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Two Noras and a Mic

Nora & Nora

Oh hello! We’re Nora and Nora and we’re glad you’re here!

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

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S5 · E12
August 24 · 33 min
No Topic All Catch Up
Send us Fan Mail School is back, the alarms are brutal, and we’re trying to remember how we used to do this every day. We talk through the real back-to-school reset: forcing kids to go to bed, dragging them up in the morning, and realizing that even when we miss summer flexibility, our kids actually do better with structure. Because our brains are clearly still in summer mode, we also detour into the funniest, strangest headlines we can’t stop thinking about: two guys surviving five days at sea while floating in a fishing cooler, an Annapolis sock burning festival to declare winter over, a Rhode Island squid spill that turns a roadway into a “squidpocalypse,” and a German sheep that somehow ends up on a bus and through a car wash. It’s light, it’s weird, and it’s exactly the kind of laughter we need during week one. We close with highs and lows that every parent will recognize: miscommunications that turn pickups into a panic, the kindness of families who step in without judging, and the quiet wins that matter most. One of our favorite moments is a first big concert with a little girl at the United Center to see Kasey Musgraves, keeping it simple because the thing is the thing. If you’re juggling school mornings, family schedules, and the mental load, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a laugh, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E11
August 17 · 27 min
Nightcap with the Noras and the ladies of Waggin Wagon
Send us Fan Mail A daycare bus that picks up dogs like kids for a field trip sounds impossible until you hear how thoughtfully it’s built. We’re on location at The Gravy Lady in La Grange, eating like royalty, and sitting down with Amanda and Kat, the driving force behind Wagon Wagon, a door-to-door dog transportation and enrichment service that’s blowing up across the western suburbs. We get into the real origin story: a TikTok-inspired leap, buying a former daycare bus, and turning it into a safe, structured ride where each dog has a secure spot. Amanda shares how her background in education helped her build routines and “classroom management” for pups, while Kat brings deep dog-breed knowledge and a sharp instinct for reading behavior. We talk dog screening, the one hard line they won’t cross (aggression), and why they move dogs from the bus straight into a fully fenced private yard instead of a public dog park. Then we hit the fun stuff: enrichment puzzles like the famous muffin-tin game, themed weeks, simple art projects owners actually keep, and the surprisingly emotional part of watching dogs light up when the Wagon Wagon pulls up. You’ll also hear the most unglamorous side of pet care, including a bus poop disaster that spirals into the kind of story you’ll retell at dinner. If you’re searching for dog daycare alternatives, dog enrichment ideas, or a reliable midday service for dogs home alone, this conversation is packed with practical details, laughs, and local small business energy. Subscribe, share this with a fellow dog person, and leave a review with your pup’s name and biggest quirk. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E10
August 10 · 31 min
Just Keep Swimming
Send us Fan Mail A 24-hour flight just happened, and we cannot decide if it is a miracle of modern travel or a fresh new circle of misery. We start in full summer mode, talking about being home alone, how the house stays weirdly clean when the kids are gone, and the creeping back-to-school reality that brings uniforms, shoes, homework, and the nightly job of getting everyone to bed. Then we pivot into the kind of fun trivia that sends you down a rabbit hole: the yearly list of unique college football player names. We talk about what makes a name unforgettable, why punctuation shows up where it does not belong, and how a “normal” first name paired with an unfortunate last name can create real-world awkwardness. It is goofy, but it also says something about identity and the snap judgments we all make. From there, we dig into long-haul travel and what it would really feel like to stay on a plane for an entire day, from cabin comfort to turbulence anxiety to the price gap between economy and first class. And yes, we revisit the very real trend of nude dining nights at a fancy restaurant, because once you picture steak, napkins, and bathroom breaks, the questions multiply fast. We wrap with the most important turn of the conversation: swimming and water safety. One of us learned to swim at 28 while pregnant, and that story opens up a bigger point about adult swim lessons, breathing, confidence, and the fact that many Americans still do not know how to swim. If you have ever felt behind on a “basic” skill, this is your reminder that it is never too late to learn. Subscribe, share with a friend who would laugh at the name list, and leave a review with your take: nonstop 24 hours or layover break? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E9
