Summer Heat, Fall Wishing, Family Loving

It has been a pretty great day. Exhausting, but I'm always exhausted these days. The heat around here has been crazy. I hate the dry heat like nobody's business. My skin gets horribly dry, no matter how much lotion I lather on--my legs, elbows, face, hands, my heels (ugh!), and my lips--which is probably the worst. I seriously wear so much chapstick but then I wake up in the middle of the night with my lip splitting from the dryness of the air. Oh man, and walking to campus in the hot, HOT sunshine? Uphill. With a big hunk of a stroller. When it's 97-degrees (like it was today). Forget it. I thought I was going to die of heat stroke but after sitting with my head down in the BYU Bookstore for like fifteen minutes and drinking some sips of water I finally felt better. But I was kind of scared I was going to have to have Dalin come get me and Ten.

Perhaps this is why my Pinterest has been engulfed by autumny-Halloweenish stuff the last week or so. I just can't wait until the weather cools off a bit! And fall is just wonderful, anyway, of course. Especially when I won't be attending school (I'll just have some online classes left and they're mostly fun:). Summer used to be my favorite, but when the nearest ocean is like ten hours away--driving--it starts to seem less fun. Maybe it's also because I'm in school, too, when I'd rather just stay home with my Tenley. But I love fall, and kind of wish we could be visiting New Hampshire in October (too--I'm not about to trade my August flight--) so I can show Dalin the ridiculous foliage there when it changes color. (I mean, it's bound to be ridiculous though since the whole state is basically trees). Anyway, it's wicked pretty (I haven't used "wicked" in a while I just realized!) and I know the first time Dalin sees the leaves he's going to be completely taken by the beauty. Tenley, too. I want her to stay little, but I also can't wait until she's big enough to appreciate it!

Speaking of that 11-month, 3-day old girl, she took two whole steps today! It may not sound like much, but Tenley has been practicing her balance for the last month or so (balancing without holding onto anything), and just today she tried on three separate occasions to take a step (and succeeded the third time!). We were so proud of her and kind of yelled in excitement which changed her little smiley face into "Hey, what are you guys going crazy about?" but then when I swooped her up and hugged her, she smiled again and we kept breaking into applause for her. It's an exciting time! I can't believe she may be walking like a little human by the time we go to New Hampshire in about a month! It's going to be so fun! She's such a smart girl, too. She understands way more than she lets on. When I was reading to her this evening, I kept asking her to point at the animals and she did it almost every single time without any help from me.

Anyway, for those of you tired of hearing me brag about my baby, thanks for putting up with me, and I'm sorry I'm such a whiner about the heat. I feel like I have justifiable reasons, but then, maybe I'm just not used to this crazy weather we've been having every day.

Well, Dalin and I are sitting outside on our back porch right now, soaking in the (coolish;) 81-degree weather we're having (honestly it feels more like 70 which I am totally happy with). And pretty soon we'll probably head to bed and talk until we fall asleep. Being married is the best. I mean, being single was okay but I do not miss it really at all. I am so thankful for my husband and my daughter. I'm thankful that they--my family--are my best friends.

It's a lot of fun.

Also, I let Dalin throw water balloons at me (and Tenley kind of...she was nearby) when he got home from work day after working a 24-hour shift. I did not anticipate his aim being that great from our second story porch down to the lawn, but my jeans got pretty soaked. Anyway, Tenley was a little confused why she got splashed a few times, but she didn't even mind haha. Probably because I used warm water to make the balloons. Anyway, happy day tomorrow!

Oh, and one more p.s.--we watched the Bachelorette tonight while eating Outback takeout and I was ticked that Andi sent Chris home but we're hoping he's the next Bachelor so it's okay. And Nick is not our favorite. In fact, he's kind of gross. So go Josh!