Once upon a dogtail..

One evening, Laughter (Jareds roommate) said, "I have a proposal for you", he got down on one knee and said, "I am thinking about breeding Wheaty."

{Jared and Wheaty}

Laughter went on to propose that if Jared paid half the cost of breeding her, which is about $600, we could get a free puppy and pick of the litter! We were thinking that is a steal since most pure bred English bulldog's are between $1500 - $3000 dollars not pesos! I started to search KSL just to compare and see if we could get one for cheaper. 

[I called on like 15 ads, no joke that were all listed for $200 - $300, and started to realize that I would never find a bully for that cheap. They were all scams!]

I found one ad that wasn't quite worded like the rest, I emailed it to Jared and said, "do you think it's real?", his reply " probably not, but ill call".

He called:

• Real number: CHECK!
• Someone answered: CHECK!
• Puppy Available: CHECK!

We decided to drive to Idaho falls to pick up the puppy. We had to wait an entire week, because it was a 3 hour drive and we couldn't make it there and back unless it was a Friday.  These are the pictures of our puppy that were in the KSL ad:

We didn't know quite what to expected, because the pictures are a little weird and she had told us the puppy was a little older than the bottom picture and the top picture was when she was only a few weeks old. We made the journey anyway. When our GPS said we were about half an hour away, I was freaking out, my heart was pounding.

We pulled up to a nice double wide, with unplowed streets that smelled of garbage. We started walking up to the "front door" now I was definitely nervous. They breeder opens the door and this HUGE english bulldog walks out, and my heart dropped, I thought we got scammed and our puppy was 4 years old already. Then this little hyper bundle of fur comes crawling out of the kennel. This was Shia. I scooped her quickly and started to love on her. 

 I was thinking since we only paid $300 that something had to be wrong with her. I asked the breeder and she said that the rest of the littler sold super quick and Shia just wouldn't sell. Weird because she's so cute! We got back into the car and raced away (we paid, now worries) Anyway, that's how we got our discount puppy. 

Shia L. Spinelly (nickname: Spudley)

A few pictures my dad took while they were puppy sitting :) so kind.

 Shia being naughty and Gus Gus watching.

 Shia eating her Kennel, because she doesn't think she eats enough already!

Evil Gussy growling at Shia, they probably were fighting over toys.

As she's grown:

Shia sleeping under the bed, she snuggles in tight spots.

 At my desk at work, she loved the puppy day at the office.

 Her favorite shirt.

 Sleeping on her favorite elephant, that bubs gave her.

Spinelly loves her bath tubs, she will run from you and jump in the bath and she slips and slides all over, it is really entertaining.



I think that ends the photo session, for now ;)

'Monuesday' Madness!

Monday was like Sunday

So

Tuesday was like Monday

At least that's how it went down in my brain. Tuesday morning I stretch my arms and yawn my mouth, and start getting ready for my first day of spring 2011 semester. I was ready to go, ate a delicious breakfast and was out the door right on time. Everything was going well, this is the last time that anything went well on my Monuesday. 

I get to campus and the parking lots is CRAZY! Imagine ants and an anthill and there are 100 ants trying to get in the one tiny hole. Well I was an ant, and so was every other student and the hole was the parking spot. Every time a parking spot would open a ant would dash right in and take it. It took me over 20 minutes to park and so at this point I am about 5 minutes late to class. I walk over to my classroom and they have a relocated classroom sign, so I have to pull up a campus map on my phone and come to FIND out there is a little cluster of portables off campus. I trudge through the snow, over the river (literally) and passed the UTA trax to PC 8, I go. I walk in about 15 - 20 minutes late and every seat is full. Some nice kid told me there is one seat at the very FRONT of the classroom, so I walk to the front and sit down as quietly as I possibly can, however, I think that only makes me louder. I take off my coat, unwrap my scarf, pull off my gloves and search through my bag for the correct text and note taking device. Eventually I am ready to take some notes AND class dismissed. Luckily there is always tomorrow to make a good impression, I have this class Monday - Thursday.

Me still thinking it was Monday, head across campus to my next MONDAY class. I find the building and classroom really quick. I'm thinking "redeeming myself!". I was a few minutes behind maybe 2 or 3, and I sneak into the classroom, I sit there for about 15 minutes and class dismissed, which REALLY confused me, then I take the syllabus and it is definitely not the right course. I am leaving the class and ask a chick by the door if she was waiting for English and she said yes. I take another deep breath and think, "well this has to be the right class, right room, right course." I sit and take notes, do readings and get acquainted with my co-students. Come to realize it is not Monday it is Tuesday and I don't have english on Tuesday.

All before noon.

