Summer is here! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, summer in Texas is H-O-T hot! Why do I bring this up? Today I was talking to a friend of mine and she was telling me that it was going to be hot this weekend for her in North Carolina. It’s going to be 84 degrees. Yes, that made me laugh and she knew it would.

She always asks me “How on earth do you deal with the Texas heat?” She thinks I’m crazy for living in the heat and I of course, think she crazy for loving snow so much but to each his own right? My daughter says we are like Tinker Bell and Periwinkle.

Now I will admit Texas heat is a special kind of heat. It’s not like New Mexico or even Florida heat. So if you are planning on traveling to or through Texas know what you’ll be dealing with. It can get so hot you can cook an egg on the asphalt. Don’t believe me? Search on YouTube for “cook an egg on asphalt in Texas”. You get in your car when it’s over 100 degrees and you literally can’t breathe it’s so hot. Trust me, that is not an exaggeration. You have to put the windows down and let that heat out before you even think of getting in. That’s one time, leather seats in the car are not a good thing.

So how do you deal with the Texas heat?

Well for one thing, know when it’s best to stay indoors. There are certain hours of the day that you should just avoid being outside. Typically from about 12-2 are the worst but that doesn’t mean it isn’t already hot by 9 a.m. most days.

It’s summer time and the kids don’t want to be cooped up at home just ’cause it’s hot. So we head to the local swim club on “open swim” days. It’s indoors so we don’t have to worry about the sun. Plus it’s usually right around that stay out of the sun time so it’s perfect. It gives them the chance to be active, get out and make friends.

Signing up for Kids Bowl Free programs and the like are another way to keep the kids active, let them have some fun and keep them out of the summer heat. And speaking of having fun, a hot day is a perfect excuse to stop off for an ice cream or snow cone.

We rarely if ever leave the house without cold water to drink. This is where I had to give in to my husband’s logic and I will admit it works. He recently purchased a Yeti 32 oz tumbler. Even left in the hot car in the summer, the drink in the glass still stays really cold. I opted for a less expensive brand, the Rtic which in my opinion is just as good at keeping your drink extremely cold.

And as far as clothing goes, it’s a lot of shorts, tank tops, sundresses and sandals to help keep cool. The last thing you want to be wearing is jeans and tennis shoes. Yes, my hair is usually in a pony tail. Long hair gets hot.

So basically, to get through the Texas summer heat there’s just a few things to it:

• Know when to stay out of the sun.
• When it is just “too hot” to be outside. Find indoor activities that still provide exercise, socialization and fun.
• Keep yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water and keep fresh cool fruits stocked in the fridge.
• Wear weather appropriate attire.

Pretty simple huh? But I will tell you one thing, when it’s over 100 degrees here (and it will be soon I’m sure) I’ll be wishing I was in North Carolina with my friend.

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It won’t be long before summer is here and you start getting that urge to pack up the kids, hop in the car and road trip it! We still have several weeks of school and I am already getting that urge. It’s the wanderlust in me, I can’t help it.

But as much as we’d like to just grab the kids and go there are things to think about. There are some essential items you need to make sure you take with you.

Essentials:

• Travel apps – navigation – Google Maps, fuel saving – Gas Buddy, food – Around Me are just a few you might want to add to your list. You probably have a ton of apps on your phone so adding a couple more is no big deal right? They can be a life saver when you need them.

No one enjoys getting lost well unless you happen to come across a great location. But for the most part if you are heading somewhere specific that’s where you want to get.  Running out of gas is no picnic either nor is paying a lot for fuel. And food – everyone gets the munchies on the road for some reason. I think mine eat more on the road than they do at home. If you are in an unfamiliar area Around Me is a great time saver.

• Cell Phone & car charger – While I’m sure your phone is attached to you most of the times don’t forget the car charger for it. Double check for it before you leave the house and make sure it’s in the car and not in the one in the garage. I may have done this once.

On long road trips you don’t want to run out of battery and an emergency come up and not be able to use your phone due to a dead battery.

• Camera and gear – Family road trips are made for making memories.

Make sure you take along spare batteries and plenty of space on your SD card. If you’ll need to unload your photos from your SD card don’t forget to grab your laptop and pack that too. Remember though it’s nice to unplug sometimes.

 Food/Snacks – The road seems to make people hungry.

I don’t know what it is about being on the road but my family seem to be constantly hungry while we are on a road trip. So packing a bag of some healthy snacks and some not so healthy snacks (not that I’m advocating eating unhealthy but let’s be honest kids want chips).

• Water/Beverages – If you give your kids a snack, they are going to want a drink to go with it.

Even a small ice chest with some bottles of water, fruit juice or your preferred beverage can have more than one benefit on the road. You’ll save some money and less time will be spent stopping on the road. It will be a quick in and out if you have to make a pitstop for potty breaks.

• Pillows/Blankets – Driving in the car has always lulled my kids to sleep. It still does.

If you’ve ever tried sleeping with your head against a car door and window you know why pillows are being suggested. The person driving is in charge of the A/C and that usually means we are going to get blasted with cold air in our car. Blankets are a must in a cold car. Is it the same in yours?

• Driving music – Road trips are the perfect time to jam out to your favorite tunes (and if your dancing and singing along happens to annoy the children in the process – oops!)

Music brings back memories, makes the time pass and is just plain fun so add to the fun and crank the tunes.

• An extra set of keys – spare keys! Keep an extra set of car keys with you.

You don’t want to accidentally get locked out of your car and no way to get to your keys quickly and you don’t want the added expense of having to call a locksmith.

• Roadside Assistance Number – This should be in your car and/or on your phone already.

• Jumper charger – You just never know when your car battery will die on you and if you don’t want to have to wait around for an hour or so for roadside assistance this will do it. Especially if you are in an unfamiliar area or in an area you don’t feel safe in. There are many types and brands. some even have air compressors in them in case of a flat so do your research and find the one that will work best for you.

Pack for fun, memory making and safety! Now get ready to hit the road this summer and have some family fun.

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