Christmas Card | 2025

Sarah's dad has been telling us for years that "things will get easier as the kids get older," and this is the first year where that finally felt true :) We’re able to do things as a family of five that would have felt downright foolish a few years ago—like attend the state fair, ride bikes in the street, do a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle, go hiking, ride kiddie roller coasters, and see a movie in theaters. Throughout the year, we found ourselves embracing Pokémon, K-Pop Demon Hunters, and Gabby's Dollhouse while still cherishing classic childhood fun: climbing trees, coloring, reading books, and playing with a menagerie of stuffed animals. Our children enjoy our weekly trip to the pool and have honed their playdate-persuasion skills!

NLW remains an animal lover and has recently taken to sitting on our front porch with the Merlin app open, ready to record and recognize birds. The twins started Pre-K in the fall, and EDW has a deep affection for coloring unicorns and mermaids. Following in his mother's footsteps, CCW may be addicted to board games, most notably Machi Koro. Sarah still loves blogging, reading, thrifting, and regularly rearranges the furniture in our home haha! Mr. Fleece is slowly learning a new water sport (look up wing foiling) and is excited to teach the kids how to ski this winter.

Aside from daily adventures, this year took us back to some of our favorite spots: Camano Island, the farmhouse in Missouri, and Connecticut—all visits with grandparents! We also road-tripped to the peninsula and spent our 13th wedding anniversary at Olympic National Park (see family photo on front). Overall, we've had a wonderful year and hope to set up a playdate with you soon ;)

Merry Christmas!

Home for the Holidays

We’ve firmly established a tradition of visiting Christmas Creek Tree Farm, and this year we cut down our fourth tree from them! The kids love scampering through the rows of pines and surveying their options, but the highlight of the trip is always the free candy cane and seasonal treats. 

EDW and me year one (2022) and this year (2025):

Once home, and after several trips up and down the attic stairs, the decorating frenzy began. With the wonder-filled energy unique to children—and a stepladder to aid them—our Christmas tree was decorated in no time. Christmas spirit, holiday cheer, yuletide greetings — my trio has it all!

Now the house is dressed for the season with lights, handmade ornaments, chocolate advent calendars, and Casper Babypants "Winter Party" album playing on repeat. With longer darker days ahead, I'm thankful our home still feels bright, especially with the preschool artwork we saved and plan to hang year after year (my parents always did this for holidays too!) 

Snuggled in tight, 

-SJW

Christmas Card | 2024

If we could sum up 2024 in three words, it’d likely be “buzz the beach,” our phrase for making quick visits to the shorelines along Puget Sound. The picture on the back of the card is a classic example – pit stop to check out the waves on a windy day. We also discovered the immense joy of super low tides at Alki Beach. I joke that I’ll start reading out tide charts over breakfast so as not to miss any next year! 

July brought a beach upgrade (i.e. warmer water temps) when we traveled to Hawaii. Oahu made for a good "mid-point" for meeting up with Sarah’s sister who's currently stationed in Okinawa. We loved the scenery and shave ice, but were most excited to meet our new family member, cousin KHR! We also got family time with the Wrights in Connecticut and an Egley family reunion in Minnesota – Forever grateful for the times we get to spend with family! 

Our daily life is filled with playtime fun! Our trio can be found drawing/coloring or building zoos, forts, or obstacle courses in the basement. Stuffed animals, Legos, and magnet tiles reign supreme, and like many families across America, this was a year of Paw Patrol fandom :)

NLW started Kindergarten and has been reading on his own! He maintained an ongoing obsession with marine animals and loves drawing and labeling them. We experienced two “reptile guy” presentations this year and held snakes, a turtle, and a chameleon. NLW is a super sweet friend and can be heard saying endearing things like “you’re not too small. everyone’s big enough to do something”. 

The twins had a year full of milestones and we’ve officially said good-bye to cribs, pacifiers, and diapers! They are at the same in-home preschool with our amazing nanny and are now writing their names, counting backward, and biking with hand brakes. 

EDW has fully adopted the hygge way of life -- cozy is her favorite adjective and snuggle is her favorite verb. She loves indoor pretend play and dressing up. My favorite look consists of pink sparkly princess dress + swim goggles + pirate hat.

