The Summer Camps and Nichole's Big Announcement

Isn't summer camp scheduling the worst!  And why do summer camps only run from 9am-3pm? Whose work hours are those? 

Today we are going to break down all the things that have helped us get through summers with lots of kids and full time jobs without losing our sanity.

Also, Nichole has a Big Huge Announcement for all of us.  Let's talk through what this new role means for her future as a woman leader.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hey guys, today we have major news. Maybe a long time coming, maybe a total surprise. But either way, we're gonna talk about this today. We are so excited I am so excited. Our very own Nicole has recently been promoted at her day job, her full hustle. And not only is the promotion, she is now the president. Madam President of a medium-sized national broker's firm, like big deal, president of a big deal company. Congratulations.

SPEAKER_01 0:44

Thank you. Thank you. What an amazing opening. And um, it is kind of weird to get used to the Madam President, but after watching the show so many times, I sort of like it. I'm not gonna lie.

SPEAKER_00 0:59

I I have so many, so many questions about this because like I know a lot of your journey, but I feel like your journey is important to share with anybody that's out there that's mid-career or they're in their 30s or their 40s, or they don't they don't know what this looks like. So take me all the way back, fresh out of college, Florida State. Is are you telling yourself right then I want to be the president of a national real estate brokerage firm?

SPEAKER_01 1:31

Absolutely not. And you know, I have this, I have a lot of conversations with students. I mentor a lot of students throughout the year, and I had no idea real estate was even in my path. I sort of dumbfounded my way into it. So I was a sports manager. What was your degree in? I was a sports management major. I thought I was going to be an agent or work with an agency. I loved all things sports. I loved helping the players at the university. Like it was just that was kind of my passion at the time. Well, I graduated with that degree, and I said to my professor, do I get a master's in sports management, which it is very hard to break into that industry as well, or do I go and get a second degree in business? And he says, Listen, I think business is probably a better route for you. And you also have to pick a specialty in business. So I'm like reading through the list, reading through the list. I'm like, what's the easiest, shortest path out of here with another degree? And I was like, oh, real estate. Like, I like real estate. I know what real estate is, like, more so than I did insurance or accounting, which I, you know, was not a fan of. So I go into this real estate thing, and it was probably one additional year that I was there. And as I'm ending my and getting that degree, you they set you up or have people come to campus where you can do interviews. And so I'm interviewing with like all these banks, all these major banks. I thought I was gonna be a commercial lender, like that was the path I was gonna take because they all had these programs. And then this small private company out of South Florida popped up on my radar and they had openings. So I went to this interview, and the question that was asked was, Do you like to shop? I mean, hook, line, and sinker had me right there. I was like, Of course I love to shop. This is like that's like my, you know, my signed gig. I love to shop and I have fun doing it. So they explained to me kind of what I would be doing. And that was, I got the job, and that was my first path in. I was considered what they call a leasing associate or junior, basically a junior leasing agent. And from there, I really got into working on the ownership side of the business, learning how to lease space, working with retailers, putting them in spaces within the markets they were looking at, and kind of grew through that ladder. So um, fast forward, that was probably about 15 years of my career. So I end up as the head of leasing for a company here in Florida. And I'm like, okay, I've reached the pinnacle. I reached the head of leasing. This is what I've always wanted to be. Yet I still have another 25 years left or more left in me. What am I going to do? So I just sat there and I was like, okay, I can continue to do this. I can try to go operations, I can try, you know, I could try other things. Luckily, I, you know, this industry, there are many paths you can take. And I find that I love each one that I have taken. So I had a recruiter reach out and they said, listen, we have this opportunity with a brokerage house, and you'll be running one side of the company, and it's all the things you like. It's the shaking hands, the kissing babies, networking, dinners. You're, you know, you are doing all the things. You're kind of the face of this portion of the company. And I was like, I don't know, like it's brokerage.

SPEAKER_00 5:05

It was such a departure.

SPEAKER_01 5:06

It was such a departure, it was completely opposite of what I was doing. I was going out of deal making, I was running a team, I was really just focused on business development versus, you know, transactions. So it was not, it was not something that people were expecting. As a matter of fact, a lot of people told me not to do it. And they said, this is, you know, we don't know that this is gonna go anywhere. In my conversations, you know, we talked about a path forward. There was a path forward, and you know, I could make as much as I want, uh, you know, what I wanted out of the role. So there were no strings attached as far as, you know, what I could do with the position. So I was like, okay, it sounds intriguing. And I was just at that point where I felt it was right for me, even with the naysayers.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

Well, I want to pause there for a quick second for a couple of reasons. One, to say I I think I was one of the people that said, I'm concerned, I'm I'm concerned. I what we know about this company at at that point, I wasn't sure you were gonna get the support to do all the things that you were capable of doing. I did. I had my doubts, what given what I knew about it, which I think is, you know, particularly to their credit, that I think the leadership knew they needed something different. But but I didn't trust that you were gonna get what the latitude, the freedom, the support, the backing.

