I want this and she's like, I don't actually need it, I just think it looks pretty. Because we do have a stand mixer. Or let's say some woman wants a fancy coffee machine, a coffee that does four or five things.
Starting point is 00:25:19 That's a good gift. But I mean, sometimes you hear women saying, I got a blender or something I didn't want. Yeah. Yeah, I got lucky. Teresa does not really care too much for jewelry. She's not into it. I thought you were gonna say doesn't cook.
Starting point is 00:25:31 So you get her a Marshall's gift card. She doesn't really need to have real expensive jewelry or anything like that. I know some women really like that. And of course she looks beautiful in anything she has, but yeah, she never really had a need for a bunch of jewelry. So. Why do you like Marshalls so much, mom?
Starting point is 00:25:47 Is it the deals? Is it just you get a good deal on everything? She loves to find value. This sweater, no. She could tell you about every piece of clothing that she has, pretty much spot on, how much she's saved. I don't try. I don't try. Yes.
Starting point is 00:25:59 Can you tell? And any gift she's ever received, she knows who gave it to her. Can you tell people about the crazy deals that you find after Christmas? Because you love shopping the day after Christmas. You've come home with all this stuff. Why is that? You get like a crazy dopamine hit when you find stuff 90% off? I do.
Starting point is 00:26:16 I think it's a drug since I don't know how drugs feel. That's what I... Yeah, like after Christmas the next day, I loved it. Especially when you went to school, you guys at St. John, the Christmas store, we would buy the gifts the day after Christmas, 75% off or 90. Some places had them 90. And that was so much fun.
Starting point is 00:26:38 Cause dad liked it, I wasn't spending our money. It was the school money. But then I was saving them money anyway, buy all those, and then the next Christmas, the kids shop for their siblings and their parents. Yeah, so that program was a really big hit. And we made money and the kids saved tons of money. The moms would go shopping the day after Christmas, find all these great bargains, pennies on the dollar,
Starting point is 00:27:02 and they would just store it for the year, and we would all get together help store the stuff They'd get it out and the kids would come to the store shop for their siblings and their parents and family and The ladies would help and they loved it. I mean there's preschoolers. They're shopping too I did value of a dollar. It's like oh my gosh five dollars. I got $20 to spend help me shop I did that Matt at I got $20 to spend, help me shop. I did that Matt, at Awanas on Wednesday nights
Starting point is 00:27:27 in the basement of Calvary Baptist Church. And I remember just trying to shop. I've had a hard time shopping for my dad since I was literally five at Calvary Baptist Church. I remember I got my dad a necktie. When has my dad ever worn a necktie? Never seen your, wait, I might have seen your dad wear a tie at the wedding you went to. I'm sure it was a hideous tie. That's a core
Starting point is 00:27:51 memory of how I was just like, I don't know what to get dad. I got Blake, I got mom. I'm like dad. I would always give you things that said dad. Best dad. Yeah. And as a dad, now that you are, no matter what you get from your kids, you're happy. You're happy. And you want to see the kids get all excited. So even though you already, no matter what you get from your kids, you're happy. And you wanna see the kids get all excited. So even though you already have 20 ties, you go, oh my gosh, this is awesome, man. And he's like, all giddy. It was fun seeing the kids get excited about
Starting point is 00:28:15 you opening up the gifts from them. But it's funny you say that, that was the hardest thing for us to find is stuff for grown men, dads. So if you found anything, you got a ton of it because- You can't have the kids get them beer. No, no, no, no. It's not a church, it's a Christian school.
Starting point is 00:28:31 Yeah, here's your beer. That's what Blake would tell my mom. He'd be like, mom, can you get beer for dad for me to get him for Christmas? Oh my God. That's actually hilarious. But my mom would dress it up like reindeer. So it was like a six pack,
Starting point is 00:28:46 but she put a little red nose and antlers on it. That's cute. Aw, that's sweet. It's like a little sleigh of beer. A sleigh of beer. Man, that's one of those things that you look back on and you're like, hmm. That was messed up.
Starting point is 00:28:57 That was messed up in a way. Ha ha ha. What is everyone's biggest holiday pet peeve? I'm gonna go first. Okay, good. I got a bone to pick with you, mom. My mother would make the most gourmet desserts for our neighbors and friends and everyone.
Starting point is 00:29:14 So nice, like chocolate covered this, white chocolate covered that. Like go all out. Gourmet. Our house smelled incredible. I don't think I ever made anything gourmet. And then guess what? She wouldn't let us eat any of it. We just had to sit there and smell it. Not even a bite? And it was it was like torture. Okay, well you're
Starting point is 00:29:32 exaggerating a little bit I think. I've never made anything gourmet in my life. Okay, but you made like the white chocolate bark. What was it called? The bark? Yeah, trash or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. What is that with? Powdered sugar on top of a bait. Well that's, trash or whatever. Yeah, you put, what is that? With, I don't know. Powdered sugar on top of a baked? Well that's muddy buddies or something. But I've gotten better, you wanna know why? You've gotten better. Like, yeah, now that you're all gone. I learned, like I was gonna make this pumpkin bread
Starting point is 00:29:58 for work, we had a Thanksgiving gathering, and I'm like, no, I'll make the muffins so I can leave dad a couple and no one knows see when you make like a case or a brownie or something you know I mean you can't cut a piece out but now I'm doing individual so I can share the love that's very thoughtful yeah me for my time my dad taught our kids Griffin says yummy my tummy all the time because of you dad. Yep, and my tummy's gotten bigger. Because of all this food in me.
Starting point is 00:30:29 Well, anyway, I'm sorry about that. It's okay, I forgive you mom. Yeah. I still love you. You didn't starve to death. Alright, next pet peeve. No, you guys didn't have to. I have to be honest.
Starting point is 00:30:38 What's your pet peeve babe? I have to be honest. What is it? I don't like white elephants. That's okay. Oh man. I'm sorry. I don't like any crap. I don't want stuff that I don't want. So there's different levels of white elephants. Oh that's okay. Oh man. I'm sorry. I don't like any crap. So there's different levels of white elephant. Yeah I like my favorite things thing because you're like getting stuff that you're most likely like gonna use.
Starting point is 00:30:53 I like that that's like a fun one but when it's like things I'm like you're not gonna use I'm like oh man I don't know what to do with this. It kind of stresses it's like oh I gotta find a place to put it and then I gotta take it. Okay so they spent money on it, White Elephant. Because John's family, it's so bad. We call it pass the trash. It's pass the trash. The stuff you got in your house that you don't want
Starting point is 00:31:13 and you think somebody might want it. I hate that game. Pass the trash. That might be a little worse. I literally take whatever I get and I put it in the trash. Okay, not really, I probably don't eat it. No, but some of his family fight over the trash. Yeah. Yeah, my cousin got Romaine noodles, as always, I probably don't even. But still. No, but some of his family fight over the trash. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:31:25 Yeah, my cousin got Romaine noodles, is that what it's, ramen noodles? Ramen noodles. And she was so excited about the ramen noodles, and somebody else stole the ramen noodles, and she broke down and cried. Her name is. Don't tell the name.
Starting point is 00:31:37 Well, I can just say Sarah. Yeah. But Sarah still gets teased by the family because she broke down and had a big fit that somebody took a ramen noodle. She was also like five years old. The Piggins were slim probably in the passage rash. So every year now somebody brings ramen noodles because of that. Thank you to Haya for sponsoring this portion of today's episode. Our son loves Haya. Every time he is like sad or something
Starting point is 00:32:01 because he likes Haya so much he'll be be like, medicine mama. Medicine, medicine. Because he just like, he doesn't really know the word vitamins yet. So I guess in his mind it's like medicine, but it's great. Haya is amazing because not only does it taste good, but it's not full of all the sugars and additives that a lot of other kids' vitamins are full of.
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Starting point is 00:33:40 Okay, because you could use it. Because it had a purpose. It was like printed though, like there was poop emojis on it. But like other times we've gotten like paperweights or like I don't think we have any use for paperweights. I think we got a VHS one year. Okay, we won't.
Starting point is 00:33:56 We don't have a VHS player. We won't use any names, but one of your cousins, when we were having it again, the Howard Extended family, and he said, this is the highlight of my year, I love your party, thanks for inviting me, and he said I already have a ton of trash.
