The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby - My Parents on Me Dropping Out of College & Finding Out I Had a Tumor

Episode Date: April 26, 2023

Well, we did it! We finally had Matt's parents on the podcast and they already want to come back and record another episode. In this juicy episode, there are some embarrassing stories shared, we got interrupted by a tornado and talked about John and Teresa's experience of Matt having a tumor in his spine and how the felt about Matt leaving college to make TikToks! Make sure to rate our podcast and leave a review if you can, it really helps us out!

I could tell someone was wrong when I came out of the MRI examination. I saw you and I knew immediately like, oh shoot, something's not okay. He never wore shirts all these little underwear and nothing else walking around the house. So it's not just for the camera now. That's scary guys when I dropped out of college to make TikToks. Yeah. Here it is, isn't the word. Oh.

Hey, before we get started, if you guys can please leave a review for our podcast, it takes literally 10 seconds and it helps us out so very much. You can do that on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. So do that right now. It would mean the world to us. Thanks now on with the episode. What's up, dudes? What's up, dudes?

And welcome back to the unplanned podcast. We've a couple disclaimers before we get started. I'm ill. I'm also ill. And we're in a tornado. Yes, there's a tornado watch going on. So if you guys hear any, like, wait, really, there's a tornado watch.

It's a tornado watch. Yeah. Hunter's showing morning, tornado watch. Welcome to the Midwest. So meet John and Teresa. Yeah. Hey, buddy. Or Papa, Papa John or Papa Teresa.

Yeah. Or also Papa J dog. Papa J dog. And just grandma. Papa, Papa J now pay up Papa Jay dog. Papa Jay dog. Yeah, or also Papa Jay dog. Papa Jay dog. And just grandma. Papa Papa Jay now Papa Jay dog. Where did you come up with that dad? Like, just being silly. I just want to be something different than just grandpa.

So I thought Papa would be cool. And then I thought Papa John would be cool. And then I thought let's make a Papa Jay because that sounds even more cool. And then I thought Papa Jay dog. That really sounds cool. And how does it feel you guys are having three grandkids all in the span of one year?

Oh, super excited. Awesome, that's insane. Heaven, heaven. It's gonna be a lot of fun. So we have one boy, another boy on the way. Yeah, yeah, we have that. It's literally. All George wanted is a girl.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. We had a gender reveal at our house, so last Saturday. Yeah. And that was a lot of fun. So that'll be one of these future podcasts or YouTube's, right? Yeah. It'll probably go out before this podcast.

You just gave it away. Yeah. But we're having a, well, stay tuned. Oh, yeah. We're having a boy, if you guys know that. Another boy, we're very excited. That's all we can make. That's all the Howard.

Not until we hit the like button. What? Oh, yeah, dad. Tell people to hit the like button. Hey, hit that like button. Thanks, dad yeah dad, tell people to hit the like button. Hey, hit that like button. Thanks dad. If you leave a review, it really helps us out a lot.

That's what he says every time. His remark gets it from us. Oh my goodness. No, but John, you wanted a daughter. He had three boys. Yes. Now you have two grandsons. Yes.

But I got two wonderful daughter-in-laws. Aw, sweet. Yeah, that's the last. We could be more blessed. We just love our Abby and Abigail. But I got two wonderful daughter-in-law's We could be more blessed. We just love our Abby and Abigail and just super blessed Kind of leads into a question. I was gonna ask they're on but my as well as you now I was wondering what your first impressions were of me seven years ago when Matt first like Well, you knew of me before even before seven years ago. Yeah. But not well.

So I don't know. Matt had never taken a girl home before, right? No, you were my first ever girlfriend. Yeah. What did you guys think about Abby when I first started? Oh, no. Finally, he got to be like him. No.

No, we were super impressed. You know, we kind of knew you from the muni and Teresa talked to me about your mom and, you know, Laurie and Teresa would talk about would your mom and you know Lori and Teresa would talk about wouldn't be cute if the two of them would date and I remember seeing who you were. I thought oh, she's a cute little girl and you just got To be now you're beautiful Yeah, so it's crazy. I was friends with Lori before they dated my mom

Yeah, Abby's mom. Because the muni can be kind of scary and Matt and I would look for new people and try to help them through things because it was petrifying. I remember our first couple of years. So you, I think, reached out a little bit, I don't know, but I reached out to Lori and we did coffee every year and stuff and then we were like, when that being neat, if they got together, so we actually didn't arrange marriage. You just didn't even know it.

For those of you who have that don't know, the Muni is a theater in St. Louis that Abby and I met at performing with your kids. And it was petrifying for me. Oh, it was scary for you. Yeah, which is, you're such a confident person. You're so silly and goofy. Well, that's all that's something.

When I met you though, you're super shy. Yeah, and you know where else I was actually super shy. That's weird. You're my parents. No, yeah. My parents thought you were the shyest person person ever but you were just afraid to be yourself in front of them I was so intimidated because I liked you so much and also your family everyone here It's not it's not a secret. They have big personalities. Yeah, so like coming in. I was kind of just like sorry I know I love that about you guys we got your family like we are scaring them

They all just sit there like big eyed looking as like you're crazy It had more to do with me just like liking Matt so much I just like did not know how to behave and then I was like oh my gosh Like I really want their family to like me too, so I was like so stressed out for years You yeah, yeah, it took a while for Abby to warm up to you guys. I'm going to restart Kabinar your show and I'm like, oh my gosh, she's got so much personality. I love her.

Because you were very quiet. But you came out of your show and I'm like, man, she has got a lot of energy. She's really, you know, got a lot of personality. It's a lot of comedy. Oh yeah, it's so fun. Well, you really can thank me for the first date. Because, you know, he was saying, I want to ask her,

but this girl is saying she's dating somebody. And I'm like, uh, tell me more and you tell me more. I'm like, that's what girls say when they like you. I think you should go. Oh, yeah, my mom had a theory that the girl that told me you're dating somebody like me. So that's why that's what I'm thinking. But yeah, that's my mom's theory, because the girl that told me you were dating somebody was like convinced that, yeah, you were dating somebody. And so she was telling me, yeah, don't ask her. Don't even ask her. I'm like, what's it gonna hurt, just ask?

Which, yeah, I don't know if there's any truth to that, but that was your theory, that was the mom's theory. And the fence of that girl I was, like, kind of. Not dating somebody, but like, involved with another guy. No, no, the more that I found out, you were totally going on dates with someone. Like, you were actually going on dates with someone. So it's actually kind of like, I totally swooped in,

not even realizing it. I had no idea that you were going on dates with some other guy. But here's the thing, I wasn't even like, we were calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend, so I had no reason to be like, oh, I can't. Yeah. And in my mind. Yeah. I find it so funny that you guys had three kids

and are so stoked for grandkids, because at one point in your life, Dad, you didn't want anything to do with kids or family or a wife. You thought you're going to be single for your whole entire life, right? Yeah. And how old were you when you made that decision? I guess I was in high school. I just wanted to kind of please John.

I wanted to have money and do my own thing and travel the world and just enjoy doing things I wanted to do. And that just shows what a great woman Theresa is. What I'm saying. Yeah, like how do you guys meet? Like how did that?

Oh man, that's a whole different story. She just got back from... Queen version. She just got back from... Queen version. She just got back from La Florida and my roommate was one meet the squirrel and I kind of met her and really wasn't that interested and then I went to the front door where my buddy Kenny was, collect the money because we had this big party.

We don't need to use names. So don't say Kenny-ass. So he's collect the money and I looked out and I see his great looking girl with a short mini skirt on and she's all tanned She's just got back from Florida and she's with some friends and then she's talking to this guy And I just pretty much butted right in front of him I started talking to Teresa and I said hey, it's go for a walk and she thought I knew the guy and the guy Thought I knew Teresa and I just seen her for the first time I thought that's not true Yeah, we had met each other at the pool before before but it really made a good impression

Yeah, but the mini skirt and tan legs and she's beautiful So I had met him previously, but yeah, he didn't even remember because he was dating a friend of mine Well acquaintance of mine and then the night that we met, I had been at a wedding. My sister Cindy had gone with me. I come home, Cindy's asleep, all the girls, all my roommates. I had three roommates. I run in and I'm screaming, waking everybody up, saying, I met the guy. I met the guy.

I'm going to marry him. I'm going to marry him some day. I'm telling you. And then my sister Cindy told that story at our wedding. She was my maid of honor. That she was finally right once. She said you were marrying him and you did. So I trapped you.

