Easter Fun!

Finally getting around to posting about our fun EASTER weekend! We enjoyed lots of easter egg hunting, egg dying, and of course, CANDY!
(I think Jared is secretly more excited than anyone because he knows the girls can't eat all the treats by themselves!) It's a bit long, but there were too many cute pictures to choose from!

The annual Town Easter Egg Hunt...a big event in our little neck of the woods! They hunt for eggs, get candy, and chase bunnies. It is pretty wild!Notice there aren't too many eggs in those baskets...When the hunt started, Sam was determined to get a pink egg (she has quite the fetish with everything pink lately), needless to say, the other kids beat her to them..she searched and searched and ended up with one orange egg in the end (after a lot of prodding that orange was almost pink and considering there were all of 2 eggs left when she picked that one up). Lucky for Sam, after the hunt her friend Grace gave her a candy filled pink one she had brought from home. It made her day! What a cute friend!
A few of our dyed easter eggs...Jared's parents have chickens, so we get brown eggs instead of white. I was wondering if they would dye. They worked great and made for some pretty awesome, vibrant easter eggs! I still need a photography lesson from Jill or Camille to do them justice, but this will have to do!
The girls had lots of fun finding all the eggs the easter bunny left them Sunday morning throughout our house. Alex had to shake every one she picked up and put it in her mouth and Sam had to open all of hers and inspect the treats inside (oohing & awing the whole time).
Sam showing off her spoils...notice she finally found a PINK egg! The great hunt at Grandma's house Sunday afternoon. As you can see Alex really enjoyed it! I think most of the pictures we have she has an egg in her mouth! That plastic must taste good. Luckily she didn't get a hold of the dyed ones! Alex with her cousin Braxton (Sam wouldn't sit still for a cousin shot). Gotta love Alex's mohawk and dirty knees!

Tagged Again!

So Britt tagged me to tell a little about Jared. The funny thing is most of the answers are pretty much the same as Britt's...Spence & Jared are 2 peas in a pod...not surprising considering they are brothers...they are both pretty incredible guys!

What is his name? Jared Calvin Erickson
How long have you been married? 6 years in May
How long did you date? Eternity-just kidding, we were high school sweethearts and dated for over 2 years before his mission...then dated some more when he got back.
How old is he? 28
Who eats more? It used to be totally Jared, but now I think we eat the same amount except when it comes to treats. Like Spence, Jared can totally down the sweets! He would probably live on junk if I let him and he does when I'm not home to cook!
Who said "I Love You" first? Jared...it seemed like forever...I knew I loved him long before he ever said it...but I didn't dare say anything until he said something first (totally high school).
Who is smarter? Jared totally schools in the smart department. We once had a chemistry class together...he would sit and read the Statesman all through class while I feverishly took notes and studied my buns off...and he would still ace the test! (and I would barely get a decent grade after hours of studying!)
Who's temper is worse? Mine for sure. If there is ever a disagreement...I am usually the one to start it. Jared is just Mr. Mellow and listens without even breaking a sweat. I don't think I've ever seen him completely ticked off. It drives me batty sometimes that he won't put up a fight, but I am grateful he is so easy going and lets me vent every now and again. Like Britt, I think he has really mellowed me a little also.
Who does the laundry? Me. He would do it if I asked him, but I'm afraid something would come out completely the wrong color. He is a bit picky about how his shirts are dried though...He's always afraid they'll shrink and not fit his large frame!
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do
Who pays the bills? I do most of the bill paying (surprising since he is the accountant), but we review our finances and such together.
Who cooks dinner? I do...Jared would live on candy if I didn't. He is awesome at breakfast though! He makes the best pancakes & waffles!
Who drives when you are together? He always drives
Who is more stubborn? Definitely me...he has his moments, but I am sure I take the cake!
Whose parents do you see the most? I think we are pretty even....we live fairly close to everyone and try to see them all pretty equal.
Who proposed? Jared. He had this entire master plan for President's day one year...we went to Angel's Landing in Zions National Park and he proposed on the top of the cliff. He always cornily (is that a word) jokes that he was going to throw me off the edge if I said no.
Where did you get married? Logan Temple
Who has more friends? We've been married long enough that I think most of our friends are mutual friends now.
Who has more siblings? Jared - he has 3 brothers and 3 sisters...I have 1 brother and 3 sisters.
Who wears the pants in the family? I think we are pretty even on this one. We try to put in a team effort.

I too am so GRATEFUL for my cute hubby! He really is an incredible and thoughtful man and I truly married up! I really can't imagine life without him! Love you honey!

