I am doing this silly 30 day photo challenge on Instagram. Basically you get a list of 30 pictures to post over 30 days (one per day). I thought it would be fun, and I saw a few people were doing it so I made Colt and my sister do it with me. It’s been fun (some days more fun than others) Colt is convinced it’s a girls challenge and has almost quit a few times but he always comes through in the end with the best picture (typical). The reason I am even bringing it up (minus the obvious that it has kept us entertained and added to the holiday fun) is because of the photo challenge we got yesterday. I pulled up my list and the photo you were suppose to post was of a gift you are giving. At first I was a little annoyed thinking I can’t really post a gift I am giving since most of the people I am giving gifts to are on Instagram but as I sat and stared at all the gifts under our tree it suddenly all became clear.

The gifts we are giving this year (and we are giving some really awesome gifts) don’t compare to the “gifts” we have already shared since the beginning of December. I can honestly say that every weekend so far has felt like REAL Christmas to me with the gifts of love, laughter and beautiful memories.

The first weekend of December we spent with my family in Oahu, we got my mom and dad tickets to see journey in concert (floor seats) they were just a little excited.

They were pretty stoked and we were pretty jealous.

Dad decorating the tree

My sister, Mom and Me getting ready to hit Waikiki for the night

My Mama and hubby sharing a beer and holiday cheer

The second weekend we spent playing games with the Vernon’s and going mud bogging it was silly family fun.

Mud bogging (local style)

Khlo & Colt best friends.

Just chilling with my entourage on a Sunday..no big deal.

The third weekend on Friday we spent ice skating by the sea (yes you read that right) it was probably one of the coolest things I have done in Maui since it was so different. Now granted it wasn’t real ice and it wasn’t cold but we had real ice skates and because we got there so late (they were closed when we arrived at 8:35pm even though the hours said until 9pm so I threw a small hissy fit) and they let us on and it was like our own VIP ice skating rink. I skated with Khloe and Caylee for a good 15 minutes and it was a blast. We laughed and fell and tried to show off our special “moves” while singing our favorite Christmas songs. Katie also came out and joined the girls and it was good old family fun.

Sweet Sisters

catch me if you can!

weee we’re skating!

Mama Katie out on some skates!

The Vernon girls ice skating by the sea

we had a slumber party after skating and the girls opened one early Christmas present each

Christmas PJ’s.

This past Saturday we had a pre-celebration birthday dinner for Anu at one of the local pasta places and later did our gift exchange. They got us the game apples to apples so we broke it out and drank way to much champagne. It was an amazing night that ended at McDonalds and that’s all I want to say about that.

While we were waiting for Joe & Anu for dinner Colt looked at me like this. My heart honestly stopped beating as I thought he was having a stroke.

nope…his flip flop just broke! I never laughed so hard, I mean it was his favorite pair but the reaction was a bit much.

just rolling with it, like my friend Chelsea would say “real men only wear one shoe” hahaha

on our way home from dinner Colt decided to wrap the broken flip flop and give it to Joe as a present, I didn’t get his reaction but we did get a really good laugh.

going on our little family adventure

sweet and sour sauce, you had to be there

This week has been full of WORK. So many events and holiday parties has forced me to work 6 days straight with some really late nights. It’s been one ass kicker of a week but still in the midst of the craizness we managed to fit in some cheer with the Vernon’s on Wednesday and then Anu’s 26th birthday last night.

My new Christmas wine glass from Katie.

The girls some how got to open another “early” present! They are getting so big and extra beautiful.

World Famous Jell-O shots for Anu’s birthday

Happiest Birthday Anu (our December baby) we LOVE you.

I am so happy it’s Friday. It’s been a long week and I am really looking forward to what I know is going to be an incredible, magical and unforgettable Christmas weekend.

Until next time, love each other.

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to sing loud for all to hear…”

That’s pretty much how I feel this holiday season. I am just here singing New Kids on the Block Christmas on the top of my lungs, looking for the radio station that’s playing Christmas songs and belting along with Britney when she sings “Santa can you hear me, I have been so good this year,” skipping through the mall shopping and loving every second of it.

It all started around Thanksgiving. I of course had to work which originally bummed me out. We feed the homeless that day though so Colt and his family get to come down and volunteer and it always turns into such a great day and is so humbling. Being able to give back to those who truly appreciate and need it is so fulfilling. The only reason I was even a little bummed is because thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday! I love it because everyone can just relax and enjoy themselves, no one is stressed about money or shopping or all of those other superficial things that consumes us around the holidays. It’s just family and food and I LOVE that. Since it was our first Thanksgiving married I wanted it to be special so I talked to Colt about hosting his family at our place (and believe it or not Colt had never cooked his own bird) so I thought this year would be just the year. I was so excited when he agreed and we invited his family over the Saturday before to celebrate. We woke up early that day and I went shopping. It was so fun to shop for all things that I wanted and I got a ton of stuff. When I got home I pulled out all of our Thanksgiving décor and decorated the house while Colt still tended to the Turkey. Around 11am the Vernon’s came over and we spent the afternoon cooking together, playing games, watching movies and feasting. It felt like a real thanksgiving even though it was five days early and not all our loved ones could be there. We made the most of it and it was a weekend to remember.

