The Ericksons

A Few of my Fall Favorite Things

2011-10-10T12:26:00.000-05:00

I don't think I could survive without this product! BioSilk Silk Therapy fills in the tiny voids in the hair cuticle to make it smooth and soft.

Curly haired people listen up - since our hair needs extra moisture this is a great product. I definitely can feel a difference when I use it!

This is not in production anymore but is easily found on the internet. Calvin Klein's Obsession Night is my most favorite perfume, hands down! I always get compliments when I wear it. FYI, this is the men's version (there is a woman's line) so yes, I wear men's cologne but it has a feminine scent about it that I love.

Fall weather means Fall boots! With my recent weight loss this means that I can wear this style - I'm so excited!!

Thank you Jennifer Lopez! I found these JLO jeans at Kohls and love love love them! Jeans that actually fit my body type, more room in the tummy with a skinnier leg - finally!!!

Dog Days of Summer

2011-09-08T18:34:00.005-05:00

Where has Summer gone? I'm way behind in updating!

Wes has been a reading machine this Summer! He just finished reading all the Harry Potter books, his thirst for reading is insatiable - I'm so proud of him! He started the 2nd grade yesterday and seems to enjoy it so far, I hope there are many good things in store for him this year.

Jack LOVES to swing. He also loves wearing his cape. He is a very interesting boy and makes us all laugh with the things he says and does!


Kyle has been doing a lot of Bass fishing lately, he's really good at it!

I have been teaching Zumba 4 nights a week and have been really busy! I love teaching! Both Kyle and I have also been reading the Harry Potter books along with Wes so that took up most of my evenings as well. If you haven't read them, I highly suggest them, they are so well written and have a really good story line - and NO its not about witchcraft or that other junk at all - don't judge until you try!

Lastly, we have added a new member to the family.

Meet Sugar! Super sweet dog who is so well behaved and loves to snuggle. We all adore her!

Part Lab, part Pit, part awesome! Love this dog!

PDD-NOS

2011-06-14T16:03:00.000-05:00

I've been contemplating this post for a few months. Its not something that is easy to share or that we really want to talk about. I dont' want to talk about it, I cry, then I feel stupid, so I mostly avoid the whole conversation.

I'll keep it short and start from the beginning.

Wes was an early talker, from his first word 'pup' (for our dog PuppPupp). His speech was so clear and easy to understand. He loved books, he would cry on and on for books, he couldn't get enough! He loved to jump in his jumper, he would jump for a good hour or two at a time - slobbery but happy!
He would have books memorized at 16 months and 'read' them back to us. We always thought he was pretty smart but we were first time parents and didn't let it get to us because we weren't sure what the norm was.

I started to notice my once fluent boy was stammering and repeating words and his mouth couldn't quite keep up with his brain. He liked to have order and line up his cars and trucks by color or size, none of these things really bothered me at the time. He would obsess over counting sprinklers or signs when we went on walks and would freak out if he missed one and we would have to start over again.

Come Kindergaarten time he had major seperation issues, I remember very clearly the teacher having to hold him down, on the ground while I left the room, he fought so hard to get to me and all I could do was turn and walk away. He had a hard time making friends in school, he wasn't interacting the way he should have, he wasn't paying attention, he couldn't keep his hands off the other kids. We received phone calls about twice a week for his teacher. I was mortified as a parent, I couldn't believe my sweet boy was acting out and being horrible in school! I was embarrassed and ashamed and felt like a horrible parent.

Wes was also starting to act out at home, he would throw terrible tantrums over seemingly small issues. There was no calming him down and all he wanted to do was fight and physically try to hurt us. We tried many forms of discipline, had many people try to tell us what to do and offer us advice and books and 'you need to do this, try this ect... Nothing worked.

1st grade started out so promising, the calls from the school were far less, a few here and there, but Wes seemed happier and was learning by leaps and bounds. He discovered a passion for reading, and I mean an insatiable thirst (he is just finishing up the Lord of the Rings books, and polished off the Chronicles of Narnia in no time at all). We would buy him The Magic Treehouse Books and he would have the first one read within 30 minutes - no kidding! His reading scores were off the charts at school and he was growing bored. His teacher said in her 17 years of teaching she has never seen a students with such high reading scores AND comprehension.

We just thought he was really smart.

Then trouble started happening, he would get in fights at school, other kids would pick on him, he was beat up so badly by some other boys that they were suspended for a week and Wes was moved permanently off the school bus to a different route. My boy had trouble making friends. He couldn't understand the social cues of the other kids, he had no idea how to play imaginary games, he doesn't know how to interact or what it is to be a friend. He has so much anger inside of him over this, it is so hard to see him want friends but not know how to make friends. He plays alone in the schoolyard, mostly kicking snowbanks and watching the other kids play.

We got a call from the school saying they wanted Wes to be observed in the classroom. At this point I assumed it was for behavior issues and I agreed it was a good idea. The woman from the school called me and introduced herself to me and let me know what her job was. I hung up the phone after our conversation and replayed the conversation in my head. Did she just say autism? nope not my kid, not happening, why??...then I started crying, not my son, please God not my son.

We tried not to let it get to us, they still hadn't observed him yet so we don't know for sure. Kyle bought a book on Autism and we started to do our own research. It was all clear now. We originally though he had Aspergers Syndrome, come to find out he has PDD-NOS.

Its hard, he looks like a normal kid and in alot of areas he is! He has horrific meltdowns, people think he is a spoiled child and I've often heard people (yes, other 'adults') yell at him, not knowing his condition and that his brain won't let him process his actions, unaware that its not socially acceptable to flip out in public.

This unofficial diagnosis from the school has helped us in many ways. We are disiplining him more effectively, but its not always easy. The school system has far exceeded our expectations and I cannot put into words how awesome the staff is, how wonderful Wes 1st grade teaching has been.

So now you all know.

Please keep Wes and Kyle and I and little brother Jack in your prayers.

7

2011-04-13T09:27:00.002-05:00

Happy 7th Birthday, Wes!

We were able to celebrate Wes' Birthday this past weekend at his Aunt and Uncle's house.

Wes chose to have angel food cake with strawberry whipped cream and an ice cream buffet.

As you can see he is a big fan of caramel sauce and gummy bears

I cannot believe my baby is 7, time goes by so fast!

Birthday morning he requested his favorite, coffee cake, instead of a Birthday cake!

We love you!

Prayers Needed

2011-03-14T13:12:00.005-05:00

Tuesday will be a possibly life altering day. Please keep us in prayer as our family will be going though a difficult emotional time. Please lift Wes up and for him to have courage and understanding. Please pray for Kyle and I as we will need encouragement as parents.

This is not something that we are ready to speak about yet, hopefully when we get more answers soon...

Please let me clarify = this isn't about divorce (we celebrated 12 happy years yesterday!) or a terminal illness

Happy Feet

2011-02-15T12:11:00.002-06:00

A Valentine's Day dance from Mr. Happy Feet

3

2010-12-01T14:34:00.005-06:00

I'm a little late with this but, oh well.

My sweet baby Jack is 3!

Jack LOVES Super Mario Bros. so I decided to make Starman cookies - he loved them!
I also made a one-up mushroom cake but while we were visiting with my parents in the living room, Jack decided to get a closer look at the cake and poked two big holes in the side of it and it collapsed!

by request, green birthday pancakes

I can't believe he is 3!
Happy Birthday, we love you Jack!!

