The One Where Lala Plays Mrs. Claus

00:00:06
Speaker 1: Hello, gorgeous people. It is your main bitch La La Kent. How if everybody Jess You're good?

00:00:14
Speaker 2: Hi everyone, it's me Jess once again.

00:00:17
Speaker 1: I'm good.

00:00:18
Speaker 2: How are you?

00:00:19
Speaker 1: I feel kind of awesome? Do you? I mean in this exact moment?

00:00:26
Speaker 2: Right? Okay, Chris, I love doing the podcast. Oh yeah, Christmas is in three days. How are you feeling about that? How are you feeling about this past week? Give me all of it.

00:00:36
Speaker 1: I'm feeling so excited about Christmas. My little brother's coming into town, my older brother and his wife, and my niece and nephew. It's just going to be, you know, back to the roots, back to how I am used to celebrating Christmas.

00:00:51
Speaker 2: Yes, you know, that's so exciting. Also, something very exciting was just announced a couple days ago. How do you feel about that?

00:00:59
Speaker 1: So, for those of you living under a rock, just kidding, welcome to the Give Them La La squad. If you are not a part of it, then maybe you don't know about this. We are going on tour. I'm going on tour woo Give Them La La brand new tour. Yes, I know it's going to be very exciting. It was pushed off a couple of times due to COVID, pushed off again due to personal reasons, and now we're back. It's happening. I'm doing it solo. I'm going to have incredible guests come. The format is going to be a little bit different. You know, I love the word inspired. Yeah, it's like I love that word. I want people to come and I want us to have a great time. Girls' night out. Of course, bring your boo, bring you your dudes, your usbands, everyone is welcome. But I I think at this point in my life, you know, we really need to talk about the female empowerment. I want to bring women on stage who have incredible stories and how they bounced back from everything from betrayal to maybe financial woes that they weren't expecting. Just something to make all of us feel less alone. Now, with that being said, let's not get it twisted. I may be sober, but most I'm assuming of the people coming to the show are not. So I want everyone to catch a good buzz. Yes, I want to do some games. I want to get to know my I hate calling them this my fans, my people. Yeah, you're my people. My rider dies.

00:02:46
Speaker 2: The way that Laala's been talking about how much she just wants to like interact with her people. The listeners is so exciting because I just think back to, like, I haven't gone to a show since before COVID, I haven't gone to anyone, and I think back of like going to shows, and that was what pulled me to a show where I was like, Oh, this person's gonna interact and this is I mean, I love sitting and watching people do their thing, but then when it's interacting with me right whole other level.

00:03:15
Speaker 1: So I mean, yeah, let's be honest. My people are not buying tickets to show up and watch me sing as if I'm fucking Mariah Carrie. Like I know exactly what this is. I'm on a reality TV show. You guys and myself are bonded. I want to interact. So with all of that fun stuff about what the show is going to be, like, let's announce some dates. Let's announce some cities. You can find the dates follow me on Instagram. If you don't follow me on the gram, what are you doing? We are going to Fort Lauderdale, Clearwater, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, New Orleans, Houston, Austin, and Dallas. And you guys, we have added shows. We've added shows. Obviously Nashville is new woo woo. And we have added Irvine, California, California.

00:04:10
Speaker 2: Thank goodness.

00:04:11
Speaker 1: So many people were like, wtf, mate, you're not doing any dates in California, and I said, fuck it, Yolo, we're stopping to We're stopping in Irvine and prov That's awesome. I'm so excited.

00:04:24
Speaker 2: Oh my god, it's it's gonna be so much fun. You are going to kill it and I think everyone should be super humped.

00:04:32
Speaker 1: Yeah. So tickets are on sale now at give them live dot com. And just so you know, if you have already purchased a ticket, like when we were originally going to do it, your ticket is still valid. I repeat, if you bought a ticket for the prior tour that we were going to do, your ticket is still valid. And I cannot wait to see you. Wooo. I know vibe.

00:05:00
Speaker 2: So then I know, I asked you about your past week, and then we just sort of popped into the tour news. So exciting, but I want to go back to that, So tell me how's your past week?

00:05:11
Speaker 1: Then? How I feel? You know, last week's podcast, I think hit home for a lot of people I got a outpoor of, just like love, support and also people who relate, which is huge because I need those people because sometimes I feel like I'm on an island by myself. Like I said, I find things out daily. And if he whose name I shall not say, knew what I know, he would be shitting bricks. Yeah, oh boy, Oh but you know what this Saint vander Pump rules. No, it's not so. I have zipped lips for now. Yeah, you know, take care of Oh, she's going into her first Christmas. He's gonna see a lot of Santa Claus. Because who doesn't love Santa Claus. We love Santa even now. I still think Santa is real.

00:06:09
Speaker 2: Santa is real.

00:06:11
Speaker 1: Talking about that fucking real?

00:06:13
Speaker 2: So real?

00:06:14
Speaker 1: Yes, Like when I hear the song by Alabama they have a Christmas album. If you haven't heard their Christmas album like this, will hear the Christmas Bear? Oh my, I've Ocean loves it. There's a song on that album that talks about Oh, Shane Claus, I still believe in you, and I'm like I do. Oh my god, it was the best Christmas album. I'm telling you what. I grew up listening to it and my dad's my Dad's candy Apple red Toyota, Tacoma.

00:06:45
Speaker 2: Oh my god. So even though maybe she might not like know that cookies are being set out, are you still gonna do that?

00:06:52
Speaker 1: Yes? Of course it's cut. And she's very into not reading. I mean she holds a book she's reading, and she listens when you read to her. So I'm gonna write the note on everything and read it to her.

00:07:05
Speaker 2: That's so cute. I just got goose bump.

00:07:08
Speaker 1: So cute.

00:07:09
Speaker 2: Right, Oh my god.

00:07:10
Speaker 1: I'm gonna set out a little milk in a bottle.

00:07:12
Speaker 2: Oh, Santa's gonna have a bottle.

00:07:15
Speaker 1: Santa's gonna have a bubba love it. Yeah. So I'm feeling good. I'm feeling good in this moment. I'm excited just about the day and the holiday coming up. Do you watch Real Housewives of Orange County?

