The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby

Episode: Our origin story, marriage advice, & 2026 resolutions

Release date: January 2, 2026
Summary prepared for: Non-listeners seeking a comprehensive, lively overview

Episode Overview

In this heartfelt and humorous episode, Matt and Abby Howard—high school sweethearts, now married with two boys in Phoenix, AZ—reflect on their shared history, the evolution of their family and relationships, and hopes for the future. This episode launches "Always Here," a sister-focused spinoff segment highlighting authentic conversations about marriage, family, and personal growth. The pair explore their origin story and blending of families, tackle current social debates with a fun new segment, divulge their resolutions for 2026, and share advice in a warm and relatable tone that strikes a balance between honesty and encouragement.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Origin Story: From Awkward In-Laws to Close Sisters

[00:00–08:12]

• Meeting as High School Sweethearts: Both Abby and Abigail (clarified for the podcast) started dating brothers (Caleb and Matt) in high school but attended different schools and lived in different cities.
• First Impressions:
  • Abby: "I have distinct memories of you from the beginning. I was really scared of you." [03:20]
  • Abigail: "You are so cool. I was never cool." [03:24]
• Becoming Family & Friends: Early relationship included shared holidays, engagement parties, and even slightly awkward double bridal showers.
  • On showers: "Everyone thought we both were child brides." [06:07]
• Turning Point: When Abigail visited Abby and Matt in Springfield, staying in a one-bedroom apartment, real friendship blossomed: "You can't, you get close with someone when you share a one-bedroom apartment." [06:52]
• Blended Families: Now bonded as sisters—with Addie joining as another sister-in-law—they reflect on the fluid titles of 'sister' vs. 'sister-in-law' and the blend of found and biological family: "Now we can just say sisters and we all know." [08:52]

2. Segment: "Wow, That’s Crazy"

[09:10–19:50]
A lighthearted recurring segment where the co-hosts discuss trending or surprising news.

• Youngest Self-made Female Billionaire:
  • "The world has a new youngest female self-made billionaire...Luana Lopez Lara...29 years old." [11:20]
  • Discussion on event-based trading platforms and underlying issues (taboos of gambling/betting).
• Viral "Hair by Chrissy" Drama:
  • TikTok drama over a $4,000 salon visit sparking a wider debate: transparent pricing vs. paying for a celebrity stylist’s “brand.”
  • Memorable quote: "If you're paying thousands of dollars for the 'Chrissy experience,' I kind of see where she feels misled by that." [16:41]
  • Observations on social media snowballing and followers making merch from the drama: "Now this just feels like a circus..." [18:18]

3. 2026 Resolutions & Goal-Setting

[19:51–52:22]
Both hosts (with Addie chiming in) reveal their goals and intentions for the year, balancing marriage, motherhood, and self-care. The discussion is candid and practical, reflecting both ambition and the messiness of family life.

Marriage & Friendship

• Regular Date Nights:
  • "I want Caleb and I to do one planned date out a month at least." [25:01]
• Physical Affection & Love Notes:
  • "Kiss more and write more love notes...my husband is a words of affirmation man." [25:42]
• Couples and Friend Travel:
  • "I want to travel with friends, specifically with kids the same age as ours." [27:43]

Family & Parenting

• Library Visits & Reading:
  • "Check out books from the library...I feel like the kids could pick it out on their own." [36:16]
• Early Learning:
  • "Work on letters and numbers with the kids more." [37:24]
• Quality Time:
  • "I want to do 10 minutes a day of uninterrupted play with the kids." [38:19]

Health & Wellness

• Fitness Goals:
  • "I do have a goal to run a half marathon...with every baby to try to do a half marathon within the first year postpartum." [29:01]
  • "Go on more walks...I started that after the loss and I was like, I just feel so much better just being outside." [30:17]
  • "Get a pull up...I want to get back that was something that I never envisioned for myself ever in my entire life." [31:34]
• Oral Health:
  • "I need to schedule a dentist appointment...I have not been to the dentist not long, but after I turned 26..." [33:46]

Personal Development

• Bible Study:
  • "I want to get back into regular Bible study routine and read at least four times a week." [44:19]
• Volunteering:
  • "Volunteer more. I think I've made every excuse in the book...I just want to be more involved in our community and serving more..." [51:39]
• Dopamine Fast:
  • "Caleb and I...we're gonna do a dopamine fast in the new year. No sugar for a week, no screens, no TV..." [49:11]

Home & Organization

• Organizing Home "Pain Points":
  • "I need to organize the pain points in my house...not just organize it, but create a system so it doesn't happen again." [39:39]

Light-hearted/Skill-based

• Photography:
  • "I want to take more pictures...our kids are only little for so long." [32:33]
• Cooking:
  • "I want to learn how to make a good steak...I really, really love steak." [45:54]

4. Mission of "Always Here"

[21:28–24:27]

• The co-hosts articulate their vision for the podcast: a positive, hope-filled, and honest space.
  • "Always here to share the hope and the hard with heart and humor." [24:16]
  • "We want to laugh a lot...we're both going to be laughing." [24:29]

They stress the importance of real talk about motherhood, marriage, and friendships without resorting to negativity or gossip.

