Charlotte Anne Erickson

Silly Girls

2008-05-02T21:19:00.005-07:00

Mommy and Daddy don't have a camera anymore so we have been taking pictures at the computer instead. Mommy is sooooo glad that school is over for the year and we celebrated Daddy's B in Business Calculus II tonight (he doesn't even have to take the final which is pretty impressive for him because math is his least favorite)....I am so glad to get to spend more time with my parents this summer. Although I love preschool, it will be nice to have a change for 4 months. I know we will take lots of bike rides! We love it here in the summer time......it is soooo nice and peaceful.

Cousin Spencer's Birthday

2008-03-29T20:46:00.003-07:00

I had a blast with Spencer and his friends at his 2nd birthday party this week. We had yummy pizza and cake. And the theme was the Pixar movie "Cars" so we all went around saying "Ka-Chow...Ka-Chow!" It was so much fun.

Wyoming Spring

2008-03-17T16:48:00.004-07:00

Hi, It's me Charlotte. I am back. Mom used my blog for a little, but I wanted to post these pictures of me at the park this week. It has been a nice and relaxing Spring Break so far. This is a ghost town during this week and it is kind of nice. I had the park all to myself for a while.

But as you can see, it wasn't that warm out. The wind chill was there still, so Mom put me in my snow gear just to be safe.

Alright, I am going to get back to Peter Pan now. My life is so tough.

How To Make Bows

2008-03-17T15:37:00.003-07:00

Hi, this is Jeffi. There are a few types of bows I learned to make for Charlotte and some people have shown interest, so I thought I would post the directions here on Charlotte's website. The first type I will talk about are the "corkers" they are the ones in the pictures with curly ribbon and I posted a pink/brown one and a green/blue/white/pink one also. You want to start with ribbon that is 3/8" or 9MM wide and it curls better when it is grosgrain. If it is a see through fabric it does not work well for the curled bows. You also need to buy wooden dowels from Wal-Mart (found in the wood/painting crafts section) or a craft store. And you can choose your size of dowel. I get the one that is about the size of a pencil. You can also use square ones also if wanted. Sometimes you need to cut them when you get home and they should be cut into 12" long pieces. Next, you will need something to clip the ribbon onto the dowel, so I bought those tiny little close pins (see picture) and you can find these at any craft store. When all your ribbon is wrapped and ready to go (make sure you wrap it tight and not overlapping itself), you will spray it with cheap hairspray (I just buy a "to-go" bottle and keep that with my bow stuff) and stick all dowels into into the oven at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.

When done, I stick them in freezer for a quick cool off and then unwrap them carefully. You usually have enough to make four pieces of curled ribbon. I measure them at 2 & 1/2" or 3". (see the example in the picture with brown polka-dots) Once all your pieces are cut, you want to use a little bottle of Dritz's "Fray-Check" and touch the end of each piece of ribbon. (This part is a little repetitive, but very important....you don't want your cute bows to fray.) Once they are all dry, you choose what color combinations you want and use about 7-9 pieces of ribbon for each bow. Lay a piece of string on the table in front of you and lay pieces of ribbon perpendicular to the string and centered on top of it (see picture) then, hold onto each end of the string and bring together in a knot above the ribbon in the air until you have a good hold on it and quickly tie the knot down on top of the ribbon (hopefully you are quick enough so they don't fall out).

Once it is knotted that one time, turn it over and knot it twice to make sure it is secure (the string may break if you are very hard on it) but once it is secure it is ready to be attached to it's clip. I have only found these at Sally Beauty Supply (see picture) First, I like to cover my clip with fabric as seen in the picture (the one I showed is red and has a hot glue spot on it where a bow used to be) and this way the clip is hidden and the bow sticks better to the fabric than the metal. after hot glueing the bow onto the fabric clip, you can either keeo it that way (like the white/green/blue/pink one.....or you can use more ribbon to wrap around the middle of the corker. Divide your ribbon equally on both sides and they can sprout out from either side (like the pink/brown one with polka dots).

The other bows I make I just copied from Wal-Mart. They can be made with wide ribbon at 7/8" or with small ribbon 3/8" or anything in between. I just practiced going back and forth with the ribbon and then squishing it with my fingers in the end and if it turns out cute, I tie string around it and then put another piece of ribbon in the middle around it to hide the string. If you can't do this, the best thing to do it buy a few at Wal-Mart or somewhere cheap and try to copy them. These can be frustrating at first, but don't give up it gets easier each time.

Well, I hope my directions weren't too confusing. I realize it is difficult to describe when you are not face to face with someone, but I thought somebody might benefit. If you have questions please feel free to ask. Happy crafting!

2008-02-26T18:56:00.002-07:00

Thanks Grandma

2008-02-26T18:51:00.003-07:00

Grandma Erickson gave me this cute dress and I call it my cowgirl dress. I like being a cowgirl! Especially out west. :) Thanks Grandma.

