True Southern Girls

Saturday we got really adventurous.

We checked out of our hotel and set up a tent at the cutest campsite in Panama City.

Can I just say (and I can because it’s my blog) that Kaylee, Emma and I are experts at setting up a tent. We did it in about 5 minutes. Thank you Girl Scout camp.

The best part about the campsite is that it was a 5-minute walk to the beach!

That was niiice.

All week we lived off of McDonald’s sweet tea. $1 for the best tea around. I think sweet tea is my favorite part of being a southerner. It’s practically put in our bottles.

After laying on the beach for 4 hours (and getting pretty burnt) we stopped at the cutest surf shack for snow cones. Our chosen flavors were Cotton Candy, Blue Raspberry, and Peach.

 

Our last supper was eaten at Sharky’s, on their back-deck overlooking the ocean.

Kaylee and I split a plate of shrimp and it was amazzzzzzing.

Such tourists…

…and then we went to look at gators, because that’s what you do in Florida.

(Or so I’m told.)

When we went back to camp we built a campfire (thank you again Girl Scout camp) to roast s’mores on. Instead of using Hershey’s, we used Reece’s.

I almost died, that’s how good it was.

Then Kaylee, Emma and I slept on the hard ground while Katie and Morgan stayed in a hotel.

Totally worth the experience, that’s what I say.

 

 

 

I am Al and now I really, really want a s’more.

Drive Until The City Lights Dissolve Into a Country Sky.

 

I hate on Arkansas a lot.

Like, “blah blah blah this state is so boring!”

But tonight as I was driving home from my usual running spot, with the windows down and Free by the Zac Brown Band playing, I felt a strong love for this state.

I turned to drive down the street to my house and it was picturesque; people were digging in their gardens, children were running through sprinklers, the sun was setting and the sky was swirls of orange and pink. One of my neighbors was grilling and the scent floated into my car, mixed with the smells of freshly cut grass and warm air.

And then I thought back to my day. Kaylee and I drove a short distance to the lake, laid out on the cliffs of Heber Springs, drove past beautiful mountains to get home—mountains we’ve hiked frequently—and I realized all that Arkansas has to offer.

Today brought sun, the smells of sun-tan oil, tiny coffee shops and scoops of M&M/brownie ice-cream, fresh lake water, long conversations and lots of laughter.

Oh, and free route 44 cherry limeades.

I love my friends, I love summertime, and yes, I sometimes even love Arkansas.

I am Al and holy cleavage.