What's in my pool bag?

When I was growing up, my brother & I spent every single day at the pool.  My mom was a teacher which meant summers off, & our summer days were like Groundhog's Day.  Wake-up.  Eat breakfast. Watch tv while my mom did chores (I'm sure we helped at some point), pack up and go to the pool.  Stay all day.  Come home when my Dad got off work.  Eat dinner.  Catch lightning bugs.  Go to bed.   Repeat.
Pure bliss.

My mom always had a huge pool bag that was the equivalent to Mary Poppins' magic bag.  Need rings to throw?  Right here.  Want a snack?  Check this pouch.  Cheeks getting burnt?  10 types of sunscreen within arms reach.

Now that Dane is older and our pool days are getting longer, I knew I had to find the perfect pool bag for us.  I sit mine right on our lockers by the garage door & it is always packed & ready to go.  When we come in for the day, I usually clean out any leftover snacks & take out the towels (I don't wash every day, more like every other day) and replace them with new ones right away.  We have more beach towels than I have socks, so our supply is pretty stellar.   The pool bag is then restocked & ready to head out the door!

Below is everything I have in mine:

1) Thirty-One thermal tote.  I purchased this awhile ago and I don't think it is even technically a beach bag, but I use it as one.  It's huge, it zips & it's thermal so it will keep any snacks/drinks you have cold!

2) Land's End towel.  Otherwise known as the best pool towel ever.  I have two - both gifts from my sister's in law.  They are BIG & fluffy and cover a whole chair which is key in laying out (not that I lay out anymore, but still).  Plus the embroidery is a plus!  (All of these items are sitting on Dane's child-size towel which I always have in the bag as well.)

3) Thirty-One zipper pouch.  I bought this when I got tired of my sunscreens being all over the place.  Small zipper pouch that holds a lot!

4) Old Navy child's beach bag.  This was also a gift from a sister-in-law (I seriously am 3/3 on sister-in-law quality) and it fits inside my big bag.  Inside are all of Dane's pool necessities: toys, swim diapers, beach hats, snacks, & a change of clothes.  You never know when a toddler will go rogue on you & you have to bounce fast.  A change of clothes + a regular diaper are key.  I wasn't nearly as prepared this summer for pool toys & one minute in the baby pool with other kids clearly made me make a mandatory trip to Wal-Mart for more toys.  I mean, doesn't every kid need 4 types of water guns?!  Yikes.  Back in my pool days we had these fancy toys called quarters (sometimes pennies too) that my mom would throw in and we would fish out.  Ahhh, the good 'ol days.

5) The product of my Wal-Mart run.  $3 fishing net and plastic fish.  Actually pretty cute and I guess encourages good hand-eye coordination, plus fine motor skills - so I'll approve!

6) Plastic bags.  Probably the most important component of my pool bag.  When were going through the adoption process, I had several baby showers to help prepare.  One of the best pieces of advice I got from a friend was to "keep a lot of Kroger sacks in the house."  I thought it was strange at first, but I use them every day (sorry Earth!)  I keep a stash in my car and in my pool bag too.  They are perfect for wet clothes, dirty diapers, any lunch trash, etc.  Thank you friend for that advice - long live Kroger sacks!

And that is pretty much it.   All of these items surprisingly fit well in my bag, which I love!  I wish there was a 7) that included trashy magazines and/or books, but I have come to terms that those days are over.  And I am ok with that!  

What all do you have in your pool bag that I should add to mine?  Please share!

And, Happy Pool Days.

Road Trip Trail Mix

About 6 years ago, I had a sweet kindergartner whose mama gave me this trail mix recipe.  Nothing fancy, which is something I have learned is a prerequisite for a busy mom.  No baking required, and so easy to change up!  I usually make it for any road trips we have coming up, but I find myself buying the ingredients in the summer a lot as well.  Happy snacking!  

Road Trip Trail Mix

* serves a lot!*

3 cups Cinnamon Life (NOT Cinnamon Toast Crunch)

1 bag banana chips (unsweetened, I usually find at Wal-Mart)

4 cups Cheerios

1 bag yogurt raisins

2 cups honey roasted peanuts

2-3 cups pretzel sticks 

Ziploc snack baggies 

Add all ingredients and stir well.  Divide into snack baggies.  These keep well (at least a week) and are great for road trips, pool days or just a healthy snack!  There are a lot of ways to change this up to your liking - add mini chocolate chips or marshmallows, different types of pretzels, chocolate-covered raisins, regular raisins, apple chips...the possibilities are endless!  

