There is not much to post this week because we have been straight chillin’. Shaun left for a work thingy (yup I have no idea but it was work related lol) the day after we arrived in Arizona. We hit the pool after he left and every afternoon he’s been gone.

One day we went shopping for things we needed because we are in the shopping mecca. We had enough food and all other necessities so we’ve hunkered in and gotten a great tan. So I figured I would take time to answer some questions regarding our trip…

1. How did Shaun get blessed enough work wise to take this journey? His company, eLend, has dubbed him as the Road Show and even has a cartoon caricature of him. Click the link and you can read all about it! Shaun is a partner in his company and feels a strong bond to it. He is excited to share the greatness of eLend throughout the country and we get more Shaun to ourselves, everybody wins.
2. How long are we on this journey? 7 months; ETA arrival back to NJ is summer (vague, yes!)
3. What type, make, model RV are we traveling in? We have a travel trailer. This means we tow it behind the truck but it is not attached to the bed of the truck, those are fifth wheels. Our specific make and modes is Open Range Roamer RT310BHS. My requirements for living in our RV were that we had a residential refrigerator, 1 1/2 baths, the girls bedroom and our bedroom are on opposite sides (some privacy would be nice), and that we didn’t just have the typical dinette and small sofa, so our’s has a full U-shaped sofa so we can all fit and snuggle. My biggest words of wisdom when buying a travel trailer or fifth wheel, make sure your tow vehicle can acurately tow the weight of your rig.
4. Do I home school? YES! and I’m, and the girls, are loving it! After we moved in early November and were preparing for our journey to start mid-January, I didn’t think it was fair to start the girls in a new school for a little over a month and then leave. It was a great transition to homeschool them at home, still meet up with their friends from our old town, acclimate to their new home and neighborhood a little and thennnnn hit the road. Not everyone thought this was the best plan, but I am their mom and make every decision all day every day for their better good and thought, still think, this was for the best.
5. Which home school program do I use? We do not use any specific program. We have workbooks, check in with friends who tell us what their doing in school, and learn so much while traveling. They are learning more about our great country, present and past, and I am definitely making sure that when they go back to public school they won’t be behind.
6. Are the girls getting enough social normalcy? This question makes me giggle every time because I worried about this too. However, my kids have made more friends in the little time we’ve been on the road then the combined friends they have ever had in their whole lives. It has also taught them that it’s ok to make friends with kids who are different (race, age, etc…). It has also taught them to be confident approaching others. Another bonus, if there isn’t anyone they want to play with, which is also ok, they have learned to play so much better together. I have also had more time to stop what I’m doing and play, read, bike, craft, etc.. with them. At home, it was always I need to do this or that or whatever. On the road I just stop to be with them, have a full conversation with Shaun, read a book, write, go for a walk, enjoy God’s beautiful world, and so much more!
7. How are we possibly living in only 356 sq ft every day? Shaun and I have come to the same realization in this short time…we don’t need so much stuff! I love that the four of us are so happy with all that we have in this “small” space and feel so little need for more than we have. The girls do wish they had more of their American Girl/Doll stuff which they do play with daily, but that’s it. We have actually gotten rid of A LOT of stuff that we originally packed and learned was superfluous.
8. Where are we going? So far we have until the end of April planned but finalizing the rest is in the works. I do know California is going to take up the better, if not all, of May. So much on the want-to-see list but maybe a second trip will need to be in the works for it all to get covered (wink, wink).
9. Do you feel safe staying in RV parks? I would say for 98% of the time where we have chosen to stay I totally feel safe. There’s never a time when I let the girls go off on their own but that’s just me being me. I put a significant amount of research into each place we stay to be sure it’s not sketchy.
10. What is our plan on returning and thereafter? This is the million dollar question. I’m a planner and at home I had three calendars going simultaneously. However, as of right now, I don’t have an answer and it doesn’t make me nervous. It actually makes me really excited!

I say it all the time at the end of my posts but I mean it…you’ll have to wait and see what is happening, going to happen, and happens in the end because I don’t know and will stick around to find out too!