So Long Summer

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer.  Sure, we still have some sunshiny days ahead of us, but we know they are nearing the end.  With Labor Day comes back to school and back to a routine.  I don’t have a school age child, but I can relate to having a looser schedule in the summer.  Bed times get pushed back because we want to get as much outside time as we can.  Dinners are a lot more low key and spur of the moment.  Cold sandwiches one night, a box of mac and cheese the next, and throwing whatever can be grilled on the grill.  The chore list that we so diligently stuck to during the winter has gone out the window.  Who has time to sweep when there are new playgrounds to discover? 

I consider myself a summer time girl so it’s always a little sad to see Labor Day come.  I think mostly because I know what’s ahead.  Months and months of cold, dark days.  Snow that comes up to my waist.  Driving on icy slick roads.  All things that I get so sick of by the time March rolls around.  That’s why it’s so important to me that I make the most out of summer.  I feel it goes by so quickly and I don’t want to look back and think “What the heck did we do this summer?”  Mike and I created a Summer Bucket List to make sure we got the most out of our summer and we accomplished almost everything before Labor Day…

1.Visit Como Zoo 

2. Splash Pad in St. Louis Park

3. Roast marshmallows in our backyard (When I wrote this, E was not yet mobile. Realized fire and a 1 year old, not a good idea.)

4. Sit in the driveway and drink a beer  (I think we can triple check this one.)

5. Grill as much as possible  (Every chance we get, sometimes for lunch and dinner!)

6. Plant a tomato and pepper plant  (I didn't plant a pepper plant but my tomato plant is going strong.)

7. Grow fresh cilantro (I'm crossing this one off because I attempted fresh cilantro, it died)

8. Drink morning coffee on our patio

9. Walk to Caribou with E and Josie for morning coffee

10. Take Evan to one of Minnesota's many lakes (Lake Superior)

11. Visit Itasca State Park

12. Go Fishing (Mike went but we didn't make it as a family)

13. Go to the Farmer's Market as much as possible (only made it once)

14. Golf

15. Eat at Sea Salt

16. Adele's for frozen custard 

17. Take E to a playground (This is pretty much a daily activity for us)

18. Take E to a parade (We went to the 4th of July Parade in Spicer)

19. Pull E with the bike

20. IA or MN State Fair

Now, as sad as I am to see summer go, I must admit, the weeks following Labor Day do bring some excitement.  So, in order to put a positive spin on the unofficial end of summer, I've created my Fall Top 10 List (in no particular order).

1.       College football season kicks off

2.       No more summer reruns and the anticipation of new shows for the fall season 

3.       Peanuts and candy corn (If you’ve never tried this delicious mix, you must try it!)

4.       Chili and corn bread, this is a fall favorite of mine

5.       Carving pumpkins

6.       The leaves changing colors

7.       Sleeping with the windows open on a crisp fall night

8.       Apple season…apple cider, apple crisp, carmel apples

9.       Daylight Savings, fall back to get an extra hour of sleep.
10.    Oktoberfest beer