We started traveling with our children when they were very young. Our son took his first plane ride at 18 months to Jamaica and our daughter was around 2 when we traveled to the Mall of America in Minnesota. And although they might not remember those earlier trips vividly we hope they will always remember spending quality time together as a family experiencing new things.
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We've traveled quite a bit as a family my top three summer destinations were: 

Panama City Beach- This laid back beach town in Florida is so quaint and I loved that everything was accessible. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort and it was right on the beach plus it had a little water park area on site for the kids! And right next door (walking distance) was a mini golf course. Also within a mile or two there were several restaurants and fun places to visit like Ripley's Believe It or Not! Every night at the pool they pulled out a big inflatable screen and showed family friendly movies. The beaches in Florida are beautiful and even though we were in the U.S. it felt like a tropical vacation.

Road Trip from Texas to California- A road trip was on our family bucket list but I have to admit I was always hesitant. My patience is pretty short and I just doubted my ability to make a trip that far BY CAR. Not to mention sometimes I get a little motion sickness. But that trip has by far been my favorite! We were actually supposed to fly from Houston to Arizona and then drive to California but bad weather had our flight looking iffy, so we decided to bite the bullet and hit the road from Houston at 3am. When I woke up my husband had practically gotten us to El Paso before I took over the drive. We rented a roomy van with a TV and DVD player. We also had snacks galore and the kids had their favorite blankets and pillows. It was my first time seeing the glory and expanse of the Texas landscape (I'd only driven to Austin, Dallas and San Antonio). We drove through New Mexico and then stopped in Arizona to sleep. The next morning we had a big breakfast and headed to the Grand Canyon which, even as you're looking at it, it doesn't seem real. We then drove to the Hoover Dam and HOT isn't even an adequate word to describe the heat! But the structure itself is amazing, it just felt like we were in an oven!  Afterwards we went to Las Vegas and drove down the strip;  the kids were totally fascinated by the lights and action. We actually stayed one night in a hotel off the strip but the next morning we did walk the strip, so that the kids could see inside some of the incredible hotels. (Sidenote: Las Vegas is way more fun without kids! ;-) After leaving Vegas we headed to Palm Springs. Very picturesque but also very HOT!! We stayed at the Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort for a few days before our final destination of San Diego. We went to the San Diego Zoo and spent the last few days of the trip at Carlsbad beach before driving back home. It was incredible to bond that way with my family, my husband was patient and kind (he always is) and my kids were on their best behavior (they aren't always angels ;-). I'd suggest a road trip at least once before your kids get too old. 

Bahamas- We were in the Bahamas for one week. We stayed at the Atlantis on Paradise Island for three days of our stay and then moved to the more affordable Comfort Suites across the street. The great thing about our Comfort Suites stay was that it was more than half the price of the Atlantis and we still got to enjoy the amenities at the Atlantis property thanks to a partnership they have with Comfort Suites. The Atlantis is a magical place for kids and it just so happened the summer we went it was Cartoon Network summer, so everything was Cartoon Network themed and my kids were really into the shows on Cartoon Network at the time. There were obstacle courses, character parades and movies on the green every night. My kids still talk about this trip, so hopefully it's one they will always remember!

For many entrepreneurs and freelancers the summer is just another three months. It's business as usual and it's even more challenging to try and get new clients and keep things afloat when the rest of the world has unplugged.

Here are five things entrepreneurs should do while things are slow over the summer:

Summer officially starts June 20th but swimsuit season is already underway! I know most women start their fitness routines in January to get "fit and fine" for summer but I'm not one of those women. I try to be healthy but I believe in balance not starvation or deprivation for a particular season. 

I've come to accept I will never be the size I was for most of my 20's (twenty plus years ago) and I'm okay with that. Right now it's all about how I feel, which has a direct impact on how I think I look.

Since we always end up at the beach during the summer, I've got a few go to swimsuits that make me feel (and look) pretty good without breaking the bank:

(At left: wearing the one piece swimsuit I got for a steal at Amazon. See details below)

This hot pink one-piece has a ruched panel in the front to help with tummy control and smooth out your silhouette. I also love the retro style with the tie straps!  I got this one from JC Penney about five years ago and it's still one of my go to's and I can still fit into it!  :-)

I just purchased this swimsuit a few weeks ago and it's already my favorite from any I've ever owned! It's an off the shoulder beauty that's playful and flirty while providing max coverage up top! It's unlined but has padding in the bust area. 

