Charleston SC Travel Diary - Part 2

     Last week I shared my own Travel Diary from my recent Charleston trip! Today I'm turning things over to my friend Priyanka, who was my travel companion. Since I was in Charleston for a friend's wedding, those festivities kept me pretty busy and I didn't get to explore as much as Priyanka did. Since she got to see more of Charleston than I did on this trip, I wanted her to be able to share her additional travel recommendations with y'all! In addition to some of the more popular touristy spots, Priyanka also discovered a lot that was off the beaten path. She kindly wrote up this awesome recap and also sent over some photos she took- so I'm sharing that as the second part of my Charleston Travel Diary today!

GUEST POST by A Byers Guide: Deciphering Formal Dress Codes

     My vacation in Maine is nearing its end, but I still have one more fun guest post to share with you! Today's post is by Courtney of A Byers Guide- she's sharing how to decipher different dress codes, especially formal ones! What a useful skill. Thank you to Courtney and all the other wonderful bloggers who guest posted for me this week. Chat with you Monday! - xoxo Annaliese 

First off, I want to thank Annaliese for inviting me to do a guest post. What an honor! My name is Courtney Byers and I’m the content creator behind A Byers Guide Blog. I started my blog about two and a half years ago when my husband was in medical school. I desperately needed a creative outlet, and fashion has always been a huge part of my life. In fact, I even took a fashion design class in high school, and of course like many girls, I was always worried about what to wear to school. I have the need to create and this space has helped fulfill that. When people I know in real life find out about my blog, they’re never surprised. My blog was originally called Life of A Med School Wife, but I rebranded a year and a half ago to A Byers’ Guide. I wanted to do a play on words with my last name and buying, since I share a lot on fashion. My husband Jake and I just celebrated our 5^th anniversary. We have a 15 pound Maine Coon kitty who is our baby (we don’t have a human baby yet). I blog mostly about affordable fashion, and I also share lifestyle posts as well as travel guides. You can read more about my blogging story here, follow my Instagram here, and like my Facebook page here.

GUEST POST by Whismy in Her Wardrobe: Choosing a Designer Bag.

     Today's guest poster is Jordyn from Whimsy in Her Wardrobe! I've loved following Jordyn's blog for a few years and I'm so happy she is one of my guest posters this week while I'm away. She's chatting all about designer handbags- what a fun topic. Take it away, Jordyn! - xoxo Annaliese

Hello lovelies! As you may know Annaliese is on vacation in her home state of Maine. Like you guys probably do, I follow Annaliese on Instagram and love her daily stories (If you don't follow Annaliese on Insta, why not? Pop over and tell her you miss her).
 

GUEST POST by What Nicole Wore: Weekend Guide to Louisville, KY

     Today's guest post is by Nicole of What Nicole Wore! She will be sharing a fun guide to her home city of Louisville, KY. I was lucky enough to visit Louisville back in 2015- and I hope to go back someday for the Kentucky Derby! Enjoy Nicole's recommendations. A new guest post from another blogger I love will be live tomorrow! - xoxo Annaliese 

Hi Southern Belle in Training readers! My name is Nicole & I blog at What Nicole Wore, an affordable fashion and lifestyle blog. I've been running What Nicole Wore for four years now where I share my favorite outfits, beauty products, and life tips. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter as well.  Thank you to Annaliese for allowing me to take over today and share a weekend guide of what to do in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. This post may contain affiliate and/or referral links. I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you complete a purchase through this post. Thank you for your support of What Nicole Wore.

GUEST POST by Heather Bien: Burying the Bourbon in Charlottesville.

