Gibson Does the "Nae Nae" Dance on a Fond and Fun Flashback Friday!

I miss those big polar bear paws.

Gibson was not only an amazing boy and Epi-warrior, he was quite the character! There are so many things I miss about him, and even with four other Huskies, his presence is greatly missed. I feel as though he is just out in the backyard, lounging on the deck until I call him in. And to hear so many of you tell me you miss seeing him, too, well, it just warms my heart to know of how many lives he touched. Since I'm a shutterbug by trade, suffice it to say I have a lifetime of photos of my FiveSibes, so Gibson will be popping in every now and again to share a memory and a smile with us all.

Gibson was a very special boy. He was so in tune with me. He listened. He understood. He responded. I sorely miss our two-way conversations, his understanding, and his playfulness. He was just so much fun to be around. And when he was feeling good, he felt goooood! And on those days I was even more prouder of him, if that's even possible, because I was always proud of his fighting spirit and his zest for life. When he was feeling good in between his health set backs - and lately (before cancer suddenly snuck up on him), he had been feeling great! His legs and hind end were strong again after almost two years of rehab. And, the added bonus was we kicked the seizure monster's ass (for seven years straight). I was so proud of him, my fighter boy. So, today's Flashback Friday is back to one of those fun days when he was in one of his playful moods, only a short time before he left us, when I had a lot of laughs filming him doing his famous Gibbie hip-hop style of dancing. I knew right away this was going to be his "Nae Nae" dance video! I can't help but smile and even chuckle a bit when I watch this and see my boy getting into the Silentó dance craze to "Watch Me!" So...here's my silly big beautiful wooly boy doing what he did best - making me smile and I hope this fond Flashback memory of him will bring you a smile, too. Now...

Watch him. Watch him. Watch him whip...

Watch him nae nae!

I miss you, Gib. I hope you are having fun hip-hoppin' your way around the Rainbow Bridge!

Flashback Fridays are brought to you by us - the FiveSibes - and our co-host, Love is being owned by a Husky, each Friday. We hope you'll find a photo or video from Memory Lane, post it, and link up to our Blog Hop each week! If you don't catch it on Friday, you can link up any time during the week! To catch our past Flashbacks, just enter "Flashback Friday" in the search box. We hope you'll come join us!

We are also joining in the Pet Parade, hosted by Rascal and Rocco, Barking From the Bayou, Bionic Basil’s Blog, and Love is being owned by a Husky!

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Waiting for Snow on a Wordless Wednesday

Update on Wolf * Post-Surgery

Good morning! Wolf's surgery went well! The two masses removed and all looks good. They appear to be fatty, non-invasive tumors. They are being sent out to be certain. The tiny ones in his mouth turned out to be bone, and are all A-OK! He is home resting (under the watchful eye of his sis, Chloe) and a little out of it from the anesthesia and meds. But, he is home! Wolf had a good night. He slept well. (Waaaay better than Mom!) 

He is such a good boy; a bit woozy, but comfy, not fussing with surgical areas, and happy to be home. I thank God and my angel Mom for keeping him safe, and I know furangel Gibson's strong fighting spirit is right alongside his little bro. 

Harley, the Pupster's surrogate momma, and our alpha queen, checked on Wolf and sniffed him all over before relaxing. An alpha queen Momma's job is never done! Wolf goes back to the vet in a week for a follow-up visit, but we are all feeling very positive. Now...onward to healing!

 We fully support Dr. Sue Cancer Vet's the #SeeSomethingDoSomething #WhyWaitAspirate campaign. There's so many instances where we don't know something is going on (such as with Gibson's Hemangiosarcoma  - no early signs) that when we do notice something, which could be nothing, have your vet check it! The last time Wolf had a growth, it was a small cluster of papillomas that turned out to be hiding a much more sinister growth underneath. To read about that surgery, visit HERE).

Thank you all again for all the amazing prayers, healing light, and positive vibes. It really makes a difference when going through tough times. He sure feels all the love from this amazing and caring community. Below, he is chatting with the rest of his pack family who are calling to him from out on the back deck!

Wolf sends his heartfelt Husky "Thank wooo!" 

Pawcircle of Prayers for Wolf, Please...

"Thank woo for the prayers & positive thoughts."

