Traveling with small kids and big dog (The relaxing part)

We've been on Pine Island in Florida for a full week now and it has been truly amazing. The weather couldn't be better, (haven't worn a sweater or long pants since we arrived last Sunday) and we've had a great time so far. We haven't done much, but that's pretty much the point of a relaxing vacation. We've been swimming in the pool at the complex where Adrian's parents live, have been for walks with the dogs and the children a bunch of times - where Noah has made his new friend Mr. Turtle - and we've been out on Grampa's boat a couple of times. Noah has also learned how to ride a tricycle and is loving it. He's having the time of his life and it's so nice to see how much he's enjoying himself. He loves to be outside, just running around, looking at all the birds and spending time with his daddy. It's good to see him so happy. 

Here are pictures of us having fun in the water. Look at that happy, little boy. Mia is still deciding whether or not she likes the water. I'm sure she'll be more comfortable with it by the end of our trip.

Mia is also loving it here and mommy is loving all the help and support she is getting, since I'm used to being alone with the children all day. It has been so nice to actually have some time to read a book, and my mother-in-law and I have even gone shopping for half a day WITHOUT either of the kids, which was something I haven't done in FOREVER. We could actually sit down to have a Starbucks and a bite to eat, and I was able to look at clothes without running after a toddler, hiding underneath the clothes racks, or trying to console a crying baby at the same time. It felt so nice to be out and about and do something for myself without feeling rushed and stressed out. It's a luxury you don't get to enjoy very often as a mother of two young children.

On our second boat-ride we got to watch a bunch of dolphins, which was pretty exciting since Noah was really looking forward to seeing some. A few of them gave us quite the show surfing in the wake of passing boats, playing and jumping. It was awesome watching them have fun. Mia slept through the whole thing but I'm sure she had a great time anyways. At least she was well rested after we got back home and ready to get into all kinds of trouble. She has just learned how to crawl up the stairs, which is her favorite thing to do now. You have to watch her like a hawk now since she's getting faster and sneakier every day.

We also saw some Manatee which I found really exciting. We tried seeing some the last time we were in Florida but didn't get to see any, so we were pretty happy when we spotted a whole bunch of them. One of them came so close to the boat, Adrian was almost able to touch it. Amazing experience!

Today we took Noah to the Everglades to see some gators. 

We left Mia with her grandparents, because we thought the airboat ride would probably be too loud and scary for her, and it also gave us the opportunity to spend some quality time with our son. Noah loved it and it was a lot of fun flying through  the swamp and scanning our surroundings for anything that moves.

The scenery was beautiful and we did see a whole lot of gators and even some babies, which was pretty amazing. And here's a picture of our lunch. Gator nuggets, bullfrog legs and catfish. I know, pretty gross and I had a hard time eating it, especially since I barely ever eat meat and Adrian is a vegetarian, but curiosity got the better of us and we just had to see what all the fuss is about. I have to admit that once I got over the fact that I was eating frog legs and an animal that I had just admired not 10 minutes ago, it did taste pretty damn good. If somebody had told me it was chicken, I wouldn't have questioned it. So that's one thing off my list of things to do and try before I die. 

We have another week left in beautiful and sunny Florida and are still debating which route to take back home or whether or not we should make a bit of a detour and drive home along the East coast to make a quick stop in Cocoa Beach and add a little adventure to our trip, before getting back to our every day life. But we're not quite ready to think about our journey home yet.

Totally random:

If you want to see true homesteaders in action, watch a show called "Alaska the last frontier". Since we don't have cable, we haven't watched this show in a while but have been able to catch a few episodes here in Florida.  We love this show because it's funny, educational, entertaining and it shows people living of the land as much as they possibly can, which is kind of how we want to be.

Traveling with small kids and big dog (Roadtrip - part 1)

So, we made it. Surprising I know, but we survived 4 days on the road and 2800kms of driving and safely arrived in sunny Florida. 

I did post something about 2300kms in one of my previous posts, but you can't trust anyone anymore. Our Trip Tik was off by almost 500kms, which threw us off quite a bit since we had planned our route and booked our hotel rooms in advance, and we sat in the car for 11 1/2 hrs one day because it was way further to our planned destination than we had anticipated. Not fun, I can tell you that much. Getting somewhere sooner than planned - very exciting. Getting somewhere hours later than planned - not so much, especially when you have two small kids in the car with you. And when we finally arrived at our hotel that night, we were told we had made reservations at a hotel of the same chain across town, so we had to get back into the car again, which did NOT go over well with our kids. 

 I have to admit it has been a rather exhausting trip but also kind of fun and easier and less stressful than we thought it would be. Yes, we were all over sitting in the car after day one, especially Rocky, but the children were really good. We stopped whenever Mia was getting too fussy, grabbed a bite, took the dog for a little stroll and let Noah run wild for a little while, and they were good to go for a few more hours. I am super glad I took the time to prepare a few activities for Noah and that we did invest into a portable DVD-player for him, because it really made the drive a LOT easier for all of us. Definitely recommend investing a little bit of time and money into keeping your toddler occupied if you want to keep your sanity and want to keep your child happy.

 

Rocky was also being better than expected. He was anxious and stressed out but he seemed to get more comfortable the longer we drove, and he was real good at the hotels. He didn’t like being left alone in the room though, and we could hear him howl a mile away when we came back from breakfast one morning, but as long as we were with him he was fine. 

