A family on the road living fulltime in an RV.

Tag: Family

Christmas Before July – (Thing 3 Week 32)

My mommy is posting Christmas photos before July. It’s a miracle. It was my first Christmas. My big brother helped me open most of my presents. I got a piano,…

Christmas Collage 2014

My mommy is posting Christmas photos before July.
It’s a miracle.
PicMonkey Collage Christmas Mess CA 2014

It was my first Christmas.
My big brother helped me open most of my presents.

PicMonkey Collage Thing 3 Christmas morning 2014 ca

I got a piano, cars, a wooden zebra from my brother, and something called a rotary phone.
I’ve never seen anything like it.

BUT…
Thing 3 Trash Christmas 2014 CA

…my FAVORITE things were the boxes and paper.
All that paper!!!!!
I could have chewed on it all day.

PicMonkey Collage brent christmas 2014 ca

I wasn’t the only one who got presents. Daddy got coffee, pralines, and a Kindle.
(Daddy gets a little crazy for coffee.)

Thing 1 Christmas 2014 CA

My brothers kept opening cards with pieces of paper in them.
They guarded their paper like they do their computers.
Kinds selfish if you ask me. I just wanted to taste it.PicMonkey Collage Cat Unicorn Thing 2 Christmas CA 2014

My big brother did get this cool Evil Inflatable Unicorn Horn for Cats.
I’m not sure Meow Cow liked it all that much though.

PicMonkey Collage Crazy Christmas Pets CA 2014

He didn’t like his Santa Clause hat either but Nico didn’t really mind her antlers.
I wouldn’t have minded them either. They looked like they would be great to chew on.

PicMonkey Collage Pets Christmas CA 2014

Family Christmas 4 2014 CA

So apparently Christmas is AWESOME.
I can’t wait for the boxes and paper next year.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post consider connecting with us! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook  Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

Dixie-RV-SuperStores

Share this:
No Comments on Christmas Before July – (Thing 3 Week 32)

Thing 3 on “Being Cute” – Week 9

Wow, I’m over two months old! Time flies when you are having fun. See how much fun I’m having with my big brother. Oh what’s that? You wanted me to…

Thing 3 Collage Week 9Wow, I’m over two months old!

Time flies when you are having fun.

Thing 2 and 3 Funny Nashville TN

See how much fun I’m having with my big brother.
Oh what’s that?
You wanted me to look at that big black thing you always have in my face?

Thing 3 Bite Lip Nashville TN

Fine, I’ll look.

Thing Three Outside Nashville TN

But just for a minute because that blank sky is much more interesting than you.

 Thing 3 Smile Nashville TN

What do you think of these spit bubbles?
Of course, you think they are cute.
You think anything I do is cute!

 Thing 3 Playing Nashville TN

How cute is this!
I brought my hands near my cheeks.

Thing 3 Camping Nashville TN

And this!
I’m lifting my head even though it’s weighs almost as much as the rest of my body.

Thing 3 in the Drivers Seat week 9

You thought you were being cute when you sat me in the driver’s seat, didn’t you?
Well, I didn’t.

Thing 3 Sleeping Week 9

You think I’m so cute you stare at me even when I’m sleeping.
Wait until 3 a.m.!

IMG_7134

You thought it was cute when I met my uncle for the first time.

IMG_7129

Apparently, my mom and aunt thought it would be cute to do a selfie with me.
How about these cheeks?
Are these cute enough for you?

 Thing 3 Collage Week 9

And this?
Well…this is pretty cute I must admit.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook  Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

Dixie-RV-SuperStores

 

Share this:
6 Comments on Thing 3 on “Being Cute” – Week 9

Thing 3 in the Keys – Week 6

This week I got my first taste of life on the road when we went down to the Florida Keys. We stayed right on the beach and I would get…

This week I got my first taste of life on the road when we went down to the Florida Keys.

Thing 3 Bench Key West FL

Rock a bye baby week 6We stayed right on the beach and I would get rocked to the sound of the Gulf of Mexico.Beach with Mama Week 6Jenn Thing 3 Key West FL

We went to the beach in Key West too.

southernmost Point Key West FL

I went to the Southernmost Point and waited in a long line in the hot sun to get my picture taken next to a big hunk of painted cement. I can tell life on earth is going to be weird.

Brent and Thing 3 Keys Fl

Thing 3 first sunset week 6
I saw my first ocean sunset. That was cool!

Walk with brother week 6

walk with mama week 6

I went on lots of walks.

 natural baby week 6

Little whale suit week 6

I also lay around a lot too.