Well, dear readers, this will be a bit wordy of a Wordless Wednesday. It's been a long night. While echoes of "Happy Birthday" are still ringing in the air from our Pupsters Wolf, Chloe, and Bandit turning "8" yesterday, today my boy goes into the vet hospital for surgery. So, once again, I am on that wild emotional roller coaster ride. I want off this crazy ride. Before my mother's health decline and passing in November, and before Gibson so suddenly fell ill  with Hemangiosarcoma and had to be set free during surgery nine days before Christmas, Gib's younger brother, my baby,Wolf, had been checked for some lumps I had found on him, too. He has two on his body - one on his side and one on his belly, and two tiny ones inside his mouth in the fold of the gums. While the aspiration shows the external ones as fatty, our vet does not like the location of it as the fear that it may become invasive and get into the muscle. Before that occurs - she recommend removal of it, and the others. With life basically throwing up in my lap since November, Wolf's surgery was tentatively agreed upon for January. Since the definite date for the surgery was made two weeks ago, I have been trying to once again fight off the worry demons; and now the day has arrived. My baby boy goes into surgery today.

To say I'm anxious is an understatement. Especially after Gibson, and with Wolf's past surgery when an innocent papilloma turned out to be a huge growth, thankfully not cancerous (see post HERE). 

Once again, I ask for  you to join us in a #pawcircle of prayers, positive thoughts, and healing vibes for my baby boy Wolf that his surgery will go smooth and successfully, and for God to guide the hands of his vet team, so that there will be a positive outcome and Wolf will be back home and on his way to recovery.

Man, I hate lumps.

"You've got to stay strong 
to be strong in tough times."  

~Tilman J. Fertitta

I'm trying. I'm really trying.

Dear St. Francis...

bless our pets, especially Wolf as he goes in for surgery.

Happy 8th Birthday, Pupsters!

Our Pupsters turn eight today! I can't believe it! I always love their birthday because this trio was able to grow up together! Watching them play and interact with each other from puppy stage to now 8-year-old puppy stage, has just been an amazing experience. They have such an amazing bond. They each have their own special traits and quirks, and yes, they have a bossy older sister (Bandit), just like siblings do, but they all love each other and eat, play, and sleep with each other with so much trust and love, it just warms my heart. They always loved their big brother, Gibson, and Harley immediately took on the role of surrogate mother when we brought these babies home! 

I recently read somewhere that someone was looking for help raising two littermates, and one of the comments suggested she quick rehome one as it is never a good idea to welcome two puppies from the same litter into one's home. Ha! Rubbish, I say! My three are so wonderful, and truly bonded. Do they argue? Sometimes. Do they get a little too rough with their Husky play? Sometimes. Do they snuggle together? Eat together? Play together? All the time! So I say "bah humbug" to the person who doled out that bad advice! Just proves, you can't believe everything you read! We are truly blessed to have these babies in our home. They are amazing, wonderful, silly, loving Sibes! Happy Birthday babies!

And party we did! Here's a video of their party - and the ice cream bone cake they love so much! (You'll notice their favorite treats top the cake and some extra bags, too, of fresh-baked, all natural House Woof Dog Biscuits , including Gibbie Snacks, of course! And $1 from every bag of Gibbie Snacks is donated by House Woof to The Wally Foundation for Canine Epilepsy). And also home-baked cookies from Sassy's Goodies. Yummmm!

Did you catch the visit from their furangel brother, Gibson, who stopped in from North of the Rainbow Bridge? He'd never forget his younger siblings, plus, he loved that ice cream bone cake!

Like the cake? Here's the recipe!

Since it's also Tasty Tuesday (hosts are Sugar the Golden Retriever and Kol's Notes), we're joining in the hop below with the very simple recipe for our Pupster's Birthday cake! (If your dog can not have dairy, check with your vet to see if you can use dairy-free coconut milk "ice cream" instead). This cake is always a Sibe crowd pleaser! Enjoy!

Our post-party pooped pups:

 Birthday Boy, Wolf

Birthday Girl, Chloe

 Birthday Girl, Bee

 Alpha Queen/Surrogate Momma, Harley

Joining up with Kol's Notes Tasty Blog Hop!

Canine Epilepsy: Blog the Change for Animals on a Flashback Friday!

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#LiveGibStrong * #LiveGibStrongForever

Today is Blog the Change for Animals and Flashback Friday and I’m talking about the upcoming Purple Day® for Epilepsy. In just 70 days, it will be March 26 - Purple Day! My Flashback is this photo of my boy, Gibson, with his poster for awareness that I take when I'm on the road talking about Canine Epilepsy, fundraising, or signing books, not just on March 26, but all year long .

Many of you know by now that my beautiful Epi-Husky, Gibson, earned his wings and journeyed North of the Rainbow Bridge shortly before Christmas this past December. It was so sudden, I still can not believe he is gone. I feel, see, and hear him everywhere. He was my very special boy. My canine super hero. My heart dog. He was my inspiration and partner behind our #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Campaign to let others know that dogs can – and DO – live full, happy lives with Canine Epilepsy. And in the end, it was not Canine Epilepsy that stole him…he proudly fought the “seizure monster” and through a regimen of medications, supplements, and homeopathic therapies, even with setbacks from side effects from his meds, my boy had been seizure-free for almost seven – yes, SEVEN – years! What a milestone! And nothing can ever change that accomplishment. 

