Dispatches From the Suburban Zoo: Recent Episodes
Dispatches from the Suburban Zoo
We are a group of five friends who met as part of a book club, and are podcasting to extend our conversation beyond the pages of the books. We talk about motherhood, identity, grief, friendship, life hacks, books, bra sizing, meal planning, hiding from our children in the closet with chocolate, and everything in between.
Mary, Joceline, and Shayna get specific about language: "we're pregnant" versus "I'm pregnant", how Joceline feels about people who are not her children calling her "Mom"; why "dude" was banned from Mary's house; and how Shayna came to be known as the Angry Alligator.
Joceline, Jessica, Mary, and Shayna discuss favorite reads! They cover fiction, non-fiction, audiobooks, and the ever controversial category--books they expected to love but didn't. Listen as Shayna (and let's be honest, everyone else) tries to sneak in extra recommendations with each category. Find out what genre Mary is allergic to and what book Jess is too scared to read.
Tissues! Pencils! Podcasts! Books! Snacks! TV Shows! Shayna, Mary, Joceline, and Jess share 10 things each that they love right now. Hopefully hearing about our favorite things will give you some inspiration for new experiences for your life and family.
Jessica, Shayna, Joceline and Mary share perspectives on planning activities for random holidays throughout the year, and how we get started when planning longer family vacations. In this episode, we learn about Jessica's fear of dirty hotel bedspreads, Joceline's campsite reservation fail, Shayna's 10-year birthday trip tradition, and Mary's inability to understand the simple pleasure of a hike. Also of interest: each of our high-maintenance sleep needs when traveling.
Mary, Shayna, Jess and Joceline talk about how they make vacations feel like vacations, even when the kids are there.
Article from the Onion discussed in the episode
Joceline and Shayna answer questions from Mary and Jess about what it's like to be a foster parent. Find out why one little girl called Joceline "the weird lady whose house I live in" and how Shayna gets her three tween and teen boys involved in caring for their foster babies.
Shayna, Joceline, Mary, and Jessica talk about how they came to be stay at home moms, what influenced them, and how they navigate renewing or relinquishing that role.
Adulting is easier when you have some go-to favorites in your back pocket. We discuss some of our favorite gifts, foods, clothing items, and more that we rely on over and over. Also, learn about the time that Shayna got sneezed on by an elephant, listen to us debate the purpose of compote dishes, and find out about how Jess channels her inner Moira Rose.
Melodie shares how she used DNA testing and genealogical research to finally confirm the identity of her husband's father. The journey took 7 years, and she learned many other family secrets along the way. Also, Joceline fesses up that she has an ancestry kit languishing in her drawer, Shayna discusses her reluctance to discover any more surprises about her family history, and Jess explains why her marriage was written in the stars.
We discuss Joceline’s adventure being stranded in the snow and how we can be adequately prepared for an emergency or disaster in non-overwhelming ways.
Shayna, Jessica, Joceline, Melodie, and Mary revisit some of the books, movies, shows, toys, and treats that they loved in childhood to see how they hold up now. Do Barbie, Three's Company, Friends, Babysitters' Club, Ocean's 11 and more stand the test of time?
Melodie, Shayna, Joceline, Jessica, and Mary discuss the role of friendship in our lives and ways to develop close friendships during this life stage.
Melodie, Shayna, Joceline, Jessica and Mary discuss how they have approached charitable giving in the past and share ideas for doing more.
Joceline, Shayna, Mary and Melodie talk about goals for 2021 - moving houses, listening to music, planning meals, and swapping goals for "hopes and dreams."