Proof that God has a sense of humor

So I am not going to lie...the most dreaded calling in the church for me is scouts.  I have no boys and I don't know how to do all those boy things....and I detest those scouting uniforms the leaders wear.  I joke with Matt that if I ever got called to scouts I would leave the church..

Well a couple of weeks ago Matt and I got called in to meet with the 2nd councilor.  Now I am one of those weirdos that really like callings and I want to be put to work....so being in a new ward I was jazzed about having a calling that i could meet other people.  So when he called me to be the Webelos leader I could not believe it, I thought it was a joke...but he assured me it was not a joke and I just sat there.  The counselor looked so nervous like he thought I was going to punch him in the face.

On the way home Matt asked me how I was feeling.  I compared my feeling to having played varsity baskteball then getting moved down to the C-team. I just did not want to do this calling. 

Well my first den meeting went ok...I lost control of them towards the end and they pretty much just walked out the door to go play in the gym and left me sitting there like a complete failure.  So this week I went to our den meeting like a prisoner just doing their time.  But something happened that I did not excpect.  I actualley started enjoying being around those little stinkers and they have just kind of grown on me.  Never in a million years would I have thought that I would enjoy this calling, but to be honest I am starting to enjoy it!

So it is true that Heavenly Father knows us, our fears, our likes and dislikes and he knows when it is time to get us out of our comfort zones.  So I will embrace my calling as a Webelos leader and stop pouting about it....although there is no way that I will be adorning a ugly yellow mans shirt with plaid scarf and badges anytime soon!

New Year Resolutions

Uhhh I forgot to link up my menu....doesn't do me any good if I can't get to the recipes:)  So far they have been pretty good...so if you are needing some dinner ideas you should check some of them out:)

On another note...is anyone like me and seems to make the same resolutions year after year.  I always do OK in the beginning and then I just forget about my goals or I choose to just not follow through.  Well this year is my year....I am going to do it!!!! 

My big goal is to get all this weight off.  I want to have a healthier lifestyle...from what I eat to what I do and even how I think and feel.  With that being said I have a few reservations....and I am just wondering if others go through this when they set goals. 

#1. I can't help but have that little doubting voice in the back of my mind that says, "can you really do this, your not strong enough."  That doubt puts fear in my mind and limits me from being fully committed.  I need to learn to be confident in my self and believe in myself.:)

#2.  My next fear is what if I actually accomplish this goal...It would totally change my life and would I be ok with that?  I think I just get comfortable with being who I am and it is hard to change and get out of my comfort zone.  The unknown it always a little scary.

#3.  My last fear...is that it is hard.  I always tell me kids to not be afraid to do hard things....and I need to be a better example of that.  With that being said I know that I would appreciate the journey much more if I had to work hard to get there...then having it just come easy to me.  I know it will take effort and time and I have to be patient and just "keep on keeping on."

So excuse this post for getting personal but I thought if I wrote it down in public then I would feel more determined to follow through.  So good luck to all of you who are working this year to accomplish the goals you have set.!

Two Week Dinner Menu

I am just posting my two week dinner menu....so it is easy for me to refer back to recipes....instead of searching all over my pintrest boards.

MONDAY: Tacos (Avery's turn to help cook)
TUESDAY: broccoli cheese soup and rolls (Hailey's turn to help cook) My own recipe
WEDNESDAY: Chicken Cordon Blue with a side of peas
http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2012/07/chicken-cordon-bleu-casserole/
Banana Cheesecake Roll
THURSDAY: Soy Ginger Chicken and Rice
FRIDAY:Sloppy Joes and potato chips
SATURDAY: breakfast
omelet and breakfast potatoes 
Dinner : ? Matt's turn
SUNDAY: Roasted Chicken and Veggies

2nd Week
MONDAY: Caprese Pizza and Regular Cheese Pizza andhttp://www.neighborfoodblog.com/2012/09/caprese-pizza.html  and Salad (Avery's turn)
TUESDAY: Chicken Lettuce Wraps  ( Haileys turn)
WEDNESDAY: Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and garlic french bread
THURSDAY: Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad
FRIDAY: BLT's and salt and vinegar potatoes
SATURDAY: Breakfast
Raspberry cheesecake stuffed french toast
Dinner:? Matt's turn
SUNDAY: meat loaf and mashed potatoes and green beans

Why you should not take your child to the dentist with you

We finally made it to the dentist.  I am sad to say we have not gone in years....(uhmm ya don't judge me.)  We took the gang and went in for exams and cleanings, knowing that we would probably be back to fill a cavity or two.  Well turns out we all had cavitys to fill, except Hailey...who hates to brush her teeth...go figure.  So while I was getting my cavity filled Avery wanted to sit in the room with me.  At the time I saw no problem with this.

The Dentist thought it would be a good idea to use me as an example to show Avery how easy it was to get my tooth filled becaue she was getting hers filled after me.  As she was watching cartoons on the TV in the room he turns to her and says, "see Avery your mom is being so brave, she is so tough."  Avery looks at him and says "well she is not tough when my daddy spanks her."