Ditch your boring granola bars & make this today!

Summer Bucket List

Summer is here.  Front porch sitting, watermelon slices, sun tans & flip flops.  Ahhhhh.  

Below are a few things on our Summer Bucket List this year - what is on yours?  

Dear Summer, 

I love you.  

Pure Michigan.

Disclaimer: I know "Pure Michigan" is the most cliche, George Clooney-narrated, overdone title in history.  But, it's true.  Michigan is just that.  Pure.

The hubs & I decided to plan a quick 4-day family getaway this summer.  Disney?  Dane's too young.  Mount Rushmore?  Too far.  Paris?  In your dreams.  Michigan?  That sounded just about right.  My sister & brother-in-law lived in Michigan for several years and told stories of the beautiful beaches, scenery, & quaint towns that made up Michigan's coast.  We traveled to South Haven a few years ago with Devin's family & it was just that.  Quiet, quaint & just pretty.  After a little research and advice from Devin's sister, we found an adorable condo in Holland, Michigan.  Who needs Paris when you have a beach, wooden shoes & cute coffee shops just down the road?  The trip was booked & the packing started.  Anybody with small children can chime in an "Amen" out there.  Packing for even a short family vacation requires more items than the settlers needed for Westward expansion.  I know, didn't think I knew anything about history, right?  Well, it's true.  Just pack everything from the high- chair to baby nail clippers & you're set.  No covered wagon needed.  

The drive wasn't bad, the scenery gorgeous & the next 4 days just plain relaxing.  Just what our little family of 3 needed.  And, Holland?  Well, I would recommend a visit there anytime.  From the adorable shops & restaurants on 8th street, to the biggest farmer's market I have ever seen, to homemade ice cream every night...we saw & did everything.  I kept thinking I would wake up at some point and this all be just a dream - our first family vacation, my 6 month old playing quietly on the floor, Devin & I reading at the pool, taking pictures at the beach.  Just what I imagined.  

Thanks for a great four days, Holland.  We'll be back for sure.  A packed-full covered wagon & all.

Hit the road Jack...

It's been over two weeks since we came back from our beach trip - eek!  I'm behind.  I'll blame the 2ft person I take care of everyday.  Just kidding - he is a precious earth angel & the best part of my day is going in his room to see his smiling face.

Devin & I love road trips.  I think its fun to pack up & hit the road loaded down with snacks, a good playlist & some fun conversations.  Last year we took the same trip to Destin, Florida with his parents, sisters & their families.  Tips for a successful road trip according to me are: a fun scavenger hunt, lots of snacks & drinks (both healthy & junk...come on, it's vaca!) & a fun playlist.  For the scavenger hunt....look here.  I made a similar one up last year and just added to it this year.   You can play with any number of people.  Each person takes the same sheet, when you find the item yell it out & at least one other person has to verify.  Then, write your initials in the blank.  The person with the most initials when the hunt is filled up - wins!  Too bad I lost AND Devin drove the whole way.  #soreloser

Lots of snacks, & a fun playlist are next on the road trip essential list.  Last year we each made a list of our top 10 favorite songs and played them for each other.  Not that Devin doesn't love my choice of 90s rap, Britney Spears, or MJ...but I had to get creative for a new list idea this year.  So instead, we took about 10 different genres (rock, rap, country, power ballad, etc) and picked a favorite song for each to play.  This  year's playlist was way more exciting & fun to guess which song belonged to each genre!  Try it!

The week in Destin was great fun that included an amazing house on the beach, buckets of fresh seafood, oodles of family time & tons of "baby firsts" that I will tuck away in the scrapbook pages filling up in my brain.  Below are some of my favorites from the week.  I'm not much for posed pictures, but rather love snapping photos "in the moment."  Burying feet in the sand, reading by the pool, a sunscreen-lathered beach baby...you get the idea.