CCW loves building structures and is constantly surprising us with his creativity – his art, comments, jokes, food combinations, and even his ability to avoid fulfilling a request i.e. “my hands are having quiet time.” He is somehow both always on the move and very focused on activities.

We hope you get to buzz a beach, lake, or pond nearest you. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Card 2023

We had another wonderful year as a family! In our house, 2023 has been the year of stuffed animals, balance bikes, and talking twins. Our days are filled with parks, playgrounds, snacks, library books, rounds of tickle monster, and most recently, the Lion King soundtrack on repeat!

We road tripped to Camano Island and Bellingham, spent nine nights at the farm in Missouri, visited family and friends on the East Coast, and had our first camping trip with children in tow! 

Sadly we said good-bye to our beloved dog, Ebony earlier this year and miss her uncanny ability to snuggle into the tiniest of spots.

NLW lost two teeth and started preK. He loves reptiles, writing grocery lists, and is starting to read on his own. NLW turned 5 in October and is agreeable, silly, and an eager learner. 

The twins both had ear tube surgery this year, which has helped their speech take off! They turned 3 in October and love playing store or airplane (also known as putting things in bags). 

EDW adores pajamas, can dress herself, and always wants to be in eyesight of her mother. She is snuggly, observant, and mischievous. 

CCW likes penguins and sloths, enjoys crafts, and often requests the opposite of his sister. He is active, cheeky, and sweet. 

Hakuna Matata & Merry Christmas, 
-SJW

A Christmas to Remember

2020 marks our first Christmas in our new house. Our first Christmas with a fireplace to hang stockings. Our first Christmas with three kiddos! And to top things off, it was our first full day without another adult in the house since Elvin (the twins shmush name) came home from the hospital. Between my parents and our newly-hired nanny - who is absolutely wonderful! - we've had an abundance of help these first two months. But Christmas Day we were completely on our own. And we survived! Video calls with family and baby-wearing saved the day :) We even ate well, thanks to freezer meals and a bit of forethought. 

All season long I had been on the hunt for new Christmas stockings for the kids. I looked online at Amazon, Target, and Etsy and never found a set that I liked enough to splurge on. Fortunately, someone in our "Buy Nothing" group posted three knit stockings the week of Christmas and I was lucky enough to snag them. Mr. Fleece installed the hooks and we hung them on Christmas Eve...just in the (Saint) nick of time! It made my holiday heart happy to see them hanging on the hearth. My other Christmas wish was taking photos as a family. These images make my heart happy too! What a chaotic little Christmas crew.

In all of these pictures we are literally telling NLW "Hold the pillow. Hold onto the pillow." 

Desperately hoping he won't grab, poke, or scratch a sibling. 

Sweet sugar plums,

- SJW

Christmas Poem | 2016

It’s been a busy year with house projects galore.

We’ve been managing three rental units and decided to move next door.

Fixing dryers, painting walls, and renovating floors.

It’s no surprise that Home Depot is now our “go-to” store.

Amidst all of this stress there has been some relaxation.

Each Saturday morning is reserved for coffee and conversation.

We also visited family in a variety of locations.

New Hampshire, Texas, Missouri, Maine – so many fun vacations!

Tommy’s still an actuary – at the same great place. 

Sarah’s in a new part time job and enjoying the change of pace. 

Together we took a marriage class to build a stronger base. 

We learned how to better address conflict and offer each other grace.

It surely was a year of change, but one in which we grew.

We’re excited for the year ahead and all that God will do. 

For now we’ll say good-bye with a message tried and true. 

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! We love you!

Christmas Poem | 2015

2015 - a turning point year,

big trips, job changes, & continual cheer

Old Faithful we saw and the Grand Tetons too.

We went to Connecticut to help the 'rents move. 

Tommy passed another actuarial exam,

a key designation now in his hand!

Sarah joined a new marketing team,

promoting golf courses & living the dream.

We've very excited for the New Year ahead,

growing our marriage & by Christ being led. 

Merry Christmas!!

-SJW

Christmas Riddles

This year’s Christmas Trivia is more like Christmas Riddles. Inspired by the 12 Days of Christmas Song, each correct answer will contain a lyric from the song – one word from one of the gifts. For example, an answer to the riddle could be “Dancing with the Stars” because “dancing” is one of the lyrics within the song, “nine ladies dancing”.

