Here are a few random things that are bringing me much happiness this summer.
But first: I feel like I need to make a Martha-esque disclaimer: “I know you don’t love things! You don’t love things! You love God! And you love people! But you don’t love things!”
Also – just to be annoyingly clear – this is just stuff I really like. No one has asked me to blog about and/or recommend anything on this list. These are products I enjoy and hope you enjoy them, too, but by all means feel free to not enjoy them if that is what will make you happy. Because I am all about happiness.
Well, happiness and bacon. I am also all about bacon.
SO. ALL THAT BEING SAID.
1) A couple of years ago Melanie told me about this lotion, and I prefer it over every other brand. It’s thick, it smells fantastic and it doesn’t irritate my hyper-sensitive skin. And there’s even a travel tube now, which pretty much guarantees that any trip you take will be eleventy-seven kinds of lavender-y awesome.
2) Swim shirts are our friend this summer. Last week I found this one and this one on sale. UPF 50+. That’s a good thing.
I also ordered these swim trunks, which were also on sale and much-needed for a certain child whose legs won’t stop growing.
He’s approximately nine feet tall. Which is quite remarkable considering that he only recently turned six.
3) Okay. Final skin-related thing, I PROMISE. This sunscreen is the best I’ve ever used. Mainly because it doesn’t make my face feel like it’s on fire. And also because it works.
4) A few months ago our friends the FryDaddies gave us this game, and it is SO MUCH STINKIN’ FUN. Plus, it’s small enough that you can throw it in your suitcase and take it on vacation and start some sort of family word-building smackdown. What could be more delightful than that, I ask you?
5) This pizza dough recipe is oh-so-delicious. I’ve tried several other good recipes, but this one is our favorite by a mile.
A bready, carb-loaded mile.
And that’s the best kind of mile there is.
Amen.
What a happy, summer post! Ah, the living is easy when school is out.
I’m usually a lurker but I just had to comment on the swim shirts & trunks. I, too, have a 9 foot tall 8 year old child and he is like Stretch Armstrong – his legs and arms go forever. Thanks for the tips! ;)
And YES, I feel the need to try the pizza dough too!
Ooooooh, spf 70, huh??? Gotta love that. I guess I’ll be heading over to the Walgreens!!
Suzanne
thanks!
Scrabble without the board? No triple word score? UGH!
Seriously, quite a lovely list o’ products. We have the Aveeno spray sunblock. We’re lovin’ on that right now. And the swimshirts? I’ve been seeing more of them lately. I don’t know if K- would go for them though. She might think that they would make her hot.
Have a baconlicious day, B-Mama!
Just ordered the shirt with some matching swim trunks; thanks! I ordered 3 swim shirts yesterday from Children’s Place, too; my seemingly albino boy needs all the coverage he can get. The game looks like fun.. I’ll probably order that, too. Thanks for helping me keep consumerism alive and well in America!
Absolutely LOVE the sunscreen! It saved our vacation at the beach. Once Dear Husband gets burned, he’s in the camper the rest of the week. I am happy to report because of the beautiful sunscreen, he had to spend the whole week out on the beach with us! Our Sam’s Club had it in a 3-pack for $15 – total bargain!
I agree with you on the sunscreen. It’s the best I’ve come across… I’ve used a whole tube already and the sun only just came out about a week ago here in Connecticut. I love that it’s not sticky at all. Have a great day! ~:-D
I’ll have to try the sunscreen. I have sensitive skin also, and the regular stuff burns worse than a sunburn!
Thanks for the recommendations!
We have been loving Banagrams for over a year now. It travels well and can be played anywhere. We’ve been known to sit in airports and restaurants with it. This past Christmas many of our friends and family got it for a gift and are hooked as well! Great for the little ones as well to improve their spelling and vocab.
Thanks for your fun blog, love reading you!
I LOVE bananagrams!!
He is so cute! And growing. FYI Lands’ End has extra long shorts. :) For “Future” reference. :)
I’ll have to try the sunscreen because the last one I used about burned my eyes to a crisp. I just want to swim, not have the towel on the side of the pool in case of stinging incidents!
We’ll be buying bananagrams soon because I think we’re all wearing ourselves out with all the Sorry and Whoonu! Some fresh competition is just what this family enjoys!
Hey how funny….we just discussed playing this last night while the kids were in the dark fighting a war of lazer tag….but no one brought it in their bag of goods. Great fun.
You love bacon too? Have you seen this http://www.fredflare.com/customer/search_products.php. Crap, I don’t know how to make it a link. Well, cut & paste. You can do it. I’m a techno peasant. Have a great day!
Have you played Apples to Apples? Best game ever. We play it at Thanksgiving every year, and even when my nephew was tiny, he’d still win.
The pizza dough recipe looks incredibly good!!
Hey Boo! I saw on Oprah a month or so ago, that there is a new product called “Baconnaise”. Like mayonaise, but some sort of “real, can’t tell the difference, makes everything taste like bacon” taste without the mess and they say calories. I don’t know if real bacon lovers would say that is a selling point or not. Good luck, could be favorite thing #6.
Enjoyed your list of favorites….must try the sunscreen…no burning faces would be remarkable around here.
And Bananagrams….LOVE IT, too. My sister bought it for my son at the beginning of the summer. After he had broken his femur on the LAST day of school! UGH. We’ve enjoyed playing it!!
Or you can just head over to Trader Joe’s for their 99 cent pizza dough! It’s amazing!
