paisley romper.

on this day, it was the perfect afternoon to hit the beach. the sun was out, the water was clear, the tide was low...and i could enjoy it all in this roomy romper from Driven Boutique. It looks and feels like a dress, but the shorts allowed me to frolic freely.

for as long as i can remember, i always loved paisley prints. (i have the pictures to prove it!) it had an "old" vibe and was usually associated with darker colors like maroons and greens. this bright romper was a fresh new take on paisley.

while many of you may be bundled up for winter, this is a great time to stock up on warm-weather items on sale. you can get this and many other fun items starting an only $8 at drivenboutique.com. use my code: rebecca10 for 10% off your purchase.

(bright paisley romper, $8)

keep up with driven boutique here: shop | instagram

a week of summer whites. textures 01.

with summer officially over, we had a big blowout at the beach house this weekend. some friends are in town, too, so it was one big slumber party. mini-she cooked for us all weekend...chocolate chip banana pancakes + bacon + eggs for breakfast, steak + sauteed onions for dinner, snicker doodles + homemade ice cream for dessert...the eating [and drinking] never stopped. plus, the weather was perfect for the multiple trips we made to the beach. we also escaped the heat for a quick trip to the movies (if anyone saw disney planes fire & rescue, windlifter was definitely my fave).

with your summer skin a few shades darker, lighter clothing shades amplify your glowing skin. so we're bidding summer farewell with a week of summer whites. when wearing all white (or all black) use texture to add interest to your outfits.

are you (or your kids) back in school?

what will you miss most about summer?

love these bic flame disks! a super easy alternative to charcoal that was perfect for making s'mores.

peace out, summer!

(patty's closet top; express denim;

justfab shoes; thrifted top; inpink necklace)

try the look:

bright nails + a cute clutch.

this summer i've been loving bright nails. i dabbled in colors i normally wouldn't go for, like royal blue and this lime green, and have become quite fond of them. when i bought these two, i couldn't decide which to wear first, so i put them both on!

and how adorable is this little clutch? it's been perfect for carrying around all my necessities. there are lots of cute designs that'll have you daydreaming of the beach. i wanted them all, but i chose this one because the minis and i love collecting shells.

what color are you rocking on your nails?

(sinful nail polish in pink: 24/7; green: innocent)

(lil coconut hawaii clutch, buy)

a week of summer essentials. what's in my beach bag.

to round off this summer essentials series, here's a look at what's in my beach bag. i make it a mission to travel as light as possible since i'm usually the one carrying the bag. when it's hot (and the kids are cranky), the last thing i need is a heavy bag. so these are my stripped down essentials for a normal trip to the beach.

uv blocker compact umbrella, UPF 55+

i bought this UV umbrella years ago after mini-he was born as an added "layer" of protection. i kept it in the car, and it gave me confidence knowing that we'd be protected wherever we went...in case we forgot sunscreen or stayed out longer than expected. there was a special at the time, so i bought one for my mom and sisters; we all love it. this UV umbrella always makes it in the beach bag.

helen kaminski raffia fedora, UPF 50+

a casual fedora or baseball cap is always in the bag. at the very least, it's great for taming salty post-beach tresses, but it's also great protection for your face, hair, and scalp. can't tell you how many times i've come home after a day at the beach with a sunburned scalp. 

tiger stainless sahara bottle

i never leave the house without my ice-water-filled bottle. it's important to stay hydrated, and this bottle keeps drinks cold even under the blazing sun.

snacks are not a high priority because "getting a snack" is sometimes the only way to get the minis to leave the beach! but most times i end up packing them anyway. easy to eat nuts & trail mixes and pretzels survive the heat, and fruits are refreshing. cuties are perfect because they require no cutting and are 'individually' wrapped.

forget the thick, fancy, designer towels! while i do have them, they almost never make it in the bag. do you know how heavy three wet beach towels are?! i always grab a stack of our inexpensive towels which usually are smaller and thinner. they dry easily between swims and are more practical (size-wise) for kids.

i know plastic bags aren't good for the environment, but we all have them, and they are useful. i always throw one in the bag for the wet stuff...towels, rash guards, etc.

sunscreen is a given. i always have at least two

bottles in the bag.

i always throw in a book to read just in case.

sunglasses are a given. i always throw in a few pairs, including cheap ones that i don't mind getting wet or lost.

in case you missed it:

a week of summer essentials . sunscreen

a week of summer essentials . UPF clothing

a week of summer essentials . hydration

a week of summer essentials. UPF clothing.

summer is all about being outdoors, doing what you love, and soaking up the sunshine. but at some point, you have to cover up and protect yourself from the rays. just as sunscreens have an SPF (sun protection factor) rating, clothing has a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rating. they have to have a rating of at least 15 in order to be labelled as sun-protective and a minimum rating of 30 in order to have the skin cancer foundation's seal of approval. UPF 30-49 is considered good protection, 50+ is excellent.

look for this seal.

