Jump Rope & Hoops for Heart

Schools across America will be raising money for the American Heart Association through their Jump Rope for Heart & Hoops for Heart programs. Next month my daughter's school will be participating, so she is currently fundraising! I love this program, it's such a great opportunity for kids to learn about heart health and about giving back to help others. My daughter is beyond excited about the event and has been doing an excellent job in telling people about what she's doing. If you'd like to make a donation to the American Heart Association, click here. Thank you!

WoofTrax

I recently adopted a rescue dog. While I was on the rescue's website I came across a page that listed ways you can contribute to the rescue without spending any money. One of the coolest was an app called WoofTrax. First let me say, it's completely free to download and it's available at both iTunes and Google Play. You sign up, register your dog or dogs, and then when you walk your dog, you just go to the app and follow the prompts to let them know you've started your walk. When you finish your walk, again you just hit the stop button on the app timer. Not only does this app seem to be motivating people to get up and get moving, it also donates money to your selected animal rescue organization. I have to suggest looking up Paws For Life Rescue in Michigan, they brought this amazing dog into my life and I'm so grateful! There are tons of rescues to choose from and honestly, all of them can benefit from donations. There are ads on the app, but they're not annoying nor do they get in the way, and I assume that they are how WoofTrax manages to donate money when the app is free.

Love Gives Chances

I just heard about this foundation, it was actually on the Disney Channel. I probably wouldn't have heard about it otherwise since I seem to only get to watch Disney shows these days! I see a lot of these kids that they feature who are making a difference in the world. This one really stood out for me. This little girl was in the Foster Care System before she was adopted and she wanted to do something to give back. That's the basic gist of how she started her foundation Love Gives Chances. My mom was a Child Protective Services Worker. Since she was a single working mom I went to a lot of different work outings with her. I spent a lot of time playing with different foster kids over the years. She would take me to the park with her when she had to supervise a parent/child visitation, things like that. Maybe that's why I really took notice of this. The money this foundation raises goes towards scholarships for these kids.

Logan...

This year my family and I had to say goodbye to one of our dogs, Logan. He had Cancer and it was time to end his suffering. I just wanted to share a little about him because I miss him every day. He was such a part of the family and I feel the loss all the time. He was a really sweet boy, always lovable and ready to snuggle. He had no idea how large he was. At all. He had a penchant for climbing fences and escaping to explore the neighborhood. This is a picture of Logan and my daughter sitting on my parents' deck in northern Michigan. My mom used to joke that he went from being a homeless street dog to having a home and a vacation home. Logan was a good dog and I had thought that I would have at least a few more years with him. The Cancer came on hard and fast and caught us totally off guard. At his last vet appointment I was told that he had about 2 weeks until the pain was unbearable so I took him home for a week to give him one last great time. Putting him to sleep was without a doubt the hardest thing I've had to do in my adult life. The women at Berkley Animal Clinic were absolutely amazing and thoughtful. One girl sat with me for over half an hour listening to stories about Logan while I cried and stroked his head. If you live in Metro Detroit and are looking for a veterinary office, I definitely recommend them. They also sent a condolence card a week after the event that was personalized and signed by all the staff. I thought that was a really sweet gesture. I made a memorial donation to Detroit Dog Rescue in Logan's memory, they're a great organization that do some amazing work here in Metro Detroit as well. So that's my story about Logan, the sweetest boy to ever walk on 4 legs. I just wanted to do one more little thing to honor his memory.