Saying good bye and hello!

Saying good-bye to 2013 and hello to 2014...

You know the other day I was asked by a friend "What are your new year resolutions?" I replied in kind... "I have none!" At the time it was the truth. Now upon the eve of the new year, I have no regrets really, at least none I can think of (OK maybe save a little better, not do as much work, spend more time with sugar, but really those aren't regrets just different paths I took in life)! I am excited for the New Year because of what I hope it brings, not so much because it means saying good bye to last year. I thought about what my resolutions are... to live fuller, not do as much work and spend more time playing with sugar! Of course spending more time with family but that is a given with our chosen lifestyle.

I dedicate this post to you my love, may 2014 bring us more happiness, more peace and more sanity! I got the card you left me this morning...it was cute. I didn't expect it. Actually I expected it when I saw it to be a late Christmas card. LOL I was surprised! Inside it you wrote, "Another one down and we are still HERE together <3"! Awwww! What you might not understand is he is no Mr. Hallmark (he calls me Mrs. Hallmark), nor is he so good at cards, and the like. So that was a very special card (I loved cards, my daddy use to give/send me a card every holiday. I still have those cards.)!

This time last year we were prepping for the move. We had no clue what was to become of us, only that we had each other, our kids (both skin and fur). We made that blind leap of faith, together as always! Who knew?! We thought we had a contact with a Realtor, lined up some job contacts, etc. We knew the location, the reason why we were doing this just not the how yet. We had our tech business to help get us by, some savings and help from family. The trip took us a lot longer than expected, my sudden fear of driving at night, (OK not so sudden as it was raining, a winding road descending off a cliff, dark and scary drive that caused white knuckling and panic on my part) that caused it to be as it was. That being said upon arrival of our destination, things changed. I changed. We changed. Our family changed.

Who knew such change would ultimately bring about such happiness. We decided to live our nomadic dream! What did we have to lose? We tented for 2 months and finally moved into an RV (after the about to be purchase of ours went horribly wrong...still gives our oldest nightmares), then eventually almost 8 months later our own RV (tomorrow marks 11 months living nomadically). Never did I think we would do it! We did, and I still haven't complained about the 2 months in a tent, my only complaint now is storage space!!

We have come a long way, we grew (growing is sometimes painful), we laughed, we cried, and we still are steadfast living our dreams rather than chasing them! I can't wait to see what 2014 holds for us!! I do know one thing, it will be with you, our kids (both skin and fur) and that is really all I need.

Until Later...

What happens when you don't take care of it!?

Doesn't matter if you are living nomadically or not you still have to take care of yourself. The boys wanted to attempt it on their own. As promised, I said I would post what happens when you want to grow your hair long but don't take care of it! Momma happens!!!

From fluffy to fabulous!

Until later...

STAR WARS LEGO CLUB!!!

We needed something FUN to do! Not that we aren't having fun, but something special to say "HEY...you! Yeah you! Great job!". So we took the boys (I booked in advance) to the Lego Club, the theme?! Star Wars!!! Imagine our surprise when we show up and there are people dressed up!!!! Way to show off Austin...Bellevue take notice! OH and my kids were still wanting to grow long hair but NOT brush it...see what happens later. Momma said take care of it or it goes!

Until later...

Gem and Mineral Field Trip!

Austin Gem and Mineral Show! The boys had a fantastic time...all the rocks and cool stuff! Check out the glowing rocks! Amazing time had by all! We even got diamonds! :-) Small but hey!

Privacy? Quiet in the middle of chaotic screams!

I sometimes miss the days of a door to close so I don't have to hear the tantrums, but I don't think I would go back to sticks and bricks house just yet. I got a life to live on the road and super excited about being able to do it!

I thought today was turning out to be a great day, then evening, until it hit. I knew it was too good to be true. In our house we have to roll with the punches. Take the good, great, bad, ugly and f'n ugly days no matter what.

It all started with a cookie. I gave one to my oldest who has sugar allergies like off the charts, I didn't think anything would be wrong but it wasn't so much the cookie, it was the fact that his younger brother was just called in to make pretzels with me (he asked, I didn't offer). Then the younger one got his computer time. My oldest didn't because he didn't earn it, sometimes that happens and we just have to deal. 

That being said my oldest just exploded, I mean full on screaming at us, yelling, sobbing, blood curdling screams. This was after I sent him to the shower. Once out I asked him to do the dishes...oh boy was that the straw that broke the camels back. Normally he has no ISSUE doing the few dishes that were there before settling down to read (we needed the sink clear so we could make dinner...little did we know we ran out of gas and have to fill up again, what is the sense of two tanks if you aren't rotating the fills?!). 

