Summer Home Bar Guide

Summer is here, and there is no better time to kick back and sip something wonderful! Here are a few of my favorites for your home bar. I know you are going to want to lift your glass and say cheers to all of these summer home bar must haves! 

This year has been interesting to say the least. We are now 4 months into the pandemic. I have been wondering... Who ordered 2020 from wish?

It seems that every day is the same, except one thing that changes. It just keeps getting hotter outside! Cocktail hour is the only thing getting me by, so let's check out some of my favorite products of the summer for the home bar.

Samples have been provided, and affiliate links may be used below.

Papo J Lambanog's Vodka is a must have for any home bar, this vodka is made with the nectar of coconut flowers to create a smooth, decadent, distinctly south pacific vibe.  Mix it in a margarita, or add it to cold brew coffee for a an afternoon pick me up. Order online or locate a store on the Papo J's website for about $29.

Summer is the time to take the drinks outside, but who wants to break a great glass? Halo Vino has you covered with these durable little glasses that unbreakable, stack-able, and dishwasher safe. They even float, so if you want to drink a bottle of wine while floating the day away, like I do, you can. Oder online starting at $13 a 6 pack.

Spark by The Hemp Division is a must have for your home bar this summer. It is like a great seltzer with a hefty dose of cbd. Add it to a vodka soda, or just sip it ice cold to take the edge off.I love the Orange Mango flavor! Order a 12 pack for $40 online.

This is the summer of the spiked seltzers for good reason; they are fantastic! Mighty Swell Spiked Seltzer has some amazing flavors that hit the spot on a hit day. I love that they are so much lighter than other cocktail options. I am crazy about  the cherry lime variety. It is so good! Find your favorite spiked spritzer and where to order online.

Cocktail 2 Go Kits let you take all of the essentials for a great crafted cocktail with you in a convenient tin. All you need to add is the booze and ice. Take these in the air, or to the hotel, or keep a few in your home bar for a perfectly mixed cocktail anytime. Shop their impressive line of kits online starting at about $15.

We might not be able to travel to all of the awesome places we wanted this summer, so instead of pining away for Mexico, why not bring the flavors of a great Michelada to your  home with these convenient bottles by Thirsty Bartender .Add the rimming salt to your cart too for an easy and super authentic flavor.

Every home bar needs excellent glasses, so why not order some of these uber unique ones from Well Told and show your patriotic side? The Constitution Rocks glasses start at $14.50.

Take the guesswork out of finding great wine with a subscription from The Wine Insider Club. Single bottles are available for purchase starting at $10 a bottle, or you can get a 12 bottle assortment shipped to your door every 12 weeks for about $90.

On the hottest of days, there are few things that are better than an ice cold craft beer. With a subscription to the Craft Beer Club, you can try excellent new varieties, selected by people who know fine beer. For about $43 you can get a 12 pack shipped to your door that includes 3 bottles of 4 varieties. This is an excellent way to keep the party going all summer long without needing to hit the store yourself!

Mixed drinks seem so much fancier at home with some great rimming sugar or salt. Find a great assortment of options like Zesty Orange Sugar and Bloody Mary Salt Rimmers from Creative Mixology starting at about $15 for all of your at home drink mixing.

A great set of Whisky Stones is a must have for those who don't want to dilute their drink with ice. Get a great set from the Irish Whisky Company starting at about $25 for a set of 8.

Skip the Store and Get it At Your Door

In the current covid climate, I am trying to avoid the store as much as possible, but life happens and who wants to go without the things they need? Thankfully, you can get almost anything delivered these days! I have rounded up a few favorites that I have skipped the store for and had delivered to my door. I think you will love all of these ideas and I hope they help you skip the store and get it at your door too.

Samples might have been received, or affiliate links may have been used for this post.

Spending so much time at home means wearing shoes less, and slippers more. Treat yourself to something super comfy! EZ Feet makes memory foam slippers for both men and women that are affordable and perfect for working from home, or just relaxing! Get them starting at about $20 on Amazon.

Bugs happen, especially in the summer! No need to dash out to the store where the other scary things might be lurking. Earth Kind has all kinds of ways to keep insects at bay in an earth friendly way. Check out their insect repellents, spider, moth, rodent and mosquito away kits and get them delivered to your door for a bug free summer. Prices start around $13.

Craving cookies? Why not get some crunchy chocolate chips delivered to your door? Miss Myrtle's Chocolate Chip Cookies make a great way to deliver a smile with snack time. Order a 6 pack starting at $5. We loved the chocolate chip walnut ones! 

Has the grocery store meat department been a little blah lately? It has been a challenge to get a good steak around here, but that is not a problem. Bone In Butcher Shop is shipping some of the finest cuts of meat you can imagine, right to your door. Prices are reasonable for such great quality. 

Need new undies? Get them delivered to your door with Wama organic underwear. They make styles for men and women that are comfortable and earth friendly. Prices start at about $24 for men's styles and $20 for ladies. You will love how easy ordering your unmentionables can be.