August 3 · 35 min
Noras Make-Up
Send us Fan Mail A tiny drink that looks like a Guinness but tastes like dessert sounds harmless, right until we’re debating whether it should be a shot, a sipper, or poured over ice cream. We start with National Ice Cream Sandwich Day (melty is best, hard cookies are risky), then jump into our Baby Guinness experiment with Kahlua and Bailey's. Along the way we take a detour through novelty shot glasses, random trivia, and the kind of small talk that somehow turns into real life. Things get unexpectedly practical when we talk daylight saving time. The promise of “just pick one time forever” sounds great until you picture winter mornings where the sun barely shows up before work and school. We unpack why sleep experts push for consistency, why dark mornings feel so rough, and why politicians hesitate when constituents imagine sunrise creeping toward 8:00 a.m. or later in some cities. Then it’s full pop culture whiplash: the viral trend of dunking a McDonald’s cheeseburger in Diet Coke (we have strong feelings), plus a genuinely charming palate cleanser, Denmark’s Santa convention with gift-wrapping contests and gingerbread eating. From there we settle into our main topic, cosmetics: minimalist makeup routines, tinted moisturizer with SPF, eyeliner that looks natural, lip gloss versus lipstick, and what kids learn from TikTok beauty tutorials. We also share an eye doctor-approved makeup remover recommendation, swap product memories, and talk 2026 makeup trends like butter skin, blended blush, smoky liner, and natural nails. If you like funny everyday stories with useful tips you can actually try, hit subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find us. What’s your “core four” makeup routine right now? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E8
July 27 · 36 min
Cinco de Annabel - Two Noras interview Best Selling Author Annabel Monaghan
Send us Fan Mail She finished her last tour event last night and still showed up today with stories, secrets, and the kind of candor that makes us love Annabel Monaghan even more. We’re raising a glass for “Cinco De Annabel” and talking Dolly All The Time, her Good Morning America Book Club pick that delivers a swoony summer romance! We get the behind-the-scenes version of author life, from London and Paris publishing visits to the pure excitement of sitting on the Good Morning America couch and knowing every awkward second lives forever. Then we pivot to Dolly herself: what her podcast would be, why her talents read like survival skills, and the moment Annabel realized Dolly’s caretaking had a shadow side. We dig into the emotional truth of overfunctioning, people-pleasing, and how “doing it all” can rob the people around you of the chance to show up. The conversation also turns personal, with honest parenting insight on middle school friendships and raising teenage boys, plus a reminder that silence can be a powerful kind of support. Annabelle shares why Sancerre made it onto the page, how Newport mansions helped her build Stewart's old-fashioned energy, and the magical real-life origin story of meeting an actual reader named Dolly who sparked the novel. And yes, there’s a teaser for the next book: a slow train to Montauk, a four-hour connection, a brutal platform twist, and a jump to age 39. If you love author interviews, romance novels, summer reads, and conversations that mix craft with real life, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a good book, and leave us a review telling us what you’re reading right now. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E7
July 20 · 37 min
Camp Nora and Nora
Send us Fan Mail Chicago is choking on hazardous air, and we’re doing what we always do when life feels a little too real: talking it through until it turns funny, useful, and oddly comforting. We start with the anxiety of watching the air quality index climb and the way headlines can reshape a normal day, then jump to the week’s most unsettling food safety news, including why Taco Bell lettuce somehow becomes the villain in a world where “cheese substancel” keeps surviving. From there, we tumble into the internet’s trend cycle: soft serve dipped in melted butter with sea salt, the lifelong feasibility of drinking one million beers (spoiler: the math is unhinged), and a surprisingly organized WhatsApp group that’s trying anyway. We also debate beer slushies, the rules of what counts as “a beer,” and the delightful discovery that a baby Guinness is a shot that has absolutely nothing to do with Guinness. Then we bring it home with summer camp talk: who went as a kid, what day camp does best, why February camp emails make us want to scream, and how easy it is to over-schedule until summer becomes one long car ride. We also share why diabetes camp can be such a powerful experience for kids and families, plus a quick history lesson on how American summer camp became a “back to nature” institution in the first place. If you like funny conversation with real-life parenting truths, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who’s deep in summer logistics, and leave us a review so more listeners can find the show.
