Forever Sunshine

In FULL summer, I'm all about the flip flops, water games, late nights, sun bleached hair, and sand on our skin. Summertime is always such a short peek-a-boo before it bows beneath the other seasons. However, AUGUST is still hot sunshine even though school has started again (why doesn't school start in September?!). So, don't stop enjoying it until its too cold for bare feet.

mmm...love the smell of suntan lotion...be safe and rub this stuff on {wink}

During the summer months we keep a basket of outdoor protection by our back door to remind us all to lather, spray, and cover. I'm not consistent every year SO thank you MamaHall for the motivation to do this!

Rolling the towels makes it easy for the boys to grab and go.

The most convenient thing about this summer basket is I can easily carry it to our car when we head to the beach or pool. Basically, we are ALWAYS ready to go because of our summer basket!

10 minutes later the basket is
on the sand instead of our hallway chair

Another super simple idea is to pack your kid's lunch in a sand bucket before you head out to the beach. The bucket can be used as a lunch box and when lunch is gone it's obviously the ideal sand toy.

I added their names with chalk ink that washes off in the water

and tied shovels to the buckets making bows out of thin baby ribbon.

Sand Bucket Lunches are served!

Kids love it!
and Mommas do too...
because how fun is it to watch your little ones explore the little delights of life?

After the apples and sandwiches are gone,
the crumbs are replaced with sand
as the lunch buckets become...
T O Y S

Wait a second, I thought he was a baby?

Summer Days are the BEST Days.

Bed in Summer
by Robert Louis Stevenson

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

A couple more summer love ideas for your home
before I wrap this up:

A sweet friend of mine brought these beach treasures home after she visited Florida as a surprise treat for me! I think jars are such a FUN way to decorate. You can fill them with anything like I've done HERE or HERE.

I've mentioned before that I like to switch out framed photos for seasons. After you've had framed photos in your house for awhile you will eventually STOP noticing them! It keeps your home fresh if you change your photos for different seasons.

Photo frame courtesy of Well of Words
who provide extra kind service and beautiful work

A "Sun and Sand" candle?

Yes, it smells like sunscreen!

I get these Bath and Body Works trial lotions FREE (with coupon love) all the time and change them out for the seasons as I've shared before.

This lotion says it best:

F O R E V E R
S U N S H I N E.

This post is linked to: Centsational Girl, Friday Favorites, Toot Your Horn Tuesday, Tuesdays Unwrapped, Spotlight Yourself, Whatever Goes Wednesday, Motivate me Mondays, Inspired By, I'm Lovin It, Show off Your Stuff, Strut Your Stuff Thursday, Be Inspired, Topsy Turvy Tuesdays, Making the World Cuter, Its so Very Creative, Tasty Tuesday,Get Your Craft On, Market Yourself Monday, Works for Me Wednesday, Show and Tell, Show and Share Day, Foodie Friday