Halloween 2013

At the Pumpkin Patch with my honey.

I'm always really excited when the kids will humor me by partaking in the pumpkin patch tradition. 

Cole as "Shaggy".

Emerson as "Waldo".

Soleil as a squaw.

Evie as "Alice" (again).

Me as "Marie Antoinette". 

I LOVE fall! It's my very favorite time of year. Sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes and leaves, leaves, leaves, leaves, leaves. This time of year always inspires me to blog. 

I hope you're enjoying the beauty of the season, too.

Hugs, Heather

One Groovy Birthday

Here's a funny story that you'll appreciate.

Last summer Emerson turned twelve. We had a really fun bonfire at Carmel Beach to celebrate. We had arrived early with Emerson and a few of his pals to get set up and get the fire going before the throngs arrived. (He'd invited the entire 7th grade.) Just a few minutes before "go time" I looked up from the fire to see Em's friend, we'll call him Will, pick something up out of the sand. He held it up to get a better look and I could see that it was a clear plastic container the size and shape of a film canister. Inside there were two...well I couldn't tell what they were. So I said, "Will. Bring that over here."

"What is it, Mrs. Stewart?" he asked as he handed it over.
"I don't know," I lied as he scampered back to join his pals in the ice plant.

Well, I didn't know for sure what it was, but I felt fairly certain that the clear plastic canister with the two dried herbaceous looking "flowers" inside was not something I wanted in my hand just when I was expecting a bunch of parents to be dropping off their 7th graders in my charge.

I looked around quickly for a place to get rid of my stash. I though about burying it in the sand, but I wasn't keen on the idea of another 12 year old finding it again in the future.

I thought about stashing it in my purse. But then I realized that I was likely to forget about it entirely for months until I was about to go through security at the San Francisco International when I would wonder if I had any nail clippers in my purse that would be confiscated. Gulp. Yikes! Bad Idea. Do not put it in your purse. Mucho bad idea.

But what was I supposed to do with it?! I was starting to panic! Parents were going to be arriving any second!

Then I had a brilliant idea. I would burn the evidence. It would burn to oblivion and no one would ever have to know. Yes. Perfect. Brilliant. Do it fast. Before any parents get here. But don't burn the plastic. Imagine the toxins and there are kids around! Yes. Good. Take off the top and dump it in the flames.

So anyone who has any experience with such things will know that this was NOT a brilliant idea. And I knew it too just a split second after the buds hit the flames. That was one groovy bonfire. And for about 20 minutes Dave had to stand guard at the bottom of the stairs, upwind of our fire, to cut parents off at the pass.

My Poor Neglected Blog...

I know I've been shamefully neglecting my blog so I thought I would post these videos - the last few from our sailing trip to the Caribbean last year. You haven't seen them yet. Enjoy! Hugs, H

"Sail on the Wild Side" Chapter 8 - Belize City & Inland

"Sail on the Wild Side" Chapter 9 - Southern Belize

"Sail on the Wild Side" Chapter 10 - Long Way Home

"Sail on the Wild Side" Chapter 11 - San Blas Islands, Panama


"Sail on the Wild Side" Chapters 1-7

'Twas Two Weeks After Christmas

'Twas two weeks after Christmas when all through the house,
Not a twinkle light twinkled to the joy of my spouse.
The stockings were nestled all back in their crates
Along with the snow globes and fancy red plates.

The ham, long since finished, the soup from it, too.
The yams were delicious, but those days are through.
The fire'd gone cold, having not one more log.
And the fridge was entirely void of egg nog.

The paper 'twas crinkled and thrown in the trash.
The bows piled high for the children to smash.
A plain silver tack was all that remained
In the place on the wall 'twhere the mistletoe hanged.

The poinsettia was dropping one leaf at a time.
It's depressing to see it as bare as a vine.
So to the back porch that plant had to go,
In hopes that no neighbor would see it like so.

The tree, it was gone, and the ornaments, too.
The needles turned brown, not much I could do.
With one kid in tears it was dragged to the curb,
"To cut down a tree for a month is absurd!"

The children were sent back to school on Tuesday, 

The toys, long forgotten. The bill, on the way. 

Their rooms are still messy with nowhere to sit

With all those new toys like that model car kit. 

My house now feels empty and quiet and cold.
"You should be happy." To myself, I do scold.
But, alas, I'm all misty and just have to say
A year 'til next Christmas seems a long way away.

Happy New Year

The Best of 2012

“ A Series of Interviews and Interpretations”

Me: “Honey, I’m writing our Christmas letter. What was your favorite part of 2012?”

Dave: “Ummmm. I’ll give you one guess.” 

My Interpretation: “Peach, you know my favorite part of every year is being married to you. And after 16 years, I’m still head over heels for you. You’re an amazing wife and mom, and I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

Me: “Cole, Christmas letter. What were your highlights of 2012?”

Cole: “Mom, ugh! Seriously? That’s so lame.”

Mom’s Interpretation: “Jolly good, Mom. Highlights of 2012 were getting my driver’s permit in July and torturing you with my mad driving skills. Oh, and having a girlfriend and being MVP on my JV water polo team.Thanks for writing the Christmas Letter again this year, Mom. You’re the best.”

Me: “Em, tell me your favorite thing from 2012 for the Christmas Letter.”

Em: “Coming home from our sailing trip and going back to school and seeing my friends. And put something in there about water polo.”

Mom’s Interpretation: “Wow. Our 5 month sailing trip aboard ‘Balance’ was such an enriching experience, Mom. It was a real highlight of my year. I really grew as a person and learned a lot. You and Dad are amazing (although a little crazy) to take us on such fun adventures. I was glad to come home to the 7th grade and see my pals. And I’m pretty proud of my stellar backhand shot in water polo. I love you, Mom.”

Me: “Evie, girl. Tell me the best part of 2012.”

Evie: “Black Friday.”

Mom’s Interpretation: “Well, I’m really excited to be turning double digits soon, Mom, and I’m feeling entirely grown up now that I’m almost 10.  And I can’t wait to get my ears pierced because you and Daddy promised I could get my ears pierced when I’m 10. And I’ll be 10 on Christmas Eve, Mom. Don’t forget. And I love it when you let me wear make-up on the weekends sometimes, Mom. And I love spending special time with you, Mom. Like when we went shopping together on Black Friday. You’re my favorite person to hang out with, Mom. You’re my BFF!”

Me: “Soleil Mia, tell Mama your best, favorite thing from this year.”

Soleil: “I don’t know. Going to Evie’s birthday party?”

Eve (from the kitchen): “You better not put that in the letter, Mom!”

Me: “Shoosh. It’s not your turn. Go ahead Soli.”

Soleil: “Mom, that’s all. I’m playing Webkinz right now.”

Mom’s Interpretation: “Gee, Mom. Let me think. Well, you know I’m a pretty easy going kid being the youngest of four and all. I pretty much have fun tagging along after all the Sibs. And I do enjoy the first grade so. Especially when you make me sit still and practice my sight words. It’s fantastic. So fun. I love it. And you know I love to carry around our new black kitty and not set her down for an hour straight sometimes until she finally scratches me because she has to go potty. That’s fun. But that’s all I can think of right now, Mom, because I’m working on my computer literacy. Thanks for asking! You’re the best mom in the whole world!”

I hope your silver lining is as shiny as ours. (It’s all a matter of interpretation.) 

Happy Holidays, 

The Stewarts

Dave & Heather 

Cole (16 in January), Emerson (12 1/2), Eve (almost 10), & Soleil (6 1/2)