Podcast Summary: "THE CARPOOL IS GETTING BIGGER!"

Podcast: The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz
Hosts: Kelly Stumpe & Lizz St. John
Date: January 14, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode is filled with excitement as Lizz reveals big news—she’s pregnant with her third child! The sisters dive into all things first trimester, car seat logistics, and what another baby means for "The Car Mom" brand. True to their signature style, Kelly and Lizz also share relatable mom hacks, discuss social media culture, exchange car industry insights, and offer their latest "ditch the drive-thru" recipes. The tone is candid, humorous, and conversational, perfect for fellow millennial moms craving real talk and a brain break.

Main Topics and Key Moments

1. Lizz’s Pregnancy Announcement

Timestamps: 00:44–08:00

• Lizz drops the exciting news that she’s pregnant with her third child.
  • Quote (Lizz, 00:46): "I'm pregnant."
• Lizz shares that this first trimester has hit her harder than previous ones, with "trenches of nausea and fatigue."
• Kelly describes trying to help by showing food photos instead of mentioning food out loud, catering to Lizz’s pregnancy aversions:
  • Quote (Kelly, 01:36): "She doesn't want to hear the words. She wants to see photos."
• Lizz’s “Mukbang Hack” for fighting pregnancy nausea—she searches Instagram for food videos until something finally looks appetizing.
  • Quote (Lizz, 01:57): "This is my fighting nausea hack. I get nauseous when I don't eat... So I search food I have and watch Mukbangs until it sounds good."
• Discussion on modern pregnancy gender reveals, the pros/cons of finding out early, and opinions within their family.
  • Quote (Kelly, 04:23): "I always live in a world where the day I found out what I'm having is an exciting day."

2. Work, Content, and Car Mom Brand Updates

Timestamps: 08:00–09:13

• Website renovations and a recent photo shoot (scheduled pre-bump!).
• Reminder to vote for “Car Mom Car of the Year” (finalists: Honda Passport, Nissan Armada, Ford Expedition, Hyundai Palisade).
• Kelley highlights growing engagement from manufacturers:
  • Quote (Kelly, 08:52): "I'm telling you, the manufacturers are starting to listen."

3. Driveway Dumps: Mom Life Hacks, Social Media & Inspiration

Timestamps: 10:34–22:09

• Kelly shares her productive weekend including giving away kid pajamas for free on Marketplace.
• The pair discuss the joy and inspiration found in following people openly tackling major debt or weight loss journeys.
• Highlighting Instagram creator Sammy Wedemeyer, who’s documenting her family’s journey to pay off $180,000 in debt.
  • Quote (Liz, 14:18): "She was like, day one of 365 of paying off our debt...I am loving her."
• Lizz receives her first “hate message” in the comments after supporting Sammy, leading to a discussion about toxic social media discourse:
  • Quote (Kelly, 19:07): "If everything you see online is offending you, you have to go touch grass."
• Brief tangent on targeted Instagram ads—Halara sweatpant jeans, kids’ picky eater “dust,” and the power (and pitfalls) of algorithmic marketing.

4. Dinner Auctions & ‘Base Model Luxury’ Life Hacks

Timestamps: 22:37–32:22

• Kelly talks about her passion for local school dinner auctions, assembling high-value baskets, and competition for prime spots and prizes at these events.
• Lizz reads a listener-submitted mom hack: the “Chuck-It Bucket”—use a bin to clear the dinner table in one swoop.
  • Quote (Liz, 30:49): "The Chuck it bucket...I simply keep a small bin under my table...when dinner is done, it goes in the bucket and one trip to the sink."
• TV and Streaming Recap:
  • Lizz finishes “Desperate Housewives.”
  • Kelly’s unimpressed by “The Masked Singer” and shares first impressions of “Traitors.”
    • Quote (Kelly, 32:42): "I've never seen a Masked Singer reveal and been, like, gooped and gagged. I'm like, who is that?"

5. Auto Industry News: Stellantis Scraps Plug-In Hybrids

Timestamps: 39:00–43:43

• Big industry news: Stellantis (Jeep/Chrysler) is discontinuing its plug-in hybrid vehicles amid declining EV demand.
• Kelly laments the loss of the Chrysler Pacifica hybrid, calling it a “mom favorite.”
  • Quote (Kelly, 39:43): "The Chrysler plug-in hybrid, though, is one of my favorite cars...I recommended this plug-in hybrid all the time. And they're scrapping it."
• The sisters discuss regulatory pressures, hybrid versus EV strategy, and what brands like Toyota are doing differently.
• They share a (tongue-in-cheek) playbook for Stellantis product strategy.

6. Ditch the Drive-Thru Segment: Elevated Mac & Cheese & Chicken Cutlets

Timestamps: 43:59–49:27

• Lizz raves about chicken cutlets as the ultimate easy comfort food:
  • Quote (Liz, 44:26): "It is such an approachable way for me to eat chicken...will eat an entire chicken breast in that way."
• Listener-submitted “Elevated Mac & Cheese” recipe:
  • Milk, butter, seasonings (highlight: TJ’s Everything but the Elote), shredded cheese, pasta.
  • Pro-tips for flexible, pantry-based dinners and sides (Kelly: “get in your rice-a-roni era”).
• Encouragement for listeners to try these quick fixes and skip drive-thru temptation this week.

Notable Quotes & Highlights

• Lizz on pregnancy cravings (01:57):
  “I get nauseous when I don't eat...so I search food I have and watch Mukbangs until it sounds good.”

• Kelly on being done with babies (07:09):
  “I feel nothing in terms of like, I don't wish I was pregnant. So I think that's a good sign that, like, I am very good and confident being done with my four.”

• Kelly on giving away kids' clothes (12:00):
  “What am I going to do with these? They have a lot of life left in them. I don't want to write a description though, so I'm like, free, gone in seconds.”

• Liz on toxic Instagram comments (16:13):
  “I just wanted to be like a positive person being like, you're doing a great thing...and someone came back with a hate message.”

• Kelly on the Stellantis news (39:43):
  “The Chrysler plug-in hybrid, though, is one of my favorite cars...I recommended this plug-in hybrid all the time. And they're scrapping it.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Pregnancy announcement & cravings: 00:44–06:33
• Website/photo updates & “Car of the Year” voting: 08:00–09:13
• Free Facebook Marketplace, social media inspiration, and hate comments: 10:34–22:09
• Dinner auctions & “Chuck-It Bucket” hack: 22:37–32:22
• TV Recap and industry news: 32:22–43:43
• Easy weeknight dinners to ditch the drive-thru: 43:59–49:27

Summary

This episode combines a personal milestone, practical mom hacks, the latest in auto-industry news, and plenty of real-life humor. Whether sharing their pregnancy journey, debating family car logistics, or ranting about social-media drama, Kelly and Lizz keep it lively and relatable for their audience of millennial moms and car lovers alike.

Standout moments: Lizz's candidness about first trimester struggles and food hacks, a deep dive into social media dynamics, and Kelly's passionate defense of the Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid. The episode is enhanced with approachable recipes and practical tips for everyday mom life.

“If everything you see online is offending you, you have to go touch grass.”
— Kelly (19:07)

“Thank you for your service to the community—getting three car seats across.”
— Kelly (07:30)