Summer Fun with Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom Ice Cream {#BlueBunnySocial}

While spring was coming to an end and the hot days of summer began to roll in, this year I focused on staying realistic about what the season would entail.

Although I'd like to say that I pictured leisurely, relaxing days — the kids are out of school, so we'll have plenty of time to enjoy the park or go on a picnic or just kick back and play in the yard, right? — I also knew that the various camps, sports, lessons, classes and events that my girls were signed up for would greatly impede on that daydream.

Instead of putting my feet up in the hammock, my free moments would be mostly spent in the car shuttling someone to their next activity while going to pick someone else up from their current one. Just call it Mom's intuition (or, more accurately, experience from the past few summers).

Therefore, I also knew that I wanted to be sure to carve out plenty of those carefree moments, for myself as well as for my family. After all, when we all look back, the most memorable days are going to be the ones spent together laughing and having fun, right?

This summer, I found my inspiration in a unique location. Instead of spending time planning, organizing and preparing, I simply opened up my freezer and knew I had the answer: Sweet Freedom ice cream from Blue Bunny.

Created right in Le Mars, Iowa, Blue Bunny offers nearly 500 delicious ice cream flavors and delectable novelties so that everyone's taste buds are sure to find their favorite.

The Sweet Freedom collection, however, takes things a step further by including only low fat or light ice cream with no sugar added. The result is creamy, luscious flavor but freedom from... sugar? Unnecessary calories? Guilt, perhaps?

In my case, a bit of all of the above, as once the Sweet Freedom Ice Cream Rocky Road, Sweet Freedom Ice Cream Banana Split, Sweet Freedom Ice Cream Bar Krunch Lites and Sweet Freedom Snack Size Vanilla Ice Cream Cones arrived, I knew that they were just what our summer needed.

With all of these delicious flavors calling out to us, I set about on finding a few fun and easy ways to incorporate our Blue Bunny treats into summer indulgences that we could all enjoy.

(If you happened to pick up the June issue of many Hearst Magazines — for example, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, HGTV Magazine, Marie Claire, O, The Oprah Magazine, Redbook, Woman's Day and more — then you may have already glimpsed my tips in the Blue Bunny ads. If that's the case, try to act surprised for me, okay?)

Around here, indulging is often all about the pampering. Who doesn't love that?

While it's a huge treat for me to slip off and enjoy getting a summer mani/pedi at a salon, I also know just how much my 4- and 6-year-old girls enjoy being a part of the pampered time with me.

So why not combine two things that they love (being girly and eating ice cream) into one fantastically fun afternoon?

Let me tell you, the girls weren't the only ones excited about the chance to pretty up our fingernails and toenails while enjoying a bowl of ice cream at the same time.

The Sweet Freedom Ice Cream Rocky Road and Sweet Freedom Ice Cream Banana Split are such a delicious way to satisfy the sweet tooth in all of us — with no added sugar!

We have many more plans for incorporating Blue Bunny into the remainder of our summer, as there are cookouts, camping trips and parties planned that Sweet Freedom will be able to easily make more tasty and fun.

Not to mention that anything from a road trip to a picnic is the perfect place for delicious chocolate-coated Sweet Freedom Krunch Lite Bars to come along in our cooler!

Who needs to pack the rest of the picnic lunch when these bars are really all we want?

With summer half over already, we are definitely going to make an effort to take advantage of any and all free time to grab summer relaxation and enjoyment when we can. After all, it isn't only the vacations and planned activities that create the memories that we'll reminisce about for years to come, sometimes it is simply the days filled with good food, good family and friends, and good fun.

Be sure to check out the great Blue Bunny Sweet Freedom options at BlueBunny.com well as connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to see how their large variety of tasty options can make your next get-together affordable, tasty and unforgettable.

Even better, why not let them pamper you with a luxurious spa day? Until August 10th, Blue Bunny is holding a Summer of Freedom Facebook contest celebrating the summer season. Simply snap a photo of your favorite summertime treat (no people) and submit it for a chance to be one of ten lucky fans who will win a $500 gift certificate to their favorite local day spa!

This post is part of a campaign with Blue Bunny and The Motherhood, however, all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.