October/November Updates

2010-11-17T13:39:00.006-06:00

We haven't been doing much in our household lately but we always *seem* so busy, time certainly goes by too fast. Here is a little update on the Ericksons.

getting ready to go out after the first snow of the season

The preferred cat of the household, Jimmy, she loves the kids and pretty much lets them do anything they want with her. I can always find her snuggled up with one of the kids in bed each evening.

Lunch with Wes for 1st grade parents luncheon

heading out to play after the first snowfall

this was *supposed* to be his Halloween costume but he wouldn't wear it that day, now i can't ever get him to NOT use this stuff!

Saturday morning wrestling match...well, everyday is wrestle-mania around here

Have you noticed Jack has a sword in EVERY SINGLE PICTURE? Wes and Jack play made up warrior games CONSTANTLY! It's super cute and I'm enjoying watching their creativity blossom plus, they really enjoy playing together! Yea!

A Makeover and Halloween

2010-11-02T10:06:00.004-05:00

It was about time for a haircut for this boy...

Curly Jack - before

No more curls - after

Wesley the Warrior

He was pretty pumped about wearing this costume, he's been wearing it everyday since I bought it for him! Jack has the same costume in silver but he only carries the sword. He wouldn't wear it trick or treating but we finally got him to put on the helmet for about 5 minutes. They both had fun going to the casino for candy and later Wes and I went door to door in downtown Walker so he could experience 'real' trick-or-treating - he liked doing that better than the casino, I think we'll do that next year!

Morton.

2010-10-21T11:21:00.004-05:00

Meet Morton Koopa Jr.

This is who my son, who will be turning 3 in 30 days, would like to have on his Birthday cake AND dress up as for Halloween!

Everything is about this Super Mario Bros. World Six Boss! Every time Jack plays pretend he is either playing as this guy or trying to defeat him.

I'm having a hard time trying to come up with ideas, hopefully I'll get lucky and come up with something good for Jack, until then I am at a complete loss!

Fall Fishing

2010-10-12T14:06:00.005-05:00

The weather was beautiful on Sunday so we decided to take a family boat ride
and do a little bass fishing

Giant ManToddler

2010-09-08T16:19:00.005-05:00

Walked into the living room late afternoon on Labor day to this

Poor thing was all tuckered out from building couch cushion forts.
No joke, he really was sleeping!

1 of 1

2010-09-08T16:11:00.002-05:00

Me: Did you have a good first day?
Wes: YES! I was perfect the whole day!
Me: Awesome job!
Wes: Mom? Can I take my shoes off? The teacher wouldn't let me take them off the whole day and my feet are really sweaty.

Wes' first day of 1st grade

Joyful

2010-08-24T10:58:00.004-05:00

joyful - full of high-spirited delight; "a joyful heart"

gleeful, jubilant, elated, joyous - full of or characterized by joy; "felt a joyous abandon"; "joyous laughter"

I think this is the first time I've used this word to describe Jack. Once I said it aloud it made complete sense, he truly is such a joyful child! He finds simple pleasure in many things, dancing in the rain makes him so happy!

He is growing so fast, everyday he has new questions and too many 'whys', I can't keep up! He has his Dad's sense of humor and keeps us on our toes. He loves to sing - his favorites being Jesus Made the Rainbow and Mary had a Little Lamb, loves to swim, play pretend and help me make pancakes on Saturday mornings. I pray that he will always keep his joyous outlook on life!

We love you, sweet baby Jack!

Animal Land

2010-06-28T15:50:00.002-05:00

On Sunday the weather was so beautiful so we decided to go to Animal Land.
The kids really enjoyed it!
Jack's favorite animal was the deer, this one followed us for most of the trip.

This camel tried to eat Wes.
Acutally, I think he was after his bag of food, it was a close call, good thing Kyle is quick!

Thank you, Lord!

2010-06-17T09:47:00.003-05:00

Every morning on the drive into work I pray with the kids. I like to start out by saying 'lets pray, what do we say?'. One of them normally yells out 'Dear Jesus!' Then we list out all the things we are thankful for.
It normally goes like this:
Me: Thank you for _______ (I fill in the blank) . What are you boys thankful for?
Wes: Mario! And....Mommy, Daddy and Jack
Jack: SHOES!
It makes me smile everyday, sometimes he's shy about saying it and he whispers it but, the answer is always the same - shoes.

I was asking the kids what their favorite word to say is, Wes, of course, said Mario (not surprised) and Jack yells out 'Siskabob!' (shish kabob) - I have no idea where he learned that word or if he even knows what it is but he sure does make me laugh!

Can you guess the movie?

2010-06-07T16:02:00.005-05:00

Formerly know as 'World of Meats'

Where the famous 'Woman, wooooooman' poem was done

Russian sailor scene

'I was electrocuted once, it was horrible!'

Opening scene of the movie - the Ferry Building

Any guesses? Kyle and I had fun wandering the city looking for landmarks from one of our favorite movies!

A Food Journey through San Francisco

2010-06-04T08:22:00.016-05:00

We had an amazing trip to San Francisco last week! It was so nice to get away from the stress of everyday life and just relax! Thanks to my parents for taking care of the kids while we were away! Since we both *love* food, here is a photo journal of everything (well, almost) we ate and yes, we did more than just that! I'll post more sightseeing pics later : )
I loaded all the pictures backwards by accident so, we'll start with the yummy desserts!

Above is the view of Alcatraz Island from the top of Coit Tower.

Cannoli and Eclair from Little Italy...delicious!

Macarons from Miette located in the Ferry Building.
There were OK, I thought they would be fantastic since I've been craving them for weeks and even tried making them myself. The texture was like a brownie and the taste was too delicate to detect anything : (
They look good though! We tried chocolate, chocolate lavender, vanilla and, pistachio.
The chocolates tasted alike and we couldn't tell the difference and the same with the vanilla and pistachio flavors.

Lombard Street - San Fran's crookedest street

Golden Gate Bridge at dusk

Kara's Cupcakes
I tried coconut and banana caramel - both super delicious, definitely a great choice. The only drawback was that they were $3.75 EACH!! (worth it!)

Beard Papa says they have the world's best cream puffs and it is so true! They make them fresh everyday and fill them right in front of your eyes! They are delicious and HUGE! We walked for an hour trying to find this little gem, the blisters on my feet were totally worth it!

Mood Thai Sushi
This place was so good we ate here twice!
I can't remember the name of anything we ate but it was all so delicious! I can honestly say I have never been somewhere where EVERYTHING on the menu looked good and the service was great!

Sushi is my favorite *LOVE*

CHINATOWN

House of Nanking
This place was featured on Food Network's Rachael Ray's Tasty Travels, it was good (I liked Mood much better).

Sesame Chicken with Ginger Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Excellent Pot Stickers - soooo good!

This is how they served hot tea, the glass was so hot!

Fresh fruit on the Wharf
This was the best fruit I have ever had! The cherries were amazing!

Breakfast at Boudin
This was really good! Scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers in a fresh sourdough breadbowl. Mmmmmm!

Best strawberries ever! The were meaty and so flavorful - I've never had a large berry taste so wonderful!

The Slanted Door
The food here was really, really good! The scallops were so good, I never thought I would use the word 'creamy' to describe them but that is definitely what they were - so fresh and good!

Caramelized Tiger Prawn - outstanding!

Claypot Chicken - amazing!
Kyle also makes this at home (I think his recipe is even better!)

