Issuu

LI F E + C U LTU R E

ENTERTAINMENT

H E A LTH + W E LLN E S S

A GRAN D REPRIEV E

A CH ILD' S M ISSOU L A

LET' S PRESS PAWS

Kids + Pets Issue

AU G U S T 2 022

Remodeling Your Bathroom & Kitchen?

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

There My Heart Grows.

August 2022 PUBLISHER

Mike Tucker | MTucker@CityLifestyle.com EDITOR

Chelsea Lyn Agro | Chelsea.Agro@CityLifestyle.com

I say the same thing every August but some things are just worth repeating: the Kids + Pets issue is my absolute favorite. Up until two years ago, I only really knew the pet side of things. Tacking up a horse, kissing their muzzle, bringing home animal after animal, vacuuming dog hair, and picking up, well, you know, the dirty end of the job. Since having a baby, I've learned a few things: babies don't require a 6,000 pound trailer; they fit snuggly and comfortably right in the backseat. How convenient! They wear diapers, so no poo bags necessary. Restaurants, movie theaters, and planes welcome babies right in (despite the fact they're sometimes less behaved than a furry companion). But I've also learned the more challenging—still humorous—aspects of being a parent, like wishing I could prop my eyelids open in that sleepless newborn phase, or learning how to communicate with my husband in a new way—a way that cannot be taught but must be learned on the job. Little humans also have a way of making me worry about the future in a way that animals don't. With horses or dogs, I am constantly in the here and now. With my son, I worry about the quality of school systems, the right nutrition, social skills—and the list goes on and on. There is one lone similarity between animals and kids that juts out through all the mayhem of parenting and that’s the ability to grow your heart. It may sound corny but it's true: loving someone expands your capacity for love, compassion, empathy, selflessness—all the desirables of which we should never be in short supply. Each week or day (let's face it, things do get a little foggy after kids) I take my son's squishy cheeks into my palms and say, "I couldn't possibly love you more, but tomorrow, somehow, I'll be wrong." Each day of being in our child's life grants us the chance to break the bounds of our hearts. We learn to see from different perspectives, find answers we didn't even know existed, and we also become quite good at opening a door or pressing a button with our elbows, toes, or pinky fingers. We are constantly riding the wave of change and if that isn't the biggest life skill of all, I don't know what is.

COPY EDITOR

Erika Fredrickson | Erika.Fredrickson@CityLifestyle.com ACCOUNT MANAGER

Marla Huggins | Marla.Huggins@CityLifestyle.com STAFF PHOTOGR APHER

Erika Spaulding | InspireByMontana@Gmail.com AD DESIGNER

Whitney Lockhart LAYOUT DESIGNER

Kelsey Ragain CONTR IBUTING WR ITER S

Chelsea Lyn Agro, Shelby Humphreys, Jill MH Taber, Susie Wall CONTR IBUTING PHOTOGR APHER

Chelsea Lyn Agro

Corporate Team CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Randy Radosevich DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

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Proverbs 3:5-6 Missoula Valley Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Missoula Valley area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors. Information in Missoula Valley Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to

L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

www.asinglemomentintime.net

Michael Tucker

A Single Moment In Time, are large canvas photos of local landscapes, and views from the summits of Mountains in Montana and surrounding states through the eyes of Michael Tucker. These photos have been taken with an inspirational view in time, looking down from the summits, or taken at just a moment in time that will never be duplicated. Find these beautiful large canvas photos that will add inspiration to any wall in your home or office. Go to www.asinglemomentintime.net 406.544.8333

AUGUST 2022

inside the issue The Kids and Pets Issue

F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

20 A Grand Reprieve

Lifestyle Letter

City Scene

Business Monthly

Pet Friendly

Kids Corner

ENT ERTA I NMENT

Expert Help

EDU CAT I O N

Pet Care

Fallon's Farm is a sight for sore eyes (and sore hearts).

26 A Child's Missoula

9 places to take your kids for summer fun!

38 Let's Press Paws

Om My Dog offers pet acupuncture for pain relief.

O N T H E C OV E R

Photography: Chelsea Lyn Agro Sutton gets his hands wet at one of Missoula Public Library's elaborate water tables.

