tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82125271300543225472024-03-13T13:02:56.620-06:00Erin-cita, David-ito, & the wee girlsErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.comBlogger300125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-52591360920590484682013-04-19T14:11:00.001-06:002013-04-19T14:13:06.829-06:00My new job<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Friends, after a few months of being back to work since
having Tara in October, I have made the decision to be a
stay-at-home-mommy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am excited for
this new transition to be at home with little T and to be a ‘home-maker’, but I
am also terrified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m 37 years old, and
all I have ever known is work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
know HOW to be a home-maker! I’m looking forward to perfectly ordinary days
with Tara – feeding her, getting her to sleep, reading and singing to her, and
just watching this beautiful child grow up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But as excited as I am for this new stage in my life, I am also full of
worry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I have ever known is a
schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have lived by a work schedule
since I was 14.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I am not on a
schedule, I fall into days of not getting ready until 5 pm and feeling not so
good, eating a LOT, feeling like a lazy bum, etc. etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In saying this, I also have moments where I
can’t wait to exercise and lose the baby weight, read a book when baby is
sleeping, organize my house, eat better, spend occasional lunches with Dave at
Chick-fil-A (note: he eats there EVERY DAY with baby in tow), read the
scriptures, experiment more with cooking and baking, serving friends and
family, get myself ready to get pregnant again, etc, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just want to make sure I keep that
momentum!</span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In leaving my work years behind, I will mourn the many
adventures I have had traveling the world on the company’s dime, the amazing
friendships made within the office and out, and the feeling of goals made and
met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will miss it, but I do so look
forward to this new chapter in my life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I gave my ‘notice’ last month, and will have my last day as
soon as someone else replaces me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soon
enough, soon enough </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-25164995576699268162013-01-02T13:16:00.002-07:002013-01-02T13:16:43.077-07:00TaraI can hardly believe it has been almost 10 weeks since our little Tara has come into our lives. What an incredible addition she has been!<br />
She started out at 8 lbs. 2 oz. and 20.5 inches, and she is now a whopping 11 lbs. 3 oz. and 23.5 inches long. She is growing like a weed!<br />
The time has gone by so quickly since she was delivered. It feels like she has always been apart of our lives. Funny how that is, eh? This little person only came into our lives a short time ago. And boy, do we love her! I'll post some pics here, but the wee thing is waking from her nap, so I'd better go.<br />
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Life is beautiful - even more so with this perfect little being in our home. Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-64824599810927858722012-09-19T11:57:00.003-06:002012-09-19T11:59:38.227-06:004 weeks and 5 days to go!Letter to our baby girl. One of many. <br />
<br />
Hi Baby, <br />
<br />
Last night was our second night of pre-natal class. They talked mostly about the different types of labor and delivery, then they showed us a video of 4 different labors. Now, I have seen delivery before. I watched your Uncle Sean & Conn when they were born, your cousins Kalin and Kai, as well as your cousin Gavin. I remember watching Kalin emerge into the world from across the delivery room (I was 18) and being in tears. I all of a sudden understood the miracle of life. Each time I see a birth I get a little teared up, because I am in awe! Well, last night watching these births brought on even more tears as I thought of the moment when I will deliver you and hear your first cry. I couldn't help crying just thinking about it. I am so amazed at this body of mine - that it has been able to create you (with the help of your daddy, of course). This time last year I could never have imagined that I would be feeling you kick around in my tummy and cause me to go to the bathroom so often every night :) My life was very different then. Your daddy hadn't even proposed to me yet! And here I am now, pregnant with darling you. You are a miracle. <br />
<br />
There are a lot of things I don't understand in life. I don't understand why you came to us so quickly, while others have had to wait such a long and agonizing time. I think if we had to wait for you many years, I would also be in agony. I don't understand Heavenly Father's time frame, but I have to trust it. Something I heard in church last week is "Do your best, and trust in the Lord's timing". I hope that we can teach you and help you to understand the Lord's timing too. It's not easy to wait on his time frame, but he does know what is best for us - for each of his children as individuals. I'm so grateful for that. I know he loves me as he loves all of his children. I hope you will feel that as you grow to understand his love for you. <br />
<br />
I feel a great responsibility as your mommy to give you the best life I possibly can; to love you, nurture you, and teach you. Your daddy and I love you so much already, and we can't wait to hold you and just love you. There are a whole bunch of people who love you and are waiting to meet you - grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins and friends. You are one lucky little girl!<br />
<br />
