A Fond Farewell

Summer is winding down around here. Bathing suits and blooming flowers are being replaced with sweatshirts and shades of Fall on the trees. I love this time of year, for the smells and the sights and even the farewell we say to the warm summer season.

We've been taking time to make sure we send Summer out in style. The kids take turns, almost daily, choosing which park they'd like to visit. There's never any fighting because all of the parks around here are pretty great. So, we grab a snack after school, head to the park and play until we're starving for dinner. There aren't many complaints when it's bedtime around here!















We've also been spending time with some of our friends, both new and old, as much as possible. Jazz on the Lawn is such a great event. The kids can run and play and dance, and the adults can catch up over wine and snacks. You can read more about it here.

Last Saturday night we had another great night there with our friends. I didn't get to socialize as much as I would have liked, because Miss Alayna decided she didn't want to do anything but DANCE. That's right-my shy little two-year-old. She wanted to dance, right in front of the stage, AND the speakers, ALL night. She had those musicians wrapped around her little finger. They took every opportunity to sing right to her and even let her sit on the stage while they played. Emerson and Owen had fun chasing each other and their friends around all night, stopping here and there for a snack or a quick dance. And Greyson? Well, he ate about four cupcakes, but he was happy (and not screaming) which made all of that sugar totally worth it.
























And while signs of Fall are everywhere around us, the weather is still showing us some serious LOVE. On Sunday, we packed a picnic lunch, got in the car, and headed West. What we found was pure fabulousness.



That's right, baby. Just one short hour from here is an awesome lake with an awesome beach. Somehow we managed to have almost the whole spot to ourselves. We swam, we explored, we lounged, we ate, we soaked up the sun. There was no time limit-no place we had to be. We just enjoyed the day, all of us.













































This place is a keeper and we can't wait to make a return trip. The kids are making plans already.




October is knocking at our door. It's going to be full of greatness. On the agenda: pumpkins, orchards, my little boy's birthday, Halloween parties, and a trip to Michigan. We're headed North in a couple weeks, but we've been missing the Michigan Fall that we love. Guess what? A little surprise package came from my Mama.



A bag FULL of the best smelling and tasting donuts EVER, straight from the orchard. The kids couldn't get enough. (Neither could I.)



We're ready for cooler weather, but we'll take this warmth as long as it sticks around. Soon enough it'll be hats and mittens and cold noses. Right now, we've got some sunshine to soak up.

My Town

Summer is inching its way out of Tennessee ever so slowly. The days are still warm, but not excruciating, and the nights are cooler, but not chilly. It's a great time of year, this late-summer season. It's perfect for football, and riding bikes, and cookouts.

If you're a farmer? It's the perfect time to harvest your tobacco.



You might wonder what late summer smells like in my town. The air is filled with the distinct smell of tobacco. Scattered across the countryside, you'll find barns-barns of all shapes and sizes and in various stages of repair-filled with tobacco that must be dried before it is sold.





My town has some wonderful country roads. I never leave home without my camera, because, without fail, I find a scene DAILY that takes my breath away. It's the simple, country life that makes this town so appealing. This part of my town hasn't changed in years.











You might think we've got nothing but farmland around here, but that's not the case. MY town is also home to a military base. Around here, freedom is celebrated every day. Service men and women are treated with the utmost respect and honored in a way I've not experienced. There are reminders of their sacrifices everywhere.











If you venture into the heart of the city, you'll find that my town is also a college town. Old buildings with beautiful architecture line the streets, everything a college student needs within walking distance.









I have to say, my favorite part of my town is the view. From the banks of the Cumberland River, to the rolling hills of farmland, to the calm waters of lakes and ponds, to the skies that are always filled with surprises.



















Things move at a slower pace down here, but I'm finding my groove. Soon enough, we'll trade our shorts and tanktops for blue jeans and sweatshirts. As the days get shorter, the smell of tobacco in the air will fade, to be replaced by crunchy leaves and the first signs of frost. But right now, I'm enjoying this late summer in my town.