Okay, guys, we want to tell you about Future Fan Sports, a new brand that's making it super easy for little kids to become big fans.If you've ever tried to explain football to a little kid, you know how hard it is.
I tried to give Jet the rundown on football the other day, and it was interesting, but the dads who invented this brand have figured it out for the rest of us.Future Fans is the easy button.
Here's an example.Instead of trying to explain downs in football, they have a kid play a beanbag toss game with things like four tries and six points embedded into it.
And then later, they connect those concepts back to football itself through a storybook that guides the entire future fan's experience.
It's genius and kids pick up the concepts instantly.Our kids had a blast with this.Seriously, give it a week or two and your kid will be asking you to watch football.
Designed for kids ages four to eight and their sports-loving adult, Future Fans has sport-specific activity boxes for football and soccer with more on the way.And they're only $49.99.
Go to futurefans.com, use the code couple for 15% off.Again, futurefans.com, code couple, and unlock a lifetime of memories around sports and your family.
What's up, everybody? I think we're live.Welcome back to Couple Things.This has been interesting, to say the least.Do we have anyone here?Ladies behind the camera, can you use this link to post to socials so people know where to find us?
I'm just gonna jump into it.We're not live.It says we're live in the studio.Okay. Guys, Andrew is the tech guy.Does anybody know this about our relationship?I am not.I didn't even know how to find a charger for my phone.
Miss Caroline was trying so wonderfully and did such a great job to set this up.Yeah, I just couldn't find how to charge my phone.So it's interesting.But welcome.Andrew is on a wonderful trip that is well-deserved.He works his absolute butt off.
every single day, and he is on a five day trip with some of his best friends.And I'm so excited for him.The pictures I've been getting truly make my heart just like explode.He looks like a kid in a candy store.
He looks so happy, so happy, which is really fun.A couple updates for you guys.Bear started walking, which is wow.Hi.We have some people.Kim Wells.Hello, Genevieve.Hi. So back to the updates, Bear started walking, which is wild.
Andrew, because he's into that kind of stuff and data, he actually has it down to the exact day that each of our kids walked.Drew holds the record at 279 days alive.Jet was 294 and Bear was 289, all before 10 months, which is very scary.
Um, he's now like truly trying to walk just like on his own, which is crazy.Having a kid under the age of one that walks is impressive, but also not a lot of fun because they don't understand anything you say.
And they just are a little, you know, um, liabilities.Uh, it's officially fall, which is great.We've made, I think we made 12 batches of my mom's pumpkin bread yesterday, which was incredible.
If you guys don't know what that recipe is, it is maybe the best pumpkin bread you'll ever have in your life.It is my mom's recipe.You can literally just Google Shawn Johnson's mom's pumpkin bread and it comes up or it's on my Instagram.
The amount of people who have asked me for healthy swaps with it though, I kind of just want to chuckle and let me just give you like a little information.It's not healthy.Nothing about it is healthy and I'm not going to make it healthy because
It's not supposed to be.It's an indulgent, delicious treat.And I think if you start swapping out coconut oil for vegetable oil and all this stuff, it's not gonna taste the same.So, just, that's it.Also, can I just go on a small rant?
The amount of people who have asked me, ladies, I would like you to chime in here. What a little t stands for in a recipe.Is this not universal language?Did we not all learn this?A teaspoon.A little t?
Little t, big T?Oh, not this.Like a little t. Like a little t on a recipe card is a teaspoon.A capitalized t is a tablespoon.I thought this was universal.So the little t on the recipe card is a teaspoon.Um, Sorry to be harsh.
Also, kids, another update.We're in the school shopping phase of life, which is wild.
Drew starts kindergarten next year, so we're starting to have to apply to independent schools around Nashville and Franklin and Brentwood for private schools here because the school we're like,
And the Zone 4 isn't like a great school that fits both of our kids.It's a long story.Anyways, shopping for a private school is wild.Like this is the Wild Wild West.
I came from the Midwest where you went to the public school closest to your house and it was phenomenal.Going through like religious affiliations and the amount of money you want to spend.
I didn't even spend this much money on college, has been wild.And just trying to figure out what our priorities are with school.
You can go the best education route, you can go the best academic route, you can go the most religious, the most conservative, or liberal, or like, oh my gosh, all these different things.
And for us, we're just trying to find a place that can foster a really good atmosphere for all of our children who are very different. and gives them like a good experience, not like a militarized experience.
Anyways, if you guys have any recommendations of like things to take into account when it comes to schools, because this is my first rodeo, please give me things to think about, because I also feel like I'm like planting a flag in the city here, wherever I choose.
And it's just like wild.It's wild.OK, a couple of comments before we jump to today's topic.
yay for doing school of choice and oof yes private is tough private is tough tough we applied to two schools last year just trying to get into a school by kindergarten and we didn't get into either which is wild that's wild So why not public?
