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It has been hotter than hot this summer! In NC, we went straight from freezing temps to scorching temps, and the heat has been just plain awful. My poor kiddos just want to enjoy what's left of the summer and play outside. We've been trying to play outside in small increments of time, but everyone gets hot, tired, and cranky in a jiffy! We had our largest tree trimmed during the winter time, leaving us with little shade in our backyard, making being outside even more unbearable!

I recently spotted a beautiful 10-ft patio umbrella, and thought- I don't have to use an umbrella like that on just my patio. It would make a great source of shade for the backyard! What I love about this particular umbrella is that it's a 10-footer, giving wide coverage of glorious shade! That's what I crave most of all in the summertime! This would be such a worth-while purchase! It's perfect to place between our set of outdoor chairs and the small rattan table we have in our backyard, giving us added shade from the sun.

My kids would have shade when taking their snack or water breaks outside, and I could simply lounge under the umbrella and read a book while the kids play. Doesn't that sound lovely? This umbrella is available in three colors. I think I would choose beige or tan, to offset the red chairs we have in our yard. It even looks easy to put up by myself!

I am also looking for creative play spaces for my youngest child. She loves to pretend and is on a daily mission to destroy our house and build forts with her older brother. I've been thinking that a sleeping tent or tee-pee style play tent would make a fun summertime gift for my kids!

A quick set up tent would give the kids their own magical play space inside the house or out in the yard. This tent looks easy to set up and take down. Plus, it can fold up and be stored with ease! I think this would be so cute for the kids- especially my little Bean!