Joel Breaks Down Over Maddie's First Day Of School!

Dad V Girls After Hours

Joel and Sarah reflect on Sarah's recent 40th birthday, detailing the surprise Chanel bag gift, a cozy Cotswolds getaway, and an emotional f

Key takeaways

• Joel secretly reserved a limited-edition denim Chanel bag for Sarah's 40th birthday after spotting it during Casey's own shopping trip.
• The family visited tattoo artist Tal Booker to get matching ink, including numbers representing their seven-person household and personalized symbols like 'sunshine' for Sophie.

Main topics

• Birthday celebrations & luxury gifting
• Family bonding through tattoos & home renovation

Notable quotes

"I grabbed the guy by the scruff of his collars and I'm pulling over the counter... I need to buy this bag in the next three minutes before she comes downstairs."

Conclusion

The episode balances lighthearted family milestones with practical life

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) So we did break some bad news to Nat this morning on the pod, well before the pod and... It Speaker 4 (0:06) was really bittersweet because she was so happy we were like... Speaker 2 (0:09) In the classroom like... Speaker 4 (0:11) And then we got a letter the next day like please don't come into the classroom they're okay to just be left at the door. I'm actually Speaker 2 (0:16) like, that's actually made me well emotional. Speaker 5 (0:19) Okay Speaker 4 (0:19) Joel. Speaker 2 (0:21) And Speaker 4 (0:21) then the next morning... Speaker 2 (0:24) very specific set of skills. She reads it like braille. She feels like flowers. I'd rather that because the poo was a bad decision. Speaker 5 (0:35) We can talk about what just happened. Oh, we're going to talk. Oh, we're going Speaker 2 (0:39) to talk. One, two, three. I'm fucking up now. Three, two, one. Speaker 2 (0:56) Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Dabby Girls After Hours. This is episode 138. It's been an eventful morning. These Speaker 4 (1:05) guys might only get about 10-15 minutes of this pod because we've been filming it for about three hours. Speaker 2 (1:10) So we've had technical issues, which I've come in and fixed. Thank you, Joel. Thank you. I enjoy it. I feel useful. I feel appreciated. It's the only time I do. So yeah, the mic, the... well what's it called the mixer wasn't working it's went on for about 15 minutes of me trying all this stuff and googling and stuff and then i just pulled the fader down put it back up again i went no i fixed it she went did you just pull the fader down put it back up yeah how do you know that because it's got a known issue i was like then why don't you fucking let it be known to the rest of us Speaker 3 (1:43) jesus Speaker 5 (1:44) i was gatekeeping okay Speaker 2 (1:46) so then so then we were like okay cool in a bit of a fluster we started late we started the pod yeah Speaker 5 (1:52) how Speaker 2 (1:52) far into the pod were we Good 15 minutes. Some great content that you guys will never see. Sarah got her tits out, everything. It was brilliant. You're Speaker 4 (2:02) welcome. Speaker 2 (2:03) And we weren't recording. Speaker 4 (2:05) Oh, honestly. So Speaker 2 (2:07) we're going to get this done, guys. And do you know what? We're going to try and give you the same content without the tits. It's very difficult to tell a story as enthusiastically when you've already... Sort of told it. Because Speaker 4 (2:22) it feels like they already know it, but they don't. But where we said it, it's like. But Speaker 2 (2:25) we owe it to them. Okay. So guys, so this. Yeah. Pretend this is the first time this conversation is happening. Okay. Nat, you said. Speaker 4 (2:32) Nat said something about. No, no, no. First of all, it was Nat said about something's been changed on set. No, Speaker 2 (2:37) no, no, no, no. No, that came later. It was bag first. Was it? Okay, Speaker 4 (2:41) guys. Well, if you're watching today, you can see Speaker 2 (2:44) my Speaker 4 (2:44) beautiful. Speaker 2 (2:44) Nat has to say it. Speaker 4 (2:46) We don't have to do the exact Speaker 5 (2:47) same. Three, Speaker 2 (2:48) two, one, action. I Speaker 5 (2:49) think we need to talk about the elephant in the room, guys. Oh my God, you mean my bag. Speaker 2 (2:55) If you are listening and not watching, Sarah's new Chanel bag is on the table. I got a new Speaker 4 (3:01) beautiful denim bag. Speaker 2 (3:03) Yay. Okay. Speaker 4 (3:05) She is a she. Speaker 2 (3:07) And what should we call it? I think we should call her Chanel. Speaker 4 (3:10) And I don't like that name. It sounds like toenail. No, I don't know if I'm vibing that Speaker 2 (3:14) either. She's not a she now. She's Speaker 4 (3:16) not a she now. Chanel. Speaker 5 (3:18) She is stunning. She is just Speaker 2 (3:19) so beautiful. Guys, drop a comment below. What should we name the bag? Because otherwise it's going to be called she now. Speaker 4 (3:26) Okay. Speaker 2 (3:26) It Speaker 4 (3:27) is not. It Speaker 2 (3:28) is. But she Speaker 4 (3:29) takes great pride. I just love her. She's Speaker 2 (3:32) beautiful. But Speaker 4 (3:33) Joel actually brought her way back in June. Speaker 2 (3:37) How organized. Yeah, thank you. That's Speaker 4 (3:39) a Speaker 2 (3:39) slightly overreaction there, Nat. The gasp. How organized is that for a birthday present? So, Speaker 1 (3:46) backstory Speaker 2 (3:47) is, for Casey's birthday, we went to Chanel because Casey's buying herself a Chanel bag. Independent woman. We love that for our queen. Okay. So. So Speaker 4 (3:57) what he's saying is I'm not an independent woman because I had to be brought. Speaker 2 (4:00) That's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. No. Chivalry's not dead. So anyway. Speaker 4 (4:04) It feels better to have it brought for you. Speaker 2 (4:06) There you go. It does. Speaker 2 (4:09) So basically, we went to Chanel. Casey's picking his bag. The guy also had the bag that I've got for Sarah. And Sarah saw it and fell in love with it. And the guy was like, oh yeah, these bags, they only came out today. It's the launch. By the end of the day, they'll all be sold. Yeah, we'd queued. So it Speaker 4 (4:25) was a big deal this day. Did you want Speaker 5 (4:27) the Speaker 4 (4:27) bag because you loved the bag or because Speaker 5 (4:29) you knew that once they were gone, they were gone? No, no, no. I Speaker 4 (4:31) didn't know that at first. I just loved the bag. Speaker 2 (4:34) She didn't get caught up in the hype. no I just love the bag because I Speaker 4 (4:38) was actually getting Kate I was saying to Casey just buy this one I actually was trying to talk her into this one instead of the blue that she's got um and she's like no I prefer the blue and I was like yeah I love the blue for you but I could have borrowed this one I Speaker 5 (4:50) was gonna say you could just easily borrow Speaker 2 (4:51) it Speaker 1 (4:52) So Speaker 2 (4:53) anyway, I'm thinking, oh my God, like this is the perfect gift for Sarah's 40th. Sarah's looking at me as if to be like, oh, you're going to get this for me. I'm like, it's a random Thursday. I'm not just going to buy a Chanel bag, okay? Like it's Speaker 1 (5:04) a Speaker 2 (5:04) big gift. So I'm thinking, oh my God, but I'm trying to scramble for a plan in my head. Like how do I, I can't buy it and Sarah knows because that is just ruins it, right? So anyway, Sarah goes to the toilet and I'm literally like, grabbed the guy by the scruff of his collars and i'm pulling over the counter and i said to him i need to buy this bag in the next three minutes before she comes downstairs so he's like okay okay okay so we literally rush over well it was a bit of a process he sat me down at a desk because i don't need the whole we don't need to do this just take my Speaker 5 (5:38) time did he not understand the gravity of what was going on i don't need Speaker 2 (5:42) the luxury experience i need the card reader immediately So anyway, like, it's just taking a while. They're wrapping it up and this and that. And I'm just sitting there sweating because I'm thinking Sarah's going to come down. Meanwhile, I'm on Speaker 4 (5:54) the toilet like, please buy