I didn't even know that had gone on until the night we were getting married in Cindy shared that story. I didn't know that story. Really? That's so interesting, because you guys got married and everything was good. But when I was a kid, there was always this, I want to say it was a picture of your boyfriend from college on the on the Christmas tree. No. I love the teach. I love it. It is true.

It is. So I found this ornament. It's a reporter. I put it on the Christmas tree in different spots in the boys and go, what's this? Oh, that's a mouse boyfriend. You mean the stocking of the dog? No, there's some picture of your boyfriend. I've never picture of you and your boyfriend like on a chemistry that we had growing up. No, no. Which took that little photo while. That's not a photo while. Maybe it was just an ornament that he gave to mom.

Yeah. That's what it was. I thought it was the doggy in it. What's that picture that was on the frame that he just took off? No, that was not. No, you're just making it that far. He's got so many pictures and ornaments from him. I don't blame your mom.

He was a good looking guy No, it was an ornament Yes, they're breaking a big deal about it. It's an ornament, but you no longer put on the tree. No No, you guys join us roast Yeah, oh my god when I know when you guys got engaged My god see there are is that it is that in a warning we have a tornado warning That's terrifying Okay, it's a pause this yeah, we're gonna pause the podcast national weather service tornado warning in this area until 7 p.m

Well freaking crap This is good for your content. Oh yeah, okay. We'll resume with you guys. And we'll be right back with our head for shelter. Hey, real quick, if you could please leave our podcast review, it would mean the world to us. It only takes just a couple of seconds

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Okay, thanks, back to the episode. Okay, and we're back. We survived the tornado. Yay! Yay! It's now nine o'clock at night, and my dad's about to fall asleep. So we need to wrap this up.

I go to bed at nine o'clock too, so. Actually, that was also a topic we thought we should talk about. Oh, you're not fluxy. Why what? Dad, you fall asleep more than anybody. Are you diagnosed with narcolepsy actually? Well, I take medication once in a while that helps me stay awake throughout the

day. But yeah, it's be careful with it. But you've not been diagnosed with narcolepsy. No, he's gone in for the sleep studies twice. Yeah. Spent the night, you know, at the hospital and they test you and they just say What they We do the CPAP now's doing a CPAP, but I get so distended with air in my stomach Then the next morning I'm just miserable A couple times ripping farts. He can't go workout at the gym. Yeah, I get more

You know you're lifting, like air got a tire. I've never heard of that. But then also, I feel like your nighttime sleep is less concerning than that daytime sleep because you have fallen asleep behind the wheel a couple times. You've crashed two vehicles.

Did you total two cars? Yeah, but that's when you were babies. Yeah. He wasn't getting enough sleep. Okay, but then also falling asleep during dinners. During church. Conversation, church, standing, standing up falling asleep.

He can't talk to you in fall asleep. Yeah. Yeah, no, I've been talking to you before. Yeah, fall asleep. Sleep well. Like mid conversation. Like literally you said something two seconds earlier and then you're asleep. And kind of free too.

Yeah, it's scary dad. Yeah, I don't know what it is, but it seems like it's getting more says I get older. And it doesn't matter if you get four hours of sleep or 10, it still happens. Right. So I don't know what to do about it. It's not healthy. I know that. It's not good for you.

So you're engagement. You guys got and got switching the subject. Yeah, you're quick. You're engagement. Okay, hold up. People today do these crazy big, you know, engagement things, these big shows, they, you know, do some special way of asking someone to marry them.

But back in your day, like, didn't people legit just over dinner, they're like, hey, will you marry me? Here's a ring. Like, isn't that what people did back in your day? Nobody would like do any big, great, I've asked people. It was dinner. Nineteen.

What is over dinner? Yeah, I'm like, that proposal, I went on a walk. Are you kidding? What? The big thing was like in an ice cube. Like, you take a ring and put it in an ice cube, give it to the guy at the restaurant the day before

that I remember. And you put it in a joke. No, no. And it's, so there's something in your eyes. I never heard of that. Oh, there is something. Oh, it's a ring and then you would drop down a one knee and put it on a finger.

That's what everybody did. That's a lot of people were doing. That's funny. I remember hearing about that from the Spider-Man movie. I know. We watched, well, I watched Spider-Man as a kid. And I think that's what Peter Parker wanted to do with, really?

Yeah, with his like his girl in the movie. Remember that? Anyway, that's funny. That was a big thing back in the day. But people were telling him, don't do it. All these guys were like, no, that's too open. You need to explain the, can you tell us what you did, Dad? Like how did you ask mom to marry you?

Well, we've been dating for a while. I guess about two years and a guy she was working with, there were always teas in her that this guy's never done. All men. mom to marry you? Well, we've been dating for a while, I guess about two years, and the guy she was working with, there were always teas in her that this guy's never done. All men. Never gonna marry you, you know, just teas are not a stop. And we had watched the movie Pretty Woman, and in Pretty Woman, the guy shows up and proposes to her in front of all these people

and the whisper off her feet and takes her out of the office where she's at, not the office, whatever job she had. I remember me. So anyway, yeah, I at not the office, whatever job she had. I can remember me. So anyway, yeah, I thought that's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna work out a deal with her boss that I can pick her up at work in front of all her buddies and propose to her right in front of all her buddies and take her off.

So I got a hold of her boss, Bill, and I said, hey, Bill, here's my idea. It was a Friday afternoon. She gets off like at 3.30, I said, I'm gonna come down with a limo and just tell me where to pick it up from everybody like a half hour before the end of her, you know, day. So that way she's not missed much work, but everybody's still there. So we worked it out and the whole thing was videotaped and I proposed in front of all

Teresa's quick break. But my boss really went over the tape. Oh yeah, really. I mean, there was a ramp closed when you're going 64 westbound to go to 70 south. The whole ramp was closed with barricades and barrels. Wow. There were no cell phones then. This was 91.

When you were working for Modot, which is Missouri Department of Transportation, she's an engineer. I believe so. She's an engineer and she's out there in the field and they were building what's called ramp six transportation. She's an engineer. I believe she's an engineer and she's out there in the field and they were building what's called ramp six at this intersection of trees. She's talking about. Yeah, so the whole thing got videotape because Bill, her boss,

brace the idea and he helped me work it out. So he gave me a walkie talkie and myself and the driver went up to the top of the ramp and they moved some barricades so I can come down to his ramp. That would never happen today. You could not move moved some barricades so I can come down as a ramp. That would never happen today. You could not move barrels and barricades and let this limo come down and I'm down there with like, but you dropped a string. 30 men and went underneath the ramp. So here I'm getting ready to come down and Bill goes, okay, come on down and all some

treaser runs down to get the string under the bridge. And I was coming down the ramp. Let's see. I got back up. I guess you got back up as those coming down the ramp. People had came down it before. It wasn't all completed. They were pouring concrete at the bottom of it. So here comes this car and I'm on the video saying, there's a crazy person on the ramp. There's a crazy person coming down the ramp. Oh my gosh. And my boss and the other couple guys knew because they took pictures and videos of it and then dad popped out of the ramp. Oh my God. And my boss and the other couple guys knew because they took pictures and videos of it. And then dad popped out of the moon roof with roses. Wow.

Princess Teresa, Princess Teresa, it's your night in shining hour. I hope our fairy tale comes true. That's how we set that. What you said that, you said Princess Teresa. I was sort of fair with it. All the guys were like, I was trying to figure out what to say. And the driver of the limo was kind of helped me out.

I said, I think I'm gonna say this because now I don't say this. And we came up with, how about Princess Theresa, Princess Theresa, I'm the night and shining our hope art Fair Tail comes true. So he's in a suit and tie. I'm in blue jeans, a jean jacket, still toe work boots. I was like, oh, this is embarrassing. Wow.

And then the limo could not turn around. Because it was so big. It was so big. He had to back up the whole way back the ramp. That's so funny. That's funny. So did you go together in the limo afterwards? Yes.

