summer is a balloon

Wow, how did it get to be SEPTEMBER? Already???

This summer has existed with all the joy and rarity of a hot-air-balloon sighting. So many things going on, so many changes, so much color and...life! Well, let's see...to recap:

My little sister got married (*so* SO happy for her and broseph!)

                                                  

The weekend after her beautiful wedding, Jake and I drove to Philadelphia for a quick getaway...that was cloaked in the disguise of the Council for Writing Program Administrators conference, which I presented at. My first ever national conference--it was nerve-wracking, but exciting! My presentation went well and then we went to museums. But, you already know about that...

The weekend after that, I took the Megabus to Chicago to help my dear friend and glom pack all of her belongings into a truck, and then we drove it all back to Michigan. Two. Days. Later. Talk about exhausted! But man, my quads and lower back got a workout...

It was the hubs' and my 2nd anniversary! The official gift of the 2nd anniversary is "cotton". My mom got us matching v-neck t-shirts. Aw. 

My summer of teaching in the SIP program came to a close...and just like that, summer seems to be over, drifting away like that hot-air balloon we spotted behind our apartment, into the sunset...

does this guitar make me look fat?

via uulyrics

Whew. It has been a little while since I've written~sorry for the delay, everyone! Over the past few weeks, I've been trying to squeeze the very most out of my summer that I could...because today I'm back to work! (do you hear the song "back in the saddle again"? it's running through my head...)

But the last weeks of summer were totally sublime! They've included:

• touring Traverse City wine country with my mom and sis
• biking along Lake Michigan
• falling for some new books
• meeting Doug, of Hot Doug's fame
• trying out XOCO, the new Rick Bayless restuarant
• Discovering "Chicago's Premier Dive Bar"
• trying a new yoga class
• meeting up with the girls for brewery/swirlberry girls' nights!

I definitely will be writing more about these experiences, but I had to jot this quick list, so I don't lose any them! More detailed posts to follow...

Anywhoo...today was my first day back on campus, teaching writing for the Summer Incentive Program here at Eastern. It went great. My students are splendid, and I felt like even though we went over LOTS of stuff, they hung tough and I think that bodes very well for the next few busy months.