NOVEMBER 2020

WEEK 1 (November 1st - 7th) - Already November and time just flies by.  Ava finished volleyball and had a much better season this year.  She played all the time and the coach was much nicer to Ava. Kasen is getting going with basketball now so it never slows down. We've been focusing on setting goals this month.  I've realized I'm really good at setting goals with the kids but really bad at following through with the kids.  I just expect everyone to be like Ava and have no problems holding themselves accountable, but that is not working with Kinsley and Kasen.

  

 This week was election week.  It was Trump vs Biden and I really felt a lot of apprehension going into this election.  I feel like this past year has been so insane on so many levels with the rioting, violence, economy crash, covid, false new reporting, and on and on.  I really feel like America is on the cusp of either a downward spiral or a revolution.  Jed and I went and voted and Kasen drew a map and kept tabs on what was happening.  We went to bed at midnight with the votes looking like this and woke up to a huge shift because by some "coincidence" all of the mail in ballots in every state of the entire nation were for Biden.  So then it was another week of counting and nonsense.  It was maddening and I can't understand how anyone would not think there was voter fraud.  Of course Biden ended up winning and I just keep telling myself "Faith over Fear" & that we are in God's hands.

WEEK 2 (November 8th - 14th) - Sunday was our 17th anniversary!  Wow just wow.  I'm not even sure how that happened.  Ava woke up early and helped everyone make us breakfast in bed.  We went to church and I forced everyone to take a group picture.  Pretty low key.  By the end of the day we were covered in snow so the kids went outside and celebrated.

This week Kasen's football group had a year end party at Heise pizza.  They were a good group of boys for Kasen to start football with and the coaches were positive and uplifting.  The team ended up doing really well and when they played Rigby with all the kids Kasen went to school little old Ririe actually beat them which gave Kasen some bragging rites.  It was a fun season and I enjoyed watching Kasen gain confidence and new skills.

This week I told myself enough was enough and I would get some projects done before we left for Hawaii.  I actually read somewhere that the most productive time for people is the week before they leave for a vacation.  So I decided to make it true for myself.  The playroom has been a disaster for a long time and I got everything organized.  I went through every tub and threw out all the clutter and waste, re-labeled things, re-organized, re-arranged.  I think it's true what my mom says we organize in life so we can reorganize.

Jed agreed to coach a new basketball team so Kasen would get more specific help he wasn't getting from his team last year.  He didn't really want to do it nor had the time and then after he agreed to do it he got called as bishop so he was really regretting it, but I think that is just a testament to how great of a dad Jed is.  He would do anything for his kids.  They have been playing in a Rexburg league on weeknights and this week Kasen had a bad injury with his hand.  So Jed put a cast on him.  Hopefully it will heal up quick.  It has been really convenient to have access to an x-ray machine with our kids!

These two are always keeping me laughing and on my toes.  They are either best friends or fighting like cats and dogs.  When Kinsley is nice Dallin will do whatever she says - case in point.

 

Ava took a graphic design class this trimester and really enjoyed learning photoshop.  She has done so many fun projects and is really good at graphic design.  She had me take these pictures for a project where she put herself in a classroom scene as a little tiny person.  She has such a creative mind and also such a scientific mind.  She really is an amazing girl.

 

I never thought I would say it but I'm really glad we have cats.  They are actually the perfect pets.  Not needy at all and keep to themselves, catch mice - they absolutely love Kinsley though and follow her around her.  Fluffy looks like a queen cat with her pretty fluffy hair and eyes and Finn is just a little mischievous personality.  I think I like them so much because of how much I love Kinsley and these cats make Kinsley so happy.  We found this elf in the playroom when we were cleaning and I told the kids it was our official Elf on the Shelf!

WEEK 3 (November 15th - 21st) - Cleaning out the playroom we also found a camera which Kinsley has taken over!  It is amazing how much cameras are so normal for everyone now.  I have always loved taking pictures but now doorbells have cameras and little kids pose for selfies like it's no big deal.

Kasen has been in an art class this trimester and absolutely loved it.  He loves drawing and is also very creative and talented at it.  He really likes the art teacher as well.  This was a project he just finished he was very proud of.  Kasen also started attending a basketball training each week with his team.  Kinsley has been doing well at virtual school.  I can tell she misses the social aspects of school and even though she has zoom classes it isn't the same.  I've realized Kinsley really loves creating as well.  She is constantly making crafts. 

I have been reading a lot lately with the colder weather but it never seems like there are enough hours in the day for it or much personal time.  This week someone in Jed's office got covid so he was nervous he would get it right before we were supposed to go to Hawaii!  He wore a mask at home and slept on the couch.  I told him to go quarantine in the trailer and he said he felt like I was exiling him to prison.  Luckily he never got sick and neither did any of us but at the time I was like - seriously!

Dallin started an online preschool class and I was able to talk Syd, Mal, and Abby to all do it too.  It was fun to see all the cousins on the class together!  I've been trying to do some fun activities with Dallin during the day too to help him learn letters.  I had high hopes to do a full preschool curriculum with him but that hasn't happened and we're almost 3 months into the school year.  Dallin also started Let's Play Music and goes with Jaxon.

With all the craziness of the world right now, President Nelson announced a day of prayer for all the world to join in on and a special announcement this week.  It was a Facebook live event and during it he talked about the corona virus and actually said a prayer on behalf of the world for the virus to end and life to resume.  He also asked people to flood social media with gratitude for the next seven days and to post about things they were thankful for as we head into the Thanksgiving season.  People took it seriously and it was wonderful to see what people were thankful for.  Some were serious and others more light-hearted but it was a welcome change from the constant bickering and bullying that has been on social media lately.  Here is what Jed and I posted during the week - Jed gave a good solid effort for 5 days but couldn't make it for a week.  haha

Day 1:  Emily - Today I’m thankful for beautiful Idaho and for family - who (whom??) are our best friends.