      Happy Monday from Maine! I'm taking the week off from the blog and blog related social media while I enjoy my vacation at home, but I have some fabulous bloggers guest posting for me in my absence. First up is Heather! I absolutely adore her blog. Heather was married here in the Charlottesville area in December 2018, and will be re-sharing a post from her own blog about a Southern tradition she incorporated into her big day! Stay tuned later this week for more fun guest posts! - xoxo Annaliese

Hi! I'm Heather Bien and I'm so excited to kick off Annaliese's week of guests posts! I'm a lifestyle blogger and writer based in Washington, DC. You can find me on my blog, www.heatherbien.com, on Instagram, @hmbien. At the moment, if you follow along with me, you'll going to find lots of home content (my husband and I just bought a condo on the main level of an 1880 rowhouse on Capitol Hill in Washington!), travel covering everything from easy getaways in the mid-Atlantic to trips abroad, and lifestyle, including entertaining and all things career and blogging. You'll also catch me on sites, including The Everygirl, where I love sharing my thoughts on personal development, relationships, and more.

Guest post: Favorite Carolina Beaches

     This post is sponsored by Bradford Luxury Apartments and Townhomes

Favorite Carolina Beaches

Are you looking for a quick weekend getaway with plenty of sun and relaxation? One of the perks of living in Cary, NC, is the fact that the beach is just a short drive away. Enjoy a weekend off with the sand under your toes and the sea stretching out in front of you. Here are some of the beaches that are rated well and within a short drive of Cary.

Myrtle Beach

You can't discuss the Carolina's best beaches without discussing Myrtle Beach. The beach that draws the huge tourist crowds, Myrtle Beach provides ample accommodations for its residents. These white sand beaches have multiple free access points, more than any other beach in the nation, and are lined with shops, golf courses, hotels, restaurants and nightlife spots. Myrtle Beach is located about three hours south of Cary.

Wrightsville Beach

About an hour closer to Cary, Wrightsville Beach sits just to the north of the Cape Fear River in North Carolina. The draw of this beach is the excellent surfing waves. An added bonus that makes your trip to Wrightsville so appealing is the fact that it has fewer tourist traps than other popular beaches.

Corolla Beach

If you are looking for the secluded beach experience, then take the four-hour drive to Corolla Beach, North Carolina. This is the spot to see North Carolina's famous wild horses grazing among the sands, and you will be hard pressed to see much in the way of development crowding the beauty of the beachfront.

Folly Beach

If you wish to escape the crowds of Myrtle Beach but want a bit more comfort than Corolla Beach offers, then take a trip to Folly Beach in South Carolina. This beachfront community is known for its laid-back lifestyle. You will have ample opportunities to relax! Yet, the city offers restaurants, shopping and other amenities that will mean you do not have to "rough it."

With oceanfront experiences stretching from South Carolina to North Carolina, and all within a half-day's drive of Cary, your next weekend away is sure to be relaxing. You will return rested and rejuvenated, ready to tackle everything that life throws your way. Plan your weekend away to one of these beach destinations today!

This article was contributed by Bradford Luxury Apartments & Townhomes, which is a new, upscale living development that recently opened in Cary, NC, which is within easy driving distance to all of these beaches!

     xoxo Miss ALK

Guest post: Charlotte's Exciting Growth.

     This post is sponsored by The VUE

     I have only been home from college for about a week and a half, but I am already missing my sweet city of Charlotte so much! It is crazy to me how quickly I both fell in love with the Queens City, and also made it home. One of my favorite things about Charlotte is its fun Uptown area. (In Charlotte, Uptown is where the skyscrapers and many cultural attractions are- in many other cities this would be called downtown. I guess Charlotte just likes to be different!) Anyways, what makes Uptown so great is that it is very safe and clean compared to the downtown areas of many other large cities. I always feel very comfortable going into the Uptown area with my college friends for lunch or dinner in the city at a favorite restaurant, or a fun night out on the town. I also love doing my blog pictures there when I get the chance to as y'all know! :-)

     Anyways, enjoy this guest post sponsored by one of Uptown Charlotte's premiere living communities, The VUE, which will highlight even more wonderful things about both Uptown and Charlotte in general. (I actually know some people from my college who live in The VUE- it's a beautiful building!) 