Barbie Snow Princess

2008-02-16T14:05:00.002-07:00

My friend Kaleigh (who I call "Auntie") came and brought me a pretty Barbie princess dress. It is very fun to dress up in and makes me feel very special. I appreciate Kaleigh and her sister who are so giving. Mom can't wait until I get a little taller so I can walk around in it without tripping.....and she also says she will teach me the song, "I Fell Pretty" from West Side Story so I can sing that while in it.

Curly Sue

2008-02-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

Mom curled my hair for the first time for church last week. It turned out very cute (I thought so anyway). And the curls held all the way through the day. Mom says I am doomed to have very thick hair because that is what her and Dad have. I am glad about that, but Mom says it is high maintenance and she hopes the 80's make a come back in about 10 years for my sake.

Winter Walk

2008-02-09T08:48:00.000-07:00

It felt like spring around here for a few days and we just had to take the chance of going for a walk around our neighborhood and park. We enjoyed that 45 degree weather and low winds so much! Mom put me in four layers of clothing and wrapped my in my huge fleece blanket. It was nice to see the squirrels again and swing on the swings. I love going in my stroller and Mom enjoys the fresh air.

Snowy Days

2008-01-02T19:59:00.000-07:00

Mom and I enjoyed the warm weather today of 58 degrees. We went outside and Mommy took pictures of me in my new Calvin Klein outfit. Thanks Wendy and Kenny! Then, we went out back and we looked at the big blow-up snowman that our neighbor has up and we decided to make our own snowman. We named him "Frosty" and I was a big help in putting him together. What a great day in the snow!

Christmas In California

2008-01-01T11:09:00.000-07:00

My family and I were blessed to go to California for Christmas this year (2007). What an adventure it was. I enjoyed meeting all the family members and staying with them. I also enjoyed staying with my friend Trent (he was my first friend ever). And it was very fun eating out on the pier at Ruby's, besides the rather unfortunate "bow incident" (it flew off into the ocean and I have never been so devastated before). But when we were done eating we played at the park on Balboa A Street (here my parents got engaged) and Mommy and Daddy took me down to feel the water....brrrr, it is cold this time of year. My poor bow. May it rest in peace.

I also got to meet Santa Claus at Fashion Island in Newport Beach and let him know that I would appreciate a pair of Crocs for the summer. He is such a nice man to listen and even more nice to bring them to me this year. I met my Mom's friends for the first time....Ashlynn and Ava and their parents. They are so cute! I met my family members Brenden, Ryan and their parents.

Some other things we did......we stayed with my kind Aunt Wendy and Uncle Kenny, we stayed with my great grandma who I call "G-G" and we got to meet my new friend Naomi and see her dog Thor. I also met a baby named Megan (close family friend) and her siblings and was able to see her Mom and my grandma's best friend Sandi. It was so fun to be with my Aunt Ginger during the trip too. She is so funny. She took us to the LA temple, San Diego temple and all over the O.C. It was a time my parents will never forget and I will love to look back at the fun pictures. California is so beautiful. The beach, ferry ride and Disneyland were my favorite parts.

Disneyland

2008-01-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

My Mommy and Daddy were so excited to take me to Disneyland for the first time. They were also excited about the fact that I am not 3 yet, so I was still free! But I enjoyed it so much. I got to meet some of my best friends. Mickey, Minnie, Whinnie-the-Pooh and his gang, the princesses, etc. We rode the new "Finding Nemo Submarines" and rode all the good rides. I even got a good nap in the middle of the day while my parents enjoyed the Haunted Mansion and the Christmas parade. We ended the day off with the fireworks and snow on Main Street. What a great opportunity for me and my family to have. My Mommy grew up going to this park with her grandparents and family....so it was like a walk down memory lane.

Vegas Baby

2007-12-31T13:40:00.000-07:00

I loved the trip down to California. We made a 2 night stop with my Mom's best friend Jen and her hubby. They took us to all the fun places on the strip including lunch at P.F. Chang's. This was my first trip to Las Vegas and my parents first time back since their honeymoon. It was interesting to say the least.

Football Game

2007-12-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

I had a fun weekend during the B.Y.U. vs. Wyoming football game. We hung out with our friends and went as a family to meet the mascot "Cosmo" and the cheerleaders of the B.Y.U. Cougars football team. Mommy taught me who I should cheer for and I enjoyed being rebellious here in Wyoming. :)

Halloween 2007

2007-11-03T21:58:00.000-07:00

I was a Dr. Suess character this year for Halloween. My friend Elise and I were Thing 1 and Thing 2. It was very fun getting blue sprayed in our hair. But the best part was all that candy I got! Mom caught me sneaking it twice when we got home. My whole body would shake when she would find me and say my name. I can't get anything past Mom. :) This picture was taken at the end of the night, so our hair isn't as poofy as when it was first done and our makeup is smeared, but what are you gonna do?

Little Fairy

2007-10-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

Aunt Ginger sent me a cute fairy outfit for Halloween/dress up time. I tried it on today and had a great time dancing around and what not. I also took time on my Dora couch to tell my Mom (and the camera) that the outfit was "mine" and "pretty."

