Bad Parent award??

I THINK NOT!! BAD ASS PARENT Award more like it!!

I realize some of you might not agree with this, But Guess what?
I'm the mama, so when it comes to my kids I get the final say!
On Pioneer day, we decided to start a new Erickson family "tradition"
We decided to take our kids, and Grandpa and Auntie Bina and Uncle Dave Shooting.
It was Xander and Eliza's first time, (Xander went when he was in my belly) but he doesnt remember that ;)! SO, we packed up all the guns, (not all of them because there are alot) but quite a few guns, stopped at Wally World for some Ammo and Clay pigeons, Packed up some old canned fruit and headed to Utah LAke, There is this section on the west side of the lake that is all dirt, and no people (except for those who also went shooting) in sight. Pretty sure that my kids LOVED it! Xander was nervous at first but once he saw little sister with a revolver in his hand he was all over it!
I firmly believe in Well-educated, Well-adjusted Children.. Now before you jump down my throat, i realize well-educated people still have accidents. But I believe that If you teach your kids Fire-arm safety, chances are they wont be injured. Because they know, A- never play(with) or touch a gun unless a parent is around. and B- Wont be curious about this "Shiny" toy and not realize how dangerous and Deadly they can be, because they will know. B we also teach them that People Kill, Not guns.
At home we keep the guns unloaded and locked in cases with trigger locks and keep the ammo in a seperate un touchable place. My kids will NEVER find a gun lying around my house because I am smarter than that. In the same breath, my kids now know, and will continue to be taught that guns are NOT toys, They are dangerous and in the wrong hands can be very VERY deadly. Im proud of the fact that my children have been taught and will continue to be taught Fire-Arm safety.. So here are some pictures of our day in the desert!

Max

{Then}





{NOW}

Addition....

What does
4 packets of Cherry Red Kool-aid


+
a few drops of Water

+
a few squirts of conditioner

+
some sarane wrap

+
too much time on our hands

= ?
One Little blonde girl...



Whose Hair is now...

PINK!!!!

Prayer of the Walking Child.

"Wherever your family tree has its roots — early Utah or around the world — the pioneering spirit is everyone’s heritage."

This week Utah has been celebrating the Days of '47. IT always makes me so grateful for what I have. for what the early saints have done for me.
I'm always in Awe at what those Pioneers went through, for one purpose. To get to Zion. I keep thinking about my early family history, One of my Ancestors at the time she was 14. her mother and Father died of consumption in the beginning of their trek , She had 5 little brothers and sisters including a brand new baby brother who was born right before they were chased out of Nauvoo. When her parents died she pulled herself up after burying them somewhere along the way. She took her baby brother in her arms and walked them to Utah, It was just her, and her baby siblings, She's the reason they made it.
It makes me think if i would be willing or capable to do something like that? Would I die right there with my parents, Maybe not in body, but in spirit? Would I be brave enough to get my brothers and sisters across those great plains, to somewhere I wasnt sure exactly of?
Would I trust in the Lord enough to be okay with that? Im not exactly sure what I would or COULD do. Im so grateful that i was saved to be born in this time. I realize that I need to be MORE Grateful for what I have been given. for the Love that I have in my heart for those pioneers. and for the Love I have in my heart for my children, So that i can be a witness to them of the "faith in every footstep" that was taken for them, and for me.
The lyrics that's I copied below is a song from Dave Tinney. Its about praying and having the faith to make it that extra mile, The faith of knowing that
"if sleep still keeps me
Father in your arms please carry me home"
Okay, Now i made myself bawl.. Read the Lyrics and try to be more grateful for the sacrifices in your life. I know i'm trying to be grateful for mine.
With all the Love,
Kat


Prayer of the Walking Child
Dave Tinney

Father
Can you hear me
Will you listen to me for a while
Please, can you make the day warm
The sun will dry the dewy grass
And all will be well

And Father
Make my steps a little larger
I’ll try not to fall behind
Also bless my shoes
To help them last another mile or so

Father
I’m so hungry
I’ve had nothing to eat for a while
Please, can you fill our grain barrel
Mother can make a flour cake
And all will be well

But Father
When the food is gone, forgive me
I’ll try hard not to complain
Also, bless my mother
Dry her tears and help her smile again

Father
I’m so weary
Can I stop and rest here for a while
Please keep the cold from blowing
Bring on the night, so I can dream
And all will be well

But Father
If I sleep too long, forgive me
Wake me up, don’t leave me behind
But, if sleep still keeps me
Father in your arms please carry me home

And all will be well
All will be well
All is well

The Final Product!

So, remember when I told you Xander and I went painting? Heres the FINAL PRODUCT (-the mug, because he is using it right now)

Hi-Ho Hi-HO its off to Wheeler Farm we go!

What a Freakin NIGHTMARE! it was sooo hot, but non-the-less our children had fun.
MY little Sister Sabrina (Aunt Bina) came down to Sandy from Layton and we decided it was a brilliant Idea to take my children to Wheeler farm.. It was 94 degrees.. Which at 11 am is hottttt!
Here are some pictures of us in the Midvale Utah Smelly SCH-MELTER!








Wheeler Farm
KAt ;D

99 Things To do!

99 Things Tag

(Just copy and paste this to your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done.)

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run (in elementary school)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt (i helped my grandma once)
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (been published IN a book for lit. club in HS)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit (in fact I just got a 15.00 check in the mail from a Law Suit!)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Guess I have a bunch of things to get done! Whoot!

No Brother Day..... No Sister Day!!

