9.

Successfully grow pumpkins.

           

          Garden Plot #109 in the South St. Paul Community Garden has been a source of great joy over the past three summers. Granted I will always be the youngest gardener there and the one with the biggest weeds. But, with all my joy comes frustration.

          I have been working so hard on my pumpkin patch this year. I planted seeds in the beginning of May. Leaving plenty of time for an October harvest. Everything was going great:

July 5th

         

          And then one day I showed up and this had happened:

July 19

          I had heard from fellow gardeners that there was a vicious bug destroying vine plants. Darn thing found my awesome pumpkin patch. I have purchased and applied some insecticidal soap for organic gardening. The picture on the bottle of the bugs definitely matched ones I saw when I sprayed my vines.

Now let's just hope it does not spread and I get some sort of crop.

15.

Take a warm vacation

       Never in a million years when I wrote out this list did I think that I would be taking this vacation with a boy. And for sure not "the boy". That is my endearing nickname for my real life boyfriend :) His real name is Evan. This trip was his idea. Much like lots of his great ideas is a whole lot of fun wrapped into a small amount of time.

          Evan has always spoke of Georgia and specifically his family in Georgia with high regard. Unlike me, he does not have many family members, especially cousins. And my cousins and my siblings/friends all rolled into one so I was excited to meet Evan's extended family.

          We flew out on Thursday afternoon, ahem evening thanks to flight delays and all that fun stuff. We were warmly greeted (pun intended) with warm weather and Evan's cousin Reva at the Atlanta airport. Our road trip portion (from Atlanta to Warner Robins) was filled with Reva's stories of her tour of Europe.      

          Our first full day in Georgia highlights:

*       My first time at Chick-Fil-A and sweet tea

*       A tour of Savannah

Reva and Evan on River Street

Touring River Street

River Street

*       A trip to "The Lady and Sons" - Paula Deen's restaurant

*       And a huge stomach ache from all the yummy food

Our second day in Georgia highlights:

*       A day trip to Atlanta

*       Visiting Centennial Olympic Park

Fountains choreographed to music

*       Touring the Coke Museum

Inca Kola was Evan and my favorite Coke product

*       An art show

*       More good southern food

Our third day in Georgia highlights:

*       Chillin' poolside

*       Home cooked southern food

Molten Lava cake with black cherries and caramel ice cream

*       Family time!

Rachel and Evan 

Our fourth day in Georgia highlights:

*       Warner Robins Museum of Aviation

*       A trip to "The Vortex" restaurant

*       A much less crazy trip home

          I am calling this warm vacation a total success. Much thanks to Evan and his sweet Georgia family. I hope to return someday. And maybe, just maybe, this time I will not eat everything in sight. Strong possibility of me failing that one!