Fun Times

Beach trip

In an attempt to get us to do something different we decided to do a drawing strip and writing of our latest beach trip!

Sam's latest creation

Sam drew this! We're so proud...

A year in the life

If this works it is an amazing video that Chris put together of our year together. Warning: it is 11 minutes long, but great. Loves, Sarah

More Ducks (because it was such an awesome game...)

Go Ducks ~

Roses here we come. (At least mom and dad) Amazing (and cold) game last night. Great way to start the weekend!

Turkey Bread Basket

Sam made the most beautiful turkey bread basket for Thanksgiving this year. He even choose Duck colors for the majority of the feathers. Every one loved it, even Molly!

Should have known

I have always felt guilty for not taking our kids to the football games. At the same time knowing that there is a degree of which it is not age appropriate. Well, this week I decided to take Sam and leave Chris at home with Amy. (date with Amy vs. driving to Eugene for a quick 20 hours = Chris giving up tickets) The game started at 7:20 pm. Knowing this I really tried to get him to nap on the way to Eugene. With no nap and lots of excitement we headed for the game at 5:00.

In the parking lot we met Duck Trooper...

After a trip to the Mo center we got some eye wear and some new duck toothbrushes and headed into the game. The fist touchdown happened with 2 minutes off the clock and I look down to my sweet Sam who is sitting (not standing and cheering like the rest of the stadium) with glazed eyes and very slowly clapping. I sit down and try to give him some food when I realize he is falling asleep sitting up. So I lay him on my lap and sure enough by the second touchdown (7 minutes into the game) he is sound asleep in my arms.

With the help of my family I was able to get him up the stairs out of the stadium and home to my parents where he slept wonderfully for over 12 hours and I was able to watch the game on TV in a warm house.

We had a great day in Eugene where we saw good friends, fed the animals at GG's house and then went to a Duck Basketball game. It was then he asked me, " Mom, it isn't going to start at my bed time is it?" To this I answered no and we had a blast.

Stay at home day!

Today was a stay home day...

We started the morning with donuts with our friends and a great bike ride, some yard work before it started to rain, and then time to watch the game. I am going to pretend that we won, because that would have made it the day perfect. So, during the game Sam began riding his pillows down the stairs into a pool of bedding at the bottom. Chris eventually showed him the luge video clips, he decided he better do some more practicing. Meanwhile Amy set up a pretend swimming pool (her blanket), got herself and her babies in swimsuits and splashed around. Once she dried off it was time for dinner where her and I decided to wear fancy dresses to dinner. (A bridesmaids dress and a sundress) We set up a runner, place mats, and candle light. It was a very lovely dinner. We then had our first fire of the season.

What a great day!

The first pumpkin!

We carved our first pumpkin last night...it really got us in the spirit. The first one was based on Sam's design, which he drew. Dad carved it because, well, knives are sharp and stuff... Here is Sam's sketch and the final product. Enjoy!

Kindergarten!

I used to tell people, "when your kid goes off to kindergarten they are virtually grown up and 18 and going off to college." I am so sorry that I said this to ANYONE. I am not ready for Sam to grow up and go to college.

The morning started very smooth, but alarming... I set and alarm for the first time in I can't tell you how long. We determined last night that we would all have a marble in our pockets all day in case we needed each other to feel better. (they were very helpful for ALL of us, even Amy who played with hers at the store today.) We walked to school as a family and then kissed Sam and sent him to his seat in the class. We were so proud of him no tears for him (a few for mom).

As we all picked him up after school, his class was (it seemed) the last to come out of the school. It felt like waiting for your child who has been gone to Europe for six months coming off the plane. He looked tired but so GREAT! A banana and ice cream and he was good to go until 7pm where he crashed and burned into a pile of tears where he needed his pillow and some good books and the eyes shut on a very memorable day...

Thank you all for your love and support! Here are a couple of great pictures from the day.

PS the most excited to pick up Sam was ... AMY! "ME (my) SAM!" with a huge hug to follow.

