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...