Audrey and Noel’s Blog

So today I went into the men’s bathroom on the fourth floor of the Engineering Building here at Utah State. Apparently since I’ve been there last, there’s been some redecorating. Take, for example, this lovely little number on the coat rack:

Actually, that was the only redecorating, but I still thought it was funny. And I was inspired to blog it due to a recent post by Danielle. So, really this goes to show that male engineers aren’t really all about utility over asthetics. It does, however, illustrate why you should nevertheless never let an engineer decorate your home.

The thrill of victory

The agony of defeat.

So, we ran the Top of Utah Marathon…again. This time Audrey’s parents ran it as well. My family came and cheered us all on. It was a great time. However, in case you all were wondering, it’s still a long way the second time around. I was able to keep up with Audrey for about 21 miles or so, but then she kicked in gear right about when the guy with the trumpet started playing the Rocky theme song. She ended up improving her time from last year as well as qualifying for the Boston marathon again and winning 3rd place in the 20-24 yr women’s division. I found my way to the finish line about ten minutes later. Cindy and Wayne also ran strong races and did very well. A great time was had by all. Pictures are below. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the news clips at the top of my email had a link to Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful Women. Naturally I clicked on it, and there was my name at the top of the list, my life long goal achieved at the age of 22! Oh, I was ecstatic, but wait . . . actually it didn’t say Audrey Merket, it said Angela Merkel. Crushed, I searched the remaining 99 names, but did not find myself there. It’s okay though, I’m sure I’m number 101 - which is quite good for my age. Look for me moving up the ranks next year!

German Chancellor - Angela Merkel

Avast, ye bilge rats! Tomorrow be the Top of Utah Marathon and me buxom beauty and I are running in it. Aye, there be an 80% chance of rain, but we’re going to brave the tempest and stormy seas, er … canyon. You can keep track of us while we’re out there tomorrow morning too.

After preparing all summer, all 1611 students enrolled in USU Connections arrived on campus . . . ready for me to entertain them. Luckily I had my boss (Noelle), 60 Connections instructors, and the wonderful A-team and Honors Peer Mentors to back me up. I don’t know if the kids born in 89-90 are a better bunch (special shout out to sister Hope and sister-in-law Vanessa) or if I was just better at my job the second time around, but unlike last year, I even found myself enjoying the week at times. ASUSU did a great job with their freshmen celebration, Tim Gabrielson had a superb performance that nearly filled the Kent Concert Hall, the Taste of Logan was a huge success with only minor glitches, and Ishmael Beah gave a wonderfully thought provoking convocation lecture. Like a proud mother, I’ve attached some pictures of my “kids.” Although it was fun, I’m glad to be done.

As our last vacation of the summer, Noel and I went to Oregon with my family. Seven of us piled into my parent’s Ford Windstar minivan with all of our stuff and drove to a little coastal city called Manzanita. When we visited Fort Clatsop (a fort where Lewis and Clark stayed) and Noel used our National Parks pass to get us all in the clerk said, “Seven of you, all in the same car?” and stared at us with doubt and mistrust. Noel’s response was, “I know, it’s been a long drive.” The weather was lovely, the company was wonderful, and none of us wanted to leave, but now we’re back and we have to get back to school and work

The small little garden we planted behind our garage is beginning to pay off. Delicious sugar snap peas, green onions, huge zucchini, and a handful of carrots - eating vegetables never felt so good. I can’t help feeling self-sufficient. Perhaps we will harvest our own grain next.

Ironically, our plentiful harvest coincided with the Sunday school Lesson we taught on Alma 32-35, so we had a perfect story to introduce Alma’s seed promise . . . as well as brag about the fruits of our labors.

So, last weekend we went to Bryce Canyon to run their half marathon. It was a great time. We met up with our neighbors Ryan and Brianna, and his sister Julie who was running it too. Ryan got this idea to run it in a suit in honor or his brother who had just left on a mission. Apparently the whole run he had people making smart remarks to him: “Priesthood meeting isn’t until tomorrow.” “Where’s your companion elder?” etc.

It was a very scenic race, very early, very downhill, and we got good times. We finished together in 1:38:34. Audrey even placed third in her age division again. Afterwords since we were not tired enough yet we piled into the car and saw the sites in Bryce Canyon and even did the Queen’s Garden trail.

