Tag Archives: Christmas

December 18, 2010

The Annual Family Christmas Letter

I know many of you hate receiving these yearly accolades neatly condensed into a single letter – complete with stationary bearing the appropriate winter motif.

Well 2010 was a big year for us. As we close it out, it really seems to have passed us by while we were buys worrying/celebrating/planning/enjoying the muppets.

So, while you may not be a fan of THE ANNUAL FAMILY CHRISTMAS LETTER, I am. I love receiving them and reading the details of the year, while admiring the accompanying photos. (Even if I was right there beside you, living the year.) And this year, I love sending this. We’re proud of our muppets. (And quite frankly, if you’re here reading this, you have to admit you care a little too. =) )

The holidays are here again. And what a year it’s been…

January
You want a family? You’re GOING to have a family. Oh my goodness – we’re having twins…

February
Jon turns 30.

March
Avere Molti Bambini Maschili! “Yeah, those are both definitely boys,” said the doctor. Two boys? Put up the tent, it’s going to be a circus.

April
This was not the highlight of the year. At 22 weeks pregnant I move into the hospital for a very stressful six-week stay. Yuck.

May
It’s time to meet the muppets! We welcome Search Welker (2 lbs. 2 oz./12 in.) and Destroy Anthony (2 lbs. 3 oz./12 in.) to the world.

June
June is a blur. We spend the vast majority of it staring at the purple-elephant lined walls of the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit.

July
Jon and I learn more science than we ever did in school. Part parent, part nurse. And the muppets reach five pounds.

August
Homecoming! Search and Destroy officially become NICU graduates. Sleepless nights commence. It is fabulous waking up every three hours because our boys are home and healthy.

September
I return to work, embracing my new role as a working mom. Search and Destroy spend their days enjoying Daddy Day Care – they’re smiling now.

October
Happy Halloween! Mommy and Daddy’s monkey and the little lion.

November
I turn 30.

December
2010 is almost over and it’s been quite the roller coaster. We’ve been blessed with so much this year. This start of this new decade has brought an entirely new chapter of life for our family.

May you and yours have a happy, healthy holiday. And here’s to all the new adventures the coming year will bring.

1 Comment

December 12, 2010

Santa Baby

Santa's Little Helpers

This morning we headed over to our local mall for the muppets first meeting with Santa. We wanted to make sure the Big Man in the Red Suit knew the boys were home and eagerly awaiting a midnight visit.

Breaking from his duties directing busy toy-making elves, Santa has recently begun accepting visitors. His social secretary began making photo appointments at 11 a.m. When we arrived to meet Aunt Ivy for the big meet and greet at 11:02 a.m., the line already snaked outside the building. I can’t say I blame people. Meeting Santa in person is a big deal.

A woman commented, “We just saw Santa at Macy’s. No line” as she departed from her morning shopping excursion. Aunt Ivy went to investigate. It was true! Jolly Old St. Nick was ho-ho-hoing to a much smaller happy group of children at the department store at the other end of the mall.

(To all grinches readying a snide comment that Santa can’t be in two places at once: magic. That’s how he works. Our Polar Express sleigh-bell still rings loud and clear in this house.)

I was very excited. And we were off – to find the Miracle of 34th Street Macys Santa. We arrived to find the entire store dressed for the holidays. The halls were decked with boughs of holly and brightly shining baubles. Twinkling lights wove their way through Christmas trees that stood at the end of every aisle. Giant red banners draped from the ceiling read, “BELIEVE.” Children dressed in their holiday best scampered around – toddlers wrote letters to the North Pole at Victoria’s desk. (Yes, Victoria, there is a Santa Claus…) All the while, Christmas Carols (piped through the store stereo system since the end of August) shared the spirit of Christmas.

And at the end of a red carpet, on a golden throne, sat a fabulously jolly old man. He had a deep real Santa-esque chuckle, crisp white gloves and fur trim set off the deep red velour suit, and the twinkle in his eye gave off the knowledge of a man who makes children happy (even if they do scream bloody murder when they sit on the strange man’s lap).

The muppets dressed in their fancy December outfits. (They are two seriously handsome guys.) They woke up right as we got in line. Search eyed me warily. Destroy was utterly fascinated by all the décor – he couldn’t take in all in fast enough. His little eyes were wide with delight.

Then it was our turn.

Dear Santa: This Christmas, we’d like to continue growing up – strong, healthy and smart. (And perhaps a jumperoo.)

Santa reached out to greet the muppets. Search had a meltdown. Destroy found new shiny ornaments to capture his attention. The elves jingled bells and squeaked fuzzy ducks in an attempt to elicit muppet smiles.

The end result:
Search – “I don’t know about this…”
Destroy – “Ooh, shiny object!”

‘Tis the Season!

5 Comments

December 6, 2010

Christmas is Coming, The Goose is Getting Fat

Reading with GrammaJ

When GrammaJ came to visit us this weekend, she looked at our squirmy little muppets and exclaimed how big they are getting. Before we know it, we’ll be closing out the year. This weekend we kicked off the holidays.

On Friday, Jon and Uncle Jeffrey trekked up to the Santa Cruz mountains to cut down a fresh Christmas tree. We’ve always had a fake tree before, so this was our first step toward going all out for the muppets first Yuletide. “That was a lot more difficult than I expected!” Jon announced upon their return.

I think the expectation was that it would be similar to a tree lot. Instead, there was a hill. With trees. “Can I help you?” the guy in the booth asked them. “You have any trees?” Jon replied deadpan? The guy in the booth gestured out to the hill. “We’ve got those.” He handed them a chainsaw and returned to his business.

They wandered the hillside looking for the perfect tree. Although Jon seemed a bit concerned that the winning selection wasn’t as perfect as its plastic predecessor, I am extremely impressed with the one they found. (Charlie Brown, eat your heart out…) Our living room smells amazing! I’d forgotten how awesome it is to walk into a room and be engulfed in the spirit of Christmas (also known as the scent of a Douglas Fir tree).

Tangent: I smell every candle I can find that claims to be that mix of Christmas tree and spiced pinecones. I have yet to find one that comes close to the real thing, so for Christmas’ past, I’d simply liberate fallen branches from the trees sold in front of grocery stores.

After I finished baking a spiced pumpkin roll and Yule Log, (I know, I used my kitchen! These are holiday traditions that must be had – even if the muppets are too young to enjoy them first hand.) we decked the tree. The soft white lights brighten the room and transform the shrubbery from mere foliage to a true holiday symbol. Interestingly, it’s a lot more difficult to hang ornaments on a real tree. The branches are far flimsier. Growing up, Santa left my brother and me an ornament every Christmas. So every year, decorating for the year-end holidays becomes a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

I certainly don’t deny that the winter holidays have always been my favorite time of year. But adding to my frenzied preparations is the hope of starting new traditions with my new family. I remember waking up with my brother every half hour. “Mom! Is it Christmas yet?” I remember Paul and I running to the tree on Christmas morning while Mom and Dad ran equally excited toward the coffee maker. We’d spend the afternoons with family and friends, culminating in a big celebratory dinner.

I want this time of year to be as exciting for Search and Destroy as they grow up, so they can write a similar blog post when they’re great big adults reminiscing about their childhood as they hang years of ornaments celebrating and reminding them of a happy childhood.

The muppets have certainly been good this year; I can only assume they are exceedingly high on Santa’s “nice” list.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

5 Comments