Christmas Letter 2011

I know it sounds cliche, but I truly can't believe it's the end of 2011.  It's been a fun and eventful year in the Erickson family!

We began the year planning for the year's big event.  On March 5, 2011, our oldest daughter became Mrs. Dana Dorn, and we are so happy to welcome Nate into our family.  It was a beautiful wedding, in the mountains of Lytle Creek. They are a fun, crazy couple, living in Oceanside, and continuing with their amazing photography skills, and Lovers of Love photography (check out their website loversoflove.com).
Sterlyn is still working as a meat cutter in Orange, following in grandpa's footsteps (and those are some big footsteps to follow :)  We love spending time with him whenever we can.
Brittany is a junior this year, still enjoying competitive swimming, and is hoping to start Drivers Ed this next year, that is if dad is willing to get behind the wheel with her! Brooke began Middle School this year as a 7th grader, and is enjoying every minute of it.  She is a part of ASB and is becoming quite the leader!

Dan is still employed with Altro Transflor, and is doing quite a bit of traveling through the year.  This year included three trips to Mexico and back and forth across the US too many times to count.  Terri is still employed with the school district and keeps busy between work, home and heading up the Childrens' Ministries team at church.

As you celebrate Christmas this year, take time to remember the true reason we celebrate Christmas - Jesus Christ. 
Merry Christmas,
The Ericksons

Bees

So if you're not familiar with our bee story, let me give you a quick update.  Last March we bought an antique sink to make a fountain out of.  When we got home with it, Dan placed it in an old milk can out in the back yard, just to have some where to keep it until he was ready for it.

 

 So a week or two later we noticed a lot of bees flying around the sink, and realized a bee hive had been made in our milk can.  I was ready to call a bee keeper to have them taken away, but Dan is always up for an adventure.  That night he was talking to his dad and found out his uncle had a bee suit in his garage (that had been Dan's grandfathers), Dan decided it was meant to be, he was supposed to become a bee man.

All summer he had intentions to build bee boxes in the back of our yard, but never got to it.  In the mean time, our back yard looked like the 605 fwy with all of the bees rushing back and forth.  I was never a fan of them, especially after I was stung! 

So fast forward to two weeks ago.  Dan had just gotten home from a business trip and went out to check on his bees.  He didn't see any buzzing around, and when he got closer, he saw some ants on the ground near the hive, which ants and bees don't mix.  He realized all of the bees were gone.  We think all of the rain in December drove them away.  So he called us all out to see the results of nine months of bees....

 

I was amazed by what was in the milk can.  This picture is the bottom of it (we had to rip the bottom out).  It was lined with these honey combs.  For as much as I hated the bees, they really are an amazing insect.  How anyone wouldn't believe in God and creation after looking at this intricate detail  is beyond me.  Any way Dan took out each comb (I guess that's what they're called).  And in the end, we were rewarded with a sweet treat!

 We got about 8 jars of honey!  It really is better than anything you could buy in the store.  

Now we have decided on a new adventure this spring...chicks!!