A few weeks ago I went to see Kelsea Ballerini, I brought my camera with me & trust me I got some beautiful shots of the scenery and the country musician. Enjoy!

Also, if you want to check out when I reviewed her album you can do so by clicking here. I strongly suggest buying the album if you haven't already, trust me it's worth the purchase!

"Tomato" Talk: A Female Country Music Fan's Perspective

Country Music is just one of the many genres that I've grown to know and love. Even though I'm only a young adult, I can appreciate the older musicians that country was built on. Including the kick ass females that paved the way for modern day women in country. If you don't know what a "tomato" is and why us females need to be speaking out then allow me to ask you to read this and then let me explain why I feel the need to speak out.

“If you want to make ratings in country radio, take females out. ... They're just not the lettuce in our salad. The lettuce is Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, Keith Urban and artists like that. The tomatoes of our salad are the females.” - Keith Hill

As a young woman born in the 90's my taste has evolved and expanded. I can like more than one genre, female, male, girl group, boy band, whatever it is and not be penalized for liking it. What I'm more concerned about is why Mr. Hill felt the need to speak on behalf of all females. Do I love Hunter Hayes? DUH. Of Course I do. but because I'm a female period I have the luxury of loving any female artist as well. I remember growing up with Reba and Shania Twain on the radio and I loved them just as well as any of the men. There was no division.

Now of course I and many other females can relate to a love song, a heart break song, or anything in between but the moral of the story is females relate to other females. No questions asked. Who else is going to tell your ex that he's just another picture to burn? or that we need wide open spaces? or even how hard it is to stand by your man? We NEED girl power and taking females out of anything disrupts the delicate balance of a great radio station. To be frank, I wouldn't listen to the an all male radio station. I have just as much respect for the males as I do for the women, but as a woman and a writer, I become inspired by fellow women. It's kind of hard not to when you hear someone like Patsy Cline or Tammy Wynette or even someone as modern day as Miranda Lambert, belting out a tune and it clicks with you as an individual. Isn't that the whole point of music? To connect with someone and to share a story that they might dig.

Girls, young women, and even adult women need role models to tell them it's okay to be fierce and all that they can be. Why wouldn't women stand up for fellow women? I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see how many women of country that have stood up and showed their support for not only themselves but other women in the country genre. You can throw statistics at us all you want Mr. Hill, but you will not stop bad ass women from connecting with us fans and doing what they do best. We didn't come all this way to be silenced by some silly radio station consultant. You do not have the right to speak on behalf of women every where. I'm appalled that you do not understand that you  spoke of female musicians in a dimmer light, and that means you spoke fighting words towards someones daughter or mother and I would hope you wouldn't speak to your daughter or mother like that. I would hope that if next time you think about speaking on behalf of women, that you understand that you are not a woman, and instead of you wanting to silence female country musicians that you would silence yourself. Thank you.

I have to admit the original inspiration for this post is the host of a new segment called "Tomato Talk."  She is too a country music "tomato" and a great one at that - April Kry is her name. I really hope Tomato Talk is a success! And congrats you're doing an amazing job. :)

Carolina Country Music Fest 2015!

Hey y'all! If you are reading this we survived the Carolina Country Music Festival 2015. It was the first one to be held in Myrtle Beach, SC. Rascal Flatts, Eric Church, Hunter Hayes, and Lady Antebellum were just a few of the amazing acts that came to have a little fun in the sun! There was a selection of great food, some cold drinks (both alcoholic & non), and of course lots of great memories to be made.

Anyone who knows me, knows concerts in general are sort of my thing. There's something about seeing my favorite musicians sing my favorite lyrics that gives me a high. So with that being said I'm pretty experienced in the festival category and I have to just say this, it was a great time, of course with it being the first year there are hiccups that need to be worked out for next year, but of course even with being the new festival in town, I'm here to give a review. :) (5 stars being the most 1 star being the least)

Wristbands (Going Cashless)

I'll be honest I was a bit hesitant about this concept, but it ended up being pretty nifty. You could pay cash/card of course for the musician merchandise, but a majority of it was you had to pay with the money that was on your wristband. Now for future reference: The wristband IS waterproof. (at least these were) It just goes to show how far technology has come. 5 stars for awesome wristbands.

