90 Day Milestone

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 90

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while.

We have been busy:

·         visiting with family and friends

·         stepping out of our comfort zones

·         exploring and trying new things

·         making new friends

·         getting in/staying in shape

·         swimming, playing games and laughing  =)

It’s been a good summer, a great adventure.

We’ve been living in our RV for 90 days - 3 months.

We’ve spent so much time outdoors, I imagine it will be difficult to return to our stick house! I remember noticing that same issue last year, after our trip. Once we returned home, we just seemed to regress and spend more time indoors.

Why? Why is that?

I gave it some thought then as well.

Right now, the amount of time we spend outdoors just seems like part of the magic of summer.  =)

~ Happy Camper

Adorable Bookshelves in this Tiny Cabin

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 80

I love the bookshelves in this tiny cabin! They add character to the room and serve a wonderful purpose.

I love books and as much as I simplify, I still have many books! I find the area of books, a challenging one for me to simplify. We have our own little library at home. We are all avid readers and thoroughly enjoy our library.

For our summer trip, I’ve learned to:

·         pare down and just bring a few books with us in our RV

·         utilize my Kindle while traveling

·         use the local library.

~ Happy Camper         

Project - Bus Conversion

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 76

Spotlight on: Hank Butitta

Hank Butitta is a recent architectural graduate. During his Masters Program, he bought and converted a bus. I love how he took theory to hands on - outside the classroom doors and began this project. I do like the design from the layout to the beds to the bookshelves to the flexibility of the entire inside.  Take a look…

You can also watch Hank Butitta as he gives a TED talk.

“Blend of excitement and fear – embrace it.”

Why couldn’t I have a project like this in school? Imagine how much he actually learned from the hands on experience. I give him a lot of credit for thinking of this project as I imagine it was outside the box for his field, proposing it, then completing it. 

~ Happy Camper

Find or Create an Adventure!

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 73

One day last week, we took the train into Philadelphia. We walked around the Historic District and attended the Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Benches. It is a free service. You are given a map and locate Storytelling Benches in that area of the city. At each bench is a Storyteller who tells a story from history. It was quite interesting and entertaining. Check your local city or town for interesting events throughout the summer, or create your own! Create an I Spy list of 10 things to see in your city or town. Or create a scavenger hunt. We had an adventure exploring the city. When planning our trip, the kids both added places they wanted to see as well. I encourage you to find an adventure and if there isn’t one presented, don’t let that stop you – create one!

~ Happy Camper

Lazy Days: Enjoying a Date at the Lake

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 63

Hubby and I had our first Tube Date down at the Lake today. What do I mean by that? We have two large Intex lounging tubes. We bought them after our first year at the Lake. They get a lot of use. We only have two and usually the kids and friends take turns using them. 

Today, hubby and I decided to take them down to the Lake. The kids opted to stay at the camper; they were involved in an activity at the time. 

So we had a whole hour to ourselves just floating around the Lake, chatting and enjoying each other’s company!

What is your favorite outside date?

~ Happy Camper 

Back to Routines

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 58

Yesterday, we began getting back to our routines with our activities. Today, I got focused on me personally – my body – my eating and exercising. I completed my individual exercises and walk, then got back to meal planning. With all of the rain, I’ve been craving soup, however due to the power loss, I’ve been unable to use my crockpot. Today I made soup on the stove as I was short on time. Sometimes it’s hard to get it all done in the morning – exercise, food shopping, preparing the meal and putting it in the crockpot! Something had to give, so I cooked the soup on the stovetop instead.  I made my taco soup. It was yummy and I was so happy to have soup in my belly again! My comfort food. Plus, I have plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week.

  ~ Happy Camper

7 Ideas to Relax and Rejuvenate

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 57

The storm and its aftermath really took a lot out of me. I didn’t realize it at first. I pushed through until the weekend, then I felt exhausted – physically and mentally drained.  I spent some time unwinding, reading and relaxing over the weekend. Finally feeling like myself again on Sunday night, I was eager to return to our normal routines today.

Here are some ideas to relax and rejuvenate especially after the storm:

1.       Read – your favorite book, a new book or head to the library and see what’s new

2.      Stay in PJs (I felt guilty for this one – WHY? I don’t know.)

3.      Get some extra sleep – go to bed early, sleep in or take a nap during the day

4.      Pamper yourself - get a pedicure or massage

5.      Order take out – from your favorite take out place

6.      Make some soup – a comfort food for me!

7.      Watch a movie – pick a favorite movie or rent a new one

~ Happy Camper

The Power Trucks are Here….the Power Trucks are Here…Hip, Hip, Hooray!!

