Sunday, December 28, 2008
baby blessing postponed
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Morning
The best gift!!
In 3 hours I was able to clean the entire kitchen, top to bottom, which was overrun by boxes, opened packages and new art supplies that the girls left out all over the counter and table. I picked up all the Barbie shoes and accessories that were strewn amongst all the chaos that was left in the living room and put all the gifts we'd opened back under the tree so that I could vacuum all the downstairs. Then I organized the nursery and the little girls room and vacuumed them and the hall upstairs. Now, all I have to do is straighten our bedroom and fold one of the 2 loads of laundry I had done yesterday and straighten up the office loft. Plus, I got an uninterrupted shower!
THANKS HONEY!!! You can give me that kind of gift ANYTIME!!!! Love you
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve....RUINED?!
Last night it took Jay about 3-4 hours to get home from work in Salem, which is 20 minutes away. Will got stuck on I-205 for about 4 hours just 15-20 minutes from the hospital and around midnight turned around and went back to spend the night there. He had to work today again anyway. We found out that ODOT decided to shut down the freeway for "just 45 minutes" to scrape all the hard ice grooves off the freeway, well it didn't go as planned... OBVIOUSLY!
I didn't really have a choice. All of my kids Christmas is up here and I still had a few large things to pick up that couldn't wait. We made it home in about 2.5 hours. I got caught behind the ODOT cleaners once (they are still at it today a whole 24 hours later). For about 20 minutes my van was in park on I-5. THANKS HEAVENS for the DVD system in our van.
Will got home around 8:30 and I let the girls stay up 'til he arrived so we could do our traditional Christmas Eve activities. Here's some pics and a video. I should elaborate more, but I'm exhausted and have no doubt the girls will rise early!
Monday, December 22, 2008
All the snow!
It has been snowing like crazy almost all week. All the news channels are calling this our "Arctic Blast". It started on Tuesday afternoon (the 16th) and we got just a little skift (is that a word?)(ok, I just looked it up and it's not a word, but my mom uses it all time to describe a small amount. LOL!).
When we woke Wed, it was snowing, but not really sticking. Since Asia's preschool is in with Evergreen School District, they had closed their schools, but ours, Vancouver School District had not. By about 10, it was really coming down and sticking really well. The girls ended up with a 2 hour early release. They played in it all afternoon with the neighbor kids, but it had started to melt and everything was all muddy. They got so DIRTY!
On Thursday, I woke up around 5:45 am to use the bathroom and looked outside and things were pretty much as they were when we went to bed. Wet and muddy. (Will had already left for work) At 6:30, Mariah came in my room and shook me saying "Mommy, it snowed again last night!" I said, "No it didn't, I just checked a little while ago", she went over to the window and pulled back the shade and sure enough it was coming down HARD! It was already starting to stick. School was cancelled for Mariah and Brinlee, but not for Asia. (???)
Anyway, school ended up being cancelled for the rest of the week. Ross, Lindsay, Braden, Megan, Adalyn and Ellie have already arrived. We had the Jones (my dad's side) Family Christmas Party on Sat. Will had to work, so I had to brave the "Arctic Blast" by myself with no chains. I think we had about 8-10 inches of snow on the ground (HUGE for this area). The freeway was a MESS. It took us about 3 hours to make the normally 45 minute drive down I-5. The party was awesome! Aunt Janet was in charge and we had a simple delicious potato bar. Lacey baked fresh cookies all day and we had peppermint ice cream/chocolate chip cookie sandwiches (YUUUM!).
It took me about 2 hours to get home, but I decided to stop at Target in Jantzen Beach on my way home since I was already out. There wasn't a soul there. I had the entire store to myself at 9 o'clock at night. It was AWESOME! I called my worried mother to let her know I'd made it that far and she didn't believe that I was crazy enough to stop along the way! LOL
I met Will at home and started the wrapping. Actually I sent him off to play his Wii and I wrapped.
