Category: On the Road

1 min read

Montagne De Ora and Organizing

Jenn

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1 min read

More unpacking and organizing with help from the animals. Or not. This one wanted to help. This one wanted to sleep. At least the boys got to have fun. They…

More unpacking and organizing with help from the animals.

Or not.

This one wanted to help.

This one wanted to sleep.

At least the boys got to have fun. They went up to Montagne de Oro with their grandparents. California’s central coast is astonishingly beautiful. I’ll be saying that more than once.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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4 min read

Family on the Road On the Road Preparation

Just Stuff

Jenn

4 min read

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4 min read

Stuff. Today, wasn’t exciting but it was productive. We were so ready to get on the road that we began to just pile stuff in boxes and fill our trailer…

Stuff.

Today, wasn’t exciting but it was productive. We were so ready to get on the road that we began to just pile stuff in boxes and fill our trailer as if it were an U-haul. In hindsight, I’m not sure it was the best idea.

Today, we combed through what’s left of our possessions again.

I wish I was one of those people who could just easily get rid of stuff. I am not. When we began to get rid of things I thought I had little attachment. The first “round” was easy but with each consecutive round it got harder and harder. For instance with my clothes, I finally had Brent sweep through my closet once last time and pull out the things he liked. I bagged the rest.

We have had to remind ourselves over and over that’s it’s “just stuff”. One of the bigger challenges has been letting go of stuff after calculating how many hours of life it cost. Not a good idea. It’s better to just get rid of it but it seemed I couldn’t help it. Every time I loaded up the truck for another trip to the Goodwill I found myself tallying up numbers Rainman style. Not only do we trade hours of our life to buy it but then there are the hours spent cleaning, fixing, and managing it. The cost of stuff is steep. As hard as it has been, it feels amazing to have less.

As we were deciding what to take we asked ourselves these questions-

1. When was the last time we used it? (Duh) If it hadn’t used it in the last yea then, in most cases, we got rid of it.

2. Does it have sentimental value? If so, is there a way to preserve it digitally? For instance, Brent and Nathanael, together, threw away two paintings after taking pictures of them. We also burned all of our cds.

3. Since we are coming back in a year, we didn’t want to get rid of everything…especially Brent’s work equipment. It would be very expensive to replace and we will use if we come back to Ventura for future projects.

My advice to people who want to downsize but have emotional attachments is to take it slow. Go through each room once and get rid of the things that are easy to part with first. Wait a few days (or weeks), then go through the room again. And again. I found that with each pass not only was it easier to “let go” but I learned more about myself and what I truly value. This information is going to affect my future choices. For instance, I have an old art box filled with painting supplies. I haven’t used it in years but as hard as I tried I couldn’t part with it. What it represents is simply too powerful and to get rid of it would have been throwing away part of my dreams. I found other things that I “thought” I loved but ended up getting rid of them so I would have space for my art box.

It was a little more challenging with the kids. In the beginning, we told them we were going to just “get rid of it all” that it was “just stuff”. Then we changed our minds. We didn’t want them to feel like everything had been “taken away” from them. Together, we went throughout their stuff item by item and asked the similar questions. They put things in four different piles- 1. RV 2. Store at grandmas 3. Give away 4. Throw away. It was tedious but it was amazing how it gave us the opportunity to talk about things we may have not talked about otherwise. Thing 2 had a few a teddy bears and I couldn’t figure out why for the life of me he insisted on keeping the ratty one. Finally, he told me it was because it was the only thing he had that Lucille, a lady we used to visit in the nursing home before she died, had given him. I had assumed he had forgotten all about her. Of course, we also talked a great deal about how we want to spend money in the future.

It’s been hard but I’m certain in the future it will be worth it. Probably one more day of organizing and then we can get on with the fun stuff!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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2 min read

On the Road

Day 1: Posers

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

We didn’t make it far our first night on the road as “full timers”. We drove about 100 miles north. We parked the trailer on the cul-de-sac of a perfectly…

We didn’t make it far our first night on the road as “full timers”. We drove about 100 miles north. We parked the trailer on the cul-de-sac of a perfectly suburban neighborhood. We ended up sleeping in the guest room at Brent’s parents.

Posers.

In the morning, it took us an hour and a half to park the trailer in the driveway. I hope this is not an indication of the year to come.

