About Me
I'm just an average girl who enjoys the outdoors, travel, family, and fun. But let's face it.... I don't like bugs, and critters, and sweating, and eating off the land. I like good CLEAN fun!
I grew up in a middle-class family in a small city in North Carolina. It was huge to me, but compared to larger cities it was relatively small. My parents were hard workers and that afforded us the opportunity to travel and vacation every year. One of my fondest childhood memories is the single-wide trailer we owned on Topsail Beach at Surf City. I spent my summers baking in the sun, swimming in the ocean (without a care in the world that sharks and jellyfish were in there), getting filthy dirty in the sand, and eating seafood (either caught by my dad in the little sound behind the trailer, or all dressed up at a local restaurant). We spent the majority of the summer there for about 20 years. Before my parents bought the trailer, they had a small travel trailer that they, me and my brother and sister would camp in. And before that? You guessed it, we camped in a tent. Now I was too young to really remember this, but it created my love for the outdoors. It created my love to be near nature, to walk on a sandy beach and collect shells and sharks teeth, to find things to do that weren't watching TV (or in today's age glued to a video game). That stuck with me. Although I love to have my smart phone in my hand looking up things on Pinterest, or playing on Facebook, I still know how to decompress and put it all away for the love of the outdoors.
When I went off to college my parents sold the trailer at the beach and bought a trailer at a lake near our home where they could enjoy water sports. My dad has had a boat for as long as I can remember. He was an avid Bass fisherman in his day. The rest of the family all learned to ski and wake board and we had a lot of fun doing that in the inter coastal waterway of Topsail Island. But the lake isn't as rough and is just as fun - in a different way. So, on to the lake we went to vacation and enjoy the outdoors. The beach is sandy. The lake is woodsy. Needless to say, I have spent much of my life outdoors and in and around the water.
As I got older and had my own family, the trips with my parents got fewer and farther between. We still went to the beach every year, if not but just for a day. And we'd go to the lake on the weekends on occasion. But, our family lives got busy with work and activities for our kids. And I spent more and more time indoors, rather than outdoors. I grew to miss those special moments of getting away from everyday life and being outdoors. I became used to the conveniences of being at home in the air conditioning, close to stores and the convenience of suburban living.
Flash forward a few years - I will not subject you to all the details. But, let's just say my marriage didn't work out and I found myself a single mom raising two daughters who were then 8 and 16. I spent a good 5 years focused more on them and less on myself. I didn't go out much, unless it was to take them to their activities. I spent a lot of time watching TV (and eating). And I spent a LOT of time wishing I could have back that carefree childhood life I so cherished growing up.
So one day I decided to SNAP OUT OF IT! I was entitled to enjoy my life as a mid-40 year old single woman with 2 kids just as much as anyone else out there. And that's just what I did. I started going out more with friends. I lost 50 pounds. I spent more time outdoors - in the spring/summer/fall I would just sit on the back porch all night and enjoy the quiet. Or listen to music and catch up with friends. But something was always still missing. I missed the adventure of going somewhere and being away from home.
Good began to flow into my life again while I was focused on myself and getting back to my 'happy place'. I met a man that adores me and I love beyond words could describe here - my true soul mate. He is fun and likes adventure and being outdoors just as much as I do. So, one day we decided to go to a local RV show. I've always wanted to own a camper and take adventures. We filled out a card to win a weekend stay at a local resort. Of course we won (I'm pretty sure everyone did). So we went to visit. We fell in LOVE with this campground! I mean in LOVE! It is everything I'd been missing all rolled up into one beautifully landscaped package. A lake for fishing or canoeing, a swimming pool, Saturday night bands, activities every single day of the year, putt-putt, cornhole, a playground, pool tables, crafts, and so much more. I know - I sound like an advertisement for this place. That is how much I love it! I could easily be a sales agent!
But herein lied the issue - we didn't have a camper and this was an RV resort. Still, I was so passionate about this place, we signed up on the spot. The very next weekend we took our tent and went camping. Yep - we were the only ones there camping in a tent. While I felt a tiny bit "low class" I didn't let it get it to me and we had the best weekend I have had in a very long time. But, oh how camping is NOT for me. I am more of a GLAMPER! I need space, water, electricity, and a little of the conveniences of home. You don't get much of that in a tent.
One thing you should know about me. When I get my mind and heart set on something I make it happen. I wanted a camper!!!! And a camper I found!!! I'll write a blog about my actual camper with pictures and video. I feel in love with it too. See a pattern here? I was born to camp. Well, ok I was born to glamp! The camper is older (totally fine with me - I had no desire or drive to pay thousands of dollars for a brand new off the lot camper - I wanted something I could make my own). The previous owners had already remodeled it a lot and we added our final finishing touches to it! Now we go camping almost every weekend and at least one full week during the summer months every year. I am back to that happy, carefree kid on the beach who stayed outside all day and didn't care about electronics or technology. We have a TV in the camper in case it rains and we have nothing else to do. But we never use it! And it's not hooked up to regular TV channels - the only thing we can do on it is watch movies. But, I'd rather be outside.
That brings me to this blog. Something I didn't tell you - writing is a passion of mine. I've been doing it since, well.... since I could write. Poetry, short stories, blogs, personal entries, magazine articles, newspaper articles - you name it, I've probably written it! And I have a degree in Journalism to back my passion up. I've spent many years in the corporate world making a dollar for someone else while barely making a dollar for myself. This blog will hopefully be the start of something beautiful. And if I never make a dime off it, at least I am doing something I love. Writing. And Glamping!
So - enjoy my stories, my anecdotes, my travel ideas, my camping suggestions, my glamping attitude, and some good campfire recipes that will have you headed outdoors with your family (even if it's just to your back yard) for some camping fun (girl style!).