There's just like Nashville is up and coming with their public schools and it's just kind of known here that some public schools, they don't have like the academic or athletic opportunities or like resources yet.
So like the financial backing to those schools isn't great. So better teachers, better opportunities, safer environments are found in the private schools here, which is hard.
Which is weird for me coming from the Midwest where like public schools were better, which is strange.Also, yeah, it's just weird. In the Midwest, we could also go to school out of district, but you just paid a fee to get into the school.
Here, you cannot do that.You can only go to a public school that you are zoned for, which is also new to me.More comments.It says, schools that allow parent involvement and encourage. is our best, yes.
I actually visited, Andrew and I visited a school the other day.It had the most amazing, like, community vibe.Everybody was so passionate about the school in every grade.It was really fun to see, and so many parents were involved.I loved that.
Amanda said, if I could afford it, I'd choose private as well.Dude, we might have to move.By the age of third grade, we're gonna go broke. Some have better learning programs, yes.
And then Kim says, make sure you can have your voice heard for your kids inside the school, whether they're above average or need help.It will help you and your children throughout their school career.Yeah.There's so much, guys.
Peggy said, I can't believe they're going to be going to school already.I know.I cannot believe I have a pre-kindergartner already.Drew impresses the crap out of me.She's such a studious, curious, like, hungry-to-learn girl.
She begs for more and more and more and more and more books every night, and she's, like, already starting to read, which is crazy.
Like we're teaching her how to read, we're going through the phonics, she can write, she knows every letter, capital, lowercase, she knows like the sounds of like combined letters, I don't know if there's a word for that.
I obviously wasn't very good at that.It's just wild, it's really cool to see, it's really special. More comments, oh my gosh, we need to get to the questions.
As long as your kids' needs are met and you feel like they are doing great, that's all that matters.I have two nieces and nephews in private school and they excel so well.Aw, yay.Sierra said, hi mom, mom of two here.
How was the transition from two to three?Sierra, not to be blunt, but it was rough.It was really rough for us.I don't think going from two to three is always super rough. It was really rough for us because we had our first colicky baby.
Bear had some different needs and issues that we hadn't dealt with before with our other kids.And we went into our third thinking it was going to be the easiest because we had done it twice, going on three times already.
And he was just as different as possible.He ate different, slept different.He ended up having a tongue tie that we had to have a revision on because he couldn't nurse or feed. So he was just very different.
And so it kind of took all that confidence that I had built up with the other two kids and threw it out the window.And so made me it made it really difficult to kind of figure out him.Now we are thriving.Now three is amazing, and I love it.
And I could never imagine not having three kids.I will say we are done.We are not having any more children. But it was hard.It was definitely our hardest transition.
I would say going from two to three was our hardest, going from zero to one was our second hardest, and then one to two didn't feel too hard for us.So, anyways.Up next, Allison said, my baby starts kindergarten next year and I'm not ready.
She is very ready though.Yeah, Drew's very ready.It's so hard.It's so hard to not just live in the grief of all the stages that we will not be in anymore. So I try not to live in that world.
I try to live in the excited for what my kids are going through.But it is sad.I can't believe they're going to start school.Guys, we have so many comments.This is great.Hannah said, how did you know you wanted a third kid?
And how do you know that you're done having kids?Currently have two and don't know how to navigate the next steps, if there are any. I don't know how to explain it other than it's a feeling.After having two, I still felt like someone was missing.
Christmas is my favorite time of the year, but shopping for everyone on my list can be really overwhelming.
And to be honest, I have barely started.But when I heard that Skims launched their holiday shop, I felt so much relief because that's going to be the perfect gift for so many people in my life this year. I absolutely love giving gifts.
It's so fun for me.And the Skims Holiday Shop branding is adorable, so you can basically gift it directly as you receive it, which makes it easy.The Fits Everybody Scoop Bralette is my favorite bralette ever.
The Skims Holiday Shop has them packaged in the cutest little boxes they make for easy stocking stuffers.
Plus, the festive prints are super cute.Also, their Fits Everybody Cheeky Briefs are so comfy, you guys. It's the perfect gift for a friend, sister, fellow mama, or even yourself.
No joke, I'll be buying most of my mama friends Skims for Christmas because if you know, you know.The comfort is unmatched.
Shop Skims Holiday Shop at Skims.com.Available in styles for women, men, kids, and even pets.
If you haven't yet, be sure to let them know I sent you.After you place your order, select podcast in the survey and select couple things in the dropdown menu that follows.
Have you thought about a gift for yourself this year?One that has the power to help you grow, learn, and become a better version of you?Give yourself the gift of language by getting Babbel.
