In the past, beating the heat of a Texas summer hasn’t been that difficult. Before we had our little Play Gourmet, we could exercise in the heat for a little bit, and relax in the air conditioning a lot a bit. And the last two summers, the boy wasn’t nearly so active. But now, our bundle of energy almost never stops. Being cooped up in a house isn’t going to work, and playing outside where the temperature camps out over 100 for weeks at a time isn’t going to work either.

So, for our second installment of staying cool this summer, I have brainstormed a list of ways to beat the heat.

Flashback to the first installment: Lick-ety Split

1. Play inside

2. Get wet

3. Eat/drink cold things

And this weekend, we put each idea to the test.

Some good news is, Austin has solved the playing inside without feeling cooped up. To start our day, we head over to Mt. Playmore. Which is a jungle gym the size of Walmart. Upon some hunting there are actually lots of different types of indoor kid gyms.

1. Play inside: Check

Next, Declan used his charm to work his way into his Uncle Frank’s heart. Although he was motive-less at the time, he has managed to parlay this bond into a seat on U. Frank’s boat.

This proved to be a most excellent way to stay cool.

2. Get wet: Check

Although sometimes playing outside is just too fun to avoid, feeling the wind, and heeding your need for speed is a good way to forget about the temperatures outside.

But once you have raised your temperature and appetite it is time for something to cool you down. Ice cream is always there, but we have options. We head over to the Tapioca Lounge, where we can find lots of cool things. Including drinks that you can add tasty things to, like, jellies, boba, bubbles, and tapioca. These desert drinks are very popular all throughout southeast Asia, to beat the heat I have no doubt. With each drink you get a big bursting mouthful of juice and jellies. Ordering is kind of like ordering fro-yo, where you select the flavors that you want in your juice.

When it comes to flavor mixing, we trust the instincts of our little Play Gourmet.

When you are hot and tired, they can’t make it fast enough.

And finally!!!!!

Today’s concoction is strawberry juice with mixed fruit jellies.  The jellies resemble gelatin but are not actually made of gelatin, they are jello-like pieces made from coconut milk, although a hint of flavor is added to give each type its taste. They are also not that sweet, since the juice it comes in supplies plenty of sweetness.

3. Eat/drink cold things: Check

As the sun sets, we can feel good about stuffing as much research as possible into another weekend.