Carrie: 0:08

Hey, I'm Carrie.

Kristine: 0:09

And I'm Kristine.

Carrie: 0:10

And we are best friends.

Kristine: 0:11

Welcome to two Babes Podcast. This is episode three, three. Oh my gosh, we are really getting into it.

Carrie: 0:18

We are Yeah, so this week we're, talking about something we get asked a lot and that is work-life balance. Not even just work and life, but just all of it.

Kristine: 0:28

How we do it all basically. Cuz there's a lot that goes on in our lives between work and just extra activities. And friendship and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

Carrie: 0:38

Yeah. So many blah, blah, blah. So many, blah, blah, blah. So that's what we're talking about today. Yeah, it's gonna be a good episode.

Kristine: 0:45

We're gonna cover a lot, so let's do it.

Carrie: 0:47

Can't wait.

Kristine: 0:47

Okay. So we're gonna kick it off with, uh, who we are so you actually know who you're listening to. I'm Kristine.

Carrie: 0:53

I'm Carrie.

Kristine: 0:54

And I hope you can, uh, figure out whose voice is who's, cuz apparently we sound alike.

Carrie: 0:58

Apparently

Kristine: 0:59

says our editing, software. It's confused.

Carrie: 1:01

I, I honestly think we sound quite different, but you know what, what do I know?

Kristine: 1:05

I think we sound different too. Mm-hmm. I feel like I'm so mousey, like I'm so high pitched

Carrie: 1:10

Yeah.

Kristine: 1:11

And you're like different. Like it's just, I don't know, but apparently we sound the same. So good luck.

Carrie: 1:16

Yeah. So, uh, how was your weekend?

Kristine: 1:18

It was really, it was good. I was with you. Uh, it was really good.

Carrie: 1:23

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 1:23

I, what did I do Friday? What was Friday?

Carrie: 1:25

That was our day off.

Kristine: 1:27

We did have Friday off. Oh yeah. I did a lot of house things. Um, if you don't know, Carrie knows, because her husband is building it. we're building a new house, so we did some house things. Um, and then I really don't remember what else I did Friday, but Saturday I ran, I had a nice long run, 15 kilometers and then I

Carrie: 1:47

Sounds terrible.

Kristine: 1:49

Yeah, it can be. Yeah, it definitely can be.

Carrie: 1:52

I say that every time.

Kristine: 1:52

It was a good one. I felt, uh, I felt strong the whole time.

Carrie: 1:55

That's nice.

Kristine: 1:56

Um, I had a lot of power And then I was at your house and we pooled all day and we had pool

Carrie: 2:00

all day Saturday

Kristine: 2:01

drinky poos.

Carrie: 2:02

Couple,

Kristine: 2:03

I mean, quite a few drinky pooh's.

Carrie: 2:05

We did. We pretty much, we went from noon till 10 o'clock, I think. You home?

Kristine: 2:09

I think. Yeah. Yeah.

Carrie: 2:11

Late for me.

Kristine: 2:12

I didn't tell you what Scarlett and I did on the way home, so I had my bike.

Carrie: 2:15

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 2:15

Um, and Scarlett was like, can I ride your bike? And I was like, yeah, okay, hop on. So, but obviously she's too tiny to pedal it. So she hopped on and she was standing and pedaling and we were laughing so hard. I mean like belly hurt laughing.

Carrie: 2:28

Yeah.

Kristine: 2:28

The whole way people, there was still a lot of people outside cuz it was gorgeous. So people were like laughing and clapping and saying things out of their windows as they were driving past. It was so funny.

Carrie: 2:37

That is funny.

Kristine: 2:38

that was a core memory. That was for sure.

Carrie: 2:40

I love that.

Kristine: 2:41

And uh, Sunday I just kind of hung out. We did a lot of practicing for gymnastics. Nice, nice. And uh, I did a little bit of work on the weekend on Sunday. Yeah. Relaxed.

Carrie: 2:51

That's nice.

Kristine: 2:52

Had a shower.

Carrie: 2:53

That is really nice.

Kristine: 2:53

Yeah. Yeah. Nice time. What about you?

Carrie: 2:57

Well, Friday I did all my laundry.

Kristine: 2:59

Yes.

Carrie: 3:00

Just got my house back to Lake. How I like it. I really like to be organized. I'm so, I like to make my bed every morning. I like to just be in a routine and I've been very out of my routine. So that was big for me, just getting all that done. And then, um, that was it for Friday. Friday. I don't, I don't know what else I did. I can't remember. Yeah, it's been a while. Two, two days.

Kristine: 3:21

I know.

Carrie: 3:22

And then, Saturday you guys were over and Sunday I just finished up everything I needed to get done for the week. I meal prepped for the week. I got all my workout stuff ready. I went for a nice walk before the storm came. It was just good, just chill.

Kristine: 3:35

And there was quite a storm.

Carrie: 3:37

There was, yeah. Sandstorm. Yeah.

Kristine: 3:38

Sounds like a good weekend.

Carrie: 3:39

Yeah. And then I just, uh, I read my book.

Kristine: 3:43

What are you reading right now?

Carrie: 3:44

Okay. So I can't wait to tell you about it. So, It's a series and I read the first book, the Novella that goes before it. So it's called that One Night by Emily Wrath. I've been really into sports romances lately, so I wanted to start another one. I was reading some thrillers and I just needed a, I needed a break with just stuff that I didn't really have to think about.

Kristine: 4:07

Mm-hmm.

Carrie: 4:07

So I started reading that one night and I finish it cause it's just a little novella. And then the second book is called, Pucking around.

Kristine: 4:15

Oh yeah.

Carrie: 4:16

Puck pucking around. Does that sound right? And uh,

Kristine: 4:18

I think I saw that on your, Kindle this morning.

Carrie: 4:20

yeah. Pucking around. Yeah. So it's about a hockey team and I'm just really excited. It's, uh, it's a Why choose romance? So there's three guys and one lady.

Kristine: 4:31

Yes.

Carrie: 4:32

Yeah. So I'm very excited and yeah.

Kristine: 4:35

I love books That are all my fantasies.

Carrie: 4:37

Yeah. Yeah.

Kristine: 4:38

And then I, you can live through it.

Carrie: 4:40

Yeah. So I'm excited. I just, I'm only a couple chapters in. I forced myself to stop reading last night, which was very difficult. But yeah, so Pucking Around by Emily Wrath. I will keep you hosted on how it is.

Kristine: 4:51

Okay, good.

Carrie: 4:51

But then novella was good. So good. I love sports romances as well.

Kristine: 4:56

Yeah. I just love romances.

Carrie: 4:57

Yeah, me too. I just, sports, I don't know. Just it's been, I've just been enjoying the sports.

Kristine: 5:02

Good, good, Sports fan.

Carrie: 5:04

Yeah.

Kristine: 5:04

Go sports. Woo.

Carrie: 5:06

And, um, I also, I will see how I feel about this. I really prefer a series that have the same characters in every book. Like it follows their romance for like two or three books. Yeah. I prefer that. This one, I think it switches characters each book and it's fine. But my preference is the same couple for the whole series. But,

Kristine: 5:26

yeah. Well, that sounds good.

Carrie: 5:27

Yeah.

Kristine: 5:28

you let me know how it goes.

Carrie: 5:29

I will You're not reading anything now?

Kristine: 5:30

I'm not reading anything right now.

Carrie: 5:31

Okay.

Kristine: 5:31

I still have yet to choose a book, but I am very much wrapped up in, a show, a television show.

Carrie: 5:37

Oh, television.

Kristine: 5:37

I am watching Firefly Lane.

Carrie: 5:39

Yeah. Right.

Kristine: 5:40

And I am so obsessed with it.

Carrie: 5:42

Yeah.

Kristine: 5:43

I, if you have a best friend, I think it is something that you need to watch. Their friendship is so beautiful and there's so many things that remind me of us.

Carrie: 5:54

Yeah.

Kristine: 5:54

In how they talk to each other in their, Just their interactions and the things that they go through.

Carrie: 5:59

Yeah.

Kristine: 6:00

There's a lot of us, there's a lot of different things that they go through that um, God forbid it ever happens.

Carrie: 6:05

Yeah. No. we have a pact.

Kristine: 6:07

Yeah, I know. we do have a pact.

Carrie: 6:08

Yeah.

Kristine: 6:08

I recommend a pact if you, have a best friend. it's a no dying pact, but anyway,

Carrie: 6:14

there's no death pact oh.

Kristine: 6:16

I feel like if you have one of those, you can't break it.

Carrie: 6:19

No.

Kristine: 6:19

So, but anyway, so the show is just so, so beautiful and I'm so in love with how they, how I guess how it's produced. It's just done well.

Carrie: 6:29

That's good.

Kristine: 6:30

Like the flashbacks are perfect. their wardrobes are on point. The acting is delicious. I, I'm on the last episode right now and I need to go home. Like I need to go home.