Parking

Lets be honest, I still think 50 dollars per person for a shuttle when there was limited parking from the beginning is still an unfair price to charge. I'm speaking for people like us who have budgeted for this trip. Just because you can afford them, doesn't necessarily mean you can afford everything else when it starts to add up through all 3/4 days you decide to be there. It gets pricy to say the least. 1 star for parking :(

Security/Safety

We honestly had no problems, the cops did a wonderful job containing it for the most part, of course you have your rowdy crowd especially when Eric Church is in the building lol. Although, on the last day we got there before the gates opened and for some odd reason they made my husband go to the back of the line to get scanned in. My advice: don't get separated! If they insist like they did with my husband then tell them your party is the person next to you. 5 stars for security & feeling safe!

Food/Drink

Food was fair in price, of course if you're staying all 4 (or 3 days like we did) then you better find out cheaper prices close to the event so you can come/go when you want to eat. :) Drinks were definitely fair in price too, they mostly had easy picks like coors and redd's apple ale. 4 stars for food/drinks!

Music

Let's be honest...IT WAS AWESOME!!!! Of course the last night was amazing because we all know I'm a tad bit obsessed with Hunter Hayes and Lady Antebellum. :) Overall everyone did amazing. I even got to meet Mo Pitney! 100000 stars for amazing music! (can you blame me lol)

Country Music Festival Must-Haves + Tips!

Hey Y'all!! I've been to enough concerts and music festivals to know what should and shouldn't be brought. That is why on today's blog, I decided to give y'all my guide of what to bring and what to leave at home, as well as tips + tricks! Enjoy!

Need to save your phone battery?

Usually this is my number one priority because I'm a huge social media enthusiast. I really do have a problem where I get so distracted by social media. My tips are: use your phone usage wisely (wait to text people back, hold out when you want to use those fun photo apps, also do not record all the music on video if you want your phone to last! this will drain your battery faster), Close all apps on your phone when not using, wait to post a majority of your photos till the end of the night/the next morning (trust me on this). Also, If you need to check the time, wear a watch instead, this way you don't keep clicking your phone on! (Don't forget to bring your car charger and wall charger but leave in car because not every festival has a charging place)

What To Get Info on Before the Actual Festival Starts:

• Parking/shuttle (this is always a major problem with any major event with a lot of people)
• Good cheap food places around the Festival just incase you decide not to spend an arm and leg on that expensive festival food because lets face it 5 dollars for corn on the cob seems pretty expensive when you just spent all that money on a shuttle pass and your ticket to even go to the event.
• Make sure if you are staying at a hotel to look how far the distance is from the actual festival (I'm sure if you are an avid concert/festival goer, you already know this lol but this is without assuming you're staying at a camp ground)
• the closest Starbucks or coffee shop because if it's a 3-Day event, you're going to need it since you're probably going to be getting up in the mornings after staying out late (count for traffic, nobody can prepare you for that, it's inevitable) 
• The Weather! (rain or shine performances all day of everyday)
• If there is an app! (this will help instead of carrying a paper of all the times, be sure to map out which performances you want to go to & a rough idea when you take a lunch/dinner break)

Should I Bring a Purse or No?

I personally only carry around a small satchel or a wristlet for my I.D. & Money. You don't need to bring anything major really, it's a drag carrying a huge purse around all day especially during the summer festivals...Trust me you'll thank me later. ;) (You can also carry around a small back pack to your liking, but it will be checked when you get to the gate)

Want to bring a camera/folding chair/cooler/weapons?

Usually all but the folding chair is banned from most of the music festivals, but not all, just make sure on the websites. I wish that they would let camera's in, but that's only wishful thinking (I'm a shutterbug). I also know this goes without saying but leave all the weapons at home, because just because someone cut you in the beer line it doesn't give you a right to cut or shank them, yes they are crappy for doing that, but trust me, just enjoy the music. :)

What should I wear?

