Looking Back on 2015

2015 was pretty jam packed for me. I moved around a lot, had some incredible experiences as well as some frustrating lows. I think this year was good for me in the sense of learning new things about myself... I learned how to be completely on my own which to me was the biggest goal. It was something I wanted to prove to myself and I did it.

In January, I moved to Utah by myself and started my new job at Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary as a Dog Caregiver on New Years Eve. Crazy! My job kept me pretty busy which meant this blog went on the back burner for awhile.

In June I moved back to Vegas to be closer to my family. I loved living alone and being on my own but it was a really hard change to go from a huge city like Las Vegas and then be in a very very tiny small town like Kanab. I wouldn't say I was homesick but I was getting depressed even though I loved my job. Once I moved back I also started doing rescue work with The Churchill Foundation and I've been with them ever since. I also got a job at the Spay & Neuter Center, something that seemed to correlate with what I believed in.

In November I started this blog back up officially! I also moved into my new house with my boyfriend after living with his family for awhile. It was probably the best thing that had happened to me in awhile since I moved home. After being on my own and then living with a bunch of people... It was great to finally be back in our own space again.

Now it's December with the New Year right around the corner. It's been a roller coaster of a year for me. There were other bumps in the road that were too personal for me to share here but looking back now, it's all stuff that made me stronger in the long run.

 I know that 2016 is going to start off with a bang because I got some HUGE NEWS but I can't share it yet!!! I hate to leave you all in suspense but I should be able to share relatively soon.

How did 2015 treat you? 

Foxy Things

I know it's not Friday yet but I wanted to do a Foxy Things post early since you know... Christmas is almost here!

As you can see in the photo above (and if you follow me on Instagram) we have a new foster dog! Her name is Iggy, she's an 11 yr old Italian Greyhound/Chihuahua mix that we pulled from the Rescue Only list due to severe dental disease. She lost all but five teeth yesterday and is currently in recovery mode and hating her cone. As soon as she's feeling better, she will be up for adoption and I expect her to get swooped up pretty quickly even though she's a senior.

Besides our cute little guest, here are the other foxy things I've been feeling lately...

1 // I made this Skillet Chicken w/ Bacon & Wine the other night and it's hands down my new favorite chicken recipe. Even Johnny loved it and we don't usually enjoy chicken like this.
2 // Speaking of spending time in my kitchen, I had my epic Christmas baking day on Sunday and I tried out this Hedgehog Cookie recipe. They turned out so cute but you really need the patience to put on the little noses and eyes!
3 // Remember Wishbone, the little Shih Tzu we found on Thanksgiving? She got adopted to a loving new family!
4 // With all the negativity in the world right now (even in my city, thanks to the lady that plowed into the Strip with her car) stuff like this makes me feel a little better.
5 // New Years Eve is almost here and I need to decide on what to wear... I'm liking this look and need to go shopping asap.
6 // Wouldn't be mad at all if this or this was under my Christmas tree!

Does anyone already have their New Years outfit? What do you plan on wearing?

Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Card '15

Well, after 20 minutes with a tripod and remote and trying to get just one good photo of myself during the holidays because I'm a photographer and for christ sakes we should have good photos and I never get anything nice of myself without at least a few hours try, damn it Johnny suck it up and look like you love me, I hate all of these this is terrible, I give up I'll just choose one of these even though I don't love any of them...

We have a Christmas card.

Next year I'm definitely having someone take our photos for us.

As a photographer... I deserve it.

Christmas Blues

 I've been home sick the last couple days (I always get sick around Christmas, like clockwork) and finally blogged my mini sessions up on my business blog which you can see here. That's definitely going to be a goal for 2016, to keep that thing updated consistently! I need to put as much effort into that blog as I do with this one.

I'm sort of in a pre Christmas funk. I have a couple of forks in the road coming up in my journey of life and I'm not sure which path to take. I know that I'm making a change, that I'm going to stray from the road I'm on now. However the opportunities aren't exactly crystal clear just yet and I'm hoping they will be by the New Year. I know I want to focus more on my photography... I think the ultimate goal is being able to do this full time but I'm not quite there yet. Mentally, yes. Financially, no. However I'm going to try out some new things to continue growing as a photographer and who knows where I might be by next year!