We did drive long distances the first couple of days (750kms the first day and 900kms on the second) and we were debating whether or not we could make it to Pine Island in 3 days but decided against it after waking up on the third morning. We were tired and still had about 1100kms to go, so we figured it would be best to take it slow and give everybody a break. We even took the time and started our third morning with a tour to Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Falls are located at the end of the main passage of Ruby Falls Cave, in a large vertical shaft. The stream, 1120 feet underground, is fed both by rainwater and natural springs. It collects in a pool in the cave floor and then continues through the mountain until finally joining the Tennessee River at the base of Lookout Mountain. Everyone really enjoyed it and it was nice to do a little sight-seeing along the way. 

The kids loved sleeping in the big hotel beds and Noah seemed to be pretty excited about waking up in different places and about making waffles each morning. Overall it was a good experience and didn't deter us from our dream of traveling a lot with our children, even though it was tiring.

Then again, if we were to travel full time or for longer periods of time we wouldn't have to push that much and wouldn't have to drive a certain amount of kilometers a day. We'd be able to take it a lot slower and stop more frequently and for several days at a time. So if our children are this good sitting in a car for almost 12 hours a day, they won't give us any trouble driving a few hours a day here and there; However, the thought of sending Adrian and Rocky on their way by themselves and flying back home with the kids has crossed my mind ;-)

Totally random: 

As per popular demand here is a picture of Rocky's groomed, puffy behind. Hope this will satisfy my sister-in-law who is really into puffy canine behinds and has asked for a visual. Merry Christmas to you!!!

Follow the sun...

Our Roadtrip is fast approaching, since we have decided to leave a day early and start our drive on Thursday morning, and we're slowly but surely working our way through our to-do list.

Rocky is ready to go and all taken care off but then he really doesn't need a whole lot. Dog bed, food & treats, leash, vaccination records, maybe a bone or chew toy for the long drive and a bit of loving and he'll be a happy camper. Him and Adrian had a bit of a grooming session going on a few days ago and he got a bit of a haircut. Poor guy wasn't too happy about it. He's been trying to grow dreads for several months now but we keep cutting them off. Not that I'm opposed to the look itself, I quite like it in fact, but Rocky is not really into personal hygiene too much and loves to get dirty every chance he gets. You wouldn't believe the things that get stuck in his skirt. He starts smelling and drags all kinds of dirt into the house so dreads are simply not an option. And since he's got the thickest fur ever, we have decided to cut the long hair off completely and torment him with the FURminator before taking him to warmer climates. I know you hated every minute of it, Rocky but you'll thank us later and you look so much cuter now with your little, puffy behind. If anyone's got a dog that is shedding a lot and is wondering what in the name of God a FURminator is, I'd like to tell you that this little magic brush is worth every penny. You can get it at almost any pet store and it takes out the undercoat. When we take the time to actually give Rocky an intense brushing, we'll fill a whole garbage bag with fur. It's amazing what this brush will take out. It's a bit pricey but you'll notice a big difference around the house for a couple of weeks after you brushed your dog. Anyways, I'm getting way off topic so back to the trip.

Here are a few items we've bought to keep Noah occupied. Hopefully that will get us through a few days in the car without too much whining.

And here's our travel itinerary:

I did include a picture of our travel route in my last post but we have decided to take the I-75 rather than the I-77 because Adrian's parents -who have done the trip via both routes a bunch of times- have recommended doing so. So here's the new map:

Night No. 1)  Toledo, Ohio

Night No. 2)  Chattanooga, Tennessee

Night No. 3)  Valdosta, Georgia

So, here goes. Next time you here from us we'll be in Florida with the first part of our Roadtrip already behind us and hopefully you'll be reading about us having a blast in the sun. I'll be taking a lot of pictures and will keep a travel journal to keep you guys in the loop. Wish us luck!

If you want to view pics of our trip right away, follow us on Instagram at

http://instagram.com/homesteadinggypsies

and don't forget to subscribe so you won't miss a post.

PS: I have decided to include a section in each post called 'Totally random' just for the fun of it. So from now on you'll be reading a little something in each of my posts that is totally off topic. Why? Well, no reason needed!

'Totally random'

There was a game on Facebook the other day that I really thought some of you might get a kick out off. Enter your first name followed by the word meme into Google images and see what comes up. Some of them really are hilarious and in my case so spot on, it's almost scary. I also wanted to share mine because it's been just over a month now since I launched my blog, and I think it's past time we get to know each other a little more intimately. I'll start by giving you this little piece of valuable information.

You're very welcome ;-)

Travel preparations...

We're leaving in less than a week and now we're really getting excited. 23 h 33 min of driving or 2,553 km between us and relaxation. I know some of you might think 'What's the big deal? They're driving from Canada to the US and are staying with the Grandparents. Big deal!' and you're right. It's not the crazy adventure we're aiming for and it's not like we're going to be on the road for months on end, but it's our first road trip with our children AND our dog and it's a big deal to us. This is going to be it. The big test of whether or not we can handle the stress of being on the road for longer periods of time without losing our marbles. If we're going to be stressed out and miserable the whole way down because the kids are screaming and whining, and the dog is going to be anxious and can't seem to settle down, we might as well face the fact that our dream of living in a bus while exploring the world is going to be just that. A dream. But if everything goes well and we're having fun and are more relaxed than we thought we would be, who knows. Maybe it will give us some extra motivation to work harder towards getting Sir Hendrix fixed and ready to be lived in.

