Taking Your Kids To The Beach | Expectations | 5 Tips For A Successful Beach Day

If you did not grow up on the beach, going to bed each night with a tiny bit of sand in your butt, you may think about going to the beach as a lot of work and very messy. These things are true, you are not wrong in thinking that but I promise you, it is totally worth all the sand and all the work for the experiences you will have with your children and the memories you will leave them with.

Here are some tips and realistic expectations for taking your young children to the beach.

Snacks
You need snacks, swimming and playing outside makes you hungry and its also just fun to eat on the beach and watch the water. I try really hard to bring exactly enough food to the beach because anything we don't eat, normally has sand in it and will not being going back into the fridge or cupboard. The word "sandwich" has a whole new meaning.

Sand Will Get Everywhere
Let go of the expectation that you will be able to sit on your beach towel and it wont get sand on it. Sand will get everywhere, embrace it, its part of the experience and when its dry and you are off the beach, it dusts off and shakes out pretty easily.

Swim
I always had the most fun when my mom, dad, aunts and uncles swam with me. I loved it when they were right in the water with me so I could show them my backflips and handstands and so they could throw me around. I know my kids have the most fun when we all swim together.

Shade Tent
I just added a half shade tent to our beach items this year. This is great for babies or anyone who just wants a break from the sun. It is light weight, easy to set up and take down and is a nice place to have a rest while enjoying the water. I linked one here if you would like to check it out for yourself.

Safety
I go to the beach alone with my two children and sometimes even my niece and nephew as well. My niece is older and a good swimmer but she has limits as to how far out she can swim and all the babes wear a puddle jumper 99% of the time we are on the beach.

Taking your kids to the beach is absolutely not relaxing but it is absolutely so much fun. And, they will most likely fall asleep on the drive home, so grab a coffee and take the long way home!

Please share your tips for taking your young children to the beach.

Summer Capsule Wardrobe 2018

In this video, I am talking you guys through my basic summer wardrobe. This is what I am wearing most of the time right now and the foundation for my outfits for the next few months. I really love being able to visually see what I am wearing in a simple row, it allows me to mentally create some fun looks and when you have all the basics, the possibilities are endless. I enjoy the thought process behind building a wardrobe that enables me to express my personality but serves the function of my life. I hope this video offers you some inspiration for building your wardrobe and having fun along the way.

For everyday style inspiration, check out my Instagram feed.

Happy dressing!

PS, get more bang for your buck this week at Lambton Mall. July 9-15 are the Lambton Mall Sidewalk Sales. Share your finds on social media this week and you could even win a daily prize of a $100 Lambton Mall gift card. Check out all the details on the Lambton Mall Instagram.

5 Beach Cover Ups | Style Inspiration

Sometimes I want to style up my bathing suit a little. Especially if its going to be a full day at the beach, near the water, fun activities and backyard BBQS. I want to create a full outfit around my bathing suit so when I am not swimming, I still look chic! Here are five beach cover up ideas.

Button Down Shirt
This is an item you probably already have in your wardrobe, repurpose it for summer by rolling up the sleeves, and leaving it open for a fresh sophisticated beach cover up.

Traditional Beach Cover Up
These are normally made from airy thin fabrics that leave you feeling cool even when covered up. I always choose styles that are more fancy to give me that tropical beach vacation vibe on the shores of Lake Huron.

Thin Linen Dress
This sheer dress makes me feel beautiful on the way to the beach or running into the grocery store on the way home from a day in the sun.

Kimono
I never feel like I get to wear my kimonos enough so I love throwing them over my bathing suits to create a beachy, boho look.

Long Tank Top
Lose your shorts and head to the water in comfort with a long tank top that just covers enough!

Share your beach cover up ideas in the comments below. 

Thanks for reading! 

Summer Memories

I cant say I watched a whole lot of baseball at the Jays vs Tigers game in Detroit on Sunday but I did have a lot of fun watching my kids take in the excitement of their first professional baseball game. We went with Tyler's family for my brother-in-laws birthday and we had such a fun day. We watched a little bit of baseball, ate some really yummy food and rode the rides with the kids.

When we were at the top of the ferris wheel, we could hear the announcers of the game perfectly over the speakers. The sound of baseball over the radio brings me back to summertime as a child. It is a defining memory for me when it comes to summer. Driving in the car to the cottage, with the windows down, everyone almost asleep, dad driving and listening to the baseball game on the radio as the summer air swept through our car. Whenever I hear a baseball game through the muffle of a speaker, I am taken back to those days.

Now I get to create summer memories with my children. I wonder what will stick out for them?

After the game on Sunday, all the kids were invited to run the bases, I captured that moment in the video below.

I would love to know some of the moments that shaped your summers as a child, please share in the comments or on social media.

Lake Life

Thank you mom and dad for giving our family a lake life. I appreciate our cozy cottage home on a street that leads to the beach. My childhood summers were sand and sunsets, a warm place to sit and dream and a place that calms my soul. Every time I dive into the water I feel refreshed! You didn't just give us the lake life, you have blessed us for generations to come. We have lake water in our veins, it's who we are, the lake is our life.