It's Summertime in My Book

Family Vacation Caribbean Style Summer 2011

As anyone who knows me even a very tiny bit knows, I love the summer.  There is nothing I don't like about it.  As far as I'm concerned, Memorial Day weekend is the official start of summer and Labor Day is a day of mourning.  Come Memorial Day your winter clothes are packed away and we can pretend we may never need them again. The pools are open! It's the weekend I look forward to the moment the football season is over.  It's the best!

I've thought about this a lot and know not everyone feels the same. For me, here some of the reasons I love everything about this glorious time of year...

Daylight savings!!!!!!!!!!!!  Staying light until 9:30...yes, please, absolutely, it's amazing...how can we make this happen longer?

Heat and Humidity - Yes that is correct, I said humidity.  That fantastic feeling when you leave your house or a restaurant at 10:30 at night and it's still 85 degrees and humid.  The air is close and heavy and your skin is dewy.  You can walk to get ice cream (another bonus) in the warm night air.

Summer Concerts - A country show at Pier 6 or Merriweather cannot be beat on a warm night.  Pier 6 cheap seats are the best...bring your own snacks and wine and you have a very inexpensive summer concert party. Next country show, come join us for a great time.

VACATIONS to the beach - No summer is complete without at least one week long trip to the beach.  Actually I'd go so far to say that no summer is complete without at least 3 beach vacations...one to somewhere wonderful, like the Caribbean, one to Fenwick Island and one to Dewey Beach.  All fabulous and all a must.  The feeling of warm sand between your toes is a must of every summer. To make the experience even better, stay on the beach until 7:00 pm one day. Don't rush to dinner...stay and enjoy the setting sun...if you've been to the beach with me, you know you have to drag me off.

 Anguilla Summer 2011

Grilling Out - You can grill everything in the summer...burgers, dogs, chicken, steak, veggies, avocado, crabs (maybe not on the grill but steamed in a pot connected to the grill), breads, fish, you name it. Everything tastes better grilled too.

Tan Skin - I know I know, tan skin is a sign of skin damage and causes wrinkles...but frankly I don't care.  Tan skin just looks better. Plus the sun is the best source of Vitamin D. As my Favorite Friend says, feeling the sun on your face is feeling God's kisses. I feel better with a tan, I feel like I look better and I'm OK with that...in moderation of course and not on my face...bronzer only.  Nobody wants to look like tanning mom.



Me and my Fave Friend - Vegas 2010

 Fruits and Veggies - Summer peaches...you know the kind where you bite into them and the juice rolls out and down you hand.  They are sweet and heavenly. Anything locally grown is so good it's almost indescribable...corn, tomatoes, cantaloupe, melons, cucumbers, beans. And a lot of fruit stands offer snowballs...an added bonus.  I'll take mine with marshmallow on top.

Don't let its location on the list fool you into thinking it's anywhere but on the top, Summer Fashion - Sunglasses, sundresses, beach hair, swim suits, shorts, jean skirts, tanks, flip flops, sun kissed highlights, white skirts/pants, fun hats, and wedge sandals, all complimented with sparkle lotion = Fantabulous!

Tiki Bars - The ability to sit outside on the water (or close to the water or using a hut constructed for the sole purpose of giving the illusion of island living) is something only the summer has to offer (unless you live somewhere it's warm all year).  Tiki drinks, like crushes, margaritas and sweet tea anything only serve to compliment this already superb experience.

Tiki Bar at Harpoon Hannah's Summer 2011

Summer Smells & Sights - Honeysuckle, fresh cut grass, food grilling, salty air, fireflies, chlorine, Coppertone suntan lotion, fresh basil, sunsets on the beach, softball games, a thriving garden full of vegetables, a campfire and smores....just to name a few.

Everyday is a reason to have Happy Hour - Enough said. :-)

Free Will Boat Trip Summer 2011 ~ Happy Hour

I rave about summer all the time. So much so that I'm pretty sure I get on other people's nerves.  But, simply put, it makes me happy.  It makes me want to celebrate life.  When I'm happy, I can't help but talk about it and I can't help but want to celebrate!

Did I miss anything on the list?

xo~Elizabeth

On the wall of Da Vida Restaurant - Anguilla Summer 2011

It's Okay Thursday

I've always loved this concept. I believe Glamour magazine typically had a page dedicated to, "It's OK to...." and I've had a list of these things forever.  Today, 2 blogs (http://mkinwonderland.com/2012/05/its-okay-thursday/ and http://www.acompletewasteofmakeup.com/) wrote about things it is okay to do. So I'm shamelessly borrowing their idea and doing one of my own.

So here goes...It's okay...

To carry and use your own, very specific kind of gel pen to fill out forms of any kind, sign checks/receipts or write anything down because you hate using crappy Bic pens or any other less than fantastic writing utensil.

To not wash your hair every day or even every other day. It's not dirty...even if it gets sweaty. The sweat adds a little touch of beach-hair appeal that you can only get on vacation.

To not get the gel manicure.  Yes it's amazing that it last 2 weeks...but it's also a huge pain to get off and my nails grow super fast.

To still hope that Brenda and Sonny get back together for good and ride off into the sunset. And to have a friend who hopes that same thing and she loves you more for it.

To be beyond thrilled that the summer time is almost here...sun, fun, humidity, beaches, vacations, boat drinks and yes (gasp) getting a tan!

To believe age truly is a state of mind and believe you are never to old to do what you want, be who want and go where you want.

To sing loudly to anything Taylor Swift and be happy about it.

To not really be into the latest book craze....50 Shades of whatever, The Killing, I mean Hunger Games.  Keeping up with great blogs is just as good, maybe better.

To be 10 years into a career and still not know what you want to be when you grow up.

To use chemicals for the sake of anti-aging and beauty and still be a supporter of all things green.

To take the high road, be kind, be understanding or not participate when everyone else is choosing to be the opposite of kind and understanding.

To treat your dog like the person you know she is.

To watch Beverly Hills 90210 reruns on Soapnet and enjoy every minute of them...the characters, the fashion, the terrible (yet amazing) acting, and the plots.

To refuse to wear peddle pusher pants (even if they are in style) because they bring flashbacks of when they didn't make tall or long pants and normal pants where unfortunate looking peddle pushers.

To have an addiction to Starbucks. What? Doesn't everyone want to stop there twice a day?  I think yes.  Don't judge me.

To keep searching for that perfect...shade of eyeshadow, pair of sunglasses, little black dress and/or shoes...you just might find them.  If not, it's sure fun looking.

To not give up on things you think about every day. 
To know that you might not be where you want to be but you are where you are supposed to be.
To do something everyday, just for you.
To never settle. 

It's okay...

xo~Elizabeth