The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz

Episode: BRING BACK THE 2016 OVER-THE-KNEE BOOTS
Release Date: January 16, 2026
Hosts: Kelly Stumpe & Lizz St. John

Episode Overview

In this lively, sisterly episode, Kelly and Lizz settle into their usual mix of mom banter, automotive industry updates, and nostalgia-filled fashion commentary. The highlight: a deep dive into 2016 fashion trends—especially the much-loved, much-missed over-the-knee boots—and whether they’re due for a comeback. Along the way, the sisters chat candidly about pregnancies, potty-training woes, organizing their wardrobes, the latest car news, and resourceful weeknight dinners.

Key Discussion Points

1. Life Updates & Mom-Life Chaos

Timestamps: 00:00–14:19

• Pregnancy Announcements & Reactions

  • Lizz is still pregnant and shares details about her "quicker than planned" timeline—her brother's destination wedding in 2027 affected her family planning.
  • Lizz describes feelings of being supported:

    "I feel so, like, loved and seen on my Instagram and in my DMs, and I just. It's so exciting." —Lizz (01:30)

  • Discusses age gaps between her kids and reflects on family patterns ("I'm actually rocking your exact timeline, Kelly and I are 16 months apart..." —Lizz, 02:06)

• Gender Reveal Anticipation

  • Lizz’s friend is planning a private gender reveal for her and her husband, Maddie.
  • Kelly already knows the baby’s gender but remains impressively poker-faced. Lizz tries to read her, to no avail.

    "Let me tell you something. I have a poker face... It is so compartmentalized—put away in a box under my bed in my mind right now." —Kelly (05:55)

• Kids’ Milestones and Mom Struggles

  • Fred’s potty training (“One chance a day”—Kelly, 09:02), Libby’s nap struggles, and Fred’s upcoming Spider-Man birthday party with Silly String as web-shooters.
  • Lizz gets pediatrician advice: start sitting kids on the potty at 16 months just to normalize the experience, not to force it (12:13).
  • Candid admission:

    “Sometimes it’s like I am so in survival mode that I'm just meeting the immediate needs of the crying children. And the one who's sitting quietly in the corner isn't always my first priority.” —Kelly (10:55)

• The Supermodel-to-Mom Whiplash

  • Both discuss the abrupt return from a glam photo shoot to typical mom duties ("I felt like a supermodel for two hours… and then to go right back into mom mode…” —Kelly, 13:33).

2. Fashion Throwback: Is 2016 Making a Comeback?

Timestamps: 17:13–26:12

• Is 2016 Fashion Trending?

  • The sisters debate whether 2016 styles (skinny jeans, “full beat” makeup, plum lips, peplum tops, over-the-knee boots) are actually making a comeback, or if millennials just want to repost old photos.
  • Kelly reminisces about her first “Whole Foods money” milestone purchase:

    “I bought the Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee black suede boots… I wore them to work almost every single day in winter… I wore them to bits.” —Kelly (20:30)

  • Lizz is nostalgic about how easy outfits were in her 20s: skinny jeans, boots, cute tops, on repeat (21:34).

• Differences Between Then and Now

  • Social media and shopping were slower and less impulse-driven; waiting for blog posts for the product links rather than instant purchases (23:15).
  • The sisters note how they re-wore outfits more, and everything felt less disposable and trend-driven than today.
  • Noteworthy quote:

    “We were crafting. We were creative… It’s actually, I think, we dressed very flattering back then—I was very colorful. I like the chunky necklaces, I’m sorry.” —Kelly (25:34)

3. Trending Foods: The Rise of the Sweet Potato

Timestamps: 27:16–30:03

• Sweet Potato as the Next Viral Food
  • Observations from the podcast’s Facebook group: sweet potatoes—especially stuffed with cheese—are taking off online.
  • Shoutout to Courtney Cooks, a content creator known for quirky, resourceful sweet potato recipes (bite-of-this, bite-of-that approach).
  • Both sisters have leaned into the trend; Lizz, especially, talks about craving the viral sweet potato/cheese combo (28:06).
  • Kelly’s endorsement:

    “In 2026, a loaded sweet potato is… I mean, sweet potato is my favorite food. Like, if I’m at a restaurant and sweet potato fries are on the menu, they’re ordered.” —Kelly (29:51)

4. Wardrobe and Body Talk: Jeans, Linen Pants, and the ‘Freed Bump’

Timestamps: 30:20–34:18

• Pant Purging and Dressing Dilemmas
  • Kelly is working her way through her entire pants collection, trying on each pair and putting rejects into "purgatory.”
  • Lizz worries about what to wear as a pregnant woman in summer if biker shorts are out—bodycon dresses and linen pants are possibilities, but the “freed bump” trend (wearing maternity pants below the belly, belly visible) from Gen Z gives her pause.

