Tag: Family on the Road

2 min read

Adventures on Antelope Island

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

So we thought we were going to say goodbye to our village friends Sunday morning in Provo. The RVs were packed so we took our goodbye group picture and gathered…

So we thought we were going to say goodbye to our village friends Sunday morning in Provo.

The RVs were packed so we took our goodbye group picture and gathered for hugs.

Then…

In an attempt to deal with my sadness and to throw out one last effort to put off having to say goodbye, I half jokingly said something about coming to Antelope Island with us.

Pause…

After some discussion the village decided to head to Antelope Island State Park for five more days together!!!!!!

YES!!!!!!!!!

The sun smiled and a bluebird came out to sit on my shoulder

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah-zip-a-dee-ay! My, oh my, what a wonderful day!!!!

Antelope Island is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. While Antelope Island is only a hop, skip, and a jump from Salt Lake City, it feels like a world apart with its nearly untouched beauty. Mountains surrounded by golden rolling plains overlook the glassy water of the lake.

An abundance of wildlife, most notably bison, call Antelope Island home. The bison were everywhere: dotting the hills, on the roads, cruising through the campground, and even on the beach.

Bridger Bay Campground, while primitive, was a beautiful spot to call home for five days.

We sat on a hill overlooking the lake, a perfect place for morning coffee.

It was a relaxing week filled with bike rides, walks, and being with friends.

We even braved the cold and wind to take a quick dip in the Great Salt Lake.

Burrrrrrrr!

Buddies!

I finally got to spend time with a blogging friend and her family who I met online over 5 years ago. Some bison cruised by at dinner.

Brent and I slipped away for some hiking and a bike ride.

I have this habit of calling beautiful places “magical” but right now, even with the bugs and the bison poop on the beach, I can’t think of a better word for Antelope Island.

Magical.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family on the Road

People not Places – Provo, Utah

Jenn

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1 min read

After leaving Moab we had to make a choice between heading down to Zion and Bryce Canyon or meeting up with our friends in Provo, Utah. We chose our friends…

After leaving Moab we had to make a choice between heading down to Zion and Bryce Canyon or meeting up with our friends in Provo, Utah.

We chose our friends because if we’ve learned one thing it’s the people not the places that really make the journey. Afterall I have a feeling Zion will be there for a while and who knows when we’ll cross paths with our friends again.

The boys were happy to get to spend a week with their friends. There was jumping, skating, sleepovers, bike riding, and a campfire.

Jema, Clementine, and I spent an ~~eternity~~ afternoon in the thrift store. Ahhh, women after my own heart.

I considered renewing my vows just so we could were these dresses. 😉

Jump!

Silly skaters!

Clearly, I’m not Mormon.

The week passed and much too soon we were posing for a group picture before we said our goodbyes.

Or so we thought….

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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!

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2 min read

Family on the Road National Parks

Arches and Adventures in Moab, Utah

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

When we hit the road in 2011, we each had the places we most wanted to see. Brent was excited about Maine. Thing One couldn’t wait for New York City….

When we hit the road in 2011, we each had the places we most wanted to see. Brent was excited about Maine. Thing One couldn’t wait for New York City. And Thing Two insisted we go to Egypt. Maybe someday, Thing Two.

Utah was my promised land. No, we aren’t Mormon but I had seen enough pictures of red rock arches and sheer cut canyons to know I would love it. And I did.

Moab was crazy beautiful.

Our home for the week was a desolate spot on BLM land. This may be my favorite “backyard” yet.

We spent a few days exploring Arches National Park. Arches National Park is known…well…for its arches. There are more than 2000 in the park.

Thing One wasn’t that into standing under arches after seeing the movie at the visitor’s center. He kept saying matter of factly, “You saw how that thing was formed. That (pieces of rock falling) could still happen.” It was just an excuse to not have to walk so much. Nice try, buddy.

He was, however, into trying to shove me into a mud puddle. Anything to avoid hiking I suppose.

We did hike to Delicate Arch, the most famous arch in the park. We couldn’t let the Utah license plate be our only view of the arch.

While in Moab, we also spend a day in Canyonlands National Park with full time RVing friends, Rachel and Spencer, who we met in Breckenridge. Canyonlands is divided into four districts most of which are not easily accessible by car. Just another reason to come back, next time with a 4-wheel drive.

It was nice to not have to ask strangers for family photos.

We tried mountain biking on Slick Rock Trail but decided it was out of our league after about…100 feet.

It was fun to watch the jeeps though. And another reason to come back.

We did find some easier trails to bike.

Nothing beats a red desert sunset.

Except for maybe a red desert Mother’s Day followed by lunch at an authentic Mexican dive with my two favorite kids.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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4 min read

Family on the Road On the Road

Surprise!!!!!!!!!

Jenn

4 min read

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4 min read

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!

They were in Colorado Springs for his birthday!

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.

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.”

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.

He was shocked to tears.

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 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!

