A Little About Me

I AM...

I am a Southern, North Carolina girl to the core with a double name that I love: Terri Jo. Named after my dad Terry and my mom Jo. After all, here in the South we take double names pretty seriously!

I am the Brand Ambassador for Southern Distilling Company: the first legal distillery in Statesville since the city was nicknamed the "liquor capital of the world" in the 1880s.

I am 1 of 5 siblings that came together from a blended family. Though our parents are no longer together, WE STILL ARE! And super close!

I am the proud aunt of 10 nieces and nephews and a mom of 4-legged fur babies.

My dogs are my children and mess with them in any fashion or form and my mama-bear comes out.

I am the daughter of a devout self-employed Republican parent.

I am also the daughter of a devout Democrat.

I have mostly Republican values, but you could also consider me Independent. 

My boyfriend also has Republican Red blood that runs through his veins. He is quite literally the best man I have ever known in my entire life. 

I am an avid animal lover.

I am a  Sagittarius... true in every way.

I am embracing my gray hair in my 40s.

I am an ex-varsity volleyball and basketball player.

I am an ACC basketball and football fanatic. A Tar Heel fan to be exact.

I am a huge Carolina Panthers fan.

I secretly think it's really sexy when a guy gets worked up over his favorite sports team. He still may get the occasional eye-roll anyway.

I love to go horseback riding. We had 2 horses growing up: Ozark and Chessie that I would show and barrel race. When and if we move back to the Grove, I plan to get another.

I love to go kayaking.

I love to go hiking.

I love to go camping.

I love to go jeeping at Freeman Park on Carolina Beach.

I love to chase waterfalls in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I love covered bridges (aka "kissing" bridges).

I love being outdoors.

I love to hear live music whenever I have a chance.

I love to sing and while I shouldn't necessarily quit my day job, I'm pretty good at it.

I come from a long, LONG line of musically inclined family.

Fleetwood Mac is one of my favorite all-time bands. I have seen them twice.

I love all kinds of music from Rap to Bluegrass. It moves my soul.

I used to play the piano, but would really love to learn the guitar and banjo.

I make the World's Most Famous spaghetti and potato soup.

I will never reveal my secret recipes.

I give great back rubs.

I hate reality TV. Although, I do sometimes watch Naked and Afraid.

I hate hypocrisy.

I love when people show loyalty, moral compasses and humanity.

I am blessed to be a part of a village that continues to give me faith in humanity on a daily basis.

I want to try and be at least half the person of my amazing tribe women in our village. They continually inspire me to become better than I was yesterday.

I love 80s music.

I am a Dylan girl. Not a Brandon girl.

I want new experiences.

I want to step out of my comfort zone.

I want to surprise people.

My favorite color is purple. I only own one or two purple shirts though.

I live in black, gray and white.

My favorite outfit is simple: jeans and a white t-shirt.

My favorite shoes are flip flops or cowboy boots.

I love maxi dresses, even though I don't wear them often.

I grew up down a dirt road in Union Grove. They're still my favorite.

I love screen doors.

I love old barns - especially when they have barn quilts.

I still live in a small town. A very close-knit one. Just not in the country anymore.

I am a walking juxtaposition/paradox: light and dark, gentle and fierce, strong and soft, warrior and healer, empathy and boundaries, madness and magic, wanderer and homebody, free-spirited and stubborn, simple and complex, humble and confident, modern and traditional... savage and sweetheart.

I am still a work in progress and frequently learning new things every day.

Take a peek below of where I grew up. Yep... that mile-long dirt road was our driveway. And that old house with the metal roof is the "Old House" ~ where my daddy grew up.

"There's no place like home." 

And here's another reason I love our county so much!