enjoy this Summer by having one New & Fulfilling experience in July, August, and September

I did my first hair salon shoot in September. I think it went really well…I was really pleased with the images and happy I got to photograph two good friends who were models!

You can see more images from the shoot here.

Did the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in July, attended some parties in August and Attended my high school reunion in September.

I hope to do more this fall.

Early into the group but so far I’ve been blessed by meeting some great guys. Looking forward to developing solid friendships.

In September my daughter started preschool three afternoons a week, so I’ve got regular free time for the first time in YEARS (my husband works A LOT). I’ve been using it to sort of rediscover the things I enjoy doing, things like visiting art galleries and museums, making a bracelet at a bead shop and next week I’m going to a free classical music concert. It’s been nice to be able to do things without having to worry if they’re kid-friendly or not.

i started school and have so far enjoyed it. the whole month really has been about getting organized and setting goals for myself. i’m looking forward to the new experiences i’ll have in the upcoming months.

It’s October 1st.
It’s been an amazing summer. There has been so much great stuff that has happened to me this summer. Quite a few things stand out for me.
1. My family reunion /wedding. It just felt like such a fulfilling experience because I went in with a new attitude of appriecating my cousins and aunts and uncles as unique, amazing and part of my world. It was awesome to begin there.
2. Doing a research study in Ghana. As the experience is settling in. I’m realizing how much it’s expanded my worldview. I’m seeing things from another perspective. My eyes are open to how my experience and culture isn’t the center of the everyone’s experience. I also have felt enormous support from my family and friends.
3. I’m more active than ever. I’ve started up physical activities I used to do in my 20’s. I laugh as I say I”ve reawakened my inner athlete. I’m playing tennis regularly, I’m biking to work. I went backpacking last weekend. I love it. I’m exhausted today and sore from yesterday’s trip, but I fel great!
4. Having my mom visit and us having a great time. We did fall back in some old roles, but I came out of it all feeling like we have renewed our friendship.

I may have strived for other goals, and my intentions a little different, but it truly has been a new and fulfilling summer.

The Fryeburg Fair opened yesterday and we got up early and headed out to enjoy the day (it is about a 2 hour drive from the cottage). Now, I’ve been to the Fryeburg Fair once before so to make sure I could claim this as a “New and Fulfilling” experience, we did some different things this year. We watched the “Fireman’s Muster” where fire departments from around Maine compete in events to showcase their skill and teamwork – it was fun. We also watched some of the agricultural events – the “pig scramble” (ten kids, twelve pigs, lots of squealing) and the draft horse pulling competition (with mixed feelings on both of these – don’t think it is much fun for the animals) and the sheepdog trials (I love the sheepdog trials). We ate fried dough and other such bad-for-you-food and we had, all in all, a delightful day at the fair. As we sat in the stands at the pulling ring and looked around, I couldn’t help but get the feeling we had stepped back in time. There was a young girl in a pink cowboy hat selling sodas to the crowd. There were farmers and tractors and lots of overalls! As my husband said, you could almost imagine that E.B. White was among the crowd!

... inviting everyone to adopt the goal of a few and fulfilling thing for October, November and December !

So if you aren’t there already adopt the goal, or reply here and I’ll invite you to the team. It’s three months with lots of new and fulfilling things sure to happen (and the team has gotten HUGE – so there will be lots of inspiration and reasons to cheer) - so join us, won’t ya !

My fulfilling experience will be my new ability to run further and for longer. Yeah I can’t run for long but I can run three times longer than I could when I started trying two months ago. It’s very fulfulling to know I can run for this long without stopping and it may only be 30 seconds but I know that I couldn’t do this 2 months ago and it’s a great feeling I can now do it. It feels amazing that I kept on with running and in time I have gotten to the point where I can last longer and run further in general. I love it!!