Today was my older son’s last day of school. When asked what he wants to do this summer, he answers:
“Have a playdate with Johnny, play lots of video games, and spend time with you.”
Awww.
I am pretty sure my husband told him to say that last one, but my son has pulled that one out before, so it may be genuine.
If they had their way, both of my children would indeed stay inside and play video games all summer. Luckily I am sometimes a very responsible mother, so I do things like sign them up for camp at Agoura Hills Rec Center, shove them out the door into the backyard to play handball (while I grit my teeth every time the ball hits our kitchen window), and tote them around the corner to our neighborhood pool.
Of course, since the boys have inherited my alabaster white skin, they must be dipped in sunscreen from head to toe before they even so much as think about the sun. When we were invited by Banana Boat to a fun party in at Roxbury Park in Beverly Hills to sample their new Natural Reflect Sunscreen Lotion, eat snacks, and play games, I was happy to schlep them across town to check it out.
Banana Boat is celebrating summer with several promotions on their special Facebook page “101 Days of Summer.” There, you can upload your own photos of summer memories and enter a contest to win a family vacation to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. You can also take a pledge to get outside this summer, and every time someone does that, Banana Boat will donate a bottle of their sunscreen lotion to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp – a summer camp in Connecticut for children coping with serious illnesses.
I feel comfortable slathering Natural Reflect on my children – and myself too – because it is made with natural ingredients, and includes less of the bad stuff and more of the good stuff that protects them from the sun. It is pretty thick and goes on heavy, takes about a minute and some good rubbing to absorb into skin a little bit. But that is fine with me. Number one priority is no sunburn.
The party in the park with a small group of my favorite LA bloggers and their families was the perfect way to get acquainted with the Banana Boat brand. My kids had no clue we were there for a brand party – they never do – so they cavorted and competed in the lawn games and Kid 1 even took home the bean bag game as a prize.
No wallflowers here – even the bloggers themselves got into the summer fun. Anna Flores of Spanglish Baby smoked the competition in the hula hoop challenge. Other contestants were Andrea Fellman of Savvy Sassy Moms, Alexandra Bowers aka Beverly Hills Mom, and Sarah Auerswald of MomsLA and Sarah and Sons.
It’s nice when someone gets it right. A simple little get-together in a park, good friends, and a small goodie bag with product, a Frisbee, and a flash drive with all the information we needed. Oh, and mini chocolate cupcakes. Gotta have those.
I am being compensated for sharing all this Banana Boat-flavored goodness with you, but the opinions are my own and the smiles were all genuine. Thanks to Savvy Sassy Moms and Adrienne’s House for the lovely afternoon.
