The Stewart Family

Teddy Bear Suite and Santa in Seattle...

2011-01-02T20:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas with the cousins!

2011-01-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

We are extremely blessed to have a family full of absolutely amazing children (all cousins)! The cousins were in full force this Christmas at the Whitney's Christmas dinner, exploring every opportunity to "catch some air" jumping off Ryan's bed. And, I must say another deilcious dinner prepared by MY cousin Greg and Lynn! The adults and the kids had the time of their lives! Our family might not see each other often, but when we do, it is QUALITY time and I am so thankful for that. Merry Christmas, what a blessing it was this year! Cousins: Sarah, Torance, Conner,Ryan, Jacob, Ruby, Jaxon and Joslyn. Seriously...AMAZING kids!

Torance's Birthday morning....

2010-12-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

The morning of her birthday, she opened a gift from us...a new doll! I made purple cupcakes for her to take to school and share with her class that day too. We are so blessed to celebrate another year of Torance's life! Happy 5th Birthday Torace! xoxo Check out her birthday party photos too!

Torance turns 5!

2010-12-07T10:30:00.000-08:00

Torance turned 5 December 4th! Here are some photos from her "snow queen" birthday party!

Jaxon's first time in the Denitst's chair!

2010-11-17T15:35:00.000-08:00

Jaxon did so good! He was really excited to ride the dentist chair up and down. He also let them do a full exam of his chompers! We are so proud of our little man!

Montessori school pictures....

2010-11-02T16:10:00.000-07:00

The kids got their school pictures back today! This is Jaxon's very first school picture and of course, he didn't smile! It's typical of my "shy" boy. :) But, he still looks pretty cute if you ask me. Torance's picture turned out super cute too!

A "Wizard of Oz" Halloween...

2010-11-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

Torance and Jaxon went trick-or-treating for the first time this year. They did SO good! They were so polite saying "thank you" and "Happy Halloween"! Because they love the move "The Wizard of Oz", Torance wanted to dress up as Dorothy and Jaxon as the Cowardly Lion. They looked adorable and loved being able to trick-or-treat with their friends Madelyn and Ayden. Madelyn was Mary Had a little Lamb and Ayden was a Pirate. :)

Halloween fun!

2010-11-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

The kids got into our Halloween costume bin and tried on some silly wigs. They thought it was pretty cool!

Halloween for the adults!

2010-11-01T18:34:00.000-07:00

Kris and I dressed up as Rizzo and Kinickie from Grease, our friends Bryan and Angelyn were Sandra Dee & Danny Zucko and our other friends Kenny and Jen were a disco couple, along with Kenny's dad Jim who was Dracula. We had so much fun!

Summersun Montessori Field Trip!

2010-10-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

The Primary class at Summersun Montessori got to visit Schuh Farms for a field trip. Torance and her friends Maggie and Ava were inseparable! The Pre-Primary class, Jaxon's class, get to go on their field trip next week. Here are some cute pictures....

A creative slumber...

2010-10-03T13:20:00.001-07:00

The past week or so, Torance has built a little bedroom within her bedroom. Surrounding her makeshift bed on the floor with toys, dolls, pillows, etc. She says she would rather sleep on the floor...she says her real bed is just for "chillin". This 4 year old sure has a creative mind!

The Harvest Festival in Skagit County!

2010-10-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

We never miss a visit to one of our families favorite places, Schuh Farms during the Harvest Festival. They have a farm animal petting zoo, tractor train ride, a big pumpkin bouncy house, a Wizard of Oz exhibit and beautiful fields of the seasons best crops!

Sidewalk chalk & a fire hat for Jaxon!

2010-10-03T12:59:00.000-07:00

Sidewalk chalk is so much fun, especially when your a busy 2 year old! :) Jaxon has been doodling with chalk all over the garage and having a blast! Check out the picture of him trying on Daddy's fire hat too...do we have a fire fighter in the making???

Torance learning to tie a bow, playing dress up and other fun things...

2010-10-03T12:46:00.000-07:00

This morning Torance I worked on learning how to tie a bow. She took this task VERY seriously, concentrating and trying over and over until she got it. When she puts her mind to something, there is no stopping her! Now she is a pro at tying a bow! ;)

Jaxon~Just fun stuff!

2010-09-13T08:45:00.001-07:00

Here are some random pictures of Jaxon. The first one is Daddy and Jaxon at Fred Lee's after just getting their hair cut. I think that is one of my favorite pictures EVER! The second picture is of Torance and Jaxon posing in front of Thomas the Tank Engine on our visit to meet the "real" Thomas in Snoqualamie. We even got to ride on the train~Jaxon LOVED it! The last two are of Jaxon and his cousin Ruby. They were just too cute to not post on the blog! ;)

Torance~Vacation Bible School this summer...

2010-09-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

I remembered I forgot to post about the amazing Vacation Bible School Torance attended this summer. It was hosted by Betheny Covenant church and they did a wonderful job! We love the music CD she received and still sing along to the songs with Torance and Jaxon to this day. The most memorable part of the week was when they had an alter call and SO many kids went up to the alter to pray. Torance went to the alter on her own choice and prayed to ask Jesus into her heart. I was so thankful to be a witness on that powerful day. What a blessing!

Family Reunion~Orr/Whitney's!

2010-09-08T14:19:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to get the family together at the end of the summer! We usually only see eachother during the holidays, so it was so good to connect with everyone. We went to Mom and Steve's house on the beach in Oak Harbor. We also celebrated Uncle Larry's birthday that day. I forgot my camera, but managed to snap a few shots with my phone. Here they are!

Jaxon's very first day of school!