I instantly started squirming and trying to explain...but my efforts went unheard due to the giant piece of plastic that was shoved in my mouth and cutting off all efforts of verbal communication.  The dentist cleared his throat and chuckled for a minute and then looked at me and said "oh really...well that is very interesting."  Right then I learned a very important lesson.  If you have a very blunt and chatty child do not take them anywhere....especially if you are in a situation where you can not explain what your child meant to say. 

(Disclosure....my child was referring to the times when Matt spanks me in a fun teasing way...it just sounded a little "dirty" to the adults in the room and she sat there a little perplexed and pleased that we were all laughing at her.)

The stockings were hung

 This year I did not have much time to do my usual crafting during the holiday season...but I was able to get the stockings done that were on my list.  Thanks to pintrest I was able to figure put how to do some cute and inexpensive stockings.

 I was able to do them out of old sweaters and then I decided they needed a little something so I put vintage buttons on two of them.  For Hailey and Avery's I took them to the fabric store and they picked out the fabric they wanted for their flowers that I pinned onto their stockings.  It was surprised how much they loved picking out the fabric...I may have future crafters on my hands!

 The girls were really worried about how Santa was going to get in our house this year.  We have a fireplace but it is gas and they were a little worried about him.  So I found these keys and told them that we will keep them out for him.  So for a fun new Christmas Eve tradition, the girls hung the keys on the front door knob outside so that Santa could use them to unlock our door and get into the house.  Then Santa left them by the empty plate of cookies.

The Nelson Party

 I had to post this picture of my grandpa and Matt's grandpa.  They are both old farmers and cowboys and the stories that they could tell would make for an amazing book!  They are truly our hero's.

 We had a Nelson party this year at my parents.  My whole family was together and like usual we had a great time.  My mom had the girls do a little program that included fairy wings...

 Dancing....

 and as usual....wrestling.

 My brother Kurt and his awesome wife Taylor came up from Utah

 along with my brother Jared and his awesome wife and family.  They just had a new baby and she was so fun to hold and snuggle.  The only one that was missing was Jenni's fiance Christian.  They will be getting married in February and we are super excited to welcome him into the family.

We had a white Elephant gift exchange that included these fun nerf guns.  They were a huge hit with the kids.  Especially for my niece Elsie she loves anything that has to do with super heros or good guys and bad guys.

Christmas Morning

 We witnessed a Christmas miracle....yes that is my two daughters actually hugging each other!  I think they went about two hours without fighting. 

 Aunt Jenni was in charge of putting the toys together...which was a chore...the packaging on some of those toys is intense!

 We also got to talk to Josh.  He is serving his mission in Virginia.  So much has changed since he left.....  He has been a great missionary and we are looking forward to him returning in the spring.

 Santa brought all the little girls dollies.  Surprisingly Mattie was the most into them.  She would love on them and hold them and give them wet slobbery kisses.

 My dad made this awesome doll bed for Avery's doll.  He is so talented and did an amazing job, especially on such short notice.  Hopefully I will get around to painting it white and making some bedding for it soon.

I thought it would be fun to have stockings for all my family members to open.  I am sure my grandpa's treats were confiscated by my grandma.  He is supposed to limit his sugar, but since it was Christmas I thought he deserved a few extra sweeties! 

Christmas Eve

 This Christmas was awesome.  I had most of my family at our house this year and it was awesome!  We had a yummy dinner, frosted cookies for Santa, and had a cute little nativity.  The girls loved playing their parts.  It was so fun to have it in our new house and to actually be able to have room for everyone.

 The cutest little Marry and a very handsome Joseph in a smashing blue bath robe.

 Our wonderful audience.  My mom, grandpa, grandma, and sister in law Jess.  (For some reason my sister Jenni and my dad did not make it in the picture...but they were there too:)

 Credit also goes out to our technical support.  Ron and Michelle provided the music and lighting through their phones.  Technology really took our little program up a notch:) 

My sister and her husband played the shepherds and Avery was an angel and a wise man.

And of course following tradition...the girls got to open their pajamas...but by this time of night they were not feeling particularly photogenic.

Oh ya...we have a blog...

 I thought I would make a few posts to catch up this poor neglected blog.  So here are a few pictures from Hailey and her cousin Morgan's combined birthday party.  I made the cake and sadly it did not turn out how I had planned in my head....I had major frosting issues....oh well...it was pink...and that was all the girls cared about!

 Birthday girls!

 Of course Matt was the life of the party....this is what happens when you fall asleep at a princess party...you get a makeover.

 We had a fun Halloween.  The weather was actually really nice...notice we are not wearing snow suites!!  Hailey of course had to be a princess and she was decked out in jewels and to top it off...cowgirl boots!  Mattie was Raggedy Ann and Avery was a Lala Loopsy.  (I had to google what that was when I was making her costume)

We had a low key Thanksgiving at Matt's Grandmas house.  It was the smallest Erickson party I have ever been to.  I think there was less then twenty people.  I also introduced Matt to black Friday shopping.  He stood in line for about 5 hours so he could purchase our TV.  He was a trooper and stuck it out in the bitter cold.  We felt like we had won the battle and the reward was worth it...until a month later when they had the same TV on sale for the same price.