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| Happy 30th birthday to me! And goodbye to summer... |
With Labor Day now behind us, as far as my calendar is concerned, summer is over. True, the autumnal equinox isn't for a few more weeks, but doesn't it just feel like fall? And with that sentiment in mind, it's time for me to disclose the outcome of my summer to-do list...
Done! No matter how many times I reread this story, I love it all over again. It is always makes me feel a little nostalgic, perhaps because I was in high school when I read it for the very first time, and I can't help but feel reminded of the passage of time--which is, of course, is a central theme in the novel. The tale of Nick, Daisy, and Gatsby is yet tragic, yet beautiful, and it will always remain my favorite summer book.
2. Finally complete Harper's baby book
Speaking of the passage of time... It was quite something to relive the first year of Harper's life through photographs, as a story in pictures--particularly, as we approach the arrival of her baby brother--and shortly thereafter, her second birthday.The finished baby book is simple, but I'm so happy with how it turned out and to have the ability to look back through something tangible, rather than scrolling through the photos on my iPhone.
3. Make s'mores around an outdoor fire
Done--and yum!
4. Redo my bedroom décor
While I sincerely wish I could say that this task was completed in its entirety, it remains a work-in-progress. However, I still feel excited about the progress being made. My devoted husband is hard at work on our space-saving bed, and the rest of the room will come together around this central piece. It was my hope (okay, demand) that all of this be finished before the arrival of our baby in a couple of weeks. Alas, the bed will be completed by this time (demand), but the full redo will likely continue on well into the fall. Isn't that just the nature of home projects--particularly when the demanding one is too pregnant to do much about it! Shrug.
5. Explore a New England beach I haven't been to before
My amazing friends helped me check this one off the list with the incredible beach day they planned in honor of my birthday. And this wasn't your run-of-the-mill tote bag and towel beach experience either. Rather, my kind and creative friends created a luxe cabana area for us to lounge for lunch, including the fixings for beach-inspired mocktails, homemade lobster rolls, and lots of time for gossip and conversation. After a few hours in the sun, we showered, changed and dashed off for birthday cupcakes and shopping in the quaint, seaside town where my darling friend, T, lives with her boyfriend. And I even bought a jacket for fall! Perfection.
6. Finally have a picnic with my amazing cousin before she moves
Technically, this is a FAIL--and now she is gone (tear). But what we lacked in picnic time, we made up for with a fun, family walk to our local ice cream parlor on the night before she left town. What better way to say, not goodbye, but see you later?
7. Go for long summer walks (a favorite pastime)
Maybe "long" is a bit of a stretch, but lately Harper and I have been enjoying strolls through our neighborhood, along with purposeful treks to Starbucks for cool refreshments. It is either really wrong or totally amazing that she can recognize the Starbucks logo on the cup. Either way, we have been trying to get out and enjoy the fresh air during these late summer and early fall days. Soon the leaves will be changing, the temperatures dropping, and we will be wishing for the chance to do so again.
8. Do more yoga
Do my amazing new hot pink Wunder Under Crops from Lululemon count? My attendance in yoga class this summer has been embarrassing. I can only hope (pray) that my postnatal practice will be far better, especially if I'm motivated by those extra lbs...
9. Eat fiddleheads while they're in season
Sadly, another fail. But next year I will be sure to remember that fiddlehead season is in MAY. This year, it's crossed off the list as an impossibility due to my poor time management. I used to be an organized person. That was before I (literally and figuratively) came unheeled.
10. Plan my perfect 30th birthday in the absence of Chanel (tick tock!)
Hello, 30! I had a truly amazing birthday, thanks entirely to my amazing family and friends. Following my indulgent spa date with my sister, I enjoyed: a beach day equipped with homemade lobster rolls and time to read FIVE magazines in the sun with some of my dearest friends; a birthday weekend out at my family's home in the Berkshires, complete with a family trek to the county fair; AND finally a lavish gold-themed surprise celebration with some fabulously golden girl friends. Do I sound spoiled yet? While my list may have suggested that I be the one to plan my perfect 30th, this was far, far greater.
While I didn't finish every single item on my list, I have to say that it was really helpful to have made one. It made me feel accountable for how I spent (or didn't spend) my time. I should say that there were things NOT on my list that ended up being fun summer activities too--like splashing in the pool with Harper, mani/pedi dates to blessedly air-conditioned nail salons with friends, trips to the farmers market, and trying delicious new recipes from Pinterest. I have to say that it has certainly been a productive summer, but I couldn't be more ready for fall. It feels only right to end summer the way we started, with F. Scott Fitzgerald:
Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.
I couldn't be more ready for those crisp fall days.
