Shows
Hopefully KiddingEp 12: IVF, Psychedelics, & Learning to Let GoWhen our first IVF cycle failed spectacularly, we had to face a brutal reality—after years of trying, we were no closer to having a baby. So, we did the only thing left to do: hit pause.Lauren doubled down on research, acupuncture, and spreadsheets. Alex flew to the jungles of Peru to drink ayahuasca with shamans. One of us was tracking fertility supplements. The other was having visions of fatherhood (and dodging giant spiders).In this Hopefully Kidding season finale, we’re talking about what happens when you’ve tri...2025-03-0638 minHopefully KiddingEp 11: Rolling The Dice on IVFIVF is the ultimate gamble — one that comes with endless injections, mounting costs, and the constant hope that this cycle will be the one. After weeks of hormones and an egg retrieval that felt like a high-stakes bet, we were left with one big question: Did we hit the jackpot or bust out completely?In this episode, we break down the numbers game of IVF—how many eggs we got, what happened in the lab, and the gut-wrenching moment when we finally got the embryo report. Spoiler: it was not what we expected.2025-02-2734 minHopefully KiddingEp 10: IVF: Follicles, Freakouts, & Fertility ShotsIVF comes with a lot of expectations… and even more unexpected twists. For Lauren, that moment of total loss of control hit outside her office, sobbing in her car over a single number: four. Four follicles. Four possible eggs. After weeks of injections, hormone fluctuations, and spending even more money on medications, her body had decided it was a slow grower—and there was nothing she could do about it.In this episode, we’re unpacking the emotional rollercoaster of IVF stimulation. From injecting menopausal nun urine (yep, that’s a thing) to playing t...2025-02-2031 minHopefully KiddingEp 9: Cyst HappensJust when we were ready to start IVF, a stubborn ovarian cyst decided to crash the party.Instead of jumping into injections, we spent three months stuck in fertility limbo—waiting, hoping, and trying to evict an uninvited guest from Lauren’s ovary.Oh, and it cost $3,000. Because of course it did.In this episode, we’re breaking down the unexpected delays, surprise diagnoses, and the financial gut-punch that came with it all.From questioning every treatment option to navigating the fresh vs. frozen embryo transfer debate (spoiler: we werevery confused), this i...2025-02-1337 minHopefully KiddingEp 8: Sex Math: A Trying to Conceive (TTC) StoryTimed sex. Ovulation test strips. Performance anxiety. Welcome to the unsexy science of trying to conceive (TTC).
In this episode, we dive into the reality of tracking cycles, scheduling intimacy, and overanalyzing every symptom — plus the social media rabbit holes that made things even more chaotic.
From fertility TikTok trends to sperm-friendly lifestyle changes (bye, weed), we’re sharing the ups, downs, and absurdity of turning baby-making into a full-time job.
What to Expect:
Sex on a Schedule: The romance-killing reality of TTC timing.
Fertility Tracking Madness: OPKs, BBT, and...2025-02-0639 minHopefully KiddingEp 7: The Truth About IUI: Pineapple Cores & Yoni SteamsWhat do warm socks, pineapple cores, and yoni steams have to do with fertility treatments?
In this episode, we’re peeling back the layers of IUI (pun intended) to share the superstitions, surprises, and science behind trying to conceive. From $5,000 reality checks to acupuncture and vaginal steams, we’re taking you on a rollercoaster of hope, humor, and obsession with follicle sizes.
Whether you’re new to the fertility journey or a veteran of TTC TikTok, this episode dives into the bizarre, emotional, and confusing world of IUI with our signature blend of candor and comedy...2025-01-3031 minHopefully KiddingEp 6: Eggs, Sperm, and SushiWhat do radioactive dye, a rebellious cervix, and smoking weed with a Yakuza have in common?
They’re all part of our fertility journey. In this episode, we’re diving into the wild, painful, and unexpectedly hilarious moments of navigating fertility treatments — and taking a detour to Japan for some much-needed adventure.
From awkward medical tests to drunken karaoke, this is a story about finding humor in the chaos and holding on to hope when life throws curveballs.
What to Expect:
-HSG Horror Stories: The painful (and cramp-filled) test Lauren wasn’t ready...2025-01-2347 minHopefully KiddingEp 5: PICC Lines to Pink LinesWhat happens when you’re discharged from the hospital but the trauma keeps piling on?
In this episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on life after 33 days in medical lockdown. From reconnecting with our pugs to an ill-advised holiday party appearance, this is the raw, emotional, and unexpectedly funny story of our post-hospital reality — complete with beeping fanny packs and amateur home nursing.
Between saying goodbye to Alex’s dad, learning to flush a PICC line, and juggling holiday chaos, we’re unpacking the wild mix of grief, hope, and sheer determination that keeps us moving...2025-01-1639 minHopefully KiddingEp 4: Surviving The Worst All-Inclusive Resort EverWhat do you get when sepsis, swelling, and bad hospital food collide with a parade of doctors who can’t agree on anything?
You get 33 days in the worst all-inclusive resort eve r— a place where the amenities include endless needles, duct-taped phones, and a nurse with a power tool ready to cut off Alex’s wedding ring.
In this episode, we’re diving into one of the most surreal, painful, and darkly funny chapters of our life so far. From “weekend doctors” giving questionable advice to a frozen sperm plan t...2025-01-0956 minHopefully KiddingEp 3: Brain Said No, Bladder Said GoWhat happens when cancer treatment and chemo brain collide with no sleep, no food, and no clear answers?
You get a story so chaotic, it starts with chicken soup and ends in the emergency room. Oh, and Alex peeing on the wall.
In this episode, we’re taking you through the most harrowing 24 hours of our journey yet — a rollercoaster of medical missteps, frantic decisions, and one very questionable choice not to call an ambulance.
What to Expect:
•The subtle warning signs that t...2025-01-0233 minHopefully KiddingEp 2: ArmageddonWhat do you do when life throws you cancer, a surprise pregnancy, and a missed miscarriage — all at once? If you’re us, you deal with it the only way you know how: with raw honesty and inappropriate jokes.
This week, we’re sharing one of the most pivotal moments in our journey. From Alex’s hilariously awkward sperm clinic experience to the devastating news at our first prenatal appointment, this episode is a rollercoaster of highs, lows, and everything in between.
What to Expect:
Alex’s adventures at the sperm clinic (spoiler: t...2024-12-3048 minHopefully KiddingEp 1: Wedding Bells, Warning Signs, and One Wild RideWe thought we had the perfect timeline: get married, go to Burning Man, and start trying for kids. But life had other plans. In this first episode, we share how our fertility journey began — starting with an awkward discovery mid-sex (yes, really), an unforgettable wedding complete with whales, and the shocking diagnosis that changed everything.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
•How our relationship evolved over 20 years (from college to now)
•The story behind our wedding and its unexpected guests (whales!)
•The moment Lauren disc...2024-12-2954 min
Your Sparkly BrandSEO for Everyone: Easy Ways to Boost Your RankingDo your eyes glaze over when you hear the term SEO? Do you KNOW you should be doing more to increase your search engine ranking on Google, but just don’t understand how it works?
Say goodbye to feeling stressed and overwhelmed about SEO! In this short and sweet episode of Your Sparkly Brand, we’re sharing a few simple ways you can optimize your website for Google. You don’t need to hire an expensive SEO agency or pray nightly to the search engine gods. Take matters into your own hands with just a little bit of SEO...2022-05-1716 min