Canyoneering

Zion National Park
Canyoneering
Subway Attempt
Keyhole Canyon
Pine Creek Canyon

the crew after Keyhole - Caitlin, Mark, Chalay, Allen, Ross, Me, Cole, Brian and Isaac
Hanging out in the canyon - Allen, Cole and I

Pine Creek Canyon, waiting for a rappel
Allen, Ross, me, Cole and Mark

Waiting some more.

The beginning of the Subway Hike. We didn't go through the Subway though because of the water level.

Cole and I in our canyoneering gear.

Out of the Subway Hike - we got snowed on, right after this I slipped and fell in the mud

The entrance to the Subway

Zion National Park

My dad donated some canyoneering trips to the Women in Philanthropy gala back in November so he, most willingly, dedicated a week of his life to take the people who bought the trip and then invited the family for the rest of the time in Zion.

We planned on doing the Subway on Friday, but we got to a point where water flow could be gauged and my dad said "no way" because the water was too high. I'm glad he made the safety call. About half our group hiked down to the start of the Subway canyon though - I'm excited to do it in the fall. It was really beautiful. So, instead of pouting for the rest of the day, we got a permit to do Keyhole canyon. Its a short, beginner canyon but I think everyone was glad to have gotten a feel of what they were doing and to do something because the other plan didn't go accordingly. We were all exhausted after we got to the cabin (home for the weekend). So we ate, played afew games and passed out all over the place.

The next day we got up and did the Pine Creek Canyon. It was a lot more intense than Keyhole, but cool nonetheless. A long day for everyone brought a lot of time for hottubbing and hanging out. It was a great trip for all, and I look forward to doing again in the fall.

Spring Break 2010

Havasupai Backpacking Trip
(the pictures are in backwards order)

Out of the Canyon after a great few days

The group on our way out

Havasu Falls



Family pictures, below Mooney Falls

Walking down river - it was like neverland

On top of Mooney Falls

In camp- group stretch after a long day of hiking

Navajo Falls

Going into Supai Village

At the top of the canyon, before we started

Stopping at the Hoover Dam

Spring Break 2010 brought a great adventure. The inital planning was quite involved but finally we got a group together and took off with all 6 of us in a truck and headed to northern Arizona. We passed over the Hoover Dam and had a tourist moment and checked out the lake and dam.

We slept the night in a hotel before our trip and got everything ready to go in the morning. We got up early and headed to the trailhead. It was pretty cool to know that we were going to be into the Grand Canyon. The hike down was steep switchbacks for about 2 miles then another 6 to the little town of Supai. It was probably close to a 3rd world country. There were small little holmes with yards that were just dirt with lots of garbage. It was a beautiful backdrop, but a village that the natives lived in. A strange place indeed.

After the village is another easy two miles to the campground. We got into the campground and found a site that seemed to work for us. We had to move a picnik table to a cleared out area, but it worked for the 6 of us. We set up tents and our kitchen, filled our bottles with spring water and stretched before crashing after a long day.

The next day we went to Mooney Falls and Havasu Falls. The water was blue and beautiful and the weather was great. We hiked down the side of the canyon to the bottom of Mooney Falls. Then we waded down the river. After that we hiked up to the Havasu Falls.

That night we played card games and told crazy stories. The next day we got up and out of camp by 7 am. We hiked out through the river bed and up the steep switchbacks. Then we got in the truck and headed to Vegas for much needed showers. We stayed with a friend and had some delicious food and great beds.

All in all it was a pretty sweet spring break! I hope next years is just as adventurous.

ASUSU Elections

Elections
and all that comes along with it

Me and my predecessor, Erik, right after the announcements
Claire, Erin and I wearing all of our election gear

My chains to promote my campaign. Everyone loved them and wanted one to wear.

Making my A-Frames before Elections - "Vote for Leez, Education is her Steez!"

ASUSU 2010-11 Officer Training at Bear Lake Training Center

Inauguration: Mom, Me, Dad

February 2010
Associated Students of
Utah State University

So, back in February I ran for the Senator of the College of Education and Human Services. I turned in my intent to run, and no one else had. I was running unopposed. I was really nervous that someone might come out of the woodwork and take it right out from under my nose, but I made it successfully through primaries and final elections.

The Academic Senate is composed of representatives from each college at USU. There are 8 voting members, a senator president, Grad student representative and admin assistant. Our duties include being a liaison between the students and the administration and writing and enacting legislation. So far, in the first two weeks after we were inaugurated, we have had legislations proposed and failed, met with the president of the university, given out scantrons for students during finals, chosen house rules for our senate and appointed councils. Its been busy so far - probably a sneak peek of what is going to happen next year.

I'm excited to serve with the Academic Senate, to meet and network in addition to making USU better than when I found it. It will be busy and stressful, but hey, I'm excited!

Valentines Day

This year, Valentines day will be the mildest it has been since I started college. Thats ok with me, and its even more ok that I'm single. I realized that I can do anything, or even more while I don't have a 'significant other'. I'm sure he'll come. Someday.

Anyway, I found this movie and want to share it!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzq3srbYEUY

Demolition and a New Room

So I used to live in a room with wood panelling. I hated it. (see picture above) It was gloomy and dark, and not to mention UGLY. So, one night, before school started, I started ripping down the wood panels. It all went smoothly until... I got to the concrete foundation wall. Not so good. It had a wanna-be framed wall nailed very tightly, into the concrete. I pried off the wood and looked at the damage.

Looks like fun huh? It was worse to begin with. Next I added some spackeling to texture the concrete. Then primer. Then paint. Now you get to the see the progression of the project!

Final Project... except without wall hangings or actual things in the room - but you get the picture! I had fun doing it and am SO happy with the outcome!!

My Gourmet Cooking

Turkey Dinner with Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Golden Turkey... Beautiful huh?

While I was (again) unemployed during the month of November, I started to love to grocery shop and to cook. I started with things I already knew how to make; stroganoff, tacos, and enchiladas. Then, as I got better at those things I wanted more of a challenge.

Did you know that the library is a great place to find cookbooks?

For Christmas I got a fantastic new set of pots and pans (see picture). I haven't had a lot of time to cook since school started, but I still will do something here and there. In the past couple weeks I have made homemade spaghetti sauce and meatballs, broccoli sauce with linguine (not very good), oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, sushi, mashed potatoes (Tyler made them and I supervised), and Chicken Curry. This past Sunday I roasted my first turkey!

Needless to say, I'm proud of myself for just going for it. I like to cook, it's fun and I learn a lot. Photos of gourmet meals to come!

Things that make me HAPPY :D

• showers after a long day
• shaved legs
• how my phone can learn songs
• Emma
• sunshine
• Old houses
• Oldies
• steak
• Ice Cream
• brandnew
• pictures
• having roommates/housemates
• textfromlastnight
• camping
• kissing
• laughing
• New magazines
• vegetables
• scrapbooking
• cats
• watermelon
• popcorn
• Chi Omega
• swinging
• good hair/makeup days
• President Obama
• The Park
• sidewalk chalk
• freshly washed sheets
• playing dress up
• Snail mail
• free food
• matilda
• postsecret day
• cooking for my friends
• painted toenails
• my scrapbook
• google calendar

This is obviously not a full list, because there are so many things to be HAPPY about, but it's a start.