the bag, please buy the bag, please buy the bag. Speaker 2 (5:56) Fortunately, she was taking a really massive shit. It weren't Speaker 4 (6:00) funny the first time. Speaker 2 (6:01) But these guys haven't heard it. Okay, let me tell the same jokes. Basically, Speaker 4 (6:06) when we were queuing to get into Chanel, I actually needed the toilet and so did Joel and Grace. But they went over to Louis Vuitton to use the toilet. because we weren't customers in there, I felt too embarrassed to go to the toilet. So I was like, no, I'll just hold it. But then where Casey decided what bag she was going, I was like, oh, I'll just go to the toilet now and use the toilet. So had I have not waited, I probably would have still been by your side. So it all worked out perfectly to get us a surprise. Speaker 1 (6:34) And you also, Speaker 4 (6:34) you say about a random Thursday, but I was thinking. It's Casey's 21st birthday. I've been a mum for 21 years. You never got me a push present, so maybe today's the day. Speaker 5 (6:44) Where there's a will, there's a way. Speaker 2 (6:46) That's crazy. Speaker 5 (6:47) There's always a loophole. Listen. Speaker 2 (6:49) That's a crazy way to feel. I just feel Speaker 4 (6:52) like you should just be so blessed and lucky that you're like, Chanel's just like this. Joke, somebody joking. I don't know if she is. I Speaker 2 (7:02) don't know if she is. But I've actually realized today that I thought I was like, you know, the master of this plan. And I realized I've just got manipulated because. Speaker 2 (7:14) She dropped the seed of the idea that she loved this bag. She strategically went to the toilet. She waited in the toilet a while. I Speaker 4 (7:22) did not was a while. I came back down quite quick and I saw you were still standing. I thought, oh, okay. And then Grace just started chatting to me and we walked towards the exit waiting for you in case. So you had no idea at the time? Speaker 5 (7:32) I Speaker 4 (7:32) had no idea at the time. No. No, you said Speaker 2 (7:35) earlier when we did the podcast the first time. Speaker 4 (7:37) No, so what I said was, no, I didn't have any idea, but I thought in my head, that you were going to buy it for me. I just felt like you was going to. You had a look in your eye. And then when I came down, you didn't. But then I was thinking, well, maybe. And then it just never came. Because I sent you that TikTok of that woman. She's like, I'm delusional that I think when my husband tells me no, it's because he wants to surprise me with it. So I was thinking, maybe that's what he's going to do. And I did. You did. And you actually really did surprise me because then I thought, well, he hasn't got it for me so then when it came on my birthday i felt it was a box and then i knew it was chanel because i could feel the they've got a specific like flower on top of the box sarah's Speaker 2 (8:20) got a very specific set of skills where she she really reads it like braille yeah she feels like flowers she's like chanel Speaker 4 (8:26) but Speaker 5 (8:27) then i was like walk into the room she goes yeah Speaker 2 (8:30) chanel Speaker 5 (8:30) yeah she's Speaker 2 (8:35) literally not unbuffing she's like this blanket dressing gown Chanel come Speaker 4 (8:41) to mama no and but then I was like what have you brought me like I didn't know which one you've actually then brought me because I didn't think Speaker 2 (8:49) back to that well Speaker 4 (8:51) how would I I didn't think you could leave it in a in the shop and I knew you because that's Speaker 2 (8:55) the other thing I'm saying to the guy I can't take this with me I was like I'm not saying you need to leave this here I don't know what's going to happen I'm going to make contact with you at some time between now and September you look after that bag whoa Yeah, like months later, I messaged him like, today's the day. Someone is coming to collect the bag. And he was like, I thought you'd forgotten about it. I was like, I bet you wish I had. Wait, so you got someone else to Speaker 4 (9:17) collect the bag? Speaker 2 (9:18) Yeah, I