Move it Mama - The Sparkle Pod

Hey pals! A bit of a long one today but it isn't ENTIRELY our fault. Happy belated Mother's Day to those in our audience who celebrate and our thoughts are with those who find the whole day just one big triggering ordeal - to you we send our love. Last week we put it out to you, our community, for ideas on how we might be able to celebrate our 200th episode - a big thank you for your ideas! (Mum isn't here yet but, never say never). After some debrief waffle from the week that was - Samsungs and...

We've hopped into the 'robe a little late in the day today - weirdly it doesn't disrupt our flow too much. In today's episode we unintentionally find ourselves in a reflective mood. We're reflecting over the events of the past year as, with Mother's Day approaching, we're nearly one year since the unravelling of Dan's illness and the events that followed. To say this is triggering is an understatement. A lot of feelings that never really left still boil; festering away at the surface. The year to the day coming around seems to be amplifying this - obviously hugely so...

And we're back. An un expected, unplanned week off, but here we are back to it this week for a full hour of debriefing (cue waffle). Leece is currently a 'whether-she-likes-it-or-not' owner of a dog (/sole trader), and as a result we surprise even ourselves by how long we discuss the animal lol. From dog and kid toileting and bedtime routines, to kids saying the darnedest things, Leece's itch and the neck oil saga (an acknowledgement/nod here to our recent discussions - a good reminder to us), giving out compliments, the worry in being a mother (/parent) and more...

Just before we recorded this morning, a friend of Move it Mama sent us an article about Facebook scam ads. It was pretty alarming in general, but especially alarming in relation to Leece's recent neck oil purchase and consumers being sucked in left right and centre. We know a few of you might also have gone on to purchase said oil - maybe it won't be problematic to everyone but it's absolutely a PSA worth taking note of. The world is becoming such a confusing place to live; trying to decipher what's real and what's not (/a bot) - just...

OK please allow us at least 24 minutes of your time before we start to chat about anything interesting and with any enthusiasm! Not sure why but as we had to record on a Sunday this week, we definitely felt a bit off and take a bit to get started. Straight into phone chat again. I know, can we stop? Jess tells a shocking account of an article sent in on that topic and naturally we talk more about it - from phones and screens to misogyny (without knowing the definition) and parenting this phone *era*. We touch on Dan and...

Not quite sure where it was we went wrong this morning but the general consensus post recording was that we might have been somewhat lacklustre today. So - apologies for that from the outset if that's the vibe at your end! In this episode we kick things off with more parenting chat - it feels super relevant at the moment off the back of the Netflix series Adolescence - thoughts on parenting in this era where we're more stretched for time than ever before. We talk about connection, in terms of trying to take the time to connect with our...

Now here's a question - IS the Feijoa a polarising fruit? We'd love to hear your thoughts lol. Hitting the mic with some big questions for our waffle pod Monday. We actually start the episode on a bit of a social media high horse right from the get go [to be "honest"]. But really if we - as grown adults - can have our own little wobbles and battles with social media, how can we expect the brains of our under developed kids to navigate such a world?!?! Where do we stand? It is both eye-opening and petrifying. Naturally our...

As you'd be aware, we were waiting on some big news last week and given we're back to the mic this week, you know it was good :) we can hear it in Leece's mood today which is so nice to see/hear, am I right. Once again our gas bagging ways get the better of us today. For the record, we've tried to lure our mother to the mic a billion times over and we are no closer to breaking her. One day. One day? Let's say 'one day', in an attempt to manifest the dream. Well, we start our...

Hello, it's a big week here at MIM HQ (for the Fongs), and so today's episode felt a bit tough for Leece, but as always, we made it. We'll hope to be back next Monday with more waffle pod - things all going to plan. This week, as per, we're all over the show - from childhood mems and siblings, to lunchbox and baking woes, matcha and black coffee, book club, the idea of a parasite cleanse and in turn the problem with health podcasts and other random tangents. We were interrupted once or twice today so our apologies for...

Unsurprisingly, we're a little all over the show today - it felt good (lol). We go from rooting and dogs as kids, or kids being like dogs, to how to try to enjoy facials with trauma; the stress and angst of the next wee patch with Dan and life, marriage and pondering whether there is such thing as perfect (can't be) - to being over stimulated, kids again and a big story about Snapchat. And for the record of COURSE NZ legalised gay marriage first - shame on us for forgetting this!! Thanks for listening. We love your DMs.

