pink lemonade bars

Between these bars and pancakes, that’s pretty much all I’ve eaten this week. And I’m totally OK with that.

You see, summertime for me goes two ways. Sometimes, it’s super chill and lazy, reminiscent of the sweet freedom of summers when I was in grade school. Other times, it’s insanity. Parties, weddings, work, errands, yada yada yada — all good things, of course, but just a.lot.of.it. And that’s just the stuff we know is coming.

For us, summer has decided to swell right out of the gate — thus why my diet lately has been all carbs, all day long (also, thus, why I spent some time with Rihanna this week). Not a bad trade, though, when pink lemonade bars are involved. But I’m looking forward to the calm side of summer soon. Of course, I’ll be enjoying these bars during that time, too.

My point is, these summers? They go by so fast. And sometimes, we get so caught up in the hectic crazy-times that we forget to enjoy them just as much as the calmer times. And then there are the times when life throws us curveballs and we have to respond to those, too. Such is the case with my blogger friend, Claire of The Realistic Nutritionist, whose kitchen in her brand new home recently caught fire. Thankfully she and her family are safe and sound, but I can’t imagine having to go through that ordeal, especially when I have breakdowns sometimes over stains in my carpeting. Oy.

So in an effort to give her a little more time to breathe and get back on her feet, I’ve written a guest post on her lovely blog with a recipe for these nummy pink lemonade bars, flavored with raspberries and a buttery shortbread crust. Hopefully, Claire and her family can get back to normal life soon and enjoy the summertime. As for the rest of us, I suggest we do the same.