WEDDING BELLS

I decided it was time to marry my best friend of 10 years...during a global pandemic. I thought it would be a small event with just us and family. I looked into getting a nice Airbnb house and using the yard. Their rules changed due to Covid-19. My next thought as more people were being invited was a small venue. Those were mostly closed due to Covid. We finally settled on the best and most beautiful venue -- Jordan Pines campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The spot was perfect and beautiful. It allowed for more guests to come and be socially distanced out in the open air.

With the help of my mother, we sent out invitations, made some decorations, got some nice outfits prepared, and then we did the thing! It started out raining all morning, tapered off in the afternoon, and became a spectacularly beautiful evening for the ceremony and small reception. Here are a few photos to recap the day.

I love you, Brandon.

 

DOG CANCER

Oh, hello there. I know I haven't written here quite some time, and I apologize for that. But here I am now. So...what's new? Probably lots and I'll get to that later. Moving on to the most important thing going on in my life right now:

If you know me, then you know I LOVE my dog. She is my best friend. We have been through a lot together and I appreciate her for being such a loyal companion.

 In May, I took Day-Z to a nearby vet because she was shaking her head a lot and I knew that meant something was bothering her. I thought it could possibly be a foxtail. She had one get caught in her ear last year around this time and the same vet removed it for us. There was nothing her ear. I had recently noticed a bump on the side of her face so I asked if that could be what was bothering her. We went back to this bet a couple times and they offered to take a sample and send it to a lab for a biopsy to see exactly what the bump on her face happens to be.

 I wasn't very happy with the speed of service from the veterinarian office, but they finally got back to me two weeks later and the vet said it wasn't a big deal and I should let it be. He told me sometimes dogs just get bumps that are benign and this was one.

It has been 4 months since that visit and the bump is bigger. I scheduled an appointment for Dayz's eye checkup. I mentioned the bump and the doctor immediately looked concerned and asked if she could ask the oncologist in the building to take a look. The doctor also contacted the previous vet and asked them to send their biopsy results over. It took a few minutes, but the first vet emailed the results. The eye doctor told me that just looking at those results it said soft tissue sarcoma (STS) which means it is cancerous. The oncologist from offered to see Day-Z that afternoon and took some x-rays.

Turns out the first vet lied and the bump is cancerous. It has grown so much that it has busted a little bit of the bone in her face (seen on the right side). It has possibly spread so much that surgery to remove it might not be an option without seriously disfiguring her face. The next option? Radiation treatment with specialized machines at Colorado State University. What does this mean? It means a 7 hour road trip with my dog, pet friendly hotel stay, a rather expensive radiation treatment, and lots of prayers that this helps stop the cancer from spreading. 

Do I love my dog and wouldn't think twice about doing something to help her? You bet! She really is my best friend. I am not very good at letting others in my super personal life or asking for help, but we sure could use it right now. So if you know anyone who might want to help out...maybe has hotel/car rental points that are going to expire that they can donate or something to help ease the monetary sting of our next phase in treatment. Thank you. Whether you can help out, offer a kind word, send love to Day-Z, or just took the time to read this whole post....I want to say thank you and I appreciate you. So much love.

HARDWARE RANCH

My friend Rachel called me up this morning to join her on a spontaneous trip to Hardware Ranch.

 When you reach the area in Hyrum, UT, you can go to the visitor's center for a great view from inside with the all glass front room and magnifying viewer.

 Tickets are for sale for a wagon ride to check out the Rocky Mountain Elk in the area. The elk come to this part of Utah in the winter when the snow pushes them to lower ground. They are migrating in search of food.

This Wildlife Area grows it's own grass hay each summer to feed these animals.

 Tickets for the wagon rides are priced at $5 for adults and $3 for children over the age of three.

You ride out in between these animals. They don't budge much when the wagons go by them. 

 This area estimates that 500-600 elk come into this area each year. 

This experience is super cool for those who love wildlife and the outdoors.

 You don't have to ride the wagon, but I would recommend it.

 Check their website for visiting days and hours and how to plan your trip.

WARREN MILLER'S Line of Descent Film 2017

The annual tradition of ski movies is back to salute the start of winter. In Volkswagen presents Warren Miller's Line of Descent, they celebrate their 68th ski/snowboard film with downhill thrills, global adventure, and a nod to those who taught you to slide on snow. 

Exciting news for my state....Utah Native Marcus Caston and skier Kay Richardson made the film!

I'll be at one of the Orem screenings (October 17-19) this year.

Wanna join me? You can purchase tickets here. 

Don't forget there is free swag & offers for moviegoers at all shows.

VISIT THE #LLPA AQUARIUM THIS SUMMER #AquariumSummer

I was able to go the amazing Loveland Living Planet Aquarium here in Sandy, UT, with the fam this week as part of the Mom It Forward Influencer Network. This means I received a family pass for 6 to check out the new attractions. You might be thinking a visit doesn't fit in your budget this month, BUT the aquarium has $5 off for Family Night every Monday, where guests can get $5 off regular admission prices after 4:00 p.m. The aquarium is open until 8:00 p.m. so you will have plenty of time during your visit.

There was so much to see!

There are hands-on exhibits for children that help you have fun and learn at the same time.

We were entertained for the longest time trying to spot different colored frogs,

touching sting rays and tiger sharks in the ponds,

watching the penguins waddle and dive, 

walking through the tunnel with sharks,

and enjoying the fish swim in a natural habitat.

As I have mentioned, the aquarium has so much more to offer besides just fish and sea life. In the new Expedition: Asia area, there is a leopard!

The aquarium has party rooms and you can host events or company parties in their banquet rooms.

Guests can participate in animal feeds, meet 'n greets, and story time. Those events are listed on their calendar page at thelivingplanet.com/calendar and are free when you visit.

There is always something exciting happening at the aquarium.
Get ready because in July, they will be celebrating Shark Week.

Visit the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium this summer, and you’ll see and experience the following:

ecosystems, South America, Expedition: Asia, the deep sea, the South Pole, the ocean, and so much more. That's right, you can experience different ecosystems from around the world without even leaving Utah. Say hello to your best ever staycation!

Find out more information about the Living Planet Aquarium by following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

#LLPA #AquariumSummer