Well, we still have a few weeks to go, but I wanted you to know again how much you are loved. We are so excited for the day when you finally come! <br />
<br />
<br />
Love, <br />
<br />
Mommy<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-78219778064099251312012-09-05T13:12:00.002-06:002012-09-05T13:12:58.858-06:0033.5 weeks and countingHard to believe that I am actually in the 30's now. It was hard to imagine back in the first trimester when I was sick all the time. So grateful time is speeding up and we'll have a baby in our arms in no time at all! Yay, yay, and yay!! <br />
<br />
The second trimester was fabulous. I felt really good, and was mostly just tired - as is expected. The third trimester has brought with it lots of fun stuff! Really, nothing was worse than the first. I can't complain about this last trimester. I will tell you, however, about some of the fun things that are experienced. 1) Rashes from the Summer heat (remind me not to be pregnant during the Summer again). 2) Wanting to eat or even drink a full glass of water and not being able to, due to the room the baby has taken in my tummy. There is nothing worse than being so, so thirsty and feeling like I could throw it all up because my stomach just can't hold it all. Meals are small (even though I crave eating a full meal), and are eaten more often. 3) Boob sweat. Yes, I said it. I dunna like it. <br />
4) Heartburn - ack! I had acid reflux before I got pregnant, and pregnancy has only exacerbated the problem - especially the third trimester. I have to be so cautious of what I eat. No caffeine whatsoever, no fried foods whatsoever, and very little citrus. Even on a 'bland' day I can potentially have problems. The thing I hate is waking up in the middle of the night (it's usually when I have changed to my right side - big mistake) and almost choking on the acid that has infiltrated my throat. Oh, it's so horrible! 5) I can no longer be content just hanging out at home after work. Lately the normal routine has been giving me anxiety. I have found myself looking for projects to do, people to visit, books to read, etc. For those of you who know me well, this isn't the norm. <br />
6) Emotions are right there on the surface. For those most part throughout this pregnancy I have felt really good emotionally. Of course there have been moments, but nothing out of the ordinary. This third trimester my down days have been a bit more often than normal. Oh, my dear Dave must be weary of those days. Sorry honey! 7) Round ligament pain. Oh, this one is fun. This is what makes me grunt or make a face every time I bend down, get in and out of the car, turn side to side at night, or get up from a sitting position. There is pain, yes. These ligaments are getting my body ready to have the baby. This is what causes my pregnant waddling. 8) Stiff hands. This is a weird phenomenon, but it actually feels like I have arthritis in my hands. Crazy pregnancy hormones. <br />
<br />
I know there is more, but this is all I could come up with at the moment. Lots of fun, huh! But seriously, I am thankful - so thankful to be pregnant right now and to have this little miracle growing inside of me. I love her kicks and the fact that they are stronger every day. I love our baby girl. Can't wait to meet her!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-67425196865597599662012-07-21T23:05:00.002-06:002012-07-21T23:05:52.026-06:0027 weeksIt has been a while! I can hardly believe that we are already at our 27 week mark. Our wee girl is growing, and with her my stomach, chest, behind, and oh, just about everything else. It can get a little depressing, but I've decided that I am not going to be vain and let it get in the way of the happiness I feel about this baby girl. <br />
Since about week 18 or 19 I have felt great. I was done with morning sickness at 15 weeks and was very thankful to have that behind me. Coming down with a horrible cold was almost worse than the entire time I was nauseated, however. Luckily that was over in a couple of weeks, though it seemed like an eternity at the time. The worst thing I feel now is complete exhaustion. This growing baby gig can really take a lot out of a girl! And now since my uterus is a little bigger than a basketball, it doesn't give a lot of room for anything else - including food and water. We went in for an ultrasound a couple of weeks ago, and she was just over 2 lbs. at the time, so she is probably in the almost 3 lb. range by now. I feel her movements constantly, and I love it! I love that she is my constant companion throughout each day. Dave and I can't wait to meet her!<br />
Anyway, that's my update for now. All is well. Yay!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-37178235614356503152012-05-08T14:39:00.002-06:002012-05-08T14:39:48.536-06:00Sugar and spice and everything nice...That's what our little girl is made of! True, true - we are having a wee baby girl. We went in just to find out the gender of our babe yesterday. The technician had to dig around for a while and wiggle her so that we could indeed see her girl parts. I feel bruised today because of it :( It was well worth it, though! We had thought we would be having a boy, but the last few weeks we started to doubt and really had no idea. On my side of the family there are 7 nephews and one adorable niece, so I naturally figured that boys were in our favor. Not the case, my friends! We are totally excited to meet our precious girl! She might have a name, but we haven't solidified it yet, and we may just keep it to ourselves anyway :) <br />
