South Carolina summer

I am a school teacher and this is the first summer I am enjoying off. Last summer, I taught summer school for both a private reading company and Austin ISD. While my finances benefitted from the extra income and I loved teaching my kiddos, I did begin last school year slightly burned out. This summer, I opted to take off and the entire two and a half months has/will be filled with rest, reading, and travel.




My first trip was a week-long beach vacation in Hilton Head, SC. After high school, I spent ten months volunteering for AmeriCorps *NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps). We were based in Charleston and that's where my love for South Carolina began. I have so many fond memories of that place that the sight of grey waters, long seagrass, palmetto trees, and signs for boiled peanuts make my heart swell. The friendships made at 18--away from home and across the country for the first time--are some of the strongest connections I still have. Needless to say, I was extremely nostalgic when we where there and Eric was very patient, listening to story after story about people he has not yet met.







Our days were filled with coffee on the balcony overlooking the Atlantic, morning beach jogs followed by ocean dips, reading, napping, cooking while listening to amazingly silly pop music.




Gap tortoise shell sunglasses. Banana Republic floral cotton tank. Banana Republic seersucker shorts.  Coach Madison handbag. New Balance sneakers.

We daytripped to Charleston and my heart exploded with love for my AmeriCorps peeps. I have my heart set on a reunion weekend in a rented beach house on Folley Beach or James Island! The first place we went was one of my old haunts, Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale, where we feasted on a delicious black bean burrito. It was wonderful to revisit the gorgeous downtown, admiring the old southern mansions, wrought iron gates, and cobblestone streets.




My favorite part of the trip was when Beezers (childhood family nickname for Lisa, Eric's sister) came and joined us for the last 2 nights. She is so fun and sweet! We read and gushed about the Hunger Game series. Of course, much time was also spent in the ocean. Beach vacation, I hart you!

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