You. Yeah. I mean, we called her mom to tell that we got engaged. And I think your sister, I think you called her sister. You got a good memory. but that was in 91. I think they called my parents too, but I'd already asked her dad for her hand in marriage. And so he knew his comment, but I think we called him too,

but your mom and dad were both through divorce, or we got through divorce. But anyway, we called to let him know that, you know, it's official and it went well. And I think your mom was, I don't know if she knew it was gonna happen that night, but she knew it was gonna happen soon. And I think your mom, I don't know if she knew it was gonna happen that night but she knew it was just happened soon. That was over 30 years ago. Yeah, excuse me language, but mom,

that's pretty badass that you were like bossing all these dudes around, I was like, what's your boss in this? You were over all these men like, the house of that. You were the OG boss woman. Like now in our modern world, we call women like boss babes,

I don't know girl boss girl boss You were the OG girl boss. No Just you were really ahead of your time though with that proposal. Yeah, it was this is where Matt gets it being so like over the top Extra my roommate said don't do that just put the ring in a nice cute Put the ring in a nice cute Still the big story at modot and saying those people started and they would all be told this story I would see the video so bad. Oh, yeah, oh, you haven't seen a video. Yeah, okay, can you send that to me? Is there way to like text me that video? Well, no, it's all on a VHS? VHS Wow

We have to we have to switch it we can record the TV. Yeah. Oh my gosh That's very impressive He did well after this podcast we can watch that Oh my goodness We're talking about you as a little boy the trouble you got into and you probably can't see it But right up here is where my mom, my first move to this house, that was Matt's first stage. He climbed up on top of there and danced. I don't think I can see that, but he can.

No, I actually even get up there. Yeah, that's so funny. There's a fire. Behind the rocks. I hear it. There's a fireplace right here. Maybe I'll take a video on my phone, but there's a fireplace right here,

and above the fireplace is where I would actually dance as a kid and sing and perform for my whole family Before we decorated, you know, we first moved this house. He looked at that. That's my state Because he was he just turned for well, he's been in a house for 21 years now You guys remember when I was obsessed with watching American Idol and I colored our whole carpet downstairs in the basement. I thought it was so cool that on American Idol they had that massive logo, like the American Idol logo that was glowing on the floor of the stage and was like, I want to build my

own set. Five years old, I've got all my markers together and I drew this massive, yeah, permanent marker to make this massive American Idol logo on the carpet of our basement. And I think I about gave you guys an artifact when I did that. Well, we thought they'd be washable because they were kid markers. What kid markers are not, no, they were permanent.

Yeah. So did you replace the whole carpet? No, we had this, it looked like a rainbow almost, what you did, it was all these colors, this little round circle. No, we had a carpet cleaner come out and we tried to clean it. And clean it, clean it, clean it. And then we've had was all these colors, this little round circle. No, we had a carpet cleaner come out and we tried to clean it clean it clean it clean. And then we've had that all this time to recently replace the floor. And he wanted to have a stage. So I thought, okay, I'm just gonna get a sheet of

plywood. So I got a four foot by eight foot sheet of plywood from the local lows or Home Depot. Brought it into the house, took it down to the basement, dropped it on the floor. I said, that's the thing you're in a color, there's a stage. He goes, no, no, no. No, my dance on it, I wanted it to make noise. With his tap shoes.

So then I framed it out with two by fours, so it would be elevated. So that it would make noise. He goes, no, no, no, it's kind of have curtains and you know a post. So then I, I retrofitted that, so I had posts on all fours.

And he goes, no, I want the curtains to move. I'm like, oh my gosh. So Dennis, remember Dennis? Yeah, can you say last name? No, just kidding. So Dennis, our friend Dennis came over and helped me make the retractable curtains. And he goes, yeah, but now I need a place

where somebody could be over here, changing over here, changing over here, and be able to go back and forth So it's kind of have a curtain in the back So one thing after another this thing became a whole Stage full blown stage and math you would like to have shows downstairs in the basement every time there's cousins come over He would have shows and he called a circus magnificent go I mean that would I put on all sorts of shows

It was funny every time this time this, we were watching back this footage of me and my brother's doing a circus show. Because I know we had gone and seen a circus, and anytime we'd gone to see like a show or a magician or a circus or anything, I was like, I wanna recreate my own. And so I put on that show. I'm pretty sure at least one of you were in there,

you're under way. We were like all in our underwear. Yeah, we were all in our underwear. Diving, we had like a hula hoop, we pretended it was like a ring of fire and like jumped to the hula hoop into a bean bag chair. Honestly, you were a little daredevil, even from those videos I can see.

Yeah, I just, I don't know, it was funny. I kind of walked the beat of my own drum. Like I really like performing, I like this stage and I like directing, but then I also like did like, stun some of my, on my DMX bike and skateboarded with my buddies. And outside there too, remember the ramps? Yeah, we got in the fight one time because you guys were making me wear a helmet when

I skateboarded and I did not want to wear a helmet. And I think you took me to the principal at my school. You literally got the principal involved. I love you guys did not put up with that. You're right. We're going to take fourth grade and you're great kid and made straight A's and very curious and everything. But yeah, we're really upset because you kept riding your skateboarding things without your helmet. And we're like, no, this is unacceptable.

And I was talking to your teacher and she was wonderful. Kayla, we'll just take Kayla. Yeah. And she's like, you know, I'm a good person and all that, but I was the same way in fourth grade. She's like, why don't you take him to Spencer in the principles office? It was my teacher's idea to go to the principal. Yeah, and we're like, yeah, and Spencer was like,

yeah, and Spencer was like, six, six, and this big man. And it was like, it was a counseling session, but he was like, you know, talking to you about. He's a great, great guy, great principal. And your parents love you is why they want to protect your bed. And that's how you do so well in school. You know, you know, well, can I tell you what Matt is like the biggest helmet police nowadays? Like all of his friends like make sure everyone is wearing a helmet. When were we recently? And you were like, where's

your helmet? Well, I look like I like to do fun things. I think it was Tanner. Our buddy Tanner, like never wears a helmet. Oh, yeah, you're like, where's your, yeah, he's dangerous. But it's like, I like to do fun things, but why risk it, right? Right. You might as well, you can break your arm or break a wrist or break a leg and like, that will grow, like, it'll fix itself. You'll have to have a sucky recovery, which won't be fun.

But like, you hit your head hard enough and you could have permanent brain damage. You can die. Like like it's not working. You saw the little helmet he got Griffin. Oh, so cute little bear. So cute little teddy bear helmet. So cute. A red bike together. It's adorable.

But yeah, that talk really stuck with him. Because we went twice to Spencer. It was, and it was free, obviously, but it was like a counseling session almost. He just, you know, talked to you about how important you were to him and to our school and such a great kid and how much your parents love you. But you're about to look. You wanted to look good. Yeah. Well, my buddies who were skateboarders too, they didn't wear helmets. So I want to be straight A's either. No. But like,, what was what was that like raising me like was

did mac into more trouble than your other boys? He was very curious. He asked a lot of questions. And you know how it never was a shirt. He had this some type of called tactile issues. Yeah. He had to have certain socks. They have a certain percentage of cotton. And he didn't know what the word was. He just says, I don't like these socks. And we feel like the yeah. The end of the sock, if it was sewn a certain way, it would bother his toes. And so I'd get like four or five different brands till he'd find one that felt good to him. And we would just buy those socks.

And that's why you never wore shirts. I just never liked wearing shirts. No, but that you were always, sorry, you were always hot. You were always hot. He never wore shirt, all these little underwear and nothing else walking around the house. So it's not just for the camera now. It's always been that way.

They come home from school and you take that shirt off. First thing. Close off price. It's so funny because that's like one of the most common questions I get on TikTok all the time. It's like why are you not wearing a shirt? They think you even try to show off. And I literally just have never won a shirt,

I've never won a shirt in my whole entire life. For me, it's like so normal to see you like not in a shirt, but then I realized I'm like, that's kind of weird, like we're having people over for dinner. And like, I've never seen their husband shirtless. Yeah, that's just so weird. I have to remember, like when people come over for dinner, like I'm like, oh, I probably should put a shirt on.

Probably. But if they're really close with us, there's time which is like, you know what? If we're this close with these people, I don oh, I probably should put a shirt on. Probably. If they're really close with us, there's time which is like, you know what, if we're this close with these people, I don't think I need to put a shirt on. It doesn't faze me anymore. Yeah, wait for your 58 and you got a belly. Sit up.

Sit up. So Matt was more troubled to raise. I mean, it's just, he was very smart and curious and never set still. And I mentioned that to you earlier, I'd be like, I remember thinking, oh, I just wish he would sit still and then I'm exhausted. And then I might happen to see someone

that was handicapped or something wrong. And I'm like, oh, God, why am I thinking that? That's, he's just so smart and curious. That's why he never, sit still and never quits asking questions. And we try to answer you after like 25, you're just like, because I said so, I'm your mother. Yeah. Because you're just exhausted.

