Two Noras and a Mic

Nora & Nora
  • 4.5 (33)
  • Kids & Family
  • Updated Weekly

Oh hello! We’re Nora and Nora and we’re glad you’re here!  From parenting and local faves to current trends and recipes, we are two Noras discussing it all with a whole lot of laughter along the way. As we raise our families in the west suburbs of Chicago we invite you to listen weekly as we dish about all the highs and lows and ridiculous amount of tomfoolery that ensue on this journey. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts as we check out new local spots, interview all sorts of interesting people, and catch up with each other! It’s like inviting two friends over to visit and catch up with without all the hassle of getting ready for company. Leave the entertaining to us and be sure to tune in for a new episode each Monday.

  1. 2d ago

    Nightcap with the Noras and the ladies of Waggin Wagon

    Send us Fan Mail A daycare bus that picks up dogs like kids for a field trip sounds impossible until you hear how thoughtfully it’s built. We’re on location at The Gravy Lady in La Grange, eating like royalty, and sitting down with Amanda and Kat, the driving force behind Wagon Wagon, a door-to-door dog transportation and enrichment service that’s blowing up across the western suburbs. We get into the real origin story: a TikTok-inspired leap, buying a former daycare bus, and turning it into a safe, structured ride where each dog has a secure spot. Amanda shares how her background in education helped her build routines and “classroom management” for pups, while Kat brings deep dog-breed knowledge and a sharp instinct for reading behavior. We talk dog screening, the one hard line they won’t cross (aggression), and why they move dogs from the bus straight into a fully fenced private yard instead of a public dog park. Then we hit the fun stuff: enrichment puzzles like the famous muffin-tin game, themed weeks, simple art projects owners actually keep, and the surprisingly emotional part of watching dogs light up when the Wagon Wagon pulls up. You’ll also hear the most unglamorous side of pet care, including a bus poop disaster that spirals into the kind of story you’ll retell at dinner. If you’re searching for dog daycare alternatives, dog enrichment ideas, or a reliable midday service for dogs home alone, this conversation is packed with practical details, laughs, and local small business energy. Subscribe, share this with a fellow dog person, and leave a review with your pup’s name and biggest quirk. Mike Haggerty Buick GMCRight on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

  2. Aug 10

    Just Keep Swimming

    Send us Fan Mail A 24-hour flight just happened, and we cannot decide if it is a miracle of modern travel or a fresh new circle of misery. We start in full summer mode, talking about being home alone, how the house stays weirdly clean when the kids are gone, and the creeping back-to-school reality that brings uniforms, shoes, homework, and the nightly job of getting everyone to bed. Then we pivot into the kind of fun trivia that sends you down a rabbit hole: the yearly list of unique college football player names. We talk about what makes a name unforgettable, why punctuation shows up where it does not belong, and how a “normal” first name paired with an unfortunate last name can create real-world awkwardness. It is goofy, but it also says something about identity and the snap judgments we all make. From there, we dig into long-haul travel and what it would really feel like to stay on a plane for an entire day, from cabin comfort to turbulence anxiety to the price gap between economy and first class. And yes, we revisit the very real trend of nude dining nights at a fancy restaurant, because once you picture steak, napkins, and bathroom breaks, the questions multiply fast. We wrap with the most important turn of the conversation: swimming and water safety. One of us learned to swim at 28 while pregnant, and that story opens up a bigger point about adult swim lessons, breathing, confidence, and the fact that many Americans still do not know how to swim. If you have ever felt behind on a “basic” skill, this is your reminder that it is never too late to learn. Subscribe, share with a friend who would laugh at the name list, and leave a review with your take: nonstop 24 hours or layover break? Mike Haggerty Buick GMCRight on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

