christmas 2012.

heeelllooo! so, this christmas was definitely different then any other. first of all, i can't tell you how happy i am to go to bed before midnight, and not have to worry about homework. soo happy... also, second of all, i can't tell you how happy i am to have other people in the house... i don't realize how quiet everything is until i wake up to my family having a loud conversation about politics (you think i'm joking... politics make up about 95% of the conversation when my siblings are home).

 pre-christmas.

sooo... we had the gerlach's over for dinner and we went caroling(:

and my family played ticket to ride and had delicious hot chocolate(:

christmas eve.
well, i took quite a few pictures... on my school camera, soooo i can't put them on my computer because i didn't take them in JPG, sorry :(

i worked :/ 1-4ish, and actually, i quite enjoyed it, have i told you how much i love my job? because i really do...

i came home to a bunch of different cookies and preparations for our christmas dinner (we have out huge dinner christmas eve, not christmas) then a program and opening of one present (aka pajamas). anyways, it was super fantastic, just different then usual because ryan and tiffany and zach weren't there...

i also got to wrap presents... (one of my favorite things to do)

christmas.
well, i should tell you now, that i only asked for one thing... just ONE thing. and i got it(: and i couldn't be happier.

i got a real camera!!!! and a tripod, and zoom lens, and cleaning stuff, and case... and i am soo happy! i also got a super cute dress from Bohme, buuuut i don't have a picture of it. i am so thankful!

christmas morning... it's the best day of the year.
watching people open presents + huge mess in the living room = amazing.

this is sorta what it looks like:

also, can we all appreciate the fact that my niece and nephew are the cutest kids on this planet?

 evan.

 evan and his daddy made an (angry-looking) snowman!

 caitlin.

and christmas morning is our annual waffle breakfast!!! (which i failed to actually take pictures of)

 and at noon we got to web-chat with...

zach!!! it was great!

then, after a long day of hanging out, we had christmas dinner (left overs and appetizers)

can i just say that danielle and i set the table? kay, yeah. (i think i really like setting tables too)

and that concludes christmas!! well... i think i'll be catching up on a few blogs over the next few days, but till then, adios!

sincerely, 
erica

7/8 and buttons.

well well well...
this girl (yes me.) is officially 7/8ths of the way through high school! that's right, folks. today i completed my first semester of senior year. and boy, am i glad it's over. way more to come about this week, but my parents are having a party in ten minutes and i have to leave the computer (weird, right???)

buttons.

(sorry the picture is blurry-ish)

this girl (sam) and i figured out how to make buttons for our blogs... soo... wanna grab my button??(:

tomorrow...
tomorrow will be my day. (after i sleep for a good 12 hours at least) i will blog. and clean. and not think about AP US History for at least one day. (then i need to start my homework for that dumb class... it's a good thing i like history.)

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle

dinner theater year four.

well hello there!
this is going to be a short post because heaven knows i should be studying AP US History. well... here's a random picture of freshmen year choir with ashlee (left) and rachael (right)... why this random picture you say? because i'm getting awfully excited for all of my choir events this year!! including All State, Adam's State, and (drum roll please) CHAIRMEN OF THE DECORATION COMMITTEE! whooo! yep, that's right, this girl right here is in charge of ALL the decorations and planning for dinner theater (with my own committee of course!)!! Do i have time for this? nope, especially because it's the day after i get back from All State and three days before I leave for Adams, but oh well! I love planning stuff like this, and i LOVE LOVE LOVE decorations. and the theme is "Back to the Future". 1940's to present day. 1940's people!!! yep...

freshmen year:

and here's the video.

one thing about this nice little video... it was freshman year, and i was nervous. so i sorta look... awkward the whole way through... and there were definitely missed notes... and yeah...

this year will be better, no worries(:

Sincerely,

Erica Michelle

mutual crafts.

sooo... i know i might have complained about the ward change... but since the wards all split, we have had fantastic activities!!
Here are the last few!

making paper ornaments:

 the cut out paper (sister thun had a paper stamp thing...)

 fold them in have so the edges match.

 glue them together so the edges match.

 add a string before you put in the last paper circle, and walah!


Dipping Caramels, Making Truffles.

 caramels on the left, mint truffles on the right.

 dipping chocolate! (melted in a saucepan)

 learning how to dip!

 i love my young women(:

 ...because they're messy...

 

 

 

 the chocolates on wax paper drying!

Super Easy Mint Truffles.

 Recipe (Sister Armstrong's)

1 1/2 pounds dipping chocolate (lyndt, etc.)

1 cup cream

4 or 5 drops peppermint oil

In one saucepan, melt chocolate completely, do not let it burn. In second saucepan, heat up cream. In bowl, blend together chocolate and cream, then add peppermint oil. pour into 9x9 buttered pan. let cool in refriderator for at least 5 hours. (a day or two is even better!)

Sunday lesson.

so, i was in charge of teaching the {entire} lesson on sunday... this was my handout!! best quote ever.

Sincerely,
Erica

Utah!

So my mom, dad, and i went to Utah to visit Danielle for Thanksgiving! So fun!!!

 my niece(:

then we went to Temple Square!

Well, i really should have a bit more... like maybe a picture with Evan... but i don't :( sorry!! the good news is that we're going to Utah again next weekend for the MoTab concert!! And katie is coming with meeee(:

Sincerely, 

Erica Michelle

Kelly.

I got to take pictures of my absolutely GORGEOUS best friend for our portraiture assignment in photography. she is absolutely gorgeous! i am soo so so jealous of her long, beautiful hair! she is the kindest person i know, seriously. she's also the one i do homework with every.single.day during lunch {sadly}. cuz, you know, she's also really, really smart...

Anyways, i love photography so very much right now! and i'm soo glad to have wonderful models(:

Sorta random post, but hey, it's something for me to do! (not that i don't have enough to do... i'm just procrastinating)

Sincerely,

Erica Michelle

jason reeves. all state. 1940. byu.

well hello there.

i suppose you might have noticed that i got a new url. yepp, sorta uncreative, but oh well (:
my next step is to make myself a button, BBBUUT i'm not that computer smart, so that's gonna wait until christmas break probably. because i'm dumb.

first of all. i'm sorry i haven't blogged very well lately. i'm sorry :(

second. i've fallen in love.

with jason reeves.

(i just googled jason reeves, most definitely not my picture.)

yeah. i love him. seriously. currently i'm obsessing over this song:

so that's that.


All state.

i made all state choir again. definitely excited... bbut, once again, i was the only one from my school, so i'm really really bummed about that. field trip for me and my choir teacher. yay yay. since i was in mixed choir last year, i'm going to be in women's this year. just so ya'll can appreciate how absolutely wonderful all state is, here is my favorite song from last year. i was in this choir, kay? i can't even believe i got the opportunity to sing with people this amazing. and the men. yay.

(the video starts out super quiet)

just a little side note, all state was the reason i decided i was in love with choir. high school choir, and even the other honor choirs i've been to, can't compare. all state is the best experience, musically,
 i've ever had!


1940.

so, for my photography project, i'm thinking i want to do something 1940. because i love 1940. duh. soooo i've sorta gone pinterest happy.
http://pinterest.com/ericamdecker/photography-project-2012/


BYU.

I finished my BYU application!!!

an old picture, but i still love it! "enter to learn, go forth to serve".

please byu, oh please accept me.

or i'm going to be very sad.

hmmmm, that's all for tonight!

Sincerely,
Erica Michelle