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S5 · E6
July 13 · 40 min
Linens and towels and sheets...Oh My!
Send us Fan Mail You know those conversations that start with a normal life update and somehow end with you rethinking your entire home setup? That’s where we land today, starting with Fourth of July traditions and the kind of small-town parade day that leaves you both exhausted and happy. Then we take a sharp turn into curiosity bait: the naked bike ride in downtown Chicago (go as bare as you dare), a blind taste test of a cinnamon bun Oreo, and a hit of pure nostalgia when we scroll through retired 90s candy. If you grew up on Butterfinger BB’s, Lifesaver Holes, String Thing, and peak convenience store snacks, this one will pull you right back. We also react to the internet’s most questionable food inventions, from Pringles chip-flavored hot dog buns sold one bun per can to over-the-top stadium food that makes us beg for plain hot dogs and popcorn. The heart of the conversation is linens: bed sheets, top sheets, duvet covers, fitted sheet folding, towel quality, bath sheets, terry cloth robes, cloth napkins, and linen clothing that wrinkles if you look at it wrong. We trade practical tips, pet peeves, and the little household habits that quietly shape your day, plus a quick detour into luxury bedding economics (yes, we found sheets that cost five figures and a mattress that costs as much as a house). If you laughed, learned, or felt personally attacked by the top-sheet debate, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. Are you team top sheet, or are you with Gen Z? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E5
July 6 · 32 min
Nightcap and a recap
Send us Fan Mail A summer recap can sound simple until you zoom in on the details: a 5:15 a.m. start line, 68 miles on real roads, a Disney Cruise Line concierge happy hour, and a sunscreen mistake so specific it only burns your ankles. We’re nightcapping with the Noras and telling the truth about what we’ve been up to, including a charity bike ride supporting pediatric brain tumor research and why doing something hard with your dad becomes an instant “memory maker.” Then we jump to family travel on the Disney Treasure ship with 16 relatives spanning ages 3 to 77. We talk about why Disney cruising works for big groups, how we keep everyone happy without over scheduling, and the small rituals that make the trip feel like a floating five star hotel. If you’ve ever tried to plan a multi generation vacation, you’ll hear practical ideas for balancing together time with the freedom to scatter. We also get into the St. Thomas kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling adventure that turns into a comedy of rule following, forgotten water shoes, and the dreaded reverse golfer’s tan ankle sunburn. From there it’s on to Disney World without a stroller, Lightning Lane strategy, decision fatigue, and the blister that proves we walked the parks for real. We close with champagne tasting tips, reactions to wild headlines like the Empire State Building proposal, and a summer book recommendation before our upcoming author interview. Subscribe for more, share this with a friend who loves a good vacation story, and leave a review so more listeners can find us.
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S5 · E4
June 22 · 33 min
T-Shirts
Send us Fan Mail You know that feeling when summer makes the world seem a little louder, a little weirder, and somehow more fun? That’s the energy we’re bringing today as we start with real-life catch-up, kid commentary that cracks us up, and a “would you rather” that escalates into donuts, stitches, and the kind of questions only children ask with confidence. From there, we go global in the best way. We talk World Cup watching and the moment that deserves the attention it’s getting: Japanese fans cleaning up the stadium because leaving a space better than you found it is the point. Then we keep the international streak alive with a taste test of tinto de verano, the classic Spanish summer drink made with red wine, citrus soda, and lots of ice. If you’ve been hunting for an easy summer cocktail, a lighter sangria alternative, or a new patio drink, this one might be your new staple. And because our brains never stay in one lane, we hit the wild headlines too: Denmark’s mullet competition, the Gen Z phrase “low vibe relationships” and what it actually means, plus a truly ridiculous real-world coincidence involving paying at the same store with the same “wand” card holder. We also debate what’s worth paying for, from expensive firefly camping to the beach “plop vacation” trend that some people swear resets the nervous system and we swear does the opposite. We wrap with our t-shirt deep dive, from what we wear to bed to the nostalgic shirts we can’t throw away, plus a quick look at t-shirt history and how it went from undershirt to cultural icon. Listen, laugh, and then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review if you’re enjoying the show.
