On a Higher Note

We went to see the Brigham City Temple and it was so much fun. I couldn't believe how good of an experience it turned out to be. I honestly thought Lyla Bug would have a rough time considering the lines and stuff. I will start from the beginning. So I called down to Maddox to get a dinner reservation and I was lucky enough to get a 5:15 time. So we  hurried to Brigham City and arrived at about 5:20, they were actually really cool about our being 5 minutes late.

We got right in and enjoyed the Weekday special at $13.45 per person. If you have had it before you know how excellent of a deal this is. We sat with Lyla in a sling and ate happily. Lyla sat quietly except for the occasional coo or bubble blowing. When we got up to leave, the guy sitting next to us commented "you have an extremely well behaved baby." I was actually really pleased to hear this as I normally walk into restaurants self-conscious of the "OH Great they have a BABY" stares. I said "Well thank you, we try." Which was kind of hilarious because she is 4 months old and lets face it we are at her mercy:). To which he responded "She has a truly beautiful disposition." We were pretty proud:)

We arrived to the temple about a half hour before our reservation time. But we figured we would go anyway, since our little well behaved baby was still behaving. We probably only stood in line for like 20 minutes and then got in to the video. I really tried to watch it, but Lyla's adorable cuteness was kind of distracting. Brett wanted to carry her around in the baby-go carrier which was nice, cuz she may still be little but she gets pretty heavy, quick. Once we got into the temple she started to snooze and Brett and I just enjoyed seeing the rooms and stuff. She woke up again just before the Celestial room and it was so fun to watch her. She just sat with her little fists holding onto Brett's shirt and leaned back into the carrier and starred at the ceiling. Her eyes were so wide, and she was so peaceful. I loved watching Brett watch her, and loved having my whole little family in a temple together. It will be a while until that can happen again.

Here I sit watching my little 4 month old Lyla Bug roll around doing 180s on her play mat. I can't get enough of watching her figure out how to grab toys, and study her hands. I also love how hard she tries to get both of those chubby little fists into her mouth. 

I have to tell this story too.. I hosted my bunco group on Thursday evening, and I totally underestimated how much time it would all take. Let's face it in my event planning I normally don't prepare all the food too:). Anyways, my sweet husband got home from work and quickly noticed how far behind I was. He just washed his hands and jumped right in with me. I was still a little late, but it was because I was still rolling out tortillas - You can't have COLD tortillas that just has to be done last;) Then after everyone had served up, I was still feverishly rolling out tortillas. Brett told me to just dish up and he would take care of the rest. I felt so bad, but I really did want to go down and eat with the girls. By the time I came up to serve dessert, he had done all the dishes and put out serving bowls and forks for me. If that wasn't sweet enough I walked in to see that he had already bathed, fed and put Lyla to sleep. He may not be a completely hopeless romantic, but he sure does love his girls. He takes such good care of us and I just love our life!   
  

Tired of Being Tossed

I promise no soap box here, I just have to be frank...

The views of one man with a camera do not reflect the views of a nation. This one man isn't even willing to stand behind his own work, and fess up. I am so tired of small-minded people making irresponsible moves and painting a picture for the mass of people who don't see it that way. Social Media gives us a hidden power to lift up our voices and give a more accurate representation of how we feel as a nation. Stop allowing life to just happen to you. We have been given the power to effect change quickly, and more accurately. Push for peace by sharing how you feel, we are the innocent mass that will be punished for the actions and ideas of a minority. Use the tools given to you to determine your own reality.

I am referring to the anti-Muslim film that supposedly stirred up the trouble in Libya. I will be the first to tell you, I can't stand politics. There is this dirty dishonest feeling I get anytime I get to embroiled in it, so I am not going to start getting all political in my posts or anything.  But the politics of the nation have an affect on my "Utopia," so I have to say something.

I am so tired of being tossed by the waves that are created by hateful, and ignorant people. I know this is probably going to be viewed as an, "innocent notion," to think that we can fix something by saying how we feel on our social media avenues. Is it so crazy though? Here we are given the task of choosing a President that will have the back bone, and skill to dig us out of this horrible economy. Really, how much can the government do? How fast can they change this? Who really has the power to effect this change? We do. I am referring to the "We" of the world who don't hold political positions. These are not issues that involve only the United States. Social Media allows the house moms, grocery store checkers, students, factory workers, salespeople, network marketing business builders - THE gray "middle class." If the middle class is the biggest percentage then why are we not able to actually change the way things are going?