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 55

Day 5 with no power.

Generators and chainsaws have become familiar sounds to us by now.

A cavalry of power trucks arrived this morning! They pulled in about 10 am. There were 

about 7-8 trucks! This group came from Ohio to assist the local electric company.

It was an all day endeavor. Around 4 pm, the power was back on.  

~ Happy Camper

The Kindness of Strangers

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 54

We are still without power after the storm. This makes day 4. We have a lot of kind, friendly neighbors here in our campground. Everyone has come together as we try to figure things out together as a community. We are lucky to have such a great group of camping neighbors.  

My daughter’s birthday was Thursday, a day and a half after the storm. We had planned a birthday party at the campground as there is a pool, splash zone and lake here with diving boards, rope swings - all kinds of fun stuff. However due to the storm damage and loss of power, the swim club (lake and pool) have been closed. We looked for a quick, alternate venue the day before the birthday & party.

Luckily we found an indoor water park that was willing to work with us. They were extremely generous when they learned of our situation (change of party location due to loss of power after the storm).  They were very kind, accommodating and generous. All of our guests enjoyed the place and had a blast. I felt especially blessed to be surrounded by our family and blessed by the kindness of strangers who embraced our family.  

It taught the kids several lessons on coping with change, coping with things out of your control, being creative and willing to consider another location and brainstorming options as well as the power of kindness.

~ Happy Camper

Aftermath of the Storm

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 52

Well, our area was hit pretty bad by the storm. Our water has returned however we are still without power two days later. We are hearing estimates of it being restored on Saturday or Sunday.

We had really enjoyed our gazebo. We were eating outside under it for almost every meal daily. It had the netting all around it to keep the bugs out. While we are sad to lose it, it is difficult to imagine replacing it. Turns out the winds were 70 mph the night of the storm, the night the gazebo blew away and landed, mangled, in a tree. I’m sure it’s doubtful that we’ll reach 70 mph winds again anytime soon. However, do I want to worry about that again? I’m having a little difficulty here working through enjoyment vs. practicality.

Mostly I’m just grateful. These types of experiences really teach you to not take things for granted and to be thankful for the smallest things.

How did the storm affect you? Count your blessings tonight.

~ Happy Camper

A Stormy Night

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 50

I can’t believe the last post was the RV Prayer. We had bad storms tonight and boy, did we need the RV Prayer! Things we love about our campground are all the trees that offer so much shade and the farms and fields next to us. A terrible storm struck tonight and the things we love worked against us. Heavy winds lifted our gazebo and wrapped it around a tree. The storm and all of the lightning struck down so many branches and trees. We are lucky we are all unhurt and the camper survived. We have never had a storm like that and had the camper out. The kids and I left to seek shelter, but my hubby, the captain of his RV, wanted to stay and ride out the storm. Do you know he called me shortly after the storm hit to come get him? After branches were falling all around him and gazebo finally blew away, he decided he had enough. It was like an obstacle course traveling back 2 miles to get him. I was reminded of scenes from Jurassic Park, which we recently watched again. Scenes of driving in the pouring rain around branches and off road to get to my destination. I couldn’t actually get to the camper by car. I had to park on higher ground and run on foot over a few rows. I was glad to see my hubby and the camper were intact. We sought safety for a while. Then returned to clean up what we could. The power is out and there is no water, however we are sleeping safely in our camper beds tonight.

Hope you are all dry and safe. Sweet dreams.

~ Happy Camper

RV Prayer - A Sweet Prayer for Traveling on the Open Road

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 47

I thought you might enjoy this RV Prayer. I do not know who wrote it. If anyone comes across the author, please let me know. I’d like to give he or she credit for it.

RV PRAYER
God bless our traveling home
And guide us where e’re we roam
Help us find the roads we seek
And please don’t let the plumbing leak...
Save us, please from engine trouble
And mechanics who charge us double
As we travel on our way
Bless us with sunshine every day
And while you’re watching over all,
Could you let gas prices fall?
Lead us toward good food and friends
And when at last our journey ends
Grant our rolling home sweet rest
Until the next endurance test.

Amen

~ Happy Camper

Lesson Learned: Changes in Cooking with My Crockpot

Our RV Journey – Summer Trip – Day 46

I posted previously how excited I was to bring my crockpot with me on this trip. If you missed the post, you can read about it here. I have been using it weekly to make family dinners, then I use the leftovers for lunches. 
It has certainly come in handy. I have served our family as well as used it to serve meals at larger family gatherings. So it has been working out wonderfully.

