The Mmmm Bop Men...aka Hanson

I wrote this blog in my head on the way to work yesterday, and I forgot all the brilliant things I was going to say. I guess I will attempt to remember some of it.

For those that recall the tune, "Mmmm Bop" by the little boys,Hanson, came out in 1997. I was graduating High School at the time and had spent much of my elementary and middle school days going Goo-Goo Gah-Gah over New Kids On The Block. I had had my boy band fun, and I was moving past all the silliness of it all. I believe there actually was a time in elementary school that I thought if Jordan or Donnie (of NKOTB) could spot me in the crowd of screaming girls they might actually want to hang out with me. Now, my parents were always there at the shows with me (Thanks, Mom and Dad!), so I'm not sure if they would have come along or let me be a big girl at the age of 10 and hang with them all by myself...but my little girl eyes didn't think very rationally when it came to the New Kids On The Block. So, when Hanson came into existence, my heart couldn't take all the time and energy to be a fan. Plus, I was going to college. I was practically a woman at this point.

I never thought much about Hanson except that there were younger girls experiencing the same addiction and disappointment of ever meeting, becoming friends, or girlfriends with these kids.

Fast Forward - 6 years. And we are at the end of 2003. Ryan and I had been married for a couple of months, and he came home from working at the studio with some shocking news.

Ryan - "You'll never believe who I saw on The Sharon Osbourne Show today."
Kari - "Who?"
Ryan - "Do you remember Hanson? They were on the show singing stuff from a new album. They're all grown up, and they sound good. I bought their new acoustic album. It should be here soon."

We waited a few days for the cd. Ryan took it and listened first. He had discovered them, and I wasn't quite sure of it all. Then, it was my turn. And I've been forever changed. I love music and all, but I'm not real obsessed with music as a whole. As long as it makes me feel good, then I like it. Honestly, there are days that I drive to work and it's completely quiet in the car. Yes, there are the moments when I need some good music to rock out to. Certain moments require certain music. I've already started a play list of music for our birth in my head. But overall, I'm a bit indifferent. Off the top of my head, I can't tell you what The Who sang or too much about The Rolling Stones. But I proudly admit that when it was my turn to receive the Hanson acoustic album, it stayed in my car cd player for nearly a YEAR. That's pretty much all I listened to for an entire year.

Then, the new Underneath rock album came. And some dvds. A few concerts. And the newer album The Walk.
Living in Nashville people are always going to shows. There are tons of shows every night, but Ryan and I have only been to about 4 shows in 5 years. Three of which have been Hanson.

It's so different for me than New Kids On The Block. I'm not waiting in line in hopes that Jordan Knight will sing that one solo song "Baby, I Believe In You." Because when he sang that song, he wore black pants and white shirt unbuttoned and this powerful fan (which I could never find) would blow his shirt open and away from his body. For some reason at the age of 10, I wasn't too concerned with hearing the music.

Now with Hanson, Ryan and I are in agreement that their music is awesome. They harmonize so well...probably partly because they're brothers and have been singing together since they were born. You can tell that they truly enjoy creating and playing music. They're doing some great things with their work. The Walk album helps bring light and help to HIV/AIDS and poverty in Africa. With Tom's Shoes, they are giving us the opportunity to help provide shoes for people in Africa. And when their tour comes into town, you can be apart of Taking The Walk. When you walk with them, they give money to one of 5 charities for you showing up and walking. The charities help provide education and well-building to these places in Africa.

All of those great things, and Ryan and I also agree that their shows are so high-energy. It's not the cable hoverboards from shows like the Backstreet Boys or pyrotechnics, fireworks, and choreographed danced routines. Those things don't exist at Hanson shows. Just the three brothers and a couple of other guys playing all the music they can play for one show. And I wouldn't call it a sing-a-long, but they do get the crowd involved in singing with them to fill the music like you hear on the cd. We always have a great time at the show. And I'm not concerned with what they're wearing or if I'll get to meet them. The music is what keeps bringing me back.

Their website is www.hanson.net
If you're interested in trying them out, I would suggest Underneath Acoustic as a start. Then, Underneath Rock album, and The Walk is great as well. I think there's a new one in the works too.

Now, that I've given my Hanson spill. We did see them last week in Nashville and convinced Jim and Choyer to come too....free tickets - who could resist? Here are some photos from the show.


Baby Jenkins' first concert. The baby would just kick and kick.

Real men enjoy Hanson!



Taylor and Zac Hanson

Isaac Hanson



Some of their acoustic stuff.

5 Years

Kari and I have been married for 5 years this Saturday.
To some of you, 5 years may not be a very long time when it comes to marriage. I mean, some of us have shoes that are older than 5 years right? Well, to Kari and I, 5 years has been both a long time and a short time.
In the grand scheme of things, 5 years compared to the all encompassing forever is not long at all. It's just the jumping off point. The waning beginnings of a much longer journey together. But as I look back on the last 5 years, it seems like we have jammed a lifetimes worth of memories in there already.
Tonight, Kari is assisting a birth, so Chaco and I are sitting in bed quietly by ourselves. Kari texted me earlier to tell me the baby was here and all went well. I started to think about how proud I was of her. I cannot believe I have married such an amazing person. I don't know if all marriages are like this, but I can honestly say I am taken back by Kari on a regular basis. She takes all of life by the reigns and does as she pleases, all while making an adventure of it.
Sometimes, when Kari and I are together, and no one is saying anything, it's just quiet, I will say "I love you" to her. When I think about it, I say that alot. Some people would probably get tired of hearing it I guess. But, I say it not to fill the silent spaces of our time together. I say it because she deserves it. I say it because no other words even come close to explaining how I feel about her. In the last 5 years you probably couldn't count the number of times I've said it. But she has deserved every one. She spends so much of herself letting others know they are cared about, that I hope she knows how much she is cared about.
She gave me a magnet not long ago that says this; "To the world you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world." I have it up at work and read it every day. It reminds me that even though we face our own challenges, we have each other to come home to. We have each other to share the frustrations and joys of life with. We have each other to share this adventure together with. There is a reason we have taken on the motto "Life is an Adventure". For 5 years there hasn't been a boring moment, as long as we've had each other. For 5 years, even the quiet moments are a time to let each other know that we amaze each other. And for the infinitely large amount of forever that we will spend with each other, we will continue to live this adventure. And I will continue to love Kari. Happy Anniversary KJ.

