The end of summer is in sight! Just a few more weeks of hot, hot weather and then Arizona will be liveable amazing again.

Here's an update on my goals for August:

• Submit my book review for Environmental Practice. Finally, yes! So glad to be done with this commitment. I'll definitely think twice before agreeing to review an academic book in my free time again.
• Plan for a fall garden. I found some good online resources for vegetable gardening in the desert but that's about all I've had time for.
  
• Continue to keep the house tidy during the week as Chris gets busier with school and Chow Locally. So far so good...getting the house really clean on the weekends helps a lot.
• Decide what to buy Chris for his birthday and plan a birthday celebration with friends. Yes and yes! We're getting together with friends at our new favorite bar in downtown Phoenix. And presents are purchased but I'd better not spoil anything here...

September will be busy and I'll be on both coasts!  First I'll be in DC to see a dear friend from graduate school get married. Unfortunately, Chris can't join me (he's attending another wedding the same weekend in Chicago!) but I'm looking forward to a fun weekend with girl friends. Then I'll tag along with Chris when he goes to a conference in San Diego and I'll get to see my sister who lives there! I've been traveling for work about a week a month for the past three months so I'm definitley looking forward to all this fun travel.

In between trips, here's what I'm hoping to accomplish in September:

• Plant a fall garden...and keep it alive. Easier said than done.
  
• Outline a work presentation that I have to give in October. It's an informal presentation but I want to give myself plenty of time to prepare.
• Start brainstorming halloween ideas! Halloween costumes usually stress me out, I don't really like dressing up! But I'm trying to take inspiration from Sara who comes up with such creative and do-able ideas.
• Sign up for a triathlon. There's a sprint distance triathlon in October not too far from our house. I'm excited to try my second triathlon plus having some sort of race to work towards helps me stay motivated to work out.
• Get our grill fixed. There's something wrong with our grill's connection to our gas line. No big deal, just something someone needs to tinker with. This was actually on our list of things to do in 2011 and it's ridiculous we haven't had it done yet. Amazing weather is almost here and we need to get our grill ready!
• Celebrate Chris's birthday with friends!
• Go see one art exhibit in the valley. I love going to art museums, and there are lots around, but I never seem to make the time. Life has been so busy lately, it would be nice to take a few hours to enjoy a slower pace and enjoy some art. Maybe I'll check out this one, this one, or this one.
  

Happy September!