Dear Chase

Happy Birthday Bubba! It was one year ago that you were born and came to our family. June 26, 2008 is ranked as one of the best days of my life. Only in competition with the day I married your dad, the day your sister was born and the days both of you were sealed to us in the Temple. I prayed for you to come to us for a long time. I swear that I could almost feel your spirit urging me to find you. I knew you were coming to us and I just had to find the way.

I am eternally grateful to your birth parents. They are wonderful people who love you and want all the best for you in this life. That is what they thought your dad and I could provide for you. I have tried to do this in the last year. I will continue to try to give you the best in the years to come.

Thank you for the joy you have brought into our family. You are loved by everyone you meet. You have a great smile and an infectious laugh. You love to explore the world around you and have since you were 6 months old. You love to eat and only get upset when you dont get your food quick enough. You are as good tempered as any baby I have ever seen. People comment on that, too. I feel so lucky to call you mine, your dad would add, "ours."

I call you my "four-pound hero" sometimes. Because you were so small and such a fighter from day one. The doctor told me, "We are trying to think of a reason to keep him here in the hospital, but he is doing so good." I pray that you will continue to fight. Fight for your family. Fight for what you believe in. Fight against ignorance. Fight for a wonderful life. And know we will fight with you. Your dad and I will give you all we have. We love you. We are so thankful for you. One year ago today, we experienced a miracle, you.

Date Night Saturday Night

Last night, John and I went on a date night with Brad, Brennan, Drew, Jenny, Brad and Erin. We went to dinner and then headed over to Lagoon. We were hoping to get on some rides while the rain subsided. We did. There were hardly any lines and we rode Wicked 3 Times! It was a lot of fun. At the very end of the night, Bren, Brad, John and I were the very last people on the Tidal Wave. They sat on one end and we sat on the other. We then proceeded to yell every silly thing we could think of when each of us was up in the air. I believe, boobs, that's what she said, and mooing were all used. Needless to say, it was a great night!

Princess Festival

Our good friends, Alicia and Stella Duffin, asked us to go with them to the Princess Festival this weekend. The girls got dressed up. They got to go on a "Princess Adventure" and meet several Prince and Princesses. Unfortunately, it was pouring so they didn't get to do the outside activities, nail painting, updos, and crown making. We still had a great time though.

Aunt Brennie came along.

Bella doing the hokey pokey. It was hilarious.

She insists on wearing her headband that way.

She was so enamored with the Princes. She was so excited to get to dance with a prince.

Belle and Bella.

All the proceeds from the festival go to building wells in Kenya. The Ambassador from Kenya was there. And these were real Kenyan Princesses.

The Blue Fairy who led the "Adventure."

Loves after a great day.

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

We have the unique opportunity to have a Temple opening in our area. It is really exciting. Since it is opening up in our neck of the woods, we get to volunteer and be apart of the open house. John helped prepare things prior to the open house, setting up barricades and chairs in the tents.

I was able to go and be an usher last Tuesday night. I was stationed at the front door, counting each person coming through the door. In the two plus hours I was out front, over 600 people came through my door. By the way, I was on the slow door. I bet the other door had double that. It was a great experience. I was able to take one of the Young Women I work with at church with me. After our shift was over, we walked through the Temple. There was a wonderful spirit there. And my sweet Young Woman said, "I just can't stop smiling."

Then on Friday night, John, Brennan, the kids, and I got to go to the open house as visitors. The Temple is just beautiful. The craftsmanship is impeccable. The Spirit is divine. I am excited and blessed to be apart of all of this.

A Brand New Yard

Front Flower Bed-BEFORE

Front Flower Bed-AFTER

Back Flower Bed- BEFORE

Back Flower Bed- AFTER

Back Corner- BEFORE

Back Corner- AFTER

After our Erickson Family Lagoon weekend, my fabulous sister-in-law, Janet, stayed in town and helped me get my yard into shape. We have lived in our home for almost four years and we have, basically, only gotten grass down. So, since everything I plant dies, Janet came in and worked her magic. The yard looks AMAZING. I could never have done it without her. I love it!

Lagoon

On the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend my family had a little reunion at Lagoon. It was such a fun day! Bella loves her cousins and to be at Lagoon with them was like a dream come true. Bella loved the bumper cars, the train and the merry go round. She did not, however, like rattle snake rapids that much. She kept saying, "I no like the boats. I get too wet." She said it all day long. It was funny. Chase also got to go on his first ride. The Merry Go Round. I am not sure how well he liked it....he didn't cry though. I always have a wonderful time with my family. It was a great weekend. Thank you mom for making it happen!

COUSINS!

Bella and Landon

Lilly Beth

I call this picture, "Three Bored Girls on Swing."

Thomas

Anna

Chase

Memorial Day weekend my family all came to town. Above are some shots of the Erickson grandkids.

TO THE ZOO

I know I have been MIA on my blog lately...I feel like I cant get caught up with all I have to do. Anyways, a couple weeks ago our friends from the neighborhood invited us to the zoo. It was such a fun day.

This is Ellie. She started a game of hide and go seek. Bella and Brooklyn are "hiding" below.

Bella, Brooklyn, and Austin

Chase and Cameron

Drum, Baby, Drum!

15 Months and counting

Since this is only my second post on what is the johnandcourtney blog (should be Courtney and her kids blog, which I don't mind, really), I feel like I have to explain myself a little. I'm going to try my best not to make this anything more than what I'm trying to make it, a point of no return, commitment, a letter to myself laying out my plan. I figure if I tell enough people then I have to do it, if I don't then everyone will know.

As I am just 15 months away from turning 30 and I have been kind of freaking out. I have some complex with being young. So I have been thinking a lot about what I can do to keep myself as young as possible. Since I'm not going to doing anything irresponsible like quite my job and go travel Europe with my family for a year I have another plan: To be the fittest I have ever been in my life by the age of 30.

So I have set some goals that I think will help me get to that goal. In 2 months I am having my 29th birthday so I am going to ride a 29 mile mountain bike trail called Wasatch Crest. Before my 30th Birthday I am going to run a marathon, and in addition to that I am going to run 30 miles (haven't decided if that's going to be part of my first marathon +4 miles or a separate run).

So I have a busy 15 months ahead of me but I am excited about it. If anyone wants to join in please let me know as I am game.