SPEAKER_01 6:29

Well, and rightfully so, because many other positions I've been in, they've said, oh, you're gonna be able to do this, and and I haven't been able to do it. So there were always handcuffs and other roles that I was in. And so I, you know, everybody had the right to have the the hesitation. And, you know, you while you, you know, you're a friend, I had mentors, like there was a handful of people. And I just I had a, you know, when you get that gut feeling, like I just had the gut feeling, like I have to do this. And so I did. Yeah. And now, so I've been in the role, uh, it'll be five years on June the first, and it has been everything I've wanted it to be. They have given me all the freedoms that I've wanted. I have a voice, a big voice. Uh, sometimes they don't love how many times I speak up, but um, inevitably they do listen and they understand, you know, a lot of the people within the company had been there for a very long time. So sometimes an outsider's perspective, you know, they don't necessarily want to hear it, but once they hear it and they process it, it's like, oh yes, that's what we should do. So it's been very, very welcome. So as I've kind of grown in the five years, we saw an opportunity to allow for me to move up to the role of president as of just this week. And what it'll do is allow for me to work with other parts of the company, really be the external force for the company, and really continue to build what we've built for 40 years and build it for another 40 years. As our business is changing, you know, on the daily, tech is involved, all these things that are happening, you know, a lot of headwinds in the way. So now it's time to kind of put my big girl pants on and you know, put some strategies and long-term plans in place to really make the mothership keep rocking.

SPEAKER_00 8:27

Okay. I wanna I want to ask you, and and to be fair, to be clear, you are the first female leader at this level within the company. And all of your counterparts are men and primarily men of a certain age. And now that I want to totally detour this into like an I am woman, hear me roar, but I do think that's significant.

SPEAKER_01 8:52

I I think I yeah, I think I did not realize maybe the impact. And I'll tell you, this has been an extremely humbling experience. I I the notes and the kind words and just things I didn't imagine people would think about for me and for this, I I have been blown away with the support and just absolutely humbled. So I can say I didn't necessarily realize the impact. I think the moment that I told my daughter, and I'll I'll tell you this story because it was fantastic. So I found out a few weeks ago, my husband was out of town, so it was like, oh man, what am I gonna do? Like, are we celebrating or we're not? Like, what's it was just kind of like I don't want to say ho hum because I was super excited, but it was like I didn't have all my people around me. So I go pick up my daughter from dance and I said, Hey, you know, you know, you know, the team was in town today. So I wanted to just let you know they told mommy she's gonna be the president. And she looked at me and just started crying. And she's like, she goes, mommy, I am so proud of you. Oh my god! I know, like I tear up even now. Like, I all of the mom moments of mom guilt, all the moments of like frustration and all the long hours and all the long days, like in that moment, like I get chills. In that moment, it was just so special to me. Like, she's proud of me, she gets it, like she knows hard work pays off. Yeah. So it's it was such a such a cool experience. And I think that for me was like the start of this kind of I don't want to say emotional because it's been it's humbling, but it's been emotional. Like I just really had no idea the the impact, and I'm really happy and I feel just very honored to kind of be, I don't, it's not a pioneer because we have many women before us that have pioneered us through this business, but really from an executive standpoint, just being in a in a in a position where we can make a difference and very excited to do that.

SPEAKER_00 10:59

And I'm very, very proud of you. And I think about like if because you know, to us, I don't think we think a lot about being women or, you know, we're not intimidated walking into a room full of men, or you know, that hasn't sort of slighted us. So I feel like we have felt a little like we had to have thicker skin and had to less prioritize just being a woman. But when I think about like who are all of my mentors in this industry, and they're all men, and that's great. And I'm so unbelievably grateful for them and the chances they gave me in all the doors they opened for me. And I don't want to take away their credit, but it sure is great that we then can have another the next generation of women that can have women as mentors, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

And I think you're in an executive leadership role as well. Like it's it is now our duty, and we're happy to do it. And I think it's been such a cool thing to even tell like friends' kids, like they're so this is another funny story. I don't know if I told you this way. So one of our friends was talking to her daughter, and and they know we're moving, and the daughter was saying, Oh, I can't believe you know, Chloe is moving, I'm so sad. And her mom said, Well, her mom is the president now, and she's like, The president, like of the United States, and I was like, Oh my gosh, like that's amazing, and we cracked up for days about it, but it's just they they hear president and it has such an impactful meaning for them, and I think that's very cool to kind of you know, with that younger generation and our and our kids and their friends.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

Yes, now I have boys. So a few promotions ago when I became vice president, and I told the boys the reaction was the complete opposite, but still just as meaningful, in the sense that I was like, you know, mommy is the vice president, and their reaction was, well, yeah, obviously, like of course you're the boss. That's that's what women do. Oh my gosh. So it was so like so commonplace for them in their thoughts. And I remember like when the presidential elections were coming around, and whether, you know, whichever side you were voting for, it was monumental that a woman was running for vice president, you know, twice. And so just to be able to say that, my kids were sort of just surprised that was even a thing, which is great, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:29

Like, I also think that's a great thing, is they're like, oh, well, of course a woman, right? They don't see like, oh, it's all been men, which is yeah, which is good. Which is good.

SPEAKER_00 13:37

I I want to ask you kind of a loaded question. It seems like a simple question, but it's very complex. And I feel like if you are a woman listening to this podcast right now in a career at any level, you will feel this question. So, Nicole, do you deserve this?