Animal rescue is forever in my life and something I will always do. One of the new paths might lead me deeper into that realm and I'm open to seeing where that may go. If I'm lucky, eventually I would be able to tie in photography and animal rescue together as a career and be set for life. Fingers crossed right guys?

Regardless, I'm in this weird place now because I'm already so eager for a change and unhappy/restless with where I'm at right now. It's frustrating. Not to mention that with the job I have now, I'm always exhausted and stressed out. I'm too tired to go out with friends or even do anything on my days off unless it's something close to home. I use to be this social butterfly but my job has sucked the life out of me and I for sure can't keep on like this. I haven't traveled in about 3 years (moving to Utah doesn't count) and I can't remember the last time I actually went out on the town. I hate to be cliche but I've always been a creative and these 12 hour days as a Low Cost Spay & Neuter Receptionist.... I just can't anymore. It was fine as a temporary solution for when I moved home but now it's time for something more substantial.

Sorry for ranting friends, I tend to just bottle these things up and keep it to myself but my blog gives me a safe space where I can release a little steam. Anxious, restless, still wondering what my future holds when I'm almost 30 years old. Frustrating! I can't wait till Christmas, at least it will be a good distraction while I let these things play out and see what happens.

Snapshots Lately

I'm trying so hard to enjoy Christmas but it's been a little hard. Between my full time job, all the holiday photo shoots (December is always my photography busy season), and then trying to just keep up on the house and making Christmas gifts... I haven't had much time for myself or to just relax. That's why I switched shifts this weekend so I could finally get a Saturday off and spend time with Johnny and my friends to go play in the snow at the mountains and finish up some things I desperately need to catch up on. 

That's not to say that I'm not loving my time by the fireplace and the nostalgic warmth I get when I look at the Christmas tree after coming home after a long shift. Or when I see Murderface curled up in Jasper's bed even though it's ten times too small for him. Speaking of cute puppies... Wishbone never found her owner, she wasn't chipped or spayed so she has gone into the rescue I work for. We have a groomer who also foster's so she took Wishbone on for us and that's where she will stay till she finds her forever home. I loved having her here with us but she is very much a puppy. The other foster has more time to do stuff like potty training where I'm more of a medical/older foster dog household. 

I've been crafting up a storm as most of my gifts will be homemade this year. I saw this post on how to burn snowflakes into birch ornaments. I tried out a few owl sketches as well, these are so cute and personal! Not to mention that wood burning is pretty therapeutic. I've never been the best at drawing but with some practice I'm hoping to get better. 

Here's one of my owl ornaments now hanging on our tree. Also, my cute unicorn ornament from Gypsy Warrior finally came! I love it so much!

That wasn't the only Cyber Monday package I received this week. I recently discovered GracemereWoods, and she is amazingly talented. I wish I could carve and paint half as good as she can. You might say I'm having a small obsession with wood ornaments lately and that's ok. We all have our vices. Now I own these amazing pieces and can't wait to add more to my collection. She also included a sweet handwritten note which is always a lovely gesture.

Wrapping things up, another reason I'm making sure to take some added days off is that I'm starting to feel that rescuer burnout. Yesterday we had a family come in with their 12 yr old dog that was suffering from pyometra. Pyo's happen when a female dog is not spayed and the uterus becomes infected. It's very serious and without immediate surgery the animal faces death. The owner was in tears because couldn't afford the surgery, she only had a type of credit that my company doesn't accept. The dog was so sweet and I can't handle people crying... Plus the weight of guilt that was creeping up on me at the thought of them leaving and having their dog die or euthanized when there was a chance of a few years and quality of life left... I couldn't just sit there and hope something would happen. I called in some other rescue groups who luckily felt the same way I did and two of them stepped up and each paid a large chunk of the surgery. The owner had taken out a loan and come back, she was so desperate to save her dogs life which I totally admired. It was awesome being able to tell them they could pay back a large amount of that loan AND get the dog in for surgery. I literally almost burst into tears about twenty times that day and when the dog was curled in the backseat of the car on her way home for recovery in the arms of the owner's child... It made all the stress and worry worth it. 

