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.

Run, Drive, Eat, Sleep?

We made it!

Will Run For Food

188 Miles: 12 people: 2 vans

32 hours of pure F-U-N!

Here is our team picture at the finish line for the Wasatch Back Relay (missing Tenille and Amy). What an amazingly fun and challenging experience I had running a total of 18 miles over 32 hours with only 1 hour of sleep during the whole time. Sounds crazy, huh? But I can't wait to do it again next year. We had a great team!

Goodbye....We will miss you

Valeska Sannes Black 5/12/1919 ~ 6/11/2009 "Val" Valeska Sannes Black passed away on Thursday, June 11, 2009 shortly after celebrating her 90th birthday.She was born in Vernal, Utah to Joseph Sannes and Lora Snow Sannes. She had one sister, Elsie. She is survived by four children, Sandra Hoggan (Richard), Joseph Black (Somjit), Janene Bellock (Skip), and Alesia Black, and close friend, Paul Grace; 17 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. Val graduated from Uintah High in Vernal as valedictorian. She attended Utah State University where she met her future husband, Parley Dean Black. She subsequently moved to California with her father and graduated from Los Angeles College of Chiropractic. During this period she obtained her pilot's license and flew for the Ferry Command during World War II. Dean followed her to California and also became a Chiropractic Physician and obtained his pilot's license. They married on Valentine's Day, 1945. She worked with him in his practice and they spent many happy hours flying planes, camping, boating, and snowmobiling with their four children. She was a competent skier, water-skier and swimmer and enjoyed designing and sewing clothing, playing the piano, and reading. With all of her accomplishments, she remained humble, open minded and deeply caring for her family friends and community. Val was the consummate mother; full of fun and wit. She exhibited kindness, caring, and respect for all living things. People and animals gravitated to her as a safe haven where their needs would be met. She expected nothing, took nothing for granted, and felt gratitude and appreciation for everything. Hers was a well-lived life. The love we have for her is measured in the great loss we feel at her absence. The family acknowledges and thanks Paul Grace for his love, attentiveness, humor, and enhancement of the quality of life in Val's later years. Although Val loved flowers, the family feels her desires would be better met by donations in lieu of flowers to any animal rescue service or The Humane Society. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at the Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 S. 2300 E., where friends and family may visit Monday evening from 6 - 8 p.m. and Tuesday morning from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Interment: Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. Online condolences to the family may be sent at: www.holbrookmortuary.com