He just started crying and throwing a tantrum. Saying all's he did outside was sit in his chair. He didn't do anything fun because he has no friends (not true, just none were over to entertain him and his brother was inside) and everyone was yelling at him, today it was dad especially. What? LOL NO one was raising their voice but you child.

So to help prevent further explosion, I made his bed, tucked him in (yes screaming blood curdling screams and all), got the youngest fur-baby, child and hubby out the door. Told them to take their time, eat out tonight, maybe bring me something back and return that damn redbox movie. lol.

All is quiet now, perhaps because the oldest has no voice and ran out of energy screaming. I don't know how to fill his cup, he gets SO damn jealous, no matter who it is, dog, cat, youngest, man, friend, work, etc. He told me he wants a world where just him and I exist, where he has me all to himself. I love him, I do, but sometimes I just don't have the energy, like tonight. I told everyone to keep their mouths shut, dress and exit the door with the youngest fur-baby in hand. I just needed the quiet (despite the screams) to calm the oldest. I put up his very cool snazzy privacy curtain, covered him, and let him just scream until he couldn't anymore. 

Now I spoke to soon, the cat is screaming that he wants his dinner!!!

Until later...

A little privacy...

Sometimes you just need a little privacy. We weren't sure how to accomplish it, but I had an idea! When we get our own RV we will do it right this is just temp but it works!

Best part?! The boys LOVE it! They think it is the coolest thing! It also keeps them warm, since I like the place cold!

More to come later, just got done making pretzels, oatmeal butterscotch cookies and bread (made oatmeal cinnamon muffins last weekend). Check it out... http://okfrugalliving.blogspot.com/

Until later...

Start of a new season...

You would think it would start raining already, wait that was Washington! I miss it sometimes especially now when the leaves start to change. I really miss driving down the road in front of Microsoft near our old place and seeing all these amazing yellow, orange and red leaves lined on the both sides of the road. It rained today here in Austin, so needed it, both the land and I. 

The boys started back full-time schooling, we tried un-schooling for 6 months and the consensus with them was they were bored, so we came to a compromise. We are doing reading, art, science, history, geography un-school way, and math, language arts, language arts extensions, spelling using curriculum. If they get 80% or better I am cool with it, if they struggle we help and provide extra work.

They love it when I bake or cook, those are the days when I am not having to help much. In those moments I can relax and get things done. In the other moments they are just too chaotic!

Life has been good for us, living some what off the grid, getting ready to go full-time on the road is what we all can't wait for. We are each doing a bucket list of places we MUST see! I have places and things I want to see, the kids are basing it on things they read, saw and were taught.

You learn to live lighter, with less stuff. The kids have sort of adapted. It is hard not having all the space we had before and all the things we had before. We asked them, what did you love about the old life? They really just liked having their own space and their friends. So we have decided when we buy the RV, yes we are still looking, we will either buy one with bunks or rip out the dining table and put bunks in. This will allow them to design their space how they want it to be! Win - Win!

The fur-babies have adjusted well, maybe too well! I find them sprawled or curled up all about. They really have the life! They are really spoiled...homemade food, treats and the love of their human family.

I can't wait until we are on the road full-time! I don't know how long we will be on the road but in the end it doesn't matter. Far away today, there tomorrow! That is from the wise old hubby! :-) 

Until later...

Hot weather, bugs, lizards, and kids

It has been a while. I was busy! Starting a business is hard work ya know. The weather has been hot with that comes bugs! OMG the bugs are HUGE here.

I won't say it is always sunshine and rainbows but we try to be happy! We can't wait to be on the road. Looking like October-December time frame to be on the road FT. Just gotta find our RV.

Today rather than a mouse the cat caught a lizard. Poor thing he thought it was a play toy. Not good.

The kids have been doing well. Both asking me constantly for school work (I seriously can't wait until we get on the road). Each day presents a new way for them to bicker and fight. I really wish they would just get along and not just use each other as a source of entertainment.

You learn to live differently, not just more frugal but differently. Less things, less stress, less baggage. I still have to go through things and get rid of stuff. The kids are growing out of clothes and the like. You also learn what you can live with and what you can't. What you can't you just make space for.

We discussed our direction. We want to head WEST, for the winter until spring.We shall see!

Until later...

The nitty and the gritty...

