Amy’s Christmas Changeup & Morgan’s Goal For The Holidays

Summary

The Bobby Bones Show — Amy’s Christmas Changeup & Morgan’s Goal For The Holidays

Date: December 13, 2025
Hosts: Morgan & Amy (with occasional comments from Bobby Bones)
Podcast: The Bobby Bones Show — Best Bits (Part One Edition)

---

Episode Overview

This episode of "The Bobby Bones Show" centers on holiday plans, personal traditions, and reflections from co-hosts Amy and Morgan. The conversation dives into Amy’s shift in her longtime Christmas routine, a heartwarming recap of her son’s charity run, Morgan’s holiday travel and goal to unplug, as well as musings on family, awkward everyday moments, sobriety, and the nuances of boundary-setting during the festive season.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Amy’s Christmas Plans: From Tradition to Change

• Amy is staying in Nashville for Christmas instead of traveling to Colorado as she typically does. This change is largely influenced by her children’s shared custody schedule and the evolving nature of her family.

• Her boyfriend and his children will be staying in Nashville as well, marking the couple’s first Christmas spent together in the same city, though Amy will not wake up at his house on Christmas morning (03:08–06:08).

  • Quote (Amy, 05:13): “Yeah, we were together last Christmas, but I was in Colorado.”

• Blending Traditions: Amy considers bringing her family’s classic cinnamon rolls and sausage gravy into her boyfriend’s holiday morning routine as a way to blend households (08:09).

• Acceptance of Stillness: Amy reflects on being “still” this year, choosing to avoid extra travel and bustle, emphasizing self-awareness and resisting the pressure to make plans if it’s “just to do something” (08:34–09:37).

  • Quote (Amy, 09:23): “It’s not like a woe is me like sad staying. It’s… Oh, okay. Yeah, I have an option here and it’s okay for me to stay. I don’t need to force a trip…”

---

2. Morgan’s Holiday Outlook: Firsts, Family, and Digital Detox

• Morgan is traveling to Kansas with her boyfriend for Christmas—his first trip home with her—after spending time with his mom and sister who visit Nashville the week prior (09:41–11:13).

• Holiday Traditions: The couple bakes an array of sweet treats—a tradition now merging both their family styles (10:36).

• Reconnecting: Morgan will reunite with childhood friends for New Year’s Eve and is looking forward to introducing her boyfriend to her close-knit friend group from home (11:18–11:39).

• Podcasting Aspirations: She hopes to record a special episode with her 88-year-old grandmother, highlighting intergenerational stories (12:27–12:48).

  • Quote (Morgan, 12:48): “She lives this very, like, independent, fierce, just cool life out on the farm. So I really want to do an episode with her…”

• Work/Life Balance Goal: Morgan’s big aim for the holidays is to truly unplug from her job—including social media—something she admits is both difficult and anxiety-inducing because of FOMO and work obligations (14:27–15:30).

  • Quote (Morgan, 15:30): “I just don’t feel like it’s possible... the minute that I check back in, there’s no going back.”
  • Amy encourages her to at least try, setting reachable goals for a digital break (15:50).

---

3. Stevenson's Run: Fundraising, Family, and Impact

• Background: Amy details her son Stevenson’s Thanksgiving run for charity, initially planned as a 10-mile goal but extended to a half-marathon (13.1 miles) due to his motivation from real-time donations, not just pledges (19:18–19:56).

  • Quote (Amy, 19:53): “...he felt like if these donations are coming in, I need to give them a show...wanted to make sure he was working for the money.”

• Fundraising Success: Stevenson raised over $34,000 for his Haitian orphanage—most donations were in small increments, showing the power of collective giving (21:38–23:24).

  • Quote (Amy, 21:42): “Over $34,000.”
  • Money covered Christmas gifts, teacher/nanny bonuses, salaries, and a student scholarship (21:51–23:24).

• Origin Story: The idea was sparked organically at the kitchen table while discussing new ways to raise recurring donations. Stevenson arrived post-run, became interested, and offered to run double his record for the cause (23:27–25:29).

• Siblings & Family: Amy shares a tender moment where her daughter Stashira expressed pride in Stevenson’s feat, despite their typical “squabbling” as siblings (25:48–26:43).

  • Quote (Amy, 26:47): “I was like, oh, okay. Yeah. This is really yay, yay, yay for these moments. I’m gonna cherish it, soak it up, because I don’t know how long it will last.”

• Future Fundraising: Amy discusses next steps for supporting Haiti, considering options for regular/monthly support while respecting privacy and changing structures at the orphanage and school (27:03–28:59).

---

4. Reflections on Generosity & Social Good

• The Season of Giving: Both Amy and Morgan note that the holidays bring out social good, citing Giving Tuesday and increased charitable activity—despite some tension over visibility versus humility in posting about giving (28:59–29:50).
  • Quote (Morgan, 29:03): “I just love this time of year for that reason, too. I feel like we get to see more of the good in the world...”

---

5. Everyday Awkwardness: Human Interactions

• Dentist Stories: Example of tried-and-true awkwardness when a dental hygienist repeatedly tries to chat—while hands are in your mouth (33:40–34:24).

• Social Bloopers: The hosts share familiar cringes:

  • Mistimed responses in checkout lines, confusion with people on phones (thinking they’re talking to you), dog-walking standoffs, grocery store product “standoffs” and parking lot wars (34:37–37:09).
  • Quote (Amy, 34:44): “Sometimes all I anticipate that the clerk is asking me how my day is and they’re not … I answer with, I’m fine, how are you? And they’re like, I said cash or credit…”

• Boutique Shopping: Amy and Morgan compare big-box stores with local boutiques, praising the unique, personal gifts of small shops, and the feel-good impact of supporting local businesses (37:12–39:34).

---

6. Cautionary Tales: Alcohol Mix-Ups and Sobriety

• Dining Snafus: Morgan recounts a dinner where a requested mocktail for a pregnant friend arrived as an alcoholic cocktail (40:23–43:16); Amy shares a story from a sober friend accidentally served tequila at a yoga sound bath (40:54–42:08).

  • Both hosts discuss the serious implications, advocating for clearer communication and caution by food/beverage service workers.

• Sobriety & Generational Trauma:

  • Discusses how accidental alcohol exposure can be triggering for those in recovery, amplifying the need for empathy and legislative (or at least procedural) rigor (43:45–45:51).
  • Quote (Amy, 45:44): “The best thing to do is stay away from the dairy. Right. So the best thing to do is just stay away from the alcohol.”

• Cultural Shifts: Both reflect on how social media and culture once glamorized drinking, but “sober-curious” and non-alcoholic beverage trends are increasingly accepted and visible (45:51–49:56).

  - *Quote (Amy, 47:15):* “The pendulum is swinging a little bit because now on social you see a lot of the... sober, curious or the mocktails are having a moment right now...”
  - Both share their own decrease in alcohol consumption and the benefits felt.
  

---

7. Family, History, and Holidays

• Digging Into Roots: Amy contemplates family patterns, emotional dynamics, and the value of learning about prior generations—especially concerning issues like addiction, emotional neglect, or trauma (51:18–52:53).

  • Quote (Amy, 52:53): “That might be heavier stuff your family may not want to revisit. But... ask questions just to get to know family history and what life was like.”

• Creative Holiday Activities: Amy’s brother has started writing songs about family members as therapy and commemoration, inspiring the idea of collective family song-writing or playing board games to spark stories and laughter (53:13–57:16).

  • Morgan highlights that sometimes fun games—such as “Redneck Life”—offer the best insight into your relatives’ personalities and quirks (56:23–57:16).

---

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On accepting a new Christmas routine:

  • Amy (09:23): “It’s not like a woe is me like sad staying. It’s… Oh, okay. Yeah, I have an option here and it’s okay for me to stay. I don’t need to force a trip…”

• On being present for new traditions:

  • Morgan (12:48): “She lives this very, like, independent, fierce, just cool life out on the farm. So I really want to do an episode with her…”

• On donation-driven motivation:

  • Amy (19:53): “...he felt like if these donations are coming in, I need to give them a show...wanted to make sure he was working for the money.”