Meow Cow Thing 3 Week 6

I even cuddled with Meow Cow. I think he is getting used to me.

Thing 1 3 Week 6

I hung out with my big big brother on his bed. I accidentally peed on him again. Oooops!

Window Week 6

My big brother likes to show me the world.

Kiss Thing 3 Wk 6

I’m not sure how I feel about all this “selfies”.Selfie Thing 2 3 week 6

 I guess they are okay.Cuties thing 3 week 6 black and white week 6 All natural baby week 6

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook  Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

Dixie-RV-SuperStores

Share this:
5 Comments on Thing 3 in the Keys – Week 6

Surprise!!!!!!!!!

Life on the road is not always fun and games. Especially when you are an about-to-be-a-teenager and your birthday comes around. Especially when you are an about-to-be-teenager who is used…

Life on the road is not always fun and games.

Especially when you are an about-to-be-a-teenager and your birthday comes around. Especially when you are an about-to-be-teenager who is used to having birthday parties with lots of friends and family.

Last year, we spent Thing One’s birthday at the Biltmore Mansion.

This year, he was going to be 13 so we wanted to try and make it special.

Thing One is a family guy. He asked if we could go back to Indiana to celebrate his birthday with my family so he didn’t have to be with “just us” this year.  I said, “Sorry but we just can’t do that right now.”

Little did he know I was plotting.

For a month and a half, I hid in the bathroom to text or slipped away to the campground clubhouse to make calls for the surprise birthday I was planning.

It worked.

Thing One and Two were a bit confused when we asked them if they would like to go to Denny’s for ice cream at 10 pm. (I’m not sure if they were more surprised that we said Denny’s or that it was 10 pm.)

Regardless, they were even more surprised when we drove up and saw a couple that looked like GG and TT (my grandparents) walking into the restaurant. Oh no!!! However, much to my relief, they were distracted by ice cream and didn’t think it was really them. I mean GG and TT were in Indiana not Colorado. Right?

Wrong!

Surprise TT CO

They were in Colorado Springs for his birthday!

Dennys GG TT Boys CO

Saying he was happy is an understatement.

The birthday week kept getting better.

Two days later on our way up to GG and TT’s hotel room, I suggested we check out the conference rooms as a potential place to celebrate his birthday. He reluctantly agreed.

Who is that! Bday CO

When we got to the conference room, we discovered it was locked. Like crazy woman I started jerking on the handle. The caterer opened the door and told me there was a party going on. She didn’t realize it was our party.

Uh oh.

So I stubbornly politely threatened said, “Well we might want to have a party here so we’ll just take a quick peek at the room.”

What!!! Bday CO

Thing One was mortified as I pushed past the caterer and told him to take a look. That was until he saw Weewah and Papaw (my mom and dad), GG and TT, and our very good friends waiting for him.

Weewah Papaw Bday CO

He was shocked to tears.

Surprise Bday CO

Elated!

Later, he told me it was one of the best birthdays ever. I think it was even better than the time I made the dilapidated limo cake.

Thing Two Weewah CO

Thing One wasn’t the only one we managed to surprise. Earlier in the day, I had dropped Thing Two off at the hotel for some alone time with GG and TT and he was shocked to see Weewah and Papaw had joined us!

It was a special weekend, indeed!

Airplane Restaurant CO

We ate in an airplane.

Molly Kathleen Cripple Creek CO

Miners CO

Mineshaft COGoing Down CO

We all crammed into an elevator shaft and went 1000 feet under ground at the Mollie Kathleen Mine.

Bakery Victor CO

On our way home from the mine, we stumbled upon a delicious little bakery run by German immigrants in a town of just 300 people and ate the most delicious food.

Grandparents

Family Pic CO

Mostly, we spent time just being together and then, much too soon, the weekend was over.

I love my TT CO549

Silly Thing Two CO

And it was time to say goodbye.

So sad but so thankful they came to spend time with us and make the birthday of a teenager so special.

Thirteen Years Old CO

Thirteen.

Family Bday Party

We can’t believe our baby is thirteen.

blue

This just seems like yesterday.

Time is turbo charged and shows no mercy.

It makes us that much more grateful for our life on the road together.

Even if it means living in a small space with a teenager. 😉

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook (Make sure to check subscribe if you want it to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

Share this:
5 Comments on Surprise!!!!!!!!!

I Mustache You a Question.

