How many things...

can you fit into a 4th of July weekend?! Well I will tell you. I felt like everyday this weekend was chucked full of fun things. Hey, we work hard and we need to play hard right!?

Friday: I worked a half day * Went boating at Utah Lake*

*Lindy and I hiked to the Y*
at about 5:00 in the evening...the HOTTEST part of the day! We thought it was like a ten min hike but it is actually pretty steep and not just ten min ;)
*Brandon and I played Lindy and his roommate in tennis for 3 hours* Then we all went night swimming!

Saturday: I spent the day in Provo with Brandon. * A big group of us went to all you can eat french toast breakfast* Brandon and I rode around a dirt bike. He was going so fast I was freaking out! * We played volleyball*

*Then we all got rafts and air mattresses and floated down the Provo river together! It was freezing and quite the adventure!

*We went to a family BBQ in North Salt Lake*
*I bought my mom this shirt for $1 in Chile and didn't know what she would think of it. You KNOW she throws it on every 4th of July holiday! She's hot!
I don't know what is going on in this photo! Ah!
Ok, that's better. Beautiful sunset!

BBBAAAA Ha ha ha!!! I was dying when Brandon rolled out with my mom's red sued jacket on. It got a little chili outside so he asked to borrow a jacket. He came out in this and was all trying to act like my mom when he came out. It was so funny! It reminds me of when Kels and I were little and we tried on all of Mo's clothes! Her red high heels were my favorite!

Watching fireworks and cozin up is a favorite thing of mine!

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July (3rd, 4th, 5th or whenever you you celebrated it).

Boy or girl?

I'm sure that sometime in your life someone has asked if you LIKE being a girl or if you'd rather be a boy. When you were younger you might have said a boy in order to have strength dominance over your siblings or to be able to play with the boys at recess. But what is your answer now?

The truth is I just love being a girl. There are so many reasons such as girl talk, fashion, getting all dolled up, GNO's, enjoying being by a man's side, being caring and nurturing, etc etc.

When you do a little of this...and you're a boy....

Nobody cares! "Oh you are a boy, you should be good at that stuff. Yea, he's ok."

But as a girl you get back to the boat and you get "Wow, you are good! That was awesome for a girl!" I don't even mind that statement! "For a girl..." Yes we aren't as physically strong as boys and we have our own strengths and we embrace them!

So I like being a girl because I like being praised? Yep! just kidding just kidding...sorta :)
You can play tennis in flip flops against a boy and have them say after "I don't even care that I got beat by a girl now after seeing those toes!" Hey, us girls have a competitive edge in us also!

We get to REAP the benefits of chivalry. Lindy and I got to board and ski before everyone else. Thanks for being so nice to us! I know some people think that girls get away with murder with the turn of a sweet smile...but we really appreciate it!

We get taken on scooter rides and get to wear flowers in our hair while the men roll their sleeves up to be bad...or to not get a farmers tan....I dunno.

We get chucked high in pool basket toss parties!
And last but not least we get to do silly things like this and people just say "oh cute" or "Oh that's funny." Where as guys doing this might get "Oh REEEAL cool. That's immature." Who knows though. It probably depends on the crowd you are in.
I got a book this year for mother's day called "The remarkable soul of a woman". The title says it all before even getting into it. We'll delve into that another day. As for now....enjoy being a woman!

Run like a GIRL!!

Hey there...get off of my WASATCH BACK!! Who would I have rather ran the Wasatch Back with than my mission companion VICKI TRACY!!!

So the Wasatch back is a relay race from Logan to Park City. 12 girls were on my team and 6 in each van. You each run 3 legs of the race and eventually get to Park City. It was a blast!

Yes people, this IS my blanket from 7th grade! You know I do the honors! It's the tightest thing ever! :)
Our team was called RUN LIKE A GIRL! And we did! Of course I drew these running stick figure ladies on the back. It was a dream!
There were some way funny decorated vans and people dressed up in costumes running. Great entertainment!
Here's my teammates before we started.
Ready. Set. GO!
"JUA JUAN. GENARO GENARO!" I was shouting out mission memories to Trace to get her all pumped up for her runs. It was the smartest plan ever!
This girl is so rad. You know she recently shaved her head and donated it to cancer.

We had BEAUTIFUL scenery to run in....and great cheerleaders! I loved this lady just sittin out watchin the runners go by :)

What do you do when you are not running? Chase after your runners and give them some H20 relief!
My first run was way hard. 12:00 pm in the blazing hot, 7.5 miles on a dirt road up hill. I felt like ROCKY...or GI Jane or something.
My teammates soaked in a local river while I ran. Smart!
I loved this girl. She's from Sweden and served her mission at temple square. She is awesome.
Doin the work!!
When we all completed our first legs the other van takes over and you have about 3 hours to chill. We jumped right into Pine View reservoir and laid out. It was a dream!
And then there are the night runs. Mine was about 10:30 at night and then we had one more runner and then got to go sleep for about 2 hours outside or in the van. When you wake up you are for sure thinking, "What was I thinking?"
3rd run was hot and hilly again. Dead tired!

But it was nothin compared to VT's run. She ran Mt. Everest that day. Last run 8 miles uphill. She did it like a champ. So proud of her!

So you KNOW we threw her a dance party! Run like a girl! Go T-bones! "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was HOT like me? " :)

Hand off, One, Two...
I ran past this van with "HUGHES CONSTRUCTION" on it. I yelled out while running "I'm a Hughes!" Later I found these guys and told them how tons of people ask me if I am part of the 'Hughes Construction'. Well, I am now!
And then there were the guys in speedos! oh yes they were. oh boy. I later found out that they are the UCLA men's running team. They got like 4th place. Good times!
Gotta throw in a little Bikram yoga for the day.
And some cheer moves! Go Aggies!

We finally got to the finish line!

Met up with Alana who also ran it with her work friends. Go team Mona Vie!


We loved the finish line crew awaiting us!


I will do the honors!

Of COURSE we went and played tennis for two hours after the race. Oh man...I was dead!

Stien Erikson's lodge makes a mean meal and the scenery can't be beat! Overall I loved this adventure of running, meeting new people, working hard, relaxing and doing something out of your comfort zone. Hope you all had a great Father's day!