Earlier this week I shared what daily routines, camps, and summer fun we have planned for the kids. I'd love to continue the conversation today and share more about summer camp days for Chris and me, what I'm looking forward to cooking + eating this summer, and the summer capsule wardrobe pieces that I'll be wearing. Let's get into it!

Summer camps days for the parents

A few times this summer all of the kids will be out of the house at camps or daycare. We'll take advantage of Chris's laid-back summer schedule and are declaring those days our own summer camp days of sorts. We don't have specific plans yet but here are some idea of things Chris and I might do:

+ Spend a day in Phoenix and go to a great coffee shop, like Dark Hall, or breakfast spot, like Vovomeena, visit the Phoenix Art Museum, and spruce up Chris's downtown office. (I'm not even sure if I've ever visited his current office!)

+ Get pedicures together. Chris is always up for one!

+ Play favorite board games like Patchwork, Lords of Waterdeep, and Settlers of Catan, and learn to play the beautiful game Wingspan. I gifted Wingspan to Chris at Christmas and it looks so fun but is so complicated! We need our daytime brains – and maybe a second cup of coffee – to get the hang of it.

+ Go to a movie or watch a movie at home – in the middle of the day!

+ Binge one of the many, many great shows we've never watched. Perhaps with delicious takeout. I don't think we even finished season 2 of Ted Lasso and of course there's all of season 3 to watch too.

+ Tackle a satisfying home project like rearranging the studio, hanging more art work, or doing a closet decluttering.

+ Leisurely browse books (for us and for the kids) at the library.

+ Enjoy long, uninterrupted conversations over lunch at new-to-us restaurants, like Source and Kazu Ramen.

+ Go grocery shopping together and cook a new recipe. It's the everyday mundane things like this that we rarely get to do that feel so special when we get to do them.

Summer cooking + eating

A delicious something, or trying out a new recipe, brings me joy even when the weather doesn't. At least there's iced coffee, cold salads, and ice cream when it's 112 degrees outside. Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to cooking and eating this summer, plus a few new recipes I'd like to try :

+ Cold brew coffee, from a coffee shop like Mythical or Peixoto where they always have great seasonal lattes, or homemade cold brew using Trader Joe's coffee bags (as recommended by Sarah, thank you!) with toasted marshmallow Nutpods creamer.

+ I'd love to try making the vanilla mint iced coffee from Pinch of Yum.

+ Cold Mexican bean salad, which I'd like to tweak this summer to include roasted sweet potato and maybe farro as well.

+ Beyond Meat brats and Impossible burgers on the grill.

+ Grilled corn on the cob.

+ My chocolate ice box pie, which I usually make for the 4th of July.

+ The simplest, so delicious, and filling cold lentil salad made with just three Trader Joe's ingredients: steamed lentils, bruschetta topping, and feta. We eat it with the pita bite crackers.

+ Drinking ice cold water from my giant Yeti. A year-round habit but especially appreciated in the summer, and when returning to a hot car.

+ My favorite homemade smoothie made with frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen spinach, peanut butter, a couple of dates, cinnamon, and almond milk.

+ Banana ice cream made in the food processor. My favorite combo is frozen bananas, cocoa powder, and peanut butter.

+ Wednesday or Friday dinner specials from Uprooted Kitchen.

+ Bubbly cold drinks like Olipop or Poppi sodas, flavored sparkling waters, sparkling teas from Trader Joe's, or non-alcoholic beers from Athletic Brewing.

+ Homemade Arnold Palmers.

+ Grab breakfast tacos at Torchy's Tacos (an Austin favorite) in Gilbert (!) when they open in June.

My summer capsule wardrobe

My thinking is the happier I am with my summer clothes the better my attitude will be to endure the heat and inevitable sibling squabbles. In clothes generally I love to feel put together and a bit feminine but comfortable enough to be doing mom things. Here are some of the staples I'll be wearing on repeat this summer featuring a mix of new and well-loved pieces:

+ A sleeveless linen jumpsuit in black. I've been wanting to rock a jumpsuit for so long and took the plunge this year. I bought mine from an Etsy shop and overall am really happy with it.

+ A sleeveless linen top in dusty lavender. Also from an Etsy shop. I'm still waiting for this to arrive so fingers crossed I love it.

+ A flowy and flattering black jersey maxi skirt. (Out of stock but here's a similar one.)

+ Quick-dry shorts that don't look too sporty. (I have the 5 inch inseam length.)

+ Navy blue chino shorts. A stand-by favorite that I've had for years, but bought a new, better fitting version this year.

+ Nisolo huarache sandals. New to me this year and a style I've had my eye on for a long time. Snagged at a discount with a Cup of Jo code (expired but keep an eye out; they are a regular sponsor and offer codes).

+ Knotted linen headband. My fashion adventures (ha!) now include headbands. I especially love a knotted linen headband that I purchased and would love to get a couple more.

+ Cotton summer dress from Boden in olive green with gold dots. I love everything about this dress but the one I wore a few years ago wasn't fitting as well. I was so sad that I might have to let go of a favorite dress but then had the idea to see if I could find a bigger size on EBay. Lo and behold, I could! So I sized up and am reunited with a summer favorite. It's the Boden Melinda olive green dress if you'd like to find one for yourself.

+ Sleeveless smocked tees in four colors. I bought these from Loft a few years ago and they are in constant rotation spring through fall. Unfortunately they changed the fabric and cut of the shirt so they are less flattering and of poor quality. I wish I had bought more when I had the chance!

+ Chacco sandals. (similar) Perfect for the splash pad and spending the day at the creek during our annual book club retreat to Sedona.

+ Rothy's slip-on sneakers. These are a year-round staple. I have the desert cat print which is not in stock but love this olive green color as well.

+ Goodr sunnies. This is my go-to sunglasses brand. They are affordable, polarized, and don't slip even when you're sweating (which I often am).

Okay, capturing all of this makes me excited for all that I have to look forward to this summer. I'd love to hear what summer recipes and wardrobe staples you look forward to. Here's to hoping it's a great one!