Hello Throw  I consider this my  " You Can Sit With Me " calling card. I am friendly and in many different languges too ! ( I wish ) 
It's a rectangle throw, it's soft and thick enough to put a cushion between my bum and the sand.  
We use it to stay warm as a shawl as the sun sets, it's so soft and feels perfect against sunburnt shoulders.
 I love when we are swimming and I use it to claim my chaise. My husband and kids think it's hysterical that I am so territorial. I am, and I am ok with it. While we are swimming and looking back at it keeping my chair MINE I feel like it's a big HELLO in a friendly way to let someone know that that chaise if OFF LIMITS !

Let's Talk Sunscreen -  I am a 70's Baby - I literally grew up without ever putting on an ounce of sunblock. I am pretty dark naturally, a lovely shade of what is your nationality ?  Dark Hair, Dark Skin, tan barely burn. I also married the whitest man on earth, he is so white he is pink, like newborn baby mouse pink and somehow his genetics are way stronger than mine because neither of my kids got my good fortune of being able to slack a bit in the suncreen department.

 While on our amazing trip to the Florida Keys we found this great Sun Screen Company called Sun Bum . Their products are 

• Gluten Free / Paraben Free / Oil Free / PABA Free
• Reinyl Palmitate Free / Propylene Glycol Free
• Cruelty Free / Hypoallergenic

They smell great - you feel like you are doing good things for your skin and their cool mascot Sonny sort of reminds me of my husband. 

  Our Personal Favorite is the SPF 50 Water Resistant Spray 

 

Sun Bum Moisturizing Sunscreen Spray, SPF 50, 6oz Bottle, Oil Free, Hypoallergenic, Packaging May Vary

The most important Must Have is one if you have children who wear goggles.  I spend half of my summer adjusting everyone's  goggle straps.

I would just set them right for one mermaid, then the next thing I know , they either traded, lost a pair or even worse wanted to use mine. I swore there had to be a better way. This summer I found Resurge Sports Goggles with a Bungee Strap. I am not kidding you - they slip them on , I pull that little knob in the back and it's Leave Mommy Alone Time. It's a dream and now instead of fighting for my goggles. I just bought three pair sand it's no longer a problem.

Seriously, a time saver and well worth the few extra dollars to get them out of my face and back into the pool. 

  Beach Essentials 

Thank Me for This One...I am not a mom who cooks but I am a mom who spends a lot of money on fruit that no one ever wants to eat. The beauty of a day at the beach where we live in the summer ( Lewes, Delaware to be exact ) is thankfully there is no snack bar, no boardwalk, nothing except a Dairy Queen and it's just far enough for my kids to not want to walk to it because they are ( whiney voice ) hot and sandy.

I swear, we have ruined our kids. Completely intollerant of a single grain of sand.  These thermal bento boxes are the bomb. I fill them up with cut fruit, random odds and ends like half eaten bags of pretzels or the last bits of some chips, thing that would usually sit in their bags and eventually get thrown away.  

In these containers to my children fight over our nibbles and bits like hungry sharks.

They are thermal, BPA free and it usual takes Mom to open them because they are a bit tricky and require just enough work that my kids won't put in.

I have  good kids, very good kids. I think I must have helicoptered a little too hard.

Cheftor Three Tier 71oz/2.1L Stacking Lunch Box Insulated Food Carrier Bento Box Stainless Steel Bowls Container with Sealing Lid, Orange

The Round Towel - If you have a daughter anywhere near the age of 8 or above, I will warn you like the smart moms before me had warned. GET READY !!!

Sure, they were sweet and more docile while they were little compared to the boys but I will warn you - Teen Eye Rolling now starts MUCH earlier.

So why the round towel ? Because most girls around 8 and up start to

1. Know what they like and

2. Are Really Hard to buy for.

So a round towel serves many purposes. It makes an awesome gift for a girl of any age. It makes it easy to find your spot on the beach. They are fun and we sell them on Shop LuLu in everything from fun kid friendly patterns to cool boho feathers and designs.  I use this as my go to gift for summer hostesses, a tween's birthday, a thank you gift for a babysitter but most of all , if they are in your car they are great to throw over a picnic table that is a little gross, a comfy blanket at a summer outdoor concert and  a great home base for a fun game of tag. I use mine when I steal those few minutes to myself to meditate. We have almost  60 styles available on ShopLulu.com

Sand is summer Enemy Number One.  I love the beach, I have always loved the beach, but the thought of  being responsible for two little humans covered in sand definitely made me shudder. It's the worst dragging two miserable, hot and sticky sandy little people off the beach when you are not feeling so sparkley yourself.  Knowing that they were absolutely and rightfully miserable because there was sand in every nook and cranny was rough. My summer super weapon are these sand mitts. They are magic, not expensive, I have probably bought about 80 pairs because they always are the last thing to go in the car and I swear I must leave them on the tailgate or roof because they never seem to make it home. They are a microfiber mitt which magically removes sand from all of the important parts. They work better dry but still do the job when dealing with wet toes. When they do make it home I let them air dry then toss them in the washer when they get funky.

Keeping Momma Happy

 

Moms - Stop Right Here and Listen to Me. Here is the deal... I am giving you permission to take care of you.  I have spent the last 11 years of my life giving it my all. Taking no time for me and always putting everyone else first. I thought I was creating memories for my kids that would help them become well adjusted human beings.  Do you know what - they don't remember ANYTHING that happened in their young lives, None of those special things that I did that I killed myself to do so that they had amazing memories. I have no regrets and I would do it again but I also would take care of me. The next 3 are for you - spoil yourself a bit. It's really ok. I ,Jill from Shop LuLu Give you Permission to do you .

These are my 3 Luxuries in Life that are pretty much as essential to me as the air I breathe, my cell phone and the Diet Soda comsumption that fuels this Mom, Wife and Business Owner. 

I am 45 Years Old. I wake up and think I am 28 until I take that first look in the mirror. For 45 I still think my face is looking pretty good. No noticeable wrinkles, definitely some sun damage ( again, 70's baby , sunscreen was for fools then ) but I have always believed in rotating skin care products and splurging  on the good stuff .  I really don't want to start messing with what I was given. Sunday Riley's Good Genes is amazing, Well Worth the splurge, it goes on lightly and I noticed my skin looking brighter very shortly after beginning to use it.  

 

Do you meditate ? If not, you should. I am not some new age , organic mom here. I am a regular mom and I definitely have my things.  Meditation is my drug.  I am like on a Jedi Level in meditating , the best part is that it is all self taught or by taking a class here and there. Youtube has amazing FREE meditations for just about anything you can imagine.

It helps me be a better mom. I sleep better, I have amazing dreams and I even believe I can meditate my headaches away.

I love Rebecca Campbell and her books, both Light in the New Black and Rise Sister Rise. There is great stuff in there and if you are looking for a bit of new inspiration for you existing practice or just getting started, I implore you to check out her books. They are both under 11 dollars on Amazon. 

Rise Sister Rise: A Guide to Unleashing the Wise, Wild Woman Within

Light Is the New Black: A Guide to Answering Your Soul’s Callings and Working Your Light

 

 

And to go Along wtih your New Meditation Practice we have some really cool ( you take cool where you can get it ) digitally printed Yoga Mats on Shop LuLu.