travel Archives - Simply Happenstance

Maui Trip // Life in Photos

May 1, 2014

:: Maui Trip // Life in Photos ::

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since we left for our getaway to Maui, Hawaii! We had about three months leading up to the trip to prepare and anticipate all the fun we would have. Of course, five nights away flew by so quickly! Now it seems as if it were only a mere dream! I’ve had so much fun looking through our photos and thought that I’d share some favorites with you, but first…

This was a trip for just the two of us! That’s right! {My saint of a mom willingly volunteered to watch our four little ones for the time we were gone! She didn’t just meet their everyday needs, you guys… she continued to homeschool them! We are so blessed by her! Thanks, Mom! You’re seriously –THE BEST!}

So, back to this “Vacation Husby” of mine… he was completely carefree and present! You see, he didn’t have to wake up at 4 a.m. to go to work, make his two-hour commute, run to Trader Joe’s for me on his way home after a 72-hr. shift, fold laundry, cook dinner, or help with the bedtime routine! This guy was STRESS-FREE… and was clearly loving it! It was ah-mazing, if I do say so myself!

In all honesty, it really was a break that we both needed! Since our move last July to the mountains, and the start of our homeschooling journey this school year, I hadn’t been away from the kids {not even for a yoga class}. As much as I love and adore them… I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with life and the day-to-day routine. {I’m sure many of you can relate!} [Read more…]

Date Day in Old Towne Orange

February 13, 2014

:: Date Day in Old Towne Orange ::

Last week, this super cute guy and I had a daytime date. We dropped the kids off at his mom’s house… and spent some time meandering around Old Towne Orange. It’s not a place we normally go to, when we have time away from the kids {maybe because it’s so familiar}, but for some reason… I had wanted to walk around our old stomping grounds. Perhaps it was the thought of Valentine’s Day being in the near future that had me hoping to revisit where we started… the place where our relationship began, and our love bloomed… more than sixteen years ago.

We spent the afternoon wandering around the circle, taking our time sifting through the old antique stores, and dawdling in the quaint boutiques. [Read more…]

Weekend Lovelies {favorite things}

January 25, 2014

:: Weekend Lovelies {favorite things} ::

Hey, hey… happy weekend, friends! Nicole and I hope that you all have had a fabulous week! We’ve been keeping busy with our little ones! In addition to the normal weekly activities, both of our families have set aside time for beach days. Fortunately, we were able to soak up the sunshine before it became overcast and a bit cooler here in Southern California. We know much of the country has literally been freezing! If that’s you… we sincerely hope you’ve been able to stay warm, and have had lots of opportunities to cozy-up to those you adore most!

So… we have some really fabulous finds to share with you below! We hope that you enjoy them! Also… in case you missed it, Bethany U. was the winner of our darling bracelet giveaway from Stella & Dot! {Congrats!!!} Don’t forget… if you are a blogger or Etsy Shop owner, you can now link-up to our Lovelies post Saturday-Sunday! We hope that you’ll join us in the fun, and spread the word! Enjoy the weekend! {xo}

[Read more…]

Family Time

May 2, 2013

:: FAMILY TIME ::

I’ve been having a hard time accepting how much time my family spends away from each other… whether it’s Husby at work for days at a time at the fire station, or just the kids weekly schedule with school and other activities. As much as I try to soak up quality time with my family during the week, it never seems like we get enough. Our schedule seems consumed by the runaround schedule of drop-offs, pick-ups, homework, and other obligations…. as I guess it would with four children.

So… just over a week ago, Husby and I decided to forget about the never ending to-do list at home and take our two youngest to the beach while our older boys were at school. It seemed horribly wrong to leave Ryan and Seth out of the fun…. but I reminded myself that they had this alone time with us when they were little, too {right?}! We packed up a picnic lunch and headed to one of our favorite secluded spots in Laguna Beach….