The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz

Episode: Q & A - FIRST CARS, FAMILY BONDS AND THE FORD EXPLORER
Release Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this Q&A episode, Kelly and Lizz dive into listener questions about cars, family traditions, and slice-of-life parenting hacks. The sisters share candid stories from their upbringing in a car-industry family, their unique strategies for sibling bonding, honest takes on popular SUVs (especially the Ford Explorer), and their ongoing ventures in decluttering, sugar detoxing, and parenting. The conversation blends laughter and practical advice, with plenty of nostalgia and auto-industry insight.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Family Life, School Auctions, and Sugar Detoxing

• Dinner Auctions & School Events (00:43–07:50)
  • Kelly talks about the intense world of school dinner auctions: themed events, competitive bidding for perks like front-row concert seats, and the coveted homemade desserts.
    • “The limit is I will win. Because I don’t...like, you know, I’m going to make a donation to the school regardless. I don’t need stuff...I want that first row seat.” (Kelly, 02:36)
  • Volunteering at dessert tables, family pride in signature bakes (Barb’s legendary carrot cake), and fundraising quirks.
  • Story of their dad getting cornered into matching more donations than planned—an awkward but memorable family memory.
    • “They literally put him on the spot—now do you want to match all these donations?...So he’s like, yeah. It was so awkward.” (Lizz, 07:11)
• Ash Wednesday & Sugar Fast (08:24–16:41)
  • Both sisters touch on their experience observing Ash Wednesday—comparing the “perfect cross” made with ashes—and their respective journeys giving up sugar and decluttering for Lent.
  • Kelly details her difficult “sugar detox,” relying on bone broth and True Lime flavor packets, and reflects on cravings, energy, and the challenge of going “cold turkey” on sugar.
    • “I like you saying, like, bone broth and lemon is, like, such a sweet treat. Like, have you tried sour punch straws? Like, I just cannot…” (Lizz, 12:25)
    • “I would say I think I will eat low sugar for the rest of my life now. Like, I know I’m only day three in, but I cannot believe how much added sugar I was eating without even having a sweet treat.” (Kelly, 13:07)
  • Detox mentality vs. dieting; linking health journeys to spiritual growth during Lent.

2. Decluttering, Productivity, and Screen Time Swaps

• Decluttering Progress (18:05–19:42)
  • Lizz shares about breaking her home into manageable decluttering “zones”—even splitting her dresser into sides—and how ticking these off gives her dopamine hits.
    • “When I open my nightstand, I get a dopamine hit.” (Lizz, 18:54)
• Screen Time Alternatives (19:42–21:55)
  • Instead of doomscrolling, Lizz recommends New York Times puzzle apps (the Mini, Spelling Bee, Connections, Wordle) to keep her mind sharp.
    • “This is what I have been doing when, you know, maybe I’m rocking a kid...Instead of doom scrolling, I’m like, let me do the NYT puzzles. It’s good for your brain.” (Lizz, 19:44)
  • Both discuss a shift from Instagram to Pinterest for creative inspiration, with minor gripes about Pinterest’s image sizing.

3. Q&A: Cars, Sibling Bonds, and Upbringing

• Podcast Origins (22:29–23:12)

  • The sisters discuss why they started the podcast: love for longform conversation, diversifying their business beyond Instagram, and audience enjoyment of their sibling banter.

• Building Strong Sibling Bonds (23:35–27:39)

  • Parenting philosophy: Parents should step back and let siblings form independent relationships, give children time together, and sometimes leave them alone.
    • “If you want your children to be close, that means you’re not a part of it. That’s their relationship.” (Lizz, 24:52)
  • “Family Season”—a family rule banning spring & summer sports to prioritize time together at the lake, farm, or on vacation.
    • “We were allowed to play fall and winter sports. We were not allowed to play summer sports.” (Kelly, 25:04)

• Modern Youth Sports Critique (27:07–28:52)

  • Discuss how youth sports have become overly competitive, requiring specialization and select teams early—contrasted with their own flexible, family-focused approach.