We even needed to cut limbs to make this beast fit.

I need a cowboy hat. That’s high on my list when I get to Texas. I have priorities.

After parking the trailer we headed down to Rancho Oso to purchase a Thousand Trails membership After spending hours researching and budgeting, we decided to go with the national pass which included an RPI preferred membership. It seems like it will be the best way to stretch our campsite dollars and it will give us a little direction. Brent or I both tend to get a little overwhelmed when presented with too many choices and this will help narrow them down.

There were lots of deer.

Kids activities are another reason we decided to join Thousand Trails. While Brent and I love the idea of boondocking (but not as much as I love saying “boondocking”. Saying it just makes me feel adventurous.) we have young boys who might enjoy spending some time in a campgrounds with amenities like pools and ping pong.

Our day ended with a stop in Santa Barbara. The boys wanted to drive by the houses Brent and I lived in when we met. He loves to say he “married the girl next door.” It’s true. The first time I saw him he was standing on the steps of my my little white duplex. It was love at first sight.

We have a few more days at Brent’s parents. There is still some major organizing to do and we have to get rid of more stuff. Sigh.

Oh and before I go I wanted to show you what was next the gate of the parking lot to our trailer the day we left Ventura.

How sweet is that! My friend and her kids hung this at nearly midnight the night before we left. However, I’m wondering if it should have said “New School Nomads are Off Their Rockers.” 😉

Friends. We only left Ventura a few days ago and I’m already missing them.

Time will fly.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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3 min read

On the Road

On the Road At Last

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

We felt like a thieves slipping through the night. Thieves refusing to follow “rules” and breaking out of the “box” we had created for ourselves. Thieves, tired from days of…

We felt like a thieves slipping through the night. Thieves refusing to follow “rules” and breaking out of the “box” we had created for ourselves. Thieves, tired from days of planning and plotting yet determined to complete the final phase of the mission.

Originally we had planned to leave in August. We soon realized the absurdity of that plan and pushed our departure back to October 9th. It would have been a perfect way to celebrate our unofficial official anniversary. But as a bird had reminded us 12 and a half years ago when he dropped a “gift” on Brent’s breakfast muffin as we strolled along the Thames during the wee morning hours in newly engaged bliss– shit happens…even during the best of times.

Brent got sick and lay in bed for 5 days. Work projects took longer than planned. No matter how much I packed it still felt like I was just starting. We changed our date of departure to October 16th. Then the 19th.

Finally on October 23, we found ourselves walking in stealth to the rv parking lot in the back of our neighborhood that had begun to sleep. We had hitched the trailer to the truck before the sun had settled so our arms, tired from 15 hours days of packing and cleaning, were loaded with our remaining items. Being in front of our little ragtag group, I held my breath hoping to avoid the spider webs that I knew hung like valences over the path every evening. The pugs ran in circles (we had accidentally packed away the leashes) around our feet, darting in and out of each driveway we passed. Poor confused creatures. The cat crouched in bag strapped across my body. I like to think he was excited to be a part of our “heist”.

This was not how I imagined it.

During months prior, I had daydreamed of our departure and it looked like this. The warm California sun would pour out its magic making everything more beautiful than reality. The RV would be meticulously packed and organized. We would stand in a circle holding hands praying for our trip. We would hugs our friends one last time and lean out the windows waving and etching their beautiful faces into our minds. Then we would drive into the sunset to live adventurously ever after.

Instead I felt like an outlaw.

And I loved it.

Life is rarely picturesque and beauty is so much more than a Hallmark card. Once settled into the truck we said our prayers and drove north into the night. The pugs were tucked into their “den”, the cat curled up, the boys fell asleep in the back seat, and Brent and I held each other’s sore and tired hands our eyes resting on the road. It didn’t matter that Thing 2 was wearing his brother’s clothing, that we had at the eleventh hour let go of some of our favorite items, and I didn’t know where I packed my toothbrush.

We had done it. After years of dreaming, we were on the road with almost everything we owned in tow behind us. The fumes of exhilaration ran out and the peace of God settle my heart. It will be ok.