WARNING - there are a LOT of F bombs in here and also a lot of drug and alcohol chat. Needless to say this episode is absolutely not suitable for smaller ears. With that, let us preface that we firmly understand we're all different - we have different views, morals, and so on. We all have different ways of living, different tastes and different interests and that's OK - or even wonderful - so to be clear, we discuss these topics without judgement. On this podcast we find ourselves opening up about our lives and current experiences, and that's all...

To be honest - we don't know how we got here. Only a few moments before the podcast we were both trying to go to the toilet questioning the topics of our conversation. 'What do you have to talk about today?', 'I don't know', was basically the extent of it. So here is a list of what we went on to discuss lol - the name Lisa and email signatures, our American accents and the Sunny Coast destination, the festival scene, sticks and stones, AirPod epiphanies, car cleaning etiquette, tracking your cycle and peri-menopause, squash, making kids 'greet' and...

To be honest - we don't know how we got here. Only a few moments before the podcast we were both trying to go to the toilet questioning the topics of our conversation. 'What do you have to talk about today?', 'I don't know', was basically the extent of it. So here is a list of what we went on to discuss lol - the name Lisa and email signatures, our American accents and the Sunny Coast destination, the festival scene, sticks and stones, AirPod epiphanies, car cleaning etiquette, tracking your cycle and peri-menopause, squash, harassment (trigger warning here...

Well hello, what do we have here? A bonus Wednesday episode! This time we're bringing someone else on the pod - exciting to hear another tone of voice don't we think? Agreed. Leece's sister in law Nat (Dan's sister) is currently visiting the Sunshine Coast, so we thought it would be fun to bring a bit of her story to the podcast. Side note - she actually left quite a few details out, including some pretty interesting chat on the first boyfriend, as well an additional Uluru love affair she didn't disclose but we feel deserves some air time. As...

Hello! Welcome back. We're a little all over the show today for your waffle pod Monday. From a potential outfit fail (I'm trying not to care), to compliments and ear stories; to gut health and issues, a Dan update and current state of affairs, kids and bribes, kids and stages and just kids in general and how they're always hard lol. To add to that, a bit too about kids judging you for wearing skimpy stuff!!!! You know every week our listenership is going up with more and more people downloading the podcast. We just fizz your messages and feedback...

There's a show called 'Nobody wants this' on Netflix based on two sisters who host a podcast. They sit on a cool looking couch in a cool looking warehouse kinda set up and chat openly and honestly about whatever's on their mind. On a few occasions, Morgan, one of the sister's, says to Joanne, 'save it for the podcast'. As in, save your chat for when we're recording because this sh*t needs to go to our podcast community and not be wasted between us. All this to say, by the time Monday rolls around Leece and I are itching...

In today's episode of The Sparkle Pod, Tei and Nina pop their podcast cherry. We thought it'd be cute for them to join us for some quick fire questions. In reality, it probably didn't pan out as we thought it'd go in our heads (does it ever), but nonetheless it's a little bit cute (biased). We otherwise cover a few bits and pieces today. Somehow we end up discussing phones again, Jess's insecurities at the moment, and for some time we talk about weight and managing our weight. People often come to Move it Mama to lose weight and yes...

Hello! I kinda wish I could write a flashy intro to our first episode of 2025 all about how motivating and inspiring our conversation is BUUUUUT... no. We simply pick up where we left off and without a plan, mull over our top of the mind thoughts. From social media and phone use in our kids (topical today with a post to our MIM socials on just this), school holiday faff, a night away for Leece and an update on Dan; we go here, there and everywhere. We're excited to bring you the podcast again this year. As you know, last...

Kia ora! We're back for our final episode of the 2024 year. Well, what a total f**king trip. Our final episode of 2023 was titled '2023, the year of the ick'. If only this year felt as simple... it didn't. The ick still stands as one of the worst things ever though let us not forget lol (assuming you guys also binged 'Nobody wants this' and got the ick from the sports jacket 'cos same). Anyway, you all know the story - what has happened this year has flipped the world on its axis and suddenly everything feels different. Life is...

Hello friends! We're back for what will likely be the last podcast between us for the rest of the year. For reasons you'd know, we're glad to see the back end of 2024, and are hopeful for a better 2025. It's been a f**king hell of a year, and one that has hit like a tonne of tortuous bricks (which is an understatement). I just want to take a moment to acknowledge Leece and her ability to show up here most weeks, in the midst of a year where it would be quite nice to hide away underground until the sun...

