Beat the Heat This Summer By Julie Senger With the official arrival of summer this month, it never hurts to have a collection of ways to stay cool during these often hot and humid Georgia days. One of the most obvious ways to ensure you dont break out into a summer sweat is to make sure that the AC unit in your home is in perfect operating order. R & D Mechanical is a great resource for this information. If you have large, uncovered windows in your home that let in lots of light and heat, you may want to consider tinting those. All Pro Windows is an excellent source for that as well as car window tinting. So, what are some other things you can do to beat the heat this summer? Here at Family Life, we got you covered! Check out these fun ideas! Aquatic Centers Aquatic centers are perfect for rainy days or any day that you simply dont feel like slathering sunscreen on yourself or the kiddos every hour. Cherokee Aquatic Center, located at 1200 Gresham Mill Parkway in Canton, offers lots of planned activities like family fun nights, teen nights, and parents night out, which allows parents to drop their kids off to enjoy a pizza dinner, crafts, games, a movie, and, of course swimming! However, if you want the best of both worlds, they also have a fabulous outdoor Oasis, complete with water slides and colorful playgrounds surrounded by water. For more information, visit CRPA.net/aquatic-center-oasis-opening-day/. Cold Drinks Speaking of parents night out, if youre looking for a frosty-cold adult beverage to raise a toast to your few hours of adult time with your friends or significant other, you cant go wrong by meeting up for a cocktail at Downtown Kitchen in downtown Canton. Their delicious cocktail options will definitely help you chill out. But if youre trying to chill out at home with your children, this refreshing recipe for frozen strawberry lemonade is a treat the whole family can enjoy: Ingredients1 can non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiri mix1 can frozen lemonade concentrate1 cup frozen strawberries6 cups of iceLemons and/or strawberries to garnish Procedure- Start by crushing your ice in a blender.- Add the lemonade and daiquiri mix and 2 cups of water, and blend to desired consistency.- Add the frozen strawberries, and blend to desired consistency.- Garnish your glass with a lemon wedge or a strawberry. Summer Hairstyles If youre looking for a new summer haircut, Jyl Craven of Jyl Craven Hair Design shares suggestions for 3 Summer Haircuts for Busy Women in this month's issue. However, if youre looking for an idea for a carefree, beautiful summer style you can create at home, luscious beach waves are a great option if your hair is at least chin-length long. One of the most popular ways to achieve this style is to either braid or twist small sections of your hair, spritz them with seas-salt spray, and then use a flat iron or hair dryer to apply heat to the braids/twists to speed up the waving process. Since theres not an ocean nearby, heres an easy recipe for DIY sea-salt spray: Ingredients1 tablespoon sea salt or Epsom salt1 tablespoon coconut oil1 tablespoon hair gel or leave-in hair conditioner1 cup warm water Procedure- Pour the warm water and sea salt into a spray bottle, and shake until the salt dissolves.- Combine the coconut oil and hair gel (or leave-in conditioner) into a separate bowl. Then add the mixture to your spray bottle, and shake the bottle to combine.- Apply to towel-dried hair that has been braided or twisted. Or, if youd like to get your lovely locks up off your neck, check out the video tutorials for some awesome up-dos at Merakilane.com/10-tutorials-for-easy-sexy-summer-hair-updos/. Cool, Floral-Print Clothing Though the idea here is how to stay cool, right now, theres nothing hotter than a summery floral print for womens and juniors clothing items. There are lots of cute tops, shorts, skirts and sundresses on the market from which to choose. Be sure to select something in a light, airy fabric that will flutter elegantly in those rare southern breezes. Southern Local in downtown Woodstock has many stylish, flowery-fabric options for you to try such as a darling yellow, two-piece set or colorful printed shorts, both of which will look great with your summer tan. Chattahoochee Nature Center Canoe Trips The Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC) offers several different types of canoe trips including canoe 101, birding canoe trips, date night canoe trips and other seasonal or private canoe trip options. Each trip is led by a CNC naturalist and offers a unique introduction to the ecology of the Chattahoochee River. Your naturalist will enlighten you as to the cultural and natural history of the river, citing important ecological relationships and environmental issues that affect this endangered river while allowing you to enjoy the peaceful qualities of the river. Canoe guides are all CPR/First-Aid Certified and are experienced paddlers and naturalists. Dont worry if you are new to canoeing CNC provides all equipment (canoe, paddles, and a personal flotation device for participants). These trips are suitable for both beginning and advanced paddlers (ages 6 and up). For more information, visit ChattNatureCenter.org, or call 770-992-2055. Ice Cream While places like Small Cakes in Canton have ready-made, delicious ice cream flavors for you to enjoy, if you cant make it out of the house for some reason, try this delicious, simple recipe for homemade ice cream, which doesnt even require an ice cream making machine! Ingredients2 cups heavy cream, chilled1, 14 oz. can sweetened-condensed milk, chilled1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Procedure- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. - On low speed, mix in the condensed milk, vanilla, and any other flavorings youd like (*suggestions coming up!).- Pour the mixture into a sealable container; cover the surface with plastic wrap, then seal. - Freeze for at least 6 hours, or until firm. Keep leftovers stored in the freezer. *Suggested flavors/add-ins 1 teaspoon peppermint extract + 1 cup mini chocolate chips + green food coloring will make mint chocolate chip. - 1 cup peanut butter, Nutella or your favorite cookie butter flavor makes for a delicious treat. Adding 15 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped, will give you cookies and cream. cup cocoa powder (sifted) + 4 ounces melted, cooled chocolate will create a rich chocolate flavor. Or, you can also simply add your favorite fruit! See a Movie/Play Back before most homes were equipped with central air conditioning systems, theatres were some of the few places where indoor air conditioning was available. Moviegoers and live play supporters would flock to the local theatres in summertime not only to be entertained, but also to cool off. Cold, dark theatres are still a wonderful way to beat the heat on sweltering hot days. Check out MovieFone.com for current movie titles and local movie theatre locations, or visit BroadwayBoundProductionsInc.com/, CherokeeTheatre.org and ElmStreetArts.org for local community theatre offerings and locations.
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