Ah time sure does fly when you are living YOUR dream (or attempting too) rather than chasing the American  Dream. I have been blessed to have a job that I get to work from home doing. It allows me the freedoms to school the kids, enjoy the kids and our time together and be a workaholic. LOL yes I said that.

I have seen some un-becoming behavior from the boys, mostly I think due to the fact that I am working now. I don't think they like sharing me. My oldest thinks I am just having fun with online friends and playing games. He knows better, he requested to work like me when 18. LOL.

It is an adjustment for us all, that being said it is a job I can do anywhere! I can't wait to hit the road and not be stationary! Soon...very soon. So in light of that fact, hubby is also doing what I do from home now too, he has a much lighter schedule than me but it does earn a bit of extra cash to put into the RV of our own fund. We went from Class A/C to bunkhouse trailer, then back again to Class A/C. I dunno each day varies. I think for now, bunkhouse trailer, then 3-5 years motorhome. This will give the kids a space of their own. I don't imagine when we get on the road that we will be going for hours and hours. I really wanna see things, like the world's largest ball of string, does Chevy Chase and National Lampoon Vacation come to mind?! Yeah! Sweet! That is what I want to do!

Living on top of each other does require some getting use too. We take solitude in the fact that the kids can go outside for a bit, before the blazing 105 degree temp hits us, allowing us some time alone, or me time alone during the week. I am not going to say it has been all gumballs and games. It is hard work, we work really hard to manage daily. In the end we laugh because really we are happier. We have had the ups and downs with the kids. The questions about why we moved here for MY MOM. Why couldn't we just have stayed THERE? The whinning about the heat, the bugs, the dark, etc.

Let me say I was raised here in TX, and everything is much bigger here than other places. LOL The wasps are like three half dollars put together in a row, the snakes are rather large, the birds, etc.

Listening to the boys see their first firefly was pretty amazing. There is a light at the end of the tunnel just not sure if it is an oncoming train or the other end! My mom always said I would pay for my raisings, what she failed to mention is you never stop paying for them.

We finally have A/C in the car, while man says I doubted him, I really didn't. I knew one way or another he would provide me with A/C. I just get to hot and cranky and all that hot mess stuff. NOW we have A/C I am super stoked! I can get in the car in the 105 temps and feel ok to drive.

The fur-babies are all adjusted, the cat and two dogs get along well. The cat and the smallest dog sleep together often, then the cat switches and sleeps with the bigger dog, or perhaps it is the other way around. ;-)

I wish we had more space, and an outdoor kitchen, I am requesting that on the trailer we finally end up with, but if not that is ok. I will make do. I am STILL not complaining! I know crazy! ;-)

Until later...

Long time coming...

It has been a crazy almost two (2) months here. I don't know how time flew! Where to start!

I have been baking in the RV. What have I done?! Ahhh let's see...pretzels (sticks, twists, original - all salted and buttered, cinnamon and sugar, and cheesey ones. My fav are the salted and buttered ones. So easy and quick to make the kids love them! I have made bread loaves (many of them), we go through at least 1 a day. They cost me $.84 not including propane or electric (for the a/c). I have made cookies and granola bars.

The kids are doing well, they crave the structure of schooling which I am doing in an unschooling/mixed with all sorts of other schooling for them. They seem to have adapted well, still unsure but who isn't!? We haven't made many friends at least none like back home. We all miss back home, friends and family (chosen). I laugh and say, "It is hard to make friends after elementary school", kind of funny because my kids don't attend it anymore and we have had more friends since leaving public school than when we were in it!

Pets have adjusted well, lazy babies! They seem to love it! Now of course time in the tent and on the road, they feel that I can never leave home without them! Ah well everything is an adjustment period, boy do I sure hope so!

Mom and Dad are adjusting well...Mom is doing her thing at home, being SM - Super Mom!! Dad is working, commute isn't so good but it has to work for now. We have been looking for land to call base and an RVand truck.

Things are serene here. I keep telling people I have found my inner peace, but I think really what it is, is that I have found my inner balance. We are in the middle between both coasts, and in the Central part of the state. It seems to work well for us and I am happy. I could use more ME time, that has been a lost cause though.

Well the adventures continue, we can't wait to get our own RV and be on the road. Until then, this will do just fine!

Until later...

WHAT is that smell?!

"OMG! What is that smell (reminds you of a Sir Mixalot song huh?!) honey?! IT was bad, and when I say bad, I mean bad. The downside to never living in an RV or owning one is that you don't know much of anything. FORGET what you read, start digging on RV forums for things that can go wrong!