Kyle's bread pudding with frest strawberries

The best for last
Here is my dessert from the Slanted Door - the BEST THING I HAVE EVER HAD...EVER!
Please do not judge this as I am describing it, you have to experience this, trust me, you will love it. It sounded so BAD, I had to try - it wouldn't be on the menu if it was horrible, right?
This was (from layered top to bottom):
candied yams
banana tapioca
avocado ice cream
lime meringue

We were able to enjoy all this great food and not gain any weight because we WALKED A BAJILLION MILES EVERYDAY - I had blisters on my blisters!! All totally worth it! : )

Graduation part 2

2010-06-03T08:37:00.003-05:00

Kindergarten Graduation

2010-05-31T21:34:00.004-05:00

Wesley has officially graduated from Kindergarten!

Congrats Wes!

Wes has excelled in reading, math, and is a terrific artist. He has grown so much in the past year and we are extremely proud of all the great things he has accomplished!

Little brother Jack had to get in on all the attention

Kyle and Wes

Me and Wes

Great Uncle Tim and Wes

Grandpa Jacobson and Wes

Great Gram and Grandma Kathy

Thank you to all the family that came and supported Wes on his big day, he was so excited to see you all there!

The Blanks (aka Ted's band from SCRUBS)

2010-04-19T09:44:00.005-05:00

This weekend I took a road trip with some good friends to LaCrosse, WI to see The Blanks (Ted's band from Scrubs). It was a about a 14 hour round trip drive but it was totally worth it! The band is an acapella group and also do comedy on the side, it was a great concert.
The venue didn't allow photos or video so I had to hide my camera and didn't get whole or great footage but atleast it's something!
The first video is the theme song to Scrubs and the second is their version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

6

2010-04-13T12:59:00.003-05:00

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY WES!

Green birthday pancakes

New K'nex set, he is a wiz at putting these together!

Surprise - a basketball hoop!

Wes sank his very first shot! As you can see below, Dad was overjoyed!

Happy Birthday Honeybear! I can't believe how fast you've grown up. You are so sweet and smart and we love you so very much!

Tooth Fairy

2010-02-16T09:03:00.003-06:00

Wes lost his first tooth on Sunday!

Sweet Treats

2010-02-16T08:51:00.003-06:00

For Valentine's Day, I decided to whip up some special pancakes for breakfast. I added a bit of food coloring to the batter and made each boy his favorite colored pancake. Jack wanted purple and Wes wanted green!
I didn't really think it would make a difference but they seemed to eat more than usual!

I tried my hand at making French Macarons. They were super easy to make and I will be trying again. I added raspberry flavoring and the filling was a raspberry vanilla buttercream.
They are supposed to have a raised dome to them but I think I over mixed, they tasted wonderful anyway!

Let it Snow!

2010-02-09T08:15:00.006-06:00

Jack has a touch of Spring fever!

Wes did a great job helping Daddy shovel the driveway

Holiday Fun

2010-01-11T11:20:00.008-06:00

I've been behind in posting family pictures from the holidays so, here is Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years all rolled into one!

We spent Thanksgiving at my parents house in the cites. My sister Jennifer makes THE BEST pecan pie (it could possibly have to do with the massive amount of bourbon she added this year)!

Aren't these the cutest cupcakes? My sister Molly picked these up at a bakery downtown, I especially love the mashed potatoes, gravy and butter looking one.

Jack in the box! He loves mama kitty, I'm not so sure she is so enthusiastic about him though.

A good evening for a friendly wrestling match

Horsey rides from daddy

A ride from big bro

We had a fun weekend babysitting cousin Lauren, Jack loves to hold her and kiss her.

I don't think we will ever get a 'normal' picture from these two. One is pant-less and the other shirtless and yes, Wes insists on putting fake tattoos on his belly.

Christmas/New Year's vacation seemed like an eternity. I think because the weather was too cold to go outside or anywhere for that matter. Aunt Molly gave the boys her old tent and they love it! I especially love Jacks static hair!

Robots!

2009-12-29T09:28:00.002-06:00

I just had to share this, I think these are so adorable! Giant Robot Large wall decals by Blik
Blik is a company that makes artwork for you walls, kind of like stickers, but they are removable and won't damage the walls, how fun!
The kids are into robots so this would be perfect for them. Also, we are considering buying bunk beds and moving the boys into the bigger bedroom as this will free up space for a guest/playroom.

Fish of a lifetime through the ice!

2009-12-25T19:40:00.002-06:00

Hey peoples - Kyle here. I don't usually update the blog, but I have some news that motivated me to whup up a post. Ice fishing is one of my favorites pastimes, and the fishing this winter has been terrific! I've caught enough perch and walleye to provide several yummy fish suppers for us.

On Wednesday (12/23) I took the day off work to fish all day. I got out to Pike Bay at about 9:15, and set up camp on one of my favorite spots, going after perch and walleyes in about 22 feet of water. I caught a half-dozen real nice perch right off the bat, then they quit biting completely for a couple minutes.

I reeled up to make sure the minnow was still on my perch-color Jigging Rapala, then sent it back down. After a couple quick jigs, something hit the lure, and hit it hard! I immediately thought it was a northern pike, since there are some good sized pike in that lake. I had only 6-pound line on my medium-light action ice rod, so I knew I had to be careful.

I loosened the drag and let the fish run. WOW did it run! It was peeling line off like crazy, and after about 5-6 minutes, I was running out of line on the reel. I tightened the drag just a touch, and started pulling back as hard as I dared with the light line I had. Luckily the fish was starting to tire a little bit, and after about 5 more minutes (and several more powerful runs), I was able to get the fish up far enough that I could see the outline of the through the ice.

I almost wet myself.

It was BY FAR the biggest fish I had ever hooked, and probably the biggest fish I had ever seen with my own eyes. Now that I had seen the size, I really got nervous, because I knew how hard it was going to be to get it up through the ice.

After several minutes more, I finally got the fish up under the hole, and saw that it was in fact a trophy muskie, but there was a problem: the lure was in the back corner of its mouth, so when I lifted the rod, the fish just rolled instead of coming up into the hole! I put a glove on my left hand and reached down through the 14" of ice to try to grab a gill cover and hoist it up.

Of course as soon as I touched the fish, it was off on another run, taking several yards of line (again) and going out of sight.

We repeated this dance four more times, until I was finally able to completely exhaust the monster, reach down, and lift it up through the ice. I flopped it down on the ice, and nearly screamed! It was a monster muskie, and I grabbed my measuring tape and measured it at 50 -1/4" - a trophy by any standard.

I grabbed my cell phone to take a picture, buy my phone had got so wet that the pics looked like those blurry alleged Bigfoot pictures that nutters send to the National Enquirer. I was NOT going to let this fish go without photographic evidence, or nobody would have believed me, so I sprinted over to a nearby fish house, and banged on the door. The guy who answered was a business partner of a friend of mine, and he had a camera in his car. He was kind enough to come over to my portable, and take a few nice pics for me.

Woweeeeeee!

A, B, C

2009-12-13T16:25:00.002-06:00

2

2009-12-08T14:19:00.004-06:00

Happy 2nd Birthday Jack!

Blowing out the candles

Sharing a secret from cousin Lauren

Jack LOVES bowling so I attempted this bowling ball and pin cake.
It was left on the oven so the frosting melted but he loved it anyway!

PRESENTS!

A little help from Aunt Cindy

Jack and Grandma Kathy share the same birthday!

Gram, Lauren, Wes and Jack!
So cute!

Birds!

