Things I'm Loving about Summer (so far)

There's nothing like a little cold snap to make you really appreciate the arrival of summer.  After temps dipped into the 50s for the last two days, today's sunshine and 75 degree weather has me singing the praises of my favorite season.  Here is what I am loving the most so far...

Alba Botanica Sunscreen

I have very sensitive skin, and their block provides great coverage without being oily, greasy or at all irritating.  I survived a day on the water wearing just one coating of Alba 15, and came away with a nice brown glow and nary a sunburn to be seen.  Made with all natural ingredients and no gross sunscreen smell, I can't say enough good things about this find.

Skinnygirl Margaritas 
Don't laugh.  I daresay that the Skinnygirl 'Rita is my official cocktail of summer 2011.  I bought them because margaritas have always been a favorite summer beverage of mine, and because I love my Bethenny; I wasn't expecting much, but I should have known better!  They are affordable ($12/bottle at our local store, whereas stocking the bar to make a proper 'rita from scratch would cost maybe four times that), easy (pour over ice), so drinkable (perhaps too drinkable... buyer beware... despite the girly packaging these are LEGIT cocktails and should be treated as such), and best of all, only 37 calories a glass.  Cheers, Bethenny!  And thank you.

J Crew 5"Chino shorts

I love these comfortable, durable, flattering, everyday shorts.  They are short enough to feel a bit saucy, but long enough to not attract the stinkeye from other moms at the playground.  They come in every color possible, don't ride up, and are basically my go-to summer mom uniform for things like playground missions and early morning coffee runs.   I'm still rocking mine from last summer, so they were well worth the investment.

Grilled Salads
Every Sunday, the husband grills up a storm.  And every Sunday, I load him up with huge plates of veggies that have nothing to do with our dinner, and he grills them to perfection.  I let them cool, put them in tupperwares, and every weekday I make myself a phenomenal salad for lunch, filled with things like grilled zucchini, grilled corn, and even grilled leeks.  With some mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and a sprinkle of feta or perhaps some chopped baked tofu, these salads fill me up and energize me for the rest of the busy day.  A salad for lunch is nothing special, but tasty grilled ingredients elevate these to gourmet status.  Try it!

A gray pedi

Glamour.com photo

I'm not one to follow nail trends.  I usually go with something classic and red or sweet and pale on my toes during the summer months (fingers are trimmed, bare and buffed, always), but I'm loving this gray thing that is going on right now.  Sleek and sophisticated, it is a fun change from the usual.  I love the OPI pale grays (which, by the way, are pthalate-free, thanks for asking).  For the record, the feet above aren't mine, as my current polish job is over a month old, and you don't need to see that (note to self: give feet love ASAP).

Other things I love...
spending whole mornings outside at the playground with the little man, grilling three nights a week, waking up to sunshine, magical iced coffee (haven't tried it yet???  do it now!  this stuff is the elixir of the gods), thunderstorms, and J.P. Licks Oreo low-fat frozen yogurt.

What are you loving this summer?