So we did some research into "Sewer smells in the RV" and came up with some things to do/fix. We did the bleach and water to deodorize.  We did the vent replacements under the sinks. We flushed it several times, and by it I mean the grey and black water tanks. The smell isn't so bad in the main portion of the RV now, but the BATHROOM...wow, it is pretty horrid. So I started searching for how to clean said black water tank, and came up with several options, "The GEO method", toilet wand flusher contraption, the flushing (we did), the replacements (we did) and some other ones, like ice cubes, etc.

Upon further investigation (GROSS!), I was peering into the black water tank via the toilet and decided that baby needed a massive cleaning. So either he is going to borrow if anyone has it, the flusher toilet thingy contraption, or I am bringing in the water hose and a trigger sprayer and going to tear into the disgusting tank via the toilet. Why? Cause the hotter it gets here the worse it becomes and just like I scrubbed the used RV down everywhere else, I feel it needs to be done in the tank. I am not going to keep being subjected to however old of poop smell that is!!!

The kids are spending a lot of time in the yard, thankfully! Every time I go out there, I get bit by something which turns into a major infection as I am allergic to everything that bites. So I sit in the RV mostly with the AC blowing trying to avoid the toilet at all costs. I keep having the boys come in to tell me if it is still the same smell or going away. LOL. Anyways, enough of that!

Until later...

Happiness...

You don't find happiness after an experience like I had to go through and the kids witness, but I must say I found some! The trailer is smaller, but it is in great condition. I am still cleaning to my standards though. We have been here for three days now and are making it our own place.

My plants came from storage, they were only going to hold on so much longer! I am so happy they held on for as long as they did!! They are outside on our "deck" and happy. We watered our grass and the plants. It is so peaceful here. NO screaming/fighting neighbors, no loud kids (other than our own!), which might change. We have a slip and slide, volleyball net, horseshoes, and some other stuff set up now for the kids in our yard. Since we are stationary while we look for our own motor-home we are making due.

OK something you need to know...toilet paper as you once knew it is no longer! The one thing NO one has told me about is the TP! YOU have to use special RV TP. OMG it is horrid LOL. Oh well, will chalk that one up to getting use to living light!

I have always been a pack-rat, not saying I am giving that up but definitely get rid of a lot, yes more than when we first moved. Living nomadically is so freeing, in so many ways. There is less clean up, less to figure out what to do with, less you can carry simply because it is too big or you don't have the space!

I put the mixer out, we stored the appliances under the dining seat, the coffee maker is out, I just need to bake NOW! I am super excited, just need to make a run to the storage to get my pans (some were forgotten the other day).

Who knew living this life would make me so happy!? I do miss my family and friends back in WA, but WOW I think I was truly meant to live this life! The life of a gypsy or nomad. I think I can thank my mom for that one! Gypsy Rose II she said, as she was the first Gypsy Rose. :-)

OH and I love having a potty RIGHT there! Man asked the boys...wanna go camping?! First thing they said was "In a Tent?" LOL, then followed by "NO"! "AWWW" man said, "too soon?". Yes babe, too soon!

Until later...

Oh the horror...

I started hearing things, like "oh the husband didn't know you paid her money. He doesn't want to sell it." etc. So we go to pay our next payment (as they were suppose to be out yesterday and we pay today) and the man on the couch inside what is to be my home is very rude to us. He waves us off like flies, telling his wife to go take care of SEE the title first. Why?? Well good question, they never transferred it into their name and we don't want issues.

What comes next terrifies my kids (I am sure that nightmares of this day will haunt them). The man comes out starts screaming at me about how dare I bring a third party. HE decides who HE is going to sell to and it isn't going to be us!!! I calmly stood there, told the kids to go to the gazebo, and told him how I felt. I told him that we had an agreement, it was for $1,500 but then his wife came back and said he wanted $2,000. We said ok, asked when they would be out and we were told Sunday and the agreement was we pay upon their exit. They weren't, here we are just asking to see the title nothing more, nothing less.

We were always met with WHERE is my money or WHEN can you get it. Seriously?! I just want to see the title. We never even saw the slides work. RED flags were always going off, now this made it very clear. I told him I want my money tonight, he said it is at the bank and he would get it tomorrow. I said he has until close of bank business and I am calling the cops if it isn't returned by then.

Then I walked away and cried. I was crying not for the loss of the trailer, I wouldn't take it if it was free, but for the way I was treated!