2010-09-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Our baby boy reached another milestone this morning when he started his first day of Pre-Primary at Summersun Montessori! The teachers and the school are certainly not foreign to him though. He pretty much knows his way around from coming with me to drop Torance off the past couple years and of course attending the fun school events. He carried his monkey lunch box around the house all morning because he was so excited! His big sister Torance made sure he was safe and happy by comforting him when he was crying (mommy stayed with him until he was completely happy and comfortable there too). I think it's harder on the moms and dads than the child because we just want them to be our babies forever. But, we couldn't be more proud of Jaxon who already can say his ABC's, 123's, speaking 6 word sentences and sings numerous songs. He is such a big boy now! When I picked him up from school today he showed me a picture of his first artwork lesson he did at school. I also included a picture of him with his teacher Janet and Torance with her teacher Janice. Torance is beginning her last year in the Primary class (next year she will start Kindergarten). We are so blessed to have this school available to both our kids. We wouldn't have it any other way!

Camping in Winthrop!

2010-08-31T10:03:00.000-07:00

We squeezed in a camping trip at the last minute this summer! We went to Winthrop with The Harris family. And it was such a treat to run into The Lint family and the Blum family as well! The cabins at the KOA were so cozy and perfect for a family of 4. Roasting marshmallows, swimming in the pool, hanging out at the campsite and visiting the town were some of the fun things we did. It was a great weekend!

Torance's last dance class of the summer...

2010-08-31T09:42:00.000-07:00

Torance got to show off all she learned this summer at dance class! She experienced a bit of stage freight with all the people watching, but got over it once the music started. It is a 1 1/2 hour class, so are so proud of her giving it her best! She is so strong and is such a good dancer. We got to watch them practice, then they did a ballet dance to "You are my sunshine" and a tap dance to "Goodship Lollipop". It was adorable! Torance will continue ballet this year, we are looking forward to seeing her grow and learn so much more at dance!

Skagit County Fair!

2010-08-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

We went to the fair with The Harris family this year. It was a hot and sunny day, perfect for a day at the fair! Torance & Jaxon and Madelyn & Ayden had a blast meeting the farm animals, riding the ponies, going on carnival rides and of course eating some super yummy food. It was a really fun day!

Welcoming Sugar!

2010-08-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of Mike and Robyn's new horse, Sugar. She is a sweetie! Torance got to ride her, but Jaxon wasn't ready yet.

Big Lake Fire Training...

2010-08-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of Kris during a training drill with Big Lake Fire Dept. Kris is still active volunteering for the Big Lake Fire Dept in addition to working for Marysville Fire Dept as a Fire fighter/EMT. He is also still doing mortgage loans for Golf Savings Bank/Sterling Savings. He is a busy man and bringing home the bacon supporting our family! We love him so much!

4th of July weekend....

2010-08-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

Highland Games!

2010-08-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

In July, we went to the Highland Games with mom and Steve...Here are some photos...

Noury/Spencer/Stewart, etc. family reunion!

2010-08-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

The reunion was at Tim and Louann Spencer's home on Lake Tapps. It was absolutely gorgeous and we all had a blast!

Cousin Allyson's wedding...

2010-08-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Dance, Torance, Dance!

2010-07-12T19:04:00.001-07:00

Kinderdance has begun!!! Torance will be learning ballet and tap and she is thrilled to be dancing again! The last time she did dance was when she was about 2 1/2 years old (just ballet). She is doing wonderful and currently learning a dance routine to the tune "Good ship Lollipop".

All Comers Track Meet!

2010-07-12T18:57:00.000-07:00

The kids ran in the All Comers Track meet this June at Burlington High School. It was Torance's 3rd year running, so she knew just what to do. They both ran 50 M hurdles and 50 M dash in their own age groups. As you can see, Jaxon wasn't too fond of jumping over the hurdle. Anyone who knows him well, knows he always uses his manners...So, as he stopped to observe the hurdle with his arms crossed, I'm sure he was saying "No, Tank you"! Hilarious! He only paused for a moment, then proceeded to walk around each hurdle to the finish line. :)

Florida...A fabulous vacation with our friends!

2010-06-30T16:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my mom and Steve, we got to stay in their gorgeous condo in Marco Island, Florida with our two friends Bryan and Angelyn Harris (withOUT the kids :))! The weather was wonderful and warm! We spent a lot of time relaxing at the pool, playing on the beach and dining in delightful restaurants. One event that we will never forget is Kris and Bryan getting chased out of the ocean from two stingrays! That was a bit startling...so, we decided to hang out in the pool the rest of the time. ;) After 5 glorious days, we hopped into our convertible and headed to South Beach Miami....See the next post for the Miami part of our vacay!

Going to Miami!

2010-06-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

From Marco Island to Miami...Arrived downtown Miami and checked into the lovely Viceroy Hotel. The Viceroy's pool has an infinity edge and is the longest pool in Florida! We layed out at the pool (of course), then that night we hit the very popular salsa bar "The Blue Martini" who had an amazing band playing latin/hip-hop music. The next morning we headed to South Beach and checked into The Ritz-Carlton, which provided the most outstanding service we had ever experienced-Highly recommended! We went out to dinner, layed out at the pool and one of the days was spent at the beach with gorgeous white sand and beautiful blue water. This vacation was relaxing, fun and provided beautiful views! We were sad to leave, however we were missing our babies VERY much!

WOW!

2010-06-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

WOW! The amazing Kim from TomKat Studio featured Jaxon's birthday party on her Facebook page!!! This is wonderful to hear that she thought the party was adorable and creative...Yes, parties and cupcakes are a hobby for now...but, you never know what the future holds! :)

Kim of TomKat Studio is incredibly talented. She lives in Arizona and has runs a business creating and selling printable die-cuts, shares ideas on party planning and decorating. Check it out!

http://www.tomkatstudio.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.thetomkatstudio.com

More birthday pics...I just had to add these!