I don't wear bikini's but I love a good two piece tankini. This trendy, neck strap top has a deep V cut but covers everything even the side boob.Lol! You can also pair it with white linen shorts to take it from the beach to sightseeing. 

In addition to spending quality time with my family, I'm making plans to put a serious dent in my TBR (to be read) pile this summer. My goal is to read two books per month.  Here's what's on my list:

1. Jump by Steve Harvey- This inspirational book provides tips and gems from Steve Harvey on living the life of your dreams. Looking forward to getting a refresher and some reminders. This book started from a viral video where he encouraged people to jump and take a chance on themselves!
2. ​We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist- A semi-autobiographical story from the author and how he reached out to his former girlfriends to try and learn what happened to end their relationship and why he's so unlucky in love. I read a passage in the store and was laughing out loud, so I decided to purchase it!
3. Who Asked You by Terry McMillan- This book focuses the complicated relationship the main character, Betty Jean and her relationship with her ne'er do well children. I'm a big fan of Terry McMillan and looking forward to reading yet another one of her family dramas. This one was a $2.00 find at a thrift store.
4. The Last Letter for Your Lover by Jojo Moyes- I was really intrigued by reading the back cover of this book- a woman named Jennifer wakes up from a car accident unable to remember anything. She finds a letter from someone named "B" who she was going to leave her family for but she can't remember who he is and she stays with her family. Fast forward to 2003 a journalist finds the letter and she sets out to solve the relationship between Jennifer and the mysterious "B".
5. Someday this Will Be Funny by Lynne Tillman- This book is a collection of short stories  from various narrators. . .from Amazon: "Tillman’s preferred subject: the unsettled mind. Collectively, these stories own a conscience shaped by oaths made and broken." I got this one as a recommendation
6. Every Little Step by Bobby Brown (not shown)- I got this one on Kindle for a steal at $1.99 Performer, former member of New Edition and husband of Whitney Houston- R&B's bad boy chronicles his life in this short memoir about his days with New Edition, his solo fame and his life with Whitney. 

What's on your reading list? (If you're looking for a good summer read, check out my currently published books.)

Welcome to June! This is the first post in my Summer Blog Series, which I've decided to do as a way to share and document some of my summer activities and projects. I've come to accept that being a full time blogger is just something I don't have the time or discipline to do however I love writing and sharing information, so I will pop in every now and then to do just that.

This Summer Blog Series will include a variety of summer themed posts that focus on the following:

• Suggestions for entrepreneurs on keeping business going during summer months
• Parenting hacks- kids crafts, summer treats
• Summer reading and other essentials
• Summer home projects and much more!

So I hope you'll check out my posts every Friday this summer!

During the first week of May every year, I create a calendar of activities, events and projects for the entire summer.  Disclaimer: Not every single day is accounted for and those are the stay-in-pajamas-and-binge-watch-Netflix-all-day days.  But since I do have two children (actually one of them is officially a teenager now) I've learned to be prepared for the, "What are we doing today?" "I'm bored," "Can we go to the mall?" (And that question would actually come from my 8 year old daughter!)

I just find we maximize our time (and I reduce my headaches) when I create an actual calendar.  Here's my approach:

1. I take a sheet of notebook paper and write down all the things that HAVE to be done over the summer. Dentist appointments, immunizations, my client projects, school shopping, etc.
2. Then I write down some FREE activities.  Visiting library, making snow cones, going to the pool, family game night, etc.
3. Next I ask my kids to tell me 2-3 things they would like to do over the summer.  Visit zoo, play mini golf, go see one of the million superhero movies hitting theaters, etc.
4. I open up the calendar template in Word and start randomly plugging activities on the June, July, and August calendars.  I make sure I work around our annual summer vacation dates and I intentionally leave Monday's blank. I never pass up an opportunity to sleep in on a Monday.  I also am careful not to put more than 3 activities in one week. I don't want to overwhelm our summer and my kids need to learn to be okay without doing something every single second of the day!
5. Once the calendar is done, I print one month at a time and hang it on the refrigerator.