It's also simply a break from life, which is very much needed at this point because, both Adrian and myself haven't had much downtime since our move up north and really need to recharge our batteries and spend some quality time with each other and our kids. Who knows, maybe we'll even manage to get a couple of dates in - without our children - so we can actually just enjoy each other's company without constant interruptions. We don't get to do that very often and you don't realize sometimes that you're just trying to get through the day, kind of drifting apart and that you need some alone time in order to find each other again. Either way this vacation is going to be awesome and good for all of us. Noah has been talking about his grandparents non-stop since they left and is really looking forward to seeing them and he has also been talking about going to the beach a lot. That little man loves the water and he's totally into sandcastles right now, so he's going to have a blast no matter what happens. The simple fact that Adrian won't have to work is going to keep him happy and Mia is happy as long as you pay attention to her. And me? Well, I'm happy whenever the sun is shining and it`s warm enough to throw on my favorite clothes-combo of shorts, tank top, flip flops and sunglasses, so you won't hear me complain.

But before we leave we have to make some preparations and I've got to admit, I'm pretty bad at that. I know people who like to pack weeks in advance of a trip, making lists and prepare for anything that could possibly go wrong. Personally, I find they're going a bit overboard but I guess they won't run around in a panic 10 minutes before they're supposed to leave because they can't find their passports or still have a 100 things that need doing, like me. I'm the kind of girl that starts packing the night before the trip and then freaks out in 15 minute intervals because I can't find the things I need and realize that there is way too much to do and too little time to get every thing done and I want to pull my hair out and slap myself. I know it's going to happen but I simply won't learn and will do the exact same thing the next time around.

Here's what we've got so far:

Found the updated vaccination records for Rocky

Took care of travel insurance for the whole family

Got a map from CAA.

All that's left to do now is, well... Pretty much EVERYTHING!

Here's our to-do list: 

Packing: This was an easy enough task back when I only had to throw a few things in a backpack for myself. Packing for two young children that need pretty much the whole household stresses me out every time, and half way through I just want to scream. They need their favorite stuffed animals, bottles, soothers, sleep blankets, playpens, food, spoons, bibs, toys and books for the car and so on and so on. God help you, if you forget any of these items once you have left, because Noah is going to have a fit if he doesn't have his bunny to sleep with at night. Here's a picture of Noah all ready to go. Guess he's smarter than his mother and belongs to the group of people that likes to pack a week ahead of time.

Prepare snacks for the road: I like to at least pack a few healthy snacks for the road, because I don't like eating junk food three times a day, and I don't like the amount of money you spend by doing so.

Prepare some toddler car activities: I'd like to keep Noah somewhat occupied in the car so he won't bug us too much while we're driving and trying to enjoy the trip. So I have been looking for ideas on Pinterest for days now and have found quite a few helpful and awesome things for toddlers to do. A trip to the Dollar Store is in order soon. We have also decided to buy a portable DVD player for him because three days in a car is a long time for any two year old, and there is only so much you can do with a child before he starts to get bored.

Create a timetable and book hotel rooms: We still have to sit down and actually look at the map and figure out how far we want to drive each day and where we want to stop each night. It would also be nice to figure out whether or not there is anything worth seeing along the way.

Make sure the Chickens are taken care off: We have a couple of friends that have offered to take care of our girls while we're gone and that's a big relief. They do have a couple of chickens themselves so I know they know what they're doing. If you're reading this, I'd like to say thank you so much. You guys are our heroes. One thing we still have to do is set a timer for the heat lamp so they won't freeze while we're baking on a hot beach down south. Sorry by the way, sistas. I know you're beach babes and would love to come but taking 5 chickens with us would simply be too much.

Clean the house: Because it's always nice to come home to a clean house after your vacation. Getting back after a relaxing holiday is usually depressing enough as it is. Coming home after a relaxing holiday to find a huge mess is enough to make me want to shoot myself. So at least you've got one thing to be happy about when entering your house, even if it's only going to last until your child has kicked off his shoes.

I'm pretty confident we will be able to work off our list before leaving on Friday, hopefully without having a major meltdown, and I know I will be fine once we're actually in the car and on our way. And maybe someday, I will learn and start organizing, packing and prepping a little earlier and save myself a lot of 'uh-oh-moments'. I wouldn't count on it though, because that's just how I roll and I've got to admit that I'm most productive under stress, which is not a bad thing at all when you're a mother. 

Oh the weather outside is frightful, and some sun would be delightful, and since Florida has got no snow, Let us go! Let us go! Let us go!

Christmas time. You either love it or hate it. I've never been a fan of decorating the house or being forced to listen to Christmas songs weeks prior to the actual event, and I hate Christmas shopping and the massive amount of people filling every store known to man at this time of year. I don't like the Christmas frenzy and how crazy everyone seems to get, and since my mom has passed away two weeks before Christmas a couple of years ago, I have been struggling with it even more. But there are a few things that I have always liked about it. I like giving presents to the people I love, after the dreadful shopping part is over, and watching their reactions while they're opening them. I love being together with family, having a big dinner and just hang out and chat. I do miss being home - in Germany - and being there for our traditional family get-togethers at my grandmother's house, but I'm sure I'm going to have a long talk with all of them over the phone on the 24th, which is German Christmas by the way. Yes, we are an impatient bunch and like to celebrate a day early. I like Christmas more now that I have children, because Noah is just over two now and is just starting to understand the whole Santa thing. He understands that he's going to get presents and it's nice watching him getting so excited about it. It reminds me of my own childhood and how excited I used to be about all things Christmas. But most of all, I love the cookie-baking.