00:07:28
Speaker 2: I haven't yet. You haven't watched it, but I've seen some clips and I know that there are like new characters. Why fill me in on something?

00:07:35
Speaker 1: Okay, so last season, oh see, got a little weird for me. But every show has growing pains. It's not gonna be a hit every single time, you know, So I roll with the punches of shows like even if you have one, like okay, season like I'm still writer or die for you. I'm gonna watch and I'm gonna tune in next season. Right, this season is fantastic. Okay, it's episode three. I believe there's a new episode on tonight. But last week's episode there's this stunning woman named Noela. Okay, and in this episode she gets served divorce papers with no warning, no warning at all. Credit cards, all types of funds done. She doesn't have access to anything. In her interview, she talks about how she has no line of credit, she has no access to money, and I was shaking in my boots. Wow. I don't think people realize women how important it is, no matter who you are with, to have your ducks in a row financially. You may never have to use your funds for a rainy day, Yeah, but God forbid, you have to. You have to have your own money, yes. And I learned this from my mom. She learned it from her mom. I never combine funds with whose name we shall not mention. I always have my own credit card, always had my own bank account. Contrary to what people may think, I never had access to anything he had never really never. Wow. Yeah, and thank god, because I'll tell you what, I was the type of person where I would thinking about in my relationship not now. Back then, I was like, ill, I will be one of those who never has to use this. Yeah. The fact that when shit hit the fan, I was able to know questions asked, leave the car behind, leave the house behind, don't need the fucking insurance. I mean, I feel so blessed that my mom instilled that in me. So if people get anything from this podcast, I don't care. If you're in the happiest relationship in the entire world, get your own funds immediately. She said it, she said what she said it, she said what she said, no it, Yeah, my heart broke for her.

00:10:14
Speaker 2: That's heartbreaking, but so yeah, absolutely so smart. There's nothing more. There's probably nothing more painful and feeling like a prison than not being able to leave something that you know you need to leave because you're like, I can't, I can't survive out there.

00:10:34
Speaker 1: Right, I'm extremely passionate about this topic at this time.

00:10:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I can tell Yes, you're really and that's incredible because, yeah.

00:10:43
Speaker 1: Thank you. I never want to see a woman or a mother stuck. So yeah, again, if you've learned, if you learn nothing else from this podcast today, hurry and be smart that way because I've always said, like money doesn't mean much. Money comes and goes, but God forbid, one day you have to get the fuck out. I want you to be able to get the fuck out. Do we have any voicemails, Jazz, Yes, we do.

00:11:16
Speaker 2: Okay, let's do this one.

00:11:18
Speaker 3: Hi, Lama, I just want to say that you are definitely one of my role models. I have journeyed into the life of sobriety and I really look to you to keep pushing forward within myself to stay sober. So I just want to say thank you for that. My question is that I just want to know how you can communicate well with a partner. I find it really difficult sometimes with me and my partner when we get into arguments, it seems like I'm talking to a wall.

00:11:55
Speaker 1: And I just was wondering if you have any.

00:11:56
Speaker 3: Advice on that how to communicate that. But yeah, thank you so much. My name is Natalie, and I hope you have a great day and love your podcast.

00:12:09
Speaker 1: Oh Natalie, communicating well with a partner before we deep dive into that congratulations on your sobriety. There's so many people who come to me asking like, how did you get sober? I'm struggling with this and it's a tough road to pick and I almost wish I could like have the crystal ball to show people what their future holds once they get sober, because if they could see it, they would get sober immediately, no questions asked. Right, Not to say you're not going to hit bumps in the road. I mean, life happens still. Just because you get sober doesn't mean you're like have lollipops in your mouth all day and it's like rainbows every day. You know, like, shit happens, but you're able to deal with it. So congratulations, keep it up. It's so worth it. We're bonded for life. That communicating with a partner you feel like you're talking to a wall. That is, I mean you're talking to someone who I felt communication was everything and I literally felt like our communication was on point. I think when you start seeing signs like you're talking to a wall, I think there's a much bigger picture to start looking at. What else When you say things, what is your partner's rebuttal because there are certain things that some people characteristics that people have and they are signs of many things. One could be narcissism that to me, see, I'm in like I'm trying to remember how to communicate, but you also have to remember my relationship was just based on lies. So to talk about communication, I mean, I feel like both parties have to be open, willing to listen, and most importantly, be honest. If you're not seeing that in your partner, do not hesitate, get the fuck out. I mean, I am not playing anymore. And who knows down the line, I could find a great partner in like, all of the ways that I feel now could be remedied. I could work through them. But I just feel like everyone says relationships are a lot of work, and they are, but communicating with your partner shouldn't be a lot of work. That's great advice. Wow, if you love someone and you're committed to them, you should be able to sit down and hear them. And yes, you may raise your voice, you may yell, kick and scream, but if when you're sharing your feelings with someone and you feel like you're talking to a wall, goodbye. Yeah, I'm out. Look for those things. If you're in a relationship, look for characteristics so that you can see what type of person it is that you're dealing with. Because we live in a different day and age, there's things popping up online, we're watching TV, we're scrolling the internet. Like our brains are not the way. Our brains don't work the way our mom and dads do or their parents' minds work. It's just different. My advice is, if something is not working and you don't see change, get the fuck out.

00:15:29
Speaker 2: And you don't see change. That's a good key point because I know a lot of relationships they're like, you know, this isn't working. I feel disconnected. I have friends and family who have gone through that. What's going on? But then there's work, there's therapy, and then there's change. But so I think the key is what you said, you know something isn't working, you don't see change? Bye?

00:15:50
Speaker 1: Yeah. Communication and honesty. See in my old relationship, communication I felt was on point. The honesty, the honesty. See now looking.

00:16:02
Speaker 2: Back, did you is there anything because you're saying the honesty now, but you didn't know the honesty off That.

00:16:11
Speaker 1: Flags everywhere Okay, oh my god, Okay, every piece to the puzzle fits flawlessly.

00:16:20
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:16:21
Speaker 1: And at the.

