Yes, it includes overnight oats.

Finally, summer  is upon us. This one is going to be more special than ever, and that’s coming after a string of kick ass summers in recent years. How ever could I top the summer of 2015, which brought the publication of the 300 Sandwiches book, our wedding and the honeymoon of a lifetime?

This summer will also be the first summer with baby. Summer of Q! Let the adventure begin.

Before the official start of the season, we had time to do a dry run of all of the products, food and funstuffs that will carry us through the next few months. From picnic blankets to rose, herewith is the list of things that the three of us won’t be able to do without.

• • Wine delivery service. Why I haven’t just ordered a case of Rose already is beyond me. Instead, I’m buying bottles in pairs every few days for dinners al fresco and the occasional . When I run out, I go to Drizly.com and restock. They can deliver to my house within an hour, which means I have rose in hand before our grill can come to the proper temperature to grill out.
  • Beach tent. This beach tent is a portable shaded safe house on the beach when the sun is blaring down.  It has UPF 50+ protectant fabric and has screened in windows so to give you a view and a cool breeze from outside. It’s big enough for two adults to lay out comfortably, so Q has plenty of room to play and crawl around and still feel the warm ocean breezes on her chubby cheeks.
  • Baby sunblock: I am hyper concerned about what goes on my baby’s skin. Q was too young to use traditional baby sunblock in January when we were in the Dominican Republic, so I simply used pure zinc block and wiped it off when we came inside, per my doctor’s recommendation. I cycled through a bunch of baby sunblock brands since, but Badger sunscreen is also zinc based and made of organic ingredients. One of my mommy friends uses it for her child, so I picked up some for Q.
  • Baby sunblock hats. Gotta keep Q’s big dome protected. (Really, she has a big head, it consistently measures in the 75 to 90 percentile range). This one is still one of my favorites, and it has an adjustable toggle strap so the hat grows with your growing baby.
  • Nylon picnic blanket. We live near the Brooklyn waterfront, and have already spent a few summer Fridays with some rose and snacks while taking in the sunset as it cuts behind our view of downtown New York , the East River and the Statue of Liberty. I love a good picnic blanket with a nylon waterproof backing, and this one from H&M is so cute. I stashed it in Q’s stroller so we could use it during afternoon outings, too.
  • Plastic spray bottles.  During a rooftop barbecue a few weeks ago, the afternoon sun blazed so hot we set up the beach tent under an umbrella to create a shady area for the kids. To keep them even cooler, we used spray bottles to gently mist the babies with water. That made the difference between uncomfortable, dehydrated kiddos and happy sun tots. It’s like carrying a portable sprinkler at your finger tips.
  • Overnight oats. During the summer, I want to get out of the house as fast as possible to enjoy the awesome summer weather. Instead of making a lengthy breakfast, overnight oats are our favorite grab and go morning meal. E and I are pushing each other to come up with different tasty combinations each day. We prep overnight oats the night before, and grab a bowl with coffee for instant breakfast. I’m enjoying the ol’ standby of banana (sliced), coconut flakes, chocolate shavings, cinnamon and almond milk. E is a chocolate protein powder, coffee, maple syrup, almond milk kinda guy.
  • Go to summer sandwich:   Nothing says summer like sandwich #23, the tomato and feta cheese open faced sandwich. Fresh heirloom tomatoes, crisp herbs, chopped garlic. Makes me want to head to a farmstead in the country immediately.

(I didn’t get paid for any of this. I just love what I love and wanted to share.)

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