My Summer Must-Haves

Summer break is officially in full swing here!!  I love all things summer...sunshine, warm weather, flowers, hummingbirds, lightning bugs, campfires, swimming, late nights, sleeping in...I could go on and on!  The girls have been staying up late, sleeping on the couch, swimming with friends, and making memories that I hope will last forever. I have been reading A LOT, taking naps, and getting a lot done around the house that I don't always have time for when we are in school.  

I want to share some of my must-haves that help us make the most of our summertime:

• Bug Spray: Mosquitoes and other pesky insects are definitely my least favorite part of summer, and they especially seem to love both of my girls and my husband.  I am not a fan of store-bought bug sprays because of the smell, but I found a recipe for a DIY spray that seems to work very well for all of us.  In a 4 oz. spray bottle, add 5 drops each of Thieves, Purification, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Citronella, Cedarwood, Lavender, and Eucalyptus essential oils. Then, add 2 oz. of witch hazel and fill the rest of the way with distilled water. Shake well, and you are good to go! Not only does it keep the bugs away, but it also smells great!

• Sunscreen:  I am very fair-skinned and burn very easily, so sunscreen is definitely a must-have anytime I am outside.  I have two favorites that work well for us and are less greasy than most of the store-bought brands I have tried.  The Mary Kay Sun Care Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is one of our favorites for sun protection.  If you are interested in trying a more natural alternative, I love the Young Living Mineral Sunscreen Lotion.  It does a great job of preventing sunburn without all of the harmful ingredients found in a lot of other sunscreens.

• Itch Stick: For those times when we forget to apply our bug spray, we love to use our homemade itch relief roller.  There are several different recipes, but I will share the one that we like best.  In a 5 ml roller bottle, add 5 drops each of Lavender and Purification essential oils, 3 drops each of Lemongrass and Tea Tree essential oils, and fill the rest of the way with a carrier oil (grapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, etc.).  We apply to any bug bites or other skin irritations as needed.

• Sunburn Relief:  For the times when I forget to bring the sunscreen or don't reapply soon enough, we love the Mary Kay After-Sun Replenishing Gel.  It provides instant relief, and it also seems to help prevent a lot of peeling.  I have also found a DIY recipe that works well.  In a 4 oz. spray bottle, add 20 drops of Lavender and 10 drops of Peppermint (or Frankincense if you are going to be using on very small children).  Fill the bottle halfway with Aloe Vera Gel. Then, fill 1/4 with witch hazel and 1/4 with fractionated coconut oil (or other carrier oil of your choice). Shake well and use as needed.

• Spark:  I'm not much of a coffee drinker, especially during the summer, so I depend on Advocare Spark to give me my morning pick-me-up.  It helps give me the energy I need to keep up with the girls and get all the things on my never-ending to-do list done each day! 

 I would love to hear about some of the summer must-haves that help you make the most of your summer months!