After previously exclaiming how much summer is my jam, the immediate title of this post may raise some eyebrows but hear me out:
I love summer. That much is true, yes. But as a self-proclaimed summer-lover, I dread the feeling you get when August is approaching and the season starts dying down. It's just like the feeling you get once Christmas is over and you have to throw out the tree. So this post is dedicated to all those who are wondering where the heck their summer went. This post is also kind of a follow-up to how I was feeling in my previous post, and how to avoid those feelings described in it.
(Also, side-note, is it true that time flies faster and faster the older you get? Because I can't imagine it moving any faster than it's been moving since I started college.)

1. Go out in the sun. If you only have a minute, just step outside and really allow your body to feel the summer heat. If you have a little longer, go for a walk with a friend or your dog. Sit on the porch. Eat dinner outside if you have the space. Sometimes you don't need an entire beach vacation to feel like it's actually July.
2. Make a list of everything you've accomplished so far. It may just shock you how much you actually managed to fit into the season. Blog about it. Make a scrapbook of memories if that's your thing.
3. Print the pictures you took while on vacation or hanging out with friends and family.
4. Take a little road trip. If you only have a single day left on your calender that isn't completely planned out(heyyyy-oooo!), go somewhere nearby. Visit a nature museum or a lake that has free swimming. Go to a national park in your state.
5. Go out for ice cream one night. Everyone has a little bit of time left in their summer for this one.
6. Take a break from social media. Yeah, you stalking your cousin's vacation pictures from Florida isn't helping you make the most of your summer. If you absolutely can't keep away from the "inspiration," let 3191 Miles Apart be the only blog you check up on. Those ladies know how to do summer: simple, super easy, and carefree.

summer silence.

Sorry about the radio silence, y'all. I don't have an excuse. It's summertime, and I've been all over the place and that's okay. I'm trying to go with the flow and live each day as it comes. I'm in a really weird place in my life where summers aren't this huge amount of freedom like they used to be growing up, but at the same time, I'm not in any kind of routine. This is really hard for me, but so far I'm learning as I go what I need to fill my days with in order to feel fulfilled, and also what I don't really need.

I need productivity. I need to blog. I need to have school or work or something on my hands to keep me busy. I kinda need a little routine.

I don't need to live my life according to how I'm supposed to be living it. I've said all of this before, but it's something that I struggle with daily. I think anyone in my generation struggles with it at times, so shout out to you guys.
Scrolling through beautiful adventures posted by others in explicit detail on Instagram or various blogs, I'm constantly feeling like I'm not keeping up with everyone. My summer isn't "summery" enough. I haven't caught enough lightning bugs or gotten a deep enough tan line. I didn't wear enough neon shorts or took enough of the same pictures of the ocean. This sounds like a bitter complaint, but really it's a reality check to myself from myself.

I need to remember that life doesn't stop because the season does. Summers are fleeting, yes, but so are all the seasons.

I don't need to waste each one by not taking it all in, but I also don't need to waste them by worrying about whether or not I'm taking it all in, you feel me?

Here's a ton of pics from our annual trip to the mountains for my dad's birthday to make up for the silence. These photos are well over a week old, and I actually just came home from a trip to Asheville to see my boyfriend, and the short trip only made me miss it all more. As much as I'm always sad about summer ending, I look forward to going back to school and enjoying the fall. Another season, another chance to take it all in.

beachin' pt. 2.

Sharing the pictures I took at the beach from my phone as promised in my previous post. Honestly since getting an iPhone, I've been the MOST obsessed with having a decent point-and-shoot with me at all times complete with built-in editing and sharing apps. It's the best, and I'm pretty impressed with these memories I was able to capture on the fly.

Also, shout-out to the super awesome weather we had the whole week. Nothing but Carolina blue skies until the night before we left! We lucked out and I'm seriously so grateful.

pinterest favorites: born in the USA.

watercolor stars | chic stars and stripes | pigs in a blanket | red lips | american pie | gingham bikini

Happy 4th of July, y'all! I'll be spending the day with family, eating pounds and pounds of my dad's delicious cooking, and seeing fireworks at our local park.

juice recipes.

To follow up on my previous post about juicing, today I'm sharing some of my go-to recipes which are both delicious and an easy way to incorporate vegetables into juice!

My Go-To Green Juice

2-3 stalks of kale

2 small Granny Smith apples

2 stalks of celery

1/2 cucumber

1/2 inch ginger

chunk of pineapple (I'd say about the size of your palm and about a 1/2 inch think)

finish off with juice of 1/2 of lemon (squeezed by hand not juicer)

For starters, I think everyone immediately thinks of some kind of green concoction when they think of "juicing." The secret to a yummy green juice that doesn't taste like grass is FRUIT. Granny Smith apples are almost always a MUST-HAVE. I don't think I've come across a green juice recipe that didn't include them. I also love adding a little ginger, because it's such a strong flavor which tends to pair nicely with apples. The picture I used is actually a different kind of concoction, which wasn't nearly as yummy. The juice this recipes makes should be a lot lighter and transparent in color. This is it exactly.

My Dad's Sweet Beet Juice
1/2 small beet
thumb size piece of ginger
3/4 cup cranberry juice (we buy 100% juice from store, but use fresh cranberries if you can get them)
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (see previous)
1 grapefruit
3-4 strawberries
Sweetener to taste (honey or real sugar, or nothing at all depending on your preference)

Juicing is also a great way to introduce new, never-before-tried fruits and vegetables into your diet. My family doesn't eat a lot of beets, and when we first started using them in juice they were AWFUL. They have a very strong, powerful flavor, so it took some playing around with to get the juice just right. With the added fruits in this juice, everything works perfectly. This juice is just plain awesome and it tastes as good as it looks.

Each of these recipes make about 2 servings. We tend to throw in softer ingredients first and finish with more solid ones at the end to sort of push everything through the juicer, but it really doesn't matter. For the most part, we just throw in the whole fruit or vegetable. A good rule of thumb is to throw in the part of the produce you actually eat. No peels or pits. We throw in whole apples, but if you're concerned about the strength of your juicer go ahead and core them.

Remember that these recipes are NOT set in stone. With juicing, it's important to play around with how much or little of each ingredient you use according to your taste. Also, don't sweat it if you don't have all ingredients on hand, juicing is also a super easy way to use whatever fresh fruits and veggies you have leftover after cooking, or as an end of the week fridge clear-out.

These recipes are pretty complex, and I found that during a juice cleanse I really enjoyed having simpler juices for easy "snacks" throughout the day. It's easy to over-think it, so don't. Fresh orange or grapefruit juice is a wonderful treat in the morning. Apple juice with blueberries or blackberries is an awesome late night snack to kill a sugar craving.

Juices can be stored for the whole day, but I don't recommend keeping them for any time longer. We keep ours in mason jars, because they have an airtight seal. If you're doing a cleanse, keeping a couple of juices on hand during the day for easy access is a great way to fight hunger and cravings.