Babbel has quick 10-minute lessons handcrafted by over 200 language experts, so they get you talking a new language in as little as three weeks.
I'm not gonna lie, I've been practicing my Spanish on Babbel and it really came in handy on the mission trip we took to Tijuana, Mexico a few weeks ago.
It was cool to be able to understand some of what the families were saying and also talk back to them instead of just using the translator.
You did a great job, babe.Something I think is really cool is that studies from Yale, Michigan State University, and other leading universities continue to prove Babbel works.
And one study found that using Babbel for 15 hours is equivalent to a full semester in college.
Wow, think about that. 15 hours to a full semester.Here's a special holiday deal for you, our listeners, if you're interested.Right now, get up to 60% off your Babbel subscription, but only for you.Go to babbel.com slash eastfam.
Get up to 60% off at babbel.com slash eastfam.That's spelled B-A-B-B-E-L dot com slash eastfam.
Rules and restrictions may apply.
And even though I'm not one that loves being pregnant, even though like I have very large children and like the end of my pregnancies are hard and like everything, like even though I knew like the pregnancy was daunting, I still knew I was missing someone and we needed to have another one.
I don't feel that way anymore. Like, I look at our family and I feel like our family is complete.I don't, like, see someone missing or, like, extra space where it's like, oh, that needs to be filled.I just feel done.
I've also had three C-sections, three very large babies, a very large husband, and I can tell in my body, I'm so proud that, like, I've been able to, like, stay healthy and get back to feeling strong after three kids.
But I don't think my body would handle a fourth pregnancy and a fourth C-section well.And I can just tell if I want to be able to chase my kids around forever at the level that I want, I'm done.
Stephanie says, hey, been a fan since the Olympics, even bigger fan now.And yes, hottest husband ever.You go, girl.Thanks. I agree.Didn't know if you were talking about your own husband or mine.But yes, my husband is the hottest husband ever.
The girls are dying.My husband is smoking.Okay. Amy B said, are you watching and rooting for anyone on Dancing with the Stars?Yes, Steven and Ilona.They are the best.And I hope they come one and two.I don't care who wins and who doesn't.
But I love their stories.I love their strength.I love what they stand for in today's world, and especially as a mom.
Like, to think of Steven, who is a male gymnast, where the male gymnasts usually don't get recognized as much as female gymnasts, to see him be recognized for being truly himself, like, wearing glasses, doing Rubik's cubes, like, embracing a different side of
masculinity that we haven't really showcased or celebrated before, I think is really, really special.And being a mom to a boy, seeing him be popularized and be praised for being the way he is, I think is so cool and so powerful.
And then Alona, being a mom to a daughter, to see her showcase strength and beauty in a different way than the world wants to like define it as I think is one of the most generationally like Historic things that will happen in a very long time.
She is changing the face of like beauty and women and it's Incredible.So yes, I want both of them to win Okay, I'm just gonna jump into the questions because we haven't even started and we have a long way to go
We asked you guys on Instagram to send in questions for this podcast and you did not disappoint.
You sent in so many questions that we are going to probably have to do a part two, but part two for when Andrew comes back, because a lot of questions had to do with Andrew and our relationship as well.
So diving into some of those before we get started, if you haven't yet, please press the subscribe button here on YouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts.Also, if you guys didn't know, we have a newsletter and it's bomb.It's a lot of fun. Jenny.
We give you recipes, hacks, stories, discount codes, giveaways, a bunch of things that we don't post anywhere else are found on the newsletter.
It's basically a long form way for us to share everything going on and everything we have access to that you can't share on like Instagram or Facebook or TikTok, or whatever all they are.So if you guys want to join the newsletter, it's free.
It's literally free.Just put in your email down below and you can get access to giveaways, codes, all the things.We try to like aggregate it all there as well.Diving into the questions.Let's jump into it.
If I don't get to your question today, remember, I'll probably get to it in part two.Oh, my gosh, there's so many questions over here, too.Peggy, let's just start there.Peggy said, I couldn't believe that.
Oh, hate comments you got on Bear Walking at nine months. Like, don't they know your children were bred from two superstar athletes?Okay, let's just address that.I didn't obviously read that comment before I read it out loud.
Hate comments make me sad, not because I get offended by them, because in my heart, I'm just like, what makes you feel that towards someone else? I didn't push him to walk.He literally started standing up on his own at like six months.
And my kids just did that, which is wild.I also am an active believer.I will showcase this on Instagram.Crawling up stairs, teaching kids how to climb, teaching kids risky things is something that my husband and I do actively.
Like I teach my children to crawl up the stairs at a very, very young age and how to climb down them.
because I think that empowers them and actually sets them up for success rather than like failure in the sense of they don't know how to walk up the stairs until they're after one and all of a sudden there's something bad that happens.