00:16:22
Speaker 2: Time, what did you just ignore him because you're like, oh, they don't make sense.

00:16:27
Speaker 1: I just felt that he was so intertwined in my life, and I thought he was so down for me. Anytime with fight. He's blown up my mom, he's blown up my brother, he's blown up every single person to make it right. I just felt that there was that he was so down for me. You know, I thought he makes stupid decisions. I definitely didn't think that he was doing what he was doing. No, that would have been gone a long time ago. I honestly, with what I know now, we wouldn't have even made it into a relationship at all.

00:17:06
Speaker 3: Wow.

00:17:07
Speaker 1: It would have ended as quickly as we met.

00:17:09
Speaker 2: Wow.

00:17:10
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:17:10
Speaker 1: Yeah, that's the part I struggle with a lot. Yeah, sitting here being like, it's one thing to make me feel safe, secure, whatever, But to make me feel so secure that I'm willing to start a family with you, now, that's sick.

00:17:29
Speaker 2: Yeah. But you just I know everyone says this and people are messaging you this. You just have to keep going back to ocean. I got ocean, you know.

00:17:38
Speaker 1: Yeah, No, the best thing that's ever happened to me in my life. And there will be a day where this podcast doesn't consist of he who we shall not mention or whatever. Course, there will be a day, But the podcast right now is about bonding, inspiring, and making us feel like we're not alone. And even though I'm hoping to help my listener, my listeners are also helping me. Yeah, because I sit here and I feel like I'm talking about it and I'm like, they're sick of this. But you know, I'm trying to process five and a half years a little over of just not being real, and I'm looking at my baby and I'm like, how could something so perfect come from something that I feel is so disgusting and dirty and dark and something that represents nothing that I represent?

00:18:34
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:18:35
Speaker 1: Yeah, the value system of that does not align with what I represent how I was raised. That is so difficult for me to deal with on a day to day basis.

00:18:49
Speaker 2: Yeah, but just being an outsider and hearing what you say. I mean, something so beautiful coming from something so dark can be applied to so many things in life and give so many people hope because you might be somewhere where you're like this, I am in such a dark place, how will it ever get better? But I think listening to you, it's like, well, something so perfect came from something so dark and Lalla's life, there's gotta be something better on the other side of this.

00:19:20
Speaker 1: There will be, Yeah, there will be for all of us. And you know, I don't feel like I need to share everything that I know at this point in time because I I know the universe reveals people's truths period M. I have to trust in that, just yeah, because I sit here sometimes and I'm like, how, how, how, how the fuck is this my life?

00:19:55
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:19:57
Speaker 1: My constant concern is worrying about my baby, making money and working and trying to keep my head above water. And I have to remember it had nothing to do with me, exactly, nothing nothing to do with me. And I want other people to realize this when they go through something like what I'm going through. It had nothing to do with you. This is all them, yes, exactly. That most likely your partner who did you dirty, hates themselves so fucking much that they will reach for anybody to make them feel like they're not repulsive.

00:20:46
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a sad life to live. You might feel broken now, but guess what, You're going to get through this and everybody knows that, and you are going to see we're all going through it, going to get through it, and it's going to be unfortunate because some people might you know, you'll as you're soaring. Some people are just going to be staying right where they are. Or that's my mission in life, crashing and burning. Who knows, who the fuck knows what the future holds. Yeah, but I will say I am.

00:21:20
Speaker 1: A Girl's a girl, strong, smart, empowered women. That's who I That's the only that's the only type of person I want to surround myself with right now. If you can't offer me that, then I can't offer you anything. I love that next question, dude, I just got way deep on that.

00:21:41
Speaker 3: Okay, Hey, my name is Morgan. I've been a huge fan of yours for about six years now, which is just insane to think about. I'm just wondering if you could share some advice on how you found you know, what you're good at, and what you're really passionate about. I was wondering if you always want to be in the roles in positions hearing now and how did you figure out what you wanted? Thank you so much and I love you. I'm so proud of you getting through these times being a new mom and everything. You're just killing it.

00:22:11
Speaker 1: So thanks all, Morgan, thank you my love. You know I with what I wanted to do. I knew at such a young age, Jess, did you yes, Morgan, I knew at such a young age, yeah, seven years old. I knew I wanted to be an entertainment and there was nothing else that I wanted to do at all.

00:22:31
Speaker 2: Wow.

00:22:31
Speaker 1: The first time I moved to LA, I was nineteen, and when I lasted about four months, I was like, well, I guess I could be like a psychologist or something. It's like, moved home, went to community college, and I was like, fuck this, I'm going back to LA and like I'm doing it. I'm doing it. I did it differently than I thought I would be doing it.

00:22:52
Speaker 3: You know.

00:22:52
Speaker 1: I thought I was gonna be and on the big screen. Yeah, at the Oscars. That's okay, though God had a different plan for me.

00:23:00
Speaker 2: There's still time.

00:23:01
Speaker 1: There's still time. And it's so funny to ask, like, how did you know what you were good at? I don't even necessarily know if I'm good at what I do, But in my mind, I'm like, I'm the best at what I do. No one can tell me otherwise. Yeah, And some people would say like, oh, this bitch is cocky, conceited bitch. But you have to feel that way about yourself in this line of work because people will eat you alive.

00:23:28
Speaker 2: Oh do you believe you did a little bit or a lot of faking it until you make it? Do you believe in that.

00:23:34
Speaker 1: I faked it until I made it? Most of my life up until probably, I want to say, once I turned like twenty six, is when I started feeling myself a bit. It was like, Okay, I feel comfortable in my skin. Things that I used to pick at and think like this is I don't like this about myself. It was like, get over it. Things you cannot change, Get over it.

00:24:02
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:24:03
Speaker 1: So yeah, I feel like I faked it until I made it. I walked on onto vander Pump Rules so insecure, and everyone thought I was the most confident person in the world. But it's like, if I don't act this way, this group of people will send me packing back to Utah. And that can't happen because I don't like college. That's my only option if I go back there.

00:24:25
Speaker 2: Oh my god, I love that.

00:24:26
Speaker 1: You know, I was too old to be modeling Maggie Sataro prom dresses. So yeah, yes, fake it until you make it.

00:24:35
Speaker 2: What was there? Because you said you've known your passion and what you wanted to do since seven years old. Do you remember a specific moment, and maybe you don't, but where you I don't know if you were watching a movie or or you saw someone and you're like, oh, this is a job, this is what I want, this is what I want to do.

00:24:53
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:24:54
Speaker 1: Every time I turned on the TV, most kids would be watching Disney Channel, thinking like, ugh, it's fun TV show, and I was looking at them like these are actors playing pretend and I want to do that really, Like I never looked at them, and I liked everything that came along with it. I remember being in elementary school watching TV feeling like a lazy fuck, like how are you just sitting on your ass right now? Should be out doing something. And it's like, well, you can't go get a job at the age of six, you know, Oh, but I'm like these kids are acting, making money, doing what they love. Like I want to do that. Unfortunately I didn't have a stage mom. Yeah, which might have been a good thing.

00:25:35
Speaker 2: That's probably a good thing, but also incredible at that time you thought that because little six year old me was like, look at this Hannah and Ta. I don't know who I was watching, but this is actually her. Didn't cross my mind these were actors, no way when I was watching. I don't know why. I like, maybe not until I was like ten, and then I was like, oh, I get it. This is not Oh god, that's probably way too old to be realizing whatever. But I don't ever remember. That's that is unique because I do not ever remember watching TV or movies and thinking it all like, oh, look at these kids, they're acting. I just enjoyed it. I was that lazy girl on the couch being like, I need a chill.

00:26:14
Speaker 1: I hope that ocean's like you really, it would break my heart if she told me that she was that's the way she was thinking the way. I pray to God she doesn't think the way I think. Really, I don't feel like it was a healthy way to be thinking for a child. My mind was was was very it was too complex, Yeah, to manage at such a young age.

00:26:38
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, yeah, very mature. Well, it's like intelligent people. A lot of intelligent people, very intelligent, super high at qs say, oh no, I wish I was not this intelligent because it's hard to live life every day.

00:26:51
Speaker 1: I'm not as smart as I can't. I don't even know what my IQ is, but I you know.

00:26:56
Speaker 2: But being an intelligent child and processing things differently, that is, I'm sure was a burden but also special.

00:27:04
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well it taught me to grow up and I knew exactly what I wanted. So yeah, it later in life became a blessing. Yes, you know, yes, but when I see kids that think the way I think, yeah, like I feel sad for them, Like you have your whole life to be thinking. Yes, I just go throw the baseball around. You know, my friends, my friend's little boy has so much anxiety. He worries if he throws the ball wrong when he plays, you know, his little baseball games, And I'm like, I so get it, you do. Yes, it's anxiety about tests, going to school. It's like, if you fail the freaking test, who gives a shit? No, one's gonna be like, well, in the seventh grader or no, he's not even in the seventh he's seven, so whatever, that is fast grade. And I was gonna be like, wow, we'd love to welcome me to Harvard. But yeah, in the first grade, you failed your math test, Like.

00:27:54
Speaker 2: No, yeah, just be a kid.

00:27:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, we'll work on it. You're you tried as long as you tried your best. I watched you study. Yeah, you just didn't understand it. Let's let's understand it so that the next test to do better.

00:28:09
Speaker 2: How lucky is ocean you guys, I don't know.

00:28:12
Speaker 1: So because this is the last podcast episode before the New Year, I want us to deep dive into Christmas traditions, even New Year's traditions. So when we come back, I'm going to share some of mine. Jess, it's going to share some of hers. It's going to be all things Christmasy, my favorite, my favorite topic besides Thanksgiving. We'll be right back. We are back. Can I make you refer to me as missus Clause for the rest of the.

00:28:45
Speaker 2: Episode, Yes, missus Clause. Absolutely.

00:28:50
Speaker 1: You know I always feel I've always felt this way. I used to be really when I thought, oh, I hope no one's kids are listening. If your kids are listening, just turn down this part.

00:29:03
Speaker 2: If your kids are listening up to this point, right, don't let them listen at all.

00:29:08
Speaker 1: But let's just say you're one of those you're like, quote unquote cool mom. No, just I don't want to burst their bubble. When I thought Santa Claus was real, I was always so jealous of missus clause are you serious?

00:29:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, that's so cute.

00:29:25
Speaker 1: I just thought like, oh my, she gets to live at the North Pole and it's cozy, and she's always in like a.

00:29:32
Speaker 2: Robe, Lala, you're living out your dream in the robe. The robe aspect, You've got cover your right.

00:29:40
Speaker 1: Judgica arrives every morning and I'm still in my gray robe.

00:29:44
Speaker 2: The gray robe is iconic at this point.

00:29:46
Speaker 1: It's a fucking vibe.

00:29:48
Speaker 2: It's such a vibe.

00:29:49
Speaker 1: It's just my natural habitat.

00:29:51
Speaker 2: When I see that gray robe on La La, I'm like, it's gonna be a good day.

00:29:56
Speaker 1: So every day. No, I was just so jealous of her because I and I I knew she was a great cook. Yeah, and I knew that there was a fireplace in every part of her house, so many fireplaces, And I was like, she gets to see all of the toys that are being made.

00:30:11
Speaker 2: Oh that's so cute. When did you stop believing in Santa missus clause?

00:30:18
Speaker 1: Oh that's a really sad story. Oh no, I was kind of young. I think it was in the third grade. Is that young?

00:30:24
Speaker 2: Third grade to believing? What is that? Not? No, that's not I was like twelve. I was like, oh god, well, I.

00:30:32
Speaker 1: Wish I would believed a little longer. But I used to go to my grandma's house every Monday after school, and like there were talks about Santa. But I'm gonna be honest, like I always people that question of Santa Claus was real. I always was like, there's no way Santa Claus isn't real because I literally get everything that I want, right, Like I put it on my list and it appears, and.

00:31:00
Speaker 2: Like I don't even tell mom my Dad, I put it on my list. They there's no way they look at it, right, they go.