Let the adventure begin.

love and laughter,
jenn

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2 min read

Family Preparation

Limbo

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

Boxes have replaced dressers and nightstands. Mattresses sit on the floor. Old toys en route to new homes whisper memories of little boys. A rainbow of threads is scattered under…

Boxes have replaced dressers and nightstands. Mattresses sit on the floor. Old toys en route to new homes whisper memories of little boys. A rainbow of threads is scattered under the kitchen table where my friend and I spent three days making not just curtains but memories.

We’ve said our goodbyes and yet we are still here tying up the loose ends. It makes for a strange state of mind. Today, I sat on the floor folding my laundry as if it was an ordinary day. A day where I would wake up in my bed, a bed that is no more. A day where I would sit at my desk, a desk who days are coming to an end. A day where I would school the boys on the couch, a couch who has moved on. A day where I would drive the streets I know, the streets that I will miss.

For a moment, I wanted it to be any ordinary day. There is so much beauty in the ordinary when we see with our hearts. I desperately wanted the boxes and bags to disappear. I wanted to slip seamlessly back into my routine. I wanted to know, as much as is possible, what tomorrow would bring.

I held onto the laundry on my lap as if it were an anchor.

Peel enough layers and there is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear that paralyzes and moves me. Fear that smothers and ignites me. Ignites trust. Trust in a God who loves.

Meow Cow has taken to napping in his travel bag. It seems he is trying to tell us something.

We said our goodbyes.

Yet we are still here.

But not really.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family Preparation

Open “House”

Jenn

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1 min read

Saturday morning, we decided we would have an rv open “house” on Sunday. We had been *thinking* about the open house for a month and leave it to me to…

Saturday morning, we decided we would have an rv open “house” on Sunday. We had been *thinking* about the open house for a month and leave it to me to invite people 24 hours beforehand. The truth is I wasn’t procrastinating. I was just being thorough. Everything needed to be “just so”. Which explains (or muddles) why we were still up at 12:00 am hanging cabinet doors and sweeping piles of screws into the drawers. Those finishing touches. Nothing says we are ready to go like clean countertops even if the closet is filled with paint cans instead of clothes.

The party was at noon and at 11:30 am we found ourselves an hour behind schedule still trying to hitch up the trailer. You see, we waited until right before the party to test out the hitch and as it turned out our truck “hitch height” is different than the previous owner’s truck making it impossible to “just hook up and go”. Somehow Brent figured it out (he always does) and we pulled up to our little get together.

There are a lot of things we are going to miss about Ventura this year…the beaches, the mountains, the fabulous weather, two Trader Joes…but none of that compares to the way we are going to miss the people. So many wonderful people. I’m thankful that a handful of these wonderful people were able to make it out on such a ~~ridiculously~~ late notice and I hope they know just how much it made our day.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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5 min read

Family Preparation

The Couch Angel

Jenn

5 min read

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5 min read

Last week, I mentioned a great friend was coming over to help me reupholster the rv sleeper sofa frame. Well she’s not a great friend… …

Last week, I mentioned a great friend was coming over to help me reupholster the rv sleeper sofa frame.

Well she’s not a great friend…

She’s a saint.
(If you could of seen me around 12:30 when I was hungry you would agree….A SAINT.)

Not only is she a saint but she is also one of the kindest, most creative, and thoughtful people I know. She got to my house at 10:00 am and left at 9:30 pm. That’s 11.5 hours (for those who are mathematically challenged like myself.)! ELEVEN and a HALF hours!

This is the rv sofa before. We thought about getting an entirely new sofa but not only was it expensive, it was hard to find one to efficiently fill the space. We didn’t want to waste any space and we wanted to keep the sofa bed for the future when the boys want to bring along friends. I scoured Craigslist but nothing the right size with a bed was coming up and most of the sofas on Craigslist didn’t fit our style.

What to do….

We decided the most cost effective solution was to pay someone to reupholster the cushions (I can sew very simple things like pillows but cushions with piping and zippers are waaay out of my league.) and we would reupholster the frame.

I found someone to recover the cushions with buttons, piping, and zippers for $40 a cushion (and it only took him a day and a half!). I have no idea what it costs in other parts of the country but for southern California this was a steal. I know because I called, visited, or emailed pictures to nearly every upholstery shop in our area. He did an exceptional job and I couldn’t have been more pleased. If you are in the area the shop is Robert’s Upholstery and the number is 805-659-5600.

