half way through.

2011, that is.

Did you know July 2nd is the middle day of the year? That means today is hump day for the whole year! The second half of the year is always my favorite--all the best things come in those last six months! I am a die hard late summer through fall kind of girl, but this year, I will admit, I have experienced incredibly memorable things that I never expected-and especially that I never thought would leave me with a mild fondness of winter and spring. Here are a few things that made the first half of this year amazing & a few things that I look forward to in the second half of every year!


January: a week of canceled classes due to snow!
February: Southeastern Athletic Training Association Student Conference in Atlanta
April: California (I will forever be a Southern girl, but I could easily be convinced to go back to the middle California coast--it's so pretty & comfy there--! [hello west coast job hunting after grad school!])
June: National Athletic Training Association Conference in New Orleans (I am in love with my major and my soon to be profession!)

& the best is yet to come!

July: brother & sister's birthdays, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 premiere!! [& to think, 3 years ago, I'd've rolled my eyes at someone excited over HP.], FIREWORKS!!
August: football camp & my last first day of undergrad!!
September: FOOTBALL SEASON BEGINS! [Friday nights & Saturday afternoons in the fall are my second favorite time of year]
October: Birthday month & leaves changing color & pumpkin carving & Halloween!!
November: Thanksgiving & football & food & getting out the Christmas decorations!!
December: CHRISTMAS [hanging lights outside, decorating the tree, watching the claymation movies with my brother & sister, hot chocolate, candy canes, driving around just to see lights, scarves, jeans, hoodies, stockings, the smell of evergreens & peppermint, cuddling under throw blankets, standing in the sunshine to warm your cheeks....

This year has been amazing so far. & I can't wait to keep you posted on the rest of it!

One of my three favorite seasons. (The other two being Christmas & Football, of course!)

I am determined to get back to the original intent of this blog (& to fill the seemingly endless free time I have since school ended) & maybe, if I'm lucky, to inspire someone else. So, to celebrate the end of the school year and the beginning of summer, I thought I would share some of my favorite summery details-in no particular order-to help you get excited about that season that is always brimming with promises of long days, late nights, lots of sunshine and loads of memories. So, here's to that beautiful limbo between spring & fall...&

sunshine on your cheeks.waking up without an alarm.reading books off the best seller list instead of a syllabus.smelling rain before it starts.four wheeler rides through a creek.

hearing ice cubes clink in a glass of sweet iced tea.catching a glimpse of a hummingbird zip by the window.watching summer storms from a wooden rocking chair.filling the blank pages of a new journal.night swimming.
 
watermelon juice dripping off your hands.summer anthem playlists for road trips.slipping into soft, cotton.dresses and strappy sandals.hiking to waterfalls and mountain tops.napping in a hammock.

flower beds bursting with color.days spent by the pool catching up with best friends.fanning the haze from a back porch grill.running barefoot in soft grass.the breeze making your hair dance around your shoulders.

the sound of familiar laughter at last summer.the smell of honeysuckles.throwing a frisbee until it's too dark to see it.roasting marshmallows for s'mores over a fire pit.tan lines.

star gazing from the bed of a pick up.jumping in the water for the first time that year.last minute, late night movie outings.pitching a tent on the banks of a lake.the sweet taste of peaches and the feel of soft fuzz tickling your face.

sticky, warm evenings.catching fireflies just to let them go.forgetting what day of the week it is.feeling like forever is stretched out in front of you.watching the sun sink behind tall pine trees.

just being. & that being enough.