Baggage Claim

Greg and Jess
  • 4.9 (19)
  • Relationships
  • Updated Daily

Baggage Claim is a space for blended families, marriage, and friendship.  Here, we dive into real-life conversations about the ups and downs of relationships, from navigating second marriages to unpacking the baggage we all bring. Hosted by Greg and Jessica, who both have rich experiences with love, loss, and family, this community is about sharing stories, learning together, and growing stronger as couples and individuals. Grab a drink and join us as we unpack, laugh, and claim our baggage—one conversation at a time 

  1. Jul 14

    When Life Feels Blah, Choose What Matters

    Send us Fan Mail Something feels off, but you can’t quite name it and then one day you finally say it out loud: “We’re missing fun.” That’s where we start, with Greg, Jess, and Michael trading jokes, real confessions, and the kind of honest marriage talk that usually only happens after everyone’s been sitting at the kitchen table for a while. We bounce from “fun red flags” (ADHD detours, laundry that never gets folded, and a very serious Georgia football household) into a deeper conversation about seasons and expectations. Jess shares what it’s like to shift from summer freedom to the back-to-school grind as a teacher, and Greg explains how those first weeks impact the whole relationship. We dig into a simple but hard truth: when life changes, our expectations have to change too, or we’ll start taking normal stress personally. From there, we talk purpose and what fills your bucket, especially when work and routines drain you. We unpack the idea that you can give your best effort every day, but your best gets better when you invest in healthy community, meaningful hobbies, and the things that restore you. We also wrestle with adult friendships, how hard they are to build, and why personal connection matters more than appearances, vacations, or stuff. You’re not alone, and you’re not meant to do life alone. If this conversation hits home, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review so more families can find us. What season are you in right now, and what do you want to water on purpose? Support the show

  2. Jul 8

    What If Happily Ever After Is Built Not Found

    Send us Fan Mail You can love each other and still be running a relationship on autopilot. We get honest about the hidden systems already shaping your marriage: the routines for money, schedules, and kids, plus the unspoken patterns you rely on when conflict shows up. Then we ask the uncomfortable question: if we build systems for everything else, why do we leave emotional connection, hard conversations, and feeling safe with each other up to chance? We dig into a research point often cited from the Gottman Institute about how long couples can stay in distress before seeking help, and why waiting makes repair harder. From there, we talk about “fake peace” silence, defensiveness, shutdowns, and what it looks like to create a simple communication system so the tough topics do not turn into landmines. We also connect the dots to emotional discipline: when stress is high, you fall back on what you practiced, not what you promised. You will hear practical ideas you can use right away, like setting phone boundaries during family time and building a weekly Sunday sync that covers both the business of life and the heart of your relationship. If you want a healthier marriage, a stronger blended family, and a repeatable framework that holds up under pressure, this conversation gives you a clear place to start. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review so more couples can find the tools to build on purpose. Support the show

  3. Jun 23

    A Six Month Marriage Reset That Actually Works

    Send us Fan Mail A thriving marriage isn’t luck, and it definitely isn’t a roll of the dice. We’re six months into the year, so we’re doing a real-time marriage check-in and asking the question most couples avoid: if the tools to build a strong relationship are sitting right in front of you, will you pick them up, or will you keep hoping things magically get better? We talk through what makes check-ins work without turning into a fight. That means setting ground rules, celebrating wins first, dropping the blame game, and building what we call “umbrella protection” so both people can be honest without shame. Michael also shares a powerful navigation story from old school ocean travel: even a one-degree drift can land you miles away from where you meant to go. That metaphor hits hard when you’ve ever heard the words “we just grew apart.” To keep it practical, we narrow the focus to three areas that drive most conflict in marriage and blended families: time, attention, and emotional connection. We explain how to rate each one, how to talk about the “why” behind the number, and how to spot the moments you worked well as a team versus the moments things fell apart. If you want a proactive marriage, this is a simple reset you can do anytime, even on vacation. If this resonates, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a reset, and leave a quick review so more couples can find the tools to keep unpacking. Support the show

  4. Jun 16

    You Can Change The Mood By Changing The Frame

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to turn a normal day into a blowup is to “see” something that isn’t actually there. A cup on the counter becomes disrespect. A missed chore becomes proof they don’t care. A quiet drive home becomes rejection. We’ve all done it, and it’s exactly why we built this conversation around a simple idea: your marriage can be like an optical illusion, where two people stare at the same picture and walk away with totally different conclusions. We unpack three tools we’re actively working on in our own relationship. First, flip-side reframing: the trait that frustrates you is often the same trait you fell in love with, just showing up in a different context. Then we get painfully practical with the generous assumption rule, because assumptions quietly fuel resentment in marriage communication, blended families, and everyday relationships. Finally, we talk through Dr. John Gottman’s research on the 5-to-1 ratio of positive to negative interactions and why healthy couples don’t “never fight” but instead build enough positive connection to recover well. We also add an important boundary: reframing is not making excuses for abuse. Safety comes first, period. If you want an easy starting point, we share small habits you can try today, like one sticky note of appreciation a day or a simple journal you pass back and forth to rebuild friendship and intimacy over time. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review if Baggage Claim helps you unpack. Support the show

