erica danielle

Is it seriously Friday? Why is time going so fast? Here’s some favs from the week: 1.  Date with my girl. I love time just me and Lucy. It never gets old, I hope we always do this. I hope when she’s 14 she’ll still be giddy about coffee with mom.  2. Cousin sleepover on Saturday night! On Sunday afternoon while the girls played hours upon hours of Barbies, and Olle napped, Amos and I took to the streets on our bikes. This guy is one of my favorites. He always makes me smile and I love watching him grow up. This brings me to number: 3.  Amos slept in Olle’s closet for the cousin sleepover, and Olle man slept in his crib like usual, BUT, after that night Olle has been sleeping in the closet "like Amos does". He also insists that he doesn’t want to sleep in a mattress, just blankets...  weird. He stays in his room all night and just thinks he’s the biggest guy! Next up: potty training!  4. We were supposed to visit my friend Nila and her 2 girls on Wednesday, but h...

In so many ways I lived my best life this week. I spent so much time outside that on Wednesday when Sten was packing his bag to head to basketball he didn’t have any clean socks.... I literally could not bring myself to do anything productive, instead I spent my time sitting, playing, eating and reading outside.  1.  Our first stroller nap run of the season happened on Tuesday. A six mile loop on a sunny day was a treat for us all. Lucy never naps anymore, but the sun has been totally wiping her out. It felt good to know she got in a little snooze.  2.  I washed the windows this week and really didn’t know what I was missing! This porch truly is one of my favorite things about this house and the light in the mornings from these windows are enough to instantly put you in a good mood.  3. I mean, look at this chica!! Ahhhh!!! I can’t even tell you how great it was to be smothered in sunscreen soaking up all the vitamin D while olle napped inside. We made blueberry...

Last night, Sten and I spent a significant amount of time watching old videos of our kids. It was therapeutic and entirely gratifying to listen to their little voices, and especially hear those deep, deep gut belly laughs from their tiny little baby bodies. Do any other parents do this? Scroll through picture after picture constantly ooo-ing, and ahh-ing over their cuteness, right after you've put them to bed in a rushed, we-finally-made-it-to-bedtime-I-thought-I-was-going-to-lose-it kind of way? It happens to me all the time-- I find myself missing them in this strange way. Not enough to wake them up, but enough that I want to look over what we've done that day, and reflect on some funny thing one of them said. I barely remember them like this: Which hurts my heart to admit. I wish I was one of those people with a photographic memory and could recall exactly how they felt in my arms, or what their little voice sounded like, but I can't. I HAVE to rely on pictures to r...

It was a much needed and total embrace of warm weather this weekend. I feel so fortunate to live in a place where when spring finally comes I get to see people and nature come to life all around! I’ve talked more to my neighbors over the last 2 days than I have over the last 6 months. It makes me giddy!  I for sure didn’t take enough pictures.  I know I couldn’t have handled one more cold day. Weekend: I’m giving you a 10/10.  ❤️edc

I have a lot of favorites from this week. We are in a good rhythm over here and I know that won’t last long, so I’m feeling thankful and peaceful and hopeful. 3 things that are good to feel. It’s going to be 50 degrees again today. Lucy got a little sunburn yesterday, which can really help put things in perspective!  1.  Monday morning I couldn’t get enough of watching Boston! Gosh it was fun. And with Des taking it away at that end, it was a happy day for me. I have been nonstop reading article and article since then. My friend Kate was there too and like the tough and full of grit girl that she is finished despite the blowing sheets of rain and a very injured hamstring. She said the weather was just nuts! I was surprised how sad I was that I wasn’t there. Last year after racing I felt very content being a 1 time Boston girl, but Monday stirred up lots of emotions and I would love to go back someday.  2.  Monday we also headed to Mayo in Rochester for Lucy’s eye app...