My emotional state is a little too fragile though and with everything going on in the world as well as the day to day cruelty and unhappiness I see in rescue... I need a few days to regroup and recharge. That's how rescuer's burn out and I finally get it since I'm experiencing it myself. Stepping away from Facebook and not seeing bad things for a few days, focusing on things that make me happy and loving on my own dogs, not having to take on the usual stress of my demanding job (and it is stressful working at a low income spay and neuter facility)... I'm hoping it will help. 

How do you guys usually recharge your batteries? How are you getting ready for the Christmas season?

Fashionably Foxy: Holiday Party Time

It's starting to get pretty chilly outside! Just in time too... This is my favorite time of year when it comes to clothes because it means hoodies and long sleeves, you can hide those extra holiday pounds with a jacket. It also means reasons to actually get dressed up, there's nothing like a Christmas party to set the tone of the season. I'm usually in scrubs at work and then right in sweats/pjs when I'm off so I don't get many reasons to actually get spiffy unless I'm going somewhere. This might be my go to party look. I adore the skirt, I had been looking all over for one like this but they are super expensive from places like Modcloth or other stores I adore. I'm on a tight budget, so I can't splurge $50 on one piece of clothing unless it's on sale. Imagine my surprise when I found this gem at Target, I swooped it up the moment I laid eyes on it.

I've had these cute heart tights for a few months and the skirt pairs with them perfectly. The jacket is the newest thing I own, I just picked it up to replace my old one that I grew out of. I always have to have a black trench coat, it's a staple in my winter wardrobe.

Tank: Wet Seal (older)

Skirt: Target (older)

Jacket: Charlotte Russe

Tights: Forever 21 (older)

Boots: American Eagle (older)

On another note, my closet still needs some work on it although it's slowly coming together. I have a feeling I won't be able to work on it or my office till after the holidays. Oh well.

Hope you are all having a great first of December! I'm finally working on some DIY Christmas gifts today and tomorrow I'll need some good vibes sent my way for a new opportunity. Fingers crossed!

Wishbone

We are relaxing next to a roaring fire on the couch after a night with good food and even better company. I'm watching the All-Star Dog Rescue special which is even more fitting after the eventful day we had. Pulling out on the street to grab some forgotten groceries this morning, a small dog darted in the road and I immediately started hitting Johnny on the shoulder telling him to pull over. He knows this drill well enough. She almost slipped us a few times but the full credit goes to my boyfriend for sticking with her and cornering her in a neighbor's yard until I could get there. She was shaking and scared and responded to my advances with fear-biting. I threw a shirt over her head and picked her up and she immediately settled down.

After taking her home, I realized I had a little female Shih Tzu on my hands. On closer inspection, she was extremely dirty and covered with mats and feces. Taking in her lovely aroma of pee, I left her in our spare bathroom with a blanket and a bowl of water (she was quite thirsty after that run) and a small bowl of food. After coming back home with some new dog shampoo, she wagged her tail at me and crawled into my lap. Once she realized she was safe, she started to come out of her shell and even rolled over for us to rub her belly. I was able to bathe her and handle her with no incident and even cut out most of the bigger mats which she took all in stride. The picture on the left is when I first found her and the right one is after a bath. What a difference some shampoo makes! Now she has met the boys with no problem, bounced around the yard with them, had a good meal, and is curled up at my side as I write this.

It wouldn't be a Thanksgiving without saving a dog. I swear they know where to find me. I'll be taking her into my work tomorrow to scan her for a chip and luckily my rescue has already offered to sponsor her if an owner can't be located. She's a young and energetic thing, I have no doubt she will go quickly if someone's not looking for her.