It's something I have loved doing with my mom and I will always remember those days. She made the most amazing cookies and we always made tons and tons of them. Took us all day but man, did we have fun. I was baking cookies with Noah today and even though he made a huge mess, I was happy we did it. I'll keep doing it every year and hopefully, both my children will remember those days when they're older and do the same with their own children. We had a good laugh when Noah started grabbing handfuls of flour and threw it in the air yelling, "Look, it's snowing. It's snowing, mommy!" The dog was covered in flour and I had to clean a little more than just the kitchen table but who cares. He loved it and that is all that matters.

And the best thing about Christmas baking is that you get to enjoy the goodies for a long time to come. I mean, who doesn't like homemade cookies, especially when they're fresh from the oven and still a little warm and the whole house smells delicious. I kind of wish our house would smell like that year round. Even little Mia enjoyed her first Christmas cookie ever and I think we might have created a monster, because every time we eat one and don't share, she's giving us the stink-eye and even that is simply adorable.

We don't like to make a big deal out of Christmas and go overboard with presents, because we believe it's not about that and if they get any more toys, we'd have to build an addition just to store them. Yes, they're going to get a couple of presents and I want them to enjoy the festive time and get excited about it. Most of all, I want them to know that Christmas is about being with the people you love. We always try our best to go visit family for Christmas and New Year's, either in Florida or Germany and just have a nice time. As I have mentioned in a previous post, we are very fortunate and get to spent Christmas and New Year's Eve in sunny Florida with the Grandparents this year and we can hardly wait. I'm a little apprehensive about driving down in the van for several days with two small children and a dog that doesn't like being in the car and pants and drools like crazy whenever he has to. Sleeping in hotels is going to be a bit of a challenge as well because the children don't like going to sleep if they don't have their usual routine and I'm afraid Rocky is going to bark at every noise he hears outside the hotel room and wake them up 20 times a night. It's also going to be a challenge to keep Noah occupied for long stretches of driving several days in a row. Hopefully the baby will sleep through most of it. But it's also going to be an adventure and I'm very much looking forward to a change of scenery and weather. I can't wait to take the kids to the beach. This is what Noah's going to do once we get there.

 

I know I need more practice when it comes to photoshopping but I think this picture is hilarious nonetheless. How awesome would it be if he would just grab a board and start surfing? His daddy would love it, since he loves to surf but hasn't really gotten to do it much since leaving Australia. Another thing I'm excited about is going on a day trip to the Everglades to show Noah some Gators and Noah is very much looking forward to going for a ride on Grampa's boat, where we'll hopefully get to see some Manatees and Dolphins. It's going to be nice to have Adrian and the grandparents around to help out with the kids, so mama can get some down time and recharge the battery for a new year of challenges and adventures. I'm also very excited to finally get to write a few posts about road tripping and vacation time, because this is what I love writing about. We're starting to head down south on the 19th of December, which is in less than two weeks. Let the countdown begin!

The magic of traveling! Why we love it so much, why I think everyone should explore the planet and a few tips and tricks on how and when to to it

 

Since this is mainly a blog about making lifestyle choices, I have decided to dedicate a whole post to the magical world of travel and why exactly it is, we can't stop thinking about it. Everything you'll read in this post won't come as a surprise to my fellow travelers, but for those of you who have never really been outside of your home country or have only experienced the odd all inclusive club holiday here and there, I'd like to tell you why traveling for longer amounts of time - outside of resorts - is something everybody should experience at least once during their lifetime. If you have read the 'About' page of my blog, you already know that I'm a small town girl. I grew up in a small village in Germany and had never really been anywhere - other than family vacations as a child - before traveling to Australia. I had no clue what this world had to offer and I had no idea how beautiful this planet could be. I didn't know how overwhelming the feeling is, while standing in a place that quite simply takes your breath away and makes you want to cry, just because you're that happy and content.

I know it sounds cheesy and some of you might think I'm exaggerating but trust me when I say, I'm not. I have actually stood in several places in Australia, teary-eyed and overcome by emotions because I couldn't believe I was actually there, experiencing it and living my dream. I had worked hard to make this year happen and it was an emotional roller-coaster for me. Leaving the nest and my family and friends for such a long time, not knowing where I was going or what was going to happen. It was scary and quite possibly the hardest thing I've ever done but I'm so happy I went through with it, despite several people trying to talk me out of it. You see, there's always going to be those people trying to tell you you're crazy and irresponsible for abandoning your life and job, just to go off and "waste" your time. But here's the thing. I've had a lot of jobs in my life I actually hated, but went every day for months on end anyways, because I thought that's what people do. I won't get those months back and they truly were waste. A whole year of bliss and memories in Australia, four and a half months of traveling the second time around, enjoying every single day on the road, waking up with a smile on my face and falling asleep with an even bigger smile on my face. Nah, I wouldn't call that a waste of time.

Try to imagine the life you have now without responsibilities. No rent, no monthly bill payments, no everyday job you have to go to and best of all, NOBODY knows you. And I think that was the part I enjoyed the most when I first arrived in Sydney all those years ago. I grew up in a town where you couldn't fart without someone knowing about it and all of a sudden I was on the other side of the world, by myself and nobody knew who I was. You can be whoever you want to be. You can reinvent yourself. Nobody you meet will judge you by past mistakes or things you've done or say things to you because they think they know you. Because they don't! You're a stranger to them as much as they are strangers to you and you get to start a new life and make new friends and everybody gets a clean slate. It's amazing and you don't really realize how much your image confines you until it's not an issue anymore. It's not that I had a bad reputation or was embarrassed by who I was at home. But the people who watched me grow up or grew up with me see a stamp on my forehead that says NINA and a list of my characteristics below, no matter if they love or dislike me, and if you go someplace where people don't know you, your forehead is a blank canvas and you get to decide what you want that next stamp to say. Adrian and I joked about this a lot before we went on our second long trip. We were practicing all kinds of silly accents and made up back-stories and personalities of people we'd like to be. We never actually went through with it and never pretended to be someone else in the end, but we were still talking with an exaggerated British accent while we were driving through New Zealand and we had so much fun with it.

