24 days since the Big Thing. Will I now measure time as Before, and After? It seems like both forever ago, and yesterday. I'm still reminding myself we're home. When I wake up some days, I wonder for a minute where I am and how I got here. The kids have gone back to school. They are doing well…
"Some days it’s tough just gettin’ up Throwin’ on these boots and makin’ that climb Some days I’d rather be a no show Lay low ‘fore I go out of my mind." On Sunday night, Jason Aldean started “When She Says Baby” at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. He only got through the first line before having to run…
Do you know my husband? He's an amazing human being. We first met 19 years ago (wow!) this month, in a political science class at UW-Eau Claire. It was us vs the professor and the rest of her obedient class. Lucky for them, we brought the diversity and rebellion of thought. That Fall, Ryan was the university liaison for the…
After our first 30 days on the road, here are some things Sunnyside6 has discovered: Laundromats are expensive! Yellowstone isn't made of yellow stones. Most people are kind and want to share their knowledge, stories, tools, and food! Dogfish have crazy-looking electric blue eyes. If you break a wolf's jaw it will die from starvation. Canada is awesome because everything…
Just before we started the trip, a wise woman (experienced in family RV travel) told me, “The first week is fun, the second week you’ll want to quit, and the third week it’s your new normal.” That’s been about right. The first week or so did indeed feel like “vacation.” Everything about the RV was new to us- the tight…
“Sorry…can’t right now…I’m guiding your 45 foot, 17,500 lb home down the highway, sweetie.” Maria, by the way, is starting to feel like home. Sure it’s tight in here, but we all have our own space. I’m learning the nighttime 'crawl-over-tara-to-pee' maneuver, and the kids know the proper dance when more than one person is in the ‘hallway.’ Rhythm is…
It was inevitable. Something so big was bound to be filled with some stress and sadness, no matter how excited we were to get this trip underway. Add to it that we had several hours of Departure Day committed to a farewell brunch with family, our oldest’s children’s theater performance, and bookended with a planned first big interview, and it…
“Don't you go falling in love with it now, because we're taking it with us when we leave here next month.” –Cousin Eddie Eddie was right—they are easy to fall in love with. You can live in them and you can drive them anywhere. Just don’t look at ‘em too closely. If you do, you might notice things like the…
"How did you come up with that idea?" That's a question we've heard often in the few months since we decided to undertake this trip. The short answer, for me, is that I'm done living a today that looks just like yesterday, no matter how good and easy and comfortable it might be. I've been so focused on my "run-cook-mother-sleep-repeat"…