2010-05-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Steve's brother-in-law, Dennis Dow is an amazing photographer. He takes pictures for the Woodland Park Zoo and his photos are featured in the annual calendar! So, we are VERY lucky that he sent us some of the beautiful photos he took at the party...Thanks Dennis!

Jaxon's Tractor Birthday Party~The Decorations!

2010-05-31T15:10:00.001-07:00

My inspiration for Jaxon's party came from his love of tractor's. I thought it would be more challenging than it actually turned out to be...With the royal blue and lime green colors, it turned out perfect! I incorporated wheat grass, farmer party hats and "dirt" cupcakes for some fun elements. My dear friend, Angelyn Harris made all of the banners, signs and paper elements. Angelyn's mom, Pam Schutte made the blue and white tablecloths. Thank you Angelyn and Pam for your unique talents! xoxo I am very fortunate to have the help...which helped me create a super fun and memorable party for our BIG two year old, Jaxon!!! :)

Jaxon's Tractor Birthday Party~Fun pictures!

2010-05-31T14:45:00.001-07:00

Our little man is certainly loved by many! We have such amazing family and friends and it was a blast celebrating with them.
In addition to cupcakes, I served dinner....Pulled Chicken BBQ sandwiches, homemade potato salad and fruit skewers. And, cute PB & J sandwiches in the shape of tractors for the kiddos!

Jaxon's Tractor Birthday Party~Cupcake Time!

2010-05-31T14:34:00.001-07:00

Mmmmm...I absolutely LOVE EVERYTHING about parties, but when it's time to eat cupcakes....that's my favorite part! I made dark chocolate "tractor dirt" cupcakes with vanilla buttercream sprinkled with crushed chocolate cookies. They were delish!

Jaxon's Tractor Birthday Party~Opening Gifts!

2010-05-31T14:22:00.000-07:00

Jaxon's Birthday weekend...part 2!

2010-05-31T14:10:00.001-07:00

We decided to go out to eat at The Outback for a fun birthday dinner. The kids were very well behaved and we had such a fun time! Let's just say there were a ton of goofy faces and giggles, as the pictures reveal. :) When we got home, it was STILL raining, so we danced in the rain a bit to top off a super fun evening!

The first part of Jaxon's Birthday weekend!

2010-05-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

Jaxon Kristopher Stewart turned TWO on May 29th! We started off his birthday weekend with a strawberry cupcake with 2 candles when he woke up that morning. We are so blessed to have Jaxon in our lives. He has such a charming, fun and kind spirit...He is certainly a blessing to our family and we love him SO much!!! xoxo

Arts & Crafts time...paper puppets!

2010-05-14T09:59:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I run out of new projects to do with the kids. Thanks to my brilliant daughter, who suggested we make puppets out of paper bags, we had a new arts and crafts project that day! Torance made a kitty she named Carlos and Jaxon made a puppy he named Bruno. I love our kids!

Mother's Day at the beach!

2010-05-14T09:22:00.000-07:00

Mother's day with my mom/Steve, Rob/Crystal/Ruby began with lunch at The Trumpeter in Mount vernon, then we went to Mom and Steve's house on the beach in Oak Harbor. It was absolutely gorgeous, so we just played in the sand and watched the kids splash around in the water. Torance ran up and down like a "princess", Ruby got soaked from head to toe and Jaxon stayed clean as a whistle! It's so fun to see each of the kids personalities take shape. They each have their own individuality and it is such a joy to see them grow up together. Torance and Jaxon love their cousin, Ruby so much! We eventually ended up going out to dinner before the kids were completely wiped out! Such a fun day!

Mother's Day dinner with the Stewarts!

2010-05-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

We went to dinner at Big Lake Bar and Grill friday night to celebrate Mother's day because Mike and Robyn were going to be out of town for the weekend. It was so nice to be with family and celebrate Mother's day together! :)

Mother's Day Brunch at Summersun Montessori...

2010-05-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day brunch at Summersun Montessori is always so special. It was so nice to celebrate on this gorgeous, sunny day! The children sang songs, Mary Lou read a poem that the children had written and then we ate brunch together. Grandma Robyn and Grandma Sue were there too. Jaxon had so much fun and even sat with the rest of the class for a bit and shared some fish crackers with them! ;) Torance's friend, Blake brought her a heart shaped muffin, which was really cute so I got a picture of them. Torance gave me a plant and a card she painted, which also included a picture she drew of me. I love my kids so much and days like this are so memorable!

Fun Family Pictures...

2010-05-03T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today is the group picture day at Torance's school and she wanted to have her hair curled for the special day. I took some cute photos of her all dressed up before Kris took her to school. We posed for some other family snapshots as well...but I will apologize in advance as I was still in my pajamas with morning hair and no makeup! Hahaha! Oh well, the pictures of the kids were too darn cute for me to not post them.... ;)

The Little Mermaid ballet~McIntyre Hall...

2010-05-02T08:36:00.000-07:00

A special night for Mommy & Lulu Boo...The Little Mermaid ballet came to our local McIntyre Hall! It was an evening show and Torance did so good...I was impressed for a 4 year old considering she sat nicely for nearly 3 hours! Her favorite ballerinas were the jelly fish, the mermaid sisters and The Little Mermaid, herself (of course). After the show, Torance walked up to meet Amber Johnson, The Little Mermaid ballerina, and got her picture taken with her. Torance is starting ballet and tap again this summer and she says "I am going to be The Little Mermaid ballerina when I'm 16 years old." :)

Honey Ginger Chicken & Chocolate PB & J cupcakes!

