Friday, December 25, 2009

Wii are Family



We have joined the club and got a Wii.  

Our boys screamed like little girls.  Wait actually, our girls didn't even scream...

Anyhoo, it was THE gift for the family and we've been playing it every since they opened it - all four of them.  We were even able to get Grandma Pam & Grandpa Roger into it with us...their "Miis" look very similar to them.  Thank you to both sets of grandparents for going in on this gift.  It's been a treat!

Mark got the Active Fit.  I'm trying to become a Tennis Pro.  Taylor and Dylan have done it all (and I mean gone through it all), Sabrina is our bowling expert and Veronica recovered from the trauma of boxing - serious tears - to smile through the mellowness of bowling.  We've received a lot of thank yous and the kids really have been playing TOGETHER.  

If you come to stay, please come ready to play.




Thursday, December 24, 2009

Happy 41st Mark Patrick Erickson!

I've often wondered what it would be like to share your birthday with such a monumental holiday. Well, Mark has been doing it for 41 years!  Mark + Christmas Eve birth = taking Christmas to a whole new level.  Since I wasn't sick this year, HALLELUJER!, we were able to bump the celebrations up to another level.  If you don't know, Mark is a self-proclaimed (but pretty darn good) movie buff.  So, I took him to see "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" (eh) and out to eat at one of his favoritest restaurants, "The Cheesecake Factory" minus the kids.  We were able to talk and laugh a bit and just take time out to acknowledge his special day.  

One of the traditions we have been blessed to develop has been family dinners.  With the holiday celebrations all up in our face, we weren't going to let a lot of time pass by without making sure he knew we know how special he is.  So, we hosted a "Big Breakfast" and had his mom & dad over to join us.  It was quite the buffet:  bacon & sausage, eggs (over hard, over easy, scrambled and some surprise eggs too!), juice, egg nog, hot apple cider, biscuits and fruit.  A feast fit for a well loved dad.  

The kids wrote things they love about him or drew pictures they thought would be encouraging to him.  
Dylan, 10 years wrote 
He is funny, confident, he loves and cares for us, buys us awesome toys, takes me church, encourages me to do stuff, leader of house (besides God), keeps Saten (authentic spelling) away
Veronica, 7 years wrote
He lets me play toys when I'm done with homework, On the 28th he picks me up to play @ Jayla's house (a pending play date...clever hunh?), he gives me gifts when it's my birthday, I can scare him sometimes, I love Daddy so much!, I can read to him, he can pitch to me when I want to play baseball, I can pray with Dad, he can take me to fun things or Brownies, I love when Dad spends fun time with us kids
Sabrina, 10 years 
Dvdy-Sabrina-tehdEindCDYiVbrinCelTrinathyrtinardid (it's so deep, it needs translation)
Taylor, 14 years
a picture of his dad with huge muscles and a healthy heart 12 months from now

I made myself so busy that I didn't take a time to write my list, so here goes...
10 things I love about Mark.
1.  He likes to serve people.
2.  He goes to Brewer games with me.
3.  He is a romantic cook.
4.  Mark is incredibly quick witted and funny.
5.  Mark is a faithful man of God.
6.  He knows a lot about movies & music.
7.  He is a present, involved father.
8.  He is good with people.
9.  Mark is a good dancer (you are!)
10.He has great knowledge of the Bible (and has been a disciple for almost 16 years).

We're so glad to have had another year with you and pray that the coming year brings health, unity and fun.

We love you birthday boy!
 

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Our "4 Christmases"

Did you see the movie?  HI-larious!  Our version of 4 Christmases wasn't nearly as intense and crazy, but worthy of mention. 

Taylor, Sabrina & Veronica were still sharing a week at their mother's house and Mark was working an extra shift at Children's Court Center leaving me and Dylan to fend for ourselves on the eve of Christmas Eve Day.   True to Wisconsin weather, it is unpredictable, threatening our opportunity to visit family and friends back in Madison.   After talking to the man and praying to God, we jumped on the road and I'm so glad we did.

First stop:  the Bowlings.  It was so good to give Vanessa a hug and exchange Christmas gifts.  V, I'm so glad you liked the book.  I only considered taking pictures AFTER I left their home.  
Second stop:  Roselawn Memorial Park for Dylan to visit Chad's grave site.   It doesn't really get easier.  Due to the depth of the snow, we didn't stay very long, but I know that it was encouraging for Dylan to be able to make the trip.


