^{We've been to Vegas a few times now, but friends of ours hadnt, so we hit some of the great views of Nevada & Arizona!  We did go see the Dam again, and this time at the Grand Canyon, we did a helicopter ride.  Here are some pictures}

^{The Bridge from the Hoover Dam.   We had driven over it a few times, but never got to see the finished product.   Looks Great!} 

 ^{Such an amazing structure, being in the business of big structure work, this feat amaze's us more than the Dam!}  

^{This was our Helicopter, we took a picture as it was loading the next crew out.    The Helicopter took us over the side of the Grand Canyon, then down to the Colorado River, there we walked down to a river boat, that took us for a ride up the Colorado.  She then turned off the motor and we floated back to the dock.}  

^{We had a great time on the Boat, and then back up to the Helicopter which  flew us back up and over the Canyon wal, back the the Skywalk area to our bus home.  We did some walking up at top, Pat & Dale walked up to the Highest point of the canyon.} 

^{That is the Skywalk, we had been on it before, so had Dale & Pat go on the Glass floored 4000 foot above ground structure, and we took pictures from the ground  :)}

We got home from ASSA, and Jackson & Willow were on their way to Thunder Bay for the First Specialty there put on by the Local Thunder Bay Area Shetland Sheepdog club.

I had Entered Jackson & Willow both in Regular & in Sweeps.

Jackson won the Sweeps Juvenile, and Willow won the Vetran's Sweeps!

Onto the Regular, they were both entered as Specials, and I was told that it was a toss up between Jackson & his mother for Best In Specialty Show.  But Jackson Won it, our first home bred Best in Specialty! And his Dam Willow wont Best of Opposite, what a nice family win.

Presley was also at that show, she came home with her first points and a Reserve Winners Bitch in Specialty.   Thank you to Trina & Connie for handling them to these wins.  

Both were home, but not for long, Jackson went on to the West with Trina & Connie and we were off to Las Vegas for a short but fun trip with Friends Pat & Dale Burroughs.  We had a awesome time! 

Mood:  bright

^{Where do i catch up?  Well off to ASSA we went in April, we drove to St. Louis, which was a easy drive, no issues.   We had to deal with some pretty severe weather, Tornado's were everywhere once we got there.   The big one that hit the Airport, we happened to be in the van  Paul Reid & Rod Oishi, doing little prayers for us to get back to the hotel in one piece.  Rod  your lucky you won all that money to make the evening worth it.}   

^{Jackson & Willow were both entered in the Nationals, we got some very nice comments from spectators.  Judy Decker showed them both, we definatley had alot of fun that week.  Thank you to Judy for letting me assist all week in grooming.   GREAT FUN.}  

^{Our Set up was a mix of BC, AB & MB, we had a few  Vancouver Canuck vs Calgary flames tiffs but we managed!  lol   we had so much fun, i miss you guys already!}  

