The Carpool with Kelly and Lizz – Episode Summary

Episode Title: You Make Better Decisions in Jeans
Release Date: October 17, 2025
Hosts: Kelly Stumpe and Lizz St. John

Episode Overview

In this Friday episode, Kelly and Lizz bring their signature blend of humor, sisterly banter, and practical advice to topics ranging from fall fashion hacks to honest struggles with phone addiction and self-care. They dive into practical beauty tips, discuss the convenience of press-on nails, and offer thoughtful advice to listeners on car-seat and car-buying dilemmas. The show closes with their sensitive "Blake's Besties" segment, sharing touching stories from listeners about pregnancy and infant loss.

Main Theme:
Finding small ways to elevate daily life—from what you wear to how you spend your downtime—while navigating motherhood, business, and personal growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Podcast Moves to Fridays

• Kelly and Lizz talk about recording and releasing episodes on Fridays.
• They acknowledge mixed feelings about pausing long Dancing with the Stars recaps, reflecting listener feedback and their own enjoyment of sharing personal interests.
  • "Some people will really welcome that because like, the Facebook group is like, stop Dancing with the Stars recaps." – Kelly (01:14)
  • "At my core, that's who I am." – Lizz defends her love for DWTS (01:20)

2. Fashion Hacks and Outfit Formulas

• Layering for Style and Utility:
  Kelly shares her hack for layering a white T-shirt under a crewneck sweater, referencing the “Merrick Styling Number” (the 7-point outfit rule).
  Timestamps: [02:52]–[05:41]
  • "If you have to make a big decision, like, it's worth your time to like put on a pair of jeans." – Kelly (04:41)
  • "I think you just, it’s, it’s the reminder that you got dressed and you, you take yourself seriously. You certainly make better food decisions in jeans." – Kelly (04:45)
• 7 Point Outfit Rule:
  Inspired by influencer Merrick Art, Kelly and Lizz discuss the rule that a perfect outfit should have seven “points” (items or accessories), sharing how it motivates them to wear more jewelry and feel more intentional about their looks.
  • "The seven point Outfit rule really has been super fun." – Lizz (06:17)
• Outfit Recipes:
  They discuss “outfit recipes” shared by Instagram bloggers—simple formulas like "boots, small bottoms, big top" that help regular people look more put together.
  • Notable IG follows: Being Julia (teacher/influencer with practical outfit formulas).

3. Detail Shop (Beauty & Self-Care Swaps)

• Cordy Balm for chapped lips – a no-frills, effective product for when regular lip balms don’t cut it.
  • "Cordy Balm...Chapstick with hydrocortisone cream in it. And it will fix your chapped lips and overnight, if not less." – Lizz (10:08)
  • [09:58]–[12:27]
• Maybelline Superstay Vinyl lipstick is recommended for a transformative fall lip—affordable, non-drying, long-lasting.
  • "Maybelline Superstay Vinyl... Drugstore, $9. So, so good." – Lizz (12:12)
  • "It will not, like, dry you out in a disgusting way." – Lizz (13:16)
• Press-on nails (Kiss brand, short lengths) are life-changing for low-key events and time-saving; both agree salon visits are overrated, inconvenient, and not actually self-care.
  • "The press on nails have changed my life. And I think it's all about expectations with press on nails." – Kelly (17:01)
  • "Women have been gaslit to believe that going to the nail salon is a relaxing spot...it is such a chore. I hate being there." – Kelly (18:38)

4. Self-Care Beyond the “Chores”

• Lizz shares her new self-care: Hot Yoga, reappraising stretching and movement as vital, productive ways to care for herself, especially after struggling with body aches.
  • "I used to...think, what a waste of my time to just stretch...But now, I see hot yoga for what I think it is—a deep stretch, a very hard workout." – Lizz (19:13)

5. Base Model Luxury: Less Screen Time

• Both hosts have become uncomfortable with their phone usage, recognizing its negative impact on mood, productivity, and parenting. They resolve to cut screen time (by half), suggesting practical tips like displaying daily screen time on the home screen and leaving the phone in another room.
  • "I think the first step is admitting it: I know I’m addicted to my phone...and I am putting the phone down in a major way." – Lizz (24:13, 25:21)
  • "My son thinks that I have to bring my phone with me everywhere I go." – Kelly (26:26)
• Discuss experiencing irritability and distraction around kids, blaming the phone.
• Challenge themselves (and listeners) to be more present—even resisting the impulse to always fill the silence with podcasts or audiobooks.
  • [24:08]–[29:15]

6. Listener Questions: Car Seat and Car Buying Advice

• Advice for Families with Four Kids Needing a Second Car:
  Kelly suggests the Volvo XC90 (with booster seats), Toyota Highlander, and possibly the Hyundai Santa Fe for those looking for smaller, reliable, pre-owned vehicles that can fit four car seats. Emphasizes realistic assessment of how often all kids need to fit in the second vehicle.
  • "If you’re looking for mass market, I think the Toyota Highlander would also be a good consideration..." – Kelly (36:45 to 38:10)
• Three Car Seats Across in a 2014 Explorer:
  Unlikely to fit three across in earlier Explorers; suggests trying, but offers Car Mom’s expert CPST service if unsure.
  • "Three across is completely different than doing a car seat check...that’s why we have the chat CPST service." – Kelly (41:12)
  • [39:20]–[42:46]

7. Crocktober Recipe: Ham and Bean Soup

• Recipe this week is "Easy Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup," emphasizing the use of a ham hock for depth of flavor (with some humor over sourcing the ingredient).
  • "You need that to get that depth of flavor. It’s so, so, so, so important." – Lizz (49:03)
  • [48:14]–[49:38]

8. Blake’s Besties: Pregnancy and Infant Loss Stories

• In honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, they share moving listener-submitted stories, including:
  • Secondary infertility and embryo loss, coping with grief and faith ([43:43]–[52:42])
  • Stillbirth and honoring lost babies through advocacy ([53:06]–[55:07])
  • Hysterectomy after birth and the grief of not being able to have more children ([55:07]–[57:01])
• "You have no idea the life someone else is living." – Lizz (56:56)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "You make better decisions in jeans." – Kelly (04:36)
• "Women have been gaslit to believe going to the nail salon is a relaxing spot... it’s such a chore." – Kelly (18:38)
• "I'm not going to delete the apps off my phone...I want to have a healthy relationship with it, not no relationship with it, but it's really just... I need to do it less." – Lizz (29:15)
• "Worst club, best people. And it couldn't be more true." – Listener Lauren, on community after loss (54:17)
• "You have no idea the life someone else is living. So like this one, so happy you chose this one..." – Kelly, about a listener who lost her ability to have children (56:56)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Friday episodes & schedule changes: 00:54–02:11
• Dancing with the Stars banter: 01:05–02:14
• Fashion hacks & jeans discussion: 02:52–05:41
• 7 Point Outfit Rule & Outfit Recipes: 06:17–09:36
• Detail Shop: Cordy Balm & Superstay Vinyl: 09:58–13:26
• Press-on Nails: 14:20–18:32
• Self-care & Hot Yoga: 19:15–21:36
• Base Model Luxury: Less Screen Time: 24:08–29:15
• Car Seat/Car Buying Advice: 34:03–42:46
• Crockpot Ham & Bean Soup: 48:14–49:38
• Blake's Besties (pregnancy & infant loss): 49:43–57:01

Conclusion

Kelly and Lizz keep things light, fun, and candid—blending practical tips for moms with real talk about the hidden struggles (screen time, self-care, loss). Their willingness to mix humor with vulnerability makes the episode engaging, relatable, and supportive for their millennial mom audience.