I tag Amber, Camille, Mindi, Ashley Summers and Ashlee Woolf!

We've Been Tagged!

Jane & Claire TAGGED us to tell 5 unknown things about Sam & Alex. Bobbi was right...it's a bit of a challenge when you blog everything about them!

1. Sam loves nuts-any kind...I buy pistachios for me and she eats the whole bag before I get to them.
2. Sam calls Alex 'Angel Baby'. My mom started calling Alex this, and the name stuck. If you ask Sam what Alex's name is...that's what she'll call her.
3. When anyone says a prayer, Sam always has to tell them to 'go in the potty' which means to bless her to go in the potty...and of course it is always right in the middle of the prayer. A while back when we were potty training, we thought it would help her. Apparently she still feels she needs the extra help from above.
4. Sam loves puzzles! She is awesome at doing those little 24 piece jigsaw puzzles you can get at Kings for a couple bucks. She has a whole tower of them in her bedroom window and will sit and do them without help.
   
5. Sam folds her toilet paper before she wipes when going to the bathroom. I know that may sound a little funny and she'll probably hate me later for this, but it is so hilarious to watch! Don't ask me where she got that from!

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1. Alex likes to read books like Sam. She'll open a book and turn all the pages multiple times and just stare at them.
2. Alex hates things in her hair. She'll pull headbands and barrettes out before you can even get them all the way in. So much for her being a girlie-girl (I think her dad is quite proud of this).
3. Alex loves to nuzzle her blanket or anything soft. She will crawl up to it, grab it with both hands, and bury her face in it, wiping her face back and forth like she can't get enough of it. She'll also do this to mom, dad, or grandma if she is getting tired by putting her head in our chest.
   
4. Whenever anyone says 'Yay!', Alex will raise both hands above her head and hold them there for a second, and then start clapping.
5. Alex can open a flip cell phone faster than anyone I know! She loves the phone. She'll sometimes put it up to her ear, but it just amazes me that she can figure out how to get it open!

Sam & Alex tag Maya, Ruby, Laynee & Shay, Grace & Caroline, and Payden & Ashlyn

Happy Birthday Jared!

(Photo courtesy of Sam)

It's the big man's birthday. Wahoo! We don't tell him enough how fantabulous he is. He is always super helpful around the house, phenomenal with his girls, a great sport, super easy going, loads of fun, and the best love a girl could have. Thanks honey! You are truly wonderful!
Happy Birthday!Doing Daddy's Hair

Our Favorite Winter Past-time

Jared's parents gave us this airplane toddler swing a while back and Jared decided to hang it from the rafters in the basement. It has been nothing but pure enjoyment for the girls!

Sam always makes Jared swing her as high as possible, yelling "Higher daddy, higher!" as she is about hitting the ceiling!
We stuck both of them in together and they just giggled and giggled. Thank heavens for the simple, fun things in life like a child's laughter and hand-me-down toys from grandma that don't cost a thing!

Spring Fever!

Sunday was a beautiful day and we were all a bit antsy to get out and enjoy the sunshine! Needless to say it was a bit colder than it looked...thus the mittens and snow hats (doesn't Alex look happy!-she hates hats). None-the-less, it was fun to get outside! Now if we could just make the mud disappear...my least favorite part about spring. Especially where we still have no lawn. Anyone for mud wrestling? Come on down, our yard is perfect for it!

Our First Bar Fight!

OK, not really...but close! We have our first official hole in the wall...Pretty sad after not even 2 years of living here! Sam was dinking around on the edge of the tub, lost her balance, and caught the towel rack on the way down. You wouldn't think a pint-sized toddler could pull that off the wall so easily, but needless to say...she ripped it clean off in about 2 seconds. I was a bit perturbed, but I couldn't really be all that mad at her because
A. it was an accident and she could have broken her arm instead...which wouldn't have been fun and
B. she immediately gave me a horrified funny look and said 'Sorry, mommy, sorry'... How can you be mad after an act like that! So now we are getting a lesson in drywall repair. Yippee.

The Best Thing in the World

This morning I woke up and it was such a beautiful, sunny day! What could be better than waking up next to the ones you love with the sun shining gloriously through your window! It is one of my most favorite things. I love to just lay in bed and snuggle them (and occasionally break out into a pillow fight or a tickling war)!

Mischief!

Alex has discovered cupboards and can't get enough! She is into every drawer, door, and cubby she can find! And of course loves to pull every item out without refrain. It's back to more childproofing for us. The other day she got the nail polish out of our bathroom. Eek! Lucky we got to that one before disaster struck!