So my husband and I are just very comfortable with physicality.So I think my kids like naturally gravitate towards that.So yeah, there's so many comments. I think I said that a hundred times, questions.
Number one, what is usually the hardest part when my husband goes out of town?Honestly, I just miss him.He's my best friend.Like he's truly my best friend in life.
And yeah, it can be difficult to like parent three kids solo and like do work and like all that stuff.But I manage just like other parents manage and it's, not that bad at all.
Like I love spending time with all my three children and it's definitely doable and easy or not easy, but like manageable.But yeah, I think the hardest part is just like, I miss my best friend.
I miss, I literally like keep a note when he leaves and he does the same thing of like things to talk about with him that like things that happened that I don't get to like debrief with him on a daily basis.
So I'm excited to go over that when he gets back.Number two, what does my health journey look like right now? I am finally getting into a groove and I feel great.I feel really proud of myself.
because I feel like the third kid, third pregnancy, third C-section hit the hardest.It took me probably to my lowest, and I don't mean that in a dramatic way, it just was.Mentally, physically, it was the hardest to recover from.
And I have a personal trainer now that comes to my house, which I've absolutely loved.There's two or three moms who join me.We've been doing it three or four times a week consistently, and I'm starting to feel strong again.I started doing this,
It's called choose joy joi.It's this hormone supplement program.
It's Amazing you guys you do an entire hormone and blood panel and then based off of that they like prescribe all of your supplements that you should take daily and because of like the mental
for lack of a better word, depression and postpartum like inconsistencies that I felt.
I felt like I really had some hormonal imbalances and like nutritional imbalances and they showed up on those blood panels and now I get to take supplements that like fix that and it has just made my life feel so much better.
I feel normal again and like I can actually operate and think. So my health journey feels great.We're actually doing a Spartan race here soon, all of us ladies.And instead of being terrified of it, I actually feel like really good.
And I'm really excited about that.And like I said, I'm just proud.Amanda asks, so we just need to put our email in the chat to be in the newsletter.Yeah.Yep.They said yes.
Um, Sienna Scott says each kid develops differently, but yes, we did those early teachings with our kids too.Um, and then next question. Number three, do you have any date night suggestions?We go to dinner sometimes, but wanna switch it up.
So something Andrew and I started doing for date nights, which I absolutely love, is we alternate even and odd weeks of the month.So we basically label them one, two, three, four.And I get odd weeks, Andrew gets even weeks.
And basically on those date nights, that are odd, I get to plan it.I get to say where we're going to eat and what activity we're doing.And it's a surprise to Andrew.And then even weeks, he does the same thing.
So as far as like ideas of like what to do, just try new restaurants and try new activities.Go for a bike ride, go for a hike, go to like paint.What are those painting classes called?Where it's like, you basically like, like sip and stroke.Yeah.
where you like follow the instructor.You can try anything, axe throwing, go watch a movie.
But I like doing the surprise because it kind of, we either go back to places that we love or we try new things, but it's exciting for each person to kind of surprise each other and yeah, have a little fun.
Four, how has motherhood impacted our faith journey?Oof, it's made it so much stronger. Um, I feel like before kids, you feel like you get to a point in life where you feel like you can control everything.
You can control most variables that affect your life, which isn't leaning into your faith.And then you have children and realize you can't control anything or rarely anything.And like, it's all a miracle and it's all just like in God's hands.
And you have to either go crazy trying to control everything that you cannot control or lean into faith and let it all go to him and use him for strength.So. It just caused me to be stronger in my faith that way.Let's see.
Up next, do you ever still struggle with food and exercise?How did you start overcoming these struggles?Yes, but on a very small scale, and I don't mean that in like a bragging way.I spent 10 years
Working with a nutritionist and a dietician and psychologist every single week, literally every single week for 10 years, trying to overcome my food and exercise issues, eating disorders, obsessions, insecurities, binging, purging, over-exercising, under-exercising, everything.
Using supplements that I should not have been using, all these different things. And so I worked with professionals for 10 years who really kind of got me through it.
I went on to study nutrition, studied psychology, and then I just try to educate myself as much as possible.But I will say whenever I start to feel those thoughts or obsessions slowly try to creep their way back in, that's when I talk to my husband.
And then that's when I also like outsource help again, whether it's checking back in with my dietician or hiring a personal trainer or
trying to figure out what it is in my life that's kind of like tipping those scales again and just trying to be hyper aware.So I don't think I'm fully cured from it, but I'm so hyper aware of it that I never want to be in that hole that I was again.
So I like overanalyze my life very frequently to make sure I'm still strong or able to like handle the situation.Um, Next up says, any upcoming trips you're excited about?We're headed back to Tijuana, and I'm so excited.We're taking the whole team.