However today, I encountered a problem with using the crockpot. Yes, it served its purpose. However it was hot today and the crockpot seemed to increase the heat in the camper! Therefore the air conditioner was running all day!

My hubby made the suggestion of using it outside next time. I have an outdoor table that has access to an electric outlet. I prefer to use the crockpot indoors and I love the aroma it creates in the camper! However, I can’t have the air conditioner running all day. So next time I’ll cook with it outdoors. I will still be able to smell the delicious aroma outside.  

Have you ever encountered an issue with cooking with your crockpot outside? 

Thanks for reading!

~ Happy Camper

Luxuries I Miss - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 45

I have most everything I need here in the camper. My basic needs are met and most importantly, I have my family. I have my health, an area I am striving to improve. We have a lot of family closeby that I get to visit with often. 

When I think about luxuries or things I miss about being in our stick house: the washer and dryer are at the top of my list! At home, I would usually do 2 loads of laundry almost every morning. I was easily able to stay on top of the laundry this way. If I missed a day, it was not significant in terms of the laundry pile. It was so easy to just toss them in, move on and get things done and return when the bell rang to move them to the dryer. Ahh, I took the convenience for granted.

Here, not so much! Doing the laundry is a trip. We have to make sure we have change for the laundromat, sort and organize the laundry to see how many loads we have, load it up in the car, make sure to have something to read or do while waiting, then make the trip to the laundromat.

Tools we use:

Rolls of quarters

Several mesh pop up laundry baskets

Laundry detergent

~ Happy Camper 

7 Ideas for a Rainy Day - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 38

Over the past week, it has been rainy and chilly at times, particularly in the mornings and evenings. To pass the time and keep us warm, we’ve been to the library to replenish our book supply and pick up a few movies. We’ve been spending our down time reading and snuggling up and watching movies.  As for dinner, we went out one night to eat and warm up! Guess what? The restaurant wasn’t much warmer than our camper! So that didn’t work out so well. Thankfully, the food was good. With this weather, it’s definitely time to make my crockpot soup again! 

I can’t believe the difference in temps and the weather we are experiencing. At home, the temperature is in the 90s and the pool has been open for over a month. Here we are still in Spring with day-to-day temp and weather changes!

Things to do on a rainy day in the camper:

1.       Pop some popcorn and watch a movie (download one, rent at Redbox, borrow from the library)

2.       Read a book

3.       Read aloud a book to the family or your spouse

4.       Turn off any lights and listen to an audiobook

5.       Work on a handicraft project

6.       Play cards or a board game

7.       Clean - you can see why is it further down on my list!  =D

If there have been several rainy days and you are tired of being couped up in the camper or being creative, you could get out for the day. 

Here are some ideas :

1.       Go bowling

2.       Go out for a hot meal

3.       Go to the library or bookstore to browse or buy the latest book in a series you enjoy

4.       Go to a museum

5.       Visit family! Especially someone with little ones who could use your help for the day or an older person or someone who lives alone who would enjoy the company. Remember to call ahead! Bring them a treat too; they will be delighted!

6.       Explore an indoor farmers market

7.       Go treasure hunting at a thrift store

~ Happy Camper

Strawberry Fields - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 33

Time is passing by so quickly! We’ve been living in our RV for over a month already. We have spent a lot of time with family, which was our primary goal. Our campsite has really come together and we are very pleased with it. We quickly established our routine, which has been a blessing. I’ve had my setback with exercise as I am recovering from bronchitis. I am slowly working my way back; I am eager to return to my regular exercise and my daily walk.

Our campground is located next to a farm and behind an apple orchard. Beautiful surroundings. Our campsite is right next to the farm’s strawberry fields! And it is strawberry picking season. This morning hubby and son literally crossed the little road over to the strawberry patch. They picked 2 quarts of strawberries – red, delicious and melt-in-your-mouth strawberries! What a delightful treat early this morning.

