end of summer highlights + cottage vlog video

Summer is almost over. There are only two days left until the official first day of fall. It's hard to believe! The summer went by so quickly, but at the same time, I am ridiculously excited about the start of the autumn season. So long shorts and tank tops...hello sweaters and scarves. Recently, I have been taking time to squeeze in those last few summer experiences and even revisit my cottage vacation. Ready to find out how my summer season ended? How I said goodbye to those last lingering moments of sunshine? Here are a few end of summer highlights as well as a cottage vlog video. 

End of Summer Highlights

Though it was important to have a few end of summer experiences...it was also important to stay safe and be mindful of my decisions. That is why things were pretty low-key. However, there were certainly some special moments! Some of my favourite end of summer highlights happened in the last two weeks. To start, my best friends and I ate dinner together and hung out for a few hours. How did it happen? We actually met on my friends driveway. We were ridiculously distanced, had lots of sanitizer on hand, and wore masks when we were not eating. (All three of us are vaccinated, but it is always better to be extra cautious.) Simply being able to talk and hang out in person was such a blessing. And a wonderful way to end the summer! 

The other end of summer highlight was a BBQ with some friends that I have not been able to see in about....two years. It was a similar situation, except instead of sitting on a driveway, we were able to use my friends very large back porch. We were all extremely spaced out and kept our masks on a lot of the time. It was just so wonderful to see them, catch up on everything that has been happening with them, and feel like life was (almost) normal for a little while. It is amazing how catching up with friends can renew your spirit. Honestly, it was a bit scary to be around people (even though we were taking precautions and everyone I know has been fully vaccinated). That being said, it was also wonderful and very much needed. Now that the summer is ending and fall is almost here, this is the end of my social life once again. We will all be headed back inside and that means there will be a lot of months without in person visits and without seeing my friends. I suppose this is the new normal. 

Cottage VLOG Video

In mid-August, my family and I headed to a cottage to get away from everything for a little while. Our days were spent playing games outside (like badminton), going paddle boating, going on walks, and exploring the nearby towns and local attractions. During that week away....I was able to film a few clips here and there. The latest video on my YouTube channel is a collection of those video clips. It is loaded with lots of holiday highlights. Personally, it was nice to just look back at those videos and remember the way the water looked and how it felt to be with my loved ones. So many special memories were made during that vacation! On that note, I hope you all enjoy this cottage vlog video...

How have you been celebrating the last days of summer? What were your end of summer highlights?