00:31:06
Speaker 1: So I sent it to the north Fall, all right, But they were like talks, right, So I go to my grandma's house. I literally remember there was so much snow. It was getting dark because it gets dark early when wintertime hits. And I was just curious, Okay, looking out the front window all the snow, and I asked, my grandmother, is Santa Claus real? And she looked me dead in my fucking eyes. Instead, Lauren, Santa Claus is not real? Are you kidding me? And I was devastated.

00:31:50
Speaker 2: Oh my God, keeping it real, Grandma.

00:31:55
Speaker 1: And that's when my dad was like, how could you tell Lauren that Santa Claus isn't real? And she was like she and we have to be honest.

00:32:02
Speaker 2: That's actually really beautiful.

00:32:04
Speaker 1: But also so Sadd's like, she's nine, you lie, okay? And for me, like it was never about the I see. I was one of those kids where I always got the feels during Christmas time because I was like, it's Jesus' birthday, and like I think people are when I start talking about God. Here's the thing. I don't care what religion you are. I don't like to talk about religion or my belief system. Right now I'm relying a lot on my belief system, so I'm talking about it more. But I was definitely raised going to a non denominational Christian church. I was raised much more spiritual rather than here's the Bible and this is what we oh byde bye right, Yeah, but I just always got the fields, you know, and Christmas time in Utah with the snow and there's like Nate Pivoty scenes everywhere, and I just like couldn't help every Christmas, but feel like the spirit is with me amen sick men, you know, yes, like all the Christmas songs. One on on Alabama Christmas it's called Joseph and Mary's Boy Can we hear? And the preacher said less Sunday it was jose Mary's Boy. And I like literally would sob in the back of my mom's car because I just felt the spirit.

00:33:35
Speaker 2: Oh, you felt the feeling, yes, So it.

00:33:37
Speaker 1: Was like the presents were the bonus from me.

00:33:40
Speaker 3: You know.

00:33:41
Speaker 1: Yes, kids talk. I mean obviously I'm a kid. I want my Barbie doll that I act for, Yes, But it was the whole time of year, you know, and we'd go and see the temple lights. We weren't Mormon, but the temple lights in Salt Lake City are absolutely stunning. Really, the temple rounds during Christmas, it's like a hole. If you have not seen them, I totally recommend going just to see them. I mean it's spectacular and there's this giant window, and they have. And by the way, we're not. I don't want anyone to be turned off by this episode. I'm just talking about my the way I grew up with Christmas. If you if you celebrate Christmas but you're Jewish or any other religion, love it, any holiday, anything very holiday you want to celebrate, you do you boo. I'm with it. If you're if you're feeling something and you rely on a higher power that may be different from mine, doesn't matter.

00:34:41
Speaker 2: Respect love it.

00:34:42
Speaker 1: But I always remember this window when we would go and see the lights and there was this statue of Jesus. Yeah, and the way the light would shine on him. I just like And I was a small kid, but I would you just get like so emotional beyond.

00:35:01
Speaker 2: That's so beautiful.

00:35:03
Speaker 1: That's why I tell people it doesn't matter what your higher power is or what your religion is. If you speak about your religion or you read something and you get those chills and you feel something, yeah, stick with that.

00:35:17
Speaker 2: I love that. I love that.

00:35:19
Speaker 1: That's what it's all about.

00:35:21
Speaker 2: So then you was that a tradition. I'd love to hear some of your did you go to the temple lights? Is that what they're called it, they're called the Temple lights.

00:35:29
Speaker 1: We would plant it with my entire family, Okay, my immediate family, my dad's brothers, sisters, all of their kids. We'd meet at Grandma's house. We would have dinner downtown. Then we'd all get our little hot chocolates. We'd walk over to the temple grounds and look at the lights and you'd be all cozy, even though it would be frigid outside, yes, and freezing, and it was just like downtown Salt Lake during Christmas. It just doesn't get any better. That's you feel like you're in a Christmas movie.

00:35:59
Speaker 2: That's so beautiful. Now, what was this Christmas Eve? Was this like a Christmas Eve tradition where you'd go and look at the lights or just around Christmas time?

00:36:07
Speaker 1: Around Christmas time? And then we always did the same dinner on Christmas Eve with my dad's brother and his kids, okay, and that was always fun. And then we'd go back to my uncle's house and decorate our little like gingingerbread houses. Yeah, and we would talk about Sama's coming, and you know, like my dad did the whole thing of like putting on the news Santa's on his way. We got to get home. There's this you know play Look there he is, and it was just like such a freaking vibe. I want Ocean to grow up with Christmases like that.

00:36:39
Speaker 2: Oh absolutely So. Then would you spend the night at your uncles and would Santa come to your uncle?

00:36:44
Speaker 1: No? We you, We would go home, We'd do our thing. The next day. It was like we go to Grandma's house. Yeah, the whole family again, and it just for me, family was like the ultimate of everything. Like Christmas Bingo. We would play and that's you know, if you want, and you would get this gift because you were your last your last chip on the bingo that got you Bingo was blue and this gift has the blue tag, so here you go. Like, it was just fantastic.

00:37:10
Speaker 2: I want to play that game.

00:37:11
Speaker 1: Now we all should play that game now.

00:37:13
Speaker 2: Oh my god, that sounds so fun. And now it's giving me more insight into why quality time means so much too, because this is like all just quality. It's like quality time with your family, and.

00:37:24
Speaker 1: It's always always in.

00:37:26
Speaker 2: The morning on Christmas morning. Would it be just you, your mom, your dad, your brother, or you have more?

00:37:32
Speaker 1: Okay, no, it was always my older brother is much older, so I remember being very young and he would be there, but I remember my dad would We would sit, Ea said, and I would sit on the top of the stairs. We weren't allowed to come down because my mom had to make sure that everything was good. And I still thinking Santa Claus real, okay, my mom and dad had to make sure everything was good, and we would waltz on down. We would put the cookies and the milk in the little letter in the in the what is it called the living room? I would know that people still have living rooms. It's like a formal living room. Yeah, and we would read it. And I'm telling you, Christmas at my house, there's no way you would think Santa wasn't. Really you wouldn't.

00:38:18
Speaker 2: Would there be bites out of the cookie?