 

Jed - So unbelievably grateful for these wonderful individuals in my life! I truly am grateful for their positive influence in my life! They make me want to be better! I am especially grateful for my beautiful wife Emily Erickson, for the wonderful wife and mother she is! So grateful my kids have her example to pattern their lives after. She is an example of the pure love of Christ. #givethanks

Day 2: Emily - My friend Melissa Austin told me that when she turned 40 yrs old she spent the month doing 40 acts of service. I’ve always wanted to be more like her anyway, so last month when I turned 40 I asked my family to help me complete 40 acts of service. They were all in. It was one of the best months of my life. I’m so thankful for good people I’ve had the chance to rub shoulders with all my life that inspire me to live higher and be better. I’m so thankful to God for giving me 14,600+ days to live on this earth. 

Jed - I’m so grateful for wonderful parents who have stuck together for over 60 years now! They have set a great example of love and dedication to each other, our Savior and to their children! They have taught me so much in my life and continue to teach me even though I’m not so young anymore. All of my siblings (9 living) can equally say my mom and dad were and continue to be our biggest fans! We always knew family came first for my parents. Cannot express in words my feelings of love and appreciation for loving and supportive parents! I hope to be like them! #givethanks 

Day 3: Emily - This past week I cleaned the garage and I was reminded again that I’ll probably never be able to thank God that part of my life plan included being a missionary in Ukraine. Missionary work is hard but looking back I see that spending all your time teaching people about Jesus Christ is pretty awesome. These pictures won’t mean much to most people but these people and many more changed my life forever. #givethanks

 

Jed - I am forever grateful for the atoning sacrifice of my Savior Jesus Christ! #givethanks

Day 4: Emily - I’m so thankful for my parents and siblings. My parents have always been great examples to me. I’ve definitely missed their physical presence over the last 18 months. My siblings - We all bring our own unique personalities to the table sometimes with loud opinions and sass. Luckily there’s potatoes at the table so we all keep coming back. Truly they are all examples to me of Christlike love. #givethanks

Jed - I am grateful for wonderful examples in my life! My life has been influenced for the good by all of my siblings and their spouses! I am very fortunate to have grown up in such a supportive family! As the youngest of 10 children, I have had a lot of good examples to look up to! My brothers became my best friends and I could not have had any kinder sisters that always looked out for me and continue to do so. I love my siblings and their spouses! So many wonderful great examples for me to follow. #givethanks Johnand Treena Erickson Michelle Berry Ron Berry Jana Erickson Call Bryan W. Call Trena Erickson Anderson Tresa Erickson Ball Jason Erickson Gini Brown Erickson Susan Erickson Kay Eric Kay Megan Baldwin Erickson (JakeandMegan Erickson)Emily Erickson (That is a lot of siblings to tag!)

Day 5:  Emily - I am so thankful for my camera. I love taking pictures so much. It brings me joy. It’s impossible to not have a reaction when you look at a picture. It’s like seeing through a new set of eyes and capturing a story. I have so much more to learn and knowing I’m just scratching the surface in my photography makes me so excited. Everything little normal thing becomes 10x more interesting and beautiful when I’m looking through a lens. I read something once from a famous photographer that said “God created the beauty and He allows me the great pleasure of capturing it.” #givethanks

 

Day 6: Emily - More than anything else in this world I am so thankful for my family. Jed is my best friend, my biggest supporter, my comic relief, my rock, and my calm in the storm. I love him so much and am continually amazed at the way he balances life so easily. He speaks my love language (which is Mexican food), he supports adult napping, and he appreciates 90s country music. Plus he looks good in a cowboy hat. He always sees the best in me and our kids. He knows when to ground us and when to let us fly. The only things he needs in life to be happy are the Savior, his family, something to rope, and access to a Nike outlet store.My children are my most favorite people. They are funny, bright, kind, creative, and talented. They are up for any adventure and I’m continually amazed at how brave they are at their ages. It is my greatest privilege to go through life with them and their dad. #givethanks

 Day 7: Emily - My biggest examples of Christlike love are all in this picture: my parents, my husband, and my kids. My little family always sees the best in me and so many others. We have had the best week spending time together as a family and with my parents and watching them serve in their mission in a way they couldn’t have ever anticipated. They love their missionaries and the people on the Marshall and Kiribati islands and can’t wait to get back to them! 

WEEK 4 (November 22nd - 30th) - Finally the big week was here!  Time to go to Hawaii.  Monday we had to drive to Twin Falls to get a covid test - it was the closest one to us.  The hoops that we have to jump to in order to get to Hawaii has been stressful and I just keep thinking "have faith - it will all work out!"  The covid tests can only be done within 72 hours of the flight to Hawaii so it just makes everything more stressful getting the timing right and not knowing with such short notice if you will test negative.  Our friends actually went to get covid tests the same week and they all tested negative aside from one kid so they found out they weren't able to go on their trip to Hawaii one day before they were supposed to fly!  We got together with some Ericksons a few days before we left to have some pie and wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.  The morning of our flight to Phoenix we still hadn't gotten our test results back yet but we woke up to this beautiful sunrise and I felt like it was God's way of saying "go forward - everything will work out" so we drove to Utah and got on a flight to Phoenix.  We stay overnight there and were scheduled to fly to Hawaii the following day - Thanksgiving day.