We ate in an airplane.

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

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.

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

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.

We can’t believe our baby is thirteen.

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

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!

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1 min read

Family on the Road

Winter by Instagram

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

And this is the last of our Colorado winter. Hello spring! Love and Laughter, Jenn If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Sign up…

And this is the last of our Colorado winter.

Hello spring!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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!

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3 min read

Family on the Road

The People We Meet – Breckenridge

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

Yes, snowboarding was amazing. And we made Breck our home for four and half months. But. Breckenridge wouldn’t have been the same without all the people. The people, with each…

Yes, snowboarding was amazing.

And we made Breck our home for four and half months.

But.

Breckenridge wouldn’t have been the same without all the people.

The people, with each of their unique gifts, filled this winter with even more beauty.

Our time in Colorado began with a stay with longtime friends from Ventura who moved to Colorado Springs four years ago.

I remember going over to their apartment when they had their firstborn with his little mohawk hair. Now here we are in the middle of the country with our not-so-little littles.

Words are not enough to express how much this family means to us. You will meet none more thoughtful, creative, and devoted.

I met up with fitness friends who I had only known online for a number of years.

We met up with, fellow RVers, Jason and Nikki Wynn. Nikki and Jason are an adorable and creative couple with enough energy to fuel their RV.

(You must check out their site, Gone with the Wynns. So fun!)

There was Rick, my favorite snowboarding instructor, who help me go from falling down the bunny slopes to falling down black diamonds. 😉

And spunky Helen from Australia, who I met in my snowboard class.

Helen and I spent a day together exploring Keystone and A-Basin.

Early March, the O’Dells came for a visit.

We met the O’Dells on a walk through a campground in Savannah Georgia last April. Then in the fall, we stayed five days at their house in Minnesota.

When they got to Breckenridge they learned that their RV didn’t meet the “length requirement” for the campground.

So…..

So they stayed with us in our RV.

It was tight. It was crazy. It was wonderful.

Nothing tests “compatibility” more than staying in an RV together for four nights.

They are truly kindred spirits.

Last but certainly not least is “The Village”.

John and his kind caring spirit.

Jema and her thoughtful questions.

Pieter and his generosity.

Clementine and her free “happy-go-lucky” sense of adventure.

Matt and his wicked clever sense of humor.

Wendy and her mad cooking skills.

I could go on but each one of our fellow gypsy friends are brave, unique, caring, and people we feel blessed to call friends.

Of course, there are the kids. Kids who are sweet, kind, and bright. They are missed.

These are the people I have photos of but there were others who regularly, though unwittingly, made Breck meaningful. Debbie at the front desk, Spencer and Rachel, Casey and Marshall, many ski and snowboard instructors, librarians, friends I met at the fitness center, and even clerks at the grocery store (Can you imagine if I whipped out a camera at the grocery check out line and said, “I know this is weird but I write this blog and you make me smile so do you mind becauseI want to remember you.) all brought a sense of community and familiarity, something that is sometimes missing when you are moving from place to place.

As we travel and live a life full of change, there is one thing that stays the same.

It’s the people who bring this journey to life.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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!

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3 min read

Family on the Road

A Bittersweet Goodbye

Jenn

3 min read

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3 min read

The other day on our walk Brent and I saw blades of green grass bravely poking up through the ground where the snow had been waiting all winter. It’s amazing…

The other day on our walk Brent and I saw blades of green grass bravely poking up through the ground where the snow had been waiting all winter.

It’s amazing how fast the snow goes when it gets warm.

Kinda like life.

It just seems like last week we drove up to our home in the mountains.

We were uncertain and nervous of how we would handle wintering in the RV, would our California boys like snowboarding, and can we stay put for three months?

Then, like the receding snow, the months passed, three became four, and we said a bittersweet goodbye to Breckenridge.

And left behind a spot we called home for four and a half months.

A spot that will be filled with others who will make their own memories.

We came to the mountains to snowboard but left with so much more.

We celebrated our first Christmas away from family and we survived by decorating the RV, making cookies and snowflakes,and visiting longtime dear friends.

We were away the day our heater broke and had a scare with Virginia. We came home stone cold and frozen stiff little turtle. Thing Two (Virgina is his turtle.) and I sat on the couch ~~sobbing hysterically~~ crying trying to warm her little shell in our hands. I may or may not have prayed for her to come back to life. I mean if Jesus brought Lazarus back to life he can certainly revive a frozen box turtle. 😉 A few hours later she moved her legs. Shortly after that she said, “Enough already!” and went back into hiberation for a good 3 months. A few weeks ago she “woke up” and we’ve been enjoying her every day since.

In January, we enjoyed the International Snow Sculpture by day and night.

There was plenty of fun for the kids in the snow.

The Colorado Trail ran nearby our campground where we could find a deeper solitude and an even more stunning view than the one out our window.

Thing One got his first job walking a sweet dog named Jezebel. He referred to her owners as his “clients”.

