Guest Post! Relax and Unwind... Enjoy Summer!

Today's guest post comes from Tara who blogs at Dashing in Pearls. Tara is one of those bloggers that I immediately wanted to be best friends with because we are both HUGE Astros fans (and true fans are far and few between these days...). Her guest post is like her blog - fun and upbeat! But you should just read on instead of me droning on...

Hi y'all! I'm Tara and I blog over at Dashing in Pearls. I was really excited when Rachael asked me to guest blog for her! A little about me... I'm originally from Houston, left for a little while to go to college, and am now back! I'm a 4th grade teacher so I'm currently on summer vacation! I live with my best friend from college who magically got a job at the school I grew up at last year. I have an amazing boyfriend who is really loud and shares my love for the Astros, even when they're doing terrible. I completed my first half marathon about 2 months ago and am waiting to find out if I got into the Houston Half Marathon in January before I start training for something again! (a side note: Tara got in!! Go congratulate her!)

Today I'm going to share with you my list of things you need to do during the summer even if you aren't a teacher and have months to get these things done. I'm a firm believer that summer should be a time for EVERYONE to relax and unwind, even if it's just a little bit.

1. Get a pedicure. Nothing says "summer" like bright toenails. I've started bringing my favorite color with me so that if I need to do touch ups, I have the color already! My favorite color right now is Essie's Super Bossa Nova. It's bright pink with a little sparkle!

2. Find at least 1 day to sit by the pool (or beach if you're lucky enough), enjoy some summer time drinks, and grill out. Make those things your only "to do's" for the day. No regular house cleaning, running errands, or bill paying. 

3. Find a good book to read. It can be something light (like the Shopaholic Series), something a little heavier (John Grisham) or even something about your favorite activity (Kara Goucher's Running for Women). Because I'm a teacher and have the luxury of time right now, I'm currently reading 3 books: Kara Goucher's, the Paleo Diet, and I'm rereading the 7th Harry Potter before it comes out.

4. Buy a new summer dress. Whether it's for a date night, girls night, or weddings, every girl needs at least one new dress for the summer! Most of my dresses are from Gap or Loft but I love almost every dress from Anthropologie. This one is my favorite but I haven't bought it...

5. Go on a vacation! Or a staycation! Just do something vacation-like, even if it's just a weekend you don't go anywhere but block out any social "musts". It can be with friends, family, or by yourself but take some time to rest and relax. It's nice that I'm a teacher and don't really have to schedule anything but I'm still looking forward to the few getaways that I have planned! 

More than anything, do something you ENJOY!