2009-11-18T09:25:00.006-06:00

I have recently started some sewing projects (me? Me! The one who nearly failed Home Ec. in high school!). Maybe it's because I love color and love to look at all the different fabrics and prints. I came across these adorable bird softies and I'm thinking its about time to pull the sewing machine out and give it a try!

Are they not just the cutest little things?!

In other news, Kyle and I have signed up for a weight loss challenge. The winner will get about $350 CASH!!
So far it has been going great! We are in week 3 of a 28 week program and so far (drum roll...)

I've lost 9 lbs
AND
Kyle has lost an amazing 16 lbs!!

It has been tough not eating the things we love (bread, pasta, pizza) but these sacrifices need to be made for us to get healthy AND be an example to the kids.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-03T13:17:00.003-06:00

Ninja Wes

A ninja and a tiger

My sweet little Tigger!

My Kindergarten Ninja

2009-10-19T08:28:00.002-05:00

The views of the lake have been beautiful, I love the look of the mist coming off the lake surface.

Wes is enjoying Kindergarten. He gets to learn silly songs and do some really fun art projects.

It finally warmed up enough to enjoy some much needed outside time. The boys enjoyed playing 'secret agent ninja'. It was funny to see Jack running around saying 'ninja'. He is learning so many words, his favorite is still 'no' and 'i don't know' but it is nice that he can communicate when he isn't feeling well or needs something.
Wes continues to amaze me in the things he knows. The Alaskan pipeline is being run through town and the construction workers are finishing up laying the pipe. I was telling Wes about it as we drove by and he says 'yep, I know. We need it because sometimes we don't have enough or the right oil here so we have to get it from far away.'

Ninja Wes
I'm not sure if he can ever stop talking and be quiet enough to ever become one!

Jack

2009-10-14T09:23:00.000-05:00

Can you guess my favorite fruit?

2009-09-24T13:23:00.002-05:00

Blackberries!
Or as Jack says backbeawees!

I show him a plant and he picks it clean in no time flat : )

If you give a boy some ice cream...

2009-09-24T10:45:00.002-05:00

How to make your brother sick

2009-09-11T12:16:00.004-05:00

1. Convince him this will be a great idea and get him into position.

2. Start the winding process.

3. Wind him up even farther then he should. Give an extra twist for good measure.

4. Get ready to let go and watch the fun.

5. Watch him helplessly spin out of control and think it is the funniest thing you've ever seen.

*Disclaimer - no child was hurt or became physically ill during this process.

First Day of School

2009-09-10T14:14:00.004-05:00

Wes had his very first day of Kindergarten yesterday! He was so brave and did a great job!
He played red light, green light and had story time and practiced his letters and numbers.

I found a dirty Sasquatch waiting for the bus.

The bus missed our stop and continued on to drop off the other kids.
Poor Wes told them to stop when he saw us waiting for him and began crying. They came back and dropped him off safe and sound but it gave him quite a scare!

He jumped off the bus straight into daddy's arms!

Daddy's Little Helper

2009-08-31T11:43:00.002-05:00

Lauren Grace Erickson

2009-08-28T15:42:00.002-05:00

Congrats to Kevin & Kristen on their new beautiful baby!
I love my new niece!

Favorite Word

2009-08-28T14:44:00.002-05:00

The Question and a Wish

2009-08-27T09:42:00.003-05:00

I was putting Wes to bed last night and I told him that he will have a new cousin by Friday. He looked a little puzzled and asked why Kristen didn't have a baby in her tummy last year but this year she does. Then he asked how she got the baby in her tummy.
I told him that when two people love each other very very much they make a wish and get a baby. He told me he loved me but didn't get what he wished for - I had to tell him it was only for mommy's and daddy's. He thought about it for awhile and told me that he loves me and knows what he would wish for...a lifetime supply of zucchini bread!

What's in your head

2009-08-26T11:50:00.005-05:00

I was driving in the car yesterday with the kids, listening to a CD of mixed songs off of Kyle's itunes. A song had just finished and I skipped ahead a few tracks. Jack started screaming and yelling 'no, no, no, no, nooooooo!'
I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I thought about it and went back to the song that had just ended and he immediately calmed down.

He's a big Cranberries fan I guess.

Wes stated a few days before this that he really like this song also.

Next Time

2009-08-25T11:11:00.004-05:00

I took Wes to Bemidji to shop for new school clothes and shoes, I can't believe he will be starting Kindergarten this year! We decided to take a break and he, of course, wanted pancakes. We stopped at Country Kitchen and both ordered pancakes and bacon.

The waitress asked me if I wanted to have the bill split up. Seriously. He's 5. I thought she would smile like it was a joke but she didn't.

I asked Wes if he was going to pay for me. He said he would but forgot his money at home and would pay next time. : )

Chris & Juanita

2009-08-24T08:53:00.004-05:00

This past Saturday some good friends of our got married
It was a beautiful day!

Instead of the traditional wedding march, they decided to sing to each other while she walked down the isle. It was so awesome!

Congratulations Chris & Juanita!

Up, Up and Away!

2009-07-28T15:29:00.007-05:00

Through a grant at work, our office was able to charter a helicopter for a few hours. I have never been on one and jumped at the chance to go! It was so much fun!

I asked the pilot if we could fly over Gramp & Grams place because it is just down the road; I was able to take some nice aerial shots of the farm. We also flew over Star Island! For those of you who don't know, Star Island is noted in Ripley's Believe it or Not! for having its own lake, Lake Windigo, "a lake within an island within a lake".

Gramp & Gram's farm

Star Island

Chaos and the Dr. appointment

2009-07-10T12:45:00.003-05:00

Wes - 5 years
Ht: 47.75
Wt: 59 lbs

Jack - 19 months
Ht: 36.5
Wt: 33 lbs

This morning I took the boys in to the doctor for their check-ups. In my head I thought that it would be fairly easy - Jack gets shy around people so he would just sit with me and Wes is fine on his own and listens fairly well.

I was so wrong.

We check in at the desk and Jack wanted to zip around the waiting room so I had to hold a squirming, screaming, HEAVY 19 month old. Wes is constantly using the bathroom and of course Jack wants to follow. We find a place to sit and Jack is running between chairs having a great time, making a mess of all the magazines and, trying to write with chalk on the walls. Wes was very well behaved and drew his signature tractor pics on the available chalkboard. They call our names and of course Jack is unwilling to give up the chalk and is yelping down the hallway. He seemed to enjoy the exam room at first. The computer was far to tempting and he tried numerous times to 'type' on the keyboard, tried ripping all the baby photos off the bulletin board, completely tore the sanitary paper cover off the exam table (it looked like a rabid cat had gone through the room) and tried to escape from the room many times.

When the Dr. arrived Jack calmed himself for a while, and I mean a very short while, and then was back to messing up all the magazines again. Wes got to go first and did a wonderful job and answered all the Dr.'s questions!
The boys were informed that they were behind with getting shots - Wes had to get three, he then asked how many Jack had to get...6!! Wes thought that was pretty funny. The nurses came in for shot time and Wes was up first, of course he wanted Jack to go first but I told him he had to be brave for Jack (plus, the nurse promised him a treat - he jumped right up on the table!) He was freaking out while they were applying the rubbing alcohol and yelled ' I don't think I want to be brave!' It was over soon, a few tears and he was fine and boy was he excited to see Jack get his shots! Jack laid there very calmly for the nurses, surprisingly! He cried for all 6 but was soon pacified when they opened the sucker drawer - both boys had their little hands in their so fast grabbing up candy!

