5 Ways I Get Ready For Summer

The temperature jumped 20 degrees last weekend in San Diego and it was so blissful. We literally dusted off our pool toys and bathing suits and spent the day at the pool for the first time as a family of four.

The Allan's were in heaven. Brett and I love hot weather, especially those warm nights, ahhhhhh nothing is better. The first taste of summer felt amazing, but, it also made me realize how quickly summer is sneaking up and all of the things I want to get done before then! That same night I started a list of things I want to complete before memorial day... hence the blog post.

Plan a vacation

Our summers play out the same way almost every year. We always get out to the desert a few times before June when the weather get's unbearable. Palm Desert is a quick, 2-hour car ride to heaven. Sun (yes!), pools, golf, tennis, restaurants... something for everyone. We also love to make our way back to Palm Desert in the early fall.

We take a trip to Lake Powell every July on a 5-bedroom houseboat. It's such a fun trip! Boating, water activities, amazing hiking and rides through the most beautiful sandstone canyons. Spending a week on a houseboat in the middle of the lake under the stars is absolutely magical. One of my faves.

We also love to vacation in Hawaii and try to make it back there in the early fall. Brett and I got married on Kauai on October 10th so it's fun to celebrate our wedding anniversary by doing a trip out. We haven't been since Brock was 9 months old so we're really trying to get back there this fall with Stevie.

Outdoor situation

Whether it's time to buy new new outdoor furniture or just clean off your existing set, this area will require a little TLC. We spent last Saturday morning scrubbing our outdoor cushions and wiping down tables and chairs to get ready for a BBQ that Sunday.

Sunscreen

Stevie is 7 months old now so she can start wearing sunscreen (must be 6 months or older). I remember listening to a talk about kids and sunscreen a few years ago and something that stuck with me is that the word "baby" on any sunscreen is obsolete. Babies, along with every single person needs the same few things when applying sunscreen.

• SPF 30 or higher (adults, children, babies)
• BROAD SPECTRUM (a must)
• Going in the pool or sweating? Look for WATER RESISTANT (40-80 minutes)
• Sensitive Skin? Look for hypoallergenic, fragrance free, PABA/paraben free.
• Sunscreen should be applied 20 minutes before sun exposure
• A shot glass amount for each adult, about 1/2 oz for 10 yr old, 1/4 oz for a 4-5 year old
• Remember to REAPPLY. Set a timer on your phone and it's impossible to forget.

As far as brands, I have a few favorites that I swear by!

Brock - I'm always stocked up on Wet Skin. This stuff is the best for kids that live in the water! The sunscreen can be applied on wet skin, so genius. I also use the Wet Skin Face Stick for Brock.

Me - I love this sunscreen for my face and I also keep this stick in my purse most of the summer. I also really like this for my body because it's sheer and not greasy.

Stevie - I bought this pack for the baby. I had never tried it before but had good reviews online and seemed like a great value (2 bottles + a stick for $20!) I'll keep you posted!

Kids

Summers are loooooong and it's nice to start planning a few things to keep the kiddos active and busy. I'm going to look into summer camps for Brock since they usually start taking children at age four and over. Last summer we had to get creative so we took Brock to "open gym" at a gymnastic practive facility at least once a week, the pool, trampoline parks, the beach and LegoLand.

I try to stay as busy as possible with the kids during the summer. We live super close to the beach and spend many days and evenings there. We also love the pool. When we're not on the go, we have some fun activities we like to do from home too. I've included a list of them here:

We have been know to bust out the slip and slide.
We have this trampoline, it's safe, the perfect size and a great price.
We have had a few water tables. Brock loved to play with them (he had this one) and I'm sure Stevie will love it too (this is our current one).
We had an small, inflatable pool when Brock was a baby and I'd imagine we will get one for the baby this year too. They can double as a ball pit too.
We got this table last year, we filled it with kinetic sand and Brock played with it a ton. It can also be filled with water or other sensory items.

Favorite Pool & Beach Toys

I had this pool float when Brock was a baby too, it's the best because of the canopy that actually stays in place and keeps the baby out of the sun.

Brock loves to dive for these rockets and rings at the pool.

​​​​​​​I have a huge, mesh tote bag that I put all of our beach toys in. Tip: You can clean all of the toys off by dipping the bag into the water before you leave, the bag is mesh so the water rinses away.

​​​​​​​This was the first thing we bought the summer we had Brock. Babies need to stay out of the sun and this tent crates shade (UPF 50+) , has a surface where baby can play and has room for beach chairs, etc.

We bought this portable activity center for the beach when we had Brock, thought it was so genius but we were only able to use it a few times. This will get a lot more use this summer with Stevie. The top has cool loops where you can attach baby toys too.

Fitness

This year has been a little different because I just had a baby and had some extra weight to get off. This spring has been all about consistency. Keeping up the healthy eating and prioritizing my workouts has been my priority. I hit my goal weight (yay!) but I have other goals (strengthening, toning, etc) that I'm still working on. You can read more about my recent fitness journey here.