Embrace the Cold!

Some might compare Logan to Narina: Always winter but never Christmas. Unless you are an avid skier/boarder, the Abominable Snowman, or Old Man Marley from Home Alone, you probably dread this time of year due to the cold. Now, to address the elephant in the room... yes Logan is on average 5-10 degrees colder than most cities in Utah. HOWEVER, let me assure you that, not only is Logan absolutely breath-taking when it is snow filled, but it can feel like Christmas everyday when you take advantage of the opportunities that it has to offer . Allow me to share some...

Ski the Beav 
Snow shoe up Logan canyon (get shoes from the USU ORP for a few bucks!)
Sled down Old Main Hill
Do donuts on the snow covered streets
Have a snowball fight
Ice skate at Merlin Olsen Central Park outdoor rink
Ice fish at Bear Lake
Cross country ski up Logan Canyon (get skis from the USU ORP for a few bucks!)
Play snow football
Build a snowman
Take pictures for a Christmas card
Go to USU hockey games
Cut down a Christmas tree
Go see Christmas Carol the Musical
Hike to Utah State Yurt & sleep over
Build snow forts and play WWII
Etc. etc. etc.

Needless to say, there are endless ways to EMBRACE the winters in Cache Valley. We all have the choice to mope in our room for 4 months or get out and indulge the snow, but either way it's still gonna be winter! EMBRACE IT!

2 Things Cache Valleyers MUST See

There are two things that everyone residing in Cache Valley must experience during the month of October. Although Halloween parties and Zombie 5k's are great, I can guarantee that you will not regret attending the Annual Weston Idaho Pumpkin Blast and the Annual North Logan Pumpkin Walk. Let me explain...

Pumpkin Blast (Explosion)

Sometimes in life when small town folk don't have much to do, they blow stuff up. Every year, on the Saturday after Halloween, the town of Weston Idaho (30 minutes from Logan mind you) gathers all their pumpkins together, packs them with DYNAMITE, then shoots the pile. To be quite frank, words can't explain the feeling that comes from watching this. So have a look. 

Pumpkin Walk

Leonardo Da Vinci and Picasso don't stand a chance against Logan locals when it comes to aesthetically pleasing the human eye. These people create entire scenes from home grown vegetables, hand-me-downs from Deseret Industries, and pieces of scrap wood. Whether it's with your family, a date, or by yourself, DON'T MISS the A.N.L.P.W. 2014.

THE actual actor in Wreck-It Ralph

   M*A*S*H Classic 

 He's 100 times cuter than Gru

Beat Bowser like...infinity times.

 Just another picture..

 "Lumos"

Utah State = THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH

Perhaps you thought that was Disneyland... Don't worry, it's a common misconception. Just come visit Cache for one day - we'll show you that USU is the true mecca for happiness. Space Mountain and the Matterhorn don't hold a candle to Old Main Hill and Romney Stadium.

What's so great about USU, you ask? Allow me to explain:
Meet Matt Meaker. We became friends with Matt through an Aggie service club called Best Buddies. The purpose of Best Buddies is to pair students up with people in the community who have disabilities. We've been paired with Matt for over 2 years now and we can honestly say he is our best bud!

Best buddies is just one in a plethora of ways to gain service and leadership experience at USU - that's what makes this place so magical! As a matter of fact, Utah State practically wrote the book on  providing students with excellent involvement opportunities. Cait and I agree that some of the most important pieces of knowledge that we have gained during our college experiences have come from outside the classroom: in team leadership and service settings.

We've gotten ourselves involved through:

• Student Government (ASUSU)
• Freshmen Orientation (A-Team)
• Freshmen Recruitment (Ambassadors, BlueCrew)
• Undergraduate Research 
• Service (Best Buddies)

And this is just scratching the surface! 

If you're looking to make a difference in the world... If you're looking to unveil the greatness within yourself... If you're looking to dare mighty things... Look no further than UTAH STATE!

Logan: Adventure Capital of Utah

Whoa whoa... I know what you're thinking, "A blog from a married couple about college life? How boring". Perhaps you are right to think that, but give us a chance to break the stereotype that ALL married couples are boring. In fact Tuck and I want to prove that we can do more in life then have "game nights" on the weekends, go to bed early, and watch the old seasons of Grey's Anatomy on Netflix. 

That's right, whether you are married, single, or neither... I am positive that we can show you how to have a good time in Logan, Utah. This past summer our main focus wasn't school, wasn't work, but was something we like to call outdoor adventures. Fortunately Logan is geographically located right next to plenty of lakes, rivers, and canals, plus a full mountain range just waiting to be explored. Here's just a few of the adventures that Tuck and I went on this summer in or around Logan

• Backpacked up to White Pine Lake
• Cliff jumped at Porcupine Dam
• Fished at Tony Grove
• Rock climbed a few of the 100's of climbs in Logan canyon
• White water rafted in Jackson Wyoming (only a few hours from Logan)
• Off-roading in the mud on the way to Old Ephraim's grave
• Paintballed at Bear Lake
• Backpacked the Wind River Mountains (also a few hours from Logan)
• Etc. etc. etc.!

Need I say more? Logan is packed with a plethora of opportunities to explore, adventure and become one with nature. Welcome to Utah State. Welcome to Logan. Welcome to the LIFE.