.days go by

Is it just me or has time just been flying by for the last few months? I keep forgetting what day it is and before I know it, it's Saturday!!

We had a nice night this week hanging out with Air’s sister Tam. We like her! We ate dinner at Denny’s. Air ordered a bacon and maple syrup sundae!!! CRAZY!! It was actually soooo good! Apparently bacon is good in anything these days? Who even knew?

Air looks like his hand is sneaking up behind him? haha Tam showed us this cute royal wedding/Cinderella simile picture. Have you seen this yet?

Then we went downtown to a big walking bridge that crosses the river. The weather has been so beautiful lately! I love how spring is like the awakening of the world after winter. The trees are budding, the ice is melting, the bugs are coming back out, and so are we!

And have I mentioned that I love this city? Edmonton is beautiful!

And then Tam and I became cheesy models for the camera… it made sense at the time.

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Oh and remember that big check we got back from the University of Alberta… yeeeah, it’s gone.

And we only got one ‘fun thing’ with it. This sweet frying pan:

The rest went to extensive car repairs. Ugh! I’ll tell you about it later. For now, I'm gonna enjoy my Saturday off work!

.Mom's Day happenings

*Tiana’s creation

Mother's Day was grand up here with Air's family. We went to their ward for church. During sacrament meeting the fire alarm went off and everyone had to evacuate the building... how weird is that?

Some kid most likely pulled the alarm, and then that kid was probably thrilled when they got to go play outside and see firemen for the next half hour! haha

Also, I got a chocolate bar for being a mom woman '18 and older'. Yay me!

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We had dinner with the fam and talked about what we love about our mothers.

I said I'm grateful that both of my mothers have been willing to work so hard without complaining to keep our homes clean and to keep us all fed.

Air said he's grateful that his mom has been more like a friend to him than a typical mother. She showed him the type of relationship that he should have with his future wife and kids.

Then Air's Mom said some of the sweetest things ever to me (and made everyone cry). She told me she’s grateful that she can be my mother-in-law and she hopes that I feel like I can talk to her as if she were my own mom, because she feels really sorry that I can't be near mine.

My heart melted.

And then we gave them gifts

Tickets to see Wicked!!! She was soooo surprised!

Even though I’m not a mother yet I’m glad there’s a day for me to think of my Moms, my Grandmothers, and all of the awesome motherly people I know that have blessed my life since I can remember. Our faithful mothers are Heavenly Father’s gift to the world. They deserve at least this one day for that.

.Manly Camp

Air was gone last week on a camping trip.

This wasn't just any old camping trip, however. Last week Air decided to take a 19yr old kid he works with on his very first camp out and pretty much made his dreams come true.

Not to mention his own dream of camping while working!

They decided to go for three days. This kid was sooooo excited! You have no idea. And he had the time of his life! Air says the whole time they were there he just kept saying how awesome it was and how he couldn’t wait to go again ASAP.

Air was excited too.
I was, however, a little underwhelmed to be spending the week with no Air. Poor me, right? haha

Oh yeah, and I made them promise to take some pictures for me to see how they fared out in the wilderness.

See here:

They cooked, relaxed, watched animals, built fires, and hiked around Elk Island. (apparently they also made up some secret campfire songs? Air’s lips are sealed on that one)

Then, 'doo-dee-doo just drivin along…………..… oh hey, what’s that little black thing in the road up there?'

No. Freaking. Way. A HUGE buffalo was about five feet away from their car! Seriously?? When does anyone ever see wild buffalo anymore? You can't tell the size of this guy from pictures, but Air says it was about as tall as him--he's 6'2"!

I am jealous.

Maybe I’m just excited about buffalo right now because I’ve been reading a lot of pioneer stories for seminary lately… they are pretty cool looking animals though.

*names and faces were omitted from this post to protect my husband's job.

It is against company policy to share photos of the children on the internet

...lame

.Oh Mother, where art thou?

Dearest Mom,

When I was growing up I could be anywhere in our home and if I needed you I could just call out at the top of my lungs 'MOM!!!'. Because that's just how we communicated with each other in the Leary household. You always answered back and helped me with everything I ever needed. And sometimes it seems like I needed you for every little thing I did. That method just doesn't seem to work for me anymore. I realized this recently and started yelling for you. After calling out 'MOM!!!' for a good ten minutes I concluded that you just aren't here.

Why don't I ever see you anymore?

Ya know what? You still do help me with everything I need. Of course I don't need you for every little thing anymore. But when I do need something I just call you on the phone (international/long distance). You always make time to talk to me--even though I can hear the eight screaming children you tend causing trouble in the background. You always know all about whats going on with my life because you always ask. And it really seems like you care. I know you do. In fact, I think you care more than anyone else on this planet (aside from Air, maybe?).
Which is why I write this blog.

For you.

Thank you for being the ultimate example to me of greatness in motherhood. You are amazing. I love you!
Happy Mother's Day

love me

*My sister Heather is missing from this family photo... I don't know why?

.indoor s'mores & good news

We like us some s’mores. Even when it’s too nippy outside to start a fire.

Some of us like them a little more crispy (burned) than others…

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In other {good} news!

1stly—Air finally got a check for his tuition from the U of A yesterday! This is both good and bad news… Since Air was too sick to complete the courses he was enrolled in we had to apply for a total refund of his tuition. It was a pretty long process (especially when the school ‘misplaced’ all of our doctor’s notes and we had to go get new ones), but I’d say it was absolutely worth it to get that money back! YEEHAW!

We’re trying not to spend it all at once.

2ndly—IT’S BEEN SUNNY AND WARM IN ALBERTA!! I got my first suntan (burn) of the year, and it feels great!

it also looks like I have sideburns in this pic. hmm...