Starting point is 00:34:12 50 items. 50. Oh my gosh. This is a nightmare. It's a nightmare. I wanna give him my names, but it is a- That's what I said. Initials are Joe Howard.
Starting point is 00:34:20 Stop! Wait, what? Oh my God, that is a nightmare. So my cousin Joe does not have a cell phone, doesn't have an answering machine, so he's never gonna hear about this. We can roast him on this podcast. And I can send a picture to everybody so he looks like it. Let's hope that he doesn't have any friends to tell him about. He has no friends. Oh my god. Okay this is bad. This is, Pass the Trash is actually not my favorite, but it's fun to have the event of it if I bad. Pass the trash is actually not my favorite,
Starting point is 00:34:45 but it's fun to have the event of it if I can just leave the trash in your house. The little kids like it. The little kids like it. So we have a friends Christmas party every year. We've done it for almost 30 years, you know, and some people say that's the highlight of their Christmas. That's cute.
Starting point is 00:35:00 And it's a white elephant. It's white elephant, but it's better white elephants. I mean, some people buy them and some people, a lot of them come recycled from the year before. Like, you know, we've had the singing fish. Poop knife. Someone brought a poop knife. I never heard of such a thing.
Starting point is 00:35:17 What is that? I've never even. So if you have such a big deposit of crush, you cut the knife to cut it. And I thought this is not true but you go on Amazon buy a poop knife. Google it. I wish I could delete that information from my brain right now. That is too much. It was clean though. I looked at it. There's brand new urban news but the box says poop knife on it. I didn't know there was such a thing. No, no, no, no. See, yeah, that's not my favorite tradition.
Starting point is 00:35:47 Okay, and then someone, a lot of times people go to Goodwill to buy stuff to bring. Like, sometimes they brought paint, you know, real paintings, they're painted. This one was like an Olympic girl. Oh, for Jeff? Yeah, she was like in the.
Starting point is 00:36:01 Oh, clowns. That one went around. Clowns, Jeff does not like clowns, our friend. So somebody usually has some type of clown and yeah, he does not like clowns. He's like, and his mom just to petrify him like would buy him clowns all the time. So he, we would just get all these clients. You know, some clowns are really scared. You know how we, you know, movies they have with like the clown type of stuff that's after the game.
Starting point is 00:36:24 Oh, one year there was this stuffed duck in a frame. Steve had rental property and somebody left and the guy was like a drug dealer. A $500 frame? Yes, so tell him why. He had this duck hanging on a wall and he goes, I know there's cocaine in that. So it was a wooden, very nice wood frame and this domed glass with the real duck stuffed in it. And people fought over that. Yeah, but nobody ever took it apart and it disappeared.
Starting point is 00:36:56 It's never showed up again. He swore there were drugs in the duck. And he was just making it up, but anyway. Pat is funny. You guys go too hard at your, your pass the trash. Whoa, it's fun. Friends thing. We just come up with creative things, you know, just, just to say.
Starting point is 00:37:11 Well, you guys, I, I think Joe Biden had a slip of word or something a few years back. And I remember seeing a t-shirt from one of your, one of your friends brought to it. Yeah. It said Mary fourth of Easter with Joe's face on it. And I was like, you guys are, you guys go hard, man. They go hard. Somebody brought a bobcat or something to it too, right I was like, you guys are rude. You guys go hard, man. They go hard. Somebody brought a bobcat or something to it too, right?
Starting point is 00:37:28 Or no, your dad had a stuff bobcat. Teresa's dad would go to estate sales and buy these things at estate sales. Is that stuff bobcat still in your business? Yes, he won't let me get rid of it. I like it. What is he gonna do with the stuff bobcat? Why would I want to?
Starting point is 00:37:44 I will sell it. I will sell it. What do we need with the Steph Bobcat? It was a good conversation piece. Did you have that at school? Or just Caleb did? Caleb did. What? It's a coffee table. He took it to school. He had it in this bar. The stuffed bobcat. You know how you had grandpa's longhorn thing? He had the bobcat. Yeah, I had the horns. Yeah, Caleb had the bobcat. Oh my gosh. But he didn't give away the bobcat like you gave away the horns.
Starting point is 00:38:12 People are gonna think we're like redneck. We are. We're not. I have a big dead deer in my office. Oh my gosh. No, I really don't have that many pet peeves. I don't know of anything. They had their pet peeves about white elephant. It's okay. If you want to sit this one out, it's okay. I think we've talked enough. Okay, my biggest thing is we fight before every party we throw. And after everybody's gone, she's like, what a great, that worked out so great. Like, you forgot how mean and rude you were
Starting point is 00:38:45 to the whole time. No matter how well we plan, it's always a fight. She gets stressed out, she starts fighting. You're exaggerating a little bit. Okay. I love you. So, we agree, we want to have parties, we want to have people over, we want,
Starting point is 00:39:04 because it helps us to clean and get rid of piles of stuff that you just like pile up yeah and then but it's stressful yeah like some CBD into mom's coffee on Easter Sunday or something I think that would do the trick mom would be so chill even on a flight out here she was stressing out and then she was having out. And then the TSA, she was having her luggage pulled to the side and the lady said, there's something in your luggage. No, she asked me and I did not lie.
Starting point is 00:39:32 And she said, is there anything sharp or that could cut? Wait, you had weapons in your luggage. No, she had, just listen. Wait, wait, let's hear the story. Let's hear it from my mom. I said, no, I have nothing sharp. Well, then they opened it up and there was a kid's cooking set that I got Griffin
Starting point is 00:39:49 because I know he likes to cook and it had three fake knives in there that are plastic that you can literally go like this and it won't even show a mark. It's for like dough or whatever. So you were trying to bring knives through TSA. So she had to get her manager. Weapons, weapons.
Starting point is 00:40:04 And she was, I was like, they don't cut. They can't even. Ma'am, you cannot bring weapons or anything that looks like a weapon. And I'm laughing and I'm wanting to videotape it, but I knew I'd be arrested. Is that rude? So I just sat there and Josh and I were looking at each other. And Teresa was just commenting on how her mom flew a few months ago. she had like air spray and like water and stuff that you can't bring in and Teresa just got done saying, mom, you don't have anything? Nope. And she had all this stuff in her belongings. Anyway.
Starting point is 00:40:35 And Teresa was just saying how I can't believe my mom and then here she's got weapons. I did not have weapons. So I said they can't even cut and then the guy's like, well, if they're a replica of a reel, they were like blue and yellow and green. Yeah. It doesn't make any sense though, because you can bring a plastic knife from Chick-fil-A onto a flight.
Starting point is 00:40:55 Exactly, exactly. Right, so how is that any different than a plastic knife a part of a kid's cooking set? That's a good point. That doesn't actually make any sense. Like I can understand. Well, but you bought it in. It still doesn't make any sense. The airport. It. Well, but you bought it in the airport. It still doesn't make any sense, though.
Starting point is 00:41:07 It's not like they sell pocket knives at the airport lounge. You can bring something that's more than three ounces if you bought it in the airport. Oh, really? I can understand them wanting to inspect your weapon. The kids' kitchen set, right? But if it's not sharp, can't they have some sort of like cut test or something? I know. Where they just make sure it's not sharp?
Starting point is 00:41:28 Cause maybe look, like if there was a- No, if that's a rule that you can't have a replica, then- But like, look, if something was in the packaging and they couldn't tell if it was actually sharp or not, maybe the test would be, okay, we have to throw away this knife. Or you have to ship it to yourself because we don't know if this is actually a weapon.
Starting point is 00:41:44 But if it's not in the packaging, why can't they just make sure it's not sharp? Well, they offered to check the luggage, but it would have cost us 40 bucks to check in a $1 gift. And we know that mom spent, yeah, 50 cents on that. No way is she gonna do that. No, it wasn't that cheap. But anyway, they took the three knives out
Starting point is 00:41:59 and I still have the rest of the set. Where do you get the gifts for our kids, by the way? Because I know you're a frugal queen. But I feel like this could be helpful though for women out there that are trying to get a deal. Is there a specific store? Are you going to like resale shops? GW. Have you ever heard of GW? Goodwill? Is Goodwill the spot? Sometimes. No, this was from Tmoo, which I... He didn't really edit Tmoo. That's how you pronounce it. That's how my friends pronounce it. There is an SNL skit actually about team where they like I haven't seen it but I heard people talking about it because they were getting wrecked for essentially I don't know not not
Starting point is 00:42:34 paying their workers well because I think they operate out of some trying you know developing countries but like I want to say I haven't seen the SNL skit but I think people were saying that you would see all these people so happy and they have their team and they cut to the factory workers that are like That's sad. You're bringing us down. That's so sad. I have only ordered there a couple times because I feel guilty.
Starting point is 00:42:57 Yeah, I feel bad that it's not American made but then you pick up anything of ours and it's just China. Well think about it. Santa had helpers, right? Little elves. It's not American made, but then you pick up anything of ours and it's just trying to unbind. Well think about it. Santa had helpers, right? Little elves. They're taking advantage of little elves to make gifts for your kids and they're acting like an all joyful.
Starting point is 00:43:13 That is a weird- And they're tiny little elves that are having to work all year. You have a really good point. So your little kid can have like blocks to play with. Yeah. How screwed up is that? Is that the story of Santa Claus- Who came up with that stuff? Is about exploiting elves. Yeah. How screwed up is that? Is that the story of Santa Claus is about exploiting elves.
Starting point is 00:43:26 Yeah. Right? Little people. It's an American tradition. Yeah. Yeah. Why would you do that? Maybe we just shouldn't think about that one too much. No. But back to Timu though.
Starting point is 00:43:34 I've only ordered from them like three times because I feel guilty. Yeah. You got stuff for John's party. You got stuff for our kids. Yeah. Didn't you get clothes there one time? I've never gotten clothes. I've had friends get clothes. Mm. Me personally. Oh, I've never gotten clothes. I've had friends get clothes.
Starting point is 00:43:45 Me personally. Oh, I've gotten him clothes. Like his papa. Papa shirts. And papa hats. And they're so reasonable. Very reasonable. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:43:54 All right. Next question. Would you ever dress up as Mr. or Mrs. Claus? Dad, have you been Santa? Well you should be. No. See? See what I deal with.
Starting point is 00:44:05 You were just making fun of me a minute ago and half of it wasn't even true. I'm gonna be Santa someday. I don't, that would be fine. I would actually, I would crack the frick up. I would do it. If you dress up as Santa Claus, that'd be so funny. Maybe I should do that.
Starting point is 00:44:19 I feel like you'd really like it too. I think you'd have a fun time doing it. Yeah, I like getting in the character. Oh, we're so fun. You are fun. So maybe we should do that. Can we see your sister and Mrs. Claus? But then Santa would fall asleep on the couch.
Starting point is 00:44:27 That's right. Five minutes later. One cookie. I want to see that movie Bad Santa. One cookie and milk. No. Who was in that movie Bad Santa? I don't know.
Starting point is 00:44:38 Oh my gosh. Have you ever watched it? I started to watch it, but I got yelled at for watching it. Why? Do you think that's below you to, what do you do mean to be Santa and Mrs. Claus? I just thought it'd be kind of cute, because you guys are the grandparents, and I think Griffin and Augie would freak out
Starting point is 00:44:53 if they were Santa Claus. They would recognize my voice. Well, they're so young though, they probably wouldn't even, I don't know. I could try. Oh, I wanted to hear your best ho ho ho. Can you give us your best ho ho ho? Oh my gosh
Starting point is 00:45:09 Ho-ho-ho that's pretty good. That that was awesome. I got a little deeper. Oh I got work on it Griffin would know Augie might not but Griffin is smarty pants I feel like are you would try to rip off the beard. He always rips off glasses off your face Well, if you had food on you, he'd definitely rip it off. He would find the food, find the cookies. We took the kids to this place where you can feed the animals. We had so much fun with the boys. Oh my gosh, it was a lot of fun. Feeding the goats and feeding the, oh my gosh. The craziest thing I think is, Augie had two big carrots.
Starting point is 00:45:40 You're supposed to give it to the goats. Yeah, he's like, buy the big ones so they don't, you know, bite their hands off. Don't get the little ones. So he had two big ones. Oh my gosh. Instead he just goes, start eating them. He ate both the carrots. Augie can down some food.
Starting point is 00:45:52 He gets it from me. He can eat. He probably eats as much as you, Mom. Like, Augie, like- I know. For a little goat, a carrot while he's eating the other carrot, that's pretty cute. He's so cute.
Starting point is 00:46:02 It's just, I'm like, I don't know how, like, he'll eat his dinner and then if Griffin doesn't want to eat his dinner that night or Griffin's acting up, Augie will just eat Griffin's dinner too. Yeah. You gotta watch out. That's okay.
Starting point is 00:46:13 We gotta go to take pictures. What, no I think we got some time. No we don't. It seems like you don't want to be here, dad. There's something, do you have something you want to talk to right now? My tentative deficit is kicking in and my energy drink is kicking in.
Starting point is 00:46:24 Oh my gosh. I thought about a Christmas memory of a gift I got my dad. One year, did I tell you the story about the Grinch Boxers? Speaking of weird, like we got my dad beer and boxers for Christmas. But I was like four, three, I was probably three at our old house, my parents talked about this for years. My mom had like involved me on this gift for my dad
Starting point is 00:46:47 and like I helped her wrap this pair of Grinch Boxers because we loved the Grinch and she thought it was funny to get him some Grinch Boxers. And I like wrap it up with her and then it had sat under the tree for a while and I was like messing with the presents as a kid and the paper started to tear and I was like, Dad, don't look, you're gonna see your Grinch Boxers. Oh and I didn't understand
Starting point is 00:47:09 that I had just ruined the whole surprise but then they would tell me that story every Christmas. Oh how do you remember when you were three you ruined the present like and so then we got my dad a pair of Grinch Boxers like for subsequent Christmases. Oh cute. For a long time. Cute. That is cute. Do you like eggnog? My dad. That could be a holiday hot take.
Starting point is 00:47:29 I don't actually really like it. Oh yeah, hot take. Do we like eggnog? Yes or no? I love it. A shot. Like a little bit. I don't need a lot.
Starting point is 00:47:37 Yeah, it's used a lot. But the weird hot take is when you guys first started dating, I thought you loved it because- I'm like the Anderson Erikson kind. Do they sell that here? No, I've never even heard of that. Because you said Abby liked it when you had visited them for Christmas, but it was just that one kind.
Starting point is 00:47:54 Yeah, not all eggnogs are created the same. I got into it for a little bit, but I don't really care for it anymore. Well, the Anderson Erikson kind is good. And if you have it with a latte too, it's kinda good. Is that in Quincy or what? It's so dense though. Where is that? Like if I'm gonna have a dessert. It's thick. If I have a dessert. You almost chew it. I like a lighter dessert you know
Starting point is 00:48:09 like if I'm gonna have cake I want it to be like light and fluffy and whipped cream on top but if you have eggnog it is just so much sweetness and umph in a one little shot. Has anyone actually had fruit cake or figgy pudding? What is figgy pudding? I don't even know what that means. We'll bring them to figgy pudding. I know the song. I don't even know what that means. I don't know what figgy, I mean I'm guessing it's made with figs. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:48:31 I've never had figgy pudding. Never had figgy pudding. Have you had fruitcake? I feel like that's something John would like to know. I think I had fruitcake one year. Cause he's pretty. Yeah. I think I had a peaceful.
Starting point is 00:48:38 That used to be a thing. I remember when I was little, we would get fruitcakes from people. Really? Ew. And it's like they last a year, don't they? The tradition in my family was my Aunt Betty made gingerbreads and she was very well known for gingerbread. One year she decided to make anatomically correct gingerbread. So I don't know, somebody got to the third or fourth layer
Starting point is 00:49:01 of the gingerbread and saw breast and other things on the gingerbread. And I think my sister said, oh my gosh, look at this. And everybody cracked up because Betty was waiting for somebody to get down to that level. She's a hoot. She's a hoot. And she's gone now, but yeah, she would make these gingerbread and they're really good and we would have these
Starting point is 00:49:19 every year and then one year she decided to make them anatomically correct. People are gonna think our family's so weird. It is, it's a weird family. I mean going to think our family is so weird. It is. It's a weird family. I mean, it's his side. His side. Just my dad's side of the family.