Carrie: 6:41

That's fair. That's fair. And it's Katherine Heigel for me.

Kristine: 6:44

I know, I know. You don't like her.

Carrie: 6:45

And she's not my fave.

Kristine: 6:46

And like, I totally understand it and I accept it. But those, I kind of remove her.

Carrie: 6:51

Yeah.

Kristine: 6:51

Away. She does a really good job of being this completely different person for me. Yeah. In the show, I just, they're a blonde and a brunette girlfriend. Like

Carrie: 6:59

Yeah, I know. I know.

Kristine: 7:01

There's a lot of similarities here. I know, and those. The way that they go through life together is exactly how we do it.

Carrie: 7:07

Yeah. I like that.

Kristine: 7:08

There's no bullshit.

Carrie: 7:09

Yeah.

Kristine: 7:09

Which I really like. Yeah. It's good. Is you're very much one character and I'm very much the other one.

Carrie: 7:15

Yeah. I like that. like that a lot.

Kristine: 7:16

If you can remove Katherine Heigle from it. Yeah. I recommend it.

Carrie: 7:19

I'm trying to take a hiatus from TV right now. It's just, yeah. It's too much. Sitting, sitting and watching TV is just

Kristine: 7:26

mm-hmm.

Carrie: 7:27

You know. It is a book is It is. It's from a book.

Kristine: 7:29

Oh, shit. Well, I'm gonna freaking read it. Are you sure Yeah, it is.

Carrie: 7:33

I don't know. Let me Google it. Yeah, I'm googling it while we're talking.

Kristine: 7:36

Okay, good. But yeah, it's really, really good. If you haven't watched it, highly recommend it. If it's a book, go read it. Um, I'm gonna read it too, I guess, um, So that's currently what I'm up to these

Carrie: 7:44

Yeah.

Kristine: 7:45

Days.

Carrie: 7:45

It is a book. Yeah.

Kristine: 7:46

Okay. Well, I'll read it.

Carrie: 7:47

Well, some of the moments in Firefly Lane were inspired by Hannah's real life. The series main characters are not entirely based on any real people. However, both are kind of sorta inspired by the author herself.

Kristine: 7:58

Okay. Well I'll find out.

Carrie: 8:00

Apparently it's quite different from the book, from what I read.

Kristine: 8:02

Okay.

Carrie: 8:02

But, um, not just now, but like previously, but yeah, we'll see.

Kristine: 8:06

Okay. I'll give it a shot.

Carrie: 8:07

Okay. Alright.

Kristine: 8:08

so that's what's I'm up to these days. Okay. Anything else? You got anything else going on?

Carrie: 8:13

No.

Kristine: 8:14

You have any other

Carrie: 8:14

I wish I could say I did.

Kristine: 8:15

I know. it's kind of nice to have a little bit of a break right now.

Carrie: 8:18

I want nothing to

Kristine: 8:19

Me too,

Carrie: 8:19

and this, this flows really nicely into the topic of this podcast is this work-life balance that will never be achieved, but how we manage it and try to keep ourselves sane.

Kristine: 8:32

Yeah, Keeping ourselves sane is very important and

Carrie: 8:35

it is

Kristine: 8:35

how many things we've got going on. Let's kind of talk about what we have going on. So we obviously have Lavender and Lace we have that, which is

Carrie: 8:42

our business.

Kristine: 8:43

99% of our lives

Carrie: 8:45

all consuming. Very consuming.

Kristine: 8:46

And then we have our families,

Carrie: 8:47

we do,

Kristine: 8:48

we have our children, which obviously is huge. Um, that takes up a lot of time.

Carrie: 8:54

And we each only have one.

Kristine: 8:55

Yes.

Carrie: 8:56

That helps.

Kristine: 8:56

It does help. Um, thank God we have our husbands that help us with

Carrie: 8:59

mm-hmm.

Kristine: 9:00

Life and not help us. They just do life. and then, what else? And then now we have the podcast, and then we have our extra,

Carrie: 9:07

our lives,

Kristine: 9:07

our extracurriculars.

Carrie: 9:09

Yeah.

Kristine: 9:10

Like yougym, I run, you concert, I concert, we have like other things, our interest

Carrie: 9:15

and then we wanna hang out and not. Be working.

Kristine: 9:18

Yes. That's huge.

Carrie: 9:19

Which took us a really long time to figure out. I found it. It's just in this last year,

Kristine: 9:23

I agree.

Carrie: 9:23

You and I have figured out how to spend time together and not talk about work.

Kristine: 9:27

Yeah. I don't wanna talk about work.

Carrie: 9:28

No.

Kristine: 9:29

it's hard.

Carrie: 9:29

I think it took us a really long time to get there.

Kristine: 9:32

Yeah. So moral of the story is, there is no, there's no balance. It's just making, trying to make space for everything. And sometimes it doesn't work.

Carrie: 9:42

Yeah. And like in different seasons of your life, some things are a bigger priority and we just go through that.

Kristine: 9:49

What's your biggest change of season? What's, right now, what's the biggest thing that you've got going on that you just. Wanna spend time on

Carrie: 9:58

myself, probably, I'd say like 2022 was the year of not us.

Kristine: 10:04

You can see it in our photos, you guys.

Carrie: 10:06

Yeah. Like I just didn't feel like my best self and physical appearance aside inside. I just felt so bad.

Kristine: 10:13

Mm-hmm.

Carrie: 10:14

And I was constantly having anxiety attacks at work. And so were you. And like, you know, there was just so, so much that we put on our shoulders and I just didn't feel like my best self because I wasn't taking care of just me. Mm-hmm. Yep. And that was a big issue. For both of us. And it, it showed physically, obviously, but it also just, I lost my luster for working here. For owning this business because I didn't feel great and it just, it, yeah. The end of last year was hard.

Kristine: 10:46

Yeah. I, and I'm gonna go back to, I said that you can really see it in our photos. Mm-hmm. You truly can. Um, like for myself specifically, I had, and it was. Commented on, on a lot, Um, there I had a big weight gain. Mm-hmm. Um, I, my acne was back. Mm-hmm. I had, um, I just,

Carrie: 11:03

bags

Kristine: 11:04

I looked sad.

Carrie: 11:05

We looked, Um, we had no life.

Kristine: 11:07

Yeah. And then I I think it was November where I think, I don't even know if we had a conversation about it or what, but we both kind of like took a step back and looked Looked at this past year and decided that. There was gonna be a change, and I don't think we ever said it out loud.

Carrie: 11:24

No.

Kristine: 11:24

But we both started taking care of ourselves a little bit more.

Carrie: 11:27

Yeah.

Kristine: 11:27

Um, I e like going to the gym or running or um

Carrie: 11:31

mm-hmm.

Kristine: 11:31

Making sure we had an appointment for a massage here and there.

Carrie: 11:34

Yeah.

Kristine: 11:35

And, uh, just kind of looking back at that year. And deciding what was more important.

Carrie: 11:40

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 11:40

And as obviously our business is important, but if we aren't okay,

Carrie: 11:45

yes. Yeah.

Kristine: 11:46

Then we will not have a business.

Carrie: 11:47

No. It for me, actually, I know because I have it in my calendar, but it was September long weekend last year. I remember there was like this photo of me and I was like, who is like, who is that? I didn't even recognize myself. It was actually the week before. Um, this is very vulnerable and I'm gonna get very vulnerable. My husband took a video of us in Vegas and he sent it to the group. And I was like, you need to unsend that

Kristine: 12:14

us?

Carrie: 12:14

Yes. You and me. And I was like, you need to unsend that. Can you unsend that? And he's like, N no, you can't do that, that you couldn't do that. At that point I was like, never look at that video again. Like, it's so, it, I just,

Kristine: 12:25

I I need to know which one it is.

Carrie: 12:26

Oh, I'll show it to you.

Kristine: 12:27

Okay.

Carrie: 12:28

And I was like, I can never look like that. Like, not that I looked bad, I just felt like I wasn't me.

Kristine: 12:33

Yeah.

Carrie: 12:33

I felt like I was looking at somebody. Like that wasn't myself. Mm-hmm. And I was like, Nope. I just looked tired. I looked run down, I looked gross. And I just, it wasn't, it wasn't necessarily because I had gained some weight, I just felt yucky. And I knew how yucky I felt. And so I said, Okay next weekend, September long weekend, enjoy it. And then it's like, let's start taking care. Better care of ourself. I started walking every day. Mm-hmm. I just, I didn't even start working out in the gym yet. I was just going on those walks by myself for an hour and just like listening to music or listening to a book, and I'm like, this is me. This is my time.

Kristine: 13:10

Yep. Alone time is so important.

Carrie: 13:13

So important.

Kristine: 13:13

So important. not that I don't wanna spend my time with you, cause I do, I choose to do that.

Carrie: 13:17

Yeah.

Kristine: 13:17

But sometimes they just need it.

