*this post has been sponsored by Newell Brands. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

one of my favorite ways to spend my day is by the water. there is something so peaceful, so calming and so carefree about the ocean. not to mention, who doesn’t love a little fun in the sun?!

the best part of all, is that you need so little to have a good time. i’ve never been one to lay-out for long periods of time by the beach because well, i get too antsy. i enjoy taking long walks by the beach, haha! but really, i do! i love all beach games, i do however get way too competitive (fair warning), and summer is the perfect excuse to spend a worry-free day relaxing and hanging out with friends beach side.

something i’ve been actively trying to do this year is take better care of our environment and beautiful place we call home. so on my beach days, i do my best to ditch the plastic water bottles and opt for a re-fillable and re-usable source of hydration instead.

i recently swung by wal-mart  and found my new summer go-to! i’ll be honest, i was first drawn to the fun, vibrant color options. they are perfect for summer! but once i started reading product details, i couldn’t not leave the store without a new bubba® stainless steel keg. walmart had so many fun color options that, of course, once i started reading how the bubba®  stainless steel keg can keep drinks cold for 42 hours, i could not leave the store without one. it had the perfect closure to keep sand out and was the perfect size to keep me hydrated all day at the beach, it became a must! the bubba keg boasted on keeping drinks cold for 24 hours, had the perfect closure to keep sand out and was the perfect size to keep me hydrated all day at the beach! i was halfway to the Walmart check-out counter when i realized i had to double back because i knew i couldn’t leave with just one. my husband and friends would have definitely been jealous!

i came home a hero! my husband was just as drawn to the fun design and perfect summer colors as i was! so naturally, the first chance we got, we gathered up a big group of our friends and tested out our new loot at the beach. needless to say, our bubba kegs are now a part of our beach day staples – and our friends were definitely giving us the side eye every time they had to refill their small capacity water bottles!

with our active lifestyle, and competitiveness when it comes to beach games, we’re able to have to fun in the sun while keeping our bodies hydrated. we’re also able to take one step forward in eliminating waste because we’ll be using our bubba kegs time and time again (see ya plastic bottles)! talk about a win-win!

also—if anyone is wondering, i’m currently in the lead in beach game points 😉

you can find my bubba water bottles online here.

xoxo | jasmine

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white ruffle dress, bali indonesia, jasmine elias white ruffle dress, bali indonesia, jasmine elias white ruffle dress, bali indonesia, jasmine elias white ruffle dress, bali indonesia, jasmine elias white ruffle dress, bali indonesia, jasmine elias, sunset white ruffle dress, bali indonesia, jasmine eliassome of my favorite travel moments happen when i decide to just pull over on the side of the road and explore. i felt so lucky to catch the sunset in the gorgeous palm tree field (which i am pretty sure was surrounded by a local lombark, indonesia farm). watching the sun set fire to the sky through the majestic palm branches was so incredible.

i frolicked and twirled, attempted to befriend the cows (it was major fail) and watched the sun go down in awe. shortly after the sun began to set, i realized i was twirling in little plants filled with needle-like spikes that my dress so kindly was collecting to remember the special moment. i now have ankles filled with scratches as a tiny keep-sake as well. alas, even my battle wounds couldn’t ruin such a beautiful moment.

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shop my beach day look

something i have been working towards is becoming a more responsible traveler. i have made my mistakes and know i will make more along the way, but i am going to continue to educate myself to the best of my ability before i enter a new country. it’s important to know that my actions and footprint will not harm or destroy my surroundings. we live in such a beautiful world and should always work towards keeping it that way.

 

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1. try the local cuisine

bonus points if you take a cooking class. not only will you get to try the delicious traditional balinese foods, but you will learn how to create them in your own kitchen! be sure to try sate and nasi campur!

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thailand has always been such a dream of mine. i was elated when i found out we were going for a long weekend to ring in the new year and celebrate david and i’s one year anniversary. [he’s going to have a lot to top next year!!]

needless to say, i got right to packing. packing for thailand was very similar to packing for bali. be prepared to be hot, so pack things that are breathable and show minimal sweat stains [it happens to the best of us].
if i was packing minimally i could easily have lived off of 2-3 pair of shorts, a skirt and some sensible t-shirts. oh, and of course.. add in a swim suit or two! so, if you need to pack light, it is most definitely do-able! i like to think i fall somewhere in between on the scale of minimal to extra.
 

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