favorite sweet treat to make my kids during the summer is my dad’s homemade ice cream or my Mud Pie Ice Cream Cake.
favorite thing to grill in the summer are burgers! We use our BBQ almost every
night in the summer! It is way to hot to cook inside! Things that we grill are burgers,
chicken, sausages & salmon. I always serve fresh salads with each meal in
the summer. A lot of the produce I pick straight from our backyard garden! Some
of my favorite salads are my Strawberry Spinach Salad and Taco Salad.
we have a pool in our backyard, I wear a
bathing suit every single day! Also, I wear my rainbow flip flops pretty much
every day. I love them!
One of our favorite things to do in the summer for date night is to ride our
cruiser bikes to the downtown of our little town and go to dinner! If we aren’t
riding our bikes for date night, then I usually wear a dress. I love wearing
dresses!
And since Mel is the queen of summer, we wrap up our pj party with a little summer lovin’…
How do you keep your kids from getting bored during the summer?
Mel: The
first day of summer, I always sit down with my girls and make a summer list. We
write down a list of things that that we want to do during the summer. This ranges from
making strawberry jam, camping out in the backyard or going to the beach. We
have made a summer list the past 5 summers and it has made our summer more
intentional!
Shay: Well, Mel really inspired me last year and now, we have really tried hard to be intentional about our summer too. Every day, we try to do one thing summery and fun. My kids look forward to planning our fun thing (last night, it was watching a rerun of Full House on the patio while drinking Capri Suns…seriously, that was easy and they loved it!). I can already tell that this summer is going to be more meaningful and more intentional to all four of us.
Do you take a summer vacation? If so, where?
Mel: Yes! Every year we go to Lake Tahoe for at least a
week. My husband and I both grew up going to Lake Tahoe every summer. We have a
house in Tahoe and love going there for at least a week every summer. Every
couple years we go on a bigger vacation. In 2011 we went on a Disney Cruise
& to Disney World. Next summer we are planning on another fun vacation,
maybe a cruise or Hawaii.
Shay: We did our big family vacation this past April, so we’re going to take a road trip this summer. When it starts getting really, really hot here in Texas, we’re going to head for some place cooler.
How do you make your summers special for your kiddos?
Mel: I make summer special for my kids by
starting the first day of summer with a “Happy Summer Present” I have a present
set out for each kid on the kitchen table the first morning of Summer break .
It is usually new sand toys, a bucket,
chalk, pool toys & some coloring books.
being a “Yes” mom. Because I teach during the school year & we have so many
activities going on, summer is when we have our lazy dog days of summer. We
have friends over several times a week for swim playdates, we let are loose
with bedtime, we let them play outside later & swim at night. We do activities on our Summer list. I try
and make the most of each summer since there is no school & no set
schedules. Summer is all about having fun & being unscheduled!
This is why I knew Mel would be the perfect pj co-host for June. She really makes the most of the summer with her sweet kids.
Mel’s summer presents to her kiddos.
And as you know, at the end of each pajama party, I ask each of my co-hosts the same set of questions…to see previous co-hosts and their answers, click here.
1. What is your favorite cosmetic?
without wearing lip gloss. I am constantly re-applying lip gloss throughout the
day! My favorite colors are Power Supply & Viva Glam.
2. What is your favorite beauty product (not makeup)?
That
is an easy one! My favorite beauty product is the Rodan + Fields AMP Roller! You
use it for 1 minute each night & it helps prevent fine lines &
wrinkles. Our night renewing serum is applied after! It makes your skin feel
silky & smooth!
3. What is your favorite TV show?
Friends!!!
I own all 10 seasons and have seen every single episode several times. Love,
love, love Friends. I watch it almost every night & never get sick of it.
4. What is your favorite vacation destination?
Hawaii.
I love, love, love Hawaii. Our favorite islands to visit are Maui & Kauai.
5. What is your favorite pair of shoes?
In
the summer, it is my rainbow flip flops. In the winter, I love my Uggs!