  How long can someone be entertained by a fake mustache? Much too long, my friends, much too long. Love and Laughter, Jenn If you enjoyed this post you can…

 

How long can someone be entertained by a fake mustache?

Much too long, my friends, much too long.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook (Just make sure to check subscribe if you want it to show up in your feed.) Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

 

Share this:
1 Comment on I Mustache You a Question.

Solomon’s Castle

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Or treasures. Seventy years worth of treasures. When I think of a castles, I think of grand stone buildings surrounded by immaculate gardens…

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Or treasures. Seventy years worth of treasures.

When I think of a castles, I think of grand stone buildings surrounded by immaculate gardens and moats. Aside from a misplaced moat, Solomon’s Castle is non of that but so much more. Solomon’s castle is the lifework and imagination of artist Howard Solomon, a slight soft spoken man who wears a captains hat. Breaking the rules of conformity, Solomon has not only built a castle out of newspaper printing plates in the middle of a swamp, he has spent his life turning junk into whimsical art boasting corny but clever names. “EvilCornEvil”, a motorcycle made out of an old corn seeder? Oh yes and that’s just the beginning.

As we toured his castle (totally worth the $10 admission, $4 for kids) I was struck by not only the vast amount of work he had done in his 70+ years (does he sleep?) but by the intensely playful nature of it all. After an hour of wandering around, I felt lighthearted, content, and inspired to continue to live unconventionally in our RV.

I wasn’t the only one who enjoyed it. Brent, my parents, and the boys all had a great time. We all agreed it was worth getting off the beaten path and heading out to the swampland of Ona, Florida.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Subscribe to the RSS Feed 2. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook, or 3. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

Share this:
5 Comments on Solomon’s Castle

Port Charlotte, Florida

Who needs a campground when you can park in a yard. We spent over two weeks at my parent’s house in Port Charlotte. This is what we will remember. Visiting…

Who needs a campground when you can park in a yard.

We spent over two weeks at my parent’s house in Port Charlotte. This is what we will remember.

Visiting with my Junebug and Papaw (my grandma and grandpa) for four days. We were so grateful to have that time with them.

Going thrifting with my Junebug. What a hoot!

A boat ride across Charlotte Harbor.

Canoeing in the canals. Ooooh there’s a string ray!

Searching for shark teeth at Venice Beach, Nakomis Beach, and Blind Pass on Manasota Key. Blind Pass was the best beach for shark teeth by a long shot. Nakomis was a close second. Venice gets an F. Thing Two found over 500 teeth. I think we better start panning for gold!

Sunsets at Blind Pass Beach on Manasota Key. Majestic.

Thing Two and I had a special date. We searched for shark teeth and got a table for two at a Greek dive. Love.

A farmer’s market date with my love.

Idling on the boat through the Charlotte Harbor canals at sunset and watching the milky reflection of a tiring sky on the water.

Visiting my great grandma Nell’s home. It was where my family stayed when I was a kid. The current owner even let us in. Amazing how much bigger things seem when you’re a kid. Brought back memories of sunburns, bathing caps, and morning walks on the beach with my dad.

Nakomis Groves where you get tiny cups of orange juice and large cones of ice cream. Backwards and worth it. I also used to visit this Nakomis Groves as a child.

Spending time with my parents.  Thank you Papaw and Weewah. <=== Cutest grandma name ever!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Subscribe to the RSS Feed 2. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook, or 3. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

 

 

Share this:
7 Comments on Port Charlotte, Florida

The Amusement Park Grinch

I’ll just say it. I don’t like amusement parks. There is just not much “magic” in the Magic Kingdom unless you count how quickly your money magically disappears. I’m an amusement park Grinch. However,…

I’ll just say it. I don’t like amusement parks. There is just not much “magic” in the Magic Kingdom unless you count how quickly your money magically disappears.

I’m an amusement park Grinch.

However, like most kids, our kids love visiting theme parks. When we left on our trip we weren’t sure if Disney World was going to be in the budget. As it turns out it wasn’t but we were fortunate to find out a friend of a friend of a relative could get three of us free tickets. Oh joy. I mean YIPPEEEEEEE! For the kid’s sake, I’m grateful.

So we went to Disney Hollywood Studios. And The Animal Kingdom. And Epcot Center. And The Magic Kindom.

All in the same day.

ALL. IN. THE. SAME DAY.

Insanity.

But believe it or not this amusement park Grinch had a blast even though it rained and our feet felt like we had been tap dancing barefoot on rocks for about three days nonstop.


↑ Look how much fun we’re having. 