Dads are pretty special. I snapped this picture yesterday from our kitchen while I was getting ready for our small group. I had 2 needy kids in the kitchen and both were wanting attention. Olle wanted to go shovel, and even though there was nothing to shovel, Sten said, 'lets go buddy', and outside they went into the sunshine to "move some snow around". I have no doubt in my mind our kids will name Sten as the most important person in their life. His love for them is deep, and real and beyond special. I am so lucky they have him. There are many days when my patience runs out, and I can't parent well, and magically Sten swoops in to save the day. His intentional listening and purposeful conversations with them leave me speechless. A child needs a mom for a lot of things, and I know the role I play in their life right now is huge, but Sten fills in every gap and then some . Luckiest kids in the world. Cheers to you Sten! xo. edc.

facebook memories are so weird. Aren't they? They pop up out of the blue as if to say, 'hey, remember this don't forget that person you were 1, 7, 10 years ago.' Some memories tend to stick out more than others and you don't need an FB reminder, but others don't, and the memories tied to them are things only you can relate to. I was talking on the phone this morning to my friend Emily, we were reminiscing about a race we ran spontaneously while she was visiting me out in Colorado seven years ago... AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW..... I logged into facebook this morning and the memory popped up of that very race!! We remembered more than that race on our phone call. The stage of life we were at, is vastly different than our day to day lives today. Her, a high-powered working woman in California, and me in Wisconsin with 2 kids playing with cut-out paw patrol pictures under our kitchen table. We were young, and carefree, with so much time, so many questions about life, and...

This is my new favorite salad. It's crunchy, unique, and has sweet and salty components which makes it really tasty. Here is the recipe as it was emailed to me.... I totally guessed on the ratios, and it turned out great, I don't think you can mess this up. The food processor was key, as I don't think you'd want to sit and chop Brussel Sprouts for hours :) Chopped Brussel sprouts* Chopped spinach Shaved Parmesan Chopped avocado Chopped almonds Cranberries or Craisins Balsamic or Citrus dressing of choice! *we use a food processor...enjoy! We are anxiously awaiting warm weather, and sunny nights eating salad on the front porch... Have I mentioned we got yet ANOTHER snow storm this weekend? OH WELL! The sun is out today, and it's going to be a good one. There's only one April 17, 2018-- and I'm going to make it count. XO. edc.

Some of my favorite things from this week came in the form of conversations with family/ friends and time spent in the car on our drive to Chicago for my mother in laws retirement party.  It’s always fun to be in Geneva and our kids couldn’t stop talking about going to Grammys house all week. We had an unseasonably warm spring day on Thursday and spent as much time as possible outside, playing at the park in tank tops and wearing dresses without leggings underneath to Grammys party.  Other favorites, in the form of pictures.... 1. Our table was fully expanded after our first Hope Quotient small group on Tuesday night. We got 13 people around the table for discussion, while 15 kids ran around the house. I can’t say it was quiet, but it was nonetheless real, open, and so fun to be together.  2.  I wanted to use up everything in the fridge before we left, and Wednesday morning I went on a cooking frenzy. I love spending time in the kitchen, and at this particular momen...

Well, I didn’t get to this until Sunday, but that is actually very telling of my week. I felt rushed and was late to most things this week, and did not live up to one of my 18 for 2018, which is to create more margin on my life. It’s ok though. It is a new day, and this was actually a great week despite my running around. My sister’s been on spring break this week and I always get giddy about this-- more time to play and hang out! They were gone the beginning of the week, so we really lived it up Friday. We met mom and dad at Jerry’s in Woodbury for donuts, then headed to underwater world, from there we hit up various favs at the MOA before going back to Jessica’s to play, then heading to happy hour at Boca Chica where the guys met us and we ate lots of chips and salsa, guacamole, and drank margaritas. I'm calling it a "Friday Favorite" because it was ON Friday and I've basically spaced the rest of the week, because, lets be honest, it is SUNDAY.  These two, wi...

Best day from beginning to end! It was seriously SO amazing to be at Midcurrent and see so many many people... In my birth -- 2yr, old room, we had 14 kids!!! Our total from the morning was 200, and the place felt alive. It was so fun to be a part of such a big day in the life of our church. After church we headed to mom and dad's for Easter dinner, ham, cheesy potatoes, deviled eggs, green beans, and this delicious brussel sprout salad that I will share the recipe to in a later post. After dinner grandpa hid the eggs, and the kids went crazy. These 4 cousins sure know how to have fun together. It is my very favorite thing to watch them be buddies. After the festivities died down we threw a movie on for the tired children and played a game of hand and foot. We are juuuuust getting to stage where we can play games again now that the kids are older and don't want to be near the adults at. all. times. Olle was the only one who hopped up on grandma's lap toward the end of the...