Happy Birthday

Lucky #7

:: Happy Birthday ::

Happy Birthday to Mason!  I can’t believe he is lucky #7! How can that be?!? I know as kids we were told by our parents that time really does fly once you have children….and they are so very right! Mason entered this lovely world on a hot November day.  The year he was born was one of the hottest summers that we had here in Southern California.  Yes, I know I was pregnant and most women claim that the year they were pregnant was super hot, but it truly was {I have a list of friends that can attest to this, wink}.  I remember having to leave the hospital in shorts, all of which is the last piece of clothing a mother of a fall baby wants to be wearing after having a child.  I pray you Mama’s out there never have to experience that.  Heat and pregnancy really don’t mix.

I can go on and on about my pregnancy, delivery, etc., but what is most important is what his birth and life have taught me.  I do believe I was truly chosen to be Mason’s mama.  He has opened my eyes and heart to more life than I have ever expected.  You see I think we all have in mind how life will be and how things will go during and after our pregnancy.  All of the baby books filled with information on what to do and how to do it all makes it seem as though raising a child can be and will be a text book situation.  What I have learned as a mother is that more often than not, raising a child or a baby generally does not follow a guideline or a particular path.

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Celebrating Age

Life is adventure

 :: Celebrating Age ::

Last week I had the pleasure of celebrating my Grandma’s lovely age of 91.  I write this post with a full heart, as my grandmother has been a big figure in my life.  She is a little lady full of sass, spirit, and love.  My grandma, as I had always called her “little grandma”, Blanca had always lived near by. For most of my childhood she lived around the block from my family, and for a small amount of time my sister Candice and I lived with her and my grandfather (along with my mom) in their house after my parents’ divorce.  I cannot put into words how much I love her.  She has taught me that life is an adventure.  She is of Spanish and French decent.  Her parents moved to Mexico from Spain where they raised their large brood of children. They were well to do and of high society at the time, so in turn, my grandma Blanca has always had a fashionable air about her.  I have always remembered being in the back seat of her Cadillac and listening to Linda Ronstadt.  She loves shopping and shoes. To this day she will ask me to switch shoes with her.  My sister and I would love to play house with all of her amazing boxed shoes and small mink coats. She owned costume jewelry and fun wigs when she was in between hair washes. [Read more…]

It’s {simply} Our One Year Blogiversary!

 

SIMPLY IS ONE YEAR!

It’s hard to believe… but it’s been ONE YEAR since we created and started blogging on Simply Happenstance! To celebrate, we had our talented friend and sorority sister, Candace Rock, take our photos!

We’ve learned so much over the past year… in fact, I think we both deserve honorary degrees in Technology and Social Media! There have been many highs and lows on this journey… but all-in-all, we are both so grateful for our site, for our loyal readers, for everyone we’ve met through social media, and most of all, for having each other to lean on throughout the past year. We’ve both driven our husbands completely crazy with late nights on the computer, tech lingo, and blog talk…. but, they’ve both been our biggest fans and sources of support! We can’t forget about our moms who seriously “like” all that we do and post on Facebook! Ha! Somedays… we think they may be the only two reading what we have written! {Thanks, P & P!}

We are very excited for what the future holds for {simply}. We now have advertising through BlogHer and Google, we’ve written two articles for a local magazine…. and have even worked with a few big brands! We are hopeful that with continued hard work, we will be able to encourage other moms and engrain a message for women to take time for themselves daily to do what they love and are passionate about. Hopefully our site brings smiles, laughs, a focus on the positive, and the lovely things in life. All too often, we get stuck in negativity, comparing ourselves to others, and only looking to the future to bring happiness instead of living in the ‘now.’ We both strive to keep things simple in our families, and to become more and more present with our children. We hope that message gets across in our online journaling. 

We really hope that you will continue to stick by us on this journey. We adore your comments, feedback, and support! Words simply can’t express our gratitude for you reading our blog!

By the way…. instead of {weekend} lovelies… we decided to link some of our favorite posts and recipes from the past year!

Simply-52

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Sensory Bags

Sensory Bags

:: Sensory Bags ::

School has been back in session for approximately a month now.   We are still working out the kinks and are preparing ourselves for the upcoming homework load that will start next week.  These sensory bags are a project that I sought out for Mason to help him prepare for doing homework and transitioning time in the classroom.   As some of you readers may know, my son is on the Autism Spectrum.  I have written about my experience with Autism {here and here} and have had hopes to help others whom are in the midst of the chaos of their diagnosis.  We keep Mason on a sensory diet, in which we use methods of physical activity before and during school to keep him focused in the classroom. 

In school he has a quiet corner and a box of small items in which he can use to play with that allow him to get back on task.  I thought these sensory bags would be a great fidget toy for his box at school, as well as at home.  These sensory bags are terrific for any child that may need a break in-between tasks or long periods of home work.  These squeezable bags, that are filled with a jelly material, allow a child to regroup and organize their thoughts when they’re distracted by their environment.  Mason’s sensory issues cause him to be overloaded by the activities on the playground, making it hard for him to transition from the play yard to the classroom after lunch.  [Read more…]

So Here We Are…

 viewSo here we are… still in the beginning of our family adventure. It’s been two and a half months since our big move to the mountains, and we are now a solid month into our homeschooling journey. I thought it was about time for an update.

I’d be lying if I said the ‘simple life’ has been completely dreamy. There have been unexpected hiccups along the way. For one thing, I think I had forgotten the pain that comes with moving… both physical and emotional. My dad recently reminded me that moving is probably a lot like childbirth. You tend to forget the misery involved {I definitely found that to be true}. A move is generally a big adjustment for any family. For us, it seemed even more difficult going from a busy city life… to the quietness and simplicity of the mountains.

photo 3

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Nearly a Decade…

 

Nearly a decade…. I can’t believe it, Ry. It’s been nearly a decade of hugs, kisses, cuddles and sweet, thoughtful conversations with you. Nearly a decade of reading books, exploring the outdoors, answering your questions, going on walks, praying with you, and tucking you in at night.

Being my firstborn… it’s amazing how much I remember about your sweet personality growing up… your likes, dislikes, and little quirks. I remember each major milestone as if it’s permanently etched into my mind. It’s so special being the first… in so many ways. You see, you will always hold such a sacred space in my heart, because you were the child who first made me a mother. The child who taught me patience, and an unfathomable type of love {the most exceptional form}, that which is unconditional.

When you were a baby, you loved looking at books from the earliest age. In fact, when you were only weeks old, you were completely mesmerized by my colorful psychology books placed on the shelves. When you were slightly older, you would wake up and spend several minutes thumbing through board books. If I came in before you were finished, you would get upset… indicating a desire for a few more minutes with your books. It was the sweetest thing! By the age of three, you were doing 100-piece puzzles in a flash! By the age of 4, you told everyone that when you grew up, you were going to be a Paleontologist. You have always loved learning… for the sake of learning! It is so beautiful to bear witness to….

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