The whole process only took about 30 minutes but to me, it felt like forever! They are both healthy and well over the 100th percentile in all areas!

Days of Summer

2009-07-08T13:07:00.005-05:00

Not much new going on in our lives lately so I thought I would post some pictures from the last few weeks.
Our garden is blooming and it is interesting to see what will blossom next. Jack loves to smell the flowers...and trees (I'm not sure what that is all about).

4th of July was great, we had Kathy, Rod, Gram and Gramp over for a BBQ, went to the parade in Walker and, Kyle and Wes went the fireworks show down the road at the resort.

We also have been enjoying taking walks to the harbor and swimming at the community pool!

Jack taking a ride on the Jimmy express

Wes having fun making faces on the porch screen, this is his Klingon look

mmmm, watermelon!

Peonies in bloom, my favorite flower! Too bad they don't last longer

Giving horsey rides

This is what you get with a boy who is not really interested in eating. Baked beans in the hair. Good thing kids are washable!

Family Update

2009-06-04T14:43:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile but new things have happened since the last post. We have moved in to our new home and are enjoying it immensely! The weather has been nice out so the kids get to enjoy playing with the neighbor kids and swinging and sliding on the playset.

The harbor that is part of our neighborhood association

Wes loves fishing. Well, I should say he likes casting, he doesn't really fish he just likes to see how far he can cast.

Buster...
Buster is the neighborhood dog. I don't know who he belongs to but he is everywhere! The other day he was on our porch barking at the other dogs across the street. He's cute and all but when I'm trying to get the kids to sleep it is super annoying. He's friendly enough but won't come when you call him or stay to be petted, he's just hangs around barking at things.

Wes and his sleeping buddy, Jimmy the cat

Sunday afternoon naps

Wes and his new friend

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T08:31:00.002-05:00

I had a nice Mother's Day this year!
We met Kathy, Rod, Gram and Gramp for a yummy lunch and after the kids got to play in the arcade for a while.
It was such a beautiful day out so we took a drive down to the river and took a walk.
Jack and I took a good 2 hour nap while Kyle and Wes went to town and brought home Green Mill for supper.
Wes made me a Mother's Day card and gave me some Dove chocolates (he picked it out himself and he did an excellent job)

Kyle gave me beautiful flowers and...

my favorite..the last 2 season of Buffy!! I was very excited about this, it is my absolute favorite show! He's been getting me each season and I'm almost done with the collection - I love it!

Round Up Day

2009-05-04T14:56:00.003-05:00

Today was Wes' Kindergarten Round Up Day. He got to meet the principal and teachers and tour the classrooms. He whispered to me before we went in that he was scared and he held our hands tight as we walked through. He was so shy when the teachers said hi to him and was quiet until...the bus. The school offered a free bus ride to the kids along with safety rules. Wes walked right up to the driver and shook his hand and told him his name. On the way off the bus I was behind Kyle and I heard this voice telling the driver thank you, it was Wes! He shook his hand again as we got off! He said he had a good time and was excited to start school!

The Boys are Back in Town!

2009-04-23T15:04:00.003-05:00

We went to the Oak Ridge Boys concert last Saturday and it was so fun!
Check them out here with their cover of the White Stripes hit Seven Nation Army.
We decided to eat a late supper after the show and shortly after we ordered our food, the entire group (minus Duane Allen) entered the restaurant!! We got to talk with them for a bit and had a great time!

Wes vs the Doghouse & Jack vs the Puddle

2009-04-16T14:45:00.010-05:00

He wasn't looking and ran into the doghouse, I don't know how this stuff happens, maybe its just a boy thing. I had to save him yesterday as his foot got stuck in his play set steps and he was dangling off the ground, upside down. He wasn't hurt either time even though the pics below look pretty bad

I caught him admiring himself in the mirror a few times : )

Jack loves being outside and he especially loves a good muddy puddle.
Yesterday I think he spent about 20 minutes finding rocks and throwing them into the ditch. Sometimes I wish I could find joy in the little things in life like a toddler does!

The Big 5

2009-04-16T14:25:00.011-05:00

Happy 5th Birthday Wes!

He wanted to go bowling for his birthday, we all had a great time. Afterward we went to Gramp and Grams for cake and presents

Wes loving his monster truck birthday cake

Who wants to open presents??

Wes with cousins Val and Elizabeth
He had so much fun playing with the girls!

Thanks to Jessica for taking birthday photos : )

Hi Wes!

2009-03-17T19:54:00.004-05:00

Don't you miss coloring all over your brother?

Or snuggling on the couch?

We miss you Wes!! Hope you are having fun with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Molly! See you Friday! XOXO
Love,
Mommy, Daddy and Jack

Visitors

2009-02-24T09:53:00.008-06:00

Now that we are without our dogs we have been getting alot of visitors at our house. They like to stay behind the house but have been getting bolder and moving toward the front and in the driveway.

We still have our house up for sale. Had a few showings but no offers yet. We are still looking for new jobs in the Nisswa/Baxter/Brainerd area and are hoping to get moved down there soon!

Dress up

2009-02-24T09:43:00.007-06:00

Lunch time! Wes didn't want Jack to be in the picture.

Wes found his old Halloween comstumes and the boys decided to try them on for some fun.

Jack got the kitty costume and was a little unsure when he saw his reflection. I thought he looked adorable! Wes donned his NASCAR uniform and had a good time also.

For some odd reason Jack has been into wearing hats. He finds them and puts them on and wears them most of the day.

Of course Wes had to join in and wear hat too, he hates when his brother 'beats' him at things. He is a very competitive kid!

In other news, I had my gallbladder taken out this past Monday. All went well but I feel like I've been punched in the stomache a few times. I'm glad it came out as it was very painful so now, hopefully, I can resume eating normal food without getting sick!

Mmmmm

2009-01-12T13:35:00.008-06:00

I have a new food addiction....sushi!!
I love it with raw veggies in the middle! I'm not brave enough to try it with raw fish yet (known as sashimi) , maybe someday :)
Red and orange bell peppers. Normally there would be avocado and a crab stick but our small town grocery store doesn't carry these items.

Nori (seeweed)

Sticky rice coated with rice vinegar and sugar.

Yummy, I LOVE sushi!

Random picture taken New Years Eve; the sky was a beautiful shade of blue.

Brothers

2009-01-08T11:33:00.011-06:00

They start off innocent enough...

...they look like such good boys...

...don't do it...

STOP!

Good thing Jack is big enough to hold his own. Some days I feel like I could be raising the next generation of Ultimate Fighters.

A Very Merry Christmas

2008-12-31T10:46:00.011-06:00

Quite the artist in the making, Wes decorated this all by himself (frosting courtesy of Grandma)

Bandana Square @ the Model Train Museum.

Turkey Trot

2008-12-01T10:44:00.010-06:00

Molly and her friend Rachel from running club.

Early Thanksgiving morning I had the opportunity to watch my sister run in a 5K called Turkey Trot. We headed to the Target Center at about 7am that morning - I'm am so glad that the weather was nice out!

Crazy runners dressed like turkeys. I actually saw two girls dressed like drumsticks but didn't get my camera out in time.

The goal was to 'stuff the streets'. Thousands of people packed the streets ( I've never seen so much spandex in one place before!).

There's Molly!!

Hurray! She finished with a great time. Good job Molly!

Kevin & Kristen

2008-12-01T10:12:00.014-06:00

Congratulations to Kevin & Kristen!