LI FE + C U LT U R E

HEA LT H + WELLNES S

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AUGUST 2022

city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen. 1

7 5

1-7: Raising River in Big Sky country is like watching time speed up and slow down simultaneously. Every moment with him has been a beautiful adventure and a great reminder that there’s no place like Montana. - Erika Spaulding

Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @mvlmagazine

C I T Y SC E N E

AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/MI SSO UL AVA L L E Y

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AUGUST 2022

business monthly A round-up of exciting news from local businesses.

Congratulations to Scott C. Wyman!

Families First Learning Lab

Scott C. Wyman of Hometown Family Medicine and Women's Health has won Best Of Missoula for the "Doctor/Healthcare Provider" category through the Missoulian! A word from his office: "We are honored and humbled to be included in this field of such wonderful nominees." If you are interested in being a patient with this practice, please call 406.926.1088.

The Families First Learning Lab's mission is to strengthen families through education, connection, play and partnership. Here are three ways that you can get involved: 1. Attend an event, share and learn about the work FFLL does. 2. Volunteer! If you are a business and want to give your employees a chance to bond as a team, consider hosting a volunteer day. 3. Donate! FFLL is always in need of supplies. Visit FamiliesFirstMT.org.

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Western Montana Fair! It's everyone's favorite time of year: the dog days of summer. Well, the rodeo days we suppose! Support our local community by visiting hardworking vendors and buying a rodeo ticket to watch our regional talent on horseback and bulls! Rodeo is a preservation of a former (but very much still current) way of life. These animals deserve our recognition and applause!

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Get in touch by heading over to our landing page to connect: CityLifestyle.com/MissoulaValley

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Grand

Reprieve Fallon's Farm is a sight for sore eyes (and sore hearts)

Skin and bones. Every rib bone visible through her sorrel coat, withers and hip bones jutting out from her body, the neglected mare wasn’t much to look at, her head hanging limply over a stall door. But Wendy Ramos saw a promise and felt a pull to save the ex-racehorse, plopping down her American Express to pay for the mare’s ticket out of a kill pen and into, one day, the green pastures of Arlee and a home that now bears her name—Fallon’s Farm. “She was skinny and in rough shape,” Wendy explained. “We got her nursed back to health.” In early 2020, Wendy volunteered at a horse rescue in Arizona— an experience that altered the course of her life. “As soon as I volunteered at that rescue, I knew there was a huge need. There were 53 horses there. All used, abused, and thrown away,” Wendy recalled. Fallon in tow, Wendy sold her house in Arizona and found property near Arlee—acreage that would provide a happy landing for

ARTICLE BY JILL MH TABER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA SPAULDING

P ET F R IE N D LY | L IFE + C ULTURE

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rescue animals of all stripes but with one common denominator: the need for love. Now home to seven horses, four dogs, and one donkey, Fallon’s Farm is a menagerie of young and old, short and tall, all with a piece of Wendy’s heart. “I thought I was saving them, but they saved me,” said Wendy. “I am a person who deals with depression. After my kids left, I had no purpose in life. Going to that horse rescue—it changed my life that day.” Wendy didn’t set out to run a full-fledged animal rescue, but as word spread across western Montana, people called, wondering if she could make a home for abandoned dogs and horses whose owners had passed away. And while she’s at full capacity now, Wendy’s working on gaining non-profit status and hopes to someday offer volunteer opportunities and horse therapy programs for veterans in the community. “It’s impossible to be in a bad mood around horses,” Wendy said. “I just feel great—a calm and present feeling that I don’t feel driving to town or getting groceries.” Writers, horsemen, politicians, and poets have long extolled the benefits of animals—especially horses—for the soul. Wendy knows this in her heart as well: she grew up with horses, spending time at her grandparents’ ranch in southwest Montana. When her first marriage ended, she was forced to leave behind her horses and dogs, never knowing what became of them. “I’ve always felt a little guilt about that,” said Wendy. “I feel like I had to make that right. Helping these other animals is my purpose in life.” Doc, one of Wendy’s seven horses, came to the farm skittish and afraid. Wendy couldn’t even walk close to him. “It took him about six months to trust me,” Wendy said. “It’s been fun to watch him come around. I’ve never hurt him and he knows that.” They are a rag-tag group: dogs playfully wrestling over a chew toy, one even perched high on a horse’s back while his equine friend chomps on a bucket of grain. A four-year-old donkey recently joined the crew, claiming the oldest horse— Stormy, 33 years old—as his best buddy. Animals, once with no prospects and no hope, bonded together by camaraderie and love. “We’re just in the very beginning of this,” said Wendy, smiling. “I had a vision as a kid that I would live in a barn with my horses and my dogs. I didn’t know it would look like this. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Find Fallon’s Farm on Instagram @fallonsfarm