I earned a degree in Public Relations and Communications in College. However, I feel like the bulk of my classes were how to responsibly and professionally represent my cause, it seemed like for the most part we already had access to most of the tools we needed to access the general public. So, why aren't more of us effecting the change?

I titled this post tired of being tossed. I meant to say I am tired of feeling like one little grain of sand getting tossed in the waves of an ocean. The direction my life is decided by a wave of people unaware of the power we hold. When will we start to determine our own direction. I am not saying I am going to branch out and be a lone grain of sand, after all I am not going anywhere if I don't have the wave of water to travel in. I am saying, we need to DECIDE what direction we want our wave (community, state, nation...) to go in and move it ourselves.

Big Changes!

So I decided to just combine all the big changes in the same post. Ok, there is really only a few changes.

COLORADO! My sweet family that has lived in Grantsville forever made the big move to Colorado. It was a must as my Dad was given a job offer he could not refuse. I am so proud of my Dad. He has always worked soo hard to provide for our family, and his hard work is finally paying off at work to, as his superiors see his value and want to capitalize on his skills. However, it is extremely difficult for me to watch them go. They have been gone for a little over a month now. And I am really starting to feel the distance. I probably call an annoying amount, just to hear what is going on. I know they were like 2 hours away before, so its not like they were right next door. But it is still kind of depressing. We went down to Grantsville to see my cousins, and it was so much fun to see everyone, but sad that my parents and siblings weren't there close by. My Dad is doing awesome in his new job, and I think he is enjoying Colorado. My mom is looking for a new job and unpacking the house. Levi is getting interviews and missing his friends back home, but he has such a positive outlook on the move and on life. Ivy is LOVING her new school and from what I hear making new friends. It's insane to me that my little brother and sister are as big as they are, but I am excited to see where they go and what they do with their lives.

My BUSINESS! I attended an Arbonne business retreat 2 weeks ago, and it was soo good. I am amazed at how well the products work, and even more amazed at how positive and motivational the company is. I was soo skeptical about the products, when I began using them about 4 years ago. But now I can't go without them. My skin looks and feels the best it has ever been and just continues to improve. And I have loved using the vitamins and vegan protein shakes while losing the baby weight. I can't believe how good I feel. It is so refreshing to know what is in my products and why they work so well. I am excited at the prospect of improving the lives of others, while sharing these products and growing my business.

OUR MOVE! We are in the process of buying a home in Millville, and selling our townhouse in Logan. It is a killer time for interest rates and a good time for us to move financially. We have LOVED our townhouse and I am actually sad to leave it, but the Millville home will be great too as our family grows and changes. If anyone is looking or knows someone looking for a great comfortable 3 story town home just a few blocks from campus, right in the heart of Logan check out or blog loganlexingtontownhouse.blogspot.com see pictures, and get more information on all the special features our townhouse has to offer. Picture of the townhouse:

Finished basement (we use as a theater room) and a gas FIREPLACE (warm, and snuggly at the flip of a switch for those cold Logan nights:))

In other news my husband is turning 31 in a couple days, I want to test out a pinterest recipe I found for toasted marshmallow coconut ice cream. The only hiccup I need to get an ice cream maker... O well it could be his birthday present right? My baby girl is 4 months next week, and I cannot believe that much time had past since she joined our family, she is soo big now and she is such a joy in our family. Just because this is the cutest pic yet :) in her jeggings driving Daddy's truck.

   

BABY!!!!!

