The Before and After

We were able to landscape our yard this year! As you will see from the pictures it was a much needed project. It is so nice to have a place to play and sit outside. The kids love the new sand box and fire pit. I love having somewhere else for the kids to play besides the driveway. A BIG thanks to Gpa Bob, Miller Paving and Rich Picot!

Before Pictures (obviously)

The amazing After Pictures!

Lizsi's Obituary

This is a picture of Lizsi swimming just a few hours before putting her to sleep. I know she doesn't quite look like a sick dog but she was. The cancer in her mouth was awful and would not stop bleeding. Isn't she so cute!
My Dad wrote a really nice obituary for her but for some reason I can't post it.

Goodbye Lizsi

Today we had to say goodbye to our sweet family dog Lizsi. She was a 12 1/2 year-old Vizsla. My family bought her one month after Dustin and I started dating. In fact, Dustin is how we found Lizsi. Dustin's good friends dog had had puppies and we went to see them. They were so cute we just couldn't resist and took her home. She was such a sweet dog and so great with kids. She was a little bit neurotic but we loved her all the same. Lizsi even got to live with us for a few months while my parents were moving back from San Diego. Lizsi got bone cancer in her jaw and we noticed a lump in her mouth on Father's Day this year. The Vet said this is a fast spredding cancer and difficult to remove. So we just decided to wait it out and hoped that she would make it until Cannon got home from his mission in October. But even though she seems to feel fine the tumor just kept growing inside her mouth and then started bleeding and wouldn't stop. So we knew then that is was time to say goodbye. I took the kids over to see her and we made a garden stepping stone with her paw prints. It turned out really cute. This is much harder that I thought it would be. It is no fun to loose a family pet.

L - Loving Lap Dog

I - Insanely Cute

Z - Zippy

S - Swimmer

I - Irreplaceable

Happy Birthday!

Dane

is

6

Dane chose to have is 6th birthday at the RAD Canyon BMX track. It was a great place for a party. The kids had a blast riding around the track and even some of the adult kids rode it too! I wish I had taken more pictures. It was just so crazy that I kind of forgot. Oh, well. Also, Dane chose (with only a little bit of prompting) to have his friends bring a gift that could be donated to the homeless shelter. I am so proud of Dane for doing this. And thanks to everyone who was able to come to the party and donated a gift. Dane is so lucky to have so many wonderful friends.

Dane and his motorcycle birthday cake.

At this point in the day Dane was hot and tired and he had a total meltdown while everyone was signing "Happy Birthday". He was mad that the candles wouldn't stay lit, or something. "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to..."

Some of the kids taking a break for lunch.Megan pushing Abbey over the bumps. Then Grandma Sherrie pushed her and Abbey fell and got a HUGE bump on her head :(
Gpa Taylor taking a spin around the track!
Nancy taking a spin around the track!

On Dane's actual birthday we had all the grandparents over for a spaghetti dinner.

Here is Dane with his presents.

Bob, Carol, Skip and Janene gave him a new motorcycle/snowmobile/BMX helmet. It is a Monster Energy one. For some reason Dane is into the Monster Energy stuff.

Dustin and I got him new gloves and goggles.

Gma Sherrie and Gpa Taylor gave him Heelies!

Wow! Look at him go.
It took some practicing and a few really hard falls but now he has got the Heelie thing down!

Timpanogos Cave Hike

My Cousin's from Atlanta were in town last week for another cousin's wedding. We don't get to see these guys often enough so I am glad we were able to do a hike and dinner with them before they left.

This is a group picture at a resting spot hiking up to the Timpanogos Cave. This is a really fun hike if you haven't done it.

Thanks to Uncle Adam for carrying Ian all the way up and down! That kid plus the pack is easily 45 lbs. What a great Uncle he is.

Bonaire

This was our 10 year anniversary going to Bonaire. Crazy to think that Dustin and I were going there even before Dane was a twinkle in our eye. And now we love (most of the time) traveling there with kids. It is an easy and fun vacation. We had a group of 30 this year (13 kids and 17 adults). I wish I had a group picture but we were rarely all in the same place at the same time.

Ian helping me pack the snorkel gear.



Dane and Dustin snorkeling. They saw a 4-foot Baracuda.


Ian Au Naturale


Dane ordering drinks and ice cream at the bar.

Our neighbors, The Weiss's who joined us this year.

Ian practicing his windsurfing skills at an early age.
Dane windsurfed this year too but I didn't get any pictures of him.

Dane and Keaton became best buds and wanted to be twiners with the same shirt, necklace, and hat.

Butterfly Cocoons at the Butterfly Farm

A Blue Morfo Butterfly. When they open their wings it is a beautiful blue on the inside.

Well, it was another great year. There is an open invitation for anyone who wants to join us next year!

Father's Day

(I realize this is a totally late post)

For Father's Day Dustin wanted to go out to the sand dunes. We had a great time.
Below are Izzy, Gavin and Dane getting strapped in for a Buggy ride.

This is Dustin giving me my first buggy driving lesson. I must say I enjoyed the drivers seat. Dustin said I only went about 60 mph but it felt like 100 mph to me.


Ian is hilarious. He walked around like this most of the day. He also LoVeD riding on the four-wheeler and would hobo a ride with anyone who would take him.

Dane on his motorcycle which he only rode about 100 yards and then decided that four-wheeling was easier.