How To Make August Awesome

My sweet friend, Therese posted this as her blog entry earlier today and I fell in love with it. So with her permission of course, I'm stealing it and sharing it with you lovolies.

This summer has seemed to fly by and although we haven't done too much we have still been very busy. Thanks to Augusts arrival though, I am suddenly aware that we're running out of time to enjoy Summer.  Then again it's between 105*-108* this week so how anyone can "enjoy" that is beyond me!

10 Ways To Make August Awesome
(In no order and made up as I please)

1. Have something to look forward to:  For me, I think I will have August speeding past be the thing I look forward to most, haha. Seriously though, not much is planned for August and yet Sept-January is full of fun events we've been planning for 6 months! I will just throw out a last minute something..... I'm looking forward to Avery starting her new school and fitting in well. I've been getting some negative feedback for putting her in a Pre-preschool type program when she can be home with me and honestly I understand where these people are coming from but at the same time....it's not like she has to go everyday and I can have her home whenever I feel like it. I just think she needs the socialization in a bad way and this school has a wonderful regime I like rather than sending her somewhere and paying lots of money for her to finger paint and watch TV. I'm aware she's not even 3 and this is in no way enforced, if she doesn't like it, she will not have to keep going.  We just feel she will get more out of this rather than being home with mommy 24/7. Sorry, that turned into a rant...moving along....

2. Create A Goal For The Month: I have 2 goals for this month. One is to lose 10lbs. Seriously, since we've moved back to Denton and Evan is now working nights, I hardly cook at all, we eat out way too much and it's starting to show on me. Thanks to Evans job, he is in the best shape he's been in. EVER. So yeah....I'm on a mission. My second goal, is to go from running 2x's a week to 4-5x's a week. I seriously am enjoying my morning runs but I need to do more and I need to start legitimately pushing myself more to get geared up to doing a 5k or even a 10k (which the thought of that alone sends me in a panic and laughing at myself).

3. Plan A Dinner Party: I've been wanting to do this since we moved into our new home. We have had a few people over to BBQ outside on the deck but I'd REALLY like to have a few people over to enjoy some wine, board games and an all out feast made by myself. However, for this to happen I have to have a number of other couples free on a Saturday night (the only night Evan is home besides Sunday) and we also need to finish up a few house projects and buy a dining room table and chairs (on my to-buy list since April).

4. Buy New Clothes For Fall: Evan and I have a closet full of clothes but we can not wear over half of it. Evan has lost 40lbs in the last 8 months!! He needs new duds. I am still stuck in Maternity clothes and HS t-shirts. Yeah can we say upgrade needed? I'd like to own more than one pair of jeans for once in my life. (Sad, I know) Good thing is though, Evan and I have had this conversation twice in the last week and I'm pretty sure the end of the month is looking good for us to go shopping just the 2 of us for a new wardrobe.

5. Get Crafty: Thanks to my obsession known as PINTEREST, I have fallen in love with so many DIY crafty ideas for a home. I'd love to get into it and start making things for the Fall/Winter season to make my home "Pop". Like a Wreath for my front door, a new color of paint in the entryway, Antique hunting for a nice Old lamp to bring the living room together or even dare I say, busting out the Sewing machine and making Curtains for Averys bedroom, my bedroom and the living room.

6: Sign Up For A Fitness Class: The Rec center is literally a 4 minute walk from my home and SUPER cheap. I think I will sign up for a Zumba class or something along those lines so I can have some alone time while also meeting other ladies. I truly do not get out hardly ever.

7. Have a Ladies Night: I think my last paragraph hit on something. I need a good Ladies night. A few friends, some margaritas, a movie or some dancing....and perhaps not in the same town we live in. Any reason to put make-up on and heels works for me. Whose in?

8. Buy a Random Cookbook & Try Every Recipe: Or maybe start an email Recipe swap with friends and get s little book going. I also have several recipes I want to try thanks to Pinterest, so maybe that can be a nice treat to help with some other mentioned items on the list. Try something new and share it.

9. Invest In Some Travel Books: I'm a huge reader, I read all the time, but I think it may be a good idea to buy some travel books on the places we have planned to visit in the next 3 months to a year (Colorado, Oregon, England, Louisiana, etc) to make the best out of these trips no matter how short they may be. It would also help me with the budgeting for them and getting the most out of the money we get saved up. Ideas?....

10. Look Into Spring Programs For COLLEGE: Um...yeah. It's time I seriously got my rear in gear. I have 2 test to take this month (another reason Avery is going to school and I'm getting more free time (AKA-study time) and I need to start looking at the 4 area places I can go to school in the spring and sort out what it is I actually want to pursue for a career and start my PLAN. I need to start making calls, setting appointments and getting to know a few people who can help me with this. Not to mention figuring out financial aid, I seriously doubt it's ever to early to start planning for that!

Wow.... and now August suddenly looks BUSY for me.

I don't mind. How about YOU what is in store for your August and what are some ways you can make it Awesome?

-Britt