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In 2011, Beth Donaldson, mother of two and wife of a police SWAT officer, was busy with work and the day-to-day life of raising two children. But when she was diagnosed with MS at 40, she dedicated herself to making a difference. Now she and her husband Mike run Living MS and are launching a charity bike ride to benefit MS awareness and research. 

With Independence Day right around the corner, we wondered where some of the top places to celebrate might be. No matter how you like to celebrate, these cities are sure to hit the mark. In no particular order, here are 10 cities you should visit for an amazing 4th of July celebration!  New York CityNew Yorkers know how to celebrate. There’s the massive tree for Christmas, the renowned Thanksgiving Day Parade, the ball drop for New Year’s Eve. So it’s no wonder that they have one of the most impressive celebrations for Independence Day as well. By day, visit Coney Island for Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest or check out the oldest continuous 4th of July parade in Travis on Staten Island. As the sun goes down, find a spot to watch the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks display, a 30-minute spectacle over the East River. Washington, DCWhat better place to celebrate the birth of our country than the nation’s capital? Can’t miss experiences include watching the National Independence Day Parade along Constitution Ave, enjoying America’s favorite pastime with the Nationals at National Park, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall, and experiencing the amazing fireworks on the National Mall once the sun goes down. #Merica Boston, MAStart your 4th of July celebration in Boston with the City of Boston’s official Independence Day Commemoration, where the flag is raised on City Hall Plaza. The parade then marches to Granary Burial Ground to commemorate the patriots laid to rest there, and ends at the Old State House with a reading of the Declaration of Independence, just as it was read to citizens in 1776. Hang out with Leslie Odom Jr, of Hamilton fame, at the Boston POPS concert once the sun goes down, and end the night by watching the fireworks display over the Charles River. Seattle, WANo matter where in Seattle you are, there’s something going on for the Fourth. Check out barbecue and mussels on Whidbey Island, music and a pie eating contest at the 4th of July Capitol Hill Picnic at Cal Anderson Park, a parade and classic car show on Bainbridge Island, more music and the Dog Jog & Walk in Bellevue Downtown Park, and more. After the sun sets, Lake Union boasts the biggest fireworks display which can be seen from the banks or on one of the 21+ cruise boats on the lake. San Diego, CACelebrate Independence Day the way our forefathers did with the 1800s-style celebration in Historic Olde Town, or take the kids to celebrate with family fun games and free music at the Red, White and Boom! Legoland® celebration. Get in touch with your patriotic side on the USS Midway, where guests can watch the fireworks display from the flight deck. Known as the “Big Bay Boom,” fireworks are launched simultaneously from four barges across San Diego’s North Bay. Be sure to get your seat early so you can get the perfect view! Minneapolis, MNKick off the celebration of our nation with a half marathon or 5K around the Twin City, then head to the baseball stadium to watch the Twins take on the Angels. After you’ve gotten your fill of hot dogs and baseball, check out the family fun, live music and free movies at Father Hennepin Bandshell and Mill Ruins Park before finding the perfect spot to watch the Red, White and Boom fireworks show at the Riverfront District. Portland, ORPortland’s got a celebration for every style. Get your live music fix at the 30th Anniversary Safeway Waterfront Blues Fest or head over to nearby St. Paul to check out the Rodeo for the day. If craft beer is more your style, consider the BeerQuest Haunted Pub Tour or Brewery Tour the weekend before the Fourth. For a more family friendly outing, head to Walker Stadium to see the Portland Pickles take on the Perth Heat for an exhibition game. Once you’ve at your fill of fun in the sun, grab a spot at Oaks Park for a family-friendly night of fireworks, games and more. St. Louis, MOBy far the biggest 4th of July attraction in St. Louis is the Fair St. Louis, known as America’s Biggest Birthday Party. Located at the site of the 1904 World Fair - Forest Park - Fair St. Louis boasts a lineup of some of America’s biggest stars, including Akon, Jake Owen, and 3 Doors Down. The 4-day event kicks off on July 1 with the 150th VP Parade at Broadway and Market Street. When the doors to the Fair open on July 2, spend the day on the zip line or human slingshot and stay for music and fireworks. The fun continues Monday and Tuesday, with the Jake Owen taking the stage on Tuesday night before the fireworks. An event that calls itself America’s Biggest Birthday Party has big shoes to fill, but seems to live up to the name! Milwaukee, WIIf you thought all Milwaukee had to offer was great beer, think again. The celebration in Milwaukee kicks off on what they’re calling “Fourth of July Eve” with the annual Milwaukee 3rd of July Fireworks and Kite Festival in Juneau Park. Their goal is to fill the sky with kites, and then once the sun sets, light the night on fire. The party doesn’t stop there, though. Head to any park in the city of Milwaukee on July 4th for parades, talent contests, picnics and more, put on by the Milwaukee County Parks Department. Leslie Knope would be so proud. New Orleans, LAThe Big Easy is known for it’s lavish celebrations, so it’s no wonder that they go all out for the nation’s birthday. Get your groove on at the ESSENCE Fest, headlined by John Legend, Diana Ross and Mary J. Blige, experience local culture in Mid-City with the Krewe of Kolossos’ 6th Annual July 4th Flotilla on Bayou St. John, then settle in to watch the dueling barges fireworks display known as Go 4th on the River. Take a seat at Jax Brewery, in Woldenburg Park, or down the French Quarter, or get a closer view on one of the steamboat cruises on the river. No matter where you choose to celebrate, our USA tank is the perfect accessory. Because #Merica. Get your USA gear here. What celebrations did we forget? Let us know in the comments!