Sleep is overrated?! Ahh..Pregnancy.

Sleep - is it overrated?! I don't think so. I wish I was off in the Snoozeland right now. But I'm not. Ever since I've been pregnant, I've had trouble sleeping. It's either the need for regular bathroom breaks (nearly every hour or two), the bedroom is too hot (i know it's pretty cold with the AC, 2 fans blowing on me, and a frozen neck wrap around my neck), or I'm just plain hungry. Most of the time I can just toss and turn or remedy the situation and grab a couple more hours of uninterrupted sleep.

But then there are the times when I realize - there's no use I'm just wide awake. It's those times that I make a snack, turn on the TV, curl up in a chair with Chaco, and either play on the computer or stare at the TV screen on the wall in hopes that the tiredness will catch up with my body and mind and force me to stumble back to my pillow.

Let's see what do I know that I'm awake at this hour...It's not raining, there's no traffic at 5 am, and Obama is the democratic nominee for president. Hmmm...I think I could have figured out this all on my own without the help of Channel 4.

I try and remind myself that there is a newborn on the way, and I'm just getting ready for "those nights." I hope that the little one doesn't think that this is play time even though I've decided it is.

I would love any suggestions or ideas that those who have traveled this road can give. Or any related stories that could ease my sleepless mind.

To All a Goodnight!

Be BOLD

I received this website from someone yesterday, and I wanted to pass on the goodness. It's a quick trailer/film on what BOLD is. BOLD stands for Birth On Labor Day. From what I understand, a woman gathered birth stories from women and has created a play to educate women on birth. Take a few minutes to watch this film, and if it sparks an interest, peruse the website.

Film Link

http://www.boldaction.org/mediacenter/bold_film.html

Website Link

http://www.boldaction.org

Prenatal Care

For many women deciding on prenatal care is a big choice. Ryan and I have still not completely decided on where to give birth. Being a doula and a huge advocate for educating women on options for birth and prenatal care my obvious choice is a midwife. If there's an emergency, then I don't mind a doctor seeing me. But as long as everything is ok, I trust my body and my birth to a midwife. There's no doubt in our minds about that. It's just deciding who and where.

Many of you know that I've traveled to The Farm in Summertown, TN, for a childbirth education training and midwife assistant training. These world-renown women/midwives are AMAZING!!! My favorite book for women to read about childbirth is Ina May's Guide To Childbirth. Also, Spiritual Midwifery is a beautiful book on childbirth as well. I feel very blessed that these women are not that far from our home.

With that said, receiving prenatal care from them became a definite option in our search. When I was down there in June for a training, I had a quick prenatal meeting with a midwife. Ryan and I set up another meeting this past week. Ryan took the day off, and we traveled down to The Farm for a Day O' Fun!


The Farm Clinic



The Farm Store - They were out of their homemade ice bean.


We met Pamela at The Farm Clinic. We talked and had our meeting for an hour and a half. It was so relaxed and enjoyable. Pamela took the time to discuss vitamins, supplements, diet, and exercise. She even offered to ease my ignorance of a pressure cooker by giving me lessons when I come down again. Yes, I peed in a cup...a dixie cup. And she taught me how to use the litmus paper and read the results. I hopped on the table, and she showed us how to feel the baby in the sack already. It was so much fun for Ryan and me to actually be taught how to feel the baby.

She also took time to get to know Ryan which I appreciated. They talked about park ranger stuff and beautiful national parks. After the meeting, she sat there and let us ask any questions we had. We gave ourselves a self -tour of one of the birthing cabins. All in all - It was a very nice prenatal visit.

We had already decided before we took our little road trip that we would definitely make use of the beautiful weather and the swimming hole at The Farm. We made a quick stop at Target on the way down, so I could get a prego swim suit. After our meeting, it was off to the swimming hole. And it was cold and fun!!!


How do you like my sexy swimming dress?!


Ryan being so cool in the pool.



Prenatal Care at its finest.



Our Day O' Fun!!!

Is That Poo On Your Face?!!

Would you be so happy if you had poo on your face first thing in the morning?!!

Dogs are awesome.

This morning I let Chaco outside. She was crying to go and out she went. When I let her back in, it took me a couple of minutes to notice some "dirt" on her face. Thinking it was funny and imagining what she would have been doing to bust into some serious dirt, I giggled and thought we must go show your daddy.

We went into the bedroom and thank goodness I caught her before she planted onto the bed...I raised her up to show Ryan her "dirt" mishap and then "the wiff of Lucifer" crossed my nose...."Oh gaw. Ryan it's poo!" Trusting my heightened sense of smell, he thought it was time for a bath. We came up with a few different stories of how exactly poo was smashed into her white neck, but Chaco wasn't handing over any answers.

So, Ryan and I started our much anticipated day together washing poo off the dog. The pleasures of having a furry child. Chaco didn't seem to mind, so I guess we'll let it go too.

It's Business Time.

If you're familiar with Flight of the Conchords, then hopefully, you're singing the title of this blog.

For those of you who don't know this, I felt like it was about that time to sit down and blog about it. A couple of months ago, my friend, Maranda and I went out on our own and started our own business. We both felt like it was about that time for us to take more responsibility for our careers. We have a similar vision about birth services and with us both doing massage therapy as well - we felt like we would make a good team and we would be answering a call for a much needed business around town.

We have a small, cozy space on Music Row called Gaia Rising Massage and Healing Center. Our website is www.gaiarisingnashville.com if you'd like to learn more about "Gaia" and what the name actually means. It has a two fold meaning...one for the massage side of things and the other for the birth services side. Ryan is helping us design and get the website up and running, so please be patient - It's up, but it's not finished yet.

We found the spot, painted, decorated (a great deal of help from family and friends), and then we were off and running. We're still working on logistics with the accountant, gift certificates, merchant services, advertising, the list is never ending...but it's been such a great experience learning how to get a business started.

On the massage side - In a nutshell, our vision is to provide a space and services that allow people to take a break from their busy lives and go inward. Allow them to take time for themselves and rest and heal their bodies, so that they can be of service to others.

