Welcome back to Week 8 of In the Trenches! This week we start light with our funniest vacation moments, the chaos, the plans that fell apart, and the stories we’re still laughing about. Then things get real when Len opens up about the moment he realized he’d been telling Carsynn’s teammates “good job” on the field but never telling her, and how much it broke him once it hit. We talk about how easy it is to hand out praise everywhere else while the people closest to us go without it, and what it looks like to fix that. We wrap up with a question that might change how you show up in your relationship: do you need to be heard, helped, or hugged? Asking your partner this simple question can save you from so many unnecessary arguments, and we break down what each one means and why guessing wrong leaves both people frustrated. Thanks for tuning in as always!

The Bears and Commanders are still out there doing Bears and Commanders things, but we’re taking a bye week because we’re off on vacation, so consider this a little pre-trip warm-up. We dive into our middle child’s love, borderline unhealthy devotion to Caleb Williams (we’re pretty sure she’d leave us for a Bears jersey and a handshake). Then we expose Jen’s complete and total lack of direction, a woman who needs a GPS to find the bathroom in her own house and who has never once arrived anywhere early on the first try unless she gives herself a 30 minute leeway. And finally, we talk about the trip that has us stepping away from the mics: Naviva, the most magical place ever. Will we relax, make memories, and soak in all the magic? Sure. Will Jen get us lost on the way there? Absolutely. We’ll be back next week, Jen will be tan, we will be rested, and probably still a little lost.

Welcome back to the trenches, where the snacks are questionable, the coffee is doing the heavy lifting, and burnout is that unwanted houseguest who just. won’t. leave. This week, Jen and Len talk about what happens when you’re running on fumes and still expected to be the magic creators, the ones who make the memories, the moments, and the whole vibe happen while somehow remembering where everyone’s shoes are. We also finally address the infamous side and slide, and whether it’s a technique, a lifestyle, or the secret to saving marriages everywhere (spoiler: we have opinions, and they are strong). Press play, grab your person, and remember: you’re not burned out, you’re just a magic creator who needs a nap.