After thanksgiving I typically start to get into my Ms. Scrooge mood. It’s not that I don’t like Christmas (actually I really like Christmas) it’s just that I don’t like all the hoopla that comes with it. The shopping, the mad mobs, the stress, the hurt feelings (you can never make everyone happy) yet its coined as “the most wonderful time of the year.” It has got so sideways over the years and now that I was married I knew it would only get harder. We of course can’t be in all the places that we want to be at once and no choice is ever ideal for someone else. I sat and longed for the days of midnight mass, singing carols, all of the family being together in one spot, laughing and loving and not having a care in the world. But as I sat there reminiscing it hit me that just because things were different now that didn’t mean we couldn’t start our own traditions and create our own new memories. I mean it was the Stew’s first married Christmas after all and by golly it was going to be a great one!

Christmas with the Vernon’s in 2010

Christmas at the Carvalho’s 2011

So from that moment on it has been. We got our beautiful tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it’s added such a cozy and festive feel to our place. We decorated the window’s in our place with snow and Colt got a fireplace that he can pull up on the TV and it even crackles. It’s one of the first times that it really feels like Christmas in Hawaii (it’s hard when you grew up in a cold place). I got all of our Christmas shopping done early and I actually had a great time doing it, I got all of our Christmas cards and presents in the mail and got Colt his yearly ornament to hang on the tree. This year it was easy to pick because the “Mr. & Mrs. Stewart” choice was the only one that truly seemed appropriate and he of course loved it.

Shopping for our Christmas Tree

Colt’s newest addition to the tree. I have got him an ornament every year it’s a family tradition that I continued with him.

our cozy little place

Anu and Joe had us over the other night for dinner and we had a Christmas photo shoot, a roast, drank wine and played games..here are some of the fun and festive photo’s that Anu snapped (thanks Anu)

Happy 12 days until Christmas!

Today I experienced a kind of awakening that I cannot fully describe or understand… just yet. It happened at work while I was in a business meeting with 3 older gentlemen. I always pride myself on being young and successful (about 85% of the people I do business with on a daily basis are 5-20 years older than me). So for the past 5 years it’s only natural that this is how I have defined my success with statements such as “well I am only 23 and I am already doing this” or “I am only 27 and already have 5 years of management experience.” I have made a beautiful life for myself and I have worked my ass off in the process, but today as I sat in this meeting listening to these men talk about their “life experience” I quickly realized that none of it had to do with how long they had been working in their careers. Quite the contrary actually, it was all about what watering hole they sat at and enjoyed the best music of their lives, what moments most influenced their passions, what countries they had traveled to, what events and experiences had shaped their lives. It was in that moment that my client said “If you aren’t out experiencing life, it is just passing you by…”

Suddenly the longing of freedom washed over me. We are so young and although we have experienced a life full of so many blessings and adventures we are still so YOUNG in our experiences. I longed for us to live without an agenda, whisking away with no plans for tomorrow while dancing in the moonlight. I couldn’t help but wonder what I had been doing for the last 5 years? Working 10 hour days, 50+ hour weeks with 2 days off a week and an additional 10 of vacation? Living for the weekend so only then I could feel alive? I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to live simply with Colt and Kai and do more living and less working. To focus on being rich & successful in love, life, relationships and passion rather than work, years invested and experience. Had we missed the boat and got it all wrong?

I can’t shake questioning the last 5 years of my thought process. Not because I haven’t been happy or successful but because I’ve been doing what I thought I was “suppose” to do. People tell you everyday “you go to school, you get an education, you get a GOOD job, you get married, you have kids, you work your life away and this makes you successful.” I say REALLY?… The moments that have made me who I am are moments with family and friends where I created memories I will never forget, when I packed my bags at 18 years old and moved across the United States (literally) and just figured it out (and continue to just figure it out 9 years later day by day), jumping out of planes and off of cliffs (and shitting my pants the whole way down), getting on a surfboard, sailing the high seas, meeting and falling in love with Colt, having Kailea come into my life, swimming with fish, dolphins, turtles, whales & sharks, having the man of my dreams ask me to marry him, planning our wedding and soon our life together. OUR LIFE TOGETHER, not our life working and seeing each other 1 day a week, in passing or at night when we are so tired we can barely enjoy each other and all the love we share. The moments in which success has happened aren’t in client meetings or sitting behind a desk, they are when we are embracing life.

EMBRACING LIFE. It’s funny how that keeps coming up; to embrace life. I am as of today wearing a bracelet to remind me of this statement all day every day. This bracelet reminds me that all things are possible. It reminds me to have strength and courage. It reminds me to love the people that love me without limits and forget the ones that don’t. It reminds me that life is too short.

My old general manager at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., & his family just recently found out that their 11 month old son is dying. Dying and they can’t do anything about it. So you know what they are doing? They are LIVING. They are taking every moment and not letting it pass them by. They are spending every second entangled in life and love and happiness. With broken hearts they carry on, it’s inspiration that can change the world if you take the time to pay attention. It’s inspiration that has changed me already. It has me more driven, determined and inspired than I have ever been in my life (and if you know me at all you know that is a very bold statement) because for once it’s not about dying, it’s about living. It’s about LIFE and I want more.

Embrace Life