1. Go greener and feel better about yourself by taking a tiny step and turning off your lights this summer! Conserve energy and water as both are such an important part of our sustainability and are often carelessly used and wasted.
2. Plan a backyard camping staycation with the children. Roast marshmallows by the grill and make smores and let the good times roll! Kiddos get bored so quickly during the summer months and it does not take much to create a lasting memory!
3. Head to the museum and schedule you and the children for some art classes. There are dozens to choose from and you’ll never know until you try it if you or one of your children are really good at pottery or jewelry making.
4. On my nightside table now is A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan and The Millionaire Real Estate Agent by Gary Keller. One is brain candy and the other is food for thought!
5. Remember to collect cereal and other non perishables like macaroni and cheese and take to the local food bank/shelter. The children that get free lunch and breakfasts get nothing during the summer and count on us to make sure they don’t go hungry.
6. Reinvent yourself! I decided after being out of the real estate scene in sales for almost 25 years that it was time to get my license again and then I fell into getting my travel license too so now when I am not shooting and writing I am going to be able to sell houses and decorate them and shoot them and help my clients get a vacation planned while earning my own for free! Stretch yourself and see what other small things you can add to your plate that will keep you challenged and making a little extra money along the way.
7. We LOVE Asian food and I tinkered with making dished that tasted like our favorites from our local restaurants. My Korean Beef and rice bowls with bell peppers, chia seeds and swiss chard are a HUGE hit at our house and so simple to make! (see recipe below)
8. Book yourself a day at the spa and splurge on a facial, a massage and your nails! During the summer months it’s easy to let things go since we spend so much time outdoors by the pool but a little extra care can make all the difference in how you feel today and how you’ll look years from now. Don’t forget the sunscreen either!
9. Go through your shoes and pocket books and see what you have not used at all or in a long while. Donate them to the Goodwill or local shelter. Many women need a pick me up as they are heading back into the workforce after leaving an abusive marriage and dress for success is a marvelous program geared to help them get back on their feet and ready for interviews.
10. It’s not too late to book a vacation and now you can book that vacation with me! There are lovely getaways for families with small children that cater to the special needs a young family has while away from home. I have packages that include all the characters from Sesame Street as well as for the older children Nickelodeon, and of course other getaways that have no children allowed. Just make sure you schedule something for the holidays now because we are, as an industry; always 6 months ahead in bookings.