This Thanksgiving I am very thankful for my supportive family and friends, my furry boys, the wonderful Churchill Foundation, and the new home I share with my love.  I'm thankful for my dearly departed Sinatra and my Grandpap, who reminded me that life is short and that love lasts forever. I'm thankful for the little dog finding us instead of getting hit by a car or starving in the street, cold and alone. I'm thankful for all the rescue dogs I've worked with and fostered that constantly bring joy, inspiration, compassion, and love into my life. I'm thankful for the readers that follow this blog and who motivate me every day to follow my passions and give me an outlet to do so.

Most of all I'm thankful for this guy who wouldn't have crawled under a car to trap a dog a few years ago but doesn't hesitate to help me now. He's a wonderful man and I'm lucky to call him mine.

We decided to call the little one Wishbone, seemed fitting considering today and we will foster her till she finds her owner/forever home.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Thanksgiving is tomorrow! This might be one of the first times I'm not working or out of town and am actually looking forward to the holiday. Usually I'm all about skipping it to get straight to Christmas, not this year though! As I've gotten more and more into baking (blame the Great British Bakeoff for inspiring me), I decided that I would make an epic dessert. I love everything pumpkin unless it's pumpkin pie. That can be blamed on a Thanksgiving where I ate wayyyyy too much of it and haven't let go of the regret since. However, I love tiramisu and saw this recipe for one here and decided to do my own spin of it.

I had ladyfingers left over so being the child I am, I dipped one in the coffee mixture and then the cheese mixture and oh my god... I'm winning Thanksgiving for sure.

Before we start, let me just say that I'm not the most advanced baker (getting there) and tiramisu seems really complicated but this one was pretty easy and there's no baking involved. I also bought my Ladyfinger cookies and Mascarpone cheese from Trader Joes. Any excuse to shop there is a good excuse. For the Hazelnut Liquear, I used Kahula Hazelnut. I used more liqueur than the original recipe because duh, why wouldn't we?

I also had more than half a can of pumpkin left over which wasn't an issue because I used it to fill Kongs to freeze for the dogs. It's my go to trick for Mister I-Have-Seperation-Anxiety Murderface and works like a charm. Win win for everyone with this recipe I would say.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Pumpkin Tiramisu Recipe

For Dipping
1 cup water
1 cup brewed coffee (I went to Starbucks and just got a tall black coffee for this)
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup Hazelnut Liqueur (The original recipe calls for 2/3 but I used 1 cup)

Mixture
2 cartons of Mascarpone cheese (8 oz each)
3/4 canned pumpkin
5 Tbsp divided sugar (3 tbsp and 2 tbsp)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 1/4 cups heaving whipping cream

Assembly
54 crisp ladyfinger cookies. (This didn't work for me, I ended up using about 66 ladyfingers for mine because of the pan I used. I believe I used about 4 or 5 boxes of the Trader Joe brand)
1 Tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1. Start off with making the coffee liquid. Using a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine water, coffee, sugar, and liqueur and stir until the sugar has dissolved. The original recipe says to move the liquid to a shallow bowl but I just kept it in the saucepan and moved it off the heat. No need to make another dirty dish if you can avoid it. Make sure the liquid cools completely.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix Mascarpone cheese, pumpkin, 3 tbsp sugar, and all the spices till it's blended together. In another separate mixing bowl, add the heavy cream and beat it till it starts to thicken. Add the remaining 2 tbsp's of sugar and continue to beat the cream until "soft peaks form". I had no idea what that meant so basically I just kept beating it till it formed a much thicker version of what it seemed before. Fold the cream into the mascarpone/pumpkin mixture until it's all blended.

3. Now it's time to build your Tiramisu. Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee liquid  and allow excess to drip off. Be careful because these cookies are delicate and can break easily after they are soft. I used two rows of 10 ladyfingers for my pan as well as 3 more at the bottom because there's a gap left when you use the 9x13 pan as can be seen in the above picture. Make sure they are even and resting next to each other in a single layer. You'll have a lot of the cheese mixture to work with so spread an even layer over the cookies and then repeat the process again until you have built two more layers.

4. Sprinkle the combined sugar/cinnamon mixture over the top and voila... You have finished! All that's left is to cover your tiramisu and then stick it in the fridge. Leave in for at least 8 hours or overnight, I'm leaving mine in overnight.

