Where we are now

Due to job changes, our family decided to continue living in Denver, Colorado.  After a very brutal 2013 winter, we longed for more space and warmth.  After our rental property sold in summer 2014, we purchased a condo and put the RV up for sale.  With the intent of renting it out when we are ready to move.

Hello IKEA organizers!

We spent several days painting and replacing the appliances in the kitchen.  Plus, we had to replace some furniture.  I took the lessons on efficiency and wise use of space that we'd learned in the RV and applied to our new home.

We only purchased beds, a desk, a couch, and five heavy duty, wire commercial shelving units. Then stored all of our clothes and belongings in organizers tucked into closets.  The kids relish the indoor space, but miss the outdoor fun that waited right outside our RV front door.

Our condo is close to a favorite county park that enables us to swim in a lake, do some outdoor archery and some hiking, biking, and exploring.

My youngest has expanded her culinary skills. 

We joined an academic coop that is pushing the children and I to a whole new educational level.  Which can be painful sometimes.  On a whole, we are excited about our future and what God has planned for us.

My oldest, Jessica, attended a Civil War Ball with her best friend.
Her dad acted as escort!

Kyla has also taken up photography, like her father, and shown a prodigious talent!

Liam, my son, and Kyla also started a little paracord bracelet business.

Kyla's 11th birthday present. Sapphira likes to "help" with school work.  

House-less; not homeless...

There are upsides and downsides to living in an RV. Besides the obvious lack of space and privacy and ability to stock up on groceries when they are on sale, there are...shall I say..."legal challenges.”
Such as:

Easy answer unless you live in an RV.

Time to vote? Oh, yes. You can't use your mailing address as a legal residence, but we can use the temporary space that we occupy (Clear Creek RV park in the winter/Jefferson County Fairgrounds in the summer).

The most recent challenge is...school.

My husband and I agreed that the kids should get more online schooling and with my oldest going into 7th grade, we decided to try the online public school route. It sounded like a good idea. All the materials we needed for free. Outside motivation for deadlines and still able to enjoy traipsing about the country...

Step #1:

Verify your residence. Where do you reside? What is the place that you and your family occupy on a daily basis?

Ok. I am optimistic by nature, but this first step proved to be a doozy that I can't overcome. They accept utility bills, but not cell phone bills or tax returns. What about the fact that I pay state taxes, including school taxes. I own a home in Colorado, but I rent it out. I could use the property tax statement to show proof of residency, but I don't live there. I wanted to be up front and honest with the admissions folks for both K12 and Connections Academy, so as to not cause problems later on.

They could do a shipping addendum which would route all materials to the UPS store that we use as our contact address for mailing purposes. But to prove that I "reside" in Colorado (besides paying state taxes, registering my vehicle (which cost $1200 --yowza), and having a Colorado drivers license isn't good enough.), is beyond my current capabilities.

I could get funding. Only if I pretend to be homeless. But I'm house-less, not homeless...

Second problem: Testing. They require our physical presence between February and April. Who knows exactly when. It depends on the teacher you are assigned, which you won't know until you sign up and are part way through the year. We have to ask permission in order to travel extensively...

That ain't happening. I don't need to ask "Mother, may I?" to do what I want to do.
So, public online schools are out for us. They are good schools that offer a valuable service. But not for my family.

And to be perfectly frank, I'm relieved. I prefer homeschooling anyway and am excited about the wonderful opportunities for science and history learning on the road. We'll see what lies ahead for this roadschooling family!

New Beginnings

We are a week away from moving from the Clear Creek RV Park in Golden, Colorado, where we have spent the last seven months.  This is our second winter here and it has felt like home.  But something is different this spring.  I have wheels and a motor attached to my mobile residence --instead of just wheels.  When I watch a rig or motorhome pull into or out of the park, a twinge of envy no longer sparks through my heart.  Now, I too can come and go as I please!