You might be able to answer the riddle on its own but cross checking to see if it aligns with the song lyrics will be helpful. For example if the question was about a sweet fruit bearing plant. “Pear Tree” and “Fig tree” could perhaps both make sense, but you’d know it was “pear tree”, since that matches the song! Yurtle the Turtle could be another answer because of “Two Turtle Doves”

Number 1 – 10 and Good luck!

1. These sweet treats are like little cocoa fortune cookies.

2. This Seattle restaurant is known for their benedicts and egg bakes. The little brick building is quite charming and they welcome people of all sizes.

3. His name is a riddle –better not to say it at all.

4. This musical sitcom stars Shirley Jones and David Cassidy. They sing like kin.

5. This 1963 Horror film took flight.

6. These are often a symbol of love or fidelity because of their seemingly monogamous relationships. They also contrast ugliness.

7. Part worker bee, part emotional lifeboat, this person is responsible for sincere sentiments and providing their signature.

8. A valuable magnetic pointer. Sounds like one of his dark materials.

9. This musician led many children astray. What a rat!

10. BONUS: Cumulatively, 364 total items are delivered by the twelfth day. Since 1984, the cumulative cost of the items mentioned in the song has been calculated. What is the total costs for all goods and services in 2015? *The people mentioned in the song are hired, not purchased.

** Answers at the bottom of the page **

1.       Dove Chocolate 

2.       The Fat Hen

3.       Lord Voldemort  

4.       Partridge Family 

5.       Birds 

6.       Swans 

7.       Maid of Honor 

8.       Golden Compass 

9.       The Pied Piper 

10.   PNC Bank, the bank that calculates it every year calls it the “Cost of Christmas”– for 2015 it is $155,407.18.

Counting,

SJW

Merry Christmas | Trivia

Here's a little self-made Christmas movie trivia for ya : ) 

QUESTIONS
1.In the movie Elf, Papa Elf explains there are three jobs an elf can hold.  What are they? (1 point for each correct answer)

2. Kris Kringle miraculously communicates with little girls in 1947 and 1994 in these two non-English languages. (1 point for each correct answer)

3. This actor played Santa because he followed a set of instructions, even if he never was great with a tool kit. 

4. This movie was based on a "Christmas Card" short story called the Great Gift. I'm sure many bells were ringing when it became a hit. 

5. Fill in the blanks to describe this foul character: Your heart's an empty hole. Your blank is full of spiders and you have blank in your soul. (1 point for each correct answer)

6. When Clark Griswold asks Aunt Bethany to say grace, she recites these standard lines instead. 

7.Michael Cain, Patrick Stewart, and Jim Carey have all portrayed this classic character. 

8.This composer made his dreams come true when he wrote the lyrics to this song, and coincidentally this movie. 

9. Two dads. One Toy. No Prisoners. is the tagline for this movie. Extra points for naming the character names and toy. 

10. If A Christmas Story airs 10 times on Christmas Day and you watched the entire marathon, how many times would you hear Ralphie say he wants a red ryder bb gun?

ANSWERS

1. Making shoes while the old cobbler sleeps, bake cookies in trees, build toys in Santa's Workshop

2. Dutch and Sign Language

3. Tim Allen

4. It's a wonderful Life

5. Brain. Garlic.

6. Pledge of Allegiance

7. Ebenezer Scrooge

8. Irving Berlin

9. Jingle All the Way. Howard Langston, Myron Larabee, Turbo Man Action Figure

10. 280

..and to all a good night!

-SJW

So whoop-de-do & hickory dock

It's the holiday season

& our little duplex is decked out in full Christmas attire.

DIY Christmas tree made out of fabric & buttons

$1.00 garage sale reindeer

Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

Little nutcracker : )

Prints my mother-in-law drew in art school

Chess Advent calendar!

DIY "HO HO HO" window using paper bags & chalk

Mistletoe & Christmas cards

Christmas tree from Chubby & Tubby's

Looking forward to the following traditions:

-Christmas Eve service & looking at Christmas lights

- Reading Christmas stories

- Baking cookies & making puppy chow

Singing Christmas songs,

-SJW