2010-05-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Last night I made one of my favorite chicken dishes~Honey Ginger chicken. Instead of soy sauce, I use a healthy alternative-Bragg's liquid aminos www.bragg.com. And, instead of honey I use Agave nectar. Garlic, ginger, toasted sesame oil & seeds and chives are some of the ingredients (I cook with organic when I can). It is delicious!
Then, for dessert I experimented with a new cupcake recipe~Chocolate PB & J! Dark chocolate cake filled with raspberry preserves, topped with peanut butter buttercream. This is now one of my favorite cupcakes (Torance and Jaxon LOVED it too)! For variety, I split the batch and made a Chocolate cupcake with Peanut butter buttercream topped with chocolate sprinkles. In the past, I made a cream cheese-peanut butter frosting, but this peanut butter buttercream tops that one now! I have been experimenting to find homemade cupcake recipes that I love...These two are definitely keepers!

Our Garden...Fruits of our labor!

2010-04-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Last year I grew tomatoes, chives, herbs, etc. in pots....This year we are doing a "real" garden! I am so excited. We found a perfect spot to build a raised garden bed and Kris and the kids went to work prepping the spot, then Kris planned out the dimensions and details of building the bed with cedar. You can see the progression from the beginning to the end here in the pictures. Kris did a superb job building it! The kids have been involved in helping with prepping the soil, planting seeds, watering, etc. I decided I wanted an organic garden, so we are using organic soil, compost, and starting all the vegetables from organic, heirloom seed. Today we planted seeds of several veggies using the square foot garden method (thanks to the advice of my mom). :) Yesterday, Torance and I planted seeds in our seed starter pot that allows the plants to grown indoors. Once they are ready, we will transplant those remaining seedling plants into the garden. So, I decided to start some seeds outdoor immediately and also starting seeds indoors to later transplant into the garden. I used to believe I had a black thumb...but, I have found so much enjoyment in growing our own herbs and vegetables and it is such an amazing way to teach Torance and Jaxon. They really enjoy it too! I am praying that our garden is successful this year...more posts on "Fruits of our labor" to come...

Easter Dinner with The Bern family!

2010-04-11T18:46:00.000-07:00

After church, we drove down south to Paul and Vicki's new house in Tacoma for Easter dinner. The Bern family has been so welcoming to us and we were so happy to celebrate Easter with them. I made a new recipe of vanilla Easter cupcakes and brought them for dessert. Yummy! We were so excited to finally get to meet baby Aspen, Aaron and Tiffany's new baby! He is SO adorable, of course! The kids opened more Easter gifts from Grandma Sue & Papa Steve, Grandma Colleen, Paul & Vicki and Dennis & Sue. Thank you everyone! Needless to say, we had a wonderful time and the kids certainly had a great time too...In fact, Torance fell asleep on the drive home. :)

Easter Sunday~Baskets & Egg Hunt and Church...

2010-04-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

We woke up early Easter morning so we would have enough time to watch the kids open their Easter baskets and hunt for eggs before we left for church. This year was extra fun because Jaxon was old enough to really participate in the egg hunt with Torance. Both kids really enjoyed searching all over the house for eggs...They each found their own special "Golden Egg" with a big gift inside! Then we ate breakfast and went to the early church service. Torance and Jaxon did very good in Sunday school too!
Jesus Has Risen, He Has Risen Indeed!

Lori's Retirement Party!

2010-04-11T18:18:00.001-07:00

Lori had a super fun retirement party in Edmonds at the end of March. The kids danced around and chased balloons while the adults admired their endless energy and adored their cuteness! We had a blast and wish Lori the best in her retirement!

Spring Birthday Fun!

2010-03-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

I hosted a birthday party for my Mom, Kris and Rob (from January) this past weekend. I decided to go with a "spring" theme for colors and food. I served chicken Caesar wraps, a spinach salad, celery dipped in ranch, grapes and apple slices with caramel. For beverages, we had limeade, beer and wine. For dessert, I made carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. It was super fun putting the party together, with the help of my friend Angelyn who made the Happy Birthday banner for me! In addition to birthdays, my Mom and Steve brought Easter baskets for the kids to open too. It was so nice to get the family together again.

Kris's Birthday at The Tulalip Casino!

2010-03-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

Bryan and Angelyn took us out to dinner for Kris's Birthday at the Tulalip Casino. It was delicious and so much fun. Then, we listened to the band, The Beatniks to end the night. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends!

Bubbles and even more fun at Grandma & Papa's!

2010-03-16T15:38:00.000-07:00

Grandma Robyn called to invite the kids over to play last Sunday and they could hardly wait to get there. Of course, when we arrived Grandma had purchased a fire truck toy that the kids got to ride around in, along with another fun car toy. They ate lunch and some treats, played outside, did some puzzles and chased bubbles. Papa Mike sent us some pictures he took of the kids and they are so fun! Kris and I got to see a movie while the kids had a fun day with Grandma and Papa. :)

Montessori in our home....

2010-03-13T10:56:00.000-08:00

I have been a huge supporter of the Montessori education method since Torance started at Summersun Montessori almost three years ago. Kris and I both have mutual opinions that both education and discipline are important pieces in raising our children. We have seen promising results with the Love and Logic parenting method for discipline and now are incorporating a little bit of Montessori into our home. One of the principles of Montessori is allowing the child to educate himself by "guiding" and watching as they learn for themselves. This might include making errors along the way, along with practising a lesson over and over learning how to accomplish a task on his own. Jaxon will begin Montessori in the fall too, so I felt this would be a great way to prepare him and also provide some structure. So far, Jaxon is starting to say (or sing, rather) his ABC's and count to 10. He picks up the routine pretty quickly by watching Torance. I organized Torance and Jaxon's lessons on trays on a shelving unit. Some of their favorites are the "practical life" lessons: pouring water into a glass bowl, transferring salt into cups, using spoons and tongs to move objects, etc. They either lay out a rug to work on or bring the lesson to sit at the table. Once they finish a lesson or a meal, they clean up their dishes and sweep the area. The sense of accomplishment on their faces is evident and they really enjoy the independence.