Well...when one door closes a bunch of windows and another door opens. By a saving grace, a rental trailer came available literally one hour before this all happened. The owner was like if you want to see it (while hugging me, I was inconsolable), it was smaller but it is MUCH nicer she says. WHO knew it would be so awesome! We have our own fenced HUGE yard (grass was just planted), no neighbors, trees around us, a dry creek that fills when it rains, a fire pit and most of all a bathroom! HAHA!

Well off to help move us into the new trailer, for now this will work! We can still shop for what we want a Class A or C and just rent this. We are super happy, the kids are even happier than they were for the last one!

Until later...

Disappointment...

So they were suppose to be out today...they weren't. It was really a let down. They said maybe Monday or Tuesday night. It really was an incredible disappointment.

I really wanted to get in, clean, figure things out! Ok...we are playing the waiting game again.

Until later...

Anticipation!!

It's like waiting for Christmas day to happen! We are all super excited for the move into our new RV! We just hope they get out early Sunday morning versus late Sunday night!

We have plans to rip out the carpet and put laminate snap together hardwood flooring. Where we are staying the owner offered to give us what she had, that was very sweet of her! We also plan on taking out the queen bed and replacing it with a daybed and trundle and adding a folding table that is attached to the wall in there.

In the dining room/living room area, we are planning on taking the table and bench chairs out and replacing it with a long desk for two (our work spaces).The couch sofa sleeper will be taken out and replaced with a new one.

I also want to take out the commode and replace it with a real one!

There is lots of cleaning, organizing, etc. to be had!

Until later...

Pics of the new rig!

Here is the new rig!

That is not our stuff. She is taking it with her. It has a new awning (6 months old too). I can't wait for Sunday!!!

Death...it is a game changer!

A few people I know have said how proud they are of us just taking this chance and doing what we felt was best. I have to say death changes a person...I have been more willing now than ever since my daddy died to go against the grain, live off the grid and take risks! Like I said, it isn't easy we have had meltdowns, tantrums, "I'm bored!!", "MOM I saw a baby LONGHORN!" to "MOM!" (panting) "There is a coyote near the dumpster! It can't be a dog, the teeth were to sharp!" HAHA, it has definitely been an adventure. I look forward to many more adventures!

I miss my family and friends, and at first I was very upset about leaving all I knew, my possessions that couldn't fit, etc. All that being said, I look back now and I don't regret one moment! I know my kids are on an adventure of a lifetime! With the RV about to be in our possession we will finally be able to get out and explore more of the places the fur-babies can't go (museums, restaurants, etc.)!

Until later...

WE did it!

We did it! We bought an RV! We can't move it but we did it! We hopefully gain possession on Sunday! The lady woke up at 2am this morning to find it SOOO cold and was worried and told her husband we had to have it. It was cold but we were warm!

It is called a Prowler, it is 33' in length and has two slides. I have already started to figure out how to make it work for our needs until we upgrade. I have already been told how incredibly lucky I was to get it for the price we did and that we could turn around and sell it for triple what we paid. While that is cool, we will just wait for a while!

The back bedroom I am thinking of ripping out the bed and putting in a pallet bed that has a trundle under it. That way it is a couch and at night it is two beds for the boys. It will also give them space to play when in couch mode. I also want to install a table that only has two legs and is mounted to the wall. This will give them space to do art, letters to friends, etc.

Where the living room and dining room are, I was thinking take out the couch and put a new one in, for us to sleep on and where the dining table is rip it out and put a desk for two so we can do our work there. We can buy folding TV trays to eat off of which would suit our new needs just fine (remember we have been tent living).

(break from posting to go potty...outside in the bathroom facility)

PANIC mode! I can't get out the damn tent, and I have to PEEE! OMG! Hubby is in the place I need to go so here I am whisper yelling "HONEY"!! Why? The boys broke the zipper doors to the tent! BOTH of them!

Ah here comes my knight in shinning armor in the night!

Until later...

OMG! OMG! OMG! Really!?

So early in the morning the owner of the park comes buy and asks us (through our tent mind you, after torrential rain, hail the size of pennies and THUNDER that could wake the dead right above you and torrential winds!) if we were still looking for an RV!?

Little tidbits...What you have to know is that we are in an RV PARK, in a TENT, with everyone worrying about us and if we are OK. Well we didn't fly away to OZ yet. This was our 5th storm weathered in a tent, 4th in the new one (the old one RIP tent). We figured if we could survive 70mph winds in a tent we could survive anything!