Carrie: 13:19

Absolutely. That's why I spend an hour in the shower. Yeah. It's, it's the one thing I love about us so much. Sometimes Kristine's like, do you wanna come over for a bit? And watch something. I'm like, Nope, I don't want, and she's like, okay. Like, I just, I just wanna sit by myself. I sometimes I just don't want to.

Kristine: 13:32

No. And that is, and that's okay.

Carrie: 13:33

Yeah.

Kristine: 13:34

And I accept that you don't want to, cuz sometimes I don't want to. You know, like I, I want to just sit in my shower and read my book. And yes, I sit in my shower for an hour and

Carrie: 13:43

whatever.

Kristine: 13:44

That's fine.

Carrie: 13:45

Whatever works for you.

Kristine: 13:46

Thank you. Thank you. It does work for me.

Carrie: 13:48

And like I was, when we were planning this episode and talking about things, I said, boundaries are so unbelievably important. And I know how hard it is. And everyone, if you're listening, you're like, ugh. It's, it's easier said than done. It's actually not. It's, it's so easy to do once you start doing it and you realize how freeing it is. I'm very good with boundaries and I know it's something that you're still actively working on. But I don't have that guilt. I don't, I just don't. I owe some of that to Nick because my husband is very, like, he. Prides himself on doing what makes him happy and not caring about other people. And while it is important to make other people happy, not at your own expense. And I'm very good at just being like, Nope, I don't wanna go. No, I can't do that for you today. Like, it'll start to, it just changes your whole life when you're easy, easily able to say no. Yeah.

Kristine: 14:40

I agree so much with that.

Carrie: 14:42

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 14:42

Sometimes I just don't want to, and sometimes I will give in mm-hmm. And say yes. And then I'm just miserable. And then I'm like, why did you do that? Why I just stay at home. Mm-hmm. Relax. if you don't wanna go to whatever, don't sit at home.

Carrie: 14:58

And there's there's some things of course, you obviously have to do

Kristine: 15:01

of course.

Carrie: 15:01

But there's, there's actually nothing you have to do. I remember there was one summer you, I felt like you had something every Saturday.

Kristine: 15:09

I hated it.

Carrie: 15:10

You did. And that's not like that sucks.

Kristine: 15:13

I don't, I wanna do what I wanna do and I'm not saying yes anymore if I truly, madly, deeply do not want to do that. Mm-hmm. Um, I think that was one of my biggest gains, I think this year.

Carrie: 15:26

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 15:27

Even last year. Yes, too.

Carrie: 15:28

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 15:28

I work, I was working on it, but this year I would say I've done it more.

Carrie: 15:31

Absolutely.

Kristine: 15:32

And I, it pays off. Um, I I don't, I like what I like and I don't

Carrie: 15:37

Yeah.

Kristine: 15:37

what I don't, Don't come at me if I don't want to.

Carrie: 15:40

And that's the nice thing about like on the weekends we just talked about how we were hanging out or whatever. It's never any pressure. Like there's no obligation to talk to each other. There's no obligation to entertain each other. We're just there. We're just existing in each other's presence. And it's fun.

Kristine: 15:55

We coexist,

Carrie: 15:55

we do.

Kristine: 15:56

One of my favorite things, this was last year, summer. Um, we were over at your house and, uh, you went and had a bath while we were over and I went and sat on the loungers outside And I read my book. And the boys were doing whatever, the chatting and the girls were off doing something. I think Scarlett was on our iPad and Brooke was somewhere else. And that was it Just,

Carrie: 16:20

we were just coexisting,

Kristine: 16:21

and then when we were ready, we all kind of just trickled back together.

Carrie: 16:25

Yeah.

Kristine: 16:26

And that's nice.

Carrie: 16:27

I went and had a bath.

Kristine: 16:28

Yeah. And we don't have, if we don't, the obligation isn't there. And that's what I like. Yeah.

Carrie: 16:33

Because we're just coexisting in my house Yeah. At that time.

Kristine: 16:38

And that's nice for us.

Carrie: 16:39

Yeah.

Kristine: 16:39

I hope to, I hope that somebody, I hope you guys all

Carrie: 16:43

have that,

Kristine: 16:44

have that with It's

Carrie: 16:45

very nice

Kristine: 16:45

with somebody.

Carrie: 16:46

It is so cool.

Kristine: 16:47

Not even, it doesn't have to be a best friend, but I hope you have that person, like a spouse or a relative or something that you could just coexist and be you and not feel obligated. and just be there.

Carrie: 17:00

It's so nice. It's one of those things that I just value so much. Like if we were to hang out and we just didn't wanna talk, we would just sit there.

Kristine: 17:07

Oh yeah. Sometimes in the car you get in cuz I drive to work 99% of the time you get in the car and like sometimes you just pick up your phone and do whatever you do on your phone. And I don't even say a word, no wet talk to we to spend all day together. We do. We don't need need to talk a hundred percent of the time. We do.

Carrie: 17:23

We do. I'm, yeah, we don't have to

Kristine: 17:26

The podcast. but we don't have to.

Carrie: 17:28

No, No. So I think, I think boundaries are so important.

Kristine: 17:33

Yeah. Back to that.

Carrie: 17:34

Well, and it all kind of flows into each other cuz we have that boundary set. Mm-hmm. Like sometimes I will just say no or I'll be like, well we can hang out but I don't wanna talk to you.

Kristine: 17:43

Yeah. There's a couple times Carrie will invite me over for dinner, like the guys are off doing something like a hockey game or something. We'll have dinner and we'll just bring our books.

Carrie: 17:53

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 17:53

And the girls will go play and we'll sit on the couch and read.

Carrie: 17:56

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 17:56

And.

Carrie: 17:56

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 17:57

It's like I live there, but I don't,

Carrie: 17:58

boundaries just make them in your life. That's, that's step one. I think

Kristine: 18:03

sticking to it too is hard.

Carrie: 18:05

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 18:05

It's hard, but once you do it a few times, it is, it feels so good.

Carrie: 18:10

That's what I mean, like,

Kristine: 18:11

free is a bird.

Carrie: 18:11

I get that. It's easier said than done, but once you do it, it's

Kristine: 18:15

just say no.

Carrie: 18:16

Just say no. Yeah. And so that's, that's been our biggest change and our biggest step forward, I think, is just learning how to say no. Yeah. And I,

Kristine: 18:24

it helps, you know. I do. It does. And then, I mean, the other things in our life is we take Fridays off now. And I know not everyone has that luxury. I do understand that. But being able to just have a day where you can get whatever you need to done or don't do anything. Yep. And you and I still, I mean, I'm still very tuned into what's happening at work when I'm not here, but we have that luxury now that we have an amazing, um, staff that we don't have to Yep. Sometimes I will text Carrie and be like, Hey, what the heck happened today? Because like, I didn't bother looking at my phone.

Carrie: 19:04

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 19:04

Or I, I needed a, a day. Yeah. Not just the weekend, but I needed a, a spare day Yeah. Just to shut it off. And I'm like, can you, what happened today? Are we, like, we're keeping the lights on today or what? And uh, and I think that is one of the most

Carrie: 19:18

mm-hmm.

Kristine: 19:19

Special things that we have about our business. It is so nice that we can

Carrie: 19:23

mm-hmm.

Kristine: 19:24

Afford to do that. And it is good because we have been in business for almost eight years now. Mm-hmm. And eight years, every single

Carrie: 19:31

24

Kristine: 19:32

day. That is a huge undertaking and we didn't expect this.

Carrie: 19:37

No.

Kristine: 19:38

So to have that opportunity to shut it off, shut your notifications off.

Carrie: 19:44

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 19:44

For a day is one of the most beautiful boundaries we've ever had.

Carrie: 19:48

On Friday, I put my phone on the charger and I just walked away and I just never looked at it again for like two hours.

Kristine: 19:53

And how did that feel like?

Carrie: 19:55

So good. So good. But at the end I was like, wow, I wonder what happened. Nothing, newsflash, nothing.

Kristine: 20:00

And if something does happen, we will know about it.

Carrie: 20:03

But you know what's amazing here? We don't save lives.

Kristine: 20:06

No.

Carrie: 20:06

Like, we're not here saving lives.

Kristine: 20:08

No.

Carrie: 20:08

Like we sell clothes and it's important and I love it, but we're not, you know, we don't handle organ's downstairs. We're not,

Kristine: 20:16

if we did,

Carrie: 20:17

that would get weird.

Kristine: 20:17

Should run.

Carrie: 20:18

Yeah. So like, we're not saving lives here. And you have to remember that. I think sometimes it's very important

Kristine: 20:25

and yeah. Things that do go awry obviously is very important. But yeah, thinking you said that to me one day.

Carrie: 20:32

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 20:33

It was years ago. We were at the old warehouse. We only had the one bay it was in the first Three years work.

Carrie: 20:38

2018 probably.

