It’s the most amazing time of year! We LOVE all things Summer in this house (well mostly me and Jack.) The only down fall: too much sun or too many bugs. I cringe when I think of Jack getting sunburn or a bug bite. Now that he is a little older we are off doing more adventurous things ( a k a him not listening and running in the woods) then we have in the past. He can’t simply be protected by a hat and a net in the stroller. In the past for myself I use essential oils for bug protection, never having read enough about which ones work and why. I was also terrified of the word DEET – not realizing in small doses and certain settings it can be ok. I do have a major fear of anyone I know getting a tick borne illness so I needed to learn more on how to protect us. Having spent a lot of time reading and researching both sunblock and bug spray I now feel like I am in (mostly) full understanding about how this all works, what to look for and what to avoid. I put together a list above and I hope you find this helpful on your hunt for the perfect protection. (Remember no sunblock or bug spray for babies under 6 months.)