Keeping Cool in Summer

I cannot believe that summer is winding down, and although this has been our most eventful summer ever with our big move, we have enjoyed all of it! We have had a long summer this year, because summer weather starts in April in Alabama, and when we moved it was 100 degrees! When we landed in Brooklyn in June, it was just the beginning of summer in New York (and technically summer ends here in just a few weeks!).

Although the Alabama heat is much thicker and humid, at least there is air conditioning! Air conditioned cars and houses help so much. Here in New York we have had to try a few different tricks to keep our apartment cool.

During the daytime, we have utilized the many free water play areas in the Brooklyn parks. We keep water bottles handy every time we go out, and keep the kids hydrated.



We have window air condition units in our bedrooms, and three fans (one ceiling) in the living room, where our guests sleep when they come. For the last four years we have had seasonal sheets (thick fleece ones in winter and jersey knit sheets or sateen sheets in the summer!). Israel always sleeps with his weighted blanket, but in the summer we just pair it with a thin sheet instead of a comforter.

We also have a little bit of a nighttime routine. Ever since we moved to New York and sweat so much during the day, everyone gets nightly showers to cool off. We've done our research to find that lavender is one of our biggest tools in the nighttime routine. I love lavender candles and lotion. We put lavender essential oils on the kids and we use a blackout curtain in their rooms to drown out the city lights. We've always battled some sleep issues with our oldest child, but he seems to be making some adjustments and we have learned to remain flexible.

What do you do to keep cool in the summer? Who else is ready for the fall temperatures just around the corner?! 

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