Summer Picnics!

Summer is the perfect time to go on a picnic with your family or turn it into a date night with your spouse! Here are a few ideas on how to have a fabulous picnic!

Family Picnics

Picnics can be a great time to relax and have some special time with your family. You can escape the pressures of work and home and just focus on being together. Here is a list of must haves for a family picnic: 

• Picnic Basket/Bag/Cooler - You will need something to carry all of your goodies in!
• Food! - Here is where you can get creative! Sandwiches or wraps that are either made in advance at home or put together at the picnic, are simple and delicious. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also a must. You can also pack your favorite salad if you'd like (just don't forget the serving spoon!). If you'd rather make it super simple, you can also order from a favorite pizza place (my family does this often!) or restaurant and take it to go! For dessert, purchase or make some cookies or brownies for a simple, handheld treat!
• Drinks - Grab some water bottles, juice boxes, sodas or any other favorite for the family!
• Blankets - The fun part of a picnic is spreading out your food and sitting together to eat. Depending on the size of your family you may want more than one. 
• Disposable Tableware for easy clean up - You can also feel free to take washable items that you can just take back home and clean if you'd prefer. 
• Hand Sanitizer 
• Napkins/Paper Towels 
• Baby Wipes - My kids are 15, 12, and 9 years old and we still take baby wipes everywhere we go! They are so convenient to have, especially at picnics to do a quick clean up after eating and before you go play!
• Bug Spray/Sunscreen - Depending on the time of day you are going, these could be very important to have!
• Games/Activities - After enjoying your meal, it will be nice to have some fun together. Throw a frisbee around, play catch with a ball, play a board game, draw with sidewalk chalk...the possibilities are endless!
• Trash bags - Depending on where you are enjoying your picnic, there may not be trash cans around. 

Hopefully this list will help you remember what to pack for a perfect family picnic. This is a great way to reconnect as a family if life has been stressful lately. Take some time to relax and focus on what matters most - your family!

A Picnic Date

One of the most memorable dates with my husband was a picnic. We weren't married yet and were both still in college. We went to different colleges that were a couple of hours apart. (This was 20 years ago, so we didn't have all of the technology of today that made staying connected easier!) I made the drive to visit him and he had everything planned and packed. We went to a park and he unpacked the cooler full of goodies. We ate and just sat and chatted. It was a great way for us to catch up after not seeing each other for a few weeks. He even ended the night with a horse drawn carriage ride near the park. It was a date I will never forget! 

Dates don't have to be big nights out on the town. Sometimes, something simple is truly the best. You will still need all of the things in the list above, but you can add a few things to make it a little more special for the two of you. If you have a special dessert that the two of you love, fix it and enjoy. Take a couple of pillows so you can be comfy while you picnic. Take your favorite drinks. You can even throw in a couple of candles if you'd like (just maybe take a small tray so that they can set on a firm surface and not tip over). Instead of playing a game of catch (although go for it if you both enjoy it), print out a list of questions that you can ask each other. You can find many, many lists for married couples online. This is a great way to keep learning about your spouse! Just take the time to be together!

Picnics are simple and fun and should be done a lot more often in my opinion! Keep it simple if you'd like or glam it up! Picnics can become whatever you'd like them to be! Just remember to enjoy the moment!