It’s Summer… Almost!

It’s Summer… Almost! According to my calendar just 2 more weeks until Sunny days and beach trips.. Late nights and bonfires.. Boat time on the lake! Yep.. It’s almost Summer. 

Me and the boys are already enjoying some summer time. We been hanging at the park and preparing for some grass cutting (one of my favorite things!!). And looking forward to flip flop tans and swimsuits. 

We have lots to look forward to!! Something we normally don’t look forward to are bugs. Sand fleas and mosquitoes. Ticks. Although we don’t look forward to bugs we are always (& I mean ALWAYS) prepared for bugs. Lol

We, seriously, keep a bottle of Bug Guard in both trucks, as well as in the beach bag. 

The thing I love the most about Bug Guard is that it is DEET-free. Everybody loves bug repellants with deet… until they realize how harmful DEET is!

Now I’m on the “other side” of most of the warning labels these days. I like to keep my feet firmly on the ground. You can’t go anywhere or talk to anyone nowadays without hearing how bad EVERYTHING is for you. Seriously… everything is bad. Sugar is bad for you… but so is aspartame (fake sugar). Sunburn is bad for you.. but so is spray and lotion sunscreen. Again, everything is bad and it will drive you crazy trying to keep up with warnings!

Luckily, we all get to choose what we give or don’t give and use or don’t use with our families. I like to think of myself as a smart person. I do my research before banning an item from our lives. I like to read up before deciding what’s best (or worst) for my family. I suggest everyone do the same. 

With that being said, I do try not to use DEET anymore. My children and I suffer from breathing problems and asthma. So that is one of the main reasons I choose DEET-free. If you do research on deet you will find that it can cause rash and skin irritation, as well as nausea, headaches, and dizziness just to name a few. 

This is an actual bottle of Off! I have in my home. The most concerning warning cautions that sprayed clothing needs to be removed and washed immediately when returning indoors.

Bug Guard uses a DEET alternative called Picaridin. Picaridin has been around since the 1980’s and is most popular for being lighter than DEET (not as greasy) and less harsh. Some plaatics and synthetics can actually be dissolved by DEET. Picaridin doesn’t have this effect. Let me also say that Bug Guard is safe for pets, when used properly of course.

Also… might I add that Bug Guard is available with sunscreen? And Bug Guard has a line of actual sunscreen products, as well. 

I like this one pictured. The lotion goes on blue and disappears once rubbed in. This is HUGE for allowing my boys to be more independent and also to free up some of my time, of course while they apply their own sunscreen. One of the many things I do  the boys.. & for me. Sadly, they must learn to take care of things.

So, in short, my family has officially switched. Click here to see all of the Bug Guard products and read tons of reviews! I don’t think Skin So Soft itself has as many reviews as the Bug Guard line! 

The Bug Guard line is a little pricey so be sure to catch them on sale! Right now the whole line is on sale- Buy one, get one free. Sales usually happen pretty often but BOGO is pretty rare. So shop now 🙂

I almost forgot one of my favoritr Buv Guard products. 

The anti itch spray. I published my blog while I was out with the guys for a short drive. As soon as I got home (9:00 p.m.) and got into the house I went to medicine cabinet for this little gem. & then a lightbulb went off! I just posted about Bug Guard and I left this out. Whaaat?? Lol

 We use this almost daily! I’ve been using this anti itch for bug bites so long that I’m not even sure what other Mom’s are using these days? This takes the itch out of bites almost immediately! The hydrocortisone is pretty much obsolete around my house. 

Meditation… Sort Of.

So recently I visited the doctor. We discussed lots of healthy things I need to start doing. Or stop doing. Lol Most of her advice was already burned into my brain from tons of research on getting healthier. I expected most of what she said. But one thing did surprise me. She advised me to spend time, every day, meditating. Or praying. Basically- time alone. 