  3. Aug 3

    Noras Make-Up

    Send us Fan Mail A tiny drink that looks like a Guinness but tastes like dessert sounds harmless, right until we’re debating whether it should be a shot, a sipper, or poured over ice cream. We start with National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (melty is best, hard cookies are risky), then jump into our Baby Guinness experiment with Kahlua and Bailey's. Along the way we take a detour through novelty shot glasses, random trivia, and the kind of small talk that somehow turns into real life. Things get unexpectedly practical when we talk daylight saving time. The promise of “just pick one time forever” sounds great until you picture winter mornings where the sun barely shows up before work and school. We unpack why sleep experts push for consistency, why dark mornings feel so rough, and why politicians hesitate when constituents imagine sunrise creeping toward 8:00 a.m. or later in some cities. Then it’s full pop culture whiplash: the viral trend of dunking a McDonald’s cheeseburger in Diet Coke (we have strong feelings), plus a genuinely charming palate cleanser, Denmark’s Santa convention with gift-wrapping contests and gingerbread eating. From there we settle into our main topic, cosmetics: minimalist makeup routines, tinted moisturizer with SPF, eyeliner that looks natural, lip gloss versus lipstick, and what kids learn from TikTok beauty tutorials. We also share an eye doctor-approved makeup remover recommendation, swap product memories, and talk 2026 makeup trends like butter skin, blended blush, smoky liner, and natural nails. If you like funny everyday stories with useful tips you can actually try, hit subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find us. What’s your “core four” makeup routine right now? Mike Haggerty Buick GMCRight on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

  4. Jul 27

    Cinco de Annabel - Two Noras interview Best Selling Author Annabel Monaghan

    Send us Fan Mail She finished her last tour event last night and still showed up today with stories, secrets, and the kind of candor that makes us love Annabel Monaghan even more. We’re raising a glass for “Cinco De Annabel” and talking Dolly All The Time, her Good Morning America Book Club pick that delivers a swoony summer romance! We get the behind-the-scenes version of author life, from London and Paris publishing visits to the pure excitement of sitting on the Good Morning America couch and knowing every awkward second lives forever. Then we pivot to Dolly herself: what her podcast would be, why her talents read like survival skills, and the moment Annabel realized Dolly’s caretaking had a shadow side. We dig into the emotional truth of overfunctioning, people-pleasing, and how “doing it all” can rob the people around you of the chance to show up. The conversation also turns personal, with honest parenting insight on middle school friendships and raising teenage boys, plus a reminder that silence can be a powerful kind of support. Annabelle shares why Sancerre made it onto the page, how Newport mansions helped her build Stewart's old-fashioned energy, and the magical real-life origin story of meeting an actual reader named Dolly who sparked the novel. And yes, there’s a teaser for the next book: a slow train to Montauk, a four-hour connection, a brutal platform twist, and a jump to age 39. If you love author interviews, romance novels, summer reads, and conversations that mix craft with real life, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a good book, and leave us a review telling us what you’re reading right now. Mike Haggerty Buick GMCRight on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

  5. Jul 20

    Camp Nora and Nora

    Send us Fan Mail Chicago is choking on hazardous air, and we’re doing what we always do when life feels a little too real: talking it through until it turns funny, useful, and oddly comforting. We start with the anxiety of watching the air quality index climb and the way headlines can reshape a normal day, then jump to the week’s most unsettling food safety news, including why Taco Bell lettuce somehow becomes the villain in a world where “cheese substancel” keeps surviving. From there, we tumble into the internet’s trend cycle: soft serve dipped in melted butter with sea salt, the lifelong feasibility of drinking one million beers (spoiler: the math is unhinged), and a surprisingly organized WhatsApp group that’s trying anyway. We also debate beer slushies, the rules of what counts as “a beer,” and the delightful discovery that a baby Guinness is a shot that has absolutely nothing to do with Guinness. Then we bring it home with summer camp talk: who went as a kid, what day camp does best, why February camp emails make us want to scream, and how easy it is to over-schedule until summer becomes one long car ride. We also share why diabetes camp can be such a powerful experience for kids and families, plus a quick history lesson on how American summer camp became a “back to nature” institution in the first place. If you like funny conversation with real-life parenting truths, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s deep in summer logistics, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.

  6. Jul 13

    Linens and towels and sheets...Oh My!

