Healing

Thank you, my amazing friends, for helping our family to heal at this difficult time. I honestly have no idea what my life would be like without your love and support! The funeral was beautiful, and by the end of the day, the children were laughing, smiling and playing. The healing will take a long time, but it has definitely begun.

In that spirit, I wanted to post some pictures from Christmas vacation. It was wonderful to see everyone and spend time together as families. We are so very blessed!

Reading a new book with Aunt Allie...
which devolved into sleepy, "tickle my back please".
Playing toys with Aunt Heidi....
that ended with a delicious nap with Harvey on the couch.
Talin got a kindle for Christmas (a HUUUUGE surprise from Aunt D and Jill)!
Can you guess what I got?? =) Hooray for a new Cannon!!
We enjoyed family dinners...
and big family parties...(that's right, Ezra got a baby Dyson from Grandma Maridawn! Woo Hoo, no more fighthing for the vacuum! The best part is it acutally works.)
and, of course, no visit would be complete without a hand of Russian Rummy.... oh man I am CRAP at this game!
This time I didn't do so bad, thanks to the help of cunning Aunt Erin. Ezra thought we were all nuts...so much screaming and laughing!
Talin made sure I got the chance to be baby free for a few outings. Isn't he the best? =) My mom and I discovered an impromptu crafting gathering at a bakery in West Jordan...
we ordered a thick slice of chocolate cake to share while crafting the "make and take"...
..a 2011 pendant banner.
There was an AMAZING raffle...from which we walked away with $85 in gift certificates to Etsy stores and my favorite fabric shop in the whole world! WOO HOO!
On New Years Day, the Berg girls went our for pedicures...
...we let Doron come along because he's so much fun...aaaaaaaaannnd because Heidi's so happy when he's around. HA! It's true Heidi!
Here's the finished product...including Doron's. =)
It started to snow, but we padded our way next door in our bare feet and flip flops for lunch at Trio. It was so delicious and fun! Thank you again, Talin!
Ezra got to spend a LOT of time with cousins, which he loved! They made hot chocolate in a fancy new hot chocolate machine.
They created a finger paint mural...oh Aunt Lisa you're so brave to let them do this!
Dont' you love these two little blondie boys? They're 4 months apart...but look so much alike. =)
Needless to say this was one of Ezra's favorite activities!
They had a dance party...that's right...a dance party. Complete with ABBA blasting through the house and frantic running around the kitchen island.
Ezra enjoyed this little game so much he's demanded a "dance party" every day since!
Yep...this little boy loves to shake his booty!!! Who knew?
Aunt Lisa always knows just how to make a gray, winter day into a celebration... a giant bowl of popcorn shared with cousin friends...it doesn't get better then this!
I love that we had time to enjoy the best parts about going home for Christmas, like watching the snow fall....
...eating my mom's carmel popcorn..while it was still warm and soooo goooey...
...listening to the fire gently crackle (although this was not one of Ezra's favorite things, he is NOT a fan of fire!)
...the sharp, familiar smell of pine when you walk in the front door...
...snuggling together as a family...
...wrapping ourselves in the sound of familiar voices and warm touch...
..there really isn't anything better then that!

Hooray for family!

(p.s. if you made it through this entire post you are a true, hardcore, "Wadsworth Family" fan!) =)