So we tell her YES! She says "Well what about that one there...?" in her sweet southern voice. I said "That one?", looking off at this 5th wheel trailer. She says "Yes." I was stunned, she tells us go over there. So we go, the lady wants $1,500 for it. We were like "YES!". Fast forward an hour, she comes back and says well my husband wants $2,000 for it. We are still like "YES!". So after some talking we look around, it will suit our needs and this is just a start...plus I will have a potty, an a/c, a stove, oven...ok so the list was getting a bit long, anyways you get the point! So after some talking she says when can we pay her?! I was like when you moving out?! She had to talk to her husband and was suppose to come tonight to tell us but hasn't. This comes after her telling us she had people offering cash right there on the spot, and her husband had offers too! Hey lady, if it was meant to be it will be!

Man the temperature dropped drastically...I can't work or type with frozen fingers so I am calling it a night!

Until later...

Meltdown of the century!

So it was suppose to be a typical Tuesday morning...last week was hard, we kept getting up early (oldest hated that part) and when I say early I mean EARLY, it was freaking cold too! We had things to do and needed to be up and at'em early.

Anyways I think it was just building up and building up like pressure in my pressure cooker and finally it exploded! My oldest had a meltdown of the century! He had his fists clenched, was turned an awful shade of red because he wasn't breathing and was just raging! I kept telling him he needed to breath, calm down, etc. He wouldn't. I had to snap him out of it so I tugged gently on his early, OH boy! He fell to the ground screaming with a glazed over eye look, he stomach was hurting so bad (he refused to drink several times that day) from the knots he was causing to himself. I basically shocked him out of it. He finally calmed down and was able to talk quietly to me. Prior to for the past two days he had been screaming at us. I think he doesn't like that I am doing freelance work. I set out to buy him some rescue remedy gum (I have the drops but he doesn't care for them). He seemed to think it helped him. I don't know.

I think it has been the lack of control of him NOT getting sugar all the time. He is allergic to it. I must say that for the past 6 weeks we haven't been so good at NOT giving it to him. That is all going to change. I refuse to go through that again. I told him you act like you are two you get treated like it. Let's see how he likes mommy walking him to the potty by his hand and being grounded from the play structure for a couple days!

Still nothing on the RV front. Tonight it is suppose to storm badly. Severe thunder storms. My work still continues! I am getting the hang of some parts, some are harder but for those they are just trickier!

Until later...

Settling?? NO! Investing?? YES!

After much talk about the RV we wanted, we decided why rush into something and settle when we can just start out with something different and upgrade! I call it investing! That being said, we decided we didn't care if it was a Travel Trailer, Class A, or Class C.

It has been a whole 24 hours since I started the new freelance job! I am very thankful to have it and to be working with the person I am. She has been awesome since we started this journey! I am very grateful for the income also! It doesn't hurt that it is easy work so far and has the flexibility I need as a homeschooling nomadic FTF (full time family) mom.

Still nothing in the way of RVs since we opened up to other things.

Until later...

Freelancing...

We have our own tech business and luckily it goes with us where we go. We have had some work but it varies how busy we will be. So that being said, I started applying for freelance jobs as per recommendations from a couple very amazing people I met through FB FTF (Full Time Families) group. You have to bid on jobs, and there was a LOT of people bidding. I hadn't gotten anything yet, I mean come on I spent time making these great bids etc.

Anyways! I had mentioned to another FTF mom that I was looking for something remote with flexibility! The company she works for had an opening and she thought of me (love her!)! So now I am doing freelance remote work! She is super awesome even willing to give me lots of work!

The running joke around the house is whomever was making money wasn't the "house honey"!!! Tag you are it babe! Although I really hope he gets a job, (yes I said job) that way he can figure out what he wants to do when he grows up. He really hopes it is coding and something he can do on the road (ME TOO!).

PS I started tonight!

Until Later...

The Key, The Key!

We got the key to the mailbox! YEAH we can now claim residency, which is very important when your car tabs are about to expire and you need emissions on them in another STATE! This is what we wanted anyways, to claim residency here. Most lax laws for homeschooling and cottage laws for baking! This means DL changes, PO Box changes, etc.

Who knew a little silver mailbox key would be so exciting!

The hunt for the RV still continues. I keep scouring the FB pages I am on, the Greensheet (bleh) and Craigslist in hopes of finding something in good condition and cheap. I did find one...it is in Massachusetts though! The price is really good price, but it is a Travel Trailer and we want a Class A or C.