Could we talk about the trip to Wisconsin when we had a... Oh my gosh. Yeah. He is asked by the birds of the bees, and we would not let it go. We said, okay, when we moved to... Driver to Wisconsin will put a TV show on for Josh. Josh with a headset.

So he could watch the show. He was in the very back. And your older brother wasn't asking me questions. It was Matt asking all the questions. In the middle, and you would not stop. So where did babies come from? So we were. How does that happen?

I was driving and dad was explaining everything. Oh, I'm really telling me about his sweet question. Yeah, we are not going there. Oh my God. Yeah, Caleb just set there like in horror, like a deer in headlights, like, oh my gosh, this isn't just change the subject. I remember, I think I asked you guys,

like so when was the last time you had sex? I think I asked you guys in the car, and you're like, I don't want to answer that, Matt. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you've always called me Matt to you. Even when I decided that it was too lame to be called Matt, you know, I want to be called Matt, you guys still call me Matt to you.

They showed down when I got personal, they're like, no. Yeah, yeah, you got really personal. And we're like, oh my gosh, no, I'm not answering that. It's too weird. We're like, fourth grade or something? I was in third grade. Oh my gosh. I was in nine year old.

But we knew he had already started asking us stuff and Caleb hadn't so like, we can't keep not answering his questions. I know, so we'll lock him in the van. He'll find answers somewhere that's what's in Dell's right from older kids at school, which will be the wrong answer. So we're like, I really like applaud you guys for that though.

Like you're good at how things tough conversations. And he was the first one to figure out about the whole Santa clause thing. Can we say that? Yeah. Yeah. I love both of that. I mean, yeah.

Kids that younger watching this podcast. People watching the podcast are like in their 20s, typically, 20s or 30s, I would say. So yeah. So Matt was asking about Santa Claus. I kept them telling them there's a Santa Claus. And I guess you went shopping and said, hey, help me get the groceries and you bought something.

Now that was for Christmas and Matt saw it in the back. And then two or three days later, it was underneath the tree. No, actually, that was Caleb. Caleb saw this stuff and the- I thought it was you. Caleb saw everything from Santa, it was underneath the tree. No, actually that was Caleb. Caleb saw this stuff and the... I thought it was you. Caleb saw everything from Santa and the trunk of the car. For me, we had a debate for weeks at school. Me and all my like, I think I was in second grade.

It was the topic, there was the hot topic at lunch, like is Santa real? And then like one kid would be like, yeah, I saw footprints from Santa last year. It's a fact, he's real. And then it's good. And then we're like, and I'd be, and I'd be,

and I wanna say like I was leading the debate. I was like, I was like the chief investigator, right? I'm like, all my buddies. I'm like, okay, that's some good evidence, but like, hey Blake, didn't you say though that like you're pretty sure that you saw it was your dad's handwriting on the note from Santa? So we just like did this whole investigation thing.

And then I just like, I had a confrontation with you. That I was like, dad, tell it to me straight. It's Santa Claus real. And you're like, yes, he is. No, like, no, dad, tell me really. And then you said, you told me no. And then I nailed you right there. I was like, okay, so that means the Easter money, the tooth fairy, you know, all these other people. That was a separate realization for me. I just like, boom, boom, boom. I got them all like every single mythical creature, fairy tale, whatever. I just like got them all listed out. I'm like they're all fake too and you're like yeah. And then that was it. I was so busted. I was so busted. So then remember you tried to you tried to run it for Josh like are you giving me? We wanted to prank Josh my little brother Josh.

He's your big brother now. Well, he looks older than me. He's cute. But anyway, with Josh, I think Caleb and I really wanted to prank Josh one year and switch his presses out with Cole. So we woke up in the middle of the night, we went downstairs, switched out Josh's presence with Cole. And it was so funny. He still believed in Santa.

Yeah, he still believed. And it was gonna be hilarious. Caleb, my older brother and I, we planned this out perfectly. It was gonna be hilarious. Caleb, like five minutes before we walked and I, like, we planned this out perfectly. It was gonna be hilarious. Caleb, like, five minutes before we walked downstairs on Christmas morning, is like, Dad, come here.

I wanna tell you something funny. We switched Josh's presence out with Cole. And I'm like, Caleb was Josh at this point. Obviously, like five, six, six, six, seven, eight. I don't know. He was probably like six or seven. Anyway, so.

That's too young. Of course, my dad goes downstairs, you know, switches out the Cole back with Josh's presence and the whole thing was Okay, that would have been me. It was so lame like we told you you're about to get him so good He was a sensitive kid. I did not want him to What okay, I actually have this question for you when like so when I was a kid I was always doing theater and performing and singing and dancing and putting on shows that every family gathering.

Like, did I just naturally, I guess, decide, I liked that on my own? Cause I wanna say remember going to see a show like I think it was Peter Pan. Yeah, Peter Pan. You said you wanted to fly on stage like Peter Pan. You were three and we have a picture and I got in trouble for taking it.

Really? Cause you know what the muni, you're not supposed to use a camera. Yeah. It hadn't taking it. You know at the minute you're not supposed to use a camera. It hadn't even started. You and Caleb just stood in the aisle and I got Peter Pan behind you at the minute. And then usher came up and was like, no pictures, I'm like, oh really?

Okay, but you were like, I'm gonna do that someday. I'm gonna do that someday. You almost did, but your buddy got the role. You got the fly around. You got to fly. I'm you actually. Abby was a flying monkey in a production of Wizard of Oz. So then we, yeah, you just every gathering with kids, you would just take control of the

room and be like, okay, we're going to do this show. I want you to stand here. You would just start directing and producing. I mean, from like the age of four. It's weird. I literally just had the realization, literally a couple of weeks ago, I was like, oh my gosh. Just like I directed and produced shows

as an eight year old at family gatherings. That's kind of what I do when I make a YouTube video because I go through all the footage and I'm like, what type of story do I want to tell here? And it's weird how I want to tell here and it's weird how like I'm I get to do that that same thing now as an adult which is that you really are an anomaly and I feel like we've talked more and more about like you like always kind of like how to hard Harder time like

Finding like your people or people that like understand you but it's because you are literally so unique like you are a theater boy that loves snowboarding and skateboarding and also like really smart like you're like kind of nerdy but then also like you're just into yeah, I don't know you're you're're hard to pair unique. Thank you. You're a unique guy. Yeah, it's a trial A lot of things like skydiving that scared I find out you guys did that with Bella and down Like oh my god. Yeah, guess what I just did. I'm like, oh, is it over? Are you gonna do it? No? I just got done skydiving. I said, okay, so you're fine. You're you did it and then yeah, you're on the ground right?

Yeah, I said okay. Yeah, we decided to tell the parents afterwards. Yeah, I'm glad you had the opportunity. Yeah, I'm glad you had the opportunity. Yeah, but yeah, you know, because you were wanting to do these little plays, and then we started going to see some, and we went into our neighbors, and the Kirkwood community theater, and you're like, I want to do that. So then you were like, seven, you were the mouse in Cinderella, remember Kirkwood community theater, and you did that like eight shows or something,

that was really good training. But then when you were eight, you... Did I get them uni when I was eight or nine? Yes, I think you tried out when you were eight, but you were turning nine that summer. You should have been like a baby child model, honestly. Do you not want it to like, when I watched Disney Channel in like Nickelodeon as a kid,

like I wanted so badly as a kid to be the other New York. I was like, Mom, I was like, we moved to California, can we move to New York? I was literally like, I'm one of the cute, I mean, I have a son now and he's still a baby, but I literally think that was like probably one of the cutest little baby. But I'm glad he weren't a child actor.

Yeah, I would have messed him up a little. And you wouldn't have to be like the Muni. You would have to be like Justin Bieber, right? No, I child actor. Yeah, I would have messed him up a little. And you wouldn't have had the immunity. You would have been like Justin Bieber, right? No, I remember watching, well I posted a video of me singing baby when I was 13 years old, because I was hoping that I would get like recognized. I was hoping that the YouTube video of me singing

would be like my big break, just like Justin Bieber. But I didn't realize at the time, like Justin Bieber, he had been putting out video after video on YouTube. And he also put out videos on YouTube at a time where YouTube was very fresh and new. And so you were just more likely to be seen back in the day because there wasn't as much competition.

