It's Not Christmastime Anymore

Usually it takes about 10 to 15 minutes after we turn on the Primary music and turn out the lights for everyone to be out for the night.  Once everyone is out, I am a very happy camper.  :)
But the story is different when Eliza has had a nap during the day.  She just can't settle down and doesn't ever go to sleep.  I really try to make her stay in her room even though she isn't sleeping.  I tell her that she can read or look at books IN HER ROOM.  The key is getting her to stay in her room.  Usually she does a really good job with these rules and then goes to bed a couple of hours later.
The other night she came out of the room almost crying.  Something was really upsetting her.  She explained: "Mom, it isn't Christmastime anymore...."
and then I agree and say that it isn't, but is still trying to figure out why she is so upset.
"Well, those guys are singing Christmas songs."
At the end of the first Children's Songbook CD are a handful of Christmas songs because it makes it that far into the Songbook.  She ended up stopping the CD and starting it over because I guess that she just can't bearthe thought of listening to Christmas songs during the rest of the year.

Remember when...

On Sunday I did Eliza's hair in 2 French Braids (and am so sad that I didn't get a picture of it :( ) but was reminded of all of the years that we did our hair in millions of braids, corn-rows and such for cross-country races and GIRL'S CAMP.  Mostly I remember girl's camp, but I can remember braiding Shannon's hair a couple of times among others on the team for big races...I think I could even find a picture somewhere...hmmm.

But Girl's Camp hair braiding parties were the best.  We would have to start on Saturdays sometimes because there were so many people that we would invite over and so much HAIR!  The best was watching Anne of Green Gables every year while in our braiding trains.  We would sit one person in front of the other and each would busy their hands by braiding the person in front of them.

The best was that we wouldn't have to worry about our hair the whole time that we were up at camp.

I have got to find some pics!
The first on is when I was a youth leader on the 4th year hike 1996.  I think that this was the first year I actually braided my hair for camp.

This next one is of me after a week of braided hair.  I remember it feeling so weird and fluffy-like.

And this last one is of three of my amazing sisters and their amazing hair and our friend Kelly Phillips. 

What memories!

Fee-Fi-Foes

Brendan came to me this morning asking if he could play with these fee-fi-foes.  I had no idea what he was talking about until I looked down and saw that he was holding some small figurines in his hand.
At Christmastime we were invited to a party at the house of one of the doctors that Neil was doing his clinical work with.  They generously gave each one of the kids a present.
Brendan came home with 3 G.I. Joes that night and loves them.
But he just can't seem to remember what they are called.  Fee-fi-foes?

Pink and Purple are now Magenta

Eliza was constantly saying (95 times a day) that her favorite colors were pink and purple.  She loves these colors so much and wants the whole world to be on track with what her favorite colors are.  We decided that we could mix it up and teach her about the color MAGENTA.
What is really funny is that she has stumped a few people with her knowledge of MAGENTA.  We were up in Spokane a couple of weeks ago and my cousins asked her what her favorite color was.  She answered very confidently: MAGENTA.  One of my cousins looked at me and asked What color is that?
So we had Eliza respond: Pink and purple mixed together.
We were beaming parents!  I just love how she pronounces it: magenta!

Thirsty Tired and Granola

One of my favorite little games to play with the kids goes like this:
"Mom, I'm thirsty."
"OK Thirsty---" or "I love you Thirsty"
They typically get a little bit upset and correct me by stating their own name.  They really don't like the game at all, but fall for it EVERY time.  That is probably why I keep egging them on!
Last night at the dinner table Eliza said that she was tired.  Neil chimed in and said, "OK Tired, eat your dinner and then---" and then Eliza cut him off by exclaiming that she wasn't Tired, but Eliza Ann Erickson!"  (Please believe us when we say that Eliza is not one to be messed with when she is tired.  I think she gets that defective gene from both mom and dad, but oh well.)
This morning I was pouring some granola cereal over some yogurt for Brendan and I didn't know if I had given him enough granola with the amount of yogurt so I said "tell me if you need more granola" and before I could even blink an eye he replied with "My name is not Granola, it is Brendan."  I guess he had just heard "tell me if you need more, Granola."
I guess Brendan is finally catching on to our little game  :)

Let's get Disney

This morning and for quite some time now Brendan, Eliza and Lincoln have loved getting Disney.  They will spin around in circles for minutes at a time and then resolve that they are Disney enough and be done.  Then they start spinning again and again just so they can get Disney. 
I think that it was Brendan that just came up with that and no matter how many times I have tried to correct him and let him know that it is dizzy and not Disney, he can't get it straight in his head.  Eliza does everything that Brendan does and Lincoln thinks he is 4 right along with them.  I love to be able to watch my kids playing nicely together.
Absolutely love it!

Thank You Merrill Family

This past weekend we took a little trip up to the Seattle area because Neil was awarded a scholarship at the Washington Academy of Physician Assistants (WAPA) Conference.  He was awarded the Mike Merrill Scholarship in honor of a PA that passed away 3 years ago from cancer.  We got to meet his family: his mother, widowed wife, and long-time friend.  We sat at the same table as them and visited with them some.  What an honor it is to have Neil's name attached to his, in form of a scholarship.  Here are some pictures:

  

Before he passed away from a rare cancer, Mike Merrill practiced as a PA with a passion for emergency medicine.  Neil shares this same passion and we are very grateful and honored that he was able to receive this scholarship.  Congratulations Neil!

And to the Merrill Family, THANK YOU!!!