Hello friends,
Thank you for taking the time to stop by! For those of you that are new here, I’m Kendra Stevenson. I married my sweetheart, Kelly in 2014 and we have three amazing, high-energy boys and one beautiful girl together – Hyrum, Gary, Marion and Stella. I toured with my family in a band called Redhead Express for 12 years, before disbanding at the end of 2019. Since disbanding, I have loved focusing more on being mom, but I’ve also missed being creative musically and I’ve especially missed being able to travel and connect with friends from all over the U.S. and the world. I started this blog as a way to express myself creatively, as well as a way to connect with friends, old and new.
When we first started playing music, we spent a lot of time in the Blueridge and Appalachian mountains – mainly in Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. One town we played in quite a few times was Mount Airy, NC, the home of the fictional town “Mayberry” from the Andy Griffith Show. That part of the country holds a special place in my heart. My husband proposed to me about 40 minutes from Mt. Airy in Galax, VA and the people in that area feel like family. Life in those parts, just like the slow southern drawl, is slower paced. Old-fashioned values like faith, family and hard work are an integral part of life. People take the time to wave at each other and make small talk. Folks come together after work and on the weekend to play music. Real, unplugged music on real instruments, just for the joy of it. The further I got into the music industry, with its smoke and mirrors, the glamour and the stage lights, the further away I felt from that raw connection to music. As I’ve stepped away from the spotlight and as the world gets faster paced and more technologically advanced, I feel a deep desire to return to “Mayberry” and a simpler way of life. And so, “I Miss Mayberry” was born. A place for me to share the things that are most important to me – family, music, faith, health – in no particular order.
Some random “get-to-know-you” things about me: I love colors…all of them! I can’t pick a favorite. If I had to narrow it down, I’d choose earth-tones and pastels. I love being outdoors – hiking, camping, gardening, anything to get me outside. I’m a proud homeschool mom and am always researching to learn more and improve in that area. I’m passionate about anything health and fitness related. I love learning about natural/herbal remedies and trying new plant-based recipes. I could live in yoga and linen pants, but I still enjoy a good pair of jeans too. I enjoy knitting during the Christmas season, although I rarely have time these days with four littles running around. I love traveling, good books and fresh bread. Oh, and chocolate is my weakness! 🙂
Thank you for reading and coming along this journey with me!
Love, Kendra