The Big Boo Cast

Well, we hit the ground running in this podcast, and while you might initially think we've detoured into techy territory, we find our way back to our normal podcast pastures: fashion (specifically, we talk A LOT about jeans and booties), make-up, college football, and tailgating foods that we're planning to make at home for next week's game day. And if all that weren't enough, Melanie's iTunes goes rogue a couple of different times during the podcast and causes all sorts of tomfoolery and also shenanigans. Hope y'all enjoy it!

Earlier this week Melanie and I tried to record a podcast, and I don't really think it's hyperbole when I say it was the most boring 40 minutes in the history of podcasting. In the history of ALL PODCASTS EVER. So today, we tried to rebound, and things were considerably more upbeat.  We talk about our current and  very fun stage of raising preteens (seriously - this is my favorite - THE BEST), a favorite sandwich we've rediscovered, an exciting and new-to-me cooking show, how our love of pajamas keeps us from taking fancy trips, the joy and wonder that COLLEGE FOOTBALL, IT IS ALMOST HERE, and a whole bunch of other stuff I can't remember. Oh. Windows. We talk a lot about windows. Not the Microsoft kind. The ones in our houses. Also, I feel like I need to warn you that I accidentally hit a button on the back of my microphone before we started recording, and I sound a little quieter than normal because of that. You can still hear me fine. But if you notice a difference between Melanie's volume and mine, that's why. I didn't realize what I'd done until I was editing the podcast, so I've now returned my microphone to its original setting, and I have also decided that even though the sound isn't optimal, WE WILL ALL SURVIVE.

After a couple of weeks away, Melanie and I finally found a good time to sit down and podcast and talk about all the things. We rehash our magical Thursday with Christy Nockels, we discuss Piper and Mabel's new doggie daycare possibility, and Melanie shares a frankincense update along with a new and exciting skincare product. On top of all that excitement, we catch up on the latest with Martha, our continuing efforts to develop an organizational method for writing books, my complete inability to write fiction, and our mutual fascination with Alicia Florrick's eye make-up. Alicia Florrick is not in fact a real person, but her smoky eye is fantastic. Enjoy y'all!

This is our 50th episode, only I didn't even realize it until Alex mentioned it to me, and then I forgot to say anything to Melanie until about 2/3 of the way through the podcast. So clearly we've planned an enormous celebration. We did make a very impromptu (and somewhat unorganized) decision to do some special giveaways, though, and you'll find out how to enter if you listen to the podcast. You can enter on my blog and Melanie's blog; there will be four winners total.  And somehow, considering that this is our 50th podcast, it seems fitting that the content is absolutely all over the place. YOU SHOULD EXPECT NO LESS. We talk about Mabel and Piper's trip to the Pawderosa Ranch, my many hair-related insecurities, the wonder that is Apple Music, my Power Ballad Mix Tape playlist, our enthusiasm for Top 40 radio, and so much more.  Thanks so much for listening, y'all. And for being patient when we'd take a year-long break between podcasts. And for not being critical when the sound was terrible. And for consistently encouraging us like crazy where this silly little podcast is concerned. In its own unique way, it has been and continues to be a blast.  

Well, if your idea of a good time is hearing Melanie and me talk about how we can barely muster the will to leave the house this summer, then this podcast is for you! And really, we are leaving the house. We would just not choose to leave the house, necessarily, if we weren't responsible for the care and socialization of some very active pre-teens.  We also talk about how we met (I thought most people who read our blogs knew that story already, but I'm always happy to share it), a video thing that we're doing with Christy Nockels and my resulting hair insecurities, the holy re-do of Melanie getting to spend time with Christy and her hair, and the very exciting possibility of Melanie making a guest appearance on John Tesh's radio show. I also have some disappointing Sheerlume news. I just want to prepare you for that in advance.  We also discuss our favorite summer candles and answer a few more questions from y'all, too.    

