Summertime Sweety

So you are going down to the beach tomorrow, but what are you supposed to do before you go down? So yea I know this seems kind of like a common sense post, but you wouldn't believe how many people skip simple things before going down to the beach, things that can make the whole experience soooo much better! Well the very first thing to do would be to pack your beach bag but i've already made a MUCH more detailed post on that and you can see that at  summertimesweety.blogspot.com/beach-bags 1. So the first thing, picking your bathing suit and cover up There are some bathing suits that look better on some body types than others and even though I plan to have that post up in the future...I don't right now. As for cover ups, I recommend them so you will be able to put something back on if you get to much sun. When I wear a bathing suit I usually wear board shorts over the bottoms anyway, then I put on a cute little dress or cami. Well I really hope that I wouldn&

So like I said here comes the adorable workouts I promised! And wanna know something that  totally  rocks? They are just as hard as they are cute!

Ok so new update on how to pack a beach bag. But Warning before hand! The way my family packs for the beach it takes three regular sized people and a seven year old to carr y! I'm going to beak this down into the separate bags that we carry. My Bag My personal Sunscreen, such as your facial sunscreen. This would also be the category for tanning lotions and oils. Two towels. One to lay on or put in your chair, and one to wrap up in or wipe out your eyes. My beach mat! It is straw with pink edges it rolls up perfectly and fits in my bag. I got mine at Target but IDK if they still sell them or not, try  www.windycitynovelties.com/straw-beach-mats Plastic Bags or Sandwich bags to put pretty seashells in! A Book or a Magazine, or both!  The Christy Miller Series , like I've suggested at the bottom of the page,  by Robin Jones Gunn is a good beach read mainly because they take place on a beach! A Camera, this is my absolute best friend on the beach! Pictures help ke

So if you are anything like me you don't exactly feel like working out on Sundays, it's my one day to rest between church! So on Sunday I have began trying out yoga. When I first thought about trying it I was kind of against the idea because it just seems like you would be taking time out of your day to do something that has no effect on your body! Well needless to say.... I was wrong. Besides relaxing you, it helps you to become even more flexible, and to a certain degree stronger. I don't do the "Owm" and meditating thing though! These should be done with s..l..o..w, f..l..o..w..i..n..g motions. Remember to breathe deeply! This workout is a bit longer and has the places marked where to inhale and exhale. These should still be done with s..l..o..w, and f..l..o..w..i..n..g motions! I just happened to like these two workouts the best but there are many others in all degrees of difficulty.  Enjoy!

So in every workout you are supposed to warm up with (fill in the blank cardio). Cardio, CaRdIo, CARDIO! Thats all you hear when it comes to workouts, and to be blunt cardio sucks. I found this cute little workout that you could do on the days that you just don't feel like going out and running. Now remember I'm not saying this works as well as good mile or so run, but do this a few time through and you will feel as tired as if you did!

So I've given you the monthly workout calendar, but how about a day by day breakdown? These are also part of my daily workout regimen and even though it is pretty hard, it does work! So I know it doesn't include Saturday or Sunday but later I am going to post some cute workouts that you can do whenever you want! Enjoy!

So you are gong down to the beach today, you got that amazingly cute bathing suit that you wanted, you have SPFed from head to toe....but what about your hair! When going down to the beach or to take a dip in the pool protecting your hair is just as important as protecting the rest of your body. My first suggestion is to apply leave in conditioner to your hair, paying special attention to your roots. Normally I wouldn't suggest this as this will make your hair look oily, but if you are going to be swimming your hair will probably be up any way, so you won't be able to tell. The moisturizer acts as a sunscreen protecting the cuticle of your hair and preventing it from becoming dried out and frizzy (because the combination of sun, salt, and chlorine will KILL your hair!). Try  John Frida Leave In Conditioner  ($5.99 at drugstore.com ) Number two, your scalp can burn just like the rest of your body so it needs protection too! I suggest that you use the Banana

I have been asked to post some more of my personal pictures of Emerald Isle since the last post I made, I actually haven't had the opportunity to go back since I got my new camera (and laptop) so I don't have any current pictures. I do happen to have some pictures of the beach (it was early spring and early in the morning, so they are kind of bland) that we went to on a school trip that is just a short distance up the island.  I hope you like them!! :) I PROMISE I will post some more (better ones) as soon as I can!