Third stop: Hoytes.  Dylan's first time seeing the twins and first time in a long time visiting with Shiloh.  Amy is really like this.  She doesn't ACT like she's happy to have twins and little sleep and one in school...she really is a woman who lives at peace in her walk with God.  I have so much to learn.  Glad you liked your book too Amy!



Final stop:  Groths/Harborts.  This is family for us.  Through some challenging times & decisions, I learned a lot about choosing love from these folks.  Thank you.  I hope we'll see you in Milwaukee this year.

I am so glad we made the trip to Madison a priority.  It's been on my mind so much how little guarantee that we'll get a chance to show our love to those we don't have the privilege of seeing everyday or every week, so I wanted to set an example for my shorty (Dylan) and wrap my arms around these special people.

It was a Merry Christmas 2 days early, 4 times over.




Saturday, November 28, 2009

If you cook it, they will come...


Dylan worked that turkey leg; look at his form...elbows on the table, eyes down. Intensity...that's what I like to see.

"Smile Brina!" Apparently, this said by me several times translates into this face from one of our resident comedians.

Daddy, Daddy, Daddy. All of those "daddies" just to get all of the yummy rolls. I'm on to you Miss Veronica....


The honorable Grandpa Roger & Grandma Pam joined us for our harried, but wonderful Thanksgiving meal. They have had a rough few months. Hosting the meal in our home was the least we could do to encourage them during this emotional season, I hope we're starting a new tradition.


Alas, the guest of honor.
There was a salad with 6 different chopped vegetables, cranberry chutney, pickles, pickles and more pickles. There were black, oops, I mean African-American olives and green olives (no discrimination here), stuffing with raisins and wild rice. Yummy garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce out of the can (a must), ham, turkey, rolls - the simple super hit and homemade butternut squash soup. There were a small sampling of Glory greens and a side of peas (trying to go more "green" around here, get it? green - ha). We rounded out the meal with two pies...pecan and pumpkin (which came with a 15 minute discussion about where the "sweet potato pie" was even though we were all referring to the pumpkin one). We had soda, wine and juice to drink and by the man of the house's leadership we shared our thanks a little differently this year. Each person wrote down things they were good at and then one thing they wanted to be better at. I think I missed the ultimate point of what he was leading us to (I was on my 2nd of 3 plates at that point) but everyone couldn't help smile as we shared our "goodies" - things we're good at - and everyone acknowledged them. Warm fuzzies are Mark's speciality.
Okay, I debated for about a millisecond about this and decided I needed to let you know that I cooked over half of the items above and that THEY ALL TURNED OUT SUCCESSFULLY. For those of you who knew me in the old days and saw me in a kitchen; I know you may be tempted to think that I'm be in denial or just plain bending the truth, but I did it. Me, little miss organizer, turned into a little miss "Top Chef, Julia Child, Emeril, Bobby Flay" apprentice. I spent 5 hours cooking in our kitchen on Thanksgiving day. I put a DVD in (4 Christmases) opened a bottle of wine (Mark had some too!) and flitted around our kitchen like a cooking fairy - not just because of the wine. I was light, I was fast, I was humming; it was pure joy. I had already made up my mind that when everyone came to the table, I was not going to allow any opposing comments to wreck what I felt God and I cooked up together in that kitchen (again, it was something pretty special).
And earlier in the day, reading from "My Life in France: Julia Child", I came across this...
"I don't believe in twisting yourself into knots of excuses and explanations over the food you make. When one's hostess starts in with self-deprecations such as 'Oh, I don't know how to cook...,' or 'Poo little me...,' or "This may taste awful...,' it is so dreadful to have to reassure her that everything is delicious and fine, whether it is or not. Besides, such admissions only draw attention to one's shortcomings (or self-perceived shortcomings), and make the other person think, 'Yes, you're right, this really is an awful meal!' (page 71). This was empowering and I felt I was being cheered on by Mrs. Child. I put that food on the table - hot dishes burn the plastic covers on card tables, by the way - and stepped back and all I could hear was "well done, good & faithful servant".
So with that..we ate (and ate, and then ate some more) and enjoyed a very Happy Thanksgiving!






Friday, November 27, 2009

Please forgive me...



It's been awhile and a lot has happened....


PSYCH!!!! I didn't have any babies! These two peanuts are my nephews, well, okay they're my "sort of nephews". These are Greg & Amy Hoyte's twin boys (Lewis on the left, Eli on the right). I had the pleasure of getting some hang time with them over the past few months so that the new mom of three could get out of the house every now and again.


