Ericksen Family News

Birthday Paintball

2011-10-29T21:01:00.000-07:00

Adam turns 14 tomorrow and asked for his birthday if he and a couple of friends could go paint balling today. Never one to turn down a chance to shoot paint at 13-year olds, I volunteered in a heartbeat. We had the entire course to ourselves for the morning which made it extra fun for the boys. Here are a few photos from the day.

Above Adam at the ready before the start of a new round.

Charlie's Angels

Taking cover; firing from cover

The crew. Of course no trip Paintballing is complete without some welts. Adam experienced the worst - he failed to protect his left, got flanked by both Sam and Robert and took two simultaneous shots from about 10 feet out. I know these well - give em a day or two and all is well.

Oh ya, happy 14th, Adam.

Manchester!

2011-10-26T23:35:00.000-07:00

Great time tonight at the House of Blues with Manchester Orchestra. If you have another 11 minutes, may I suggest...

114 Laps!

2011-10-22T16:02:00.000-07:00

Congrats to my beautiful Al on her big accomplishment this afternoon - swimming 114 laps (an incredible 2,850 meters) in at the Sea Stars' annual swim-a-thon. That's a 43% improvement over last year! All of her running and conditioning this past year is paying off.

Warming up

Kicking off the wall at Lap 100.

That smirk? Satisfaction...

Congrats to all the girls for a job well done.

Foos

2011-10-18T23:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my pretty date this evening - a fun show with the Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl certainly has a bit of a potty mouth but those boys sure can play. If you have 11 minutes, stick around and check this out -- Monkey Wrench.

Sock Hop

2011-10-14T22:17:00.000-07:00

The kids had a blast at the Vista Grande sock hop tonight. Unfortunately the only pics we were able to get came at the end of the night. At this point, Nathan's shirt had partied pretty hard. Thanks VG. See you again next year.

The Boy Discovers Dizziness...

2011-10-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about being a parent is when a child discovers something for the first time. Such an event occurred in the Ericksen home last night when Nathan learned he could make himself dizzy by spinning himself around.

And apparently being dizzy is something Nathan likes because it continued like this for a good 90 minutes. I got sick just watching him. He's really feeling it at the 7 second mark in this next one. Nathan is 15 months old in these videos.

Tramp Time

2011-09-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a Sunday evening - a birthday evening on top of it - tramp session. A few pics from this evening.

Lisa won't lay off me about posting this one. Get a look now while you can - I'm sure to pull it down tomorrow.

Even Nathan gets in on the action - doing some planking of his own. Going up...

Happy 7th Nick & Nat!

2011-09-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

Quite unbelievably the twins turned 7 today. Where does the time go? We are so very proud of the wonderful kids they've become. I'm boasting but sincere when I say you may never come across a more thoughtful and caring set of 7 year olds anywhere. Lisa's incredible guidance and love is paying off.

Enjoying their party at the Piper.

Score!

Smaller party this evening at the house with the cake Allison made them. Thanks Al.

This next one's just for fun...Al's favorite face of late.

Sea World

2011-08-27T20:44:00.000-07:00

SAIC held its annual picnic at a new place this year - Sea World. Of course, being the weekend before earnings release and with birthday parties and baby showers we didn't actually make it to the park until early into the evening. Didn't seem to matter any. The kids made the best of the circumstances riding the rapids ride -- again, again and again.

Actually props to Sea World management. They have water cannons along the ride route where people can pay $.50 to squirt passing boats. Dozens of dateless young men (read: boys) lined the route taking great pleasure in hosing down each passing boat. Then, at the ride exits, Sea World had big human "dryers" for people to dry off in -- like an oversized, all body blow dryer. People were dropping $5 bills for 3 minutes like there was no tomorrow. Some business model.

The boy didn't make it to park closing. Better luck next time.

First Day of School - 2011

2011-08-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

That time of year again - back to school! Frankly we hate it. Life is much more fun with the kids around. At any rate, couple of pics of the kids -- the younger ones mainly -- on the first day this year.

Surf Camp!

2011-08-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

Lisa enrolled Adam and Allison in a surf camp through SDSU - a great way to spend the last week of summer. The week included class room instruction at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center before crossing Mission Boulevard to tower 16 and then paddling out. Both kids had a blast.

Allison prepares to head out.

Allison working on getting up...

Seemingly content to ride the waves on her knees.

Adam, on the other hand, seemed to have it down by Tuesday afternoon.

I wish they'd had more accomodating conditions on the day I was there with the camera.

Lining up for the walk back to the MBAC. Thanks mommy for the fun week.

The remaining photos in this post are for the grandmas...the littlest San Diego-Ericksen wishing he could be out there with his big bro, Abam.

Wandering the beach looking for shells.

Found one...

Synchro Action!

2011-08-07T21:12:00.000-07:00

So Allison's had a great year in synchronized swimming. This weekend the State Games of America -- who knew? -- were held here in San Diego. We attended the opening ceremonies on Friday night at Qualcomm. It seemed nearly every state was represented in about a dozen different sports.

As part of the ceremonies, Allison and her team got to walk on the football field at Qualcomm ala the Olympics, representing California well. Below she poses with her best friend, Cloie, about mid way round the stadium.

We spent all day Saturday at the pool up at Cathedral Catholic where Allison competed in 2 events: the trio and team competitions.

The trio girls pose pool side after warm-ups and just before going on.

Warm ups

The trio girls finally took the stage around 230.

All but nailed the dive timing. Great job, girls.

One of several "lifts" during the performance. I was a little late on the shot. :(

Breathing control.

Excellent timing - they kept well in sync.

Above the closing of the trio performance.

The 7-member team readies for their performance.

Its much tougher keeping 7 girls in line and in sync but they did a great job.

I just liked this shot as Allison begins her roll.

Satisfaction at a job well done.

The result? The girls won Gold in both competitions. Great job, Al! We are extremely proud of you.

Oh ya - Nathan approves of this message.

2011 Vaca Day 6: Goodbye Yosemite :(

2011-07-07T21:17:00.000-07:00

Day 6 started with break down and clean up of our camp. Nathan took it as an opportunity to climb in and around the bear box.

We toured the Visitor's Center and realized we should have done this on Day 1. Above the kids pose with a statute of early conservationist and park champion, John Muir.

After the visitor's center visit we rode the shuttle down to El Capitan to watch the rock climbers. Look closely in the dead center of photo below and you'll see 2 climbers and their 200-pound bag of gear. They were on day 6 of their climb and about 60% of the way up the 3,500 foot face. No thanks.

In the afternoon the kids begged to go back to Mirror Lake for more swimming. We spotted this rattlesnake on the trail back up there.

Nat adjusts to the cold water

Nathan enjoyed building mud castles with the other little kids.

Adam, Nat, Nick and I warming on the rock in the center of the lake

Happy days.

We spotted these deer on our way back down from the lake.

We paused at the tunnel overlook on our way out for one last photo. Allison tearfully complained that she wasn't ready to leave. Mission accomplished. Its a good vacation when the kids cry at leaving. Goodbye Yosemite. We'll miss you.

2011 Vaca Day 5: Yosemite

2011-07-06T23:31:00.000-07:00

Day 3 in Yosemite started bright and early with some Fruit Loops and a baby on the table.

After breakfast we hiked a couple miles east of camp to Mirror Lake which sits directly beneath Half Dome. Nathan passed the time napping comfortably in the pack.