I would have added a photo of a cut piece so you guys could see the layers but that will have to wait till tomorrow.

I'm so excited to see how my family likes it. A few already came by and sampled the cheese mixture and that seems to be good on it's own, so more than likely we will be getting some rave reviews. Let me know how it turns out for you if you try it!

FAQ

Since the blog is being rejuvenated, I figured I would answer some Frequently Asked Questions about me. I wanted my new and old readers to be able to get to know me a little better.

How long have you lived in Vegas?

I was born and raised in Vegas so I've been here my whole life basically... Excluding my short 6 months that I lived in Kanab Utah when I worked at Best Friend's Animal Sanctuary.

When did you start doing Photography?

I started messing around with a camera in 2010 after years of loving to take photos of my friends and family. In January 2013 I purchased my first DSLR and started my business, JessRaquel Photography. I taught myself everything I know by teaching myself editing and reading lots of tutorials... Not to mention constant practice plus trial & error. I haven't looked back since and thoroughly enjoy every shoot I do. 

What camera do you use?

I have a Nikon D3100. My lenses are currently a Nikkor 55-300mm for wildlife and nature and a Nikon 35mm that I use a lot for portrait work.

What editing software do you use?

Photoshop CS6

Who takes your head shots and outfit photos?

See that remote in my hand in the above photo? Question answered!

Are you in a serious relationship?

Yes, my boyfriend's name is Johnny and he's been a good friend of mine for years before we ever started dating. We have been an official couple since July 2014. I'm lucky to be in love and living together with my best friend.

How many pets do you have?

I currently have two living with me. Murderface is an 8 yr old border collie/husky that I've had since he was 8 weeks old. Jasper is my 5 yr old Italian Greyhound that I adopted from the local animal shelter. Nymeria is a border collie/german shepherd mix that I rescued from a power plant about a year ago that is adopted by my grandparents. Some of you may remember that we had a Siamese cat named Sinatra but he unfortunately passed away a few months ago from kidney failure. 

What animal rescue are you currently involved with?

I'm a full time Adoption Counselor at Animal Foundation and I'm doing a lot of work with The Churchill Foundation. I would love for you check them out and support them! I also still utterly support Best Friend's Animal Society and hope we can end Breed Specific Legislation. Power to the Pitbull <3

Why do you love British stuff so much?

When I was little I basically was raised on PBS TV because we didn't have cable. They had a Saturday night lineup of British Comedies and after being exposed to Mr Bean and Fawlty Towers... I was hooked. It basically blossomed from British Comedy to all things British which was encouraged by family and friends.

Can I see your Fawlty Towers sleeve and who did it?

I've gotten the bottom part mostly done and need another session for the top/background.

Vic Vivid is doing this piece and he's hands down amazing.

Here are a few of my favorite posts that best represent me...

J & J's New Home

Locked & Jaxed

Monkey Bars & Bighorn Sheep

Goodnight Moon //  Goodbye Dad

Lavender Coffee Syrup Recipe

Do you have anything you would like to ask or know about me?

 Feel free to comment with your questions!

Snapshots Lately

We are loving our new home.

These are just a few snapshots from life lately in our cozy new abode.

I can't help myself. I'm already putting up a few things for Christmas, although I refuse to get the tree up until after Thanksgiving. I have some self control. I love these little reindeer lights I found at Target for $1 that already grace my mantel.

I really adore this open cupboard. I love displaying my favorite kitchen pieces and cookbooks in it. The little bird sketching I picked up today from the swap meet and seems to settle well in the kitchen space.

The quality of light is horrific in my closet since the fixture needs replacing, however I'm pleased with how this is shaping up. The hooks were already in the wall as well as the shelving so it was an easy decision (also prompted by sore lack of bathroom storage space) to make this a jewelry area. I'm working on staining a piece that will hold my earrings and will share that once it's finished.

I love our house that's really starting to feel like a home. I have a few projects in the works that I hope to start on during my next few days off and the hunt for a dining room table continues. Wish us luck!