But when I posted my one YouTube video, that was when it had gotten more saturated. And if I had ever wanted to ever be seen, I should have posted, you know, at least, you know, 50 videos or something, right? But I just didn't understand that. And so as a kid, I thought, okay, if I just post this one YouTube video,

then someone is gonna discover me and I'll get to have my big break like Justin. I just didn't understand how the industry works. Yeah. And my uptick you to a bunch of those trial shows, then you go to Chicago and stood in line for every hour. Well, I auditioned for the voice and I didn't make it. And I got to be with you.

Yeah. Because you were under 18, remember? That under 18 remember I got to go in the room Did you have to go out get out of school for that? No, it was on the weekend Yeah, but no, I auditioned for the voice twice and I didn't make it cool of your parents to literally take you to that Parents are driving you from Quincy Yeah, which is a long way to go from Quincy to St. Louis. We both have parents that just like really dedicated.

Supported are crazy dreams. Totally. Thank you guys are both very, very fortunate. No, my mom would drive me to every single rehearsal and every single dance class, every single voice lesson, every single show like my mom, like thank you. Well, some car pulls, but I had to figure it out. I think you did 17 shows.

I did 17 shows at the Muni, which we referenced the Muni a lot for our viewers. I don't know if you guys know what that is, but yeah, it's the oldest and largest outdoor musical theater in North America. It's this outdoor theater with 11,000 seats. 11,000 in St. Louis. Huge.

Yeah, so it's awesome. And what a blessing you had that in your backyard. Yeah. And it's don't have that. And it's a summer theater. So like every summer in St. Louis, a lot of talent from New York, Broadway comes in, does shows with the Muni.

And it's cool to have programs for youth, for high schoolers, for middle schoolers, like Abby and I were in shows when we were kids. And Abby again, because she lived in a small town two hours away from St. Louis would drive in to be in the shows. But we had a long term hotel for like three weeks or whatever. Matthew was in a sound of music.

And so when you got this role, what's the name of the kids name? Kurt, Kurt Von Chess. It sounds like you really know, since the end. I was always going to the baseball games with the Zolder brother, Kayla. Yeah, it sounded music, right? Yeah, and the mom was taking them down to the baseball games with the Zolder brother Kayla. Yeah, it sounded music right. Yeah, and the mom was taking them down to the shows at the beauty and the dance classes all of stuff. And all of a sudden, we find out he gets his role.

I said, sound the music, that's huge. And he had to do a solo. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I can't believe this. We're like 20 rows back from the center stage. And I'm getting ready to watch my son perform. And I'm scared to death. I think, and what happens if he messes up? And you dance, dude.

And he did a great job. And did a fantastic. And right after he got done doing that, just a few weeks later, we found out he had a tumor on his spine. Yeah. So he had to get that taken off, but boy, was that scary. So we can talk about that. We can totally forgot about that.

Yeah, I had a tumor going on my spine when I was 12 years old. During sound of music, and you were doing this all the time because of the pain. And you were like, I hit his hip. What was the weirdest thing? Because yeah, the tumor was directly on my spine,

but it was kind of tucked in there so it wasn't protruding out of my back, but it was back in there and it was causing nerve endings to, like, I don't know, flare up and it caused a bunch of pain in my hip and so I'd whack my hip all the time when I was 12 and Caleb my older brother would make fun of me and so did the kids in sound of music I mean they were

being silly about it they were like you were all doing that and you asked just out of growing pains right like I was growing a lot I was a young kid were you saying it was hurting yeah like people do but like when you're a kid there's pains that player up all the time. And you just assume it's real muscle. And I kept taking them, I probably took them three separate times and they're like, he's growing a lot. It's growing pains.

It's so moms know. And then that when I took them in the first day of school, sixth grade, when you were like, mom, this is still hurting, I'm like, that's it. And I call that I'm like, we are coming in this afternoon. It's so good that you advocated for that because I mean, he's like, I think it is something. I it like, we are coming in this afternoon. It's so good that you advocated for that because I mean, he's like, I think it is something I'm like,

we are doing every test. Cause they couldn't see it with an X-ray. Remember that it's an MRI. I remember you were like, you were in tears essentially. I can't remember if you were like crying or if it looked like you had been crying. Cause you were with John.

You were by yourself at the documpt office. I could tell someone was wrong when I came out of the MRI examination or whatever. I saw you and dad talks to you and I knew immediately like, oh shoot, something's not okay. I'm like, do I have cancer? Like what's going on? Am I going to be okay? Am I going to die?

It was kind of freaky as a 12 year old because when you're free, when you're mom. It was freaky for me to be alone. Yeah. Because I didn't want to tell you all that. You're so tough though. Yeah. See, I would not, I would have just like lost it. It should have been terrible for your kid to like see, but like you held it together.

And I was bummed too. It was actually, I just started playing football. So I really wanted to like, again, like I like doing theater, but I like sports too. So I was trying to get into football and I had to quit football because I had to get surgery on my back and then- And you didn't know if it was cancer,

so no, they still had to test it. And then they said it could grow back. So we had to go for another MRI like after one month, two, six, a year. Remember you had to keep doing them and then they said we must have gotten it all because it's gone. I think the craziest part too is they literally,

I didn't know this, they could do this. They took out part of my backbone. Like I'm missing a- He's missing like a good, like probably a fourth of my backbone. Yeah, it's like just- Well, it's part of the spinal process. It's there for a function,

but they have to create this window to get to the spinal cord to middle. It's gone, it's like a dent in it. But like my spinal cord still there, like you can't walk without your spinal cord. Oh yeah, here it is. So yeah like my spinal cord still there, like you can't walk without your spinal cord. Oh yeah. So, so yeah, my spinal cord still there, but like my backbone though, which is there, I guess to protect the spinal cord, it's just completely gone.

And I got this big scar right there. So whenever I like had my shirt off or people see me on the pool, people are like, whoa, dude, like did you get stabbed? Like, what happened to your back? It looks like it. How did you tell John? Like did you call him right after that? Oh my, I was there.

I'm like, I can't believe you weren't with me. I used to get medical sales. It was awful. And I was setting up for surgery for one of my knees. And it was a Friday afternoon. And usually, Mondays we have a lot of cases with this doctor.

So anyway, I was getting it all set up. And I was running late and I said, they're not gonna tell us anything. You're just gonna get the scan. They're gonna read it. What does that they do? And they're gonna get back to us. So I said, they're not gonna tell us anything, you're just gonna get the scan, they're gonna read it. And they're gonna get back to us. So I said, so I'm running late, I'm getting ready to go inside,

and I came out and my phone wouldn't work when I'd go into the hospital to the basement because of all the lead in that area of the hospital. So when I'd go out of the hospital, I'd get signals, and when I go back down the basement, it would be gone, because I'd take the stuff down to the lower level of the hospital.

So anyway, I came out and my phone went off, and it was treason, she told me what happened. I'm like, oh my gosh. So, you know, I'm crying and you're crying. Oh, I felt terrible that I wasn't with you. Well, because the doctor said, oh, I'm 99% sure it's nothing. You know what I mean?

But they told you right after the MRI, that's they can't now. They never ever do that. They don't do that unless it's bad. And're like, he's going to need surgery in the next few days. You know, scary. Oh, scary. They didn't know it was so scary to them.

It didn't know if it's, we didn't tell them the cancer part or anything. I think when you're a kid, you just don't know what the freak's going on. So you're just trying to like think positive and be positive. But yeah, I mean, I was a little, I was concerned. I was hoping that it wasn't cancer. And I think the coolest thing that happened at the time is you guys had reached out to our community and my school and the Muni Kids,

which was a program I was a part of with. With your football team. My football team, like our community, our community really came around me and our family and made meals for us and they gave us this gift card tree with like 50 gift cards on it for like, that was from the me and me. For dinners.

Like the me and me kids, which I was part of when I was a kid, that program for youth and the arts. Like they surrounded us and yeah, we just had like free dinners because of that gift card tree. And I got, they gave me, they knew that it'd be bedridden for a couple of weeks. I couldn't walk and I had to like not relearn to walk, but it kind of, in a way, at first I couldn't walk

for a couple of weeks and I had to like not, I couldn't run for three months after the surgery. So they got me an iPod touch and it was just like. And your teacher came over Emily, had handmade cards from all the kids in your class. Yeah. Gifts and yeah, oh my gosh, the school in the church. We got meals, people brought us meals for months,

months and months and months. And you were so much pain. Remember when he came out of surgery and he was trying to... But then it was worse, not to eat. They were in a lot of pain. Yeah. So I guess the morphine, like literally, yeah, within like 30 minutes of the surgery wore off.