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S5 · E3
June 15 · 37 min
Talkin' Toys
Send us Fan Mail A star-shaped wand that holds your credit card and lets you tap to pay sounds like a joke until you realize it might be the perfect tool for anyone who loses their card every other day. We start with summer life in full swing, then unwrap the kind of gift that instantly becomes a household legend and a potential menace in any drive-thru line. From there, we do what we do best: chase curiosity wherever it goes. We taste-test a limited edition Oreo that somehow pulls off a true brown sugar pancake flavor, talk about why viral snacks and pop culture collaborations keep getting wilder, and then try to redeem ourselves with a quick reality check on the health benefits of tea, antioxidants, and that “maybe it cancels out the sugar” logic we all use. Things get even more surprising when we dig into unusual traditions like Japan’s Naki Sumo Crying Baby Fest and the rodeo phenomenon of mutton busting, then switch gears to practical modern life with the 10 commandments of group chat etiquette. Our main theme brings it home: toys and nostalgia. We revisit childhood classics, the charm of real toy stores, the most popular toys by generation, and the complicated feelings that come with decluttering your kids’ old favorites while trying to keep the memories. If you like funny parenting stories, nostalgia, toy talk, snack reviews, and the small social rules nobody teaches you, you’ll feel right at home. Subscribe, share this with a friend who still loves toys, and leave a review so more people can find us. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E2
June 8 · 37 min
Two Noras and a Community Spotlight
Send us Fan Mail Someone in the neighborhood treats Super Junk Day like a free shopping trip and rolls off with two kids’ bikes and suddenly it’s not a cute curbside story anymore. We talk through what happened next, why an AirTag made all the difference, and the practical reality of keeping tabs on kids and their stuff when devices die and summer schedules get messy. If you’ve ever wondered whether tracking tech is worth it, this real-life moment makes a pretty strong case. From there, we take a hard left into the internet’s favorite category: food and wellness trends that feel one step removed from parody. Think National Cheese Day, National Tetris Day, the so-called Bible diet, and even energy drinks branded with religious imagery. We unpack the appeal, the discomfort, and the marketing choices that turn faith into a product label. Then we hit a headline that truly tests the limits of our appetite for news: a Spaghettios worms story that is equal parts horrifying and impossible to ignore. Next, we bring it home with a community spotlight on the St. John of the Cross Parish Garage Sale, a 51-year tradition that runs like a mini department store inside a school. You’ll hear how donations are handled, how volunteers clean and stage items, why people line up before sunrise, and the genius of a $10 “shopping spree” that clears the building fast. We also share where the money goes, including scholarships and support for multiple charities, which makes bargain hunting feel a lot more meaningful. If you love neighborhood stories, community events, practical tips, and a little pop-culture chaos, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who lives for a good sale, and leave a review so more people can find us. What’s your best secondhand treasure or your worst curbside mistake? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S5 · E1
June 1 · 38 min
Season Five, High Five
Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season Five! A wheel of cheese flying down a steep hill while grown adults cartwheel after it sounds fake, but it’s real and it’s our kind of “what did I just watch?” kickoff to season five. We start with summer creeping in, school schedules getting weird, and that parenting scramble where someone always has the wrong dismissal time. From there, we lean into the stories that make life feel lighter, even when everything is busy. We get into the Gloucestershire cheese rolling contest (unofficial but still unhinged), then move to internet food trends like the TikTok chip bag sandwich and a product we can’t stop thinking about for all the wrong reasons: the Hellmann’s mayo bow tie, a wearable condiment dispenser that should probably come with a warning label. If you love