P ET F R IE N D LY | L IFE + C ULTURE

AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/MI SSO UL AVA L L E Y

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A CHILD'S MISSOULA 9 PLACES TO TAKE YOUR KIDS FOR SUMMER FUN! ARTICLE BY CHELSEA LYN AGRO

K I D S COR N E R | EN TERTAI NME NT

Having a baby led me to know one thing really well: home. For the majority of each day, I had a warm little lump of human pressed against my chest, sleeping so peacefully, until I tried to move or put him down, in which case his sweet, rested face would change into a wrinkled frown. Parenting, especially in those early days, felt a bit isolating. Good parenting friends are sometimes hard to make and, admittedly, it can be a bit awkward to try a new place with a child in tow. Luckily, Missoula is brimming—overflowing really—with places for play, for all age groups. Whether it be a birthday party for a 3, 5, or 16 year old, or maybe you just have a few hours to kill before nap time, there is truly something for everyone. Here are a few ideas to get your summer off to the right start:

MISSOULA PUBLIC LIBRARY Missoula Public Library: Admittedly, I've never had so much fun at a library. And neither has my son! A beautiful selection of books, a miniature play cafe and doctor office, and dress up corners are complemented by an engaging display of interactive water tables—one of which is a replica of Missoula with the "river" running through it. Worried about your little one getting wet or slipping? There are smocks for wearing and the floor is grippy and tolerant of all things. Babies clear up through middle schoolers would find this library magic. Extra credit? They have a designated parking lot and

parking garage for ease with the little ones! Visit MissoulaPublicLibrary.org for a full list of available classes, readings, or special events. Otherwise, just show up on your own time during business hours.

ZACC ZACC: The Zootown Community Arts Center is the perfect space to become your most creative self. Walk in and create art, peruse galleries, enjoy a performance, or take a class. There are numerous classes that your little curious one can enjoy but the best part of this place is the flexibility with open business hours. Come as you please and leave when you wish. We know as parents that this is the best type of day because sometimes planning to attend a specific event can get a little complicated. Highly recommend just popping to take a gander at everything this is available to you and your child! Visit ZootownArts.org for more information and a full calendar of events.

LOOKOUT MONTANA Lookout Montana: If you want to spice up your teenager's birthday party this year, try your hand (literally!) at axe-throwing at Lookout Montana! There's nothing more "Montana" than the art of axe-throwing. This casual, low-key environment is perfect for a small group (up to 8 guests comfortably). Not sure your bang will be worth the buck? They have skilled axe coaches who will be able to teach you the art and technique of axe-throwing so that you feel confident. Highly suggest that you book ahead of arriving. 20$ per person for one hour but those 16 and under are $5 off per ticket. Visit LookoutMontana.com for more information.

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SPLASH MONTANA & CURRENTS Splash Montana & Currents: Splash Montana is a summertime novelty. Three three-story waterslides, kiddie area and slide, lazy river float-way, and cabana rentals. You can choose to do swim lessons or birthday parties here as well! Currents, the indoor year-round water park alternative offers nearly the same aquatic options and is ready to meet your water needs with babies clear through adulthood. Punchcards and passes make these two locations easier to frequent, and cheaper, too! Follow Splash Montana via Facebook for timely updates to the capacity of the pools.

THE ROXY THEATER The Roxy Theater: Did you know that you can rent out the Roxy? It's like having a home theater but better. There are three options, one of which being the Roxy Garden (and outdoor summer venue). Rentals include a three-hour rental period and concessions are available for purchase. We highly suggest requesting a rental at least 30 days in advance, and a $100 deposit is required. Visit TheRoxyTheater.org for more information.

WESTSIDE LANES Westside Lanes: Is there anything more nostalgic than renting some bowling shoes and picking a lane? The lights, the sound of pins crashing—it's a way of keeping in touch with yesteryear and blurring the lines between generations. And it's a great way to spend a birthday when you're a kid. Visit MissoulaBowling.com to view their part packages for an upcoming birthday!