• On being proud as a parent:

  • Amy (26:47): “I was like, oh, okay. Yeah. This is really yay, yay, yay for these moments. I’m gonna cherish it, soak it up, because I don’t know how long it will last.”

• On digital fatigue:

  • Morgan (15:30): “I just don’t feel like it’s possible... the minute that I check back in, there’s no going back.”

• On the holiday good:

  • Morgan (29:03): “I just love this time of year for that reason, too. I feel like we get to see more of the good in the world...”

• On cultural change and mocktails:

  • Amy (47:15): “The pendulum is swinging a little bit because now on social you see a lot of the... sober, curious or the mocktails are having a moment right now...”

• On learning family history:

  • Amy (52:53): “That might be heavier stuff your family may not want to revisit. But... ask questions just to get to know family history and what life was like.”

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |-----------|------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:08 | Amy’s Christmas plans—staying home vs. traveling | | 05:13 | First Christmas staying in town with her boyfriend | | 09:41 | Morgan’s Kansas holiday & family traditions | | 11:18 | Reuniting with friends, boyfriend meets friend group | | 12:27 | Morgan’s podcast plan with her grandma | | 14:27 | Morgan aims for a social media break (digital detox) | | 19:18 | Amy shares Stevenson’s charity run/fundraiser | | 21:42 | Stevenson’s total fundraising amount revealed | | 23:27 | Origin story of the run idea | | 25:48 | Siblings supporting siblings—Stashira on Stevenson | | 27:03 | Amy’s thoughts on future fundraising and privacy | | 33:40 | Everyday awkwardness—dentist and checkout stories | | 37:12 | Boutique shopping and keeping it local | | 40:23 | Mocktail/cocktail mix-up at restaurant; sound bath story | | 43:45 | The impact of accidental alcohol for those in recovery | | 45:51 | Culture & social media’s influence on attitudes to alcohol | | 51:18 | Family history, trauma, and asking questions | | 53:13 | Songwriting and sharing family stories | | 56:23 | Board games and the fun side of family |

---

Wrap-Up

This episode is a heartfelt, light, and thoughtful exploration of how holidays and traditions evolve, the importance of giving back, and the small ways we can connect (or awkwardly fail to) as families and humans. From personal plans and vulnerable shares to everyday laughs and big “firsts,” Amy and Morgan remind listeners that it’s okay to honor both old and new, and that holidays are as much about presence as presents.

---

For more of the story and listener questions, check out the subsequent Best Bits episode parts in your feed!

---

Transcript

[Morgan]

This is an Iheart podcast. Guaranteed human.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones here. When you're traveling with family, it can be a circus. Mom wakes up at 5am Nephew, stay up till midnight and your dog, he just wants a yard to play in. Booking.com makes it easy to find a stay that's right for everyone, whether it's a vacation rental or a space to spread out or a hotel where someone else makes the breakfast. Find exactly what you're booking for booking.com booking yeah, that's booking.com, booking yeah.

[Morgan]

20Th Century Studios presents the upcoming comedy Ella McKay from Academy Award winning writer director James L. Brooks. Emma Mackey plays Ella McKay, an idealistic young woman who juggles her family and work life in a story about the people you love and how to survive them.

[Amy]

Featuring all star cast including Emma Mackey.

[Morgan]

Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Loudon, Kumail Nanjiani, Ayo Adebiri, Julie Cassidy. With Albert Brooks and woody Harrelson. Ella McKay now playing this is Eva.

[Amy]

Longoria from Hungry for History with Eva Longoria and Maite Gomez Rejon. Like the song says, it's the most wonderful time of the year and also a wonderfully busy one. All that merriment can weigh down even Santa's sleigh. So keep it wonderful by keeping yourself wonderful with a crisp, cold Coca Cola. Pause for fizzy joy.

[Morgan]

Look out for yourself and then look out for everyone else and together we'll.

[Amy]

Make this season as wonderful as it's meant to be. Enjoy a Coca Cola refresh your holidays. This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea or OSA in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on osa.com this information is provided by Lily, a medicine company.

[Morgan]

Hear that? It's holiday cheer arriving at Ulta Beauty with gifts for everyone on your list.

[Amy]

Treat them to fan favorite gift sets.

[Morgan]

From Charlotte Tilbury and Peach and Lily. Go all out with timeless fragrances from ysl, Ariana Grande and Carolina Herrera and you can never go wrong with an Ulta Beauty gift card. Head to Ulta Beauty for gifts that make the holidays brighter and even more beautiful.

[Amy]

Ulta Beauty gifting happens here. The best bits of the week with Morgan, Part one. Behind the scenes with a member of the show.

[Morgan]

Happy weekend, friends, and we are nearing Christmas time. I'm really excited about that. Amy is joining me this weekend. What's up, Amy?

[Amy]

Hello. Hello.

[Morgan]

Thanks for being here. And speaking of Christmas, what are your Christmas plans? What's happening in the Amy household?

[Amy]

Yeah, we're just going to be in Nashville. We're staying here. I. It's been a minute since I've stayed. I actually, maybe last Christmas we did. I honestly cannot even remember now. I went to Colorado. That's normally what we do. I know that there was a Christmas in the last five years where we stayed home and didn't go to Colorado, but pretty much every year for the last 20 years or so, we go to Colorado and I'm staying home. Well, you know, I alternate when I have the kids. So this year I had them for Thanksgiving and Ben has them for Christmas this year. And my boyfriend's family's from here. They normally stay put. Cause they do. They have like a spring break trip coming up, which is pretty quickly after Christmas time. And so they're just staying here. And I was like, okay, I'll stay. And the kids are gonna go do something with their dad. And while that has been the case in the past and I normally go and we swap in Colorado because their dad, we would go to the same small town. He's got family there. I have family there. So we still go there together, just separately, if that makes sense. But they're not even doing that. They're going to California, so. With his parents. And so I'm like, well, I guess I'll just stay. And my sister and her husband were just here a couple of weeks ago. I don't know what it is. I just feel like that's what I need to do is stay put. I could go see my sister in Colorado. I'm like, thinking this through. Live with y'. All. I'm like, wait, why am I staying? I should. I feel like parts of me feel like I should go, but. But also, it's okay for me to stay. And I now have this new extension of my family with my boyfriend and his kids. And they're all gonna be here, so it's not like I'll be alone. And then my kids will come back to me from. They fly back from California on the 26th. So.

[Morgan]

Okay, so these are follow up questions. One, do you plan to spend Christmas with your boyfriend, his family, Is that on the docket?

[Amy]

Yeah. Cause otherwise I'd be alone.

[Morgan]

Yeah. Okay. So this is the first one you guys are spending together, is that right?

[Amy]

Yeah, we were together last Christmas, but I was in Colorado.

[Morgan]

Okay. So how do you feel about that? Are you excited?

[Amy]

Oh, yeah, it feels normal. I feel like. I mean, I've spent this. Thanksgiving was the second time I had been with his family. And yeah, it feels like that's what we should be doing. So nothing about it. I'm not going to wake up there Christmas morning or anything. Like, I. That I'll wake up. It will be interesting. I'll be by myself. So I'll wake up at my house and I got my dog and my cat, and then I guess I'll get ready and go over there, probably first thing, maybe even wear my pajamas. His daughter and I bought some pajamas the other day that are really cute, and she's excited to wear them. Christmas tree matching pajamas. They're not matching, but they're the same, like, same brand. But they weren't matchy matchy. Only because we actually both like the one she got. But they only had one in that size, and we both wanted the same size. So I was like, you get them.

[Morgan]

I.

[Amy]

Or I'll get you that pair and I'll get this other pair.

[Morgan]

Do you know what they're getting for Christmas gifts from their dad? Were you part of that experience?

[Amy]

Yeah, I know what he got them, and I got them gifts from just me.

[Morgan]

Okay, so you have them individually?

