Make it happen

I've decided to stop living like we're trying to move and start living like we're going to move. I went through my closet today and got rid of quite a few things. Then, I packed some things up for storage. There are somethings that can't go until we actually move - like our bed - but the rest is about to be given to charity. I can't clean around clutter, and I'm certainly not going to move clutter, so why should I keep the clutter? I now have three bags waiting for me to take to my friend's for the charity garage sale, and another bag ready for the trash can! Beth Ann and I are going to go through her clothes this evening to see what she's outgrown and what she needs for the summer and next year. I'm actually biting the bullet today and putting her clothes on big hangers. I couldn't do it a couple of months ago. Her stuff is actually falling off the hangers in some cases because they're too small. I just have trouble admitting that she's getting that grown up! It just can't be happening yet. Boo hoo.

soccer day

We got an estimate on our window, and it's not going to be nearly as expensive as we thought it would be. I still don't know if our insurance will pay for it or not since my agent didn't call me back today. The body shop had to order the window, so we are taking it in tomorrow morning, and it should be fixed tomorrow.

I snapped a couple of picture in our backyard today. We have these horrible trees out there. I cannot imagine why anyone would plant ornamental crab apple trees! They are ridiculous. They are pretty for about two weeks a year. In the fall they produce about a million little inedible crab apples that are a big pain in the butt. For two weeks a year, they are gorgeous though. This picture is of the first crab apple to bloom out in our yard.

I found this little tulip plant out by the back fence. It has never bloomed before. Well, it hasn't bloomed while we've been in the house anyway. I cleared out all the bushes that were in the back corner and found this little guy. I think it's going to be in full bloom in a day or two.


Today was a little crazy. I did get some decluttering done though. I have a whole bag of things for our local La Leche League garage sale that is coming up, so that feels good! Right now Tuesdays are our busiest days. We have an hour from the time I get home from picking up the kids until we have to leave for our soccer games. I snapped these pictures at the game tonight. This one is our future soccer player!


Of all the games being played tonight, this game was by far the cutest. LOL.


Miss Olivia is the youngest person on the team, but she gets right out there with everyone else and doesn't let them intimidate her.


Finally, I just had to share this picture. You'll notice that Trey has taken the time to actually put on the sling - just not the time to put the child in the sling! LOL.

shattered window

Well, I'm beginning to think that the universe wants to trap us in Colorado forever. Tonight, Trey picked up Beth Ann from gymnastics. On the way home, the glass window in the middle on the driver's side shattered. Beth Ann was terrified and screamed all the way home. We think that someone threw or shot something threw the window. I ran down to where it happened and talked to all the neighbors to see if anyone had seen or heard anything. Interestingly, a neighbor right across from where it happened has a front window that's broken. I don't know if it happened tonight or not. He's hard of hearing, and I couldn't get him to answer the door. I'm going to go down and talk to him tomorrow. I know replacing the window is going to be really expensive. I am so depressed about the whole thing. Luckily, Beth Ann and Trey weren't hurt and no one else was in the car. The window broke all over Olivia's seat. The whole thing is pretty scary. Now I'm laying in bed feeling like I'm going to pass out. All that running around was not good for me having been sick all day. I had to stop at a friend's house on the way home for a glass of water because I didn't think I was going to make it home.

Ugh - satellite internet

We've hit our first major road block to life on the road. Trey has been looking into satellite internet service - a must for us. The monthly service isn't too expensive. However, the setup is outrageously expensive to the tune of nearly $5,000. Yikes! He's still researching. I don't know what we can do about that though.

Unfortunately, I woke up this morning feeling crappy! I'm really irritated because I had big plans for getting things done. It seems like I just can't get things done around here. Between the flu and stomach viruses that we've had lately, we seem to be always in recovery mode. It is getting really, really old! I'm feeling a bit better than I did this morning, so I am going to force myself to get some things done. It's too frustrating just laying here. I want to scream!

I have to post this picture that I snapped yesterday morning of Trey and Louis.

We have so much to do to get this house in the market. My goal is to at least get something done every day. You an see that the grass is ready for it's first cut of the season. We have to buy a new lawn mower this week since ours died at the end of last season. The grass in the back yard needs serious help. I snapped this picture of my beautiful daughter today because she learned how to pump her legs on the swing, so she could swing herself! In the background, you can see the small dead tree that is hanging over the back fence in the corner. We got that cut down this evening and cut up into firewood. We also dropped off four bags of clothing at Goodwill today. Decluttering is going to be happening a lot over the next few weeks if we are going to downsize into a travel trailer!

My husband bought me a three subject spiral notebook today. I'm calling it my roadschooling organizational notebook! I'm keeping notes in it of E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. I'm hoping it will help me stay on to of things.

