Pineapple Mesquite Chicken Wraps

Remember how I said I love all four seasons? I really do...

But gosh I love Summer.

In fact, lets make a list. Ten things I really love about summertime. 

1. Barbecues. Every year I look forward to backyard barbecues. I just love hanging out with family and friends, taking it easy, enjoying the weather, and eating AMAZING food. Potato salad, baked beans, grilled everything.... mmmmmm so good!

2. Boating. The hubby and I are total suckers for boating. He grew up in a boating family, but I did not. My only opportunities to go boating growing up were with friends or sports teams, but I took every chance I had. I love water. Except when it's absolutely freezing. (Bear Lake anyone?)

3. Vacations. My family is originally from California, so we have a natural obsession with the entire state. Well, Southern California to be more exact. And every year I take a couple of trips back there. I love doing the big stuff (DISNEYLAND!!!) and I also love going to visit favorite haunts and hangouts like the old Peppertree Ice Cream joint that no one has really heard of but my family. 

4. Green. Green is my favorite color. Has been since I was a kid. I mostly love bright greens, or bluish greens, but I love that in the Summer, you see a lot of green. Both the eating kind and the non-eating kind. Which leads me to my next favorite...

5. Seasonal Foods! Fresh fruit and veggies are my favorite foods ever ever. I love how fresh and delicious they are, they add so much color to your plate and they just make me plain happy. Strawberries, zucchini, blueberries, mangos, green beans, peaches, corn on the cob, pineapple, watermelon, cherries, tomatoes, avocados..... ahhhhh. So wonderful!

6. Warm Weather. I like a good rainstorm and a big thick snowfall as much as the next Utah resident, but I have the hardest time trying to warm up! After being out in the cold it takes me easily five times longer to warm up than the average thing. Apparently this is genetic? My grandmother and brother have the same problem. It's the worst. So summer weather is perfect for me. I don't start sweating til the temperature starts flirting with triple digits. Bring on the 90s! 

7. Camping. Or rather cabining. Growing up in a family of nine kids (Yes, nine. And I'm the youngest.) big family vacations were pretty much non existent, but camping was a big hit for us. The legitimate kind of camping with tents and sleeping bags. These days however, we tend to stick to cabining. My great uncle owns a cabin out by Strawberry Reservoir in Utah and from May til October we get at least one weekend up there just for our family. Fishing, hiking, eating, hanging out, target shooting, eating.... so many good memories. And in case you're looking for me this weekend... that's where I'll be!

8. Bare Feet. I love going barefoot. When I was in grade school I used to get in trouble for walking through the halls without shoes on. I don't know why but I just love to have my feet bare and in the summer time when the ground isn't covered in ice or snow, I love to feel the grass, the pavement, the dirt between my toes. 

9. Patriotic Holidays. I have a deep, deep love for this country. Yes, I'm one of those that gets a little choked up from time to time when I hear the national anthem and look at the flag. (Don't worry, no sobbing, just one glistening tear perhaps.) In Utah, we get to celebrate the 4th of July and the 24th too. Which means.... more fireworks!! I love laying in the park with the hubby on a big blanket, watching the fireworks. And lets be honest, all of the red, white, and blue DIY ideas on pinterest just get me even more pumped about the patriotic holidays. I'm vowing to make at least five of the nine hundred 4th of July things I've pinned this year. :)

10. Daylight. I love a few things about summer time light. I love that the days are so much longer. I don't feel so rushed because I'm eating dinner and the sun is going down. I love to go back outside after dinner and play frisbee with the hubby or take a walk, and that's alot harder to do when it's already pitch black outside. I also love the sunsets. Because, who doesn't love a good summer sunset? And lastly, I love it for photography purposes. Summer light can bring some really awesome opportunities as far as creating wonderful images goes. 

And this Pineapple Mesquite Chicken Wrap! So easy to throw together and so summery tasting. I love the way the bright citrus tang of the pineapple compliments the deeper flavor of the mesquite chicken, and the black beans sort of tie it all together. Mmmmm so good!

What are you favorite things about summer??

Thanks to Kristyn at Lil' Luna, Sarah at High Heels & Grills  for hosting a fabulous link party and featuring my Churro Caramel Corn this week!!

Thanks to all of our wonderful hosts today!

Ducks N A Row

Lil Luna

The DIY Dreamer

The Trendy Treehouse

Buns In My Oven