SPEAKER_01 13:57

Um, so yes, 100%. And I can say that with confidence now. I will tell you, leading up to today, I I kept saying to people, like, oh my gosh, I can't believe they chose me. I can't believe like I'm the one. And there was so, I don't want to say it wasn't self-doubt, but it was like, wow, can I do this? Like, but every single person that I even had a remote piece of hesitation, they're like, stop right there. You deserve this. This is meant for you. You have earned this. And what was also interesting is when people were commenting on some of my social media, they said a lot of the comments were well deserved. And I sat back and I was like, well deserved. Like, what does that mean? What have I actually done to be well deserved? And I think through, and at the root of who I am and what I do with business, for me, it's the people. And I think it's the empathy, it's the sympathy, even though a lot of people tell you I don't have it. I would say I am, I can relate, and I really believe the people part of this business is why I'm meant to be a leader.

SPEAKER_00 15:14

Yeah. And I I had another question here, but I'm actually just gonna answer it myself. Yeah. Was could anybody just follow your same path, do your same motions, and get to being the president? And to me, the answer is no. You have such a unique skill set in so many ways. Not only just the way you strategically think about things, the perspective that you have, the way that your brain processes connection to people, and then taking that connection to further the next account, arrangement, client, deal, you know, not making it a transaction, making it a familial, a relationship-centric thing, but still moving the ball forward onto the unifying path. It's it's a unique perspective. You're either born with it or you're not. I think it's really hard to learn. Also, you really do, and I think this is true for a lot of people, but you outgrind and have always out grinded, ground the other people, right? Like we need, we're gonna talk a little bit here in a second about the sacrifices it took to get here. But you have to have both components. You can't just be grinding and be missing that that brain, that perspective. And not everybody was meant to be the president of a company. Every company runs on all different roles. And so, if you are not the president of your company, if you never want to be, if that's not the thing for you, you are still highly, highly valuable. But I do think that you are the president because you are bored with the natural gift that you then just hustled and hustled and hustled to get to. So thank you. All right, so talk, let's talk about the sacrifices that it took to get here. Some really tangible. Give me some like, oh, I had to stay up late. Like, give me some real tangible hardcore. What did you have to give up to get here?

SPEAKER_01 17:08

Yeah, I I would say probably some sleep. There's an ongoing, yeah, right. There's an ongoing joke in the office that they're like, you either get an email from Nicole at 5 a.m. or 9 p.m. And I do shut off. So let me be clear, I do compartmentalize a lot and I do strategically have my calendar done. So, but that has been growing with time. That that I was not born with, and that I I have earned my right in the business to have some blocks of time for myself. But I would say, like giving up, I've had to alter a lot of things. So, whether it is missing a few afternoon activities, I will say I very much try not to miss any like plays or shows or things like that. I really try to be extremely cautious and consciously. I mean, I my daughter from the time she was in kindergarten until now somehow wants me to be a teacher at her school as well. And I was like, I can't do that. Like, I no, no, I can't do that. But I go in once a year and I do it, and that seems to satisfy her for that. But yes, like I'm not the I'm not the volunteer of the year. I am I'm in pickup line every so often. I do have help that I bring in so that I don't drop the ball, but I would say there are times where I probably could have been with my family more. I think there's times where I'm distracted completely and tied up in work and email and on the phone. And I, you know, my New Year's goal every year is to be present in the moment. And for some reason, this damn cell phone seems to get in the way a lot. So I'm really trying to be a little bit more, put a little more effort in putting that away when I'm home and with the family and you know, cooking dinner and all those things. But yeah, it's, you know, you do, and I don't know that I can give you like every single example, but I've definitely missed things, you know, missed school things, I've missed family things, I've had to leave family events early. Uh, I had to leave a funeral early because I had to head off to Vegas, this big work trip. So it's you do cut around, but I think it's also altering your schedule. And I put this out into the universe with my and talked to with my family, my whole family, extended everything, and just said, I know I can do more. Like me just being what I am today, or this was a few years ago, is not exactly what I want to be. I still thrive for more. So I think they were all rooting for me. My husband for sure, while he doesn't always say it, he is like one of my biggest fans. He actually texted me last night while I was sleeping and he's like, I don't tell you this enough. He goes, but I am super proud of you. I do care for you, and I do think you're doing a badass job. So that meant a lot to me because he he shares emotion in much different ways. And so for him to spend a few minutes to you know put it all in writing to make sure I knew it definitely went a long way with me.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

Yeah, and Mike super was I supposed to say anything. Mike super supports you. I've never felt a vibe or even like thoughts or discussions about him that he hasn't been in any way competitive, or that somehow your sparkle was dulling his sparkle. It he's just very, very much in your corner, has your back, and just will, you know, wants to do whatever he can to shoot you to the moon and loves to watch you get there.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

Definitely. I will also say probably something that people don't know is in my in my, you know, my therapist would probably argue against this. Like, I do very much compartmentalize. So my day part of my job, I very much try, try, keyword try, to cut it off. And like when we're family, like I don't talk a ton about work. There may be like if I'm frustrated, there may be a like, hey, oh, this really pissed me off today, or hey, like this really awesome deal happened today. I just want to share it with you guys. And then we sort of move on from there. So when I'm home, we're like, hey, like fun, let's do you know, what's going on with school? What's you know? I very much try to make it about everybody else. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 21:44

All right, just a few more things that I want to talk about here before we move on to our next really hot topic, which is gonna be summer camp. Okay, so now that you are the president, do you have it all figured out? Do you know everything? Absolutely not. And that's been my like when you Looked when you were early in your career and you looked at the president of a company, did you think they had it all figured out?