Until later...

A spot of of our own...for a spell

It is funny how your hopes and dreams just change in the blink of an eye (OK maybe a few years but really we did it in a blink of an eye)!

We have a spot, yes it is an RV spot, but we can put the tent there. It is a monthly fee, rather than a daily fee (which is quite expensive I will have you know). It will work, or we will make it work. We have been doing this now for over six weeks. People think we are nuts! They think we aren't comfortable or must be missing out on TV! Quite frankly, we didn't watch much TV to begin with when we had what they call a "sticks and bricks" place. We have two DVD players and a laptop. WE are GOOD! OH and over 400+ DVDs, plus access to several Red Boxes.

What I miss most...making sugar flowers (and secretly I miss baking cupcakes)! It is rather boring here when the kids are playing and you don't have anything to do! I think I might pull my crochet out of storage and start working on some items to sell on my ETSY store and a local craft bazaar. I am also looking for remote gigs to do via the computer.

Until later...

Off the grid...for the most part

It has been quite comical I must say, looking back over the past 6 weeks, or even 10.5 years! If someone told me 6 weeks ago, or even a year or more ago that I would be Nomadically living...I would have laughed so hard I would have peed myself! Having now lived this life for 6 weeks I can't say it is bad. I do hate not having a bathroom right down the hall or in my room, that sucks big time! The lack of privacy well you make it work and you get creative! ;-)

The boys seem to be doing well. They miss having their own space also, their toys strewn across the room and the XboX (can't blame them, I miss my space and computer too!). They are having to use their imagination and nature to have fun. We brought a game with us, some water guns and an outdoor play pack.

I am not going to say it has been the easiest life there is...but it is doable. We always have electric and water, so with that I am able to make all the fur-babies and our foods. I have a pressure cooker and a griddle (we brought the bread maker, crock pot and a convection oven - those are in storage haven't used them yet). I also have a cooler, that has been the hardest part other than a microwave...having to curb my desire to buy in bulk!!! I have made mac & cheese (pressure cooker), scrambled eggs with bacon and potatoes (pressure cooker and griddle), BBQ brisket (pressure cooker), chicken salad (made the meat in the pressure cooker), burritos (pressure cooker), mmm what else?! The possibilities are endless, just need a creative imagination and desire to do it!

The boys have been homeschooling/unschoooling/roadschooling/tentschooling lately. I use nature, I use the internet, we use the kindles and I brought some paper items but once used I throw away. They do art, history, math, language arts (literature & comp, grammar, usage and mechanics, spelling, etc.), writing, it has been working out well. I reward them with movies, free time, internet time (limited to educational stuff currently) and it seems to be working out just fine.

We have been through a torrential wind storm, followed by another wind storm with torrential rain and severe thunderstorms, and I would say torrential HEAT! LOL! All in all we are together, we are happy and we are living the life!

Until later...

Packing to move...

Packing and moving in general sucks. Packing and moving weekly really sucks! This will be our last move, for ten days! YAY! We are leaving McKinney Falls State Park and heading out of town to be away from puking, drunk people and the craziness of SXSW.

We picked a place to go (was our second choice but cheaper), but low and behold they ended up being full! They told us they had space but anyways on to plan B! The first place we had booked still was waiting for us to come, so we headed there. It is a little further out than the other spot, but that is ok. It is much nicer and the people are just so sweet.

The pain of it all is packing up and moving it and then resetting it up again. This place has a play structure though!

Until later...

Happy 1 month nomadiversary!

It has been a month...wow. :-) I am happy to say we are fine. In fact I must say quite happy. I have lost a bunch of weight, feel that despite giving up so much that I am happier, even FREE! It definitely isn't for the weak of heart, but to go from a girl whose idea of camping is a hotel without room service to full on no preparation long term camping...I am doing well! I will start posting some recipes you can do and the things I can't live without!

Until later...

A fish only has so many lives...

RIP Prince (our fish) he didn't make it. I guess bringing him back from the dead 3 times was enough for him. 

First time we froze him to death, I brought him back to life with my body heat while they ran for hot water, he lived. Then hubby and oldest were handing the tank off and the fish gets dumped on the asphalt, I hear "OMG! OMG! THE FISH! THE FISH!" I jump out of the car, bottle of water in hand pouring water into the tank as the fish is thrown back in...he lived. Then I was driving down the road, hit a bump, the dog jumps knocks the tank out of hubby's hands (the kid didn't want to carry the fish tank because he always gets wet from it) and there is hubby yelling, "THE FISH!!! STOP!" I stop the car, all while trying to figure out where the fish is, found him, dumped water into the tank, he survived. He had spent many cold nights bundled in blankets, towels, etc. on the ground, this time we put him up off the ground and I think that was the thing that killed him. 