Charlotte’s Exciting Growth

As the second-fastest growing city in the country, and the fastest on the East Coast, Charlotte is an exciting place to live and work. As younger populations move out of rural areas and into the cities, Charlotte continues to grow and expand, offering a friendly business climate, thriving nightlife and diverse cultural scene. A quick look at all that Charlotte offers shows that there's little to dislike about the growing city.

Sports, Arts and a Fun into the Night

What makes Charlotte such a fun city? For many it is the many different things to do. Whether you are a sports enthusiast, love the arts or want to party into the night, you will find that Charlotte makes it possible.

For those who love active sports, or love to watch their favorite teams play, Charlotte does not disappoint. When the Hornets season starts, the city rallies behind their NBA team. It's not uncommon to see people on the streets of Charlotte with Hornets jerseys or hats as they cheer on their favorite players.

Of course, you may prefer a more active sports experience, and Charlotte offers this as well. For those, the U.S. National Whitewater Center may be a place to visit. With facilities for all types of water sports, as well as ropes courses, zip lines, canopy tours and mountain bike trails, the USNWC provides active Charlotte residents a facility to pursue their favorite activities.

Charlotte is also known as a city that values art. From the Levine Center for the Arts to the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts center's live performances, you will find artistic expressions and venues, as well as local artists and galleries, for every taste.

When the sun sets, Charlotte comes alive with an active nightlife that keeps residents entertained well into the early morning hours. Bars, clubs, lounges and live music venues and even bowling allies keep residents entertained throughout the night. You will be able to find a venue to match almost every taste and budget.

Charlotte's Growth Continues Despite Economy

With all that Charlotte has to offer, it's no wonder the city has grown consistently over the past decade, even during the heart of the economic downturn. As the city moves forward into the future, this growth is expected to continue. Those who make the move to charlotte can enjoy the ride! 

This article was contributed by The VUE, which is one of the most desired places to live in uptown Charlotte because of their upscale amenities, luxury apartments, and ideal location to Charlotte’s active nightlife.


     xoxo Miss ALK

Guest post: The Southern City Appeal of Charlotte

     Today's post is sponsored by Henderson Properties


     I have said for a long time on my blog that coming to the South for college was one of the best decisions of my life. But I have realized more and more lately that transferring colleges after my freshman year and coming to school in Charlotte was also one of the best decisions that I have ever made. A little recap of my college journey: I started school at a Christian university in a rural part of North Carolina. Once I realized that I wanted to transfer, I knew that I wanted to stay in the state of North Carolina, and wanted to be closer to a city. I got more then I could have ever dreamed and ended up right in Charlotte! I absolutely love living life in North Carolina's largest and most metropolitan city, and today's guest post highlights some of the things that I love about the Queens City!

The Southern City Appeal of Charlotte

     For those of us who have lived in Charlotte for at least a little while, it comes as no surprise that our beloved city is finally getting the recognition that it deserves.

     There are many outsiders who got a glimpse into Charlotte life when they watched Emily Maynard star on both the Bachelor and Bachelorette television shows. Others were tipped off to this city with the growing popularity of the Charlotte Panthers and Charlotte Hornets athletic teams.

     Regardless of the reason, Charlotte is definitely becoming one of the top spots and fastest growing cities in the South. As people flock here for school, work or family life, they are quickly finding that Charlotte has a lot to offer.

Booming Real Estate Conditions

     When making the move to Charlotte, the first priority that needs to be tackled is finding a place to live. Whether you are single and looking for an industrial loft apartment or you have a family that needs a large backyard, there are options for everyone. Unfortunately (for buyers), Charlotte area home prices have been on the rise. But that doesn’t mean a great deal still can’t be found!

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs

     One of the biggest reasons people are flocking to Charlotte is for the new jobs that are constantly coming to the city and surrounding areas. State figures show that around 22,400 jobs have been added over the past year. That is a lot of jobs, and potentially a lot of new residents too! Job security is something that everyone is looking for these days, and Charlotte is making that a reality for many workers as companies are continually expanding and relocating to the area.