We're going to have a blast.And we're taking the kids.We're doing the whole thing again.We have a goal to do at least one mission trip as a family every single year.And this is one that we do every single year.And so I'm really excited for that.
Our kids loved it last year.It was so special.I do think we're going to leave Bear here, which kind of makes me sad to even think about. But he's not quite old enough to be able to do anything, obviously.
And I want the kids to be able to be on the build site as long as possible.So yeah.How have you had to show up for Andrew since his dad passed?I lost my dad a year ago.I'm so sorry.That's really, really hard.That was a loss.
that we didn't see coming and was probably the hardest loss we've had to deal with in both of our lives.Obviously Andrew's, that's definitely the hardest grief and kind of trauma he's ever gone through.
But I would say it was the hardest I've ever gone through as well, because he was truly one of the greatest humans I ever had the privilege of knowing.And how have I had to show up for Andrew?Just by being his teammate.
I don't know how to explain it more than just being there for him and being someone to listen to his heart when he needs to like, say I'm having a hard day or I remember this.
And also being a teammate in life where if he's having a horrible day and he needs to go sit in his grief and he needs to kind of go do his thing to heal, I'm going to pick up the slack.That's my job.That's our job for each other.
Just making sure that, yeah, I don't brush it off.Crazy Goat Lady says, there are scratch-off cards you can get to give ideas for date nights.You pick a card, scratch off the silver cover, and it gives you a task to do for date night.
It keeps it a surprise and spontaneous.That sounds really fun.Thank you. Number eight, are you currently reading any books?Would you recommend them?I have a whole entire stack next to my bedside of books right now, which is fun.
They're all biblically based and they're all about marriage and life and parenting.So I don't know if that interests you guys, but I'm actually reading the book called The Power of the Praying Wife and it is great.So I recommend that.
Devotionals, the Bible.I'm in a real Bible phase right now, guys.I don't know if it's a phase, I think that's just life.Number nine, how is mama really feeling about Bear taking his first few steps?
I'm proud of him, because it's really fun to see your kids grow and learn new things and get excited, but I'm scared.Because like, Every time a kid starts to walk, that's when like the real big bumps and bruises come.
So I'm sure we're going to have like bloody mouths, nose, noses, bumps all over our faces, you know, that kind of stuff.So I'm nervous.In the comment section, we have some more. Someone said, what vitamins do you use?
It's called Choose Joy, J-O-I, or Joy and Blokes.So Joy is the women's version, Blokes is the men's version.Next up, how many people work for you guys on your team? Four come into the office almost every day.
But I think we have like a team of about 20.It sounds like a lot.
You know, Sean, when I was little, I remember looking at paper maps and having an interest in where every country was located.I want this same curiosity for our kids because it genuinely made me want to learn more about geography.
I love feeling our kids' curiosity with toys that actually stimulate their brain, which is why we love Kiwi Cup.
Listen, KiwiCo recently launched KiwiCo Clubs to engage kids on a journey of seriously fun learning, and our kids have been having a blast with this.
With KiwiCo Clubs, kids learn the fundamentals through hands-on projects and also build new skills.It's amazing.Our kids were engineering their own robots the other day, and it literally blew me away.
Drew recently did the science club and made her own bow and arrow through their archery lesson.Honestly, it was really well thought out and simple enough for her to understand she's wanting to do the art club next.
I don't blame her.As a parent, it can be hard to find creative ways to keep your kids engaged off screens, but KiwiCo does the legwork for you so you can spend quality time tackling projects as a family.
Tinker, create, and innovate with KiwiCo.Get up to 50% off your first crate at kiwico.com, promo code COUPLE.Get up to 50% off your first crate at k-i-w-i-c-o.com, promo code COUPLE.
This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.This month is all about gratitude, and someone I'm thankful for lately is you, baby.
Thank you for all you do for our family.
Thank you, babe.I'm thankful for you, too.It's always a good reminder this time of year to let the people in your life know that you're thankful for them.
I agree.Another thing I'm thankful for this year is therapy.What a game changer that's been for us.
Therapy really has been really great.I feel like we've both grown this year, and I'm glad we made that a priority.It's no joke having three kids, and I'm grateful for all the wisdom we've gained through therapy.
Me too, baby.If you're thinking of starting therapy, give BetterHelp a try.We couldn't recommend it more.It's so convenient and all online, which I love, especially with holiday travel and crazy work schedules coming up.
To get started, you just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist.You could switch therapists at any time for no additional charge to make sure it's a great match for you.
Let the gratitude flow with BetterHelp.Visit BetterHelp.com slash eSFAM today to get 10% off your first month.
That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P.com slash eSFAM.
Yeah.Yeah.Yeah.Maybe someday they'll let you meet them. They're like, not right now.OK.Next up, was it a big adjustment going from being an only child to marrying into Andrew's big family?Yes, massively.