On our way home I saw this ridiculous “wildlife museum” where they had “exotic deer” in a cage you could feed. I mean, I guess it would not be there if they did not make money at it. I thought it was pretty funny so we pulled over to take a picture and the proprietor of said establishment yelled out to us that we were not allowed to park there. I notified him that I was only going to be there for a few more seconds, long enough to take a picture and be on my way. Then he shouted that pictures were not allowed despite the fact that it is in clear view of the roadside. Nevertheless, at the peril of our lives, we bring you pictures of the exotic deer. You are all welcome.

It’s hot in our little apartment here in Logan. This last weekend we needed to get away to somewhere a little cooler, so we went to the Tetons. (Sorry I didn’t tell you Mom, but I think everyone’s weekend was a little less stressed this way.) Anyway, it’s a trip we meant to go on last summer but didn’t get to because it was raining when we wanted to go and we went to Moab instead. I was pretty excited for it and a few weeks ago went to the library and checked out every book they had on the area, partially because I wanted the information and partially because I didn’t want any other would be travelers from Logan to get any ideas.

Friday morning we got up super early and drove to Jackson stopping at every one of the 82 construction zones in between here and there and taking a small detour to Bennington?, Idaho. Our goal was to acquire one of the coveted tent-only sites at the “top 40 best campgrounds in America” Jenny Lake campground. However, when we rolled in at 11:00am we could hardly find a parking spot let alone a campsite. Upon looking around it didn’t look all that much different or better than any other campground I’ve ever been to, so when we got one of the last sites at Signal Mountain next to a circus tent and some people from California (no, they weren’t the same people) we were plenty happy enough.

The hiking was great out there even though there were so many people. Friday, after finding our campsite, we went up to Surprise Lake wearing our hiking-appropriate Chaco sandals. In spite of snow and the scoffs of people with their trekking poles, we made it. It’s just so odd to run into that much snow on the ground in July. The little lake was still partially frozen over. The next day we had planned on going up over Paintbrush Divide to Lake Solitude and around back down through Cascade Canyon, but apparently there was avalanche conditions on Paintbrush so we opted for a out and back hike up Cascade Canyon instead. It was absolutely gorgeous up there. However, the first part of the hike up to Inspiration Point is anything but inspirational due to the over abundance of tourists that rode the boat across Jenny Lake to get there. Once past that, the trail up the canyon is fabulous with shady pine forests, high snowcapped mountains, and waterfalls all over the place. Unfortunately while up there our camera decided that all the picture we had taken up to that point should be DELETED, and we didn’t realize it until we got back to camp that night, so there are only a few pictures of that hike and Surprise Lake. Sunday we relaxed and went swimming out in chilly Leigh Lake. (It used to be a glacier.) Monday we saw a moose in the campground in the wee hours of the morning and saw the sunrise from the top of Signal Mountain. On our way out of the park we stopped by the Lawrence S. Rockefeller Preserve and officially communed with nature on a little hike out to Phelps Lake.

When all was said and done we had about half of the pictures we took, a cumulative total of 30+ mosquito bites with some in places I didn’t know mosquitoes could get to, and some fond memories. I think next time will have to be a backpacking trip later in the summer. If there’s anyone who’s interested let me know.

Oh yeah, and the pictures are below.

Noel and I have gone on several hikes this summer where hikers in serious looking, ankle high boots wielding telescoping trekking poles have given us skeptical and somewhat infuriated looks as we pass them up on the trail in our open-toed, care-free Chacos. Most recently we were in the Tetons and after completing a 9.3 mile hike a group of hikers asked us, “How did you manage to get to the top in inappropriate footwear?” (It must be noted that they did not actually make it to the top themselves). Inappropriate footwear? Granted there were a few snow patches, but Chacos have much better traction than the inquirer’s white Reebok sneakers and lack the blisters that accompany any pair of hiking boots I’ve owned. I guess I’m just getting kind of tired of people thinking I am a sissy, froofy-girl who has never set foot on a mountain - I was even about to challenge this one guy to a race up the mountain last weekend, but luckily Noel stopped me.

Admittedly, I too used to think it was silly to hike in sandals, but after having my very own pair of Chacos for a year I too am converted. My broken in running shoes are experiencing tough competition. For those who are still skeptical, Noel and I compiled a gallery of “appropriate” Chaco usage . . . also Noel just pointed out to me that Chaco now makes hiking shoes too (for occasions where there is more than the occasional snow patch).