According to an article published by CNBC.com, these are the top 10 places to live in America. We've broken them down for you (along with our own thoughts). What do you think? Any cities that missed Livability and CNBC.com's list? 10 | Bismarck, North DakotaThe OTHER Bismarck. According to Trip Advisor, the top things to do in Bismarck include the ND Heritage Center & State Museum, Laughing Sun Brewing Co., and the Superslide Amusement Park. Sounds pretty good to us! Shop our North Dakota collection 9 | Overland Park, KansasWe have to admit, we didn't know that Overland Park was the second-most populous city in Kansas. To quote Visit Overland Park, "Whether with the kids or your sweetheart, Overland Park is your family's gateway to the Kansas City experience."  Shop our Kansas collection 8 | Madison, WisconsinMadison has been a staple on Livability's list for a few years now. The capital city of Wisconsin plays home to a vibrant culture, a thriving college population, little poverty and a haven for cyclists, as long as those midwest winters don't bother you!  Shop our Wisconsin collection 7 | Palo Alto, CaliforniaAh, the sunshine city (according to Estately, who reports that "it's always sunny in Palo Alto"). Palo Alto is home to Facebook, Google, and Hewlett Packard, as well as Stanford University. We can dig it. Shop our California collection 6 | Bellevue, WashingtonBellevue boasts a taco truck that tops lists of the best eats in town, as well as a thriving housing market and Lake Washington to boot. Not to mention the Olympic and Cascade mountains in the backdrop. At the very least, your Insta photos will be on point. 5 | Charlottesville, VirginiaHome of the University of Virginia and Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, Charlottesville offers mountain scenery, scores of wineries, and of course, history. Plus, who can argue with a town that offers a fried chicken biscuit dressed with sausage gravy and pimento cheese?  Shop our Virginia collection 4 | Olympia, WashingtonLocated south of Seattle and Tacoma, Olympia (Washington's capital city) boasts quick access to the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier National Park, Turnwater Falls Park, Nisqually National Wildlife Reserve, and more. Another one that was tailor-made for Instagram. Shop our Washington collection 3 | Ann Arbor, MichiganAnn Arbor is home to a thriving craft beer industry, as well as a rocking music scene. Oh, did we mention it's also the home of the University of Michigan? They never look like they have any fun. Shop our Michigan collection 2 | Iowa City, IowaBesides boasting an intense sports-loving population (loving Iowa City's Hawkeyes is considered a religion, according to MoveTo.com), Iowa City was named the third United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Literature, following Edinburgh, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia. Not to mention their thriving wind power industry. Being well-rounded is just an added perk. Shop our Iowa collection 1 | Rochester, MinnesotaNo, this isn't the Rochester that gave us Wegmans. Rochester, MN is home to the first Mayo Clinic and a "thriving art and music scene," according to Livability. Just an hour away from Minneapolis, Rochester is also home to The University of Minnesota-Rochester and the Quarry Hill Nature Center, which Livability calls "an outdoor lover's dream."  Shop our Minnesota collection Any hometowns we missed that you think should be on the list? Let us know in the comments! 

No matter how many times you may go to Disney World, there will always be hidden secrets. But what about a secret location only an insider could know...

Here at The Home T we are all about looking on the bright side, but sometimes there are days when it feels like just about everything can go wrong. Here are 5 easy ways to be more positive...

We received this adorable video from Lisa, one of our long time retail partners in Cedar Falls, Iowa (Life By Lisa Salon and Boutique.) Her son, Ryder is wrangling 5 kittens, 3 female and 2 male (3 of which are 

Prepare yourself for a cuteness overload. Over the last couple months, we’ve received photos of babies all over America rocking their Home T baby onesies. Each cheek was chubbier than the next, so we decided to celebrate all the adorableness in an official baby blog post. Oh, and we dare you to try and not say “awww” before getting to the bottom of the page…

I remember it like it was yesterday. We had boxes everywhere. Boxes of blank t-shirts in one spot. Boxes with packaging material in another spot. Printed t-shirts in another spot. And to make it even more fun, this was all happening in our little one bedroom apartment in New York City where The Home T got its start. And if you don’t live in, or have never lived in New York City, take the visual of the one bedroom apartment you just had and cut the size by around 45%. While this may seem like complete chaos, we had an absolute blast! We’d get home at night and have dinner, then we’d sit in front of the TV fulfilling orders. Then, the following morning we’d make the daily 5:30 am trip to the local post office to start shipping orders. It’s not my most glamorous photo, but the shot below was taken just before one of those early morning trips to the post office.

It’s always fun to see you in your Home T, but it’s especially interesting to see where you are wearing it. For instance, here’s a snap of Robert in his Texas Home T-shirt in a brewery. Doesn’t he look happy?  

Y’all. It’s not something everyone says, but for those that say it, they do so proudly. And that’s why we’re excited to launch our new “My y’all is authentic.” shirt today!    

Cassie has made our day. Early this morning she sent us an email saying, “Good morning! Last night I went to a College World Series game where I saw a guy with a Mississippi Home T on. I thought it was the perfect photo op!” 

The excitement we feel when seeing photos of people wearing The Home T never goes away. Especially when the photos are this cute!