got Poppy and Alana from David's team. And they were petrified, they said. Speaker 4 (9:22) They were worried that they might get... Speaker 2 (9:24) Mugged. Speaker 4 (9:25) Mugged, that's the word. Speaker 2 (9:26) They put it in this big, ugly canvas bag. She Speaker 4 (9:29) said, I tied it round and round and round my arm. I said, so they were taking your arm too? They get the bag and your arm. Speaker 2 (9:36) So yeah, that's the story of the bag. Well done. I'm not telling that Speaker 4 (9:42) story again. But no, I'm so thankful. I love it. Speaker 2 (9:47) And I love you. Speaker 4 (9:48) There's still one more present to come, no? Speaker 2 (9:49) Yeah, I ordered you... I got Sarah four gifts and only two of them arrived for her birthday. One has since arrived. She didn't like them. It's fine. No, I get it. No, it's fine. I bought you Speaker 4 (10:02) a gift and you didn't like the meat. No, and Speaker 2 (10:03) you get it. That's Speaker 4 (10:04) what Speaker 2 (10:04) I'm saying. You make Speaker 4 (10:05) me feel bad. But Speaker 2 (10:07) yeah, that gift is still with me. No, and he got me Speaker 4 (10:10) very thoughtful. Basically, I'd seen this girl on Instagram and she lives in America, but she's really cool. She's a bit of a cowgirl. And I showed Joel this jumper she had on. I was like, I love that. So he got it for me. So yeah. That's nice. He listens. He's thoughtful. Speaker 5 (10:28) And I Speaker 4 (10:29) was very shocked because he was in bed. I'm just ordering you some things for your birthday. I'm like, what could you possibly order? Because I don't know what it is. But where I've just shown him like, oh, look at this girl. She's really cool. I love her outfit. Well, Speaker 2 (10:38) the Speaker 4 (10:38) thing Speaker 2 (10:38) is, I didn't, I don't know who this girl is. I had to do some proper detective stuff to find her. I basically went on Pinterest. I was thinking she's such a Pinterest kind of girl. So I was putting Pinterest cowgirl aesthetic. And I was thinking, I know her pictures will be on Pinterest somewhere. Like I just knew it. Speaker 5 (10:57) And Speaker 2 (10:58) then I come across it and then I got her name and then I went to her Pinterest. Oh Speaker 4 (11:01) my God. Like Speaker 2 (11:03) on her LTK. And the Speaker 4 (11:04) one I pointed out to him, they didn't have the one in stock. So he bought me the other color, but it's still really nice. Okay. So I feel like it's very good because we're really, we're going to book Texas for. October half term. So I can wear it traveling. I can wear it there. And then obviously my road trip next year to Nashville. So I love it. Speaker 5 (11:28) Love that. Would you say that Joel crushed your birthday this year? He did. Speaker 4 (11:32) And he took me away for the weekend. We went to Lakes Bayou, which is in the Cotswolds. And I didn't know where we were going. It was a surprise. Speaker 2 (11:40) But Speaker 4 (11:40) it was very chill. It was very nice. But the best thing of all was we got into a series. And at home... We can hardly ever sit and watch this series the way we did. I think we watched the whole series. The whole season in 24 hours. Because we basically got there, watched an episode, got ready, went to dinner. And then the next morning we missed breakfast so we could watch an episode. I love that. I love it when you get hooked. Then we went to the spa. Speaker 5 (12:08) It was so Speaker 4 (12:08) nice. The spa was lovely. We had our massage. sauna the steam room we had a swim then we looked at each other like should we go back we got back into bed watched another episode we watched we ordered a kfc and at home we're not allowed to eat in the bed but you know special occasions yeah so we ordered a kfc and i Speaker 5 (12:26) now Speaker 4 (12:26) know Speaker 2 (12:26) why we're not allowed to eat in the bed because i made such a mess oh Speaker 5 (12:28) my Speaker 2 (12:28) god crumbs crumbs in the bed crumbs and sauce um yeah because basically the lakes by you it's a cabin on the lake and it's so cozy so to just get into bed