Craving gluten free cheesecake that won't blow your low carb diet? Get it dropped off at your door from Good and Tasty Bakes. They offer 3 varieties that are really good for when the craving hits.  Prices start at $15 for a slice of keto friendly decadence. 

The best burger is as close as your doorstep when you order Vermont Wagyu. Mix it into a meatloaf, or grill up a few burgers for a great flavor that you don't need to leave the house for. Wagyu Burger starts at $14 a pound and is well worth it considering there is nothing quite like it!

No need to travel for fresh roasted salmon! Blue Circle is happy to ship it straight to your door. Get happy salmon in cute shapes, smoked thin salmon for lox bagels, or ready to serve roasted salmon that you can feel good about starting at about $14 for melt in your mouth thin sliced smoked salmon.

It has been said that bacon is life; so why not bring flavor to your day without dashing out the door? The Baconer makes some of the best bacon to be found, and they will ship something wonderful to your house. Imagine full flavor with no contact! Order the XXL Bacon Steaks for a total meaty treat. Prices start at $75 for a 3 pack of XXL bacon steaks.

If you have ordered something unconventional for delivery, I would love to hear about it. I hope this list helps you skip the store and get it at your door on some unique items! 

Dinosaur Rescue Fine Motor Activity

Looking for a way to work on fine motor skills with the kids while having a ton of fun? This dinosaur rescue fine motor activity is perfect for hands on fun and busy work.

Some of the best activities are the simple ones and this dino rescue is no exception! While cleaning bedrooms, the idea to add a new dimension of play to some old toys was hatched.  

This hands on play idea will give kids a chance to explore a favorite toy in a new way. They  will love rescuing the dinos while working on their fine motor skills. Parents will appreciate how easy this is to set up, and that only two supplies are needed.

Affiliate links have been used below.

Supplies:
Dinosaurs
Small Rubber Bands or Rainbow Loom Bands

Directions:
Stretch small rubber bands all over the dinosaur, cover the arms, legs, tail, scales, spikes, etc in a variety of ways.
Offer the trapped dino to your child.
Encourage your child to remove the bands, one by one, until the dinosaur is free.

Carefully supervise this activity as these bands can be dangerous to little people and critters.

Be sure to dispose of the bands properly as they can be a choking hazard to children and pets.

If your children are younger, use fewer bands. If your children are older, add more bands to make it more challenging!

If you had fun with this idea, you might want to check out my other fun fine motor activities.

Reader favorites include:

Play Doh Lollipop Counting

Play Doh Pre Writing

Summer Hair Care Favorites

Summer is the perfect time to try something new for your hair and I have been trying out all of the best in hair care products and can't wait to tell you about a few of my favorites!

5 years ago if you had asked my about my hair, the only word to describe it would have been FRIZZY. I had a big, frizzy mess of hair. I didn't know what to do with it, and I didn't even try. I just bought whatever was on sale and went with it. When I was a kid, I remember getting excited about apple or strawberry scented suave shampoo. If my mom bought it instead of V05, it was something to talk about.

These days, I have learned to look for better ingredients to get better results. Here are a few of my summer hair care favorites.

Samples may have been received, or affiliate links may be used.

Clarifying shampoo is a must have, and it goes with hydrating conditioner like a dream. Get the combo from Number 4 Hair and treat your locks to deep cleaning and deep conditioning! Prices start around $32 and you are going to love the bottles! 

My hair has a little curl to it, and a little wave. When I want to play up on that, I like to use Orange Marmalade by Ecoslay. For $10 a bottle you can get a curl definer that has a ton of holding power and a wonderful fragrance to it too. Refrigerate this for best results as the ingredients are natural!

Having dry shampoo on hand is a must have anytime of year. CoLab makes a variety of award winning dry shampoo products to suit all hair types and deliver amazing results.  The original is awesome for anytime of day, and you will love that there is no white residue with this dry shampoo! Check out the collection and locate a store near you on the CoLab website.

If you liked this summer hair care favorites post, please share it on social! 

You can find more of my best of 2020 posts here.

Feather Beading Fine Motor Activity

Feather beading is a fun fine motor activity that kids will love. It is perfect busy work and offers an outlet for creative expression with essential skills. Best of all, the supplies to create this activity are affordable and easy to find.

The kids have been out of school for a long time, at least 4 months already. I have been pulling out all of the stops to keep mine entertained and ready for when they are back in a classroom. This easy fine motor feather beading activity has been a big hit with both kids. They love to make patterns and have something to tinker with.  It is ideal for preschoolers and kindergartners.

Supplies:

Craft Feathers

Pony Beads

Directions:

Give your child a few feathers and a pile of beads.

Encourage your child to thread the beads onto the feathers.

To make things more of a challenge, encourage your child to make a pattern with the beads.

If you are offering this activity to younger kids, observe them carefully as beads can pose a choking hazard.

If you are giving this activity to older kids, challenge them to make more complex patterns, with a reminder to keep beads out of the ears, nose and mouth. No matter what age you complete this with, it is a great boredom buster with some educational perks.

                                             You can find all of my fine motor activities here.

Reader favorites include:

Fine Motor Counting

Unicorn Fine Motor Bin