Hey pals, we've impressed even ourselves in making it back to the mic after what was a fairly topsy turvy week. It was so good to debrief today after an eventful time - recording the podcast is always therapeutic for us and we appreciate you for coming along for the ride. In this episode we're waffling away on a few things - from naming kids to the weeks synopsis for the Fongs, the pressures of Christmas, phones, social media and kids again, and sparkle spreaders like Elf on the Shelf or rather no sign of the Elf (*triggered*). Thanks for...

Hey pals, thank you for sticking with us, in what is often a bit of a treacherous or difficult listen - this episode being of no exception. We actually hit the mic both feeling a little grim and grumpy, and as a result kinda moan a lot. SORRY. Although, is this a new thing, or standard? Kinda unsure. One positive is that Leece has reigned in the use of profanities so that's a classy win (Jess not so). We seem to dive here there and every where today (def standard), from why we're grumpy, the podcast awards, where we'd rather...

Surpriiiiiiise! We thought we wouldn't make it today however the plans changed, so here we are. A bit of a sh*tty weekend for the Fongs, full of stress and worry, and Leece was meant to be in Brisbane today. But, a little last minute things changed course, which meant we were able to get here when a few hours prior we thought we couldn't! Celebrating that. So, as a result of the events that have unfolded in the past week, we're not full beans today with a huge amount to offer but 'it is what it is', as they...

Kia ora pals, another week and here we are. We start today's episode talking about Leece's mindset this morning and current struggles - of which, as you can appreciate, there are many and so it's a bit of a sombre start. In amongst this though we discuss the power of Move it Mama and community - and how blessed are we (that includes you, our listeners). Over the weekend we put out a Q&A to our social media and so in the rest of the episode we answer a series of random questions. Including but not limited to...

Hello pals, how are you? Time for the weekend debrief, as per. It's been an eventful week and a hard one at that. We talk in quite a bit of detail with a life update from the Sunshine Coast. Things are really very hard and at this point we want to thank Leece for being so open in her experience. We know many of you are interested and care, and also really appreciate her vulnerability and honesty through the situation they find themselves in. A few little tangents about much less important matters like the rules of the sissy chat...

Hello hello, welcome to the weekend debrief. Leece wasn't feeling super up to the chat today and so decided instead to quiz me about the half marathon and a weekend in Auckland. Some days are just harder than others so with Leece taking somewhat of a backward step from the mic I hope you're not feeling a total snooze fest. In the episode we go over the weekend which included the Auckland half marathon, my visiting friends, the current struggles of life on the Sunshine Coast, some book chat and some other little bits in between. As I ran around...

Welcome back to the weekend synopsis with Leece and Jess. Leece is sipping her cacao as we record today, so you're blessed with a slurpy start. In today's episode we talk the tradition of ceremonial cacao (and coffee lol), finding and taking the time to stop for a second, musings about life just being all round hard (sorry if this is downer), today's LIVE workout and boobs, and the anxious ins and outs of Dan. Halfway through we take a trip down memory lane and somehow end up discussing one night stands and so thank goodness for that, with its...

Today's episode of the sparkle pod is the usual Monday debrief you've come to expect. From the time of the month and what it might do to ones bowel, the weekend synopsis - including the journey of Dan - longing for a bender (jokes), lessons in the loss of Liam Payne and among other bits, continuing to clutch at straws for a sparkle spreader. Although the sparkle spreader does come easily to Leece thanks to the wonderful community that is you. Your messages, thoughts, dreams and love are just so wholeheartedly, gratefully received. An early HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the sunshine...

How obvious is it that we're constantly looking up alternatives to 'chew the fat' as a podcast title? Don't answer that. Here we are on your Monday morning just running off at the mouth on all things weekend. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to find our feet each week, particularly with the current themes of life, but we somehow find our groove today and end up yabbering for 110 minutes. Over achievers aren't we!? Thanks again for being here. Week on week we're messaged in reference to the podcast, about some topic of chat you relate to, and it...

Hello hello, another Mondae another chew the fat episode between Leece and Jess (the 'dae' will make sense soon). In today's episode we're fresh off the weekend, with Dan currently home at the Sunny Coast Fong household (unfortunately just for a few more days now), and Jess in the middle of her first school holidays. Somehow we find a lot to talk about today, as you can see from the length of this episode lol - of course a fair bit about Dan; how he's doing at the moment and what's been going on there in general, the school holiday...