So Many Things to Do!

     If you are looking for a fun and active place to live, Charlotte should surely make the list. From professional sporting events to music concerts, local breweries to a buzzing art scene, there is something for every taste and interest in the Charlotte area.

     Truly, Charlotte is the best of both worlds. You can work in a skyscraper in the heart of the city, and then drive just a few miles on the weekend to get away from it all. It’s pretty clear why Charlotte is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the South. I think the bigger question becomes – why wouldn’t anyone want to call Charlotte home?

     A few of my personal favorite things about Charlotte that I would add to this would be the great variety of malls in all parts of the city (something for all shoppers- from the luxurious SouthPark mall to the bargain friendly Concord Mills outlet mall), how clean, safe and beautiful the Uptown area is, the plethora of churches, the weather, the close proximity to lots of areas in both NC and SC, a great airport, all of the different, diverse neighborhoods throughout the city, and the friendliness and southern hospitality of the residents!

     If you live in Charlotte or have visited, what are your favorite things about the Queens City? If haven't had the pleasure of traveling to the Queens City yet, tell me your favorite thing about your own city or town! 

    

      xoxo Miss ALK

Guest post: Sorority Summer Style by Greek Streak

     Today I have a special guest post lined up for y'all! My friends over at Greek Streak, a sorority and fraternity apparel company, have requested to guest post here at Southern Belle in Training! They also sent me an adorable Alpha Delta Pi tank-top from their sorority apparel collection to review. I love this fun tank, it is light-weight and perfect for summer, and I know that I will get a lot of use out of it on beach days especially!

Tank: c/o Greek Streak || Leggings: Victoria's Secret PINK || Sandals: Target || Sunglasses: Charming Charlie || Bow: Glitter 

     Their guest post is customized a bit to Alpha Delta Pi since that is my sorority, but the fashion ideas in the post are things that girls in any sorority could try with their own sorority's symbols and colors. Enjoy the guest post from Erica of Greek Streak! 

Sorority Summer Fashion

Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t display your Alpha Delta Pi sisterhood pride. In fact, the hot summer months are actually the perfect time to showcase the style that defines the Alpha Delta Pi sorority! From diamonds to custom T-shirts, there are plenty of ways to showcase sorority style during this season away from school. Want some fresh inspiration? Looking for new ways to work sorority love into what you wear? Here are a couple specific options for showing you’re a sorority girl this season!

Shiny Sparkle and Bling

The diamond is the official badge for Alpha Delta Pi, so add some dazzle to your wardrobe this summer! Whether you buy cubic zirconia stud earrings or rhinestone-studded sandals, adding a little bling to your outfits is a subtle way to show your sisterhood pride, as well to add some sparkle to your style.

Blue and White Colors

Nothing says summer beach living like the classic combination of white and blue. And since these are the official Alpha Delta Pi colors, you have more than one reason to work them into your wardrobe this summer! Try a white maxi dress with an azure blue statement necklace or white jeans with a royal blue blouse. Any way you work the white and blue together, you’re spreading sorority pride.

Violet in Your Wardrobe

Since violet is the official flower of Alpha Delta Pi, try incorporating it into your outfits through violet jewelry, tops or dresses. Whether you pick a violet bikini or a violet sundress, this pretty color is a shout-out to all things Alpha Delta Pi.

Custom Sorority Shirts

Maybe the easiest way to show off Alpha Delta Pi pride is also the most effective: wear a custom-designed shirt. When you sport a T-shirt with the Alpha Delta Pi logo or a shirt with Alpha Delta Pi name, you make the message clearer than ever that you’re a sorority girl who’s proud of it.

What ways will you show off sorority pride this summer break? Will you follow the fashion ideas above, or do you have some of your own? Whether you’re sporting sorority pins, sorority colors or something else, finding ways to promote Alpha Delta Pi is not only fun — it’s also a great way to draw new recruits! Let everyone around you know that you love Alpha Delta Pi, and join your sisterhood around the country promoting the sorority vibe!

