Preppy Deck in Progress

Serena & Lily Coffee Table / Ballard Designs Teak Sofas, Arm Chairs, Side Table, and Dining Table / Ballard Designs Striped Umbrella / “Enjoy” Pillow / Gingham Pillow / Stamped Initial Necklace / Lilly Pulitzer Sweater (In black here) / Huarache SandalsSimilar Green Skinny Jeans Here, Here and Here / Lucy’s Outfit / Emma’s Dachshund Dress / Emma’s Sandals

So this is exciting!

A couple of days ago, most of our deck furniture arrived, and Mitch jumped to put it together in time for an 80-degree day. I can’t tell you how wonderful it is! This is our first time having a private outdoor space, and wow: it does wonders for the mind and soul. We use it constantly for play and meals, but I also love popping back there with a cup of coffee in the morning and a glass of wine at night. It’s the perfect place to start and end the day.

Before I share details and photos, though, I wanted to talk about sun protection. Because while I obviously slather Emma and Lucy in sunscreen every day, remembering to care for myself is a little bit more challenging. On all fronts at this point, really. ;) Right now, it’s a major feat if I’m showered before noon, after all. 😂 But much like showering is a form of self care, so is sun protection…

It’s SO important, especially when you’re doing everyday stuff that you wouldn’t “count” as times you need sunscreen. I mean, we all wear it when we go to the beach or pool, right? But when was the last time you wore it while doing yard work, for example? If you remember to put it on, I’m impressed! But I’m guessing that for a lot of us, it doesn’t cross our minds, and these are often the times that we’re at the greatest risk. (Did you know that we experience 18 hours of sun exposure–both indoors and outdoors–per week?! That’s a lot!)

Olay Sun Face Sunscreen + Shine Control with SPF 35

One quick and easy way to make sure you’re protected year-round (regardless of the season or environment) is to build using Olay Sun Face Sunscreen + Shine Control with SPF 35 into your everyday morning routine. When I think of sunscreen, I often think “heavy,” “greasy” and “shiny” — because a lot of it out there is! But Olay’s product is designed to blend into your skin, leaving it smooth and matte: something I’ve never been able to achieve with other products. I’ve been wearing the light, oil-free lotion under my makeup as a primer, and it works astonishingly well! It goes without saying that I’m never doing back to the greasy stuff. :)

A few important details about Olay Sun Face Sunscreen + Shine Control with SPF 35:

The oil-free lottion has a “barely there” feel, and it won’t clog pores. Still, it provides broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection and is designed to prevent the early signs of skin aging. It leaves your skin shine-free throughout the day and improves makeup coverage and longevity, which is so helpful for me. If I can barely squeeze a shower in these days, there’s no way I’m going to be able to do makeup touchups! ;)

Anyway, Mitch did put together the majority of the furniture, but once Emma and Lucy woke up from their naps, we joined him out back to help. (Pretty sure we were more destructive than helpful, but whatever. At least we’re cute. 😜) I wore my Olay Sun Face Sunscreen + Shine Control, and zero problems. Felt so good not having to worry about my fair Irish skin!

Okay. Want to see the progress that we’ve made thus far?!

Preppy Deck in Progress

Preppy Deck in Progress by Mitch Larkin
OLAY Sun
Preppy Deck in Progress - Noodle and Olay
Emma Larkin and her dog
Toddler and her dog
Kelly is featuring Olay Sun

Boom! It’s all happening. Sure: finding the time to put together a set of furniture when you have two kids under the age of three is a challenge, but as I alluded to, Mitch did handled most of it during nap time, while I worked on a freelance project and kept watch over the girls. He had to rush, and he didn’t finish the dining table… but the man did well! I LOVE how it looks and functions, and I know we’re going to spend most of the summer out there! Above are some photos during “assembly,” when the sun was at its strongest, and below are some photos of the family enjoying their new setup. Scroll down for product details.

Preppy Deck in Progress - Father and a newborn
Happy little girl
Preppy Deck in Progress - Olay Sun
happy mother enjoying her patio
happy father with his daughters
dog sleeping
Olay Sun SPF 35
striped blue and white sun umbrella
white and blue outdoor area
Happy family enjoying their preppy deck
Happy couple

^ Happy to be protected!

Admittedly, we still have more to do. We need to put together the dining table, decide on dining chairs, buy plants, find accent pillows, string twinkle lights, and maybe get an outdoor rug. We’re also waiting on striped cushions that’ll match the umbrella! But thus far, we’re overjoyed. Again, it’s a dream to have an outdoor space that’s all our own. And a dream to not have to worry about sunburns!

Shop the post:

Serena & Lily Coffee Table / Ballard Designs Teak Sofas, Arm Chairs, Side Table, and Dining Table / Ballard Designs Striped Umbrella / “Enjoy” Pillow / Gingham Pillow / Stamped Initial Necklace / Lilly Pulitzer Sweater (In black here) / Huarache SandalsSimilar Green Skinny Jeans Here, Here and Here / Lucy’s Outfit / Emma’s Dachshund Dress / Emma’s Sandals

This post was sponsored by Olay, but all opinions are my own. As always, thank you so, so much for supporting the partnerships that keep Kelly in the City up and running!