K I D S COR N E R | EN TERTAI NME NT

MISMO GYMNASTICS & ROOTS GYMNATICS Mismo Gymnastics & Roots Gymnatics: Sitting still during meals, brother or sister's recitals or games, or even sitting still at home during a chore as simple as putting on PJs can sometimes feel like a feat. These two gymnastic options in our community are gems for movement. Mismo offers Family Fun Time every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday to children who are walking up to 12 years of age. No walk-ins are available so please enroll in advance. Roots is also a great option that makes fitness fun for kids. Drop-in is closed until September but there is plenty of information regarding joining a dance team or taking classes.

AUGUST 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM/MI SSO UL AVA L L E Y

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A Training

Treat

Run Your Pack offers online courses 32

EXP E RT H E LP | ED U CATION

ARTICLE BY SHELBY HUMPHREYS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA SPAULDING

Last August, writer Susie Wall introduced us to “Run Your Pack,” a canine training program headquartered in Clinton, Montana, owned and operated by Chris and Caite Williams. Offering both human and dog training (you can’t have one without the other!) in obedience, manners, confidence, and behavioral issues, Chris also offers classes that are more focused on working canines looking to build skills in tracking, scent detection, bite work, shed hunting, and puppy imprinting. After seven years in business, Chris and his team are ready to expand the pack beyond Montana via online training courses. “The big message of [RYP] is that we love teaching students here in Montana but not everyone can get to our training yurt. So, we want to bring the yurt to them,” said Chris. Through an online curriculum of self-study materials, Chris will share his training philosophy, which can apply to any handler with any dog. “Everything we do centers on respect for the animal," he said. "We channel a dog’s natural drive, not fight it. The goal is to build a foundation of trust so your dog feels confident enough to do other things like working disciplines.” Mike Tucker, owner of Doakes—a border collie—can testify first-hand to the effectiveness of Chris’s methods. “He’s so intuitive with dogs. He understands what the dog is understanding, then goes from there. In that way, Doakes trained me just as much as we trained him.” The videos are guaranteed to be educational and entertaining. Before launching his training business, Chris worked as a TV producer on the reality show “Mountain Men.” He's applying the same edutainment strategy to his training videos. “We’ll have short, punchy content designed to be rewatched as needed. I want to do the best we can to create materials easy to absorb and put to action,” said Chris. “Each course will include corresponding PDFs with bullet points, reminders, and tracking logs. Overall, I can see our online [RYP] program being a course catalog of sorts. It will include the basics every dog owner should understand, as well as extracurricular, higher-level disciplines to draw out the working dog style.”

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“Everything we do centers on respect for the animal, we channel a dog’s natural drive, not fight it.” —Chris Williams (Co-Owner of Run Your Pack)

Courses will include: Find My Stuff: find and indicate anything with the owner’s odor on it. “It is a fun game for the dog and could be the difference between dropping $1,000 on a new phone or having a kick-butt story to tell friends about how your pet found your phone on cue,” said Chris. Tracking: track a person associated with an object or article of clothing. “This is a helpful discipline should a member of the family go missing. It’s also good for Search and Rescue and military teams.” Wounded Game Tracking: hunt down an injured animal when you cannot follow the blood trail yourself. “Deploy the dog! This skill gives them a hunting job and helps make sure no animal has to suffer or go to waste from a bad shot,” Chris said.

EXP E RT H E LP | ED U CATION

K9 First Aid: be prepared to attend to your dog in the outdoors. “The goal of this course is to give the owner enough knowledge to dress wounds in the field and keep their dog stable long enough to get to a vet.” Detection: have fun finding anything with an odor. “Students can pick their next adventure that builds off the languages learned in the other courses. Train to hunt for sheds, morel mushrooms, bed bugs— you name it!” Tricks: take skills learned in foundational obedience to a higher level for trick training! “Spins, dancing, agility, bouncing off walls…there are lots of tricks we can have fun with,” said Chris. As a graduate of the Run Your Pack program, Mike see’s how Chris’s training style will make online learning easy. “He

knows his stuff. He’s developed a program that anyone can take and make it work for them. What he is doing is real forward thinking,” said Mike. Run Your Pack is successful because Chris makes everything work for the dog. “I love this profession because we’re giving this animal what it already wants to do naturally and giving them an outlet for it in our modern world,” he said. “In that way, an owner’s relationship with their dog becomes more symbiotic and less a tool. We teach both to form a team.” For more information on Run Your Pack, go to RunYourPack.com. You can also watch training in action at Workyourpack.com/courses.