SPEAKER_01 22:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:10

Always. And I, you know, I've I've talked to a few people in in leadership, executive roles, and I was like, you know, can I do this? And they're like, don't worry. We had no clue when we first started. Or we had, you know, there's you know, there's stepping stones to understanding the role and what your your place within that will be. So I think that for me is the most exciting part is the unknown almost. And it's a challenge, and I'm ready for it.

SPEAKER_00 22:43

Yeah, you are. Can you think back to like when we were working together in our early LC days and think to our leaders, even at the regional or can you if we asked them like hand to God, do you know everything? They they still on today would be like, absolutely, yes, no, I knew what I was doing. Yes, it's crazy. I and so at our company, like I think I'm I can't remember if I've told this story. I know I've told it to you, but I don't know if I've told it here. There are three of us that are in leadership of the company. There's three of us that equally lead the company, own the company, and we have a similar thought process, like our brains work similarly and we see things the same way. And so I am constantly like, hey, what if we are all wrong? What if we're all like we are just group thinking, yes, men in each other? Like somebody should be, we should get a type B in here somewhere to just check and balance us. And they are they are men and I am not, and they are always like, What do you mean? No, we're just all really on the same page, we're just all really aligned at our goals. They're like, Yeah, but what if we're all wrong? They don't think that way. So I think that that's good that we have that.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

No, I think I it's funny you say that. So we do these personality tests, and one day I had a person working with me on my team, and our one of our executives was like, you know, you and I are a lot alike. Why can't that other person be like us? And I was like, No, we do not want that person to be like us. Like, we are identical personality matches. I was like, we need somebody different than the two of us. Like, we need to know if there's something we're missing. Cause I'm like, this is scary how much alike we are.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

Yeah, it's a puzzle, and you can't have all the same shape pieces, or it just doesn't complete the picture.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

What I'm most proud of is I think back to whatever, I think it was 15 years ago, maybe more, 18 years ago, that we were in an office together, and it was a situation that was not supposed to work out positively. Three women, strong women, now all in you know big positions. We were definitely not supposed to make it. And and by damn, we weren't supposed to be best friends. And so, what I think is so cool is while we were probably competitive in nature, we never lost sight of what friendship was. And I think that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 25:08

Yeah, yeah. You guys were there when I found out I was pregnant in a target bathroom.

SPEAKER_01 25:13

And I went to your wedding after three months.

SPEAKER_00 25:15

I mean, it's amazing, and it was such a fun wedding.

SPEAKER_01 25:18

And here we are. Yeah, I don't know how I probably shouldn't admit it, but I don't know how I drove home that night. Uh oh. Yikes.

SPEAKER_00 25:25

Yikes. Okay, let's move on to a couple like the opposite end of the spectrum, which is summertime. Summertime is coming up. We are in May Sember, where not only are we trying to do end-of-year parties, awards ceremonies, sports banquets, but also teacher appreciation and they want to do like themed spirit days. Just kick me while I'm down.

SPEAKER_01 25:48

Yes. And not to mention like doctors' appointments and every the normal stuff that has to happen as you're and working.

SPEAKER_00 25:56

And can I just whine for one second? Yes. Like, so I work from home when I'm in town, and like this is my office, right? This is I'm running things, I'm on very important meetings. And every once in a while, my family goes through this cycle where they're like, we're just gonna come home at like three, you know. So, like three o'clock, the whole family descends, the dogs are freaking out. I'm on the phone with the mayor of some really important city trying to beg for money, and everybody is just going crazy, and they're like, hey, and you know, they do it on a Monday, like if they had an orthodontist appointment, or you know, my husband's gonna pick it up early or whatever. They do it on a Monday, and then they're like, Well, that was kind of nice. So then they just do it like the rest of the week. And I'm like, I have to like lose my get out of my office, you know.

SPEAKER_01 26:45

Why is it that when we're on a Zoom at home, they also think they need to talk so loudly, yeah, louder than they normally do when you're you know cooking dinner or hanging out around the house? Like it is next level.

SPEAKER_00 27:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's an emergency and they need mom.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Yes. So what are we gonna do this summer? What are you doing? How are you overcoming this? Like, I literally just realized that school, there's like two weeks left, and I have things on the schedule, but I'm like, oh shit, I probably should have like a driver or somebody to get them there. Or like, I probably need to block out my calendar, like all the things. What are you what are you doing?

SPEAKER_00 27:26

Yeah, we only have three days left. Ah, right now. You know, so this is a little bit the summer is starting to be a little bit different for us because my oldest is turning 14 this summer, so he's aging out of a lot of the camps. But I wanted to talk about like how we've set ourselves up in the past because we need we need summer camp as child care. This isn't just like an enrichment program for our children or for my kids. I really need this for full-time child care. And it wouldn't work to like hire a sitter and have the sitter come to the house because I work at home. So I need the children to be out of the house, and every camp is nine to three or nine to four, which are nobody's working hours. So, and they want to be with their friends that have got three kids that have three different interests and three different directions, and you want to make everybody happy. So, you know, we've for a long time we would do a Google sheet, a live Google sheet, and for I would do one for the family, and then I would do one for each kid, and then I would email it out to any of the other parents that I had a relationship with, or if there was like a team, you know, a class email, send that out so everybody could see what and add their own kids on to the same camps. We still do have like collections of text messages, like okay, who's going here and who's going here? So this year, my daughter, she's eight, so it is still she's in camp every single week for the entire summer. You know, we have to take out a home equity loan.