Starting point is 00:49:29 Wait, that reminds us of the question. Thank you to Rocket Money for sponsoring this portion of today's episode. Do you have unwanted subscriptions that you can't figure out how to cancel? Well, use Rocket Money because they make the process so easy because they do it for you. You don't have to do anything. Okay, I think you have to like tap a few buttons on the screen. But other than that, they do it for you. You don't have to do anything. Okay. I think you have to like tap a few buttons on the, on the screen. But other than that, they do it for you. Sorry. I got like very passionate there because I get so annoyed whenever we have subscriptions that are unwanted and we can't get rid of them.
Starting point is 00:49:52 Rocket Money is a personal finance app that helps find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions, monitors your spending, and helps lower your bills so that you can grow your savings. I know we're entering a season where there's a lot of spending going on and it can be really easy to lose track of that and get off of your budget goals but rocket money is a very nice way to all in one place manage your money and kind of see okay we're spending a lot in this area maybe we can pull back in this area and kind of fluctuate and grow with you and your lifestyle and the season that you're in because obviously the holidays are a good time to spend a little bit more but especially as we enter the new year too and grow with you and your lifestyle and the season that you're in. Because obviously the holidays are a good time
Starting point is 00:50:25 to spend a little bit more, but especially as we enter the new year too, you might wanna monitor that a little bit more. Rocket Money makes it easy. And Rocket Money has over five million users that has saved a total of $500 million in un-cancelled subscriptions, saving members up to $740 a year
Starting point is 00:50:39 when using all of the apps features. Something else cool that Rocket Money can do that we've utilized is negotiate your bills. I'm not even totally sure how they make this happen, but Rocket Money has lowered our home security system bill by like 20%. Stop wasting your money on things you don't use. Cancel your unwanted subscriptions
Starting point is 00:50:55 by going to rocketmoney.com slash unplanned. That's rocketmoney.com slash unplanned. Rocketmoney.com slash unplanned. What side of the family do you like celebrating with the most? Oh, we can't say that. Roasted and toasted. What side of the family do you like celebrating with the most? Oh, we can't say that. Roasted and toasted. Oh yeah, actually that's really sad.
Starting point is 00:51:09 I know. We can't. I know. That's so, but you don't want to make anybody sad. No. That's like saying, do you like Italian or Chinese? Well, depends on your power. It's like saying, pick a favorite child, you know?
Starting point is 00:51:19 You gotta, you can't say that. You gotta say you love all kids. I mean, we all know that I'm your favorite child. I didn't write the question. Right? We know that I'm the favorite, but we got to pretend we like my older brother. Matt, you are not his favorite child. I'm actually the least favorite child.
Starting point is 00:51:29 No. My parents would never say that. I mean, you cause the most heartache. It's like, Matt, why don't you just be more like your older brother Caleb? Whatever he says is right. Caleb knows all the answers. We didn't say that. When I was decorating the Christmas tree.
Starting point is 00:51:41 Let's stay on the gingerbread a minute. I had more ornaments that had Matthew's face on it than the other two boys combined. He was the prettiest. I feel like the reason me and you butted heads so much growing up is probably because I'm a lot like you. Ding ding ding. Wait, I want to hear your thing about the gingerbread. So they're always kidding like, oh, you're a Christian family.
Starting point is 00:52:06 They're like, don't let Teresa see these, you know, with the male. Are you laughing or choking? I can't tell if you're laughing. The male. Oh my God, she's choking everybody. Abby. The male body parts on the gingerbread man.
Starting point is 00:52:19 That's shocking. And the female. So you're like two and Caleb's like four and everybody's like trying to hide him from me and you and then they're like, oh look, the boy saw him, you know, and you're like all excited, you're like, look at these, you know, so they were just laughing. We gotta be careful with this.
Starting point is 00:52:33 I hope nobody ate them. You guys know how this works now, people will clip podcasts and then make you look a certain way just from the clip. We gotta be careful with what you're saying. It's like, it's crazy. It's like the next viral video's gonna be like, the father that didn't wanna celebrate Father's Day
Starting point is 00:52:48 would make an atonement. And a topically correct gingerbread man as a child. Scarred his family for life. No, I feel like that's, Blake Lively gave her kid a boob cake for his first birthday. Oh my God. That's what he liked. Wow, okay.
Starting point is 00:53:04 That's hilarious. But then we started getting with Betty every year and making those gingerbread. Remember, we would go to her house and make them. She loved that. Yeah. She thought that was so fun that we'd come over there and make gingerbread with her.
Starting point is 00:53:17 That's cute. Yeah, we need to preface who Aunt Betty is. So people are like, why does your Aunt Betty, by the way, it's my great Aunt Betty. Correct. It was my dad's aunt. But the reason she was this way, she was hilarious, was because she was a Marine. She wasn't your typical lady back in the,
Starting point is 00:53:32 I think she was born in the 40s, right? Was she born in the 30s or 40s? My dad was 34, so she was born before the 40s. She was born in probably 28. So then she served in the Marines as a woman back in the day. My dad was born in 1932. Did she serve in World War II? Yeah, because my Uncle Buzz was born in 1924,
Starting point is 00:53:52 and he was the second oldest. His Margaret was 22. So Betty was like born in 1928, something like that. Wow. She's a tough cookie, a tough gingerbread cookie. That's funny. Very sweet though. And we would go on vacation with it.
Starting point is 00:54:08 Like we went to Destin, Santa Rosa Beach with them. Yeah, the stuff she would do is legendary. So my cousin Cheryl tells a story that she went over to see Betty for some reason and Betty opens up the door and just flashes her for no reason at all. Just flashes her, hey, Cheryl, what? Just to get her reaction.
Starting point is 00:54:30 Yeah, she'll do stuff like that. Yeah, that's my Aunt Betty. Yeah, she was, oh my gosh. That's awesome. Anyway. Well, we miss you Aunt Betty. Yeah. She was, she was a lot of fun.
Starting point is 00:54:42 She was awesome. Guys, what is your guilty pleasure Christmas movie? Four Christmases, I think Four Christmases is hilarious. I love that movie. So funny. Now my classic that's just gives me chills, warm and fuzzy is It's a Wonderful Life. And you guys used to have to watch it with me.
Starting point is 00:55:00 And it was okay if it was after Christmas. We would call it Christmas week, Christmas to New Year's because usually you were off and I was off and you know it's still beautiful and a lot of times as parents you're very busy before Christmas getting all the gifts, getting all the food, getting but once Christmas is over you can relax and enjoy so then that's when I would make you guys watch the movie with me. But I love Four Christmases. I love that. That one's good.
Starting point is 00:55:28 Let me tell you, there's a new one on Netflix. Oh no. That, it's like mostly Hallmark vibes, the whole movie, except there's one crazy scene. It's called Hot Frosty. Have you seen that advertisement? I saw it advertised. Okay, yeah, it is so Netflix, or it's so Hallmark vibes. It's like this guyy. Have you seen that advertisement? I saw it advertised. Okay. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:55:45 It is so Netflix. It's so Hallmark vibes. It's like this guy, this snowman, she puts a scarf around him, he comes to life and he's like she falls in love with him. But there is one crazy scene in it that really caught me off guard. I was asking my friends because they were like, oh, I did watch that movie. I was like, did you not think that scene with a grandma in the car was crazy? You'll have to, if you watch it, you know. Hot Frosty.
Starting point is 00:56:08 That's the name of the movie? It's called Hot Frosty. I just watched it cause I was like, oh. What kind of movies are you watching? No, I like any Christmas movie. I'm like, I'll just watch it. Kids are in bed, let's watch Hot Frosty. There's a lot of Hallmark ones on Netflix right now.
Starting point is 00:56:21 Yeah, and it's rated like PG. There's just one scene that I'm like, wow. It's with the guy pushing the car, right? Yeah, he's like getting his grandma out of the snowblow. And she's like making... She's attracted to him. She's making intimate noises while he's pushing the car. He's like pushing the car.
