Autumn Begins!

So yesterday was the first day of fall. Never mind that it was 93 degrees out (what's with that?). In protest I have beef stew in the crockpot with veggie broth rather than beef broth. This is only due to my diligence in not going over my alloted grocery budget which is no fun, but I do feel victorious! You can ask me again how I feel about that when I taste the stew tonight.

In honor of the beginning of Autumn I thought I would make a list of things I WISH we had done this summer and a list of things I'm GLAD we did this summer. Hopefully, come June, I will review this list and see what we can get done next summer. I will end my lists with some fun photos from the summer that may or may not have shown up in my blog previously.

SUMMER THINGS I WISH WE'D DONE

1. Go to one new park per week

2. Raspberry, Peach & Blueberry Pick

3. Make more jam (only made Strawberry this year)

4. Preserve more in general

5. Do one art project & one science project with the kids per week

6. Go to Champoeg

7. Go camping with just our family

8. Go to the zoo once every 2 weeks

9. Go to the Children's Museum once per month

10. Visit OMSI

11. Spend a day in Vancouver with the cousins

12. Go hiking

13. Eat dinner in the backyard

14. Put Bark dust in backyard

15. Install Gate in backyard

16. Go to the beach once per month

17. Use ALL my zucchini

18. Paint the unpainted walls in my house

19. Go to my parents house more to float on the lake

20. Go to family swim once per month

21. Check out the Old Fashioned Festival

22. Go to lots of Farmer's Markets

23. Do weekend morning donuts in the park

24. Plant more herbs in bigger areas

25. Plant more wildflower seeds

SUMMER THINGS I'M THRILLED WE DID

1. Got together with High School friends & kids several times

2. Went River Rafting with GREAT friends

3. Visited a few parks

4. Went to the Zoo twice

5. Made Strawberry Freezer Jam

6. Went Strawberry Picking LOTS

7. Went Camping with the Cousins

8. Swam in Fairview Lake with Spencer

9. Went to Disneyland (okay, technically that was the end of Spring)

10. Stayed at the beach with Kent's family

11. Visited my friend Amanda's farm

12. Spencer did swim lessons

13. Spencer had golf lessons

14. Vacation Bible School

15. Planted our garden

Here is a random collection of summer doings... in no order in particular. I realize there are A LOT but someday, I plan to have my blog printed & bound and I will want them all right here.