Above the view looking east up the valley at Mirror Lake; below the view looking south at Half Dome as the sun breaks over the top of the dome and pours down through the trees.

When we reached the lake we found several other campers swimming and jumping off the rocks. Sounded like a good idea so we joined them. The water was shockingly cold but tolerable.

Nathan puts his feet in.

Nick jumps off a rock in the middle of the lake.

And Adam follows suit.

Nat got in on the action too.

Allison doing a cannonball into the ~45-50 degree water.

We spent the entire morning up at Mirror Lake. We returned to camp to dry off and grab some lunch. Afternoon we boarded the shuttle and went to the middle of the valley to Lower Yosemite Falls. While all of the waterfalls in the park are incredible to see, Lower Yosemite is especially thrilling because of its 2,500 foot vertical drop.

Posing in front of the Lower Yosemite falls

Nat enjoys the mist

Nathan dips his hands into the creek and wets his hair

We played in the creekbed down stream from the falls for an hour or two. The kids spotted this lizard hanging out on the rocks and begged a photo.

Nathan watches me while the others look on to the falls.

The kids posing for an album cover in the grove of trees next to the shuttle stop

Photo of Nathan taken in the mirror on the shuttle bus

View of Lower Yosemite Falls from the meadow

Merced looking eastward up the valley from a meadow

Swinging Bridge

Hanging out in the meadow

Nathan liked the tall grass. Yes - we let our baby walk around in a diaper. His pants were soaked from the Lower Falls creek bed.

Not so happy about being "stuck" in the taller grass

2011 Vaca Day 4: Yosemite

2011-07-05T22:16:00.000-07:00

Our 2nd day in Yosemite started with a tram ride to the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees. The grove holds over 200 Giant Sequioa's -- some of the largest being 30 feet in diameter and over 2,500 years old.

Nathan enjoys the view out the shuttle window.

A large fallen tree. The size of the trees is tough to capture in photos - its something that needs to be seen first hand.

The Grizzly Giant - arguably Nick's most favorite thing seen in the park.

Tree with tunnel carved in it. Apparently they used to allow cars to drive through there. Things have changed - they go to great lengths to keep you on the paths and off the soil around the trees.

A group of 4 large trees next to one another.

After the Mariposa Grove, we drove over to Glacier Point. This was one of the highlights of the trip for me. My only wish? That we'd had sunny and blue skies to set off the granite features while up there. Oh well, the grey brought occasional rain drops which kept temps cooler.

Half-dome from Glacier Point

Lower Yosemite Falls from Glacier Point

Nevada and Vernal Falls from Glacier Point. The lower of the 2 falls is the same from our first day's Mist Trail hike.

We returned to camp in the early evening and Nick, Nat, Nathan and I explored the immediate area while Lisa, Adam and Al prepared dinner.

Nick and Nat cross a tree bridge over the river near camp.

Posing next to the Merced.

A cool tree that I liked the looks of.

One of several bear traps set up around camp. Bears seemed to be a big deal -- rangers routinely patrolled campsites to make sure food was kept away -- but sadly we didn't get to see any.

2011 Vaca Day 3: Yos-Might

2011-07-04T23:49:00.000-07:00

So we had this long discussion about 2 weeks back when Natalie asked: well, what is Yos-might anyway? Why do we want to go there? Well, Nat, because it will be pretty and fun. I could not have more underestimated on both. The park is simply stunning. Every turn, every corner reveals something new, that much more amazing than the last thing.

It begins the moment you first emerge from the 2-mile long tunnel.

Half dome from the main road near Curry Village. We quickly found our campsite and then made our way into the Village to check out the happenings.

Tents in Curry Village.

Hanging out on the deck of the lodge at Curry Village.

Having explored the Village, we decided our first adventure would be to hike the Mist Trail to Nevada Falls. This is the first bridge you cross at the trail's head.

The path was paved and smooth and Nathan was able to sleep the ascent up most of the canyon. Dirty boy. Less than 3 hours in the park and his face looks like he's been here a week.

The trail turns to steps at the base of the falls so Lisa, Nathan and Nat waited at the bottom while Al, Nick, Adam and I climbed to the top of the falls. I'm sure that during portions of the year it is a mist trail - but on the day of our visit it was more like a deluge.

I'm only noticing now that I appear to be the most wet. Clearly I did something wrong.

Making our way slowly back down the wet and slippery stairs.

Back down at the base of the stairs. Nathan now awake and Natalie disappointed that she didn't go up.

A view of Lower Yosemite Falls - 2,500 foot drop - from the Mist Trail.

We made it back to camp in the late afternoon to set everything up. I'm including these shots of Nathan only to show how quickly a 1-year old gets dirty.

Look at those finger nails. I wouldn't be eating anything from him, Al.

This was our view on the night of the 4th of July.

2011 Vaca Day 2: SFO

2011-07-03T23:10:00.000-07:00

Day 2 started like any other. You know -- kid (in this case, Nathan) graffiti's hotel pillow with crayons. You're welcome, next Courtyard guest.

We originally planned to spend a mellow Sunday in Sacramento, with a drive to Placerville and nearby Sutter's Mill to visit Goldrush-era related State Parks there. BUT...temps were pushing 102 by 9am and the humidity was unbearable so we changed our plans and hit the coast instead.

The kids begged a tour of the Jelly Belly factory on the way into town. How could we possibly pass this up? Your typical idled factory tour but fun all the same. Adam sampled many of their gag flavors proclaiming "Barf" to be the most realistic (over such others as 'dog food', 'pencil shavings' and 'baby wipes').

We rolled into SFO around 11. It was clear the 4th was a big travel weekend and we couldn't get within 10 miles of Golden Gate-anything by car. So we snuck through some familiar side streets to Lincoln Park and spent the late morning admiring views of the bay and bridge from the northern tip of the southern peninsula. Temps: 74 and breezy - the wiseness of our decision to abandon the hills above Sacramento confirmed.

Above looking out over the Pacific. Below Allison takes a picture of the GG bridge. We spent a couple of hours walking around the park and taking in the ocean views and breeze.

By late afternoon we moved to Union Square to people watch and let the kids hang out. Nathan passed the time chasing the pigeons.

And Natalie-Allison-Nick entertained the crowd with their impressions.

At $5-per-head-per-direction, this was the closest the kids came to riding a cable car.

After 'enjoying' some of the hills (read: trying to get air in the mini-van ala 'Streets of San Francisco') we finally settled on the grass and beach in front of Ghirardelli Square to take in the views of Alcatraz and the stunning sunset over the bridge.

Nathan looks down at the beach and water.

The kids leaping off the steps into the sand. They were never able to synch their timing.

Good night, Sunday. You were very good to us today.

2011 Vaca Day 1: Sacramento

2011-07-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

It took 2 computers frantically working the Yosemite reservation system in the wee hours of one morning last winter but Lisa and I were eventually lucky enough to score 4 nights camping in Upper Pines - a trip which finally arrived this week. We decided to head up a couple days early to tool around Northern-Central California. We took advantage of the bumper-weekend to explore Northern/Central California a bit.

We left home around 4 am, stopped over in Santa Clarita for breakfast before making it into Sacramento for lunch.

We made our way to the State Capitol for a tour - Natalie hoping to catch a glimpse of Jerry Brown (yawn).

Nathan, happy to be out of the car, sprints for the lawn outside the Capitol building.