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Let's Press Paws OM MY DOG OFFERS PET ACUPUNCTURE FOR PAIN RELIEF

ARTICLE BY SUSIE WALL | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIKA SPAULDING Whether you have two legs or four, an overwhelming sense of calm washes over you when you enter the sanctuary of Om My Dog where veterinarian Dr. Ann Vestal provides acupuncture treatment to beloved pets needing relief from pain. Dr. Ann became certified in veterinary acupuncture seven years ago, but her desire to help animals has always been her passion. “I wanted to be a veterinarian all my life,” said Dr. Ann. “I’ve never had a plan B.” After graduating from veterinarian school at Oklahoma State University in 2007 and completing an internship at Colorado State University, she began to make plans for her career. She knew she wanted to continue living in the mountains, but wasn’t too keen on competing for a job with

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all the new graduates coming out of veterinarian school at CSU. “I had a friend who said, ‘Have you ever been to Missoula, Montana?’” said Dr. Ann. Once she got to know Missoula, she was hooked. “I love the community, the environment. There’s a lot of good people here and it’s very eclectic and open-minded. It feels like home and I’m so comfortable and happy here.” Dr. Ann became interested in acupuncture while working at Sentinel Veterinary Specialists and Emergency. Sentinel Veterinary provides an exceptional level of care to animals through emergency and surgical services at their new state-of-the-art office on South Reserve Street. Dr. Ann was frustrated with only being able to prescribe medications to her patients experiencing pain. She began

looking for alternative ways to offer pain management with few, if any, side effects. Knowing a little about acupuncture, she tried it on her own dog and noticed the positive effects. She eventually went on to receive her certification through a program called Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians. Dr. Ann established Om My Dog, her own veterinarian acupuncture and pain management business, about two years ago. Originally, she was practicing acupuncture out of her office at Sentinel. Then last year around the same time that Sentinel moved into their new building, Ann Straub, the owner of Holistic Pet Nutrition Center, asked Dr. Ann if she would like to set up her acupuncture practice there as they were also moving to a new location on South Russell. She jumped at

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the chance to have her own dedicated space for Om My Dog and now splits her time between her space and Sentinel. Dr. Ann said she enjoys the balance of intense emergency situations at Sentinel with the gentle calm practice of acupuncture. Dr. Ann explained that the acupuncture treatments she administers stem from the western-based form of the practice which focuses more on the medical side as opposed to the philosophical focused eastern-based practice. When she first sees a patient, she discusses the animal’s history with their owner to determine what brought them to her and how they might benefit from acupuncture. She then performs a gentle myofascial exam, meaning she feels for spots that are tense or uncomfortable. Once those spots are found, she tries an initial treatment of acupuncture, applying needles to the painful areas to see if it will make a difference in the animal’s comfort level. If this is successful, Dr. Ann will lay out a treatment plan going forward. She is certified to practice acupuncture on any animal, but due to time constraints she focuses on dogs and cats. The majority of her patients are older animals with issues like arthritis or athletic dogs with injuries. Acupuncture is just one piece in helping relieve pain. A patient’s treatment plan may also incorporate medications, supplements, and nutrition. “I’m not looking for a cure,” said Dr. Ann. “What acupuncture does is helps decrease muscle tension, improve nerve function and inflammation, and increase blood flow. One of the biggest and best things I’ve seen is an overall improvement in quality of life. They’re happier, they’re perkier, they’re moving around with more comfort, and they just seem brighter.”

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Inevitably, new patients can be nervous. This is a big reason she’s tried hard to design her office, what she calls her “Zen Den,” to be a comfortable and welcoming place to both patients and owners. Lush green plants line the walls. Soft lighting and large windows invoke a feeling of peace. Blankets cover the floor and drape over the back of plush chairs and couches. A water feature murmurs in the corner. “A big thing for me is that animals come in here and have a positive experience from start to finish. I want them to know this is a safe place,” said Dr. Ann. “Acupuncture has completely changed how I practice, how I communicate with animals, and how I do

exams,” she said. “It has been a very enriching experience for me and made me appreciate vet medicine even more. I establish an even closer bond with clients and patients than in my general practice and that bond is the most important thing to me.” About half of Dr. Ann’s patients come from referrals from other vets. She also gets clients through word of mouth from current clients as well as customers from the nutrition store that have noticed her card on the counter. She hasn’t established a website or Facebook page yet, but if you’re interested in talking to her about your furry friend, you can contact her by phone at 406. 529.9534.

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