Summer and bonfires go hand-in-hand. Today, I am sharing some of our summer bonfire essentials!
Imagine the wind is blowing smoke and ash literally all over – no seat was safe!! Imagine the kids on the trampoline, the dogs are covered in wood chips, and there are melted popsicles down the front of the girls’ mismatched pjs. And now imagine the most gorgeous sunset ever. Imagine everyone stopping to enjoy it (or snap a photo ????????♀️)
Nights around the bonfire have become a nightly routine with our new neighbors. After The Great Mulching of 2020, the area really came together. Fun fact: our fire pit used to be a burn pile. When we bought the lot next door, David had intended on clearing a few fallen trees. A few turned into a lot, which turned into lots of wood to burn. You know what pairs well with lots of wood to burn and a summer evening? S’MORES.
We have our bonfire s’mores session down to an art. I’m going to share a mom hack here that is going to come in SO clutch. I always bring out a tray (I love this galvanized tray. We ordered it on Amazon YEARS ago, and it is still going strong!). First off, the tray gives us a “table” surface despite being in the forest; it also allows for easy transport of lots of items to and from the fire pit. I bring it stocked with snacks, a few waters, wet wipes (for sticky s’mores hands), and a plastic grocery bag! I loop the grocery bag around one of the handles of the tray, and BOOM – we have a forest trash bag!
Here are a few of our bonfire essentials:
mexican blanket // sweater // the “cool” marshmallows // chocolate // tray // roasting sticks // the best ever chairs // mosquito repeller
The Snacks
Ok so when it comes to the perfect s’more, you need the essentials: chocolate, a graham cracker, and a marshmallow. I won the prize for Coolest Mom At The Fire when I pulled out these big marshmallows!
Our go-to s’more is made with a chocolate bar, but if you haven’t tried adding fruit or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, then you haven’t lived. You can also check out these yummy s’mores ideas!
Also, I discovered roasting sticks a few years ago, and could never go back to an actual stick – haha, roasting elitist over here!! 😉 They clean up well, and most are telescopic, so they are easily stored!
The Setting
We have a few of these chairs around the fire. We LOVE them. They’re sleek and modern, but hold up incredibly well. It’s also worth noting that I assembled 5 of them myself – so they get 2 thumbs up for not being “ikea-level” intense to put together!
We have quite a collection of Mexican blankets. These are so thick, and heavy duty. They wear well, and clean up well with a few good shakes (or wash and hang to dry). I keep one in my car at all times – they’re perfect for an impromptu beach trip or picnic lunch. Or if you have 3 muddy/wet children, it makes for a great drop cloth to save some of your car’s interior 😉
Another one of our top summer bonfire essentials: a mosquito repeller. We have this Thermacell and I was SO impressed by the fact that it actually seems to work. I am the person who gets eaten alive, while everyone else is like, “Oh, the bugs weren’t too bad tonight!”
With all the intensity, uncertainty, and overwhelming emotion we’ve all experienced of the last few months, sometimes you just need a low key evening with even lower expectations to be able to stop, breathe in, enjoy, and appreciate the moment – and feel a little more at peace. Cozy nights around the bonfire are the most peaceful (once the kids go to bed!!)
Be sure to check out this post, for some more summer fun ideas for the kiddos!
So many great finds!
Thank you!!