Weekend Recap + East Coast Summer Survival

There are three ingredients that help me get through every summer weekend - this shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #RewardHealthyChoices #CollectiveBias

Did you get hit with any bad storms this past weekend? Our poor neighbors just moved into their house on Thursday or Friday and their basement flooded with all the rain we got on Saturday. This was a big reminder to always check those sump pumps. Besides all the rain and the dreaded first Father's Day, it was a pretty great and successful weekend. 

Since we moved to Maryland, our weekends have been consumed with trying new restaurants, going to the beach, going to the dog park, working on our house (inside and out), and just enjoying what the Chesapeake Bay area has to offer. This weekend was not different.

Friday A went to the MVA and we are now officially Maryland residents. It was a huge process but not much different than Michigan, California, or Indiana. Let me just tell you though, I am really getting tired of the whole process. Luckily, A was able to handle most of the transition without needing me there. We then just enjoyed a quiet Friday evening with the remainder of OITNB.

Saturday we slept in a bit and then took the pup to the dog park. We used to take her all the time in California, but Indiana didn't have any nice one's that were inexpensive. So it's been over 2 years since she's been at a leash-less park and she is more about the human interaction over dog play. She's a princess!

After she was more than pooped, we ventured back home to do some yard work and get some exercise in. A and I knew that we wanted to go try this new restaurant and when beer, appetizers, and entrees are involved, a good sweat session is needed prior. We did a 40 minute couplet workout and I thought I might die. 

We made it back home from dinner just in time to watch a severe storm system roll in. We grabbed some drinks and the pup and went out to our deck. It's so lovely to have a screened in deck to shelter us from the elements. The lightening was intense and the thunder was very loud, and close. We hung outside until the wind kicked up and the area was threatened with tornadoes. Luckily, we didn't witness any tornadoes.

Sunday finally came and it was time to celebrate my Husband for being my puppy's daddy. Laugh if you want to! We got him a bouquet of jerky and some lovely cards. Then I treated him to a morning of grocery shopping. I mean, what man doesn't love grocery shopping with his wife. Don't worry, we also went on a field trip to look at some kayaks. I think that will be our next big purchase - any recommendations?

We then fueled our body with food and got some housework done - cleaned the gutters, painted our address numbers, reorganized the garage (kind of). And now I bring you the main event. The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I treated my man to 2 lbs of mussels made with a white wine sauce. Mussels and bread are the perfect combination and we scarfed up the entire plate in no time.

After our bellies were full, the pup was due for some exercise. We packed up the car and headed to the park to listen to some free music. There were tons of people enjoying good music, good company, and a good view. We walked around for a bit but it was quite hot for the pup.

We headed home and grabbed a snoball on the way home. Shaved ice with syrup is the perfect solution to cooling down. The remainder of Sunday evening was a bit of relaxation and prepping for this week. 

Now I want to share with you three simple ingredients that I am using to survive the summer on the East Coast. Allergies are a real thing out here. I thought they were bad in the Midwest, but I can't even describe how terrible they are here. A and I suffer from seasonal allergies and I have come to learn that the season for allergies here is year round. Misery loves company and now the pup has joined us with having terrible allergies - runny nose, flapping ears, collapsing trachea. So I went to Walgreens to pickup these survival items. 

Please check with your vet prior to giving your pet any over-the-counter medications. Our vet recommended giving our pup some Benadryl elixir whenever she is showing symptoms of allergies. We mix it with a bit of applesauce and it is bottoms up. As for us humans, we enjoy Zyrtec to get us through those rough days. 

By now you should know that we do a lot of activities outdoors. I mean, isn't that what summer is all about. Well with the humidity, I need some type of sunscreen that will last through all my sweat - Neutrogena Beach Defense. Plus if we get those kayaks, the sunscreen spray will be a staple on each of our kayaks.

One thing I was not aware of prior to getting these three simple products to survive summer was that Walgreens has a Balance Rewards for healthy choices app. The Balance Rewards for healthy choices initiative rewards members for walking, weight management and more. So this entire weekend I kept track of my steps and was rewarded 20 points per day for logging those steps. There's also perks for reaching your first goal or connecting devices to the app. You can find more tips for staying healthy and active this summer here. 

How was your weekend? How are you going to survive this summer?