Sometimes I think Denver just wants his own, huge, soft spot to lay down. One that doesn’t pack up and move as needed. In truth, he’s getting older and he deserves a comfortable retirement pretty soon. He’s a very good dog!
We’ve had so much fun traveling
I was going through pictures today and it’s so weird, Hazel and Miles were such babies when we started in this road trip 11 months ago! Miles has learned to talk on this trip. Hazel has attempted to learn manners, and learn how to pee in the woods. James and I have learned a lot too. Like, we can make anything work if we try hard enough. Who doesn’t want the kind of closeness that comes with knowing everyone’s bodily functions!? (It’s really not that big of deal!) We’ve all grown another year older on this adventure. One birthday at Rocky Mountain NP (Denver), one at Niagra Falls (Macy), one at Stephen King’s house in Maine (Miles), one in Newport, RI (James) and one a the Grand Canyon (Hazel).
Denver though, he’s getting old. His muzzle has gone from grey to white on this trip. I swear we catch him rolling his eyes at us sometimes. Mostly when we set up the camera to verify that the A/C is doing it’s job while we are out having a blast at some attraction that wrongfully doesn’t allow dog beasts. We’ve been pretty good at suspending life’s realities and living in a fairy-tale. Some of those things have a more clear solution now (like the tiny house situation).
If I am being honest I still have no idea what our life looks like in one year. I know I will still have about 6 months to figure out what the heck we will do for the kids’ school in a year. I have no idea what state, or states, we will be in. Or what our home will look like, or where it is for that matter! I’m not certain how many cousins my kids will have. How close our families will be. Who knows what my kid’s favorite foods will be. If they will like winter or summer sledding better…. I’ve just got very little idea. I am finally ok with that!
What I do know that James and I have bonded on this adventure more than we ever could have otherwise, so we’ll hopefully still be a pretty close family. We’ve gotten over a lot of fears together. I know we have a lot more that we want to do still, even if we aren’t sure of the real direction just yet. We’re starting to think of our next steps.
Some days, like this morning, Hazel sits in the potty and tells me about how far, really far, away the couch is (and I know she has no real idea). Miles asks if he can please sleep with us because it’s ‘too dark’ in his bed, 4′ from ours. I tell them how some kids have a door or two between parents and see the confusion cross their face. Why? I know why, but I don’t want that, yet.
This chapter of life is beyond amazing. We do know that it’s not over after this loop, not by a lot. I’m going to cherish it forever. James and I are starting to think about what the next chapter holds though. It’s exciting. It’s scary. We are already making plans for Alaska next summer and Hawaii next winter. We have to handle a few things back in Boise between now and then because we have approval to not worry about out tiny house until June, that’s not very far away.
Idaho just passed a bill that will make it very difficult for me to legalize my tiny house, in city limits, until the next code cycle. James want’s to build out that lot anyway. I think I am going to buy a nice piece of property to move the tiny house to where it would be legal, build a big deck and call it home for our family a while longer while we work out building out the empty lot the tiny house currently sits on. I’ve been working on a plan for how that could work and I’ve got some fun ideas going:
Who knows really… something will happen. For now, we still have 5-6 months on the road ahead with some of the best National Parks yet to come!
Just for fun, my most favorite states so far (we’ve been to 45 of the 50 in the last 11 months) are: New Mexico, Virginia and Wyoming. In that order 🙂
Here are some of my most favorite memories from our epic field trip (there are a lot more on Instagram),
Our First real stop, The Great Salt Lake
The Spiral Jetty, I’ve always wanted to see this in person.
There have been some unbelievable family bonding moments, to just be still and quiet and look at rocks and snake grass together while enjoying the sunset. Beats a TV show any day of the week!
Awe inspiring views, even for a 3 year old!
Animal Friends of all kinds
Checking off goals! This moment on this date was planned before we even found a trailer to rebuild.
So many rocks have been thrown into the water!
Family classic from our camp exploration.
picnics at famous locations all over!
As far east in the US as you can go.
Fun in the most unsuspecting places!
running to and from the waves
Free stays in the most beautiful places!
Slowing WAY down to see the world
Tornado/hail/wind/flood warnings!
Figuring out WHY they are called the smokey mountains
Still visiting with family for the holidays!
Extended stays at my favorite cousins house!
Family holidays with the best kinda family!
Flying back for GGs funeral.
Making it to the furthest southern point in the US
Sharing our world with family!
Meeting up with the grandparents!
Hitting historic events in historic places!
Watching this guy RUN his heart out!
learning new things together
watching these two play in the best backdrops
learning what really gets the kids excited!
And them learning what gets us excited! (glass bottle building!)
Letting everyone be themselves
I Think Denver Rolls His Eyes At Us Sometimes Sometimes I think Denver just wants his own, huge, soft spot to lay down. One that doesn't pack up and move as needed.
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