We can hardly wait to meet her! Here she is - isn't she just beautiful?!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6IzHh9ftn8wBXkRuEPYbaKK4tuhE8uexHoBItJxYYMISQHfEMT0xg1lKGQAonVxXOua4449xhKYRZpkgi11lY43klzDSDSibOB3oO63_-0SCspV75Z50Ql63OlQk48oh9092aV7vpvU/s1600/baby+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dba="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm6IzHh9ftn8wBXkRuEPYbaKK4tuhE8uexHoBItJxYYMISQHfEMT0xg1lKGQAonVxXOua4449xhKYRZpkgi11lY43klzDSDSibOB3oO63_-0SCspV75Z50Ql63OlQk48oh9092aV7vpvU/s320/baby+girl.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-42013049480231405132012-04-30T16:14:00.001-06:002012-04-30T16:14:17.485-06:00The joys of pregnancy?Before getting pregnant, I knew that there would be some un-fun things about it. At least this is what I gathered over the years from friends and family, but I always thought I'd be able to handle things splendidly. Let me just say that I was humbled. From about week 6 I began the 'morning sickness'. Of all pregnancy symptoms, this has been my very least favorite. And by the way, it never happened in the morning. I've never done well with nausea. I knew this would be a difficult part, but I didn't know how difficult. Feeling nauseated all day every day is not fun. I really dislike it. Even taking anti-nausea medication didn't totally take away the uneasy feeling of being sick - all of the time! Then of course the back-lash of taking the medication to make me feel better made me <u>totally</u> and <u>completely</u> constipated! I would try eating things that would agree with my stomach, but those things were definitely not fiber-rich foods. I ate whatever I could keep down, and as you pregnant ladies know, if you don't eat, you are absolutely and totally ravenous! I've never known hunger like I have in pregnancy - and much more often too. If you don't eat, you feel sick. As a result, I have gained about 12 pounds thus far. <br />
AND, if you eat the wrong foods, you may end up with heartburn, which is miserable too. <br />
<br />
All of these things and more I have experienced in these mere 15 weeks. I hope I don't sound like a complainer (sometimes I feel like one), but I really am so thankful to have this experience. I just don't think I ever had as great an appreciation for women that have been doing this forever as I do now. I could never know except by experiencing it for myself. I will say that my prayers have become more frequent and more fervent, and my love for dear Dave has grown by leaps and bounds. He has been an incredible support to me through these times. Sometimes I just break down and cry because I'm so exhausted, or just exhausted of being nauseated. He has been so patient with my lack of contributing to doing anything in the house, because once I come home from work all I can do is rest until it's time for sleep. I love that husband of mine! He loves me mucho even though I'm turning into a hippo. He's a wonder that Dave Dean. <br />
<br />
All in all, I am a happy girl, and just can't wait to actually feel this baby kicking inside of me (it has been kicking for weeks now, but I just can't feel it). I can't wait to be a mommy, and to experience a whole different type of joy in the journey of life. Yay!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-35540258776516263172012-04-23T12:47:00.003-06:002012-04-23T12:47:51.639-06:00Oct. 22nd - impending arrivalAnd just like that, we're pregnant! Before we got married, Dave and I had decided we would try for a baby right away. At this age, I had no idea if I would even be able to get pregnant, so we thought we'd just see if it could happen. I had thought a year or maybe more until it happened. I have plenty of family and friends that have been unable to get pregnant, and I just wanted to make sure we used every bit of time we had to try. Only a few weeks after we got married, I got a positive on a pregnancy test, and the next day we lost it. It was hard, because there was a definite change in how my body felt before and after I lost it. I was grateful, however, that I was even able to get pregnant. I really thought it would take longer after that, but 4 weeks later (Valentine's Day), we got another positive. A few weeks later we went in for our first ultrasound - since I am 36, it is a little more necessary. We heard the baby's beautiful beating heart and realized this was really, really happening. Another ultrasound at 11 weeks showed the baby was very actively moving its arms and legs. It was the most surreal thing to see the movement on the ultrasound screen! I can hardly believe there is a baby within me. We are so incredibly grateful for this baby and for the chance to experience this - especially when we know that so many have had difficulties getting pregnant. We almost felt guilt that it was so quick for us. <br />
Well, things are progressing and we are now at 14 weeks. We'll find out in two weeks what we are having. Needless to say, we are excited. We are nervous. We are humbled. We are grateful. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-79864215316682622722011-12-29T13:45:00.000-07:002011-12-29T13:45:27.970-07:00The happy couple<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Nxb0YMDWZI/TvzRVRvtHyI/AAAAAAAAIbc/C3aRjstubls/s1600/2294web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rea="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Nxb0YMDWZI/TvzRVRvtHyI/AAAAAAAAIbc/C3aRjstubls/s320/2294web.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-39257530738415510642011-12-28T13:11:00.001-07:002011-12-28T13:11:37.561-07:00Sadie, Sadie married lady!Hi, I’m Erin Dean and I’m married! Waaaaaahoooooo! These 11 days that we have been married have been just wonderful. We spent a warm 7 days in the place I grew up (the first 10 years, at least), my beloved Hawaii. We had our first married Christmas in Hawaii as well. I must admit, I felt a little holiday displacement. We remedied that and bought a $4 fake tree and set it in our hotel room amongst the wrapped gifts we chose for each other from the swap meet. We had a $30 limit and got some good stuff. <br />
<br />
<br />
I hardly have the time to write, but I just want to say how happy I am to have Dave in my life and to be his wife. His WIFE!! Wow, that’s going to take some getting used to. <br />
<br />
