'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)

To Do This Christmas

SPEND less ..... money. 

SPEND more .... time having "California Snow Ball" Fights with the kids. 

MAKE less .... lists.

MAKE more .... merry. 

DO less .... shopping. 

DO more .... baking with kids. 

HAVE less .... stress.

HAVE more .... singing. 

WATCH .... more Christmas movies with my kids.

WATCH .... less calories. 

BE Scrooge .... less. 

BE-lieve .... more. 

Wishing you a stress-free, merry-filled Christmas!

Hugs,

Heather

'Twas Two Weeks After Christmas...

'Twas two weeks after Christmas when all through the house,
Not a twinkled 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, it was suddenly void of egg nog.

The paper 'twas crinkled and thrown in the trash.
The bows, piled high then jumped on to smash.
A plain silver tack was all that remained
In the spot 'twhere the mistletoe used to be 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 were 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 it's 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 am told.
But, alas, I'm all misty and just have to say
A year 'til next Christmas seems a long way away.

Feliz Navidad

Christmas Day 2009
Eve - 7, Cole ~ 13, Soleil - 3 1/2, Emerson - 9 1/2

Our Christmas Card and Happy New Year!

A Christmas Song for 2008

(This Christmas letter is meant to be sung…out loud. Don’t cheat.)

Dashing through the year,
In a big, white SUV.
One thing sure is clear,
We're busy as can be.

Cole is getting tall.
He went off to middle school.
Water polo, basketball,
But mostly he's just cool.

Emerson is in third grade.
Flag football this past fall.
Wow, the ships he's made,
With Leggos, big and small.

Eve's our soccer girl.
Started kinder this year, too.
She loves to dance and twirl,
Paying mind to dress and shoe.

Soleil is talking now.
At two, she's so much fun.
Her favorite word is "ne-ow".*
Her name, in French, means sun.

Dave and I are grand.
We've been married twelve years, plus.
Built a cabin on our land;
A fishing shack for us.

We hope you're doing well,
And your lives are full and bright.
What fun it is to laugh and sing a Stewart Song tonight! Oh!

Wishing you peace and good health in 2009!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

...and this year, I got one! We're in Montana at our new cabin for the holidays and is it ever WHITE!! What fun! We got here last weekend and most of my family is here with us (including my parents, four of my five siblings, and my nephew). It has been snowing almost non stop since we arrived -- the sun just came out this afternoon for the first time in 9 days. The temperature has been ranging between 10-20 degrees (which for us California kids is burr ice!). But the cabin is oh-so-cozy. And it has been such fun to spend so much quality time with my adult siblings. We were snowed in all of Christmas Eve and Christmas day which was fun if not slightly claustraphobic for those of us used to being able to jump in our cars and go somewhere (anywhere) at a moment's notice. Evie's birthday was Christmas Eve. I can't believe my baby girl is already six years old!! Oh my! Where does the time go? But she had presents under her birthday tree, went sledding in the drive way, and made chocolate cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles (of course). It was a good day.

I hope you all had a very, merry Christmas and that the coming year brings peace and good health.

Cheers,
Heather

Our Christmas Card

A Few of Our Favorite Things

2007

Diapers all stacked up and preschool a plenty

Football on Mondays, guitar at six twenty

Two months in Antigua, but home for the Spring

These are a few of our favorite things.

Ballet and Cub Scouts and Allstars and soccer

Glasses for Coleman and Soli’s a walker!

Evie is five soon, I love when she sings

These are a few of our favorite things.

Laundry and dishes and warm bubble bath-es

Wet sloppy kisses and cho-co-late stashes

Knowing the joy that raising kids brings

These are a few of our favorite things.

Coleman is ten, seems so young yet so grown

Went with his dad and they hiked up Half Dome

Hoping we will be prepared for the “Teens”

These are a few of our favorite things.

Emerson’s seven and keeps us all smilin’

His heart’s made of gold and his hair’s always stylin’

He’s playing the guitar, just reaching the strings

These are a few of our favorite things.

Evie loves rainbows and drawing and soccer.

She’ll tell you about it, ‘cause she’s quite the talker.

She loves playing dress-up with purses and rings

These are a few of our favorite things.

Soli is one, she’s been with us a year now.

Time sure does fly, it’s amazing to see how…

Much our love’s grown and our hearts have new wings

These are a few of our favorite things.

We hope this card finds you enjoying the season

Come see us soon, for any ol’ reason.

Blessings to you, the peace Christmas brings

‘Cause you’re all a few of our favorite things!

Wishing you all our best in 2008,

The Stewart Family

Merry Christmas 2007!

O Tannenbaum!

Emerson was this year's self-proclaimed light expert.

Evie had more fun making "spaghetti" than decorating the tree.

Soli hanging one of the Bodegona balls that we saved from last year's Guatemala tree.

I just love this picture of Soli and her big, beautiful smile. She's a happy, happy girl but capturing her darling smile on camera isn't the easiest of tasks. She reminds me of Emerson that way...

Cutie sisters!

Christmas cookies!! Alas, Cole wasn't interested in partaking in the Christmas cookie baking this year.

And, of course, the all important sprinkles!!

We took the kids on the Christmas train this year which is modeled after the Polar Express. They serve unlimited cookies and hot chocolate and sing Christmas carols as the train tours the California countryside. The kids wear their pajamas and Santa comes to visit each car.

He was the sweetest Santa ever. He even made Dave get up and get a hug!

Check out Cole's new glasses...

Christmas Eve in their new Christmas jammies. When I was growing up we had a tradition that we would get to open one present on Christmas Eve. They were always new Christmas jammies. That's a tradition that I have continued with my kiddos.

Christmas morning!! Santa was here! (That's a sleeping bag... not a mummy!)

Soli got a new doll!

The sleeping bag was for Cole.

Emerson is our very own rock star!

And Evie got a doll, too.

Merry Christmas
2007

Christmas in Antigua 2006

Santa's been so good to us this year!

Soli opens her first Christmas Eve jammies while Sissy offers encouragement!

"Gosh darn, my daddy's funny!!"

Look at that beautiful face!

Merry Christmas!

Honestly, Santa. Couln't you find a bigger candy cane?

Cole and Em trying out their new toys from Santa.

I got a new doll from Santa, and she's so cute I'm gonna eat her up!

Christmas morning proves too much for Daddy and Baby.

My first Barbie! Thanks Santa!

And I thought getting three to smile for the camera was nearly impossible...

The pure torture of Christmas pictures...

I give up! But they're still so cute!

Happy Holidays!
Dave & Heather
Coleman, Emerson, Eve, and Soleil