the simple

When Kevin and I had our day together to celebrate his birthday, we cruised the downtown shops on Del Mar Street in our old stomping grounds of San Clemente.

As we casually strolled under the shade of trees and randomly popped through shops, we eyed this shirt.



It describes my favorite dude perfectly.

1. He is a gifted musician. I still swoon like I did at 16 when I heard him sing and strum his guitar.
2. He has nailed the ability to live simply like it's nobody's business. In fact when we were 16 his plan sounded like this:

Me: Are you ever going to get your driver's license?

Kev: No. I don't see the need. I plan on living where everything is close enough to ride a bike.

Me: How are going to get your kids to soccer practice?

Kev: They'll ride their bikes.

Me: Silence.

I still married him 5 years later.

I've been thinking about the shirt all week. Okay, not really about the shirt, but the message.





Live Simply has been echoing in my heart and head day after day and it has been the catalyst for me to capture the simple in our daily grind. So often I am caught up in the complicated. It weighs me down and evaporates the joy from my happy bucket.







For it is the simple that fills our happy tank more than anything else. However, it is too easy to become blind to the simple. It hovers in corners instead of glaring in front of us.

I had to put on my simple seeker sensors and soak it in like I've never done before. And as this week is coming to a close, I can tell you that if you were to wring my heart at this precise moment that it would produce enough joy from the simple to overflow my happy bucket.




*excuse the raw naked chicken



Even when an urgent school call alarming me of a bloody head tried to rob my joy bank, a quick hug, kiss, a few stitches, and a scoop of mint chip handcuffed that joy stealing bandit just in time.







What about you? Are you letting the simple knock your socks off? What is the simple in your life that is overflowing your happy bucket?

In honor of the hub's shirt's message and his amazing ability to live simply, I am having a give-away with his CD. Here are the rules:
1. Follow minivan diva and let me know in the comment section.
2. Encourage your blog friends to visit minivan diva and check out the give-away. Leave a comment if you've done this.
3. Grab my button and let me know. If you do, I'll add yours!

You have a total of 3 entries for winning the CD! I don't mess around. A winner will be announced on Tuesday.

If you want to check it out, click here.

Much love,
Katie

*There are going to be some up-coming changes to the blog. Stay tuned! Love you all.
*Linking up with sweet Casey.

spoonful of sugar

We weren't sure if we were heading the right way until we saw a long line of women. Lots and lots of women who were chatting in small groups as they waited for the gates to open. Many were strapped with a sure sign of a true blogger: their cameras.



We knew we had arrived at Blog Sugar. I immediately started giggling in the car with my friends, Erin and Mandy. As excited as we were to meet other bloggers and acquire new blogging knowledge, we could not help but feel like we were attending a high school reunion except:
1. It was all (almost all) women.
2. Most of the gals have never met in real life.

My awkward switch flipped on as soon as I approached the gates. I was nervous about recognizing blogging friends, but not having them know who I was. I spotted several bloggers who I frequently read, but kept to myself in fear of appearing stalkerish.

I had two friends of mine with me so I was able to avoid major awkwardness.

Mandy, Erin and I were spot on for the biggest trend of the day: Brown Boots.

Let's play How Many Pairs of Brown Boots Can You Find? Seriously, it's like where's Waldo.



Erin was all over the cotton candy. She's on some crazy, heath kick which prohibits most carbs, but girlfriend was breaking the rules for Blog Sugar. She wouldn't want to be a poor sport, you know.



All awkwardness aside, the event was awesome. The creativity, decor, give-aways, speakers and food were top notch. It was evident that a lot of love was poured into this event.











Getting to get away for a day with friends and work my stomach muscles with laughter so hard that I woke up with a 6 pack, made the day extra wonderful.

Meeting bloggy friends face-to-face was a true highlight. Getting a chance to see the person who inspired me to join blogland and her new baby was the cherry on top. You must go visit Greta's blogs.



If you were there, what was your favorite part of the event?

Much love,
Katie

life lesson from a treadmill

As I reached the 45 minute mark on the revolving torture belt otherwise known as the treadmill, I glimpsed down at the control board to adjust my settings in order to prepare for my cool down.



For the 1st time, I stared at the words and matching illustrations and listened as they spoke to me with 2 simple words.

"Ascent"

"Speed"

I thought to myself, "Isn't that what my life is all about?"

For I am on the endless treadmill of life. I'm one of those girls who is always climbing up to the next height. I can't stay for a bit and enjoy the view from the plateau. I'm not one to embrace the pauses in life. The thought of stopping the ascent frightens me a bit....a lot.

I'm not much better in the speed department either. I am in constant speed mode. The faster the better. Time is not my friend when it is slow. It makes me uncomfortable. I am anxiously planning one day from the next. I am always looking how we can get to the next phase the fastest way possible. And yet when we get to the next phase, I sit in discontent that I didn't enjoy the previous phase more and soak in the moments with greater intention.

I swore I'd never race through life again after we struggled through the hub's cancer diagnosis. But, here we are back on the treadmill of life.

As I stared at the simple stick figures illustrating incline and speed, I could envision drawing on some hair, gym clothes, a handbag, and a i-phone in hand.

Instead of Nameless Stick Figure, it would be Me.

The girl climbing despite being exhausted. The mama cruising too quickly even though her heart desires to slow down and take it all in.

As my feet slowly found a new rhythm while I cooled down, I stared at the bold red button which shouted to me in a way it never has before.

STOP.

I need that stop button in my life. I need to get off the incline and ignore the speed which I so easily fall prey to.

And so this weekend, I will stop.



I will watch with less distraction.