About two weeks ago, we traded our Forest River Sierra fifth wheel bunk-house in for a Forest River Sunseeker Class C motorhome.  The decision to trade our rig in for a motorhome happened over a period of several months, but the process only took a week.


 
click for a bigger picture


Here is a link: http://www.rvamericainc.com/rv/aurora+co/forestriver+classc/429/forest+river+sunseeker+3170ds

It boiled down to a few issues.  Namely, the finances are cheaper with a Class C as opposed to a truck and trailer.  For the same monthly payment a decent truck costs, we have both our home and our means of transporting it.  RV America also gave us a good value for our trade-in.

Other reasons for buying a 32' Class C: Ease of parking; with a shorter rig, it is easier to get a spot and park in --especially if we are staying at a state or national park. Flexibility during the drive; the kids and I relish the idea of being able to use the bathroom or stretch out during those long hours on the road. And my husband likes the fact that he can get to where he is going without stopping every couple hours for a "potty break".

Mind you, the difficulty in paring down to a smaller space was much harder than I anticipated.  I've been preparing for the move since January.  Going through boxes full of papers, that you would normally gloss over and toss aside for another day, and purging old picture albums was tedious.  I often find that we fill the space we occupy.  In fifteen months of living in the 40' Sierra, we packed the cabinets to overflowing.  As I slowly and meticulously combed through each nook and cranny, it amazed me to see how many bags went to charity, a friend, or the dumpster.  I pulled at least a hundred bags and boxes out --on top of the items we sold on craigslist or ebay.

Finally, after longs weeks of cold winter weather and the ever-present goal of "preparing, packing, and purging," finished in time for our move (which happened in between heavy spring storms).

We had previously scouted mutiple rigs online and visited at least four different kinds of class C motorhomes with extra bunks.  We settled on the Sunseeker because it had a nice balance of indoor cabinet/counter space with decent storage underneath.  It also had linoleum throughout the rig, except for the bedroom in the back.  I prefer this because it's easier to clean (especially under the table after dinner).


View inventory for this floor plan.


RV America provided us a very smooth transition, between the finances and being sensitive to the fact we were fulltimers.  They parked both rigs side-by-side, with the doors facing each other about six feet apart.  We are expert packers and movers, so had everything emptied from the fifth-wheel to the Class C within an hour. 

I drove our Kia behind the rig (which barely had enough room to sit and maneuver with all the boxes  and bags piled) and called my mom, crying.  My long-awaited birthday/anniversary/Mother's Day/Christmas present finally arrived.

It took us a few days to get settled in and a very depressing fact became apparent.  I had too much stuff.  No matter how much I reshuffled and stuffed, we didn't have enough room.  So I resigned myself to packing up those things that we wanted to keep, but could live without --like the kids' lego sets, expensive camping gear, books and keepsakes.  We stored the excess in the rafters and shelves of my mother-in-law's garage.  After purging anything we didn't absolutely need, we finally fit.

I don't regret this decision because our family wants to taste life through experiences and adventures; not be defined by our stuff.  The rig fits us perfectly, albeit a little snug.

Now that I have means to move my home; I can't wait for the next adventure around the corner!

Logistics

Part of the agreement with my DH to purchase the Sierra was moving out of our storage unit.  At $70 a month, it nearly covers the extra monthly increase.

In theory, this works great.  But how do you stuff a household -no matter how pared down- into an RV.  And as much as I love all the cupboards, I do not like the lack of interior shelving.

We committed a full weekend to visiting IKEA; the Container Store; Home Depot; Lowes; Bed, Bath and Beyond; Ace Hardware; Camping World; and even Walmart.  This also included Christmas shopping, but we were desperate for any form of efficient shelving.

My final conclusion: Lowes and Home Depot are great for houses, but not practical for very specific needs.  Ace Hardware is good for some creative solutions --like installing a hanging rod in cabinets that don't have a place to hang them as the walls are too flimsy.  IKEA and the Container Store have some solutions.  IKEA has a great table I'm eyeing to replace the dinette.  I would eventually like to rip it out and put in something more efficient.  Plus, the couch is ugly and has to go.   Bed, Bath and Beyond had some interesting pieces that may work -but they are soo expensive.  

