New house

This post is largely unnecessary because I know most of you are going to come visit us poste haste in this Texas hotspot and see our new house for yourselves!;) Here are some of my favorite areas taken before boxes engulfed everything.

Front view

Kitchen

Great room

Kitchen and dining area

Entry hall

Guest bathroom

Patio/yard. Same trees as we had in Frisco... just a little smaller!

Master bedroom

Master bath/hers side

My closet/built-ins

Tub. I never use bathtubs, but at least it is pretty:)

 

Master shower

Another kitchen shot. I love love love the kitchen. I picked out the granite, backsplash, paints, stains and cabinet types from Dallas (via pinterest and houzz mainly!) and was very worried about how it would turn out, and so happy that I love it.

View from upstairs window "edge of the world" shot before grass was put in. Since our apt was on a highway, the peace and quiet is heavenly.

  I forgot to get pics upstairs before the movers got here. Just empty rooms though. The bad news is that our refrigerator has not arrived, and I can't actually use the kitchen because of that and my new sink has not been installed yet.  So I just stare at it... and go out to eat.

Chelsea Harrison's shower at Bread Winners Cafe.  Love these girls!!

Ft. Worth Grad Dinner

For several months of residency, Helaman has had to travel to JPS Hospital in Fort Worth to work with the OMS people there.  That is a long drive from our house.  It was bad.  This year's graduation dinner from this hospital was held at the Stockyards in Fort Worth.  I couldn't believe I'd never been there, and glad we got the chance before we left.  This place is the wild west, and a cowboy's paradise.  I regretted not wearing boots. 

We had a good time eating BBQ, watching karaoke and line dancing, and listening to the residents' and attending doctors' joke gifts to eachother. 

 

Last week of school

We went to Benihana to celebrate the end of school, like we did last year.  Elliott loved the fried rice, mushrooms and edamame.  This may be our last visit while we live here and I was so happy that everyone was looking at the camera and no one was crying.  I thought we would enter their passport contest for most visits during the year, since we have been 3 times.  I saw that it probably won't stack up against one person who has 160 visits logged.  Wow!

My sweeties

Elliott is 3 months old!  Where has the time gone?  He is still a wonderful baby.

Well, we went to the lake on Labor Day.  Unfortunately it was in a downpour so we had to come back the following weekend.  The girls also enjoyed a trip to JumpStreet trampoline park, where they went up and down this gigantic crocodile slide.  We've also spent tons of time at the pool because Helaman is training for a triathlon, and where Olivia has learned to swim independently (with a life vest) which is a huge step!

Olivia started Pre-school!  It was a last minute decision, and I think the right one.  She just goes twice a week for a few hours in the morning and loves it!  She is very proud to be going to school just like Charlotte, and Charlotte never fails to ask how her day went and what she learned.

Elliott was introduced to the cow and the sheep.  6 years ago it was Charlotte doing the same thing.  They look so much alike, it is crazy.  Maybe that is why Charlotte just loves him to pieces, and told me that when she has a baby, she is naming him Elliott.

The cutest little kids around!!!

2 Months Old

Elliott is now 2 months old and is still a great baby.  He smiles all the time and is relaxed and easy going.  He still eats a lot and wakes up at night, but this month has agreed to go back down after feedings.  We all just love him to pieces.

Weight: 13 lb 8 oz. (82%)

Height: 24.75 in. (93%)

Head: 16.25 in. (76%)

 The girls are great big sisters.  Here is Olivia reading Elliott a book.  So cute!

Before and After

Who doesn't love a good before and after picture?  My friend Sarah came into town this weekend.  We have been friends since we were 12 in the Tallahassee Youth Symphony together and went to high school and college together.  Christianne is also from Tallahassee, lived with us at BYU and now lives about 30 minutes away from me.  We wish Hilery could have met up with us too!  Our little boys were born just a week apart.

Spring term at BYU, 2000

Dallas, TX, August 2013

11 kids later!

Elliott's Big Day

Elliott was blessed this past Sunday.  Good thing, because he was about to outgrow his blessing outfit.  He was lucky to have many family members come to see him.  He is a real sweetie and we call him "the prince" at home because that is what he is.  

  

Charlotte and Olivia loved having their cousins from Houston come to visit.  Everyone had a loud, good time.

Elliott asleep at his own party.  Tough to stay awake in that kind of heat.

Elliott at 1 Month

 

Elliott is 1 month old! On blanket from Great Grandma Nancy.

Weight: 10 lb. 15 oz. (75%)

Height: 23 inches (87%)

Head: 15.5 inches (72%)

 He is a little sweetie who is very good natured and smiles often.

 He still has his days and nights mixed up, and though I love these beautiful eyes, they are a bit too wide open in the middle of the night.

 He has a enthusiastic fan club in his sisters, who hug and kiss him at every opportunity.

Welcome Elliott Erickson!

Elliott Helaman Erickson was born June 19, 2013 at 9:59 p.m.  I was scheduled to be induced that day and went in at 6 a.m.  They started the drugs at 9 a.m, and by 9 p.m. there was really no progress made after a whole day (of no eating).  This was very frustrating!  But after many prayers and begging the little guy to come out and join the world, he decided it was time and was ready within the hour.  He had a healthy, loud cry and was 8 lbs, 3 ounces at 21 inches long. 

The girls came to visit us at the hospital.

They didn't know what to think at first, but now love him to pieces and never stop showering him with kisses.  At two weeks old now, he is 8 lbs 14 oz. (51%) and 21.25 inches long (68%).

Charlotte and Olivia have also started their summer of activities with dance class on Mondays.  Olivia is in a creative movement ballet/tap combo class with about 20 other kids, and Charlotte is in a small ballet class with six other 6 year olds.  Both classes suit them perfectly and they love it.  I was very worried about this but both were very enthused about showing me all their moves at home.

Is it summer yet?

At long last, May is over!  Time is creeping by as we await our little boy's arrival to our family.  During the month, we had fun with cousins who came to visit.

Helaman and the girls have logged some serious time at parks, making the most of the nice weather before it gets too hot.  Charlotte has become proficient at the monkey bars.  They have also turned our backyard into a nature preserve with three birdhouses that birds are coming from far and wide to feed from. 

Olivia wrapped up her year with her buddies that she played with each week at playgroup.  The first week they all played at our house, they all followed me around the house and I thought it would be a long year!  But they got used to playing together and grew up a lot during the year.  Olivia is very excited to be a big sister.  Every day she kisses my belly and introduces herself to her baby brother.  She also loves giving him hugs, singing to him and listening to his heartbeat at my doctor appointments.  Her favorite book to read lately is "The Little Red Hen" and can "read" it to us!

This weekend we went bowling.  Charlotte was very proud to get a higher score than me.  She is also excited about her last week of school - full of fun activities.  She has become a great writer and loves to come home and write about the fun things she does with our family and at school.  She also reads very well, and has read several pages of "Charlotte's Web" to me as well as many other books from her shelf.  The girls both love to go to the library and spend lots of time looking at books together.

I am chugging along and looking forward to school being out!  Charlotte is such a big help, especially with cleaning.  She is a great little vacuumer.  Helaman has had a rough weekend on call - good thing it is one of his last.