So I made two treks down to the LA fabric district and got some gorgeous wool fabric in the exact color we wanted for $2.99 a yard. The problem was the fabric had a pattern every 3 or so feet and they only had 14 yards. I bought it anyway ~~because those are the type of irrational things I do~~ assuming we could make it work. As it turned out the fabric made us work.

This was around noon when I ~~hungry and cranky~~ nearly gave up and called Robert to ask him the cost to recover the sofa frame. It was going to be more than we wanted to put into the sofa so we persevered into the dark.

See the southwest pattern? Grrrrrrr! After Robert had used 8 of my 14 yards for the cushions we only had 6 yards left. Take out the pattern and it was less. (See my math is improving as I write this post.)

Still working into the night.

Is this still a sofa?

If you ever decide to reupholster a sofa frame, do one side first. I don’t know what we would have done if we had not left one side intact. I took pictures and notes of taking it apart to have for references but I might as well been looking at Monet painting from 2 inches away at 3 o’clock am. They made no sense. Being able to look at the original side was a sanity saver.

Almost done. We still had not screwed the frame back together and the cushions are sitting on boxes which is why the cushions look like they need Botox but you get the idea. The couch itself is ordinary so to add some character I decided to add buttons like this ~~ridiculously overpriced~~ settee from Anthropologie. All in all, with fabric and labor (not counting our own) it cost about $200 to reupholster the sofa.

So if you ever want to reupholster your own rv sofa frame, here are some tips.

1. Make sure you have enough fabric. A total no brainer and it worked out okay only because this is an rv sofa and 3 of the 4 sides are hidden.

2. Give yourself plenty of time especially is you don’t follow number 1. Had we had enough fabric it wouldn’t have taken near as long.

3. Do one side first so you can look back at how it was put together. Also take notes of the pieces and the order you take them off.

4. Have the right tools. I don’t know what the “proper” tools are but here are the tools we used: staple lifter, hammer, pry bar, electric staple gun, needle nose pliers, screw driver, and scissors. We owned all of them except the staple lifter and the electric staple gun which I borrowed from a friend.

5. Find a saint to help you out. Most important!

By shopping around for fabric and reupholstering the sofa frame ourself we saved about $300 since the least expensive place cost $500 to reupholster the entire sofa. More important than saving money, I have a new fun (now) memory saved in my heart. Thank you, Diane.

We are thisclose to being done with the interior! Brent is finishing the floor this weekend and I have to do the curtains but those are the last major things to do. I can’t wait to show you pictures!

love and laughter,
jenn

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5 min read

Family Preparation

Fun Times in the LA Garment District

Jenn

5 min read

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5 min read

Fabric is one of the most important considerations when redecorating an rv. After all there isn’t much wall space that doesn’t have at least some fabric on it and with…

Fabric is one of the most important considerations when redecorating an rv. After all there isn’t much wall space that doesn’t have at least some fabric on it and with only a few pieces of furniture per room “the fabric” takes up a lot of the space. Redecorating our rv has “required” two trips to the LA garment district. “Required” meaning – you saw but didn’t buy the perfect aqua tweed because you were going to use “greens” but then changed your mind and couldn’t find “the perfect aqua tweed online” so you had to go back to “that one” shop on what’s that street called?

Oh darn.

Despite having to battle Los Angeles traffic the fabric district or properly called the LA Fashion District is one of my favorite places to visit in LA and I was so excited to show my boys my mad haggling skills.

Since I have two boys, the two trips seemed even more more appropriate.

Trip 1 with Thing 1

As per a friend’s recommendation, we started at Michael Levine’s “The Loft”. As you can see by the picture all the fabric is only $2.50 a pound. Yep, fabric by the pound.

The catch is you have to dig through boxes to find anything. I had high hopes for this place but I left empty handed.

The purpose of this trip was to find upholstery fabric. We walked up and down streets and in and out of crowded little shops looking for the perfect fabric at the perfect price. I wanted to spend $10 or less a yard and I accomplished my mission when I found a lovely wool in the exact color Brent and I wanted. Almost. I didn’t hit the streets of LA in search of a southwest pattern, not that there is anything wrong with a little southwest, it’s just not our style. But a high quality wool in the perfect shade of orange for $2.99 couldn’t be passed up. I figured that pattern was nothing a pair of scissors couldn’t fix. Oh boy….