Gibson, Cover Dog of Canine Epilepsy book,  EPIc Dog Tales.

He had been feeling the best he ever had, energetic, happy, strong...when he suddenly became ill. (You can read about his final journey HERE). He was eventually diagnosed with a bleeding tumor of the spleen, that when he went in for surgery led, it was discovered that the cancer had metastasized and we let my brave warrior go peacefully. But as I always told him…we are on an adventure, together…I will continue our awareness campaign in his name to let others know how amazing dogs with Canine Epilepsy are and how much joy they bring to our lives. I would gladly go back to my rigid schedule of precisely timed medications and supplements and therapies just to have him back with  me for one more day. To see those amazing, soulful eyes, kiss that velvety soft nose, get those wonderful Gibbie kisses, and hear his woos. He was truly a fighter, with so much fight left in him…if only cancer did not sneak in there and steal him away.

But...his story will always be remembered as a positive, happy one for he is the face of Canine Epilepsy and hope. So we shall carry on with FurAngel Gibson by my side. You will see his face popping up from time to time with messages about seizures and Epilepsy, so we can hopefully continue to help others not feel alone and have hope for their dogs who are now faced with this journey. He shall always #LiveGibStrongForever.

What is Purple Day®? 

Check out my FiveSibes video to learn all about it! You may even recognize a few furry faces!

Show Us Your Purple!

As part of our Canine Epilepsy Awareness, March 26 is Purple Day for Epilepsy and Gibson and I have been Ambassadors for going on six years. Purple Day is a day to show your support for Epilepsy (Human, Canine, Feline, Equine) awareness by wearing purple, baking something purple, turning your social media purple, etc. Last year, I started a #LiveGibStrong Purple Day Blog Hop. This year, I am pleased to announce that I’m joining up with Kimberley Matchem and her handsome Epi-dog “Rolo” Confessions of a Rescue Mom blog for an online Purple Day "Epilepsy Awareness Event" on Facebook we hope you will all join in to help spread awareness of Epilepsy. You can join in the online Facebook Event HERE (and please, feel free to share an invite with your friends, too!)

Join our Purple Day for Epilepsy Awareness online Facebook Event HERE with info, videos, photos of Epidogs, and more! Co-hosted by Confessions of a Rescue Mom Blog & us, the FiveSibes blog!

 What Can You Do To Help?

It's simple! All you need to do is:

•  have your pet wear something purple (bandana, collar, shirt, etc.)
•  you can wear something purple, with your pet or on your own
•  bake a purple cake or cupcakes
•  frost some cookies purple
•  gather up some purple flowers
•  paint a purple picture
• turn a photo purple 
•  get some purple balloons

Then, all you have to do is post the photo on your social media, blog and websites, link up to our special Purple Day Blog Hop (link will be posted on March 26) and help us make it go viral! The more folks that know about Purple Day and Canine Epilepsy, the more Epi-dogs and their families that we can help! They are not alone and there are plenty of informational resources available to help guide them on their journey with a dog who has Canine Epilepsy. 

And when posting to social media, be sure to use the following hashtags:

#FiveSibes

#ConfessionsOfARescueMom

#PurpleDay

#LiveGibStrong

#LiveGibStrongForever

#Paws4Purple 

#CanineEpilepsy

#Epidogs

Grab Our Badge!

 Simply right click on badge and copy!

Please join us and post our badge on your March 26 Purple Day blog post, and include a link to us, FiveSibes, and Confessions of a Rescue Mom blog, and we'll be sure to share with Cassidy Megan, founder of Purple Day!

Let's show the world our purple!

It's time to join in our weekly Flashback Friday Blog Hop!

Flashback Fridays are brought to you by us - the FiveSibes - and our co-host, Love is being owned by a Husky, each Friday. We hope you'll find a photo or video from Memory Lane, post it, and link up to our Blog Hop each week! If you don't catch it on Friday, you can link up any time during the week! To catch our past Flashbacks, just enter "Flashback Friday" in the search box. We hope you'll come join us!

And we're linking up, of course, to the Blog the Change for Animals hop!

Pizza, Pretty Please?!

Bandit and Wolf: "Maybe if we stare long enough, a slice will jump right out of the box into our mouths!"

