iced / nice

L - Nikon / T - Nikon

Whew, it's hot. Today T and I went to Athens to do a little clean up and decorating to her apartment. She hasn't been there all summer and it was a bit stuffy and hot inside but it didn't slow her down any. While she worked, I had my mind on that sample of iced coffee I got at Starbucks yesterday.
She's been so incredibly productive this summer. During her time home she has organized my basement (not a small task - in fact a huge task), made a new mannequin and decoupaged it, painted shelves, created a upholstered headboard for her bed, and after she organized my mom's fabric closet she found some fabrics that inspired her so she quilted her very first piece and made a pillow cover out of it. In addition, she shopped for and cooked the meals for our weekly meal with my parents all summer long. And she told me today that, before she goes back in a couple of weeks, she plans to sketch out the portraits she has wanted to paint of me, my mom and her (each separate paintings of us at age 20). I'm so very proud of her. So proud that she chose to make good use of her summer. And you know what? I think she is proud too - she told me today that it's been the best summer. Now that's a nice thing to hear.

lush / plush

T - Nikon / L - Nikon

lush fresh juiciness of blackberries and plush green softness of moss - these are the luxuries of summer.

"Live in each season as it passes: breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit."
– Henry David Thoreau

thrill / chill

L - iphone / T - phone

There is no way the summer is almost over, right? Wrong. I can’t believe it’s flown by so quickly.. Our last post on June 30th seems so long ago! But we have been very busy little bees all summer, whether we were taking short weekend trips (a relaxing getaway to Savannah at the onset of the break) or weeklong trips to the big city (one of our more recent travels to Chicago, a first time for both of us). In between, I’ve gotten to spend a lot of time with my families on both sides. I was able to go see my cousin graduate from high school in California and spend some quality time with my grandma, which I don't get very often and really enjoyed. We also spent just last weekend in Kentucky with my mom’s side of the family (and we had a record number of attendees, I might add!). Each vacation was very different- some action packed and others with more down time than anything else, but each one has been such a blessing in its own way and I have loved every second of all of them.

After all, It’s not always about the activities you do or how quickly you do them, it’s all about who you spend your time with and allowing yourself to enjoy the down time that you may not normally have.

I hope you are all having an exciting summer or at least a refreshing one.