Baby Ezra & Thanksgiving

For detailed updates about our sweet Erik.... click on the "Erik" tab above.  I posted some at the end of this blog post, too.

Ezra's baby blessing was yesterday.

 Up in Logan.

Because Chris and Allie moved up there for Chris' new job.  We miss them, but are happy for them!

He's the cutest little guy.  He reminds me so much of Chris when he was a baby.

We spent a wonderful warm Thanksgiving in Anaheim, California last week.  It was hard to come back!  We rented a 7 bedroom/4 bath house complete with a pool and jacuzzi.  It was a heated pool.  Oh, so nice!  For all 15 of us!  We are a growing family!

From Monday until the next Sunday, we played and partied and ate and rested and swam and played some more and explored!  We enjoyed going to the beach on a few different occasions.

We cooked a few of our meals. We also ate out for some of the meals and had someone else do the cooking, serving and cleaning. The best!  Nice thing was... we ate Thanksgiving dinner out.  I enjoy cooking, but this year... nah...let's eat out!  We loved having a heated pool.

Tim and Brooke took their kiddos to LegoLand one day.

Hayden and Ash met up with San Diego friends to run and also to explore Newport Beach area.

Hayden kept up his training for his next big race which was on 

Dec 3 and he did marvelous, btw!  In this video below... Ashley is holding onto his legs for some upper body strengthening!  These guys are so much fun!

A few of us ended up at the San Diego Temple and yes, we saw Dennis' uncle Don Marler and got to visit with him.

And some ended up at DisneyLand!  Because we were only 5 minutes away from DisneyLand... it was easy to drop off and pick up!  And Downtown Disney is always fun, too!

There was great shopping close by.  I love it when we can find great deals!

Besides... everyone needs a little retail therapy once in awhile.

The Marconi Auto Museum was fascinating!

Our house was Disney Decor!  There was a "Cars" room, a "Princess" room and a "Mickey & Minnie" room.

And some of us....Dennis and Erik I were able to be in the Price is Right audience!  Woo hoo!  We didn't get called up to be a contestant...I am sure if they called up a few more... Erik would have been in the picking.  He's the type of person they look for... upbeat, nice looking and just lots of exciting energetic fun! It was cool being there in person.  Our taped episode airs on February 7, 2017. We can be seen in the audience clapping and cheering!  haha

Erik is still Erik.  Positive as ever and tough and strong.

While his cancer continues to progress... his pain med dosage is upped, too.  He was able to go up to Logan and see some friends and go to the baby blessing.  He wanted to do more, but his body wouldn't allow it and we came home a little sooner than planned.  We are grateful for all the prayers on his behalf and on all the family.  There is a God and we feel peace and comfort that all will be well, whatever that may be.  We are thankful for the Savior and the gift of the atonement.

I was thinking how the tender mercies keep happening....
it's that of the holiday season:
The joy, the lights, the Christmas decorations, the prominent focus on the Savior's birth and his exemplary life, the friendliness and warmth of people, and all the fun TV Christmas shows.
It helps divert some pain away from the present situation and allows us to enjoy all the GOOD that goes on and gives us determination to forge ahead through each day.

We aren't sure what God's plan is for Erik and how much time he has left.  But what we are sure of, and what gives us hope, is that there is another life after this. Because of our temple sealing and our continued courage to press forward and follow Christ, our hopes are that we can be together as a family forever and forever into the eternities.