Dad's 85th Birthday!

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

   We had the privilege of going to Vegas this past weekend to celebrate my Dad's 85th Birthday!  Most of the family was able to be there... we missed my brother Steve!

My Dad is an honorable man who loved and adored our sweet Mom...the best gift he could ever give his children!  He spends at least 4 days a week in the Temple and is a great example to us all.

Here he is as a scout many years ago... I LOVE this picture... we have tried to carry on the scouting tradition with our boys... 3 Eagles and Noah is almost done... only 1 more to go!  Dad was the 

first Eagle Scout in Lincoln County Nevada!

Our Wedding Day at the St. George Temple

          My brother Scott playing a new song he wrote especially for the family.  We love hearing him play and being together as a family.  It doesn't happen often enough!

85 candles almost caught the whole cake on fire!

Thanks Linda and Allyn for hosting such a fun party.  I love my Sister and Brothers... it is such a blessing to be a family!

3 months ago Dad told me all he wanted for his Birthday was a poem from me.  If you don't know my Dad... you need to know he LOVES poetry.  I wrote a poem called "The Way" when I was 17 and Dad has been reciting it from memory ever since (much to my chagrin!)  I tried to explain to him that I retired from poetry many years ago... but he persisted.  On the way to Vegas for his party, James helped me pull together some of the thoughts I have had... so Dad would have his wish for his birthday!  I think he liked it!

I remember a soft scratch of whiskers 

as he'd kiss on my little girl face.

Holding hands, dancing on his feet

and Daddy-Daughter dates at just the right place.

Fun trips to the lake,

and snow skiing too;

Camping in tents on the beach and motorcycle trips

are some of the fun things we'd do.

Dad LOVED his motorcycles

and long rides with Uncle Fred,

His dogs Jocko & Spirit, in goggles and leather,

they certainly turned some heads!

I'm amazed at his artistic abilities,

that are second to none!

He delivered beautiful jewelry,

just as soon as he could get it done.

There are memories of the strong smell of work,

of tools and of sweat,

of dust and of rust

I will never forget.

After shave lotion,

paint cans and pails--

Bolo ties, buckles and cowboy boots,

hammers and nails.

Projects, oh the projects-- and poems,

were always close by.

He taught us nothing was impossible 

if only we would try!

Reciting poetry...

he has taught us "The Way"--

Are we "Who our Mother thinks we are"?

"Have we looked in the mirror today"?

Have we heard the old fiddle,

"Touched by the Master's Hand"?

Do our hearts swell with pride

in "My America", this blessed free land?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

is the anchor in his life.

Years of service in the Temple

has brought great joy to him, and his sweet wife.

He gave us a gift

with value above all other--

love and devotion to his sweetheart,

our dear, precious Mother.

They raised six children

as they shared their life together.

The promise of eternity,

our family is forever.

His legacy lives on 

in talented and happy grandchildren and greats.

He has taught them the lessons of life,

and all that it takes.

Thank you, Dad, for the life you have led,

your example and all the memories too--

We will try to live our lives with honor

and follow the Savior, just like you.

I love you Daddy... Lisa

End of Summer Concert

To celebrate the end of summer... my good husband took Noah and Ethan to see one of their favorite bands "Deathcab for Cutie"... fun name, huh??!!  They had an amazing time!

Ethan says... "Our Dad's the coolest!"

Noah found some of his friends at
                the concert!

Jackson Hole--Part 2

   Our trip to Jackson Hole was a blast!  We really enjoyed getting away for a few days before school starts...  Next time we need the WHOLE family!

 Ethan going up the chairlift

 Noah enjoying the scenery with Ben's camera

 Heading down the Alpine Slide

They had an awesome park with a rock climbing wall!  Look at those mountains!

The famous Elk Horn Arch in Downtown Jackson (doesn't Noah look thrilled?!)

James' colleague brought his family and they had 3 great kids!  Noah and Ethan had an awesome time with them... thanks for all the fun Ball Family...let's do it again next year!  While the parents were at a dinner, these kids went to an awesome rock climbing place and had a great time!

Ethan even found his "friend" Abraham Lincoln!

