#SUMMERGOALS

So... it's almost August, folks. I've spent the bulk of this summer living between houses/out of my car and wishing away the humidity. Now that July is halfway over, I think I should stop complaining and appreciate the once-in-a-year dreamlike event that is "SUMMER." Alright, let's be real for a second here though. I've never been one of those girls who can't wait to hit the beach with her "biddies" for some tan time. There is nary a "hot dogs or legs" photo to be found on any of my social media platforms and wine coolers are just plain nasty. Pools are also kind of gross. It's like taking a slightly refreshing chemical bath. No thank you. There are some summer joys I can indulge in though: my once-yearly pre-sunrise trek to the beach to watch the pink and gold light peek over the horizon. Going to restaurants and enjoying dinner outside on the sidewalk or, even better, on the patio or garden. Crop tops. (So. Many. Crop tops.) Iced Americanos, Bomb Pops, and driving with the windows down. Philly's Spruce Street Harbor Park. These little things make summer bearable and the humidity kind of worth it. I'm trying to enjoy it more though, which is why I've thought of a few things to try before my beloved autumn arrives.

1. Catch a wave in The Outer Banks... and ride it all the way in without falling. Never mind all of the shark attacks off the Carolina Coast, I wanna get my surf on! I'll be going there with my family for a few days next month. I get easily bored on the beach so doing anything but sitting around and getting sunburnt is a good idea. (I'll just make sure not to pull a Greg Brady.)

2. Find the perfect gluten-free brew. Beer is so good but it's not worth the abdominal pain and shortness of breath that comes along with the gluten. (So long, my beloved hops.) I'm not a fan of ciders (too sweet!) but I'm willing to make some concessions. So far, I've found that ginger makes it a little better. I'm really into Kombucha beer which is actually more like kombucha and not actual beer so I feel like it doesn't really count. Green's and Two Brothers aren't too bad either. If you have any suggestions, let me know! 

3. Teach Charlie to do the agility course at the dog park. Charlie's got some legs on him. It's a terrible thing when he gets away (which has only happened once!) but a great thing if it can be channeled into some type of productivity. He already LOVES doing the jumps so we're about 1/6th of the way there. 

4. Go on a few Appalachian hikes. Charlie, Danielle, and her pup Luna will of course tag along. I drove up to New York (state) this past weekend and couldn't get over how beautiful parts of North Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania are. More and more I've been learning the importance of reconnecting with nature every once in a while. It needs to happen again. 

5. Find and watch every single episode of Pete & Pete. We've been having a lot of rainy days lately. Hopefully I can find what I'm looking at before the next one! (What? We all need a lazy day every once in a while.)

Do you guys have anything you want to do before summer is over? 

xo,

e.m.