Last Days of Summer!

last days of summer

Hey again, everyone! The last days of summer are certainly approaching fast! We have even experienced some pretty chilly days over the past week or so. What is going on!?!

Look, the worst thing you can do is begin to fret! These type of unpleasant realizations only serve to remind us that we have to make the most of the days we have left!

We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to this summer! Let us know in the comments below so we can trade stories! Perhaps, you had a particularly amazing experience that you’d like to share and recommend to us! We know our Bellas are out there doing all sorts of incredible things so please let us know what you’ve been up to!

? LAST DAYS OF SUMMER ?

After last month’s post about our own favourite summer memories, we received some great feedback in the comments and it was a sincere pleasure to hear from some of you!

At the time, it sounded as if many of you were interested in our Ritz® crackers s’mores as well as some of our summer bevy creations!

In regards to the former, we were out at our own camp recently in order to enjoy the warmth while we still can! While we were there, we had a bonfire of our own and – yep, you guessed it! – we broke out the tried and true Del Guidice s’mores tradition!

Of course, we had to document the experience for each of the Bellas out there who have personally expressed that they plan on trying this little hack out for themselves!

  • STEP 1⃣️

last days of summer

Find the best stick you can from the bush! This step is key! ?

You will need to find a stick that’s long enough to keep you safe from the crackling fire but one that’s not soooo long that it ends up flimsily dipping into the flames and / or onto the burning logs!

Bonus points if you’re able to shave the end of your stick down to a point! This will help to ensure that you aren’t eating any bark once you pull the marshmallows out of the pit and will also make life easier when attempting to keep the marshmallows intact as you pull them off of the end of the stick!

For all the little Bellas out there: you may need from Mom and Dad (or even Grandma and Grandpa) for this one! Always stay safe and act responsibly!

In the above image, we’ve actually used a metal prong to toast our marshmallows but if we were deep in the bush and camped inside of a tent, the random tree branch is your best bet and literally all you’ll need!

IMPORTANT – the coals in the fire must be?  RED ?  HOT ?, and visibly so, before you begin to initiate the toasting process!

  • STEP 2⃣️

last days of summer

The marshmallows are to be toasted until they are coated within a beautiful looking golden-brown shell. I think most of us have experienced what it’s like to eat a burnt marshmallow and I think you’ll agree that it is not pleasant! If there’s one thing that can spoil a good marshmallow, it’s definitely a thick coating of ash!!!

To achieve the perfect roasted marshmallow over an open fire, your stick needs to be turned slowly and gradually, almost like a rotisserie chicken!

When the marshmallows look the way they do in the image above, you know you’re only a few seconds away from perfection!

Trust me when I say that it’s a process so make sure not to rush the job or turn your stick too fast or too slowly. Like we said in our previous post, we have to get them toasted so they’re juuuuuuuussst riiiiiiiiiggghhht, Goldilocks style!

  • STEP 3⃣️

last days of summer

Now that we’ve achieved the perfect marshmallow, it’s time to create the sandwiches!

Graham crackers? What graham crackers!? No need for those here!

Not when we’ve got the secret ingredients, aka the box of Ritz® crackers!!!

Again, I have to stress the importance of placing the marshmallow on top of the salted side of the cracker. Having the salt blend into the gooey marshmallow is a true delight! The flavour contrast is outstanding and your tastebuds will jump around for joy! Of course, you can sandwich the marshmallow so that the salt and sugar are blending on each end, however, feel free to leave one of the crackers salt side up if you as it will provide you with a satisfying aftertaste that lingers for quite some time!

As you can see, I’ve added a touch of chocolate spread for some extra decadence – mmm! And trust me when I say that a dab of peanut butter added to these treats has the potential to blow your mind!!!

  • STEP 4⃣️

last days of summer

WOLF? THOSE⬆️ PUPPIES ? DOWN⬇️ !!! ?

I’ve had quite a few people remark on how delectable these creations appear to them. But they truly have to be tasted to be believed!

Please try this for yourself and let me know how much you loved them!

The S’mores Queen awaits your thoughts!

last days of summer

? WALKS TO THE MOVIES ?

In today’s age of the internet, Netflix, and the like, I’m not sure how many children today consider a trip to the theatre to be as magical an experience as we used to consider it to be!

As a little girl, I still remember how excited we would get about a trip to the movies, oftentimes to the point where we’d be walking down to the theatre in our PJ’s!

