Friday 5

It has been one busy week around here, guys!  With the end of school officially happening next Thursday I've been diligently volunteering and getting in a few work days too.  I hope your week has been fantastic and your weekend is looking great as well.

My five for this week are.....Summer Staples!





1.  Ocean Minded Women's Del Mar Flip Flops by Crocs

An all leather flip flop from Crocs....I got these a couple months back and honestly, they are awesome.  They are also very inexpensive as compared to the other leather flip flops.  I paid about $25.00 for mine!  Supplies are now limited but click here to see if your size remains in stock!




2.  Costa Del Mar Sunglasses

I guess it is part of getting old....or years of sun worship....or a combo of the two!  This year I have noticed that my eyes cannot handle the sun like they have in previous years.  Literally, after our first pool day I was in tears of pain from the way the sun was burning my eyes.  Yes, I had on sunglasses and yes they may have been from the dollar bin....hey I lose them like crazy!
I did some research as to what I needed for my eyes.  It came down to two sunglasses companies - Maui Jim and Costa Del Mar.  I think they are both awesome companies who make a great product.  However, after an awesome sales associate helped me maneuver through all the different lenses AND take them outside to actually try the products out it was clear I needed to get the Costa's.

I went with the Cat Cay's with a grey lens that basically removes all yellow light and refracts it in a different way so that I can see and not cry when I'm on the water, in the yard, or paddling along.  I did settle for a basic pair...so I may be missing out on my fun sunglasses but my eyes are healthier because of these things, so take that!




3.  A lot of SPF

We live at the pool during the summer (the beach is 3.5 hours away, sad face).  I keep my kids covered in SPF and I also keep myself covered as well.  This year I picked up this stuff in the cream form (I don't use spray for the initial sunscreen application).  My kids love it because it has a minion on it (way to go marketing) and I love it because that little minion makes putting it on them so much easier.



I have learned that nothing really gets you an SPF level of 50 and most sunscreens stop around 24.  I cover my kids in 50 (knowing this) I guess it makes me feel better?  I generally pick up a little Hawaiian Tropic for myself.  That smell, ya'll....ahhhhh!



4.  Rum

I tend to put the wine to the side.  I'm not a big beer drinker.  However, when the temps go up and bare feet are the norm I like my rum.  Only clear rum!  I don't do brown rum.  Clear rum I mix with lemonade, orange juice, a Bacardi mixer from the frozen section....mmmm I think Jimmy Buffet is my real dad.

This is a lame stock photo because I cannot get my photos right now.

5.  Good Friends!

Summer time and friends go hand in hand!  We love to have friends over for cookouts and bonfires in the summer.  Its just such a wonderfully, laid back time of year.  I hope this year will be the same even though this summer is bringing some slight changes to the typical schedule.  I'm hoping to get something going for every Saturday or Sunday of the summer.  I love to plan fun stuff so we can have people who make us laugh right beside us!

Thursday is all YOU!

Guess what?  I love ya'll!

Ok so Wednesday morning I had decided I would tackle the email and email everyone back.  I sit down after a work out and putting the baby down and guess what.....the google isn't googling and the gmail isn't gmailing and I'm screwed.

It turned out to be a server error and all was healed in an hour.  Many of you didn't get an email back and I apologize for that.  I did see a recurring theme in the emails I received so why not tackle those common questions in a blog post.  Sound ok to you?  Great.

1.  Do you write professionally?

Negative.  I don't get paid to write for anything or anybody (but if you want to change that for the right amount I will be more than happy to).  Some of you picked up on how the blog has transitioned into a different style lately and you were smart to think I had started writing with some $$ involved but no I have not.  To be honest I would adore writing for a living.

2.  How many kids do you have and how old are they?

I have two children that I squeezed out.  A little girl who is five going on fifteen and a little boy who is nearing eleven months.  No, I do not wish to have any more.  I am blessed with two healthy munchkins and am completely happy with the blessing of two.  I feel like financially we are not strained and we can accommodate them in the best ways we see fit.

My mom with my little man who has learned to give kisses

3.  Do you feel like you were a better parent when you just had one kid?

Would you believe that question not only showed up in two emails but also in a face to face conversation I had with a friend this week?  Totally do.  And there is a blog post coming up soon to tackle this!!!

4.  Have you quit cooking?  I've been looking for some recipes on your site but don't seem to see any new ones.

Must admit, I don't cook quite as frequently in the summer.  However, because you are looking I'll start doing a little better ;-)

5.  I haven't seen a favorite things post in a while.  Will you be doing more of those?

 Without further ado...shall we?


1.  Calico Jack Pineapple Coconut Rum

When the day is done and the kids are sleeping I sneak out to the porch and sip away on some of my favorite medicine.....this rum!  It is delicious and mixes well with whatever you have in the fridge.  A shot of orange juice, a bit of Simply Lemonade, and Calico Jack = A good boat drink for Brownie.


2.  The local school system's summer lunch program.

Thanks to a grant the local school system has been able to offer children ages 1-18 free breakfast and lunch for a certain period of time over the summer vacation.  This rocks out for me because I don't have to worry about lunch for the kiddos.  We simply take off to the neighboring school and have a yummy lunch.  Seriously, who doesn't like square pizza?

It also rocks that I get to see some other moms that just happen to teach there as well.


3.  Seattle's Best Coffee Level 2.

I'm a coffee fiend and quite frankly am never happy with the roasts I buy.  I happend to have a coupon for this coffee a few weeks back and decided I needed a lighter fair for the hotter season.  Can I tell you how incredibly happy I was after I made my first pot of this stuff?  It has the best flavor, is extremely light on the palate and even when its a muggy 89 degrees I can still down a cup.  Bravo guys!

4.  Mrs. Angell's Garden.

I was the first response when she Facebooked that she was going on vacation and had a garden that could be utilized while she was away.  Since I early birded....I got it!  This week we have been so thankfully harvesting fresh green beans, zuchinni, yellow squash, cucumbers and tomatoes.  Since we opted to not garden this year this experience and opportunity has made my heart happy and my belly even more elated.

5.  My little girl this summer.

My five year old is proving that five is a totally fun age.  She's so funny when she talks about what she wants to do and when I hear her playing.  When they are babies you judge their growth by milestones and things they do.  When they are out of baby stage you tend to judge their growth by how they handle situations and the things they enjoy.  Her favorite things:  lipstick, painting her nails, dancing in Ms Sunni's class, going to the park, and her friend (excuse me best friend) A.




Share your favorite things with me!  I don't wanna be the only one talkin'!!!!
Leave a comment, FB, Tweet, or email me


xx
Brownie