Posing in front of San Diego in the 'Hall of Counties'. Adam and Al, steeped in school class project artistry, gave San Diego county's submission, a 3-dimensional painting/diorama highlighting La Jolla Cove, an A. Some counties, ahem Imperial, simply submitted a couple of photos or a poster from a famed event.

The inside of the dome.

Assembly chamber on the east side of the Capitol building.

Posing with the Golden Bear and State Flag outside the Governor's Office.

The family - July 2, 2011 - Sacramento, California.

The weather in Sacramento was down right miserable so we spent the rest of the afternoon back in the hotel pool. Later in the evening we ventured down to Old Sacramento, an area on the Sacramento River preserved to look like it did in the mid to late 19th century.

The kids had a good time but it was still miserably hot.

Posing in one of the photo booths.

Exploring a train car outside the train Museum.

Looking west over the Sacramento River

Posing outside the Delta King.

So Long Vista Grande - Part Deux

2011-06-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Al who today "graduated" from Vista Grande Elementary. Hard to believe we have another child in middle school. Where has the time gone? Not so hard to believe? The incredibly beautiful young woman that my little Allison has become. I am proud of and love you, dear.

Receiving her diploma - her teacher on the left and principal on the right.

Closing song "my future's so bright, I gotta wear shades..."

Exiting the auditorium

After the ceremony a few of us went to BJ's for lunch.

Nathan hung with the ladies...of course.

And Nick grew tired of me taking pics.

Sharp lookin' boy that Nick.

He Walks!

2011-06-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

So the boy has been playing around with this walking thing for about 4 weeks but never taking it more than 3-4 steps at a time. Suddenly in the last 24 hours he's decided walking is generally easier than the moglie-crawl we've grown accustomed to. Here now some pics and a vid...

Smiling tooling around the backyard

On his toes straining to get into the tub

A still from the video below

Cruising the steps to the kitchen

The boy walking...

Let the Summer Begin!

2011-06-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

So we're just about settled into the new place and ready for summer. Come on down, the weather's great.

The view looking southwest

Nathan balances on the chair

Nick waits for a burger

While Adam jokes

And Al looks on

Nat...just Nat.

We're Moving!

2011-05-14T22:15:00.000-07:00

So after more than 3 years of "casual" looking and what's surely been nearly 100 different homes, we've pulled the trigger and are moving to a larger place about a half mile up the road. Escrow should close in a few days and we'll move in early June. Now taking reservations for the upcoming summer...drop in and share a few days with us if you get the chance.

Tesla Nathan

2011-05-01T23:28:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you combine warm, dry weather on a Sunday afternoon, a cute little boy with whispy, long hair and a trampoline? Your own personal Tesla coil.

The kids got a kick out of Nathan's hair this afternoon, summoning us to the tramp quick to see his wild 'do. Don't touch. He shocks.

The science observations continued into the evening. Allison wandered out of bed about an hour ago in a bit of a panic. She rolled over, heard popping in her bed, looked under the covers and saw dozens of flashes of light. Electricity, dear. Go back to bed.

Aren't kids fun?

The Tooth Fairy's a Cheat!

2011-05-01T20:37:00.000-07:00

Big day at school on Friday when Nick and Nat both lost teeth. Later that night, they proudly placed their treasures under their pillows with dreams of big bucks from the tooth fairy. Ever short on actual cash, the tooth fairy went scrounging the house for a few loose dollar bills before going to bed herself. Morning came and the twins awoke, pleased that the fairy had visited. All was well.

Until lunch. As she bit into her noodles, Natty, looking smugly at Lisa, asked, "Gee...wouldn't it be funny if the tooth fairy actually took a dollar bill out of your wallet and gave it back to you?" Lisa immediately turned to me barely able to contain the look of shock on her face. Had Natty caught her lifting a dollar from her wallet in the middle of the night? When I pressed, "well, what do you mean, Nat?" she simply pointed her finger at her mother and laughed. Busted.

It gets worse. A couple hours later, Nat emerges from her room with a tooth in hand. "Hey dad, look what I found in my room. This couldn't be mine, could it?" she asked. "You know, perhaps it slipped out of the tooth fairy's bag as she flew away," I responded. Seemingly accepting of my response, she bounded off: "Ya - that must have been what happened."

Fast forward an hour. Lisa's mom arrives to watch the kids for the evening. No sooner had she come inside when Natty was overheard to ask: "Hey grandma, do you think the tooth fairy knows if you put the same tooth back under your pillow a second time? It probably wouldn't work, huh?"

Give her credit. That Nat is hip to what's going down and always working the angles.

Mud-cavin' it!

2011-04-23T20:52:00.001-07:00

A few photos from our campout trip earlier this week to the mud caves / Arroyo Tapiado. The weather was perfect and the kids, especially Nick, loved visiting Tattoine (insert favorite scene from the opening of Star Wars here).

This was the van's first major off-road adventure. Took more than 3 hours to get everything cleaned up after we got home.

Entrance to one of the larger caves we found. We explored about 1/4 mile into this cave - lots of large rooms and very cool skylights.

Once inside we let our eyes adjust to the darkness. Temps were very cool inside.

Large skylight about 1/4 mile in.

The twins show off

Another skylight

Another cave

The twins had a blast

Nick is sure this is the place where R-2/D-2 was zapped by the Jawas.

Nathan chills in the tent.

Kids pose above our camp.

The trip did bring out Allison's previously unknown admiration for her uncle Jeremy. As we descended from Jacumba to the desert floor, Allison pipes up: "Uh, I'm not sure this is a safe thing to do without Uncle Jeremy. Dad's gonna get us lost." Geez, thanks Allison. And congrats to my sister and her husband. Let them know we can have Allison moved in the weekend after school gets out!

Upset Tourney!

2011-03-25T21:45:00.000-07:00

So not a good outcome this week for college basketball with the Aztecs going down to UConn yesterday afternoon. Gotta make the free throws - you gotta be able to make the free throws. Pile on more disappointment when 15 minutes later Florida destroys BYU in overtime. Tourney over for the Mountain West. It was an incredible run for SDSU though - a magical season that was great to enjoy.

None too pleased with my bracket performance either - but I do still have Kansas in it and am not yet eliminated. I just need Kansas to win out. Given that the other 3-#1 seeds are done, I'm not feeling all that confident. At this point I guess I throw my emotional support behind VCU who seem to be unstoppable.

Bracket Totals through Round 4:

R2 R3 R4 Tot

Lisa 26 22 12 60

Allie 21 20 16 57

Scott 24 18 4 46

Adam 22 16 8 46

N/N 18 10 4 32

Upset Sunday

2011-03-20T20:51:00.000-07:00

Wow - nice showing by the Big East this weekend. Not. Some big upsets destroyed our brackets to varying degrees. Lisa remains in the lead while Allison overcomes Adam to move into 3rd and nipping at my heels. The 2 teams we're most interested in -- SDSU and BYU -- gave strong performances and hope remains alive for later this week. Let's go Aztecs.

Bracket scores as of tonight (R2=1pt; R3=2pts; W=correct picks; W% based on 48 games played):

R2 R3 Tot W W%

Li 26 22 48 37 77%

Sc 24 18 42 33 69%

Al 21 20 41 31 65%

Ad 22 16 38 30 63%

NN 18 10 28 23 48%

Bracket Update

2011-03-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

So we come to the end of Day 1 of the NCAA Tournament. Big win for SDSU who shook off what appeared to be nerves and apprehension in an otherwise dismal first half to walk all over Northern Colorado in the second half. Also happy to see BYU win; we just need UNLV to cover tomorrow night and it will be a strong opening for the MWC.

