weekend in photos.

here's a few snaps from our 4th of july weekend.

how was yours?

did you watch any fireworks?

typical.

swimsuits + towels line the railing in between beach sessions.

morning coffee.

homemade ice cream + berries & whipped cream.

waiting for the fireworks at kawela bay. #nofilter

festive nails.

fresh picked lilikoi.

kalbi on the grill.

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