Blueberry Bliss

After an unseasonably cool summer, we finally got some blueberries on our bushes! They aren't nearly as plentiful as last year, but we will definitely take what we can get! We just picked about four cups of them tonight. Here Heidi is modeling our largest and juiciest ones! Now I must decide if we'll just munch on them or make them into a pie....decisions, decisions!!

Back to School

Once again summer is over and we are back at school! A huge sigh now from parents everywhere! The kids were almost as excited as me to start school again this year. Heidi has embarked on her second year at Middle School in the 7th grade and is very excited about continuing Band. Ethan is starting 2nd grade and lucked out in getting the same teacher he had last year, whom he adored. Elise is in her last year of Preschool, now using her new fancy wheelchair. Her teachers were so excited to have her back again.

Andrew's Molten Hot Party

My sister Lissa and her family came through Everett on their way home from vacation and stopped by our house to have a birthday party for Andrew. They were all surprised to see an exploding volcano of a cake that I made for him! It was made with four layers of chocolate cake and LOTS of frosting! (The red was SO GROSS, but so much fun!) The kids all loved playing with the dinosaurs in the molten hot magma. I think it will be a birthday Andrew will remember for a long time, and it gave me an itch to design some more funky cakes! Hmmm, Ethan's birthday is in a week, what shall I design next?!!

By Heather's Hand

I am very excited to announce that I have a new online business. I have wanted to get this thing going online now for several years, and I finally am able to do it! I hope you will all check out my site that I have worked so hard on to get going. The address is http://www.byheathershand.etsy.com/.

New Trick

This is one of Elise's new tricks. She's learning how to undress herself. I found her a few days ago after a partial attempt of removing her shirt during lunch. She thought she was being SO FUNNY!

Rock 'n Roll

Erica has discovered how to roll. She can go from her back to her tummy one direction, but then her shoulder and arm gets in the way. Now when you lay her on the floor she won't do anything else! I keep coming in and finding her with her face in the blanket!

Dimples

Erica has the cutest dimple in her left cheek! None of the rest of us have any dimples. It's just another thing that makes her so cute and unique. We just can't help but love her chubby little cheeks! She is smiling a lot more now, starting to respond to us talking to her. She's even starting to make cooing sounds, very softly still. I just know that any day now she'll come out with a laugh! She had a doctor's appointment about two weeks ago and weighed 12 pounds, 13 ounces. I bet she's over 13 pounds now. She is growing so fast!

More from Erica's Blessing

Our friends the Siscos blessed their baby, Emma, the same day as Erica. They are only a few weeks apart....a built-in BFF!

Our friends Michele' and Jackson Barner (with Paul in the background).

Four generations: my dad, me, Erica, and my grandma (whom Erica is named after).

We sure know how to throw a great party, don't we?

Eric's parents take a little siesta following the luncheon after church.