In terms of our family brackets, congrats to Lisa who successfully predicted the outcome of 14 of 16 games. Bracket points as of tonight are as follows:

Lisa - 14 pts

Scott - 12 pts

Adam - 11 pts

Allison - 10 pts

Nick/Nat - 9 pts

Bracketology

2011-03-16T12:17:00.000-07:00

So the brackets are filled out and we're ready for the Tourney to start. All of us have SDSU making to at least Regionals. But Nick and Nat, who shared a bracket, took it 2 steps further and have SDSU over BYU in the final. How great would that be? Near impossible...but a dream none the less. Lets go Aztecs!

2011-03-14T11:12:00.000-07:00

El Cajon Pony Opening Day

So after I came out of denial about my little boy being "aged out" of Little League, I researched what was next for Adam in baseball. I found the Pony League. It is a league of 13, 14, and 15 year old boys. It consists of boys from the east El Cajon area. I am so proud of Adam and respect his love of the game. He went to tryouts knowing no one, but with a huge desire to keep playing and did great. He was drafted on the Georgia Bulldogs by Coach Moreno and soon started his season. PLAY BALL!

Adam taking some hitting practice

The new team-- The Bulldogs

(Despite the expressions the boys were excited to start the season)

POTD: SFO Adam

2011-03-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

Adam poses in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in this summer 2003 trip to San Francisco.

POTD: Wall Street

2011-03-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

It's a Friday. So why not a photo taken on a lazy Friday afternoon in NYC? I fell in love with lower Manhattan with its winding, narrow, canyon-like streets (compared to the wider, relatively straight, grid in mid and upper Manhattan) and turn of the century skyscrapers. This cathedral, erected in the late 1800's, houses a cemetery and sits right in the middle of all of the action. I loved the way the sun shone down this late afternoon -- it would have been around 5 PM -- and am glad I snapped this shot. Sadly this was pre-Nikon era so my options to enhance are limited. :(

POTD: Yo Adam

2011-03-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Allison (2) looks up at Adam (5) who strains to look over the railing at Horton Plaza in this spring 2002 photo. Adam may never fully appreciate just how much Allison looks up to him -- then and now.

POTD: Bruiser Nat

2011-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

This April 2008 photo shows Natalie (3) when she was in her peak wrestling condition, ready to the bring the fight wherever necessary. I think she could bench press 6 pounds during this period. Certainly didn't want to cross her path...

POTD: Hollywood Blvd Cutie

2011-03-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Allison (18 mos) strolls Hollywood Boulevard with her Kate Spade (NYC counterfeit) purse in this fall 2001 photo. I was in LA for some training and Lisa and Al spent the afternoons wandering the city.

POTD: Adam Rides a Goose

2011-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Really not much else to say in this summer of 2001 photo from Viejas. Allison and cousin Kalena look on.

POTD: Pizza Night

2011-03-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

The twins enjoy making pizzas in this Feb 2008 photo. Of course they washed those 3 year-old hands before dipping into the cheese. Of course they did.

PS - Nat, you are the cheese.

Final Game

2011-03-05T22:42:00.001-08:00

Had a great time at Viejas Arena with Adam tonight as the Aztecs finished a truly magical season with a convincing win over Colorado State. Looking forward to an exciting Mountain West Conference Championship series in the coming week at then the NCAA tourney the latter half of March. Here's to hoping for the first tourney win in school history.

Final 4 seconds of the game and students going wild.

POTD: Snow Bunny

2011-03-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

Allison's (3) first real adventure out in the snow. This was taken in grandma's front yard in December 2003. Such a cutie.

POTD: Park City Babies

2011-03-04T06:00:00.000-08:00

The twins (about 9 months old in this picture) enjoy a beautiful June 2005 day in Park City, Utah.

POTD: Milk Vampires

2011-03-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

Breaking with the Adam-Allison trend of the past few days, the twins (4 months old) are seen enjoying (or having recently enjoyed) a meal in this early 2004 photo. I always loved Natty's very adult-like, relaxed sleeping pose.

POTD: Sleeptime

2011-03-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

Another Adam-Allison photo today. When Adam (5) was younger, he went through a period of time when he didn't like sleeping alone and Allison's (3) full bed offered plenty of room. Of course, as you can see from this mid-2003 photo, all that extra room didn't matter much.

POTD: Jailbirds

2011-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Continuing with yesterday's Adam and Allison theme, Adam (5) appears chained up in the Park City Jail in this summer of 2003 photo with Allison (3) keeping him company voluntarily. Adam plays the part of depressed prisoner so well but the browner-than-brown tan he's sporting suggests he's seen some recent daylight. There was absolutely no daylight to be found in this cold jail a couple of stories under ground.

POTD: Wrestling Match

2011-02-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Allison and Adam have always shared a special bond, particularly in the early years when it was just the 2 of them. Here Allison works to tackle Adam in this photo from the spring of 2002. Its funny now to think of them as ever being this little.

POTD: Babies

2011-02-27T20:16:00.000-08:00

Ever wondered how twins look when they are 1 minute old? Nick appears above, Nat below in these photos from September 2004.

POTD: Bootsey

2011-02-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Allison proudly displays her pink boots in this summer of 2003 photo at the meerkat exhibit at the San Diego Zoo.

P(s)OTD: Wedding Adam

2011-02-25T06:00:00.000-08:00

Adam is the first grandchild on both sides of our family and, accordingly, has participated in many, many weddings over the years. There are hundreds of photos of him - today I chose to highlight a few from Lisa's cousin Jennifer's 2001 wedding.

Adam waits 'back stage' with the ring pillow in hand.

Sporting an afro and blow up guitar at the reception.

Pulling his John Travolta moves on the dance floor.

POTD: 2003 Wildfires

2011-02-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

This photo was taken in October 2003 - the first day of a major wildfire that burned a significant portion of San Diego county. I believe approximately 2200 homes were lost. The photo below was 4-5 days later. It was nearly a week before the sun shone clearly again. Truly surreal. This was the first time in my life when things felt really out of control - like there was nothing anyone could do to stop the flames. (I really do lead a carefully planned and executed life). As unbelievable as the whole thing was, no one could have ever expected the whole scene to repeat itself 4 years later. And yet...it did.

POTD: Double Boobah!

2011-02-23T08:17:00.000-08:00

Natty, 5 months old in this early 2005 picture, poses with her real twin, the Blue Boobah. I don't think the show is on the air any longer but both twins had a real fascination with Boobah from as early as 2-3 months of age. Natty received the toy as a gift at Christmas and soon after we noticed an uncanny resemblance. Thankfully she's since grown some hair and has blossomed into a beautiful little girl. Yay Nat!

POTD: Lisa Meets Wolverine

2011-02-22T08:11:00.000-08:00

Outside David Letterman's studio in May 2004. We just happened to be passing by as taping concluded. The most surprising thing not obvious in this photo? Good ol' Hugh doesn't seem anywhere near as tall as his publicist would have you believe. Lisa was disappointed...