[Amy]

Yeah, like, he shopped. I mean, of course. He told me, like, I'm thinking about getting this, thinking about getting that, you know, and then I was like, yeah, you should do that. I'm gonna get this. They make lists. Like, his daughter, she's 17. She sent me a Google Doc with links.

[Morgan]

I love that.

[Amy]

Honestly, my kids are the same way. Yeah.

[Morgan]

You know, you get to a point where at least you're getting things you're gonna use and you want versus things that it feels like almost bad when you get something that you know you're not gonna use or you can't take back and then you don't know what to do with it.

[Amy]

And then his boys use some app called, like, Giftly or something where it. Yeah, it's giftly.com. i just looked it up and they. It's almost like a registry and you can check off, but they have, you know, aunts and grandparents and cousins and all these different people are shopping, so they can just send them to Giftly. I guess his. The daughter doesn't use it she's like, I prefer Google Doc. I'm like, that's fine.

[Morgan]

I love the organization. Yeah, Google Doc is awesome.

[Amy]

It makes it easy. And she's got some stuff coming up. She's doing an internship in D.C. so she needs professional clothes. So honestly most of her list was for things that she needs for that. For that. And I was like, okay, well I'm sure your dad would get you this stuff anyway because you need it. So I. I'd milk other things, but okay.

[Morgan]

And the giftly one. Can you mark if you bought something?

[Amy]

Yeah. You mark it as like it really is like a registry.

[Morgan]

And then I guess they know that they're getting those.

[Amy]

Yeah, they don't really. They like update it and I don't think they go back and like check it out. I guess you could. But I think they want to be surprised. They don't know who got them what. And then it just helps keep it organized. So like who's checking off stuff?

[Morgan]

So the Christmas that you'll go over to, it is extended family also. So it's not just their core family.

[Amy]

Though I think in the morning it might be. I don't know in the morning who shows up? Maybe his dad. And so yeah, there probably could be some extended. I don't know yet. My family, we always make sausage gravy and cinnamon rolls. So I feel like I need to make that for them, which they've never had before.

[Morgan]

Yeah, you have to blend traditions together. That's how you start to do that.

[Amy]

Yeah. So we'll see.

[Morgan]

Does it feel weird that this is going to be a different year?

[Amy]

No, I'm excited about it. I think I just want. I think the reason for not traveling too is it's like it's okay to be still and not create extra stuff. Like of course wanting to see my family and that would be a big blessing. And I think I just have the self awareness that I need to stay and be still. Like, because even Ben was like, you know, made a suggestion like if you wanted to come out to California, you could too. And then we could make the swap out there. And I was like, I think I'm good. I think I'm going to just stay.

[Morgan]

Okay, then it's probably exciting to have the. I think the feeling that you want to stay. The feeling that there's something here that you're excited about.

[Amy]

It's not like a woe is me like sadd staying. It's. Oh, okay. Yeah, I have an option here and it's okay for me to Stay. I don't need to force a trip or force travel and add that to my plate.

[Morgan]

So. Good changes.

[Amy]

The good changes. Yeah. What about you?

[Morgan]

My. So we're going to Kansas for Christmas, which will be my boyfriend's first trip back home, but his mom is currently about to make her way here. She gets here probably about the time that you guys are all listening to this podcast and will be staying with us for the week so we could spend time with her and his sister. And they had all gotten together for Thanksgiving in town as well, so we had seen most of them. But so she'll come stay with us. It'll be the first time she's staying with us. So we have my learning lesson of what it's like to be around other family. I'm really used to my own and I can, like, tell my parents they make me mad or something. This will be a new experience for me.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

That I'm looking forward to. But she's excited because we do a bunch of sweet treats that we make for everybody every year. And I do. And he's now, like, taking on that tradition and we're making a whole bunch. And his mom is so excited because she's like, I get to be part of this. I have a whole bunch of things I can add. So I'm really excited to see what that's going to be like.

[Amy]

And then extra hands.

[Morgan]

Yes. I love extra hands. It's a lot of work to make treats for that long and that many people. We have an extensive list this year. Two people versus my one list that I used to do so that I'm excited for. We're gonna do a bunch of Christmas stuff around town. We have Christmas bars that we're gonna go see the pop ups and different lists that I've found from being chronically online too much of things that are happening in Nashville for the holidays. And then, yeah, around like a few days before Christmas, we're gonna drive back to Kansas and we'll be there through Christmas and New Year's Eve. All of my childhood friends are coming into town for New Year's Eve, so we're all gonna.

[Amy]

Oh, that's our safe party together. Okay. So you're gonna be there for a little bit a while.

[Morgan]

And those girls are the same ones who were here the night that I met him.

[Amy]

Oh, that's cool.

[Morgan]

Yes. So I'm excited for them to all actually get to spend more time together now that that's transpired and for him to meet all their husbands and partners and stuff. Like that. So I'm just excited. It's gonna be a lot of firsts and a lot of things happening, but I think it'll be really fun.

[Amy]

Yeah, I mean, I mean, I think so too. A lot of firsts for you that are, you know, new.

[Morgan]

And I've never taken a guy home for Christmas. That's not wrong. That's wrong. I've taken one, but it was the abusive relationship. And so I think I've kind of blocked it out. I blocked it out.

[Amy]

Yeah. That never happened.

[Morgan]

That one I don't really remember. But anything else I never have. So this feels good and different and really exciting. So. And we're in such a good place in our relationship, so I'm excited to see what all comes about. I think we're gonna do a podcast episode too, like after the holidays, debriefing what it was like for our last ones. I was like, you wanna do this? He's like, heck yeah.

[Amy]

That'll be fun to have to like, listen back on and see how far you've come.

[Morgan]

And I'm trying to get.

[Amy]

When you've got your fifth Christmas together or something.

[Morgan]

Right. Like, that's the hope. That'll be the cool part of it. And I'm trying to get my 88 year old grandma to do an episode with me. I don't know if she will. She used to be an English professor, so she's super smart, but she's the one who lives out on the farm by herself. She lives this very, like, independent, fierce, just cool life out on the farm. So I really want to do an.

[Amy]

Episode with her, so hopefully she will.

[Morgan]

I hope so too. All the ones I've done with the Abe's Garden residence. The. It's okay. We had little sneezes. Sorry, this is real. On the vestments. I saw you holding it.

[Amy]

I'm trying to halt it. And then I was like, oh, I got to go. No, it's okay.

[Morgan]

Um, the. The families of the residents, when I do those episodes, they get really excited because they wouldn't have had those stories and all of that. Else wise, I guess I keep saying else wise and I.

[Amy]

That's why I think. I think that how a way for you to convince your grandma might be telling the stories of how other people have come on and how their families have been so grateful. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Because you just get. I feel like when it's different than when you sit with your grandparents somewhere and they tell stories, you may never ask the questions that somebody's gonna ask during like an Interview. Cause you just. It's random to be like, so tell me about that time that you were five years old and this was happening in your life or whatever. You know what I mean? So I'm hopeful that she'll do that, but that's my only work plan for the.

[Amy]

For when you're gone.

[Morgan]

Other than that, I'm trying to actually, like, full blown, get everything done. So for a week and a half, I can completely check out unplugged. We'll see if I can accomplish that, though.

[Amy]

I think you can. I think you can. And now you've got a. A partner that can maybe hold you accountable. Obviously, if something comes up and there's a fire you have to put out, you're gonna have to maybe do it. But I know otherwise you might be like, hey, which would you get off socials? Just in general? Like, do you ever take a break from that? Just for a few days? Like, don't even open it up at all whatsoever? Not even for your personal.

[Morgan]

No, because it's just. It feels not possible. I feel like I miss stuff if I don't. And that's probably me in my, like, brain that I've set up that pattern. But I just. I feel like anytime, even If I've gone 24 hours, where I just had a really busy thing, we had plans, and I get on Saturday afternoon, I feel like I've missed 80 different things and.

[Amy]

But what is it about what you're missing, though? Like, what is it?

[Morgan]

What.

[Amy]

What ma. What does it matter?

