Team Tanner- #TannerStrong

08/31/2026

Tag Netflix! Who would watch it?

08/31/2026

That time Barry Nobles did a video and highlighted Tanner!

In this video I take you along with me during a full BMX gate start...

08/31/2026

Kicked the day off with some fresh bagels from Knucklehead Farms, LLC , always a good way to start a Sunday! 🥯

Dave had a bunch of callouts throughout the day, so the boys and I headed to our niece’s 5th birthday party without him. It was great getting to see family and celebrate her!

Aside from that, it was a pretty rainy, dreary day around here. We did decide to make candied strawberries, which the boys had never tried before, so that was a fun little rainy-day experiment!

We’ve got a VERY busy week ahead of us! Dominic starts his college classes on Thursday, which is kind of crazy to even say. Here we go!

08/30/2026

Days at home feel so different now. So much more special.

This morning I got to bring Dominic to practice, and then the rest of the day was filled with all the simple things. We finished the fire pit, Tanner, Dave and Dom played with the Traxxas cars, Dave cut some wood, I did some grocery shopping, and Dave had one call out before coming back home and making dinner.

Oh, and Aunt Emily sent one final car for Tanner’s birthday that arrived today! Apparently the birthday celebrations just keep going.

Tonight, we watched a hot air balloon float right over our house, then ended the night around the fire. Tanner ate so many s’mores that we eventually lost count.

These are the days I love. The simple days. The days where nothing huge happens, but we’re all home, all together, just living life.

Last year at this time, our family was split between Atlanta and New York. Home felt so far away, and being together under one roof was something we were desperately waiting for.

Now I find myself soaking in nights like this a little differently. A fire in the backyard. Kids playing. Dinner at home. A hot air balloon overhead. Way too many s’mores.

Nothing extraordinary…and somehow, everything extraordinary.

These are the days.

08/29/2026

Another busy day! Here are the highlights!

🚗 Dominic got some driving practice in today! And if you happen to see him out there...yes, he’s 16 and learning, so please be patient with him. And no, he’s not 25, even though he definitely looks it. I swear a few times when Dominic and I switched places, people probably assumed I was the learner. Also, if anyone knows of drivers Ed available in or near Newark please let us know.

🏁 Grandma Brenda came over sporting her Pit Crew shirt and went right to work doing exactly that...helping Tanner with his cars as needed. They even raced them around a bit together!

🔨 Dominic put together a workbench for the garage, which was super helpful, and I finally finished the grilling area Dave and I started earlier this week!

⚽ When Dave got home from work, we had dinner, and Dominic got his soccer number. It’s officially #12 for inquiring minds!

🔥 We also had our very first fire at the new house tonight…and, of course, Dave got called out. Because why wouldn’t he?

Meanwhile, the Dineen fam is at Tri-City BMX Track this weekend with Tanner swag! If anyone wants some, go check out the Tanner table. We’re trying to get rid of the last of it!

And Tanner had THREE friends at the races today repping their Tanner jerseys. Seeing his friends continue to carry him with them means more than they probably realize.

Another full day of projects, cars, soccer, family, friends and making this new house feel more and more like home.

08/29/2026

The boys said not to add music to this one, "let the fire do the talking". So here it is!

08/28/2026

One thing we’ve learned since Tanner’s injury is just how many incredible foundations and organizations are out there to help individuals and families navigating spinal cord injuries and disabilities.

Before we were thrown into this world, I had no idea most of these resources even existed. I have spent HOURS researching, finding resources, filling out applications and submitting paperwork for grants in order to identify and access many of these opportunities for Tanner. It takes a lot of time and persistence, but every opportunity we can give him is worth it.

Here are the organizations I talk about in this video:

Shepherd Center
The AbleGamers Foundation
High Fives Foundation
Kelly Brush Foundation
New Perspective Foundation
Andee's Army
Outdoor Ability Foundation
Canine Companions

Every organization offers something a little different, from rehabilitation and adaptive equipment to grants, recreation, resources, service dogs and opportunities for greater independence.

And I also need to say a HUGE thank you to every single person who has donated to Tanner along the way. We truly could not have done all of this without all of you. The therapies, equipment, travel, opportunities and experiences you have helped make possible mean more to our family than we could ever put into words.

If you know someone with a spinal cord injury or disability, please save or share this post with them. You don’t know what resources are out there until you start looking, and sometimes finding the right organization can make a huge difference.

And if you know of another amazing foundation or organization we should check out, please drop it in the comments. Hopefully we can help make this post a resource for other families navigating this road too.

08/28/2026

Another busy day!

We kicked off the morning with Tanner’s freshman orientation! He went from 8–11:30, got to meet his 1:1 aide for the year, and had a good time. It’s hard to believe we officially have TWO high schoolers now! And of course, I completely forgot to take photos of Tanner when I dropped him off for orientation. 🤦‍♀️

While he was there, I took advantage of the time and got a bunch of errands done. I'm also continuing to organize the garage.

This afternoon, Tanner got a home workout in. When Dave got home from work, he got right to work finishing up clearing the hedgerow on our property.

Gary and Tracy Harris stopped by and brought us the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers that they grow themselves, along with a donation for Tanner. So incredibly thoughtful and kind of them. We appreciate it so much!

Dominic had practice as usual, and by the time everyone was finally home and everything was wrapped up, we had a late dinner.

We finished out the night with Dave helping Tanner work on his Traxxas car. Because apparently there is always an RC car around here that needs a little work.

Another full, busy, really great day!

08/27/2026

If you’re in Geneva and looking for some really good coffee and donuts, make sure you check out Empire Coffee & Donuts! ☕🍩

They’ve had a Tanner jar sitting on their counter since the very beginning, and we appreciate their support more than they know. 💛 It means so much to have local businesses continue to show up for Tanner and our family.

And fair warning… don’t blame me when you get hooked on their donuts. They’re SO good!