your typical white tee has an average UPF of 7. once it gets wet, it drops to 3. fabric that is stretched out also loses its protection as light can seep through, so make sure to replace them as they wear out.

whatever your passion, there is something cute made just for it. here are some options for keeping you protected while still looking stylish.

swimming / surfing / paddling

j.crew geometric tiki rashguard, UPF 50

j.crew geometric tiki hipster

seea sand dollar support top, UPF 30

seea jalama bikini bottom

surfing / volleyball

billabong skinny sea legs, neoprene

athleta roca chica scallop bikini, UPF 50

athleta roca chica scallop swim shorts, UPF 50

poolside / running

tory burch tomino surf shirt & swim skirt, SPF 50

athleta sunnyside seamless rashguard tee, UPF 50+

athleta kamala petal shorts, UPF 50+

hiking / farmer's market

patagonia long-sleeved overcast shirt, UPF 30

spfaddict groovy times shirt, UPF 50+

walking / water park

athleta pacifica UPF shirt, UPF 50+

land's end aqua terra hibiscus zip-front rash guard, UPF 50

lunch or coffee with friends

mott 50 hvar boatneck dress, UPF 50

spfaddict perfect dress, UPF 50+

there's also a laundry additive, Sun Guard, that washes UPF 30 sun protection right into your every day clothing!

it's good for 20 washes.

how far do you go for sun protection?
do you wear UPF clothing?

in case you missed it:

a week of summer essentials . sunscreen

a week of summer essentials. sunscreen.

sunscreen is an integral part of my daily routine, even more so during summer months when we are outdoors more often. year after year, it's easy to get lazy and sloppy about our application, so here are a few simple reminders and myth-busters.

how much SPF should you wear?

a sunscreen with at least 15-30 SPF is recommended.

higher SPFs offer little additional benefits. they may create a false sense of security - making you think that since you aren't red or burning, you are not damaging your skin, or that it's ok to stay in the sun longer.

when should you use sunscreen?
always. sunny, rainy, or cloudy, you should always wear sunscreen.
the sun is there, doing its damage, even if you can't see or feel it.

how much sunscreen is enough?

nickel size each for face and neck. don't forget your ears!

one ounce (shot glass) for your body, more or less depending on your size.

most people apply only 1/4 of what is needed and aren't getting the full SPF protection stated on the label. if you use the same tube for the entire summer, chances are you aren't using enough! if you have left over after summer, chances are you didn't use enough!

here's an example for the products i'm currently using:


how often should you apply sunscreen?
apply sunscreen 30 minutes before exposure, then generally reapply every two hours.
reapply more often with excessive sweating or swimming.

does layering products increase SPF?
no. the product with the highest SPF is what you would get - in this case, 55.
however, it's likely you're not using enough foundation or powder to get its full SPF, so don't count on them solely.



order of products: ideally, your sunscreen should go on last. if you are wearing makeup, moisturize first, apply sunscreen second, and makeup last. give each layer ample time to soak in (3-5 mins).
mixing products: adding moisturizer (with no SPF) to a foundation with SPF 17 will dilute the foundation, and you may not get the full SPF 17 protection. make sure each product has a minimum of SPF 15 to maintain their effectiveness.

what research is showing...
sunscreen does not provide 100% protection. harmful infrared radiation can penetrate UV filters (our typical UVA/UVB sunscreens) and cause damage to the skin. try layering an antioxidant serum under your sunscreen for greater protection.

try these:

it happens.

even with our best intentions, we sometimes forget to reapply sunscreen or miss a spot and end up with a nasty burn. take cool showers and apply an after-sun care product with aloe to cool and prevent peeling.

my favorite:

do you have any sunscreen application tips?

weekend in photos. summer love.

it's rare that we have a weekend completely free. someone always has a game, practice, class, or birthday party. this past weekend was one of those free weekends, so we headed to the beach house. it was the ideal summer weekend just hanging out, eating, and hitting the beach to surf, paddle, and swim several times a day. in the evenings, we'd play [with the neighborhood kids] on the street till dark, wind down by playing cards or games, and finally pop in a movie to end the night.

how's your summer so far?

carrot juice to kick off the weekend.

soaking up the last bits of sun.

sun protection essentials.

having fun letting the waves push us around.

iphone stack...plus the one i'm using to take the picture.

pork quesadillas from killer tacos.

[mini-he and me] on top of the world alligator rock! 

strawberry + coconut shave ice w/ice cream from my fave general store.

mini-she.

something i've always wanted to try for mini-he. i think i got more of a kick out of it than he did.

playing in the streets till dark...mini-he had the best time riding bicycles and scooters with the neighborhood boys. they were racing down a hill, and being the protective mom that i am, i followed along...cheering but also reminding him to use his brakes and slow down if he didn't feel comfortable. at one point, he actually shoo'd me and said under his breath, "i know, mom, go. go." i laughed to myself at the time, but thinking about it makes me sad...he's growing up!