[Morgan]

Not really. Not my personal one as much.

[Amy]

Like, I still check it, but I'm saying if you're taking a week and a half off, like, what if you miss something? It doesn't matter because you're not working.

[Morgan]

I know, but it feels like I should be reposting things and making sure that everything is seen on our page.

[Amy]

But when you take a week and a half off, are you taking time off from socials too, or just your other stuff?

[Morgan]

I mean, I'm trying to do it. Of all of it.

[Amy]

Okay.

[Morgan]

That would be. That would be the best thing for my body to ever experience.

[Amy]

That's why I'm like, okay, let's commit. But I just get Morgan a break from socials.

[Morgan]

I just don't feel like it's possible. I feel like I'm gonna get an email or something's gonna happen where I'm gonna have to do something, and the minute that I check back in, there's no going back.

[Amy]

That's the spirit.

[Morgan]

I might try though. Maybe at least a few days try. Yeah, a weekend. Yeah, that'll be my goal. I'll schedule some posts or something, so hopefully I can.

[Amy]

We'll see. Yeah, I'll check back in with you. Yeah. Okay.

[Morgan]

We're gonna take a quick break. We'll be right back.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. Flu season is here and the in store pharmacy has you covered with a free flu shot with most insurance plans. And as a thank you, get up to $20 off your grocery purchase. Plus it's cough and cold season. Stock up on all the season's essentials and get ready for relief with discounts on items like Hall's Menthol Cough Drops, Tylenol Cold and Flu, and Mucinex Fast Max products. Offer ends December 30th. Restrictions apply and offers may vary by location. Visit Albertsons or Safeway.com for more details.

[Amy]

This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or osa, in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly, a medicine company.

[Morgan]

Hey, audiobook lovers.

[Amy]

This week on the podcast, I'm sitting down with musician, producer and walking encyclopedia Questlove. We're talking about Mark Ronson's memoir, Night how to Be a DJ in 90s New York City.

[Morgan]

All right, like we talked about before.

[Amy]

Mark Ronson found sanctuary in the DJ booth. What's a tool or piece of equipment in the studio or on stage that gives you the most control?

[Morgan]

So I have two microphones on stage. We have the microphone that you hear as the audience.

[Bobby Bones]

Then we have a second microphone in.

[Morgan]

Which we communicate with each other. I feel like that second microphone kind of saved all of our friendships.

[Bobby Bones]

No band likes each other after 20.

[Morgan]

Years or 25 years. The Beatles broke up in seven and a half years and we're going on 35.

[Amy]

Listen to HearSay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app or.

[Morgan]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amy]

Okay, only 10 more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line. But first, There the last one. Enjoy a Coca Cola for a pause that refreshes. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile. One of the perks about having four kids that you know about is actually getting a direct line to the big man up north. And this year he wants you to know the best gift that you can give someone is the gift of Mint Mobile's unlimited wireless for $15 a month. Now you don't even need to wrap it. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first three months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes. If network's busy, taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com.

[Morgan]

And speaking of holidays, Thanksgiving, I was watching on your Instagram Stevenson's run. That was such a cool thing to watch happen.

[Amy]

Yeah, it was. Well, I was inspired. I was so proud of him. And you know, he wants to do it again next year, but he wants to do a full marathon instead of a half. So he went from trying to double his running goal or his furthest he'd gone was five miles. So he wanted to double that to 10 miles. And it wasn't that he saw the donations coming in per mile because some people were pledging per mile. So I started to realize some people think, oh, he's running more to try to get more money out of people. Well, what really was going on in his brain was that money was coming in, not just pledges, actual donations. And he felt like if these donations are coming in, I need to give them a show, you know, like I need to really push myself. So 10 miles seems doable. I better try to go for a half marathon. And so that's what that was about. It was because most people just paid in advance. So it's not like they were like, oh, well, I'm going to go back and do 3.1 more miles in a donation. No, he just felt like he was so grateful they were making donations as part of this fundraiser in his honor or however you want to look at it, to the orphanage where he grew up. And he wanted to, he wanted to make sure he was working for the money.

[Morgan]

Yeah, he wanted to push himself a little bit harder. How did he feel after doing a half marathon? Because from going five miles to a half marathon is a big, pretty massive jump.

[Amy]

Yeah, he was a little sore, but nothing about his body was winded. Like cardiovascularly. He felt totally fine. I think his shins were bothering him a little bit. I went and got Epsom salt and ran Him a bath? He'd never taken one of those before.

[Morgan]

He'd never taken a bath?

[Amy]

No. I mean, when he was a kid, he took a bath, but he'd never taken an Epsom salt bath. Especially as a teenager. Like, I don't think he's taken a bath since. He was. Maybe when we first adopted him, he was 7, 8, 9. I think we would take baths, but after that, he stopped.

[Morgan]

Okay. And I shouldn't react that way. I feel like there is a lot of people out there that probably have never taken a bath. It's just. It's more of a foreign concept a little bit, I don't think.

[Amy]

I mean, to him, he's like, what, I have to sit in this water with this salt and. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Did you get him the lavender Epsom.

[Amy]

Salt, or was it. No, I got. I just got plain unscented because I thought, oh, if I get a scented version, it's gonna throw him off for sure.

[Morgan]

So not sore. And how much money did he end up raising? Total 30.

[Amy]

Over $34,000.

[Morgan]

Wild.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

It's also crazy to me, you were listening off on the show how many things that. That's going to take care of.

[Amy]

Yeah, I actually just got a text from the treasurer of Team Haiti, and she was updating me that, like, she was able to send a wire. Like, I'll just. Here's the. Like, I literally just got it this morning. Um, she was wiring, like, 10,000 of it today, and she'll be saving the rest to go towards teacher salaries for next year. But all that's going to cover is Christmas. There's an itemized list that was given to teacher Johnson, and it includes the nanny bonuses as part of that 10,000. Then there's six teachers, and then the head of the school is getting a bigger bonus. Then she was able to wire, as part of that, the teacher salaries for January, February, and March and increase one of the teachers pay by $250 so that all the teachers make the same amount. Also a scholarship for another kid's student that's wanting to go to the school. And then she threw in $500 for emergencies that may come up, which we never have, like, excess for just in case emergencies. And obviously they let us know what that is, and then we have to pay a $50 wiring fee to get the money there. So it was just cool to see, like, all of that is covered, and the rest of next year, we're just not going to send it all at once. But at least the teacher salaries part is covered. And so it was cool to see that the Christmas gifts. Check. Teacher bonuses. Check. Nanny bonuses, a scholarship. Like, all of that was just wired today because people were so generous with Stevenson's run.

[Morgan]

And where did this start? Why did Stevenson decide he wanted to do this?

[Amy]

Well, Chase was at my house. Would you know Chase? He's from Kansas. I do. Chase Locke. So we. He's gone to Haiti with me. I mean, that was a long time ago, but he's been to Haiti. We do other work things together. And he was over at my house, and we were sitting at the kitchen table trying to think. We were trying to think of finding monthly donors to Team Haiti. So the idea was we were thinking if we could just get people to sign up $10 a month, but we get lots of people to do it. And that's what's crazy about Stevenson's run. A lot of his donations were five to ten dollars. So it was cool to see that all adding up. I mean, there was very few people that made larger donations, but the majority of that 34,000 was people. Just 5. $10 here, which that's neat to see, because when everybody comes together, it all adds up and can really make a difference. So we were trying to brainstorm what we could do for monthly donors. So Chase and I were already having a conversation, and Stevenson got home from a run. He had just run five miles, and he was like, oh, y' all talking about the orphanage? We're like, yeah. And so we just explained to him what we were trying to do, and he was like, man, do you think I could run 10 miles? He's like, I just ran five. And I was like, yeah, I think you could. Like, you might need a little motivation, but, like, what would motivate you? And then that's when he was like, I don't know, maybe money for the orphanage. It just was right place, right time for all of us. Like, him getting back from a run, him doing five miles, him getting curious about 10 miles, us thinking of fundraisers. And we were like, wait a second. What if next Saturday? And that's literally how it was. Next Saturday, you do a run. We didn't even know what it looked like. I was asking listeners for help on Instagram, like, saying, do you have any ideas? How could we do this? And that's when people, like, have people pledge per mile, and we're like, oh, okay, yeah, that's a good idea. And then it just evolved from there. And then seven days later, he was running, and that's how it happened.