On the "mama" side - we want to provide services to families who are going through the transition to parenthood. For the mamas, taking time to relax and connect with their babes...also, the birth assisting...educating and empowering women to make informed choices about their birth experience and then providing the physical, emotional, and informational support they need before, during, and after labor. Women love having a calm presence with them during this time and the partners love it too. The partners don't have to feel like they need to know what happens next or what to do...we get to help them both through the experience, so they can be present for the birth of their child.

There's a lot more info on our website, so come and check it out.
www.gaiarisingnashville.com

I would love to hear any suggestions that you have about the site.

NFL - Shows up everywhere.

Today- Maranda and I were meeting with the guy who will be setting up our merchant (credit card) services for work. I got his name from Choyer who uses them and is very pleased. So, I called a few weeks ago and from an hour phone conversation felt like his company would be the right choice. He taught me so much about how the credit card transactions work. He's very personable and seems trustworthy. We've passed a few emails back and forth, but today he came in to meet with us.

Our meeting lasted nearly two hours. Like I said, he's very personable. We talked, and he shared stories about his wife and kids. I really enjoyed meeting with him. We signed the papers, and he was finishing up one of his last stories. By this time, I was very hungry and had started to slouch in my chair from all the business and story telling - zoning out for sure...when I heard him say he was from Cincinnati.

As a die-hard Steelers fan, those words perked me up. Could this kind man love my rival?!! Certainly, not. But he's from Cincinnati - he has to be. As my mind went back and forth, I knew I couldn't let him leave without asking. I just needed to know if I was doing business with a Bengals fan. I wiggled and squirmed in my chair and asked him if I could pose a simple question (definitely before we shook hands).

"Since you're from Cincinnati, does that make you a Bengals fan?"

He smiles and seems to enjoy my question. "Yes, of course."

He can tell by the look on my face and my body language that I wasn't thrilled. He tries to stutter his way out of it by saying he's a Titans fan these days as well. And he can still tell that I'm not satisfied. He asks me - "Are you a Cleveland fan?"

"No," I speak firmly and forwardly...suggesting he try again.

"What other rival do you have that would make us doing business questionable?"

"Steelers," he lets quietly slip off his tongue.

"Yes!!!"

Then, we proceed to discuss Chad Johnson's role as a player and Carson Palmer's anger towards the Steelers. He just had to get in that the Steelers broke his leg on purpose during the playoffs a couple years back in order to kick them out.

"Well, that's your side." I laugh. "Good thing I've already signed those papers."

We continued to joke for awhile. He fills me in on his bestfriend being a Steelers fan (trying to win me back, obviously). He admits that when the Titans are playing the Bengals, he cheers for the Titans. Hmmm, I think to myself...well, then he couldn't be too much of a fan. I guess business will be ok. I tried to remember how much I liked his business before I knew his dark secret, and I reassured myself everything will be alright. We shook hands and both silently understood that we both love NFL Football, and I'm sure he knows deep down that the Steelers are the best. I know he felt it in my handshake. Next time I serve him water, it will be in a Steelers cup.

Here we go Steelers! Here we go!!

I Love Another Man!!

Yes. It's true. Ryan knows about it, and he's ok with it.

It probably helps that he's just 6 months old.

If you've been keeping up with our blog, then you know my bestfriend, Jody, had a baby boy, Bodie, back in January. I was there the evening he was born, but I hadn't been around him since. I've been keeping up through pictures and phone calls. Jody, being true to her adventuresse (check February's blog to find out what an adventuresse is) self, packed up and brought Bodie up here to Nashville last week for a visit. When they arrived, I felt like I was meeting him for the first time. And he is something else. He's so adorable and good little man at that. I asked him if he wouldn't mind speaking to the little one growing in my belly and offer suggestions on how to be so cute and so good. I guess we'll see how he did in due time.

I enjoy watching my friends be parents. They are so good at it. They've all blown me away as they become mamas. Watching their transition and how they get in this flow of motherhood brings me into this state of awe. Jody and I had so much fun. The first evening Jody was preparing the rice cereal and discussing something to the effect/affect?? of how the whole feeding thing is tedious and how she's still in the process of figuring it all out (it was something like that - "pregnesia" as i call it has caused me to forget the details). Right after she had taken the time to brew up and concoct this yummy rice cereal/applesauce thing, she turned away to get something and Bodie reached over and flipped the bowl onto the floor. SPLAT!! - ever so nicely cereal and applesauce splayed out across the floor. Bodie's Masterpiece. I'm sure he was entertained as two women on their hands and knees at his feet clean and wipe up the floor. We just laughed.

Like I said, I'm totally having pregnesia, so I've kind of forgot what we did. We talked and talked. Played with Bodie. I showed her my work. We visited a friend who lives up here who had also just had a baby. We cooked dinner. We watched a movie. We had special Popsicles - Las Palatas. We went out to dinner and had pizza. We drank coffee. And of course, reminisced.

Bodie enjoying Uncle Shooter's Camelback

I'm so glad they came to visit. It flew by. On Friday morning, I admit I teared up at breakfast and our goodbye. It's been five years since we've been in different states, and we questioned when or if it would ever get any easier. We didn't come to a conclusion.

On a lighter note, I must share another humorous story. After bath time, Jody was drying Bodie off on the bed with his cute hooded towel when I hear - "Oh no!" Walking in the room, I had just missed his sprinkler spraying all over the bed. Another time for laughter!

I don't know how to end this blog, so I'll just stop typing.

Family

Some of my family was able to come down this last weekend. Mom, Ken, MawMaw, and PawPaw all paid a visit. It was great! I haven't seen MawMaw and PawPaw for almost two years!
The first thing we did when they walked in was tell them we were having a kiddo. They were so excited for us. It was fun to tell them because we had been waiting so long to let them know.

We spent Saturday morning being lazy because Kari had a client at work. It was nice because I haven't had a day off of work since I can remember. Then Saturday afternoon we all jumped in the car and went to Radnor Lake, the park I have been working at as a Seasonal Ranger for 6 months or so. My family was able to meet my boss Steve there and I showed them around a bit. They met all of our birds of prey and all of our snakes. It was a good (hot) afternoon. That evening we went home and grilled out and stuffed our bellies.

Sunday we woke up early and headed out to the Nashville Zoo by request of my Mom. (She loves the zoo!) And although it was boiling hot outside, it ended up being a nice day. We walked alot, saw a bunch of interesting animals, learned a bunch, ate some zoo (junk) food, and had an all around good time. Ken and I had a great time luring people to bridges and fences and making them think there were hippos or big fish in the water or bear behind the trees. (There was nothing there, but seeing peoples faces looking for something that isn't there is fun! Hey, you have to find some way to stay entertained!)




























That night we went out and ate at Demos downtown in Nashville and took everyone to mine and Kari's work. By the end of the evening we were all worn smack out so we went home, had a little of Kari's home-made dessert, and hit the sack.

Monday morn we all went to Cracker Barrell for pancakes and said good bye. It was a short visit, two days, but it was a good visit. No matter how long you are away from family, the people you love are always close to you and when you get back together, it's like you never left. But it was still a sad good bye as it always is. If it was a perfect world we could all live close to our families and visit on a much more regular basis. But because we have responsibilities in a different city and family in multiple states, we have to squeeze all of our life into phone calls and weekend visits. I hope that those that love us realize that just because we live a days drive away, doesn't mean our love is far away. I like to think that the love of a family closes the gap that distance creates.

12 Weeks Prego!!

We can finally blog about it! We wanted to wait until we were able to tell Ryan's family in person, and we did that this weekend when they came in town for a visit. It may have worked out better this way because the blogging world (cross my fingers) may have missed the constant nausea stories.

We found out in June. We both sort of knew, but of course you want to verify with the good ole pregnancy test. Baby Jenkins should arrive sometime at the beginning or middle of February!!

We would be so grateful for any prayers or good thoughts as the little one grows.

We're excited about the journey, and we look forward to sharing it with you all. From constipation, midwifery care, food cravings, a big belly, and whatever else comes up - we hope you all will enjoy the adventure.


The morning that sealed the deal.

Mr. Rogers - The Best Neighbor Ever

Ryan sent me this CNN story on 15 Things That Make Mr. Rogers The Best Neighbor. It's fun to read about how he lived the same way off screen as he did on screen. He seemed like a pretty wonderful man. I would have liked to have met him.

Here's the link for the story. Just click on it, and it should take you there.

Enjoy!


http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/07/28/mf.mrrogers.neighbor/index.html

Welcome To "The Jelly Toaster!"

Where to begin with this one?

I got in a car accident last Thursday. I was at a two-way stop sign, stopped, and looked. I know I stopped and looked in all directions because I was contemplating a bike route. Ryan and I bought bikes last week, and I was attempting to create a bike route to the Park and to work. After stopping and looking, I decided to go straight. Before I knew it, as I crossed the two lane intersection, my car and I were spinning. It's easy to place fault and blame, especially when dealing with insurance, but I'll leave that alone. I don't have any broken bones, but I am healing from some nasty bruises and whiplash. What was our only car sits at the wrecker waiting for an adjuster to let us know if it's totaled.

On to The Jelly Toaster...Ryan and I have been saving money to buy a car in the Fall. We've been talking about buying a new car for a couple of years, gone to car shows, read and researched the different cars that we're fond of. Well, when this all happened, we double checked our finances. We had a certain amount and said to each other....let's go and see what happens. We went and test drove a couple of cars that we've had our eye on that we knew we were interested in. There are some things that Ryan and I just know deep down, and we both knew deep down which vehicle we wanted before we even went. Of course, after the fact - we admit that to each other. After a day of driving and talking, we purchased a new car. It's a 2008 Honda Element that we named The Jelly Toaster.



Let's see - what have I gleaned from this experience so far.

In a nutshell, be conscious and aware when you're driving. They are huge metal machines that are not to be reckoned with. You are not invincible just because you are in a metal cage. When you're driving, drive.

Our bodies are amazing. Knowing how the body works is pretty interesting. I could feel my body doing the whole "fight or flight" thing during and right after the accident. And now it's healing itself. I haven't had to take pain medication - just ice, heat, rest, massage, and Epsom Salt soaks.

Family and true friends love and support you. Ryan came immediately to my rescue and has been dealing with the insurance companies and loving on me ever since. He's even taken a couple of days off to spend time with me. Our friend, Jim, dashed out of work to check on me and give me a ride home. Ryan was on his motorcycle, so I needed a way to get my stuff and me home. Jim and Choyer as well as our friend, Logan, offered up vehicles to the Jenkins'. Logan and Becky brought ice cream over - Soy!, of course...and my favorite flavor at that. Both of our parents have called to check on us a lot and give us advice and their love. Maranda, another friend, gave up a slot for a paying client to give me a massage the day after. A group of friends rearranged "Girls Day" so I could be there. Everyone has been so kind and nice.

Show gratitude. At first I had a hard time being appreciative for the new car. I had this guilt for having an accident and then spending money for a new car. I didn't feel like I deserved it! I admitted that to a friend, and she put it into perspective for me. Speak your gratitude. I am very grateful that we have been able to buy a new car, the one we've had our eye on for years. I am also grateful that everyone is safe and healthy.

Airing Out the Family Trash

Airing out the Family Trash, huh? I wondered if that would spark anyone's interest. What is KJ up to now? Is she about to disclose some family secrets for the world to read? Sorry to disappoint, or should I say "You are so welcome." No, this time I literally mean...Here is The Jenkins' Family Trash!!

Honestly, I never really thought about recycling. Don't roll your eyes - I'm being honest here. In Spring Hill, there wasn't a system of recycling that I was aware and so I never thought too much about it. I didn't know what I could or couldn't recycle or what to do with it. So, nothing ever got done. I didn't even know where or how to start.

When we moved into Nashville, there was a green trashcan and a tan trashcan. What in the world did we need 2 trashcans for? Common sense...green is the color for the environment. Hmm...recycling?

It didn't take long for me to get curious about recycling. For one, the county dropped off another set when we moved into the house, so we have 2 tan ones and 2 green ones. Here we have 4 trashcans and only one was being used. Ryan and I got on the internet and researched "Curby." That's Nashville's recycling! We read about what could and couldn't be thrown away in the recycling trashcan, what day Curby comes to pick up our recycled trash - which is once a month, where do you take your glass and plastic bags, and where exactly the recycling goes. It's a pretty interesting website.

We started one week setting aside everything that could be recycled at the end of the counter. It was overflowing with aluminum cans, junk mail, empty frozen veggie bags, cardboard boxes like Cheerios and Oatmeal, and glass jars and bottles after a couple of days. When the garbage came that week, we didn't even have a bag that needed to be taken. Whoah! It hit me all the trash we were dumping in landfills that would never go away. And there is a solution. It can be reused.

Now that we've been doing it for over a year, it's real simple. And it's efficient and good for the Earth we live on. Every couple of days, we walk to the back of the house and dump our recycling in the can. Once a month we have to take one or maybe two of our green trashcans up to the road. And on our normal trash day, we often times don't have a bag to dump or if we do, it's usually one measly plastic bag. It really does blow our minds every time the trash comes.

My new interest now is composting. Because when I take a look in the trash, all I see is food that could be composted and used as fertilizer. We'll let you know as that adventure progresses.

Oh! And about the glass and plastic grocery bags. I had my first experience this week. We kept our glass bottles in our basement and the plastic bags that people manage to collect for nearly a year. I admit Ryan and I are procrastinators on certain things. But there are stations throughout town that you drop off those items. The closest one to us is a couple of miles away. I went to Kroger and gave them back their bags in the bins placed outside the store. Took a total of 2 minutes tops. And then I went across the street to dump the jars and bottles. They even had a system there!!! I dumped brown colored glass in one bin, green/blue in another one, and clear in yet a different one. Let me tell you - I had so much fun. If you have any pent up tension that needs a way out, offer to recycle someone's glass. As you threw the glass in, you could hear it shatter when it hit the bottom. It was a great stress reliever!

Anyway, check out your local recycling. I mean you are already on the Internet. See what's available in your area and look into what you can do. Write your local officials if you need to.

Thanks for taking a look into The Jenkins' Family Trash today!

Life with a Honda Civic...

...and only a Honda Civic.

Kari and I sold our truck last November. It was an ol' 98 Mazda B3000 we lovingly called the White Buddah, only because we had to rub the dashboard to make sure it'd get us where we wanted to go.
We decided to live life with one car for a while, just to save money so when we bought another vehicle we could pay cash. Luckily I have my motorcycle to rely on, so the going hasn't been too tough. If the temp was above freezing when I left in the morning or the rain was holding off, I was ok riding the Yamaha almost every day this winter. But we came to a realization this week...
...A Honda Civic and a motorcycle are no help when your trying to bring home 5 large shrubs for your newly bare flowerbed...
I took some of the precious free time that I am allotted now and dug up the flower bed in our front yard. The folks before us had just put a hodge-podge of shrubs and bushes there, and we promised ourselves we would work on it this April. So Wednesday Kari and I stopped by the store after work to pick up some boxwoods for the flowerbed.
First of all, I left two shrubs that I thought were boxwoods in the flowerbed, just because they were still alive and I thought we could just add to them. Well, we get to the store and start looking at the boxwoods and Kari says...."that's not what we have at home." I was convinced it was. But after careful consideration...(Kari's always right)...I realized what we had at home were a type of Holly bush. So we ended up buying a couple of those and 5 Boxwoods.
Now realize that the Boxwoods were about 2-3 feet tall and fairly wide. We cart them out to our car and stand there wondering "how in the world are we going to get these things home?"
Bad planning on our part.
So sure enough, because we live by the motto of our life being an adventure, we begin stuffing the plants into the innocent Honda Civic. About 15 minutes later, we finally had them all in...and this is what we looked like:

Now, I'm not sure if you can see or not, but Kari is stuffed in the middle of the back seat between all the shrubs. Don't worry, she somehow got her seatbelt on and miraculously I was able to see out of all the rear-view mirrors.
It would have been nice to have a truck or large SUV to throw all the plants in and head home, but what fun would that have been? We laughed the whole way home wondering what people thought of us.
We got the plants home and I spent some time today planting them. I have to say, I wish we had a before picture, because it has made a world of difference. I actually feel good about the front of our house now.
So if you are looking for a vehicle to help you move a large load of....well, anything, then look no further than a Honda Civic. We know from experience.

"You Know" is the new "Um"

Last night Ryan and I were hanging out with some friends. They were asking me some childbirth and doula questions.
After we left, Ryan and I were talking about how I did. I asked him to honestly critique me. Most of the time when I meet with families I'm on my own but because they're good friends Ryan was with us. He mentioned that I did a great job and he's amazed of the knowledge I have on childbirth, but he noticed that I say, "You know" - A LOT. I never noticed that I did that. He says it seems like I do that when I don't complete a sentence or just fill the space like....the word - Um.
As we were driving home, I began to notice when I said it. Then, Ryan realized he was doing it too. Ryan admitted that it's a bad habit he developed a long time ago, and in 5 years I've picked it up too.
Now, we have a game to help us stop saying You Know so much. It's real simple. Whenever the words "You Know" comes out of one of our mouths, we gently poke the other person with our index finger. It's quite entertaining to say the least. It's a habit I'm trying to nip in the bud (Is that the expression or did I totally mess that up?).
So, if I'm talking with you, feel free to point out my "You Knows" all you want. It's a funny game I've decided to play. And I know that my friend, Jamina, will have a field day with my new tick I'm trying to end. I'm the one that pointed out hers which was a fast-paced, side-to-side motion she did with the tip of her tongue on her top lip when she was thinking. Obviously, since I said "was" her tick, she became aware and quit. But I do miss the fascinating tick. I wonder if people will miss mine.

Oh My! Today My Cup Is Overflowing!

I am so elated and in a heightened state today. I had an incredible experience and I can only attempt to capture its beauty in words.

I'm sure that most of you know that two and half years ago Ryan and I gave birth to a son that passed through this life in my womb. We delivered on the 6th floor of Centennial Women's Hospital. It was a life-opening and life-changing experience. I've always wanted to give back to that high-risk maternity floor, but never knew exactly how. At one point, I even attempted knitting a baby blanket since some kind-hearted woman had done the same for me. But that never came to fruition.

About a week ago, the receptionist at work booked a prenatal massage outcall. For all the receptionist knew I am a certified prenatal massage therapist and I had an opening. She suggested I call the client because she was in the hospital and needed to explain her situation. When I was on the phone with her, she let me know that she had been in the hospital since she was 16 weeks along with twins. The little girl passed, but the boy is holding strong. She's been on bedrest there for 80 days, and her doctor let her know that a massage would be great for her. She called around town but no one would call her back. She found the massage studio where I work and tried again. Well, we spoke briefly about my previous circumstance. Come to find out she is at Centennial Women's Hospital on the 6th floor using the same doctors as we did. For a week now, I have been "Jones-in" for this day to come.

So today I arrived with a body pillow, a radio, some relaxation music, lotion, lavender essential oil, and a homemade room spray. While she was preparing for the massage, I dimmed the lights, made sure the window was open for some fresh air, set the Native American flute music in its proper place, dabbed some lavender oil on a tissue for her pillow, and spritzed the linens with a lavender, rose, and jasmine concoction I proudly made for my Doula clients. After learning how to adjust those electronic hospital beds, we started the massage.

When I placed my hands on her back, she started having an emotional release. Later I reassured it that it was normal. I explained how we store all the things that happen to us physically and emotionally in our bodies, and it was perfectly fine for her to cry. I spent an hour working those achy bed tired and emotionally drained muscles. When we were done, we sat and talked for awhile. She opened up about the journey she's on, and I was able to listen and encourage her. We talked about not being angry at God or the universe and finding peace. We discussed about how going on this journey with our life partners has made our relationships stronger. We shared about how the people you expect to come around you at this time aren't always the ones you thought, but all the while openly receiving the embrace of those who surprise you. I am trusting that it was a very healing and therapeutic session for her because I know it was for me. I felt very rewarded in my career today, and I look forward to another session with her in a few weeks.

Love Circle, Sunrise, & Good Intentions

Vernal Equinox?
I've seen it on the calendar for years and just brushed it off as having something to do with the signal of Spring.

A good friend of mine, Maranda, mentioned it to me earlier this week. She asked if I wanted to meet her at Love Circle (a small road in Nashville that overlooks the city) at Sunrise to burn our intentions for the year. "Huh?," I said with a crinkled nose. I'm always open for new adventures, so without much hesitation - I agreed. She told me to work on what I wanted or intended for myself this year and write it down.

I went to the computer to find out - "What is this thing they call Vernal Equinox? I knew it was a change of seasons, but after a brief google search, here's what I found. Equinox means "equal night." The Sun will cross directly over the Earth's equator. Because the sun is positioned above the equator, day and night are about equal in length all over the world during the equinoxes. I never knew, but people have recognized the vernal equinox for thousands of years. There are lots of rituals and traditions surrounding the coming of spring. Early people celebrated for the basic reason that their food supplies would soon be restored. The date is significant in Christianity because Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. It is also probably no coincidence that early Egyptians built the Great Sphinx, so that it points directly toward the rising Sun on the day of the vernal equinox. In Japan, Vernal Equinox Day is an official national holiday and is spent visiting family graves and holding family reunions. In many Arab countries, Mother's Day is celebrated on the March equinox.



So, this year just as I plan to Spring Clean my home, I've set aside a Spring Cleaning for myself to create space for new abundance that will come my way.

When I started writing it out, I kept saying...I want....I want...I want. It felt weird, and I called Maranda up for a little more guidance on the matter. She suggested that saying "want" admits that you're lacking. Hmmmm....good point. With my English-degreed mind, I went to a thesaurus searching for the right words. I looked up "intend" and words like aspire, determined, aim, dedicate, look forward to popped up. It got my juices flowing and away I wrote. I covered things from our home, finances, personally, career wise, relationships, vacations. It all came out!



This morning I woke up before the sun came up and got ready. Bundled up with some matches, a coffee, my camera, and my intentions, I headed for Love Circle. The sun was starting to light the Earth when we got there. We climbed to the top, made some final adjustments, played a quick game of Paper, Rock, Scissors to see who went first, and I started to reading out loud my intentions. After we read them, we burned them as the sun came over the horizon. We opened our arms and voiced our acceptance of the goodness and abundance we would receive this year.

It was a fun experience! I'll definitely do it again. If you want, I encourage you all to do the same. It's never too late. Vernal Equinox was just a cool day to do it!

DELICIOUS New Recipes from Kari's Kitchen!!

People are their own worst critics, and I admit I do the same. People tell me I'm too hard on myself, so for me to say I have some Delicious New Recipes...you know they gotta be good. So good that I have to post them for everyone! I've been told that everyone needs a good cookbook, and I finally found one. It's called "Vegan Planet." Even if you're NOT a vegetarian/vegan, these recipes ROCK!! My friend, Galit, told me about it. So, I owe her big time. I've cooked 6 recipes from this book, and they've all been praised from those lucky people who've dined on them. Here's what I've been doing. Some of the recipes take awhile, so I choose a day that I'm off or have a little time in the morning or evening to start preparing it. I get in the kitchen, open the outside door, turn on some music, and reach deep into my inner "cooking" self and have a blast making some healthy and scrumpulescent munchies. Then, we have food for a few meals. Here are a few of the recipes from "Vegan Planet" that everyone should try.

The pancakes and hash go great together for breakfast, brunch, or breakfast night!!

Spiced Banana Pancakes
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar or natural sweetener
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1/4 cups soy milk or other dairy-free milk
3 medium-size, ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice and set aside.
2. In a food processor or blender, combine the soy milk and half of the bananas and process until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing with a few swift strokes until just combined. Fold in the remaining bananas.
3. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Ladle about 3 tablespoons of the batter onto the hot griddle. Cook on one side until small bubbles appear on top, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancake with a metal spatula and cook until the other side is lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven while you prepare the remaining pancakes.

Serves 4



Spicy Sweet-Potato Hash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled, diced, and cooked (use leftover baked sweet potatoes OR peel and dice the potatoes and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and bake at 375 degrees F until tender, 15 to 20 minutes)

2 frozen veggie burgers, thawed and chopped or crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, veggie burgers, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 4



Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 small, fresh hot chile, seeded and minced
1 1/2 cups cooked or one 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
One 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups fresh salsa or your favorite salsa
8 large flour tortillas
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer on a lightly oiled baking sheet and roast until tender, turning once, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
2. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chile and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sweet potatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Spread a thin layer of salsa over the bottom of a lightly oiled 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
4. Place a tortilla on a flat work surface. Spoon a portion of the sweet potato mixture down the center of the tortilla and roll it up. Place the filled tortilla in the baking dish seam side down and repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling mixture. Spoon any remaining filling mixture on top of the enchiladas, top with the remaining salsa, and sprinkle with the onion. Cover and bake until hot and bubble, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 8.

Happy "Vegan" Cooking! The Animals Thank You!!

Motorcycle Gang

We went on our first ride with our motorcycle gang this afternoon! We're a bunch of wild bandits. You wouldn't want to mess with us. To be initiated, you have to agree to go on an adventure with us at some point. We initiated the first two members of our biker gang last spring on a trip to Alaska. Jim and Choyer started asking me about motorcycles a while back and I just answered questions for them. After watching a motorcycle movie called Long Way Around, I got a call from Choyer saying "want to go motorcycle shopping?" Kari and I went motorcycle shopping with them one weekend, two weekends later I was taking a rider safety course with them and two weeks after that they had their license and we were at the store again shopping for bikes. Sure enough they bought two wheelers and now my motorcycle has two friends!
We went on a ride all together for the first time today down the Natchez Trace. We stopped after about 45 miles and had a snack under the trees then headed back. Causin' trouble...that's what this biker gang is doing. Eating apples on a scenic parkway pull off.

Park Ranger 101

This is my second day off of work in 5 weeks. But surprisingly, I wasn't in desperate need of a day off.
For the last 5 weekends, I have been working at Radnor Lake State Park and Natural Area as a Seasonal Park Ranger. (That's just a fancy term for Part-Time Park Ranger). I started volunteering at the park last summer one weekend a month just to see what work inside a park was like. Was it boring? Was it too difficult? Would it be monotonous?
Well, no, no, and no. Ok, it's pretty difficult, but never boring or monotonous.
After volunteering for a number of months and getting to know the park staff, the Park Manager let me know they were short handed and needed some weekend help and that if I wanted to, I could have a job there. I thought about it for about 15 seconds and agreed. (Although I came home and talked to Kari about it for a few days.) I would be working every Sat. and Sun., doing things like trail maintenance, patrolling the parking lots during our busy times and making sure people don't park where they're not supposed to, hiking the trails to make sure people are staying on them and don't have dogs on them or picnics or feeding the animals, and just general park upkeep.
And that's what I've been doing. Alot of other things go along with the job, but that is a general overview. I have been able to do some cool things though. When doing trail work I get to drive a 4 wheel drive hauler down some of the trails. It reminds me of riding the 4-wheeler when I was a kid. I've been able to see so many amazing things. The wildlife alone has been an experience in itself. Owls, beavers, otters, geese, ducks, hawks and lots and lots of deer. The deer aren't even afraid of you, (which can be a bad thing outside of the park). I've been able to feed two captive hawks and two owls also. I've cut trees from across trails, built trailers, and hiked, hiked hiked, and hiked.
Everybody wonders if I am wearing myself out working this much. The thing is, working at the park is actually really refreshing. My weekday job is pretty monotonous. Pretty....florescent. Working at the park means I am outside all day, most of the time doing physical work. Work that gets your hands dirty, your body sweaty, and your muscles very tired. But my mind is always refreshed after a weekend of fresh air and hard work. I always feel better on Sunday evening than I do on Friday after work. I like it.
The job is supposed to go until July 1st. Steve, the Park Manager is hoping he can get permission to extend it through the Summer. The nice thing is that I was thinking about getting a part time job anyway. Kari and I have been living with one car for a few months now. We'd like to buy a car, but we don't want to make any payments. So this will help us save up some money for that. So what a better way to make a little extra money than being a Seasonal Park Ranger!
And just if you were wondering, the house is not falling apart since I have been so busy. Kari is working her rear off taking care of things around the house and in her work. Part of me feels bad for putting a bit more responsibility on her shoulders, but she has been very supportive of the whole endeavor and really doing great picking up the slack of me not being home on Saturdays and Sundays.
Chaco misses me being home with her on Saturdays, but I make up for it by letting her on the bed and playing with her when I get home.
So, from now on, you can just call me Ranger Jenkins, (pronounced by Kari, "Ranger Jankins!").
Randor Lake State Park
Friends of Radnor Lake

Winter Wonderland

We're walking in a Winter Wonderland in March! The snow and sleet started around 5:30 Friday evening and quickly changed to steady snow at 7 pm. It truly hasn't stopped since. We have 2 inches where it's compacted, but 5 inches in the grass. At 6:30 this morning, I felt like it was Christmas! I was nervous to peek out the window in fear of it being gone, but when I saw it wasn't...I just laid in bed staring at Ryan hoping his eyes would open soon. When they did, I smiled and asked if we could go outside. He asked for another 30 minutes of sleep. Like a child, I stared at the ceiling and pouted until 7. And we played for an hour. Chaco is loving it! And I confess, I love Snow Days too!!

Wake Up, Fellow Earthlings

So, I thought about writing this blog and then debated it for a week or two. I guess I was concerned about offending somebody or something. But then I realized - Hey this is my blog and I'm supposed to be honest and express myself. I have something that's important to me to share, and therefore, why would I keep it from you.

A friend from work was talking to me about a documentary she saw called Earthlings. She gave me the general idea. I told Ryan about it. He wanted to watch it first since he knows that I have nightmares from television and movies. He told me he didn't think I should watch it. He let me know about it and admitted that he barely made it through the hour and a half....watching it in various sittings and wiping tears from his face. Well. Well. I guess the curiosity got me and I watched it. It took me two different sittings a week apart, but I pushed myself through the documentary knowing that "Ignorance is not bliss."

Earthlings is a free documentary that you can watch online. We went to www.freedocumentaries.org and found it by typing in the title Earthlings or go to the site and click on animal abuse and then find the title. Now, I probably lost a bunch of you when I just mentioned animal abuse. But wait. I too toss the mail I get from animal abuse organizations not wanting to take a glimpse at the horrible treatment people do to animals. I mean, our dog, is so spoiled she sleeps in the bed with us at night. So, that's not me, and I don't want to see it is my usual thought process. That's NOT what this documentary is necessarily about. Here me out and then decide to watch it or not.

