Summertime Favorites

Its Summer.... probably. I haven't checked when summer actually starts, but the weather outside tells me its summer. All of my magazines have summertime features. Bathingsuits and Shorts, flip flops and sunglasses are out on the shelves. Summertime is HERE. Of course, summertime was probably here on store shelves right after the Easter merchandise was clearanced out, but that's a different story!I digress.

I do love summer. I always have. Summertime means vacation, which is coming soon for my family. (YAY! Destination TBA). It also means BBQs and swimming pools. I would say that summer time means lots of outside play... but I live in South Florida where it has topped 90 degrees in May. Which means if summer equals lots of outside play it also means red faces and heatstroke. We won't be going there.

Some of my favorite icons of summer are:

• Lemonade with perfectly square ice cubes floating alongside a perfectly round lemon slice.


• Cakes topped with light and fluffy whipped cream and berries of deep red and blue hues.


• Classic hamburgers and hotdog cookouts. There I will always find baked beans, potato salad, friends, and laughter.


• Ice cold IBC Rootbeer and the always crisp and ridged Ruffles potato chips.


• BBQs.

I acknowledge that I don't live in a movie, and there is no white picket fence surrounding my life (although, believe it or not, "white picket fence" was my given nickname from our school resource officer), but still when I think of summer something cinematic takes place in the space between my ears. It unfolds like this: Summer is standing under a shade tree, chatting with girlfriends, barefoot with blades of grass playing peek-a-boo between my toes. Sounds of children in the distance squealing with laughter as they run about. The crack of a bat followed quickly by chatter from teammates calling for the ball, and cheers from the fans for a base well stolen. Children with dirt smuged knees, sweat soaked hair, and smiles from ear to ear. A family who is happy because this day they spent together. Laughter, exercise, time... quality time.