POTD: Paris Park Bench

2011-02-21T00:10:00.000-08:00

Ok - so not THE Paris but a parkbench inside the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas all the same. You know - they virtually are the same. This was taken in July 2002. I loved this time period in Allison's life. She wore that red Lilo & Stitch dress 2-3 times per week for what was likely a year. Total cutie. For his part, Adam's sporting a Circle Preschool shirt. This was the summer before he entered kindergarten.

POTD: Al Enjoys a DP

2011-02-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

Ok. Mark us down as worst parents of the year for this July 2002 photo of 2-year-old Allison enjoying her own can of diet Dr. Pepper on grandma's porch.

POTD: Viejas 3

2011-02-19T13:37:00.001-08:00

This is from July 2001 and features Allison, Adam and Kalena taking a break from the fountain at Viejas.

POTD: Hamburger Helper Brent

2011-02-18T23:23:00.000-08:00

This picture is from a 1986-ish Roadshow. Brent shows off his acting chops (and sweet, tan lines -- see wristwatch and legs) as Hamburger Helper. Also featured, to his immediate left is Lani (as who knows what) and to her left Steven as Snap! Good times.

POTD: Adam Takes the Trophy

2011-02-17T20:31:00.000-08:00

These shots are from the April 2008 Pinewood Derby. Adam designed and completed the car 100% on his own, making his victory over the other 46 boys in his troop all the sweeter. A couple of weeks later he represented his troop at the Scout Fair at Qualcomm stadium. The car performed well and he advanced well into the finals - ultimately losing in the semi-finals when there were only 4-5 cars remaining. Great job, Adam.

POTD: Natty Goes In

2011-02-16T20:27:00.000-08:00

This is from June 2006 when we discovered a Ferrell's in the Mira Mesa area of San Diego. Who knew? Natalie was 20 months old, seen here reaching in to grab some of Adam's ice cream. Good times.

POTD: Ad & Al in Union Square

2011-02-15T20:10:00.001-08:00

This was taken in March 2004 from the 7th floor of the Macy's at Union Square in SFO. We were in town for Lisa's cousin's wedding. The kids were the perfect age for this trip. We were in the middle of Chinatown, looking for a parking space, when Allison (4 years old) boldly proclaimed that she was proficient in "dot com". She then proceeded to draw what looked like Chinese characters on a sheet of paper. You know, dot com.

Photo of the Day: NYC

2011-02-14T19:59:00.001-08:00

I took this photo in August of 2001 - looking east up W. 59th from near Columbus circle. One of the many things I love about New York is Central Park. You have a wall of 50-60 story skyscrapers on one side of the street and immediate trees, paths, lakes and forest on the other. The transition is completely surreal. This was around 10am on a Sunday morning which is why traffic was so light. I loved the idea of this horse-drawn carriage slowly making its way down the middle of 59th and was very lucky to have the sunlight play like it did. Again - completely surreal.

I spent much of the summer of 2001 working on a project based out of Deloitte's '2 World Fi' offices. The project was brought to an abrupt end by the 9/11 terrorist attacks - just a day before Lisa was to join me for a long weekend at World Trade 3 (the Marriott crushed when the twin towers fell). Truly devastating.

Photo(s) of the Day: Skiing at Brighton

2011-02-13T21:23:00.001-08:00

Seems like time gets the best of me and posts have been few and far between lately. To help provide a little inspiration, thought I'd start posting a photo of the day (which will likely not last and become photo of the week - but, hey, lay off me I'm trying) with its associated story.

This is from January 1995. It is a picture of Lisa and Heath Jackson (and me) heading up the Crest lift at Brighton Resort about 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City. This was an incredible day. It was snowing in the valley that morning as we left for Alta. Some harrowing moments on the freeway when a slight grade turned 6 lanes into a jumbled mess of cars sliding every which way. Fortunately, Heath dodged getting hit and after taking nearly an hour to go 1/4 mile, we crested the slight grade and made it to the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Signs informed us that the canyon was impassable owing to an overnight avalanche. Our only choice: boarding a city bus to Brighton up neighboring Big Cottonwood Canyon. Ugh! Undeterred, we pressed on and after 4-5 hours of effort, we finally made it. And we weren't disappointed. Pure powder. I've always loved this photo because of Lisa's snow beard. I'm convinced it was 15-20 below zero in the wind on the lift near the summit. Toes? Forget about it.

Packed bus heading up the canyon. Apologies for the offensive jacket. I'll blame "layering".

Bathtime!

2011-02-12T09:29:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd post a couple pics of the now 7-1/2 month old Nathan who's always vying for a bath.

These photos are about 3 weeks old. He's sporting 4 teeth across the top now, too.

All clean.

Happy Birthday, L

2011-01-30T16:47:00.000-08:00

Happy birthday to an incredible wife and amazing mother. Still my Star Baby after all these years.

Her Empire Expands

2011-01-09T16:14:00.000-08:00

Apparently Allison has been busy acquiring slaves. We found the below posted on the refrigerator this weekend. Helps explain why Natalie asked Lisa on Friday night "mom, what's a contract and what does it mean if you sign it?"

SERVANT AGREEMENT CONTRACT

This contract is for Nicholas and Natalie Ericksen. They state that Nick and Nat are Allie's servants for 5 days. When they sign this contract they are Allison's servants and do whatever she says. They must obey her at all times. Allie must also get up on the trampoline whenever they say.

/s/ Nick Ericksen

/s/ Natalie Ericksen

/s/ Allie Ericksen

It does sound like a rift however has already developed. Natalie promised me last hour "to do what I asked" if I would come out and jump with her. When I mentioned that she's already enslaved to Allison she boldly proclaimed "no, I quit that contract." Stay tuned for the inevitable claim of breach.

In other tramp-related news, the following cute baby was seen hogging the mat much of the afternoon.

Winter Zion

2011-01-02T18:56:00.001-08:00

Few words in this post - mostly a few of the pics I liked most from our visit to Zion National Park this week. It had been about 25 years since the last time I was there. I have to say the topography is much more dramatic in winter.

Approaching the entry gate.

The Council of the Patriarchs

Floor of the Valley - about 8 miles in.

Looking north toward The Loop from near Weeping Rock

Looking west from The Loop back toward Weeping Rock

Snowball fight

Just a cute pic of Big Boy

Al and Kris in The Loop

Mommy and Nathan making the same face

The Clan at the Loop. Tough to get everyone to look the same way - especially when there's so much snow to throw. I will say that my nephew Cole (front center) may just be my favorite. When I uploaded our trip pictures onto the Mac this afternoon I discovered he was front and center in every single group picture I took.

Lone pine tree growing half-way up the cliff at The Loop.

Looking back west down the valley

Allison in front of The Great White Throne

Deer! (Uncle Jeremy must be a hunter at heart because I would have missed these one thousand times over)

Lisa and Big Boy snuggling at Weeping Rock - about 15 degrees in the shady parking lot.

Another shot looking west down the valley.

Adam and Al in front of the Patriarchs

Big Horn Sheep!

Kids just east of the tunnel

East entrance into the tunnel

Looking north out of one of the tunnel "windows". Very cool - especially when you consider the tunnel opened in 1930.

St. George!

2010-12-28T20:29:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to St. George for a few days this week to visit their grandparents and Southern Utah cousins.

Of course no trip to Vegas or Utah is complete without a stop off at the Barstow Station. We stopped in around 630 for a quick breakfast just as the sun was coming up. Unbelievably there were 2 tour buses in the lot and plenty of people milling about. I don't think this place ever closes.