He definitely was a special fish. Fish just aren't meant for tent camping especially when it gets cold outside. His tank was to small to have a heater, and we did the best we could for him but after a month he just couldn't hack it. 

Oldest is torn up but knows we all tried to keep him alive. Loss hurts no matter the size.

Until later...

Wild Ride, wild times!

Ahhh gotta love mother nature! Our second hand tent was obliterated in a 70mph gusting wind storm after a tree fell on us (more specifically me) while the boys napped (all of them). I laughed and said it made a skylight, but it was that or cry!

 Out with the OLD! In with the NEW!

The new tent is one big open space. It will work out much better for us! We also installed lights, makes it look magical at night!

Until later...

Just wow...

Never in a million years would I thought that I would be awake at 4am calling 911...the screams of a woman yelling "he us going to kill me over and over" then nothingness will haunt me now. I had woken up man to let him know I was going potty (didn't want him to wake to me gone) and when I got back he was there awake waiting, then the screams...I looked at him and said is it a joke or real? We didn't know, but in my gut I knew I would want someone to call if it was me. So we called, the came two short honks and a long honk. Meanwhile I am on the phone with 9-1-1 and hubby is dressing frantically to run to the park host a couple sites down, we see a truck leave from that direction. 15 various sheriffs, cop and state patrol cars show up. Another couple near the gate saw the truck too...now we wait and hope that that girl is ok.

I will ask for an update shortly but this was a pretty scary late night/early morning. I can't sleep just keep hearing her screams and wondering where is she?! Is she ok?! Did she have kids?! Did she have pets?! What about her family?!

Man is back to sleep, kids slept through it (or so we thought), dogs are both on me as they heard it too, we just wait...for daylight, for news for something.

So the ranger who came by a bit ago only got vague details when he got on shift, but was told nothing about what happened, only that it was resolved quietly!? WTF that means I have no clue, but I can't do more than that. The boys have been asking all day if there was a murderer loose. I guess our attempt to shield them this AM didn't work out so well, I guess who could it with 15 cop cars from various agencies descending upon your campsite at 4am!

Until later...

Nitty Gritty...

I have to say I was very upset for a week or two after leaving. I mean come on...we gave up so much to leave and come to TX. I personally gave up friends who were like family to me, personal possessions that I treasured, things we as a couple spent years (10.5) collecting together and the kids gave up things too. One granted due to his own fault (wanted to play thinking I was going to pack him and lost a lot of things because he didn't get them to the truck on time). I was very bitter I must say. My friend would call me (she was one of the amazing women who came and helped us get out and get stuff sold) and tell me what was sold or selling or given away. It hurt. There was no other explanation.

We have been staying in the tent (or motel/hotels on the weekends) now for a good two weeks. It is fine for the most part. We miss things like a bathroom right down the hall, heat, a/c, and a microwave. All in all we are fine, we are together and we don't have to sit there and watch someone waste away.

Until later...

How it all came to be...

It was one of those pipe dreams, you know the talk you have about your hopes, dreams and wishes for the future? That is where it all started.

When my father died January 2010, I thought my world had pretty much come to an end. I was devastated. I quit Microsoft, a career I had had for 10 years and thought I would never leave. I loved the chaos and fire drills, the meetings, the work and the people. I needed something to full-fill the void and take my mind off of things. I pursued cake decorating and sugar flower making. People tell me I am really good. An artist is its own worst critic!

Here is a flower I made for a dear friend. She loves Lilies.

I make cakes, decorate them and also make all sorts of desserts and breads now. I also found my passion again for cooking meals of all sorts, frugal, gourmet, vegan, etc.

Eventually me being at home led to me homeschooling our two young boys plus doing my new found passion!

Fast-forward three years...

I get a call that my mom's husband has pancreatic cancer, and needs us. So we sold or gave away everything  that we didn't want or couldn't take with us (due to size of the truck) and moved to Austin, TX. Upon getting here we needed a place to live. For the past three years we have been wanting to be an RV FTF (full-time family), the thing was we had no RV! What to do?! We decided to tent it! Yes, tent living with two boys, two dogs, a cat, mom and dad.

Here we are in Austin, TX!

Until later...