Hullo, July! I'd like you to note how relatively cool June was and its manageable number of mosquitos. Its watermelons however weren't that great, so you could totally one up her on that account.

Anyhoo, some things I've been loving this summer:

- 1 -

Grilling Pizza: We love pizza. A year ago I started using this recipe for crust from The Kitchn and haven't looked back. It's remarkably easy. Sometimes I'll put in a little semolina flour if I want a more crackery crust. We put out toppings and build our own pizzas on parchment paper and then toss them on the grill.

My brother in law even cracked an egg on his last week, and it was just about the most beautiful sunnyside up I'd ever seen.

- 2 -

Homemade Ice Cream: We have my mom's Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker on loan, and Costco has been keeping us in some decent quality cream. I've LOVED being able to try out all different flavors especially since our summer has been Blue Bell-less. And by all different flavors, I mostly just mean different ratios of malt and salt.

- 3 -

Hang Drying Laundry: I've gotten back in the habit of hang drying laundry. (I LOVE hang drying laundry. I even have a post in my draft folder all about how much I love hang drying laundry, but every time I try to publish it, I get nervous that it sounds all "Rah rah simple life! I'm doing it better than you!" - and since I am #nonconfrontational #forevah, in the draft folder it stays.)

Our dryer has been taking a looooong time to dry clothes, so out on the line they go, and I'm reminded of how much I love the activity. Admittedly, Houston is kinda soggy and even the sunny day turns on you in a matter of minutes, so while hanging the clothes out on the line may feel like a breezy pioneer poem, many a load has been frantically retrieved to the tune of thunder and in an onslaught of Braxton Hicks as I waddle dash outside to save the dry laundry.

- 4 -

A Zoo Membership: At the beginning of the summer we got a zoo membership. This is apparently something you "just do" if you're a mom in the city. I have no idea how to urban parent. All the parents I knew growing up just sent their kids to the creek and told them to watch out for fire ants. Things like theme parks and zoos were HUGE annual efforts. While I balked at getting a zoo membership, I love it. We can have a day there or a morning there or just drop by when we're in the neighborhood. We can plan a morning playdate there and see half a gorilla and call it good. We can picnic and get the kids completely zonked at the splash pad and head home in time for naps. And nobody makes any comments about how close your kids are together...because it's already a zoo.

- 5 -

Lentil Salad: A friend of mine tuned me into this lentil salad recipe recently, and it's changed my relationship to the blah lentil. I typically make it with more balsamic vinegar than ACV, maybe not quite so much mustard, and whichever of the spices I happen to have. New Roots calls it the best lentil salad ever, and I can't really attest to that, because it's the only lentil salad I've ever had, but it's delish. I've tried all kinds of add-ins, and haven't gone wrong yet.

Linking up with Jenna!

Reading Away the Summer

I've been working on my Summer Reading List.

I always read more books in the summer. Winter is for classics and tomes and Rochester-type characters, and I spend most of it gearing up to finally start reading Les Miserables, but before I know it the weather heats up, and I'm like: "Beach Reads!!" Then I proceed to spend three months basking in YA Fiction and other candy lit.

On my ten day honeymoon in the Canary Islands, I think I read about five books. Jacob is embarrassed whenever I tell people this, but I'm not embarrassed at all, because seaside lounging with a book in one hand and a cocktail in the other is pretty much what I'd always rather be doing.

I'm chewing my way through Lois Lowry's The Giver series. I don't know how I missed it in grade school, but since the movie is coming out in August, I thought I'd get on the ship before it sailed. Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges, please don't disappoint.

For more summer recs, I'll send you straight to Modern Mrs. Darcy herself because her Summer Reading Guide is always my springboard into the year's beach lit. 

Now for an unrelated series of photos:

I went to the library yesterday with the kiddos in tow to get some books I'd put on hold. Jake wanted to play with the kids computer, but it was broken so I let him pick out a book to take home. I know letting your children take out books from the library isn't exactly a milestone, but we've never done it before. I grew up in a household where the rented VHS tapes regularly melted in the car, so I haven't been too eager to usher my three year old - who still can't put on his own underpants - into the world of social responsibility. But yesterday I gave in, and we found ourselves driving home with a copy of ¿Donde Esta Waldo? Wish me luck.

Are you on Goodreads??? I opened a profile awhile back, and I'm making a resolution to use it more consistently. I'd love to connect with you!! Right now my Goodreads feed is pretty much Christy and Laura and Christy and Laura. But that's OK because they're pretty awesome.

Two more unrelated:

What's on your summer reading list??

Five Favorites - Summertime

Welcome to #5faves at the RLog. I'm so so so excited to be hosting for Hallie of Moxie Wife today!

Today I'm favoriting summer. I grew up in Texas, and I speak the language of summer. I won't dump on the other seasons. I'm always ready for sweater weather, and I like a good snuggle in the holidays. But summer has my heart; sprinkle some lemon juice in my hair and point me to the river.

 Here are five of my summer favorites. (Forgive me for ignoring Mother's Day. I'm trying to play it cool.)

 - 1 -

Eco Sunscreen

I'll confess that I haven't run the gamut of "non-toxic" sunscreens. Primarily because this is the first one I tried, and I really like it. It goes on easily and doesn't leave much white residue like many barrier sunscreens, and it doesn't stain my clothing.

It's not Coppertone cheap, but the "Body" sunscreen isn't too too expensive, and our's last us awhile because when we hit the beach our toddler pretty much looks like this:

- 2 -
Wide Brim Sun Hat

I'm trying to embrace the part of me that will soon be turning thirty and needs to keep her very sun sensitive skin covered by more than just lotion. Enter totally awesome, floppy brimmed sun hats. This is definitely on my short list of summer purchases. 

- 3 -

Emu Oil

Little known, marginally interesting fact about my childhood: we raised emus. I don't really know why. It had something to do with an ag exemption and something to do with the fact that my mother liked to start businesses in her free time. So we hatched, raised, and slaughtered these Australian not-ostriches. They came out pretty cute:

Then they grew up big and ugly and smelly and they would get out and we'd find them miles from our house and somehow have to get them back in their pens. Suffice it to say, I don't miss them and I much prefer my parents' current venture involving pecan trees.

But what does emu oil have to do with summer?!? I will tell you. Emu oil is far and away the best sunburn remedy I've ever tried. It would make lobster sunburns all but disappear over night. Don't believe me for all my northern european authority in the area of white white white skin? Try it for yourself.

- 4 -

Salt Water Sandals 

My little brother bought these for me for my birthday and I've only wanted them for forever - or since last summer - because they're comfy and durable and adorable and because the Patton children are my fashion gurus.

- 5 -

A 1920 

Last week Jacob and I had a little celebrating to do, so we found ourselves splurging on some cocktails at Simone on Sunset. I picked the first one on the menu because I get nervous when people are waiting on me - it was called the 1920 and what a lucky strike it was. Ever since Jacob and I spent our newlywed summer drinking mojitos almost exclusively, herby fizzy alcohol just sings summertime. I did my best to replicate it for you and this is what I came up with. 

I can't wait to read about what you're crushing on this week. Thanks again to Hallie for sharing the fun!

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