I can't believe it has been so long since I blogged last. I will be better from now on. I am basically getting a new kick start on life I decided :). LYLA ROSE ERICKSON came on May 25th, 2012. She was 7lbs. 5 oz. and it was the best day of our lives so far. Those of you who know me well, know that means I was in labor on the evening of my Birthday. That is totally okay, it was the best present I could ever receive. However, my sweet hubby picked up a birthday basket full of my favorite things (Riddle Skittles, Twix bars, Comfy flip-flops, bite size cheese cakes and a love letter;). We went out to dinner with our good friends (Alyson, Andy, Mike, & Kristen) at Olive Garden. We laughed and chatted until Brett and I got the green light to head into the hospital for my induction. I was sooo grateful to my friend Joslin for talking me through dos and don'ts for an induction (I basically talked to her for like an hour and a 1/2). So I was pretty prepared and not really nervous just soo excited. I love how everyone tells you to sleep as much as you can in the hospital... WHAT a JOKE;). I was so sleep deprived by the time she got here, it took about 22 hours, but once I started pushing she came in about a half an hour. She had meconium issues and the minutes before she really started crying were probably the longest of my life. Brett was by my side every step of the way and when they finally placed her in my arms, I looked into her face and then into my sweet husbands and I knew that my life was truly blessed. I thank the Lord every day for blessing me with my unbelievably sweet husband and daughter.

The days that followed are still a blur. I probably got about 24 hours combined between the 4 or 5 nights after her birth. I remember learning to nurse was a big struggle, but we eventually figured it out. The night my milk came in I was freaking out, sleep deprivation, a stressed out crying baby, weird birthing side effects, and a pups rash accompanied rock hard chest that hurt like the dickens. My mother-in-law Bonnie stayed at our house that night and helped me out like a guardian angel. I was soo grateful for her help, and level headedness.

Lyla is now a little over 14 weeks old, and she weighs almost 15lbs. She was 90th percentile for weight and height at our last doctor's appointment. I HATE Pediatrician appointments. They stick my baby every time with multiple shots and it is the worst experience for her and I. I know it is for her benefit, but I just hate it.

I have absolutely loved watching Brett become a father. He is such a good daddy, he helps soo much with Lyla and he is completely wrapped around her teeny little finger. The other day he was just talking to her and she was laughing soo hard. I ran in from the kitchen to see it, Brett was laughing soo hard I thought he was going to cry. I ran in to grab the camera to record it and 5 minutes later when she stopped laughing as much, I realized I hadn't pressed the extra button required to get the camera recording. I am soo dumb, it would have been one for the record books. I am in the process of losing the baby weight now. I lost about 30 lbs. in Lyla and water, about 2 wks after the birth, then I had about 20 lbs. to go to get back to my pre-baby weight. I have finally gotten down 10 more lbs. in 3 months and it has been a fight, so I have about 10 more lbs. to go... but if I could lose a little more that wouldn't hurt either;)

   

Bassinet is done

The babies bassinet is done!!! As you can see the nursery is not yet, but I will get it done. The baby is supposedly not coming until a week after my due date anyway so I have got loads of time right? I love looking at the bassinet it makes me so excited, that's where my baby will sleep!!!

Homemade Pizza!!

So I have been craving pizza like crazy as of late, but I also have been wanting to make something homemade (you know there is a huge sense of accomplishment and pride when it is homemade;)) Anyway, my sweet and loving sister-in-law Allysen has been so patient and kind with me and my lack of baking talent. I can cook, saute, boil, all of that I simply cannot bake. She was so sweet and had me over to teach me how to make homemade wheat bread after I have had 3 failed attempts. I was given a confidence boost, but I still haven't gotten around to buying wheat gluten to attempt that one. So I thought today is the day I am going to bake a homemade pizza crust! I was super intimidated, and as you can see it looks a little funny (Cuz I made it stuffed crust!!). However, it was a major success! I want to make it more, and try infusing the crust with a garlic favor. Also, I want to change the main flavor of the pizza... not just plain old pepperoni and cheese. So here is the recipe:

Pizza Crust:

1 cup warm water

1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

2 tsp. sugar

3 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Dissolve yeast in water. Using a mixer, blend in 2 cups of flour and remaining ingredients. Mix until well-blended. Stir in remaining flour. Knead on floured surface 3-4 minutes. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes (I put it in a glass bowl with a little bit of veggie oil and just turned the ball in it once, then I covered the bowl with saran wrap and put the bowl in the window so the sun could beat down on it directly and I actually left it for an hour). Punch dough down and shape into a ball. Roll out ball or stretch by hand to fit a 12" greased pizza pan. There was a ton of dough I feel like I could have rolled it out on a regular cookie sheet and made a little more pizza. (Note: for crisp crust, sprinkle a little cornmeal on pan after greasing {I used the cornmeal and it was perfect like pizza hut dough- not hard or crunchy).