Starting point is 00:56:37 And you see him like huffing and puffing, and she's rocking back over. That is weird. It is crazy. I'm gonna get that part. It was so crazy. It came out of no, I was making sweet potato casserole for a friend's giving and just like playing that in the background. I was like, what is going on right now?
Starting point is 00:56:50 That's weird. Did it make you laugh though? Like be honest, did you laugh? I was alone. I don't really laugh watching shows alone, but I was just kinda like. I was uncomfortable by that. What's your favorite movie or several?
Starting point is 00:57:01 Elf? My favorite is Elf. Just so funny. Just for a, it's kind of a light Christmas thing. What's gonna be on Broadway with you? Wait, let's go see Elf. My favorite is Elf just so life just for a kind of a light Christmas thing. Wait let's go see Elf on Broadway. Oh my gosh yes. But a wonderful life. As you get older. Yeah I was I had gone through a period where I lost a lot of jobs and be Christmases where I didn't have a job and it was just really tough time for me and then I'd see him to see that how important family was
Starting point is 00:57:27 Yeah, I Yeah, yeah Love you dad, you know, you're a really good dad You're a really really good dad. Next question and wait. I want to say this too the fact the fact that you The fact that you like moved around so much as a kid and you experienced so much as a child and then you were able to step up and like raise your sons and love them and be there for us, so cool.
Starting point is 00:57:55 Cause there's a lot of dads that don't do that when they have a rough childhood. And the fact that you did that is really cool. Like that stability and tradition around Christmas. That's cool. He stopped the cycle and did the right thing. Coached all of our sports teams and just spent time with us.
Starting point is 00:58:10 Yeah, I feel like I had a good dad, but yeah, it was kind of rough having several moms growing up and living in different places and moving around a lot. So I didn't want to do that to my kids, my family. So thank you. You did it. Yeah, thanks. You did it. Should we do the next question?
Starting point is 00:58:26 Well, I was going to say, I like Christmas with the Cranks, but Matt hates it, so I watched it without him. I don't care for that either. I don't care for that either. That movie is just like, I've seen it ten times. No, it's good. Also, I love the way that they depict their marriage because it's so like my parents' marriage as a kid.
Starting point is 00:58:41 Like, they would like, like bicker, like kind of like jokingly like speak sarcastic with each other but then like you could you knew that they like loved each other and they would like kiss and like uh-huh here's my thing I don't like to rewatch movies like once I've seen the movie unless it's Christmas but that's the thing I'll only rewatch a movie if it's a really really good movie and I'm like wow that was so incredible I could watch it all over again but I'm not gonna was so incredible. I could watch it all over again, but I'm not going to do it every year. I might watch it, you know, every five. Hold on. Hold on every year.
Starting point is 00:59:11 Every four or five years, I'll rewatch a movie if it's an amazing movie. But the problem is these Christmas movies, they're not that same quality. They don't have the same production value as an incredible blockbuster film that I want to rewatch every four years. It's a Wonderful Life does. And it's a Wonderful Life is good, but I got sick of it because we watch it every single year. It's a long, I know, it is, it is. So that's my hot take. It's just as you get older,
Starting point is 00:59:35 you just understand like, yeah, this, this, you know how friendships and family are important, but as you get older and older and older, it's just really like, yes, I'm gonna stand on that. Have you ever done the deed while staying with family over the holidays? Well, we know you did, not us. I don't think.
Starting point is 00:59:56 You left that reveal in another pile guest. You're just gonna call us out like that, Mom? I never even. You never have? We have. At your grandparent's house after we were married and yeah. Yeah, it's been so long I forgot. Which side of the family was that? It was at the Conrad's.
Starting point is 01:00:14 At the Conrad's? Yeah, the Conrad's farm. Oh my gosh. Was this on an air mattress? Well. Probably on the basement floor. And my brother-in-law's had the same experience. Sorry, don't want to say anything more, but yeah.
Starting point is 01:00:28 This is stuff you're not supposed to talk about. Probably. Move on. The mattress pop. How does that even work? On a smiley face mat. Wait, those were foam. Those were so, I mean, they weren't that uncomfortable. I think I'm violating his bro is bro-coated here.
Starting point is 01:00:45 Oh my gosh. You're Violet is bro-coated here. Was this in the basement? Yeah. Oh my gosh. Wait, was I- No. Was I alive at the time? Uh, yeah.
Starting point is 01:00:57 Probably. Because I used to sleep on those smiley face mats too. We wash the sheets, you know. Man, you learn so much as you get older. Yeah. You can't reach out, right? Yeah, no. What's funny is I think you learned that those details about our marriage from our podcast.
Starting point is 01:01:18 I forget that my own freaking parents watch our podcast. That's too much, man. That's why you gotta be careful. I gotta be careful. I know. What I say on here. Well, we don't have to watch. It's crazy, every generation thinks they've discovered sex. It's like, you don't think your grandparents enjoyed sex?
Starting point is 01:01:30 That's the weird part is I don't know what it is about it, but there's this kind of unspoken rule of we don't talk about it. But it's like, how the frick do you think you got here, man? How do you think your grandma got here? How do you think your grandma's grandma got here? Okay, someone did it. Right, yeah. Lots of people did it. But no one's talking about it. It's like, it's kind of like something everyone does,
Starting point is 01:01:52 like brush your teeth. It's like, if you want to talk about brushing your teeth with a friend, or I said that really weird. What do you say to that again? If you want to talk to your friend. Hey, I'll brush your teeth and brush mine. Shut up, Shut up. While we do it.
Starting point is 01:02:06 Oh my God. But if you want to talk to your friends about like, hey, you know, what techniques do you use to brush your teeth? It's like, I like an electric toothbrush. You know, that's not weird. But everyone brushes their teeth anywhere. Nobody watches video of somebody else brushing teeth going, I gotta do that. I've never asked anyone else what techniques they use to brush their teeth.
Starting point is 01:02:24 I don't know. That's what the dentist is for. But like when I discovered electric toothbrushes and how much cleaner. That's a whole other story. I just want to go there and use devices to clean your teeth with and yeah, moving on. Wait, you got your first electric toothbrush from us when I was at the dental office. If you really want to get your teeth cleaned, you have an electric toothbrush from us when I was at the dental office. If you're not going to get your teeth cleaned, you have an electric toothbrush.
Starting point is 01:02:48 This is getting so weird. You took it there. This is getting so weird. Look at Patachi, magical wand. If you want to know how to really brush your teeth. Why is it weird? It is weird though. I don't know why it's so weird, but it is.
Starting point is 01:02:59 It's an intimate thing. Oh man. Where the heck? I don't know. We've got to get onto the pictures. Okay. Oh gosh. Gosh.
Starting point is 01:03:08 Abby, you still with us? Yes, not moving along. Okay. Okay. One is budget for kids holiday gifts. Did you guys have a set budget for us growing up or was it kind of whatever you felt like doing? It kind of depended on the year.
Starting point is 01:03:25 Oh yeah. Because of some ups and downs. Yeah. Yeah, I mean we never really said. We never really, I don't know. Mom just likes finding a gift of value. Yeah. So she gets really excited if she finds something
Starting point is 01:03:40 that's on sale that you guys like. So I might get it nine months ahead of time. Yeah. Well, I don't know if I'm allowed to say this or not. We can cut it out if it's not okay. But wasn't there, there was a year that like money was tight and a family member stepped in to buy our Christmas gifts, right?
Starting point is 01:03:55 Very, very nice. And they told you guys to not tell us, which I guess, I think you told me as an adult, cause this was when we were kids. Yeah, years later, yes. Yeah. But I thought that was so nice. I know.
Starting point is 01:04:04 I thought that was so, so nice. I'm gonna remember that forever. And I still, well, I'm saying I remember that, but I mean to do that for somebody else. Like, clearly we were getting you stuff and it wasn't like you weren't getting anything. We still have a nice house and nice things, but it wasn't gonna be.
Starting point is 01:04:21 And she was like, I don't want anyone to know about this. I don't want them to know that someone gave you the money. I just want them to think it was from you guys or Santa. You were older. Which is a great lesson for everybody to know. It's great to get gifts, but I think it's more, you find out there's more value in giving gifts, given to your kids or given to somebody in need.
