Summer is here!!! I have an entirely new appreciation for summer now that I live in the northeast. Growing up in Florida, summer was all year long! By the time July came around, you were miserable from the sweltering heat. This past winter nearly sent me to the looney bin, with the cold lasting well through April. Now that the weather is warm, I “have to buy stuff.” What’s summer without some brand new junk? There are a few things that I’ve purchased this year but also a few things we blow the dust off of every summer that I love and thought I’d share!
- I bought this bathing suit for my new mom-bod and I love it; there is just one thing I would say about it. It’s super low cut and my boobs are the result of breastfeeding and look like they could go on the cover of National Geographic. I thought I would be okay, but then I had to bend over and pick up Grady to keep him from falling face first in the pool. This resulted in a little nip-slip. So unless you a.) have never breastfed and have great boobs b.) have a great pair of store-boughts or c.) plan on lying back lounging only to pick up a drink to cool you down, this suit is for you! I do love the color and it’s very patriotic blue.
- Last summer I was super pregnant and swollen and not a single shoe fit my feet. I found these flip flops and they were a game changer. I ordered them in fuchsia sparkle and wore them every single day. Then my neighbor’s dog got ahold of them and tore them to shreds. This season I got the gold and once again, they are my go-to for the pool and everywhere else. Some would say that $55 is a little much for a pool shoe but when you divide the number of times you wear them by the price you only pay a few cents a day!
- What’s summer without a trip to the beach or the pool? Grady has a cute personalized beach towel with a gator on it but I think he needs this crab beach towel too! The round crab towel is out of stock, but there is a round shark towel available that would be perfect for the beach.
- Baby needs some red, white and blue! This crab onesie is probably one of the cutest pieces I’ve bought for Grady. The only downside is that it’s white and Grady is a boy. These shorts are a must and he’s got a navy blue collard shirt he can wear with them. The print was so cute and patriotic that I bought the matching onesie as well.
- Scott loves making homemade ice cream (all summer long). My fourth grade teacher bought us this ice cream machine as a wedding gift (I’m from a small town and we know everyone really well). We’ve been using it for five years and it’s still going strong. It stays put for most of the year but boy, we crank it up as soon as it gets warm out. We use this recipe and it’s a hit at all our parties.
- I live in a neighborhood where everyone has a front porch. Every time I go through the neighborhood, these flags are draped across the front of their porches. They’re so patriotic. And they scream summer. I bought four and they’re still sitting on my kitchen counter, because my husband says there’s a “certain way” to hang them and he adds I don’t know how to do it. Hopefully, my front porch will look patriotic before fall rolls around…
- Lastly, I’ve been making homemade popsicles for Grady. He loves this recipe. The cold feels so good on his gums and he’s so cute when he eats them on the back deck. The mold I bought is pretty tricky and it’s so difficult to get the popsicle out. I usually have to let the mold sit out and that ends up defrosting ALL the pops. Then I still have to stick a knife down the sides and the stick comes out without the pop. I found these popsicle molds and they have excellent reviews. What’s better is that you can get 20% off and free shipping with the code JULY. I haven’t received them yet, but I’m sure they’re going to be way better than the cheap ones I already own.
It’s not major – just a few things here and there that I love. Do you have any summer essentials? Or is there anything you dig out every summer that brings back memories?