The following is my family Christmas card. I do think of each of you as my family and I’d love to share what’s going on at our house:

I sit here with Andy Williams blaring “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” in my ears… and while I’ve definitely had more breakdowns in 2020 than I probably did for all of the 2010’s…. There are certainly wonderful things around us!

To start it off I have good news and bad news about myself.  I 100% lost my standards this year.  Beyond my pandering podcasts about Covid I also joined Tiktok.  I know, I know… but sometimes you make choices you’re not super proud of OK?  I don’t really dance… or sing… or… ok, once I did dance with a menstrual pad.  I’m sorry.  Can you just tell me how many hail mary’s I need to do for that one.

In other news, I left my job as a bedside nurse at the hospital in late September.  The naughty/nice list for that one was pretty long, but ultimately I needed to make the choice for my mental health.  See my podcast on it called “life update” if you want to hear more about why.

D is certainly wonderful.  He’s spending his time teaching for a local community college, editing podcasts and reminding me that there are worse things than Covid out there.  He’s basically the glue that’s kept our masks together in 2020, so grateful for him and his support.  Less grateful for a garage with wood shavings in it frequently, but I digress…

C is slowly emerging as a {insert heimlich voice for this one} “a beautiful butterfly”.  He’s still on scholarship as a Junior at Arizona State, works part time and I just spent Thanksgiving with him and didn’t want to kill him once.  Guys… maybe Andy Williams DID have it right…. Even in Covid.

S is heading into that cocoon stage earlier mentioned by Heimlich.  Being a sixteen year old during this whole thing may be one of the very worst ages.  I do feel so sorry for him, but that doesn’t stop me from yelling “WEAR YOUR MASK” anytime he goes anywhere…. Including to take the trash out.  He has started a youtube channel where he shares animation tutorials and we are all REALLY proud of him… and we get hourly subscriber update totals.  Yup, pretty lucky.

P has always been that little sparkle around our house.  This week, after school was taken back to virtual {if your letter looks tear-stained, this is why} she’s constantly been saying how grateful she is that she got to meet her teachers and her new friends.  She’s in Jr High (I KNOW, I KNOW — HOW did she get this old, seems like yesterday we were going to shut down the Erickson baby factory with just 2 kids).  She loves Among Us, keeping everything she owns on her desk, and she just bought a Switch with the money she earned during Covid working for our business.

In other news, last year I decided I’d stop with the cards.  Getting a family photo and writing this epistle is a lot during the most wonderful time of the year… but this year has truly taught our entire family what is most important, and I must say that Christmas bundles all of that.

We absolutely adore YOU.  We want you safe, healthy and sound.  We are so grateful for His life and light that keep us going.  Hope is something so very important this year — and I’ll step off my sarcastic stage to say that hope is all around us, and if you look for it — you will find it…  Unless it’s on P’s desk…..

Love you so very much,

The Ericksons

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And until then, here it is in it’s e-card form to brighten your life.

Merry Christmas everyone, think of Mary in labor.  Suffering like all moms do.  Sure does seem like it was worth it though.

**Names have been changed to protect the young.

                                                                                                                                                      D (old) H (less old) C (12), S (8), & P (3)

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the cards are all sent, if you didn’t get one it’s sad
but I can’t lick another, it makes me feel bad

But horray for blogs
and singing frogs….

For the christmas cheer is all here!
Heartwarming viewing pleasure
So difficult to measure.

Merry Christmas everyone!

The “good” photos are from the amazing Shannon Montez

Sometimes everything is perfect, even if it’s different and it sometimes makes you cry.  We love our home, our ward and our schools are great.  We can’t imagine being more blessed.  Well, we could — but then Demi and Ashton got divorced and well… maybe nothing’s perfect.

There are times you realize that god puts people in specific spots to do specific things.  In essence, Drew is the Mary Poppins of the band world, and we are just tagalongs.  But, God has watched out for each of us and our needs.  Our kids have great schools, Hilary has a kitchen in which she and Drew can just make wistful glances at each other across it instead of full body contact while trying to get drinks of water.  Which is good, because hydration is key here.

I must admit I get a little sad thinking about all the traditions I’ve left in California.  But, there’s new ones here, and I’m trying to keep excited for the new chapters of our life.  I hope you’re enjoying your new chapters too.

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Christmas 2008

Wanting to be all PC and get on the Obamawagon, we jumped on the change wave. We set out to change our whole lives. We only got to a few things but we’re proud of anything we accomplished. We’re parents after all. Here are just a few of the changes we made this year (it will be up to you to decide if it’s change you can believe in):

Drew’s wish of a lifetime was granted this year. We had been saving for a new bass trombone for him for years, and years (millennials, if you ask Drew). Our attention was always diverted by something – a new house, a new car, a new sweater for Hilary – but finally it is his. It has more insurance protection then our own lives, but let’s face it – it’s probably worth more.

Spencer took his first big step into his education by entering the Learning Adventures Pre-K Program. So far he is afraid of singing the Dracula song, is top notch at drawing and reading, but can’t figure out that your thumb goes on top when you’re cutting. Obviously, it’s pretty advanced.

Conner, full of the vim and vigor that only the genes of two exceptionally musical parents can give a boy, was eager to start band this year. After exploring the many options that we gave him (pick something that you can carry on your own), he decided on the trumpet. After buying the trumpet, and feeling like that was a pretty light expense we realized it would be far exceeded by the amount to sound-proof his room. He continues on the piano, and of course is doing great in 3rd grade, and enjoyed being baptized this year surrounded by friends and family.

The church lead us Californians on a crusade like no other this year, and after some consideration we donated ourselves to the cause, some of us more willingly than others. Hilary and the boys spent several hot afternoons knocking on doors sharing the joy that having a mother and a father can bring to a family, while screaming at her children to stop cowering behind cars “in case there’s a dog” and to pick up their bikes and pedal. Hilary thought about sending “The Election is Over” cards instead of Christmas cards, because that date was more awaited than any gift she will get.

In case you weren’t lucky enough to see our life in pictures, we took some great vacations this year (because why do it now that gas prices are all cute and low?). In April we went to Disneyland for a week. Hilary still has the lost and found looking for the soles of her feet. In June we packed up for almost an entire month and headed east to Yellowstone, Tetons and visiting family. We did both journeys without the aid of a DVD player or TV in our car, gasp all you want – but just wait til’ you see our upcoming TLC series “Two Kids and Dimented.” I mean, what’s more fun than the salt flats? The idea is to keep expectations low people.

Last but not least is the little matter of Hilary’s belly. She took great pride in losing two sizes at the beginning of the year, after realizing she had the portion size all wrong (hand, not head – anatomy was never her best subject). However, as of late it seems to be expanding. Word on the street (and the 10 ultrasounds she has had – you know, just to be “sure”) is that there’s a baby inside her – of the female variety. We are all very scared what kind of pink she will want or {gasp} a tiara, but we are ready to stand steadfast in the wake of this change – offering her fire trucks and dinosaurs and realizing that perhaps a little estrogen is just what this house needs.

A baby is the reminder of the season. That one so small can change lives and hearts in such a big way. In hopes that your hearts are as warm as ours we wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year.

Love,
Drew, Hilary, Conner, Spencer
and suspected female due in late April currently under the code name Fina.

Wishing all of you the merriest of Christmas, and in hopes for a great new year.

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