Church ended up being cancelled on both ends (Vanc. and Wooburn). My mom asked if we'd stay up here until it was time to pick up Paula and her 5 kids (Tyson just entered the MTC) at the airport late that evening. It just kept right on snowing the entire day. Paula's flight ended up getting cancelled and they wouldn't be able to get another one til Christmas day, so they aren't coming at all (BOO!). They decided to take their family to Disneyland instead. Their teenagers didn't want to come later and stay later because they didn't want to miss New Years with their friends.
So I came back to Woodburn today. Will worked and then came down here too. The roads are still really icy and have deep grooves in them from all the ice. There is probably 6 inches of solid ice on the freeway. We will head back home tomorrow and then I will spend Christmas Eve with Mary Lou in Rainier. (Will has Christmas Day off, but not Christmas Eve day).
MORE SNOW!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
How they get caught
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Our Christmas Letter
First things first, we have moved! Here is our new address and hopefully will be for a good long stretch.
Will and Kristy Erickson
4xxx NE xxthSt.
Vancouver, WA 98xxx
As the years go by, we continually receive the Lord’s richest blessings. We have so much to be thankful for this year. Especially for the new angel that He sent us. Roxelle Rianna Erickson joined our family on September 17th and has been an absolute joy in our home.
We left our island ‘ohana on June 4. We lived there just 2 days shy of 3 years. I miss it more than I ever thought I would. I have been compiling a list of things that I don’t miss to keep me from hopping on the next flight back. With cockroaches and centipedes nearing the top of the list, I am happy to stay where I am for now!
Will accepted a position with Providence Milwaukie hospital in the medical/surgical department. He really enjoys the hands on work and the people he works with. The commute is about 25 minutes and he misses traffic on both ends of the day with his 7am – 7:30pm shift.
My days currently consist of baby feedings and diaper changes, with a little bit of house organizing here and there. I love having a place to call our own and I can’t wait to start putting some personal touches on it.
Mariah turned 8 this year and was baptized in the lagoon at Paradise Cove on O’ahu. I can still picture the serenity of that day. It is something that I will not soon forget. Mariah is in Ms. Choate’s 3rd grade class at Truman Elementary School.
Brinlee is 6 and in Mrs. Little’s 1st grade class at Truman Elementary School. She loves music and dancing. She keeps wondering aloud why she hasn’t started gymnastics or ballet yet. I told her that I want them to start piano lessons first. She thought that sounded fun, too.
Asia is 4 and just started preschool several weeks ago. She is at (my favorite) Mini School here in Vancouver. She is there 4 days a week and loves her teachers; Mrs. Provine, Mrs. Hall, and Mrs. Joachim. She loves to display her daily artwork for Mariah and Brinlee to see when they get home.
Tatum is 2 and is enjoying all the extra time with Mom while Asia is in school. She loves her baby sister and tries to help, a little too much sometimes. She is definitely a “Daddy’s girl” and can’t cope when he works more than 2 days in a row. He’s been around at home for her entire life until now. She is still adjusting to his long days when he leaves before she’s up and not home until after she’s in bed.
We want to send each of you the warmest wishes for a prosperous new year. We are humbled by this time of year and feel blessed beyond our needs.
Merry Christmas!
With Love,
The Erickson's
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Ward Christmas Party
I was really glad we decided to go. The dinner was very nice and the program was ok, too. They had Santa there at the end in the gym and Tatum, of course, being the typical 2 year old was freaking out, not to mention the girl is scared of EVERYTHING, anyway.
Before we left the house I took advantage ofthe dresses and took some pictures. These are not their Christmas dresses, but still festive all the same.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
I'm still here...
I have been trying to update my blog lists thingy over there, but haven't had the time, so I decided that each time someone sends me their blog link, via comment or what-have-you, I will copy and paste the link from there until there is a small enough amount to just transfer the rest.
I'm rambling and tired. I'm going to bed. Just leave me a comment so I can transfer your blog. K?