~ Happy Camper 

Taking a Look Back: Emptying Out to Prepare for Our Trip - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 27

At the end of last summer, we decided we would like to stay for the season for 2015. We’d pay the rate for the season and stay from May 1^st until the end of August. We discussed it as a family and made the commitment.  The kids were aware we would be winding up activities in April and not signing up for anything in May or beyond. Over the holidays, we confirmed our plan and put our down our deposit.  In January when the kids enrolled in activities, we announced at the start that it would be through April. After May, we’d be unavailable. Several months later, my daughter’s dance studio began asking why she wouldn’t be at the recital in June. They asked her to ask us if she could be in the recital. I was a little annoyed at first as this put her in an awkward situation and we had been very up front with them, even before enrolling. However, hubby took it all in stride and responded, “tell them (the dance studio) that you can be in the recital; the recital just needs to be moved to the end of April.” My daughter and I both responded to that.  =D   She also took it in stride and shared with her fellow dancers and teacher. She felt stronger about our choice. I don’t think we missed anything by ending our activities in April.

One month before our trip, we started making serious preparations. We went through the items in our pantry and decluttered. We let go of some of the items that we will no longer use. We prioritized items and marked one shelf with items that needed to either be used or brought with us. We began using those items. We did the same with the freezer and refrigerator. We created meals from what we already had in the freezer or fridge. We started working our way through using items in the fridge and freezer for meals and only buying the minimal amount that month for immediate use.

The result? The items in the pantry, fridge and freezer began to dwindle. Slowly at first, then building momentum. By the time our trip arrived, we had a small amount to bring with us. We had emptied the fridge and freezer and unplugged it for our time away! It was a liberating experience. Using what we had then adding minimal purchases to get us through the month. When you make it fun or a game, you get creative, have a positive experience and enjoy the process. Upon reflection, it could have been a dreadful experience if we hadn’t planned ahead and suddenly started looking through the pantry, fridge and freezer the day or so before the trip!

~ Happy Camper

Our Outdoor Gathering Space, Part II - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 25

Our Outdoor Gathering Space, Part II - Our RV Journey – Summer Trip - Day 25

So our outdoor space is coming together. I am very pleased with it! We had a great Memorial Day weekend. I hope you all did too.  

On Saturday morning, we put together our gazebo. It’s huge….while putting it together I began lovingly referring to it as “our mini circus tent.” It was a productive morning and the finished project is beautiful!

In the gazebo, we placed the patio table, chairs and a side table to act as a buffet table where we could serve all of the food. It worked out wonderfully. By using the side table, it offered space underneath to store the coolers our guests brought – convenient and tucked away.

We then have the circle of Adirondack chairs, toddler table and chairs for the younger crowd and another sitting area of two zero gravity chairs. The outdoor kitchen also worked out amazingly for my hubby. As guests arrived they commented on the delicious aroma from the smoker as the pork cooked.

We definitely created a cozy place for our family & friends to gather.

~ Happy Camper 

Our Outdoor Gathering Space - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 21

Well, this is the big weekend, Memorial Day weekend is on the horizon. We are entertaining a small crowd of guests on Monday. Here’s where we are with our outside area.

We have several sitting areas. We have a circle of Adirondack chairs for gathering and chatting. We also have two zero gravity chairs that are set off in their own little area together. The menfolk tend to gravitate to those chairs! We have a patio table with four chairs.

Of course we have our Little Tykes table and chairs for the toddler crowd. I posted about this find here. I found a cute little garden flag that says, “Welcome Y’all.” I couldn’t resist buying that one.

Hubby likes to cook, so he has set up his outdoor kitchen with his grill and camping stove. This year, he added a larger propane tank for the grill that also has a hook for a lantern. He was pretty happy with that set up however he decided to add a smoker too. He loves smoking and grilling outside, which is what he plans on doing on Monday.

I’m content with the amount of sitting areas we have. We are also considering a screened in gazebo. Again, we want to have enough room for family and friends to gather, however we only have so much space, so we don’t want to overcrowd it with “extra stuff.”

Be safe and enjoy your holiday weekend.

~ Happy Camper

Rainy Days - Our RV Journey - Summer Trip - Day 20

I’m finally feeling better…I can breathe much easier and have energy again! It’s such a great feeling after being sick! Kids are feeling much better too. Now the weather has been topsy-turvey…every day is something new. I’m not sure if I’ll be drinking hot cocoa in the morning or wearing shorts and short sleeves for the day!

The past few days have been busy with kids’ activities and visiting family. Tuesdays and Thursdays are our  busy, run around days. Today has been a rainy day. We are always grateful for a lunch or dinner invitation on rainy days!  =D    Today for lunch we made Taco Soup. Perfect for a chilly, rainy day. If you’ve never had it, I highly recommend it.

How do you like to spend your rainy days?

~ Happy Camper