erica danielle

I need warm days, and today was just that. Full of blue skies and the bright yellow sun. I caught a glimpse of spring today and I can feel the excitement as things thaw and people are kinder.  Lucy and I played Barbies on the porch while Olle napped. Me in my socks, no shoes, and little Lucy bear with a T-shirt on. It was exactly how it was supposed to be. A sunny sliver of porch to bask in, and it felt so so good.  I’m thankful today that God gave us a little respite from the snow and cold, knowing that sometimes you need a little glimmer of hope that spring is indeed on its way.  xo, edc. 

As of Saturday I'm officially 32. As I sit here and type, I'm wearing leggings I bought my freshman year of college for rowing, a free church planting t-shirt, and this sweatshirt I got from my mom for Christmas that I wear roughly 6/7 days a week. This is me. I am a stay at home mom, who runs, is a church planter wife, and opts for sunny summer days over winter. My biggest worries are: if I'm spending enough/quality time with my kids, if my life is honoring to God, and what I am going to do with the rest of my life (not necessarily in that order). My greatest joy is watching my kids run to Sten when he gets home from work, knowing that they feel as secure in our little family as I do. My heart leaps when I see my kids confidence in a task at hand, or when they are oozing with happiness when we dance in the kitchen. My heart aches when anyone is hurting, I can cry at the drop of a hat, and my empathetic spirit has made me into the person I am today. I have loved being in my...

I have lots of happy memories from this week. Monday being one of the best days:  1. My mama and sister and the kids came to the Hudson YMCA and we swam, did body pump, then came back to our house for lunch and playing. It was such a good day. These 3 have really been playing well together and it always feels like a gaping hole when they leave. Playmates gone, only mom and Olle to entertain the ever-going Lucy. They were tooth fairies at this moment, and it was so cute to watch them flutter around. 2.  I’ve been pretty good at getting to yoga 2x a week at the Y. I  think it’s my favorite thing right now, and I can feel my body starting to remember old rhythms and the way I can move on the mat. I have also realized how my flexibility has a long way to go, so I’m glad to be intentional about my yoga-ing again :) 3.  More creating with this one. Princess stamps and colored pencils while Olle man snoozes. He’s been taking monster naps 3+ hours, so we’ve got a lot of ...

I’m so aware of this stage of life and how weird it looks. Sometimes Sten works from home, sometimes he’s at multiple coffee shops a day, there’s no full “day off” anymore, as he’s often practicing his message on Friday/Saturday. But I’m trying to embrace it a little better, to move and navigate in the positives of what his job looks like at this stage of the game.  Yesterday I was so in need of some me time. Sten knew it and asked if I wanted to go out for a run while Olle napped and he could get some work done from home. It was like a present had been handed to me and I accepted it, fully. Sometimes I think other people know what I need more than I do. I had so much pent up energy I ran 10 miles at a 7:10 pace in the glorious sunshine. I didn’t have music and instead my thoughts focused on my family, on my upcoming birthday and on what life is for us right now. Kind of hard, but so so good.  I had wet, slushy shoes when I walked in the door and I felt like a new person. More...

How in the world is it Friday again?? It's a cousin sleepover night tonight, so we are gearing up for 4 kids, 5 and under. I love cousin sleepovers and hope tonight is full of craziness and laughter that only cousins can create. My highlights from the week include: 1. Obviously my date with this guy! We had the coziest booth on a super cold night. I didn’t want the night to end!  2.  We went to Crossroads on Saturday night- the kids love this little bench by the kids check-in and asked to take this picture!  Then we had dinner with my family at Jessica’s house in St. Paul afterward. There was something special about all 10 of us around the table that made me feel calm and carefree. Saturday was a highlight of my week for sure.  3.  My mom and I took the kids to Kinnickinnic State Park on Wednesday for some outdoor fun. And we happened upon the BEST sledding hill. Of course we didn’t bring sleds, but not to worry, my mom took off her vest and we took turns...

I love any reason to celebrate, and February 14 is always a bright spot for me in the dead of winter. It just so happens to *maybe* hit 40 today as well, so I'm packing up the kids to check another state park off my 18 in 2018 list.  I love so many, and feel loved by many as well. I've been reflecting during my morning devos what makes me the most happy, and one of the ultimate gifts to me right now is an "i love you" from my kids. They don't say it just to say it, it comes out in bursts of love, that makes me heart feel 1,000x bigger than it is. Hope you feel loved today. xo. edc. 3 people I love the most

Olle loves to read, it’s just the sweetest thing watching him sit down and leaf through a book. Lucy’s always been a reader and I remember feeling nervous when Olle didn’t show much interest in books. I wish I could get lost in a book all day, everyday and the magic of childhood is that you CAN!  Xo. edc

1. I have a couple favorite spots in our house and luckily one of them happens to be our bedroom, namely my side of the bed :) I’ve never loved our room in any place we’ve lived, so it was important to me that we spend some time and money to make our bedroom a place I want to be. As a result I love to sneak away and read during Olles nap time/ Lucy’s quiet time. Oh, how glorious a quiet house is!  2. We’ve had SO much fun with friends this week! Monday we spent the whole  day with Chase and Maci, while Jen and I moved from coffee to tea and talked for 6 hours straight. Tuesday we went to the children’s museum with Theo, Wednesday we went to Theos house for dinner, and yesterday we had Noah over for a play date. I love the fact that we haven’t turned on the TV once this week, and the kids are tired by the end of each day, it also makes winter days zoom by when friends are involved!  3. I have made a point to eat more greens, and since I love vegetables this isn’t hard...

If you’ve been around me, ever, you know that a common phrase out of my mouth is I was listening to this podcast.....  It has actually become somewhat of a joke around certain people, and I can’t say that I don’t like it. 😉 I spend so much time running that sometimes music just doesn’t cut it, and I like filling my mind with new and interesting ideas and concepts. One of my favorite podcasts is the Happier podcast by Gretchin Rubin. I think it has literally changed my life by making habits a more enjoyable part of my day to day living.  Of course this is where I got the idea for 18 in 2018. 18 goals you want to achieve this year. It doesn’t seem daunting to me, instead it feels like a challenge to conquer and a better person to become in the process.  My list is as follows: Complete WHOLE30 ✔️ Create margin in my life so I’m less in a hurry and can do things I want to do.  Be my family’s biggest cheerleader.  Reserve drinking for special occasions/ celebrations...