I LOVE Summer- I mean I really love it.  I pray every winter that God would help me enjoy it, but I just don’t.  I don’t love cold weather activities or bulky clothes or brown everything.  I DO love bright Summery colors, tank tops, shorts, hiking, swimming, sunbathing, outside walking and playing and much much more!

On this edition of Favorite Things I thought I would share a few of my favorite HEALTHY things for Summer time!

1.  Reading God’s word outside- There’s nothing better than reading the Bible in God’s creation.  Add a view and my day is off to a fabulous start despite circumstances.

2.  NP Pro Shakes- There is nothing better after a morning workout in the Summer than a thick protein shake.  My favorite is blueberries, frozen kale/spinach, almond milk, vanilla NP Pro and a few drops of maple extract.  NP Pro is dairy-free and contains nothing artificial (flavors, sweeteners, preservatives) so our entire family gulps it like crazy!  Want more recipes?  We’ve put together our top 6 protein shake recipes and are giving them away for FREE here.

3.  Age appropriate shorts- especially cut-offs.  I’ve been living in my Rock & Republic shorts (Kohl’s line) this Summer.  They are long enough that I don’t feel like I’m trying to be a teenager but bring back the care-free Summer feeling of being a teenager… know what I mean?

3.  Hiking- local favorite spot is Stone Mountain State park, but I love it anywhere.  I don’t even mind a little rain as long as I’m not cold!

4. Sun Hats- I LOVE to be in the sun and tan pretty easily, but I have a freckly face that gets more “spotty” as I get older. I wear a hat in the sun. I love the big floppy ones :)

5.  Flip Flops- I hate having my feet covered but I also struggle with plantar fasciitis.  This year I’m comfortably enjoying wearing flip flops all Summer!  Check out Telic brand sandals if you feel my pain- they are AWESOME!

6.  Le Bleu Water- Our family only drinks LeBleu pure water.  There are no minerals and it’s got the cleanest, crispest taste ever!  We have a water dispenser with 5 gallon jugs in our kitchen and also purchase bottles for on the go.

7.  Dinner on the grill (enjoyed outside)- We eat almost every Summer dinner on our porch.  It’s a favorite past-time and just makes everything more enjoyable.  We watch airplanes and listen for critters in the woods behind our house.  It’s truly lovely.  Grilled meat is one of my favorite things and my hubby does a great job!  I particularly enjoy pork chops!

8.  Homemade Sunscreen- I have made my own sunscreen for a few years now.  It’s really important to know what’s in yours (there are some scary ingredients!).  My hubby and I are in the process of private labeling our own zinc oxide because what I always ordered was messy and measuring can get confusing.  I use a mixture of coconut oil, beeswax and zinc oxide and sometimes add a little cocoa powder which cuts down on the white look.

9.  Outdoor Live Music plus Wine- I’ve talked before about the importance of date night in our family.  My favorite date is low-key live music with a glass or two of wine and then a big old burger over a salad with some fries.

10.  Outdoor Workouts- I LOVE to run suicides and do plyometric or jumprope workouts outside.  I also sprint our long outdoor staircase 5 times and then do a weights circuit at the bottom.  Here’s a Sample:

Sprint Stairs 5 to 10 Times (depending on length of staircase- walk down slowly)

10 Push Up Rows

10 Squat Presses

10 Pull-Over Crunches

10 Row Triceps-Extension

Repeat Circuit 5 Times

That’s all for me!  What are  YOUR favorite things about Summer?