Uncle Kevin and Jack

Parents of the Bride and Groom

Grandma and Wes

Me and Wes

Groomsmen (Dave and Kyle)

Kyle delivering the Best Man speech

Happy Birthday Jack!

2008-11-20T11:37:00.007-06:00

The Birthday boy!

It is also Grandma Kathy's birthday, so we all celebrated together.
I caught Wes starting to open the presents - he wasn't sure if they could open presents without his help.

Typical.

Jack and some of his new toys. He LOVES to play with balls.

Birthday cake! Not too sure at first.....

...maybe I'll try some....

...mmmmm...

...stuffed!

With all the excitement going on we had forgotten to give Jack the present from us! Here his big brother is showing him how it works.

You Can't Beat Free!

2008-11-12T16:13:00.007-06:00

Here at the College we were able to get the kids photos done for free during a Family Fun Night event. Not the best but, it does help when things are free!
Wes is at the stage where he doesn't want anything to do with his little brother. I wish we could have gotten them together but it would've ended in a fight of wills so I let it go!

Always in a happy mood - most days anyway : )

Typical ham ( I wonder where he gets it from??)

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T16:43:00.005-06:00

Jack as Tigger

Wes as Tony Stewart, NASCAR driver for Home Depot

2008-10-26T21:46:00.006-05:00

Oh my goodness we have puppies!!

I arrived home at 1pm on Friday and went into the shed to check on Skeet and she had already given birth to 2 puppies! I witnessed the next 4 and went into the house for an hour and came back and there were at total of 8! I assumed she was done, so when I went to pick up the kids and brought them in to show the pupps I was surprised to see 10. I checked on Skeet before I went to bed and I decided to count and found that she had 11!

I have a family that will be taking Thor, I am unsure if they are going to take Skeet and the pupps, so if anyone is interested please let me know.

For all of you who haven't seen him in a while, here is Jack walking.

Thor

2008-10-20T09:58:00.014-05:00

UPDATE:
Thor, Skeet AND the puppies all went to a loving home in Wisconsin.
I am so thankful that they are being taken care of and I can say that my mind and heart are at ease about the situation. I did have a really hard time after dropping them off and was thankful that I did it alone so no one could see my complete meltdown.
The family called me a few days later (which really made me feel better!)and updated me and everyone is doing great!

Since putting an ad on Craigs List, I've gotten a really good response on Thor.

Here are more pictures for those of you who are interested, and yes, I will be VERY picky about who she goes to since she is one of my babies!

Skeet is still available also, Thor is buddies with her but they do not have to go together

Sweet Thor when she was just a pup.

Skeeter

2008-10-09T13:13:00.006-05:00

Free to a loving home!
Since we are moving mid-November and haven't sold our home as of yet, we are sadly having to say goodbye to the animals as we are moving into an apartment. Skeeter (Skeet) is a mutt, (possibly black lab/rottweiler mix )and was a stray dog that showed up in the parking lot where I work. She was skinny and full of porcupine quills. She was by the front door begging for food and I couldn't resist taking her home. She is a very sweet dog but she loves attention and needs LOTS of love. She does not like being kenneled or wearing a collar, she is free roaming and always stays in the yard. For us, she has been a full-time outdoor dog but when she was a puppy I would let her in from time to time. Never any accidents and she was always well behaved.
Please, if you are interested or know someone who might be, let me know. This is a very difficult thing for me to do as I am not one to take an animal and then turn around and give it away. She loves to wrestle and play with our older son Wes and I would suggest she needs a family with no other pets, although she gets along with our other dog quite well.
Skeet is also pregnant and due the end of October.

We are also thinking of letting go of our St. Bernard, Thor. She is a purebred and is absolutely fabulous with the kids, the best breed of dog I ever had. She is a very tender, sweet dog who needs room to run. She is not house trained but only would occasionally have accidents (when she was a puppy). She also is a full time outdoor dog. St. Bernards love the outdoors and esp. wintertime. She would sleep in bed with me when Kyle was away and is very affectionate. She does drink LOTS of water and since she is a smaller breed, she does not eat as much as one would think a Saint does. She is very social and loves being around other dogs, although she thinks she is the alpha dog.

IOWA

2008-10-02T22:17:00.010-05:00

Welcome to Iowa. Hooray!

As most of you know, Kyle has accepted a job a Vennard College in Oskaloosa, IA.

We made a trip down there last week so he could attend a board meeting and I could look for employment and a house.

Vennard's Gym

This is the Administration Building where Kyle's office will be.

On the way back we took a detour and drove through Des Moines. I had never been there before and was interested in the things that the city had to offer.

It's no Minneapolis/St. Paul but...it's okay. Des Moines is WAY smaller than what I'm used to!

Jack is walking really well, he loves to play by himself and will kick and throw the baseball and football all night. I'll post some footage of him walking at some point!

Wes and Kyle took a walk in the woods this evening. As much as I don't like living in this town I will definitely miss our home and all the land.

Silly boy, he couldn't resist playing in the dishwater!

Labor Day Weekend

2008-09-12T14:22:00.010-05:00

Wes was able to stay at Grandma & Grandpa Jacobsons

for a few days. His favorite thing to do was go swimming, sometimes even 2 or 3 times a day!

Grandma and the kids

Grandpa and Jack

Baby Jack at 9 months

Wes really enjoyed playing the Wii Fit. He especially liked yoga - he was pretty good at it too!