Of course you still have certain expenses while traveling, but it's only a fraction of what you would have to pay in your regular life. You'll have to pay for your accommodations, but it's a lot cheaper than renting an apartment or paying a mortgage and both Australia and New Zealand, for example, have plenty of free camp sites you can spend the night at. Just go to any one of the hundreds of information centers all over those countries and get a map of where the free sites are located. They won't have showers but people can just stand up wind from you until you find a fresh water lake or river to bathe in. A lot of hostels will offer free accommodations in exchange for work. You'll have to do things like cleaning the kitchen, work at the reception or wash and fold pillow cases and bed sheets. I did this for quite a few weeks, it's a great way to save and I promise they won't work you to death. I only worked 3 hours a day, 3 days a week and didn't have to pay a cent. You don't have to worry about hydro or water or phone bills while traveling, either. We shared a mobile between the two of us and it was a very cheap pay-as-you-go. We barely ever had money on it but people were able to reach us and that was enough to stay in contact with our families and made us feel safer in case of an emergency. In our regular life we pay about 170 $ for both our phone plans and that's a lot of money you could be saving each month. So if you're good at budgeting and don't blow your money on partying and eating out every day, you can make your money last a looooooong time and you can always work here and there if you feel like you're starting to run out. Don't wait until you're standing there with 10 bucks in your pocket to look for work. Trust me, we've been there and it's not much fun. I have made the mistake of turning down a job that was offered to me at a time when I still had plenty of money in the bank, and when I needed one, because I ran out of savings and waited to the last moment to look for work, I couldn't find one. So you might want to think about working whenever the opportunity arises. Go to the supermarket to buy food and cook, instead of eating at restaurants three times a day, because that will quickly eat up your savings. Adrian and I had to learn that the hard way as well. Be smart, not lazy. Have fun but don't overdo it and it'll work out great. Of course the game changes when you've got kids to worry about and the whole life on the road is going to be a little more challenging. That's why we're currently living in a house, not a bus. If you don't have any kids yet and maybe only renting an apartment or better yet, still living with the parents, now is the time to do it.

Then there is the sense of freedom that comes with living on the road. There is nothing quite like it. It's addictive and once it stops, you never quite stop craving it. When you're traveling, you have nothing to worry about and nothing that is weighing you down. You simply get to live each day exactly the way you want to live it. You want to spend the whole day at the beach and do nothing at all? Done. You want to get in the car and see what the next town has to offer? Done. You want to stay somewhere for a while because you like the feel of the place and find work for a couple of weeks? Done. You are in charge of everything and you're free to do as you please. Again, as long as you're smart about making your money last. Also, I believe it's best to save up a few extra bucks before you leave for your extended trip, so you can buy a car right away. You can always get around by bus, train or hitchhiking but it's cheaper in the long run to drive your own car, especially because you can sell it at the end of your trip and get your money back, which is a nice cushion to have once you get back home to nothing. We've bought cars both in Australia and New Zealand. They weren't new and they were fairly cheap, but they got us to where we wanted to go and the process of buying and selling vehicles in those countries couldn't be easier. Also, the insurance is dirt cheap compared to Canada. It also gives you a lot more freedom to travel in your own car/van/camper. Here's why. I made the trip from Sydney to Byron Bay twice. Once by Greyhound and once by car with friends and would not recommend the first option. The trip on the Greyhound bus was an overnight drive and even though we stopped twice, we did so at rest stops right on the side of the highway and I didn't see anything on a 13 hour journey. The second time around we took 3 days to drive up the coast, stayed in the cutest little towns, visited a wildlife sanctuary, some beautiful beaches and even went on a dolphin cruise. I got to see the amazing scenery I had totally missed the first time around and it was just so much more fun and a lot more relaxed that way. And again, it's a lot cheaper to sleep in your car on a free camp site, than pay for accommodation at hostels. It's up to you, but just think about that when you're trying to figure out how much money you want to save up before you head out.

And last but not least, I love traveling because of the people you get to meet and the different cultures you get to learn about. I love the feeling of kinship and the instant connection you get when meeting other travelers, simply because only those people know exactly how you feel and what you're going through. You don't get to know the people in the country you're visiting by staying at a resort for a couple of weeks, not really talking to a single local other than the staff. Two weeks is not nearly long enough to get a sense of the culture and the values those people live by. I have met people from all around the world and it has definitely made me a more open minded and more tolerant person. You cannot judge a person by their origin alone and I have experienced this myself a lot. People saying things like "Hey, I heard you Germans are really boring and serious and angry all the time, but you're nothing like that," or "I thought you guys are all racist over there but you seem alright." Every country has its prejudices and after meeting so many different races and cultures I have to say, not many of them are true. I have met amazing people, some of them I'm still in contact with and some I'm not but will never forget. People who have left a lingering impression and some who have had a real impact on my life and I'm grateful for every single friend I got to make along the way.