Monday, December 8, 2008
31, uh I mean 32
My mom and Dotty took me to lunch at Olive Garden. Chelsea had been planning to come, but forgot that she had previously committed to baby sit over night for a friend. We missed you Chels! Dotty brought me some beautiful flowers and my mom gave me my favorite Germade from the Lehi Roller Mills. YUM! It was really fun to get out for a couple hours with no kids. Thanks gals!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Festival of the Nativities
In the kids room they had a darling nativity set up with a costume area where they could dress as Mary or Joseph or a horse or an angel. It was SO CUTE! We had a lot of fun and will definitely go back next year.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
modern conveniences
A few weeks ago I hadn't set out any meat to make dinner, so I decided to have leftover spaghetti at the last minute. It took almost 30 minutes to heat it up in the oven. This wouldn't have been a problem if I had planned ahead. The girls were starving and asked every 2 minutes if it was done yet. It's amazing how we rely so much on all of our modern conveniences. Gives me another reason to appreciate my mother, grandmother and those poor Pioneer women!!!
BEFORE
When we pulled it out........*GASP* *gAg* *GAG*!!!
After
I am really happy with it!! I makes our kitchen look totally different. The only appliance left to be switched out now is the dishwasher. It will be a while, but it needs it almost as desperately as the range!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Gettin' a Groove on
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Decorations
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
PAINT
p.s. don't mind the ex-prego booty =D
p.p.s. Tatum started feeling better in the middle of the night. She woke around 2 am starving and wanted to watch "Annie". The only thing I recall is getting a cup of saltines and a tiny bit of water and pushing the tape into the VCR in our room . The next thing I know, the sound of the tape rewinding woke me and I got up to find Tatum sound asleep on the towel/blanket combo that I laid out for her. Poor baby! I just hope that Brinlee doesn't start. If the pattern goes as it has been she'll start tomorrow, but she did end up spending last weekend after Thanksgiving at Grandma Erickson's. She stayed that night until Saturday evening, so maybe she'll avoid getting the bug. *FINGERS-CROSSED*
Monday, December 1, 2008
round 3
Sunday, November 30, 2008
my new calling
p.s. Asia woke up this morning STARVING and feeling much better. She has felt fine all day...THANK HEAVENS! We are going to Walsh's for dinner tonight. I can't wait it's going to be so much fun!!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
round 2
Friday, November 28, 2008
Happy Turkeys!
So I got up unusually early this year. I am used to going alone now since living on island. I'd have loved to of had someone to go with, but my mom and sisters were in Utah for my Grandma Woolsey's 85th birthday and Dotty, my only really close friend still in Vancouver, was in Seattle. I really wanted some $4 pjs and $8 winter coats at Wal Mart and a few of their other good deals, so I went out at 3 am today instead of my usual 4:30. I wasn't the first one in line either. I was about the 75th person from the door. It was raining and cold, but OH SO EXCITING!!!! I had my little chair and my handy dandy notebook and was ready to go. I got everything I had gone for and A TON more that I didn't plan for. LOL
After Wal Mart, I went to the newly remodeled Toys R Us in Jantzen Beach with the brand new Babies R Us that they just added on and they totally duped me! I got there and they were offering a free crib with the purchase of the combo and armoire set. I just couldn't resist. One of my dreams is coming true! I know it's silly, but I have longed to decorate a nursery since Mariah was born. I have never even owned a crib. I know, right?! 5 kids and no crib!! It was ridiculously expensive, but I got a free crib!!! I already have many a vision of what I want to do in her nursery...stay tuned!
Thanksgiving was really fun and super relaxed. We spent the day in Rainier with Will's family. Poor Mariah spent the entire day lying in Grandma's bed watching the new DVD's she just bought them. Barbie in a Christmas Carol and Tinkerbell. She only ate a few soda crackers and sipped water all day. The food was super YUM and the day went off without a hitch! The only bummer was that Bryan and Ellene weren't there for the dinner, they were with his family and then caught up with us later in the afternoon for pies and such.
Baby's 1st Thanksgiving.
I don't want to get my picture taken!
