Lupus Walk 2011

Grandma Debbie, Patti and Serah Cook, Big Al, Brooke, JaNeal, Papa Stan, Jamison, Riley, Mindy, Missy, and Marinda. We were missing quite a few for the group picture, including our kids who were down playing by the lake. The walk this year was around part of the Daybreak Lake...hello...they have their own lake. It was a perfect day and we were so happy to see so many of our friends and family there. A lot of our walkers this year knew Brenda and so that made it so much more special to us. We made shirts this year, since they gave out umbrellas this year. Uh, after one wash the iron ons all peeled off! One day I will learn how to make a shirt where the picture will stay on!
Alicia and Marnie

The Elle!

The start of our group, I think we ended up being the last team because most of us were just strolling and catching up with each other. It was so fun.

There's a glimpse of Carson in the front, he rode his bike, so it was hard for him to stay by us.

Heather, Dustin, Ruby, Julia, and baby Benji ended up being our caboose. I am so glad that everyone came and I am so glad that I came! We really do have some amazing friends. Thanks everyone for making the time to come and support the Lupus Foundation and our family. We love you all. Thank you to everyone who also went online and donated to the LFA. It means so much to me. They did just come out with a new drug to help Lupus patients, the first in over 50 years! I hope the money we raised will help find more treatments for this strange disease.

Julia and Ruby after the walk

I love that smile. I hope her front teeth never grow back, it is too cute.

We misplaced Carson a time or two while waiting to see if we won anything at the raffle. He told us he was going to go by the lake and he was suppose to stay where we could see him. I started looking for him by the lake and couldn't find him anywhere. I started freaking out and looking in the water. I was getting scared. Then I saw a hill with boys running up and down it and knew he would probably be somewhere over there. Luckily he was. I hate water, I am always scared when there are little kids around it. Other then that, the morning was great. Afterwards Al and I took the kids to Ikea for lunch and I was so proud of myself that I didn't buy anything in the actual store. We headed home and we all took a little rest and then got a call from mom telling us that my Uncle Doug had passed away. Allen had gone over Thursday night to give him a blessing and then while the kids were at school on Friday we went back over to see him one last time. He had dementia and has been getting worse and worse and finally Saturday he passed. He was a hilarious guy and very musical. He loved gambling and gave Allen and I a few free hotel stays in Wendover. He was a celebrity out there. I got to work with him up at the U basketball games and gymnastics while I was in High School and we had numerous poker parties with them while I was growing up. The kids got to know him really well the last few years since they live in our neighborhood and we would sometimes stop by to visit and then we would go up to Rockport with them. Ellie had a really hard time with it. She has been crying quite a bit, she had a hard time leaving the casket, Carson wouldn't even go up and see him in the casket. He was so good to us and we will really miss him.