Personally, I'll never forget the feeling of sitting in a car for days on end, just listening to music and taking in the scenery, with the windows down and feet up on the dash board, while the sun is shining on my face and not knowing where we're going to stop next or what's around the next corner. What I do know is that it's going to be beautiful and picture worthy, no matter where we stop and that I'm going to sleep like a baby and wake up happy the next morning, ready for another day of adventure and I miss it so much, I want to sell everything this instant and just buy four tickets to Thailand? South America? India? Who cares as long as it's warm. And this is why I want to travel with my children. Not just for the sake of showing them amazing places but because we, as parents, are so much happier and relaxed while living this kind of life, compared to being stressed out and moody all the time because we can't keep up with the bills. I want my children to remember us being happy while they were growing up. I want them to see us with smiling faces when they think back to their childhood, not us frowning and yelling and rushing all the time.

Now, I'm not saying that your life isn't a full one or that mine is better than yours because I have traveled and I do believe that not everyone is cut out for it. If you're absolutely happy and content with the way things are, don't change it and keep doing what you're doing. But if you have thought about leaving your life behind for a little while to see what the world has to offer you and are hungering for a taste of freedom, don't let anyone talk you out of it or hold you back. DO IT! You will not regret it and it will make your life so much richer. You will get to experience things nobody can take away from you. You'll get to tell those stories to your children and grandchildren one day, and let them know that you took the risk of doing something different and that it was the best decision you ever made.

Live. Laugh. Travel. Explore. Take chances. You only live once so why not make the most of it? If you have questions regarding traveling for several months at a time, don't hesitate to comment or email me. I promise I will answer as best and as fast as I can and maybe even give you that extra, little push you need to book that flight ticket to your dream destination.

If you have any lingering doubt about if we were truly happy while on the road, please just take a good look at us in the pictures above. Look at those smiling faces. They pretty much scream 'I'm on top of the world and love my life right now.' I'm hoping we get to capture many more smiling faces and add many more travel and adventure pages to our personal book of life, and I'm looking forward to sharing every one with you.

Patience is a virtue that doesn't come naturally to everyone. Tips and tricks about how to get through the low points of life gracefully and how to avoid a full-blown meltdown when patience is wearing thin

First off, I'd like to say that this is not a self-help blog and I'm not trying to fill the position of your self-help Guru. I'm simply trying to share some tips and tricks of getting through the ugly parts of life with your sanity intact and am trying to share my personal experiences, as is the point of a personal blog. So let's get to it.

 

As the days are growing shorter and darker, so does my temper and I'm quite certain I do suffer from a mild form of winter depression. I'm simply not as happy in the winter. I miss the sun on my face. I miss going out without having to dress the kids in 500 layers of clothing and I just get moody and depressed a lot easier than during the summer months. So no matter what kind of problems we're tackling at present, they seem a lot worse in the winter. One good thing about this cold and dreary season is that the weather allows Adrian to cut back on the workload, which in turn gives us a little more time to interact and talk. So the other night we had a power outage for several hours and as we were having a candle light dinner, munching on some burned pizza - I know romantic, right? - we were once again discussing our financial situation and the various future projects we'd like to tackle, preferably all at once. We talked and talked, trying to think about what needs doing first and how we would make it all work and by the end we were quite frustrated and truthfully, a little discouraged. Seems like anything we want to do goes hand in hand with something else we want to do, and we can't do one thing without first doing the other. Confusing? Let me make it a little clearer with a few examples, since I'm starting to confuse myself.

We need a nursery for Mia. She's currently still sleeping in our bedroom but seems to wake up every time somebody coughs, moves or farts and she doesn't sleep longer than 5 am. This is driving me nuts because I am only human, I do NEED sleep and it is my humble opinion that she would probably sleep a lot deeper and hopefully longer, were she to sleep in her own room. But if we turn our current bedroom into the nursery, where would the guests sleep? We do know a few people who are thinking of coming to visit next year - one of those is a family of four - and I do not want them sleeping on the pullout couch in the middle of our living room, where they would have to get up at 5am in the morning because my kids are running wild. Well, there is Sir Hendrix, but in order to make him livable, we'd have to invest a chunk of money as well. To resolve this issue, we'd have to insulate the sun-room and turn it into our master bedroom, which has been the plan all along. This way we could turn the current master bedroom into the nursery and we could keep the guest bedroom where it is.

Then there is the ongoing laundry issue. We currently have a brand new washer and dryer sitting in one of Adrian's parent's storage units - in great condition and perfectly functional - and yet I'm lugging two kids and baskets full of dirty laundry to the local laundromat, spending 40 bucks a week!!! simply because we have no space in our tiny home and don't know where to put them. The only way we could make it work is by renovating and rearranging the kitchen. We'd have to move our current entrance door, change the layout of the room and Adrian would have to build and add upper cabinets. But in order for him to do that, he'd need a place to work in. The issue with that is that workshops don't come cheap.

We also need to get a move on tearing out the ceilings in this place because they are disgusting. And I'm not talking about the visual aspect of it. I have made my peace with the fact that this house is not going to look great for a few more years. I'm talking about water damage and other gross stuff, I'd rather not get into. We also want to travel and see the world and have some fun with our family and GOD everything is just so frustrating when you don't know where to start. Can we not just win the lottery? Are we delusional? Are we setting ourselves up for disappointment by dreaming too big and setting unrealistic goals? I refuse to believe that. I believe there has got to be a way to have it all. We're not lazy people. We're working hard and think about our lives, trying to plan ahead and I believe you can make anything happen, if you have the right mindset. Sometimes I just wish somebody would come by and make a few decisions for us, because we don't seem to be very good at it. And sometimes I wish our debt would just magically disappear, so we can finally move on with our projects and live without that constant weight on our shoulders that is threatening to wear us down.

So whenever we feel like we've come to a point in our lives where nothing seems to move forward, we usually know it's time to sit down and brainstorm. Even if you don't come up with a solution to every single one of your problems, sometimes simply talking about it can get you some kind of relief and make you feel better. We usually do three things in addition to that.