Jackson Hole--Part 1

   James had a conference for the city in Jackson Hole, Wyoming... and Noah, Ethan and I tagged along!  We had so much fun.  We started the week with a whitewater rafting trip down the Snake River... I know it is hard to believe, but yes, I even went!  It was a BLAST!!  We were soaking wet and laughing the whole way!  James was a main rower in the front of the boat and Noah rowed in the middle.  Ethan and I just held on for dear life!  I had to buy these pictures to have proof I did it...

Ethan the swimmer!

Ethan was able to work with a swim coach this summer and he has LOVED it!   Ethan was real sick at the beginning of summer with Mono... swimming has helped him get his strength back and he has found out that he is really good and wants to join the swim team!

Coach Tara! His first swim teacher, Cousin Ally, would be proud!

Working on his strokes!  Breaststroke and Freestyle are his favorite!  He is also great at the Backstroke...the Butterfly is "hard!"

Working on his dives was his favorite!

Grama Dixon was here for the weekend and was able to go to one of his lessons.  He kept looking over at us to make sure we were watching!  He was so excited!

Keep up the good work Ethan... we are proud of you!

Tuesdays to Remember

Several years ago, Mom gave Dad the OK to come up and take a wood carving class.  He is so talented with his engraving, he really wanted some advanced training in carving wood.  He came up to Provo and took the Grandkids that were there, out to dinner.  Fun memory!

 Dad sharing a poem with Noah!

 Calder with Ivy... We got to meet Ivy before Ric and Mary did!

The whole gang!  Amy and Ally are in the back with Kelly and Tyler and Mayce, too! 

 

I think Dad and Ethan have matching shirts on!  We always knew they had a special connection!

Xtreme Sports!

     In the Dixon home... one of our most favorite memories is watching the X-Games together.  In 1997 we were in San Diego and saw a sign for X-Games 3.  We thought... "Why not?"  We really hadn't heard much about it, but we knew the boys would like it.  That decision 14 years ago with Tyler, Brad and Ben in a stroller has turned into a "family tradition"!!!  We saw in person some great xtreme athletes like Tony Hawk and Dave Mirra.

 

 

     Tyler gave a talk in Stake Conference on Mother's Day this year.  Since it was Mother's Day he thought he should say something about his Mother... (to embarrass me I'm sure ;)  "I have the coolest Mom ever... and I will tell you why...  In 1999 my brothers and I were watching the X-Games on TV.  Tony Hawk was trying to land the 900 in Vert Skateboarding, a trick nobody had ever done before.  It was really intense... we were jumping up and down, screaming, on the couches when he finally landed it!  Amazing!!  I looked over to see my mom crying... she had been cheering for him right along with us and was so thrilled for him!  That is when I knew... my Mom was the coolest Mom ever!  She even checked my brothers and I out of school to go to a parking lot in Salt Lake where Tony Hawk was putting on an exhibition.  He had a young 11 year old kid skating with him that day that nobody had heard of before... a kid named Shaun White!" 

      I think that was an awesome tribute!  I have always loved seeing my boys so excited about things they have been interested in... such joy! Good thing their Mom is a sports junkie... (I learned that from my Mom ;)

     A couple of days ago... we were watching again as a now 23 year old Shaun White won the same competition we watched Tony Hawk win 12 years ago...  Crazy!  This time I was texting Tyler and Brad who are thousands of miles away... (Text from Mom)..." X-Games delivers again!"

     Of course Shaun White is even better known for his Olympic Snowboarding Gold Medal!

     Here are a few pictures of my boys doing their own extreme sports. Someday I will find more pictures... but for now here we go:

    Teaching little brother, Ethan, to Skateboard:

    We have even been known to throw a little boxing into the mix!

     And a scooter race with Dad!

     One winter when we had a ton of snow, Ben built a ramp up to the roof of the house so he could snowboard off the roof.   I recall saying "If you get hurt, I am NOT taking you to the Emergency Room!"

   Brad... the day he came home from his mission... admiring his snowboard with fondness:

   To tell the truth, who my boys really want to be is their cousin Justin... the REAL extreme sports nut in the family!  

   I am sure grateful for fun memories and just a few injuries so far...