pop culture, viral trends, and the humor hidden in everyday life, you’ll feel right at home. Things turn surprisingly thoughtful when we talk friendship and trust through the “two beers and a puppy” test. It’s a simple way to name the difference between the friends you have fun with and the friends you’d trust with something that matters. We also debate whether the modern handbag is fading out as pockets, briefcases, and cargo shorts surge, and we share what’s actually inside our bags. Add in a creepy seven-foot puppet found on a Massachusetts lawn, some pure 90s nostalgia (Five Alive, High-C, Ecto Cooler), and a quick dive into the origin of the high five, and you’ve got a season opener packed with laughs and real-life warmth. If you enjoy funny, relatable conversations about motherhood, friendship, and modern life, subscribe, share this with a friend who’d pass the puppy test, and leave a review so more people can find us. What’s one trend you secretly hope is over? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E46
May 25 · 37 min
Teachers
Send us Fan Mail Somebody emails you out of the blue and says, “We’d like you to apply.” Sounds flattering, right? We start there with a real Wordle game show casting invite, then take a sharp turn into the kind of everyday stories that make you laugh and cringe at the same time: a frog surviving inside a bag of lettuce, a woman who literally breaks into a house to clean it and leaves a $75 note, and the Swatch collaboration release so chaotic people end up getting pepper sprayed at the mall. After the snack break and cookie ranking debate, we shift into the heart of the conversation: teachers. Teacher appreciation is nice, but we want to talk about what the job actually requires and why so many educators are exhausted by the end of the day. We trade stories about the teachers who stuck with us, from feisty nuns to legendary high school English teachers, and we dig into what’s hardest now: classroom management, constant emails with parents and students, standardized testing pressure, and trying to reach kids who arrive at wildly different learning levels. We also pull in the bigger education picture with teacher workload and burnout stats, plus the reality of shorter attention spans and why “brain breaks” are not a trendy extra, they’re a practical tool. If you care about education, school culture, student learning, and supporting teachers, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a teacher you love, and leave a review with the name of a teacher who changed your life.
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S4 · E45
May 18 · 35 min
Two Noras and Best Selling Author Sean Ryan
Send us Fan Mail The podcast becomes a family affair as Nora and Nora welcome Nora's little brother, New York Times Best Selling Author, Sean Ryan! Sean pops by the pod to talking about his new graphic novel, "Xanar & Mr. Tuxedo"! A robot boy who’s relentlessly upbeat and a grumpy old penguin should not be able to exist in the same story without everything falling apart, yet somehow it works and it’s hilarious and heartfelt. Sean unpacks how his middle grade graphic novel 'Xanar & Mr. Tuxedo" went from an idea he first played with years ago to a fully built, wildly visual adventure you can actually hold in your hands. We talk about the real mechanics of the creative process: why “blank page” fear is normal, how smart constraints make writing easier, and how worldbuilding problems can become story solutions. Sean shares the key breakthrough that made the book click, letting his characters come from different worlds, plus why he chose a Jane Austen inspired setting as a mirror for the theme of partnership and teamwork. If you love graphic novels, comics, children’s books, or storytelling craft, there’s a lot here to steal for your own work. Sean also pulls back the curtain on how you write a graphic novel script, panel-by-panel directions, dialogue, expressions, pacing, and how much trust it takes to collaborate with an illustrator. And yes, we get the origin story of his Marvel internship, including the infamous Spider-Man Frosted Flakes box resume. Pre-order your copy today! Amazon Barnes and Nobel PaperCutz Subscribe so you don’t miss what we’re making next, and if you enjoyed this one, share it with a friend who loves comics or creativity and leave a quick review. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E44
May 11 · 36 min
Something's Fishy...
