Hi again, friends!
I haven’t done one of these posts in a long time.
Like, a really long time.
As in … a year ago!
Seriously, where does time go?
Anyways, if you want a laugh, go check out Post #1 and Post #2 from the “things that make me smile” series. Post #1 was one of the first posts I ever wrote, and it’s funny to see how bad the formatting was back then (not that it’s much better now, but it’s still quite an improvement from the original blog! 
).
Things that are making me smile right now:
1. Date nights with Brandon.
This weekend, my husband and I enjoyed a much needed date night.
We tried a new (to us) sushi restaurant.
We split the tempura shrimp roll, and then I chose a roll called the Big-O (please keep all smart comments to yourselves, my friends), which included a ton of lobster and shrimp!
Brandon thoroughly enjoyed his roll, which included huge pieces of tuna, eel, salmon, and yellowtail.
I love sushi.
If you’ve never tried it, you have to at least try it once in your lifetime. I always assumed that I would hate it, until I finally broke down my senior year of college and tried a roll. Life has been much tastier ever since! 
2. Pirate hats. Always make me smile.
I don’t know what occasion these ladies were celebrating, but I want to be invited to their next party. 
3. Carrot cake ice cream.
I saw this ice cream at the store on Saturday, and I knew it had to be mine. If you like carrot cake, you need to try it. 
4. Exploring new places, while also getting a workout.
On Saturday morning, I went hiking around a nearby lake. It was so much fun exploring a new area, and I got quite the butt workout from climbing so many hills!
I’m by no means a workout expert, but I think if you find something you love to do that also involves moving your body in some way, you’ll be a lot more likely to stick with it. Why do we always make things like fitness and healthy eating so complicated??
5. The fact that fall is around the corner.
I am looking forward to so many things about fall.
But just to name a few:
College football …
(Source)
Pumpkin Spice Latte’s …
(That’s a picture from last fall. They don’t actually return to the stores until early September.)
… and making a million recipes using pumpkin!
(One of my favorite recipes ever: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies)
6. Family.
One of my cousins shared more pictures from my grandmother’s birthday party on Facebook.
I just love that so many relatives were able to get together and celebrate such a special occasion!
7. Big Brother drama.
(Warning: Spoilers ahead!)
First the “brains” of Big Brother leaves.
Then, the … well … not the brains of Big Brother left. 
All the while, this guy remains untouchable.
While this guy still won’t stop yelling in the Diary Room.
And this girl continues to be the ultimate floater.
If they just replaced Jen with a blow-up doll, I don’t think anyone would even notice.
Oh, how I love this ridiculous, drama-filled show!!
(All Big Brother pictures from cbs.com)
Question for ya …
What did you do this weekend?
Favorite kind of sushi?
What about the fall season are you most looking forward to?
Thoughts on Big Brother?