Melanie and I definitely want to record podcasts more frequently this summer, but even still I'm a little shocked that we managed to put together one last week and this week, too.  IS THIS WHAT PRODUCTIVITY FEELS LIKE? Continue to keep those expectations low, though. It could very well be next April before we get our act together again. We're gonna try to do better, but keep in mind that we kind of pride ourselves on our consistent inconsistency. On this podcast we answer more of your questions; we talk about Melanie's experience with Mr. Pillow, our favorite summertime breakfasts, Melanie's new couch, and my brief foray into obsessive scrapbooking. We also address Melanie's Aggie baseball heartache and discuss our commitment issues when it comes to our calendars. And of course we talk about Sheerlume. However, we fail to mention either Amy Grant or Christy Nockels, so we probably need to pay some sort of podcasting fine. Enjoy, y'all.

Y'all were kind enough to submit a whole bunch of questions for this podcast, and we managed to answer about eight of them over the course of 50-ish minutes. We're gonna do our best to re-visit the list-o-questions next week; maybe the question answering will become a summertime tradition for us. Honestly, that possibility sounds close enough to an actual plan that it makes me a little bit nervous. We do like to fly by the seat of our podcast pants, you know. Anyway, we talk about Melanie's washing machine, the Sheerlume, how we (try) to balance the things that we do, what we're (maybe) writing next, what we're (probably) talking about at dotMOM, our favorite Starbucks drinks, and a whole host of other stuff.  Please do enjoy.

You know what happens when you record a podcast without a plan? You wind up talking about things like sparkling water and frankincense and grocery lists and Kate's post-childbirth public appearance - and somehow you convince yourself that all of those topics just flow effortlessly from one to the next. They don't really flow effortlessly at all. But we're just as enthusiastic as we can be about every one of them, so surely that counts for something. We also talk about the current trend of wedding hashtags, and I am still so tickled by the hashtag that Melanie came up with 18 years after the fact that I may start using it on Instagram.  Once again there's not a single mention of Amy Grant. All I know to do about it is to apologize and assure you that we won't fail you in this way ever again.  

Melanie and I never really know what we're going to talk about when we start to record a podcast, so maybe that will help explain to you why we spend far too many minutes in this particular podcast talking about fruit kabobs. Yes. I said "fruit kabobs." We also talk about the books I read at the beach (I definitely don't recommend Gone Girl; it is a page-turner for sure, but the more I think about it the more I wish I hadn't read it), our expectations about Amy Poehler's book (I was sort of expecting something like Hilarious Hijinks with Tina Fey, and it's not that at all), and why we expect more out of book characters as we get older.  I also make Melanie talk about her new book, Nobody's Cuter than You, which comes out Tuesday, April 7th and will basically make you laugh and cry and then plan a girls' weekend with all of your closest friends. It's wonderful. And then, for some reason, we segue' into a lengthy conversation about brunch foods, the aforementioned fruit kabobs, foods that make us a little sick when we think about them, the resurgence of cauliflower, and why we're no longer very interested in lettuce. It it every bit as compelling as you'd expect. Finally, of course, we talk about our skin and sunscreen and basically WHY ARE WE OLD. Shockingly, we do not mention Amy Grant even one time. I have no explanation for this other than pure negligence. Enjoy, y'all!

I don't mind saying that I'm a little punchy in this podcast. In fact, I had to sort of dial myself back a few notches about midway through. Please pardon all my very strong opinions about and objections to things that are really not important at all. I like to think that my absence of charm is connected at least in part to the antibiotic I've been taking this last week. Apparently it's turned me into FEISTY MCGEE. Anyway, we talk about sandals, musicals, Melanie's debut as a clue on Let's Make a Deal, my misguided experimentation with hairspray, our mutual love for crackers, Mel's cough syrup preferences, Noonday jewelry, and Talenti gelato (which is UNBELIEVABLE).  Hope y'all enjoy it!