^{So much happened in March that i didnt even think to mention it before my last post. I've been meaning to write this for awhile.   "Kane" Amanchara Prototype,  our new puppy was LOST in March! He had either gotten out of our front gate, or ??? it was 9pm on a friday we still dont even know how it happened.  Kane was 12 weeks old, 6 pounds & out for over 36 hrs in the cold (-20c). I've never been threw such hell.  I was sick, didnt sleep, couldnt think straight.  We had SO many people come out to help us, the sheltie community never mind just the dog community was so helpful.  They scoured bush, neighbors, sheds, land, snow, crevices for hours a day, night and day.  Never did we see him.  I even had a plane do a overhead search to possibly pick him off the snow being so white.  Nothing.  A good friend of my Dads, Harvey Bell, brought out a Quad Saturday night.  Well i got on that thing and never wanted to get off.  I could cover so much ground on it. I was so sore already from being up and out day and night.  I searched till it was too dark to try anymore.  Next morning (sunday) i went and got dale and said lets go eat, we cant keep up like this with no food.  Then back to the Quad.  It was sunny out, but still cold.  I spent that morning going threw the Colony's (Hutterites )Equipment areas, garbage dump area.  they have such huge areas for hiding.  I saw so many coyote's, hawks,  i couldnt help but bawling my eyes out knowing this was getting so hopeless.    I pulled up to Dale, he was way out in a bush across from our house about 1/2 km.  I had my head low, and just said, let me drive you back to your truck, this is nuts, we are looking for a needle in a haystack.  Another neighbor pulled up on his Sled, which the snow was getting less and less with the spring melt.  I said well, im gonna drive out to this small shed in the middle of the prairie, maybe hes moved in there since the last time we checked (last night) Dale wouldnt take the ride to his truck.  Thank GOD he didnt, as i wouldnt have gone the way i did.  I drove maybe 500 meters away from where they had been, and there he was!!!! lying on his side in the snow.  Not moving..........  I thought, and said out loud as i turned off the Quad.  OH MY GOD KANE NO!  i thought he was gone........... he lifted his head, stumbled a little bit, and came right to me, i was already on the ground off the quad, not sure how i got there.  Well i stuffed him in my jacket, and tried calling Dale, i was sobbing like a crazy person, i still think Dale thought he was dead but i found him.  I said no hes ALIVE, just phone everyone, he's alive!!!!  So me sobbing, him licking my face like "what the heck is your problem mommy" we tried to share a piece of pathetic cheese strip that i had been carrying around in my pocket the last  36 hrs!  i kept him in my jacket, threw my helmet on the back of the quad and made the trek across the prairie back to the house.  By this time my mom was on the driveway i could see her, jumping up and down like a crazy person too ( i think the neighbors totally GET dog people now, they know we are nuts, its no longer a question)  I thought, nope im driving this guy right up to the house!  I ran in the door, kicked off my boots and snow suit (oh my it was muddy that day!) and phoned my vet Shannon Stuart immediately!  "What do i do? i found him, does he need fluids? what do i do" shannon in her calm voice says "well is he lethargic? concious?" I said "no he's in the cupboard looking for lunch, on his hind legs"  She started to chuckle and said then no, dont come meet me, just start food and water in small amounts every hour.  He's gonna be fine.    So i tried to calm myself down a bit, as the flood of people started to hit the driveway, so many that were out there, came in to see our famous little boy who got threw -20c nights.  No frost bite, not even sore, or lame............ nothing.  He was just as happy to visit with everyone, and man did he have alot of loving up to do that day!!!! Poor boy, cause after that he wasnt aloud out of my sight!  He was fine with that too, gosh i wish they could tell us the story themselves.  What did he see?  how did he get threw the nights when the coyote's were singing?  WHY didnt he come in to my dogs, the morning breakfast ritual is pretty loud and i made sure everyone would hear it across the prairie those days.  But he's home and has no issues from the ordeal.  ~THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED IN EVERYWAY~  From Facebook messages, emails, texts and phone calls all over the world supporting us, it was a amazing thing to know so many were helping us.}  

^{There was the Northwinds show that weekend, i didnt even get there, but Trina & Connie (KanineKru Handling) were staying at our house. They wanted to help and did, i still have this picture in my mind, Connie standing next to me in a field its midnight -20 out and shes in a show suit and shoes, me saying, go back to the house! We thought we had him Friday Night, but lost him as all our big lights went dead.  The girls still wanted to be out there but their job is to show dogs on weekends, so off they went everyday and i know they felt helpless, but the show must go on!  I had dogs entered that weekend also, and they took them in the mornings and showed them for me.   I Got a New CH out of the weekend, and Jackson had more BPIG's and a couple Group Placements!   "MILEY" Ch. Cassbar's Roadside Attraction finished that weekend.   So Thank you girls!}

^{It was the worst weekend in my life, but thankfully it ended well!  That Picture is of Kane about a week before we lost him.  More to follow in the blog.} 

Suzanne & Token are burning up the Agility Field in Alberta!  I get updates, and he has moved into Advanced in some classes, and is running full courses, consistently Qing and watched a video of some Awesome Weaves! (12 poles too)

CONGRATS YOU TWO!!! Will update stats later

Mood:  lazy

So its already January!  I had written a huge page update, and then completely lost it.   This time isnt going to be as good, gauranteed!  :)

So lots has been happening over Chistmas, we had 9 puppies between Hanna & Flirts litters.   All have gone to new homes except the small Tri girl and the bi blue boy from Hanna!  So check out our pages on the site for pictures.

Congrats to all the new owners with their puppies, From BC back here to Winnipeg.  We can all keep in touch on the list.  

So after the New year, we piled in the van (moms) and drove off to Minneapolis for the show there.  Paula Reid, Jade Unrau and myself.  We took 4 dogs, Robin (Paulas) Cinder (Jades) and Willow & Jackson (mine).  We had some nice placments, Robin taking a 3rd & 4th in his class.  Jade & Cinder had a 2nd in their class, and won 4th in a HUGE Juniors class competition, way to go girl!   Willow won her class a couple times also, Jackson took a RWD and a Best in Sweeps.   Had a great time and we laughed LOTS. 

