Summer Without Reservations

After four years living on the East Coast, there isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not consciously grateful for our gorgeous Northern California weather. Our lives revolved around the weather when we lived in the city, car free. I’d plan grocery trips based on how hot, cold, or rainy it would be, and even the most crucial adventures out of the apartment sometimes took a back seat to our cozy enclave 8 stories above. We now live in an area where the weather is almost always mild to beautiful, there’s a beach 20 minutes south, a big city 40 minutes north, snow in the winter 4 hours away and glorious redwoods perched off of Highway 1 all the way up the coast. Taking advantage of our good fortune (and the fortune we spend to live here) by experiencing all that the Bay Area has to offer is near the top of our priority list.

Lake Tahoe is spectacular in the winter, but it’s truly breathtaking and awe-inspiring in the summer, too. The water is crystal clear, and while it’s cold, it’s turquoise and inviting to almost everyone. We have made a new tradition out of spending as much time as possible there, but our summer trips to celebrate Independence Day are probably my very favorite. The kids have become masters at hiking, swimming, rafting and catching crawdads tucked in the rocks at our favorite North Shore beaches.

We’ve learned our lesson being out in nature to remember a first aid kit stocked with some of our go-to first aid products like Water Block Band-Aid Brand Bandages for the inevitable knee and ankle nicks from climbing those sharp rocks in the summer heat, Compeed Blister Cushions for preventing and treating any blisters—especially when breaking in our water shoes—and Neosporin Pain, Itch Scar, which I love because it provides itch relief and minimizes the appearance of scars. With the truckload of towels, snacks, umbrellas and sunscreen that we troop around with us, being extra prepared for our outdoor adventures helps us all feel a little more secure.

This year didn’t bring any major injury issues, which is surprising when there are four accident-prone time bombs running around as excited as can be, thrilled to be wild and free in our most treasured adventure land of Lake Tahoe. As prepared as we try to be for any and all incidents, and we consider ourselves fairly seasoned when it comes to parenting, something inevitably happens when we travel that catches us unprepared and off guard. It’s one of the worst feelings I have as a parent, and while I know that each new situation provides me with knowledge and experience for the future, I never want to be learning how to handle a situation with my kids on the spot.

When it comes to physical injuries, I probably feel the most prepared and the least concerned because I’ve seen enough accidents requiring stitches or the emergency room-neither of which send me into full panic mode. I feel confident and calm knowing that we’ve prepared ourselves with a first aid kit full of products that we trust, but also that the kids are relieved to see when they’re feeling scared and in pain.