Search Results for AT (328)

Jett's Birthday Camping trip to Wallowa Lake State Park

Ashley Longnecker / July 07, 2016

It’s been almost a month, but I couldn’t forget to tell you about Jett’s birthday weekend. Last year we went a little overboard and let the kids pick their own birthday adventure and let’s just say it was a bit expensive. They all had amazing days that they chose, but this year we wanted to get back to simplicity. And back to nature. So, we will (hopefully) be taking a tent camping trip for each of their birthdays this year.

For Jett, we picked out 2 awesome nearby campgrounds and let him chose which one he would want to go to. He ended up choosing Wallowa Lake State Park. We booked it online and assumed it would be great weather since the last 2 weeks here in La Grande were absolutely beautiful. Well, we checked the weather and it didn’t look good. How in the world would it go from sunny and 80s to 50s and raining? And that was during the day! We were not going to let the weather ruin a birthday so, we kept on with the plan.

Goals, MexiCokes & Getting Healthy

Ashley Longnecker / July 01, 2016

When we set out on our adventure (tomorrow will be 14 months) we really thought that it would be much easier to stay active and eat healthy. While we were more active for the first year our eating habits didn't change much. Not that we eat horribly, but we could be doing better. I have this unhealthy love of MexiCoke and I know it's horrible for me but sometimes you just got to have one. Well, last night I drank my last one. Not my last one forever, but my last one for awhile. I'm finding out that sometimes you have to say goodbye. Not for forever, but for awhile. Sometimes you have to say no in order to say yes to something better.

I'm ready. I'm ready to get active. We have been a bit lazy since we've taken this work camp job here in La Grande, OR. It's just a season but I'm ready to get back to regular hiking, biking, exploring. Guys, I have SO MUCH weight to drop. It's hard to write the number but I have 80 pounds that need to go. That's like carrying Adali around all day! Ridiculous. I don't want to do it anymore. It needs to go! So, in effort to get this ball rolling, I just had to get that out there. To be held accountable I'm going to be posting what we are eating. I'm not sure how yet, it may be a short video every day on Instagram or I may do a quick post each week but, it starts now. I know what needs to be done, but now I just have to do it...and stick with it. Jonathan is on board and they kids are mentally prepared for no more sugar.

During the month of July we are cutting out all wheat, refined sugar and processed food. I went to the store last night and bought all produce and meat! I didn't even go down another isle. It's true, all the real food is found on the outskirts of the store. Plus, my shopping went so much faster when I was mainly just in the produce section! Win/Win!

In August we will be getting a bit more strict but for now, this is a good start!

So, if you'd like some good healthy eating ideas, follow us on Instagram at @bareneckers and let's get healthier together! 

Using the GkGk Backpacking Cookware Set with Piezo Ignition Canister

Jonathan Longnecker / June 24, 2016

Even though we've been traveling for over a year now, we're just starting to get into camping and backpacking. Turns out all the ultra light, high quality gear is expensive! Geez.

So we were pretty excited when we ran across this little outdoor cooking set on Amazon. A piezo ignitor, cookware and a nice carrying case for 23 bucks? Why not? All we had to get was the butane. 

Hello, La Grande!

Ashley Longnecker / June 07, 2016

Fourteen hours of driving and an overnight in Salt Lake City, UT got us all the way to La Grande in just 2 days! We will never drive that far, that fast, again. Woah! We may have had to stock up on some caffeine to get us here but we made it!

Friends, Bikes and Cliffs

Ashley Longnecker / May 30, 2016

After the fiasco of getting to Stewarts Point on Lake Mead, we were invited by our rescuers to come to their boondocking spot just outside of Zion. There were a few other people coming to join them and we were so excited to meet everyone. We packed up and headed to a cliff in Hurricane, UT.

I have to admit. I had no idea how afraid of heights I really was until I had kids. Now, I'm super paranoid. Maybe you recall the brief panic attack I had when we reached the summit of Bear Den in New York. Yeah, I'm still afraid of heights. I can't be the only one who immediately pictures their kids falling to their death when they're on the edge of a mountain. Jonathan thinks I'm a pessimistic but I say I'm just a realist. I pray and pray for God's hand of protection over my kids every day but I still worry. I'm a mom, I don't know how to make the worrying stop. And wouldn't you know, Adali had to just sit right on the edge.