Camptown Ladies sing this song, doodah doodah!

Schools are out, and summer is here, which means it's time for summer camp. Some of my favorite childhood summer memories took place at summer camp.

As soon as I was old enough, my parents signed me up for any and every day camp possible—Sports camp, dance camp, cooking camp, you name it. Summer day camps were a great way for me to try out new activities. Day camps allowed me to attend a week-long camp to see if I enjoyed the activity before joining the team or signing up for an entire year of lessons.

Day camps were also a great way to meet other kids in my area. Since most of the day camps that I attended were local, I met lots of kids from the other side of town and made lots of new friendships.

Once I got a little bit older, I started going to sleepaway camps. Attending sleepaway camp was the first time I had ever really been away from home or my parents for more than one night, which really helped me develop a sense of independence. I still learned lots of new activities as I had done at day camp, but I also learned how to do things by myself, like waking up and getting ready, packing my suitcase, getting places on time, etc.

When I was packing up to leave my very first sleepaway camp, I threw all my dirty clothes back into my suitcase, including my wet towels and bathing suits. At the time, I didn't realize that the wet clothes would get everything mildewed in my hot suitcase throughout the day. Needless to say, that was a lesson that I learned the hard way, and one my mom still has never let me live down.

Attending summer camps provides kids with the opportunity to learn new things, meet new people, and gain independence from their parents. It is such a wonderful opportunity with so many life lessons.

Click here for my local summer camp round-up, which includes both day and sleepaway camps that your child may enjoy this summer. Below is a recent Living Local Carolina segment, where Rainee and I got a behind-the-scenes look into Wildlife Action Summer Adventure Camp at Fork Retch Wildlife Refuge in Mullins, SC.

When I think about summer, the first thing to come to mind is vacation. As a kid, summer is when you get a break from school, go to new places, and try new things. Other than the one week of paid vacation that you worked all year to take, summer is pretty much the same as any other time of year for adults. But what if this summer, we too, could spend all summer on vacation. 

I don't know about you, but May is always like the kick-off to summer for me, and there's no better way to enjoy the summer than getting outdoors. I love being outdoors, mainly because some of my favorite hobbies are outdoor activities.

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on its way! I can't believe that Easter Weekend is already here. I feel like Easter sneaks up on me every year. Maybe it's because Easter is never on the same day each year, so I never know exactly when to expect it. However, it could be because I don't celebrate the holiday with the same enthusiasm that I did as a child. I always looked forward to Easter because there were so many fun activities surrounding the holiday. This year, I plan to bring back a little bit of that excitement by checking out some of the area's Easter events.

Welcome, Spring! Aside from all the pollen, springtime is one of my favorite times of the year. Every spring, the world transforms from winter's dull gloominess into a warm, bright, colorful landscape of flowers and sunshine.

Spring always gives me the feeling of a fresh start. Like the world around us, we can grow and bloom into something bright and beautiful. To start fresh, though, you have to do a little spring cleaning and get rid of the old.

Have you already filed your taxes? If not, now is the time to start gathering your information because May 17th will be here before you know it. Finances were a little trickier in 2020, so if you plan to do your own taxes, make sure you have all the necessary information about the 2021 tax season. If you plan to take your taxes to a professional, try not to wait until the last minute and make sure you have all of the necessary documents to ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible. For more information on how you can prepare yourself for tax time, check out the BALANCE blog below.

In honor of Black History Month, Carolina Trust highlighted influential African American men and women all month long on our weekly Living Local Carolina segments. The individuals whom we had the honor of talking to had such inspiring and interesting stories. It was such an honor to learn about their lives and the hurdles they had to jump through in order to succeed.

In honor of Random Acts of Kindness Day on February 17th, I visited Autumn Care of Shallotte, a nursing home in Brunswick County, NC, and dropped off flowers and reachers for the residents. I hate to admit that it took a special day like Random Acts of Kindness Day to remind me to reach out to our local nursing home and see how I can help. The senior citizens in our community laid the groundwork for the lives we live today, so I feel like we owe them our love and support, especially during tough times like the pandemic.

Before the pandemic, I tried to visit local nursing homes a few times a year, even if it was just to talk to the residents. Many residents rarely have visitors, so you can tell they really enjoy your company. Unfortunately, many local nursing homes had to quit allowing visitors and limit interaction between residents as a COVID-19 precaution. For some, the reduced social interaction led to feelings of loneliness, depression, and isolation. Although facility workers do their best to plan safe activities that boost morale, it's up to us to reach out to our local nursing homes and find ways to make sure they still feel like they have a valuable role in society.

I became a homeowner a little over six months ago and absolutely love it. I'm not quite sure if it's because I love my house so much or if I love the idea of actually having something of my own. However, I will say that as I'm settling into my home, I've begun to notice a few things that I will probably change in the next few years.

You may not be able to have the big super bowl party like usual, but there is one festivity that you can still enjoy, the snacks. Whether or not your team wins, you'll be sure to score it big in the kitchen with these delicious recipes from Chef Jamie Daskalis, Owner of Johnny D's Waffles and Benedicts.