camping

4th of July camping is on my heart tonight.


source


source


source


source

As I clickly clack on my laptop, I also stare across the room at piles of bags full of groceries, crafts, and all other camping necessities.

We have turned this into an annual 4th of July gig with some friends. You know, the friends that are more like family? Our kids have know each other since birth. We love them.

Let it be known though, that I don't love camping. I am more of a resort and spa type of gal. I love the great outdoors, but I prefer a bed and shower without a concrete floor and sand by the time the sun sets.

However, the hubs rents an RV and makes it work for me and I'm grateful. He kinda rocks. A lot.

So here we are on the eve of our annual trip. We're about to create new memories, spend long days on warm sand, and read while cool ocean breezes blow on our sun kissed cheeks.

Although, you know how I am the sunscreen queen so no worries about anyone in the the minivan diva gang getting red.

What about you? Any big plans? Any one else camping?

Much love,
Katie

It's a God Thing Link Up

Hi Friends!

I am in San Clemente camping with the family. Hannah from Happy Days has graciously agreed to man the station while I'm away this weekend.

Please check her link HERE. Your heart will be touched and you'll get a chance to enter a MAJOR give-away for a super important cause.

After visiting sweet Hannah, link-up. Please let your reader's know that you'll be over at minivan diva so they can read the other posts as well.

Happy 4th of July. Let's give praise and thanks for our freedom and country.

Much love,
Katie

stack of 5

When it is someone's birthday in this casa, they get to decide what's for dinner.

They eat on a special plate.

However, when your birthday boy is the pickiest eater known to man, you fret a bit.

Until, he requests breakfast for dinner.

Then it's all good in the hood.

To make it extra fun, I stacked 5 mini pancakes on top of one another since he's five.



The best part?

Dipping. With hands. Enough said for a 5 year old.



It turns out that I had no reason to fret after all.

Much love,
Katie

P.S. Come back on Sat. night through Sunday for It's a God Thing link up. Link up a verse, a story, a photo, etc. It doesn't not need to be a huge production at all. Keep it simple. Share with others and be encouraged. Hannah from Happy Days will be guest posting for me and she has something very cool to share. Make sure you click on her link when you come to share and read.

going to blog sugar, baby!

There are times when I get very self conscious about blogging.

I don't share all my posts on Facebook, but when I do, I wonder what my "friends" think of me. Do they think I'm annoying or self-aborbed for writing about my experiences as a crazy, but trying the best as she can mama?

However, I try to overcome those fears of judgement for two reasons.

1. I want to write our family story.

2. I want to connect with other mamas who are on the same wild road of motherhood.

When life got bumpy with lupus, a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome for my son, and stage 3 melanoma for the then 30 year old hubs, I felt compelled to transfer the overwhelmed, grieving inner voice into written words. I read my friend Greta's blog and realized blogging would be the perfect place for me to write and connect.

I never imagined the bond that would form between other mamas and myself. I never imagined people I've never met in real life becoming such powerful encouragers in my life. And while it may seem odd to some, it has been just what I had hoped for and more.

See you soon at Blog Sugar, friends.

Much love,
Katie

my charlie is 5

Dear Charlie,

Today you are 5.

I don't know how it has gone by so quickly.

I remember when I was pregnant with you and I would hear other mamas express their concern about being able to love their 2nd baby as much as their 1st.

I was not worried. For I knew that a mother's heart doubles in size when the 2nd baby was born.

And it did.



This year has been a year of firsts for you. You were not thrilled for your 1st day of school, but you ended up thriving and loving it more than anything. You were like the preschool ASB president in your room. Your favorite part of soccer and baseball was the snack bag after the game, but you got an "A" for effort. You even broke your arm in soccer and proudly wore your red cast like a badge of honor.



In true Charlie form, you lived up to your nickname "fun-time Charlie" in this hood. We can count on you for that.



You are also sensitive, inquisitive, and fiercely competitive. I don't know where in the world you could have possibly gotten that from. Don't let anyone ever convince you it was from me.

We're a lot alike, Buddy.

My Charlie, my wish for you this coming year, is that you continue to following you own rhythm and stand up for what you believe in. Even at this young age you have mastered those skills.



Keep forging on your path. It is lovingly guided.



We love you. Happy Birthday.

Much love,
Mom

shark cake

Kevin and I really dig making cakes for our boys' birthdays. We used to buy themed cakes, but soon realized how much we love doing this for our boys. You can see our past cakes here and here.

