Hey guys!

I've loved reading about everyone's summers on the blog so far... Sounds like there are going to be lots of stories when we all get back! Keep on blogging!!!

I'm in Tacoma this summer doing research on ice worms.

and yes, they do exist! Most people don't believe me when I talk about them, so I've added a picture so you have proof I'm not just hiking mountains for fun. The school asked me to blog about my research... it's REALLY WEIRD to see my face pop up every once and a while on the ups.edu homepage. :) Most of the time it's beautiful up there (on Mt. Rainier), but yesterday it was CRAZY. 35mph winds, snow, hail, rain.... it really didn't feel like June.

I'm getting excited to go home this weekend, and hang out with these goobers for the 4th of July...

Sometimes I wonder where I come from...

... and then I catch moments like this on camera. and this is kinda tame. If only my parents knew... :)

I'm heading back to Oregon in a few weeks for my first extended worm trip for the year!! FINALLLLLLYYYYYYY!!!

So far, I haven't been too busy at work (it'll pick up once I get back from collecting in OR)... which means I get to spend time with my awesome

housemates and crew girlies who are also in

Tacompton this summer.

And I just realized that there weren't any pictures of me up here... So. Me, sista, y papa on our backpacking trip!

Adventuuuuuuuuuures

Can you tell that's me on the right? You can't see it, but there's a HUGE waterfall right behind me in the background. Bridal veil falls in Yosemite, there was so much water. My family went on an impromptu road trip and it was looooong! We started off in the valley, then headed over Tiaoga pass in the afternoon and evening. Over the pass there is still so much snow, a few feet in some patches. One hike we took we had to make our own way because the trail markers were covered. But the most impressive was all the water. Because of the late snowfall an drain, the rivers are completely full, and running over. There are waterfalls where there usually aren't, and Tuolumme meadow is more like Tuolomme pond! It was so beautiful and refreshing! The short hike at Brides Veil falls was the most fun. There is so much water, that the path literally has water running down it, and as soon as you turn a corner, the mist turns into a torrential downpour coming off the falls! We were soaked! And we got lost on our way home, but it added to the adventure. . . All in all it was a great trip. and today, after hours of house painting, I finally have a bike! and I am super super super excited about that! I miss you all, and hope that you are all having your own adventures!

Sorry I have been so lame...

Just to update you all on my life!
1)I miss you all soosososo much! I miss you like peanut butter misses jelly...like the desert misses the rain...like it is summer and you are snow...I miss you like hip misses hop...I miss you like a rower misses her oars! So to summarize i miss all of you and there is nothing quite like waking up before the !@# crack of dawn to row with you all.
2) I am working in an orthopedic Surgeons office as an intern/training to becoming a surgical technician. So far I remove casts, staples, and sutures, put on casts, take historys, clean, and assist in any other way I can. Tomorrow I go into surgery for the first time; I believe it is an ACL repair. Hopefully soon i will be able to assist with surgery but the hospital is not being cool about that part...I am also auditing a human physiology and anatomy class at CSU-Pueblo. It does not compare at all to our school! for the first 4 weeks it was taught by student (I was flabbergasted). So basically I am busy as ever which is why i have not posted on the google doc or the blog. I will try to be better about it and post right after I work out. I should be better now that I am getting into a routine with my job and class.
3) so here is the bad news...My knees hurt like hell. It has gone to the point where it hurts to not only walk, but run, sit, lay down and stand. They ache all the time with occasional shooting pains along my medial and lateral collateral ligaments. But the good thing is I work for an Orthopedic surgeon. So he is going to check them out and get me right on the way to recovery. This could mean anything from a cortisone shot or full out knee replacement (cross your fingers that this is not the case). As far as I can tell from patients with similar symptoms/descriptions of pain it has something to do with my cartilage breaking down or wearing out/ something along the lines of cartilage.
4) seeing as my knees are hurting me so much i want to try and work on alot of core stuff so if everyone can let me know their top 10 favourite core workouts i would love you forever (not that I don't already love you all forever)

I hope everyone is having an awesome summer!Mwah! lots of love
Banana

Greetings and Salutations from the farthest north rower!

Well it's my turn to fill this thing up with not that interesting of news!
I am back at my old job working for HAP (Holland America and Princess tours) and i was speaking with jill and lindsay earlier today and we have decided that I'm going to try and work my cruise benefits to see how soon i could get our post-nationals trip to be a cruise to mexico or something like that. After i finish this season I am "SUPPOSE" to get friends and family discounts down to 15 dollars a day per person on the cruse lines. So if anyone else is interested in that let me know because i should find the proper paper work :)
We actually have had a really weird time at work. Some woman actually woke up yesterday morning to her husband being dead in the bed next to her. So yeah, but like NO ONE came back this year, so it's nice to know what I'm doing compared to some who really do not.
DOCTOR UPDATE. I got recommended to this doctor who was super nice and pulled on my legs a lot and twisted my back. He said i had "a twisted sacrum" and he was going to "fix that" and it actually felt really good. But sadly today when i erged i still had the same kinda pain. I'm gunna give it a few more days and if it isn't geting better its back to the doctor! but with all the rest I've been having for my back (not other parts of my work outs :P) it's been feeling better than it has in the past six months. Rest really is so helpful.
So my plans include a fun 5k run on saturday, the midnight sun 10k (looking to pr over my last year time of 57 minutes after eating a pound of crab), a triathlon at the end of july called the sourdough tri (1.2 mile swim, 22 mile bike, 16 mile run) I'm just looking to finish that one. :P and just keep active. I played volleyball for three hours today and it was SO MUCH FUN! it was so great! i love volleyball and i miss playing it so much :P my body is also now affectively covered in bruises.
erryone should also remember to put their address in the spreadsheet because i get discounts from the gift shop in my hotel and the post cards are PRETTY COOL! and i write postcards when i'm bored at work which is about half the time i'm there. The other part is spent sweating, getting yelled at, or explaining multiple times that two hours is more than enough time for you to be getting to the fairbanks international airport where there are six, count them six gates.
I believe that's all for now,
missing you guys and can't wait to be re-rooh-nited in august!

We're BA-ACK

 GREETINGS FROM THE CURBSIDE CHATEAU.
And, HELLO WOMEN OF THE AXE AND THE OAR.

I really do think that has a nice ring to it, Jill. Kudos.
Well, Jilley and I are sitting here in the basement of our new home (mine for the summer, hers for the year) and life is looking pretty.. standard.


Except, we're here to turn it into BEYOND standard. Extraordinary, even.

We have a pull-up plan.
A Wednesday Stairs plan (we ran them today.. even though it's Tuesday.. whatev, we go big and then go home).
A plan to eat good food and keep the ants away from it. We may or may not have an ant problem. O_o
(AND WE'RE GETTING SALAD FROM THE STUDENT GARDEN--Jill).

Anywho-- this blog is a great place to write down stories of your summer, tell us more in detail about an epic hike, BIKE RIDE (Annsi), or sweet 20th/21st birthday on June 28 (Kenzie.. and me).


SO KEEP US INFORMED OF YOUR LIVES WHILE YOU'RE 40+ MILES AWAY!!!!!! 

Much love from the underground in Le Crib ou le Chateau. (Our house. we named it that. it's classy. you love it.)


Love and Wagon Wheels,
Lindsay and Jilley

PEOPLE NEED TO GET ON THIS! come on tell me about your life!