Hey pals, back with the Monday debrief again but at a time that throws us. Some DAYS YA KNOW (welcome to school hols). Leece is home with Dan - it's a nice patch in that respect but of course not without its challenges. Naturally we cover that, a trip to Bunnings, boil up, school holiday routines and our seemingly regular rigmaroles. Leece throws a spanner at the end and gives away the orange cardigan - if at all familiar to you, be in to win lol. Thanks for listening to our sisterly catch ups, for all of your messages of...

Our typical Monday morning debrief recorded early afternoon Wednesday and straight into your ear holes for Wednesday night. Going into this chat we really felt we had nothing to give, but between Tresemme haircare and Leece's mispronunciation we had quite a lot of fun. We were also a bit anxious today, for reasons we explain, and to mention now that the news has been received and it was positive news at that so, WOW, just wow. We chat lots of bits, visitors in and out, what's been going on, hair care lol, Ritual42. school holidays and so on. Thanks for...

Hello to our sparkly friends - thank you for being here. This was a bit of a tough recording today. We know you will understand that things for Leece are pretty rock bottom, and so naturally our conversation is a little tough and generally low. If you find this kind of chat hard to listen to, maybe consider diving in at a later stage. Things are tough, life is beyond hard, and in today's episode we end up talking quite a bit about Leece's inner thoughts, what's going on and how it's all feeling for her. There's a smidge of...

In our house growing up, if ever the phone rang after 3pm it was, 'hi is Lisa there please?'. It became quite annoying, that much we remember. Eventually, it's as if every afternoon was a battlefield of who got to the house phone or the Mavis Beacon typing disc (or later msn messenger) first. The joys of siblings - and aren't we grateful. Grateful to chew the fat together on a Monday afternoon, to debrief the current state of affairs, how we're tracking and what the current rigmaroles are. Once again so great to have Leece be so open...

First of all a bit of an apology - we are lacklustre today and believe it comes through in this episode. As we do preface at the beginning - this podcast is not at all for financial gain or even marketing or reach. Really the podcast has become simply about bringing you more - more of our conversations, more of our thoughts, more of our lives - a way for us to share more with you than just our workouts. So with that, our conversations are honest and real-time - REAL being the key word. As we know Leece is...

It's been a while since Leece has been with us and wow, we have leapt at the chance. This podcast has evolved in time; it began with Leece at the helm and Char and I alongside her, until Char's day job became a little too hectic for her to sustain the pod, and so naturally Leece and I became the more frequent chatterboxes. We dabble in guests, including the dear extended team, but do end up doing a lot of the waffle ourselves but regardless, just LOVE having so many of you tune in to us every week. It's been...

Hi everyone, I'm back in the 'robe with my friend Kirsty G. It was fun to welcome Kirst back to the pod after a little while and good to have a chuckle to her latest little stories. We take many a tangent today - in no particular order - from the struggle of mum life and overwhelm to buying thrush cream, subway, awkward social chats and more. We had quite a bit to cover and didn't get to all your questions at all but just goes to show, we have plenty of material left up our sleeves lol. Thank you...

Hello again - we were feeling somewhat flat ahead of recording this one but we're hopeful that in spite of this, you can enjoy our weekly dose of babble. We go over a few bits in today's episode, but first off the bat Char opens up for some story telling. Such stories include a poo in Tommy's eyelashes and vomit in Char's hands. We eventually move on to some less filthy chat like Char's impending trip to the Olympics in Paris (she leaves tomorrow!) and Nina's first day at school. Some days feel a little more challenging to front up...

HELLO, welcome back. I've got Hobbsy back with me today and after our introductory chat - (this takes time as a result of plants, school holidays and bowels) - we get into some book reviews. We discuss recent 'hits', 'misses' and what we're currently a little 'curious' about. I do believe Hobbsy has skill in this area - that I absolutely lack - however am hopeful it might give you some new reads to seek out (many of you hang around for Hobbsy's stretch sessions purely for the book reviews so here you go). In today's episode we also chat...

Well there's a first for everything and in this episode of the sparkle pod, Char hosts Jess. It definitely feels a bit backward what with Char being the more lucrative 'guest' (lol) but here we are just trying to bring some light hearted waffly, sprinkle cones your way. In Char's first hosting gig she quizzes Jess with 21 questions - surprisingly they are all answered in roundabout ways and as a result some story telling takes place. It's a bit of fun (we think), but also, sorry if you fall asleep (Char nearly did). Thank you guys for everything.