I will listen with greater purpose.



I will be present and truly find pleasure in the here and now.










I will appreciate the simple instead of being absorbed in the complicated.





I will belly laugh often.



And I will learn. I am reading this book for Luke.



He has Asperger's Syndrome. I am trying to understand his world instead of trying to force him to understand my world. I'm learning that his world isn't wrong. It is just different.

I like different.

Just when I think there's something he'll never do, like play a spontaneous game of soccer with his younger brother, he pulls out his bag of tricks.



I hope you enjoyed your weekend, friends. Did you make it a good one and create some memories?



Much love,
Katie

Linking up here with Jami.

that kid

See that kid peeking in the background?



Doesn't he look so shy and sweet?

Well, let me tell ya. I could go on and tell you about how we worked with him for the entire summer on saying "I don't like" instead of "I hate."

I could elaborate on the fact of how he's going to give me premature grey hairs when he is around his brothers due to his spunkiness.

However, I rather share with you the fact that I love him to pieces despite the fact that he has challenged me more than the other 2 combined.

But, I know that he was given that spunkiness for a reason. He will use it well later in life. I know he will.



And now that the 2 of us get one-on-one time during the day, that kid loves on me like none other.

We hold hands, give hugs and kisses, and declare "I love you's" like they are going out of style.

He's stretching me to be a better mama, even though I feel like I'm stumbling on this motherhood gig on most days.

I love that kid to the moon and back.

Much love,
Katie

*linking up with the Anderson Crew

san clemente with my sweetie

If there is a reason I can think of for dropping the kids off with the grandparents for a day, Kevin's birthday qualifies under the "we deserve the day off" list.

We don't get babysitters often and when we have our parents watch the boys, we split them up so that no one ends of with all 3 boys. It is for both their sanity and our peace of mind.

Do you have 3 boys close in age?

Enough said. You know where I'm coming from.

So we went back to our old stomping grounds in San Clemente. We left the sleepy beach town 2 years ago for more affordable housing in the town where we grew up. We were also looking to have more open space and less of an OC lifestyle.

We miss it and yet we know we are where we are supposed to be for now.

Kevin and I had a real heart to heart talk as we strolled on the beach walk. We've done the walk a million times before, but it was always with our kids.



To have the crashing waves and salty air as our companions while we laid out some big stuff on our hearts was good for our souls.



We often feel like passing ships in our marriage. We know it is just the stage of life with littles, but we miss each other. We are saddened that a majority of our conversations take place via email or text.

There are days when we feel like we are squeezing the lemon juice of life into a glass. No matter how much we squeeze our hands around that lemon, it seems like the glass is not quite at the half way mark; leaving it more empty than full. Sometimes the lemons run dry, but when we go back for the very last squeeze, a few drops fall into the glass bringing it fullness.

And on simple days of beach walking, Del Mar Street shopping, Mexican food eating, and dessert splurging, life is so full it hurts.









So today, I encourage you to seek the fullness and a squeeze it until the juice runs dry.

Much love,
Katie
*Linking up with Heather and Jami.

it's a god thing weekend link-up

Now it's your turn!
-Let your readers know you're here by linking up or including a button.
-Leave some sweet, kind words for others.

Much love,
Katie

randoms and losing it

When you have school, karate, and Back to School Night on the hub's birthday, something has to give.

Like homemade decorations.









You like my 1st attempt at making a banner?

I'm not crafty, peeps.We went ghetto banner style, yo. Construction paper, stickers, and dot art paint.

You may especially swoon over my method of keeping it attached to the wall.



Sorry, but I won't be doing a give away with my banners or opening an etsy shop anytime soon. I have to hoard my crazy talent to myself.

It's all good. The kids had fun and Kev had a lil' surprise when he walked in the door after a stressful day at work.

And to top my Martha abilities, we made brownies from a box.The rainbow candies had my kids at hello.I kinda thought they were pretty too and the fact that they were on sale made them a done deal.





Luke is suddenly self conscious about what he's wearing now that he's in 3rd grade. My kiddo with asperger's is suddenly aware of what is socially cool. It's good and bad. I found the purple VANS shirt hidden in his closet. He told me boys at his school don't wear purple.



The next day, I had my 1st day of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting. I am a table leader and thought I should look somewhat pulled together when I met my new table friends.I even pulled out the flat iron for my mullet that still has not been cut. I am thinking that I can almost pull off a bob by now.



As I was doing my hair I noticed this on my hair dryer.



That can't be safe, right???

So I was feeling it since I was actually dressed, had my hair done and make-up on my sleep deprived face.I thought, "this day is going to rock."

It started out with a bang and then slowly unraveled.

This kid.



He almost pulled an entire bookcase down on himself at the book fair.I left a sweaty, flustered mess.

Later, as I was in the kitchen, Charlie ran in and told me that Jack broke this in the backyard. Remember when it looked cute after the boys' bedroom make-over.

Well, it is no longer.



He is trouble. I love him to pieces, but I should have named him Trouble.

To top off my losing it state of mind. I threw away the water table, toy tub, and all the little water toys in the backyard.



I declared it a trampoline area only. The water has been a major source of trouble all summer and somehow the shattered mason jar, put me over the edge. Do not fear, I will replace the table and water toys (maybe) once Jack learns that emerging himself in the toy bucket filled with water right before soccer practice or turning the hose on and spraying water through our screens into the house does not make for a happy mama.

Oh, and this may be an issue I need to deal with.



So there you have it. I'm a freak. I have my limits. They have been reached. I am officially losing it.
And I'm completely okay with it because I know today is a new day.

Much love,

Katie