On the road toward Baker

Coming down the grade toward Stateline. The recent rains had the entire Primm Valley completely underwater on both sides of the freeway.

Big Boy looking fuzzy and happy to be out of his seat (momentarily) during a pit stop in Jean.

Entering the Virgin River Gorge.

We first dropped in on my brother Ryan's family. The kids enjoyed an epic battle with their Nerf guns in the large basement room.

After lunch we went up to Dixie rock to explore the caves and canyons. The kids love climbing all of these rocks that look like something out of Star Wars. Here Adam prepares to climb up the slot canyon. About 80 feet in length and 12-18 inches wide -- narrowing down to 8 inches at its narrowest. I'd like to say I made it through but...maybe next year.

One of the arch features in the area.

Adam enjoys some rock climbing.

North of St. George looking south over the city.

Same spot but looking North.

Allison holds up the canyon wall.

Nathan played in the car while the kids and I enjoyed the rocks. He didn't seem any worse for wear.

Hotel play before bed. A great first day of our trip.

SFO Nathan

2010-12-15T23:01:00.000-08:00

CAUTION: The following contains pictures of a 'RIDICULOUSLY CUTE CHILD'.

So Lisa and I made our annual mid-December pilgrimage to San Francisco this week. I for the SEC National Reporting Conference (yes - very sexy stuff); Lisa for the fun and shopping. It's become something of a tradition for us - a great way to welcome the holiday season. Of course this year was a little different - we had a child in tow. Talk about a chick magnet - Nathan attracts lots of attention everywhere he goes. Here now: some photos of 'Big Boy' in the Big City.

Fresh off the airplane and into the car seat on his way to Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz-cliff Nathan.

Look at my toothy-smile Nathan.

We 'discovered' this cool place called Pigeon Point on the road from Santa Cruz to San Francisco. I instantly regretted leaving the D-90 at home but tried my best to capture the fog with Lisa's point-and-shoot.

Sun coming down through the mist.

Pigeon point Nathan

Early morning playing on the bed Nathan.

Subway to Haight-Ashbury Nathan

Hold on to the bars tight safety Nathan

I always heard that you should never feed a dog from the table. He begged a bite of bread at dinner the first night. We didn't enjoy a single quiet meal the rest of the trip. I drew a line at the canoli after dinner on Monday night.

Foccacia Nathan

Chillin' on the pillow before his big day out with mom Nathan

Let me see that camera Nathan

California at Montgomery Nathan

Free picture in the old Navy bus Nathan

Specialty Bakery Nathan

More financial district Nathan

Mommy's favorite Wayfare Tavern Nathan

Enjoying the view from the 26th floor with dad Nathan

After tempura shrimp salad at The House Nathan

Union Square Nathan

Window above Market Nathan

Sleeping on the way home Nathan

Best quotes of the trip:

"Wow. Great job you two." - Homeless man near Golden Gate Park referring to Nathan

"Excuse me. I just have to say, that is a ridiculously cute child you have there." - Random man in the hotel elevator.

HELP US UPDATE - THE FINAL CUT

2010-11-28T20:35:00.000-08:00

And then there were 3. We'll leave voting open for 1 more day.

Thanks for the feedback.

#3 - 84

#4 - 68

#6 - 43

Me Too...

2010-11-26T12:07:00.000-08:00

A tale is told that many, many years ago a boy fell head over heels in love with the most beautiful girl...

Their paths first crossed in the fall when the boy would sometimes see the girl on her way home from school as he rode his bike to work. He set about casually gathering information about her over the next several months, learning that she in fact lived very near to a few of his friends. It was one of those friends that would eventually bring the girl into the store where the boy worked. He was smitten. She was so mysterious and so unlike any other girl he'd ever seen. Early the following year the boy finally mustered the courage to ask the girl for her phone number on one such visit to the store. She wrote it down on the back of a small cash register receipt, sure that the boy would lose it and never call. But this boy did call and they eventually started spending time together.

The boy found the girl to be perfect in every way - grounded, incredibly smart, very funny and supported by a wonderful family. As time passed, he struggled to understand the feelings he was developing for her. She was becoming his very best friend but in a way that was much different from the feelings he had for his 3 buddies. He started to wonder if he was 'in love' and found himself thinking about this a lot. He spent time that summer debating the topic with his buddies and eventually reached his own conclusion: he knew he was in love.

This conclusion brought its own set of new challenges. What was he supposed to do now? How could he even begin to tell the girl that he felt this way about her? How would she react? And what if she didn't feel the same for him? Fear took over - he was torn between his desire to be honest and the potentiality of her breaking his heart. He eventually resolved he could remain quiet no longer. He beat around the bush for quite some time that night, hinting and hoping for a sign that she wouldn't crush his heart as he 'laid it out there.' His bumbled words eventually came out a little something like this:

Boy: So I've been thinking a lot lately about my feelings for you. Dave and I were talking the other night about what it means to be in love. [Long pause]

Girl: Oh ya?

Boy: Yes. It's a very interesting question you know? How do you know when you are in love?

Girl: Yes. I don't know. [Even longer pause]

Boy: Lisa, I think I love you.

All time stopped and the boy's heart raced as he awaited a response. And then it came:

Girl: Me too.

The boy felt an immediate sense of relief. It wasn't rejection! But in the days that followed he began to doubt. What exactly did she mean "me too"? The boy began to wonder if he had received the "I love you return" (see Seinfeld several years later). The following week the boy firmed things up and the girl replied "I love you, too." All was well.

The boy and girl went on believing in their love in spite of all the challenges in front of them. The challenges were many; many more than were ever acknowledged, recognized or known at the time. They eventually married some years later and that marriage produced 5 beautiful children.

The boy is much older now. To this day, he still struggles, more often than not, with expressing his feelings to others. He doubts, he fears, he lets his foolish pride get in the way. But every now and then he works up the courage to once again 'lay it out there.'

Yesterday the boy found himself at Thanksgiving dinner with his beautiful, 10-year-old daughter sitting on his lap. As she sat there, he reflected on the depth of his love for her - the product of his love for the girl he met 20 years before. He leaned up and whispered gently into his daughter's ear:

Boy: Allison, I am very thankful for you. I love you.

And the daughter's response? You've probably already guessed...

Daughter: Me too.

Its true what they say: the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And for that I am truly thankful.

Sock Hop

2010-11-19T23:54:00.000-08:00

Sock hop at "Mister Grande" tonight. Above Nick, Nat and Al show off their wares. Below, Nathan proudly displays his cake-walk prize.

(Let it be known - he was allowed 1 very small bite before the cookie was confiscated.)

Concealed Weapon

2010-11-12T22:25:00.000-08:00

Twins be warned: the boy's now packin heat...

Swim-a-Thon Update

2010-11-06T17:31:00.001-07:00

For those of you who pledged, Allison completed 80, 25-meter laps this afternoon - that's a distance of 1-1/4 miles! Great job Allison. We are very proud of you.

Too Good For Drugs

2010-11-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

So thanks to the State Board of Curriculum - or whatever agency/legislative body - is charged with establishing the curriculum in the State of California. Frankly I might disagree with your decision to present your "Too Good for Drugs" messaging to a bunch of kindergartners. Call me old fashioned but frankly I would prefer my little ones stay little, just a little longer. But since you decided it was important to teach my babies about (read: introduce them to) drugs, allow me to please share with you two funny conversations I've had with them this week.