[Morgan]

I love that so much. He's such a cool kid. It's cool to see just from when you guys first got him to now.

[Amy]

He has a very big heart. Yeah. He's very tender. He thinks about people. He's empathetic. He, like, he's very, very special.

[Morgan]

Well, and I saw something really sweet that you had reposted one of Stashiro's posts because she was so proud of her brother.

[Amy]

Yeah, that was cool to see. Yeah. Because she couldn't be there and she was with some friends, and yeah, she was like, I'm smiling. I'm paraphrasing right now. But in the. The gist of it was, I'm seriously so happy right now and proud of Stevenson. And I'm like, what? Because their relationships, they're just typical teenage siblings. Like, they don't totally get along that well, and one day, hopefully that will get better. But right now, she just finds him incredibly annoying.

[Morgan]

Oh, yeah. It takes until you. You are away from each other to finally realize how much you care about each other and how much that matters.

[Amy]

Yeah. So it was special to see her happy for him and celebrating that. And I think she was genuinely happy to see also people caring about the orphanage and giving to that cause.

[Morgan]

So did that make your mom heart just kind of flutter and have some tears?

[Amy]

I was like, oh, okay. Yeah. This is really yay, yay, yay for these moments. I'm gonna cherish it, soak it up, because I don't know how long it will last.

[Morgan]

Yeah. I love that. I love that this is going so well. It's really been fun, too. It was. It was cool as somebody on the other side of the screen, just to watch him do that.

[Amy]

Yeah. And him have friends show up to run with him. There wasn't a mile that he ran alone. We were all taking turns. And next year, we'll see how we do it. Maybe we'll have a little more time to plan it, and maybe that's when we can focus on getting reoccurring monthly donors. Like, hey, if you want to commit, can you commit to $5 a month? Yeah. Because then it would just be reoccurring. And we've never really focused on a plan for that. You know, some people will do that and they get something in return. Like, maybe you're sponsoring a kid and then you get updates about that kid. Well, we don't want to send out specific information about each kid there or have that type of thing. And then kids are getting adopted, so they're in and out and we used to post more about the kids there. And then there's obviously a thing of protecting their privacy and exploiting their situation. So then we thought, well, maybe people would want to sponsor, like a nanny or an adult, like a, you know, because they at least have more agency. They're adults. They can sign a paper and agree to be a part of something like that. And there's just a lot of things that we've tried to consider that would make people want to feel connected. I just haven't been able to go there since 2017, and I think when I go there, followers have more of a connection because they get an inside look. But I haven't been in so long. We still have constant contact. You know, even Ben, my ex husband, like, he's doing stuff there. We still have the bakery there, and that generates funds as well. But some of this stuff is for. We've since opened a school there. So there's the orphanage costs, and then there's the school costs, and there's operation costs. There's a lot of costs that go into things. So just thankful for people that, you know, they may have no idea what the orphanage is even like, but they still took time and effort to donate money to Stevenson's run, and that was really special.

[Morgan]

It is cool. One of the coolest parts about this time of year is if you can, it's cool to see the generosity that comes out with the season of people wanting to help each other and show up for each other and causes that people care about, like the giving. Tuesday is one of my favorite days to watch on social media because you really see everybody's passions come out. The things that they care about, the things that they want you to support and that they've been doing all year, but you just really haven't seen because it's just like it's one of those catch 20twos where people are like, well, if you post about it, then you're not actually. You don't care about it in the way that you do. But then if you don't post about it, you're not raising awareness. It's like, you know, you rock in a hard place there. So I just love this time of year for that reason, too. I feel like we get to see more of the good in the world than, you know, every parts of the year. Everybody else is keeping it silent because they feel like they have to. So I loved that part. I wanted to hear about it. So thanks for sharing.

[Amy]

Yeah, that was fun for bringing it up. Stevenson's going to be excited.

[Morgan]

He's so awesome. Okay, we're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. The holiday season can be exhausting with all the parties and the end of year celebrations, but don't forget to take care of yourself by stocking up on your favorite nutritional products. Now through December 30, shop in store and online and save on items like Cliff Snack Bars, Luna Bars, Boost Nutritional Energy Drinks, Premier Protein Shakes, Z Bar Variety Packs, Open Nature Powder and Body Fortress Protein powder offers end December 30th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Amy]

This is Sophie Cunningham from Show Me Something. Do you know the symptoms of moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, or osa, in adults with obesity? They may be happening to you without you knowing. If anyone has ever said you snored loudly, or if you spend your days fighting off excessive tiredness, irritability and concentration issues, it may be due to osa. OSA is a serious condition where your airway partially or completely collapses during sleep, which may cause breathing interruptions and oxygen deprivation. Learn more at don'tsleep on OSA.com this information is provided by Lilly A Medicine Company. Hey, audiobook lovers. This week on the podcast I'm sitting down with musician, producer and walking encyclopedia Questlove. We're talking about Mark Ronson's memoir, Night how to Be a DJ in 90s New York City.

[Morgan]

All right, like we talked about before.

[Amy]

Mark Ronson found sanctuary in the DJ booth. What's a tool or piece of equipment in the studio or on stage that gives you the most control?

[Morgan]

So I have two microphones on stage. We have the microphone that you hear as the audience.

[Bobby Bones]

Then we have a second microphone in.

[Morgan]

Which we communicate with each other.

[Bobby Bones]

I feel like that second microphone kind.

[Morgan]

Of saved all of our friendships.

[Bobby Bones]

No band likes each other after 20.

[Morgan]

Years or 25 years. The Beatles broke up in seven and a half years and we're going on 35.

[Amy]

Listen to Irsay the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartradio app or.

[Morgan]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Amy]

Okay, only 10 more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line. But first, There the last one. Enjoy a Coca Cola for a pause that refreshes.

[Bobby Bones]

Hey, it's Bobby Bones here. You ever tried to plan a trip for a large group? Everybody has their own idea of what the vacation should look like. One friend needs a backyard for Their new puppy they bring everywhere. Another friend needs blackout curtains because waking up before 10am yeah, that's not gonna happen. Another friend insists on having a king sized bed even though they're happily single. Booking.com totally gets it. And let's be honest, you're probably a bit picky too. Maybe you want a spot with a good view. Because what's the point if you can't look out the window and feel like you're somewhere new? Booking.com makes juggling those seemingly impossible requests totally possible. They've got hotels, vacation rentals, and every kind of stay you can imagine all across the US Whether you're looking for space or style or just something that works for everybody, Booking.com helps you get it right. Find exactly what you're booking for. Booking.com booking. Yeah, that's booking.com booking.

[Morgan]

Yeah. I want to talk about some awkward things that we all have to do on a regular basis that we just kind of deal with and put up with. And the reason this even became a conversation was because I was at the dentist. And it's a newer one, so I'm still getting to know the people there and stuff. And the hygienist was working on me, but she was so sweet. Cause she wanted to talk to me, but man, she was talking to me the whole time and she was in my mouth the whole time. So I'm like, I can't say anything. And then if I do try and talk, she stops working on me. And then it prolongs the appointment and it's just such an awkward interaction. So then I was thinking about all of the things that like we just deal with on a daily basis that are super awkward. Is there anything that comes to mind for you in this that we just don't realize we do all the time?

[Amy]

Oh gosh, I don't know. You mean that I do. That might be awkward or that's awkward? That happens to me. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Like all people probably experience something like this. Like another one is when you're at the grocery store checkout and they're like.

[Amy]

Have a great day.

[Morgan]

And you're like, thanks, you too. Or you say something weird because you're just not sure how to interrupt.

