Enjoying the "Summer" in Fall

Saturday, 9am.  Plans that had been made to go to the pumpkin patch were quickly changed to a boat outing due to the 80 degree weather...because really, who wants to do "fall" activities when it feels like summer?  And so, we packed up sunscreen and water bottles, donned tank tops and shorts, and set out for a day on the lake with the Ozdemirs.

It really did feel like summer.  The cloudless sky was a deep blue, a warm breeze lifted hair off of sweaty necks, and the lake was filled with sailboats, pontoons, and jet skis.  You would never guess that fall is just around the corner unless your eyes scanned the horizon and lit upon the orange, yellow and red leaves in the distance.

I love these afternoons on the Ozdemir's boat.  It's calming, relaxing, and for just a moment in time, I can pretend that I am on vacation.  There is something about being out on the water that feels absolutely luxurious.  The girls feel it too.

Sunday was another beautiful day that brought abundant sunshine, warm temperatures...and a visit from Grandma Jennifer, Great Maw and Great Grandpa.  Ava was in heaven.

We grilled hamburgers out on the deck, made fresh guacamole, and drank in the day as though it were the middle of summer.  Grandma Jennifer came loaded with gifts for Ava, and there was not a moment wasted with all of that new stuff!

He did the mash...he did the moooonster mash.

After the excitement of a family visit, a long nap on cool sheets, and a quick snack...we were off to the park to continue celebrating the summery day. 

And of course mama took this opportunity for a little photo session with her biggest muse!  I chased Ava all over that park - through the swings and slides, over the wooden bridge, past piles of leaves on the ground, and down gravel pathways that led to golden fields.  It takes a lot of running to capture all of the perfect moments of a toddler's adventures.  I think I was sweatier than her by the end!  But it was oh, so worth it.

However, despite the balmy air, blazing sunshine, and our sweaty upper lips...fall is just around the corner.  Really.  And that means a trip to the pumpkin patch is in our immediate future, hot apple cider will be sipped, cold air is going to nip at our noses in the evenings, and Halloween will soon bring spooks and witches and lots of candy.  We're ready.  Are you?