The Cheerleader

2007-09-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

I enjoy wearing my BYU Cheerleading outfit from time to time. Eventhough we live in "Cowboy Country" Mom makes me wear this one. :) She also taught me how to do a summer-salt and cheer "ta-da" at the end. When I am done cheering outside, I take my baby and football for a walk in the stroller.

My 2nd Birthday Party

2007-09-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

This year I spent my birthday with my two closest friends...my cousin Spencer and my friend Elise. Of course we were polite and invited our parents to join the party too. :) My theme was a little bit of Dora, little bit of Nemo, some Elmo, Shrek and Monster's Inc. too. So pretty much ALL was welcome. We ate some homemade pizza that my Mommy was nervous about but actually turned out pretty good.....we had some cake and ice-cream.....and then we opened presents! yay! I received some wonderful gifts that are all very useful too! I am so blessed to have been able to spend this special day with my friends and family. But now that I am 2, I have a lot of pushing, yelling "no" and NOT sharing to do.....so if you will excuse me, I will get right on that!

Big Blue Eyes

2007-09-14T17:12:00.000-07:00

Having a new computer is fun. We take lots of pictures.

The Cabin

2007-09-08T21:14:00.000-07:00

My Grandpa and Grandma Erickson just purchased a cabin along with some land up in the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. We were able to meet up with them there for Labor Day weekend. Then, we went again the following weekend with our good friends the Johnson's. Their daughter Elise and I are good friends. People mistake us as twins all the time. :) It was a fun weekend......we ate our Mommies' cooking, took 4 wheeler rides and enjoyed spending time in such a pretty setting. I like nature.

The Pretty Pink Bike

2007-08-28T16:06:00.000-07:00

I am becoming a very good "bike sitter onner." :) That is about all I can do since I can't reach the pedals. So my friend Elise pushes me and her Mommy, Kelli, makes sure that I don't get hurt. I am glad that Elise is so good at sharing. I love my friends.

Lily and Me!

2007-08-13T15:36:00.000-07:00

Here I am with one of may favorite playmates. Her name is Lily and she teaches me a lot about counting in English and Spanish. As you can see here, I love to give her hugs and kisses. Oh, also as you can see here, I burnt my hands at my friends house on some hot metal in their backyard. I had a soft cast on that was changed every 3 days, saw the specialist at the Denver Children's Hospital and was better within 2 1/2 weeks later. Mommy had never heard me cry as long as I did that day (2 hours straight) but she and the doctor's made it all better.

The Zoo at St. Louis: Hippo Beach

2007-07-10T13:12:00.001-07:00

I got so lucky. I was able to visit the zoo in Nashville and in St. Louis. Both were very fun and I liked the elephants the best. It is my favorite animal because I love to make the sound of them. We also saw seals, anteaters, a rhino and here I am at the "Hippo" beach. Mom thought it was a cool backdrop for some photos of me, but I was pretty nervous to stand up against the side of the aquarium wall. See how I am checking the strength of the tank in the last picture? So, this was the 2nd day of the family reunion. It was very fun and very hot outside. St. Louis in the summertime is pretty muggy....but it didn't seem to bother me. We got to go swimming afterward as a treat. I had a great time with my family over in the mid-west and southern part of this country. I made memories that will last a lifetime. Well.....for my Mom and others who will remember it anyway. But I am glad to have the photos as a memory. And I am so grateful that Gwamma Sassy let us come invade her space while she is helping my step-Uncle Alex through his chemo. Mommy wasn't sure about it at first, but now she is grateful that the Hughes family reunion still went on. It is important to spend the time we have together. Alex and the Keck family are always in our prayers.

The City Museum in St. Louis, MO

2007-07-10T13:04:00.001-07:00

My Grandpa Hughes took us for our first day of the family reunion & for the 4th of July to one of the best places for kids EVER! It is super hard to describe the City Museum.....you have to see it to believe it. My cousins rode the inside train (as you can see.....I cried, so they made me get off) lol. :) But I went down the monster slide and walked on some seriously high up walk ways. What a great way to spend our nations birthday. We ended it off by attending a baseball game and watching the fireworks. I sat so still through the whole show because I was truly amazed and loved it. Of course we also couldn't forget that it was Bryce's birthday. He turned 5 and is going to Kindergarten this year. Mommy can hardly believe it because he was just a baby at her and Daddy's wedding. Crazy how time flies by.

Coming to visit Grandpa Hughes and Gwamma Sassy will always be exciting now that I know about all these fun things to do.

The Cat's Meow

2007-07-10T12:52:00.001-07:00

This shirt was my favorite shirt of Darla's (my cousin). But she grew out of it and so I decided to sport it. As you can see I enjoyed it. Darla......not so much. ;) We had a lot of fun together out on the deck swimming in their pool. Being with family is fun.