Erica Wolfe is a proud Delta Phi Epsilon member and a Marketing Associate Greek Streak – an online Greek apparel retailer providing fraternity and sorority clothing for the Greek community.

Monogramming 101!

     Today you can find me guest posting on the Carolina Clover blog! Carolina Clover is a North Carolina based shop filled with wonderful monogrammed gifts and accessories. I have worked with them before on Southern Belle in Training (I did a product review back in February which you can read here). I was so excited when they asked me to write a guest post for their store's blog. I wrote all about monogram options for double last names (since I have one). You can read my guest post here!


     xoxo Miss ALK

Holiday Sparkle {Guest post by Jaime from Sunflowers and Stilletos}

     Hello to all of you Southern Belle In Training readers!  I’m Jaime with Sunflowers and Stilettos, and am taking over the blog today for Miss ALK.  Although my holiday is already over (tear), I still love Christmas time and the spirit and energy surrounding it.  Everything from the holiday tunes (especially *NSYNC’s ‘Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays’ which plays over and over again in my car), the mayhem at the mall, receiving cards from friends and family, and the beautiful lights and decoration around the neighborhood, truly brings me pure joy.

     Most of all, I love the excuse to get glammed up! 

     Tis the season for sparkle, glitter, and sequins, and I want to share with you two of the many ways I incorporate that into my outfits.

    Photo Credit: Lindsay Wynne Photography 

     

     Both ensembles can be found on my blog with links directing you to each item, so you can achieve a similar look.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and very happy New Year!!

     XOXO,

     Jaime

A Very Bubbly Holiday {Guest post by Michelle from Pink Champagne}

     Hi, y’all!

     I’m Michelle, and you may know me as the voice behind the fashion blog Pink Champagne. A girl after my own heart, Annaliese and I are both self-proclaimed southern belles in training. I have the honor of guest posting while she is in Europe (who’s as jealous as moi?!), and I have some fabulous holiday sparkle for you.

     A girly girl through and through, I’ve always loved jewelry. I recently launched Pink Bubbly, an online jewelry shop filled with color and sparkle galore. You may have seen Annaliese modeling the Blair Bib necklace in this post. To get you through the holiday party season, I’ve put together some fabulous looks for you!

Soft and romantic, pale pink is one of my favorite tones. Dress Anthropologie, Pink Bubbly Ella earrings, Pink Bubbly Busy Bee bracelet

     For the special ladies in your life…these are some of my favorite pieces to gift (and don’t forget to treat YOU)!

Shop all here.

If you’re looking for the perfect gift, choose from gift sets that will make any girl giddy!

     

           

Free shipping is here through the new year, and hurry to order in time for holiday delivery! Big thank you hugs to Annaliese for hosting me here today! Wishing y’all a very merry and bubbly holiday season!

     XX, Michelle 

Last minute preppy gift ideas! {Guest post by Ashliegh from The Darling Prepster}

Hi there, Darling! I'm Ashliegh, the pearl-obsessed blogger behind The Darling Prepster! While my style is preppy and ladylike, I do enjoy experimenting with trends, like tribal print and statement jewelry, sometimes! 

Being a college kid has definitely taught me how to budget and find ways to save money! Here are eight gifts that are perfect for the prepster in your life! The best part is that they are all under $30! 

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 

JCrew Factory Stretch Classic Button Down Shirt ($27) Who doesn't love a great button down shirt? The JCrew Factory is one of my favorite places to shop online as they are always have a great sale! Make sure to sign up for their email list to stay updated!

Charlotte Russe 2-Tone Lace Up Oxfords ($25.50) Whether you wear them with your favorite jeans or a cute skirt, oxfords are a go-to! They comfortable enough to walk around campus and also add a chic flair to your outfit!

Anthropologies Gold Monogram Mug ($10) Every prepster loves monograms! One of these mugs are bound to make your girl beam from ear to ear on Christmas morning!

