family fun

5 Good Things About Pokémon Go

~ The Clarks ~ 1 Comment

I’ve read like 37 negative stories in the news about this crazy app called Pokémon Go. Robberies, injuries, accidents, hacking etc. Be aware, don’t go alone, stay in familiar places, exercise the not so common common sense. Let’s take a step back and think about how this might actually be a good thing. 


1. People are actually walking and getting off of their butts and out of the house. In the past 3 nights I have walked over 10 kilometers. I have not exercised this much since before I got pregnant 2 years ago. America has problems with obesity and adults and children not being active. This app has people up off their you know what’s. This may lead to other apps of the sorts motivating people to do the same. People are going outside of their comfort zones, who cares that it is to chase little fictitious pocket monsters around, it’s great that people are up and moving!

2. People are meeting people. I have seen more people out and met more people in our little town in the past 3 days than I have in the past 3 years we have lived here. This is not an exaggeration. It is true. It is crazy. I think we all feel like nerds, but hey, we are enjoying it, making new friendships and building ones that were already there. 

3. Families are spending time together. We spent over an hour out walking together, conversing with one another 2 nights in a row. And I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow. 

4. You have to problem solve and be resourceful. This component is huge. There is no tutorial when you start the app. You have to figure everything out on your own. You have to discover how to do things, where to find things, what everything means. You have to seek out others for help whether face to face or virtually. Pretty cool!

5. It’s good hearted competitive fun. You can compete with your friends and family to see who can catch more, or evolve the most. 

Oh you can also get some pretty funny pictures. I would cry like this if a wild rat was by my feet too!

9 Reasons You Need to Attend Pickin’ on the Porch

~ The Clarks ~ Leave a comment

Pickin’ on the Porch is a live music event that happens at MB Roland Distillery which is located in Pembroke, Kentucky. The event happens on select Saturday evenings in the summer. If you are local and haven’t been you probably should. If you happen to be somewhat near by, Clarksville, Nashville, Hopkinsville, Paducah, it would be worth the drive. 

1. It is free. You can go to this event completely for free. The parking is free. The event is free. You literally just have to show up. 

2. There is plenty of room. There is plenty of free parking available. There is plenty of room to set up to enjoy the music. You are allowed to bring your own blankets, chairs, tents, shades, etc. The only restriction is that you can not set up tents/shades in certain areas. There is plenty of room for kids to run and play. Oh, I almost forgot, you can bring your dog too, theres plenty of room for them. 

3. You can bring your own food. This is pretty sweet. I have seen families who bring in subway, McDonald’s or food from home. You can bring your own non-alcoholic drinks as long as they are in their original containers and unopened. Bottles and sippy cups or babies are allowed. 

4. The music is great. They always have artists who are pleasant to listen to and can play a variety of music. The stage on the porch is pretty neat too. There is an area up front that they keep clear for people to dance. 

5. The environment. It is right at the distillery, which is an old dairy farm. You are out in the middle of nowhere sitting on a lawn surrounded by fields listening to people play music on an old porch. Does it get much cooler than that?! It is also an environment that is family friendly. The crowd stays mellow and in our experience has never been rowdy. It is also a safe place to be. You can leave your stuff and walk around without having to worry. There are also sheriff deputies on site. 

6. They have food trucks. Food truck food is the best! Each time we have been there have been different food trucks, sometimes it’s BBQ, other times we have had burgers or street tacos. Every time it is delicious. 

7. They sell beer. They sell local beers and hard cider by the cup or by the growler. They accept cash or credit card. 

8. Fun for all ages. Everyone has fun. My 65 year old dad came with us and had a blast. Our 16 month old has a blast every time. We have met new people, had great conversations with strangers. It truly is a place you can bring your whole family to for a good time. 

9. Unlimited snow cones. Yes. UNLIMITED. As in unlimited for the entire summer as long as you remember to bring your up back. It is about $6 for a cup, about $3 if you have a military ID. That cup is good for the entire season. UNLIMITED SNOW CONES!!! You can’t beat it. 

Despite his face, I promise the snow cones taste great!

For more information on the Pickin’ on the Porch events you can visit the MB Roland website at http://mbroland.com