Is A Siberian Husky Right For You? Part Two of a Two-Part Series in Kings River Life Magazine

Kings River Life Magazine

Part Two of my two-part series on the magnificent breed of the Siberian Husky is now out in Kings River Life Magazine is out! You can check out the full article in their January 9 issue HERE, 

where I talk to other Husky experts on the subjects of dryland and snow mushing, therapy work, special needs, and rescue. In case you missed the first installment, please visit HERE, where I touch on the history of the Siberian Husky, urban mushing, and training tips specifically for this highly intelligent, sometimes stubborn, but always fun, breed!

"If you know people who are contemplating adding a Husky to their family, please share my series with them to help in educating them on this...beautiful breed of dogs so the commitment they make to having a Siberian Husky will be a forever one." ~Dorothy Wills-Raftery

A Siberian Husky parent for the past almost 11 years, this is an outstanding and wonderful breed. With their stunning beauty, are also some very specific needs, training styles, and breed-specific facts potential Husky parents need to know before saying "yes" to a Husky! So, if you know people who are contemplating adding a Husky to their family, please share my series with them to help in educating them on this high-energy, extremely social, loving, howling, digging, shedding, love-to-run, beautiful breed of dogs so the commitment they make to having a Siberian Husky will be a forever one. And, as in my case, I bet they can't just have one! (The Siberian Husky "potato chip syndrome!") As always, if anyone has any questions about the breed or Canine Epilepsy, they may feel free to contact me at FiveSibes(AT)gmail(DOT)com (replacing, of course, the AT & COM with symbols).

To share my series: 

"Is a Siberian Husky the Right Breed for You?" Part One 

"Is a Siberian Husky the Right Breed for You?" Part Two.

Once again, I'd like to give special thanks to BlogPaws! Through my membership as a pet parent, Husky blogger, photojournalist, and author, the Kings River Life editor and I were able to connect for this very special series.

 

Happy Birthday Wishes & Woos, Daughter!

Happy Birthday to my amazingly wonderful daughter, who has been on this fabulous FiveSibes ride with me since the start when she asked for a Siberian Husky 11 years ago, and shortly after welcomed Harley into our family! Now how is it that she has turned 28? I'm not sure, because I swear she was just five and I only turned around for a just a minute..

...and she's a grown woman who is also a newlywed! This past Halloween, she married a wonderful man in a simple, beautiful outdoor ceremony with Mother Nature loaning her colorful Autumn leaves for a backdrop! My son-in-law fits right in our Sibe-loving family! While he and Bandit share a special bond, all the Huskies love him! Gibson and little brother Wolf even joined in the wedding photoshoot!


My husband and I have been so been blessed with not only an amazing daughter we are so proud of, but a daughter who is also my very best friend, and a wonderful second Hu-mom to our Huskies! I so look forward to the many more adventures together that lie ahead for us and our family.

 Quote by Deanna Beisser

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And since today is a special day, and a day for smiles...we are joining in the Blogville's "Smiles for Sugar" Blog Hop, hosted by Oz, the Terrier. This is an amazing and caring community we are so proud to be of, and have been on the receiving end of much support and love ourselves. Today, we are joining other bloggers in sending  lots of smiles and all good wishes to beautiful Sugar, the Golden Retriever, who, we learned is having health issues and going in this Friday for surgery. Please pop over to Sugar's blog or visit her and her family on Facebook, and lend a paw of support for Sugar who has brought so much beauty and smiles to us over the years. Sugar, we love to see you smile!

He Had Me at "Woo" on Flashback Friday!

Today, my trip down Memory Lane is of my wooly boy, Gibson. Flashing back to April of 2006, when my sweet baby boy was just an adorable, already sweet, four month old puppy, and the second Siberian Husky to join our family! As soon as I saw him and picked him up, I couldn't put him down, and he didn't want me to! He had such captivating, soulful eyes, and I only had eyes for him! We snuggled and slept together on my recliner, with him on my lap (at four months he was already a good size and took up the length of me!) for the whole night. I was SO in love with this boy, a special love that has captured my heart for eternity. It was love at fluffy, wooly first sight! When I saw him come bounding out, doing a puppy version of what was to become his famous Gibbie Hip-Hop dance, I knew my Husky had just chosen me! He was so happy, something he would be always be throughout his too-short life...a very happy Husky! I honestly believe he was born that way! That day when we first met, he came running over - directly to me - his tongue was waving out to the side, and those beautiful crystal blues eyes...with the one parti-eye that looked as though he was winking at me! A big ball of fluff who stole my heart. 

He had me at "woo."

 And speaking of a Siberian Husky puppy, do you know of someone who is thinking about adding a Siberian Husky to their family? 