I don't know if they did the wrong dose. I don't know what it was, but I was in so much pain and I was like screaming I think for a little bit until they were able to get me more. Oh, I was, I was bawling. Yeah. And then a few days not to be too detailed, but I was like constipated. Constipated.

And you were screaming and crying. That's, they're not having to take stool softeners. I don't know if I took stool softeners. I don't know what the protocol was there. But like when you have that much medicine pumped into your body, the constipation can be insane.

That's why after my surgery, we were taken, I thought I just heard a fart. Was that the chair? No, it was the chair, the chair creaking. Oh my gosh, that. That's so sad. Oh, it was that fast. That was crying. It's also a beautiful full circle moment though too, because wasn't it in that time

that you started to video edit a little bit more? That's actually the wildest thing. So I don't know if we would have ever done TikTok or YouTube or any of this, if it wasn't for that surgery, because when I had that surgery, I was stuck in bed for a very long time. Again, I couldn't play sports,

I couldn't run for three months. Which was like awful for you. I was so active, I was ADHD, which we need to talk about me having ADHD, by the way. That's why you're successful. But like, no, I started editing, I started making videos. I was like, well, if I can't perform and act and sing,

like even singing, like my lung capacity was like shrunk down after the surgery for a little bit, it was weird, I couldn't sing. But I started making videos. And so I decided then to like make videos for every single class project that I had. And that was a blessing too. My dad built me a green screen,

like we DIYed this green screen in our basement so I could make videos. Why is that handier than you? Like, I'm hearing dad, Billy gets his. Actually, he figured it out. He went on YouTube and figured out how to do it. I just thought of him. We just paid for it.

Yeah. That's what kind of learning. He's figuring out how to do something and then figuring someone how to do it. We just paid for it. Yeah. That's what kind of learning. He's good at figuring out how to do something and then figuring someone else to do it. I need to find I need to find all these short films that I made as a 12 year old because they are funny dude like I thought I thought I was some of them having because they were so impressed they were keeping them to show for the next years. We did you did a public surface announcement about drink and drive and after prom or high school. That was a little bit later.

But I just loved making videos and I, I couldn't, I couldn't stop. He did book reports. Those kids just wrote out a book report. He did a video book report. But a lot of schools, they're not, you can't do that because they're two, they have too many kids. The poor teachers. But luckily your school was smaller and the teachers teachers a lot of times would say you can do a poster or

Write a paper or yeah I went to a private school and like we had a lot of projects and so I would every single project We can make a movie kind of make a movie out of it Yeah, and I thought it was so cool too because I would download these like muzzle flashes and graphics to make it look like if there was a War scene I like muzzle flashes and graphics to make it look like, if there was a war scene, I had my like airsoft guns and I, I was probably like, I don't know if this is illegal, but I painted the tips, they were orange tips on the airsoft guns.

They didn't leave the house. I painted the tips of my airsoft guns black to make them look like real guns and I was like, I can make a war film and so that I'd put like a muzzle flash on the end and a gunshot sound effect. But that's how you tweak your work and isn't the software that was bought for that

is still used today. Oh yeah, the software, the editing software that I use for making YouTube videos today is the same software that I bought when I was 13 years old in seventh grade. Yeah, I was talking to my friend today at the ballgame about how you wanted to have Final Cut Pro and it cost money and I said,

no, I'm not spending, how much is it? 300 bucks. Yeah, 200, 300 bucks. I'm not gonna spend how much is it, my under bucks? Yeah, 200, 300 bucks. I said, I'm not gonna spend that. It's like money. It was my only though. 14. Well, I think I used the money that I made

from, I was a child actor. So I used the money that I made being an actor as a child to then buy Final Cut Pro. And so that's what I did. No, I thought I had a buy it. No, I think, I thought I bought it. I thought I bought it. I thought I bought it.

No, I know I bought it and I bought it on your iCloud. So every time I get a new computer, I'm like, hey, Dad, can I have your iCloud? That's what you probably think I bought it. I thought I bought it. I thought I might. No, I know I bought it. And I bought it on your iCloud. So every time I get a new computer, I'm like, hey, Dad, can I have your iCloud? So I can. That's what you probably think you bought it. Because it's your, yeah. Yeah, that was cool. Well, I wanted to say one more thing, like what was so,

you weren't just a regular kid. Like when you were in Joseph in the technical dream coat, your first show, you were eight. You like pick the brains of every one of Joseph's brothers. Like you would ask me, can I go and I would just kind of stack same back beside you? You would ask them, how did you get started? Where did you go to school? What did you did you take dance? Did you take music? Did you you would like interview every one of Joseph's brothers? You would ask them every question.

And yeah, both if adults at that, they'd be like, shut up and get on my face. But you were this cute little eight year old. Just like interviewing every person in the show. And they're like, oh my gosh, he's amazing. He's so like that. Yeah, he was just picking the information from them like, where did you go to college? How did you train? Because at the time, remember you hadn't had any dance. Yeah. So the head people came to me and they're like, he's a great singer and you know, some of the teenage girls would take you aside and teach you like the hand motions and stuff on the side.

I did not know, I had no dance experience at all. And they're like, if he wants to make it next year and he will, but he needs to take dance. And I'm like, okay, so then we started. Yeah. Are you started and I started driving? So we can talk about all the trips you made at Quincy to see Abby and how you got into a box and surprised her. This is about us.

Oh yeah, I also wanted to ask you, did you guys ever consider getting me on ADHD medicine when I was a kid? You never did. Now, so. What I think is funny is kindergarten teacher wanted to do. You always made a joke. I remember you telling me this all the time, like your kindergarten teacher would be. No, we talked Well, what I think is funny is kindergarten teacher when I was a kid. You always made a joke.

I remember you telling me this all the time, like, your kindergarten teacher would be. No, we talked about today, you mean? Yeah. What didn't mean to get you on like medicine for ADHD, and I laughed, you didn't laugh in her face, but you thought it was so silly that she brought that up. And I'm like, maybe she was on something,

maybe I could have used some ADHD medicine. I still haven't been diagnosed. I talk about this all the time. I still have not gotten diagnosed and I need to. You've always made straight A's. In some years, you had hundreds on your report card. Like how's that even possible? So we just thought why, I mean, you were being,

I would ask, they'd be like, well, is he succeeding? Is he handling everything fine? Yeah. And I think that's part of your success. So that's scary. You guys might drop out of college to make TikToks. Yeah.

Scared isn't the word. Well, I want to be a professional athlete. And I know sometimes guys will sign and go play ball before they finish the degrees. And sometimes they do that because if you get injured, it's over. So yeah, it's momentum going and I thought, well, you know, he's got this momentum going,

give it a shot. You can always finish his degree, but right now he's got this platform that's rising and those see what it goes. And here we are 28 months later, right? How long ago was it? Yeah, I mean, we started today. It was May of 2020, right?

We started to talk, I think it was April 4th of 2020, which is like three years ago. Exactly. And so it's just like it literally changed our life completely, like completely. You both are super smart. So you knew everybody was home. Everybody was on their phone.

And you lost your jobs. And like, what can we do? And you have fun dancing and singing. And so H&R block canceled your Internship, right? H&R. I was I had an internship with H&R block. They canceled it. I was a city and you couldn't work and I was with BKD I was I was at BKD for financial planning internship at the time. They fired all the interns

So I got fired and Abby was a little Well, they they They were like, bye. They're like see you like so so Didn't you get some money? That was made from our blocks I mean our block cancel the internships They sent all the they sent all the interns like a thousand bucks. I like hey, sorry that we canceled your internship Here's a thousand bucks. That was really really nice. That was good. Maybe it was 2000 I forget what it was but no BKD was just like Peace out interns and the middle of everything and I was so I was honestly pretty frustrated at them for that because

That was my we were living in low-income housing. And I was honestly pretty frustrated at them for that because that was my life. We were living in low-income housing. I was a newly married couple. And I was a substitute teacher, so I didn't have any compensation either because I know. But now, I mean, now looking back, getting fired for my job

was the best thing to ever happen. I think fired is the word. I mean, what else would it be? I mean, they literally let all these things go. They let everybody go because of COVID. And you can work as a waiter, right? Because restaurants were shut down. Yeah.

And you went home and tried to do these to cut. What it was, is like, a really, a Abby and I had built up some savings because we were wanting to move once we graduated college to like maybe Hawaii or California, who knows where. And we just decided, you know what? Let's, because I've been making YouTube videos for a year. So I was like, let's just like try this. See if we's, because I've been making YouTube videos for a year, so I was like, let's just try this, see if we can bust out

like three or four YouTube videos a week while we're doing class online, we're not working jobs. Like maybe this, let's treat this as a full-time job, and then we accidentally got on TikTok, and that's kind of where, thanks to a call. Well, it's perfect because your actors, performers, dancers, and instead of going and doing shows with hundreds of people and having to kiss people, the opposite sex, all that.