Wow. There are so many things to think about, I am having a hard time wrapping my head around them. I couldn't go to sleep last night for the longest time because I was thinking about everything involved. While sitting in the family room, I couldn't concentrate on watching TV because I was thinking, "What would I store, and what would I sell?" Last night I was thinking, "Would we go East or West first?" When I've thought about it before, I thought we'd start in Arkansas and spend a few weeks, then we'd head north up to Minnesota, then go West, go South along the Pacific coast, then East along the South part of the US, spend Thanksgiving in Texas with Trey's folks, spend Christmas in Arkansas with my family. Then, we'd head back South and travel in the deep South then down into Florida during the early parts of the year, then up the Atlantic coast up to Maine, then West and eventually back down to Arkansas. Of course, last night I got to thinking that the early part of the year is tornado season for the deep South! I don't think I want to be traveling in a trailer during tornado season. Maybe we should reverse our course and travel the deep South in the fall and early winter. It's just crazy that there are so many things to think about!

How do we establish a residency in a state when we are traveling? We'd want to make sure we change residency at the first of the year, so we don't end up getting screwed on our state taxes. I have no idea how to establish a residency in a state though. Plus, this is an election year. We'll have to cast absentee votes. How do we get those ballots when we aren't going to be near any specific mailbox for any length of time? I don't want to miss voting in this election! If we don't have a mailbox that we have regular access to, what happens if we have to go to the doctor? How do we receive our bills? I'd have to be really organized and call the billing department of wherever we were seen pretty much weekly. I can just see us getting our credit screwed over because of some $25 bill that we didn't even know we owed.

My brain just won't shut off. There are so many things to think about.

Okay, so I'm starting this blog to journal about our journey! We are contemplating buying an RV or travel trailer, homeschooling the kids, and traveling the country for a year. It's exciting and scary all at the same time. We have to sell the house. We are go to try to do that anyway because we are really tired of living in Colorado and want to move home to Arkansas. We're still going to move to Arkansas even if we travel for a year, we'll just do it after a year!

We went to two different RV sales places today to see if this crazy scheme would even be financially feasible. We found out two things today. 1) There are plenty of trailers, fifth wheels, and even class Cs that would work for our family and 2) If the circumstances are right - it will be financially feasible! This could actually work - maybe. Gah! So many things to consider.

A) Can I actually homeschool the kids for a year? Will they hate me after a year? Will they be stoopid after learning from me for a year? I mean, I'm not an idiot, but can I teach them? Trey will be in charge of the math, and he is really good at teaching math to the kids. I'm going to have to be really organized because the big purpose in road schooling for a year is so they can learn on the road. I'll need to research the places we're going and find cool places to take them. I'll also have to see if we can hook up with some homeschooling groups across the country. The kids will need to have kids their age to play with sometimes - especially the girls. They are so social and extroverted. My oldest son is more like me, he'd be okay longer by himself. He's more introverted. The little one is still happy just being around his siblings!

B) Will we go crazy in such close quarters for a year? Luckily, many of the trailers we looked at today had a "master bedroom" with a door. I am NOT going without sex for a year! LOL. We'd have to really pare down. I think this would be the thing that would make me the happiest. I could happily be a minimalist. The kids will need toys though, and we'll have homeschooling supplies, Trey's work stuff, food for six people, plates, utensils, etc., plus all the other things you need day to day. I think we can do that though. I just wonder if we'll want to pull each other's hair out after a few weeks. Some of the trailers we looked at had enough room that the kids could have their own space which would be good. They almost always prefer to be right with us, but I think that if we're in such small quarters they are going to get where they WANT some space of their own - especially Beth Ann and Ray since they are older.

C) Can we afford it? This issue will depend on a lot of things the first and most important is being able to sell the house for what it's worth. That may not be possible in this market right now. Luckily, the houses in our neighborhood still seem to be selling okay, so that is in our favor. We do have equity in our home, and we should be able to sell it for more than what we bought it for. We've made a lot of improvements including a new bathroom. We have to finish the kitchen and do some more cosmetic stuff before we can list it. Also, we're waiting to see if this moonlighting job that Trey's been doing will ever actually come through. We should know within a month. If it comes through, it could really make a difference for us. If not, we still might be able to do it, but it will be much more difficult.

D) Am I organized enough to actually make this work? I'll have to keep track of so much stuff not just the kids' school. If this works out though, we'll be debt free and will only have month to month bills, so that part will be easier. Still I'll have to keep track of reservations, extracurricular activities, all of our information, the financial stuff, RV/trailer stuff, etc.

E) Will it be worth it? The biggest reason we are moving is to be closer to family. Doing this for a year means yet another year that we'll be away. If we're going to travel for a year with the kids, it will really be our only chance. It's sort of now or never. Will it be worth it though? I think so, but I go back and forth about it.

F) What will we eat for a year? I know that one probably sounds weird, but over the past year we've transitioned to a gluten free diet. Sometimes it's complicated being gluten free vegetarians. We're going to need to have a fairly easy menu due to lack of space. I am a certified foodie with a passion for cooking. There won't be a lot of room for that in an RV.

There's so much to think about. My mind is spinning, and I'm sure I'm not making too much sense right now. I know I'll be blogging about a lot of stuff from selling the house to Trey's job to which vehicle to buy. In the end, we may not even do it! It should be an interesting journey.