More later. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The end.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-49777736712306720322011-12-07T15:09:00.000-07:002011-12-07T15:09:27.559-07:0010 days and counting...We are about to get into single digits, folks! Holy moly, I'm having a really hard time realizing that marriage is right around the corner. The little details of the reception, worrying about this and that have kept me from really thinking about what is about to happen to my life - to our lives. I am so excited, nervous, calm, anxious, and just about every other emotion. Here we go!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-20576775171219751292011-10-21T19:23:00.001-06:002011-10-21T19:24:52.210-06:00Sometimes we get engaged<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uYS8609Mm86z9mYVf3mSS_5ZcjANeXnBioiib9EfWOFSWskMyjYQk3qR_g8m-aa7YPv8KcMLXcYDYAQk6fYJMg_-b_fRLrWPYj1EsXgwpS9uQbrnth3Vvlvwbt0wHH3GrituGPtabAM/s1600/IMG_9166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_uYS8609Mm86z9mYVf3mSS_5ZcjANeXnBioiib9EfWOFSWskMyjYQk3qR_g8m-aa7YPv8KcMLXcYDYAQk6fYJMg_-b_fRLrWPYj1EsXgwpS9uQbrnth3Vvlvwbt0wHH3GrituGPtabAM/s320/IMG_9166.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hi, I'm Erin and I'm engaged. WOOOOOOOO!!!!! There was a time when I thought that little declaration on my blog would never be, but alas, it is. I'm going to marry my amazing Dave! The date is December 17th in the Provo Temple, with a pre-wedding reception the night before. Not a very common thing, I know, but I'm a little excited to do things backwards. <br />
Dave and I have known we would be married for a long time. Living in UT can be tough when you've been dating more than a few months and don't have a ring on your finger. As members of the LDS church, we abstain from many things - smoking, drinking, coffee, etc. Another thing we abstain from is pre-marital sex. This is something that is not easy as the world knows, but something that has been extremely important throughout our lives. So, as is custom of 'Mormon's', as we are called, most marry soon after they know they will be married. Hence, the pressure to get married. And believe me, we have been feeling the pressure. However, we wanted more time. As all know, marriage is a HUMONGOUS step in life. Neither of us have ever been married, and neither of us wanted to take this all-important step lightly. We have taken a lot of time getting to know one another and getting to be certain that this was right for both of us. Well, after all this time, we have figured out that marriage is right and we're ready for it! <br />
Getting married in the temple is also a very important thing for us. For those of you that don't know about our church, we believe that life goes on after death. We believe that we will still progress after death, and we believe that families are eternal. The temple is a place where we take the first step to becoming an eternal family. You can learn more about temples here: <a href="http://lds.org/church/temples?lang=eng">http://lds.org/church/temples?lang=eng</a><br />
I don't know what the future holds for Dave and I, but I have a hope of what it holds. I know that whatever happens, no matter how difficult, we have a loving Father in Heaven who is aware of us and wants us to be happy in life. This is a great comfort to me. <br />
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I am excited to begin my life with David D. He is my home.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-6750644006979107982011-09-08T15:14:00.004-06:002011-09-08T15:34:42.825-06:00Sometimes I'm lucky.<div></div><br />
<br />
<div>Like the time my brother Shane and I won $1000 at our work summer party two weeks ago for doing this little ditty. </div><br />
<a href="http://youtu.be/6MxIIhNgeRo">http://youtu.be/6MxIIhNgeRo</a><br />
<div></div><br />
<br />
<div></div>And then last week at my work's health fair, I won this. A $189 value!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzxsqK9Zf5Q08ShPt7pmDVbLSZ0SM5hTmUhUy1HNtFnFfB1KnYUXA2H6Z6PebM39Jqz5TaBmlqwShzOpJK3CdeYT8mLZ1-rXZaxJ7Qs4uPB2Qeh_ZIF7GafxA2kEPkfjt_BNzIXUhBqo/s1600/Sonic+care.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649723835764209666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzxsqK9Zf5Q08ShPt7pmDVbLSZ0SM5hTmUhUy1HNtFnFfB1KnYUXA2H6Z6PebM39Jqz5TaBmlqwShzOpJK3CdeYT8mLZ1-rXZaxJ7Qs4uPB2Qeh_ZIF7GafxA2kEPkfjt_BNzIXUhBqo/s320/Sonic+care.jpg" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
And tomorrow I'll be flying to this place (for work & some play) ...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_PUOtEuRWEMDjh3dfD6jT-THLOh6DwnMrgJ0-IuL3C5uV851TF7O0fRH_6hYs2pglSvhbZf-rIwZ9AZeOOGo4Y4-sdp6GhxxMLnFYE2BcpJl5OtDM4P5MC2_x4TjD9Xgy2rZn2YX7Hs/s1600/thailand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_PUOtEuRWEMDjh3dfD6jT-THLOh6DwnMrgJ0-IuL3C5uV851TF7O0fRH_6hYs2pglSvhbZf-rIwZ9AZeOOGo4Y4-sdp6GhxxMLnFYE2BcpJl5OtDM4P5MC2_x4TjD9Xgy2rZn2YX7Hs/s320/thailand.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Oh, and this place. <br />
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The not so lucky part? I won't get to see this guy for two whole weeks :( I'll miss you, honey!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJow-bbZquKLKewOrpXsrZuzjzYx2VrceHebp6wHi79Zm4VPdtGM8HlReKhckJ3FRuZq7CeYuBlMfsJ66zsikXZXPuhaS7vapTvifG45GL33PnhTdnQz_FEp3SfsQ3pqC0ysX3mCKRQXk/s1600/dave+and+erin.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJow-bbZquKLKewOrpXsrZuzjzYx2VrceHebp6wHi79Zm4VPdtGM8HlReKhckJ3FRuZq7CeYuBlMfsJ66zsikXZXPuhaS7vapTvifG45GL33PnhTdnQz_FEp3SfsQ3pqC0ysX3mCKRQXk/s320/dave+and+erin.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Overall, I'm a pretty lucky girl!<br />
