This weekend was a fest in our hometown and wow! If there is ever proof that you can have a blast without spending a dollar, this was it! Music Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday. Sunday we danced in the rain. That’s three days of live music, dancing, and seeing Grandma and Grandpa. And Saturday was paddleboats with Daddy.

Love love love love love being able to walk to music. I wish Fest time was every weekend … next weekend is Labor Day and parades along with friends … good times again but for now, work J

Happy Monday everyone!

watching Aaron balance on ice skates for the first time, topple, get back up, then pull me to the ice … well, definately a treat. I can’t wait until we go again. Maybe next time i won’t have to half carry him (his version of dancing) around the ice! I’m so glad he liked it though!!

just found out Cinderella is coming to a theatre near us right by my birthday. The Rodgers and Hammerstein version. Totally taking my brown eyed boy.

Happiness is this right here …

Thanks for reading about my amazing life.

How’s yours going?

K

www.teambeachbody.com/kataveryheart

www.thesimplificationproject.tumblr.com

Lots of times in the car Aaron and I sing. One of my goals (and I’m not 100% successful) is to spend the time Aaron and I have in the car - with Aaron. Talking, singing, looking out the window, talking about school - whatever. The goal - ultimately - is not to succumb to electronic entertainment, or me talking on the phone. Sometimes I have a call I have to take and on really long car trips (Florida anyone?) and once to school, I’ve given in to YouTube.

But I count those as failures and mostly we are engaged, and at most, he has books to read for entertainment when I don’t suffice.

The Wheels on the BUs get old after a while, so we, like everyone else in the world, have added people to the bus. Animals to the bus. We’ve thrown things out the second story window … THere’s lots of things we’ve done to make the songs slightly different. Well, last week we took the Ants go Marching in and made it all about Lions, then Hippos, then Dogs … Kind of like with the Farmer in the Dell.

Now we took the 12 Days of Christmas and made it into The First Day in the Jungle … it’s really cute. For my nephews birthday Aaron and I made it into a little book and that’s the card that goes with the present. Of course Aaron has his own copy. It’s just a silly little thing but it’s the first thing Aaron and I have done creatively together that I feel like he really took part in. I’m sure he won’t remember but for me .. you guessed it. It’s my amazing of this week.

Speaking of - Bruce ran 16 miles this morning. I did Kenpo X and then Aaron and I walked to the Farmer’s Market, watched Trains at the Train Station, and then all around our town. Now I’m watching them play Rock Band (Bruce is playing, Aaron is “playing” :-)), and next we’ll head to my nephew’s 4th birthday. What a blessed life we lead …

Thanks for reading. What was your amazing for the week?

K

www.teambeachbody.com/kataveryheart

www.thesimplificationproject.tumblr.com

We went to Barrington to have dinner but found a farmer’s market because theirs is on Thursday night instead of Saturday like the one in our home town, or Sunday morning like the town over. We are becoming Farmer’s Market’s connesiours (geesh! that spelling!) Walking through it we found a car show that perusing, we found a lamborghini. Just a fun thing. On the street and heading for dinner none of us really wanted, we saw … wait for it … the Batmobile. Really. the 1960’s Adam West version. Pretty awesome. I have a pic somewhere of a cop standing near it, he looks like he’s giving them a ticket.

We had ice cream for dinner, Bruce and I talking while Aaron danced around in the window of a faded ice cream shoppe. Faded as in shabby chic, not really old.

or

We went to Arlington Heights intending to have frozen yogurt for dinner but after that (this was a week or two later), we heard music and started following the band, as it were. We found the fest they happen to have that weekend. There was music, outdoor vendors, and general fun. And a friend I haven’t seen in 10 years. Kismet? Fate? God?

or

Bruce was exhausted after running so after we dragged him to a farmer’s market, Aaron and I headed to the Renaissance Faire. We spent the afternoon looking at the frogs, sifting through sand, and wandering, talking to random faire goers and merry makers. It sounds expensive but we brought in his food and were only there a few hours, so it doesn’t end up being.

or

we could sit on the couch, and not do anything. Which is not to say that doesn’t happen. This past weekend Aaron was sick. Hand, foot, and mouth disease. All we did was sleep, eat, and hold him. Because sometimes that’s what a family does. But the rest of the time … the labyrinthe from your couch to amazing can be as easy to cross as walking out the door and down the street. How will you get there?

thanks for reading!
K

www.teambeachbody.com/kataveryheart

www.thesimplificationproject.tumblr.com (day 2, week 2 p90x!)

Aaron and I spent Saturday morning volunteering for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. If you are around on Sept 29th and able to walk a 5k - or just want to show up for support, come join us. Details at www.afsp.org. we accept donations for the silent auctions, for the cause, and offer support. I love taking Aaron to volunteer and hope that, as he gets older, he will learn about volunteering simply by it being a part of who we are. It is never to old to teach a child that some people need help and we can provide it.

