Currently.

Instagram bits from the last week or so...
1. Recycled book art, 2. Bold Bean Coffee in Jax, 3. The GotR made a local stop, 4. Summer reading...

Thinking about...

All of the possibilities of this fall. Though the weather here is still decidedly summer, I'm dreaming about scarves, chilly sea breezes, and bundling up on our front porch. There are still a few months before those things will hit here in Florida, but I'll just pretend until then. Really, though, this new season holds so many good changes for us, so please keep your fingers crossed.

Reading...

Oh my, I've been reading so much this summer! It makes me happy to fly through books as I've been doing. Lately, my book choices have included quite a bit of young adult fiction, most of which is set during summer. How fitting, right? My favorites from the past few months have been:
Small Damages by Beth Kephart. This book was written so powerfully that I could not put it down. The writing style was different from what I'm used to, but it was beautifully done. It takes place in Seville, where high school senior Kenzie has been sent after becoming pregnant. The imagery is so gorgeous and it was a great way to start off my summer reading.
Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson didn't seem to be much more than fluff when I began it, but I was crying like a baby by the end. Taylor's family has been growing apart over the years as they've been spending less and less time together. However, when their father gets some horrible news, they decide to spend one last summer together at their cabin in the mountains. The story was compelling, I could feel the mountain breeze, and I was a complete mess as I finished it.
My final favorite from this summer was one I just finished... Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, again by Morgan Matson. It was just SO good! Amy's mother decides to move the family across the country after they lose their father in a car accident that is not talked about. Amy is left to finish the school year on her own before driving across country with a family friend. Rather than follow the set route her mother left for her, Amy and Roger decide to carve out their own path across the United States. The chapters are interspersed with bits from Amy's travel journal, as well as Roger's ipod playlists and doodles. It made me wish I was there in the car with them.

Listening to...

A whole lot of Mumford & Sons, as they just made a stopover here in St. Augustine as part of the Gentlemen of the Road tour! We spent our nights this weekend downtown with friends listening to the music and wandering amidst the huge crowds. There were huge mustaches all over the historic city, and everyone seemed to go all out for the occasion. We fought the masses to get a glimpse at the stage during the Mumford & Sons performance, and it was so worth it.
We've also been listening to the Capital Cities album quite a bit. Our shared favorite has been Farrah Fawcett Hair, largely because of the NPR narration!

Working on...

So many projects! I've been trying to finish decorating, largely due to the number of guests we've been having! I even broke out my sewing machine last night, so watch out. I'm planning on making curtains, pillows, and some other little things.
Paul started his classes this month, and he's been doing very well! I'm ridiculously proud of him for going back to school and starting fresh. We've discovered that seemingly bad situations lead to good life changes, so we're trying to take everything in stride.
I've got SO MANY THINGS I need to post about on here! Our last Disney posts, the trip to Gatlinburg, all of our recent Jacksonville adventures, and Paul's yummy creations. Soon, I promise!