How could you not have fun with these guys.

Brent’s and my favorite park was Animal Kingdom. Thing Two liked Hollywood Studios. Thing One liked Magic Kingdom. He’s a purist. We all loved Spaceship Earth at Epcot.

Over 15 hours later, we headed out to the last car in the parking lot. Not bad for an amusement park Grinch!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Subscribe to the RSS Feed 2. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook, or 3. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

Share this:
5 Comments on The Amusement Park Grinch

Days 86-89: Old MacDonald had a farm

And on that farm he had a miniature mule. Rainy days. Fresh eggs. Curious goats. Stoic horses. Few things make me as happy as the smell and velvety touch of…

And on that farm he had a miniature mule.

Rainy days. Fresh eggs. Curious goats. Stoic horses.

Few things make me as happy as the smell and velvety touch of a horse’s muzzle. As I was struggling with depression, 5 days on a farm was just what my soul needed to be able to soar again

My uncle works at a small farm at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains in Maryville, Tennessee. We played with the goats, gathered colorful eggs, stroked the horses’ woolly winter coats, hiked in the quiet wood, and cuddled, book in hand, as the rain poured outside.

Every morning, Thing 2 rushed for his boots the minute he heard the rumble of my uncle’s truck coming to feed the horses. Thing 1 got into “shoving matches” with Julie the goat. Nico and Nigel met new friends and enemies when Julie decided to give them a friendly headbutt. I think Brent was the only one to escape Julie. I have never met a more ornery goat. (Not that I’ve met a lot of goats.) She headbutted me into the wall within 2 minutes of our introduction.

I felt free. I felt alive. I felt at home.

Yet, the clouds move and I’m caught in their shadow dance. Being at the farm reminds me at how at heart I’m a country girl who ended up in a beach town. A girl who feels more comfortable in a saddle than on the sand. I’m all too aware that as long as we live in Ventura we will not be able to have goats, chickens, and horses.

Thing 2 keeps asking with excitement in his eyes, “Mama, can we live on a farm?” My little animal boy. How I want to gather him in my arms and say, “Yes we’ll have goats, chickens, and Arabian horses!” When God chiseled horses I’m certain his first was an Arabian.

Not now.

Now the road is our home but only time will tell where it will take us.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Subscribe to the RSS Feed 2. “like” Newschool Nomads on Facebook, or 3. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. Simple dimple!

Like food and fitness? Follow along as I film a workout in every state and explore finding a healthy balance on the road at Girl Heroes!

 

 

 

 

Share this:
3 Comments on Days 86-89: Old MacDonald had a farm

Great Noni

There is nothing like getting ready for church in the Wal-mart parking lot when it’s so cold you can see your breath. We are in Turlock, CA, to see Brent’s…

There is nothing like getting ready for church in the Wal-mart parking lot when it’s so cold you can see your breath.

We are in Turlock, CA, to see Brent’s “Noni”.  We’ve been meaning to see her for years and had decided that this was one of the first things we would do.

We got ready and headed over to her retirment community where we took the shuttle bus to Turlock Covenant Church.

Today was one of those mornings where I felt God’s presence as sure as I felt my own pulse.   Church isn’t always that way for me.  Faith has always been somewhat difficult for me to embrace as I’m a bit of skeptic by nature but today I fought back tears as a deep peace settled into the crevices of my soul.

After church we spent the afternoon visiting with Noni.

The boys swept her porch.

Thing 1 played the piano for her.

I sat in her small apartment, not much bigger than our RV, looking at her things.  Everything had a history, a story.  I noticed picture upon picture of family and I thought about how grateful I am for mine.   Dear family, I hope you know how much I love you.

Later, while Brent and the boys went move the RV closer to Great Noni’s apartment so she could see it, she and I spent a few minutes alone.  She told me about her wedding and how her and sister had a double wedding.  She told me about how she missed her husband.  Being missionaries to Africa in the 1950s, they had their own set of adventures.  I was reminded of the real reason behind our year on the road.  Love.  To say Brent still gives me butterflies is an understatement and going on this adventure with him…for lack of better words…is a dream come true.

Sappy, I know.

We said our goodbyes to Noni…

and hit the road.

We drove through fields

through small towns

and up into the mountains to Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes to spend a few days enjoying the beauty of Yosemite National Park.

 

It’s beautiful but sure is cold cold up here…even colder than the Wal-mart packing lot we woke up in this morning.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

Share this:
5 Comments on Great Noni

Type on the field below and hit Enter/Return to search