6. What is your favorite nail polish?
I
love anything OPI. My favorite shades right now for summer are “Party in my
Cabana” and for a neutral “Bubble Bath”
7. What is your favorite chick-flick movie?
? I
can’t just pick one. Some of my favorites that I can watch over and over again
are: 13 going on 30, Sweet Home Alabama, 27 Dresses, and My Best Friends Wedding
8. What is your favorite book?
I
can’t just pick 1 favorite…I loved the entire Harry Potter series. I also loved
the Hunger Games series, I love anything by Jodi Picoult. Summer is when I do
most of my reading. I read about a book a week during the summer.
9. What is your favorite ice cream?
Ben
& Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch
10. Who should star in a movie based on your life?
Jennifer
Garner. I LOVE her! And, in the movie 13 going on 30, that is exactly how I
looked when I was 13.
11. What is your least favorite household chore?
Unloading
the dishwasher AND folding laundry. The worst!!!
12. What is one fact about you most people don’t know?
I
have a really good memory and if you tell me your birthday I will never forget
it. My friends call me “Rain Man” because of this. I have this really weird
memory when it comes to birthdays, maybe it’s a numbers thing (hence I am a
math teacher) But, once I hear your birthday, it just gets locked into my
memory!
Thanks Mel! XOXO
This week, you ladies were all over these fun engraveable necklaces from Stella & Dot and Younique makeup products.
Seriously…you ladies are IN LOVE! And I don’t blame you! I actually ordered several more of these necklaces as Christmas gifts myself! To order yours (or to get any questions answered), email my Stella & Dot rep (and good friend) Jody at jodytruly@yahoo.com.
To join my Younique Makeup Party (that goes through the 29th!!), make sure you click here. The mascara-like product is amazing. A-mazing!
And nothing says Friday like a burger! Today, I’m featuring my yummy
Caprese Turkey Burgers!
Happy Friday!
Andrea says
Ugh dishes/laundry are my least favorite too! Bike rides, going to the park, hanging out in our screen porch, and gardening are our summer favorites!
Andrea
Dani {Adventures of a Pharm Girl} says
So fun! And I've loved reading her blog over the past few months. Thanks for sharing!
xo Dani
Jessica says
Hi Shay! I just recently found you blog and I am loving it! Just wondering…could you recommend a good pair of white jeans? I tried on a bunch this Spring and totally struck out. Also, any tips for keeping them super white and pretty? Thanks!! 🙂
Sheaffer {Pinterest Told Me To} says
Two of my favorite people and bloggers in one place! Love me some Mel. I want to be her kid!!!!!!!!
Okay, going to see your Caprese burger now. It looks AMAZING!
Kimm Atwood says
Oh this was a fun post! Thanks to you I'm having a summer of fun with my kiddos!!!
Tracy says
What a fun post! I miss the days when my kids were little and we did all those fun summer activities. Now I'm trying to come up with fun things to do with my teens!
I'm with Mel on the ice cream! That's one of my favorites too.
Looks like some of your friends need to read your laundry/dishes tips. 🙂
How much are those necklaces? I can't seem to find a price.
Marie Luciano says
So much fun I love this who doesn't love a pajama party!
Kristin says
The mud pie ice cream cake sounds amazing!!
Mely G says
I was just looking at Rainbow sandals yesterday at the mall and totes want a pair but the thought of telling me husband I spent $52 on a pair of flip flops makes me feel a little guilty! LOL. Do you wear Rainbows Shay?
mel @ the larson lingo says
Thanks so much for having me over for your pajama party! So much fun! I just love Summer, and I love you! xoxo.
Laura H says
I was just about to ask where your necklaces in the date night picture were from so I'm glad you mentioned it at the end of the post! Thanks for all the fun summer tips!
In This Wonderful Life says
so so cute!! and now I'm so so hungry!! haha
Leapfrog and Ladybugs says
Love learning about a (new to me) blogger! We love making summer bucket lists & going on family road trips – can't wait to find out where your sweet family goes on yours… And, I have that weird birthday thing, too – the numbers, I remember them – it's very freaky!!!
Jaren says
Mel has some really fun ideas! Great post!