I've been tagged!

Okay, so I guess it is my turn to share 7 random facts about myself. Ready or not, here it goes...

1. I have already started listening to Christmas music (I know, scary!) I just can't help myself!
2. Current favorite shows: Bones, America's Next Top Model, Dancing with The Stars, and Heroes.
3. I am a sugaraholic. It's official! And not chocolate... just straight sugary stuff like licorice, gummies, those mellowcreme pumpkins...mmmmm!
4. I clean the hair out of my brush after everytime I use it. Not sure if I have always done it, or if I picked it up from a roommate :)
5. I can't stand nail polish on my fingernails. I swear it feels like they are suffocating!
6. I believe everyone's feet are functional but NEVER pretty. I paint my toenails bright colors to make my feet look as good as they are going to get (and, no they don't suffocate like the fingernails!)
7. My middle name is Nannette. I was named after a girl my parents liked when they were in charge of the youth in Castro Valley.


Thanks for tagging me Crystal! The lucky people I am tagging are:
Michelle
Heidi
Megan
Becca
Elise
Melissa
Callie

Birthday Fun at the Oakland Zoo!

I am safe and happy on the ground once again!

What a fantastic week off! (Well, of course, why wouldn't it be...I wasn't at work!)
But really.... Our first stop was Bryce Canyon National Park. We stayed with a friend who is working as a ranger there. That canyon was gorgeous!!! We only stayed 24 hours, but was able to do a quick hike around the rim, and watch a climbing video on the visitor center's big screen. Cool to have connections!



Then our true adventure began. The whole reason for the trip.... the BIG WALL in Zion National Park.

Andy and I awoke before the crack of dawn, and loaded up all our gear (no small feat. There were 3 bags of stuff and together it probably weighed 100lbs! No joke!) We rode the shuttle with all our stuff. Pretty funny actually, because the only other 6 people on the bus were from Louisiana and were on the self-proclaimed "seeing-not-doing tour" and so we were very entertained by their comments.


Our first challenge was crossing the river. Thankfully the water was low. After putting back on the shoes, we hiked uphill with all this heavy gear to the base of our climb. I tell you, looking up at the climb at that point, I was quite overwhelmed. After 8 hours of climbing, we made it to our sleeping ledge. What a long day! There was a little ledge, kinda like a bench. Must say that it was quite a relief to sit instead of hang by my harness. Wait, I must also say that Andy made me the best belay seat ever! I will never do big wall climbs without it! :)

So, it was time to eat dinner (oh, did someone bring utensils?), bundle up against the chilly breeze, use the restroom (kind of a challenge!), and get into a bed suspended off the edge of the wall (yikes!). I conveniently waited until it was dark to get onto the port-a-ledge. Why, you ask? So I couldn't see that there was NOTHING BENEATH ME! I must say, it was like a comfortable hammock, with the constant reminder to not move too much. Yes, I did actually sleep, and I did prefer my spot to Andy's small rock ledge.


The second day of climbing brought challenges in route finding. We got a little "lost" and by the time we got back on track, we figured we would not be able to make it to the top by the end of the day. Being the safe people that we are, we decided to rappel down. We made it halfway up, and we did some really cool stuff, but it feels a little anti-climactic not make it to the top.

Shockingly enough, I think I will give this crazy type of adventure one more try. I gotta completely finish one of these climbs!!!!
The next day, I had to hike Angels Landing to actually make it to the top. The view was spectacular.
I also had to show off the battle wounds (the only time I would purposely take a picture of my thigh!). Yeah tough girl!!!!



This is the wall we were climbing. We are actually on the wall. The fact that you can't see us tells you how big this thing is!!! If you can pick out a white or red helmet in the middle-ish.... more power to ya!

Nothing like backyard camping...

I was so lucky to have Nathan help me make sure my tent is ready for next week's adventure. He was so helpful! And of course, camping is about sleeping in a tent (we pretended), stories, flashlights, and scary monsters and bears!



Even Andrea and Jason got in on the fun!


Nathan as the scary monster outside my tent... just too cute to be scary!