It's September!

Happy Labor Day Weekend!  How is it September already???  I was reviewing our Summer Bucket List the other day and while summer isn't over for 3 more weeks, with the start of school this week, it feels like it's on it's way out the door.  We did pretty good on the list (and I have good excuses in my head for a few of these things that didn't get done).  It was fun to write them down and check some of them off.

1.  Go to Catalina Island (done 6/1)
2.  Snorkel in Hawaii (done 6/22)
3.  Eat veggies from our garden (done 7/23)
4.  Have a water fight (done 6/9)
5.  Invite friends over for a swim day (done 7/12)
6.  Make homemade ice cream (done 7/11)
7.  Go see fireworks somewhere (done 7/4)
8.  Take Big to the Hollywood Bowl
9.  Visit the girls' great-grandma in Atlanta (done 8/1)
10.  "Camp" in our backyard
11.  Visit the Discovery Science Center in Orange
12.  Have a sleepover with Sasha
13.  Go to Seattle to visit Amber (planned for 9/14)
14.  Run a 5K and a 10K
15.  Take tennis lessons
16.  Go to the beach (done 7/10)
17.  Summer reading program at the library (enrolled 7/5)
18.  Throw Little a birthday party (done 8/11)
19.  Go away overnight without our kids (done for 8/23)
20.  Work on How to Teach Your Child with Big (started 7/16 - only lasted 3 or 4 lessons)
21.  Take Little to My Gym (both girls - done 8/9)
22.  Go to the water park at the Santa Fe Dam
23.  See World of Color at Disneyland (went to Cars Land at CA Adventure on 8/29)
24.  Sleep in past 8:00 some day (done 7/5 and 7/6)
25.  Take a day trip on the train from the Claremont Depot
26.  Visit the Griffith Observatory and Planetarium (done 6/10/12)

If you want a yummy taste of summer that doesn't involve real "cooking," try these sandwiches my friend Erika made. I've been trying to copy them - so delicious I could eat one every day!

Start with a ciabatta or french roll.  Spread some mayonnaise on the bottom and top with sun dried tomatoes (I buy the julienned ones in olive oil from TJs).  Slice some fresh mozzarella cheese and layer that next.  Top with fresh tomatoes (we had some from a friend's garden).  Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper and top with some fresh basil (from our garden!).  Eat.