Summertime fun

We’ve been making the most of this summer, since last summer we were in all-consuming wedding planning mode. Here’s a look at some of the fun we’ve been up to!

1. We became members of the Art Gallery of Alberta, and we went to a jazzeriffic Great Gatsby themed Refinery Party. We even got our picture taken by the Edmonton Journal Social Seen column. Dressing up is SO FUN!
2. We’ve strolled down 104th street downtown, which hosts a fabulous outdoor farmers market in the summertime. We’ve visited a few times and always enjoy the sunshine, fresh air, friendly vendors and delicious homegrown produce.
3. I went to the Pride parade downtown with my good friend R, and we sat on the roof of her work – prime viewing location! I love parades – the energy is infectious.
4. Edmonton had some crazy storms in July, with a few tornado warnings.. One thing you may not know about me – tornadoes were a recurring nightmare for me as a kid. To this day I get a little anxious during big storms, but they sure do create interesting skis though.
5. My MIL treated Husbie and I to a night under the big top at Amaluna! It was magical. Husbie absolutely adores going to Cirque Du Soleil shows.
6. I dyed my hair teal – I called it my mermaid hair.
7. We enjoyed a few amazing fires at my parent’s house. There’s nothing quite as relaxing as staring into a fire outdoors under the stars, watching the bats fly around overhead.
8. I played some lawn jenga with cousins at my grandparent’s 60th wedding anniversary party. This was actually the set hand-made for Husbie and I by a close friend as a wedding present.
9. I indulged in Tres Carnales fish tacos and homemade chips and guacamole (pre-elimination diet) on a date night with girlfriends. Love my girl time! If you haven’t eaten here, definitely treat yourself. I hear they just opened a patio also – perfect for summer nights.
10. We spent July long weekend out at my parents land, and Husbie got handy and helped build a new cabin. I am so proud of him!
11. I dyed my hair orange and pink – I called it my highlighter hair! I should learn to take pictures once the colors fade a little bit, because it was quite lovely when they were pastel.
12. I’ve been hanging out with R a lot this summer. We met in college but we didn’t really become closer friends until she moved halfway around the world to Holland for a year-ish right around the time that Husbie and I got married. She’s a fellow Dutchie, and we’re thinking about taking a class in the fall together to learn Dutch. Love this girl :) *photo credit to Jon Popowich.
13. Husbie loves to BBQ, and we often have friends over for dinner and chillaxing. The girls usually hang out on our balcony while the guys stay inside and watch UFC fights or play zombie video games. These girls are my favorite!
14. Husbie and I did a sunset photoshoot in a canola field – more of these photos to come in a separate post! I learned that while canola looks so lovely, it’s sticky and scratchy and definitely un-magical.

How has your summer been? What are some of your favorite summer activities?