Summer {Manifesto} Check Up

I bet you thought I wouldn't get a post in today. Wrong! Getting it in under the wire.

I created this summer manifesto a while back, and I've since lived out most of my summer. I think I've done a pretty good job, and the summer is not over yet (I consider Labor Day the end), so I thought I'd check in:

1. Take pictures- with my real camera... not just the iPhone. Haven't done that in a while...
- um.... uh.... I took a few pictures at a reception, but since then it's been sitting stationary in my apartment. 

2. Read. A lot. First up: The Paris Wife. On deck: The Summer We Read Gatsby
- Got them both read, and now need to figure out what to read next. Divergent with The Aunt? A chick-lit that I've got loaded onto my kindle? City of Bones? The Fault in Our Stars? One of the zillion other books on my to-download list?

3. Road Trip- to Lubbock, obvs, but maybe to one more place? Just today I passed up the chance to drive to Mississippi with my grieving mother, as that was definitely not what I meant when I put this on the list.
- Done. While I'd like to add another to Lubbock, and another to a far away place, here or there or who knows? Alas, time won't let me. 

4. Fireworks- haven't seen them in a few years. Kinda miss them.
- Saw them in Lubbock. Sort of. We saw a bunch while waiting for the big show to take place, only we missed the big show. But we did see some, and I did take pictures with the big camera. 

5. Nap- a given, but so much a part of summer that it would be criminal not to put it on the list.
- So much of the naps. Lovely. Sadly, I have weaned myself off of them, since I'll be back at school and we don't have a nap time. 

6. Pool- I live right next to my apartment pool, and love love love the pool water, yet never take the time to go. Changing that this year.
- Surprisingly, I haven't been going to my pool, but I've been to the pool three times this summer, with another pool play date this week, and one for next week. I'll be positively tan when I go back. {quit laughing}

7. Farmer's Market- we have a local one, but I'm not above going to the one downtown one morning off
- fail.

8. Grow something-  my apt. is the place where plants go to die. I'm trying to change that. I'll have a whole separate post regarding this one.
- I managed to create a patio oasis and keep it alive two weeks past my original goal (which was two weeks). Then, my apartment complex told us they were painting the outside, and everything had to be brought in. That's when my plants promptly died.

9. Nights on the Patio/Porch- nights in the summer in Texas can be pretty nice, so I want to spend some time outside enjoying it.
- um, once, in Lubbock, I sat outside for a little while after dark. 

10. Drink- I want to drink some this summer. Wine, fruity drinks, all of the fun summer things you can drink when it seems like the entire world is slowing down and just chilling out.
- I've had a margarita here and there, and some wine with dinner, and I've just relaxed and enjoyed the lazy summer nights. 

11. Adventure- Leaving it a little open...
- Well, golf-carting after a rain storm and getting stuck, and the grasshopper that flew into my mouth was quite an adventure, but notsomuch what I had in mind for this one. 

12. Music and Stars- I had this one on the list before I bought tickets to take KellsBells to see Big Time Rush, and I would still like to see a non-teen-band outside listening to music under the stars
- not since Big Time Rush when I ended up sitting next to a parent from my school that went on to interview me during the quieter moments of the concert. Yeah. That's how it is where I teach. 

13. Picnic- Haven't been on one in forever.
- not in the slightest. Do you know how hot it is outside?

14. Sno Cones- a summer necessity
- multiple. And fro-yo. TCBY. So good. 
15. Brave- I need to learn to start being a little more brave with my life, and so I've already done a little something that took a bit of bravery- and been rewarded with knowing it was the right thing to do.
- Eeeeh. Nothing major to report here, but am still being open to the idea. 

16. fresh flowers- I want to surround myself with fresh flowers this summer.
- I just bought some at the Trader Joe's. And I grew some, so that kind of counts. 

17. nightgowns- silly, I know, but I want to lounge around my house and on the patio in long, flowy dresses that rustle in the breeze. Changed to: go to the movies
- I always love going to the movies, but don't get there very often. I've seen several movies this summer, but one has eluded me: Despicable Me 2. I want to see it SO much. 

18. move more- I need to be moving more, not just laying around on the couch at night. I have delusions of buying a bicycle, but I'm not so sure.
- Fail. Do you know how hot it is outside?

19. Love- it can't be a dreamy summer without putting the idea of falling in love on the map...
- Fell in love with two friends' babies, the new Lorde song, cooking in my kitchen again (for the most part), and reading at night before bed. With a boy? notsomuch. Got any ideas? #don'tsayeharmonyormatch

20. Decide- I do have a decision to make, one that I'm not going to get into just yet, but already, before I even mentioned this to anyone but God, changes are afoot that will definitely impact the decision.
- I decided. It was kind of decided for me, but that's how God works. 

Now, to come up with some original content, or a story or two for the other four days. 

And another video for you, courtesy of Jimmy Fallon, Bri-W, and {c}.