Easing into summer...

I love summer. Mostly because it signals our busy family to slow down, spend more time together and relax. We still run a little and we keep later hours, but all in all we're just on a different clock. We enjoy our weekly summer movies, our flip flops and our trips to the public library. 

The part of summer, for me, that takes a bit of easing into has to do with summer attire. I'm a petite, middle aged (that right there is hard to say out loud) mother of four who just needs some time to reveal my body to summer. I hear all those ads in April and May warning people to exercise and get in shape because bathing suit weather is just around the corner. I change the channel and eat another cookie. I am, after all, a former athlete with muscle memory and good genes. That's the horse I've been riding for the past 40 years and I'm staying on.

I'm not at all sure what happens under those blue jeans all winter, but when I get into my summer shorts for the first time, I am always certain that someone has stolen my formally toned legs and replaced them with pasty, flabby, white ones. It's like I'm meeting my legs for the very first time and I'm not enjoying the visit. I'm careful not to try my shorts on when anyone is around. My kids can be frank little beasts and they'll say the first thing that enters their brain - I'm too fragile at this point for more negatives. 

So, when the kids are busy and hubby is at work, I bust out the shorts and try them on. I always start in the bathroom, in front of the short mirror. After the shock of the short mirror has subsided, I courageously head for the full length mirror in the bedroom. I back up, close one eye, squint, I turn around and then I play with the lighting. Natural light is the worst on flabby, middle aged legs. With this, I close the curtains and walk back into the bathroom to turn off one set of lights. I look again. I turn them all off. That's better.

There's only one thing that can help at this point and that's lotion - the right lotion is key here. I've become a huge proponent of the self-tanning lotions. They work right away and most do the job without streaking or staining. This year I purchased the self-tanning, "firming" lotion. They had other options, "extra moisture", "all day softness" and so on. I went straight for the firming.  With the built in tanning feature, it gives people the idea that you've gotten your legs out there. Like you've been in shorts for months and you're all happy with each other.  It's a confidence booster for me and with the added "firming" component, I'm feeling better about things. I'm not yet sure how the firming component works, but I purchased it to offset the winter cookies. It's a bold move into summer and I'm making it.  

My arms are not as big a concern, although the farmer's tan is not the most attractive combination with a tank top. Luckily for me, I've got "the lotion". Swimsuits are another blog and a tall hurdle I'll need to jump, but not yet. I'm not ready. For now, I'm heading out to buy some longer shorts and lower watt bulbs. Maybe I'll walk.