Later that night we decided to hit up a basketball game byu vs utah. The rest of the crew took tracks but Jared and I were running late so we decided to drive. We drive 'around' (also literally) the stadium for about 45 minutes. We could not find the Huntsman Center. We google it and follow the GPS, it takes us right to the parking lot. The whole time Jared and I were like why didn't we think of this before? We get out of the car all happy and start w.a.l.k.i.n.g. we walk and walk. There is NO Huntsman center in sight. We even found 2 fans leaving, because they couldn't find it. Jared the determined Y fan he is, was not going to miss this game. We find a student who tells us we are about a mile way, but it's within walking distance. WTF. . . a mile away in basketball fan clothing, in subfreezing weather without a car is NOT walking distance. By this time I was shutting down. Jared was determined, while my toes were starting to turn purple, my nose had shrunk from the cold and my teeth were chattering faster then a woodchuck chucks wood. [which is fast]

We decide to drive over to a closer parking lot, we go to find our car and go. When we realize we were all turned around and had no idea where the car was. Jared and I are now separated, screaming at each other across the parking lots, "DID YOU FIND IT?!". We were in the wrong parking lot. 

We finally park in a closer parking lot and walk to the Center. We get to the doors and call Bryce (Jared's brother who had our tickets). He said, "you're at the wrong entrance." We literally walk around the entire building, going in every single door and OF COURSE the last one is the right one.

We are literally at the game for 20 minutes, BYU won - small small victory of the night. 

After telling Bryce our traumatic story, he offers me his jacket, but Jared said oh no man, we are literally 3 minutes away. BUT we got lost. 20 minutes and 2 parking lots later we are in the car headed home.

BAM! Tuesday / MONUESDAY was quite an experience. 

Hard times bring us closer!

This week has been really rough! Landon passed away and really took an emotional toll on Jared and I. today was his funeral and I am so thankful for the service, it was incredible. I really loved seeing everyone there and CELEBRATING Landon's wonderful life. It really put my soul to rest. It was a full day of mourning for the better.

Not too mention I was stressed out because I missed my first day of school for this semester. eeek! oh well, it was much needed.

And I will miss all next week, dear lord, when does this stress ever cease? Doesn't it feel that you never get a breath, you only get better at not breathing? That is what I have decided. I believe that everything negative makes us stronger in some way. We grow individually from each experience, ya know?

Also, Jared and I are puppy parents. We bought a little baby english bulldog, her name is Shia L. Spudley, the 'L' is in remembrance of Landon. However is doesn't stand for Landon, it's just the letter 'L'. Shia is about 4 months old, she was born on Oct. 6th and is fullbred. We love her oh so much, she is not trained what so ever, which is a challenge but she is adogable. She is from a double wide in Idaho Falls. . .  she will never have to go back, I promised her. 

Long Story short, if you are stressed just remember how special your life is. You mean so much too so many people! 

Landon Pecks' Funeral

I know that you are so happy and free now. I am glad we alI got to bowling a few weeks ago so we could have that time with you. Thank you for always being there for Jared from the beginning. I loved coming to all of your gigs - so talented! You'll always hold a very special place in both our hearts. Love you Lando. ♥

Landon Pecks funeral:

Monday the 10th of January
10 AM
Jenkins and Soffe's (1007 W. South Jordan Parkway)

Actual Obituary

Heart Ache - RIP Landon

I was at a party with too many people to ever remember names, when Chantel came up to me and told me I had to meet Landon, because he was so HOT. I walked over to the table to find Landon and Jared sitting at the table conversing. Interrupting I made small talk for a short time, then bounced. [that was the first time Jared and I met]. Throughout the night I kept tabs on Jared {therefor} Landon and ended up giving Jared my number. For the next few weeks I hung out with Jared and Landon a bunch, of course, I started dating Jared. Which meant that I was around Landon a lot! Since Jared and Landon played in a band, I saw him once or twice a week and every weekend. After each gig they played we'd get pizza and celebrate. When we weren't at showss then we were going camping or up to the cabin or just hanging out at one of our places. After Jared and I had been dating for close to a year Landon seemed to be MIA, we found out that Landon was struggling with heroin, for the past 2 years Landon was in and out of our lives. He and Jared stayed in contact and whenever Landon was trying to get clean Jared and I would make the effort to go and see him. About a month ago Landon called Jared and the three of us met up to go bowling. He had just hit 30 days of being sober, I was very impressed and a little taken back. I sometimes can be too quick to judge from and unfair perspective. That's the last time I saw or spoke to Landon.

Tonight Jared and I were getting ready to go out, when Jared picked up his phone and suddenly tears were streaming down his face, his eyes were bloodshot and he couldn't speak. This is the phone call you never want to receive. Jared and I sat on the bed holding one another tightly, without exchanging a single word, our eyes both swollen with tears and our noses dripping. Landon passed away last week from an overdose.

Landon was a good friend, talented musician, and he had a great sense of humor. I hope that everyone who knew him remembers all the good he contributed to their lives.

My hear aches for his brother, sister and especially his mother.

Casey Barrett set up a fund raiser to help Landon's family. Please if you can give $5, it will be appreciated more than you know. Since Landon's father passed in September of 2010,  the Peck family needs A LOT of love and support right now. Here's the link to the fundraiser.

[each time a friend passes - it makes me think about all my other friends who have passed - Kade, Broc, Xander, Alice and Jordan - love and miss you all]
TRIBUTES