what a guy

Saturday morning my dad completed his first century race, the UCLER, at Thanksgiving Point.
In reality, my dad and a few of his friends just signed up for fun. They didn't want to "race". To them this meant a nice long ride with water stops, medical support, and free lunch.
Still, I insisted I would be there to support my dad at the finish line.

 Crossing the very anti-climatic finish line

His super cool finishers medal I insisted he pick up. 

I couldn't be more proud of my sweet dad. The details of his time are still up in the air at this point. What really matters is this 50 years-young guy finished, with no medical attention and a smile on his face.

He may have thought me coming to see him finish was a silly idea, but I know he was happy to have me there at the end to give his disgustingly salty cheek a congratulatory kiss, and a hug. 

My parents are still young, but when the hopefully very far away day comes that they are no longer here with me, I will be comforted by the fact that I am able to honestly say, I knew them, I supported them, and I loved them. 

my biggest claim to fame, as of yet.

Friday night my cute dad bought tickets for my whole family to go see Mike Birbiglia.

I know. None of you know who he is. 

Mike Birbiglia is a comedian, and a good one at that. See.

So we went out. Ate some delicious pizza at The Pie, classic Salt Lake City stop. 

It was crowded, loud, and delicious. 

And the 5 of us may have looked obese, because our pizza looked like this.

The good news is, there was 3/4 of it left when we were done. 

The show was great.

Mike's routine, or whatever comedians call it, was so clever.

He had all these individual bits, but then somehow they all connected and came together to make one story. 

You could tell he was a good writer. 

And then, the show ended and the highlight of my life happened. 

WE GOT TO MEET HIM!

and he was nice. 

All and all, a very successful Friday night.

*note: a. I have unfortunately lost my camera, thus all pictures are devil eye's iphone shots. I am very sad, let's not talk about it.

b. It wasn't really the highlight of my life, but it was a good moment.

Rekindling

I've discovered my latest craze, reconnecting with old friends.

Let me introduce (and reintroduce) you to some people I have rekindled the flame with recently...

She was my best friend my sophomore year of high school, well to be perfectly honest there was a point where she was my only friend... Those painful, slightly awkward and mostly embarrassing memories are not something we are going to revisit here, but we can talk about the lady who stood by me through it all, Lyss. 

After a slow fizzle of the friendship, and a few years of rarely talking, we are back on track. She is all grown up, out on her own, has an adorable boyfriend, and is the funnest/easiest person to talk to. 

Even after all this time, we know that we are going to love each other no matter what. 

The more we screw up, the better the stories are over our traditional chilli's lunch.

{We both looked a little rascally tonight, so naturally we covered our faces for the photo}

I've introduced you to her before, but I have underestimated how much I love CC. Since I am home for the summer, I get the privilege of seeing this girl pretty much whenever she can fit me into her schedule. And let me tell ya, the "friendship is just kicking off", to quote the exact words she just texted me.

She is hilarious, more adorable than ever, and still holds my heart :)

This summer, and next semester, are looking up with this little treat back in my life. 

This stud right here, is Landon. We have been friends for a long time now, but recently we have been talking and spending more time with each other than ever and I am LOVING it. 

He is the most genuine and kind nut I have ever met. Not to mention, he is constantly making me laugh, and saving me from boredom on a regular basis. 

Life is good when you have these people around. 

Go rekindle some old flames people, it's good for you :)

Hillary Ann Bodey-Bode

Hey everybody, THIS is my friend Hillary.

And yesterday was this little treat's birthday!

It has become somewhat of a tradition on this little blog to do birthday shout out's to my loved ones. And let me tell ya, this girl is LOVED. 

This gem is near and dear to me. We have been friends since we were little girls in Joy School, we became best friends in the last couple years of high school, but things got real serious second semester up here at Utah State. 

I wouldn't have survived this semester at school without her. 

When Alysha moved out to get married, I was positive the rest of the year was going to be misery.

Hillary is one of a few special angels I'm convinced were sent to USU for me.

She is absolutely beautiful. She is talented. She is an amazing friend. 

Those who don't know her very well usually think she is quiet, and often mistake her sexy, cold stare for a dirty look. 

But those lucky enough to really get to know her get to see how silly, hilarious, sensitive, and fun she really is. 