Kristine: 20:39

Yeah. Um, I had a bad day. I had a bad, bad day. It was just Andrea and I at that point. Yeah. I think you were in Phoenix. Things were just going, every single thing was wrong. And you text me and you're like, We are not surgeons. You are not saving the day. Shut up, relax, sit down. And I was like, okay, okay. We are not saving lives. We're not. And I said it out loud to Andrea, and I'm sure she'll remember this because it was a bad day for us. And, uh, she's like, she's right. And I'm like, she's right. Let's not tell her right now. She's right. But it, that helps because it, with I just a person with really bad anxiety, you need to kind of realize mm-hmm. That these things are not going to make or break a person.

Carrie: 21:21

No.

Kristine: 21:22

It's just clothing.

Carrie: 21:23

No, and it's important. Obviously, we wanna keep people happy.

Kristine: 21:26

Of course.

Carrie: 21:26

And things like that are important. We pay bills, we pay other people's bills. We, it's, it is important, but at the end of the day, we're not saving lives.

Kristine: 21:35

Saving lives.

Carrie: 21:36

Yeah. We're not killing people. Like we're not, we're not doing any of that.

Kristine: 21:40

Yeah. It's one of those things that I'll always remember though. Mm-hmm. Because I still continue to think about it mm-hmm. When I have like a bad day. Mm-hmm. Like you were not Derek Shepherd here.

Carrie: 21:47

Nope. Just, which is good because you would've broke the pack because

Kristine: 21:51

Yeah. Yeah. I would've broke the pack. Yeah. No, he, uh, you know, I'm not saving lives. Mm-hmm. I am just packing an order. Mm-hmm. I was just doing inventory and I couldn't count that day.

Carrie: 22:01

Yeah. And it's, it's just putting things into perspective.

Kristine: 22:05

I hope you guys are liking listening to this and realizing that. Everything is not sunshine and rainbow. It's what you see on no on, uh, social media because you guys had no idea that, that one day I wanted to walk out mm-hmm. And was like, I'm done. Cuz I was just having such a bad day day.

Carrie: 22:20

So, and that happens so often. Way more than you would expect, I think. Mm-hmm. Last year, like I mentioned, was a really, really bad year for me. Really hard for me, like mentally. Yeah. And there was just so, thank God, thank God I have a business partner. Cause there were so many days where I would just look at Kristine and be like, I cannot today. And she's like, go lay down. We have a couch. We like to lay down sometimes

Kristine: 22:41

I just did the other day,

Carrie: 22:42

she's like, just go lay down. And I'm like, okay. Because sometimes you just, or she's like, let's go, let's leave. We have nothing else to do today. Let's leave.

Kristine: 22:49

Let's put take a nap in the Starbucks parking lot. And we have done that multiple times. Our staff now knows. Yeah. They, they heard it just now we got a secret. We have a meeting at Starbucks.

Carrie: 23:02

Yes. Seriously. We would go grab a coffee, go pull into the back of the Starbucks parking lot. Mm-hmm. Roll our seats all the way down, put our feet up and just lay there for like 10 minutes. Mm-hmm. And just not talk and not have to think about anything and just shut it off.

Kristine: 23:17

It's so mentally exhausting.

Carrie: 23:18

Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 23:19

This job. Mm-hmm. I would never change it.

Carrie: 23:21

No.

Kristine: 23:22

I mean, there's things that I would now knowing mm-hmm. More I would, you know, give my younger self Yeah. Some advice, but,

Carrie: 23:31

which is an episode all in itself.

Kristine: 23:32

I was just about to say, we need to write this shit down.

Carrie: 23:34

It's, in our list.

Kristine: 23:35

Okay, good. Um, what the heck was I saying? I don't know.

Carrie: 23:40

There's things you would

Kristine: 23:41

Oh yeah, there's things that I would change, but.

Carrie: 23:43

You wouldn't change this?

Kristine: 23:44

I wouldn't change this no not a million years.

Carrie: 23:46

No. I love our journey.

Kristine: 23:47

I can't believe we're here. That's it still shocks me every single day.

Carrie: 23:50

Me too

Kristine: 23:51

Weird.

Carrie: 23:52

We so weird.

Kristine: 23:53

I have a couple teachers I wanna tell'em to suck it. They didn't, they wouldn't think I'm,

Carrie: 23:59

they didn't believe in you.

Kristine: 23:59

Nah. They probably think I'm dead somewhere to ditch. Still kicking Mrs. P.

Carrie: 24:07

And another thing that's totally helpful, which again I'm aware that this is the luxury that we have that not everyone does have is we have stay-at-home husbands.

Kristine: 24:15

Oh my gosh. It wasn't for them. They are,

Carrie: 24:19

yes.

Kristine: 24:19

Amazing.

Carrie: 24:20

Yeah. So I think it was about two years ago they both finally Jayce quit up two years ago, I guess.

Kristine: 24:26

Yeah. In like

Carrie: 24:26

July.

Kristine: 24:28

Yeah, it was, uh, at the end of summer.

Carrie: 24:31

Yeah.

Kristine: 24:31

Uh, I think school was just around the corner and, um, He came home on his last day and I, our neighbor Ryan, to babysit Scarlett.

Carrie: 24:41

Yeah,

Kristine: 24:41

because we surprised Jayce at a

Carrie: 24:43

party. Party in the backyard. My A four. Yeah. The quad squad.

Kristine: 24:46

And, uh, so for context, so Jayce was, um, he worked in the oil field and he was gone a week at a time. And that was really hard on us. And I mean, us as in like the four of us. Mm-hmm. The quad squad. Oh, by the way, we have a name for our group. It's a quad squad. Uh, just, you guys know who we're talking about here.

Carrie: 25:08

Yeah.

Kristine: 25:08

And uh, it was really hard on all of us because we would were together so often and then Jayce would miss out on so much.

Carrie: 25:16

Yes.

Kristine: 25:16

And, um, Scarlett and I had a hard time when he would leave. It was always like a. I don't mean it in a bad way, but it was always an interruption Of when he would come home, because we'd finally get our, like Our schedule and, um,

Carrie: 25:29

the routine,

Kristine: 25:30

routine down. And then he would come home and then we'd have to kind of figure out how to do this again. And then he would leave and it would just, same thing over and over again. So Carrie and Nick and I begged and pleaded Jayce every single day for about a year. Every day for a year.

Carrie: 25:46

And I made a presentation.

Kristine: 25:47

I was gonna say, Carrie made a present.

Carrie: 25:49

I did.

Kristine: 25:50

Uh, the PowerPoint was involved. And it logistically made sense for him to stop mm-hmm. Working and out in the oil field. Yeah. He does work for us now, but he, we needed him home. We needed him home, not just selfishly. But like logistically we needed him home.

Carrie: 26:11

Yeah. And it's, ugh. Does he ever look back and think, wow, I wish I would've stayed?

Kristine: 26:16

No, he doesn't miss, uh, the work. He misses some of his friends.

Carrie: 26:20

Of course,

Kristine: 26:20

you know, he made lot, a lot of lifelong friends, but so he miss seeing them often. Mm-hmm. He doesn't miss living out in Bonneville. Um, he prefers it here. Um, no, he doesn't miss going to work. There's some times where he feels like, okay, like, I need a, a project here or something. But yeah, he finds something.

Carrie: 26:37

I feel like they're just always busy.

Kristine: 26:38

Always busy.

Carrie: 26:39

There's always stuff going on.

Kristine: 26:40

Yeah. I agree. And they both have their hobbies. Mm-hmm. Um, and so they keep themselves busy and they. Are together.

Carrie: 26:49

Yeah.

Kristine: 26:49

So they keep them themselves.

Carrie: 26:51

Yeah. So if they, I mean, especially now that it's nice out it's summer, I'm sure there's gonna be many pool afternoons or whatever. After they get everything else done. And it's just so nice.

Kristine: 27:01

Yeah. We have a really, um, we are very fortunate to have them home. They, they cook, they clean, they pick up the kids, they take care, they drive them, they care

Carrie: 27:11

everything.

Kristine: 27:12

Honestly, the only reason why I've cleaned clothes is cuz my husband does it for me. Yeah. I've actually picked up doing a laundry lately. I don't hate it.

Carrie: 27:20

It's fine.

Kristine: 27:20

I don't hate it as much as I thought I did.

Carrie: 27:22

I find if I do it more frequently, it's better. It's when I have the mountains that I'm Yeah. I just don't wanna do this. Yeah. So if I do it like once or twice a week and kind of keep up with it, it's a lot better.

Kristine: 27:33

Yeah. I agree.

Carrie: 27:34

But no, it's not awful. Yeah. It's fine. Yeah. So tho that's, I mean, that's a huge part of work life balance too. Yeah. Is the, those are things that you and I don't have to do. But I get like, it's prioritizing. Yes. You know, I, Friday I had the day off and I did laundry.

Kristine: 27:51

Yes, exactly. Yeah. There's, um, it's, it's hardly hard to say work-life balance, like I said, it's just making sense.