But, there has been a lot going on this year, especially since my last post which was on January 1st of THIS YEAR!!! Wow, crazy, crazy, crazy, nuts! I'm not one to try and send out a letter to catch everyone up on the happenings, but do feel I dropped the ball on blogging our 2009 year. So rather than go back and re-detail the steps of the Erickson 2009 Adventures up to this point, I thought I'd do something a bit simpler, more manageable, more realistic for me...


I first want to apologize and ask your forgiveness. I've come to realize that there were 3 or maybe even 4 faithful readers out there waiting to hear about how we were (thanks Mom, CaS, Ruth and whoever else you were). I've thought often of how much I could share and how much of it wouldn't seem plausible or believable - I'm still trying to believe some of it myself. I've also been recovering from some of the not so pleasant, fun or enjoyable parts of being in a family; but that is the very thing that has brought me to want to write and share again...those dark moments have helped me to want to be more respectful to the overwhelming moments that we can (and ought to work hard to) be grateful for...and then make time to share them.


This is only a snack from the buffet table that has been our lives this year:


There have been funerals of friends and grandparents. We have had disagreements and misunderstandings. I have had graduate classes and deadlines. There have been several pregnancies announced and many babies delivered into the world. There have been proposals and weddings. We have hosted Bible Talks, House Church Services and Sporting Event Parties. Mark & I have cheered on the Brewers through a not-so-stellar season and become huge fans of the show, "Arrested Development"...No touching! (inside joke). We've been to the Wilderness (Territory Lodge), Mexico and to & from Madison. I've volunteered and unvolunteered. We've drank wines & Mike's Hard Lemonades. We've downloaded great music and danced in the newly remodeled kitchen. Mark and I retreat to our tropical bedroom get-a-way nightly to recharge. I've read about a hundred children's books and dozens and dozens of inspiring and interesting novels for adults. Mark celebrated 12 years at his job, this month will be 1 year at mine. We've had great parent-teacher conferences and not-so-great ones (can you guess who'd that be...starts with a D). There have been anniversaries to celebrate and others that crept up on us leaving us with numbing pain. It's been quiet for naps and reading and it's been chaotic with laughter, family wrestling and tickle fights. I got a new phone and dropped it the first week I had it - phone numbers needed. We did not vacinnate for H1N1. Michael Jackson gone, whaaaa? President OBAMA, wow!!!! Oprah to be off the air, for real? Big stuff is happening; out there in the big world and here in our cozy home.


I hope that you will forgive my absence and will continue reading about "life with the Ericksons".


Onward...



Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Happy New Year!

Is it just me or does the New Year bring out a lot of...stuff?

We had a nice New Year's Eve celebration thanks to Mark. I was so ill over the holidays that I missed out on all of the traditions that can make it feel like Christmas time - American style. So being at 50% and traveling to Chicago was only doable because of all of his planning and the people we were eager to spend our time with.

We love us some Shims...

Hanging out in the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel in Illinois (Mark's newest favoritest hotel) we got to see a lot of singles on the way to their celebration of the new year. It stopped me for a moment as I realized that this was our first NEW YEAR as a married couple. This was a marker. An event to be excited about, there would never be another first New Year's Eve celebration like this one. We had a great time eating at Brava's and then sipping cocktails and playing dominoes, but deep inside me I wasn't fully enjoying it.

The past is there deep in my heart holding me back from enjoying these days ahead. I didn't bother to set any resolutions because of so many years past where I failed to meet the goals I'd set for myself. I didn't bother to allow myself to get giddy like the young teenagers running through the hotel lobby, up and down the elevators. And I realized, this is sad, that I have so much to be excited for. Who, but God knows what this new year will bring? Isn't that enough, that HE knows...

I am coming around as my health is improving (I'm at 91% now) and as I spend more time in the Bible, I have a growing hopeful perspective about 2009. It truly has a lot of potential to unfold and unveil itself in millions of ways, all of which God will see me through. What more do I need?

So, 2009 here we are. Let's do this!!!!

By the way, I did set a couple of goals for myself.
1. To be more faithful in prayer.
2. To let go, not sweat the small stuff.

While a short list, the implications of repenting in these two areas are hugely beneficial for our family and for me.

Happy New Year to you...Happy NEW Year to all of us...