Nothing can make me laugh harder than when the real Hillary comes out of her porcelain shell :)

She basically created happiness for me these past 5 months.

Happy Birthday to my Hillary Ann.

Nothin but Love for this Bestie, Nothin but. 

Forever & Ever.  

Not Another Word, CC

On this little blog, I have always made it perfectly clear who the most important people in my life are. I mention how much I love them, and why I love them on a blogly (yes, I just made that word up.) basis.
But I'm ashamed to say it has been brought to my attention recently, that I haven't dedicated enough time to a certain person...

Catherine Camera Almeida

How have I not rambled on about this girl sooner??

CC, as she is called on the streets, is my best friend. 

I've known her since I was a little girl, but we really bonded by junior and senior year of high school. Alysha, CC, and I became inseparable in those two years, despite how annoying everyone else thought we were. 

CC never fails to make me laugh, I can't ever spend more than a few hours with her without breaking out in laughter. Her laugh is very contagious. 

She was also always there for me. some of my hardest times in high school, which all seem very trivial now, I got through because of this girl. 

She also knew how to put us all in our place.

She might be the youngest out of our group of friends but you'd never know it.

Anytime we were doing something, or saying something that CC didn't think was right, she could make us feel guilty with one look. One eye brow raise. 

She made us better people, or at least she made me a better person. 

Now that I am in college and CC is in her last year of high school, our relationship has changed a bit.

She found some lucky new friends, and we all moved forward in our lives. 

We don't talk on the phone everyday, or text every detail of our lives to each other, cause we don't need to.

Every time I come home to this girl, it's like things never changed. 

In-fact, most of these reunions lead to happy tears, which is a little bit ridiculous, but thats us. 

I know that girl will always be here for me.

And I can't wait for her to be up at USU with me in the fall!!!

love love love Miss Catherine Almeida. 

Some precious moments we've shared together... 

Beth Borup

Today is my Mom's birthday.

Isn't she pretty??
Remind you of anyone... :) hehe

My mom is absolutely amazing, I don't even know where to start.

She is the most generous person. She is willing to give the clothes off her back to anyone who needs it. She has given whatever she can for my sister's and my happiness.
Not only ours, but ward members, Braden, my friends, and even strangers.
She once paid for a strangers hotel room, who was down in Florida while BriAnne was, when he didn't have a place to stay that first night. No one asked her to do that, but it wouldn't surprise anyone who knows her that she did it anyway.

She is so smart. She has dedicated her life to education. Graduating from BYU with a masters degree and going on to be a professor there herself.
It is because of her example that I have come to love, and really value my education. She is the reason I graduated from high school, am going to college with a scholarship, and will one day graduate with a masters degree of my own.
I hope :)

She is also one of my best friends.
I am so blessed to have a mom that I can talk to. I love laying on her bed at night and talking to her about school and friends, or sometimes crying about trials and hurt feelings. I know that although she has high expectations for her children, that if we ever failed she would be there to catch us and love us just the same.

She is a perfect mom, and wife. She is selfless, a hard worker, funny, strong, kind, smart, independent, talented, and beautiful.

I get told all of the time that I am JUST like my mom.
Well I don't think so.

But I can't think of a higher compliment.


Some moments with Mom..

Mom, 

I love you so much. 

I hope you have a good birthday! 

I am glad I could be home from school to celebrate with you.

One day when I have kids of my own, I hope I am truly just like you. 

Thank you for everything you do for me and our family.

Brooke.

Tender Doggy

So if you didn't know, I have the cutest dog EVER.

I think dogs are kind of like babies, you always think yours is cuter than all the other babies. And lets face it, some babies really are cuter than the rest.
My dog is one of those babies. 

The best thing about my dog is that she is such a tender!

Sometimes my dad has to give my not so cute cat a bath. The cat doesn't enjoy it, and likes to complain the whole time. He is dramatic like that. 

The tender part is that Dallas, my dog, is so concerned about my cats welfare. 

Dallas has some serious motherly instincts.

I am the worst videographer ever. I like to turn my camera so when I upload it to my computer you have to tilt your head to watch. It's also 20 seconds too long.

Sorry about that.. 

Is it a little sadistic that I am laughing?

The cat is okay, and as soon as he gets out of the bath, Dallas licks her clean like a sweet tender mommy dog. 

