Behind every carefree kid enjoying the perks of Summer, there’s a parent running three steps behind with a tube of sunblock and a can of bug spray. Am I right??
I love summer and I love being outdoors at home. This summer especially, we are making the most of our outdoor living opportunities. And if your house is like mine, it seems to fall on good ole Mom to remember where the sunscreen is and to do something when there’s bird poop on the swing.
This summer, I put together a Summer Caddy to hold all of the boring stuff that kids don’t want to bother with. I have sunscreen, bug spray, SPF lip balm, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes in mine. I keep it by the backdoor and when we dash outside-because kids don’t amble outside, they run!-I can grab it and get Junior greased and sprayed appropriately.
We generously allowed what seemed like the bird population of Kentucky to nest with us this spring and they’ve paid us back by pooping on everything! So I like having disinfecting wipes close by to wipe the patio table off before we eat.
Other good add-ons would be Wet Ones for those Popsicle drips or maybe a little cash for the ice cream truck. Customize it with whatever items you find yourself constantly running back inside to retrieve.
For my caddy, I repurposed the old shower caddy that I used faithfully in my gym locker for years. Amazon has a similar one here (affiliate link).
This year, we are all trying some new sunscreen products. The Husband ordered these for Junior and him.
Both of these smell good and go on smoothly. I like that they are mostly organic since this is what I use on Junior’s sweet face. Husband bought them from Amazon and you can find them here and here. They are reef friendly too if you’re swimming in the great outdoors!
Mama is special so she gets her own sunscreen.
Last year, I discovered SuperGoop! Unseen Sunscreen. This is my go to for facial sunscreen. It soaks in immediately and is NOT greasy at all. It feels like a foundation primer. This summer, I added SuperGoop! Glow Screen. It has a slit tint to it to give you a bit of glow but nothing orange-y or deep. I wear it along with my CC cream and have been pleased. I bought mine at Nordstrom but Amazon has both items here and here.
I’m also using Coola this year. I received a free sample of the spray last year and really liked the smell and feel. You may notice I have two different scents here and I definitely prefer the Mango on the right. I ordered from Nordstrom but Amazon has them too.
Always be aware of the temperature when taking any type of bottled liquid outside! Sprays and lotions heat up quickly. I usually set my caddy back inside once everyone is sufficiently coated. I can always grab it when I need it again.
What are your must-have summer essentials?