Carrie: 27:58

There is no such thing.

Kristine: 27:59

No, there's no,

Carrie: 28:00

and you just, you just have to accept that you are never going to have everything under control. There is always something that is not gonna be under control and you just have to accept it. As hard as it is, this is coming from someone that is so insanely type A. Mm-hmm. I. I used to struggle with it a lot, and once I realized that there's just no possible way to have every, everything under control, things just got a lot better. Mm-hmm. And it's just what's the most important at that time?

Kristine: 28:30

I agree with you a thousand percent. I struggled a lot with anxiety and depression, and I think the control factor was a big thing for me. Mm-hmm. And then once I, like, I mean obviously I haven't let it go a hundred percent, but once I let a lot of that go, I feel like I have a lot more time to balance those things out or, um, make the space for everything I need in my life.

Carrie: 28:59

Yes.

Kristine: 28:59

Because I'm not sitting there panicking about when I can do these things

Carrie: 29:04

Yeah.

Kristine: 29:04

Or how I can do them. Granted, I still have a very hard time if something is scheduled in the middle of the day.

Carrie: 29:09

I know you do.

Kristine: 29:09

I still have a really hard time of. Managing the rest of my day.

Carrie: 29:15

Yep.

Kristine: 29:15

So if I have, let's say I have a dentist appointment in the middle of the day, I feel like I cannot p quite possibly plan something else in the morning because I have something at noon. Mm-hmm. And I don't know why that is and why I struggle with that. Even something in the evening that I have a hard time figuring my day out. But again, that's just how I,

Carrie: 29:33

but being self-aware of that is so important.

Kristine: 29:35

Oh yeah.

Carrie: 29:36

Because then you can be like, Hey, no. Yeah, you have four hours. What can I get done between eight and 12?

Kristine: 29:40

Exactly.

Carrie: 29:41

These are the things I can do. So that I don't have to do them after. Mm-hmm. And that's one of the things I did on Friday. I knew I had my hair appointment. Mm-hmm. So I said, Hey, you have five hours before your hair appointment. What can I do? What can I do? And I made a list and I just got it done. Mm-hmm. Lists. Mm-hmm. I use my notepad on my com on my phone. Yeah. And I check'em off as they go.

Kristine: 29:59

They're so important.

Carrie: 30:00

It's just so important. Yeah. Just, you know, and another thing that has been big for me, and I know it's been big for you too, is I used to be a night owl, so I used to stay up till midnight, one o'clock and. I don't know about you, but after 10 o'clock, nothing I do is productive. No, no. I'm just literally wasting my time on my phone or watching tv. That is not productive time. And it's important because as a mom or a business owner or whatever, sometimes that time between 10 o'clock and one in the morning is the only time you have by yourself. Mm-hmm. And to do your own thing. But I flipped it. Yeah. So now I go to bed at 10 at the latest mm-hmm. Is when I'm asleep and I get up at five. And so now my alone time is now some It's productive.

Kristine: 30:45

Yes. Huge.

Carrie: 30:46

Yeah.

Kristine: 30:46

And that was a big difference for me too. Um, granted, I mean, there's still times sometimes where I do stay up till Oh later than I should on Saturday night.

Carrie: 30:56

Yeah.

Kristine: 30:56

I stayed up till one o'clock watching my show cuz I couldn't stop.

Carrie: 31:00

Yeah.

Kristine: 31:00

But then I slept until 10 o'clock the next day. Like that was silly cuz like, yes. I wanted to do things

Carrie: 31:05

because you could have been productive in, in the morning.

Kristine: 31:08

Yep.

Carrie: 31:08

And yes, that alone time at night is so nice, but I am a lot less stressed When I do the opposite and get up early in the morning and get my stuff done. Yeah.

Kristine: 31:19

it feels so good to get up.

Carrie: 31:20

It does

Kristine: 31:20

in the morning and just to get like, get to the gym or get my run out of the way. Yep. Uh, and it also makes space and the time for other things. Mm-hmm. Like our family. Yes. And like, um, you know, doing another project or something rather than wasting the time on social media.

Carrie: 31:42

Yeah.

Kristine: 31:42

Or scrolling through TikTok,

Carrie: 31:44

which is such a time suck.

Kristine: 31:45

Such a time suck. Great. It's like, it's

Carrie: 31:47

so much fun.

Kristine: 31:47

It's so much fun. Yeah. Like I would be nothing without Jasper Doll on TikTok. No nothing.

Carrie: 31:52

No. Absolutely not. But, You know, so after I go to the gym, I come home, I sit and have coffee by myself for half an hour cuz I have enough time in the morning and I, that's when I scroll on TikTok and that's when I, you know, waste my waste. I say that in quotations. Yeah. Cause it's not actually wasting, but that's when I have that time. Instead of doing it at 11 o'clock at night when I should be sleeping.

Kristine: 32:19

And then you wake up the next day feeling bagged.

Carrie: 32:21

So bagged. And I am, I am not good when I'm tired. Kristine is even worse.

Kristine: 32:28

I was not, and like I said, I stayed up a sat Saturday till 1 1 30 and then Sunday I was a complete Yeah. Like, I was not a nice person. Nope. So I needed, I need to, the flip is definitely, um, one of the biggest things. Mm-hmm. And one of the best things I've done for myself. Mm-hmm. Um, I'm sure you could say the same.

Carrie: 32:47

Yeah, absolutely.

Kristine: 32:48

What a, what a game changer that was. Mm-hmm. That is definitely like, I would say, I don't know.

Carrie: 32:54

Top two top.

Kristine: 32:55

Yeah. Absolutely. Top two. Top two for sure. And the biggest changes and the positive changes we've made. Mm-hmm. To make this balance. I use that in quotations. Yeah. Work.

Carrie: 33:05

And if you do end up trying to switch your schedule to going to bed earlier and getting up earlier for the first couple weeks, you're just tired. Yep. Like, that's just it. You're just, you're tired. Come two o'clock in the afternoon, you're, you're like, will this ever end? But it does.

Kristine: 33:23

And apparently there was a study at 21 days. It takes 21 days to make a habit. Mm-hmm. So don't give up after the first week. Don't give up a the second week. Don't give up after that third week. Let it go until you're literally like, Let it ride until you hit that 21 days and then reassess. Because I, if I can do this, if I can do,

Carrie: 33:44

she's not lying.

Kristine: 33:45

If I can do a morning thing, you can do the morning thing. I have my 34, I'm gonna say 34. And now that I'm 35, I can say 34 years of my whole life, I was not a morning person. I was a horrible person, a horrible human being.

Carrie: 34:02

Don't wake her up.

Kristine: 34:02

Don't wake me up.

Carrie: 34:03

I still don't wake her up.

Kristine: 34:04

I've, I've punched a bitch before I have, I swore at my uncle Kevin. He never lets me live that down. Yeah. Told him to fuck off and it's been 15 years. Mm-hmm. I was not a good person. But if I can make this switch and it actually made a positive impact, you can do it. Mm-hmm. And I'm not saying you have to. No. If it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work.

Carrie: 34:23

Absolutely not.

Kristine: 34:24

But it's something that, um, Carrie and I both made a change, and it is such a big. Positive impact. The, the worst on everything.

Carrie: 34:31

The worst thing is, and I know cuz he's not gonna listen to this episode, so I can say it. Nick has, my husband has been telling me to do this for 15 years. He, he is a morning person, our entire relationship. He's gotten up at five 30 or six in the morning and he has been telling me our whole relationship how much better it is when you get up early and I'm like, Ugh, whatever. I love, I'm a night owl, I like night. And now that I've made the switch, I don't wanna tell him. But he's been right the whole time. Yeah.

Kristine: 34:59

If you are struggling with uh, uh, the, I hate using the word balance, that work-life balance,

Carrie: 35:04

there's no such thing.

Kristine: 35:05

Um, try this out. Just give it a shot.

Carrie: 35:08

Just give it a shot

Kristine: 35:08

and then let us know. Like literally send us a message on Instagram and, and let us know if it worked for you. Yeah. Cause it is, um, I wanna know. It is, and I'm not.

Carrie: 35:19

Sorry.

Kristine: 35:20

No, go ahead.

Carrie: 35:20

And I'm not saying you need to get up and go to the gym.

Kristine: 35:22

Oh God no.

Carrie: 35:23

You can get up and just have that hour by yourself. Yes. Maybe you read a book, maybe you watch a show. But I promise you, when you get up in the morning and start getting used to it, you're gonna wanna do something else. You're going to, maybe you go for a walk, maybe you like invest in a walking pad maybe because maybe you can't leave the house and go work out. Mm-hmm. Which is fair cuz not everyone can, has that luxury to leave. Maybe you, maybe you do start walking, maybe you make your food for the day or you read a book or you know, something. Just even just for yourself

Kristine: 35:52

getting up and getting yourself dressed. Um, Early and like preparing your day. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Is such a game changer. Yep. Like that's what they do on Cougar Town. Mm-hmm. That's how they got coffee crew.