I asked questions and we discussed this for a little while because I wasn’t expecting it. So I had questions and wanted to understand what she was asking of me. 

She gave me the name of an app that she uses daily on her drive to work. You can decide which area of your life you would like to hear some motivational and inspirational tips (for example relationships or raising children or managing stress at work). Once you click a short 20-30 minute clip plays on your phone. 

So, I downloaded the app, signed up with my e-mail address, looked all of the information over one good time and haven’t clicked the app again in over a month. I haven’t listened to a single recording clip. Don’t get me wrong- I love motivational speakers like Les Brown. & I always feel empowered when I’m done listening. But the truth is my life is busy and I didn’t feel this app was how I wanted to spend my “alone time”. This “meditation method” clearly wasn’t for me. 

I thought about what the doctor had told me about spending time thinking or praying, because the truth is that stress is harmful to your health. In more than one way. I certainly understand this and I believe that minimizing stress is necessary for a healthier lifestyle. It just took me a day or two to decide how to spend my quiet time. 

I wouldn’t call myself a vain person; however, most of my blogs mention doing things for yourself (applying makeup in the morning, using face cream at night, painting your toenails) all for one main reason: to feel better. Any feeling can control your whole day if you let it. So feeling healthier or feeling happier is ultimately going to lead to being healthier and happier. What a simple concept!

So with all that being said, I decided that I would spend a few minutes each day doing something for me. I have four young boys in my home, a husband, and a dog. Most everything I do is for these guys- my family. And I don’t (usually) complain. But a few minutes each day spent on something for me has the potential to reduce stress in my life. Maybe not a ton of stress- but every little bit helps. And will eventually add up!

So I’ve been doing little, extra things lately when I have a chance or think about it. I love bubble baths. I usually get to enjoy a bubble bath once a month… or every 2 months. 

Something else I love is coconut oil. This evening, inbetween the madness that is my life, I made time to put a coconut oil mask on my hair. Now don’t misunderstand: I am NOT doing the new “natural hair” thing. I definitely would- but my hair is high-maintenance. Natural hair just isn’ta good look for me. Lol But coconut oil is really nourishing and replenishing. I’ll wash the mask out in the morning and get back to my toxin-bearing hair products. But I love the end result and ultimately, it was me time. 

My “me time’s” are generally sparatic, unplanned, & unscheduled. That’s just how it goes. Lol So the boys aren’t usually surprised to see me coming out if the bedroom with some sort of mask on my hair or face or some kind of homemade exfoliating creams on my legs. Lol

Face masks I like are firming sheet masks (yes, the royal jelly from the queen bee is true!) or black mineral masks. Again, I’m not on a schedule with these products. Scheduling is difficult at my house. Lol But I do use them. & I love them. 

Some other non-scheduled “me time’s” involve foot care. Sunny Florida is just amazing at catering to my love of flip-flops. It’s pretty great. Floridians are capable of flip-flopping in every season- all year long! My sandal collection is actually growing as well! Flip-flops and sandals are great.. except on your feet. And heels. Especially heels! So I like to pamper my feet ever so often. 

I normally go with overnight renewing foot cream. Mostly because who has time for a foot soak?! Lol Less than 5 minutes.. go to bed.. beautiful, soft feet and heels in the morning! Why can’t everything be so easy, like laundry? 5 minutes.. sleep.. done! Nice thought, huh? 

Reviving leg gel is also pretty great for “me time”. I’m not a huge peppermint fan. I don’t like creams or body washes that are minty; however, after a long day of chasing my kids around (going on bike rides with them or going skating at the skating rink) this stuff feels amazing! Yes… I really do skate with them when we go. & my lega aren’t what they were 20 years ago! Lol So aching legs are the cost. 

Perhaps one day soon I’ll set up a structured schedule that fits in with all of my other daily routines. If not, at least I get an ‘A’ for effort. Remember to get your meditation in per the doctor’s instructions… however you may spend it ♡