Please be sure to have them check out my two-part series on this magnificent breed  "Is a Siberian Husky the Right Breed For You?" in the online Kings River Life Magazine. Read Part 1 from the January 2 issue HERE. You can also link to it from my January 3 blog post HERE. And Part 2 comes out tomorrow in their January 9 issue!

It's time to join in our weekly Flashback Friday Blog Hop!

Flashback Fridays are brought to you by us - the FiveSibes - and our co-host, Love is being owned by a Husky, each Friday. We hope you'll find a photo or video from Memory Lane, post it, and link up to our Blog Hop each week! If you don't catch it on Friday, you can link up any time during the week! To catch our past Flashbacks, just enter "Flashback Friday" in the search box. We hope you'll come join us!

 And we are happy to also join in the Pet Parade!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up

   

Happy 10th Birthday in Heaven, Gibson! Thanks for Stopping By...

FiveSibes "Gibson" Les Paul of Mystic Mountain
January 6, 2006 ~ December 16, 2015 

Happy 10th Birthday to my sweet FurAngel Gibson on his first birthday in Heaven. If you were to ask me a month ago, I'd tell you this certainly was not how I was planning on spending today. But then again, we never do plan for these days, do we? While we know the day is inevitable, we secretly hope it never comes, that maybe it will be forgotten by fate...

I spent most of today reminiscing...looking at photos and videos of Gibson with me and his pack family. I had hoped today would be similar to birthdays of the past - a day of celebrating with Gibson and the FiveSibes, complete with new toys, a singing toy "cake," Husky games, and a special bone-shaped ice cream cake proudly sporting those double digits 1-0, seven of them beating Canine Epilepsy and the seizure "monster." 

Let's eat cake! January 6, 2012

I can see so clearly all those birthdays past how Gibson, Harley, Wolf, Chloe, and Bandit would excitedly gather around my homemade vanilla ice cream doggy cake, and all together they would join in for some tasty enjoyment. I was always so proud of how they could all eat together, sharing the cake and just simply enjoy being together and be in the moment. 

Be in the moment...

 

While today has been very difficult to get through without tears, and there have been lots of them, I also smile remembering all the wonderful, special times spent with Gibson and all my FiveSibes together as a family. It's so unfair that he is not here, but I know so many of us pet parents are going through similar times. Gibson had such a love and zest for life, even with all the health challenges he faced ~and beat~ except damned cancer. But since he was such a lover, I will honor him today with fond memories and smiles. I had planned on doing a birthday memorial tribute video, but my heart is too broken yet to get through more than one or two clips of him without bawling. He was such a special boy...and he holds a piece of my heart for eternity.

Gibbie, I hope you are celebrating North of the Rainbow Bridge with lots of snow; with my Mom,  your Hu-Nanny; ice cream; and many furfriends. I will love and miss you always, my sweet, beautiful Gib. You will always and forever be in my heart. ❤  Happy Birthday, G-man. I miss you.

 

"Because of God's grace,
one day we'll embrace
and never again be apart.
But until then
Know this my sweet friend,
you've left paw prints on my heart."
~Sharon Hinton Smith

And then something special happened today... 

This morning, as I was bringing in the remaining FiveSibes from the back deck, I called out, "Happy Birthday, Gibson" into the cool morning air. I then brought the Huskies in and they all gathered together for breakfast, as they do every day, I told them it was Gibson's birthday. I broke up a dog cookie for them to each have a piece in his honor, when suddenly I noticed a rainbow spot on the floor by their paws...right in the area where they all gather for their meals...the same area Gibson would be in with them...

 "Woo. What's this?" wonders Wolf.

 "Hey, Bandit, do you see this rainbow spot?"

 "Gib...big bro...is that you?"

 "He is here with us!" says Harley.

 "Mom...I don't see it any more..." notes Wolf.

 "Woo...he was here with us! Happy Birthday at the Rainbow Bridge, Gibson. We love and miss you very much."

 ...and then it was gone...

Tell me...do you believe in signs?

"What we have once enjoyed
we can never lose;
All that we love deeply,
becomes a part of us."
-Helen Keller

A special howlfest for our FurAngel Gibson, sung with love by his packmates Harley, Wolf, Chloe, and Bandit. 

Happy Birthday, Gibbie!

(This video may not play on all devices).

#LiveGibStrongForever, our sweet boy. 

 

Note: While this week's blog post is quite wordy for Wordless Wednesday, it's a special week here since it's in honor of my Gibson's birthday, and the special "visit" I so wanted to share. I hope the top photo of Gib speaks for itself, even without words, of the charm, soul, love, and heart this Siberian Husky had for his family and for life. ~Thank you!