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<div></div></div>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-11214032400833772152011-08-22T18:17:00.001-06:002011-08-22T22:37:07.072-06:00Introduction of my Dave...<p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">I didn’t even realize I had not done a formal introduction of my Dave.<span> </span>Thanks to Malea for making me aware of it! Here’s a little history first of how we met.<span> </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">Dave and I met a few years ago of all places in our single’s ward.<span> </span>Crazy, eh? I heard him speak in church one Sunday, and as he was introducing himself he said that he was a Math teacher at UVU.<span> </span>For those of you that know my history with Math, you will undoubtedly understand why I decided to write him off – even though he was a nice looking guy who appeared to be very normal.<span> </span>How could I possibly get along with a Math teacher, right? Well, within a few months I began going to get-togethers, and he was usually there.<span> </span>A friend of mine was interested in him, so I just kept my distance anyway.<span> </span>I mean, how could we possibly have anything in common? </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span>A while later, we happened to find ourselves on the same cruise to Mexico.<span> </span>It was an LDS Singles cruise.<span> </span>I’ll tell you this; I wasn’t all excited to be there – since I had been recently disenchanted by a short relationship.<span> </span>Dating someone new was the absolute last thing on my mind.<span> </span>While on the cruise we spent a lot of time with Dave on the boat and on shore excursions.<span> </span>I thought he was a nice guy.<span> </span>He was always kind and considerate of everyone.<span> </span>I didn’t think much more than that, but I did take notice that he looked at me a little more than others.<span> </span>However, I wasn’t going to even let myself play that scenario out in my mind.<span> </span>Oh, one thing I did forget to mention – I noticed that he had a very nice build, which never hurts!</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">We all had a great time on the cruise, and upon returning home, I began to realize that I missed not seeing Dave.<span> </span>It was so nice having him around.<span> </span>He was such a calming presence (and still is).<span> </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">Without boring you with the little details, Dave asked me out about a month later, and the rest, well, it’s history.<span> </span>We’ve been dating for 15 months now, and things are great! </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">Dave is originally from California.<span> </span>He moved to UT the same year my family moved from Hawaii.<span> </span>He is the 3<sup>rd</sup> of 5 kids.<span> </span>He got his under grad at BYU, then his masters at the University of Houston.<span> </span>He is a full-time Math teacher at UVU.<span> </span>He’s a very active guy.<span> </span>He loves the sun and continually shames me with his tan skin.<span> </span>He is handsome, kind, good-natured, intelligent, funny, sensitive, logical, and he gets along with pretty much everyone he meets fabulously.<span> </span>What I love about Dave the most is that I can just be myself with him.<span> </span>On any given night, you can find us watching the O’Reilly Factor and eating Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff or a good steak.<span> </span>We’re fairly easy going.<span> </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">Yep, I love this man.<span> </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">You may leave this introduction asking, “When are you getting married?” </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span><span style="font-size:100%;">I only have this to say…</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span>Someday </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span>:)</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span>You’ll find it all here!</span></span></p>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-6566345090262705072011-08-07T10:32:00.002-06:002011-08-07T23:03:48.586-06:00B-day<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauMlXyB_j6yAm1IJ-FdKPxIHW6F7C63Ytw_y3FnQQ3a4jAZGRslCq4PQqsmD5UMIHWPI9Cvz0kRWS_SAFbWKGgwTUKyRY1Y3WUxTVJI6mHtMf2QF12hIyDD6wPank_K9nhtC-gz0Ox7k/s1600/Erin+and+David+Franklin.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhauMlXyB_j6yAm1IJ-FdKPxIHW6F7C63Ytw_y3FnQQ3a4jAZGRslCq4PQqsmD5UMIHWPI9Cvz0kRWS_SAFbWKGgwTUKyRY1Y3WUxTVJI6mHtMf2QF12hIyDD6wPank_K9nhtC-gz0Ox7k/s320/Erin+and+David+Franklin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638344642593346898" border="0" /></a><br />It was this man's b-day on Friday. I sure do love him and am so thankful for him in my life.<br /><br />Happy Birthday, Dave!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-80136056881760248852011-07-24T23:19:00.002-06:002011-07-24T23:24:46.576-06:00New BeginningsI am thankful for opportunities that present themselves when I least expect it. Tomorrow is a new beginning for me. A new job. I have had a wonderful time with all those I have been blessed to know at my previous employer, but at this time in my life this change is something I need to pursue. I am thankful for the guidance of a loving Heavenly Father that has helped me to recognize new paths in my life. I'm a blessed little lady. <br /><br />Oh, and I love Dave. And wouldn't you know it - he loves me too :)Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-9816606363279924532011-07-24T01:47:00.003-06:002011-07-24T01:59:07.115-06:00Life without an iPhoneI have had an iPhone for work the past 10 months or so, and with it my life has been full of lovely information. I LOVE having information at my finger tips! There is an app for every possible thing I would possibly need or want. A few examples, I lost about 15 lbs. in the past few months with the help of an app. True story. Mapquest helped me to get to and from just about everywhere on each work trip, and just around town. Whirly Word kept me entertained in long lines, email - at my fingertips! Social media, check!<br />It has only been 2 and a half days, and I feel lost without my iPhone. No, I didn't lose it. A job change is the reason for the loss of my dear phone (job change was my choice :)). Anyhow, I now shudder every time I look at my pathetic mobile device. It is more up to date than most, but I can hardly abide to even write a text from it. It just simply isn't my dear iPhone.<br />I'm hoping my new job will have something comparable. I hope, I hope. Otherwise, I may actually have to buy one myself! Argh!