Congratulations TTLLP

Chris is the team captain for his Lawyer league softball team for his office. It is a time commitment and sometimes a pain in my side after a long day. After making it to the playoffs a couple years in a row, they finally won! I am really excited for them. Here is to another great year!!

Black Butte Makes Me Happy!

We got a T-shirt for Quinn two days ago that said "Black Butte Makes Me Happy!" Oh so true. Here are some things that help make us happy in Black Butte:

• Fun Dip

• Reading in the morning as a group.

• swimming.
  

More Happiness in Black Butte later...

TWO WHEELS!

Sam on 2 wheels!

2 wheels + happy kids + happy parents = Great vacation!

Day 1

Random Things

1. I LOVE the library. The other day when I was renewing our library books I got a message for the first time, "this book can no longer be renewed." Basically what they were telling me, you have renewed this book for one year and you have to let someone else read this book. So, we sadly returned one of our favorites.

2. We are on VACATION! We love vacation with our very favorite friends. As the adults were trying to set up the house and get dinner going, our children had some bathroom issues, drew with blue marker on each others faces (the girls, pictures to follow), and the boys ran around stirring up fun in their super hero costumes that are so too small for them. It was a great way to start vacation!

3. I sold my very first item on Craigslist today! Go Me Go!

Cheers

Tradition!

Ever since Sarah was pregnant with Sam (5 years ago, almost ready to pop), we have made an annual Independence Day pilgrimage to the Pumpkin Patch farm on Sauvie Island. This was our 6th such trip, and each year, I've taken the same picture of Sarah and our kid(s) in the same spot in line, getting ready to buy berries and honey sticks. The series of 6 pictures is below (top row, l-r: 2004, 2005, 2006; bottom row, l-r: 2007, 2008, 2009).

I could look at this progression for hours. 5 years goes by quick.

4th of July Weekend

We had a great 4th of July weekend! Loved it. Here are a buncha buncha pictures...

Pickin'

We spent a great Saturday morning at Kruger's farm on Sauvie Island...surprisingly were able to accumulate a whole flat of berries to take home...despite the dozens of berries that ended up in our bellies. Sam was a very diligent picker, perhaps a future career? As for Amy, we just tried to keep her from eating the berries that were in the box. Here are some pictures to prove we were there. Cheers!

Green Hair!

Just like the Joker!

We love May!

OK, so after a few weeks of inactivity, its time for a bit of a photo dump, but with some context.  May has been a fun and busy month, and as we now sit in the middle of a sunny and warm 3 day weekend in Portland, OR, its time to look back a bit on some things we did this month as we get ready for (official) summer!  

Continued thanks to all of our great family and friends who we love spending (not enough) time with!   Enjoy!  ~The Ericksons

This is a new trick, making "paint" out of chalk dust and water, and then doing cave paintings and hyroglyphics on the cement.  A bit creepy but very fun...

Another Superhero Sunday with our good friends the Bruggers: 

Because Sam's birthday is in July, his preschool class teachers have set up special "birthday" celebration days for kids who have birthdays during the Summer.  And on a birthday day, the birthday kid gets a birthday crown to wear all day.  Just so happens that his birthday celebration fell on our snack day, which is nice....

Sarah and Liz took the kids to Multnomah Falls for a nice mid-week hike: 

We had a great visit from Sarah's grandma (GG!)

Sam made Amy a crown, too (it's pink and she liked it):

Hanging out with our good neighbor Molly: 

Dad went to Seattle last week for a 3-day conference and both kids got Ichiro t-shirts.  Ichiro!

Saturday morning painting distraction so that Dad can make waffles and coffee in peace.  Not entirely successful, but fun anyway...

Lunch at Cousin Kaja's house...

Bath time!

Bike trip to Sellwood Park tonight for a picnic dinner, and Amy's new favorite thing...the big red slide.  

This was today, too.  This is hilarious and cracks me up looking at it.  At Sam's urging, the kids dressed up in life jackets, helmets, and sunglasses to be "spacemen".  The kickboard is Sam's spaceship.  He is taking it very cool and seriously, as you can tell...