00:38:21
Speaker 1: Bites out of the cookie. My dad took little raisins. It looked like they pooped. He took big boots, huge, huge boots stock to make it look like Santa had walked.

00:38:30
Speaker 2: Oh my god.

00:38:33
Speaker 1: Yeah. Carrots, carrots. We left carrots outside too for the reindeer.

00:38:37
Speaker 2: Would they eat them?

00:38:38
Speaker 1: Yeah, my dad would eat them.

00:38:42
Speaker 2: I meant the reindeer, but she just spoiled it for all of us.

00:38:44
Speaker 1: My dad would eat them, spit them on the ground outside, so it looked like that's so beautiful.

00:38:51
Speaker 2: Is there a certain gift that you remember when you're you were a child where you were just like floored, Like I feel like all kids have maybe this one special gift that's in their memory. Do you have that?

00:39:02
Speaker 1: I have two of those. One was a hockey table, oh, like a hockey air hockey table. The other one was I wanted this baby doll crib from Fao Schwartz that I got, and I was just so beside myself. I was like over the moon that I got it. Really, those two things I remember. I did start to question Santa when one year I asked for a hummer, like a hummer car, Yeah, like the big things they drive, like the real not like like a hummer.

00:39:34
Speaker 2: Okay, no, I didn't get it.

00:39:37
Speaker 1: How old were you? She's like twelve second great because my friend's brother got a hummer.

00:39:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, And I was like, I want Santa come through, like I was every little box.

00:39:51
Speaker 1: I was like there's cues in there, but stop. And you were a dad. I was like, he's not going to breathe a seven year old car. And I was like, that makes sense.

00:40:00
Speaker 3: You're right.

00:40:01
Speaker 2: Oh my, that's the funniest thing ever. Little seven year old Lalla like, I know there's a hummer somewhere.

00:40:08
Speaker 1: Right, because Sanna is real and if you want a hummer, then you can get one. Oh my god, what are your holiday traditions? Holiday? You have a lot of siblings?

00:40:18
Speaker 2: Die there's four four siblings, Well, there's five of us. My oldest brother is thirty three. Oh god, Jason, I'm sorry, thirty three or thirty five?

00:40:29
Speaker 1: That's your oldest brother.

00:40:30
Speaker 2: Yes, and my youngest is eighteen. Mister Bobb's Danny, love him to death, love him. But so yeah, huge family. I come from a very religious family, but I am love them because they're very open. Like I have the most fabulous little brother in the world. He wouldn't mind me saying this. He came out to my family like last year, and he's just My family's very accepting. I feel like when I say really, it just people are like, oh, you know, a little maybe turned off. Yeah, they're amazing, they're very accepting, wonderful. But I say that to say we go to Christmas Mass, that's just a tradition. Okay, So it used to be midnight Mass until I started falling asleep and snoring so loud that it would embarrass my whole family, and they're like, we're not doing this. No more midnight Mass. So it's like either Christmas Eve at like five pm or we'll go to Christmas Morning Mass. It's cute, it's beautiful.

00:41:27
Speaker 1: I love it.

00:41:28
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really sweet. So that's a tradition. The when we would wake up. My siblings and I would wake up at like three am. But there was yeah, there was a rule. My parents were like, nothing, do not wake us up before six am. We know Santa came. They would my parents now I know, they would stay up Christmas Eve and drink together and wrap all the gifts.

00:41:50
Speaker 1: That's that nice.

00:41:52
Speaker 2: They would just get it was like there. When we were older, we found out. My mom and dad were like it was the most fun because we would just have all this wine and it'd be us and we'd be wrapping the gifts terribly by the end. It was just like but anyways.

00:42:04
Speaker 1: So I wish the listeners could see my face, because.

00:42:08
Speaker 3: Yeah, so great.

00:42:10
Speaker 2: So they would have just gone to bed at like one to two thirty and we would have got gotten up around three three thirty. We weren't allowed to wake them up until six. We would six am. Yeah, they would like, oh hell no, they were tired all day and we were always just like, you know, that was just but you know, my mom would make a big Christmas breakfast. We'd wake up, my dad would come out. We'd have to wait for my mom to make our coffee, put on the Christmas music, light candles, and then my dad would hand out gifts one by one. So we'd be like to Jessica from Santa to Jason, and we'd have to watch everyone and like be excited for them.

00:42:46
Speaker 1: Yeah. Okay, so there was a learning experience there was Wow, be happy for others.

00:42:50
Speaker 2: Yeah, patients exactly, and I love that, appreciate it. But yeah, that was our thing. I'm going home for Christmas this year for them, perst because it's.

00:43:00
Speaker 1: Going to be snowy there, huh. I hope.

00:43:02
Speaker 2: So the past few years of State New York, you guys, it hasn't been snowy on Christmas. But going home this year for actual Christmas for the first time in like years no way, Yeah, it's been like four years.

00:43:16
Speaker 1: Wow.

00:43:17
Speaker 2: Yeah, so I'm really excited. I'm going with Kyle and we just yeah, we spend Christmas Day at my grandma's and you know, this year she's had some health problems, so it's just so important that we spend it with her. Yeah, and it's going to be really sweet and yeah.

00:43:34
Speaker 1: So then where did you usually spend Christmas?

00:43:36
Speaker 2: Christmas went? Oh, so if you didn't go home the past four years, Like last year, I spent it with Kyle. It was just the two of us. We went where did we We just spent it here. We woke up together, open presence the year before, same thing. So I would spend actual I've been with Kyle for like five years, so we would spend actual Christmas together, but then I would go home like a week later, and he would go either to his moms or his dadsy. So we would do that and we like buy presents for each other, wrap them, do all that, and then we would go home later. So I would always be home for quote unquote Christmas, but maybe not until January or something. This is like waking up with the family. Haven't done it in a couple of years. It's been like four years.