[Amy]

Oh yeah. Well, sometimes all I anticipate that the clerk is asking me how my day is and they're not like they. Something else comes out, but I'm anticipating, how are you? And I answer with, I'm fine, how are you? And they're like, I said cash or credit or whatever.

[Morgan]

Yeah, these are like those Things. I feel like we have a lot of awkward interactions on a daily basis that we just. Nobody ever talks about.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

And we just deal with them as humans.

[Amy]

There's this one guy I've been passing when we walk our dogs every day in our neighborhood, or I walk my dog every day, and he walks his. So we are walking our dogs, and I pass him over and over, and his dog always is so aggressive towards my dog. And I almost, like, tense up when I know we're about to. And I know he feels bad, too, but that's an awkward interaction I've been having in my neighborhood where I'm like, oh, shoot. And I want to just, like, turn around and go the other direction just to see. Save Cara the stress and his dog the stress. But I'm like, well, I don't want him to think I'm avoiding him. So I'm, like, trying to hold Cara really tight. So that's an awkward neighborhood situation that I'm having right now.

[Morgan]

Oh, that's a good one. And also another one that's awkward is when you see somebody not pick up poop, and you, like, you want to say something because it's awkward, but then also you don't want to say something.

[Amy]

I'm not saying anything, but I am judging.

[Morgan]

Right. That's one that I judge. And people do it so freely.

[Amy]

Thank goodness. I don't see that. Not in my neighborhood.

[Morgan]

I think it's because I walk in a little park, and it's a little bit more.

[Amy]

They probably think that, oh, this is a public park. I don't need to pick it up.

[Morgan]

Yeah, I see it a lot. So that's one. Then another one I was thinking of was when you're at a grocery store, maybe it's a grocery store or somewhere else, just in public, and somebody's on the phone, and you think they're talking to you, and then you respond to them.

[Amy]

Yes, they're talking. Yes, there's that. Or right now with the parking lots being so full when you're shopping, like, you finally get to a parking spot, but another car pulls in, like, right around the same time. And you're like, who had their blinker on first?

[Morgan]

And it becomes a fight, A parking lot war.

[Amy]

Yeah. I just go ahead and drive. I. I surrender. I wave the right flag. I'm like, you can have it.

[Morgan]

I'll go.

[Amy]

But it is awkward for a second. It is like, well.

[Morgan]

Yeah. And there's no communication because you're both in cars, so you can't.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

I also Feel like the. And maybe it's just a lot of grocery store moments for me. But there was another one where I took the last product of something at a grocery store and another lady was walking up to get it and she kind of gave me the dirty eye, like I wasn't supposed to take it.

[Amy]

Well, you were there first.

[Morgan]

Right, but awkward interaction.

[Amy]

I've been trying to do my shopping. You know, I was thinking that's where online shopping comes in handy because you don't have awkward interactions. But I have been trying to do my shopping at some local boutiques this year. I don't know, it just popped into my head. I went into one the other day and I was like, they have such cute stuff here and I've never been in this store. So got me curious about the different little boutiques that are one offs. They're not a chain, not anything and why have I never been into them. And so I made it my mission to go shop at them and buy gifts at those stores.

[Morgan]

Okay, so maybe this is, I don't think it's really a Kansas thing. It's more. So there was one boutique and it was called Alter Ego way back when in Wichita, Kansas. And this is what turned me on to like boutiques was, mind you, I lived in Wichita, we didn't have like, we had two malls, but they were a little dicey. So you really just. It was hard to find places to shop at in Wichita that was like finding cute clothes or things that were in style versus like just going to Walmart or Target. And we loved this boutique. So then when I moved to Nashville, I feel like I really started to do boutiques all the time. And that's where I did a lot of shopping. And my mom would come to town and she'd love going to all the boutiques. So I feel like boutique shopping has been a part of my life all because of this one store in Wichita because they never gave us other options and but now I love it because those are the stores that I actually really like going to. Versus when I try and stop in a Walmart or a Target half the time they don't ever have what I need and then I have to go to Amazon.

[Amy]

It's weird.

[Morgan]

It's like I want to shop in person, I want to support like the in store places but like the big ones don't do it for me. But the boutiques, they always have things that I want or need.

[Amy]

Yeah, I feel like I found so many unique, special, cute gifts and they have everything that's where I got the pajamas with my boyfriend's daughter. Like I was like, I've never even seen pajamas like this before. These are so cute and they're so soft and they're so unique. And then they have like adorable kitchen knickknack things and cute little Santa cups like that. Some of my friends would love little mugs. And it's like a one stop shop because then they also had jewelry and you know, blankets like they had. It's like a variety, which I know you have variety if you go walk around the mall. But also too like something felt good about keeping it local.

[Morgan]

I like the, the mom and pop local shops too because also again the malls just, I'm telling you, I've tried to be in store shopping, be part of my community a little bit more and they just don't, they don't have stuff anymore. It's weird. It's. It's weird what I've. I feel like I've witnessed as a consumer and it makes me then go to online shopping and I hate that because I don't want to online shop. Weird, weird balance, weird awkward moments. Those are the things that I thought about. Okay. Also, we were at dinner with friends and I want your perspective on this. So the guys were drinking, they were all having a great time, but the girls weren't drinking. And one of them had ordered a mocktail. But what arrived at our table for her was a cocktail and she took a drink of it and he like quickly comes over was like that wasn't. That had alcohol or whatever. And I feel like like my boyfriend and I kind of looked at each other. I was like, that was a really big mistake.

[Amy]

No, that's huge. Should I tell you I haven't told you this. I show prepped it but we never talked about it on the show. So you wouldn't have known because I just sent it to Bobby. My friend was at a sound bath.

[Morgan]

Okay.

[Amy]

And she's like 14 years sober and she's at a sound bath. What kind of thing drinks do you think someone has as at a sound bath?

[Morgan]

Oh, like orange water.

[Amy]

Yes. Something you know, not toxic like alcohol because you're. It's a sound bath.

[Morgan]

You're doing healing things.

[Amy]

Yes.

[Morgan]

It's like a. Yeah.

[Amy]

Peaceful zen yoga type experience with sound bath sounds. And they offered this drink at the end and she took a sip of it. She was like, oh yeah, yum, I would love that. And she took a sip of it and instantly she could tell like when it was hitting her nose. And her lips, like something was off. And then it got in her mouth and she could taste the tequila. Tequila. It was like this margarita infused something or another. And she just spit it out immediately. And then looked at the girl working and she was like, is there alcohol in here? And she was like, oh, yeah. And that festive and fun.

[Morgan]

You know.

[Amy]

I think it was like a little festive holiday drink. And she was like, yeah, sure, but I'm seven or I'm 14 years sober, so. And she was. And the girl just goes, she was younger and she was like, oh, my bad. And my friend was like, yeah, my bad. Okay. She didn't really know how to handle it. She just kind of thought, there needs to be more of a. This is an alcoholic drink. I mean, everybody in the class was an adult, so maybe that something got lost. And my friend did not get the memo that there was alcohol in the post sound bath cocktail.

[Morgan]

I feel like I would have missed that memo too.

[Amy]

I'm pretty sure because I just wouldn't think like a sound bath on a Tuesday night, you're having some tequila or just like you.

[Morgan]

You clearly state that especially this day and age, you have a lot of people that don't consume alcohol for a whole bunch of reasons. That's something that should be like, hey, do you want this festive holiday cocktail? And if as soon as you say cocktail, it's like, okay, well, does have alcohol in it? Not just like, here's a right to heal you after whatever.

[Amy]

It was interesting. But that just happened to her a few weeks ago. So what like, this is sort of similar Ish situation where, yeah, alcohol is not to be.

[Morgan]

Well, and I don't feel like. I mean, thankfully two of the girls, one of them was pregnant, the other wasn't. Thankfully it went to the girl who isn't. But I'm like, that could have. They both ordered a mocktail and that could have easily been the one that was pregnant. And you have a lawsuit waiting on your hands. I. It was just like a wild. I couldn't. And as someone who was a server, I get it. You make mistakes. There's gonna be times where you do things wrong. But if there was one thing I ever made sure I did not do wrong was mix up an alcoholic drink. If I was unsure if something was a mocktail versus a cocktail, I'm like, make that again. Because I don't know what's in that.

