Summer Essentials

The hot sun beating down on my skin, the pool water calling for me to dive in, the tantalizing smell of BBQ chicken on the grill, and the crash of the ocean waves as they come in to shore to greet me- all examples of happiness at its finest!

I am so excited for summer. Since June is here, the pool is open, school is out, and watermelon is in season, I feel like running around screaming "Yippie! Woohoo"! Well actually, I'll walk...who am I kidding?

With summer comes a change in wardrobe, a change in schedule, and a change in needs. For every season there are things that this girl just wouldn't want to do without. With summer weather at our doorstep, there are a few essentials that make the transition much easier.

Summer Essentials

Sunscreen
Yes, yes, I know. We all hate hearing "put on sunscreen", but we really do need it. If I am going to be out in the direct sun for over 30 minutes, I try to make sure I have it on. I know several people who have had to have small surgeries for skin cancer, and I have also seen a few articles surfacing lately that will scare the crap out of most anyone (example).
Now, I'm no spokesperson for sunscreen. I spent years not wearing any and rolling my mind's eye at people who insisted that I should. But as an adult, I am seeing that I need to be more responsible about sun-care. I usually wear SPF 30-50.
I am also on the hunt for an affordable, natural sunscreen option. As much as I think we should protect our skin from the sun, I also think we should protect our skin from chemicals (which sunscreen is packed full of). I haven't found anything yet, so suggestions are welcome in the comment section.



Bandanna
I don't know if blondes have this problem or not, but as a brunette, my hair attracts way too much heat. Within 15 minutes of being out in the sun my head gets so hot it's unbearable. If I let the situation continue, I end up with a terrible headache- and who wants that?
So if I am going to be out in the sun, I always wear a bandanna. I find them much more manageable than hats that the wind can easily catch and blow away. Plus, bandannas are cheap, making it easy to buy tons of different colors and designs without breaking the bank!


Sunglasses
Sunglasses have to happen. I have some friends who go without them to avoid a "sunglasses tan", but I would much rather be able to open my eyes and see than avoid a bad tan. If I am outside on a sunny day, I always have sunglasses. They protect my eyes, keep me from squinting all the time, and they are cute-if you need a little more incentive ;)




Water Bottle
I struggle to drink enough water each day. It just never seems to happen. But when I am out in the sun in the warmer months, I always drink a bunch of water. Not only do I need water when it's so hot out, but it's also a great way to actually reach my daily water intake goals. When I am home and inside, I tend to drink around one water bottle (2.5 cups) a day. If I sit out in the sun for an hour, I'll probably drink 2-3 water bottles per day (5-7.5 cups). I am just way more likely to crave it. Woot woot! Go, hydration!

A Magazine
Last summer, I had several free magazine subscriptions. I was getting 4-5 magazines in the mail each month. So every time I went to the pool, I would take one of the magazines and flip through it. It was actually something I came to love doing. Now, if I go to the pool and I don't have a magazine, I feel somewhat lost.


Pop Music
Call me crazy (and you probably will), but there is something about the summer sun, the water, and smell of burgers on the grill that makes me want to get my pop music on. Give me Nsync, The Jonas Brothers, One Direction, or even Justin Bieber, and I'll be a very happy girl. *You may now start you judging*.

Though some of these things are much more important than the others (ie: put on sunscreen before you listen to Bieber), these are all big parts of my summer. The music and magazines make it a lot more fun, and the water, sunscreen, bandanna, and sunglasses make for a safer, healthier summer stay in the sun.


I hope you enjoyed my summer essentials list. Can you relate? What are your summer essentials?

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Life in Balance- Summer Family Fun