In Dr. Montessori's own words, Montessori education is a "preparation for the first stages of essential culture-writing, reading, and numbers-and that knowledge comes as an easy, spontaneous and logical consequence of the preparation, that it is in fact its natural conclusion."

Torance loves to sing....

2010-02-27T17:08:00.000-08:00

Check out the videos of Torance singing "Tell me the continents" and "Love is the answer". Pretty good for a four year old, if you ask me! Be sure to press the pause button on the music playlist on the right side of the blog so you can hear her....

Just "mess'in" around!

2010-02-24T18:08:00.000-08:00

Since Kris has started working his EMT/Fire Fighter jobs, he is usually gone about 2 nights a week. So, I usually make an easy and "fun" dinner for the kids...Tonight we had grilled sandwiches and apple slices with PB & "ants" (raisins). We ate dinner in the bonus room while watching cartoons and taking fun pictures with the camera. Torance took the picture of Jaxon and I! I also posted some fun pictures of the kids delving in a messy painting project. I laid newspaper down on the tile floor and let them paint and be as messy as they wanted. I think they enjoyed being able to get messy and let their creative juices flow!

Sunny February Days in Mount Vernon!

2010-02-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

We had some wonderful weather...the sun was shining, clear blue skies and the crisp cool air made for some fun days playing in the backyard. Jaxon really enjoys digging in the dirt with his shovel. Torance has taken to digging for worms. The worm she found she named "Fiasco"...certainly an interesting name, but that's okay! ;) Bruno really enjoys sun-bathing too!

~Big Lake Fire Department Banquet~

2010-02-22T09:50:00.000-08:00

This Saturday was the BLFD Banquet at Big Lake Bar and Grill. As every year, the dinner provided was delicious...salmon, prime rib, salads and dessert. Many awards were given out to some of the hard-working fire volunteers of Big Lake. Kris did a lot of speaking and giving awards, then he was given the Chief's Award this year! It was a fun evening and it has been a joy getting to know the fire fighters and their families over the years. After dinner and awards, the party moved to Big Rock for dancing and Karaoke. It was so much fun celebrating with everyone and we look forward to many more years with this awesome department.

Eating his veggies, makes mommy so happy!

2010-02-16T09:09:00.000-08:00

This morning I pureed organic, mixed veggies for Jaxon to eat with his dinners (I freeze portions of the veggies, so I always have some on hand). Instead of crackers or raisins for his usual snack, Jaxon insisted on having a bowl of veggies because he saw that I was making them. In fact, he likes his veggies so much he had seconds and then thirds! We are so blessed to have kids that truly enjoy healthy foods. It makes me so happy because I work so hard to prepare healthy and organic whole food meals for them. I believe that providing a balanced variety of mostly organic foods for our kids is one of the best gifts we can give give them...a healthy start in life.

More Birthday fun at Sakura!

2010-02-16T08:49:00.000-08:00

My Dad and Lori took us out to lunch at our local hibachi restaurant, Sakura to celebrate my birthday and to see the kids for Valentine's Day. The restaurant is very entertaining for all ages! Jaxon got a little teary eyed and almost broke out into a screaming cry when the Hibachi cook lit a hot fire to cook the onion and veggies. But after he realized it wasn't going to hurt him, Jaxon really enjoyed watching our food being cooked right at our table. The kids were so excited to see Grandpa Jim and Lori!

Valentine's Day at Summersun Montessori!

2010-02-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Today is the Valentine's party at Summersun Montessori. Torance has been preparing for this day for a whole week....making Valentine cards and helping mommy attach the cute white hearts to her red sweater! As soon as she got to school, Torance joined in the fun greeting her friends with hugs and getting a heart tattoo from one of her teachers, Tawnya.

32 and never felt better!

2010-02-08T10:16:00.001-08:00

I had a wonderful birthday weekend! Kris spent a lot of time with the kids so I got my nails done and a pedicure...We went out to dinner with Kris's family and did a little karaoke too! Then, my friends took me out to dinner in Bellingham on Saturday. On Super Bowl Sunday (my actual bday), our friends Bryan and Angelyn and Madelyn and Ayden came over for take out dinner and to watch the game. Torance, with the help of Kris made an impressive chocolate cake for me too. It was super fun! :)

I never want to forget...

2010-02-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

My Favorite daughter, Torance Ann....I never want to forget...

How you say you want to marry Daddy...
When you give Jaxon hugs, kisses and squeezes of love...
Early morning snuggles when you climb into our bed right before the alarm goes off...
Listening to you sing and dream of being a mermaid princess...
Watching your proud smile when you get to push the grocery cart...
How much you still rely on your yellow blanky for a soothie-rubbing it on your face since you were just a little baby...
Warming my heart with every hug and kiss you give...
Your fearless soul picking up a bug you find crawling in the grass..
When you run to grab the stool so you can reach the counter to help me prepare meals...
How you love your fruits and veggies-making Mommy so proud...
Sometimes when you wake from a sleep, with your beautiful doe eyes bright, you'll share your dreams...like running on the sandy beach or being a pretty princess in a magical land...

I never want to forget...

2010-02-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

My Favorite son, Jaxon Kristopher....I never want to forget...

How every morning's breakfast wouldn't be complete without a banana...
How you pronounce your sister's name "Towance"...
Hearing you call for "Daa-daaaa" every morning when waking up...
When you wear a pirate hat while playing dress-up with your sister...
How you like to have ice in your water cup...
When you dance around the house to one of your favorite songs "You & Me" by DMB...
How shy you act to people who marvel at the sight of you in the grocery store...
How you smell so sweet like honey...
How soft your baby skin feels...
Feeling the touch of your chubby hands on my face...
Watching your innocent feet stomp around the house while pretend playing...
Every night we sneak in your room to admire your tiny, yet growing body and rub your back while you dream...

