Summatime

Summer is almost here!!!  I count Memorial Day as the first day of summer season, so for me it's only a couple of weeks away.  This summer is going to be insanely crazy.  Let's hope I make it through to the fall season because I'm supposed to be getting married then.

Here's my list of excitement for the summer:

• Wedding Fun!  There's a lot of wedding stuff that will be going on this summer, showers, bachelorette parties and other merriment.  It will also be the time for addressing invites (which I am oddly excited about), crafting photoboxes, putting together programs and the like.  My mom and I had stayed really on top of our crafting until the last month.  And now we have a lot to do.  Anyone up for some awesome craft projects?
• Outdoor Eats.  The weather has been so great and I've loved seeing all of the sidewalk cafes around town.  Last summer I was going home every day for lunch to let out Kirby.  We are no longer spoiling him like that, which means that this summer I can go to the food trucks.  Even though I miss snuggling with Kirby at lunchtime, I'm kind of happy to be free of lunch duty.  Sorry Kirbino!  I am also excited for the farmer's market and getting a grill this summer (FINALLY!)
• Summer Movies.  I saw The Avengers last weekend and loved seeing all the scenes that we saw filmed in Cleveland.  It is amazing to me how they can take what we saw in Cleveland and turn it into what I saw on the big screen.  The Avengers got me excited for summer movies.  Here are the ones I'm thinking about today: The Dark Knight Rises; Prometheus; Moonrise Kingdom (I heart all things Wes Anderson); Brave; Lawless; Snow White & the Huntsman (which I want so badly not to like because I don't really like Kristen Stewart, but this move looks pretty bomb); The Odd Life of Timothy Green; The Dictator.  The last few summers haven't been great for movies, but this one seems to be shaping up.
• Summer Concerts.  Most notably The Avett Brothers at Basilica Block Party and Rufus Wainwright at Music in the Zoo. 
• Lakes and Parks.  I can't wait to go for walks around Como Lake, Lake Nokomis and Minnehaha Falls Park.  Mike and I have also been talking about making day trips to some state parks.  Kirby loves going to the state parks and walking on the trails, so I'm hoping to get out to a lot this year.
• Gardening.  We planted 32 pepper plants.  32!  Most hot peppers, but some sweet.  I am so excited for these to start producing peppers.  We also planted a grape tomato plant and will hopefully get a couple more tomato plants.  My peonies have a ton of buds on them and most of the lilies will come back this year.  My favorite lily, this bright pink one, was eaten up by a rabbit and probably won't produce any flowers.  Bummer!  I will also be planting (and by "I", I mean "Mike and I") basil, rosemary, thyme and maybe oregano for pizzas.  It's so much fun to watch things grow and see how they change day to day.
• Relaxing in the Hammock.  A key to me surviving this summer is going to be relaxing.  I don't relax easily.  The hammock and a good book helps. 

This summer is going to go by so fast.  How can I slow it down?  Any suggestions?!