A Great Song

My cousin Delaina posted this on her facebook page. I fell in love with it and had to share.

Fun at the Farm

Austin always has so much fun out at the farm.

Had to do a picture collage of Austin and his new toy from Papa.

He loves playing out in the garden with all of Uncle Kris' old toys.

Daddy dug Austin a river and they filled it with water.

He took his shoes off and had so much fun playing in the mud.

Austin loves quad rides and he had even more fun having races on his tractor against the quad.

Lots of fun things to do out at the farm!

Pictures and Memories of Saxon

Fall 2001

April 22, 2006

August 2, 2007

July 4, 2008

July 2009

Some of the many memories of Saxon

• We adopted him from the SPCA in Medicine Hat and I can still remember him in this little room with a half wall that you could look over and there he was with his cute little puppy dog eyes, so excited to have visitors. We were told that some other people had said that they wanted him but if they didn't come to get him by the next day then we could have him. Luckily we got him! They missed out on a great dog! It was an older lady that had to give him up b/c he was just too much for her.
• When he was a puppy his head was too big for his short little body, so cute and he eventually grew into it.
• If we left anything on the coffee table at night or when we went out when he was a puppy, he would eat it. Many ink stains on the carpet I had to get out but we learned quickly!
• When he was a puppy he loved to dig holes in the backyard in Med. Hat.
• He had this one lone whisker that grew on the top of his nose. So cute, I loved it!
• When we moved to Belleville, Ontario to open the new Petcetera store that was being built we had a tent set up where people could come and apply and get interviewed. We did this for a few days and each day Saxon would be tied up to one of the tent poles and greeted all the people that came to apply. Well it turned out that all the people that Saxon didn't growl or bark at as they approached were the ones that ended up getting hired. He was a really good judge of character!
• I called him my snoochieboochie
• We used to throw his toys across the hardwood floors and laugh as he would skid across the floor to chase them.
• Out at the farm one day my Mom went outside and there was Saxon lying in her barrel of petunias!
• Was always very protective of me and followed me everywhere.
• When Austin came along I don't think Saxon let him out of his sight.
• In his prime he could jump super high and loved to play tug of war and wrestle with John.
• Can't forget his super deadly whippy tail! Could not leave anything on the coffee table for fear of it being whipped off.
• Would get so excited when he heard you grab his leash.
• If you asked him "Where's your duck?" He would go run and find his toy duck. He was so smart.
• Working late one night before the grand opening of the Petcetera in Belleville I looked over and he was asleep on the floor in the aisle I was working in.
• Hurt his leg trying to escape doggie day care at Petcetera.
• When Austin got a bubble machine from his Auntie Colie it was so funny to watch Saxon chase and eat all the bubbles. He loved bubbles!
• If you threw a balloon at him he would jump and nose it back to you over and over. We had many good laughs while doing this.
• A lot of the time when John wasn't home at night you would find Saxon sleeping out in the hallway between our room and Austin's room. Always guarding and protecting us.

It sure is quiet around here now...still hard for me to believe that he is gone. Don't think I'll ever stop missing him. Austin still talks about him everyday and says how much he misses him. Can still hear Austin saying to Saxon "Come on boy! Let's go!" He really misses his "boy". We all do.

Good-Bye My Friend

Yesterday we had to say goodbye to our faithful dog Saxon. Probably one of the hardest things I have had to do...and giving him one last hug knowing that once he walked out that door he would never be coming back literally broke my heart. It hurts so much. We told Austin the night before that Saxon had to go away and couldn't come back. That he was going to see his Mommy and Daddy and play with his friends. Right away Austin's eyes got wide, his face fell, he started to cry and ran to his room. John followed him and eventually he came back out, still crying into my waiting arms where I rocked him as he sobbed. Finally he says to me, "Mommy, I really hate this." My thoughts exactly. Then he stopped crying for a moment and with a concerned look on his face leans back and asks, "Is Bosco (our cat) staying with us?" Poor little guy. Originally we were going to tell him that Saxon got sick and wasn't going to get better, but then the following week Austin got sick and ended up in the hospital so we didn't want him to think that he wasn't going to get better either. It's tough.

The next morning Austin says to John, "Daddy are you taking Saxon home?". Broke my heart. Such a hard day. Every so often he would say to me, "I really miss Saxon."

The vet told John that Saxon had gotten a lot worse in the last couple of weeks and was carrying a lot of weight is his belly which was probably fluid. She figured Saxon would most likely keep his pain hidden from us no matter how bad it got. He was our protector. He was staying for us. It was time. John was with him when the time came. He said that Saxon had always been there for us so of course he'd be there for him.

It's so hard to believe that he is actually gone. The house is so quiet. Whenever a car door slams outside I swear I can hear him bark. I miss him so much!

This morning one of the first things Austin said to me was "Mommy, I really miss Saxon, maybe Grandma and Grandpa can go pick him up." I didn't have it in me to tell him that he was never coming home.

Always felt safe knowing he was here. He always had an eye on Austin and would be right by his side in a flash if he started crying. Couldn't ask for a better dog. He was so smart.

Our snoochie, our pooch, is gone. I'd do anything to bring him back.

I hope what my best friend Niki told me is true, that they're waiting for us when we go, all healthy and happy, wagging their tails, so excited to see us.

I hope.

Zahenaiko Family Reunion

We had a Zahenaiko Family Reunion July 18, 2009 out at my Uncle David & Auntie Elaine's farm. It was really great to see everyone. It seems like as the years go by we see each other less and less often.

Here are some pictures in no particular order.

The kids all had a great time splashing in the water in the front ditch. Cousins

Austin and my cousin Delaina's little girl Kailee playing ball. Just some random shots I took.Austin, Kailee and my cousin Leslie's oldest Jenna.Actually got a family shot.

Austin, Mya (Leslie's youngest) and Kailee.Everyone visiting.