  5. Jun 9

    Kids Shouldn’t Carry Adult Heartbreak In Blended Families

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to wreck a blended family isn’t a missed pickup or a messy schedule, it’s turning your kids into the place you dump your hurt. We get real about the quiet, everyday moments when bitterness, resentment, and old divorce pain sneak out as comments, side-eyes, “just being honest,” or pressure for the kids to pick a team. If you’ve ever felt that pull to make your children understand how wronged you were, you’re not alone and you still have a choice about what happens next.  Greg and Jess unpack why co-parenting after divorce feels like an ongoing wound, not a one-time ending, and how that reality can shrink your emotional margin until you’re reacting instead of leading. We talk about the difference between having valid feelings and using those feelings to justify harmful behavior, especially when the audience is your children. Along the way, Erin and Michael jump in with perspective on why “different” has been turned into a negative word, and how blended family dynamics can teach maturity when adults stop making it weird.  We also share what honoring the past looks like in real life, not theory: acknowledging previous relationships, respecting a child’s full story, and refusing to trash the other parent even when you’re frustrated. The simplest takeaway is also the hardest to live: it’s not about you. If you’re building a stepfamily, navigating divorce recovery, or trying to protect your kids’ mental health while co-parenting, this conversation will give you language, guardrails, and a gut-check you can use this week.  Subscribe, share this with someone in a blended family, and leave a review so more people can find Baggage Claim. Then go to unpacktogether.com and take our free relationship audit. Support the show

  6. Jun 2

    From Barbershop To Mic Night: A Couple Builds Joy

    Send us Fan Mail Your marriage doesn’t need more pressure. It needs more room to breathe. We sit down with our friends Richard and Nibia Conley and the conversation goes everywhere we love: relationships, real-life stress, and the kind of laughter that actually keeps a home together. Richard shares his road from the railroad and warehouse work to co-owning a barbershop, and how grief became the turning point that pushed him into stand-up comedy. Nibia talks nursing, creativity, and what it’s like to be “the funny one” when everyone expects you to carry the room. We also get into the behind-the-scenes of a comedy class, why writing matters, why delivery can’t be taught, and how two different performance styles can still build one strong partnership. Along the way, we swap travel stories that include Monaco, Paris, and the kind of lost-luggage panic you can’t plan for. Then we dig into the practical marriage stuff: leaving work at work, leading with the highs instead of constant trauma dumping, handling the emotional load, and setting boundaries with exes and co-parenting drama. The big takeaway we keep coming back to is simple: give your spouse grace, be honest about what you need, and don’t outsource your happiness. Follow Richard at R Conley Comedy and Nibia at Conley Comedy, and if you’re near Atlanta, catch them at Helium and beyond. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave a review so more couples can find us. Support the show

  7. May 26

    What If Fun Is The Missing Ingredient In Your Marriage

    Send us Fan Mail If your home feels like a command center for schedules, bills, sports, and stress, we get it, and we’re not here to pile on more rules. We’re Greg and Jess, and we’re making a case for something that sounds simple but can be revolutionary for marriage, parenting, and blended families: choosing fun on purpose. We talk about how “fun” became a real family core value for us, especially when life felt heavy and money was tight. We share stories from our own chaotic house life: the legendary step-ladder joke, the surprise waterfall basement moment, pranks that went a little too well, and the kind of silly decisions that turn into the memories your kids still talk about years later. We also get practical about what fun looks like when nobody’s watching: quick games, low-cost outings, thrift store challenges, and permission to be a little messy without losing your mind. Producer Michael brings in relationship research from Dr. John Gottman on how humor can help de-escalate conflict by calming the body’s stress response, and we dig into why that only works when you’ve built trust and respect first. We also talk about why adults lose their sense of play, why “I don’t have hobbies” has become normal, and how to retrain your mind to find joy in the small stuff again. If you want a healthier relationship, a stronger family culture, and a home that feels lighter, start here. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave a review so more families can find us. Support the show

  8. May 19

    You Can’t Split The Day Without Splitting Hearts

    Send us Fan Mail Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are supposed to feel simple. In a blended family, they can feel like a stress test for everyone’s emotions, schedules, and loyalty. We dig into what actually happens when expectations get too high, boundaries get blurry, and a “nice holiday” turns into quiet disappointment or an argument that spills into the kids’ world. We walk through the practical side of blended family life: why we choose not to celebrate on the exact holiday, how we plan around multiple households, and what it looks like to honor a child’s relationship with their mom or dad without forcing them to split the day. Along the way, we talk about the emotional reality of feeling left out, the temptation to keep score, and the hard truth that doing the right thing does not always look like a win in the moment. Then we go straight to the issue that can wreck co-parenting and stepfamily trust: weaponizing kids. We explain why badmouthing the other parent is so damaging, how it usually points back to unresolved hurt, and how choosing emotional health creates stability that lasts. If you’re navigating divorce, remarriage, stepkids, bonus parents, and the pressure of family holidays, you’ll leave with language, boundaries, and a clearer definition of what “winning” really is. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a friend in a blended family, and leave a review so more couples can find these conversations. Support the show

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4.9
out of 5
19 Ratings

About

Baggage Claim is a space for blended families, marriage, and friendship.  Here, we dive into real-life conversations about the ups and downs of relationships, from navigating second marriages to unpacking the baggage we all bring. Hosted by Greg and Jessica, who both have rich experiences with love, loss, and family, this community is about sharing stories, learning together, and growing stronger as couples and individuals. Grab a drink and join us as we unpack, laugh, and claim our baggage—one conversation at a time 

Information

  • Creator
    Greg and Jess
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    71
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Baggage Claim
  • Show Website
    Baggage Claim