Top 10 Things About Summer

FIREWORKS

Fireworks are like Christmas to the ADD part of my brain:  "Ooooh!  Look!  Bright and shiny!"  Fireworks are always the best in summertime.  One year our city had to delay our 4th of July fireworks display to October due to a series of forest fires.  The fireworks were still gorgeous, but something about eating pumpkin pie while watching them ruined the mood.

BBQ

I don't know a woman alive who doesn't love BBQ season.  No pots and pans to wash, no oven to clean just throw it on the grill and voila . . . dinner! 

My favorite bbq food is the shish-kabob for the following reasons:   

1.)  Shish-kabob is really fun to say 

2.)  No plate required (less dishes for me)

3.)  Who doesn't feel adorable eating food off a little stick?

MY BIRTHDAY

This is a picture of the chocolate cake that my Mom always used to make for my birthday.  I was born on July 15th on the hottest day of the summer.  I always tease my Mom that the only reason she gave birth that day was because the hospital had air conditioning.

ICY COLD BEVERAGES

Nothing tastes better on a hot summer day than something cold and icy to drink.  My ancestors came from Scotland where they don't put ice in their drinks.  Can you imagine that?  A whole country full of luke warm beverages.  Between that and the hagis, I think I might die there.

SNOW CONES

I think that I like snow cones even more than ice cream.  I'm working my way through the entire flavored syrup menu at my local snow shack. 

My current fave:  Lime

POOL FLOATS

If it weren't for the fact that my skin would look like a sunbaked alligator (or worse George Hamilton), I would probably spend hours of my day floating around on one of these things.  I bought a fancy one once that had a cup holder and my daughter asked if that's where you put the cupcakes. 

Not a bad idea.

FARMER'S MARKET

Tomatoes and peaches and strawberries . . . oh my!  I tried to grow my own tomatoes in the backyard for a few years.  Let's just say that I understand why there's an entire branch of science dedicated to agriculture.  I'm so glad that my local farmers have a firm grasp on what's needed to grow tasty tomatoes, juicy peaches and sun-kissed berries.  YUM!

FLIP FLOPS

After shoving my poor feet into high heeled boots all winter long, nothing makes my tootsies happier than flip flops!  Give me a cute pedi, toe ring, ankle bracelet and flip flops with a little bling and I'm ready for summer!

LONG SUMMER NIGHTS

I love sitting out on the patio on a warm summer night watching the night sky, listening to the frogs and crickets sing and the kids playing flashlight tag in the yard.  Life just sounds happier in the summer.

FAMILY REUNIONS

We don't have any family in the town we live in so summer is our chance to reconnect with all the outlaws and in-laws.  Sometimes we do big shindigs with elaborate menu planning and activities, other times we just converge on someone's house with air mattresses and pillows in hand. 

It really doesn't matter what we do, as long as we're together.

So that winds up my Top 10 Things About Summer. 

What're yours?