run, forrest, run!

my sweet sister talked me into doing the preston biathlon with her this year. so after work friday, my mom and i booked it over to arimo (where my sis lives) to stay the night and then j and i got up at the buttcrack-of-dawn to head into preston for the race. i can't remember the last time i was awake at 5:30 in the morning but i assure you it won't happen again for a LOOOOONG time

we picked up our race packet and i'm sure glad our goody bag contained some chapstick because i definitely forgot mine at the house. i don't know if you've ever run with chapped lips, but it is NOT great fun. not for me anyway. round about 7:00 we lined up to start the race. my leg (the running part) was first. i've been training, so i knew i could finish, but i'm not very fast and i didn't want to give j the worst ever start so i pushed myself pretty hard during the first part of the race. mistake. i was really starting to feel it as i approached the halfway point/water station where we turned around to head back to the bikes. the runners at the front of the pack were cheering for those of us at the back of the pack as they passed. don't get me wrong, it was great to have some encouragement, but i must have looked pretty awful for them to cross the street to high five me. good gravy!

oh yeah, and they ran out of cups at the water station before i even got there. boo!

long story short, i made it back and i didn't die. i also didn't give j a very good start for her leg (the biking part) which was about 5 times longer than mine anyway, but i achieved my goal of not walking at all and there was a little fan club at the finish line cheering me on. mom and dad, boogs, tan man, j, and uncle gwyll even came up from logan to watch.

sometimes, i look ridiculous. this is one of those times.

j looking good at the start of the bike leg

dad and gwyll chatting it up

we're number one! seriously, look at our bib number :)

all in all, i'm really glad i did it, even if i am incredibly sore. oh, and did i mention that we got t-shirts for participating? shoot, i'll do most anything if i get a t-shirt at the end ;)

i'm smarter than the average bear

not so long ago, my family and i went on a little mini vacay to jellystone, i mean, yellowstone national park. i've been a bunch of times before because we used to go every year when i was a kid. i have very fond memories of candied apples, ice cream, s'mores, jenga, tree stump bears, traffic stopping buffalo, floating the snake river in a canoe, johnny sack's cabin (not actually in yellowstone, but part of the same trip for us), "betting" matches (you know, the kin you use to light a fire) while playing blackjack, spaghetti and chili, george washington's cabin, abe lincoln's cabin, sleeping bags, dad's snoring, souvenirs, stinky geysers, boardwalks, ranger programs at the amphitheater, and so many other things.


this year's trip was pretty great and all sorts of nostalgic, but it was also full of new experiences. sharing a tent with a five year old for one. not to mention campfire cones, cooking breakfast over an open fire, seeing a wolf, not seeing a bear, eating in a restaurant, staying in a campground as opposed to an rv site, seeing new (to me) geysers, getting really close to some buffalo, helping jordan become a junior ranger, encore, singing mika with the parentals, taboo, arsenio hall, "get out of the road you jack rabbit!", tree stump pelicans, camera wielding, raiding other campsites for firewood (totally devon's idea), running at 8 thousand feet elevation (it's really hard, btw), chasing birds away, and so many wonderful little moments with the fam.

dear boyfriend

dear imaginary boyfriend,
you should probably realize that we're perfect together and be my real boyfriend. soon.
love,
your secret admirer

dear olympics boyfriend,
i have created a paper chain which counts down to your speedo-clad london debut. can't wait.
love,
your fan from afar

dear work boyfriend,
thanks for the advice. it wasn't very helpful, but thanks anyway.
love,
your favorite coworker

"a lot of movies are about life, mine are like a slice of cake"

if they were to make a movie out of your life, who would play you?

the question is innocent enough, but i was not prepared for the variety of answers.

the boogs seems to think he looks like channing tatum, or vice versa. he's wrong.

i can think of no suitable actress to play me.

my mother seems to think arsenio hall is best equipped to play her.

yep. aresnio hall. that was her answer when i asked this question. apparently, my mother is a black man. MY WHOLE LIFE IS A LIE!!!!!!!!!!