I'll be doing a blog next week on my favorite looks for the festival but hint: leave the heels at home. ;)

What I Suggest Bringing:

• Sunblock/sunglasses
• Cowboy hat/baseball hat
• Blanket/towel to sit on
• Money/I.D.
• Chapstick/lip gloss (sometimes I carry powder & blush with me too if I have the room so I can freshen up, otherwise if my car is within walking distance I just keep it in the car)
• Spray bottle with fan (it gets hot! especially with that humidity in the south)
• Pack of gum
• Bottled water (as long as it's allowed, again festivals vary on rules)
• Wet napkins/tissues
• Small Snack (again if allowed)
•  Especially if you have kids a few band-aids wouldn't hurt to bring just incase.
• Hair tie(s), if you have long hair you understand and sometimes you just need to bring a back up.
• Poncho (just incase)
• You, your friends, and a plan to have fun!

I hope y'all enjoy all the amazing musicians and have a great time with your friends/family! Stay tuned for next weeks blog full of amazing outfits just for the festival season.

Kelsea Ballerini: The First Time Review

The moment I heard "Love Me Like I Mean It" I instantly fell in love with the catchy-tune. Kelsea has beautiful voice that definitely enjoyable and with lyrics that are easy to sing-a-long-to it's a no wonder why she's taking the Country Music world on by a storm. CMT released a sneak peak to the full album, which is why I immediately had to review it, because I believe in Kelsea and good music. ;)

• XO - Is definitely a song that that anyone who has ever been in some crazy love triangle with a person they liked and their ex can relate to. It's catchy and fun to sing to as well as empowering.

• Peter Pan - Is a brilliantly written song, perhaps one of my top favorites on this album. Every girl has fallen for a guy who didn't really want to grow up and face the music that his actions caused the girl pain. This is a song I wish would've been around when I went through some of my heartbreaks. Excellent job Kelsea on conveying the message that many girls wanted to say for so long. :)

• Love Me Like You Mean It - This is the first song I heard from her. I cannot help turning this up and singing along in the car. A very empowering call-to-action about a girl who doesn't want her time wasted by yet another lame guy who will deliver pretty words and not the actions hence the love me like you mean it title. Very relatable and catch indeed. :)

• Square Pegs - Is another top favorite, it's about being who you are and not following anyone else's path but your own. She sings "Square pegs make the world go 'round," Definitely the most inspirational track on the album. Every artist needs a song to sing to the square pegs of the world, because different is beautiful and that's the message that will never get old. I give this song major props because Kelsea sings it so beautifully.

• First Time - Probably my top favorite song on the album. First Time is nothing short of beautifully wrote and beautifully sung. It's about letting go of someone who hurt you before that even though you knew better, you still gave the benefit of the doubt to, and now the past is the past for a reason. I relate to this one majorly, I know other young girls would too, because they can't always be prince charming's and you've got to kiss a lot of frogs. ;)

• Looking At Stars - All a girl really wants is a simple romantic date under the stars with a guy she really likes. I second that. Enough said. :)

• Sirens - Another catchy song but about wanting a bad boy and knowing better, because I also second that sometimes bad boys seem more appealing at the time than more logical later and girls don't always listen to logic haha.

• Second Hand Smoke - I was really genuinely really moved by this song. The country genre does a good job at being honest and raw, and this does a really good job at living up to that. Just give it a listen, I'll let the song speak for its self.

• Dibs - Now this song is going to definitely become a hit. We all have that one person we just have to call 'dibs' on. It's very playful, catchy, and enjoyable to listen to. LOVE it.

• Stiletto's - Another song that is sure to empower you after a break up. Women can wear their pain like stiletto's, because we like to take the hits gracefully. She does a great job at conveying the message that it's not a woman's job to stay at home and cry about it. It's life and it happens, but it's not going to stop that girl. Girl power!

• Yeah Boy - The second catchy song, that was released on her youtube channel, is about that boy that catches your eye and you catch yourself thinking about wanting him to take your time. Catchy. Relatable and definitely one of the cutest tunes I've heard about a boy.