Friday Foxy Things

I haven't done one of these in so long but I'm finding so many things as I browse for items for the new house that I can't help but share. Keep in mind that I'm also already decorating for Christmas (never mind that Thanksgiving hasn't happened yet) so some of this awesomeness could make for some great stocking stuffers. It's never too early to get Christmas shopping out of the way!

1// I love these tiny scoopers from The Sucre Shop!

2// I will be adding this unicorn gem to my tree this year.

3// If you haven't heard The Blue Jean Committee then you're missing out. I already have the vinyl on pre-order, comes out in a week!

4// I can see myself wearing this sweater while lounging on my sofa next to the fireplace.

What are some of your favorite things you found this week?

I always love finding new things so share your recommendations!

J & J's New Home

I know my little blog has been awfully quiet as of late but I'm determined to change that.

You see, I've been completely unmotivated and lacking in the creative aspect of things. A lot of it had to do with my living situation and my new job. While I get 3 days off from work, the days I work are 10-11 hour shifts which are incredibly draining so doing photo projects or anything else are the last thing on my mind. I was also living with my boyfriend and basically his whole family and after living by myself in the middle of nowhere for 6 months, adjusting to that was really hard for me. My dogs were stressed, I was stressed.

But yesterday Johnny and I moved all out stuff into our new rental and I absolutely adore it. We even have a decent yard for the dogs and you could see the change in their attitude the moment we brought them over. I already feel ten times happier now that we have our own space and I'm so excited to start decorating and making our mark on it. I have so many ideas and projects that I want to try and we are going to start thrifting and heading to the huge Broadacres swap meet to kick start it off.

One of my favorite features in our new house is the fireplace. 

I mean.. Look at that brick. It reminds me of the one we had in the house I grew up in. 

My Nana felt the same way, which is what sold us on the house.

An actually wood burning fireplace which can be a hard find in Las Vegas.

Actually finding a place with hardwood floors, a yard, a walk-in closet, and large dog friendly in a decent safe neighborhood in our price range is really hard to find in Vegas. We got incredibly lucky to find this place when we did. I think God saw I was at my wits end and sent me this gift of a home that I'm so incredibly thankful for. After moving three times in one year, you have no idea how eager I am to finally settle. 

With this new surge of creativity and an extra room for an office space/indoor photography studio... I'm really hoping that by the start of the new year, my photography business will be headed for bigger and better things to make up for the last year of neglect. (Not that it wasn't worth it of course, dog rescue always comes first)

I'm always thankful for those of you that continue to follow and read this little blog no matter how much it's neglected. I promise to make it up to you all.

Murderface and Jasper thank you as well.

Get Locked in Love. Get Jaxed.

I've started doing some photography for a new rescue that I really like and respect called

The Churchill Foundation.

They take on more medically challenging rescues and don't overwhelm themselves with animals so the ones under their care get as much attention, training, and care as they need. 

I love that. It's something that's hard to find in Vegas rescue.

Lock (above) is one of those medical dogs, he has heart defects and some allergy problems. While he is on medical hold for adoption (you can still send in applications if interested) and has to refrain from exercise... It hasn't put a damper on his spirit. 

Lock loves life.

Lock loves puppachinos from Dutch Bro's (which is my new fav coffee place)

Lock loves cuddling.

Lock loves exploring.

Lock loves car rides.

Lock loves you.

Lock is love.

Jax is another great guy from TCF that needs a foster or forever home.

His foster home fell through so he desperately needs a foster home asap.

Jax is one enthusiastic lively dude. He's just so much fun!

He's eager to please and picks up training on a dime. I had him primed for clicker training in the first ten minutes I spent with him. He loves water obsessively to the point that he would probably drown himself in a pool by swimming to death so he's on a training program to learn what moderation is. He would rather ride in the front seat next to you then in the back and loves to snuggle.

Both boys are neutered, up to date on vaccines, and micro-chipped.

I would appreciate anyone sharing these boys photos to help network them for wonderful homes.

Contact The Churchill Foundation for foster/adoption info and you can also follow them on Facebook!