When it comes to parties, I choose to spend my energy on certain things. I am a thematic girl. That's the teacher in me. When my boys tell me what kind of party they want, my wheels start spinning. I'm not crafty, but I can throw down a theme like there's no tomorrow.

For some odd reason, I love putting together the party favors. I bought different colored buckets, put their names on them and filled them with $1 dive toys, rafts, books, and shark squirt guns (forgive i-phone photos)...





The big kids got this book instead of the little kid book...



Everything else worked well for both the biggies and the littles.

I topped off the buckets with a shark hat which they wore when we sang "Happy Birthday" to Charlie...



You can check out the party here.

Now let's get down to business, friends.

Charlie wanted a Shark cake this year. We had his party at our local YMCA. He had an underwater themed party so the shark was just right.

Check out the steps.







My hubby is the carver and decorator. I just bake it. Well, and test it. A few times. You know, just to make sure it is good.

Final touches: chocolate rock candy from the Sweet Factory and teeth from candy corns.



Charlie was one happy birthday boy.

Much love,
Katie

ain't no party like a sharky party

Oh Charlie Boy. What a day we had celebrating you. In just a few days you'll be 5.

We gathered at our local YMCA for water fun...





You and Jack can be the best of friends or the worst of enemies. Brothers are like that. Especially when you're 17 months apart. And in typical brother form, you both had to show off your tricks.



Don't worry, Luke was there too. He's was hanging with the "big kids." It made my heart break a little that he wanted to go to the "big kid pool" and rounded up the other "big kids" instead of hanging in the "little kid" area. It wasn't long before you noticed he was gone and declared that you were a "big kid" too and deserved to go in the "big" pool.



Can you stay little for just a bit longer please?

Thanks, Buddy. I knew I could count of you. I love you.

Every one jumped, splashed, and swam.



And when all of you were wrinkled up raisins, we came in for cake. A shark cake as per your request. You should know that your dad did the decorating. I can bake, but your dad rocks it like nobody's business when it comes to the fancy stuff.



So Buddy, I know you are almost 5. Soon we will say good-bye to 4. Can you just make me two promises? Even when you are older and are taller than me, will you still hold my hand and look at me with that look that just comes from your heart?



Thanks, Buddy. I knew I could count on you. I love you.

Happy almost 5th Birthday, Charlie.

Much love,
Mom

Linking up with lovely Heather:

It's a God Thing-Link Up

Let me get super real super fast with you when it comes to the issue of faith.

Although I have been a committed Christian for a long time, it is not easy for me.

I struggle with the very concept.

I am envious of those to whom it seems so easy to believe and follow.

I question. A lot.

I doubt. A lot.

I do things my way first.

There are some Sundays when I really, really don't want to go to church. At all.

But, through the ebb and flow of my faith, I can cling to this:

Jesus.

We don't have to do anything but accept. No good deeds. No special clothes. No rites of passage.

Just faith.

The rest has been done.

Much love,
Katie

Come and share what God thing is happening with you. If you are not sure how to link up, email me and I'll "walk" you through it or you can just email me your link and I'll do it for you. : ) I'm including links from last week in case you missed them.

worked

I'm worked.

It has been a super insane week here.

Let me give you the quickest recap as possible...

I decided on a whim to apply for an elementary teaching job.

Why would I do that when I moved mountains to make it possible to stay home???

I don't know.

I regularly search the website where all the teacher jobs are posted for the state of California like I look for homes in other states on realtor.com.

I'm weird. I guess you could say that I like to just see what's out there.

A position in our school district popped up. You may or may not be aware of the fact that teaching jobs have been dramatically decreasing in availability over the last few years. So to see a job in our district seemed too good to be true.

I tried to put all my paper work together...resume, letters of recommendations, etc. in a very short amount of time. I was searching though files, sending off emails to my references, and trying to evaluate whether or not this was insane.

I figured nothing would come of it. After all, there were over 400 applicants for one position in the district last year. However, I received an email that I was selected for an interview.

I lost many nights of sleep trying to think about interviewing again. I have not worked in 7 years. I was up playing worst case scenario/best case scenario in my head over and over again.

I was also up trying to prep for an interview and throwing a portfolio together. Whew. No wonder I'm exhausted.

Here's the proof of exhaustion besides that fact that I've been in my pajamas since 4:30 p.m. An interview does that to a girl.