Yoga boy

Amy wants me to do a "50 Things" thing, so here it is

2008-08-22T23:15:00.002-05:00

1. I will absolutely not sing around anyone who I don't know very well.
2. Parker Jonathan (baritone for the Kingsmen at the time) called me up on stage at a Kingsmen concert several years ago, and had me sing the baritone part on "The Glory Road." In front of hundreds of people. So I guess there's a little wiggle room in #1, given the right situation.
3. I'm learning to play the banjo.
4. My career best round of golf is a 65, four different times. That was before the kids came along, when I actually got to play golf once in awhile.
5. I hate it when people read over my shoulder.
6. I like to cook, and make liberal use of peppers and other spicy ingredients. Yum!
7. My kids are the best thing ever, even when Wes is being a little booger!
8. My favorite TV show theme song is from Monk, with the Harvey Birdman:Attorney at Law theme a close second.
9. In my sophomore year at Mankato State University, I was selected as recipient of a fellowship to study geology in Europe for a year. Three months later, I decided to transfer to Crown College, so the fellowship went bye-bye.
10. Three months after that, I met Amy at a new student function at Crown, so I guess it worked out OK.
11. Amy, Nhia Moua and I won a 3-on-3 sand court volleyball tournament our first year at Crown.
12. I love to hunt deer, and have taken five bucks with 9-point racks or better. My best is a 14-pointer.
13. The only thing in the world that terrifies me are bees/wasps/hornets. I was stung hundreds of times as a kid, and I guess that somehow stuck in my mind as a negative experience. The thought of a Barack Obama presidency also terrifies me, but for slightly different reasons (nationalized health care....aaaarrrrrrgghghh!).
14. My favorite piece of music is Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."
15. My favorite song that actually has words is Gold City's "Under Control."
16. My favorite movie is "Tombstone."
17. My favorite book is "The Little Prince" by Antoine se Saint-Exupery. CS Lewis' "Til We Have Faces" and George MacDonald's "Lilith" get honorable mention.
18. The best ribs I've ever had were at a grubby little place called "12 Bones" in Asheville, NC.
19. I need to lose about 20 pounds.
20. I love playing fantasy football.
21. I would love to live in Tennessee some day.
22. The most nervous I have ever been in my life was in the State Spelling Bee when I was in 7th grade. The local and regional competitions didn't bother me, but for some reason once I got up on the big stage with all those people in the audience...
23. I love Asian cuisine, especially Thai food. I order my curry dishes "Thai hot," which makes my eyes water, my nose run, and I even start to sweat, but I love it!
24. I was voted "Class Clown" my senior year of high school. I can't imagine why.
25. I have never used steroids.
26. I had a bad case of strep throat my freshman year of college, and took so much NyQuil that I slept for -- true story -- 40 hours straight. I have witnesses. Well, they didn't see the entire 40 hours, but they were the ones who woke me up...almost two days after I fell asleep.
27. The largest fish I've ever caught was a 32-pound amberjack, fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.
28. I like pie better than cake, ice cream better than sherbet, dogs better than cats, and root canals better than today's pop music.
29. I proposed to Amy onstage at an Oak Ridge Boys concert 10 years ago. All she wanted to do was touch William Lee Golden's beard.
30. My nickname in high school was "Beaker," because a friend of mine thought I looked like that Muppet.
31. I spend too much time on Facebook.
32. Whenever I see a Pac Man/Ms. Pac Man game, I am irresistibly compelled to play it until I get the high score.
33. My dream car is a midnight-blue Porsche 997 GT2 (o-60 in 3.6 seconds...woohoo!!!).
34. My brother and I have only once lost a game of Catch Phrase. Go ahead...take us on.
35. Eric Mutnansky and I got lost in Rothenburg, Germany and were harrassed by a gaggle of drunked French chicks. We later discovered that we were only blocks from our hotel, but headed in the exact wrong direction. The sightseeing was nice, though.
36. The best food I've ever eaten in my life was in a little restaurant wayyyyyy up in the mountains on the Germany/Austria border. If I had ANY clue where exactly it was, I would so go back there some day.
37. I've never hit a deer while driving, but I have hit a wolf, raccoon, squirrel, turtle, rabbit, and a crow, and I almost hit a turkey once!
38. Give me the old hymns of the faith over 99% of the vapid, poorly-written contemporary music infesting most churches today.
39. I hate onions. And hippies. But mostly onions.
40. On the DISC Personality Inventory, I'm a high "I" and high "S."
41. San Francisco is my favorite city in America, in large part because of the phenomenal restaurants (House of Nanking and The Slanted Door!).
42. I've been known to yell at the TV when the Twins are playing.
43. I'll eat almost anything with cherries in it (or cherry flavored). To my palate, cherries are the opposite of onions.
44. I have more than 2000 Southern Gospel songs on my iTunes.
45. I love mowing the lawn.
46. I dream of being on Jeopardy!
47. If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to become a professional bass fisherman.
48. I loved Hawaii (played basketball there my senior year of college), but it's FAR too crowded for me to ever want to live there.
49. I miss being in college.
50. I'm going to sleep now.

50 things about me

2008-08-22T21:27:00.011-05:00

Inspired by other blogs I've seen, I've decided to post 50 things about me you might not know. Other sites have 100 things, I however am not that ambitious!

1. Growing up I always wanted to be a Veterinarian.

2. I was a vegetarian for about 20 years until I met Kyle.

3. My eyes are blue but my left eye is partially brown.

4. My favorite TV show ever is Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel, I will watch them anytime they are on, no matter what time.

5. I watch WAY too much TV.

6. I love karaoke.

7. My favorite color is green.

8. My dream car is a Chevy Avalanche

9. I love to bake.

10. Sometimes I would skip my college classes to play pool.

11. I cannot stand the movie The Sound of Music, I refuse to watch it.

12. My favorite sport to play is volleyball

13. In third grade I had a piece of hair that wasn't cooperating so I cut it off. There was a huge chunk missing.

14. I love dogs!

15. My favorite book is Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis.

16. I don't like watching golf on TV.

17. I like spear fishing.

18. I like getting shots/having blood taken at the doctors. I always have to watch.

19. I like getting foot rubs.

20. I do not like being touched between my toes, it can ruin a perfectly good foot rub.

21. I'm addicted to choloclate.

22. I was once subpoenaed as a witness in a murder trial.

23. I have a raging temper.

24. I never liked eating fish until I moved up north and had fresh walleye.

25. I don't like steak.

26. I complain alot.

27. When I was little I sucked on a chlorine tablet (used for the pool), I asked my dad what would happen if someone ate one and he told me that they would die. I cried and cried, I don't think he knew what I had done. Seems as though I've turned out okay.

28. My husband says I'm impatient.

29. I like all music except opera and contemporary christian.

30. I like gardening but I hate weeding.

31. My favorite season is Fall.

32. I love having 2 boys.

33. I have naturally curly hair. In high school I used to blowdry it straight and then curl it, I don't know what I was thinking.

34. I've never broken a bone.

35. I have, however, had stitches. I jumped into the pool backwards but didn't jump out far enough and my chin hit the concrete.

36. I love soy milk!

37. I attended a private school, pre-12th grade

38. I loved being pregnant.

39. I am Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish

40. I hope to someday visit Norway.

41. My favorite flower is the peony

42. I'm paranoid of other drivers during Winter.

43. I love kayaking.

44. My favorite restaurant is the Cheesecake Factory. Chevys Mexican is a close second.

45. My birthday is on the 4th of October, Kyle's is the 4th of March. We were married the 13th of March and Wes' birthday is April 13th.

46. I never really talked to my sister my whole life, then she moved back home and now, 30 years later, we call each other numerous times a month. I consider her one of my best friends.

47. I vaccuum alot, I used to vaccuum the house 3 times a day.

48. I am a big Ultimate Fighting fan.

49. I'm really bad at remembering music lyrics and I can only rememeber parts of songs, so I sing 'master mixes' of songs to my kids at night because I honestly cannot even sing a whole song.

50. Being a mother and wife is the hardest, most frustrating thing on the face of the earth but, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!

My guys

2008-08-19T19:34:00.010-05:00

After a bath

Wes and Jack playing together,

having a good time.

The cat found the packing boxes (yes, we are moving!)

Practicing standing up.

He took his first independent steps yesterday!

My boys

Drawing pictures on our sidewalk

Some one discovered the toilet paper, can you guess who?

He also unrolled the roll.....

....I can't get upset at this face!

4th of July

2008-07-24T14:20:00.009-05:00

Bemidji has a water carnival every year down by the lake. We thought it would be fun for Wes since he is big enough to ride the rides.

He must have been so excited to get there...

...he fell asleep. Looks comfortable too.

The prefered ride of the day, NASCAR, of course.

The Fun House

Wes LOVED the Crazy Bus. I was a little nervous about this one but everytime he went around I saw nothing but a big smile on his face!

Family Reunion 2008

2008-07-24T13:54:00.012-05:00

This past weekend was the Berge family reunion. We get together every other year at the camp grounds to eat good food, play games, and enjoy everyones company.

Grandpa Ferd and Grandma Ruth with

Amanda, Ashleigh, Tyler, and Whitney

Cousing Mindy and Elianna

Ken and baby Elijah

Cousin Melanie and her soon-to-be-husband David

Here is Gramp and Gram and all of the grand and great-grand kids

Just the immediate grand and great-grand kids

Cousin Bud and his wife Amy with their kids Liana and Isaac.
Too bad they live in Iowa, Wes really enjoyed playing with Isaac.
I heard both boys were crying when it came time to say goodbye.