and just what like it just felt i don't know it's just like yeah it's so nice you've got so many kids and so much going on like the like what's it the what's the word like it's such a treat yeah Speaker 4 (12:51) like Speaker 2 (12:52) to be able to get into bed and just binge a series oh god Speaker 4 (12:54) i don't Speaker 2 (12:55) think Speaker 4 (12:55) i've ever just gone and sat in bed in the middle of the day and watched anything like unless i'm sick neither have i like it was so nice and then Yeah, you do. And then we got up and went for a bike ride. We came back, watched another series. We got ready for dinner. Joel brought us matching cowboy pajamas. He brought us games. We played games. Hugo Spritz. We ordered a curry. Okay, Joel. And then the next morning, he took me to the Christmas shop because there is an all year round Christmas shop in the Cotswolds. So we went there. And then we went home and he'd arranged for all my family and his family to come over for birthday cake, which was very nice. So, yeah. Well, Speaker 2 (13:39) I just, the thing is, Sarah's always, you know how good she is with birthdays and stuff. So I was like, I really wanted Sarah to feel like, you know, we'd all put a lot of thought and effort in. Yeah. And make her feel loved. Speaker 4 (13:53) You Speaker 2 (13:53) definitely did. I tried. I still didn't pull it off the way that Sarah would pull it off. No, you did amazing. Speaker 4 (13:58) It sounds like you did amazing. My boons were Speaker 3 (14:00) amazing. Speaker 4 (14:00) The Lord knows I tried. Casey got me a cake. Like, see, things like, Jo was like, you know, you're rubbing off on everyone. Because even Casey was like, I'm getting mum's cake. So she had me a cake made, which was delicious. Speaker 2 (14:10) Grace made a whole book. Oh, it was so nice. And a letter from everyone in like family and friends. Like a really nice letter. And Speaker 4 (14:18) I said like, the letters were really lovely and really thoughtful. And I didn't. I don't say this to, but basically I was in a bit of shock of Casey's and Grace's of how nice they were. Obviously everyone wrote really lovely messages and I genuinely felt so lucky and so blessed that the family and friends that I have around me on my birthday, but Casey's and Grace was just like proper tear jerks. Next Speaker 5 (14:42) level. They Speaker 4 (14:43) both were quite the same of like, they both feel so lucky and they've realized that being around that. other people their age like the relationship we have is obviously like they just love it that i'm their best friend and they love to hang around me and they love me to like they'd rather me do my parties and come to my parties but then um casey's in it said that where she's gone past the age That I was having her she's realized the amount I sacrificed to have her and how thankful she was that she had me and like sweet Speaker 2 (15:17) and Speaker 4 (15:17) she said I I used to think it was a flex having a young mom She's like but now I genuinely love it cuz I feel like you're my best friend And she's like but enjoy that cuz I'm never saying it again Speaker 2 (15:26) Even grace Speaker 4 (15:32) that she's I thought I can talk to you about anything you've never you've never made me feel charged or that I can And they both feel that way. And that's all I've ever wanted is that, which is so nice. I mean, Sarah, you're incredible. So it's nice. Speaker 5 (15:46) You're Speaker 1 (15:46) the best, bro. Speaker 4 (15:48) Oh, that's so lovely and so thoughtful. Speaker 5 (15:50) It was so nice. Speaker 4 (15:52) I said, I bet my mom was like, not another fucking letter. Cause I did Grace's 18th and then Casey's 21st. Mom was like, oh no, not another letter. My mom's not one of many words. So she said to my sister, Emma, like, Don't do this for your kids, please. Speaker 2 (16:09) Maybe just do one more round for my birthday. Just do layers. Just me, Speaker 4 (16:15) Casey and Grace. Speaker 5 (16:15) Yeah, Speaker 2 (16:16) that's fine. Speaker 5 (16:16) Yeah, very fine. Speaker 4 (16:18) The funniest thing