A Visit With The Great's

2007-07-10T10:02:00.001-07:00

Visiting Tennessee is so much fun. I get to see "great" people like my "great" grandparents. Here I am sitting on the lap of my great-grandpa-Ed and the other picture is with 4 generations consisting of g-g-Nancy, grandma Peni, Mommy and me! We had many b-b-q's together filled with fun, food, and music from the player piano. :)

Swingin' Time

2007-07-10T09:48:00.001-07:00

Although it was sad to leave Nashville, TN (see us standing in front of the house waving good-bye)....we were on our way to some more family fun. I had a swingin' time at the 1800' s settlement we stopped at in Kentucky. I am glad my Auntie Ginger had the idea to go there....it was a nice break from the long drive to Grandpa Hughes and Sassy's house. I saw animals of all kinds and I got to go on my first "big kid" swing. I loved it. Right before we left Nashville, we had our last day of fun in the sun. Here I am in the garden where Grandma Peni and Rob grow some yummy vegetables every year. We had a blast swimming in their backyard on those hot summer days too. I'll miss them a ton.

The Trip Down South

2007-06-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

I am having a blast on my trip down south. Mommy and I flew to Tennessee and we are now in Mississippi. We love visiting family. I enjoyed watching the birds at Grandma Peni and Rob's house. Tzara, the cat, and I hung out and I followed her the whole time. It is so fun to hang out with my cousins Darla and Bryce!

Up Close & Personal

2007-06-18T09:27:00.000-07:00

These are a couple up close yet fun pictures my Mom took of me lately. When I am working on something and trying to concentrate, I press my lips together. And when I am getting tickled, I have a very silly giggle that is low toned.

The New Kid On The Block

2007-05-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

So I have a new friend that just moved to our neighborhood. Her name is Elise. She has fun new toys for me to play with.....and she gets along really well with Jacob and I. Plus, our Mommies and Daddies are friends and we like to Barbeque a lot. Do you like my T-shirt? It says, "My First BYU T-shirt." I like it.

The Family Visits

2007-05-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

I got to meet some new family on the Erickson side just recently. Uncle Josh, Aunt Teresa, and my cousins Kathryn and Jacquelyn came to visit and we met up with them in Colorado for a weekend. Right now they live in Tennessee where Uncle Josh is becoming a pediodontist. (I am almost 100% sure that I said that wrong......but that is what happens when he just keeps getting more and more successful....I can't keep up....but I sure am proud) They came out looking to buy a practice out west because Uncle Josh will be done with school soon. I hope they live close so we can visit often. I had fun meeting my cousins.

My Typical Day

2007-05-27T21:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I am 19 months old in these pictures and a typical day for me consists of many fun activities. First, I eat my healthy and delicious breakfast with my Mommy, then I watch Sesame Street for about 5 minutes (until I get bored of that......I don't like T.V. yet very much), later I will grab pictures down from the side tables and name the relatives in them......the one seen here is Grandpa Hughes. Lastly, (before I go outside to play) I give my baby Cabbage Patch Kid "Savannah" hugs and kisses. This all wears me out and after lunch I take my nap around 1:30 pm (Oh ya, I upgraded to the 1-nap-a-day just recently) and then we do the park again and as soon as I know it, Daddy comes home! Yay. I love my days.

The Magic Kingdom

2007-03-20T14:56:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my eyes!!!! Mommy and Daddy took me to Disney World with our very good friends Gigi and Trenton. It was SUCH a fun experience. Mommy loved to see my eyes light up and hear me laugh just about the whole day. The best part (to my parents) is that we got in free with some of our old church friends from Orlando. I got to ride Peter Pan, Small World, Pirate's of the Carribean, Jungle Cruise, Dumbo, Snow White and more. I also got to play around for an hour while my Dad waited in line for me to meet Ariel (the Little Mermaid) but I was shy and cried when I sat next to her for my picture. Oh well. Trent and I had a great time and we both only slept about 40 minutes during the day.....but we were wired all the way back to the car (as you can see.....me sticking my head out of the window of the ferry boat and clapping my hands on the car) but as we were strapped in our car seats, it was GAME OVER and we passed out with smiles on our faces. It was a day I will never forget (from my pictures anyway) and my Mom and Dad will never forget it either.

The Pamper's Model

2007-03-20T14:50:00.000-07:00

Here I am in my Mommy's heels. I love to try on her and Daddy's shoes. Daddy thought this was such a funny sight, he had me pose for a picture. I look more like I should be working out on Orange Bloosom Trail here, but it was just a coincidence.

Universal City Walk

2007-03-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

We took a day to go over and visit the Universal Studios City Walk. This is where I spent my first New Years Eve (eventhough I slept the whole time). It was such a beautiful March day. Trent and I got to ride the carousel, take a boat ride from there to the Hard Rock Hotel, eat at the new Nascar restaurant and relax at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. I like Orlando.

The Luau

2007-03-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

Here I am with my friends Auriella and Trenton. They both knew me when I was born. My Mommy is good friends with both of their Mommies too. After the show, we got to go up and play on the stage. The show was at the Grand Vistas Marriott Resort near SeaWorld.