Alex and Ani Sailboat Bracelet ($28) Nautical is such a classic! I can't be the only one with an Alex and Ani bracelet on my wish list!

Old Navy Pink Vest ($29.99) I don't know about you, but quilted vests are all over my Pinterest feed this season! I think this pink vest would look so charming layered overtop the Forever 21 Reindeer Sweater  ($22.80)! 

Target Glitter Bow Belt ($14.99) Raise your hand if you love glitter. Bows? I thought so. 

MAC Lipstick ($15) To finish off a compete polished look, lipstick is always a must and MAC never fails! This lipstick + stocking = perfect stocking stuffer

I hope this guide was able to help you in finding the perfect gift for the preppy girl in your life (perhaps yourself? Sometimes you need to treat yourself, too!)! Feel free to drop on by my blog or give a quick hello on Facebook or Twitter! 

-Ashliegh

I was featured!

     Good morning, friends! I hope that you all had a restful and happy weekend. This week is already looking to be a bit stressful for me since I have two tests and a speech to give, but I'm trying to think positively and make it a good week. :-)

     I wrote a little bit about Delight in my last post, but basically Delight is an awesome network for Christian teen gals that I've been involved with for about seven months. There is a private Facebook page where we call communicate, and the posts there always encourage me and brighten my day! I've made so many wonderful online friendships from Delight, and even a real-life one. Everyone in the Delight group is involved with the creative arts somehow. Many of the girls are photographers, but I represent one of the blog writers. I was asked recently to write a guest post for the Delight blog about how I got into blogging and how to start a blog, and my post went up on Saturday! You can read it by clicking here.

     I was also today's featured guest poster for author Ashley Mays's blog! Ashley used to write for the Christian teen magazine Brio that was published by Focus on the Family until 2009. I had a subscription to Brio during my middle school years, and Ashley's articles were always my favorite! Once I got into the blogging world in high school I was so excited to see that Ashley had a blog. We have communicated online since then, and I have learned that Ashley's alma mater is the school that I went to last year, which I think is pretty cool! I was so honored when Ashley asked me to guest post on the topic of faith during the college years. You can read that post by clicking here!

     I'm so thankful for these two guest post opportunities! Please feel free to read both the posts and let me know what you think! :-)

   
      xoxo Miss ALK

North Carolina Week: guest post #3

     

     Time for the last post of North Carolina week! Today's guest poster contacted me last month to ask if I was still doing the "Under 30" interviews that I did on my old blog. After I told her that I wasn't continuing them anymore, I suggested instead that she write a guest post for me! When I found out that she was from North Carolina I decided to make her post part of NC week. I now present to you a guest post from "A Girl Without a Name!"

     I'm a mainstream fifteen year old who wishes she wasn't so typical. I'm a photographer. A blogger. A writer. An addict to the TV show Bones. A book junkie since I could read. Wannabe author since second grade. Aspirant nurse since forever. Full time soccer player. Seasonal swimmer. Chick-fil-a eater. Sunset watcher. Lover of sweet tea and Cheerwine (go look it up). North Carolina native.

About My Blog:

     I anonymously started my blog way back in November of my freshman year of high school. I then started taking up photography, first through a digital camera and now through my iPhone and hopefully one day from a real DSLR camera. Most of my writing is about whatever is nagging me at the moment; friendships, feelings, fashion, etc. I like to think I'm a deep thinker and I've recently been trying to potray that through my blog by tackling bigger issues and writing thought provoking posts, although I'm not really sure if I'm succeeding just yet. I'm occasionally funny and sometimes I say things I shouldn't. And I have the habit of starting sentences with and. I hope you join me.

     I've lived the entire span of my short life in North Carolina. It's a beautiful state, full of everything from clusters of alluring mountains, to the beach with it's sandy coastline, to rolling hills and miles of farmland, full of endless rows of tobacco and cotton. We have a unique geography and boast that no matter what the other states say, we have the best BBQ in the south. You can thank us for Krispy Kreme Donuts, the first airplane to fly, Pepsi-Cola, and the first public University (UNC Chapel Hill), among other things. And I promise that if you stay longer than a day, you'll hear a thing or two about our three infamous college basketball rivals.