I think the best part of our weekend was when we were re arranging the van to come home, the crates need stacking back in the van and Jade & Paula were bringing them to me.  All the sudden Jade came back and said "I need the key im locked out of the room"  oh oh I dont have one, neither does Paula!  We all looked at each other and said, there is THREE INTACT males together loose in the room & Willow.  AKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK   I took a run for the hotel lobby, which is way far away and outside run in -20 temps.  I ran in there, lobby guy says "you got any ID"  ummm no but it will be a interesting clean up in that room if you dont give me a key NOW!  I came flying out of the lobby and Jade met me half way and did the last part of the run back (felt like i just handed the batton in pairs and she was gonna finish the course)    Jade got the door opened and ran in, the 3 of them are standing together looking at us like "what the heck is your problem"   OMG..... thank goodness they decided to behave while we were locked out! No blood shed, shelties are a great breed. 

We had no weather problems driving both ways to Minneapolis too, how does that happen!

So Hanna has 6 babies, and Flirt has 3 pups.   Today Hanna's pups are 6 weeks old.   Flirts were 5 weeks on Wednesday past.

 They are really mobile now, we have 3 x pens together, with lots of toys, tunnels, wobble toys & Chewies to keep them all busy. 

Here are some videos of the babies 

and another video

Mood:  cool

Last weekend out we ventured out to Brandon with Gloria my friend to take on the last show of the year that is in Manitoba.   With the winds howling the snow falling, off we went with her Fergie (Finnish Lapphund) and Jackson & Diva (Amberlyn's Sorority Girl) both very young babies.   This was Diva's first show also.   We made it with no really big issues on the road, but it was like driving into winter!

First Day at the show, all did well.  Gloria with her Finnish Lapphund went WB/BOS to put her at 8 points!

Diva went WB/BOW & BOS for her first 3 points, and Jackson too BOB and a Group 3rd for his first Group placement.   He Also got another Best Puppy in Group.  Thank you to Judge Irene Bader for these great wins, and putting up such young babies in the winners circle. 

Saturday Jackson went and played in Sweeps again, to Win aother Best In Sweeps!  Thank you to Shawna Mclaughlin for this lovely win, there was some very lovely puppies and well deserving babies in the ring.

Onto Sunday, another foot of snow has fallen and its so flippin cold!  Last day and were outta here right?      So Diva & Jackson decide to pull of their Friday in the exact same order.   Jackson now gets to stay all day and wait for Best Puppy in Show.   We didnt get another, but we had fun waiting around all day to visit with friends.   Gossip's (our Finnish Lappund) breeder Linda & Steven drove in from Tennesee to show the weekend, so we had to thaw them out of the snow drift and see them off to Kansas City to visit their family for the US Thanksgiving. 

I got to watch some of our puppies run in Agility, was nice to visit with some, was too bad i didnt get to visit with all, but its such a busy weekend for all.   Congrats to all the new Q's and titles, and to some who just had tons of fun running with their dogs. 

So Jacksons ended Year was 4 Puppy groups, 2 Best Puppy In Shows, 3 Best In Sweeps & 2 Specialty Wins!  And all in 4 weekends of shows.   Break time for baby!  And me too.   

So Jackson went off to be shown with Trina & Connie from Kanine Kru handling.  

His first weekend with them, at the Battle River Show, he went BOW/BOS and BEST puppy In Group under Judge Carol Graham to Finish his Championship.   The same day went onto our FIRST Best Puppy In Show breeder/owned.  

He then went onto BC Lower Mainland Shows, where he went Best of Opposite Sex in Speciaty at the Peace River working/herding specialty under Judge Charlotte Clem McGowan.   It great company congrats to the other winners!

Back into Alberta the following weekend, he also took another Best Puppy in Show!  Thank you to Judge John Reeve Newson! 

We are so proud of our 7 month old star!

Mood:  celebratory

So we Flew to BC, to stay with Friend Judy Decker and have Jackson out his first weekend, just 6 months and a few days old.  

Jackson was a hit!  His first show was friday and he went BOW for his first 5 points, handled by myself.   Thank you to Judge John Rowton

Second day, piloted by his new best friend, Judy Decker, he went WD at the Specialty & Best in Sweeps at the Specialty also.   Winners Dog was awarded by breeder/Judge Yvonne Defriatas, and Sweeps also by a breeder/Judge Cindy Wilson.  Thank you both, for such lovely wins on our new baby, and thank you for being there for our eventful night that ended well, thankfully!

The next day Jackson went into the All Breed Sweeps again  Piloted by Judy Decker, and won the sweeps over some 60+ puppies.  WOW.   What a weekend. 

What fun it was in BC, thank you Judy for letting me stay, and what fun we had!!! It was Sheltie VILLE at Judy's with Friends Rod O, Carol S, Lee & Tifanny (and their mom) and all the shelties packed into the house for the weekend.   Im sure Judy still is recovering from that weekend.    Of course theres nothing like a couple dozen shelties all soggy from the rain running threw the house.  LOL 

Congrats to all the winners, there was many wins had by all.  

I now have a new addiction to homade Ice Cream, cant wait to visit again Judy!