[Amy]

Right.

[Morgan]

You know, I just. That's something that you can't mess with that or somebody's allergy. Those are the two biggest things. Somebody's deathly allergic to something, and if they can't have alcohol, I feel like you can't miss up there. Those are like. Those are fireball. But it was funny because my friend was really chill about it. Thankfully, she's not. Like, she's sober by choice the last few years, but so thankfully it wasn't gonna be something super detrimental to her. But she was really cool about it, and I just was like, I feel like I would have not been chill about that.

[Amy]

Yeah, my friend was very chill about it too, but it did make her a little nervous, like, having that touch. Because she's not sober by choice. I mean, she is by choice, but she had to get sober.

[Morgan]

Like, is she doing okay? Like, since that moment?

[Amy]

Yeah, she's fine, thankfully. But I could see where in that situation, your brain getting, like, depending on how much you you were to have, but, like, it hitting your system. And some people's brains just have like a. I mean, some alcoholics that I know, they have that craving all the time. They can't. They. They can't give into it because they know what's on the other side of that, so they actively choose not to. But then you give your brain that. The taste of that, and it might.

[Morgan]

Be, like, one taste.

[Amy]

Okay. Okay, there it is. That's what I've been waiting for. Oh, that's what I've been missing. Because our brains are so different. I watched a video recently on what's actually happening to your brain when you give it alcohol or drugs. And it's quite fascinating and how all of our chemical makeups are so different. So sometimes we can't understand maybe why someone can't stop. And the video talked about an analogy with, like, ice cream for some people, or dairy. Like, we don't ever question someone's ability to process or not process dairy. Like, if someone's like, oh, I can't have ice cream, my body will react right away. We're like, oh, wow. And then. But yet sometimes we have a hard time understanding, like, why can't they process alcohol the same as everybody else? Like, what's up with that? Well, we need to accept it just the same of, like, oh, wow. Yeah, you can't have alcohol. And it's not about willpower or control. Like, your body physically reacts totally different. And, you know, sometimes people are like, oh, we'll just switch to, like, this type of alcohol. Well, that's like, maybe switching from chocolate ice cream to vanilla ice cream. It's still going to Impact you.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Amy]

And you just. The best thing to do is to stay away from the dairy. Right. So the best thing to do is just stay away from the alcohol.

[Morgan]

And I feel like culturally, in the last. I guess I've noticed it association with social media because being in college when social media was really first hitting, I feel like you watched people have these fun lives and it was always revolved around alcohol. So you were kind of taught that partying and like having alcohol and drinking were associated with a good time. And that could just be my experience in the way that it all played out. But I think the correlation with social media and alcohol has definitely played a role. And that you see, heck, I mean, half of my feed because I love food so much. I see a lot of food, but in association with food is drinks. Because you're not gonna go to a restaurant and get a good food and not have the drink that pairs with it or whatever. And I feel like that has made us think that, like, people have to have alcohol to be having good times or having to consume alcohol makes you the normal person versus the not normal person. And I don't know, maybe that's me, maybe that's my experience with the comparison of two. But I definitely feel like me growing up, I associated alcohol with a good time. And if you weren't doing it, you weren't having a good time or like you weren't a cool kid for doing it. You know what I mean? Even though we had the DARE programs and you did all the things in school that were like don't do these things, but it still was associated with that. I'm sure there's other things beyond just what we saw on social media, but maybe in magazines and on MTV and stuff too.

[Amy]

Yeah, I think the pendulum is swinging a little bit because now on social you see a lot of the. I guess sober, curious or the mocktails are having a moment right now where, you know, people are have the ability to buy a mixer or a drink where it's like you can either add nothing to this and it's going to taste like your favorite cocktail, or if you want to add a shot of tequila or vodka or whatever the drink calls for. What's that Withco, that brand where you can drink it as is and have, you know, a margarita. That's some. What do they say besides virgin?

[Morgan]

It's.

[Amy]

What's it called?

[Morgan]

Well, mocktail is how I. But did. They're just mixers, are they. Is that what I guess.

[Amy]

But I thought they're like when you're at the. Is it just mocktail, like when you're out there? Because they don't say virgin margarita.

[Morgan]

No, they definitely say.

[Amy]

Or virgin pina colada. They say. I thought there was another word for it. That's like. Because virgin's just weird now.

[Morgan]

But they're another word for cocktail.

[Amy]

For virgin. Yeah.

[Morgan]

Zero proof, spirit free, non alcoholic.

[Amy]

Okay. Those are all the, I don't know, spirit free. Well, anyway, it gives you the same vibe. And then you have the choice, like, so if someone wants it alcohol free, they have it that way. And then if you want it, then.

[Morgan]

You add a little dollop of a little something.

[Amy]

A little something something.

[Morgan]

You know, I've been since I started my cleanse and doing all the work I have been doing with the caramite, the functional nutritionist. I haven't had alcohol since. That was like part of this cleanse was me, like, removing everything bad for my body. And so I had gone two months without any alcohol. And I felt the best I'd ever felt. And even since then, now we'll go out and do things and I might have two or three drinks and I just give it to my boyfriend. I'm like, I'm good. I had a taste of it. I'm fine. I don't eat this.

[Amy]

When you say two or three and I'm like, oh, wow, that would be a lot for me.

[Morgan]

No, no, no, no. Not like two or three full drinks.

[Amy]

Just like, oh, you're like. And now I just go out and have like three. And I'm like, okay, we're good. And I'm like, yeah, I'd be good too.

[Morgan]

No, for sure. Even having one full drink at this point is going to send me over the edge.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

Okay. Yeah. No. Two or three sips of something.

[Amy]

Two or three sips. I literally thought you were like, yeah, after the third one, I'm like, I'm good. You can have my drinks now.

[Morgan]

Could you imagine if that's what I was saying? Yeah. So it feels weird that, like my whole life I was. I was so different, but I just feel so much better. And it's. You know, how awesome it is to not wake up with a hangover or feel sick or feel inflamed because I had too much alcohol that I shouldn't have put in. Been even putting in my body to begin with.

[Amy]

Yeah, I know. I think I drink less than I ever have before. And you're right, I do feel better. And not that I was ever heavy, heavy drinker, but I definitely had times or Seasons where I would have a little glass of wine, and I felt like I wanted that every night, or quote, unquote, needed that. Obviously I didn't, but I was just like, oh, okay, it's time for a glass of wine. It became like a routine. Thankfully, I don't have my. My chemical makeup isn't going to instantly become addicted. And then I also didn't give it enough to where then my body needed that all the time. Thank goodness. But that's where it can get you sometimes. And I'm very thankful that that wasn't my experience. My sister and I were talking about it the other day because we couldn't remember. I couldn't remember. We never knew our mom's dad. He died. And then our mom has since passed and our uncle has passed. So now we just have our aunt left and we're gonna call her and try to have a conversation of what their dad was like. Because I couldn't remember if he was an alcoholic, but I think that maybe he was. And I wanna know some information about that because other than that, I don't know of alcoholism in my bloodline. Like, my direct. Like my mom or my dad didn't have an issue, but if my grandpa did, like, that's in my bloodline.

[Morgan]

Well, I feel like too, with those older generations, it's really the younger generations were like, oh, yeah, they were an alcoholic. But maybe at the time that person didn't think they were an alcoholic.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

You know what I mean?

