How is it August already? It seems like summer if flying by, but I guess that’s partly to do with how busy we have been. Looking at our July calendar, a mosaic of events written down in colorful ink, I’m reminded of all of our adventures.

Ian and I kicked off July with a trip to Oconomowoc to visit his childhood friend. We sunbathed while boating around the lake, collected chicken eggs, received a few horse nuzzles, and ate a sunset dinner on the pier. While our excursion was supposed to be a day-trip, we ended up spending the night. As we were all piled onto the couch, eating pizza and watching a movie, I realized how long it had been since my last sleepover. It was fun to feel like a kid again, and I am going to make a point to invite more friends over for slumber parties.

Another highlight of our month was attending the Botanical Gardens concert series. We saw our favorite local jazz band, Greenhouse Jazz, preform and we felt like true groupies as we knew every song they played. During intermission we wandered through the gardens and took in the beautiful flowers.

Towards the middle of the month my parents and sister made the long road trip up to visit for the weekend. We sipped on wine and danced in the vineyard at Parallel 44’s Summer Wine Fest event, fed alpaca and giraffes at the zoo, and ate our fill of delicious food. All of our cheeks hurt by the end of the weekend from laughing so much.

One of my favorite things about summer, besides not having to bundle up to go outside, is the long list of local events. I looked at our calendar and realized, if we had the time, we could be at an event every night of the week! A yearly favorite is Knights on the Fox, an outdoor concert series down by the water on St. Norbert’s campus. We always pack a picnic and relax in the sunshine while listening to music.

We ended the month with a mini road trip to Greenbush, WI to attend the Wade House’s 1860’s Ginger Beer Event. I was able to persuade Ian to come to the event since it involved brewing beer, but I was really there for the horse-drawn carriage ride and sprawling countryside property. Can you image visiting the grounds in the fall?! I’m already excited to make a return trip and looking at the historic buildings nestled in-between the brightly colored leaves!

Clearly, it’s been a busy month, but it’s been a wonderful month. We were able to explore new Wisconsin sights, partake in the many summer events being hosted, and share a few laughs with friends and family. All in all, I have a feeling it is going to be hard to top July, but I’m looking forward to see what memories we will make in August.