But it's also kind of like what my dream was in life.I love big families, I think, because this is getting down the road.
But because of my life and the way it played out with gymnastics, I was very, very isolated from such a young age, traveling the world by myself, traveling with the national team.
that I never really had a lot of friends or a really close community of any kind.And so having a big family to me was this dream of like having a really tight community that I had never had before.
And so when I met Andrew and met his family and got to see how close they all were and how bonded they were, it was just one, overwhelming, but two, amazing.And I knew that's what I wanted in life.So I loved it.
What are some motherhood topics you feel aren't talked about enough but should be?Let's see.Postpartum.The dynamic between husband and wife after you have kids I don't think is talked about ever and it should be.
how hard it is, how, I would say this, I'd say something that's not talked about is like how moms should not raise their children alone.And I don't mean that like without a spouse.I mean that like without a community.
Moms should be raising their kids in a community.That's like how we're made to do it.So like friends, neighbors, moms from daycare or school, like having more moms to relate to and to get through life with, I think is really important.
Next up, are you guys part of a church or a small group?How do you recommend finding one?Yes, all of the above.We go to church every single Sunday.We've made it a rule in our household that we don't miss church.
We have to be like on a deathbed to miss church.Or like, you know, you know what I mean, respectively. We aren't like going there ill, but we don't miss church.We also are part of women's Bible study and men's Bible study How do we find them?
You can find them through your church.We've also started women's and men's Bible studies in small groups through like our closest friends Through school through neighborhoods, but it takes effort It's not just gonna like fall into your lap.
You have to actually like make it happen Next question says, what's something you do that helps bring you confidence?Workout and hang with friends.I think those are probably the two most empowering things for me.
It's like being around other adults because you're around babies all day and having time to myself to make myself feel strong is my two favorite.
Did you ever have to overcome trust issues in relationships after being in the gymnastics world for so long? Yes.And I still do.Um, Andrew would even say this, like when we started dating, it was very, very clear that Andrew trusted everyone.
Like his natural inclination was to trust unless that was broken.Like, like he would always trust you no matter what, until it got broken.
Um, whereas mine was like, I was always skeptical and judgmental and feared trusting anybody and he had to earn my trust, which comes from a lot of trauma.Um, And I'm working on that.I'm naturally not a trusting person and that's not okay.
And so I've been working through that with Andrew and with a therapist and everything.But yeah, we've had to work through that a lot.What have you been learning as a wife in this season?Oh, wow.A lot of things. that my husband and I are teammates.
We are totally different people.We have different lives, different lifestyles, and that we are not each other's parents.
I think when you get into the season of parenting, it's very easy to let that parenting creep into your spouse's life, where you're trying to control and criticize and teach and micromanage each other.
And I think as a wife, I've been really needing to lean into working and letting go of that and like honoring my husband for who he is and how he does life and letting him be him.I gotta work on that.
How's the house renovation going and will you be sharing a lot about the process?It is going.It is fully done being demoed.The framing process has started.We will share everything. This has been a labor of love.
This is something that fell into our laps that we were not expecting.
We had a dream of like 10 years down the road, finding land that we could have animals on and have my parents on and have like many generations, um, multiple houses for like families to like all live on.And we really didn't have any like.
thought that that would happen before the 10-year mark and something truly like opened up and kept being served into our lives like, you should get this, you should get this.And just by the grace of God, we got it.I don't know how.
And it's just been a labor of love.We have the most amazing dream team of builders and designers who are some of our favorite humans in the entire world.Our builder was, is like the best ever.And my dad used to work for him.
My dad is working on the project.Our designer, Lori Prangepe, I think is just the greatest of all time.And I love working with her.And everything we're designing in this house is, for our specific family, but also to share with like our community.
If you were to ever be in our house, you would very quickly understand that it is like Hotel East as they laugh.We have people living in our house, I would say at least 60% of the year, all different people.
People are always visiting, staying, living, moving, eating dinner.It's a revolving door and that was our dream for our home.And so we're truly trying to build a place where that like allows that 24 seven.
I have a dream of having a guest book in our house that's just filled to the brim with like everyone's names and when they were there and who they brought and why everything.Yeah.So we'll share it all.Cut me off when I'm gone long enough.
Oh, it's 30 minutes.Okay. Will 2025 be as busy as 2024?What a fantastic year for you all with amazing family experiences.Probably not since it's not an Olympic year.
Olympic years are the hardest years ever because it's like our life times a million because the Olympics come back around.That being said, who knows?As our team would tell you, you never know what it's going to be like.So.
We don't have any plans for it to be as busy, but I'm sure it will.What is something your postpartum nurses did that you loved or made you feel seen? I would say something that my postpartum nurses did that made me feel seen.