First, on Tuesday, my Nick comes home from school brandishing a shiny, red wrist-band. When asked over dinner what the wrist-band meant, he boldly proclaims that it "gives him permission to drink some beers when he's 19." Snickers followed by irritation.

Fast forward to Saturday evening. We're having a nice time at Lisa's cousin Nelson's wedding reception; you know, yacking it up with family. Some 10 minutes after the Martinelli's toast, my sweet little Natalie pushes back from the table and announces to all: "Whew, I've had 2 glasses of that juice and I am starting to be drunk."

Judging from her dancing shortly thereafter, perhaps she was drunk indeed (3 photos followed by 90 second video clip):

Go Natty, Go Natty. I guess they have to grow up sometime. But I stick by my comments above - I can wait a little longer.

Unbelievable - the Boy's 13!

2010-10-30T21:24:00.001-07:00

A very happy birthday wish to my first-born, Adam, who today turned 13! What started out as this...

Has turned into this...

Unbelievable, really. He's about 2 inches taller than his mom and quickly approaching his grandfather.

Surely there's not a more caring, thoughtful, and FUNNY young man out there. His siblings are very lucky to have such a great big brother.

We love you Adam.

Plaster...er, Rocket City

2010-10-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

Spent last night with Adam's Scout Troop out in the desert about 2 miles east of Plaster City, California. That's right, it's as glamorous as it sounds: Plaster City. In fact, near as I can tell, Plaster City was little more than a US Gypsum sheetrock manufacturing plant. Hardly a city, to be sure.

This was our first camping trip since Nathan joined us - he had an incredible time with all the kids and adults constantly doting on him.

Excuse the Beaver shirt - its a phase.

The boys made Wolf'ems around the campfire. A little biscuit dough over a block of wood, toasted and then stuffed with pie filling - choco, peach, apple - you get the idea. Nathan would not stop begging and at least one parent was observed feeding him a small bite of biscuit. He cooed for quite a while afterwards.

Morning brought sunshine and heat very early. The boys loaded up on breakfast burritos before getting down to rocket business.

Natty observes the length of her shadow in the 7am sun.

Nathan shoots a smile while waiting for the launching pads to finish set up.

The launch site - 3 pads.

Adam's rocket...on it's way.

Natty watches from a distance.

While the boys run it down.

Nick and Nat eventually got to launch a rocket of their own.

Good times.

The Boy

2010-10-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

At the risk of further concentrating the family log onto Nathan, here are a couple photos taken tonight - he's now almost 15 weeks.

Smiling at Adam

Sitting up out front

Telling us about the Chargers win but Padres loss. Poor Padres.

Prone to Seizures?

2010-09-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

Lisa and I laughed a bit about all of the warning signs outside of Cox Arena on Wednesday night re: the use of strobes and lasers during the Muse show. For good reason - they weren't kidding. Some show.

Excerpts from New Born - 9/22/10.

NSE 3 Months: We Have Hands!

2010-09-18T13:31:00.000-07:00

Nathan turns 3 months on Wednesday this coming week. He now weighs 13'10" and comes in at 24.5 inches. Insert obligatory comment about time flying here.

He's very sweet and smiles at everyone. He's fairly ticklish and is openly laughing now. He's found his hands and feet - the former spending considerable amounts of time in his mouth.

He's also doing well in the sitting up department and enjoys spending time looking around.

Hope all is well with each of you.

Happy Birthday, N&N!

2010-09-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe 6 years have passed so quickly. Happy birthday Nicholas and Natalie. We love you.

More Faces of Nathan

2010-08-29T22:02:00.000-07:00

A few pics taken today of the now 9-week old boy.

Turtle Nathan

Tongue poke Nathan

Smirky Nathan

Surprised to see me Nathan

Chillin' outside Nathan

Ponies and Weezer

2010-08-22T14:43:00.000-07:00

Short post today solely to report that Weezer put on the best live show I've ever seen last night - made only better by the price: $3 admission to the races. Sadly I didn't check the charge on the little camera before we left - so I was able to take only 2 pics and the following short video.

Above Allison enjoys the ponies from the infield track as they race by. Quite a thing to see up that close. Eerily quiet as they breezed by.

Youtube Weezer Del Mar if you'd like to see more like the show opening here: http://www.youtube.com/user/peter1miler#p/u/12/XURw95VI4gY

The Many Faces of Nathan

2010-08-15T20:10:00.001-07:00

Nathan turns 8-weeks old on Tuesday. Here's another post FOR THE GRANDMAS.

The "what have you got for me, dad?" Nathan.

The "I'm a little afraid of this situation, why are you letting this rambunctious little girl get so close" Nathan

The "hey, I know something you don't" Nathan

The "just what kind of lens are you using there?" Nathan - sometimes also known as the "how long can this go on?" Nathan.

The "ok, long enough...pick me up already" Nathan

The very blue-eyed, just from the shower Nathan

The "lets party" Nathan

The "ok, that was a good one, but really, let's party" Nathan

The "aaaa-gwhooo" Nathan

The "ok, that's enough, I'm gonna pout" Nathan

The puffer fish Nathan

The "I said I was through with picture taking, put it away" Nathan

"I mean now" Nathan

The "um...I can't quite decide" Nathan

The "I just can't go on" Nathan

And among my favorites:

The "Look dad, I can impersonate a dead monkey" Nathan.

Sweet dreams, kid.

RSDLL 9-10 Update

2010-08-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the 9-10 team for making it to the State Championship. Down 4-8 in the bottom of the 6th, they plated 3 runs ultimately losing on a strike out 7-8. Dual state championships would have been nice - but we'll take runners-up. Watch for a 3-team sweep - followed by an appearance in the LL World Series by the 11-12's - next year.

State Champs - Again

2010-08-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

Congrats to the RSDLL 10-11 All Stars who just beat La Verne, 13-11, taking 2 games in the best of 3 series to repeat as California State Champs. Congrats boys.

The latest news out of Palmdale has the 9-10 All Stars losing 3-6 in the top of the 6th against Upland in that best of 3 series for the State Championship there as well. A loss tonight will force a crucial game 3 tomorrow. Go get 'em boys.

So grateful to have such a strong little league program in the area. While Adam's now moved, Nick's just getting started and loving every minute of it.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do?

2010-07-24T23:11:00.000-07:00

So tonight is Bryce and Kalena's last night in town and we had the kids over for dinner.

After dinner we moved outside where an impromtu episode of Cops unfolded. Kalena was the self appointed sheriff of Darlington.

With "Poncherelo" Bryce serving as her trusty side kick.

Traffic was well behaved and moving along quite nicely.

Everyone minding the speed limit although Kalena does appear to apply the British rules of traffic flow.

Bryce patrolling the lower portion of the street.

Adam received a lecture for weaving in and out of traffic.

And Nick for speeding.

But it was Allison who eventually begged an arrest. While being patted down for weapons...

She broke free and the everyone was off to the races.

It was Natty who caught her first and attempted an open tackle as Kalena grabbed her arms.

Allison continues the fight...

Before finally giving in. Geez I hope I never see this face for real.

All while Nathan observed quietly from the hill -- surely dreaming of his day on the Big Wheel. Soon enough, son. Soon enough.

Geeking out at the Con

2010-07-23T23:39:00.000-07:00

After years of hearing the stories about the costumes and craziness, we braved Comic-Con this year -- a decision we reached the weekend after last year's show -- because that's how early the next year's show sells out (a year in advance). I'll let the photos tell the story.

