Summer

I’ve been leery of wearing shorts since I was in high school and I became self-conscious about my thighs. Like most girls, I have my areas that I prefer to keep covered. But in recent years, I’ve realized that my insecurities about my thighs were unjustified. No, I shouldn’t be rocking the 2013 version of the 90s daisy dukes I avoided back then, but my legs are plenty worthy of a walking short or a mid-thigh length.

With so many sunscreen choices out there, I wanted to give you a rundown of what to look for to keep you protected this summer. I’ve mentioned it before, but my biggest health and beauty mistake of my youth was not wearing sunscreen. I have brown spots and skin damage to show for it.

Summer sunglasses are a must. I lived in Arizona for six years and I learned first-hand just how important it is to wear quality sunglasses. If you’ve been to Arizona, you know that sunglasses are a non-negotiable with that blindingly bright sun most of the year.

Who’s headed to the beach this weekend? I wish I was–instead, we’re staying home and continuing potty training. Fun, fun! I’ve been missing the beach lately, which is the biggest negative of leaving California. Since I’m not actually getting a beach vacation this holiday weekend, I decided to daydream about all the things I’d bring with me. Here are my 20 summer beach essentials.

Nothing says summer to me quite like a crisp white dress. White is one of those colors that fashion police have almost made a crime any other time than between memorial day and labor day. This hard and fast “no white after labor day” rule is a bit antiquated, and white can actually be quite…

When I was younger, I worshiped the sun. (See the picture above as evidence — that’s my college roomie and me on spring break my senior year.) I would spend hours laying out, getting browner, and soaking it all in. Laying out and going to tanning beds was my relaxation time.

One of my favorite summer trends is the bright mango yellow color I’ve been seeing everywhere. Earlier this spring, I talked about the bright orange color trend, so it’s clear that bright fruity hues are major this summer.

When you think of summer, you probably don’t think of summer sweater dresses. You’re right, sweaters and summer don’t usually go together. But, I think sweater dresses are great in the summer for a lot of reasons.

The sweetheart neckline has been around for centuries and has remained a popular choice for dresses and tops. This style features a curved neckline that dips down in the center, resembling the shape of a heart. The sweetheart neckline was first popularized in the 16th century and has since undergone several transformations, making it a versatile choice for fashion lovers.

I’m on the hunt for the perfect summer cocktail recipes. Why? Because my new friends at the 5 O’Clock Fashionistas asked me to create an Arizona cocktail. I still haven’t put my finger on what I should make to represent the state of AZ. I decided to look for interesting summer cocktail recipes for inspiration.

What are your favorite summer flavors? This cherry lime spritz combines two of my favorites. Cherries are my far my favorite summer fruit and I’m always a big fan of limes, all year long. This drink really is the perfect drink for summer and you can customize it to fit your flavor preferences!

Are you looking for some recipe inspiration for your next gathering or BBQ? You need to try some of these healthy and fresh summer vegetarian recipes I’ve created over the years. All of them use fresh produce that’s at its peak during the summer.

It’s strawberry season and my family is so happy. Strawberries are my son’s favorite fruit, so I always stock up on them when it’s the prime season. This year, I went a little overboard and had way too many. That’s why I decided to try baking with fresh strawberries this time around.

One of our favorite (and popular) summer recipes is Mexican Street Corn. We love grilling corn in the summer because the kids love it and it just feels like summer. The great thing about this elote in a cup recipe is that it takes traditional street corn and makes it much more portable and perfect to take to bbqs or other summer parties by making Mexican street corn in a cup.

During the summer, I often travel overseas for work. When I come home, catching up with my babies and husband is a priority. But, after a long trip, jet lag has me dragging my body around like a zombie. Lastly, I live in Arizona. In the summer, temperatures routinely reach over 100 degrees before 10 a.m. Putting this all together for you, when I think about summer activities for toddlers, I need: 1) fun, 2) easy, and 3) cool – literally.

Summer is all about slower days, more time with my kids, and all the ice cream we can eat. Well, not really – I’m not that nice of a mom. But I do keep more ice cream in the house in the summertime than the rest of the year. Enjoying a cold treat with my kiddos on a summer day is one of the few times when I actually slow down and can really be present with them. If you’re anything like me, I struggle to find that down time, even in the summer. We’re rushing from one activity or summer camp to the next, planning another road trip or family adventure. That’s why I decided to write this post about 5 simple ways to slow down and spend some quality time with your kids this summer.

Summer is in full swing and I’m constantly looking for ways to make sure my kids are having fun and being active. That’s why I’m a big fan of backyard water toys for kids. They offer hours of fun and there are a lot of affordable options. We don’t have a big backyard, but we do have a front yard that works for water games.

Last summer, my kids attended Camp Galileo, a leader in innovative summer camps.This year, Galileo Learning reached out to us and offered us a free week of camp and I can honestly say that it was my kids’ favorite week of the entire summer. That’s a big statement, given that we also went to Sitka Alaska, and back to my hometown of Green Bay. Those summer trips are usually their highlight, but their week of camp was actually the biggest highlight of them all.