Send us Fan Mail World Password Day has us spiraling because somehow we all have a thousand logins and none of them are the right one at the right time. We trade honest confessions about password reuse, the “make up nonsense words” method, and why storing everything in a notes app can feel brilliant until you realize you’re one forgotten step away from a full reset loop. It’s funny, but it’s also a real look at how digital security and everyday life collide, especially when you’ve got family accounts, devices, and endless sign-ins to manage. From there, we jump to a headline that makes everyone wince: a Fenway Park Jumbotron proposal where the answer is “I don’t know.” We talk about the weird pressure of public proposals, what a surprise moment should actually feel like, and share our own engagement stories where the plan goes slightly off the rails. Then we pivot into travel and consumer curiosity, including a double decker airplane seat design that promises more legroom while raising big questions about turbulence, claustrophobia, and whether “innovation” always improves the flight experience. And because our brains work like this, we take a hard turn into fish. Not just eating fish and cooking salmon, but pet fish road trips, goldfish history, Goldfish crackers trivia, aquarium opinions, fishnets, and the darker internet side of catfishing scams. We wrap with highs and lows that get real: parenting through injury, fighting off a cold, celebrating a school musical, and the kind of gratitude that shows up as tears over concert tickets. If you like funny conversation with surprising facts and genuine life updates, hit play, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E43
May 4 · 46 min
A Tip Top Episode About Jobs
Send us Fan Mail A four-ounce canned margarita that drinks like a full-sized cocktail, a gas-pump mistake that turns into a full-body wardrobe emergency, and the kind of week where you’re sprinting from sports to rehearsals and still trying to be a functioning adult. That’s where we start, and it only gets better from there. We talk about the real work behind a middle school musical, from tech week logistics to the emotional side of getting kids onstage when nerves and peer cruelty show up. One moment with bubble guns in a gym becomes a surprisingly good lesson in leadership, arts education, and how to shift a room’s energy fast. Then we jump to prom culture and how it’s changed, why the pre-prom hoopla can overshadow the actual dance, and why so many kids seem completely wiped out by sleepovers now. From flying-car headlines to fashion nonsense, we also dig into what we’re willing to trust: autonomous air taxis from Manhattan to JFK, self-driving cars like Waymo, and the strange marketing power of Chanel’s heel-only “shoe.” It’s funny, but it’s also a look at attention, safety, and why novelty sells. Our main topic is jobs: first jobs, summer jobs, college jobs, and the stories you carry forever. We swap everything from babysitting as kids to courthouse filing in domestic relations, getting fired and handing over the shirt off your back and theater department gigs. We wrap with kids’ chores, side hustles, and the idea that the most meaningful work might not come with a paycheck. Subscribe, share with a friend, leave a review, and tell us: what job taught you the biggest lesson? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E42
April 27 · 42 min
This Episode is Fire
Send us Fan Mail Fire is one of those words that sneaks into everything, and once we noticed it, we couldn’t stop. We start with the real-life stuff, the sprint to opening night for a school musical, a week packed with family events, and a little Chicago love with Wrigley Field’s 112th anniversary plus a truly wild baseball moment. Then we take a sharp left into the kind of pop culture details we can’t resist, including a New York Times crossword mistake that had puzzle people furious. From there, we dig into two trends that say a lot about where we are right now: summer fashion and modern family design. We debate “messy girl” style, the return of early-2000s shimmer makeup, and the refreshing idea that the current pants trend is basically anything goes. Then we get into the bigger question: platonic co-parenting. We talk through what it means to choose a parenting partner without romance, how co-parenting apps like Modamily work, and why three-parent arrangements sound practical on paper but can get emotionally complicated fast. Things get even stranger with a keepsake trend we can’t unsee: breast milk jewelry and baby hair jewelry. We ask the obvious questions, laugh at the marketing language, and try to figure out where sentiment ends and chaos begins. We wrap by coming back to fire in the literal sense, from childhood “firefort” memories and fireplace habits to firefighter family stories, quick fire history, and the way fire shows up in music and slang. If you like funny, curious conversations that jump from culture to parenting to history without losing the thread, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find us. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E41
April 20 · 45 min
Calendar People
