.bananas

Pssssst! I made banana bread!

It was easy peasy.

Why on Earth did I think it would be difficult?

I don't know.

I also went to the dentist today for the first time in........ too long.

Only bad news came from that.

I'm kinda wishing I hadn't gone in the first place...

Ignorance was bliss

.Meanwhile in Canada...

We picked up this little rental car on Monday. It's very RED - perfect for CANADA DAY! Which was yesterday!

On Wednesday Air’s work sched was 6am to 10pm and yesterday 6am to 2pm… So I slept over at his parent’s house with the family! The cousins were all staying over too and we went to a ward Canada Day party!

It was a beautiful and windy day.

*Tessa painting some faces and Josh loving his face-art

*Aunt Tracey waving her flag and Josh shooting water balloons at kids

*Tiana acting like Charlie Chaplin (I thought she looked more like Groucho)

*Tessa, me and our awesome cousin Taylor

When Air got off work he came over and we had a BBQ with the family and we invited our friends to come – the Wilde’s.

Then we went downtown to join the crowds of people watching the HUGEST firework show around!

*The Wilde’s have a cute little dog named Tobi

Now, I’ve seen a lot of amazing fireworks and I’m a really big fan; and I’m telling you--this was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Ever.

We had a fun fun time with friends, family, food and fireworks!!

Those are some good F-words.

.number twenty-five has arrived

My nephew Alex Glen Leary was born this week on Tuesday to my brother Tyler and his wife Missy. I don't know when I'll get to meet him, but I'm excited that he's here! And I know he's gonna love me!

Babies love everyone.

Ty and Missy are so awesome, and have had a lot of excitement going on in their family with a new baby and a new home being built in Lake Point, Utah!

When Alex was born I called their house and talked to their oldest daughter Kiersten. She told me that she was babysitting her little brothers and sister by herself! I can't believe she's old enough to do that now. Also, she wished Alex was a girl... but she'll be happy with a little brother instead.

*Alex with my brother Tyler

.view from the bottom

When I was 21, having escaped from a number of serious relationships back in Utah, I was living in Gurnee, Illinois--without a dating prospect in the world. I remember feeling very lost. When I was done working at night I would go lay on my bed and think. Sometimes about the idea of never being married and never getting to have kids. It's at that time that I decided I wanted to serve a mission for my church. I was listening to the tapes that my friend Nichole recorded and sent to me from her mission. I loved them! I wanted to have more purpose in my life than taking care of someone else's kids. (I didn't end up going on a mission, but that's a whole other story)

I remember thinking about how someday all I wanted in the world was to be with my future husband (who I knew would be cute) in our own little apartment that I could decorate myself with our own furniture, our own dishes, our own flowers... The thought of that made me so happy and hopeful. I knew that if I ever got to that point I would just constantly be in complete bliss. Constantly.

Four years later and here I am. {If you want to know how it happened, click here}

I know that "the younger me" would have given anything to be right here and to have nothing more than this. I was right then, I am extremely blissful and I love Air more than I ever comprehended back then. But I still forget how blessed I am to have this cute little place to live in, a very cute husband, and everything else that my dreams entailed back then. I just keep wanting more.

I am still fully aware that at this point in my life I'm at the bottom. Not only do we literally live below ground level. In a little basement. But I am figuratively living at the bottom of my life. In the beginning stages. There is still a whole lot of life ahead for me and Air, yet to be seen. We have a long way to go. And a lot of learning and growing to do.

But at least I'm not as close to the bottom as I was before I had Aaron.

And now I can keep dreaming about another future:

Someday we'll have kids.

Someday we'll live in a bigger place that I can decorate with more furniture and more dishes and bigger flowers (maybe even trees!).

Someday Air will be done with school and have a career.

Someday Air and I will be able to serve a mission together. We would love that!

And when I'm there, I'll look back at today and be more grateful for the things I'll have, that I might not be so grateful for otherwise. Because at least I won't be back here.

There's a lot to look forward to and even though we'll most likely have a lot of trials in our lives, it's going to be really great.

I feel like I'm standing at the foot of an enormous mountain and looking up. Of course the view from the top of a mountain is amazing--when you can see the whole world below you; but it's also incredible to look up at the mountain from the ground. Its a beautiful view from down here too.

And sometimes when it's not so good here at the bottom--cookies help.

A lot.

.Sunday

We had another beautiful weekend. It was so sunny and nice we couldn’t get enough of the outdoors! Plus, Air really scored at church on Father’s Day – they gave out bottles of Dad’s Root Beer and a cookie to all of the men/Dad’s. Awesome.

Air’s Dad got this awesome new grill for Father’s Day… We all benefited from that gift! Delicious barbecues for two days in a row!

Tiana was playing with our camera for a while. This was the result:

She is so cute.

Oh! And we finished off the shower! Now we just have to wait for the caulk to dry and we’ll be clean again! Awesome.