00:44:23
Speaker 1: You know. I was always hoping that my Christmas traditions would carry on through like when I have kids and all of that, But I don't have a huge family, Like my immediate family is not big. Yeah, you know I have Easton since not married, doesn't have kids. We lost my dad. My older brother is from a different mama, so he kind of goes and does his thing over there. And you know, I've lived in LA for eight years. Yeah, and I haven't been home for Christmas and probably around the same amount of time that around five years. How well its been since I've gone home for Christmas? How do you feel about that? I hate it. Yeah, you know, I'm not from LA. I love it here, but like it doesn't feel like Christmas. Yeah, work outsides freaking sunny. Yeah, they like try to make it Christmas by throwing up lights, but it's.

00:45:16
Speaker 2: Like yeah no, yeah, and like fake snow that smells like soap. So I think it's soap. I think I'm pretty sure it's soap.

00:45:24
Speaker 1: Well, it's like Christmas lights don't belong in a palm.

00:45:26
Speaker 2: Tree, I know, I know. The funniest to me is the palm trees that have the bigger tops. Yeah, so the Christmas and the bigger bottoms and then the thinner middle so it looks like just a big giant lit penis. And then they don't light like the palms. It's just the trunk. Great, it's amazing.

00:45:47
Speaker 1: Love me.

00:45:48
Speaker 2: But it snows in Utah, correct, Yes? So have you had every Every Christmas in Utah is probably snowy, and.

00:45:57
Speaker 1: Every Christmas if it's not actually snowing, there is snow on the ground.

00:46:03
Speaker 2: So it's cold.

00:46:03
Speaker 1: It's cold.

00:46:04
Speaker 2: So that okay, So I feel you there because to me, Christmas needs to be cold.

00:46:08
Speaker 1: I agree. Yeah, it's cold in La right now. But the sun is out shine in a way. It is blue skies, palm trees everywhere in sight.

00:46:18
Speaker 3: Yeah.

00:46:19
Speaker 2: Do you think are you planning on maybe so your ideal Christmas would be spent in Utah? Is that fair to say? Yeah?

00:46:24
Speaker 1: I think in the future, if able, I will go home for Christmas.

00:46:28
Speaker 2: Yeah yeah. But this year, what are you going to do this year?

00:46:34
Speaker 1: My mom is here, Easton's gonna come out yay. My older brother and his wife and their two kids are going to come out after Christmas, Okay, which will be great. I'm super excited for them to come. Hopefully they spend New Year's here, and I just want it to be focused on Ocean. Yeah, you know, like I told my family, no gift, right, I don't want anything. I don't need anything. I don't want to get you guys anything.

00:47:08
Speaker 2: Yeah, like no this year. Oh my god, just chill.

00:47:12
Speaker 1: I know that sounds rude, but it's like I just need to remember the importance of things, and like the importance of things is actually not the things. Yes, you know, I got Ocean a bunch of stuff. She's the priority. Everything under the tree will be for her. Everything else we're giving each other experiences.

00:47:31
Speaker 2: Yeah, I love that. Are there any you may have not thought about this yet, any traditions you're like, I want to start that, any new traditions that you're like, I want to do this, or I want to start this with Ocean.

00:47:46
Speaker 1: I want her to spend Christmas in Utah. You know, I want to do the things that I grew up doing. Okay, you know, I want to take her up to Park City. I want to do this sledding and the two being and I want to get the hot chocolate. And I want her to be with you know, my friends that I grew up with, they now have kids. I want her to be around them. That's really there's like no one specific thing that I want to do every year on Christmas with her. However, I want to surround her with the same people, like every year we go with this family.

00:48:22
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, yes, and something different to look forward to exactly. Oh that's really sweet. That's really And she's never gone I mean, oh my god, she's never seen snow.

00:48:33
Speaker 1: No, she's never seen snow. All.

00:48:36
Speaker 2: The first time she sees snow as gonna.

00:48:38
Speaker 1: Be so cute. I am so excited. She already has a snowsuit and sledding. I know all of it. I'm telling you, Like I remember going to my junior high that had this big hill. We would go with all of my cousins, get all cozy, go sledding over there. It's just, you know, I'm missing that. I'm not from a but I'm from a small city. I'm missing that small city vibe.

00:49:03
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, you know.

00:49:05
Speaker 1: Yes, Like out in La right now, it gets dark. Don't go outside, that's true. Don't go outside. Yeah, doesn't even matter where you live. Do not go outside when the sun goes down, that's true. Unfortunately I did not grow up that way.

00:49:19
Speaker 2: Oh my god.

00:49:20
Speaker 1: No, no walking everywhere. Yeah, calling your friends from the Landline.

00:49:26
Speaker 2: Being like, let's walk over to Eastwood Elementary and sled you know, yeah, did you have an ice skating town? Did you or city? Did you guys go ice skating? Or is that not a thing?

00:49:37
Speaker 1: Jessica? What you are out of your damn mind if you think that. I am strapping razor blades to my feet and just like going on my merry way. Same with skiing. Everyone asks, are you you must be a scarier from Utah. It's like, what part of strapping like a device to your feet and flying down a hill sounds safe?

00:50:00
Speaker 2: Know what's crazy?

00:50:01
Speaker 1: Lalla?

00:50:02
Speaker 2: I want to witness you trying this. I think you'd be an insane snowboarder. And I'm not kidding.

00:50:06
Speaker 1: That terrifies me.

00:50:07
Speaker 2: No, I've met snow boarders. I see the good ones. I could see you being such a good snowboarder.

00:50:13
Speaker 1: I used to have zero fear, yeah, and now I'm just I'm like, if I do that, I could break a leg, I could chip a tooth. Yeah, I could die. I don't need to do it, that's true. I don't know what happened to me.

00:50:26
Speaker 2: But you sled.

00:50:28
Speaker 1: Sitting down, Yeah, and you can bail easier, nothing strapped to my body.

00:50:34
Speaker 2: You know that is I thought for sure you'd be like Jessica, you're out of your damn mind. If you don't think, If you don't think, I go.

00:50:42
Speaker 1: I don't know.

00:50:42
Speaker 2: I'm skating every day.

00:50:45
Speaker 1: No, no, I want no part of it. My dad took me night skiing in the seventh grade and I had to be rescued. Stop.

00:50:56
Speaker 2: Did you really?