[Amy]

I think it was very known, but nobody ever talked about it. Like, my sister and I were like, why didn't we talk about this more? But it just wasn't anything. I know that they got divorced for a reason. They were divorced before he died, before he passed away. My grandma had already divorced him. And I think because he treated her pretty terribly. And there was some scary moments. And to think that my mom had to witness that as a child. And I just want to kind of hug my mom with things that maybe she had to go through or witness that we just never talked about. And so that's another thing too. If you're around family this season, this holiday season, that's when you tend to see more of your family, ask questions just to get to know family history and what. What life was like. Of course, this is. That might be heavier stuff your family may not want to revisit. But if you do have one on one time or go on a walk or you are talking to your mom or dad, be like, what was your childhood like? What Were your parents, like. Because I want to know that now. And it might explain some of how my mom was. Thankfully, she wasn't abusive or didn't have alcohol issues, but she was very emotionally unavailable to me. And so I think there was some neglect there that I've had to work through. And now it might make. These things might make more sense to me if I could know more of why she was shut off in that way, understanding her background, that family history and stuff.

[Morgan]

Man, I feel like everybody has a family lore that you find out about as you keep getting older. There's, like, little pieces that just start to piece together until you're finally, like, in your 80s, 90s, and you finally have the whole puzzle. But it took your whole life to put everything together. Yeah, it's like the family tree that they make you do in high school, but you don't actually have all the pieces to do. The family tree. Yeah.

[Amy]

My siblings and I are trying to figure out my dad's second wife. We know the first, we know the third. That was my mom, and we know the fourth because I was after my mom. But we don't really know anything about the second. Like, nobody's seen a picture. Nobody's got, like, we have the name, but, like, where is she and what happened and how long was it? And, you know, like, it's just. I want to know facts about my dad's second wife. Like, I would love to know that. But he's gone now, too, and I don't really know who we could ask. I mean, we gotta figure that out. But my brother has been doing something cathartic. He's been writing songs, and he's not a writer, and he's in his 50s. Like, he hasn't traditionally been a writer, like a songwriter, but he's been doing something or writing things just for his own therapeutic process, some healing. And he sent us a song that he wrote about our uncle the other day. And he was like, I'm trying to write one about dad, but it's been difficult. And so he texted me and my sisters, and he was like, send me things y' all remember about dad. Just throw them up here. Like, just throw everything at the wall that you remember about his cooking and different things. And I'm curious to see what he's gonna put together. He's like, I'll send it to y' all when I'm done. And listening to the song, like, he or he wrote out the lyrics. So reading the lyrics to the song that he wrote about my uncle, that Was really special. And then listening to how he kind of wants it to sound was cool. And I was thinking about getting with, like, Brandon Ray or, I don't know, somebody here. I need to ask Bobby, like, who. If I should, I want to, like, hire somebody to put together what my brother's done and just. Just as a demo and give it to him as a gift.

[Morgan]

Oh, that would be cool.

[Amy]

Like, hey, I made this come to life.

[Morgan]

Or I feel like you could definitely have somebody help you with that.

[Amy]

Yeah, like, that could be a special. I don't know. I was just thinking of activities, even with siblings, of like, hey, guys, let's write. Let's all get together and write a song about our dad and just see what. What. Or your mom and see what comes out. I don't know. It was a cool group text. And I haven't texted with my other siblings. My. My sister and I text a lot, but then my half brother and half sister, we text, like, on the holiday, like, you know, or the day my dad died, like, oh, hey, happy day.

[Morgan]

You know, I don't think it's happy.

[Amy]

I don't know what we say, but we're, like, thinking of y' all today.

[Morgan]

Heart, heart. Yeah.

[Amy]

And the happy dad's dead day. I mean, I wouldn't put it past us to say that and sort of laugh.

[Morgan]

You know, you find ways to grief, and it makes it so it's fine.

[Amy]

But I just thought that literally just came up this week, and that's something we've been texting about. So I was just gonna share that since it's sort of related in when you're together with your family for the holidays, it also could just be a fun activity with your family around the table. Like, hey, let's write a song. Let's just come up with some verses and a chorus and, well, in my.

[Morgan]

Favorite way, like, genuinely, that I've seen more sides of my family members. When we play games together, we pull out just so many and not just one. It's not like we play one board game. We play it all night. We bring out, like, 15 different games, and we just rotate through all of them. And I feel like that's when I learn a lot about people that you just never see another side of them. So if you don't want to be super emotionally.

[Amy]

Oh, yeah, yeah. Maybe you don't need cathartic. You just need fun. Yeah.

[Morgan]

So you can try the cathartic. If it doesn't work, maybe try games. You can write a fun.

[Amy]

A funny song. Yeah.

[Morgan]

You could write a funny song. There was a game. It's called Redneck Life. It's like life the game, but redneck version. We grew up in Kansas. We all have that. That countryside of our family. And so we played Redneck Life and we all had to you to talk in the game in your redneck accent. And it was the. We laughed for like six hours.

[Amy]

Oh, that sounds fun.

[Morgan]

Because it was literally just like us as we were kids coming all out and all of our, like, my dad's little mannerisms from his childhood because he. He says things like washer and dolla. Like he has words that he uses very. In that kind of country slang. And it all just came out and it was fun to watch. Oh, wow. I like that.

[Amy]

Yeah.

[Morgan]

So you could do something fun like that. I'm sure there's like.

[Amy]

It's called Redneck Life.

[Morgan]

Yeah.

[Amy]

Okay.

[Morgan]

And it's hilarious. You win by keeping your teeth.

[Amy]

Oh, that's funny. Keeping all your teeth. Yeah.

[Morgan]

And I can't be insulted because I literally grew up on a farm with Redneck Life.

[Amy]

So that.

[Morgan]

That was my life for a solid portion. But. All right, we're gonna jump out of here and answer some listener questions. So go check that out on part three. Amy, thanks for joining.

[Amy]

Thank you.

[Morgan]

Tell the people where they can find you.

[Amy]

Radio Amy on socials and podcast is feeling things with Amy and Kat.

[Morgan]

Love that. And an early, early Merry Christmas to everybody. Enjoy the holidays with your family and there will be more best bits for the holidays. So you'll have plenty each weekend until we are back.

[Amy]

That's the best bits of the week with Morgan.

[Morgan]

Thanks for listening. Be sure to check out the other.

[Amy]

Two parts this weekend.

[Bobby Bones]

Go follow the show on all social.

[Amy]

Platforms obbyboneshow and follow ebgirlmorgan to submit.

[Bobby Bones]

Your listener questions for next week's episode. Hey, it's Bobby Bones here. Have you ever tried planning a trip for a group? It can be challenging. One person wants a hotel with a pool. Another wants a vacation rental with a giant kitchen. And someone else wants free wi fi. You know, on booking.com you can find a stay that works for all of them. Hotels and rentals. Whatever you need. It makes the seemingly impossible group trip totally possible. Find exactly what you are booking for. Booking.com booking. Yeah, that's booking.com booking. Yeah.

[Amy]

Okay. Only 10 more presents to wrap. You're almost at the finish line. But first. There the last one. Enjoy a Coca Cola for. Or a pause that refreshes.

[Morgan]

Hear that? It's holiday cheer. Arriving at Ulta Beauty with gifts for everyone on your list. Treat them to fan favorite gift sets from Charlotte Tilbury and Peach and Lily. Go all out with timeless fragrances from ysl, Ariana Grande and Carolina Herrera. And you can never go wrong with an Ulta Beauty gift card. Head to Ulta Beauty for gift cards, gifts that make the holidays brighter and even more beautiful.

[Amy]

Ulta Beauty Gifting happens here. It's football season and now you can.

[Morgan]

Get anything you need for game day delivered with Uber Eats.

[Amy]

Well, almost. Almost anything.

[Bobby Bones]

You can't get a running back, but baby back ribs?

[Amy]

Yes, Uber Eats official on demand food.

[Bobby Bones]

Delivery partner of the NFL. Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway. The holiday season can be exhausting with all the parties and the end of year celebrations. Forget to take care of yourself by stocking up on your favorite nutritional products. Now through December 30th. Shop in store and online and save on items like Cliff Snack Bars, Luna Bars, Boost Nutritional Energy Drinks, Premier Protein Shakes, Z Bar Variety Packs, Open Nature Powder and Body Fortress Protein powder offers end December 30th. Restrictions apply. Offers may vary. Visit albertsons or safeway.com for more details.

[Morgan]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.