• Make a budget - List all your expenses and see where exactly the money goes. Compare it to how much money you've got coming in each month and figure out where you still have some room to cut back on the spending and whether there is anything you don't really need but is merely a convenience.

• Make a list of priorities -talk about which issue is the most pressing and make sure you're on the same page and work towards the same goal, because sometimes you don't realize that something that is really important to you might not be that important to your better half and vice versa. Try to determine what really NEEDS immediate attention and what you would simply LIKE to get done but could do without for a little while longer.

• Plan ahead and have some patience - I'm not embarrassed to say that I've got a problem with being patient. I am simply not a patient person by nature. If I want something, I want it NOW and I've always been that way. I have yet to learn that good things take time. I have gotten a lot better over the years but sometimes Adrian does have to remind me, that we simply can't do something this instant just because I want it. In fact, every time I say, "But honey, I want it!" he starts singing 'You can't always get what you want' by The Rolling Stones which makes me want to smack him. Lucky for him, I try not to smack people on a regular basis. I have made some pretty dumb decisions in the past because I thought I'd have to have something right away and I have always shot myself in the foot by doing so. Everything I've done in my life that was fundamental and meaningful to me, has taken time, a lot of planning and patience and I think that's the way it should be. Otherwise you wouldn't appreciate what you have achieved and you would not be as proud of the outcome. It feels good to reach a goal when you have worked towards it for a while and I just need to remind myself of that whenever I get impatient and frustrated with a situation. 

Another thing that can be very helpful when you're in a funk is reminding yourself of the good things in your life. I do this quite a lot and it does work for me. I remind myself that despite the struggles we're facing as a one income family, we are incredibly fortunate in the big scheme of things. We own our own house and land. We always have a full fridge. We have two beautiful and healthy children. We have seen so much of this world already and have made incredible memories that no one can take from us. We have family that loves and supports us. Good friends. We have each other, which is not something you should take for granted. So many people out there spend their whole life not finding a loving partner they can share everything with, never knowing what it feels like to be with someone that supports and loves and understands you. We've got enough money to own a pet and even though he can be a BIG pain in the butt, we still love that little fella a lot. Life would be a lot less stressful and so much more relaxing without Rocky but how boring would that be? I mean, who doesn't want high blood pressure and who would I yell at all day? Probably the kids and that simply wouldn't do. Socially less acceptable, I suppose. A couple of weeks ago he went through a phase and ate three pairs of my panties and one of my socks which gave me the perfect excuse to go shopping again. The neighbors wouldn't call at six in the morning, asking me to call him home because he's being too excited while playing and is beating up their puppy, which would mean less social interaction. So I just want to take this opportunity to say thank you Rocky, for keeping our lives colorful and interesting.

Long story short. Whenever you're feeling frustrated, depressed or hopeless and you just don't know how to move on and get past this low point in your life, remind yourself that things have a way of falling into place when you least expect it. Keep working towards whatever it is you want to achieve and don't give up. Just like I've said in my post about Sir Hendrix's journey home, the things you work the hardest for will happen eventually. Stay positive and count your blessings. Also, try to find pleasure in the little things in life, like the smile of one of your children or a nice day with a friend you haven't seen in a while or a simple walk in nature. Sunday morning, for example, I was in a terrible mood. Mia was up at five am and I was tired and simply not feeling too great and that's ok. It happens, we're not machines after all. When Adrian got up we all went for a walk in the woods and we had so much fun. It was good to get out and breathe in some fresh air and I felt like a million bucks afterwards.  Here are some pictures of that little excursion.

We are also very grateful for the fact that we will be able to go on a three week long holiday this winter to visit the Grandparents down in Florida. It will be the first long stretch on the road with both our children AND the dog and will be a great test for whether or not we're cut out for this kind of life. Yes we have been there before and yes we would love to go and see other places but we can't afford that right now. So instead of moaning over how unfair it is that we can't go wherever we want to go, we are incredibly grateful for the fact that we get to go on vacation at all. We'll be seeing things on the way, get to spend some quality family time and get to be with the people we love for Christmas and best of all, it will be warm and sunny.

There are days, especially as a stay at home mother where you think you're going crazy and you don't know how much longer you'll be able to hold on to your sanity. I'll be quite honest with you, I feel like throwing myself on the floor sometimes and just cry for days on end. It can be tough and emotionally draining and the patience of a saint doesn't seem like enough when dealing with two young children on your own. So you need to find things you can do to calm yourself and avoid a meltdown. For me these things work best.

• Wear headphones and drown out the screaming - There are days when Mia is so fussy I can barely stand it and no matter what I do, she'll scream and scream and scream. I dare say there is not much that grates on your nerves more than a wailing baby and after a few hours of this, I can feel my control slipping. Now, before I do something I would later regret I simply wear headphones and start listening to music loud enough to drown her out. It won't make her stop, but nothing will when she's in a mood and you can still interact with her and take care of her. You simply won't be forced to listen to her hysteric wailing and if you look at a screaming baby, but can't actually hear it, it does look quite comical. It always lifts my spirits and still allows me to take care of my children without subsiding to hysterical screaming myself.

• Close your eyes and breathe - Sounds almost too simple to be true but it works. Just closing your eyes for a few seconds here and there and consciously breathe deeply will make a world of difference.