5. Base Model Luxury (Kelly’s Controversial Take)

Timestamps: 34:39–38:09

• Kelly’s Base Model Luxury: Curating her purse’s contents and actually using them (hand sanitizer, lotion, mints, etc.) as a daily pleasure.
  • Lizz teases the underwhelming nature of this take:

    “Base model luxury is to care—not only carry a purse, but carry things in the purse.” —Lizz (36:21) “That based model luxury was so lame. I'm so sorry.” —Kelly (37:31)

6. Automotive Industry News

Timestamps: 38:09–48:42

• GM & Plug-In Hybrids

  • GM still studying hybrids; focusing on EVs as the “endgame.” No hybrid offerings currently—unique among major automakers (38:09).
  • Kelly feels the current mix of EVs/ICE gives consumers plenty of options and less pressure (“I don’t think EVs are being, like, shoved down people’s throats. I actually feel like we’re… at a good place.” —Kelly, 39:12).

• Hyundai Crater Concept

  • Hyundai’s new off-road electric SUV concept, the Crater, debuted at LA Auto Show—a bold, Halo-like, cybertruck-adjacent look (40:50).
  • Mixed feelings about the name, but the car’s distinctive design makes waves.

• Honda’s New Logo

  • Honda debuts a “futuristic, but also a nod to the past” logo to update its image starting in 2027 (42:09).

  • “I actually love this. Honda’s been making really good… moves lately.” —Lizz (43:29)

• Car Mom Car of the Year Announcement

  • Winner: The 2025 Ford Expedition

    • Chosen for its blend of family-friendly features and elevated design.
    • Kelly feels a deep connection:

      “You know the feeling you had when you put on your wedding dress… when I sit in the driver’s seat of the Expedition, I’m like, this is me. This is my car.” —Kelly (44:40)

  • Discussion about the practicalities of the regular vs. Max Expedition, and how family travel logistics impact car selection.

7. Just the Drive Thru: Easy Dinner Inspiration

Timestamps: 48:42–53:10

• Lizz’s Sheet Pan Nachos

  • Easy way to jazz up leftovers, turning chicken into stove-top nachos—big hit with both her husband, Mattie, and son, James (49:50).

• Kelly’s Pork Steak Ramen Bowl

  • Repurposes pork steaks and leftover ramen into a Japanese BBQ-inspired noodle bowl. Both family-friendly and impressively cheap.

    “You don’t even need to know how to cook if you have this (Japanese BBQ) sauce… If you have leftover protein, ramen noodles, and fixins—now you have a fancy ramen bowl.” —Kelly (51:34)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Let me tell you something. I have a poker face.” —Kelly (05:55)
• “I feel like the amount of kids, but it’s just like the pure… starting over again.” —Lizz (03:46)
• “I’ve literally went from like never looking better to have never looking worse in just a span of hours.” —Lizz (14:34)
• “You could always look stunning and fabulous. And you’re over-the-knee boots. …It was so easy.” —Lizz (21:34)
• “A loaded sweet potato is… my favorite food.” —Kelly (29:51)
• “Base model luxury is to care—not only carry a purse, but carry things in the purse.” —Lizz (36:21)
• “You know the feeling when you put on your wedding dress… when I sit in the driver’s seat of the Expedition, I’m like, this is me.” —Kelly (44:40)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Pregnancy News and Recordings: 00:42–04:10
• Potty Training Chat: 08:12–13:30
• Photo Shoot Whiplash: 13:33–15:15
• 2016 Fashion Comeback Debate: 17:13–26:12
• Sweet Potato Food Trend: 27:16–30:03
• Wardrobe/“Freed Bump” Talk: 30:20–34:18
• Base Model Luxury Debate: 34:39–38:09
• Automotive News: 38:09–48:42
• Car Mom Car of the Year: 43:52–48:42
• Quick Dinner Ideas: 48:42–53:10

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is warm, funny, and relatable, blending down-to-earth confessions (messy potty-training, purse organization, pregnancy self-consciousness) with nostalgia and topical updates in both fashion and autos. The banter is candid, supportive, and lightly self-deprecating—a perfect listen for multitasking moms or anyone craving sisterly camaraderie.

Summary in a Nutshell

This episode is a quintessential Carpool ride: real-life mom challenges, playful fashion nostalgia (bring back those boots!), and automotive hot takes—plus practical weeknight dinner ideas. All delivered with Kelly and Lizz’s trademark mix of chaos, laughter, and genuine sisterly love.