Regis And Kelly Star

2007-02-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

This picture was a winner in our eyes. Mom entered me into the Regis And Kelly Beautiful Baby Contest and although we didn't win a free trip to the "big apple" (only the top 5 got this) they showed my picture on T.V. the day they announced the winners. The contest was open to the public for a whole month and within the first day they had 6,000 entries! So it was VERY exciting to see me up there! Mommy and Daddy were jumping up and down for joy. And my Aunt Janna and Uncle George got the whole thing on DVD recorded for me. What a great keepsake, ha?

Two Little Peas In A Pod

2007-02-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

Here I am with my next door neighboor and good friend Jacob. We had some very nice and warm days this week & almost all of our snow is gone. Woo-hoo! So here we are trying have fun in the snow while we still can. Mom hopes we have an early spring so she can start running around the park with me again.

Happy Valentine's Day

2007-02-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody! Happy Valentine's Day! This holiday is great......before I even had breakfast, I was able to have a chocolate lollipop! Hooray for Valentine's Day! I love you all and hope your holiday "treats" you well. :) Love, Charlotte Anne

The New Dress

2007-02-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

Mom just bought this new red dress for me. I like it a lot, but she LOVES it. She can't get enough of it and hopes I never grow out of it. :) She made me some bows to match one Saturday night (before I wore it to church) and now I wear it as much as I can. Mom also likes these pictures because I started off really happy (teeth and all) and I went more and more somber as they went on flashing at me......these photo shoots get a little old sometimes.

Quick Trip To Grandparents (Erickson's)

2007-02-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

We took a quick weekend trip over to grandma and grandpa's this last weekend. While driving there, we stopped on off to the side of the road to look at the fog that had frozen to the trees, weeds and brush. It sure was neat looking. That is Mommy and I's first time seeing anything like that. We had a good time visiting Newcastle, but it was good to also get back home and and be able to play in my favorite rocking chair again. This rocking chair was my great-grandma Phyllis's chair and she used to use it for her kids (my grandpa Hughes) and his kids....my Mom. I like having items in our house that hold a story to them.

A Photo Shoot

2007-01-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Mommy likes to pretend she is a photographer and she takes "photo shoots" of me every now and then. Here I am wearing two of my favorite dresses. Pink will always be my favorite....no matter what shade. And that is because my Mommy says so.

My First Slumber Party

2007-01-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

OK So it wasn't REALLY a slumber party because we didn't sleep in the same room...but....our next door neighboors (Blaine and Brenda Brooks) had a new baby girl born to their family on Jan. 1st, 2007. So.....that meant I got to play with Jacob (their son) a whole lot! We had tons of fun together. He even slept over that night in our port-a-crib so his Daddy could be with his Mommy at the hospital. Jacob was such a good sport eventhough he was away from his parents for almost 24 hours. I hope I am as good as he was when my Mommy has a new baby. I also have to add that I am wearing my new favorite outfit I got for Christmas from my Auntie Ginger. Cute ha? It's 18 months so I have a while until I fit into it.

Another Trip To Denver

2007-01-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Daddy's friend from High School got married in Denver and we made a trip out of it. We went to the temple and did some other sight seeing. The wedding was very fun....it was in a very nice part of southern Denver (just oustide of Littleton) and it was fun to visit with the Schlup family from Newcastle. Then when we got home....I took off my clothes & ate my favorite Welch's fruit snacks. :)

Auntie Jamie's Visit Out To The Wild Wild West

2007-01-17T09:52:00.000-07:00

I was such a lucky girl. After a wonderful Christmas and fun visits with Daddy's family members....I got another visitor for the New Year: My Auntie Jamie. She drove, with a friend, all the way from the coast of Mississippi. There was a lot of snow storms, so she was delayed a day in arriving here....but we are glad she made it here safely. We got to play a whole week together! The last day she was here we all went out to Denver and ate dinner at her and my Mommy's favorite restaurant....Claim Jumper. Look at all that snow in my backyard.....there is even more now too.

The Christmas Card Picture

2007-01-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

We took our Christmas card pictures at the University Daddy is attending. I love being with my Mommy and Daddy....just look how happy I am.

Santa Is Scary!

2006-12-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

Well, Santa came to our town this last weekend and it is official. He is scary! Only upclose though. I laughed and smiled at him the whole time until I was placed in his lap. But, I recovered. Thank goodness. Please keep me on the "nice" list Santa...and no hard feelings, O.K.?

Dragging Things Around

2006-12-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite new things to do is to drag things around. Especially chairs! Here I am in my new "Daddy Rocks" t-shirt. :)

Adam's 29th Birthday: Dec. 6th

2006-12-14T12:18:00.000-07:00

Daddy had another birthday. I enjoyed the good food and cake. Uncle Aaron, Aunt Lisa and my cousin Spencer came over and brought pizza while Mommy baked Daddy a Rainbow Chip cake. MMMMMMM. I never get treats.....so I LOVE birthdays!

