a summer bucket list + healthy skin
summer is so close… i can taste the sunshine, colorful days, and adventures. {it’s actually my least favorite season, but i am going to soak up the fun days. i know… i am crazy. my order is: fall, spring, winter, summer. i am not a ‘heat lover’ and would much rather snuggle up. what about you? what’s your order?} i have been loving all of the photos of kids’ last day of school lately. yay! we have some exciting summer plans coming up… including multiple trips to the beach, parks’ baptism, visitors form my hometown girlfriends {this weekend and next weekend} mommy & me yoga, our anniversary, birthdays, story time, music in the park, food truck friday, breweries, etc.
1. paint a canvas
2. sleep in a tent
3. have a bonfire with friends
4. rent a cotton candy machine
5. visit a state landmark
6. go strawberry picking
7. library story time
8. outdoor yoga
9. visit a lake and go boating
10. home depot kids workshops
11. dance in the rain
12. can fruit
13. create a taco bar
14. go to a carnival
15. make chore charts
16. learn a magic trick
17. spend an entire day watching movies
18. carve your name on a tree
19. cover the driveway with chalk
20. take photos at a photo booth together
21. drive-in movie night
22. go an entire day with no technology
on another note, yesterday i faced a fear i have had for over a decade now… i went to the dermatologist for a skin check. i was inspired by a previous co-worker, erica, who posted a very honest personal account of her recent experience with malignant melanoma at the age of 30. she waited longer than she should have and the skin cancer went into her lymph nodes resulting in four surgeries, eight incisions, and countless scans/appointments. she went through treatment and is doing so much better {so happy about this} but her posts were so real and so inspirational. instead of sulking, she encouraged others to be proactive with checks + wearing sunscreen. her posts, along with the love i have for my young son, got me to the dermatologist {after waiting way too long}. yesterday’s appointment went really well and i am determined to take better care of my skin. skin cancer runs in my family; along with fair skin, light eyes, tanning all throughout high school for cheerleading/prom/homecoming {so dumb.} and then countless stories from people about losing loved ones early in life. i remember practicing yoga when i first moved to charlotte {a practice that changed my life- please try it if you haven’t!! i used to live with so much unnecessary anxiety…} and hearing eva cassidy’s beautiful voice throughout the entire practice that evening. i went up to the instructor after class and asked about the singer; she went on to tell me that she sadly lost her life at the age of 33 because she didn’t follow up with an abstract mole {over a three year span}. if you have never listened to her, i would do that, too. her voice is so incredibly lovely. this story always stuck with me. my fear was a build up of family history, personal stories from others {i almost passed out at a christmas party when a girl told me that she just had a mole cut off her forehead with a pair of medical scissors/she could hear the snap}, and then waiting way too long in my 20’s. as a result, the thought of going to get checked got in my head and became a fear. now that i went yesterday {and it went well + baby boy was so good during my appointment!} i am determined to go every year + use lots of sunscreen daily. thank you, erica, for being such a positive person {she really is so uplifting} – you are truly an inspiration.
do you get checked regularly?
if not, i hope to pass on the love erica has given me and i hope you make an appointment soon. and please pray that her road to recovery continues to go well- thank you 
also, if you are looking for two great products for summer, i recommend these two from the skin care company, rodan + fields.. they’re both fantastic!
rodan + fields sunless tanner {you don’t get orange/it’s the perfect glow!}
feel free to message me for information about how to get free shipping + 10% off
{monaco.nelle@gmail.com}
mr. monaco and i are trying to get healthy lately
we want to be healthy for ourselves, one another, and for our baby {+ future kids}
yesterday, i shared fifteen smoothie bowl ideas
and hope to share more of our journey with you soon
lastly, i saw this image recently and also wanted to share!
very interesting, right?
what would you add to a summer bucket list for your family?
…
linking up with:
Party at My Place
hope your week is going well!
Comments (2)
Marla Martenson
May 26, 2016 at 5:34 pm
I love your blog! What a great post reminding us to all get our skin checked and take care of ourselves. I am a pale redhead, and take care not to get burned. I wish I could spend more time in the sun, but it's just not possible. I am visiting from Katherine's Corner.
Michelle
May 27, 2016 at 2:13 am
So glad to hear you were pro-active with your health and all is well. When we have children our lives are not our own anymore, we must take care of ourselves so we are there for them. Love the summer bucket list too.
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