We've had Legos on our kitchen table all week.



I'm either to nice or too tired to care. We eat around them.

Tonight's dinner? Left-overs for 2 kids...





and good ol' pb&j for a third...



The hubs is gone for work so it looks like cereal for me. Yep, that's just how we roll in this casa.

Good night, friends.

Much love,
Katie

Linking up:

oh no i didn't

I swore I'd never ever do it.

I may have enough snickered at the vision of it when I was a teenager.

But, I must confess, I did it.

I purchased matching shirts for my 3 boys (8,5, and 3)



And let me be the 1st to warn you, they are "HERE I AM, MOM!" shirts for summer safety.

We spend a lot of time during our summers at Legoland and Sea World. We have passes and enjoy spending our days crusing around on the coast with cool ocean breezes at either of these parks.

Summer days can be long, and let me be honest, these passes have been a lifesaver for this sometimes tired and cranky mama who can't be stuck at home with 3 rowdy boys for too long before she has to put herself in time out.

So instead of freaking out when I can't find one of my boys in the midst of 500 other boys wearing blue shirts, I can spot my precious babes from a mile away.

In an attempt to coolify the shirts, I bought iron-ons...



and as easy as 1-2-3, I was able to individualize them and somewhat de-dork the fact that they are all in 1980's matching florescent green shirts.



Much love,
Katie

Linking up with Heather:
<

my dad

My dad is the kind of guy who had to pull everything together when he was told by the doctors to be prepared to lose his wife and unborn child.

That child was me.

My mom, like me, has lupus. Her lupus has been life threatening at many points of her life due to severe organ involvement.

The doctors described it as miracle when I was born 2 months early as healthy as possible despite her health situation.

My dad is the kind of guy who took care off 3 kids as his wife battled back to good health.

My dad is the kind of guy who made it a priority to coach his kids' teams. Even the third time around with me.



It was important to him.

It was important to me.

My dad is the kind of guy who drove me to doctors and wrote endless notes on my health history when my lupus sypmtoms 1st appeared when I was 16.

My dad is the kind of guy who embraced me getting married even when my hubby asked for my hand in marriage when we were 20 and still in college. He is a good judge of character and trusted us despite our young age.

And there is just something uniquely special between a father and daughter on the day he gives her away to form a new life with her husband.



My dad is the kind of guy who became a grandpa and is now willing to babysit and play with the kids even without my mom there. I know not all men of his generation are comfortable with that, but he is. I love that about him.

So this Sunday, I wish my Dad and all Dad's who go the extra mile a very Happy Father's Day.

Much love,
Katie

rockstar hubby

There are times when I get quite frustrated that Kevin is not exactly like me.

I think life would be so much more organized and efficient.

But, then I remember why I fell in love with him in the first place. It was because of all the things I am not.

He's artistic.

He's musical.



He's chill.

And while I can plan and execute fun like it's nobody's business,, he just brings the fun.









He allows the things that make my insides churn, like hot cocoa with a mountain of homemade whip along with a heaping stack of pancakes for a Dad/son breakfast date.



Wrestling? No problem.



So this Father's Day, I'm grateful for a husband that compliments me in all the things I am not. He brings balance to our boys' lives and to this house.

He brings a level of joy to my boys' lives that I simply cannot.

And I'm okay with that. They love me for different reasons.

So, Kevin, thank you for filling up our boys' hearts with fun, music, art, and the ability to chill. God knew perfectly well why He put us together.

Happy early Father's Day to my rockstar of a husband.

Much love,
Katie

it's a God thing link up-open all weekend!

Titles and names of God the Father


*photo sourced from google images.

Since we have Father's Day on Sunday, I'm leaving the link open all weekend. This may be way too teacher of me, but I thought we could build a "Father" theme for this week. If you have something else to share, go for it. Don't let my theme tracked brain prohibit you from sharing!

How is God serving as "Father" in your life?

When you call God "Father" what does that mean to you?

What image comes to mind when you think of God's "Fatherly" love?

So come on and link up. Share with one another. Encourage. Leave kind words for each other.

All you need to do is:

1. Copy your blog post.
2. Click the link button down below.
3. Put in the requested info.
4. Let your readers know that you are linking up to minivan diva.
*Email me if you have questions.

Thanks to Erin and Hannah for participating last week. Please check out their blogs. They are both amazing mamas who have a ton of wisdom and creativity to share.

Much love,
Katie