My little "Bread Bandits"

2010-02-03T10:35:00.000-08:00

This morning as I was un-packing groceries, I noticed it was a bit too quiet...so, I looked around and found Jaxon eating bread slices right from the bread bag he snatched from the cupboard! The funny thing is Torance did the SAME EXACT thing at his age. So, I had to post the pictures of Jaxon caught red-handed today and then of Torance back in July 2007 when she committed the same crime! ;) They make me smile. I love them so much.

A spontaneous getaway to Seattle...

2010-02-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Kris planned a spontaneous trip to Seattle for the family this past weekend. He recently accepted another job as an EMT and will be working on Saturdays now. So, taking off to Seattle before he started the job was super fun spending the weekend together as a family! He will be working Part-time as an EMT in addition to working Part-time as an EMT/Firefighter for Marysville and of course, his day job doing home loans. He is keeping busy, but that is truly a blessing in the challenging economy at the moment.
We ended up staying at the Westin hotel, swam in their pool, visited the Aquarium and even got to see Rob, Crystal and Ruby. The next day we walked around downtown, went to the Seattle Center, visited the Butterfly exhibit and some other children's science exhibits. Then, we topped it off with some cotton candy from the Center House. It was so much fun and the kids did fantastic!

There's so much to explore in the backyard...

2010-01-27T15:17:00.000-08:00

After being inside for 3 days straight due to the kids being sick, we were really itching to get outside in the fresh air and sunshine. So we bundled up and slipped on our rubber boots to explore the backyard. We did cartwheels, climbed on the playset, searched for some bugs and just ran around in the grass! It was a beautiful day.

Girls Day...

2010-01-23T18:45:00.000-08:00

We made today all about girls! I took Torance to get her nails painted for the first time and she loved it, of course! Then, we did some shopping before we went to her friend, Ellie's birthday party. After that, we came home and made dark chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting for no reason at all except to EAT THEM! It was truly a perfect day.

Playing dress up & AdvoCare

2010-01-22T15:35:00.000-08:00

I became a distributor for a health and wellness company called AdvoCare a few months ago. AdvoCare specializes in health and wellness, weight management, vibrant energy and sports performance and is used by the NFL and NCAA. I did the 24 Days to fit program and lost 12 lbs and 8 1/2 inches and I have never felt better! Kris did it too and lost some weight, toned up and really increased his energy too. It's the perfect job for me, being a stay-at-home mom and I absolutely love helping people change their lives. A few months have passed since I lost the weight and was wondering how my wedding dress would fit from 6 1/2 years ago...Well, let's just say I have to hold it up or it would fall off of me! We made a fun night of it by playing dress up. Torance tried on one of the bridesmaid dresses I wore in a friends wedding and then fell in love with my veil. If she had her way, she would choose to dress like a beautiful princess everyday! ;)
Here is my AdvoCare website: www.advocare.com/09101709 and there is a link on the blog too.

2010 is here!

2010-01-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

Security from Yesterday...
Security from Tomorrow...
Security for Today...
Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step into the invincible future with Him.
~My Utmost for His highest, Chambers

~Christmas dinner~

2009-12-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas evening we spent at Kris's parents house and had a delicious dinner. Andrew's girlfriend, Kolya was home from school in L.A., so it was nice to spend time with her too. The kids received many more gifts that night, but it was just nice to be with our family. :)

Christmas Morning!

2009-12-29T12:24:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning started off with Torance and Jaxon waking up to presents from Santa under the tree and the stockings stuffed with lots of goodies! But before we opened the presents, we talked to the kids about the reason for the season-Jesus! We sang happy birthday to Jesus after opening the last door on the Advent calendar. Santa brought Torance a trumpet, a harmonica and an Ariel bath doll. And, Jaxon got an Elmo music book and a musical table toy. We spent most of Christmas day at home just the four of us enjoying the day. My Dad and Lori stopped over for a quick visit and brought gifts before we went to Kris's parents house for dinner. It was a wonderful Christmas!

'Twas the night before Christmas...

2009-12-29T12:16:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve morning, Torance and I baked up some sugar cookies and banana bread. Then, we got ready to head over to Grandma Margaret and Papa Joe's house for a fun and memorable Christmas Eve dinner. When we got home, we set the cookies and milk out for Santa and tucked the kids into bed. Torance heard "sleigh bells" outside her bedroom window as I read her the book, 'Twas the night before Christmas...And, after we finished the story, she squeezed her eyes shut so she could go to sleep. You see, Santa only comes if the kids are fast asleep in their beds...

3rd Annual Christmas in Seattle!

2009-12-22T14:40:00.000-08:00

We were THRILLED to be back in Seattle again for our family's Christmas celebration this year! This is the 3rd year we have been blessed to have the opportunity to spend Christmas with my Mom and Steve, Rob, Crystal and Ruby! Every year, we have chosen to go the weekend before Christmas. This year we stayed at the Pan Pacific (Mom and Steve had the Denny Suite which was beautiful and extremely spacious). We spent our days walking around downtown and a bit of shopping too! Friday night we dined at Sea Star after we opened gifts and hung out in the Denny Suite together. What a way to spend the holidays...with FAMILY and in gorgeous SEATTLE! Thanks again Mom and Steve for bringing our family together again in Seattle for Christmas! xoxo

Saturday at The Fairmont~Teddy Bear Suite

2009-12-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

Saturday we did some shopping and walking around downtown. Then, met up with everyone in the afternoon to head over to the Fairmont. We visited the fabulous Teddy Bear Suite where the kids snuggled up with teddy bears. Then we walked around the hotel enjoying the beautiful Christmas sights! For dinner, we went to Shuckers like we did last year. It was amazing! Jay, our server wonderful and took care of the kids as well! Thanks to Mom and Steve for another fantastic Christmas in Seattle! xoxo

Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa Claus is coming to town...