Starting point is 01:04:42 So that's why we should be doing what we do around Christmas time is to think about others and help others out. And do it all the time. And not to make this political, but I'm pretty sure that family member has completely different political views than you and dad. And what's cool about that is how sometimes people
Starting point is 01:04:57 get in this trap of thinking that people who think differently than them are for whatever reason bad. No. I think that's a common theme in our culture today. And so I think it's important to remember that we're all in the same team. We're all humans.
Starting point is 01:05:08 We all want to make the world a better place for the most part. Most people want the best for their children and their family. And so that family member who did that super selfless, loving, kind deed had different views than you guys. And I think that's really cool. And you're right.
Starting point is 01:05:22 And it's unfortunate. And I think a lot of us know this and I'm not trying to get political either, but unfortunately somebody clicks on one thing that's maybe not quite in the middle, it's a little bit this way, and this person clicks on something a little this way, and then we each keep getting stuff
Starting point is 01:05:36 that's further and further away when we're really just right here, but we've gotten to here. And I think both sides use fear to make people really scared about how that one thing that they're really, really passionate about doesn't work out how it's like the end of the world. And so people use these fear mongering tactics
Starting point is 01:05:54 to get people divided. And it's very effective, I think, to win elections. But I think at the end of the day, you have to remember that we're all on the same team here. Yeah, yeah, she's a love my person. The documentary, Social Dilemma, does a good job explaining how that happens. Yeah. Because the more you kind of become polarized, that separates people.
Starting point is 01:06:13 Thank you to Hexclad for sponsoring this portion of today's episode. I want to brag on Abby for a second because she gave away Hexclad pans to Kenny who works on our house and he's a really sweet guy, has an amazing family. Abby like would give the shirt off her back to someone because that's just the type of person that she is. And Kenny was like, oh my gosh, those pans are amazing. My wife's been wanting to get some of those. And Abby was just like, here, take them,
Starting point is 01:06:33 they're for your wife. And Kenny, every time I see him now, has been raving. He's like, dude, these pans are amazing. I use them all the time to cook. My wife's a huge fan of the pans now. Well, we also have hex-clad pans that we use regularly to make dinner and that's why me and Kenny were able to bond about them. We're like these pans are amazing.
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Starting point is 01:07:58 revolutionary cookware. Happy cooking and happy holidays. Thank you to Chyme for sponsoring this episode of the Unplanned Podcast. Have you guys ever been in a situation where you needed a friend to spot you money? Because one time actually Abby did that in a really big way. No, I spotted somebody money. But it was like $200 though, right?
Starting point is 01:08:13 One of my co-workers went on a date with his scumbag. Scumbag dude. And he got his car towed while they were at the movies. And she paid for it. It's really nice to have a friend there to spot you money. And that is Chime. They can spot you up to $200. How it works, okay?
Starting point is 01:08:29 That is enough to get your car free from the tow truck place. So how it works is you set up direct deposit in your Chime account. After a qualifying direct deposit of 200 plus dollars, Chime will notify you to enroll and spot me. And with an activated debit card, Chime will spot you up to $200 when you exceed your balance. So as long as you have those steps
Starting point is 01:08:49 in place, then let's say that you don't have money in your account for whatever reason, you had a rainy day, whatever, Chime will spot you 200 bucks, which is like so convenient. Your next direct deposit is applied to your negative balance. Chime never charges fees or interest for using SpotMe. Enjoy the holidays while keeping your financial goals on track with Chime. Open your account in two minutes at chime.com slash unplanned. That's chime.com slash unplanned. Chime feels like progress. Banking services and debit card provided by the Bancorp Bank NA or Stride Bank NA. Members FDIC. SpotMe eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Boo's are available to eligible CHIME members
Starting point is 01:09:26 enrolled in SpotMe and are subject to monthly limits. Fees apply at out of network ATMs and for OTC withdrawals. I know Abby has this really cool concept of something to read, something to write. I am not fond of this. What is the concept again, Kiesha? I didn't follow it. Oh, you didn't follow it this year?
Starting point is 01:09:43 No. But what is, it's a really cool idea It's four gifts. It's something to read something to wear something you want and something you need. I think it's good, but I Just wanted to get my kids gifts cuz I you know, I think that's a good thing to follow for their birthday Yeah Christmas. I want to make it like special. Yeah,? You kind of sent it this year, didn't you? No, I didn't. I feel like I bought very reasonable, like thoughtful things that they'll be able to get a lot of use out of.
Starting point is 01:10:11 And I got them all on sale. I think everyone's going to know how much we spent on the gifts because are you linking the Christmas gifts or something? Sure. If someone wants help finding things for toddlers, I feel like I found some really good ones. You're a good gift giver. You're really good at that. Thank you. I'm so excited.
Starting point is 01:10:25 Okay, I'm really excited about the Tony's box because we're traveling. We're traveling for Christmas. I think it's a great idea because people from out of state can give us, those figures are not cheap, but they make a good gift. Great grandma wants to do that.
Starting point is 01:10:38 Yeah, get a little figure for it and then we can take it home with us way easier than big presents. Yeah, so we have to know which ones you have and which ones, yeah. I only got one, so then they can, that could be like, I thought that'd be the best recommendation to give other people,
Starting point is 01:10:50 because it's also like, while I said it's not cheap, they're reasonable, like they're under $20. Yeah, that's a great idea. Yeah. Yeah. I forget what your question was before. Budget, but yeah, it seems like you just kinda got, I feel like that's what my parents did too, like I- You just love your kids so much, I seems like you just kind of got I think that's what my parents did too like I your kids so much I feel like you thought you think of the
Starting point is 01:11:08 thing that you know that they would love and you figure out a way to get it for times yeah you find a way to find it on sale or whatever but um oh I know what else you're saying this something to read you know what was devastating for me sorry to interrupt but when I realized that Santa Claus didn't come to the kids in developing countries that just needed food, because you guys told me that when I was a kid and I loved that. I was like, oh that's so cool that the kids in other countries where they don't have access to like clean water and good food, Santa comes and brings them the things they need.
Starting point is 01:11:39 That was so sad when I realized that. Well that's why we did Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child a lot of years. And there's people on our radio saying. Compassion International. That they're getting these Christmas boxes and it changed their life. They never got toys. That's a huge deal.
Starting point is 01:11:58 When I was gonna say a lot of years I did the three gifts like the three wise men. Cause if there was the three gifts like the three wise men. You know, they got, you know, cause if they only, if there was only three gifts, then three gifts is enough, you know, cause they were gonna get tons from grandparents and the aunts and the uncles and the, you know what I mean? It's not like they're only gonna get three gifts.
Starting point is 01:12:17 Yeah, I used to give money towards some of these charities where they got a goat or a chicken, it sounds funny, but yeah, some cultures. World vision. Yeah, that's very, very important to them. I thought that was really cool. I mean, youth's huge charities would just be like, donate your money, but charities figured out like,
Starting point is 01:12:33 it's more meaningful if people know that they bought a goat for a family in need or they bought a cow for a family in need. So then you could- Poor Scott's charity. Yeah. Clean water. I know.
Starting point is 01:12:42 We interviewed Scott Harrison on the podcast. If you guys haven't listened to our episode with Scott Harrison, that would be amazing for you. It's called CleanWater.org? It's called Charity Water. Oh, Charity Water. And Charity Water is on a mission to fight the global clean water crisis
Starting point is 01:12:56 because there's a lot of people, millions of people in the world that have no access to clean drinking water. And we interviewed him because we wanted to raise awareness about the good work he's doing to help these people. So if there is a charity that you're thinking of donating to, you know, with the holidays coming up, definitely consider Charity Water because the work they're doing is incredible. They're actually on track to solve the crisis in the near future. I think, I forget the year Scott said on the podcast episode, but it's happening.
Starting point is 01:13:25 We're making progress and the more people donate, the more we can raise awareness. Eventually everyone will have access to clean drinking water, which is really cool because a lot of people die every year from easily preventable diseases like diarrhea and just so many things that we take for granted in America or Canada, wherever you're tuning in from. People die of these easily preventable diseases because of no access to clean water. So check out the episode, sorry to interrupt.
