biRthDay

guess who just celebrated his 33rd birthday? that's right, my sweetheart (and yes he really is 5 months younger than me, a fact he likes to remind me of often. so immature:P)
here are my 33 reasons he is the greatest man on earth:
1. he is practically perfect in everyway
2. he is quick to laugh, reminding me to do the same
3. he helps me be empathetic and try to see the world how others do
4. he's ticklish
5. he always sings the hymns in sacrament
6. his singing voice is wonderful
7. he loves movies as much as i do
8. he is the greatest spiderkiller ever and never questions me when i ask him to use his talent
9. he loves to play with the children
10. he lets me drive when i want
11. he always tells me he's going to miss me when he's leaving for work and i truly believe him
12. he does the dishes without being asked
13. he's always willing to take the kids for a while and let me take a break
14. he always kisses me when he comes home
15. he makes me feel like a great cook and will try anything i throw together
16. he lets me talk even when it's really late
17. he can fix almost anything
18. he works very hard to make our home and yard a fun place
19. he loves to learn as much as i do
20. he watches over me and makes me feel taken care of
21. he is super at guitar hero
22. he always beats me at phase 10, but doesn't rub it in
23. he doesn't get mad at me for making fun of his gardening techniques
24. he's always quick to say sorry (and most of the time it's my fault)
25. he plays the harmonica, and always fills our home with music
26. he humors me whenever i want to do family pictures
27. he tells his daughters how beautiful they are and treats them like princesses
28. he treats me like a queen
29. he's my favorite walking companion
30. he provides for our family and is glad to let me stay at home
31. he showed me how to get hummingbirds land on my fingers, and laughed with me as they sped past my face
32. he always opens the door for me
33. he helps me and the children to be better than we were
happy birthday, austin!!! i love you more each and every day i get to spend with you. i'm looking forward to an eternal friendship.

sAleM dAys

we hAd A greAt week foR sAleM dAys. the giRls got theiR pictuRes done in the bAby contest, we dRessed up foR the childRens' pARAde, got gRundles of cAndy At the sAtuRdAy pARAde, plAyed with dAwnelle, gRAndMA Rosie And gRAndpA crAig And to top it All off we wAtched the fAntAstic fiRewoRks (they weRe lAteR thAn usuAl, but still fAbulous)

just for laughs

jUly 24th

we wEnt to the raNch for ThE cOpe faMily pArty
LyDia disCovereD whAt a hAndful of grAvel tAstes lIke

wEsley woRried aBout the fIshEs' fAte

fIona eNjoyed the wAter & wAterMelon

aNd
IaN toOk to paDdliNg arOund

aNd arOuNd

iT waS good tImes, gOod tiMes.

a little town called enterprise

this is a trip that the boys have been looking forward to all summer. we we're a little disappointed that we missed their rodeo this year, especially after we heard ben was part of the show. but we had a great time spending a day with cousins driving on crazy dirt roads, catching mini frogs (the size of nickels) and polywogs, blazing new trails with ben as our guide, eating kid-size snow cones, avoiding the arachnids that were determined to give us nightmares and being fed the most delicious magic eggs you've ever had. we truly had a fabulous time, thanks cope fam for letting us visit!