Remember, I mean, I would talk to you about that before you fell in love. I was like, this is not healthy. Like this is gonna be super hard. You don't understand this, but when you're in love you won't want her kissing all these men and she won't want you. And now you get to just do it together and

Be together. Yeah. No, that was definitely the vision for it and it worked which was crazy I think I was really down because I I'd try to do the YouTube thing for a year and yeah I put so much work into it and I was so frustrated because for the amount of work that I put in the reward was like It was nothing. I mean I was there like a hundred people I was I was so frustrated because for the amount of work that I put in, the reward was like, it was nothing. I mean, I- Wasn't there like a hundred people watching? I was posting every single YouTube video I made

to like my Instagram, to like shout it out. Like I told all my Instagram followers or all my Facebook followers, like go watch our YouTube channel and I was, I have you guys were, okay, you guys are awesome. I was gonna say, give your parents some props because they're so supportive of every random thing you've done Yeah, but even like us married now like what we're doing like so supportive

They were sharing your YouTube videos their Facebook pages Yeah, you guys were some of our earliest YouTube supporters you guys Where neighbors like follow you you shared all our YouTube videos to your Facebook And I was like hey mom and I can you please share my YouTube video and you did. And after like a year of that, I think all 17 of my followers. We had 300 subscribers after a year and I was just like, is this stupid? Like what am I doing? Like is this even ever going to work? Yeah.

And then TikTok happened. Yeah. Sweet. Yeah. Very awesome supportive parents you have. Yeah. Thank you. You're very welcome. Thank you for being so supportive of me.

My whole life really. You guys are the very welcome. Great to know that you have your own child. You find out how much work it is, and you can really appreciate your mom. That's true. That is true. Yeah, but you did a lot more driving around for show.

Well, I think when you switched the one studio which was really close to the other, that's when it was like challenging. You wanted to be challenged more. Remember, and you couldn't drive yet. And it was like 30 something minutes away, and you wanted to do two nights a week. So I would take you down there,

and then just sit at the McDonald's for like two and a half hours. Oh my gosh. And read and do work and then leave. Remember that? Yeah. Remember that? Did that twice? So I guess I was watching Josh and you kid him.

Yeah, and you were coaching everything. Yeah. I guess you took Josh with you sometimes? Usually not. I can't remember. No. What did Josh do? I just remember that was the most challenging year when you were like 15 and you switched

studios because it was so far and you wanted to take a lot of classes. So yeah. When, so, we talked about this a little bit earlier, but when I was, you know, starting the day Abby, Abby and I used to FaceTime to like five in the morning, we, I called her all the time, were you little worried? Like were you worried that I was,

I talked to this girl every single day for like an hour minimum, you know? No, we loved her. And like you had never done this before and because you were waiting for all these criteria, I mean that sounds maybe bad, but it's good. People that know that you had all this expect to someone, a quality person that was kind.

Well, I've been had the same thing. You were very selective too, right? Right. And this, I knew this was it. I knew this was the one. I knew she's. Even in high school, you knew? Yeah.. I knew this was the one. I knew she's- Even in high school, you knew? Yeah.

So we- Oh my gosh, yeah. I guess I'm a really serious or like really young. I thought after one month, I thought for sure, you were an Emery. Really? I asked my mom after one month, I said, mom, do you think you're an Emery mat?

And she was like, I think you might. And I was like, okay. Well, because I remember at Christmas time, I think it was of 20, oh my gosh, was that 2016? December of 2016, it was Abby and I'd been dating for like six months and I told you guys, I think I just did this kind of just to shock you. You always do that.

I was like, this is nothing new. I said, I wanna marry Abby this summer and I was a senior in high school. Because then when we did a little later, we'd be happy that it was after your sophomore year. What was going through your mind? When I said that to you guys, what was going through your mind?

It's like there's no rush. We want you to marry her and we knew you would, but everybody just always says, wait till you're out of school. And I think for a lot of people, they have to financially do that. Right? You guys were blessed to get some help but then you both worked your

buns off through school and everything. You both are very smart and have it together and made it work. You worked hard to make it work. We were so cute together that it was fun to kind of watch you this whole courtship and you're dating and Matthew was driving up the Quincy. I mean, he was what? 16 years old and he's driving on the Quincy. I was 18. I was 18.

Was it 18? Yeah. Couple times, we were like, no, you have gone twice this week or whatever and it's late and then you did. Couple times you disobeyed us, remember? Well, actually, so I remember this. It was April of 2017, literally six years ago, this month that you guys, I think I'd gone to Quincy

maybe every week, like two weeks in a row or something. And I said, I'm, and I was like, I'm going up to Quincy again, and you guys said no. And I just went anyway. I remember that. And you made you guys so mad. I feel like that's hard because like you were 18, but you were back, you were still living in their house.

I was in high school. But I was like, in my mind, I was like, I graduate high school in one month, and I pay my own stuff. I have Moe Lawns to pay my gas money. Like, I'm going. Like, I, I, I, I, And that's why you didn't get in big trouble,

but we just said, I think you told my parents that he wasn't supposed to do it. Yeah, you actually called and you told Abby's parents, and they didn't know to do it. Yeah, you actually called and you told you told Abby's parents and they didn't know to do They're just like okay Think like wow, they don't carry come So you know to me like I think my mom was like what yeah, yeah, that's parents just called he's coming But he's not supposed to be I was like

Why would he do that? I guess you had a guest room that he'd stay at because we could forgot, I didn't know what was going on. We started talking in Matt's room. Okay. But my mom would be like, that's in Matt's room. I'm pretty sure. We want to know if he's becoming a pest because Matthew is very determined.

And if he's determined to do something, you can't stop him. So he's like, okay. That's just sweet. And we knew, well, okay, like, yeah, we were upset that he just, he went against us, but he's not smoking, he's not drinking, he's not parting, he's making a sweet pie. And we knew, well, okay, yeah, we were upset that he just, he went against us, but he's not smoking, he's not drinking, he's not parting, he's making straight A's.

Like, what are we supposed to do? You know what I mean? I miss that time. That was a really fun time, yeah. I was like, love it. So make you do so many crazy things. But I think that's also why, like, you were so in love, you are.

No, I was like, the infatuation was for, no. Infatuation was awful. Sorry. And I think that's why like young couples, I tell people like you should be. You should be dating for a little bit longer. You should date for a year before you get engaged. Yeah, I agree. Because like the infatuation at the earliest will fade away after a year.

And for us, I don't think the infatuation went away for about a year and a half to two years. So like you're making a decision while you're basically. I think it's because you're telling us first like yeah, boyfriend or girlfriend, everything. So like last and so long. It's literally a drug like you kiss somebody for the first time and you're just like I remember I was like shaking. I was like so. Even though it was bad right?

What? The first kiss. Yeah, but it's just so so excited. Yeah. It was electrified. Yeah. Did you guys, did you guys suspect that we were making out in the basement? Will me watch movies? Oh, my gosh.

Yeah, I figured there's stuff going on. Okay. For the last day of sex. What was that time you drew you get a box and you want to ask her to a homecoming or a birthday and you got a box. Oh, yes, scared the crap out of you. Yeah, I Said hey, there's a box in the front porch for you and you popped out of the box. That was the school night No, that was Abby's

Day Yes, I drove up and I guess I skipped school for that maybe I did and Abby skipped school Video the video Maybe I did in Abby's skip school. The next thing to do. I never heard of Vibioville. Is there a video? Yeah, I have a Vibio. We'll post it to the unplanned podcast Instagram. But I literally hopped out of this box, which was I turned into a present, and I told Abby that I was shipping her birthday gift to her.

So that's maybe why I was like not thinking. There's on your birthday, and you were like, wow, this is a big box to ship. It was huge. Well, I don't, I wasn't clearly thinking, but. And you had no idea I was in there. You like Jack that. I was so happy yeah, and I started singing happy birthday while you while I got out of the box

That's a door for the last little bit of the podcast every fun if we did a little game like a couple versus couple Okay, how well do you know your spouse? Oh? Okay, I only have like a few questions. Okay, when your spouse is upset. What's the first thing they do? I only have like a few questions. So when your spouse is upset, what's the first thing they do? Yeah. Last shot, I guess last. Last shot or last shot?