So we were very blessed to be able to have night nurses and postpartum nurses past the hospital.A really good friend of ours, she has, she's one of our closest friends, her company is Choose Joy Nursing.
And her husband went to school with my husband.We've just been close for a very long time.So she would come into our home a couple nights a week and do night nursing.And something that made me feel seen was just asking the mom how they're doing.
Like everyone is so excited to meet your baby and to take care of your baby, which is such a priority, obviously.But every once in a while when someone genuinely is like, but how are you? What can I get you?Can I make you food?
Can I bring you a smoothie?Can I, you know, do laundry?Like whatever they, when postpartum nurses would truly check in on me, that made me feel seen.It made me feel like a human.A couple questions from the comments.
We have Haley, who's asking tips on potty training.My girl is three and is so stubborn. I didn't even attempt to start potty training until after three.
I didn't take away passies, I don't transition to big girl or big boy beds, and I don't do potty training until after three.A lot of people might tell you to do otherwise, to each their own, don't care, don't care at all.
But for me, I didn't feel like I could truly communicate with my children until after the age of three. That's when they start to understand things.You can kind of rationalize in a very small way with them.
So with potty training, I didn't even start until after three and within it's just repetition, potty training, bribery, a lot of M&Ms, and a lot of patience. Jet has probably been my, has been easier than Drew, but still has accidents.
And you just, you don't want to shame them because they're still figuring it out.So just a lot of patience.What are your craziest dreams for your family for 2025?
So something my husband and I agreed to do every year is once our kids reached basically this age, starting like the threes, fours, We spend the summer traveling.So craziest dreams would be two things.One, to move into our new home.
I think that's maybe crazy because I don't know how long it takes.And two, we would like to try to do Africa for our family summer trip next year, which sounds crazy.Camping in tents.
going through different safari regions, seeing all the animals, but in my mind, I feel like our kids are almost in a, like the most beautiful age where it will just seem surreal to them, which I think would be really special.
But it's a dream, we'll see.I don't know if we can do that and build a house, so.How do you maintain your friendships in this season of life?Effort.We do a,
morning mama's Bible study, which I feel like are some of our closest friends and Then we at least we do at least one or two nights every single week where we do dinner with friends at our house So just work What has been your favorite trip just you and Andrew and favorite trip as a family favorite trip as a family There's like a favorite
trip to Texas on a whim where we stopped at like a Amish farm and did the whole like no electricity and got to see all the farm animals and like everything was actually incredible.But then going to Italy was amazing.So I don't have a favorite.
I think just quality time is great.And my favorite trip with Andrew, Andrew and I did 13 countries in two and a half weeks in Europe. right after we got married, and it was incredible.
We just got to spontaneously go wherever we wanted, and that was really fun.Next one.Tips for not comparing yourself to others on Instagram.It's hard since I'm not an influencer.Limit your time on Instagram, is what I would say.
Like go live in real life and not on edited versions of, you know, not reality.I can tell you firsthand, Caroline is the most amazing editor in the entire world.She's sitting behind the camera.
Um, everything you see from our life is like real and authentic, but it's edited.Everything you see on Instagram is edited and made to like look a certain way.So don't compare yourself to an edited version of someone else's life.
because it's not real.Could you do a whole episode about the Olympics, like things people wouldn't know about going, how to get tickets, the Olympic Village, et cetera?It's so interesting, yeah.
The holidays are right around the corner guys, which is wild.For a gift that's always on time and lasts a lifetime, you can't do better than Masterclass.
Masterclass is the only streaming platform where you can learn and grow with over 200 of the world's best, making it an invaluable gift.
Honestly, I would love it if someone gifted this to me because I love diving into new topics and hobbies.You can learn from any masterclass instructor on a smartphone, computer, smart TV, or even in audio mode.
I looked into their cooking classes and honestly, they look amazing.
And the classes really make a difference.88% of members feel that Masterclass made a positive impact on their lives.I've taken some of their nutrition and health classes and I've learned so much.
They're the perfect amount of time and the experts really keep you engaged.Plus, there's no risk.Every new membership comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Masterclass always has great offers during the holidays, sometimes up to as much as 50% off.Head over to masterclass.com slash eastfam for the current offer.
That's up to 50% off at masterclass.com slash eastfam.
Masterclass.com slash eastfam.
Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile.With the price of just about everything going up during inflation, we thought we'd bring our prices down.So to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer, which is apparently a thing.
Mint Mobile Unlimited Premium Wireless!How do they get 30, 30, they get 30, they get 20, 20, 20, they get 20, 20, they get 15, 15, 15, 15, just 15 bucks a month?Sold!Give it a try at mintmobile.com slash switch.
$45 upfront payment equivalent to $15 per month.New customers on first three month plan only.Taxes and fees extra.Speeds lower above 40 gigabytes each detail.
