Summer Heavy Hitters

Sunray - Nike. These shoes were so great. I wanted to get a pair of Keen but honestly didn't want to spend $50. These were around $30 and I am very pleased with them. Sammy can pull them off and put them on himself. The sheer joy of being able to tell him to go put his shoes on and not have to do that myself is worth every penny. They are made out of a neoprene material so they are extremely durable. They look almost brand new and have been through the washer three times and survived countless hours of hiking and mud. Plus they double as a water shoe. 

Yosemite Carters shirt has been one of my favorites this Summer. It is really cute and an unexpected color for a little boy.

The Beatles Shirt from Zara is so cute. The white with green makes it really fresh for summer. I love it with some striped easy shorts. The fit is nice. I am not a big fan of loose clothing on a little one- they are small and having bigger clothes looks so sloppy. This is fitted and gives a clean look and still a really cool vibe. I have some camo Zara pants that also look great with this. I know I can take a jean jacket for the fall and this will transition nicely.

Honest Company Sunblock. If you remember to apply this about every hour to hour and a half - this stuff is amazing! I have used this and the Babyganics and not had a single issue. 

Lifefactory Glass Bottle. These are great. I think the glass helps keep the water a little cooler and I enjoy not worrying about what is in that old plastic bottle. We have a couple of these now and I am really thrilled with them. They are not delicate and a great size for a long hike. They are heavier than a standard water bottle though. 

Hope everyone's Summer was great. Mine ended up being much busier than I had expected. Mainly due to my Grandfather's illness and stress in general. Now that we are entering School time and Sammy goes back to his regular school routine things will hopefully be much calmer. And not having to remember to bring his swim gear will be such a relief. It's the small things I guess.

Adventure Pack

I love these little backpacks from Skip Hop. They are pretty small so I can't pack a ton of things we don't need while out. Summer is coming up and today I thought I would share the things we need on a daily basis for our adventures. Aren't you glad I didn't call them our essentials. 

 

First off is bug spray. We do a ton of hiking and the ticks are out of control. I really like the California Baby version because it has been very effective so far. I also use the Honest Company's sunblock. It isn't really thick and goopy and I can rub it in easily. Now you can purchase at Buybuybaby so that is really much easier than ordering. 

 

I like to have sunglasses on hand because sometimes the glare from ponds can be blinding. Sammy is really sensitive to sunlight. I also try to bring a hat along for the same reason. Sammy is very fair skinned and I try to be smart about the sunlight. The toddler area at the pool is also not shaded in the slightest and any bit of coverage I can get from things like hats I take gratefully. 

 

I try to always have a water bottle for the two of us along. I try to avoid plastics because of the BPA so this glass one from Lifefactory is one of our favorites. The little munchkin bags are to help us not litter and for any kind of dirty clothes we encounter. I keep them in the little jujube quick. I pack a full change of clothes down to socks. That I sometimes leave in the car outside of the pack but try to always have that change of clothes. 

 

This pack works for us for the pool, hiking, the park, or anything that comes up for us to. We take our adventures very seriously around here. 

 

Playdate on the Open Road

This weekend Sammy and I decided to host a fun playdate about an hour away. We wanted to stretch our legs and see a new place. We settled on an interactive Science museum for kids. We had an absolute blast and wanted to share some of the essentials we used while out.

Some of the not pictured essentials are a good attitude and sense of adventure. We brought our iPhone camera to get some good shots and although not everything went 100% to plan- we decided to roll with the punches and just enjoy the good times with friends.

1) Lifefactory water bottle. They are glass with a silicone overlay. I love that they have a straw so it makes it very toddler friendly. I just bring my large 22 oz bottle along- but Sammy has a smaller one too. We're kind of at the "too old for a sippy stage" or near it.

2) Change of clothing. Or two depending on your kiddos age. Even if they are a bit older. Museums almost always have some sort of water table these days and it just makes it less of a hassle to keep them clean. Bring an extra pair of socks. Some places are no shoes.

3) Stroller. To store your things. But call ahead and see if the space you're heading is stroller friendly. The museum we were visiting wasn't stroller adverse but we didn't need the stroller in the slightest. Our Bugaboo Bee has a lovely wheeled board that Sammy can ride on. So although he won't sit in a stroller any longer- he will ride on that and it keeps him safe while crossing streets and during longer walks. 

4) Dream Blanket from Aden + Anais. This could be really called your touch from home. Sammy loves to snuggle with this during car rides. We needed him to be fairly content so this was a must. 

5) Extra diapers! You just never know. We cloth diaper but usually use these Honest Company ones if we will be more than an hour away from home. It just is easier than a stinky wetbag in the car. I try to bring enough for a whole day. I just never know if something bad will happen. Moms Murphy's Law.

6) I try to have some extra blankets in the car. Sammy collects the Aden + Anais swaddles as nap and security blankets. I will rig one up around his seat if the sun is bothering him or snuggled around his face if he falls or has a bad moment while we're out. They bring him comfort and they're just outright handy.

7) I am a modular packer and use these Ju-Ju-Be sets and quicks to organize my diaper bag. I have one piece that holds diapers, a travel thing of wipes, a disposable changing mat, and some of those extra handy disposable trash bags. The other contains his extra set of clothes (see 2 above) and a trash bag in the zippered compartment for wet clothing.

Hope this helps you get into the travel frame of mind with your adorable kiddos! We loved a change of scenery and playing with good friends away from home!