Welcome to JUNE!
Month of long days, camps, swim team, Father’s Day, birthdays and nights on the screened in porch.
I love June. It’s the month before everything gets HOT and HUMID and the mosquitos come out like the blood-sucking vampires they are. Flowers are fresh and pretty (and not fried and tired), gardens are planted, and the grass is still green without the use of a sprinkler system.
I’m so happy you are here JUNE…and here are some other things that are making me happy this week.
1. The Banana Boat Duo
Last Saturday was the first day the pool was “open” in the neighborhood. It opened at noon.
My kids left the house at 10:30 am with a lunch in tow and starting making the rounds to get their friends and be the “first ones in the pool”.
At 12:30, I had the realization that I wasn’t “sure” they had put on sunscreen when they left the house. So being the dutiful mother, I walked down to the pool with a brand new container of Coppertone After-Wet or Sweat or Whatever It Is Called SPF 50 Waterproof Spray. In a nutshell, this stuff should work regardless if you are wet when you apply it.
(Because I knew, the chances of them drying off and then applying were nada.)
I gave them instructions. I believed they were intelligent children who could perform this menial task. And I walked home.
Fast forward to 3:30.
Both children come home. Daughter is a little red face, but overall, looks pretty good for the first day at the pool. Son…well that is a different story.
His back and shoulders resemble Dorothy’s shoes from “The Wizard of Oz”.
Why? Because he didn’t put on the sunscreen I brought because he wanted to get a “tan”.
Dumb-ass.
Enter Banana Boat Aloe Vera Sun Burn Relief Sun Care After Sun Lotion and Banana Boat After Sun Sport Performance Cool Zone with Aloe Burn Relief Gel.
I’ve had both of these “lifesavers” around for a couple of years because like my son, I’m also prone to “dumb-assness” and get burnt easily.
Each has it’s own purpose. For “severe” burns, the gel is amazing because it has lidocaine in it – so it numbs and heals at the same time.
The lotion is great for minor burns or just a refresh if you’ve been in the sun all day. But BOTH OF THEM are wonders at making the aching burn bearable enough to go to sleep at night and help with the “peel and itch” not being as bad.
FYI: The gel is harder to find at major stores, so I usually order it on Amazon, but the lotion you can find about anywhere.
Hopefully, we won’t have to use either one of them too many times this summer.
(Who am I kidding? Son got burnt again within a few days. I’m blaming it on 13-year-olds not having any brain cells because they are being overrun with hormones.)
2. Dasani Pineapple Sparkling Water
I love LaCroix.
It’s my jam.
I think I’ve tasted about every flavor they make. (There are 17 Flavors of LaCroix for the record.)
But I could never find a good pineapple…till now.
My dear friend, Amy, shared a Dasani Pineapple Sparkling Water with me at her Memorial Day Barbecue and I’m HOOKED. Like an addict, people. Like Hubs better choose something else out of the beverage fridge because these BAD BOYS ARE MINE.
They are just the right amount of pineapple. So not pina colada or pineapple martini, but more like pineapple citrus water. Refreshing. Pineapple-y. Delicious. And available at your local Target.
PS: They also have a Pink Lemonade that I bought, but haven’t tried yet. So I’ll let you know how that goes in a couple of weeks.
3. Scrabble Twist
I’m trying desperately this summer to not have my kids brains be rotted out by Teen Titans and Gumball.
(Seriously, do they play anything BESIDES these two cartoon on Cartoon Network?)
It’s not easy. And I get it. There is only so many books, art projects, and chores (they never want to do chores, but I like to hand them out as fun punishments) one wants to do during summer break.
So, I started digging out fun, short and competitive play games. This includes a SIMON, Bop-IT and our new favorite, Scrabble Twist.
Scrabble Twist is my favorite because I’m old and lack hand/eye coordination – thank you making me feel super old SIMON and BOP-IT – but can master putting together three-letter words from a myriad of letters.
Twist your words for the wordsmithing win with the Scrabble Twist game! The game unit displays 5 letters at a time, and the more 3-letter words you can find in them, the higher your score will be. Just tap and twist to bank each word and move on to the next! You can start in Easy mode and work your way up to being a pro, whether you’re playing against others or just yourself. With 3 games to choose from and room for up to 7 other opponents, if you can win Scrabble Twist you’ll know you’re the word champion!
Needless to say, my daughter has been kicking my arse at it. One would think it would not be hard to put three-letter-words together…one would be freakin’ wrong. It’s hard. VERY HARD.
Plus, it has sound effects like a ticking time bomb when you are about ready to run out of time. These sounds effects are played often when it is my turn. My daughter finds it hilarious.
Just wait, child. Just wait.
And if you want inside my mind, here is…
My New Favorite Alternative To Pizza.
My Nail Art For The Next Two Weeks.
See past editions of I LOVE These Things.