Carrie: 36:07

Oh, coffee crew.

Kristine: 36:07

Coffee crew. That's how they do it. They get up. Those people are up at four o'clock, five o'clock in the morning, get

Carrie: 36:15

Also having time to have coffee before work.

Kristine: 36:16

Honestly, if you haven't watched Cougar Town, I highly recommended it. It's one of our favorite shows. So good. Yeah. Um, that's how they do it. That's how they do it. In the TV shows, they don't show that.

Carrie: 36:25

No.

Kristine: 36:26

But those gals are up at five o'clock in the morning to be getting ready.

Carrie: 36:29

How else are you having coffee crew? Because you and I used to try coffee crew. We were just late for work.

Kristine: 36:34

Yeah. We would have coffee crew at 10:00 AM It was nice.

Carrie: 36:39

It was but we were always late.

Kristine: 36:40

Yeah. We knew.

Carrie: 36:41

Yeah. We were showing up here way too late.

Kristine: 36:43

Yeah. Sarah be like, okay, you guys, so where are you?

Carrie: 36:46

Like, swear, we're coming. We're just having coffee crew. Yeah.

Kristine: 36:49

It was really nice to compete in the morning.

Carrie: 36:52

It was. It was, but it's not realistic. No.

Kristine: 36:54

So, no, I, yeah. I don't know if we actually ever, well, we did kind of touch on how we do the balancing. We just went around it and we did really roundabout way.

Carrie: 37:05

We talked about what we made important. Yeah. And I, I said, you just have to accept that there's just no such thing. Yeah. And you need to prioritize. And I guess we haven't talked about family time and how

Kristine: 37:17

we squeezed that in there.

Carrie: 37:18

We did, because I would say when we first started our business, first of all, our husband's absolutely loathed it because it definitely took a lot of our time away. Mm-hmm. I found myself, especially in the first couple years, always working. Mm-hmm. You know, I'd always be on my phone or my laptop working. And our kids were young enough at that time that it was easy to make that work because they were just blobs. Yeah. Right. Like they were just blobs. So if I'm sitting next to you holding a toy, or I'm sitting next to you typing on my computer, they really have no idea. But as they started to get older mm-hmm. It started to become harder and hearing them be like, oh, you're working again. Mm-hmm. Like, yes. And I am. Yeah. Like that just cuts you deep, you know? Yeah. And so now, When I get home from work, I really try to be present from, you know, usually Brooke gets home from her activities at five or five 30. So from that point until seven 30 or seven, it's like, let's do family time every night we play cards, we play Uno or Skip Bo yeah. You know, we kind of have just like our traditions that we do every night, or we'll watch a, like part of a movie together or whatever. It's just designating that time without your phone mm-hmm. That you have to do. Yeah. And it's just making that part of your schedule. I agree. It's, it's routine.

Kristine: 38:42

It is routine. It's the routine and it definitely, it was hard to do it and I, it was, it, it sucks to say that it was hard to make that time or make that adjustment. Yes. But it was difficult because we always. Had our, like those tasks that, or those things that we had to look at and et cetera. But, um, to just keep in mind, okay, put your phone down and you can look at it later, like mm-hmm. She's going to bed here in an hour. Mm-hmm. Put your phone on. You can look at it later. It was something that it was hard to remind yourself of.

Carrie: 39:11

It was especially earlier in our business, when it was just you and me. Yeah. It was just us. There wasn't, there wasn't, oh, I'll just ask so-and-so to do it tomorrow. Mm-hmm. I mean, there it was just me and me.

Kristine: 39:23

Exactly. So that was definitely hard. Um mm-hmm. Especially with making sure that our launches were Yeah. Done appropriately and they were on and uh, everything was good to go with them. Those, I mean, launch times were are still one o'clock and eight o'clock, but like that sits right at bedtime, right? Mm-hmm. So it was like, okay, um, I'm going to read you a storybook, but in two minutes I need to check to see if the launch is gone online. Online and like, or just gimme a second. I have to push it online. Cause at that point we did. Yeah.

Carrie: 39:52

We had to manually put everything online.

Kristine: 39:54

So it was, yeah, it was definitely an adjustment. But once we kind of made that decision and we had the people that were helping us in the background, yeah, it was an easier, um, thing to do. While back we did, um, unplugged Sundays. That was a big change for us. That felt good. Um, unplugged Sundays were, we just did not check social media. We did not check.

Carrie: 40:18

No.

Kristine: 40:19

Um, how our sales were going for that day. We just let it be unless we had a launch that day. Then obviously we had to work with that, but that definitely was a good stepping stone in stepping back and giving, um, our family the time that they

Carrie: 40:34

deserve.

Kristine: 40:35

Definitely deserve,

Carrie: 40:36

yeah.

Kristine: 40:36

And desperately needed from us.

Carrie: 40:37

Yeah. And I don't ever wanna be, you know, 55 years old and looking back and being like, wow, I spent my entire thirties working on my phone.

Kristine: 40:46

Yeah. Like, I missed your childhood because I was working.

Carrie: 40:49

Yeah. And I don't feel, I don't feel like that. No. I've never, you know, there, there hasn't even been any moments that I look back and I'm like, Hmm. I feel like I could have done better. I feel like we've done a really, really good job and it's just getting better. I agree and unplugged Sundays was great. I mean, I now, because we've taken such a big step back, I feel like it's not as big of a deal, but it, at the time it was so important.

Kristine: 41:11

Yeah. And some, like on the weekends, I'll look at it.

Carrie: 41:15

Yeah.

Kristine: 41:15

But I will look at it very, very seldomly com.

Carrie: 41:19

Yeah.

Kristine: 41:19

Compared to what I do during the week. But I think that our customers and people know that. Mm-hmm. It's the freaking weekend and

Carrie: 41:26

yeah.

Kristine: 41:26

We also deserve that time.

Carrie: 41:27

Yeah.

Kristine: 41:28

Um, and when I look at my phone or if I'm looking at our social media, it just, my, to my family looks like I'm just happened to pick up my phone at that time.

Carrie: 41:36

Yes.

Kristine: 41:36

It's not like that. Yes. Oh look, mummy's working again.

Carrie: 41:38

Yeah.

Kristine: 41:39

Which is a huge difference.

Carrie: 41:40

Yeah. Really big difference. Yeah. And because you and I, I don't have, just so everyone knows, for the longest time, Kristine and I did all of our own customer service. I don't have a customer service email on my phone.

Kristine: 41:51

No.

Carrie: 41:51

I don't have like Facebook Messenger on my phone anymore. I don't have any of our customer service platforms on my phone, so I don't even have the option to look at it.

Kristine: 42:00

Yeah. Which so nice. Such a nice, I somehow, I have the storefront Facebook page on my phone. But I don't know how that happened. I, I have no clue how it ended up on my phone.

Carrie: 42:11

You should just turned off the notifications.

Kristine: 42:13

No, it's like on my Facebook, like I can Oh, mine is too Toggle between two.

Carrie: 42:17

Mine is two.

Kristine: 42:17

How did it ha How did that happen?

Carrie: 42:19

Yeah. I can show you. Turn the notifications off.

Kristine: 42:20

Thank you. Um. Yeah. So, but now we are also just like very good at schedule, not scheduling, but planning our family time. And appreciating that family time. Like we went away to Canmore and we made sure it was just, uh, the mm-hmm. Six of us and

Carrie: 42:36

six of best friends and that was really the quad squad and kids.

Kristine: 42:39

And we travel a lot and we make sure that we like mm-hmm. You know, we have that mm-hmm. That family time. And we also are very, um, vocal with, if we do have to work for a little bit when we're on, let's say a quick holiday or something, um, our husbands and family are, they're very accepting of that.

Carrie: 42:56

Yeah.

Kristine: 42:56

And they understand that like, okay, we have to work for an hour, but the rest of it is yours. Yeah. Like, it is family time, but this one hour. And they'll, they're totally fine with that.

Carrie: 43:05

I always say like, it is impossible for us even long haul, especially long holidays. Yes. Like, we can't go away for five or six weeks and not work. So you just possible you have to allow us that hour or two or three hours. Throughout the day that we're going to work. Mm-hmm. So that we can have this whole vacation together.

Kristine: 43:22

Yeah. I would say being vocal about it is, uh, another game changer for us. Mm-hmm. Uh, letting everybody aware Yeah. That, you know, I need a, I need a minute mm-hmm. In a little bit. And when it comes to, just let me have that time. Yeah. So I can make sure I get it done without any hiccups. And then I'm all yours. All yours, baby.

Carrie: 43:43

Then you're gonna have me. But that again, it goes around to boundaries.

Kristine: 43:50

She made a face, you guys,

Carrie: 43:51

I did see it. um, it is just all, it all stems back to boundaries in your life. And I just think it is so important to set them, set them with your spouse, set them with your kids. Set them with yourself.