Our last stop was Michael Levine. It’s about the only shop that runs like a “standard” shop and not a foreign bazaar. There are actually price tags and no haggling. Bummer. I love haggling. If you visit the LA fabric district Michael Levine is not. to. be. missed.

Rows of thread (just like paint chips) make me oddly happy.

You have no idea the restraint it took to not purchase everything on this wall as I imaged headbands of every size and color.

I spent over two hours texting images of fabric to Brent.

Thing 2 was such a trooper.

This is for my sister.

I thought that was going to be my final farewell to Los Angeles until we return to California next year…until…Brent and I changed our minds and decided to go with aquas on the couch side of the living room. I told him about this lovely turquoise tweed I had spotted but didn’t buy. After searching online for a similar fabric, I decided another trip was in order.

I’m not ~~often~~ always practical.

Trip Two with Thing Two.

First stop was to find “that one shop” with the aqua tweed and we did. Guess what? There were only 3.5 yards left…exactly, what we needed to cover the cushions. I don’t think I impressed Thing 2 with my haggling skills. He told me later I was “cheap” and “weird”.

Then it was back over to the Loft. This time I left with a small scrap of fabric and some trim I’d like to use on lamp shades.

After accomplishing our mission, Thing 2 and I wandered around taking in the sights. We looked at the small water turtles that were being sold by sharp eyed street vendors. I told him about Clifford, the “street” turtle I bought downtown LA about 15 years ago who later retired in a turtle “sanctuary”. Really. We made our way over to Santee Alley where we looked at crazy shoes, knock off sunglasses, and cheap toys.

Finally, we stopped for a little refreshment and headed off to our car.

From the roof of the parking garage, I blew a kiss to the city I love and loath in equal parts.

Tips for visiting the LA Garment (Fabric or Fashion) District

1. Print a map. You can print one here.

2. Bring cash and be prepared to haggle. Some of the shops don’t take credit cards or will give you a better deal if you have cash.

3. Don’t be afraid to walk out. One guy started at $26 a yard and by the time I reached the door he was at $10 a yard.

3. It can be really overwhelming so bring a list of what you really need and try to stick to it. It would also be helpful to bring a notebook to jot down notes of stuff you see but don’t want to purchase right away.

4. You might was well start at The Loft. At $2.50 a pound you’ll be hard pressed to find a better deal and it’s a fun experience!

5. There is street or lot parking. I prefer the lots because I don’t have to parallel park and I don’t have to remember to feed the meter. I paid $6 for all day parking my first trip and $4 dollars my second trip. I noticed when I left later that afternoon the parking had changed to $2.

6. There aren’t a lot of places to eat so eat a big meal before you go, buy food from the street vendors, or go to one of the few nearby restaurants.

7. Bathrooms are also hard to come by. There is a restroom at Michael Levine that cost a quarter. It helps if you don’t drink a lot that day. 🙂

8. Give yourself plenty of time. Not only is it a fun place to shop but it’s a fun place to people watch as well.

love and laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family Preparation

Pinholes of Light

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

Some photos, a preview if you will, I snapped with my phone this week. Brent has been crazy busy finishing up the video and I’ve been painting, cleaning, and going through stuff at our…

Some photos, a preview if you will, I snapped with my phone this week.

Brent has been crazy busy finishing up the video and I’ve been painting, cleaning, and going through stuff at our house. Finally, some pinholes of light are making their way into this dark box of busyness.

It looks like we’ve moved our trip back a week. I’m a little bummed because we wanted to leave on our official/unofficial (depends on how you look at it) anniversary. It will be better because ~~I’m nicer when I’m not stressed~~ we won’t feel rushed and we will get to spend some time with some of the people we are going to dearly miss.

A good friend is coming over this morning to help me reupholster the couch frame today. Clearly anyone brave enough to risk hanging out with me while I ~~impatiently~~wield an electric staple gun, is not a good but a GREAT friend.

I’m *hoping* to get a Thrifty Threads Thursday post up today. I found the cutest green vintage dress yesterday when I dropped off a load of stuff at the thrift store. I also got a vintage Coach purse for $2. TWO DOLLA can I hear a HOLLA!

Hope you are having a fantastic week!

with love,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family Preparation