Guest post: Relaxing on a summer day

Today's guest post is written by bride-to-be Alli. Her lovely little blog is a source of many happy things, and I'm always inspired by Alli's positive attitude and many "reasons to smile."

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I'm Alli from Reasons to Smile and I'll be talking to you about my favorite ways to relax on a summer day! 

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First, everyone needs to find a good summer read. I'd suggest some of these:

The Hunger Games (gov't/conflict)

Harry Potter (wizards)

BossyPants (Tina Fey autobiography)

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years (biography, full of life)

City of Bones (fantasy)

Mao's Last Dancer (biography, history)

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Grab some coffee or tea with a friend. There's nothing like having a chat with a friend about life, love, and dreams.... or hardships. Take some extra time for yourself and plan date with someone you haven't seen in a while to catch up. As a grad student, a lot of my friends are gone for summer so it takes some extra work to see them but it's always worth it!

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Go on a picnic for two with a best friend or a significant other. Getting outside on a nice day is like a cure all for the blues. Get your fill of that Vitamin D while lounging about. If a meal is your thing try some classic pb&j with chips, watermelon, lemonade, and brownies. If you're looking for a little romance perhaps a bottle of wine, some different types of cheese and crackers, a baguette, or some dark chocolate? 

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Go out and get some exercise. It took a long time to sell me on this. I think there's a two week hump that everyone needs to cross over. At first it just feels like a struggle and it's hard to get up and go to the gym but once you do it for a little bit it starts feeling really good. In fact, after two or three weeks if I don't go it begins to feel like something is missing from my routine. Make it fun: play tennis, racquetball, go swimming, walk through a local park.

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Cook, bake, or try something new! Is there a recipe you've always wanted to attempt? Or have you always wanted to try your hand at baking? On my list is this peach cake. I'm no baker but I think it'd be fun to try. Wouldn't you like to take that beauty to a party? 

What are your favorite activities to do during the summer to relax?