Kristine: 44:03

Yes.

Carrie: 44:04

And then, I mean, you have to decide who's important. Mm-hmm. You really do. You have to prioritize people in your life too. Mm-hmm. I, I'm not one of those people that can have two dozen friends.

Kristine: 44:16

No,

Carrie: 44:17

I, cuz I could never give two dozen people the time they deserve.

Kristine: 44:21

No, I agree. I'm like that too. Like, I definitely, like, I have a good handful of friends, but I, it's not, uh, as close as we are because

Carrie: 44:30

No, of course. Um, I just, well,

Kristine: 44:32

I would hope that, like you said, like you said, we don't, sorry, I have to take my sweater off. I'm boiling. Um, I don't have that time and that space. No, but they accept that too. Yeah. And I think it's important finding those people that understand.

Carrie: 44:44

Yeah. I was just talking someone this weekend and I'm like, I'm sorry I've been such a bad friend lately. I just, I've just been busy. Yeah. And she was like, oh, same. Yeah. we'll catch up later.

Kristine: 44:54

Yeah. Didn't even know that you were busy. Like I was just doing my own thing. I was also busy.

Carrie: 44:57

Yeah. Because, but that's adulthood, I guess. Yeah. But finding those friends that understand that and can accept that. But I still don't have two dozen friends.

Kristine: 45:07

Being an adult hard.

Carrie: 45:08

It really is.

Kristine: 45:09

How was that? Trying to find people, not trying to find people, but inviting people to my birthday party.

Carrie: 45:14

Easy.

Kristine: 45:15

Yeah.

Carrie: 45:15

Yeah.

Kristine: 45:16

Apparently I'm a social butterfly.

Carrie: 45:17

There was a lot of people there.

Kristine: 45:19

There was a lot of people.

Carrie: 45:20

There was.

Kristine: 45:22

And I seeing them in one place, it was weird.

Carrie: 45:26

Right. So weird. It is.

Kristine: 45:27

Because you're all like different from different corners of my life. Yep. Um, and then to have them all in one room. Mm-hmm. I was like, holy shit. Like, like this is a lot of people.

Carrie: 45:37

Yeah.

Kristine: 45:37

Yeah. And I also like, I was like, okay, who do I talk to? Who do I, okay. I'm gonna give you 10 minutes and I'm gonna go over there. I'm gonna talk to Susie. Give her 10 minutes too. Okay. Like it was, yeah. That was a lot. That was really cool though. Yeah. Yeah. That was a lot of fun. Um, if you don't know Carrie, um, and jayce and Nick they, uh, they threw me a surprise birthday party for my 35th birthday. That was really cool. I cried. It was really cool.

Carrie: 46:00

As you do,

Kristine: 46:01

as I do. Yeah. It was, yeah, the coolest thing. I knew that something was planned, but I didn't know like what was planned or like where, when I was just,

Carrie: 46:08

or who,

Kristine: 46:09

yeah. No, I had no idea.

Carrie: 46:09

Could have just been the, it could have just been the quad.

Kristine: 46:12

I, I assumed it was, I assumed that we were just, I don't know, go for dinner or something. Mm-hmm. But I was told that I needed to be home at this time and that I did not need to worry about clothing and that my clothing was gonna be planned for me. And I was like, what if I'm having like a, Day. Yeah. Like, I don't feel good in my clothes,

Carrie: 46:32

but don't worry, I had 18 options for you.

Kristine: 46:34

Yes. And Jayce is like, ok calm down. You're fine. It's figured out. And I'm like, what does that even mean? And then it came down to the day and uh, I was home at the appropriate time and Carrie showed up with armfuls of clothes. Mm-hmm. Like, and I mean, armfuls, I think there was six different outfits complete. Six to eight?

Carrie: 46:54

Yeah, something like that.

Kristine: 46:55

Complete outfits, like complete two jewelry, well,

Carrie: 46:57

probably six complete. Yeah. And then, and then there was options within those outfits.

Kristine: 47:01

Yeah. So, and then, so yeah, I got dressed and then I was like kind of digging for information. Like when we were leaving I was like, do I need my purse? And Jayce's like, no. I'm like, what about an id? And he's like, no. And I'm like, okay, so we're not going too far. You're not gonna ID me? Are you saying I'm old? Then he is like, K Hop in the truck. And I'm like, well, where the hell are we going? Like, where are we driving too?

Carrie: 47:27

Just down the road. Yeah.

Kristine: 47:28

And then he like, okay, get out. It's like two seconds later. Mm-hmm. We're on their driveway. It was so funny. And I walked in and the whole place is like decked out neon. It was So find yourself a friend that will throw you a party. Full of bright colors.

Carrie: 47:42

Right? Yeah.

Kristine: 47:43

It was really cool. Yeah, that

Carrie: 47:44

and I, I, I did tell her that was the last party I'm throwing.

Kristine: 47:48

That's it. And to be clear on how they did the surprise was the perfect way to do it for myself. Mm-hmm. Um, they did not surprise me with everybody there already. No. They came in after I was already in. Yes. So, um, who the first one to show up was Andrea. Mm-hmm. And Max. Yeah. And then it just, friends started just rolling in after. Yeah. And that was a good way to do it. It wasn't a one time overwhelm situation.

Carrie: 48:14

I didn't wanna do that to you.

Kristine: 48:15

I think I would've been too sweaty.

Carrie: 48:17

I think, I just think that's sensory overload for you. It

Kristine: 48:19

Oh yeah.

Carrie: 48:20

That was, that's just a lot. It gave me enough time, which I really liked the way it happened. It gave me enough time to, um, like say hello and greet them mm-hmm. Appropriately and like give them my time. Mm-hmm. Cuz I'm not, I. Spreading my time out. Mm-hmm. Is hard. Mm-hmm. So that was really nice. I like that way that it was done. Yeah. Good job. 10 outta 10. Thank you. Thank you. Anything or

Kristine: 48:42

applause button.

Carrie: 48:43

Oh,

Kristine: 48:45

good job Carrie. Good job.

Carrie: 48:49

Oh, I wanted it on the rob of applause apparently. Um, yeah,

Kristine: 48:56

it was good. Good job.

Carrie: 48:56

It was really good.

Kristine: 48:57

I like how we were talking about balancing things and we had a party. Oh, that was so much fun though, you guys. I got some good gifts.

Carrie: 49:07

You did. You did. It was so fun. And that's also why I wanted you to show up to the party early, like before people came so that you could take in the party. Yeah. You could take in the decor, take in the whole thing and you know, wrap your head around that.

Kristine: 49:21

That was a lot of fun. Yeah. It was so beautiful. It was so decked out. You guys went, you guys did a really good job. Do you wanna talk about the cake?

Carrie: 49:29

No. Okay, so

Kristine: 49:32

I, this is, I love this story.

Carrie: 49:33

It is, it's great. It's funny. And if it didn't work out the way it did, it still would've been funny. Yeah. But I would've felt like a bag of shit. Um, so the night before the party, I texted our cake lady and I was just like, Hey, is it okay if Jayce picks up the cake tomorrow at noon? And then I went to bed and I checked my phone in the morning and she said, um, you actually ordered the cake for Sunday, not Saturday. Cue all the panic. All the panic. Because I was so organized for this party. I had it down to like a, like, I had your outfits planned to like the accessory. And I fucked up the cake. And I texted her back in like, you should have read it. It was like, oh my God. Oh my God, I totally fucked this up. What am I gonna do? The party is, today I have 20 people coming to my house and I have no cake. Can you please help me out? Is there any way you can make it today? I'll pay you double. Like I was going crazy. And she probably read it and she was like, oh, this lady's kind of a psycho. But she ended up making it work for me somehow. And I was, Jayce is texting me and he's like, is it okay if I pick it up at noon today? And I wasn't answering him right, of course. And he was wondering what the heck I was doing. Yeah. And it's because I was waiting to find an answer because I didn't wanna tell Jayce I fucked up the cake

Kristine: 50:53

So funny though. But even if it didn't, like if the cake didn't work out, the it, everything was so perfect, I wouldn't even like notice the cake was missing, but and

Carrie: 51:03

And you would've laughed. Yeah. And been like, yeah, that's something I would do. Whatever.

Kristine: 51:06

Yeah, totally.

Carrie: 51:07

It, you and I are not that person that we would've gotten upset or mad, but like I was annoyed because I Of course was so organized. Yeah. I felt, of course, So prepared. Yeah.

Kristine: 51:17

But of course, one thing had to be,

Carrie: 51:18

of course, the,

Kristine: 51:19

this thing that just slipped. Right. But it was so good. Mm-hmm. That was like, that was delicious.

Carrie: 51:23

It was amazing.

Kristine: 51:24

Yeah. 10 out of 10, five.

Carrie: 51:25

We really got off topic here.

Kristine: 51:26

We sure did. I was just thinking about them. Holy crap. We, yeah. We're not very good at this.

