HAPPY BIRTHDAY COLTON!!!

He got a scooter and school ring he wanted...

He also got a John Bytheway, cd about the priesthood...

Mom and Dad made it a real birthday treat!

Here is our big 12 year old. He is taller than me and he just wont stop growing:( Oh well, I am destined to be the shortest in the family I guess. Colton also wanted an Ice cream cake, but we decided to do brownie instead of cake and he didn't want whip cream around it so I left it as is and drizzled fudge sauce on it and it was yummy!!! I made homemade vanilla and used the spring pan to freeze it in. Before hand I made the brownie in the same pan so it would be the same size (worked better and didn't shrink up like the cake.) To top it off I made a Chocolate Fudge Sauce from the Lion House Recipes. It was so tasty! Ok now I've got to go on a diet:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I kidded her that she was 1 this year since the camera man took the pic from the back!

Whit had a small party with some friends the week before since we'd be picking grandma and grandpa Erickson from the airport in St. Louis on her actual birthday!

This was my first ice cream cake! Whit and Colton both wanted one for their birthdays. I made homemade ice cream with oreos for the one layer and a chocolate cake for the other. then frosted it with cool whip once the cake was frozen. Used a spring pan to bake the cake in and then the same pan to freeze the icecream so they would be the same size, good idea but the cake shrinks up a little and I had to cut some of the ice cream off so it was the same size, so we decided to do brownie next time.

Yummy, we liked it and I didn't have to spend $30 to get it!

Happy Birthday Whitney!!!

10 years old on a historic date - 9-9-09!

Watch out Hollywood....

Welcome to Dollywood...
The kiddos with a giant, fake cut timber.

Luke has tamed this dragonfly...

Sarah has learned to ride a caterpillar...

Eating homemade ice cream...it was alright, I think I make better though.

This old steam engine took us on a five mile ride...a bit dirty as it blew dirt on us upon departure.

Sarah was worn out, the train ride was just what she needed to unwind.

Flying a bee, Luke an Sarah hit the air...

More picts to come from Dollywood!

Anniversary Celebration!!

This year we celebrated 13 years!!! We would have loved to gone off by ourselves, but it just wouldn't work out for that so we were all together for our anniversary. Aug. 2nd we visited the small ward in Pigeon Forge (pretty much like our ward here in Missouri.) We found it to be a very pleasant day. Jason is my best friend and a wonderful husband. He does so much to help me that I feel guilty when I hear other women complain about their husbands. I wonder how I ever deserved someone who is so good to me and helps me to want to be a better person. It hasn't been easy living away from family our whole married lives but I am grateful for the sweetheart who has been with me through it all!!!! I love you Jason.

Jason took off a week at the end of July in hopes we'd be able to go home to UT, but when we couldn't do that we decided to use up our timeshare points in TN about 7 hr drive. We went to Pigeon Forge. It was beautiful and made me so homesick for the UT mountains:( But I loved every minute of it. Most the time the kids swam, they had in door and out door pool, playground and some activities. It was a welcomed vacation...one of the best and one of the first that NO one threw-up!!!!! It felt so nice to swim, cool off, relax, no callings to deal with, no classes to teach on Sunday:) One of the few times Jason has been able to sit with me in Sacrament meeting, yippee! And not a commitment in the world other then my families immediate needs...so glad I went...

Our little swimmer...she gave us a horrid scare at the pool. We kept trying to tell her that it was too deep (3 foot) and she had to have her floater. She was playing in the little pool with a little boy, I had taken my eyes off her for a moment when I was with the big kids; she changed her mind about he kiddie pool and came over to the big pool, stepped down the steps and couldn't touch when I turned around all I could see was her pink ponytail. I yelled for Colton to grab her as he was the closest to her and I felt like I was in cement and couldn't move fast enough. My biggest fear was the thought of her dry drowning later, and so I had Jason give her a blessing and watched her all day. She was fine, but it scared me to death.

Having fun with my sister...

Colton in the goggles and Whitney coming out of the water...

Luke played a rubber duck race and came in third....

Pool fun for Whitney...

A picture by the pond with Colton, Luke, and Sarah...

More pictures to come soon - love and miss you all...Mels

Happy Birthday Jason!

Yes it's his big 35! He really made out this year, not from home though. Birthday money from family and a gift card to lowes from work got him a new cordless drill, nice powerwasher and then we gave him a night of golf with a friend, new temple pants and book on cd for long drives. The book is the second one from LDS author Sandra Grey - She wrote "Traitor" which we really liked and so I got him the next one called "Tribunal." We'll see if we like it too.

Jason usually doesn't read the blog much, but I just want my friends and family to know what an incredible man he is. I wonder at times how I ever deserved someone who treats me so well, helps me so much and is truly a partner, friend and companion. He's funny, a great dad and my very best friend in the world! I couldn't imagine my life without him.

Pioneer Day Fun...

We had a lot of fun at our Ward Pioneer Day on Sat. July 25th. We had bouncers and grilled hot dogs and played baseball, volleyball and heard a story about the pioneers. Whitney is in the blue striped shirt.

Sarah had a great time sliding down the non-slide (it wasn't slippery at all, so adults had to scoot themselves down).

Colton is on the right and Luke is on the left with Keegan.

These are the bouncers!

Sister Ray was holding Sarah so I could finish my game of Volleyball. No she didn't wet her pants, though it looks that way; she had just finished a soda and spilled it all down her front!