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-44188798147591116162011-07-05T23:09:00.003-06:002011-07-05T23:52:31.053-06:00SometimesSometimes we need to hear the absolute perfection that is Brian Stokes Mitchell's voice, and sometimes we need the inspiration to reach that unreachable star.<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3g-T46ja95s" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" width="425"></iframe>Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-50678260978874351932011-05-31T13:50:00.007-06:002011-05-31T13:58:34.452-06:00His favorite shirt<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTKUQmZR4-gkRw7g4WNLfYM1841Ldw8tLJ0QEuQX-9YZFf8cFxwjpWNT-apyBSb6WXUTtCTkV0czDsyqXtz7iyqn_LfjyzjmGe5qRV71pmsGrtXHtC3wo4gnNeEmZy1X38F6H23yBZdo/s1600/009.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxTKUQmZR4-gkRw7g4WNLfYM1841Ldw8tLJ0QEuQX-9YZFf8cFxwjpWNT-apyBSb6WXUTtCTkV0czDsyqXtz7iyqn_LfjyzjmGe5qRV71pmsGrtXHtC3wo4gnNeEmZy1X38F6H23yBZdo/s320/009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612971987092511778" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-c7h8vse5GzxN8sxo1IE7uO2rZhBWFpDs-AFFs6BgrOQna8AiTzB1PpkneXrnK1HlEjSyF6sg9NSxQI9R_0OOAwAlygplNY6V9jp2ByDZ24R9Mp94VqlKbmPJU2n6m_bXiQTX14u9MAY/s1600/009.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzZIGbcJWAB-4S1GC27DGOKBvJ0BUx4IvQpzuG7jUb1NmE63XE3tJ9ldxUzTVtnMVCp3Pp4hGKvQfaGQ4c8nLLP8037JpNXJZiOAPqZkzB_uvQJ-MTcwCcjB8qcwwikmP_d4IB99fcsM/s1600/008.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzZIGbcJWAB-4S1GC27DGOKBvJ0BUx4IvQpzuG7jUb1NmE63XE3tJ9ldxUzTVtnMVCp3Pp4hGKvQfaGQ4c8nLLP8037JpNXJZiOAPqZkzB_uvQJ-MTcwCcjB8qcwwikmP_d4IB99fcsM/s320/008.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612971252217922258" border="0" /></a>My dear Dave is conservative with clothing. ULTRA conservative (bless his heart). He probably spends $100 in a year on clothing, and that's pushing it. I don't mind this trait at all, except for when he wears his favorite tattered and worn long-sleeved shirt. The white dots are holes. Oh, and check out the holes in the elbows and the frayed neck-line. Bless this boy. I sure love him, though.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><img src="file:///C:/Users/Erin%20Curran/Desktop/008.JPG" alt="" />Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-54700750173447427612011-05-17T11:06:00.003-06:002011-05-17T11:16:03.145-06:00One year.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gJSz50CvkMaOZREVCCHVjTCSPDQZUPs9jKpeGPN_P_U5RSpAVFwAEwXbkErFozqAhOeTzxmE3FbH8JtinSjG4od-n2DTsaBbNaM3C_k1U6MpmAR7vhiEncS9Q3_qLVFAvCGETigs608/s1600/024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gJSz50CvkMaOZREVCCHVjTCSPDQZUPs9jKpeGPN_P_U5RSpAVFwAEwXbkErFozqAhOeTzxmE3FbH8JtinSjG4od-n2DTsaBbNaM3C_k1U6MpmAR7vhiEncS9Q3_qLVFAvCGETigs608/s320/024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607734428643286658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Exactly one year ago today my Dave took me out on our first date. I am so lucky to have such a kind, good, and patient man in my life - oh, and really handsome. I am truly blessed. Love you, babe.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-40947706071149186252011-05-06T14:21:00.003-06:002011-05-06T14:37:34.472-06:00A Looooong time comingI finished. I finished something that has been quite the undertaking for me the last 17 years. Blood, sweat, and tears went into finishing my educational journey. Journey is an understatement. I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel - since I had seen friends and family finish. I just didn't know that it existed for me. Being an educated woman was always my goal. I just never knew how many things could get in the way of it becoming a reality. I kept going, and I kept thinking that one day I'd really finish.<br /><br />A week ago today it ended.<br /><br />I, Erincita, became a graduate of Utah Valley University. After 200 + credits, I really did it.<br /><br />This chapter in my life is now over :)<br /><br />What's next?Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-56660853870525227012011-04-30T10:54:00.005-06:002011-04-30T11:54:05.269-06:00Six days without (it's a long one...)About 9 years ago I began a journey to health-nutdom. At the time I was a college student, working full time with no benefits. I was getting what has been common amongst my mom and sisters... gall stones. I wouldn't be able to pay for surgery without insurance, so instead I thought I'd put it off a while and just not eat the things that were aggravating the symptoms. In a joint effort to lose weight, I began a life eating Vegan-ish. <span style="font-weight: bold;">No meat, no dairy, no sugar, and no white flour</span>. The pounds fell off me, of course, which gave me the drive to keep going and keep eating restrictively. I lost A LOT of weight and felt GREAT about myself. I had been in sizes I hadn't worn since jr. high! The 'high' lasted for a few years, and then I became slowly dissatisfied. This was always my worry when losing weight. Even though I had lost about 50 pounds and looked great, I began to see the little imperfections instead - the vain ones. I was almost as unhappy skinny as I was 50 lbs. larger. Unreal, isn't it? It makes no sense! I also began to feel the restrictions of my food intake more acutely. I got mad when at a restaurant with friends and I couldn't eat what they were eating, or when I went to a family dinner and there was nothing that I could eat. The thing is, I was putting these restrictions on myself and I could take them off at any time. My worry was I would get headaches from the sugar, and stomach aches from meat I had not had in my body for so long. Well, one day, feeling rebellious and ready for a change, I caught a whiff of a pot roast, and oh boy, I never looked back! Everything came back into my diet, some things slowly, but eventually I consumed it all like never before!<br />There is a sort of animal-like ravishing that happens to me every now and then. I am not one of those that can eat just a couple of m&m's or one bite of a candy bar. The taste of it, the crunch, it all hits me and I consume things in minutes. I have no concept of eating things in moderation. I have tried, believe me.