Starting point is 01:13:52 And the coolest thing, not on top of that, is 100% of your money goes to the cause. Yeah, it's got a certain business model. Wait, you listened to the podcast? Oh my gosh, yeah. Over, we have the book we gave, yeah. We've told lots and lots of people about it. Yeah. It's amazing. The episode didn't get the most views, which I didn't think it was. That's not why I did it.
Starting point is 01:14:11 I did it because I really think what they're doing is incredible. Yeah. But I'm glad you guys listened to it because I think the episode blew my mind. I learned so much. Yeah, and you just like learn how these charities operate and it's I I love I love hearing about people that dedicate their lives to doing good in the world. Unbelievable. So admirable. And how they change their lives.
Starting point is 01:14:32 Yeah. Their lives were life changing. Yeah. Yeah. Anyway. Literally saves people's lives. Yeah, so cool. Good job, Scott.
Starting point is 01:14:40 Thank you, Scott. Thank you. Everyone spam the comments with go Scott or go charity water. Yeah, say go comments with go Scott or go Charity Water. Yeah, say go Charity Water. Maybe Scott would like that because if everyone's commenting Charity Water, then I'm sure like, yeah,
Starting point is 01:14:51 if you didn't have the money to donate to Charity Water, like spamming the comments with Charity Water is awesome. I feel like someone's gonna search Charity Water and hear what it is and that will probably help them in some way. I don't know. It helps a lot of families. Yeah, because if you don't,
Starting point is 01:15:04 like not everyone has the resource of Yeah, because if you don't, not everyone has the resource of money, but if you have the resource of time, you could use your time to spam comment sections with like charity waters the best, and then it's gonna lead to someone out there donating. How did you guys keep Santa Claus a secret? Well, when you're little, it's real easy to do.
Starting point is 01:15:20 You were the one who was super curious. You always ask questions about sex and Santa Claus. Why does this conversation keep going back to sex? I know, yeah, it's him. So much like you dad. As he was older. No, you were curious. A very curious child about everything.
Starting point is 01:15:35 You asked about everything. After 10 questions an hour, I just would say, because mom said so. You know, because. Yeah, why do we have to do this? Why do we have to go to bed now? Why do we have to take naps? Well, anyway, it was easy when you're little,
Starting point is 01:15:47 but yeah, once you start going to school and hear about it at school, that's when it gets hard. And we just said, if you let it leak to your little brother, then you're not gonna get everything you were gonna get, because, you know, so we kind of threatened. How did you guys feel when Caleb and I went to prank Josh and give him coal for Christmas? I sabotaged that prank you were pulling.
Starting point is 01:16:09 I came down to film you guys coming down the stairs and I saw the coal and I hit the pause button, ran and got the stuff you put in the basement, brought that up, replaced the coal with the gifts because you told me what you had done. And so when you came down, Josh was excited to see the gifts and you guys were upset that Josh didn't see coal. That's pretty screwed up dad. That would have been the funniest Christmas story ever. How old was he? If Josh would have seen coal, he would have balled his eyes out. That would have been so funny. He would have gotten it on our family video. You're sick. And then now we can laugh about it and show our kids. You're evil.
Starting point is 01:16:45 You're evil. And guess what? His Christmas presents were just in the basement. It would have just been a short couple minutes. You would have blown the fact that Santa didn't exist at age three. He would have missed out on four years of that. Dad, he was like eight, okay? He should have known by then.
Starting point is 01:16:59 He was not eight. I figured it out when I was eight. I drilled you guys. I was like, okay, so that means the tooth fairy, Easter bunny, all these mythological creatures, creatures. Easter bunny is a creature, dude. Okay, that is freaky, a big bunny. That's terrifying.
Starting point is 01:17:15 I know. Maybe we need to like, maybe someone needs to make a horror movie about like one of these, you know, mythological creatures coming to people's houses and giving them- Mythological? Mythological, I apologize. No houses and giving them... Mythological? Mythological. I apologize.
Starting point is 01:17:26 No, it's mythical. Mythological? What is that word? Mythological. It's mythical. They're kind of in a chain of words. Hey, I'm going to pull chat GPT out. Check it out.
Starting point is 01:17:34 Mythicalogical? We need to get you off chat GPT. If you haven't heard about artificial intelligence, it's awesome. Oh my gosh. Chat GPT, Google Copilot was the other one. My dad sent in our family group chat a list of 15 different team members. I love it. I love it.
Starting point is 01:17:42 I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I love it. I my gosh. It's awesome. ChatGPT, Google, Co-pilot was the other one. My dad sent in our family group chat a list of 15 different team names we could use for our turkey chop for Thanksgiving. And Abby thought he spent like an hour coming up with these. I was like, babe. Your dad really spent a lot of time trying these and no one voted. He used ChatGPT. We need to get ChatGPT off your phone. Nope, I love it. Ah, you're so obsessed. What's your hot take on this?
Starting point is 01:18:07 Santa might not be real, but do you guys believe in magical creatures? It could have used mythological there, by the way. Mythological. What about mythological? Mythological. Here's the thing though, I think like maybe they're referring to aliens. I don't know exactly what this question is asking, but maybe the question is, do you guys believe in aliens? What?
Starting point is 01:18:27 I believe there's something out there. You think so? Yeah, recently they released some videos that were hidden in the, I guess the Air Force or Navy had witnessed some stuff going on. Oh, he's deep in the conspiracy. That stuff was being come out. It was on 60 minutes, right?
Starting point is 01:18:47 It was on 60 minutes. I saw the interviews of the pilots that saw what was going on. That don't believe. Which is a lot of goofy, crazy things out there, but I think there's something that exists besides us. I don't know, it's a little hokey, all that. I don't know.
Starting point is 01:19:01 I mean, our universe is freaking huge. Do you guys realize like to get to different galaxies and stuff, it would take millions of years? I know. I mean our universe is freaking huge. Do you guys realize like to get to different galaxies and stuff? It would take millions of years. I know millions of light years So if you're traveling at the freaking speed of light Which is like thousands and thousands and thousands of miles per hour if I'm not mistaken It would take you millions of years to travel at the speed of light. Yes Crazy smart enough. It's huge. Our brains can't understand it. I
Starting point is 01:19:23 Know I was making fun of you for AI, but I feel like AI's gonna help us figure out some of these problems. The speed of light is 670 million, 616 thousand, 629 miles per hour. That's flipping crazy. I can't even fathom that. Wait, here's a hot take that we actually changed our minds on, Matt. What is it? We weren't sure what we were gonna do about Santa Claus with kids. Yeah. And then there's just something that like actually completely flipped in me because people are allowed to change their minds. Right. Seeing magic on your kids faces and experiencing that as just as a kid yourself. I'm like I don't want to keep that for my kid though. It wasn't worth like obviously that's a confusing thing and we'll take conversation, but it's not worth taking it out. So now we're doing 180, we're doing Santa
Starting point is 01:20:10 and we're also doing Elf on the Shelf. He's coming the day after Thanksgiving. That's exciting. Got the book and everything and I'm already thinking of all, Griffin's gonna wake up in the morning, we're gonna have the elf set up doing honoree things. I've already been talking about it. I was like, you know Santa's sending the elf to our house after Thanksgiving and he's
Starting point is 01:20:27 coming soon and I heard he likes marshmallows. Like all the buzzwords that Griffin loves marshmallows. So the day after Thanksgiving I think we'll have like the little elf in the marshmallow container in our pantry. But yeah, we completely changed our mind on that. That was my hot take. Before I was like, maybe we don't do Santa. Now I'm like, I'm 100% Santa.
Starting point is 01:20:46 Maybe we don't. Yeah. I see both sides, I totally do. But yeah, I think you can just do Santa, but not be insane about it. You know what I mean? Yeah, what would be crossing the line? Was that a hot topic of discussion back in your day
Starting point is 01:21:00 with like some parents doing Santa, some parents not? Because I think some of our friends didn't do Santa Claus. I also don't want my kid to be the one ruining it for other kids. Yeah, seeing the excitement and all the joy on their faces. I love it. It's so much fun. So am I doing it for them or am I doing it for me?
