Summer Must Haves + The Greatest Swimsuit of All Time

I realize this post would have been more helpful a few months ago, but all of these summer must-haves are things I have discovered this summer thanks to lots of time at the pool and the lake.

Our sweet little boy was born in June, which means I have been on maternity leave all summer. And thanks to wonderful family who have been helping I have been able to spend a lot of time at the pool with my toddler as well as in northern Minnesota visiting family and friends. After lots of use, I have compiled my favorite go-to’s that we have been using all summer long.

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1. Womens Tummy Control Swimsuit– I wore my swimsuit during the third trimester of my pregnancy so it got a liiiiiittle stretched out. I wasn’t planning on getting another one until I heard about the best reviewed swimsuit on Amazon thanks to The Today Show. I didn’t believe all of the hype when I ordered it. Turns out the reviews are correct and it’s the greatest swimsuit I’ve ever owned. It has tummy control, which is a huge help to my post pregnancy body, and comes in lots of fun colors and patterns. You also can’t beat the price and since it’s on Amazon I didn’t even need to leave the house. Win win.

2. Ruffle butts swimsuit– Every time we are at the pool I have someone come up and ask me where my daughters swimsuit is from. I always have to laugh when I tell them to search “ruffle butts”. Not only is it super cute and high-quality, I love that the rash guard has long sleeves so I don’t have to worry about her getting sunburn.

3. Plush Beach Towel– An extra large beach towel perfect for laying out at the pool or cozying up with after swimming. I love the classic stripes and the great quality.

4. Toddler swim towel– I have washed this so many times this summer and I love that it is just as good as when we first got it. It’s the perfect size for toddlers and kids and comes with this cute bag that I use to hold my toddler’s swimsuit, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses when we travel.

5. Women’s Sunglasses– The first summer my husband and I were married we went on a Jet Ski ride and I made the mistake of letting him drive. We almost tipped over and I fell off into the water, losing my favorite sunglasses to the bottom of the lake. Now I always pack a cheap pair when we go on vacation, and these sungait vintage round sunglasses for women are a great option.

6. Toddler Sunglasses– I bought these for my daughter last summer and she wears them often. They’ve held up well and we bought the 2 pack so we can keep one pair in the car and another pair in our beach bag.

7. Water table– I don’t know what it is about kids and water but this has provided my daughter with hours of entertainment. She got it as an Easter gift and has had lots of fun playing with it all summer in our backyard.

8. Beach bag– A great bag to hold all of your pool or beach essentials. We use this to carry towels, sunscreen, life vest, pool toys, sunscreen and sunglasses back and forth to the pool.

9. Cuyana Carryall Tote– I discovered this brand a few years ago and had purchased their oversized tote, but soon returning it because it was too large for what I needed. I was thrilled when they came out with a medium size as it’s perfect for everyday use. It fits all of my diaper bag essentials as well as my wallet and sunglasses, and I love that it has a cross body strap so I can be hands-free. The best part is that it is super high quality and doesn’t look anything like a normal ‘diaper bag’.

10. Summer Reading- Thanks to many hours of nursing, I have been getting caught up on some great fiction books. A few of my favorite summer reads include Little Fires Everywhere, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Love Warrior. I haven’t actually read Love Warrior yet but it’s been highly recommended and is up next on my reading list.

What are your summer must haves? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers,