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Willis, TX // Jenkin's Sunshine Farm in Montgomery, TX

Ashley Longnecker / March 09, 2016

After our stay in NOLA we overnighted at a Harvest Host location in Layfette, LA.

We rolled in to Vermilionville and made it just in time to run into the store and grab some of their spice rub. We have already used it in our hamburgers and it’s really good! They sell lots of cool things and is a really neat stop if you have some time to kill. The kids were a little apprehinsive about having an alligator sleeping in the pond behind us but it was a really cool place. You can check it out here.

Cheers to Lucky Number 13!

Ashley Longnecker / March 08, 2016

Once upon a time, a young college girl, who was rather depressed and lonely, was forced to go to a concert at the University of Tennessee. It was March 7, 2002. It was chilly. I was wearing my favorite green T-shirt and a bandana (thanks for that horrible haircut, Sommer). I stood with my friend, Meredith, likely with my arms folded and trying to endure the All Campus Worship that I was forced to go to. I didn’t want to be there and I was counting down the hours until I could get back in my bed and sulk.

The final band of the night got on stage and then it happened. They were playing “Here I am to Worship” and when the lead guitar player started singing...I looked at Meredith and said, “That’s him!! That’s the guy I’m going to marry! I have to meet him!”

We looked around and found someone who knew him. He introduced us to the band after the show. I was just awe struck. I don’t remember much of what he said or I said but I remember it was awkward and he asked me to sign the guestbook online. As soon as I got back to my dorm room I got online and looked up their band, Fairpark Drive, and signed their guestbook hoping that he would reply somehow. When I saw his last name...I said to Meredith, “I can’t marry him! His last name is LONGNECKER!!” haha

He replied! He invited me to go to their church’s youth group that they played for on a Wednesday night. I begged my friend Sommer to go! I didn’t want to go alone and Sommer had no problems talking with anyone so I had to make her go with me.

We went and afterwards we ended up at Jeremy’s (another member of the band) condo and I think I washed his dishes. Ha, that’s just how I roll. I probably cooked something too, but I can’t remember. 

Here’s our first picture together...

Moment Lenses - How we ditched our SLR and started getting better photos from our iPhones

Jonathan Longnecker / March 07, 2016

Friends, our eyes are amazing creations. Sometimes a picture just doesn't do justice to what we're seeing in front of us that very moment. Our brains are pretty amazing, too - but in all honesty, mine doesn't remember everything I want it to.

So we document. We take photos. We write here on this blog. And we can re-live those moments even when our trusty brains can't quite recall certain details.

Photography has long been something that Ashley and I both enjoy. I've always been fascinated by the art of it - capturing the feel of something without layers of exposition. It's probably the designer in me not wanting to deal with text and calls to action. We bought a Canon Rebel years ago for FortySeven Media, but Ashley was the one who picked it up and found ways to make beautiful photos without any training at all. I was a little jealous.

We still have a DSLR + some nice lenses that we brought with us on our journey. It's come out of the bag maybe 4 times. Why? Because the best camera is the one you have with you. For us, that's our iPhones. And we use them a lot. We're literally documenting our journey with these little slabs of aluminum and glass in our pockets. But even with the amazing cameras built into the iPhone 6s, we found ourselves longing to take even better pictures without lugging around a huge camera bag.

We knew you could buy lenses for the iPhone, but those crappy little clip on fisheye lenses that cost $5 at Target weren't going to cut it. Thankfully, we found Moment.

Travel photographer Austin Mann tipped us off to Moment Lens, and after some research we were sold. Literally. I think we bought one of everything they were selling. If you're going to do it, go all the way right? Seriously, though - our goal was to go 100% iPhone and the gear we've gotten from Moment has pretty much gotten us there. (P.S. If you need a Canon Rebel XTS and some really nice lenses they're for sale)

We've been using our Moment gear for over couple of months, taking it to deserted islands, forgotten forests and beautiful hiking trails. Here's what we think so far:

Lenses

Let's get this out of the way - Moment lenses are of exceptional quality. They were about 3x heavier than I was expecting, and deliver a clear, sharp image. You can tell a lot of love went into crafting not only the lenses, but the cases, covers and packaging.

Once you have a mounting plate attached to your phone (or a case - more on that later), it's easy to switch out lenses. Just line up the dots and give it a twist. Little touches like magnetic lens caps with microfiber lining are icing on the cake. At $99 a lens, I feel like the pricing is right on point. Especially since I can switch them out, use on both our phones, and continue to use as we upgrade our hardware every couple of years.

Let's look at each lens in more detail.

Wide (18mm)

The wide lens is probably the most popular - and for good reason. The iPhone is already great for landscape photography, and the wide angle adds to the size and scope without stretching things to the point of insanity. It's also great for tight shots (hello, we live in a 300 square foot RV)!

Thankfully, this one stays nice and sharp even if you don't have super steady hands so it's ideal for quick, off the cuff shots. This lens really lets you get some unexpected shots out of your iPhone - and I mean that in the best possible way! It's a whole new perspective.

Top 5 Things To Do In NOLA With Your Kids

Ashley Longnecker / March 06, 2016

Although we were not fond of New Orleans as a whole...we were fond of the places we went there with the kids. So, here are my top things to do in NOLA with kids.

#1 - The Zoo

10 Months on the Road

Ashley Longnecker / March 02, 2016

Well, today was a big day! Today marks TEN MONTHS that we have been on the road so I thought I’d share my top ten favorite things in our RV! Get ready....

#10 - Dehumidifier

Weird but yes, it’s one of my favorite things. The first month in our trailer we didn’t have one and when you wake up you’re all damp and your sheets are damp and you feel like you need another shower. It’s kinda gross! This one is great at sucking out all the moisture we have in here, which is just no good in an RV. I’ve heard too many horror stories about people dealing with mold issues and when I ask if they have a dehumidifier...most of them say no! Guys...it’s important! 

#9 - Oil Defuser

Living in a tiny space with 6 people sometimes things can get a little smelly. I love being able to start my diffuser and put in some cedarwood and bergamot and get our house smelling fresh again after Ada removes her socks! How in the world can such tiny feet be the stinkiest thing I’ve ever smelled? Poor kid. Sorry future son-in-law.

#8 - Bikes

Jonathan and I purchased our bikes before we left Tennessee 10 months ago from Bearden Bike and Trail. (those guys really know what they’re talking about.) We tried out several different bikes and are so happy with our choices. We have gotten much use out of them and can’t imagine traveling without them. Our kids are at a great age where everyone can ride their own bikes for short distances (Ada) but when we want to go do a long ride she’s able to be hauled in the trailer since she isn’t able to keep up for long distances. She’ll get there and it will be even more fun to go long distances without hauling her!

#7 - Kayak

Back in November I ordered this Sea Eagle Inflatable Kayak for Jonathan for his birthday. We have had so much fun putting it in lakes and oceans. It deflates and is able to be stored in a bag along with the life jackets and pump, seats and oars. We feel it was a great purchase and we intend to get even more use out of it this spring and summer!

#6 - Shower

It’s weird that I put shower on the list but it’s true. We went the whole month of Dec and part of January not being able to use our shower and what a pain it was to always have to use the bath house at the park. (sometimes they’re not all that clean) We are very thankful that our gray tank is now attached correctly and that we are able to use our own shower anytime we want! Also, this shower head makes our showers much more enjoyable!

#5 - Curtains/Quilts

Ok, this may seem weird to some but if you saw the way our old house looked you would understand why it was so important to me to make this new trailer look like home. I used the same colors to paint the walls in our trailer as I did in the house. I brought our curtains that used to hang in the kitchen into our trailer to make it feel as homey as I could. Same thing with the quilts. It brings in a sense of home. The quilts we have, have all been made by members of my family and not only do I LOVE the way they look, I love the way they make me feel. I love having such special things that not only look cool and serve a purpose but they make me smile and remind me of my family. They are something I will always treasure. They may not look like much to anyone else but they are priceless to me.

#4 - Norwex Towels

I was skeptical at first but these towels are so great. They dry crazy fast and have silver woven into the fabric so they disinfect themselves and none of our bath towels ever stink. I wash them once every two weeks and they are well worth the investment and I highly suggest you find a vendor if you want great quality towels. (I know a girl...if you want to order some, let me know)

#3 - Laundry Soap

Ok, I’m a bit of a hippie and I love patchouli oil. I do. It’s no lie. And when my sister introduced me to this ZUM soap...I fell in love. The way my clothes and blankets smell after being washed with this is like heaven! But if patchouli isn’t your thing, they do have other scents, too. The wild orange is my second favorite followed closely by frankincense and mhyr.

#2 - Ukulele

We have two ukuleles hanging in our RV along with a dulcimer and I love that they’re out and the kids can grab them and play them anytime. I want to encourage them to play music without being pushy about it. I can’t wait until they really take an interest and start trying at it. We all love when Jonathan picks one up and makes up songs. I miss him playing guitar and we hope that life will slow down a bit this summer so that we can really get back to more of the things we love, like music.

#1 - Kids

Ok, you probably already knew this would be my number one thing we have in the RV. Of course it’s our kids. They are the whole reason we are doing this. We want to show them things that they would have might never seen before. We want to expose them to different cultures, a different way of life and we want them to know that they don’t have to conform to what this world considers as the American Dream. We want them to make their own dreams come true. My parenting job will be complete the day they realize that there is so much more to life than working a 9-5 job for someone else, having a 2000 sq ft house, 3 cars, and all the things to fill their up lives. I hope they grow up and know how much they are loved. But I also hope they grow up and think differently than this world. I don’t want them to be followers or consumers but rather creators and dreamers and doers. I want them to know that this world is a big place and they can make a big difference. I want them to see the world and know that maybe they can’t change the world but maybe they’ll know that they can make a huge impact on those around them. All this is for them. All of this is for us. We’re in this together, forever.