is I went for lunch with mum, dad and Emma yesterday and I said to them, oh, thanks for my letters. I was reading them. Like, they're really nice. And they were like, oh, did you get Ryan's? I was like, there weren't one in there. And they were like, yeah. I was like, oh. I was like, when I opened the envelope, there was nothing there. They were like, oh, no, it was tiny. So he basically wrote one sentence. Like, you're like, you're... I haven't even known it because I haven't even opened it yet. But it's basically like, you're like a sister to me. I love you, but you're a knob. Something like that. Speaker 5 (16:50) Do you know why? Because you yelled at him on the phone. Yeah. That's why. Because Speaker 4 (16:53) he's a knob. No, but I was like, oh, so it's obviously one piece of thing and it's tucked down. So when I opened the envelope, Speaker 2 (17:00) I Speaker 3 (17:00) was like, oh, Speaker 2 (17:00) he's incoming. Speaker 5 (17:03) But also that's so brother coded. Yeah. That is Speaker 3 (17:06) cool. Speaker 5 (17:07) And then, so what happened with, you went back to our wonderful Tal Booker, our tattoo artist. We did. So Speaker 4 (17:14) on the day of my actual birthday, the kids are at school. So it's just me, Joe and the big girls. And Joe was like, what do you want to do? And I was like, let's get tattoos. And then it was very nice because Casey and Grace both had ideas. So Grace's idea was that we had seven. All of us tattooed seven and that's for the family of seven. So we're all, so I've got seven written here. So however you wanted to get it was up to you. I Speaker 2 (17:41) got it on my hand. So Joel got seven Speaker 4 (17:42) on his hand. Speaker 2 (17:42) I got it as a number. Sarah got it as Speaker 4 (17:44) a Speaker 2 (17:44) word. Casey Speaker 4 (17:45) got a red seven. And then Sophie, Grace. Then Casey's idea was to get sunshine and that's for Sophie because we always used to sing when she was a baby, you are my sunshine. So I got it written. She, Casey's got a sunshine on her middle finger, which is very Sophie. You haven't got that yet, have you? No. Speaker 2 (18:03) Because Speaker 4 (18:03) obviously you couldn't do it. There Speaker 2 (18:04) were so many, like... I had five. We got like 14 tattoos that day. Oh my Speaker 4 (18:10) God. I got five. Casey got five. Speaker 1 (18:13) And I got... Two. Two. Speaker 2 (18:15) So I got Sarah to write out her name, Sarah Jane. On paper. On paper. And then I got that done. But you could have done it a bit more calligraphy-y. Speaker 4 (18:24) Babe, I wrote it about 20 times and that's Speaker 1 (18:26) the Speaker 4 (18:26) one you picked. Speaker 2 (18:27) Jake, it's really cute. It's actually very neat. It is very, very cute. I love it. So yeah. But now, now I'm like, I feel like we've all got the bug again for tattoos. Like I just, I have not got properly like tattoos in years. Like obviously I've got that forever on my hand, but in terms of like actual, like a piece going back and getting those, I haven't done that like years and years. Where Speaker 4 (18:51) would you get it? Speaker 2 (18:52) Hands. I really want to get more on my hands. So I Speaker 4 (18:56) got 11, 11. I want to get my Speaker 2 (18:57) palm. Talk to the hand. Check. Speaker 4 (18:59) My number, I always love 1111. And then I got a Muff for Mickey. And then I got a rose on my finger. Speaker 5 (19:06) Oh my gosh, I love. You're just collecting them like Pokemon. So Speaker 4 (19:10) I'm going to have Moose written here for Maddie Moose. And then I think I'm going to get Coco on my finger. Speaker 5 (19:17) These are so cute. I said Speaker 4 (19:18) to her, Speaker 5 (19:18) would you like cocoa or cowish? Speaker 2 (19:19) Because obviously everyone got sunshine for Sophie, but I didn't because we didn't have time to do it. So I was thinking, you know, for Sophie, I'm not going to get sunshine. I'm actually going to get a middle finger because that's what she does all the time. Can Speaker 5 (19:33) I just talk to you guys about something really quickly? Yeah, I think Sophie and I have a