Last shot, last shot. I last shot. No, she's still. She'll. You're better about just being quiet. Yeah, if you're upset about something else, I mean, I did. I catch the heck.

I feel like if you're upset you, like leave, like you go on a one wheel, like go to one wheel, like just leave it. Yeah, I feel, and I think, yeah, I like to go on one wheel. And if you're mad, I feel like you want to talk about it. That's the same here. Yeah. I can't, I pin on what type of upset I am. Yeah.

Like I'm sad. I don't really want to talk about it. I kind of just want to take a bath and like, yeah. Leave. But if I'm mad, I want to talk about it. I kind of just want to take a bath in like, yeah, leave. But if I'm mad, I want to talk about it. I want to throw it up, throw up. Yeah. And I want to smash it. And then you tell me that you want to wrestle me.

And I'm like, I don't want to wrestle you. I'm not going to wrestle you, Abby. Please, please. I'm not going to come. What? I'm not going to sit that more than before. I'm sitting like one time. She secretly wants to be one of those WWF wrestling.

A little more. I can't go off like that when you were pregnant though. You didn't say. I don't know. I don't know. What are you even talking about? You say all the time that you want to wrestle me. I'm like, why do you want to wrestle your husband?

Sometimes I just want to fight you. Yeah. My gosh, that's funny. What's the best way you never do it, by the way? Rest you? Yeah. Or give her a round. Yeah, I'm not going to wrestle my wife.

That's funny. I sound like an old fat. You sound fat. Listen to that. Weezy. Yeah. You sound fat. You sound fat. Listen to that weed.

Yeah. It's good. Late. She's tired. She's been through tornadoes. We have tornadoes. We have tornadoes. Okay.

One more. Pale. This one sweet and a great one to end that episode. Okay. This is what's the best thing about being married to each other. I think that I would not be more mad today if it wasn't for Teresa.

Not I think. I know would not be a mess. You're the more emotional one of the pair. I never cry. I never would. Which is surprising. Dad, yeah, you cry during like, you're trying to get a cry on this episode.

You said, if I have, I would see you cry. I wanted to get you to cry on this episode. I have to do it again. We'll have to have you back on. We'll do it, I'm so too. I'm planning to a cry on this episode. You said, if I have, I will see you cry. I wanted to get you to cry on this episode. We'll have to have you back on. We'll do that on episode two. I'm planning to with Mom and Dad. I'm gonna play cast two. Yeah. You get, you cry because you get touched a lot,

which is really something it is. Yeah. And it's, I'm touched inside, but I don't know. I just don't show it that way. I do cry. She's tough. She's tough lady. This sounds awful. No, it's a tough and a good way. I do cry. She's tough. She's tough lady. This sounds awful. No, it's

a tough and a good way. So the question exactly is what's the best thing about being married to each other? Oh my gosh. Children having a great family. Committed and yeah, it's been over 30 years. So that says a lot. Yeah. Great father. Great husband. We've had a good match, I think. It's a great person. Good catch. But through some trouble. Yeah, lots of ups and downs, but that's what makes you stronger, right? Right. Definitely think so. So I'm blessed.

Well, I'm too. Very blessed. Super blessed. What'd you say, Abby? I'm a blessed to have you too. Yeah. And your brother and his wife, you guys are just, both of you guys are just awesome. Couldn't ask for better daughter-in-laws. Yep. I couldn't ask for better in-laws.

Truly. Oh, that's very thankful for you guys. You're a very good. You're a very good person. And love it because I tell them that I'm like, I feel like your parents are my parents. A lot of the time. Well, we love you. You know, you're from the family. I get so sad when you got, I get sad like my parents, I mean, your parents are my parents. Like a lot of the time. Well, we love you. You know, you're in the parents.

I get so sad when you guys, I get sad like my parents, I mean, you guys are my parents in a way. When you guys like leave when you visit us, I'm pretty sure I cry the last time you guys left. I'm so sad that you know, they're all, every's going and we're not in, John's like, you're just jealous. I'm like, I'm not jealous, I'm just sad because

I won't get to see everything, but maybe someday. What's that? Moving there. Moving there. Oh yeah. See I like green grass. Oh my gosh. I like tornadoes and I'm like, oh my gosh.

So the deer. You serious? You're like a deer, Farad. Yeah. We'll talk to my parents about moving to Phoenix and my dad will like say, hey, look out at our yard. See those deer. Yeah, I just just you just can't get that anywhere else Turkey yesterday can't be to turkey in the neighborhood

I'm gonna post the turkey on the home The turkey I think with I think with Abby yet just having a life partner and having a Best friend someone that I've been through so many ups and downs with and a best friend, someone that I've been through, somebody ups and downs with. And I don't know, I think it's cool to talk about like those early memories of dating and stuff. Sometimes you forget about that.

Sometimes you forget about how sweet that's how it was. So this is where we have a baby now. It feels like we're in such a different season now. It's like you forget the early season, even though it wasn't that long ago. Yeah, it's gonna say something similar. Like you really are my best friend. So it's like cool that we get to just be a teammate

through everything. And yeah, it's like the crazyest kind of best friend though too because it's like, we do funny goofy stuff together. We go through really hard times together. And I know, it's really cool. It's like the deepest relationship you'll ever have. So, that's really cool. Yeah, and you guys are fantastic parents.

And we've had so much fun playing with Griffin. And he just says a double. Oh, he's perfect. He's perfect. Okay, it's back. But yeah, we're best friends too. And like then when you sit on the phone, there really isn't like one person I talk to all the time because you're my, if there's someone I'm gonna talk to

with you because you're my best friend. Yeah. Sweet. Well, thank you guys so much for being on. And thank you for being. For the easiest guest to get on a podcast. Thank you for being such, so supportive of our social media, even when we had the most embarrassing, pretty close to the cringiest content. You guys were so supportive and shared everything on your Facebook and like, it's really, it means a lot that you guys have always been so supportive. We are cringey too. And not many people have that at all.

So that's- Yeah, well we loved it. Well thanks for not asking a whole lot of questions about sex this time. Yeah. Play, never have I ever, and every question is about sex. This was clean, I like it. There was a sweet question that you asked as a little kid.

Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm so much like both. You asked your mom. You said, does it hurt? That's what used to be nice. Yeah, you should be nice. I get that. Like a sweet whole soul. A whole sum of questions. And my Abby, do you think I'm more like my dad or my mom? Oh my gosh. You're so much like both.

Really? So much like both. Oh you guys get jokes like me. Langed it joke. And I have to tell you everyone's probably does something I'm like, that. Me and Abbie say it both joke. We can't live in that. Like you just gonna joke and things.

It's all loving. I promise you, but especially if he does something, should I say? Yes, please do. If he does something at a really, just like not in convenient time. I'm like, yeah. I don't have a good filter sometimes.

No, like in powerful days before I get here, I'm gonna feel party. If we're having people over at our house and we need to pick up the house, yet I'm using that time to like go through our mail. Yeah, that happens. Like let's pick up the house and not go through our mail right now. Yeah, actually the garage of the basement she says.

I've been like, I'm doing people are gonna be here. So pretty in here. And we gotta clean up the kitchen. I said, yeah, but my garage is a mess. Yeah, like that's something that has done. And then you definitely have more your moms like I think temperament like very determined determined strong will like hardworking you're not super like

your emotions are pretty stable you know I'm not as I'm not very emotional yeah not very emotional you are so we bounce to the right guys what if we're both like me oh gosh I feel like we're both like you would be okay. No, what's funny? But both like me would be. When we have arguments, though, I think what's funny is I'm truly a fighter, but because you're such a strong fighter, I have to become the fighter. Okay, why are we on here? No, I think most women just cannot fight with their words. Oh, yeah. So much better than I am most she wins every argument I can run marathon with it comes to words she runs circles around me anyway thank you guys for being on the podcast we love you we love you it's it's not mine it's a now

it's after 10 o'clock sing Louis time should be in bed an hour yeah my dad is a Saturday night my dad goes to bed at nine o'clock sharp every night so we need to get him a bed. But thank you guys if you haven't already hit the like button hit subscribe. It really means a lot for us for our listeners on Apple podcasts or Spotify. Please leave a review. It helps us out so so much. So thank you mom and dad. Thank you.

And we will see you guys in the next episode. Are we going to have our own podcast you nice? Yeah. No. You should. No, we don't have enough excitement guys. I always cameras three two one