As we approached the Convention Center walking from Horton we noticed these "bodies" floating in the sky all around us. Look closely in the center of the above photo of the Marriott.

They turned out to be soap people - part of a promotion for an upcoming movie called Skyline. Eery all the same.

The sheer number of people that crowd the Convention Center and surrounding downtown area is unbelievable. They say roughly 150,o00 for the entire 4-day event but it sure feels more like 150,000 each day.

Bodies, bodies, everywhere.

The crowds were so large and lines so long that you really couldn't "do" any of the really cool stuff the show offered without a clear strategy and extremely early arrival. I felt bad for Aunt Taleen who so wanted to meet a couple of people.

The mob scene out in front of the convention.

Trolley signs translated into Klingon.

More outside.

Inside, the event offers plenty to see: comic books, toys, game and movie previews, "gifts" (read: junk), celebrities, Q&A panels and -- my favorite -- thousands of people dressed in all kinds of interesting costumes.

This was the first picture of the day. Allison was all-too-giddy about seeing this character from Spirited Away. She ran right up to her and accepted a yellow Starburst. She then told me that in the story the character offers gold to lure in victims she then eats. I guess that's the kind of crowd Al identifies with. The joy on her face at this moment made my entire day.

The kids pose with homeless Batman and Papa Smurf.

Bryce and Adam especially enjoyed the Ironman displays.

We found Waldo wandering the convention floor seemingly too busy for a photo. Funny, he always struck me as the hang-around, loitering type.

We saw Gumby sans Pokey.

And the penguins from Madagascar...

...one of whom greeted Aunt Taleen in a very special way.

The boys with some characters from Star Wars.

An army of Halo soldiers. At one point I saw a group of about 30 of these guys all decked out and chanting "Hoo-raw" USMC style.

One of the "older" Princess Leia's I saw -- this woman had to be pushing mid-70's.

Perhaps my favorite pic of the day -- Stormtrooper pushing a stroller. In case you are wondering, most Stormtroopers appear to enjoy individual pepperoni pizzas for lunch.

I'll skip the stories and pics about the celebrity sightings and leave those for Aunt Taleen to share. There are hundreds more photos of all kinds of characters -- some not suitable for posting here -- but I'll end with this one.

All in, a great day. Thanks kids for behaving so well.

NSE's a Month Old

2010-07-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

Nathan turned a month old today. Time flies by so quickly...

Smiling tonight after a big dinner.

Old Town

2010-07-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

Took the kids down to Old Town and the renovated MBVC today - you know, so their brains don't turn to total mush while on summer break.

They enjoyed picking up provisions in the outpost before heading across the plains.

Adam and Bryce volunteered to carry the weapons.

But Nick made it look good.

Everyone getting educated on the building of wells and settling of Old Town San Diego.

Panning for gold.

While mommy looked on / yelled at me for taking pictures of her.

Natalie worked on the laundry.

Outside the general store. Motley crew.

Snorkeling with B&K

2010-07-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

So Brent and Taleen are in town this week and we decided to take the kids snorkeling today. And while the white board at the lifeguard tower claimed the water temp was 73, it felt like it was more like 53. Translation: only Adam and I snorkeled and we lasted about 15 minutes before coming back in. Too bad too - I can't recall the visibility ever being so good.

The kids did play in the surf a little bit.

While the seals looked on.

Nick on the stairs warming in the sun.

Adam buried Nat up to her neck. She couldn't have been happier.

The surf eventually claimed the beach so we moved up top side where the kids played Red Rover.

Adam and Bryce enjoy a climb in the tree.

Looking out over the Cove.

In the afternoon we wandered over to the ocean side of the Cove Park - the surf was surprisingly large given the great visibility earlier in the morning.

Kalena practices her Fantasia moves...

...before bracing and quickly bolting from her perch to avoid getting drenched.

Natty poses - she's becomes so serious now whenever I point the camera lens her way. Very cute.

Blessing Day

2010-07-18T22:33:00.000-07:00

70th Wedding Anniversary

2010-07-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

Congrats to my grandparents who this weekend celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary.

It was great reacquainting with distant relatives although Natalie boldly proclaimed by mid afternoon that she "didn't have anymore room for more cousints." I'll post a few photos below and place the rest on picasa for family to download -- email me at scottericksen@cox.net for an invite.

The kids gather for cake.

Grandpa tells stories over dessert.

My grandparents and their kids - Ken (#1 from left), Jan (#3 from left) and my mom (#5 from left).

The attending (and still present at picture time) grandkids and spouses.

And just a few of the great grandkids. Tough just getting them all in there for 2 minutes. Forget about getting them all to look the same direction or smile.

My crew (psst - over here, grandma).

Newport with Cousints

2010-07-15T23:54:00.000-07:00

We took a mini trip overnight up to the Newport area to visit with 'cousints' (Natalie's word not mine) from Louisiana ahead of this weekend's wedding anniversary party for Grandma and Grandpa. Nathan rested well in his first hotel bed.

Looking out over Anaheim westward toward the ocean.

Nick refused to get out of bed even though the sun was now very high in the sky.

Natalie's pre-breakfast grump.

Riley, Allison and others riding the ferry from Balboa Island to the peninsula.

Lisa and Nathan camped out under Cousin Patrick's umbrella while the kids played in the surf.

Adam body surfing - the sharp beach break brought very short rides concluding with a healthy dose of sand down the shorts.

Natalie contemplating heading back out.

NSE at almost 3...(weeks that is)

2010-07-11T21:56:00.001-07:00

10 minutes fresh. This post is for the grandmas.

Can It Be 20 Years?

2010-07-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

So my 20th Reunion came and went this weekend. And while I felt terribly mixed emotions about going -- the negative stemming primarily from denial -- I am incredibly glad that I did. I'll post just 1 photo, mostly for the benefit of my siblings, of my best friend who, to them, will always be "Uncle David".

Thanks for coming down Dave and for kicking my butt about going. I had a blast and it was great seeing you! Best wishes on your Bali, Australia New Zealand junket

NSE @ 1 week

2010-06-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

A week ago tonight Lisa was "checking in" at Mary Birch. A lot can change in a week...

Nathan owns the bed on a Sunday afternoon.

Semi-smiling about 10 minutes ago

Some of the better quotes from the kids this week:

Natalie (5) upon seeing Nate smile in his sleep - "He must be dreaming about unicorns. Wait, maybe not. Come to think of it, he doesn't even know what a unicorn is..."

Nick (5) on our way to Rubios for Saturday night dinner (that's right, we're high rollers) - "Mom, you'd better make Nathan a bottle before we go 'cause no one wants to see a mom lift up her shirt and nurse someone in a restaurant."

Update: More NSE

2010-06-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Lisa and Nathan are now home and resting comfortably. Thanks to all for the well wishes. Here are some additional photos from the past 3 days.

Allison is by far the most proud of the siblings. She and I can frequently be found arguing over who gets to hold Nathan next. If only that would last... (I can hear the complaining now when I demand she bring her 6 year old brother on her first date...)

Nick took great advantage of mom's hospital room - nothing like Spongebob from bed.

Nat finally put down the ipod long enough to get in a few moments with her bro. She's warming up to him much more now that he's home. I do still think she's coming to terms a bit with having lost her spot as the 'baby'.

Mom and babe.

Grumpy face

Enjoying lunch at home

You see?