You might not like what I have to say.This is my personal opinion, but the Olympics are so much better on TV.And they're just, it's so hard to navigate the Olympics in person.I've been to many.I went to Beijing, Vancouver, Montreal,
Paris, London, so probably five.Oh, Rio, six.And not a single one was easy.And with all of those, I had, I hate to say special access, but I had special access as like media.And it was still so difficult.And it's so expensive.
And when you go to the Olympics in person, you might be able to get to see like at the max five events. because every event is hours apart from each other and the tickets are so expensive.Have a really big watch party at home.
Anyways, how to handle being a former athlete now as a mom of a five-month-old and your body just isn't the same anymore.Girl, your body just gave birth to a baby.That's still being an athlete. Having a baby is really physically challenging.
And I think you just need to give yourself grace and realize that you're in a different phase of life, but you can also get back to being an elite athlete after you have a baby.Having a kid does not hinder that ability.
It just takes time and give yourself time because I don't even like try to even remotely think of my body or my abilities that had anything to do with prior to pregnancy. for at least a year.Does that make sense?
So like, I don't even try to look at a scale or lift comparative weights until after a year postpartum.Because it takes that long for your body just to heal.Okay.Do you work from an office space or do you work from home every day?Both.
We, during COVID, did a big project where we did an office house that is like not our home, where it was kind of going to be a content house, but the content houses kind of went kaput.And so my parents live here.It's also an office.
It's a way to kind of get out of the house and not work around the kids.And then my parents go to our house.So we kind of just like swap houses.You seem so grounded and humble. Do you have any mentors in your life that help you?
I just try to surround myself with people that I want to be like.Just good hearted, humble, down to earth, grounded people.So all my friends, my family, my husband.What will your kids be for Halloween this year?
Well, as long as it doesn't change, Drew is going to be Ariel.Is that what she got?She was talking about Ariel.So Drew is going to be Ariel. Jet's going to be a race car driver.
And Bear, Drew, and Jet chose, which was Mike Wazowski or Sully from Monsters, Inc.And then, do you let your kids eat Halloween candy?Yeah.Are you serious?It's Halloween.
You got to let them splurge every once in a while, as long as it's safe and whatever.A couple more questions from the comments, and then I will say adios. Sierra says, curious about your concerns for your boys playing football.
CTE discussion, Andrew's long-term symptoms from football injuries.Andrew is very lucky.He's a long snapper.Couldn't really be tackled.Couldn't really tackle others.So Andrew's doing great and had a great experience.
I think every single sport has their downsides and has their pros and cons. NFL, football, obviously CT is a huge discussion.And safety precautions, young, like as young kids all the way into the professional leagues and stuff.
Yes, you're gonna have to be very cautious of that.And that would that concerns me.But then my son jet has also had this like,
Passion since the day he was born and I don't even know how to explain it cuz like I did not push this on him this is him, but he's chosen motorcycles and BMX and like Wild adrenaline scary things that also can cause broken bones and concussions and gymnastics is a very scary sport
Drew is in love with ice skating.That's very dangerous.So I think every single sport out there and hobby out there has pros and cons that we have to kind of filter through.But as long as we do them in a. As safe way as possible.Yeah, I don't know.
I'm not against football.We would just have to be smart about it. Next up says, curious who your inspirations were growing up and now as an adult.
My parents, my teammates, and then some Olympic gymnasts, Mary Lou Retton, Shannon Miller, Kim Zabesko, Lance Armstrong, I absolutely loved.Two more, do you use any sleep training methods with your kids?
First time mom of a five month old and would like more sleep but feel overwhelmed by all the options on sleep. Our opinions.Every, you can't go wrong.Everyone has very polarizing opinions and thoughts of sleep training.
We did kind of like a mom's on call method.That's the overarching thing that we did.We used Choose Joy.There, she is genius sleep training.And she has a lot of, she does similar to mom's on call, but does kind of catered methods to different kids.
Or taking care of babies was a game changer for sure I have done so many consults with them with like older kids So choose joy specializes in like babies, and that's a close friend of mine here in Nashville So I would call her all the time, but I had so many calls with Kara In regards to jet cuz jet had some very very hard regressions that I didn't know how to get through and she is a genius so I would take I would check out taking care of and then
What are your intentions for the end of the year?To enjoy my family during the holidays.The holidays are exciting and so much fun.
And I'm excited to be around extended family and do Halloween and Thanksgiving and Drew's birthday and Christmas and just spend time with family, which is great.Thank you, everyone. How'd I do for my first solo?I feel like I said, um, a lot.
I'll probably think about that for the next couple hours.Thank you guys.Welcome to Couple Things.Make sure you press the subscribe button.Join us for the part two.I will get to your questions.And that's all I got.Bye.
Sign in
