Life is definitely on a high note for Chrishell Hartley (Jordan Ridgeway, Days of our Lives; ex-Amanda Dillon, All My Children), who shares that she has experienced multiple special moments in recent weeks.
The actress took to Instagram with the news that her alma mater, Murray State University, awarded her with the Outstanding Alumni in Fine Arts honor this year.
"Tonight was so special. Thank you @murraystateuniv for the honor as Outstanding Alumni in Fine Arts," she shared. "As a kid that had to scrounge for every dollar to pay for college, (and so many times that check bounced,) this award means SO much! Endless thank you's to tonight's donors! You are SO appreciated."
Hartley's exciting Outstanding Alumni in Fine Arts news isn't the only thing that has given the actress a spring in her step. It turns out that she and her husband, Justin Hartley (ex-Adam Newman, The Young and the Restless; ex-Fox Crane, Passions), recently had a thrilling adventure in Alaska, thanks to the clothing company Columbia.
The newlyweds challenged themselves by accepting an invitation to do an off-the-grid experience in the state's remote Wrangell-St Elias National Park. Along with their guide, the pair hiked miles of rugged terrain, encountered wild animals like a moose and a grizzly bear, snowshoed up a glacier, and camped out in the snow under the stars.
"I definitely thought we were in over our heads... but we do have that kind of 'bring it on' attitude," Chrishell reveals in a video that Columbia put together detailing the pair's adventure.
"Our lifestyle is centered around a data plan and a phone. To come here and be literally off the grid was appealing -- and also kind of daunting," adds Justin, who currently stars on the primetime hit This Is Us. "Being alone on that beautiful snow-capped mountain, it gets you back to putting things in perspective and realizing what's really important. This has been an insanely intense but equally beautiful experience. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. If you're going to get some alone time, don't mess around."
Check out the video of the pair's ultimate date night in the Alaskan wilderness below.
What do you think about Murray State University honoring Hartley with the honor of Outstanding Alumni in Fine Arts? What do you think about Chrishell and Justin's Alaskan adventure? Would you brave the elements of the remote Alaskan wilderness? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