From Wide Open Spaces to City Lights

After six months living in Utah and working at Best Friend's...

I'm back in Vegas.

About a month ago I moved back.

I left Best Friend's on good terms and didn't want to leave my dream job but small town living was hard and there were some personal circumstances that called me back home.

So now I'm living with my boyfriend, trying to get back into the photography grind, looking for work, and slowly getting back into Vegas rescue. I've found a rescue that I've done a few things for already that I really like and hope to do more with them in the future.

Crazy how this life goes.

Pearl + Babesia

What is Babesia?

You may have heard it before because it's a disease humans can get, yet dogs can get it as well.

Babesia is a blood illness passed usually through ticks and often found in dog fighting rings.

Pearl is a small pit mix that unfortunately has this disease.

She came from a dog fighting ring in Texas where she was more than likely used for breeding instead of fighting. She likes other dogs but can't be with them unless both are muzzled because of her blood illness. Babesia can't be passed from dogs to human but can be passed dog to dog.

Even though she is currently not on any medication, Pearl may have a shorter life span because of this illness. She could possibly have "relapses" which means she could get seizures, or become anemic, or become lethargic, or various other symptoms. 

It's a shame, because Pearl is one of the sweetest dogs I know and she's only hard to place because she's unable to live with other dogs and cats, plus her future medical care could possibly increase depending on what life throws at her.

Do you have a home where Pearl could be an only dog? Maybe your home would be right for her!

We would love to see this wonderful lady in the right and perfect home this year!

Learn more about Pearl and adoption here

Side note: The antler Pearl was playing with in this mini photo shoot will be sanded down before she actually gets to fully enjoy it.

The Garden

It's almost been a full month that I've been working at Best Friends and I can honestly say I love every minute of it.

I seriously have the best job in the world and I'm learning a lot.

I love my section in Dogtown Heights and I love the dogs even more.

I'm still getting use to daily life here in Utah so I really haven't had much to write about but I figured I would share a few snapshots of Dahlia and Porthos (above), two dogs in my area that I did a mini photoshoot with.

Dahlia is a hound mix that came to Best Friend's as an owner surrender. The owner had been using a shock collar on her that did far more damage then good. At Best Friends and in my own personal preference and experience, we never advise using extreme measures like shock collars. Instead we focus on positive training and reinforcements.

Because of the excessive shocking and abuse, Dahlia is extremely leash reactive towards other dogs even though she likes most dogs. She's currently spending time with a young Lab mix puppy named Porthos and they play quite happily together. Both are currently available for adoption.

Adopt Porthos here

Adopt Dahlia here

2015

I'm writing this from my new comfy couch

In my new cozy place

In my new town

In my new state

Where I started my new job on New Years Eve

That brought sparkly new snow.

So much new to start 2015.

Yes, I'm now living in Utah and I'm officially a Dog Caregiver at Best Friends.

The move was harder then I thought, I won't have internet till next week so between getting here and all the holiday festivities I've been extremely busy.

As you can see Murderface has adapted well, he's loving the snow.

You'll notice Jasper doesn't make an appearance in any of these photos as he refuses to come outside in this white wet stuff.

I'm still adjusting to living in a small town, especially a small town that actually gets snow.

Apparently Vegas got a freak snow storm right after I left, go figure.

I miss my family and friends a lot, I really miss my boyfriend and my grandparents.

I've never been this far away from them before so yes... Still adjusting but my new job makes it so worth it.

I'm reunited with my other boyfriend, the beautiful bully Bruno and it's been a magical winter wonderland since my very first day. Everyone has been really kind and welcoming and mostly everyone remembers me so it's been smooth sailing so far as I get back in the swing of things here.

Oh, I also did have a great Christmas with Johnny and both our families...

I have a feeling our relationship might be headed for new things as well, 

we are talking about him possibly moving up here within a few months which would be wonderful.

2014 was a great year and I'm thinking 2015 might be even better.

Thank you all who read this blog and follow along through the years,

it means a lot to me. Truly.

I'm excited to share my adventures at Best Friend's here and you can also see awesome pictures that I don't always post here on my Instagram.