The documentary discusses the 5 ways that humankind uses animals: Pets, Food, Clothing, Entertainment, and Science Testing. They use undercover cameras to show you where your meat comes from, animals at shelters, exactly how the leather sofas or shoes we wear become shoes, the infamous circus and zoos we pay to go to, and how, as a consumer of products, animals get to test our crash ratings for vehicles and on and on.

Here's the argument I hear from most people who don't want to watch this documentary. "I don't want to know where my meat comes from. I like my chicken and burgers. I don't want to give it up." And here's my response. It's not fun to watch the movie, but people know in the back of their minds that things aren't nice in "those places." But how not nice??? Ignorance my friends isn't always bliss. Just because you choose not to look at it doesn't make you any less responsible. You're still a consumer; why would you not want to know where it comes from. You're feeding it to your families. You take your families to these places for fun and entertainment. You buy these products for yourself and the ones you love. In my opinion, you're crazy not to want to know. It doesn't mean you have to give up everything if you don't want to. But at least educate yourself to what you pay for and how it affects others. Be an informed consumer.

Ryan and I are still working through what having watched this documentary means for us as a family. It is life-changing...No Doubt. But I would rather be figuring it all out than to try to play dumb to it all when I'm not.

Please watch this documentary and then make an informed decision about you and your loved ones.
Remember -We are all Earthlings!

Video Link: Earthlings

A Great Morning!

I'm having one of those Great Mornings! A lot of times we remember the not so good ones, and we like to talk about it. But not today.

I woke up on my own this morning to a lot of wind, but still it was on my own. No alarm clock today. I actually saw daylight before it even went off. That's good for me! I sat up in bed and read some in a book that I'm really into right now. My husband and my furry child were asleep beside me.

After Ryan headed to work, I did some finishing touches to the house before my parents arrive. The house smells of burning candles and it rained hard this morning. I've been listening to records all morning. When my uncle passed in August, we were handed ALL of his albums for us to go through to keep or sell. I've been jamming out to Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, and Stevie Wonder...just thinking about my Uncle Dennis and picturing him bouncing and dancing around his house. Knowing he is so proud of me because I'm totally enjoying his music puts a smile on my face.

Now the sun is coming through the clouds and I've been working on knitting a scarf. I'm trying to teach myself how to knit, and with the help of Dolly Parton's Heartbreaker album, I'm well on my way- Finally!

The only thing that could make this day any better would be for Ryan to be at home instead of work!! He'll be home in a few hours, and we'll enjoy some of my favorite food (Taco Salad) with my parents, and thanks to the Presidents of the United States - Ryan and I get to spend the day together tomorrow.

I Love Great Mornings!!! And it's only Noon.

The Newest Adventuresse Family Member

Here's a simple version of how The Adventuresse Family began and consistently grows:

After I finished college in 2002, one of my bestfriends, Jody, and I set off on an adventure. We packed up and headed Out West, camping and sightseeing along the way! I think we went away searching for the answers to life's questions and plans for our future. I don't think we found them, but the one thing we did discover was our deep desire and need for ADVENTURE!! So came "our name," The Adventuresses!!

Somewhere outside of the Black Hills of South Dakota with our newly purchased cowgirl hats, we knew we were in need of new names. Adventuresse/Outlaw names!! I mean, seriously, we were reaking havoc all over the West in our sweet-ride, a 4-Runner turned into a 2-seater named Sedona, on the trip. But we were stuck known in the West as Kari and Jody. Where's the fun in that?! Sedona was no wild horse, but it got us where we were going. The ride had a name. Our tent became known as The Westward Castle. Now, WE needed names! With a quick phone call to Doug, her father, he helped us and inspired us with ideas. Left to our own demise though we started fast at work.

On the run early that summer, I became forever known as Wrangler Daisy duke, and Jody became infamously called Sundance Jessie james!

In August of 2003, Wrangler Daisy married Ryan Jenkins. On our honeymoon in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone, he discovered his name. You see receiving membership into The Adventuresse Family and declaring a name is serious and not to be taken lightly. It must be found on a exploration with an Adventuresse. Ryan was crowned with the name Shooter Jackson hole!

Then, there came David Thomas! Jody and David were dating at the time he was blessed with his name. The four of us were camping in Yosemite, and his name unfolded into Mustang Rocky balboa. Mustang Rocky and Sundance Jessie married in May 2006.

And now the newest arrival!!! Mustang Rocky and Sundance Jessie gave birth to their first child, a son, on January 18, 2008 at 7:41 pm. His birth name is Bodie David Thomas. And he will remain with that name until the proper age and the right Adventuresse moment. At that time, he will be dubbed with his own Adventure/Outlaw name.

He is a handsome and wonderful addition to The Adventuresse Family! I was so glad to be there for his first adventure into this world.

We all look forward to the family growing, our children finding the need for adventure, and discovering their forever Outlaw names! Who would ever know that a Road Trip out West would create and bind two Adventuresses together in such a way?!!

Congratulations and Blessings to the new parents from Aunt Daisy and Uncle Shooter!! The Adventure Continues...

Christmas in Charleston

We spent our Christmas in Charleston, South Carolina this year. When you say Charleston, I (Kari) request you say it with your best southern drawl. My brother, Derek, lives there...about 5 minutes from the beach. We had a family Christmas at a beach house we rented. Christmas at the beach was something neither of us had ever experienced. It was pretty cool. It was different being at the beach when it was cold and during the holidays but enjoyable to just be at Mama Ocean together.
My parents brought a little tree for us to decorate. Christmas morning Ryan and I brewed some coffee, grabbed a quilt and the camera, walked a couple of minutes to the Atlantic, and watched the sunrise. It was so amazing that we watched it again the morning we headed back home. Since we've tiled our bathroom and kitchen, we've been deemed the experts. My bro asked for a tiling job for Christmas. Ryan, Derek, and I spent a few days doing demolition, tiling, and grouting. Our tiling ventures keep getting better; that means Derek has the best one yet. We spent some time on a lighthouse hunt, walking Market Street, and eating some seafood. It was nice to be with family at the beach for Christmas.