I grew up in a middle-class family in a small city in North Carolina. It was huge to me, but compared to larger cities it was relatively small. My parents were hard workers and that afforded us the opportunity to travel and vacation every year. One of my fondest childhood memories is the single-wide trailer we owned on Topsail Beach at Surf City. I spent my summers baking in the sun, swimming in the ocean (without a care in the world that sharks and jellyfish were in there), getting filthy dirty in the sand, and eating seafood (either caught by my dad in the little sound behind the trailer, or all dressed up at a local restaurant). We spent the majority of the summer there for about 20 years. Before my parents bought the trailer, they had a small travel trailer that they, me and my brother and sister would camp in. And before that? You guessed it, we camped in a tent. Now I was too young to really remember this, but it created my love for the outdoors. It created my love to be near nature, to walk on a sandy beach and collect shells and sharks teeth, to find things to do that weren't watching TV (or in today's age glued to a video game). That stuck with me. Although I love to have my smart phone in my hand looking up things on Pinterest, or playing on Facebook, I still know how to decompress and put it all away for the love of the outdoors.
When I went off to college my parents sold the trailer at the beach and bought a trailer at a lake near our home where they could enjoy water sports. My dad has had a boat for as long as I can remember. He was an avid Bass fisherman in his day. The rest of the family all learned to ski and wake board and we had a lot of fun doing that in the inter coastal waterway of Topsail Island. But the lake isn't as rough and is just as fun - in a different way. So, on to the lake we went to vacation and enjoy the outdoors. The beach is sandy. The lake is woodsy. Needless to say, I have spent much of my life outdoors and in and around the water.
As I got older and had my own family, the trips with my parents got fewer and farther between. We still went to the beach every year, if not but just for a day. And we'd go to the lake on the weekends on occasion. But, our family lives got busy with work and activities for our kids. And I spent more and more time indoors, rather than outdoors. I grew to miss those special moments of getting away from everyday life and being outdoors. I became used to the conveniences of being at home in the air conditioning, close to stores and the convenience of suburban living.
Flash forward a few years - I will not subject you to all the details. But, let's just say my marriage didn't work out and I found myself a single mom raising two daughters who were then 8 and 16. I spent a good 5 years focused more on them and less on myself. I didn't go out much, unless it was to take them to their activities. I spent a lot of time watching TV (and eating). And I spent a LOT of time wishing I could have back that carefree childhood life I so cherished growing up.
So one day I decided to SNAP OUT OF IT! I was entitled to enjoy my life as a mid-40 year old single woman with 2 kids just as much as anyone else out there. And that's just what I did. I started going out more with friends. I lost 50 pounds. I spent more time outdoors - in the spring/summer/fall I would just sit on the back porch all night and enjoy the quiet. Or listen to music and catch up with friends. But something was always still missing. I missed the adventure of going somewhere and being away from home.
Good began to flow into my life again while I was focused on myself and getting back to my 'happy place'. I met a man that adores me and I love beyond words could describe here - my true soul mate. He is fun and likes adventure and being outdoors just as much as I do. So, one day we decided to go to a local RV show. I've always wanted to own a camper and take adventures. We filled out a card to win a weekend stay at a local resort. Of course we won (I'm pretty sure everyone did). So we went to visit. We fell in LOVE with this campground! I mean in LOVE! It is everything I'd been missing all rolled up into one beautifully landscaped package. A lake for fishing or canoeing, a swimming pool, Saturday night bands, activities every single day of the year, putt-putt, cornhole, a playground, pool tables, crafts, and so much more. I know - I sound like an advertisement for this place. That is how much I love it! I could easily be a sales agent!
But herein lied the issue - we didn't have a camper and this was an RV resort. Still, I was so passionate about this place, we signed up on the spot. The very next weekend we took our tent and went camping. Yep - we were the only ones there camping in a tent. While I felt a tiny bit "low class" I didn't let it get it to me and we had the best weekend I have had in a very long time. But, oh how camping is NOT for me. I am more of a GLAMPER! I need space, water, electricity, and a little of the conveniences of home. You don't get much of that in a tent.
One thing you should know about me. When I get my mind and heart set on something I make it happen. I wanted a camper!!!! And a camper I found!!! I'll write a blog about my actual camper with pictures and video. I feel in love with it too. See a pattern here? I was born to camp. Well, ok I was born to glamp! The camper is older (totally fine with me - I had no desire or drive to pay thousands of dollars for a brand new off the lot camper - I wanted something I could make my own). The previous owners had already remodeled it a lot and we added our final finishing touches to it! Now we go camping almost every weekend and at least one full week during the summer months every year. I am back to that happy, carefree kid on the beach who stayed outside all day and didn't care about electronics or technology. We have a TV in the camper in case it rains and we have nothing else to do. But we never use it! And it's not hooked up to regular TV channels - the only thing we can do on it is watch movies. But, I'd rather be outside.
That brings me to this blog. Something I didn't tell you - writing is a passion of mine. I've been doing it since, well.... since I could write. Poetry, short stories, blogs, personal entries, magazine articles, newspaper articles - you name it, I've probably written it! And I have a degree in Journalism to back my passion up. I've spent many years in the corporate world making a dollar for someone else while barely making a dollar for myself. This blog will hopefully be the start of something beautiful. And if I never make a dime off it, at least I am doing something I love. Writing. And Glamping!
So - enjoy my stories, my anecdotes, my travel ideas, my camping suggestions, my glamping attitude, and some good campfire recipes that will have you headed outdoors with your family (even if it's just to your back yard) for some camping fun (girl style!).
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