Send us Fan Mail Your calendar isn’t just dates and boxes. It’s the story of your life, the mental load you’re carrying, and the one tool that can either calm the chaos or make it louder. We’re two Noras comparing notes on how we actually keep a family schedule running, from paper planners and wall calendars to shared phone calendars that everyone can see. We get specific about what works: weekly planning on Sundays, color-coding each kid’s appointments, and why school calendar subscriptions can be helpful or completely overwhelming. We also talk honestly about the exhausting dynamic of being the only person who “knows everything,” especially when kids won’t write anything down, and how a shared system can give you your brain back. If you’re searching for real-world time management, planning routines, and family organization tips, this is the kind of conversation that makes you feel less alone and more equipped. And because our lives are never just one topic, we weave in the day’s headlines and real moments too: jury duty surprises, a flock of sheep taking over a store in Germany, a pen name scandal around a bestselling thriller author, and a wild wedding story that ends with jail time. We even nerd out on the Gregorian calendar reform and the missing days of 1582, plus why the month names still don’t line up. Subscribe for more, share this with your favorite calendar person, and leave a review if it made you laugh or rethink your system. Are you team paper planner or team phone calendar? Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E40
April 6 · 35 min
Swimsuits and Spacesuits
Send us Fan Mail Swimsuit season brings out everyone’s opinions, insecurities, and oddly strong preferences, so we finally say the quiet parts out loud. We talk through what we actually wear to the pool and beach, why a bikini can feel like a full-time sunscreen job, and why cover-ups, linen pants, and rash guards sometimes do more for our confidence than any “perfect” suit ever could. If you’ve been hunting for real-world swimwear advice, we get into one-piece vs two-piece vs tankini, support and fit, and how the UV index somehow becomes the main character of family vacations. Then we take a left turn into the best kind of chaos: the basket-shaped Longaberger building in Ohio, paying “line sitters” to wait in TSA, and an ice cream dessert at Yankee Stadium that looks exactly like a chicken drumstick. We also try to wrap our heads around a theft of 400,000 European Kit Kats, because where would you even put them, and how would you sell them when everything is barcoded? Somewhere in the middle, we realize we need a refresher on space travel too, including what the International Space Station is and why people are suddenly talking about the moon again. We also share a little swimsuit history that’s wilder than you’d think, from heavy old bathing gowns to the moment the bikini got its name from Bikini Atoll and the idea of an “atomic” fashion impact. We close with our weekly highs and lows, including a broken elbow update, a small moment of not speaking up when we should have, and the joy of finding a show we can actually watch with our kids without stress. Subscribe so you don’t miss what we’re talking about next, share this with a friend who’s packing for spring break, and leave a review if our swimwear real talk made you feel a little more normal. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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S4 · E39
March 30 · 35 min
A Tisket, A Tasket, An Episode About Baskets
Send us Fan Mail Coffins, AirPods, TSA, rom-com reboots, and baskets: we know, it sounds impossible to connect, but that’s exactly the fun. We kick things off with real-life catch-up, then stumble into a genuinely startling wellness trend from Japan called coffin laying, a meditation practice meant to sharpen your “gaze at life” by getting closer to the idea of death. It sparks a bigger question about what self-care is supposed to feel like, and where your personal hard lines are. From there, we go full modern-life mode: sleep routines with noise-canceling earbuds, the very real choking-hazard moment of waking up with AirPods in your mouth, and the small tech annoyances that somehow become part of daily survival. Spring break travel brings up TSA lines and airport stress, and we react to the airline comfort arms race, including United’s plan to let passengers buy a whole row and turn it into a mattress-like setup. We also squeeze in a pop culture check on the 13 Going On 30 reboot rumor and when nostalgia crosses into “please don’t remake that.” Then we settle into our main theme: baskets, not caskets. We trace Easter baskets back through spring equinox traditions, old symbols like hares and eggs, and how those stories shape what we still do with our kids today. We talk practical family traditions, why traveling makes holiday routines weird, and how switching to paintable plastic eggs can save your sanity. We also get into bike baskets, toy storage, gift baskets, Longaberger basket nostalgia, and the surprisingly dark (and likely mythic) origin of the phrase “basket case.” We wrap with a classic high-low, including a maddening Samsung beverage center pitcher fail and the peace that comes from decluttering and a quiet moment to yourself. If you enjoyed the ride, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find us. Mike Haggerty Buick GMC Right on the corner, right on the price! Head down to 93rd & Cicero & tell them the Noras sent you! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
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