4. Cars & Car Talk

• The Ford Explorer: Unfiltered Review (29:03–30:14)
  • Kelly bluntly calls the Explorer “mid”—not bad, but not a standout for space, tech, safety, or efficiency.
    • “There’s just a group of cars that are just so mid...It’s not the biggest, it’s not the highest tech, it’s not the safest, it’s not the most car seat friendly…” (Kelly, 29:03)
    • “I couldn’t tell you one thing the Ford Explorer’s the best at, except for being a cop car.” (Kelly, 29:49)
• Favorite Hybrid SUVs for Families (30:36–31:21)
  • With Explorer Hybrid discontinued, their top picks are the Toyota Grand Highlander and Lexus TX; shoutout to Toyota’s long hybrid leadership.
• What Makes a Car a Hybrid? (31:27–32:45)
  • Clear breakdown of the difference between plug-in hybrids, active hybrids (for fuel economy or for power), and practical implications.
    • “Plug-in, you get some pure electric range…Active hybrid, you don’t plug it in, but it has a small battery and an engine that work together for fuel efficiency…” (Kelly, 31:31)
• Car Seats & Family Configurations (32:57–34:23)
  • Lizz reveals her upcoming car seat setup for three kids, including forward-facing in the third row, flexible minivan arrangements, and the pros of baseless infant seats.
• First Cars & “Truck Girl” Phase (34:28–39:05)
  • Kelly’s first car: Hyundai Santa Fe; Lizz: Nissan Cube (“such a little toaster car”). Early experiences with quirky models like the Xterra and Kia Soul.
  • Kelly’s “horse girl” & “truck girl” era: driving manual, air-conditioning-free dealership pickups, naming her trucks, and cheeky country-boy-chasing stories.
    • “I was a country girl and I liked country people, country boys…so I would stalk the trade-ins—my favorites were a ’93 F-150 with no air and a 2003 F-250 Powerstroke diesel—named him Pony Boy.” (Kelly, 35:21 & 36:12)
  • The legendary “Arrow Story,” where Kelly would write her name and number on a broken arrow to throw in a cute boy’s pickup—a running family gag.
    • “If she saw a country boy, she would throw her arrow into the back of his truck…She gave Tyler her arrow and they’ve been together ever since.” (Lizz, 37:39)
• Sibling Dynamic Over the Years (36:44–37:19)
  • Not always close; ebbed and flowed with age and life phases, but relationships matured and deepened into adulthood.

5. Auto-Industry News & Trends

• Ford’s Electric Future & Sedans Comeback? (41:03–46:31)
  • Ford’s upcoming mid-size electric truck (possibly the “Ranchero”) revealed; skepticism from both hosts.
    • “I just don’t know why they’re going for the mini truck of it all.” (Kelly, 42:22)
  • Big Three automakers (Ford, GM, Stellantis) now eyeing a sedan comeback after years of culling affordable cars. Both hosts question the practicality of sedans versus small SUVs, especially for families with car seats or elderly passengers.
    • “I don’t know the difference between a small SUV and a sedan—to me, they do the same thing, and I’d rather sit up a bit more.” (Kelly, 45:29)
    • “I would rather have a Kia Soul than a Kia Optima. They don't even make either of those anymore.” (Lizz, 46:06)

6. Ditch the Drive-Thru: Quick Dinner Recipe

• Shrimp Tacos with Trader Joe’s Ingredients (47:06–48:59)
  • Lizz’s go-to, super-easy Lenten meal: frozen Argentine shrimp, everything but the elote seasoning, corn salsa, and tortillas.
    • “It’s one of those things…How good can this really be?—and you’re like, oh my gosh, that’s amazing.” (Lizz, 48:30)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Family Rivalry at Auctions

  • “No one will come between me and the first row at the kindergarten concert, and I mean, no one.” (Kelly, 02:24)

• On Detoxing and Willpower

  • “A detox encourages you to go to the extreme—you’re trying to get it out of your system so you can get the benefits…And I’m also, again, doing this to prove to God I love him more than sugar.” (Kelly, 14:48)

• On Sibling Bonds

  • “To have a world where you don’t speak to your siblings, that’s just not the world we live in.” (Lizz, 23:57)

• On Mid-Tier SUVs

  • “It’s mid. It’s fine. If you have two kids, great...Other mid cars: the Mazda CX90, Subaru Ascent—those are just kind of the mid ones, you know?” (Kelly, 29:03)

• On Growing Up & Changing Relationships

  • “When Grayson was a teenager, I actually didn’t like her at all. She was so mean to me, and now I love her.” (Lizz, 37:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|-------------| | 00:43–07:50 | School dinner auctions, family stories | | 08:24–16:41 | Ash Wednesday, sugar detox, health journeys | | 18:05–21:55 | Decluttering strategies and digital brain games | | 22:29–27:39 | Q&A: Podcast origins, sibling bonds, family sports rules | | 29:03–30:14 | Ford Explorer and “mid” SUVs critique | | 31:27–32:45 | Explaining hybrids, plug-in vs. active hybrids | | 32:57–34:23 | Car seat plans and family minivan setup | | 34:28–39:05 | First cars, “truck girl” phase, arrow love story | | 41:03–46:31 | Ford’s EV truck, sedans comeback, industry trends | | 47:06–48:59 | Ditch the Drive-Thru: Shrimp taco recipe |

Overall Tone & Language

The conversation is lighthearted, sisterly, and candid—full of warmth, playful teasing, and millennial mom relatability. Both challenge and cheer each other on, shifting easily between practical tips and off-the-cuff storytelling.

This summary covers all major themes and provides a clear roadmap for anyone who missed the episode but wants the details, the fun, and the actionable advice.