Christmas Time Is Coming

2006-12-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Here I am standing near our Christmas tree. Daddy and Mommy took me way out into the forest to hunt and cut down this tree. It is a little skimpy in the middle, but it was an adventure! I can't wait to open all my PRESENTS!!!!!

Trip To Cabela's

2006-12-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

This is my Daddy's favorite store.......it is called Cabela's Outfitters. It is SUPER big inside and has lots of animals to look at. I liked the fishes the best (because they were alive and moved around). My Mommy doesn't care for this store too much.......Daddy spends way too much time in here while she gets very bored. But I enjoy it all! :)

The Trip To Salt Lake

2006-12-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

So we just took a miny vacation over to Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a blast! We saw and did so much that I passed out and fell asleep after eating my breakfast buffet right on the table. We stayed in a hotel just across the street from temple square. It was chilly there that weekend, but it didn't stop us from going out on the town. My mommy & daddy were able to attend the temple while I played with and was spoiled by my grandma. It was also exciting going to my mom's old university....BYU. We went to the bookstore and all got t-shirts. All in all it was a great time.

The Day At The Park

2006-11-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

So, we live in a new place now....and I love it because there is a play ground in my backyard! It was so nice and sunny the week of Thanksgiving that my Mommy and Daddy let me play around in the sand for the first time. I pulled all the seeds off the dandelions and even saw a bunny. He was so cute I decided to chase him....but he got away. Bummer. He comes around every so often so I'll catch him some other time. I really like to play outside and get all dirty. I think the slide is my favorite. :)

The Model

2006-11-28T18:00:00.000-07:00

I love it when Mommy gets the camera out. I don't always like to stay still or look at the camera....but I enjoy the attention. In the top picture I am modeling a fashionable scarf that my Aunt Ginger made by hand. And below I am modeling my new Christmas outfit. It says, "TRADE YA! Cookies for presents" I LOVE this time of year....we had a yummy Thanksgiving dinner at Uncle Aaron's house and the next day we decorated ALL day.

HALLOWEEN!!!!!

2006-11-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Halloween was a lot better this year than the last (being that I was only 1 month old last year). I was a 50's Bee-Bop girl. I had a polka-dot neck sash, a silk shirt, poodle skirt, a bow to match & saddle shoes (Mommy thinks they looked like Charlie Brown shoes because they went over my shoes and were huge.....but so cute) I got lots of candy and Mom even let me have a bite sized Twix bar. It was my first time having a chocolate bar.....and GEE was it good. If Mom got near me while I was eating it I would cry out "AHHH" which meant "No taking it away....it's mine!" I guess I had a little too much fun because I ended up passing out at 6:30 pm!!! It was a good holiday!

She's A Natural Performer

2006-11-02T10:11:00.000-07:00

HereI am being the next American Idol....I love to sing & dance around! Do you think they will let me try out this year? The other picture is me in my Christmas dress (trying it on for size) and I decided to take a stroll around the room carrying my purse. I always drag around this old "Pulte Homes" lunch bag that my Mom used to use for work. She was going to get rid of it....but I took it out of the trash and it is MINE now! (Don't worry....it was clean still)

Back In The Routine Of Things

2006-10-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Well, all of our traveling is over and I am now back west. We had some good snow this week but we still go out for our walk almost everyday. While inside I like to eat pens and pencils while my Mommy's back is turned.....and at some points, I pretend they are my microphone and I make loud noises into them. My hair sure is getting long and thick.....I wiggle around while Mommy does my hair each day so my pigtails are never even. But I like them this way.

New Purple Outfit

2006-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

Mommy enjoys it when I get a new outfit so she can put some bows in my hair to match. This little get up was perfect for the fall/autumn weather we were having on the day of my birthday. (September 26th) It was a regular Tuesday.....We went to the YMCA in the morning for Mommy to go to KickBoxing and I Played with Katie and Keegan and the other kids in the Nursery. Then we came home and I played with my new little piano. I like Beethoven the best.

Helping With My Christmas Quilt By Walking

2006-10-01T15:53:00.000-07:00

Here I am learning to walk a day before my first birthday. By the time I left my Grandma Peni and Rob's house a week later, I was walking more than crawling! Seen here is the Christmas quilt Grandma (Erickson) got for me and Mommy put it together (with her help of course.) It was my Mommy's first quilt she's ever made. I am glad she does those things for me.

Here is the finished product!!!

My 1st Birthday Party!!!

2006-10-01T15:42:00.000-07:00

I had my first Birthday Party on a Sunday evening with my family and friends. I was the guest of honor, received some fun gifts & was allowed to eat cake with my hands!!!! I was a true girl and didn't want to get too messy, but I enjoyed the attention tremendously. My Daddy was unfortunately back at home, but he listened on the phone while we sang. I love my Daddy.

Shopping at Target

2006-10-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

I love this store! And I matched it that day too. Hooray.

Kitty At Grandma's House

2006-10-01T15:34:00.000-07:00

I really loved being able to see and play with my Auntie's kitty again, Tzara! She was sick of me after 10 minutes but I sure loved her!