SPEAKER_01 28:54

Yeah, I was gonna say that's a pretty penny.

SPEAKER_00 28:56

Right, right. And we, you know, I booked them in January and I had to wait till midnight when the the camp registration opened, not to miss it. But that that is what we do. That's what we're doing.

SPEAKER_01 29:07

It's amazing to me that like we have a few camps that are nine to noon or four to seven, and I'm like, Yeah, we don't do those. What I so yes, I probably shouldn't, but I am I'm here. So then I'm like, okay, I gotta find somebody to pick up, and then I gotta find somebody to you know drop off and things like that. So this summer is gonna be interesting because she's she's finishing the fifth grade, so there's not a ton of opportunities, but there's enough, and so we have some holes, and so I'm wondering like how this is gonna go at home, or I am going to probably lean on the village to see if we can have like maybe a group childcare option or at a friend's house or what have you.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

Yeah, yeah. Like I'll take a day and you take Tuesday and somebody else takes Wednesday, and you know, we we could take a day. And it's easier if you have more kids because they'll sort of entertain each other. I do think if the kids are home, also I try to structure the day so we're not just playing on our iPads. Although, you know, that's a good plan. There are definitely times where I'm like, crap, my schedule just got bombarded with meetings. Kids, I really don't care what you do. Don't play with knives, leave me alone. And then they're on their Xbox or Yes.

SPEAKER_01 30:25

And by the way, parents, it's okay. Like, it is okay if you have to utilize the iPad, whether it's for videos or educational pieces. It's okay. There's been so much shaming in the iPad space with parents. I'm like, this is this is a part where we're surviving in as much as we can for the summertime. Now, I wouldn't suggest it all day, every day, but in a mo in a pinch moment, I think it's a it's a great thing.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

Yeah, give give ourselves some grace. We are all just doing the best we can. The best. The best. I so what I do is I have these Google Sheets, but I also, because I'm elderly, I have a printed calendar. I print the whole month out and I write in pencil, it says GDM, GDM, GDM on every single Monday. Those are the initials of my children. It says where they're going to camp, what the hours are, whether they need a lunch, and if I've paid for it. Because that's the other thing, too. It's like some you have to pay up in full. And sometimes you're like, crap, I booked that in January and I forgot they were pulling a thousand dollars out on May 15th. Yes. I think I just went through that. Yeah, it happens. Yeah, it does.

SPEAKER_01 31:37

I totally forgot what I've signed up for. Now I do color code mine on you know for work. So then when when my team's looking at the calendar, like, when are we supposed to schedule a meeting? I was like, just put it on there, we'll figure it out. But yeah, all color coded. Where are you going? The times. I haven't done the meal part, but that's pretty good. I'm gonna add that to my calendar.

SPEAKER_00 31:58

Yeah. And I would say I know that it is uh because I've done this to myself a hundred times. If you can, and I I know it's expensive, and I know when you're booking all these camps in January and Christmas has just happened, and you are feeling the financial strain so many times. I've been like, we just spent all this money on Christmas. I just I can't afford the before care and the aftercare and the shuttle and the but hot lunch. I just I can't afford it. But to the extent that you can either add it on later or pay for it closer to, or really kind of stretch yourself a little bit at the time, you won't regret it. You will regret, however, if you don't, and you're like, damn it, it's sold out, and now I can't do it, and I gotta pack the stupid ham sandwich again. So many summers, I've been like, why didn't I just agree to drop them off dirty?

SPEAKER_01 32:51

Yeah, I agree. Aye, aye, aye. So I know I've had a lot of parents in that teenage, and you're there, right? In that teenage age where they're like, what do we do? Like, they're not old enough to drive, they can stay by themselves, but what are they gonna do all day? You know, what do you do? Like, I can tell you, like with my older kids, because we had the little one, we did have, you know, help and they would drive them, like go to the movies and do things like that. But I mean, teenagers, they want to do their own thing. I don't this is you know, now kind of heading that direction. I don't know what I'm gonna do next.

SPEAKER_00 33:31

Well, I being me, my son is working this summer.

SPEAKER_01 33:36

Oh, what is he doing?

SPEAKER_00 33:37

So he is gonna be a camp counselor. He did it last summer, so that was summer between sixth and seventh grade. This year is the summer between seventh and eighth grade. He was 12 to 13 last summer, he's 13 to 14 this summer. But my 12-year-old just turned 12 years old, is also volunteering for a week this summer. So find either the local YMCA or the city camps wherever you live. A lot of times they'll they're set up to allow like high schoolers to come volunteer for the week for service hours. That's a pretty normal protocol. And just ask if they would consider a younger child, especially if your child's a little mature or they have younger siblings. So they're used to kind of having that responsibility for a younger person. They're not going to be doing it unsupervised. They're still gonna be adult around. But yeah, see if you can find a YMCA or a city camp or like their school puts on a camp for the younger kids where they will be volunteering. And they can knock out some service hours for either beta club or National Junior Honor Society or any you know, religious sacraments or things like that, they can knock out those service hours.

