Dispatches From the Suburban Zoo Dispatches from the Suburban Zoo

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.