Katie & Me

2006-10-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

It was so nice to see my old pal Katie Duncan again. I have known her since her day #1. She's only 2 months younger than me, we were born at the same hospital in Orlando, Florida and we get along so well. Our Mom's are work-out and church friends and enjoy shopping for us and making us bows to match our outfits!!!!

Fun with my cousins!

2006-10-01T15:09:00.000-07:00

This month was such an adventure. My Grandma (Erickson) took my Mommy and I to Nashville, Tennessee with her. This was the trips Day No. 2 in Lincoln, Nebraska. I got to play with my cousins, the "Porters." Makenna is holding me, then comes Jackson, Dayton, Alaysa, and Cael. They were so much fun! I wish I could see them everyday.

Great-Grandparents House

2006-08-22T14:35:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken this month. I am 10 months old.....almost 11! Time is flying by. Mommy and I were getting ready here to go see my Uncle Jaremy's band play and also watching Daddy and Grandpa hard at work on the new deck at Great-Grandma's. Well, we are very busy still getting settled in Wyoming. We are always on the go, to say the least. But we are enjoying all of our new adventures and traveling experiences. Hope you are all well!!!!!! I either miss you or can't wait to meet you.

The YMCA/Under The Computer/Summertime

2006-08-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

From this point on, the pictures are a little out of order (SORRY) but this website doesn't let you rearrange them......therefore you will have to do the math.....it can get confusing since we've moved 15 times since I've been born. :) jk Anyway, Mom and I really loved Nashville, TN because we were always busy. We would get up and go to the YMCA where I would play and Mommy would work out with her friend Chantelle. Mommy worked there too sometimes & so I made lots of friends. See, when we were at home I would get into all kinds of trouble....like this picture here of me playing with computer wires. So, Mom was so glad when summertime came because she would go with her other YMCA friends to the pool. I enjoyed showing off my new suit and splashing all around!

The Hughes Family Reunion

2006-08-22T14:31:00.000-07:00

You will read some more about this trip to Nauvoo, IL in the exerpt below....but this was a great experience to be able to see where our first Prophet, Joseph Smith Jr. was martyred along with his brother Hyrum Smith. We all got to be in the room upstairs and saw the bullet holes that were shot through the door.....It was breath taking I am sure.....but at this time and age.....I just wanted to crawl around and saw "Hi" to everyone, yet when they would acknowledge me....I would cry for Mom. I loved being held by my Grandma Sassy but I was afraid of the cell room where they were locked up (cause it was dark and hot).....so sad. Church history is so moving and inspiring.

More First Experiences

2006-08-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

When I was 9 months old my Mommy's Family (The Hughes side) had their first annual reunion in Nauvoo, IL. This was a very special trip. Not only because as you see here it was full of firsts for me (First time sitting on grass.....First time on a swing.....First time on a slide) but it was my Favorite Aunt Ginger's first time to go through the Temple of the Lord. (For our church) It was a great time....and great weather in late June.

Mommies Favorites

2006-08-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

These are my Mommy's favorite pictures of me that she took while we were living in Tennessee. The bottom one is where I am 5 months old and I get older as they go up (but not in order). Hope you like 'em.

High Chair, Easter, and My Play Room

2006-08-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

Here I am getting all covered in Egg Yolk (My Protein for the day).....In the second picture my Daddy is holding me in my Easter Dress that my Grandma Suzanne brought to me. And I am also seen here in my very own playroom where I was making a mess for sure. I love my Minnie Mouse that my Great-Auntie Sam from Canada bought me. I sure am spoiled ha? Hee-hee

Bath Time!

2006-08-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Here we have pictures of bath time and High Chair Time. My Aunt Kris (who lives in Hawaii) sent me this beautiful and comfy high chair. I love it because I can get as messy as I want when I am up there. Mommy was being silly and put Daddy's hat on me in this picture. But, after getting messy......I would get into my bath just before bed and splash all around. I LOVE bath time! It makes me smell like Lavendar which calms me and puts me to sleep.

Pulling Myself Up & Playing Around

2006-08-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

I can remember the proud faces of my parents when they saw me pull myself up in the morning time in my crib. It was a great day. I was 6 & 1/2 months old. Mommy was able to stay at home with me full time and it was so great for her to watch me grow. She would get excited at every little thing. It was also great having her home because we got to play a lot!

First Picture Day Ever/Daddy's Graduation

2006-08-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

I was born in September while Daddy was still attending Harley-Davidson Technical School......but I grew up enough to pose with him on his Graduation day at the end of February!

Charlotte Being Very Little

2006-08-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

Another flashback to my blessing day. This picture was taken at our community that we lived in. After church Grandma Peni suggested a picnic.....and that we did....right there on the water. I was only 1 month old on my blessing day. The other picture above is me sleeping in my new crib Aunt Ginger and Grammy Peni bought me and surprised me with at Thanksgiving a month later.