<br />Needless to say, the weight all came back slowly, but surely. I was back at my old weight within about two years. All of that hard work only brought me back to where I was before. Was I happier? You bet I was! I wasn't living by restrictions anymore. I ate whatever I wanted to when I wanted to. BUT, like the high from losing weight and looking great, it too wore off and I began to feel unhappy about the way I looked. It was no longer freedom that I felt for being able to eat anything anytime, but rather feeling a slave to the habit.<br />We all know the diets that are out there; the things that help us lose a little here and a little there. Enough to appease us, right? I have fallen into those more than a few times. I lose weight for a little while, then I gain it. Which then puts me on the prowl for yet another diet that might work. It is a never-ending cycle for most of us women.<br /><br />This brings me to the title of my blog entry. First, some wee background. My dear brother Sean and wonderful Bri are getting married mid-May. They have been engaged since December. And since their engagement, I have had it in mind that I was going to have a major body over-haul. I figured I could lose 5-7 lbs. every month and would be just where I wanted to be by the time the wedding came around. Friends, I am two pounds over where I started. Depressing? Yes!<br />Last week at church I happened to mention this to my good friend Marcole. Telling her that I only had a few weeks left to lose any weight at all, she very easily mentioned getting off of sugar and white flour. I thought that might be something I could do - at least for a few weeks. That night before I went to bed, I downed some of the last of the Easter candy I had stashed away. It was 11 pm, but I bid a quick farewell to those Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and began getting ready for bed. Just as I was about to lay my wee head down, I began seeing the spots. <span style="font-weight: bold;">THE SPOTS</span>. I have been seeing these spots since I was in 8th grade. It was the beginning of a migraine headache. I get them frequently, so it's really nothing new. How odd that it would come right after I downed the Reeses, right? I tried not thinking much about it and thought I'd just be able to sleep off the headache. Monday morning came and the migraine was more painful than ever. <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Curse the Reese's!</span></span> </span>(my first thought) I then began to spy a link to the migraines I have been having for years. Could my sweet tooth cravings and indulgences be causing all of these headaches? That morning I began my day without sugar and white flour (as an experiment mostly), and have been <span style="font-weight: bold;">six days without</span> it. Am I losing weight? I have no idea. I don't want to go near the scale for a few more days anyway. Have I had any more migraines or any kind of headache for that matter? Not a one! If for nothing else than to have relief from these migraines, I am going to stay this way. Caffeine is another thing I've been avoiding. The results from my 'experiment' are the following:<br /><br />No headaches<br />Better sleep at night (I usually toss and turn)<br />More energy throughout the day<br />Better mood!<br /><br />Obviously exercise helps with these things as well. Dave and I try to exercise at least a few times a week together. I think I may also add yoga to my regimen. Yoga always makes me so relaxed.<br /><br />I don't know if there is any great point to my lengthy blog here, but I've just had a lot of thoughts about this lately. Ultimately my goal is not to have to 'diet', but to feel good about myself at any stage of my life and any weight, and to eat things that are good for me and make me feel better physically and emotionally. As women we put way too much pressure on ourselves to look 'this' way or 'that'. We even talk about each other negatively when we don't look 'that' way. Why is that? Terribly ridiculous. We do it to ourselves, and we do it to each other. Let's not, eh? Today I'm going to <span style="font-weight: bold;">embrace the love handles, the jiggles, and the cellulite</span>! Today I am going to love my body in any way, shape or form.<br /><br />The end.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-41568371074451589402011-04-19T16:22:00.007-06:002011-04-19T16:51:20.187-06:00Busy, busy me!Holy moly, it seems like work never stops! I'm an Event Planner for a direct marketing company in Lehi and I enjoy it - especially the distributors I get to meet from all over the world. They are fabulous people! Being the only planner for this company that has an event EVERY month, I get really swamped. I enjoy tending to all of the little details, but man, it can make a girl tired. I just came back from doing an event at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. The event was fabulous! Everyone was excited and left with a greater desire to get out there and achieve their goals, which is exactly what we like to hear. I left with a greater desire for a little time off! Luckily I was able to tack on a stop-over in Charlotte for a few days to visit Caiti, Kurt & the boys. My Dave booked a flight and met me there. It was so nice to see him after the stress of those days in Nashville! He's such a calming presence in my life. I appreciate him so much!<br />Two of my favorite trips total relaxation are being at Caiti's and being in Hawaii. Caiti is another calming presence in my life. It's so nice to know that I don't have to do ANYTHING when I'm visiting her. I can sit and chill with the nephews (they are growing up so fast!), do a little shopping, take a wee drive, and sleep as long as I want. Seriously, it is heaven to me. This time it was fun to watch Dave playing anything from football to bey-blades with Gavin & Ryan. It was also adorable to watch 7 year old Ryan trying to be as cuddly with Dave as I was. He loves "Uncle" Dave.<br />Since Caiti's internet card didn't work so well on my computer, I was forced to do as little work as possible. Totally fine with me.