the end of summer

labor day always marks the unofficial end of summer.
while i do appreciate the end of swim suit season,
i do find it hard to part with the warm weather & golden glow of the summer.

this summer was, as usual, a complete blur.
it was filled with trips to the lake on the holidays & plenty of cookouts.
a bachelorette party in Chi & being the moh at my best friends destin wedding.
then seeing keith urban up close in concert w/ said best friend @ the state fair.
chris played lots and lots of golf. not as much as he would have liked. obviously.
i was busy with my little calligraphy shop
we took little mini vacays to florida {see wedding, above} & hilton head.
and made sure to soak up the sun....and the alcohol.
we were even able to spend a couple weekends at home. which was different.

oh, & chris started a twitter account. which he never updates.

in not so exciting news this summer {read, doing grown-up things}
we bought a couch & breakfast nook table. $$$$
hung a bird feeder in our backyard & spent $$$ on flowers for landscaping.
celebrated my 26th birthday on vacay with a divine steak dinner {& drinks}.
sold my yellow 2001 jeep wrangler {first & only car} & bought a '11 sonata.

these days the sun starts to set on my way home from work everyday.
& there seem to be fewer & fewer fireflies out at night.
& i'm getting the urge to trade in white zin for cabernet.
all sure signs of the end of summer.

dear summer, thanks for warm weather & golden glow. hurry back.
but not before i get to experience a long & glorious autumn.
& short winter, preferably. xo, j.

photo via it's mary ruffle via inspired by love