We celebrated our baby's 1st Easter this weekend & what a weekend it was.  A wonderful church service, Easter egg hunt & pastel colors galore.  Into the mental scrapbook it goes.  And this?  I promise I didn't pose him.  He just likes doing the 1990s 5th grade picture day pose.  Just missing - those classy lazer backgrounds.  Happy Spring, friends!

Cation

"We're going on cation" as my sweet nephew called it.

Otherwise known as Spring Break to a 3-year old.  The sand is brighter when looked at through the eyes of a little boy.  The ocean is bigger.  The waves louder.  The smell...that's the same though.   There is nothing quite like the smell of a sea breeze.  Throw in some dead fish after a storm though, aaaaannd not as nice.  You win some, you lose some.

Here are some of my favorites from the week.  Dinners out, dinners in, glorious seafood, twin tots, game night, Easter Sunday.  And, the beach.  I'll see you next year.  That's a promise.

Behold.  The cream of the crop.  Two screaming kids, one that looks like Michael Jackson, and two adoptive parents-to-be.  It's enough to make our social worker crumple up her report, toss her clipboard & run for the hills.  (please don't!)  We really are good with kids.
Just not when they are hungry & ready to leave the house.

Let's not forget my instagram faves.  Man, do I love The Gram.

I can't wait for my next "cation."  I hope that it has something to do with a Gondola, on a street of water, with a man wearing black & white.

Where is your dream "cation"?

The beach.

Before DC & I were married we talked about a lot of things.  Where we would live, how many kids we wanted, where we saw our careers going, who was going to do the dishes (me), who was going to do the laundry (him), who was going to take out the trash (him), who was going to do the chores (him).  Hmmm...seeing some inbalance in our decisions.  Oh well, it seems to be working.

Besides all of the basic requests (unconditional love, trustworthiness, loyalty, you know the rest....) I made only one request.

I must see The Beach every year.  No exceptions.  He knew I was dead serious.

We have been married for 7 years, & the deal still stands.

There is just something about The Beach.  Maybe it's the waves, the sounds of children playing in the sand, the SUN (definitely the sun), or just the soothing wind,  but there is nothing else on earth like it.  I immediately feel at peace the minute my toes hit the sand.  Now, if I have to also drag a chair, cooler, a huge beach bag, snacks & magazines I might feel less at peace...but still - definitely peace.

I have a lot of wonderful childhood memories of going to The Beach, & I hope my children will share this same love one day as well.  If not, I will be leaving them with the grandparents while I go enjoy this love by myself.  Thanks, Mom & Dad.

 Devin & I have been extremely fortunate to do a lot of traveling these past 7 years, & below are some of our all-time favorite beaches.

Two weeks in Hawaii will cause you to do a lot of things: think you are a surfer, go broke from spending $10 on a gallon of milk, & call the education department in Hawaii to find out how much teachers make so you can move there.  Because the beaches are breathtaking.  Anyplace that has a mountain growing out of the side is going to be preeeeetty cool.  I cried for a week when we came back.

Cabo San Lucas.  The site of my surprise 30th birthday trip.  Also the land of gorgeous beaches, flowing margaritas & homemade chips & salsa served for every meal.  Not kidding.  It was a Mexican dream come true.  Although this photo is amazingly beautiful, the stench the sea lions gave off from the nearby rocks was not.  But, they were cute so I forgive them.

No, your eyes aren't seeing imaginary things.  That is a 747 flying 20 feet over civilians at a beach.  This day will go down in Abs history as one of the coolest days ever.  And the hottest.  Airport Beach is in the island of St. Maarten and is literally attached to a runway.  The neighboring bar has the incoming flights posted for the day, & you can lay out, eat, drink & be merry all day.  And that we did.  And we fried our poor skin at the same time.  But, there was just no time for sunscreen when jets are blasting over you.  Watch this video, & go put this beach on your Life List immediately.

This week I am packing for yet another trip to The Beach.  Destin, Florida will be welcoming D&A, along with my in-laws.  Get ready, Destin.  Because I will be hitting up Wings for a shark tooth necklace, stuffing myself with crab legs & parking myself here with my one & only.

Have a great week, beach lovers.  

PS...I'm looking for a fun guest blogger to post something springy when I'm gone.
Email if you are interested!