The other pic is one of my cousin Paul with Aaron. They have a really special connection and I love watching them together. In addition to volunteering, we had dinner with Paul and hung out at the park. Plus a birthday party for one of Aaron’s cousins (my cousin’s daughter) put us around family again. Life is good :-)

Thanks for reading!
K

www.thesimplificationproject.tumblr.com

8/4/2012

It’s the beginning of a new month (can you believe it’s been 8 months???) and I’ve decided not to do the Chicago Marathon. I just don’t believe 26 miles should be run … by my feet. I am super sad about it and I know that when I watch Bruce line up I will wish I was with him. But I know that 14 miles in I would be wishing I wasn’t on my own on that course. I am going to do the half in Disney in January. Excited about that.

So … amazing … last night Aaron and I went for dinner with my cousin Paul. Aaron and Paul have this incredible bond and it is awesome to me to witness my little boy interact with someone else on such a level. He knows Paul, he remembers him, his bracelets (he wears those bracelets for causes)? He teases Paul. I love it.

So … maybe not exciting, but spending time with them, for me? Amazing. Awesome. and Grace. Especially after a day, you know? It makes everything good and right again.

Thanks for reading,

K

Well, I did it. It’s not fiction and it’s not poetry but it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a while, so I did it and within a few days you can pay $2.99 to find out how Aaron and I entertain ourselves. Or you can read it here :-)

10 Easy Ways to Connect With Your Toddler or Young Child

(while working full time!)

Table of Contents

1.       Weekends Aren’t the Only Time for Fun!

2.       Museum Pass / Zoo Pass

3.       Kid’s Activities (Online)

4.       Local Area Events

5.       Taking a Walk

6.       Build a Book

7.       Cook Together

8.       Sing Songs

9.       Exercise

10.   Pray

I’m a little (a lot) nervous, but also super excited becaue now that I’ve done it once I feel like - Okay - I can do that again.

So .. okay .. that’s it. 7,000 or so words. In print. Online. For sale. In about 48 hours.

That is all.

Thanks for reading :-)

Kat

ps I still felt better when I was 12 and someone sent me a check for my poem but at least this time the writing isn’t depressing!

July 2012

In one little post …

I really want to keep this blog because I want to show the world that it’s possible to have kids and still be ACTIVE. And I think you can. That being said – apparently keeping a blog, being active, and having kids, is something I still haven’t mastered. And other people have. ((Sigh)) But WE have been doing things. We have been living the “keep active” and sort of the “keep it simple” thought process, although we’re going to spend the next six months making that more true rather than less. To start with, you should know, it’s 105 degrees here in Chicago. That’s record heat even for a place that loves to brags we’re 20 below once day and 90 and humid the next. It’s ridiculous. So looking for things to do has been … fun.

Fortunately we have all the usual stuff to keep us occupied, and a little more.

If family is all about fun and fun is all about spending time together, then June was that. We have been frequent walkers around our block (we’re going to go on another one as soon as I’m done with this blog), and we’re taking pictures to send to my cousin. Beth is a scientist and has offered to give us information about the plants and bugs in our area so that I can teach Aaron about them. My knowledge is limited but she’s going to shore me up so that he can have accurate information, so we’re going to make a book together!

Aaron loves to run around the block and has learned how to get to the ice cream store all by himself. Seriously. As soon as we get out, he’s off and running, so if we’re not on our way there, we have to head him off. In addition to walking and learning about our neighborhood, we’ve been spending time at family and friend parties. There was a Christening for Aaron’s cousins, Morgan and Taylor, a graduation party for Lexie (complete with pool and trampoline!), Evan’s baseball game (and Aaron’s first ice cream cone!). Plus there were things in the area – like a Zumba dance party I went to with my Aunt (for $10 you can Zumba with friends on a Friday night) or the Warrior Dash. Check out our covered with mud selves and the girl we met who, like us (or like Bruce, more likely), is training for the Chicago Marathon.  It only cost $30 to beat ourselves up and get covered in mud.

Honestly – it’s fantastic fun and last year, or the year before I could never have imagined doing it. There is something about being willing to put yourself out there and try things like that, even in the heat, that is incredibly rewarding. Not to mention the giant turkey leg afterward! And of course, there’s Vegas. This year Bruce and I have decided we need to get started helping other people live their best lives. And that meant getting on planes, leaving Aaron with my parents, and going to Vegas for Beachbody’s Summit. (www.teambeachbody.com/Kataveryheart) It is amazing how much that company and the products have done for us. I don’t think we would be doing all of the things we are doing without P90x or Shakeology – for us they are the gateway to running, to Turbo Kick to better lives. I hope that if you are reading this, you consider contacting me.

And not to buy something. Just because – if you’re stuck where we were stuck, in a cycle of weight gain and general yuck – well, I know how that feels. And I know how to get un stuck. Even if you never buy anything, I can listen and offer suggestions based on where I’ve been.

Anyway – I think that catches us up to end of June. Of course this week has been amazing. We went to the drive in … but I’ll save that for another post. Really. I’ll write it. I promise J

 And in the meantime, make it a great day and a fantastic weekend!

Thanks for reading!
Kat

www.teambeachbody.com/kataveryheart