    Send us Fan Mail You know those conversations that start with a normal life update and somehow end with you rethinking your entire home setup? That’s where we land today, starting with Fourth of July traditions and the kind of small-town parade day that leaves you both exhausted and happy. Then we take a sharp turn into curiosity bait: the naked bike ride in downtown Chicago (go as bare as you dare), a blind taste test of a cinnamon bun Oreo, and a hit of pure nostalgia when we scroll through retired 90s candy. If you grew up on Butterfinger BB’s, Lifesaver Holes, String Thing, and peak convenience store snacks, this one will pull you right back. We also react to the internet’s most questionable food inventions, from Pringles chip-flavored hot dog buns sold one bun per can to over-the-top stadium food that makes us beg for plain hot dogs and popcorn. The heart of the conversation is linens: bed sheets, top sheets, duvet covers, fitted sheet folding, towel quality, bath sheets, terry cloth robes, cloth napkins, and linen clothing that wrinkles if you look at it wrong. We trade practical tips, pet peeves, and the little household habits that quietly shape your day, plus a quick detour into luxury bedding economics (yes, we found sheets that cost five figures and a mattress that costs as much as a house). If you laughed, learned, or felt personally attacked by the top-sheet debate, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. Are you team top sheet, or are you with Gen Z? Mike Haggerty Buick GMCRight on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

  7. Jul 6

    Nightcap and a recap

    Send us Fan Mail A summer recap can sound simple until you zoom in on the details: a 5:15 a.m. start line, 68 miles on real roads, a Disney Cruise Line concierge happy hour, and a sunscreen mistake so specific it only burns your ankles. We’re nightcapping with the Noras and telling the truth about what we’ve been up to, including a charity bike ride supporting pediatric brain tumor research and why doing something hard with your dad becomes an instant “memory maker.” Then we jump to family travel on the Disney Treasure ship with 16 relatives spanning ages 3 to 77. We talk about why Disney cruising works for big groups, how we keep everyone happy without over scheduling, and the small rituals that make the trip feel like a floating five star hotel. If you’ve ever tried to plan a multi generation vacation, you’ll hear practical ideas for balancing together time with the freedom to scatter. We also get into the St. Thomas kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling adventure that turns into a comedy of rule following, forgotten water shoes, and the dreaded reverse golfer’s tan ankle sunburn. From there it’s on to Disney World without a stroller, Lightning Lane strategy, decision fatigue, and the blister that proves we walked the parks for real. We close with champagne tasting tips, reactions to wild headlines like the Empire State Building proposal, and a summer book recommendation before our upcoming author interview. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who loves a good vacation story, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.

  8. Jun 22

    T-Shirts

    Send us Fan Mail You know that feeling when summer makes the world seem a little louder, a little weirder, and somehow more fun? That’s the energy we’re bringing today as we start with real-life catch-up, kid commentary that cracks us up, and a “would you rather” that escalates into donuts, stitches, and the kind of questions only children ask with confidence. From there, we go global in the best way. We talk World Cup watching and the moment that deserves the attention it’s getting: Japanese fans cleaning up the stadium because leaving a space better than you found it is the point. Then we keep the international streak alive with a taste test of tinto de verano, the classic Spanish summer drink made with red wine, citrus soda, and lots of ice. If you’ve been hunting for an easy summer cocktail, a lighter sangria alternative, or a new patio drink, this one might be your new staple. And because our brains never stay in one lane, we hit the wild headlines too: Denmark’s mullet competition, the Gen Z phrase “low vibe relationships” and what it actually means, plus a truly ridiculous real-world coincidence involving paying at the same store with the same “wand” card holder. We also debate what’s worth paying for, from expensive firefly camping to the beach “plop vacation” trend that some people swear resets the nervous system and we swear does the opposite. We wrap with our t-shirt deep dive, from what we wear to bed to the nostalgic shirts we can’t throw away, plus a quick look at t-shirt history and how it went from undershirt to cultural icon. Listen, laugh, and then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review if you’re enjoying the show.

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4.5
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

Oh hello! We’re Nora and Nora and we’re glad you’re here!  From parenting and local faves to current trends and recipes, we are two Noras discussing it all with a whole lot of laughter along the way. As we raise our families in the west suburbs of Chicago we invite you to listen weekly as we dish about all the highs and lows and ridiculous amount of tomfoolery that ensue on this journey. Follow us wherever you get your podcasts as we check out new local spots, interview all sorts of interesting people, and catch up with each other! It’s like inviting two friends over to visit and catch up with without all the hassle of getting ready for company. Leave the entertaining to us and be sure to tune in for a new episode each Monday.

Information

  • Creator
    Nora & Nora
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    214
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Two Noras and a Mic
  • Show Website
    Two Noras and a Mic

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