Living in the Moment

What a lovely little weekend so far!

Mural artwork in uptown Normal

When I made my summer bucket list back on the first day of June, I didn’t realize I’d bulldoze half way through it before summer even began!

(half crossed out items mean I’m not finished doing this yet )

Summer ‘12 Bucket List

(in no particular order)

Join a CSA and experience new vegetables

Go boating. I think it’s been since I got married since I’ve been on a boat!

Visit a zoo

Throw a backyard barbeque with all of my friends

Take at least 4 weekend trips

Go to a concert

Have a picnic on a lake with Shane

Dine outdoors more often

Bike to uptown Normal for lunch or ice cream more often

Start (and carry through and finish!) a craft or two

Read as many books as I can

Last night I added a thicker line through dine outdoors more often, as Shane and I headed to Desthil, a local brewery and fusion restaurant in Normal.

We started with a couple beers from their microbrewery.

I ordered the Redbird (go ISU!) which is a dark red beer, with a dry, thick, delicious taste.

Then to eat, I ordered the bison burger:

It came alongside the best fries I’ve ever tasted. I asked for ketchup, and then felt bad for making the water go back and get it, because I didn’t even touch it! It didn’t need anything more than how it was already cooked and seasoned.

This morning, I soaked up a little more of summer by whipping up a cool smoothie breakfast on this warm summer day (veggies included!) and took Niko on a quick, 20 minute walk down a shaded trail.

We kept it short and sweet since it was already 80 degrees by 8:45! Yikes.

Because of the heat, I dropped Niko back off at the house before going back to enforce #1 (chronologically) on my list:

I picked up this week’s CSA batch, along with a tube of grass-fed beef and some eggs from the farm. So far, I love being part of a CSA (this week’s CSA stash and how I plan to cook/eat it, coming tomorrow )

After showering up, I had plans to meet my friend, Missy, out for lunch in Uptown Normal. We ate at Desthil where I ordered a turkey sandwich on rye with a couple beers from their microbrewery. A post-lunch walk around the circle and a little uptown shopping ended the afternoon quite well.

I ended up picking up this ring from a local jewelry maker. I really wanted this cute little peace-sign ring, but I couldn’t justify spending $40 for a flat piece of sterling silver..that was made in Taiwan, at that.. Oh well!

Now we’re off to my parents’ house to do a little early Father’s Day celebration. I got home just in time to make Shane’s grandma’s potato salad:

and whip up some cupcakes

Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever made cupcakes in my life. Ever. And I wouldn’t be upset if I never had to. ever

This weekend I’ve definitely been practicing living in the moment, and it’s been just great. Colorado taught me a thing or two about life, and what’s important in it (more on that in another post) and this is just one of those things – living in the moment.

Hope you’re having a lovely little weekend yourselves!

How have you lived in the moment this weekend so far?