SPEAKER_01 34:45

That's a great idea. I didn't even think of that aspect. So that's a great one. I've heard of a few of the kids starting like a yard business or you know, you know, helping around the house, like a mother's helper or things like that. So I think the service hours is a great approach.

SPEAKER_00 35:02

Yeah. And I have boys and uh I don't know why boys don't babysit, right? Like why is that? I don't know. I would trust my oldest. I mean, he babysits obviously his younger brother and sister all the time, but I would like almost like leave for the weekend and trust that like he is he's a boy scout, he's you know, emergency preparedness trained, he can you know do all the things he can't he's not a good cook yet. Okay, so we might have to stick to like sandwiches, but I mean he's just so so responsible.

SPEAKER_01 35:32

I love that. We should put him together with my little my 11-year-old. There we go. She's got CPR, she's babysitter trained, she can cook mac and cheese. Yeah, perfect.

SPEAKER_00 35:44

All right, that's a dynamic duo. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 35:48

So anything more on summer camps before I push forward.

SPEAKER_00 35:55

I would just one more thing. Uh partners, husbands, your wife did not do this on purpose. She did not schedule camps to be from nine to three or nine to four. Yes, I know you have a meeting. She also has a meeting, and she's not doing this to persecute you. That's all I'll say.

SPEAKER_01 36:15

And I do wish that's like, well, why did you schedule this? Well, what what did you why did you not do this? And I'm like, hold on a second. Have you seen this matrix that I had to create in order to do it at this time on this day with this money? And they're like, This is such a lot of money. Like, no shit. What else are you gonna do with them? Please advise, please advise.

SPEAKER_00 36:39

Listen, Daddy Daycare. Anytime you want to take it over, I don't do this task because I love it. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 36:47

Waiting for their Brady Oxide. Yeah, I can't wait. On the edge of my sink. Yeah, for sure. So summer is coming, which means now we are in graduation season. Ooh, graduations of all ages, right? I'm getting ready to go to a pre-K graduation now. Is that is that a thing? Okay, hold on. We'll get there. We'll get there. So we got pre-K, you got a fifth grade graduation, you got an eighth grade graduation, you've got, you know, high school graduations, some college graduations already happening. Like, there's a graduation almost every year at my house right now. This is bananas. Where do we draw the line? And okay, so I have so many questions. Like, do you have a party? Do you host a dinner? How do you celebrate them so they feel celebrated? Do you buy gifts? What how much do you spend on? Like, I have got a gazillion questions because I am literally in it right now.

SPEAKER_00 37:44

So okay, so I come from a place where I don't have anybody graduating, and none of my friends have anybody graduating this year. So I can like have these really bold opinions and not offend anybody. So let me let me take this one. No, and no, fifth grade is not a graduation. Like, great, your kids going into middle school. Why don't you take them to dinner wherever they want to go? Outback, Burns, whatever it is. Why don't you just mom and dad take them to dinner or take them on a Target run? We're not throwing a party, we're not getting gifts. I mean, it's fifth grade graduation, it's pre-K graduation, it's first grade graduation. It's come on, come on.

SPEAKER_01 38:27

So when are the appropriate, what are the appropriate times to have a party?

SPEAKER_00 38:33

I think you can have a small gathering, maybe eighth grade to high school. Okay. And then you can throw a big party high school and college.

SPEAKER_01 38:42

We're we are getting ready to do a high school one. And I I shouldn't say reluctantly because I'm excited to host it, but it is going to be at my house. And we all know I'm in the you know, in the limbo of moving. So we'll see how this all turns out. But um, I'm gonna I am excited. She has chosen a theme, uh floral theme for things. Graduation, I am catering or I'm ordering trays in. So I'm going to try to take this dress off. I'm not cooking.

SPEAKER_00 39:12

And I can about decorations. Like, how do you throw a party at your house? Like a meaningfully sized party.

SPEAKER_01 39:19

Sure. So this time I'm probably going to bring somebody in to do the blue. I feel like you have a person.

SPEAKER_00 39:25

I feel like you have to like a case, a bartender guide. Like if it's not person.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

I do have a person that's going to help me with this one. Usually, like a blue narch and things like that, I'll do myself because I can. But right now, there's just probably too much happening. So I need to outsource. And I think I didn't hire, I'm not hiring a bartender for this one. It's going to be a self-serve. But balloon arch, floral arrangements, kind of things to make it look very, very girly. I'll get those big numbers, like 2026, and kind of do that whole thing. So I'm looking forward to that. I think we have eagle. I think this one is around 50-ish.

SPEAKER_00 40:06

You have to bring in like tables and chairs. I will probably do cocktail tables outside. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 40:13

Like you'll rent them. Yes, I'll rent cocktail tables with the with the coverings and things like that. But nothing, I mean, I'm not nothing too too crazy. Like I'm trying to keep it simple. No, just house music. Okay. Just house music. Which is no, not on this one. Because everybody wants me to have a going away party, and I'm saving the DJ for that.

SPEAKER_00 40:40

Oh, can I come for that? Am I in there? Of course, of course.

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Of course, of course. So, all right, we have these graduation parties. Like, I'm going to a few, let's say it's a high school graduation. What is the appropriate gift? Is it money? And if so, how much?

SPEAKER_00 40:58

I think it's money. I don't know how much. Ooh, uh, because it's a sliding scale, right?

