June 10, 2011

FarmWife Asks....

I know it's been a long time since I've opened up and answered your most pressing questions, and I promise to get back to that shortly, but for now I have a question for you. What are your Summertime Must Haves? I mean absolutely cannot live without, must have on hand at all times, would cry if you had to do withouts. Anything. Clothing. Make-up. Food. Toys. Anything at all. I want to know. If your list is long, post about it on your blog & leave me a comment so I will be sure to check it out.




For the record, these are my favorite summer things:





  1. Boxes of Pop Ice. Boxes & boxes & boxes. Personally, I don't eat them. I used to. In copious amounts. In an old claw footed bathtub full of couch cushions & teenagers, but no longer. The FarmHands, on the other hand, live on them all summer long.




  2. Moisturizer with SPF built in. I'm horrible about remembering to put on sun block. Thankfully, the skin care companies have bonded together to pick up my slack. Not only does my moisturizer have it, but my make up does too! Isn't that nice of them?




  3. Crystal Light. I used to drink soda like it was going out of style, but that did evil things to my digestive systems. Last year I switched to Crystal Light (or the cheaper Wal-Mart version depending on the flavor I want) and I've never looked back. I can drink a gallon of Raspberry Lemonade all by myself in just over 24 hours.




  4. Sun dresses. I am in seriously short supply of them, but I do so love sun dresses. They need to have decent straps to cover the bra straps (I don't rock the bra strap sticking out look), but other than that, I'm happy. Especially if they're wash & wear...nothing super fancy.





  5. My new Spring Float Papasan. I just got it today & I absolutely adore it. It's small enough that it doesn't crowd the FarmHands out of our 15 foot pool, but it's big enough that I can lounge happily while they swim. It keeps me up right enough that I can watch them without getting a kink in my neck, but I stay nice & relaxed.




  6. My sunglasses. Last Summer, Art & I took a road trip in QM's car. A few miles down the road, I found Mama's sun glasses. They're the kind you wear over you regular glasses. I used to make fun of her because of them. Grandma & Grandpa M&M have worn them for years. I didn't think QM was old enough to give in to the trend. After that weekend, I decided they weren't just for old folks. Luckily, Wal-Mart agreed with me. I have been wearing a pair of Solar Shields for nearly a year now & I would probably fight you to the death if you tried to steal them.





  7. A good paperback novel. It can be fluff like one of the many Mary Higgins Clark books I have on hand for this summer, or it can be something a bit more substantial like Jonathan Strange & Mr.Norrell which I just grabbed at The Goodwill for fifty cents (at least it looks more substantial). But I definitely need it to be paperback so I can toss it in my bag & run out the door on days we absolutely must be at the play ground or days I'd rather sit in the shade while the FarmHands are splashing around the pool.




  8. A good stock of DVD's, video games, card games, and coloring books for the days it's too hot to be out of doors or raining enough to keep us trapped inside. Our new favorite: Pirates of the Caribbean Lego for the Wii. The FarmHands LOVE it and when they tire of being Captain Jack, I pop in the DVD's and we can have a Pirates Marathon. Rainy day + Johnny Depp= one happy mama.




  9. Baby powder. If you do not know the power of baby powder on a sticky hot day, you've obviously never lived in the mid-west nor the south in the heat of summer.




  10. Something grown up. Be it a movie, a CD I have to listen to on the head phones, or something fruity, frozen, and fermented. Sometimes I need a reminder that I'm more than a housekeeper, referee, cook, or playmate (not the kind from the magazine...that's a bit too grown up for me). Right now there's a Daily's Ready to Drink peach daiquiri hiding in the freezer for one of those nights when the FarmHands need to go to bed a bit early. I'll let you know how it is, but at the moment it being less than $6 and available at my house without the use of a blender makes it good enough for me.




So, my darling readers...what are your Summertime Survival Must Haves?

4 comments:

Inkling said...

1. Ice packs in a towel....these are perfect for putting around the neck, under feet, and behind backs while traveling in our ac-less and non-tinted window car.

2. Ice cubes.

3. Nalgene bottles full of dozens of ice cubes and fresh water. I will pack them in cooler bags just to schlep across town.

4. A dark, thick blanket for our window to cover the blinds and drapes and keep out the sunshine at 4:30 a.m.

5. Fans. While I still lust over portable air conditioners, the short stints of crazy hot heat that we have are simply not enough to justify our little bank account being squeezed for one. So we strategically open windows all night long, have fans blowing, and then close windows and curtains during the day if they face south or west.

6. A blow up baby pool.

7. A blender to make frozen coffees, frozen lemonades, etc.

8. Teva flip flops. LOVE.

9. A good wide brimmed hat....the closest thing I have is my kayaking hat. Works as sunglasses when I'm gardening and don't want to keep pushing the glasses back to the bridge of my nose.

10. Sunscreen. Because even though the skies are pretty gray most days and I still haven't put my fleeces away, for some reason the angle BC is at on the globe causes the sun to be super potent. I've collected more scary looking spots on my skin in the past five years than I have my whole life, and that's WITH sunscreen.

This seem so ironic considering we've had one "hot" day thus far.....and I think it only got up to 80 in the sunshine. But it could happen. It just might.

Thanks. That was kind of fun. It would be even more fun if I could tease you in person when you're wearing your G-ma glasses. Before I know it, you'll be cutting your hair really short, getting a perm, spritzing Tabu behind your ears, and wearing elastic waisted shorts that you faithfully crease down the middle.

zann said...

My list is short:
1. Air conditioning. I thought it would be cooler in the mountains than in mid tn, but it is not.

2. a small veggie garden. It gives me something to do outside while the kid plays.

3. Sunscreen - because we be pale folk of German/Russian decent the sun is not our friend.

4. Bug repellent - apparently being this pale makes your veins look mighty tasty to little blood suckers.

5. I too love some Wylers or Chrystal Lite or store brand stuff but I still gotta have my cola in the morning - it's my coffee

6. Shorts - I switch from jeans to shorts in summer.

7. Pony tail holders because I don't like sweaty hair on my neck.

Kork said...

http://suburbanprincessspeaks.blogspot.com/

Go see me. I can't promise anything. But just go there. :D

Kork said...

hey - that didn't link...stupid blogger. grrrrrrrrr....oh well...use that good old fashioned "copy and paste" thingy...