Great list! I LOVE playing games, so I’ll have to find the one you mentioned.
My favorite summer thing: http://tinyurl.com/k52ee Seriously, when I realized there was such a product I saw the heavens part and heard the angels sing. This makes it possible for me to pull off the summer dress/skirt with no unpleasantness.
I love Bananagrams, too! I bring it to the coffeeshop and mercilessly make my friend, Ingrid play it with me. I think we word peeps have a thing for games like this. Happy Summer!
what fun – when I clicked to Amazon to see the game – the other items which might interest me (their shameless attempt to make me buy more stuff) included some games and a pair of turquoise earrings – does one have to wear dangly turquoise earrings to play bananagrams? I have hoops but not dangly – just need to know the rulz – da rulz. Nice list and that lavender lotion – sounds mighty tempting to my aging and burning up skin!You are kind to share with us – I don’t change products often but on your recommendation have purchase my all time favorite blue jeans and very sassy short jacket!
Have looked and looked for a good pizza dough…that turns out good….will try this one….thaks
I’ve been a baby sunscreen user, but I’m all about trying something new–especially if it won’t make you feel like an oil slick. : )
I love the Ultra Sheer, too. They have it in 100 now – I’m using that for body and Neutrogena’s excellent new baby sunscreen for face in SPF 65. It burns even less and absorbs better. It also comes in a stick form, which I’d imagine would be easier for those of you wrestling down children for reapplication every 2 hours.
In total randomness – I thought about you today as I had a BLT. I knew you would approve.
I thought I was the only one who experienced the facial burning phenomenon. Glad I am not alone and thank you very much for the tip!
oh i cant hardly stand it, martha’s disclaimer is perfect..just what i need to add to all of my baby palooza posts i have been doing..i mean they are SOOO about stuff, expensive, unnecessary baby things and i feel each post needs a disclaimer..i will just start quoting martha..perfection..love it!;;
I’m so glad you share my love for the Neutrogena sunscreen! My husband doesn’t understand why I’m willing to shell out the big bucks for it, but his skin resembles tanned leather and he doesn’t get a vote anymore.
And we also love that Bananas game, but we’ve been playing it for years and just called it Speed Scrabble. But those marketing geniuses have found a new way to sell Scrabble tiles in a banana and make a b’jillion dollars.
Oh I looooove that face sunblock!! Except I use 85 because I need that much protection!
Loved reading your summer favorites. I also appreciate the disclaimer. Sometimes when I reading recommendations I wonder.
2 things…
1. I heart bananagrams too! LOVE it.
2. Today I was on facebook (well, most everyday I’m on facebook) but there was an ad on the side for a t-shirt that said…”BACON makes everything better.”
And I should have ordered it for you. :)
spf 70? ok. i’ll pick some up tomorrow to take to forks this weekend. spf 70?
i love the pizza dough recipe–as of now it is on my menu for next week.
mari
My word, he gets cuter with every photograph.
Has his feet started stinking? Shep’s feet suddenly stink. Sigh. And so it begins.
Thank you so much for the swim shirt tip, Boo Mama! I’d had my eye out for shirts for both of my kids so I called Old Navy to see if it was also an in store deal (it was), went over that afternoon and got us set for next summer. Thanks for the tip! Of course, we just like the shirts. We don’t love them… :)
that sunscreen is the best. my husband uses it and he is a tennis pro so he’s outside in the san antonio heat all day…i like to think of him as my little sunscreen pro, too. and, since he’s outside all day, he goes to the derm. twice a year, so i have also relied on him to tell me if i have any suspicious moles. (though i’m not recommending that…only the sunscreen)
You are all about happiness AND bacon? Isn’t that a bit redundant? You could just say one or the other; we all know they are synonymous. ;-)
I am so glad you mentioned bacon because I was wondering if you could tell us all the perfect way to fry bacon. My bacon is either blackened or limpy. My sweet hubby would love it if I took some bacon making lessons. What kind do you use? How long do you cook it? That sort of thing!
Ok….I’ve been gone awhile…vacations, camps, a clas I had to take for work…so I haven’t been on here in a bit. I JUST had to tell you after seeing that adorable picture of A….GIRL!!! I’m sure you don’t have a big enough stick to keep the girls away in the future! He’s such a cutie and he is growing up WAY TOO STINKIN’ FAST!!!! Seems like the other day I was looking at pics of a little boy, he is changing so much. I know…don’t remind you, huh?? My baby boy is taller than me and now 16! It happens way too fast! :)
Boomama- you wanna know a REALLY fun game? Curses. Definitley THE most fun and funniest game I’ve played in long time. YOU would LOVE it. Go get it now.
you are hysterical!
read your blog all the time…
love that sunscreen tip!
Bananagrams is da bomb! Alas, my family does not share my excitement. (So sometimes I just play all by myself as I cook supper.) Sad, huh?
Have you seen this??? (http://lifewithcake.com/2009/05/french-toast-and-bacon-cupcakes/)
Of course I thought of you! I haven’t tried them yet, but they will be baking in my oven very soon.
I’m sure if you try them, you’ll write a post and I’ll know if it’s worth trying or not… since you’re kind of an expert on bacon and all.
xo-jenny
I am new to your blog, so I clicked on Martha to see what that was about. I woke up my sleeping husband laughing at your Martha and Sisie stories. Thanks for the laughs. I needed that good laugh!