This post is brought to you by Dixie. All opinions are my own.

Are you excited that summer is finally almost here? I am! I cannot wait for my son’s last day of school. I’m so looking forward to sleeping in for two months. I think that’s probably my favorite part of summer. I love the lazy feeling of summer vacation. Even though we have a lot of birthdays- including mine!- they just don’t have the rushed, crazy feeling that the rest of the year brings.

We start savoring our summer the moment Jacob gets off the bus the last day. To me, that’s the official start of summer, no matter what the calendar says. It’s a bit later this year than usual because of all the snow days over the winter. How do we savor summer? Take a look!

5 Fun Ways to Savor Summer with Your Family

• Grilling out! I don’t actually know how to operate a grill myself, so I rely on either my boyfriend or my mom for this one. Did you ever notice how just about everything tastes better when it’s cooked on the grill? I pile up my plate with barbecue chicken, turkey dogs (the only thing I actually like burned!) and corn on the cob.
• Picnics in the park. We have a few really great parks nearby. Jake loves playing on the playground and I love sitting outside chatting with friends. We bring along a picnic lunch to cut down on snack bar costs.
• Water balloon fights! We don’t have a pool in our neighborhood, so I either have to go to the local park and pay, or drive up to my boyfriend’s community 20 minutes away. In between those trips, Jacob and I love water balloon fights. He usually wins because my aim is terrible. It’s a great way too cool off and get some exercise!
• Reading on the deck. Reading is a major part of how we savor the summer. I read more during these months than I do all year. I also encourage Jake to join in summer reading programs. During the school year, he spends more time on required reading, so we take the summer to just enjoy whatever we want. No rules, as long as it has words!
• End of summer county fair. While I don’t love that the fair signals the end of summer, it is one of our favorite traditions. The fair is held in the town I lived in as a young child. In fact, I won the Cutest Baby Contest two years in a row, and my son won it when he was a year old! While Jake loves the rides, I love all the amazing local food vendors. I look forward to my once-a-year funnel cake binge! I can never eat a whole one though, they’re the size of a large Dixie Ultra®plate!

Dixie Ultra® Savor Summer Sweepstakes

Between the barbecues, picnics and birthday parties, Dixie is a big part of our summer family traditions. With such stylish paper plates, cups and bowls, it’s easy to add a fun splash of color without leaving behind a heap of dishes to wash.

Do you have a family tradition that helps you savor summer? Tell Dixie about it and you could win some amazing prizes! Check out the Dixie Ultra® Savor Summer Sweepstakes and upload photos of your fun summer family traditions. You could win prizes that are perfect for grilling, water sports and playing outdoors – everything you need to truly savor summer.

How do you savor summer with your family? What is your favorite summer tradition?