Walt Disney World:Epcot Center

2006-08-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

OK SO not everything is in order anymore.....We now will flash back in time to a day of fun at the Epcot Center in Orlando, FL. Mommy's co-worker got us free passes to all the parks so they decided to take me along. We ate in Italy and were able to do a lot considering the fact that I was only about 4 months old. I think this is Mommy's favorite park at Disney World.

Fun Times With Grandparent's: Erickson

2006-08-13T15:33:00.000-07:00

We were lucky enough to get to take another trip over to great grandma's house in Star Valley.....Daddy & Grandpa worked hard on building a deck out in front of the house. Mommy and I brought out water and cooked them treats. Here we are enjoying our time in the Valley.

Camping Trip

2006-07-29T09:44:00.000-07:00

My Daddy loves to camp....Mommy loves the water....so they met in the middle and we had foil chicken and potato dinners on the campfire here at the Rob Roy Lake about an hour from home. We saw a bald eagle (he was really close too) and we saw a herd of Elk. Only in beautiful and rustic Wyoming!!!!

Driving Daddy's Truck

2006-07-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Daddy's truck is very fun to drive (pretend). Here I am in the shirt Auntie Ginger bought for me (cuz she was born in '78 in Hawaii) we had just eaten at my favorite restaurant called the Texas Roadhouse.

Charlotte And The Cows

2006-07-29T09:35:00.000-07:00

I love love love animals. I squeal everytime I see them. Cows were fun...but they were quite smelly.

Lawn Mower Rides

2006-07-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

Taking rides on the lawn mower at great-grandma's house in star valley was scary but it helped being in Daddy's arms. Daddy worked really hard that week on fixing up the yard and what not while grandma and Mommy made the meals.

Jackson Hole, WY

2006-07-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our time in Jackson Hole, WY was LOADS of fun. We drove to Uncle Jaremy and Aunt Hilary's house just over the mountain pass, so I was able to see a beautiful view from the top of the tetons. When in Jackson we went to Teton Village and Daddy showed us where he used to work at the ski resort. My favorite part was stopping and petting the animals.....like this horse here. We fed him too.

Idaho Falls Temple

2006-07-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

School doesn't start until 2 months after the move to Wyoming so we had the opportunity to do some traveling. I upgraded into my new "big girl" car seat for this trip (at 9 & 1/2 months old) and here we are at the Idaho Falls temple in Idaho.

Trip To Colorado

2006-07-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

We took a trip down to Loveland, Colorado just recently. It isn't too far from us & has fun outlet stores. It also has a Mimi's Cafe and a P.F.Chang's (My Mommy's favorite restaurants.......she has worked at both of them too) This was a great day for Mommy....she had Carl's Jr. for lunch and it had been about 2 years since she had had Carl's Jr. It made her homesick and she got a tear in her eye! My parents sure are silly.

The Move To The Wild Wild West

2006-07-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

We moved to Tennessee when I was 5 months old. We loved living with Aunt Ginger but Mommy and Daddy made the difficult decision to move, so Daddy can finish his bachelors degree in business. Another move!!!!! But this time I was old enough to crawl around and get into things....I started crawling on Memorial day and here at 9 months old I am almost walking. I practice on my walker everyday that Aunt Afton gave to me.

Gifts, Gifts, Gifts.....otherwise I would have nothing

2006-07-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

More Florida fun here in these pictures. Mommy and Daddy and I frequently took advantage of the lakes we lived on and walked around and fed the ducks (Hewey, Dewey and Lewey) very often. The pictures of me posing were with the gifts my great-aunties from Canada got for me. Mommy caught my first smile here on camera....it made Daddy all teary eyed when he saw it.

Naked Time

2006-07-29T08:21:00.000-07:00

More pictures of me naked.....Surprise.....Surprise! Look at how big my bracelet was on me.....it's funny. My Mommy really struggled over the decision of peircing my ears....but when it came down to it, she decided the braclet would do the job and I would have to wait until I was 8 years old to get my ears peirced. (Like she did)

Photo Shoot

2006-07-29T08:18:00.000-07:00

Mommy liked to take pictures of me on the bed....which she called a "photo shoot".....unfortunately she wasn't the best photographer, but at least she tried. Here I am with a size one diaper on. I grew so fast I only wore them for about 2 & 1/2 months.

I Loved My Car Seat!

2006-07-29T08:15:00.000-07:00

Here I am in my car seat! I spent a lot of time in here while my Mommy ran errands. When I was this young my Mommy went to work everyday and Daddy took me to work with him while Ceri Maurman took care of me (she was our bishop's wife). Everyone in Florida was really nice to us & I loved getting taken care of. Food was my favorite thing.

My First Christmas

2006-07-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

This was my first Christmas here on earth. I was 3 Months old and loved to stare at our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. We lived in Florida at this time (it's where I was born). I received many presents from loved ones....but what I enjoyed most was the family parties we were invited to attend with our friends there. They sure made us feel at home when no family was around. We even got to go caroling. Daddy was making up the words half the time, but Mommy carried him through it. :)