july birthdays

it was andrew's birthday on the first. andrew is my only younger brother and he lives in denver with his wife and 2 kids. i had to put this picture in because andrew has a pretty good sense of humor. this was mid-haircut. i think it's hilarious that he rocked this awesome 10-90 even for a few minutes - did you keep it this way longer than a few minutes, andrew? either way, pretty sweet :)
i really like how andrew looks in this picture - he has a very genuine smile here. andrew is almost 2 years younger than me and we are notorious for our fighting when we were younger, and occasionally as we have gotten older :) i love andrew and i love how close we got in the couple of years before he went on his mission. i think we both helped each other make it through some rough months. happy late birthday, andrew!

on the third, it was chris' birthday. chris is weston's dad - my father-in-law. as my mom would put it, "chris is a good man." couldn't agree more. i would dare say there is nothing he wouldn't do to help his family or someone in need. he's a very generous person and would always do the right thing.
this is a picture weston took of his dad one afternoon when they went out deer hunting (yes, weston grew up hunting, and i'm sure was pretty good ... he's good at whatever he does). one of chris' favorite past-times is antler hunting. he's got a garage full of antlers - one day he'll surprise us all with his millions from a big antler sale :)
if i had to pick one thing chris has done for me, that i'm most grateful for, it would have to be for raising an amazing son. i have known weston very well for over 12 years and he has always been a great example of integrity and trying to do the right thing. chris has been able to show weston how to become the man he is by his own example and i will love him forever for that! happy birthday, chris!

drew turned 11 on the sixth. drew is my nephew (2nd oldest) and he also lives in denver.
drew is a sweet boy - he is going to be one of those good guys. he just knows what is right and, for the most part ;), he does it. he is such a good big brother and example to his 2 younger sisters. it has been a fun year - to watch drew mature and change.
i can't believe he is only 1 year away from becoming a deacon! i still remember the sunday in church when drew was about 2-3, he was standing on the bench in the chapel and started to pull his pants down to show me his spiderman underwear :) i love you drew! happy birthday :)

the ninth was jen's birthday. jen is drew's mom and my sister-in-law. she is married to travis, my oldest brother, and they also live in denver (sensing a trend? everyone but us and my parents live there). jen is THE example of fitness and exercise. here she is (purple jacket) after running a race in boulder (not sure how far, so i'm not going to guess). i am so envious of the L-O-V-E she has for raising her heartrate :) jen is also a wonderful mother. i lived with them for a few months several years ago and one day it hit me, watching her with her 3 kids, how important it really is to spend as much time as you can with your kids, make great memories, and love them.
jen has a fantastic sense of humor, a serious competitive side, and can be a very compassionate person. i love you jen, i'm so glad you are one of my sisters, and i hope you had a great birthday!