The bottom line:  Besides waiting until our financial reserves are restored -there are no simple solutions (though we found some online -like the double-decker 18" lazy-susan) and each space will have to be tackled one at a time.

Meanwhile, after emptying 75 percent of the storage unit and washing 5 loads of laundry, I am officially moved in!  With all my clothes hanging in the closet...  It's the small victories that count.

The kids love their new room and all the extra space.  We like the privacy of a closed door (mornings are much more fun again) and the luxury of three separate spaces. 

The one thing I miss from the Jayfeather:  Hiding the litter boxes underneath versus in a cupboard.  But like everything else: we'll figure it out.

Cart before the horse

For a few days, I left my husband alone.  After all, this was the new me.  Him in charge of finances. Me trusting God.  But all the while, in the back of my head, the gears turned.

All that lovely space.  And a door on the master bedroom.  And bigger beds for the kids.  Plus space for the other TV.  And a closet to hang all our clothes.  And a pantry in the kitchen. 

I prayed and talked with God for long periods of time.  How could we afford it and how would we haul it?  I asked questions and researched.  Was it possible we could live in the trailer without owning a truck?

I had a talk with Bill, finally.  He was vehemently against the idea, financially. The conversation didn't go well.  But I couldn't let the idea go.

As it turns out, the dealership would transport the trailer for us and help us park it.  A man in our RV park lived without owning a truck.  He simply hired someone to pull it.

Ok.  So what about the financial part of it?  Well, my DH and I made a pact several years ago to never discuss something (to death) unless we had facts.  And this required another trip to the dealership.

DH and I prayerfully discussed it further.  Once he got used to the idea of not being able to haul it and that this was our home --he agreed to talk with the financial manager at Windish.

We looked at the Sierra again.  The dealership gave us a fair trade on the Jayfeather and a reasonable deal.  For only $100 a month and $2500 down ($1K up front and $1500 in 30 days), the new Sierra was ours!

 They delivered her right to the park a few days later and we spent the day moving in.  A quick clean-up of the Jayfeather and we delivered it without a backward glance.

Clear Creek Campground

As much as I enjoyed the Jefferson County Fairgrounds RV park, the Clear Creek Campground has always been our gold standard for Denver RV parks.  Conveniently located in downtown Golden and situated along Clear Creek, this small city-run park is cozy and inviting.

After two weeks at the fairgrounds, we were ready for something a little more permanent --or at least as much as you can be in an RV...  So early on a Friday morning at the beginning of November, we settled our accounts and moved.  At first, they had electric only sites available and I had made sure to empty all the tanks and fill the fresh water before leaving the fairgrounds.

A couple days later, a spot opened up with full hookups.  Fortunately, all we had to do was pull forward and back her in with neighborly RVer guiding Bill.  We connected the shore power and dump hose.  Fresh water was another whole challenge.


Oh, Happy Day!  We are here until May!

Moving on

We'd been home almost a month and I had reached an equilibrium in my emotions.  Godliness, with contentment, is great.  God had a plan for us and until we left Keenesburg -that was where he wanted us.

Then, we contemplate renting out the house.  After much prayer and deliberation, we put it up on craigslist.  Within four days, I had several calls.  Amazing!  God's timing is always perfect.

After some false starts, we got a young family who wants to buy the house next year.  We filled out a contract.  And just like that, it's time to move.

We buy boxes

And rent a Public Storage unit. (kids are taking pictures now)

So we have the boxes and the storage unit.  Bill took the week off.  We filled the trailer with necessities and boxed the rest.

After a year of planning and six years of yearning to live in an RV, I was finally getting my dream.  And you know what?  I wasn't a roller coaster of emotions.  What is meant to be, will be. 

only place to spread out wet sheets

last bits of chaos

Wouldn't you know it, but my dryer stopped working right before we moved. It would go roundy-roundy, but not heat up.  All the loads of bedding and clothes to clean before moving into the trailer.

We made it work, though, and then gave the whole set away. Moving is never easy.  But at least we didn't have lots of stuff.  Or so I thought.  Until we started packing up and trying to figure out where everything went.

Do toys breed in secret?  I think computer accessories reproduce like rabbits...