And a million other moments of ordinary beauty and togetherness.

To top off an incredible winter God sent the powder fairy on our last day at the mountain.

We came. We survived. We thrived.

(even in -20 degree weather)

And now we are moving on to the next adventure.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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!

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3 min read

Family on the Road

Worlds Apart (Lancaster and Hershey Pennsylvania)

Jenn

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3 min read

Visiting Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is like stepping back in time. Not only is it one of the oldest inland towns, it is also home to one the largest Amish populations of…

Visiting Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is like stepping back in time.

Not only is it one of the oldest inland towns, it is also home to one the largest Amish populations of the United States.

It was the Amish community that intrigued us the most.

The Amish is a people group known for their simple living.

Driving around, the reluctance to use modern conveniences was evident.

There were horses and plows, bicycles without peddles, buggies at the stoplights, straw hats, bonnets, and elaborate clothes lines strung from pulley systems marking the Amish homes.

You can’t see him but there was a boy not much older than 10 driving these 6 draft horses.

We took a buggy ride to get an up close look at an Amish Farm.

We were surprised to see cows lined up to milking machines! They were diesel but still we were confused not to see people squatting on stools next to cows with buckets.

After further research (and according to our understanding) we learned that the community decides to adopt or reject certain conveniences based upon a literal interpretation of the Bible and its (the convenience in question) affect upon relationships. For instance, electricity is rejected, not only because of its connection to the outside world (and the can of worms that would open), but because it doesn’t encourage closer family relationships. In other words as we understand it, if there is only one central light source in the evening then the family will most likely gather together instead of going off to do their own thing in other parts of the hous

Admittedly, there is something appealing about the Amish life besides shoofly pie.

While the the stiff rejection of worldly ideals like cars and eletricty may sound crazy to most, it seems like a type of freedom to leave the distractions of modern life for a life focused on God and family.

However, there is chocolate and we were lured from our dreams of a simple pious life by a quick whiff of sugar.

After all, we would need an awfully big team of horses to pull our RV.

The old Hershey factory and more importantly Chocolate World is in nearby Hershey.

It’s like a real life Wonka Factory, minus the creep factor, with chocolate bars the size of your head.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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!

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2 min read

Family on the Road

Nostalgia

Jenn

2 min read

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2 min read

Today Thing One asked, “Do you think someday I’ll be nostalgic for this trip? For living in the RV?” Right now I’m laying on our bed, Brent napping silently next…

Today Thing One asked, “Do you think someday I’ll be nostalgic for this trip? For living in the RV?”

Right now I’m laying on our bed, Brent napping silently next to me, as winter storm approaches over the distant mountains. Thing One and Thing Two are playing a game of chess, an insisted upon break from technology.

The peace is engulfing.

Dead Can Dance is playing over the stereo bringing back memories of college. Memories of conversations filled with questions. The sort of questions we seem to forget to ask as we grow older. Memories of groggy but happy mornings after a late night dancing with friends. Memories of exhilaration contemplating the unknown and “open road” of an entire life ahead of you.

Then my thoughts drift to the smell of Rosie’s barn and my 11 years old hands rubbing the muzzle of my horse, my first true love…

I’m so nostalgic that sometimes I miss things that have yet to happen.

Returning to the present…

Yes, Thing One and Thing Two, someday I think you’ll hear a Muzak version of Radiohead in an elevator and remember meals and family prayers around our little dinette. The mention of Harry Potter won’t bring back memories of spells and wands but of long drives and shared emotions. The smell of diesel might spark a strange desire to hold the ones you love.

This is why that I’m making a decision to catch up on this little blog, our public diary. For you Thing One. For you Thing Two. For you, my love.

For us.

When that nostalgia hits I want us to be able to pull these memories down off a shelf and remember the beignets covered with mounds of powdered sugar in New Orleans. Remember the excitement of riding the subway in New York. Remember cozy days on the couch doing school. Remember the winter we spent riding snowboards like magic carpets.

Remember when your crazy parents moved you into an RV to live like newschool nomads and we shared a closeness that I know will leave me aching with nostalgia.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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1 min read

Family on the Road

An Air and Space Sunday – Washington DC

Jenn

1 min read

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1 min read

I’ve said this many times that the best part about being a family on the road is meeting up with family and friends, old and new. In DC we met…

I’ve said this many times that the best part about being a family on the road is meeting up with family and friends, old and new.

In DC we met up with Brent’s cousin, Christopher, who was an officer in the Navy. The boys loved hearing him explain our airplane engines work.

One of the our favorite things in the Air in Space Museum was the original Wright Flyer. We had seen the reproduction in at the Wright National Memorial in Kitty Hawk in North Carolina. The story of the Wright brothers is such a great example of what can be accomplished through teamwork and friendship.

I was fascinated by Amelia Earhart’s red plane, a Lockheed Vega 5B in which she set many records. So fearless!!!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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!

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