Starting point is 01:21:16 So part of it is I'm doing it for me because I want to see my kids enjoy that and see, because they're only young for a short period of time, right? Lying to your kids like years and years and years Let's normalize lying to your kids, you know, it's not fun, but yeah, just don't go insane because I honestly feel like it's just tapping into like the own your own Imagination and your own magic and no it is so I'm like maybe that sound is a lie
Starting point is 01:21:43 Like thinking like that is just fun. Yeah. Yeah. Think about Disney. Is it really a Mickey Mouse? Is there a Donald Duck? That's what I thought too. I was like exactly.
Starting point is 01:21:52 But look, kids love it. It's fantasy. It's fun. So do adults. Look at Abby's mom. She's obsessed with it. She has about 50 pairs of Mickey ears. Yeah and backpacks and popcorn holders.
Starting point is 01:22:04 And she's normal. she lives at our house. It's Christmas with Mickey in her room. Yeah. Yeah, my whole thing is, you know, there's enough things in life that you have to deal with that are hard and everything. Yeah, make it fun. Just a little levity.
Starting point is 01:22:18 A little bit of lying to your kids isn't gonna hurt anything. Yeah, I changed my mind. I see both sides, but this is what I wanna do because it's just freaking fun, okay? Okay. It's just fun. Something that I think is so funny I see both sides, but this is what I want to do because it's just freaking fun, okay? It's just fun. Something that I think is so funny about you, mom, is you were never very sarcastic with us growing up.
Starting point is 01:22:31 I've gotten a little bit more sarcastic being around Abby's family. Abby's mom is so sarcastic, and I used to think she hated me because she was so sarcastic around me. But now that I'm being more sarcastic around you, you don't pick up on it all the time, and you get actually mad at me sometimes.
Starting point is 01:22:44 It's super funny. It's super funny. It's super funny. Yeah. Yes. Well, I think it's a little bit of I'm black and white and that's how I was raised in our family. When you said I'm black and white, I was like, what on earth are you saying right now? Things are black and white and I think that's a lot of my family are engineers and it's black or white, there's no gray. Things are either right or wrong and then that's how my personality comes out and if you're the mom, that's how you raise your kids. But that's why sarcasm is so fun because it tests the boundaries of what's black and white and it makes life more fun because then you learn how to tease people and they tease you
Starting point is 01:23:23 back and it's so funny. But it's true, but if that's all you say to that person, then it has a different effect on them. You're right. If you don't say things that are positive ever, I'm not saying you, but someone else, and all you do are the- My older brother Caleb, my older brother Caleb.
Starting point is 01:23:41 It depends on the timing and where somebody's at in their life. So, you know, if somebody just lost their pet dog, you don't say something that might hurt their feelings. Oh, 100%. But later on, you might say some type of joke that at the time, it was just too soon. You ever hear people say too soon? Yeah, and that's why it's all about balance, right mom?
Starting point is 01:24:02 I feel like you taught me that balance is so important. I honestly will say like, sarcasm was kind of how my parents showed me love. Very good. Yeah, like they're like, oh well They were just but that I had never like offended like I was like laughing with them Like I don't know. I knew that was how they like showed their love. They were not like affectionate in that way So I think you can go both ways. You're right though Like even seeing your dad like your dad is such a quiet man, but like because I've gotten so much closer to him over the years, I've seen this new side of him come out
Starting point is 01:24:33 and see him come out of his shell, but around strangers, your dad's like super quiet, doesn't talk. He'll never be on this podcast. He will probably never. That would be awesome. That would be our hardest. No.
Starting point is 01:24:42 That would be awesome. I wanna see Ga, his nickname is Ga, because the grandkids call him Ga. There's no D at the end, just Ga. Ga will never be on this podcast. But the thing is, seeing your dad be a grandpa though, he opens up with our kids. He lights up, and it made me really realize,
Starting point is 01:24:57 like, you know what? That's how he was with me as a kid, but just like. Yeah, people that are shy, like you might think, oh, they don't have that warm fuzzy side. No, they do. You just haven't seen them in the right scenario for them to open up like that. The setting.
Starting point is 01:25:09 Yeah, but it was funny though, because you mentioning showing love. I was curious, do you guys think it's showing love to someone if you regift them a gift you already got? What is our thought, what's our hot take on regifting gifts? I don't wanna gift it back to them. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:25:27 But I have seen that happen. That's not the end. I have seen that where somebody gets a gift and then they gift it back to their brother and their brother gives it back to them and what they've done is wrap it. There was some pair of pants that two brothers were gifting each other back and forth. That was a joke. So the first year he got it, he put it in double wrapping paper. And then the next year he put it in a box and triple wrapped it. Then he put it in some type of box that you could only get apart if
Starting point is 01:25:56 you use a screwdriver and it became so big that it became in a crate and they had to get it all the way out. That's not what they mean. And yeah, it was kind of a joke, but it was just a thing they did. Don't know if you guys knew this, I actually know the CEO of Re-gifting Gifts and her name's Teresa Howard. Everybody give it up for Teresa Howard, everybody! What are you talking about?
Starting point is 01:26:13 That's called sarcasm, that's called sarcasm. I mean, why are you saying that? Why are you saying that? You're the CEO of Re-gifting Gifts. I don't know what example you're talking about. You are the queen of Re-gifting. She's asking for an example. You re-gift Regifting Gifts. I don't know what example you're talking about. You are the queen of regifting. She's asking for an example. You regift stuff all the time.
Starting point is 01:26:29 No, I don't. I feel like you don't. I've done. White elephant. You repurpose everything. Pass the trash. What do you mean? The poop knife.
Starting point is 01:26:36 We're regifting it this year. Yeah, that was. You regifted the poop knife, Rob. It wasn't used. But still, you're regifting it. You're putting it back into the trash. No, that was supposed to be if someone brings it to the white elephant, it's a joke if it comes back again.
Starting point is 01:26:51 My mom has a closet full of gifts on the ready to give to people at any given time. That's smart. That's very sweet. No, you're a very thoughtful woman and you're very kind to your friends and you show love by giving people gifts. So I apologize that I didn't get you a gift for your birthday this year, I'm sorry. I knew that made you really sad. But we did fly you out to Disney World.
Starting point is 01:27:14 That was awesome. That was awesome, yeah. No, like if you're a working woman and you're busy and all that, this girl at work gave me, she had made these bags full of fruit, fresh fruit they had bought and frozen for her three kids as snacks. And she's like, they won't eat them. I'm trying to be healthy. But they won't. Can you take, will you take
Starting point is 01:27:34 some of these? Because I can't eat all these because she has three very busy. I'm like, oh my gosh, I'd love to. She goes, I'm going to throw them away. I'm like, do not throw them away. She gave them to me. So I found a little journal and a little you know I went and got a little gift and a card out of my because I can't go shopping that not have time So I gave her a little gift the next day. She's like oh my gosh You didn't have to give me a gift for giving me this stuff I was gonna throw away So it's just stuff like that to be able to give somebody something when they did something nice for me
Starting point is 01:28:01 You get a thrill saying it was only three dollars. I don't say that something nice for me. You get a thrill saying it was only $3. I don't say that. Yeah if you got a gift from my mom just know it might have only been $3 but she thought about you and that's what matters. So anyway. So Jazzy retail was $25 but she got for $3. Abby's giving me a side eye because we have family pictures to go take but thank you everybody for tuning in please be nice to my parents in the comments they are the salt of the earth. They're such sweet people. Papa J-Dog. My dad likes to call himself Papa J-Dog for some reason. He has it on t-shirts. So you can give him a shout out in the comments. He'd probably love that. They'll be reading
Starting point is 01:28:31 the comments too. I know you guys will probably be like deep in the comments on this episode. Only if they're nice. Only if they're nice. All right. We should probably go. Thank you guys so much. You're always a blast. Merry Christmas, everybody. Merry Christmas. Scott, you're awesome. Cleanwater.org. Oh yeah. Charity water.
Starting point is 01:28:49 Charity water. Charitywater.org. So if you're listening to this podcast where you're doing dishes, write this down. Okay, bye guys. Bye. Merry Christmas.

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