<br />Being back at work for 3 days I'm already ready to go back to Charlotte. Work is good, but vacation is so very nice. <br />The cute ones below...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGuNKLA1uAseNzbiRV7c8twPHcc5ETy743jTk2Doc3qTEHOpsTMIJhFIszb1QWDrDXFFBaj_nIRQ9qQ2BXoHge5VsQfvtUU54fu2oQw6lTlHBYSzl-kP72or6yGTYSbn6epKU9ziyxX4/s1600/Liam.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGuNKLA1uAseNzbiRV7c8twPHcc5ETy743jTk2Doc3qTEHOpsTMIJhFIszb1QWDrDXFFBaj_nIRQ9qQ2BXoHge5VsQfvtUU54fu2oQw6lTlHBYSzl-kP72or6yGTYSbn6epKU9ziyxX4/s320/Liam.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597430516331426562" border="0" /></a>Liam at 5 months. He is a happy baby boy!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w6xJ3RrPBpxa8WDQcrFKv8bn_H4BgzVFHGA10EckxFHavky8yfzaZ_N3FqBDLiSM4NOoORuvhFgobaipmOQR0OA7o6f-TSuya33mR13T24b5GBwAalT5lqoPXTS23SUSqEGxDJDFUEY/s1600/Erin+%2526+kiddos.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4w6xJ3RrPBpxa8WDQcrFKv8bn_H4BgzVFHGA10EckxFHavky8yfzaZ_N3FqBDLiSM4NOoORuvhFgobaipmOQR0OA7o6f-TSuya33mR13T24b5GBwAalT5lqoPXTS23SUSqEGxDJDFUEY/s320/Erin+%2526+kiddos.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5597430706816034786" border="0" /></a>Gavin, Ryan, Auntie & Dave. Doing what we do best.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-89807510673420411012011-03-17T14:41:00.004-06:002011-03-17T15:28:32.416-06:00Day of the IrishIt's a big day in the Curran household. We like today. We like green. We like corned beef and cabbage. We like our ancestry. We are proud little suckers of our Irish background. We may not celebrate it like they do in my favored country of Ireland, but creating traditions and celebrating our heritage here in the U.S. is what it's all about.<br /><br />We wear green, yes. Ireland is a fantastically green place. Rolling hills as far as the eye can see.<br />Such a fantastic place!<br />We eat Lucky Charms. Thank you to General Mills for creating such a delightful treat. Growing up we always knew we'd at least get one bowl of sugar cereal on this blessed day. Sometimes we ate porridge with green food coloring (not totally the favorite, but the green definitely changed it up). Sometimes mom came to our class in elementary school pretending to be a leprechaun, and she showed how saying the magic words, "come on Leprechaun" would change the porridge to a green color. All kids were in mutual awe.<br />We sometimes talk in an Irish accent. It's just for kicks and giggles. Quinn is probably better at it than the rest of us.<br />We talk up our names and how Irish they are, and just how Irish we are. We're glad mom and dad gave us names we could brag about.<br />We watch our favorite movies on this day. As kids it was "Darby O'Gill and the Little People". Shannon is still afraid of the Banshee. These days I watch "The Quiet Man" with more frequency. It's a delightful little movie. John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara are a perfect pair.<br /><br />When visiting Ireland, these are the foods I like eating:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Cm7xJZ74-cKgcsyGswNHOlRYBJn1HIHU2hFM-6geE_ySAPwVWU1n1PlMj5YBF-U29EZ82JHuxnfIVCQeESRMVtCipxnXMpkwNXGPmxh5B3MgToK6OwzaZSxVyfMFKQyWmZRV2wqtgOs/s1600/Dairy+Mile.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 119px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Cm7xJZ74-cKgcsyGswNHOlRYBJn1HIHU2hFM-6geE_ySAPwVWU1n1PlMj5YBF-U29EZ82JHuxnfIVCQeESRMVtCipxnXMpkwNXGPmxh5B3MgToK6OwzaZSxVyfMFKQyWmZRV2wqtgOs/s320/Dairy+Mile.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585161532839400850" border="0" /></a>I know we have these in the U.S., but believe me when I say that the chocolate there is 100 times better!<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehIfskmdFaphYVGmUTiesr3y6sXgSTLkJz1N83RMjkICpDCwo0hN83l_9ym57136mJd65ue4Sxl6jjDWTq2w-tjmO8-ALhC8ojzov7-vMgWDT9PpxOgo02fxFcYC-mib34y7dj5xBzy0/s1600/Irish+butter.gif"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhehIfskmdFaphYVGmUTiesr3y6sXgSTLkJz1N83RMjkICpDCwo0hN83l_9ym57136mJd65ue4Sxl6jjDWTq2w-tjmO8-ALhC8ojzov7-vMgWDT9PpxOgo02fxFcYC-mib34y7dj5xBzy0/s320/Irish+butter.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585161528697336770" border="0" /></a>Oh butter, delicious butter! Black bread and butter is super tasty. This girl is a fan of Kerry Gold.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeFTjOZLl3-LdaUpy6ijNwjprLbLcXWP7yAOkrQj69tfWySI23Ezz1PT8HvobISQQppU_vz9a6OQhu3PCeKu0ivC9PA6Ta-qOJ5qyYYKlUubWF5XTkbghj9qOiyN97ydtOYpx1OU1prE/s1600/Irish+Breakfast.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNeFTjOZLl3-LdaUpy6ijNwjprLbLcXWP7yAOkrQj69tfWySI23Ezz1PT8HvobISQQppU_vz9a6OQhu3PCeKu0ivC9PA6Ta-qOJ5qyYYKlUubWF5XTkbghj9qOiyN97ydtOYpx1OU1prE/s320/Irish+Breakfast.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585161527563107938" border="0" /></a>I'm pretty much a fan of breakfast in general, but Irish breakfasts take the cake! The only thing missing in this picture is white pudding. It's a type of sausage mixed with oatmeal, onions and spices. If you're really brave, try the black pudding. It has pig's blood in it. I've had it many times and liked it, actually. <br /><br />Oh how I miss my Ireland! My cousin Brigid will be married in Dublin and I hope, hope I can go. To end my little post here, enjoy a wee bit of "The Quiet Man".<br /><br />Go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5BjMTVnNuE&feature=relatedErinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8212527130054322547.post-74987818311239585052011-03-14T12:49:00.003-06:002011-03-15T11:52:15.524-06:0020 is the magic numberThis chica is making some goals, and 20 is the goal (at least for the next two months).<br />My brother Sean and his Bri are getting married May 20th, and I'd like to look a little thinner in those pictures. So I, Erincita, am going to let the world know this (or whoever the heck even reads my wee blog). I am tired of doing this half-way. I am ready to LOSE IT!<br /><br />On your mark, get set, GOAL!!Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11175186862527659692noreply@blogger.com2