Our Chistmas

This year we traveled to Oregon to spend Christmas with Joe's family. His mom, dad, Nana, brother, and sister-in-law were there. Fortunately, they have a big house and can accommodate many bodies. We even dragged a reluctant traveler, my mother and her dog, with us. I think she was, in the end, glad to have been there to see the boys enjoy the Christmas festivities.

The car ride to Oregon was not too bad. It usually takes about 8 hours to get there but Joe was pretty determined to make it there in record time even with a 6 month-old infant! Jacob must have known how important it was to his daddy to get there quickly because he was an angel and let us get away with stopping only once to change a muddy diaper. We actually got there in about 7 hours.

I love Oregon for so many reasons but mostly because it was December 21st and it was sunny, beautiful, and most importantly DRY! The tax-free shopping and luxury of not having to get off my lazy butt to fuel up are also nice bonuses. We like to stop by the Woodburn Factory Outlets to enjoy a nice variety of inexpensive shopping. We went to the North Face outlet and I purchased a jacket for Joseph and one for myself for less than $200! I was going to get Jakers a fleece but you never know where the Navy will send you and I was unwilling to buy something so costly that he will shortly outgrow and may never have to opportunity to use.

Lory and Joe live 12 miles from the California border. When we tell people that they live in Oregon they think, "Oh, how nice to be so close to family!" We're not THAT close; it's still quite a voyage. The best thing about where they live is its proximity to Harry and David. I enjoy their pears immensely and broke down the day we left and bought 4 trays of the Comice variety to share with my co-workers. That's 24 pears- each tray at $14.95! If you knew what they tasted like you wouldn't think I was crazy. PLUS they give a 10% military discount, there was no sales tax and they last in the refrigerator for 2 weeks! That's me trying to rationalize my purchase. I already feel better about it...

We made Christmas cookies, shopped a lot, ate decadent food, laughed, talked, read, watched movies, listened to Christmas music, and just spent time together. I guess that's really the best part about the Holidays is that you have the rare opportunity to spend an abundance of time with loved ones.

Joseph got so many gifts (as usual). The clear winner by far was Siddeley the Spy Jet Transporter from Great Nana. Close seconds were Angry birds stuffed toy, and a cooking set that Nana bought LAST year on an insane Macys clearance price! I wouldn't be able to keep something like that for a whole year; she's really disciplined! That's what 30 years of Christmases with kids will teach you. Jacob got a lot of cool things, too. I think his favorite toy is the light toy that Santa put in his stocking. He's really attracted to lights. He's fond of cups, too. He got a really cool book from Uncle James and Aunt Laura about Daddy. It was interesting that they chose that one. They said that many children's books focus on the relationship between baby and mother. This one focused on the things that make the father-child relationship special. It was very thoughtful.

Joe really liked the gifts that I got him and that made me really happy. I guess that's when you know you REALLY love someone- when their happiness is enough to make you happy. I'm so lucky that he's my husband. Joe, Lory and I were talking about his attributes and I told him that "nice" isn't a word that I EVER use to describe him. It doesn't even make his top 20 list of characteristics. He's not nice. He's caring, considerate, has a great work ethic, funny, smart, handsome... I used to be sad that he wasn't your average "nice" guy but nice is kind of flat. I'd rather be with someone complicated like Joe. He's difficult to define but he's quite wonderful and I guess the most wonderful thing about him is that he's able to live with and love me. I know I'm a handful and he kind of just goes with it. He plays along when I take myself too seriously. He knows my idiosyncrasies and knows when to laugh with me, at me, or when to bring me back to reality. Marriage isn't easy. I think it's funny when people say that it's easy. I think they're delusional or lying to themselves at the very least. It isn't easy but I can't imagine living without him.

On the car ride home I was trying to think of all the lessons that I learned on this trip. Here's my list:

1. Stocking stuffers need to be purchased throughout the year, not just before Christmas.
2. Joe is tragically tone-deaf.
3. Joe's girlfriends are (in no particular order) Ke$ha, Adelle, Katy Perry, Rhianna, and Taylor Swift.
4. Portable DVD players (the ones that keep 6 year-olds riveted in the car) are evidence that God loves us.
5. Ground turkey is a suitable substitute for beef when making taco meat.
6. I like authentic Mexican food.
7. Babies in new environments aren't always pleasant. In fact, they rarely are. I should vow to stay at home with Jakers for the remainder of his first year.
8. I need to cut my mother some slack when it comes to dropping ice from the ice-maker. Apparently all mothers do this and it's just something that daughters have to live with.
9. It may be a while before Jakers and Joseph have cousins on their father's side. :(
10. Joseph really, REALLY loves water. Also important to note is that his favorite Christmas cookie is the Kissy Cookie that Nana makes (even though he has an aversion to peanut butter).
11. The green taffy with the yellow center is Juicy Pear and is, by far, the superior taffy variety.
12. Joseph's favorite taffy is the orange one. Joe's favorite is the black licorice (ew) and root beer (double ew).
13. 3 of Joe's 4 cousins in the Stewart family are pregnant right now. That's a lot of cousins!
14. I make a killer cinnamon roll!
15. Original scent Tide is pleasantly fragrant and well worth the excessive cost.
16. I should exercise. (Notice that it isn't "I shouldn't exercise MORE" it's simply "I should exercise."