So... I am debating on if I should even share this with you because it is so amazing! This is the most absolutely amazing beach I have ever been to in my life! It is Emerald Isle NC it is perfect!  So in my mind it is so perfect because: It is on the beautiful coast of North Carolina (which is where I live, and where I love!) It's name is Emerald ISLE so its on a cute little island (Duh!), at some places o the island you can see the Bogue Sound (yes this is a body of water, and yes this is a real place) and the Atlantic Ocean on the other It is a quite little town so everyone if friendly, and the beaches are never crowded There is a nice little aquarium just up the island a bit The is a little shopping center called Emerald Plantations that includes a movie theater , restaurants, shops, and a river where you can feed Sea Turtles (this is especially fun because there's one that is bigger than my six year old brother! It lives at the bottom and only comes up occasiona

So I have been big into working out lately, because who doesn't want to look their very best when vacation time comes! I found this workout calendar on Pinterest so I'm not able to give you the link to the exact website but I thought if you liked it enough you could copy, or print it out. I have been looking for the rest of the months that go with this but so far this is the only one I've found. I am doing it myself and so far its working pretty well, I would love for you to do this with me, just comment below and tell me any of your thoughts about it . Enjoy!! :)

This is an outdated version in my opinion. Feel free to use it, but I have posted the latesest version here: http://summertimesweety.blogspot.com/p/packing-lists-and-tips.html I have made this packing list as a rough draft, I will post the final draft closer to when I'm leaving for vacation (which might be a few months). I created the basic draft of it with a website called Pack Whiz . It asks you questions such as when and where you will be going, how you will be traveling, and what you will be doing. It then creates a basic list that you can add and take away items from. I then e-mailed it to myself, copied it to a word document, and have been adding and editing it as needed! Feel free to copy this list and use it as your own! :) Toiletries    Toothbrush    Toothpaste    Deodorant    Nails       - Clips       - Nail polish       - Nail polish remover       - Cotton swabs     Hairbrush    Comb    Hair styling products       - Frizz Ease       - Spray Gel

 I always wanted the Beach Spray for your hair that gives you the just came off of the beach wavy look, but there so dang expensive! So this is a recipe you can use to make your own!  Things You'll Need Plastic spray bottle 1 tsp. sea salt 8 oz. water 1/2 - 1 tsp. coconut oil, olive oil or light conditioner Lemon Juice 3 drops essential oil (optional) Instructions Pour water into the plastic spray bottle. Add sea salt, NOT table salt. The more salt you add, the more "crunchy," textured and beach like your hair will feel. Add moisturizer to combat the drying factor of the salt. Use coconut oil, olive oil or light conditioner. Avoid adding more than a teaspoon because it can weigh down your hair. Add a few drops of lemon juice to your mixture if you plan on being out in the sun at all. Cute hair and highlights, Score! :) Add essential oil for fragrance and additional benefits. Choose your favorit

Ok sweet new idea on how to curl you hair with no (or minimal) heat. You can curl your hair... with a sock. I know you are going to think that I am absolutely insane but it really does work. It reminds me of beach waves, which is a style I have been searching for lately. You need to try it, it really works! Here are the  step by step instructions on how to make this work. First take a sock (it can be one that is missing its pair, or that you just don't wear) and cut off the toe of the. Now roll the sock into a ring, depending on your hair's thickness you might need to roll more than one sock together. Now put your dry hair into a high ponytail, as high on top of your head as you can get it. I flip my head over and gather the hair to put it up.  Secure the hair with a hair bow. The next step is to spray just the hair in your ponytail with water. Generally I do this hairstyle after I take a shower at night and it saves a step. Also instead of sprayin

So you are going on vacation (or on a road trip) and going to be in the car for quite a while, if you are anything like me this sounds absolutely TERRIBLE. So here are a few tips on ways to survive this "lovely" time with your family. A few weeks before the trip, make a packing list  You will need to take this with you on the trip so you will be able to repack. Wash and avoid wearing all of the clothes you're going to take with you . Start packing the week before the trip .  Fold or better yet, roll the clothes. I'm bad for not folding, and I always end up with wrinkles and I can never find anything unless I dump out my whole suitcase, which is a MAJOR pain.  Rolling the clothes instead of folding makes for tighter packing and no creases at the fold lines. Pack a plastic garbage bag for dirty laundry. Bring books  Bring ones that you love, or ones that you need to read for school (so either way you will end up reading it and keeping y

I am in love with the way that highlights look on your hair, but I'm not so crazy about how much they cost. I found that these will lighten your hair and give you a summertime look for not even half the price. Just apply on your hair before laying in the sun or going out for a day at the beach and come home looking like a blond and bronzed beach goddess! Lemon This is by far the best known of the natural hair highlighters. Mix 1/4 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice and 3/4 cup of water in spray bottle. Spray the lemon water onto your hair until damp, do not soak your scalp or spray on skin, it could cause blistering. Leave the mixture on your hair for 2 hours, and spend at least 30 minutes of that time in the sun. Condition your hair before and after you use the lemon juice because it can dry your hair.   Olive Oil You may know that olive oil is a wonderful hair conditioner but many people don't realize it can be used as a natural hair lightener too. Comb a gen