00:50:57
Speaker 1: Yeah, you want to what happened? What my dad was so cute? Why he put one of my skis on his shoulder and then I took the other one off and I sat on it and I went and you went. Yeah. The snowmobile person came to rescue me, and my dad was like, she's fine.

00:51:15
Speaker 2: You know what, Lala, Now that you're putting this into the universe, I hate to tell you. You might have an ocean who loves it, who is like, mom, take me.

00:51:26
Speaker 1: Skiing, take oh, but I won't do anything for her if she's but Mama may be stuck on the bunny bill for a little longer. Then you might think that's hilarious and Lisa, Mama, Lisa great at it? Really? Oh yeah, flying down the hill. My uncle who lives in Montana fights fires. Yeah, black Diamond, What the hell?

00:51:48
Speaker 2: What about Easton? Is it just the kids?

00:51:50
Speaker 1: I don't know. Easton's extremely talented at everything. Yeah. Yeah, you know, like I could see that.

00:51:56
Speaker 2: I could see him being a snowboarder.

00:51:57
Speaker 1: He loves snowboarding.

00:51:59
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, interesting.

00:52:02
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm more of a lodger. Lodger.

00:52:06
Speaker 2: The lodge is nice, though, that's the best. But I love like the getting the exercise first and then you're exhausted and then you just like lodge it up with hot cocoa and the fire.

00:52:15
Speaker 1: Yeah. But when I was drinking, I was exhausted from the drinking. So I was like, I was just as tired as everyone else. Yeah. Yeah, they've been skiing. I've been drinking. Time for a nap, you know. I love it. But I always did like the thought of skiing. Yeah, the thought, Yeah, thought of skiing sounded awesome. Yeah. And when I would see people and they'd come in and they were, you know, clonking around in their boots coming in for lunch, I'm like, oh, that does look fun.

00:52:41
Speaker 2: But still not doing it.

00:52:43
Speaker 1: Still not doing it because there you could die.

00:52:47
Speaker 2: Yeah you could.

00:52:48
Speaker 1: It's a small chance, but it's not a chance I'm willing to take.

00:52:52
Speaker 2: And do you really want to go like that doing something You're not crazy? If you were crazy passionate about it, I'd be like, take the chance if you love it. But if you're not passionate about it.

00:53:02
Speaker 1: No, No, it's not the way I am going out. Are you crazy?

00:53:07
Speaker 2: No? Have you ever went skydiving?

00:53:10
Speaker 1: No? But I want to you do? Yeah?

00:53:12
Speaker 2: Okay, so she wants to go skydiving.

00:53:14
Speaker 1: But she makes us no sense, it makes zero sense.

00:53:17
Speaker 2: I've gone twice. I'll go with you if you want to go.

00:53:21
Speaker 1: And what's weird is I said if something strapped to me, I feel unsafe. But if I were strapped to somebody that can do.

00:53:27
Speaker 2: It interesting Well. On the note of skydiving, I want to know how you feel going into twenty twenty two. What do you hope for your year?

00:53:36
Speaker 1: Oh, what a great way to wrap up this last episode before the new year. I hope in the new year, I'm hoping for resolve and after that, I'm looking to just be happy. I love that, you know, whatever that means for me, wherever it, you know, I could be placed to somewhere that I never thought i'd be placed doing something I never thought i'd be doing. But if I'm happy, then that's all I really want for this new year. And I feel like that's going to happen for me. I do too, you do.

00:54:13
Speaker 2: I feel like twenty twenty two is going to be your best year yet, I really do.

00:54:18
Speaker 1: I'm excited for it. Yeah, what are your big plans or your I because every time someone asks what your new Year's resolution is, I feel like some of us make these big plans that when we don't achieve them in a bumber field. It's a bummer and you just feel like, you know, it's a leaddown. Yeah, you beat yourself up over it. Yeah, So are your resolutions big and grand? I so are.

00:54:47
Speaker 2: I'm one to make big and grand resolutions. But I love I'm going to take from you because I feel like it's such a peaceful feeling going into twenty twenty two being like, I'm going to focus on being happy. So, so that's what it's going to be. I'm going to focus on being happy. I'm going to focus on thriving, working my ass off because I know that we're going to take off. You know what I'm saying, It's going to be our year Jess thrive and thrive. But yeah, I think happiness is key. And since meeting you and working for you, it's really been up there. It's really nice you guys to wake up and like look forward to going to work every.

00:55:27
Speaker 1: Day, and that makes me so happy and.

00:55:28
Speaker 2: It's really nice.

00:55:30
Speaker 1: It's great because with you're the first person that I've hired personally, and there are two goals. One to make sure that we get the job done, we excel every single day, but also that I'm creating a healthy and happy work environment. If I can do both of those things, yeah, we're good. We're gonna I'm so excited to see what that give them. Lala brand does in twenty twenty two.

00:56:04
Speaker 2: Very exciting, and that's a good thing to take into twenty twenty two. Listeners, It's not worth it because I've been there working for someone or a company that you're not waking up every day feeling excited about. I would start if that's not the case, because Lala is right. You know, you don't realize that until you do work for someone like Lala who makes it a happy, healthy environment and focuses on you being mentally happy and just like all of that, so this is my little note to you. When I started working for Lala, I realized other toxic working situations I have been in, and it's not worth it. Wake up being happy to go to work if you have to start planning and plotting now on how to get out of your current situation that isn't making you happy and work towards something that will, then do it because that's you deserve it for twenty twenty two.

00:57:02
Speaker 1: I love that. On that note, Jess, Yes, You're fucking amazing.

00:57:07
Speaker 2: Oh I love you.

00:57:08
Speaker 4: You've been such a bright light in my world and I'm beyond grateful for you. And I know it's been a very strange working environment the past.

00:57:20
Speaker 1: Few months, and I want to thank everyone who's listened to the podcast and sent me amazing dms. You've left awesome voicemails. I'm so beyond grateful for all of you, and I hope that you all go into twenty twenty two and you thrive and you just have all that happiness in the world and that you're healthy and that you're safe. And I really adore all of you. So these are happy grateful to hear as I promise. Yeah, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays. Please be day for our New Year's and we will catch you in twenty twenty two.