erica danielle

Oh my goodness. Sten comes home tomorrow after an ENTIRE week away fishing... 8 days to be exact. We can't wait to see him.  The cabin, Legos, my sister, my mom, movies, and my treadmill saved my life this week... We had lots of fun with dad gone: #1. Today we went to the MOA. We rode some rides, went to the LEGO store, and picked out 1 new shirt for school. It was an adventure filled day! I think Sigge boy had the most fun.... #2. We had friends out to the cabin. We piled 7 kids and 3 adults into the van and headed to Big C for sand building, swimming, boating, and a bonfire. It was the best night with friends. #3. We got to see Great Grandma! We went for a short visit and enjoyed every minute. Lucy read her a book and Olle worked on a puzzle, and Sigge kept her entertained with his sugar-induced antics... #4. We had a lot of just chill home time. Played a TON of legos, watched movies, and played outside/picked beets and sugar snap peas from our garden.        ...

  My highlight of the day was playing make-shift pickle ball with Olle after swimming down at the lake this afternoon. Olle makes me so happy. He is fun, determined, sweet, thoughtful and a leader.  He really wanted to go to the courts to play pickle ball but grandma made us this small court so we could get some practicing in and we had so much fun. We got up to 15 hits back and forth! You would have thought we won the lottery with how loud he was screaming with excitement.  We’d count 1,2,3,4,5… and then he would proceed to recount the entire set, “so, I was like, then you were like, then I was like…”  It was exactly what I needed in my day and I’m so glad I said yes to playing.  xo. edc. 

The kids and I hung out at big c allllll day yesterday. We really love that place. It’s the end of my dads 1 month vacation which is sad knowing that not at every hour of every day there will be someone at the cabin.  Sigge caught 4 fish 🐠 off the dock with grandpa in the morning and claimed (with his arms stretched wide) “They were, like, this BIG!” We went to get our annual Nelson’s fix of ice cream and then felt so full we decided to have cabin Olympics! Our events were: Pickle ball Bike Paddle My scoring system was flawed somehow because there was a 3-way tie after my dad dropped out post pickle ball. So mom, J and I all got gold medals at the medal ceremony and everyone else (who didn’t participate) was jealous. 😉 We ordered Papa Murphy’s for dinner and then went on a boat cruise to end the night.    Goodbye July 😭 xo. edc. 

July has been a blur of packing and unpacking bags, 7,000 pb + j sandwiches, so many jumps in the lakes, hundreds of miles ran and lots of loon sightings. I wouldn't change it, but I'm not going to lie, I'm very tired. and my house is at an all-time messy state.  I am not balancing it all well right now… someday I will learn. :) #1. Sigge catches his first fish with the help of fish master Uncle Dan. Sigge was of course in the nude, so unfortunately I had to crop this picture  Also— annual “grab a drink with mom and aunt Pam” happened… I love the tradition of my aunt and uncle coming out for a week each summer!!! #2. Grandview trip with the girls. Full of all the sun, boat, beach and fun drinks you could ever ask for. #3. Bay Lake with the Colorado Carlson’s. Hot weather and lots of fun.  They are all getting SO big.   It’s almost August, and I can’t stand it. This has been a slow week and it feels so good.  Ready to love one more month of Summer!  xo....

VACATION TIME!! Started FC2 with a trip to the Onekama Laundromat for clean clothes for the week. :) We spent our “off day” at the point, swimming in the freezing cold water with the kids and eating snacks on the beach. At one point Sten and I looked at each other and said… this is perfect! The kids were pro's at camp by this point, and jumped right into week 2, playing with all the new cousins that had come, and making new friends with the 1 million kids that were there. Sten and I had fun watching the kids do a bunch of new brave things (climbing tower, tubing, and getting on stage at the talent show...) I loved running along the lake and not having to cook and clean for 2 weeks! We got to sneak away for a trip up the peninsula for some wine tasting, and loved all the extra help during the week with the kids. We loved our time in Michigan and will never forget it!  one of my favorite traditions: bonfire at the point after chapel to watch the sunset. Happy 4th of July! hammock han...