Tell me my dog isn't the cutest!?

BriAnne Borup

I know, two posts in one day.
My addiction is verging on annoying.

Tomorrow is my sisters birthday, and I wanted her to wake up knowing that someone was thinking of her this whole time. So I am giving her a blog to wake up to.

Bri is turning the big 2-1 tomorrow!
(or today, or last week, depending on when you are reading this)
I cannot believe she is so old.
Time just flows by quickly. seriously.

My relationship with my sister has not been the easiest one. Growing up we didn't always get along, but as we have gotten older things have only gotten better.
I consider her one of my best friends these days.

She has so many qualities that I admire.

She is so smart. Ridiculously smart.
She set the standard for my grades in high school.
Sometimes I wish I could call her up to take my Stats quizzes for me :)

She is BEAUTIFUL.
She has a perfect smile, perfect lips, and PERFECT hair!

She is a singer, a film maker, an actress, a student, a skipper, a daughter, a friend, a leader and a great sister.

My parents and I honestly wonder where she got all these qualities.
Not that my family and I aren't great, we are :)
just not in the way Bri is.

She has given me the tough job of being the younger sibling,
attempting to fill her shoes is an impossible task.

Bri, 

Happy Birthday! 

I hope it's a good one, though we all know birthdays are a little overrated :) 

I love you very much, I hope you know that. 

You are such an incredible example in my life. 

I couldn't have asked for a better sister. Our little family unit wouldn't be the same without you. 

Love,

ME :)

Good Luck Lysha!

This is my Roommate Alysha Parsons

She is also one of my best friends. 

Isn't she adorable!? 

Alysha is an amazing person, for a lot of reasons. 

She is hilarious, and can brighten your day with one of her ridiculous laughs. 

She is so beautiful, in a way that makes it hard for me to just stand next to her.

She is smart, and when she wants something, she has ambition like you have never seen; to the point where it starts getting a little crazy.. :)

Which is why, of course, she is competing in a triathlon THIS saturday!

You may have noticed me mention that little triathlon on here once or twice, because being her roommate and best friend, I have been partly training for it too.. not necessarily by choice.

She has worked her bum off (and a little bit of mine as well) training for this little thing. This is where her ambition comes in. I can't even imagine myself doing something like this; I can't imagine pretty much any girl my age doing this. 

(there actually is only one other girl in her division of the race)

Leave it to Lysha to show us all up :) 

So this is me wishing my girl luck this saturday morning, on the world wide web! And I hope you will join me, not because she will need it, but because she deserves it. 

The girl in Alysha's division has no idea what this little 18 year old is capable of doing.. Poor girl.

I wish I could be there to cheer you on bestie :) 

I love you! 

GOOD LUCK!

My Dad

I am officially addicted to blogging.
I think even more than I am to Facebook.

So I have been racking my brain for something to write about.
I mean, I have ideas, I've got big plans for this blog; but every idea seems to have a specific time it needs to blogged, and none of my brilliant ideas fall on this day.
But I have an addiction so I HAVE to blog something.

I decided.
My adorable Dad keeps giving me ideas for what he thinks I should blog about,
some of which will appear at a later time, but his little comments gave me the best idea for today.

I will blog about HIM.

BEN BORUP

This is my dad. Isn't he cute?!

I am a daddy's girl. How could I not be?! I have the best dad in the world.

He drives me crazy with his curfews and guilt trips that work better than any punishment. At the same time, he brightens my day with his stupid jokes, his doggy-scarred smile, and his big hugs. 

He got stuck with two girls and no manly boys. To make it worse, me and my sister didn't get inherit one boyish characteristic. We have zero athletic bones in our bodies, and we don't camp, fish, or metal detect. 

We didn't give my dad much to work with. 

But if he ever wished he had a boy, he's never showed it. 

He works hard to give my mom, sister and me everything we want and need;

even when we are impatient and ungrateful. 

Anyone who knows him will tell you his world revolves around his girls. 

I will never be able to thank him enough for giving me my perfect life. 

I wish I could say I inherited any of his best qualities;

 his patience, artistic ability, work ethic, love for learning and selflessness, but I didn't...

What I did get is a combination of my mom's and his calves, and his sense of humor.

Can't complain about that :)

I hope you know how much you mean to me dad. 

I love you.