Wes caught a fish off the dock. He didn't want to touch it though.

Karla, Mike, and Ashleigh

Some quality father and son fishing time off the dock.

I love this picture!

Kevin and Kristen

The family

Alot of relatives couldn't make it to the reunion, believe me when I say this is a very large family!

Baseball has been very very good to me

2008-07-24T13:37:00.009-05:00

Kyle's baseball career has come to an end. I was able to finally watch a game (actually 2, it was a double header) for once. We had a babysitter watch the kids so I could focus on watching the team and not have to chase the kids around.

Kyle and his brother Kevin

Kyle on the mound, pitching his last game

Brothers

Swimming

2008-07-13T14:21:00.000-05:00

Kyle is normally gone on Sunday playing baseball so I'm always looking for something new to do with the kids. Today we went for a walk and went swimming.

Jack loved the pool, he had a great time splashing around (and being splashed!).

Wes' day of fun

2008-06-26T11:16:00.000-05:00

Wes is visiting my Mom and Dad this week so before he left we let him plan the whole day. We ended up a Howie's Fun Fort in town to ride the go-karts, eat lunch and have popsicles. We then took a drive and visited Knutson Dam, or as Wes likes to call them 'lake stations'.

One the way back from dropping Wes off in Brainerd with my parents, we decided to stop off in Pequot Lakes to enjoy the nice weather.

He's on the move

2008-06-26T11:11:00.000-05:00

Jack has started crawling! Now we don't have to break our backs carrying him everywhere.
FYI, he was at the doctors about 2 weeks ago and he weighed in at a healthy 24 pounds!

Aunt Molly

2008-06-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

The boys always seem to have a good time when they see Aunt Molly

Here Wes is taking a nap on her bed

Taking a rest from playing at the playground

Vennard 2008

2008-06-17T11:07:00.000-05:00

Every year the Erickson cousins make a trip to Iowa to play in the Vennard College Golf Tourney.

Praying for a win ?

Team Erickson
Chad, Tom, Kevin, Kyle

Taking a walk

2008-05-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

Always remember to bring a bat,

just in case we encounter a bear! (It makes him feel better anyway)

Wes....

...weaving some sort of story.....

..never at a loss for words.

Bundled up for a walk in the woods.

Not as bad as you would think....

2008-05-19T13:14:00.000-05:00

He actually doesn't mind this position. He wiggles out of his chair and I occasionally find him like this, he just looks at me and grins.

Nice Weather....Finally!

2008-05-06T11:29:00.001-05:00

Wes was able to get outside to play this past weekend,

he's really into monster trucks so here he is working on digging a trench for all his trucks.

Normally I can't get my camera out fast enought to catch these two cuddling. Whenever I step outside Skeet (the black one) runs out to meet me and I miss the shot. They must've been pretty comfy to not want to move this time.

Happy Baby!

2008-05-06T11:15:00.000-05:00

For some unknown reason, Jimmy the cat loves to be next to Jack whenever he is on the floor. Jim doesn't seem to mind the occasional fur pulling, I think she just loves the attention.

My big boy is learning to sit up on his own- hurray!

I am so amazed how happy he is all the time, he is the easiest kid ever, especially in the morning when he is content to just sit on the floor and watch us all scramble around trying to make it to work on time!

2008-04-12T15:22:00.000-05:00

Wes turns 4 tomorrow. Here is a look back at Wes, age 1.

Easter at Breezy Point

2008-04-07T15:43:00.000-05:00

Jack decided to take advantage of the king-sized bed

Wes loved to go swimming in the pool right outside our condo

2008 Spring Pow Wow

2008-04-07T15:40:00.000-05:00

My little motorhead

2008-04-07T15:38:00.000-05:00

What a Mess!

2008-04-01T15:47:00.000-05:00

Wes LOVES chocolate and ice cream!

No wonder he has earned the nickname "Messy Wessy"

Thanks Kristen for taking these priceless photos!

2008 Perch Derby

2008-03-18T09:41:00.001-05:00

Even thought it was freezing out and they only stayed for about an hour, Wes caught 2 fish, won a fishing rod and some lures, and got his picture in the paper!

Recent pictures

2008-03-18T09:28:00.000-05:00

Hugs from the cat - they really are best buddies!

Jack LOVES his big brother Wes

My big boys!

...and we thought the baby was big.....

Sweet baby Jack

More pics of the kids

2008-02-12T14:07:00.000-06:00

Daycare

2008-01-14T19:32:00.000-06:00

Here are more family pictures.

I am currently at home still on maternity leave, I love being able to stay at home with my guys!
My time here at home is about to end and I will be returning to work soon - but here is my dilemma - we are in need of a good daycare or a wonderful stay-at-home mommy or daddy to watch the kids (hopefully in the Cass Lake area since we both work in town), is there anyone willing or know anyone who is able?
I would love to do it myself but unfortunately there is no way it would work for us at this time :( Thanks!

pictures

2008-01-12T11:33:00.000-06:00

Gold City on New Year's Eve

2008-01-02T12:40:00.001-06:00

Amy was kind enough to let Kevin and I attend a Gold City concert in Arden Hills on New Year's Eve. I had seen GC a couple years back at the National Quartet Convention, but Kev had not had the opportunity to see them live.

We both expected a good show. We were both completely blown away. It was better than great! Any time you go to a concert to hear a group that's been around for quite a while (Gold City has been one of the premier Southern Gospel quartets since 1980), you never know quite what songs you'll hear, since they have such a huge body of work. I was so thrilled that they sang nearly every song I had hoped for - or at least as many as they could fit in in the time they had - and they sounded fantastic. Midnight Cry, Truth Is Marching On, Teach Me Lord To Wait, I'm Not Giving Up...the whole set was just phenomenal. The best part of Southern Gospel music is that it's not just great entertainment - it's food for the soul.

I was especially impressed with their young (just 26!) bass singer, Aaron McCune. For such a little guy, he has a booming voice, with terrific range and a great voice for solos as well, something a lot of low-low basses don't have.

I may have to see if Amy wants to move somewhere down south, so I can hear those guys sing more often!

To hear some free examples of Gold City's music, go here.

Jack pics

2007-12-18T09:07:00.000-06:00

Not that he looks much different than he did three weeks ago, but here he is!

More baby pics

2007-11-23T16:04:00.000-06:00

Mom and her two grandsons

Great-grandpa Ferd, the source of Jack's middle name

A proud great-grandma

Much-needed rest for baby and momma

Jack and Wes on their birthdays

2007-11-23T15:53:00.000-06:00

Jack Ferdinand Erickson

2007-11-23T14:57:00.000-06:00

At 7:09 AM on November 20th, Amy gave birth to our second son. Everyone present - doctor and nurses included - were amazed at the speed and ease of the delivery, considering that our boy came in at 23" long and weighed a healthy 10 lb 7 oz!

Amy was scheduled to be induced at 6 AM on Tuesday, but couldn't quite wait that long. About 9:00 the prior evening, she started to feel the first twinges. At 1:30 AM Tuesday, she shook me awake and gently suggested I get everything ready to go! We were out the door at 2:30, to the hospital by 3:00 (after dodging several deer on the way), and Jack Ferdinand Erickson entered the world just four hours later. We are all thankful for such an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery!

Ready to get started

Ouchie!

First look

Four generations together

So sweet