In those days, movies that played during the summer would always be prefaced by a few public service announcements courtesy of our old pal, Smokey the Bear!

last days of summer

Don’t mess with this guy!

Just the mere mention of Smokey always causes the nostalgia to come flooding back.

We’d heed his fire safety warnings and commit his instructions to memory prior to the movie kicking off!

How many of you remember these old things?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LI81cWh3Fs

??? ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES! ?♨️?

? CANOES & KAYAKS ?

Of course, no summer is complete without some time out on the water!

We used to spend a countless number of hours gliding across the lake, pretending we were pirates looking for underwater booty or even a group of old-time explorers in search of food and building materials!

The way the sun would sparkle off of the lake would always bring a smile to our faces. It truly felt like the world was ours! Having said that, it would have been great if we had the same amount of knowledge back then as we do now in regards to the hazards of ultraviolet rays!

The water has a tendency to amplify the intensity of the sun as it can reflect the UV and infrared rays and lead to a more severe and concentrated burn.

Thankfully, we have products like the incredible suncare line by Laboratoire Dr Renaud that can protect us against harmful UV and infrared rays without sacrificing our tan! That’s right! Get that golden-brown skin you’ve always desired without having to worry about painful burns!

Click NOW and SAVE!

Click the image above NOW and SAVE!

Added bonus: the Laboratoire Dr Renaud suncare line will also keep your skin healthy looking and vibrant in appearance thanks to its anti-wrinkle properties!

It’s also sweat and sand resistant so you know what that means – enjoy the beach like never before and experience maximum comfort!

These days, I tend to enjoy a calming kayak trek alongside some of my closest friends and family members. It’s a great way to spend the day and there are always some great memories to trade back and forth while we’re floating above the fishies!

Also, thanks to Laboratoire Dr Renaud, we’re happier and healthier on the open water than we’ve ever been before!

Here’s one of my most recent pieces of evidence:

last days of summer

Speaking of being out on the lake, there’s so much joy to be had just by really integrating yourself with nature. While Northerners are definitely known to take full advantage of our natural surroundings, sometimes, it’s possible that we may be taking all the beauty around us for granted. This is why my family and I are always striving to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Not only is it a great way to spend your day but there are several proven and scientific health benefits that arise from simply spending a bit of each day outside.

I’ve been lucky to have such an amazing summer up to this point – having so many opportunities to spend quality time with my favourite people within a low-stress environment is my idea of a dream life! But have you ever gotten that feeling before where it almost seems as if the Earth is closing up around you, almost to ensure that you’re having the best day you possibly can?

? FISHING ?

How many of my readers are avid fishermen/fisherwomen? I can tell you that fishing is one of the favourite past times of my parents, as well as my own! Mom and Dad instilled in me a passion for fishing as a child and it has yet to leave me! In fact, my folks still have the fishing bug themselves as my father and step-mother recently joined me for our last fishing expedition of the season together!

I have to thank my folks for demonstrating the value of nature to me from such a young age.

As you can see, things haven’t changed a whole lot…

last days of summer

Last summer weekend with Step-mom and Dad!

When I mentioned the feeling that the Earth is enclosing on you as it provides a wealth of little gifts for you to enjoy, I was specifically referring to a moment I shared together with my father and step-mother on the calm waters as we floated among a family of loons.

These little cuties stayed right next to our boat for the majority of our fishing expedition. We figured we must have been tipping them off to all the good spots!

last days of summer

It’s always a delight having a chance to make new friends!

The loons joined us for the majority of the evening, even as dusk approached!

Speaking of dusk, how’s this for a picture-perfect capture?

last days of summer

This photo was captured on the Mattagami Lake, just a touch away from the Minakwa Lodge in Gogama!

Absolutely stunning!

? FAMILY ?‍?‍?‍?

It’s all about the quality time.

Some of you may know that I recently became a grandmother and I can definitely say that it was (and is) one of the proudest moments of my life.

My daughter, Lia, and I decided that we’d keep our tradition going strong by introducing my granddaughter, Camille, to nature as soon as possible!

Here’s a recent candid shot of the three of us out for an afternoon stroll together!

last days of summer

Lynne, Lia & Camille!

We know that we’ve been making the most of our last days of summer – but have you???

What is motivating you right now? What goals do you plan to accomplish before the summer officially comes to a close? Do you have plans to squeeze anything in before the kids are back to school in a month? Please let us know in the comments below…

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO SPEND YOUR LAST DAYS OF SUMMER?

Have a great week!

    relievedfaceemojilynnesignature

 

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