SPEAKER_01 41:06

I think let's say this is a person I've known for, you know, eight to ten years. She's helped us around the house with the kids and lives in the neighborhood. 200 bucks. I have no idea. That's why I'm asking. I'm like, I have no clue. Part of me, have you seen these little books on Amazon where it's like a book about like when you go to college and you're like, oh, if you run out of money for gas and there's a gas gas gift card, or oh, you run out of money for makeup and there's an Ulta gift card. Like, I think I may do something like that. Just so it's a little bit more special, like a little bit more special. And but again, it's money, so I I mean I still have to have the same amounts. So I'm I think I might do that. I love that.

SPEAKER_00 41:56

I love that idea. But I mean, I also I mean, I just think cash is cash is king. Cash is king. Everybody appreets appreciates cash. And I feel like that's even for birthdays at a certain age. Like like my daughter, eight eight-year-old girls. Yes, they love to unwrap presents, and it could be anything from Claire's, doesn't matter if she already has it or not, just get whatever, whatever. Get the buy one, get 33 free at Claire's, and she'll love it, or anything that squishes, Nitos, whatever. Oh my god. Um, but the boy, I mean, it's hard for me to even get my boy's gifts. I know. Also, okay, so here's the thing, and I I put this out on the Facebook mom's group, but I'll ask it here too, because he doesn't listen to podcasts. We are getting my son a trip for his birthday this year. That's like a fishy trip. He loves a fish, and we're going like a one-on-one, just me and my husband and our son. But like, I still want him to open something on his actual birthday. The trip isn't until September. Like, how do I present this trip?

SPEAKER_01 43:00

Oh my gosh. I have it. So I have an idea. Okay. So what if you did either like a box stack or a basket of all the things he'll need for the trip? So, like a bathing suit, sunscreen, very like cool sunglasses. Like, are there things that he needs for the trip that you can kind of create this stack and then have almost like a trick box at the end where he opens up like what the gift is, like what the trip is. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 43:28

All right. That's a great idea. Like maybe some balloons that pop up and have a picture. Yeah. Oh, okay. I like it. I mean, it sounds like a lot of work for me. Can I outsource that?

SPEAKER_01 43:39

Yes, of course. I'm happy to help. I love themed gifts. Like, I am such a themed gift giver. My mom started this years ago. And so, like, she does get us trips for Christmas each year. And so, with that, she does like we did a Disney cruise once. And so, she got us all beach bags with towels inside. We all had special sunshines. Sunglasses, like monogram stuff. Like it was very cool.

SPEAKER_00 44:04

Yeah. You know what he wants? What? He wants three things that he's asked for for every birthday and Christmas for the last three years. He wants an e-bike, an e-scooter, and meta glasses.

SPEAKER_01 44:16

Metaglasses might be cool for the trip.

SPEAKER_00 44:19

I am not, I can't buy him a trip and meta glasses. It's just a birthday. Okay.

unknown 44:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:27

I mean, I mean, meta glasses are hundreds of dollars. The trip is thousands of come on. I I understand, but they are super cool, especially for fishing. For sure. And you know what? We actually pay him for his when he volunteers, we will pay him like a sub small salary because that's one of the only ways he can earn money, kind of at this age. So he could save up. Last year he saved up all summer. He bought himself a new bat. This year he can save up and buy himself meta glasses if he wants.

SPEAKER_01 44:55

Okay, fair enough. I am against the e-bike and the e-scooter. So I'm not there. I there's like a there's a neighborhood pack, like nobody buying e-bike for your kid.

SPEAKER_00 45:05

Yeah. I see his friends. Like, we'll go to the grocery store and I'll see his friends like flying diagonally across the parking lot in their e-scooters. So dangerous on. I'm like, you're you're literally going to die. You're gonna break your parents' heart.

SPEAKER_01 45:18

Is it? It must not be true that you have to have you be 15 or 16 to ride one of those. I guess not.

SPEAKER_00 45:24

I would I don't think so. And they, I mean, they vacillate, they don't know if they're supposed to ride in the street or the sidewalk or and they never wear a helmet. And you know, we live in a very, very high vehicular traffic area. In fact, Jason got a car accident this week. Did I tell you that? What is he okay? He's okay. He was on the the crosstown, so it's like a a toll for anybody who's listening that's not familiar, it's a it's a toll expressway, it's like it's a freeway. And it was just stop and go traffic because it was rush hour and he was stopped. And the car behind him, which was like a landscaping truck with a trailer, wasn't paying attention and just plowed into the back of him, and then and then like veered, like the guy hit him so hard that his entire tire flew off the car and then hit into another guy. So he the guy ended up hitting two guys, but he's okay. So yeah, his car has been towed, and he they gave him a rental, and it's like this like tiny little crossover Buick that's like a little roller skate.

SPEAKER_01 46:25

It's perfect.

SPEAKER_00 46:26

I'm like, this is so hot.

SPEAKER_01 46:28

Oh my gosh. Oh, well, I'm glad he's okay.

SPEAKER_00 46:32

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

Okay, so let's kind of talk about the weekend review. What else has been happening in your household?

