Denver Zoo Lights

Things are starting to get a little festive around here!

Last night we rugged up in our Winter woolies and headed to Denver Zoo to check out the annual Zoo Lights display. This was our first time checking out the Zoo Lights here in Denver (we've been in Oakland and San Diego in the past) and the twinkling lights were just as beautiful as I had imagined. 

While this was our first year visiting, it certainly isn't a new event for Denver. In fact, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Zoo Lights! All throughout the exhibition there were many light displays from previous years. You'll see years marked in lights in many of the pictures below.  

Now, with COVID-19 numbers increasing here in Colorado (like much of the country) you may be wondering what steps the zoo has put into place to make the event safe for all visitors. First of all, let me just say that I felt completely safe visiting the zoo. With timed ticketing, mask rules, hand sanitzer stations and social distancing reminders all around, the zoo has done a great job at protecting visitors. The entire zoo is now one way which means that visitors are less likely to come into contact with others. Most indoor areas were closed and there were designated areas for eating and drinking. While it would've been nice to walk around sipping a hot chocolate while taking in the views of the lights I felt much safer knowing that visitors could only remove their masks in particular places. 

Ok, onto the lights!

There were two main types of lights making up the displays. Lights shaped like various animals, and background lights twinkling in trees, bushes and along fences. Together they made for a magical experience. Some of the animal lights were animated to make it look as if they were moving like the elephants squirting water below.  

10 Ways to Celebrate the Holidays in Denver

Now that the spooky season is officially over it's to start thinking about the holidays. I'm not usually one to do anything too festive before December, but with all that 2020 has thrown at us, I think we all need a little holiday magic in our lives right now. 

So, today I'm sharing some of the fun holiday events that will be happening around the Denver area. Some of these are events that we've attended in the past, while others will be new for us this year. Some of the holiday events that we've attended in the past will not be happening this year due to covid restrictions, but the events listed below are all going ahead with precautions in place. As with anything, please make sure to check event requirements before attending any of these events. Many require that you book timed tickets in advance, and masks will most likely be required for all attendees over the age of two or three. 

The Pack on Amazon Prime Video

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx on behalf of Amazon Prime Video

Do you love dogs? Do you love adventures? Do you love adventures with dogs? 

If like me, you answered "duh, of course", then I have the show for you!

Coming to Amazon Prime Video this weekend is The Pack; a new unscripted series in which dogs and their humans work together to compete in fun and exciting challenges across the globe. 

Think of your favorite adventure series with competing pairs travelling around the world, but replace one of the pair with a dog. Instant improvement, right? It's all the adventure and excitement but with less drama - and a whole lot more cuteness! Doesn't that sound fun? 

The Pack is hosted by Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn along with her pup Lucy and premieres on November 20th. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video in more than 240 different countries and territories. The series sees twelve teams of dogs and their humans compete in fun challenges that will test their ability to work together to prove that they share the strongest bond in the pack. I've got to say, they're all pretty amazing. These challenges were designed by a team of accredited veterinarians and certified dog experts who travel with the teams to make sure it's a positive experience for everyone involved. 

Now, you're probably wondering just what the teams are competing for. Knowing that you have the strongest bond in the pack is pretty cool, but you know what's even cooler? Winning $500,000 plus an additional $250,000 for your chosen animal charity! Yep, that's what's at stake on The Pack. Hmm... time to start training our pup Yetta!  

Speaking of Yetta, team work is definitely not her strength just yet and that's something we're working on. We celebrated her first birthday back in October but she's definitely still a puppy when it comes to her behavior. She loves nothing more than to run around and play. Well, maybe stealing food from the kids ranks higher! She may still be a puppy but she has weighed more than Mathilde for quite some time now, so when they play together Yetta definitely has the upper hand. Upper paw? She's always the winner in a game of tug of war with Mathilde! Check out the pics below. Mathilde just managed to let go of Yetta's toy before she got dragged under the trampoline!

This purple toy is Yetta's absolute favorite at the moment and we got it in a goodie box thanks to The Pack. Such a fun box of surprises just for Yetta, because our dogs deserve celebrating too - even if they aren't team players and steal food when we look away! And rip up books. And chew the pull tabs off the back of boots. And bury loaves of bread in the garden. And eat shoe laces. Ok, we still have a LOT of training to do! 

Speaking of celebrating our canine friends, in honor of the release of The Pack, Amazon Prime Video has created a holiday just for dogs. But because dogs deserve more than just one day to be celebrated it's a whole weekend. It's Packed Weekend and it's this weekend, November 20th through 22nd! Head over to https://www.amazon.com/adlp/packedweekend and you'll find all the details including special deals and promotions from dog friendly brands, the Pack Walk Challenge (which has some amazing prizes), local treats on offer, and of course, the series itself. 

I'm so excited to watch The Pack with the kids and Yetta - if we can get her to stay still for more than five minutes, that is! Maybe we'll pick up a few tips from the teams on the show and the next time I share Yetta here she won't be dragging Mathilde around the backyard! A girl can dream, right?

Make sure to check out The Pack on Amazon Prime Video and let me know what you think. Do you think you and your pup have what it takes to compete in challenges like the ones on the show?  

Halloween 2020

Happy Halloween!

Did you go out trick or treating last night or was it cancelled where you are? 

We dressed up and headed out trick or treating with our neighbors, but there weren't many houses taking part in our neighborhood. The kids didn't seem to mind too much though and had fun running around in their costumes collecting candy - although Ava did have trouble seeing through her mask once it got dark!

There's not an awful lot to show from our evening of trick or treating as it was dark by the time we headed out, but here's a look at the kids' costumes and our porch decorations.