• Underage - One of those nostalgic songs that will definitely get you thinking about all the memories you made during your underage years. Warning: May make you homesick if you're far from home like me. I am obsessed with this track.

Check out this awesome Album Premiere from Kelsea Ballerini!

Happy Mothers Day!

During the 50th ACM Awards, I watched Taylor Swift's mom make a speech about Taylor and beam with just such respect and pride over her daughter. From the moment I heard the news about her mother I was just so heartbroken for Taylor and her family. My thoughts and prayers go out to Taylor and her family. The speech gave me the idea to dedicate today's blog to my Mom.

Mom, you have been my best friend, partner in crime, and my shoulder to lean on for 23 years now. I've both tried your patience and made you proud. You have been the one that no matter what it was would come through for me. I can't begin to even tell you how much your friendship means to me. We're family, but we're the best of friends, and I couldn't be me without you. I wouldn't have the courage to be the young woman I am today if it wasn't for your guidance. We share the love of Country Music and we've been blessed to have went to some amazing concerts. We also have the get the travel bug from time to time and I am so thankful for our impromptu road trips. Some of my best memories are with you and Dad. I know I'm far right now, but always remember I'm not far from your heart. I love you mom. I'm thinking of you today. So go have a drink, put your feet up, and relax. Thank you again for everything that you do on a daily basis. Love you!

XOXO

Also, happy mothers day for all the other mothers day out there, sorry to all the kids I clearly have them beat for the best mother! ;) haha.

Welcome!

Hey Y'all! Welcome to my very first blog posting! (I got here as fast as I could) If you're a friend/family member you know I've been going back and forth with my blog, as well as when it was going to be available for looksies, well that time is today! Since most of you will be passerby's or just generally intrigued people about my content, I figure you should get to know who I am. I've picked out 5 traits about me, good or bad, as well as things I'm passionate about and laid them out here. If you're going to continue reading my blog, these are MUST know facts about me/my life.

1. I'm an opinionated person. - Why? Well mainly because my thoughts and mind is my own. The knowledge that gets soaked up from the books, the resourceful articles, and lets not forget life's lessons; Let's me realize that I'm more than just someone to smile and be pretty. Let's set the record straight, I don't go as far as Joan Rivers (R.I.P) does when it comes to saying everything that was on her mind, but I do have a stance on issues in this crazy world. I'm not like a  Jehovah's  Witness going from door to door, I only put my input when it's needed and respectfully.
2. Even though I am an opinionated person, I try to not let the social of social media turn me into a judgemental crazy lady. Seeing as how I was bullied throughout middle/high school. There will be no room for cyber bullying on this blog, towards me or anyone who decides to comment in this blog/follow twitter/ect. This blog is my safe haven for me and for other independent women who are interested in a thing or two of what I'm interested in. (It's National Bullying prevention month, so I figured I'd work this in there.)
3. When I'm not speaking out against bullies, I'm generally at home taking care of my house hold: My husband (Airforce) and Dog (Aria). I'm a huge supporter of our Military and Animals. What can I say, my dog is my best friend and anyone who would take a bullet for me is alright in my book!
4. Speaking of books, I'm a writer. In a very loose sense, I'm currently working on my first book and whenever I'm going through something, I reach for the closest journal. It is very often that 99% of the time I am listening to Country music while I'm writing.
5. Which brings me to my next point, COUNTRY MUSIC IS LIFE. At least, it is my life. There's a song for every thing I've been through in my young age and so far throughout my adulthood. I'm a HUGE concert fan, minus all the drunk people and all the people punching you in your boob every time they move. I will camp out for concert tickets like it's black friday...I'm not even exaggerating. (You'll hear about my obsession with Nashville and Bluebird Cafe a time or two)

So if I haven't scared you off just yet with my need to over share lol then I'm happy you're here! Even though I'm all 5 of these and much more, I promise you won't be disappointed in the things to come. I'm sure y'all will be even more excited when I start designing the actual t-shirts. Stay tuned. ;)