SPEAKER_00 46:41

The all the things that we've talked about: the car accident, we had the sports bake, we've got an awards assembly. My family keeps coming home and interrupting, and then we're leaving on Sunday for Vegas. And then I guess on a Tuesday at midnight from this work trip to Vegas, so different time zone, different climate, a ton of meetings, land at midnight on a Tuesday, and then fly out for our family vacation at like noon on Wednesday. So my biggest concern right now, because we don't, we'll be gone for like 12 days. We do not, and with no washer and dryer. It's the longest trip we've ever taken. Like I do laundry every day. So I don't we don't have enough clothes for this. I my biggest concern right now is that my husband is gonna have to wash everybody's underwear while we're gone because we don't have enough clothes for I've packed everybody, I packed the kids and I, with the exception of underwear.

SPEAKER_01 47:41

So he's gotta wash everybody's underwear before I might make an emergency order on Amazon today. I know, I know. Wow. So this morning, I actually went to the doctor before this call. So just say I'm changing my my primary retired, so I had to find a new primary. So it's a friend of mine, and so she got me in early this morning. And it was really funny. We started talking a lot about hormones and the peptides again. It keeps creeping back into my life on the daily right now. I had no idea how many people were doing it, I had no idea how popular it was with men. And she's giving, I'm getting a panel done. I have to go next week when I'm back and I'm fasting. And I'm gonna go get it all checked and see what's going on and see what other peptides I need.

SPEAKER_00 48:31

Yeah, I will say that I am grateful in the sense that I didn't have to go through, I feel like a lot of our friends in this age group are going through this thing where they're pretty sure they're they're experiencing these different symptoms, right? And they're pretty sure it's perimenopause because we're at the perimetopause age and everything is perimetopause. But you start to ask yourself, is that perimenopause or am I just dehydrated? Am I not sleepy? Is this a symptom? Is that an excuse? And there's sort of this extra brain activity of the wondering. And I didn't have that because I did have the full hysterectomy. So I knew it was menopause. And I have done all the hormones. I do do all the hormones, but I've tried the creams, the pellets, the inserts, I've tried all of that. So if you have any questions, let me know. I do think we should do a whole episode on menopause and perimetapause and what you can do to make sure that you're not succumbing or or you know, or letting it go because you don't have to do hormones. I am a huge, huge believer in hormones, but you don't have to. But I have tried them all. I do know some pros and cons and what works.

SPEAKER_01 49:40

So we'll definitely talk about that. Because I told her today, she's like, Do you feel like you're parametaposal? Like, and I'm like, no, but I feel amazing. Like, I actually feel better than I really did 10 years ago. So I don't know. I feel great. I'm not, I mean, I just I don't know. I know they say you should have probably eight hours of sleep. I don't know that that really fits into my lifestyle all the time, but I operate very well on seven hours of sleep.

SPEAKER_00 50:06

So yep, I'm good. I agree. Yeah, I feel good, I feel optimal. Never giving up. No, never, never.

SPEAKER_01 50:18

I bought new shoes just so I wouldn't wear tennis shoes in Vegas.

SPEAKER_00 50:22

Yes, I'm so proud of you. How is the hunt for closing clothing going? Did you get your Nordstrom order?

SPEAKER_01 50:29

So, yes, I well, half of it. I gotta return to but I gotta return shoes that haven't shown up because they're not gonna show up in time. But yeah, I think I'm feeling good about some new outfits that I bought. I went to a little boutique in Lakeland earlier this week and got a few things there, which I'm excited for you to see. One of the shirts, it is so cute. Okay, and then uh picked up a dress at Nordstrom's and I'm gonna wing it. I think I have a few, you know, vintage pieces in my closet I can pull out and it'll be good.

SPEAKER_00 51:00

Yeah, I got these new like cropped trouser style pants from Aritzia, and I I love them. I usually like like if I buy it for a work trip, I'm like, oh, it's like back to your days when you were a kid. You're like, I can't wear it till it comes. I know, but these pants I've worn them like three times. I love them. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 51:18

No, mine also has a tag sitting in the bag. I need to get it all out today.

SPEAKER_00 51:21

Oh, mine still has the tag on it, but I've worn it with the tag.

SPEAKER_01 51:24

I wear everything with the tag. Like my jacket.

SPEAKER_00 51:27

What do you so I was looking for? I told you, like a monochromatic vest suit. Yes, but I couldn't find any that I liked, both the top and the bottom, that were flattering. That fit so can I wear like it's like a coffee colored vest with black pants? Like, can it be two-tone or does it have to be monochrome? Monochrome.

SPEAKER_01 51:48

No, I think you can do two-tone. I I mean, I think it's like wearing a shirt and pants, right? Like, I think you can go two-tone. I don't think it has to be the same color. Okay, all right.

SPEAKER_00 51:59

Do it, just set a new trend. Okay, I never wear pants to the show. I never, but I am this year. I get two dresses this time.

SPEAKER_01 52:10

So, but I do get to do a video interview there this year, which I'm excited about. So, this has been a lot, this has been good practice.

SPEAKER_00 52:19

Oh, good, good.

SPEAKER_01 52:20

I do feel like we should do some fun live interviews for us for for our shows, for our clips, for we'll we'll share pictures, videos, and uh things together next week. So stay tuned.

SPEAKER_00 52:33

Awesome. All right, well, thanks for coming, guys. Remember, you can always find us at Double Booked Official Podcast on all of the social media, as well as listen to this podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts, Apple, Spotify, or YouTube. And thanks again for coming.