2009-12-22T13:50:00.000-08:00

Early Sunday morning, we got the kids dressed up and fancy and walked downtown to see SANTA! We got there super early, but still waited nearly 3 hours to see Santa. The kids were SO good. Jaxon and Ruby were not thrilled to meet Santa this year...They preferred to waive at him from a distance. ;) But, Torance on the other hand was absolutely DELIGHTED to sit on Santa's lap and visit for awhile. She said "I want a trumpet, harmonica and Princess stuff..." She has been so nice this year, I know Santa will make sure to bring her some presents (and I know he won't forget Jaxon and Ruby too)! ;)

Christmas at The Whitney's

2009-12-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, topping off our weekend in Seattle, we celebrated Christmas at The Whitney's in West Seattle. The kids were adorable and they are beginning to take over the family get togethers! Starting with the youngest...Jocelyn Mitchell (Gary & Margaret), Jaxon Stewart (Kris & Emily), Ruby Griffin (Rob & Crystal), Jacob Nicol (Jordan & Crystal), Ryan Whitney (Greg & Lynn), Conner Nicol (Jordan & Crystal), Torance Stewart (Kris & Emily) and Sarah Whitney (Greg & Lynn)--I don't think I left anyone out. It's a big group of kiddos! :)

Caroling at Logan Creek, snow, PJ fun and more!

2009-12-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

This year, Summersun Montessori went caroling at Logan Creek retirement home. The kids got dressed up to sing to the residents there. Torance even went around to "meet and greet" some of the friendly residents before we left.
Torance made Kris and I a special Christmas gift at school this year. It is a cinnamon wreath centerpiece, a beautiful card and an ornament with her picture on it.
We had a bit of snow the day of the Big Lake Fire Dept Christmas parade. Grandma and Papa Mike came over to watch the parade with us. Kris and Andrew drove the Grinch fire truck and Santa even made an appearance this year! :)

Random Holiday and Kid shots

2009-12-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

We hosted our 2nd annual Christmas Cocktail party again this year on December 5th. Everyone showed up looking wonderful and it was so fun to celebrate the season with our good friends!
My mom and Steve took the kids to see Santa in La Conner...check out those pics. I also posted a couple of the kids playing outside in the backyard on a beautiful November day.

Torance's Birthday Bash at Skagit Skate!

2009-12-08T10:08:00.000-08:00

Torance's BirthDAY was topped off with an evening birthday party at Skagit Skate. She had so much fun roller skating for almost 2 hours before eating pizza, cupcakes/ice cream and opening a mountain of wonderful gifts! There were about 30 kids, along with parents and family members in attendance. There were 55 cupcakes eaten too! YUM! We were so fortunate to celebrate her 4th birthday with family and her dearest friends. Happy Birthday Torance!

Let the CELEBRATION begin!

2009-12-04T10:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Miss Torance,
We were blessed the moment you entered this world on December 4th, 2005. Now, 4 years have quickly passed and you have grown into a beautiful little girl and we couldn't be more proud of you. Words cannot describe the love we have for you and everyday we love you more and more! Happy Birthday Lulu Boo! Love, Daddy, Mommy and Jaxon xoxo

Torance and I made snowflake cookies for her birthday celebration at school. I baked and she sprinkled them with pink sugar crystals. Tonight is her big birthday bash at Skagit Skate. I just finished baking/frosting 60 dark chocolate cupcakes with strawberry frosting. We are officially ready for her birth DAY! Let the celebration begin!

Thanksgiving at The Stewarts

2009-12-01T15:48:00.000-08:00

We hosted Thanksgiving this year with my Mom's side of the family. My Mom and Steve were there, along with many cousins...Greg and Lynn and their kids Sarah and Ryan...Jordan and Crystal and their kids Conner and Jacob. My brother Rob and Crystal with my niece Ruby. We ate a delicious feast and really enjoyed each other's company. The little cousins had a blast playing with "gooey gunk" that my cousin Crystal made for them, eating their dinner at the little kids table and then playing non-stop until the night came to an end. We are blessed with a wonderful family who we love dearly. We have so much to be thankful for!

All decked out!

2009-11-24T15:32:00.000-08:00

Well, our house is all decked out for the holidays! Here are some fun pictures of our family decorating. I also snapped a couple shots of the kids this morning dressed up for the Montessori Thanksgiving program.

A Thanksgiving Feast at Summersun Montessori

2009-11-24T15:15:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Torance's school Thanksgiving program. The children sang several songs, shared a poem they wrote and then we all ate a traditional Thanksgiving feast together. The children even prepared some of the food, in fact, the potatoes in a dish they made were grown in the school's garden! Gotta love this school! :)

Showers & Zipper PJ's

2009-11-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

Lately, naps have been a challenge for little J. He consistently, every nap in fact, un-dresses himself by un-zipping his PJ's. It's a distraction for him and he ends up not falling asleep. I of course put the PJ's back on him, but guess what? He takes them right back off! Silly boy! At night time he does it too, but will eventually give up and go to sleep. I'm sure this will pass, in the meantime, I will keep the heat higher to prevent him from being too cold sleeping in just a onesie.
I also posted some fun pictures of Jaxon taking a shower. Usually baths are first choice, but Jaxon got to take a shower this morning. And, he loved it! :)

Sewing buttons and more!

2009-11-07T08:39:00.000-08:00

Jaxon's first time painting was this morning. He liked it a lot, although I think he liked making a mess more! Jaxon is 17 months now and Torance is almost 4 years old (next month)! They continue to amaze Kris and I everyday...we are so blessed! Torance is doing great in school...One of her latest work projects was to learn how to sew. She sewed 3 buttons with needle and thread. She brought home the fabric with the buttons on it...check out the photo.

4th Annual Family Halloween Party

2009-11-01T19:33:00.001-08:00

This year marked our 4th annual Family Halloween party! The group has grown over the years, including The Harris's, The Wolfson's, The Nielsen's, The Soule's, The Pemberton's and The Florez family. The kids have a blast running around the house in their costumes, eating treats and just enjoying the night...Happy Halloween!