Also, the sauce is up to you, but I made mine chunky by using diced tomatoes, ground meat, some alfredo sauce, and italian seasoning let it simmer for like 30 minutes. My secret to making it a quick recipe is to just make spaghetti a day or two before and make a little more sauce then you will need, and refrigerate like normal. That way it was a breeze. YAY PIZZA NIGHT!!!

 



Such a PROUD soon to be Daddy

If you know my husband, you know he doesn't normally wear his emotions right on his sleeve. He is the sweetest most wonderful manly man, he is very loving and shares a lot more with me, he just keeps his emotions a little more reserved (much like his Dad). However, there are occasions when he just can't hold back, and I LOVE IT. On Sunday we were just relaxing in the living room when our little one decided to get a work out in. I started laughing out loud because she was moving and wiggling so much, it looked like she was dancing. He promptly pulled out his phone and tried to get video of it. So, she promptly got rather shy, and slowed her movements. I think she does it on purpose, he keeps saying he is so excited to have a little one to tease and play with, and I keep saying she is just getting a jump on teasing him now. Anyway, he kept recording until she finally gave us another tough kick. He is sooo adorable. He jumped on the internet and started emailing the video to all of our family. Then the wait began to hear what people had to say about it. No one was saying anything for a bit, (a lot of them were just getting home from, or sitting in church) so he started texting to see if people had watched it yet. I loved watching his face light up every time he watched it, and he kept talking about how excited he was. My family enjoyed seeing how excited he was, and I couldn't stop giggling at how cute he is. I can't wait until this sweet baby is old enough to hear the stories about how excited we were to welcome her into the world. She will be loved soo much, we cannot wait to snuggle her and see her teeny face.

I will be 36 weeks on Friday, and can't believe we are finally getting closer. I am totally aware that people have been having babies for ages and what we are experiencing isn't earth shattering for people reading this Blog. However, it is quite earth shattering for our little family, and I think every baby is an absolute miracle. I just hope to not sound like a self-obsessed Diva. I am fascinated at how it all works, and I am soo humbled at the opportunity to become a mother.         

Pregnant and grateful

So here is a progression some what of my pregnancy. I am just beyond elated to be pregnant and I want to show it. I am so grateful for this opportunity we have been given, to welcome a heavenly spirit into our family. I pray everyday that everything works out and that she joins us healthy and strong. In the last couple months, I have learned so much about love, life, and purpose. I had no idea that I was capable of loving this little person inside of me soo much, without ever seeing her or holding her in my arms. I didn't know that watching my husband's love for this baby grow with every kick and nudge that he sees and feels would make me feel closer to him than ever. We brought home some baby equipment and I loved watching him excitedly open the boxes, and piece together every detail of the equipment, with thought and care making sure it will do its job in keeping his baby safe. I couldn't believe how much joy it brought me to see the anticipation and joy in his face. The excitement and nerves we are experiencing right now are a blessing and something we will never feel the same way again. I have grown so much as a person in realizing the purpose of life, our relationships, and the little things we do everyday to progress our earthly purpose. I feel like although the years I have spent making the life events of others come to pass for my career, were very fun and fulfilling to an extent, I allowed myself to get dangerously close to losing sight of the reasons we are placed on this earth and gaining distance between my loved ones and myself. I am so grateful for my family and friends, and for my patient and loving God.        

Watch OUT!

So this was April of 2011 a couple months before the whole lets get pregnant idea really struck us. Lol, I was looking back at photos and how I have evolved over time, and I realized that people have been lying to me! My face and legs are totally getting fatter! Haha or maybe that is just what I wanted to believe. I had to post this video, because this is the epitome of my love for my hubby. We were shooting with my family this day, but going shooting has been a rather entertaining hobby for the two of us. I am probably like two weeks away from taking the top spot on TOP SHOT, I look so comfortable with a gun... Really Brett is a pretty good shot, and I just like to go for the fun of it. One thing though, I can't ever become too good of a shot, because if there is one thing I have learned about Brett, it is that I cannot beat him at something he likes and have him be cool with it. He is really pretty sweet about it when it happens, or he acts totally calm. However, I got a super high score on Bejeweled a couple months ago, and once he realized that it was tougher than he thought he worked tirelessly until he beat my score... I haven't been able to triumph his score again yet;)