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...