Hey guys. Weird weather. Football did its thing. And here we are. Monday. Congrats to Pats and Seahawks fans.

If you’re new here, welcome.

Let’s get into it.

Anyone else feel like you’re always on the way to something?

One of those weekends where you bounce from practice to practice, squeeze in a birthday party, grab food on the fly, and suddenly it’s Sunday night again wondering where the time went.

Even the “fun” stuff can start to feel stressful when you’re always watching the clock and thinking about where you need to be next.

That’s the part of dad life we don’t always talk about. The mental load of being in motion. Of feeling like if you slow down, something will fall apart.

But not every moment needs to be maximized. Not every gap needs to be filled. Not every weekend needs to be packed.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is let the day breathe. Sit still for a bit. Be fully where you are instead of half-present and half-rushing.

The world will keep moving. It’s okay to loosen the grip on the schedule once in a while.

Nick Sabio is an associate pastor in Laguna Hills and a dad of three kids, ages eight, five, and three.

The hardest part of parenting for him is learning how to hold the same core values while applying them differently to each child. Extending grace while still calling them toward growth isn’t easy, but it’s the work.

The most rewarding moments are simple ones. Being invited into their world. Hearing “I love you.” Watching them show kindness and hospitality to others.

The advice that stuck most is timeless: the best thing you can do for your kids is love their mother well.

His non-negotiable is legendary. Every Thursday night is Slumber Party Night. Mattresses on the living room floor. Movies, games, snacks, and staying up way too late.

Follow him at @sicknabio or @lazarusoverlandfam. Read our interview with Nick here.

My wife got me this headlamp for Christmas bc my kids broke or hid all my other ones.

This one is surprisingly legit and under $20 bucks. It’s so bright a car beeped at me while walking the dog.

Get it here.

Most days don’t go off the rails because of the cookie. They go off the rails because of the second story we tell ourselves after it.

“I already messed up.” “So screw it.”

That’s the trap. One off-plan choice doesn’t require a follow-up mistake. It just requires… going back to normal.

The rule: mess up → reset → move on. No drama. No guilt spiral. No turning a speed bump into a ditch.

So we just dropped a new series called ‘What We Drove,’ and this first episode came out of a very real conversation we were having at home.

We’ve got our third kid coming any day now, and suddenly the question wasn’t what do we want to drive…it was what actually works.

We’re not nerding out on specs or trim levels. We’re just sharing our real experience with a minivan, and if that thought has crossed your mind at all, this might be worth a watch.

We talk through the practical side of the decision: space, routines, comfort, and how a vehicle fits the season of life you’re in as a dad.

Watch it here.

PS: Episode 2 of our ‘Go West’ series drops in February