Holden Beach, NC

     In one sense, we're like everybody else. We've got malls and movie theaters and freeways and Starbucks. But we don't have shopping carts, we have buggies. We don't have have fireflies, we have lightening bugs. We won't call you ignorant, you'll just get a "bless your heart" followed by a smile and the shake of the head. And we occasionally (or repeatedly) drop the g off the ends of words. In most houses, your only drink choice for dinner is sweet tea, y'all rolls out of your mouth without a second thought, and you only notice southern accents if you aren't from the south.

     We have everything from Mayberry-like towns to the urban cities of Charlotte and Raleigh. Neither of them are exactly New York City, but in our own little slice of the south, they suit us just fine. As a little kid, I always loved visiting Charlotte. I would walk along the sidwalk with my head permanently looking up in complete awe of the buildings that seemed to touch the sky. My mom would have to practically drag me along in order to keep walking and she'd always laugh and proclaim that I was a city girl born into the wrong town.

My absolute favorite lake, just 45 minutes from my house.

     I live in a semi-small, rural town about an hour and a half from the mountains and four and a half hours from the coast. Most families have been living here for generations, growing up next to their best friend and marrying their freshman year crush. Most kids go to the same high school that their parents and grandparents went to. My childhood book is full of county fairs, day trips to Boone and Asheville, and Sunday lunches with friends that felt like family after church.

    My high school is full of two kinds of people: camo wearing farmer's kids who intend on taking over their dad's land and kids who are counting down the days to graduation, filling their future with plans that don't involve their home town. No matter our plans though, we all get together every friday in the fall for high school football games. Our parking lot is filled with pick-up trucks, and country music rings from their stereo systems as they leave school each day. And we'd all be lying if we said we'd never taken an AG (agriculture) class.

     I grew up in a place where screened in porches are a necessity. A place where the local restaurants are visited far more often than chain ones. (Ok, maybe there's an exception for Chick-fil-a and Bojangles, but if you've ever eaten at either of these places, you'd understand.) A place that's consistently dubbed as boring through social media by yours truly and every child that attends my high school. A place where every high schooler can't wait to leave, until it actual comes time to separate from our childhood roots that we really do love.

     Life is great in my own piece of NC that I call home. 

Home grown sunsets that you can watch from your back porch are my favorite.

     It wasn't until I started traveling more out of state, did I realize my love for North Carolina. I'm a mountain girl and everything from the Blue Ridge Parkway to the random mountains that we never new existed until a quick Google search, makes me love NC just a little bit more with every visit. I love our endless rivers and lakes, our sandy coastline, and the red clay that squishes beneath your feet wherever you walk. I love our just hot enough summers, winters where the temperatures dip below freezing for the always exciting snow layered yard, and the distinct seasons that enter and leave seamlessly throughout the year.

     And maybe I'm a little biased, but I would never want to live anywhere else. There's no other state where I'd love to raise my children. There's no better place that I'll ever call home.

     There's so much that makes North Carolina what it is- North Carolina. There are so many things that you can only do here. You haven't experienced a true fall until you drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway in October, only stopping to buy home grown jam and peach ice cream from a local produce stand. You haven't experienced absolute peace until you go kayaking down the French Broad River in near-total silence, the only sound being the steady churn of the water and the quiet songs of the birds and insects serenading you in the back ground. You don't know what a true summer is until you visit the Outer Banks with it's salty, deep blue ocean and light houses scattered in the back ground.

     You have no idea what you're missing, unless you come see it for yourself.

Baker's Mountain, NC

"Here's to the land of the long leaf pine, 

the summer land where the sun doth shine, 

where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great, 

here's to down home, the Old North State." (North Carolina's State Toast)

     Hope y'all come visit us some time.