• Make sure your kids are safe (in a crib or strapped into a high chair) and simply remove yourself from the situation for a few minutes - I don't do this very often but if both children are having a bad day and have decided it would be fun to find out just how far they can push me before I'll lose my ever-loving mind, I will do what I have to in order not to hurt them and that includes stepping outside for a few minutes to collect myself. I won't go for a thirty minute walk or meet a friend for a cup of coffee while they're sitting in their highchairs, patiently waiting for my return, but I will leave the house and throw a stick for the dog for a couple of minutes before going back in to face them again. I will NOT let them see what they're doing to me! Don't let them see how much you're struggling. Children can smell your fear and they will NOT stop kicking when you're down. 

Wow, I just now realize that this is a lot to take in so I'll stop, because I know I could go on like that forever. I do hope that this will help some of you get through the more ugly parts of life with grace and will leave it at that. Keep breathing everyone and try not to strangle your children. They will come in handy once you're old and not in control of yourself or your bodily functions anymore. Oh, payback will taste ever so sweet. 

Miracles DO happen...

I can't believe I'm actually getting to say this, since I had almost given up hope, but I'm happy to announce that Sir Hendrix has finally been moved. After weeks and weeks of talking to the tow truck guys and the bus owners almost daily, trying to get somebody to go over there and do it, we finally had a nice sunny day yesterday and got the call we've been praying for. Adrian was so excited. He's been so fed up with the whole thing, he was ready to just tell the owners to keep it and move on. I kept telling him it would be foolish to give up now, since we had already invested so much time and money into trying to get it going and that his persistence would eventually pay off. Luckily he does listen to what I have to say once in a while and stuck with it. So, here's a nice little life lesson for you. If you want something really bad, it most likely won't come easy. You've got to work hard for the things you want the most and if you are persistent and don't give up, even if you want to do just that, it will happen. Here's some proof of that statement. A picture of Sir Hendrix all ready to be loaded up and ready to head to his new home.

 

I wish I could've been there to witness it all, but I had more exciting things to do. I had the pleasure of doing two weeks worth of laundry at the local laundromat and after that, I got to do the groceries. Yay me! Here's the kids making the best of day full of tedious chores.

 

Back to Sir Hendrix who's being hooked onto the tow truck in this next picture. 

AND he's finally on the road. After standing on a lot for 8 long years he finally got to go on a 60 km long drive on scenic roads on the most beautiful, sunny day we've had in weeks. Nothing but blue skies. I think he's smiling in this next picture, but I can't be sure since I can't find my glasses. Last time I saw them, Noah was trying to put them on the dogs' behind.

Adrian followed the whole way. Now, I wasn't there but I'm pretty sure he was smiling the whole time. Either that or praying he wouldn't have to witness one off Sir Hendrix's tires falling off. I know I was anxious until he called me and said that the bus had been parked at the local mechanics for the winter, where they will check him out and hopefully tell us it won't be to expensive to get him running smoothly again. A girl can dream, right?

And this is the beginning of what I like to call 'The Sir Hendrix experience'. I will keep you guys up to date on any news from the mechanics regarding Sir Hedrix's condition and will hopefully let you know soon, whether we will turn him into our future mobile home or our new stationary guest house. Either way, we're very much looking forward to his transformation and are very excited about this new project we get to sink our teeth into. Sometimes it is nice when things fall into place, especially when these things are free.

PS: I'm also happy to announce that Broody and her gang have started laying again and just in time, too. Adrian refused to let me buy eggs at the store considering we've got 5 chickens in our backyard, which is understandable but annoying, since I love eggs and was really starting to get quite agitated. I couldn't eat my beloved egg sandies in the morning, I couldn't bake and I couldn't make pancakes or french toast for the kids. In two words, it stank. But this week has taught me once again that patience pays off and when it does, it feels so much better because you've been waiting for it for so long. So please people, don't butcher your chickens when they stop laying, as I have suggested a couple of times, but show a little kindness and patience. After all, Christmas is coming up soon.

Winter chicken coop - check!

So, the sistahood has been successfully moved into their new crib and they are happy as can be. As I have said before, we had an old run-down shed at the back of our property we didn't really have any use for, so Adrian has beefed it up a wee bit, insulated it, put a heat-lamp in, built a bunch of laying boxes, put a window in, created a little chicken playground with various ramps and roosts, threw a bunch of straw around and voila - new sistahood head-quarters are off the to-do-list.

It's one less thing we have to worry about and a big weight off our shoulders since we started feeling pretty bad for not getting them out of the cold weather sooner. But time is money and we don't really have either :-) Anyways, it's done now, the girls are pleased and have been clucking happily ever since they've moved in. It was so much fun to watch them check out their new home. We've also bought some ground oyster-shells to provide them with some extra calcium and hopefully their water won't freeze anymore. Right now it's getting dark here at around 5 pm so we're leaving the light on for them until we go to bed, usually anywhere between 10 and 11 pm, which gives them about 14-15 hours of light. We're staying positive and expect them to start laying again very soon. One of them has started molting which, as I have explained in my previous post, is the process of shedding old feathers to grow new ones and every time I look at her I can't stop laughing. Poor thing does definitely not look pretty right now. I've tried taking a picture for you guys but she got real cranky and told me to get out of her house. Guess it's understandable. I don't really like having my picture taken on a bad hair day, either. Hopefully she'll get through this no problem and will be able to supply us with eggs again very soon. We're happy we got it done and won't have to worry about our gals freezing anymore. It's one less thing at the back of our minds and we're ready to move on to the next job. There's always something that needs doing around here after all.

Here are some pictures of Broody and her homegirls.

 

Hopefully the next good thing I can write about is going to be the move of Sir Hendrix, since the weather has been fairly mild these past few days. I will keep you guys in the loop.