Torance was dressed up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

She loved wearing her handmade dress (I bought it from http://www.etsy.com/. One of my favorite sites)!

And, Jaxon was a monkey, of course! ;)

I dressed as a Snow Angel.

Trying to get the kids to pose for a picture before our friends arrive.

Here is the group...The husbands took the picture while the Mom's held the babies. The beautiful princesses are lined up in front. There are a couple kiddos not pictured, but we got almost everyone in the shot (you can see Spiderman/Nathan climbing under the table on the left)!

Cinderella (aka Madelyn) with Belle (aka Torance)

Daddy with his little monkey.

Amy with the Hulk (aka Spencer)

Ava, Torance & Jeiven playing in the bonus room downstairs.

Sweet little Lola.

Sammy with his dad, Ben and Jaxon eating treats!

Little Mermaid, Isabella eating a pumpkin cookie...Yum!

Torance and Maddy...

Maddy as the Little Mermaid.

Madelyn eating a yummy cookie!

Bumble Bee Baby (aka Finley).

David with a little pirate (Julian).

Pumpkin Carving time!

2009-10-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

Torance helping Daddy with all the "GOO" as she describes it. :)

Mommy carving a pumpkin for our lil' pumpkin, Jaxon.

Quick! Everyone make your scariest Halloween face!

Torance was really good at separating the seeds from the "goo".

Torance and Daddy's finished Happy Pumpkin!

Jaxon grinning from ear to ear. :)

And, here they are!

Stay tuned for pictures from the kids Halloween party coming up this weekend.... :)

Montessori Field Trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

2009-10-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

The day was sunny, dry and perfect for pumpkin picking, tractor riding and meeting new farm animals! Jaxon and I went along on Torance's school field trip to Schuh Farms, which of course was a blast!
Torance hugging her friend, Lakai.

Mommy and Jaxon on the tractor hayride.

Torance giggling with Ava on the hayride.

Jaxon got to pick a pumpkin too!

Finding the perfect one...

Here it is Mom!

Off to see some farm animals...Here Torance was admiring a bunny rabbit.

The 3 little pigs...only 8 months old.

And, we MUST feed the chickens before we go!

Fire Prevention Day~Summersun Montessori

2009-10-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

This week is Fire Prevention week at Torance's school, Summersun Montessori. The school invited Kris to teach a class on fire prevention and give the children a tour on the fire truck. Kris's brother, Andrew who is also a fire fighter came for the adventure too. The children listened so well and followed directions so nicely. They were so amazed to have fire fighters in their school and to be able to check out the fire truck!

The children practicing "stop, drop and roll"

Andrew showing the children the thermal image camera.

Andrew and Kris putting on their gear.

Demonstrating how a fire fighter will search through a smoke filled house with the mask on.

Kris, Jaxon, Robyn and Andrew

Going outside to see the fire truck...they were SO excited!

In the fire truck

Jaxon wanted to give it a try too!

Teacher, Janice with the children watching and waiving as Kris and Andrew drove off in the fire truck.

Our heroes. :)

Free Family Farm Day

2009-10-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

I took the kids to Schuh Farms yesterday while Kris was working. They went on a train ride, saw the farm animals in the petting zoo area, scoped out some pumpkins and played in a bouncy house. It was a beautiful sunny day, so we were very thankful for that. We ran into The Wolfson's while we were there too, so that was a special treat!

Jaxon kicking back with his buddy, Julian.

Isabella and Torance picking out their favorite pumpkin.

We love Fall!

2009-09-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Fall is one of my favorite seasons and we are embracing it full force. The house is already decorated in autumn leaves, pumpkins and of course some Halloween fun too! Here are some pictures of the kids I snapped today. Torance is wearing a beautiful new dress we just bought from my friend, Bekah's sister-in-law's store. She makes unique and adorable girl's clothing. http://www.heatherhillclothing.com/

Here are our latest craft projects with leaves...We found some leaves outside, then colored over to make a "fossil" image....On another project, we glued leaves onto paper and made funny characters out of them. :)

I HEART REUSABLEBAGS.COM!

2009-09-06T11:25:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite sites for fantastic finds is http://www.reusablebags.com/

I purchased all my reusable shopping bags there a couple years ago. Then, I noticed they increased the inventory with so many great things like lunch boxes, reusable containers, water bottles and much, much more. I decided to order a school lunch box for Torance, aluminum SIGG water bottles (100% safe with NO chemicals at all) and "lunchskins". Lunchskins are fantastic! They completely replace plastic ziploc bags, are cotton and eco-friendly. They come in adorable colors and prints and velcro to keep the food secure. Just wash (dishwasher safe) and re-use! I picked up a SIGG water bottle for Kris, Jaxon and myself too! I feel so much better knowing Torance (and the rest of us) are using these safe and chemical free products~and saving $ not having to buy a ton of plastic bags and bottles. Love, love love! :)

First day back to Montessori school!

2009-08-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

This morning is Torance's first day back to Montessori school. I still find it hard to believe this is going to be her 3rd year in Montessori...She started when she was 21 months old! I am proud of how well she has done and so thankful for an amazing school! We are truly blessed!

HERE ARE "FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL" PICS OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS:

1ST YEAR OF MONTESSORI~ 21 MONTHS OLD

2ND YEAR OF MONTESSORI~2 YEARS OLD

3RD YEAR OF MONTESSORI~3 YEARS OLD

Buttoning up her sweater to hang on the hanger.

Playing with her friends~she missed them so much!

Camping with our wonderful friends!

2009-08-31T09:49:00.000-07:00

What a way to end summer break~Camping with the best of friends and the kids had a blast! Looking forward to next summer's camping trip already....