5. Community Q&A: Ask Abby Segment

[52:45–68:44]

Overview:

• Call-in segment with questions from friends, family, and listeners.
  • Number to call: 602-456-9690

Selected Highlights:

• How was the name "Always Here" chosen?

  • Team brainstorming sessions, aiming for initials "A" and "H" (Abby Howard).
  • "Always Here was on that list...we’re always here for each other...and we’re always here for you guys, our community." [55:46]

• Best Advice for a New Wife?

  • Abby: "Remind yourself to be kind to one another...just respond kindly." [57:14]
  • Abigail: "Say sorry often and quickly...if you're winning or they're winning, you're both losing. Just quickly say sorry and keep life moving." [57:50]
  • "Don’t be stubborn and don’t keep score." [58:13]

• Moving Back to St. Louis?

  • "For right now, I don't ever see that happening, but sorry, Mom. I love you so much." [59:16]

• Childhood Christmas Traditions to Continue

  • Abby: Weekly and family traditions deeply shaped her sense of security and joy:
    • "Every Friday night...Eggo waffles and hot chocolate with my grandparents." [60:00]
  • Abigail: "Putting cookies out for Santa and carrots out for the reindeer... St. Nick on December 5th, putting our shoe on the fireplace." [62:19]
  • Both reflect on the importance of small, regular rituals in building lasting family bonds.

• Husband Questions

  • Caleb asks what he should do more often:
    • Abby: "He should write me more love notes...they’re getting a little stale, babe." [65:59]
  • Matt asks how to help his wife feel adored daily:
    • Abigail: "When he makes my coffee in the morning, I'm like, oh, that just makes me feel...taken care of." [67:04]
    • Also: "Acknowledging efforts...just acknowledging it every single time—or a lot of the times—makes me feel really seen and ultimately adored." [68:14]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Adult Friendships Evolving:
  • "It's crazy how long we've known each other...Ten years. But to be fair, the early years—We were not friends." [01:56]
• On Shared Awkward Beginnings:
  • "We both were child brides." [06:07]
• On Transparency in Relationships:
  • "If you're paying thousands of dollars for the 'Chrissy experience,' I kind of see where she feels misled by that." [16:41]
• On Family Tradition:
  • "Weekly traditions truly shaped my childhood...that nostalgic feeling of being a kid takes me back to Friday nights, those Sunday afternoons, those weekly things." [60:00]
• On Practical Marriage Advice:
  • Abby: "Just respond kindly." [57:14]
  • Abigail: "Say sorry often and quickly." [57:50]
• On Sisterhood:
  • "Now we can just say sisters and we all know, yeah, we're not trying to overstep." [08:52]
• On Lifting Each Other Up:
  • "Always here to share the hope and the hard with heart and humor." [24:16]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time (MM:SS) | Segment | |--------------|---------| | 00:00–08:12 | Origin Story: How Their Family Blended & Friendship Formed | | 09:10–19:50 | "Wow, That’s Crazy"—News & Social Media Roundup | | 19:51–52:22 | 2026 Resolutions: Marriage, Parenting, Wellness, & More | | 21:28–24:27 | Mission Statement for "Always Here" Segment | | 52:45–68:44 | Ask Abby: Live Listener Q&A | | 60:00–63:44 | Family & Christmas Traditions |

Tone & Style

• Warm, conversational, and self-deprecating: Full of personal anecdotes, gentle teasing, and unfiltered honesty.
• Supportive and uplifting: Focused on encouragement, kindness, and community-building—not drama or complaint.
• Balanced with depth and silliness: Ranges from deep (loss, marriage) to playful (dental hygiene confessions, steak-cooking flops).

For Listeners & Non-Listeners Alike

This episode is the perfect introduction for listeners seeking friendship, marriage, or family insights with laughter and real-life relatability. You'll walk away feeling invited into the Howard family's warmth, reminded of the importance of small moments—both in daily life and long-term relationships—and inspired to approach your own goals with hope and humor.

“Always here to share the hope and the hard with heart and humor.” [24:16]