Manic Rambling Spiral

Looking forward, looking back, and looking a bit pruney. Burnout is real and so it summer break. This week we're talking about how to tackle the day to day with our kids home for summer, lamenting the "good ol' days" of being an unrestricted kid, and teaching Heather how to use the "Do Not Disturb" function on her iPhone.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The logistics, lamentations, and laughable ideals of traveling with kids. As our kids have gotten older, it's become easier to travel with them but, in some ways, harder to travel without them. This week we talk about passports, travel permission letters, trashed hotel rooms, and when to remove - or NOT remove - your shoes.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sometimes this podcast is the only way we manage to catch up between travel, kid chaos, and texting random bits of insanity back and forth. This is one of those times. But mostly we just talked about cleaning, Tinder, the simple sexual expectations of men, and banana “ice cream.”  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We separated because we just wanted to be friends with our exes. Okay, that's not entirely true, but we both think that staying on the best possible terms with them is in the best interest of our kids. So how do we make it work? Well, it's gotten better, but we're still figuring that out (one glass of bourbon at a time).  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode is a bit of a rambling spiral about Heather's experience in Boston (one hell of an experience!), John's decision to run the Chicago Marathon because Heather suckered him into it, and what these sort of endeavors mean to us as people and parents. Yeah, they mean we're crazy, but it's more than that.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We're finally sorting listener emails and directly addressing the “Pain Olympics."  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What to say - or NOT say - to people who are trying to decide if they want to have kids.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Exploring contentment as a single parent. (as an aside, the cover art does not believe us)  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Outlines be damned! Time to let the conversation flow!  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dealing with loneliness when you’re (almost) never alone  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Trying to Fit in Exercise When Your Kids Have other Plans  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Wading back into the dating pool while our kids wait (and wonder nervously) on the shore.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meeting Deadlines as a Parent When the Kids are Home Sick  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Becoming a Single Parent When the Other Parent Remarries Without Warning  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Becoming a Single Parent When the Other Parent Relocates What is 'Manic Rambling Spiral?' How did Heather B. Armstrong, queen of the mommy bloggers, become a full-time single parent? That wasn't supposed to be a part of the script. And who the hell is John Bray?  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.