Trying to get a decent photo of the grandkids (minus Mariah)
Ha HA HAAAA!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
*SiiiiGH*
Just before dinner was ready, Mariah said that her tummy was hurting. A little while before that, they had been playing and Brinlee kicked Mariah in the stomach (2nd time in 2 days) and now she said that her tummy was still hurting. She said she didn't feel sick, but just that her tummy hurt where Brinlee kicked her. So she layed down in front of the fire and said she wasn't hungry. We all ate and I saw that Mariah had fallen asleep, I went to wake her so that she could eat and go to bed at a normal time. She got up and went to the freezer to get her freezer mug, while I cleaned up the blankets off the floor. All of a sudden, she starts vomiting all over the floor and inside the door of the freezer. We couldn't decide if she was sick, or the force of being kicked made her throw up. She said that she felt much better, though. But, that's not all....
While I was upstairs showering Mariah, the other girls were running a muck and being crazy. I was upstairs and heard Will getting after somebody. I went down to find that Asia had gotten too close to the fire and the back of her night gown had melted to the front of glass. YIKES! We told her how lucky she is that she didn't catch on fire.
I decided to take a picture of the mess on the fireplace. While I was doing that, Brinlee accidentally clocked Tatum in the face with a toy. I turned around to see Tatum holding her breath in a fit. I grabbed her on my lap and turned to ask Brinlee what happened when Will walked in and said that Tatum was bleeding. Just as I looked down a drop of blood fell on her shirt. My immediate reaction was to tip her back so that it wouldn't continue to bleed on her shirt, but as she was laying back, she caught sight of the blood and freaked out. I've never seen someones eyes bulge in an instant like that and then she flipped out of my arms. Will grabbed her up and took her to the kitchen. It all happened so fast, like 5 seconds, but it seemed like I was watching in slow motion. She bled for about 5 minutes.
Poor Brinlee looked like she thought she killed Tatum. She had already been having trauma over thinking that she made Mariah throw up. She crumbled to the floor in a mess of tears. I grabbed her onto my lap and hugged her and held her for a long while.
I told the other girls to go and brush their teeth and get ready for bed. About 2 minutes later Will heard Mariah vomiting all over the upstairs bathroom. Oh, no, not in the toilet, but all over the floor and out on the carpet. UGH!
She has thrown up 2 or 3 more times since then. Will went out to the garage to get a razor blade to see if he could clean off the glass of the fireplace and accidently dropped the tray from his tool box that holds all the little nuts, bolts and screws and sent them all over the floor. He came inside with a complete look of exasperation and said "I am so done".
I am going to feed Roxelle and try to get some sleep before I have to wake up around 4 to start the dough for my rolls.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Family Night
Mini School
Today was their November Sing. They get to sing all the songs they've been practicing in November for the parents. Just like Mariah, Asia refused to participate and sat there with a long face =<. I was such a "ham" as a kid that I can't figure out why my girls are so stage shy!
I could not agree more
On another note, it is healthy for a baby to cry. I've heard that anywhere from 2 to 4 hours (not consecutively, of course) in a 24 hour period is healthy for a baby's lungs and muscle developement. It's pretty hard to "spoil" a baby, but it's important to tell yourself that a little fussing and crying isn't going to hurt them either. I remind myself, each time she cries and I can't get to her right away, that she doesn't lay and cry all day long and a little fussing and crying is actually doing her good.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
BUMBO
Monday, November 17, 2008
2 Months Old
Anyway, she had her first dr. appt today since she was born. We were in the middle of moving when she was 2 weeks old. Lucky for us, she is healthy and happy! The dr gave her a clean bill of health and she weighed in at a healthy 10 lbs 8 oz. and is 23 5/8 inches. Dr. Fuchs said that she is in the 75% for height!!!!! All of our others are between 8% (Brinlee) and 40% for height. Might we average size folks have a tall one?! (I would consider 5'6 "tall" for a girl...LOL! ha ha ha). She is 50% for head. This is also unusual. All the others are 80% to 95% (Brinlee). She is 40% for weight.