Carrie: 51:30

No. But I think we covered everything we wanted to say about balancing. I really think everyone, I'm, I'm hopping back to that. You just need to give yourself grace. It's so important to just give yourself grace and realize that no matter what, no matter what you see from the outside, especially of Kristine and myself, we are not put together, we are not very organized. We have really bad days often. Mm-hmm. And you need to know that no one's perfect. And what you see of our lives is definitely a big old highlight reel and. We do have bad days and we do have days where we don't feel like we can do it all and we don't do it all. Yeah. So give yourself grace, especially if you're someone who is doing everything yourself. And we, we acknowledge that not everyone gets Fridays off. Not everyone has husbands that stay home and can help them, but you need to give yourself time, give yourself boundaries, and I promise things will feel so much better. Mm-hmm.

Kristine: 52:32

Enjoy those little things. Mm-hmm. Don't let them slip away. Mm-hmm. Just enjoy it. Even if it's five minutes to yourself mm-hmm. While you're waiting in the Starbucks drive-through. Just enjoy it. Yes. Um, enjoy those big things that happen, whether it be a birthday party, um, just like Carrie said, gave yourself that grace and when you do have those moments that you can really be in it and enjoy it. Mm-hmm. Sit back, do it. Look at it. Mm-hmm. Stop for a second. Just take a step back and literally look at. What's happening in your life feels,

Carrie: 53:05

and I think we've talked,

Kristine: 53:06

it feels good. I think we talked about this last episode actually, how you and I love when we do stuff, taking that step back, just the two of us. And like holding each other. Holding each other and really looking at it. Because it's so cool to take that step back and look at something, whether it's something you've accomplished or a moment you're in or that time by yourself, like really look at it. Mm-hmm. And appreciate it. I agree. And then, you know, and everything else will come to follow.

Carrie: 53:36

Yeah. And just know that no one is as put together as they look on the outside. No, no.

Kristine: 53:43

I'm a hot mess. I usually smell bad like 99% of the time.

Carrie: 53:47

And we cry a lot. And we have, I love for us, we do, and we have bad, bad days and we have days where we don't wanna be here, where I don't want to own a business.

Kristine: 53:57

Yeah. That happens a lot. And it's natural that that's gonna happen. Mm-hmm. So like, whether you are a nurse or a teacher, a stay-at-home mom or whatever, those bad days are gonna happen for literally every single person. So just mm-hmm. Don't beat yourself up for it. Mm-hmm. Just accept that you're having a bad day. Yeah. And tomorrow make a little positive change. Yeah. Uh, my daughter was having a bad day the other day in the morning. Mm-hmm. I told her all the story and I asked her, I'm like, are you having a bad day? Are you having a bad moment? Mm-hmm. And she's like, I think I'm having a bad moment. Don't make those moments. Turn your day sour. Mm-hmm. Just try to pick yourself up. Yep.

Carrie: 54:40

And focus on

Kristine: 54:41

something positive. Mm-hmm. And just ride.

Carrie: 54:44

Yeah. And don't, don't feel bad if you're having a bad day and you're like, I should appreciate this more. Mm-hmm. Because sometimes for Kristine and I, when I say sometimes I don't wanna own this business, it's not that I'm not grateful for it. And it's not that I don't value where we're at, it's just some days it sucks. And it's okay to have a good thing and not love it all the time.

Kristine: 55:06

If you loved it all the time, something's wrong with you.

Carrie: 55:08

Yeah. Like there's, that's Phony

Kristine: 55:10

it is phony. That's just pretend. Yeah. And we're not about pretending here, like you said, everything that we show on Instagram and blah, blah blah is a highlight reel.

Carrie: 55:20

Definitely. Okay. If you have more questions about this, don't ever hesitate to send them on Instagram and we can talk about it again.

Kristine: 55:27

Yeah, we'll bring, we're all about it. We're all about it, that's for sure.

Carrie: 55:30

And Kristine and I are super transparent and we'll tell you how it is. We don't, we don't mind.

Kristine: 55:36

No, we don't mind at all. Wow. We did really good today.

Carrie: 55:39

I think we did. We did. So, uh, every episode we do this thing that we love. It is called Fuck Mary Kill. And we give each other three people and we have to, uh, pick one to do each of the actions.

Kristine: 55:54

Yeah.

Carrie: 55:55

Yeah. Are you ready?

Kristine: 55:56

No. Oh.

Carrie: 55:58

Can I give you mine or

Kristine: 55:59

Abso freaking lately? You can.

Carrie: 56:00

Okay. You ready?

Kristine: 56:01

Yeah.

Carrie: 56:02

Okay. This is Fuck Mary Kill Friends Edition.

Kristine: 56:06

Oh, that's on my list.

Carrie: 56:08

I like that. Ross. Yeah. Chandler. Joey. Okay. And go.

Kristine: 56:13

I think that I would. Mm.

Carrie: 56:18

It's, yeah.

Kristine: 56:20

Mm. I feel like I'd fuck Joey. I think he knows what's going on.

Carrie: 56:25

Absolutely.

Kristine: 56:26

Um, I would probably marry Chandler. Yeah. I think he would be a great husband. And we all know that Ross does not have a good track record. No. So I'm gonna kill him. Yeah. Yeah. That's, that's probably where I'd be at. Yeah. I feel good about that answer. I'm lock that shit in.

Carrie: 56:45

Okay. Good. Locked in.

Kristine: 56:47

Okay. I have one. We're ready for you. Yep. Okay. So we're gonna fuck Mary. Kill, uh, Rihanna. Oh, Beyonce. Yep. Selena Gomez.

Carrie: 56:57

I actually saw that earlier. Did you Google it?

Kristine: 57:00

Yes.

Carrie: 57:01

I was also on those lists earlier. Good. Yeah. Okay. Beyonce. Yeah. Rihanna. Selena Gomez. ci, K, I would marry Selena Gomez.

Kristine: 57:11

Yeah. She, mm-hmm. I think she'd be a great wife.

Carrie: 57:13

I would fuck Rihanna. Yeah. And this is gonna be controversial, but I would kill Beyonce. Yeah. Okay. I just, eh, she's fine. She's great. Yeah.

57:25

She's

Kristine: 57:25

great. But I, I think I would, I think I would do the same.

Carrie: 57:30

Yeah. Yeah. And I know lots of people love Beyonce and not that I don't like her.

Kristine: 57:34

No, she's great. Love her.

Carrie: 57:36

Yeah. I just think Riri would be I, mm-hmm. Yeah, she's pretty fun. I think

Kristine: 57:41

she would be a really fun time.

Carrie: 57:43

She would be. So that's where I'm at. Good.

Kristine: 57:45

Are you lock that in?

Carrie: 57:46

I locked it in. Good. I like how you typically have given me lists with women. I

Kristine: 57:53

know I did. Don't as well.

Carrie: 57:56

Like, are you? Wow.

Kristine: 57:58

Am I insinuating anything? No.

Carrie: 57:59

Are you gonna confuse people out there? Perhaps?

Kristine: 58:01

You're probably already confused.

Carrie: 58:02

That's fine. Yeah. I'm happy with that.

Kristine: 58:07

Good. We're looking that in.

Carrie: 58:08

And, you know, going forward we will also answer your questions, um, if we have some, so send them via Instagram.

Kristine: 58:16

Please do. Yeah. I'm really excited for that portion of our, of our podcast, of our Yeah.

Carrie: 58:20

Where we can answer some of your questions. What, what are you burning to know? Yeah, so just send them to us over on Instagram. Uh, our handle is two Babes podcast. And that's a two. The number two, not t w o. You can also check us out on our website at www.twobabespodcast.com. You can listen to our podcast there as well. We'll be dropping new episodes every Thursday for you. You can listen to them on your favorite podcast apps.

Kristine: 58:45

And before you guys go, guess what? Next week is gonna be a really good episode. We're gonna give you a little snippet. What's happening there? Um, on, so Thursday, we're, we have

Carrie: 58:54

our first guest.

Kristine: 58:55

Yes. We're so excited. Are we gonna say who we're gonna have?

Carrie: 58:58

Yeah.

Kristine: 58:59

We're gonna have Sarah. Sarah is our operations manager here at Lavender and Lace Boutique, and she's going to talk about all sorts of things, how she started. Mm-hmm. Um, her journey with being our neighbor, office neighbor. I think that's a journey in itself.

Carrie: 59:15

And she's gonna talk about, um, how she manages 20 women.

Kristine: 59:20

Yes.

Carrie: 59:21

Because she does,

Kristine: 59:22

if you guys wanna talk about work-life balance, that's who you wanna talk about it with, because that mm-hmm. She has a lot going on. Yeah. Between her kids sports and managing 20. Plus women. Mm-hmm. That's who you want to talk about, which is a challenge all in itself, I can imagine. Mm-hmm. So we'll see you guys next Thursday. Yeah. Okay. Have a great rest of your week, you guys. All right. Bye. Bye.