In the end, we got it all out and the house turned over in record time.

last morning in Keenesburg

House covered in snow

It had to snow while we moved

Good old truck leaking power steering fluid everywhere

May be little, but she is sufficient for now

And we are off!

Wagon's west

Why, oh, why do I wait so long to update my blog?  The problem lies between my ears, I believe...  Ok, enough pity party.

Where we are right now:  Currently camping out in Keenesburg, Colorado.  We got back from Indiana at the end of August after a fun filled road trip which included Laura Ingalls Wilder and accelerated particles...

The most important lesson we have learned so far:  God only moves in his time and not ours.  Also that my wonderful husband is glad to have his family back!

More to follow.

You are doing what?!?

We waited a good month before telling our family about the move.  I wanted to have the RV stabilized and be in the process of preparing the house before mentioning it.  Perhaps it was my way of putting off the inevitable emotional feedback and God kept telling me, “Sooner rather than later!” 

                My sister and I are very close, so she knew from the get-go what we were doing.  She is very supportive and bolstered my courage to tell my parents.  Although I knew they would be supportive no matter what –there would still be concern for our well-being.  I waded through the conversations and followed them up with a long email detailing our plans and ideas.  My brother and the rest of the extended family were very supportive as well (to my immense relief). 

                We weighed the consequences and impact this decision would have on the family long before we moved on it.  We prayed for a long time and sought the Lord’s guidance.  I think God was ready for us to go long before we were.  So this is a decision made in faith. 

                Then it was time to break the news to his family. They were resistant to the idea, but this is our decision to make.  And like my grandpa-in-law said, “My happiness doesn’t reside in someone else's head!”

                We are thrilled at the new adventure awaiting our family and the possibilities it can bring! 

Preparing the house for sale

                With Bill on his third week of sickness and the kids playing in the RV, I found myself pulling up reserves of energy and motivation.  The same week we bought the trailer, we brought a real estate agent over to the house.  She is our good neighbor that lives across the street and sold us the house. 

                Though surprised to hear we were ready to move again, she gave us an honest assessment of the house.  Remember that whole spring cleaning?  That was to impress her with our beautiful house…  In the end, we would have to take our new bookshelves down, move the washer and dryer back to the basement, paint the whole house (except for three bedrooms) and lay in hardwood floors downstairs.  Sigh.  Really?  OK.  And then she laid out the paperwork.  Selling in this soft market with lots of competition in a small town would be hard.  

                So what to do? Well, I can’t afford realtors fees and feel pretty good about marketing it myself.  So for the time being, we’ve decided to try and sell it ourselves. Bill is excited to take pictures using new lighting techniques he learned at a recent seminar and we can set up a free website. 

There are websites that we can use to help sell it on the MLS and supply paperwork for the contract. And since God knows our buyer, we’ll fix the house up for them… My goal is to make them walk through the door and immediately fall in love with it.  To think, “That’s exactly the way I would do it or the color I would choose!”

                After spending a week cleaning out the garage, I posted tools and such on craigslist.  Because we bought the trailer in March, it’s been tight.  So we decided that we would raise the money to buy supplies by selling off most of our unnecessary furniture and tools.  So far we raised $500.  Not bad for three days of work.

I toyed with the idea of having a yard sale, but to be honest… I hate them.  I don’t like shopping at yard sales or holding one.  I prefer thrift stores (I have my favorites on ½ off days…) and craigslist.  Now most of the things I’m selling are for $10 or up.  But I do have a few bags and boxes of clothing and odds and ends.  Those items I can take in one at a time to an ARC thrift store, where they will give me a receipt for my donation and a coupon for 50% off one regularly priced item.  Since I shop there for most of our clothes (the kids and I) and usually go on a weekday, these coupons are worth more to me than a yard sale.  I can buy something (like a skirt or pair of jeans) that would cost normally $6 and only pay $3.  That bag of clothes not only netted me a tax write off, but was worth $3.  And I didn’t have to sell it.  And if I buy something more expensive, it’s worth more.  Brilliant!  Thanks, God. (He gave me the idea).