Sorry. Pictures were not in the equation this Christmas. They were the last thing on my mind. First thing was how to get Jakers to stop crying and second was trying to keep Joseph engaged in an activity so he wouldn't talk about how excited he was about Christmas and wake his brother up.

December in a Nutshell

Whoa! December has been crazy! Really, when is December ever NOT crazy? Here's a synopsis of recent events:

Joseph has not one but TWO loose teeth! They are his bottom incisors.Dr. Becker (best dentist EVER) said that it would be another year (June 2012) before he'd loose any teeth but Joseph must've done some major growing lately because they're rocking back and forth!

Joseph participated in his school's Holiday Concert. The kids were cute and it was just short enough to be Developmentally Appropriate. He tried his best and it was obvious! He did all the hand gestures and sang all the songs. I'm so proud of him! I made sure to make him a lei with all his favorite treats- red, white, and silver Kisses, with red and green Kit Kats. He was so excited!

I joined the Hometown Band for the Holiday season. It was just like being back in high school band! We played all the same songs but I think we sounded a lot better. I'm pretty sure we did!
Jacob is a weed! At his 6 month well baby appointment, he was 28 inches long, 18 pounds and 14 ounces, with a head circumference of 17 inches. A PERFECT baby boy! We couldn't be more pleased! I'm also so proud of the way Joseph has taken to his baby brother. He tries to make him laugh, he gives him kisses throughout the day, and he is so eager to help us care for him! He's so wonderful and I'm so FORTUNATE!
That's us this month! Hopefully as the stress wanes with the arrival of the new year, I'll be able to update more regularly.

Christmas Cards

Every year I search for the perfect Christmas card. The one that will fully express my delight in the Holiday and pride in my beautiful family. I love receiving Christmas cards. I love displaying them and looking at them years later. I love to see how much people's children have grown as well as what everyone else is up to. Some people send cards with no pictures. That's no fun, if you ask me. Some people don't even send cards! Year after year I send them cards and I wonder if they even open them up because I hear nothing from them in return.

Christmas cards are a process. First, there's the endless anxiety over getting the perfect family picture. That in and of itself is a process. Which outfit to buy- not too matchy-matchy but ensembles that complement each other. Then, after you've taken photos, you have the agonizing task of selecting the best picture. Sometimes they're all good and sometimes it's a choice between a squinting child or an unfortunate double chin. When I've found the right one I run to Joe for approval and I get shrug and a grunt. Why do I even bother?

After the selection of the picture and "approval" from the family the search for the perfect card ensues. As always, I turn to my tried and true company, Tiny Prints. One Christmas, in protest (over the price), I switched from Tiny Prints to Costco. I believe the savings were in the neighborhood of $100. The regret over my temporary insanity will be life-long. A heavy shroud of regret suffocated my conscience at least 6 months after December... until I could redeem myself with Joseph's birthday invitations from Tiny Prints. I look through colors and themes and phrases. I like the ones that are words to Christmas songs. "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas," or "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow." There's also the size of the picture, how many pictures (1, 2, 3 or 4), flat, folded, accordian-style, ornament...

After I select the best card there are still hundreds of man hours ahead. I have to make sure the size, color, and fonts are correct. "Warm Wishes From the Stutesmans" or "Warmest Wishes From the Stutesmans." I know it sounds silly but I see these cards as a relfection of so much more than my family... it's pathological, I know.

After the order has been placed, our designer writes to reassure us that we're in good hands. My heart races as I approach my house EVERY DAY. Did the mail come? Are the cards here? While I'm waiting I make my order to the USPS for the PERFECT holiday stamp. Christmas cookies or ornaments? Classic or comical? I much prefer USPS.com over the post office. I don't even mind paying the $1 shipping fee. It's worth the stress and inconvenience of standing behind (forgive me) old people who don't know how to use the automatic postal machine in the lobby. I really don't like when their selection isn't as comprehensive as the one online. Frustrating!

This past Christmas I enclosed a holiday letter letting our family and friends know that we were expecting Jacob. That was hours and hours of agonizing rewrites and edits... What do we share? What should go in? What should we take out?

One day I pull into the driveway and discover that the box with the Tiny elephant is sitting by the front door waiting for me to open it. I run to it, open it up, and smile in relief that it's almost over. Next comes the folding and stuffing and sticking and licking and sealing... it's not pleasant.

After I send them out, I wait for feedback from friends and family. Last year I got quite a compliment. I was told that ours was the most beautiful out of all the cards she had received.
This year our card will not be delivered the day after Thanksgiving. It wont even be in November. I'll be lucky if I get that bad boy out by the end of the year. I've never been so busy in my life. How HOW HOW do people have more than one child?! How do people have more than one child AND work outside of the home? How do people have more than one child, work outside of the home, and have a spouse that's gone half of the year? Our card may not have all the members of our family on it and the stamp may not be my favorite and there may not be a letter but by golly at least I'll have sent one out!