Tomorrow's October! How'd that happen so fast??  The days around here are still warm and bright, and September went by in a heartbeat. But I have been waking up in the morning needing extra blankets, and pumpkin whatchamacallits have infiltrated every aisle at Trader Joe's... so I guess fall really is here.

Throwback to UNH Homecoming a couple years ago - the epitome of fall day in New England.

Here are some things I'd love to do this season:

1. Complete a 1/2 marathon
Might as well make this number one! Jim and I are signed up to run our first 1/2 marathon with some friends on October 26th -- the Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon. If you're going to run further than you ever have before, you might as well do it with friends, views of rolling vineyards, and massive amounts of snacks and wine waiting at the end. Dressed up like the Super Mario gang (yes, it's Halloween themed, hooray!). 

2. Embrace yoga
I'm rolling this one over from my summer to-do list. Weekly yoga classes are offered by my employer so I know I'll stick with it now, and thank goodness for that! It hurts so good.

3. Attend a fall festival
This shouldn't be too tough, there seem to be a ton of these around the Bay Area lately. Anyone care to recommend a favorite?

4. Make lots of soup
Yummm cool weather means soup weather. I went through a great phase once where I would make a big batch of tasty soup every Sunday. It was so nice to have fresh, tasty soup to heat up for quick dinners throughout the week. Let's bring that phase back! I'll start with these amazing looking Black Bean Pumpkin and Carrot Ginger soups.

5. Camp in the cold
In other words, just camp. Because most places we go will be preeettty chilly at this point in the season (at least at night). And I think I like that. The New-Englander in me is really craving that nippy tent wake-up.

6. Brush up on my DSLR skills
I've been slacking and sticking to "auto" mode - I'm so ashamed! Time to bring back the skillz.

7. Make holiday presents
Telling yourself to "get started early" on holiday gifts is a tale as old as time. Maybe if I put this in writing, it'll actually happen...

8. Drink mulled wine
This has been a Christmas tradition for my family, but every time I have that first hearty, spicy sip I think to myself "why don't I drink this all year long??". So here's to stretching out the mulled wine season. 

9. Get scared
I love love love Halloween, especially the eery, scary, creepy parts of it. Jimmy is kind of a scaredy cat so I haven't been to a single haunted house or seen a single scary movie these past few years!! Who can I get to join me??

10. Make a campfire
Let's end on an easy one. I find myself around campfires fairly regularly so this one is bound to happen, but I might as well make sure of it by putting it on the list! Nothing says fall like snuggling around a fire.


What are your goals this season??

Summer To-Do List

Happy (belated) Summer Solstice! What did you do to celebrate? We showed our visitors a good time, checking out a wine growers' party at Dutcher Crossing, watching the sun set and the supermoon rise off Mt. Diablo, and checking out the fine arts festival in our little town.

It's actually funny calling it "summer" out here since to us it has felt like summer since ohhh about February. But now that it's official, I decided to put together a to-do list of things I'd like to get done this season.

1. Do yoga once a week
It just makes me feel so good. I know that if I can stick to this I'll have a more calm, enjoyable, centered, and flexible summer all together. No excuses.

2. Redecorate my office
Since starting my job in January, I haven't done much to make my office "mine" except add a desk. Pinterest has been inspiring me; it's time for an overhaul.

3. Go to a Giants game
Though I WILL be cheering on my dear Red Sox this season, I think it's required that I go to a Giants game while I'm out here. I just want a hot dog.

4. Camp somewhere just to camp
Jimmy and I love to travel and we love to save money. Camping kills two birds with one stone because we get somewhere new and sleep for cheap, but we realized recently that we never get enough time to just BE at the campsite, making s'mores and lounging in the hammock.

5. Make an ongoing summer playlist
I've been craving new music like woah, and I've also been hearing a lot of good stuff but then forgetting to get it all together in a playlist for future listening. I'm excited to get a good one going on my Spotify. Suggestions?

6. Ride a scooter
This one's a cheat. We just bought a scooter, and I'm so excited, and I know I'm going to be riding it all summer!! But I haven't driven it yet (safety first, I'm without a helmet), so it still makes the list. Don't you ever put something on a list just to cross it off?? Pics to come. What should we name it?

7. Golf
I can't really believe I've never tried golfing. I was a beer cart girl for a few summers back in the day, and always thought I'd love to try golfing....and I'm pretty good at mini-golf...time to give the real thing a try.

8. Complete an online course
On Coursera and/or Lynda.com, or probably both. I just signed up for a nutrition class on Coursera, and I plan to get some videography and Photoshop training on Lynda. #learning!

9. Master myself a signature cocktail
I've been craving something new, light and different for summer. I'm thinking...grapefruit....and bubbles....

10. Camp next to a lake
Specifically, I'd like to hike-in to a deserted and gorgeous lake side haven with views of a crystalline lake and purple mountains majesty. Let me know where I can find this.

Wish me luck!

Two Weeks Left

Hi friends! Where did June go?? I can't believe in just 14 days we'll be flying across the country to Seattle to kick off our 25 day road trip. Though neither of us have ever done this before, we're excited about trying this whole blog thing out for a few reasons:

• Keep in touch with our family/friends while we're gone 
• Better space to share pics & stories than F-book 
• Something fun to do while we're driving (for hours & hours & hours) 
• Way to record fun memories to look back at later
  

Hopefully we'll be able to keep it up! Jim & I will take turns posting - we'll share our travel stories as well as our favorite pictures & songs. Here's a favorite to kick us off...

See you in a couple weeks!

~Allie