With someone here, Its been really really hard to get some alone time with each of my kiddos. So Fortunate for me, My family has made it really easy for me to do that These past 2 wks! Last week, My Parents had to take my nephew home to California and were only going to be gone for a little over 36 hrs.. Luckily for me, They wanted to Take Xander with him!! SO me and Eliza, had a NO BROTHER DAY! IT was so much fun..
First, we went and got pedicures! Eliza got one too! It was so cute, she sat in her chair and giggle as the Lady Massaged her legs, Cleaned her toes and Painted them! all the while putting white polka-dots on them! Lucky girl! and then after that, we went and saw toy story 3 in 3D!! It was so fun, we grabbed lunch at the theater and then watched the movie. We got popcorn and candy and drinks and we laughed (and Cried) as the movie went on. after the movie we got ice cream, went home had dinner and then called it a night!

Our no Sister day was today! My sister came and picked up Eliza to have a sleep over with her! So me and Xander had a NO SISTER DAY!. He got to pick what we did today, So HE decided he wanted to go to lunch and then Go to place Locally Called "Color Me Mine" You pick ceramics and paint them, So Xander picked out a mug and a Dolphin thing and painted them! I picked 2 dinner plates, painted my kids name on them so they can have there own "special" dinner plate! IT was so fun to get to spend time with them individually, Talk to them, ask them questions and find out the things that go on in that little head! While we were at lunch Xander told me "campfire" stories over my sizzlin plate of Fajitas that smoked like a campfire.. Love my boy!

I love you kiddos, I hope you remember days like these! And not the days that it takes all of my energy to even get out of bed!

Million years

Never in a {Million} years did i think i could Love {so}. Never in a Million years did I ever think someone could love {me}, Want to die for me. Never in a {Million} years did I think I would be willing to die for someone.. Or Someone{s}
When I met Jason, I knew what It meant to be loved.. And he Loves {SO} deeply, and {So} Fully. When i Realized I loved him, I knew I had to hold onto that love.. Because, I truly believe that, that love comes once in a {Million} Years.
And Then, I gave birth.. Xander came first, I'm not going to lie, I was devastated when I found out I was going to have a boy.. I wanted so badly to have a daughter.. I had it in my head that he was a girl, that I was going to have a little princess and We were going to live happily ever after in our Fairy tail Life.. With {MY} prince Charming and {HER} daddy the king. ;)
When I got further along in my pregnancy It got more and More difficult, They couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, I had all the symptoms of Pre-eclampsia Except for the big one, High Blood Pressure. So after doing one of those 72 hr urine tests They discovered i was spilling Protein so they took Xander a week early, on the Tuesday before thanksgiving that year. I pushed for 45 Minutes, had a 4 degree tear and 11 stitches. They placed Xander on my chest for literally 2 seconds. His Lips were blue, and he was silent. They took him from me, he had an apgar of 2 and ran him to the nicu. that was at 5:10 pm, At 9:45 while they were in the middle of the Nurse Change, my new nurse came in and told me how beautiful my son was, and how all the Nurses in the Nicu were taking pictures of him. My heart {broke} And I started sobbing, She couldn't figure out why, and she asked me what was wrong. I told her I hadn't even held my son for more than a few minutes and It wasn't fair, they didn't even bother to tell me what was wrong with him. My epidural effected my funny and After 5hrs I still couldn't walk. Jason finally went and tracked down a wheelchair lifted me up and strolled me to the NICU. My son had an iv in his head, both arms and heart monitors strapped all over his chest.. Turned out he had aspirated fluid while I was pushing and got Pneumonia. My experience in the hospital, My brand new sick son, and My General Craziness drove me out of control. I couldn't look at him for over 3 months. He slept in my moms room, she fed him, and took care of him because I was literally going crazy.. I {Knew} I loved him, But i just couldn't grasp onto what that meant.. And then when he was about 3 and a half months old, I was holding him, and he looked up and me and smiled. I finally realized what That once in a {Million} years kind of love was. I instantly started sobbing, because for 1 thing, I realized what I was going through, and what I was taking away from him.. The second thing i realized was that, He loved me, With that once in a {Million} years kind of love. He didn't care what was going on with me, all he knew is that I was HIS Mom, His protector. As I sat that, I had finally given myself permission, to love someone like Jason Loved me.


He was just about a year old when that picture was taken.. Its one of my favorites.. On day, I hope to be able to share the experience of being a grandmother to My children s children, To make up for the time lost with Xander and Eliza, While i suffered through ppd. I love them so {much} and I hope that they feel that love, The once in a {Million} years kinda love. The kind that they are going to cling onto {Forever}
a Little bit of loveliness.
;D Kat

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

ALL SEEM TO BE BLURRING TOGETHER!
I Need friends.. My kids need friends and I need a BREAK!
Something new to break up the monotony... This is whats going on in my life.. The Swirling Hypnotizing picture that makes everyone go crazy..



But its not nearly as pretty..
HELP

2 quick things... that i want!! NOW NOW NOW!!

Want #1

Zac Efron... Will you marry me? IN hawaii, with that hair, and eyes.. and abs and singing voice, and mad dance skills.. And Hillarious sense of humor.. and well with everything you have? ill even sign a prenup.. *You Dont even have to remember my name.. ;)

Want #2

Not exactly sure this was Walt Disneys Dream when he decided to make his magical franchise.. But it has always been mine!! Disney world just announced that they will be building a magic kingdom subdivision.. Single family homes frun from 1.5-8mil.. Okay, im going to go get 65 jobs.. So when im 400 yrs old i can afford to buy one!! WHOOT!
That is all!
Kat