it's summertime...

which means i'm finding the best and cheapest ways to stay cool. i am not--how shall we put this?--built for the heat. justin agrees that "my people" were made for rolling, damp english moors or countries that see fewer than 75 days of full sunlight. but yet, here i am in eastern NC in the summer... it becomes the battle of me against the heat. and sunburns. and poison ivy. and mosquitoes. wait, why do i live here again?

so, i make up for it by purchasing cute, cool summertime clothing. i have fallen in love with the ribbed tanks that can be found anywhere this year, especially layered with different colors (which kinda goes against the whole "staying cool" thing, but it is nice to change things up a bit.)

i've found great jewel toned ones at jc penney's, and they're now $5 a piece. five bucks! in the fall and spring, i layer these under jean jackets and cardigans, so they work all around.

i have been building up my collection of cool summer dresses. i love dresses because they're light and make a quick and easy outfit. there are lots of styles out there that are super cute and also quite inexpensive. i actually enjoy browsing discount stores to see what kind of deals i can find, and you'd be surprised where i get these! this one is at wal-mart for $14--i've gotten several compliments when i've worn it.


and i picked up this one at k-mart yesterday. and it's my new favorite dress. the pattern is fun and sorta tropical, but not so over-the-top that you can only wear it at the beach. for only $14 again.
and i found another cute dress at sam's club a few weeks ago for $15. can't find a picture of it online, but i'll see if i can post one soon. though i don't make it to marshall's or tj maxx that often, i try to check out rugged wearhouse every now and then to see what they're carrying. last month, i got two ann taylor loft dresses for $10 a piece. i love it when i find brand name stuff for waaaaay cheap.

the other way i stay cool? complete change in food. my morning coffee becomes iced, and my oatmeal becomes cereal (or a peanut butter and banana sandwich, which is my typical breakfast.) my soups and microwave lunches become....
big delicious salads. i concocted this "greekish" salad with grilled chicken, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, chick peas and cucumber ranch dressing. and i loved every bite of it. plus my sweet leaf mint and honey green tea. best stuff in a bottle. seriously. go to your local sheetz and try it.

the final way i try to stay cool--swimming. and i had all great intentions of swimming last night, but...the weather had other plans for us. by the time i was able to get to our youth group pool party, they were hauling everything inside and the thunder clouds were rolling in. we still had a great time gathering everyone in the garage for a little worship music and a devotional.
it was such a cool experience to be in the garage, with the singing filling up the room and the sound of pouring rain outside. i just had to video a small section of it as we were singing our last song...


i'm hoping for another opportunity for pool-going in the future. without the thunder.

so, how do you stay cool in summer?