Tag: California

Summer’s end, autumn start….

September 9th, 2024

Most of the time, I do not follow crowds or trends.

I do not care to keep up with the Joneses (who were the “Joneses” this phrase is coined upon? Anyone know?) or to be busy 24/7 to appease the social media gods, except for two seasons a year, fall and winter.

You can chalk me up to a basic, flannel wearing, apple picking fall lover (except that APPLE CINNAMON is the superior flavor/scent. NOT pumpkin spice! I said what I said!)

Leaves changing in Nebraska.

I do love summer, to a point. I love being on the water, in a boat, fishing, hiking etc. But to me, summer is all about go, go, go. Do this, go here, do that, see this, non stop for 3 months. (That is how life FLIES by. When you are always living for the next minute instead of living in the moment you are in. If you don’t believe me, look at your kids.) And to “have fun” in 110º weather for Lord knows how many days in a 90 day period??? Where is the fun in trying to become dehydrated beef jerky??!

Fall & winter, though? They are my favorite seasons because the weather (depending on what location you are in for fall, sorry Southern California) forces everyone to slow down. To stop and breathe, maybe even clear your calendars.

In the summer, when you are sweating your water weight out of your pores, you can only take so much off before it becomes indecent exposure and someone is scarred for life. No thank you.

But after September, you can bundle up with as many layers as you need to be cozy and comfortable. When did we replace comfort with busyness in our lives?

I understand working in mentioned weather is not appealing to almost anyone, my husband reminds me of this often, but close your eyes and picture for me….

You walk into your warm home after a long day in the cold, to sit with your family, wrapped up in a blanket, with a warm bowl of stew, watching a movie with your babies, joining in on the laughter, forgetting about the outside world and all of its many issues.

Isn’t that the point? Your home and your family is to be your safe space, your comfort haven, the source of the warmth for your soul. Fall and winter help deepen that warmth in your soul, in more ways that physically.

The seasons shed their former colors for new ones every few months. Along with that comes a plethora of changes. God is showing us it is ok to change with the season. It is ok to shed the old, unwanted and unnecessary because you will be born as you should. So then why are we afraid? When changes, if you let it, can lead to something beautiful.

As the leaves change here in Southeast Nebraska, I find myself looking back on the past 2 years of traveling, appreciating that we embraced the change God put in front of us, knowing He always has our best interests close to His heart. He is good!

Montana was breathtaking for the summer. So much wildlife, terrain and history to explore in the 41st state of our union. With 56 state parks to explore (man, we should have got out more), Montana is the 4th largest state by area but remains the 8th least populated state in the country, it takes a special bread of old soul to live and thrive in west Montana.

East Montana is, as best that I can describe it (also depends on what part of East Montana) either Hippie Headquarters (Helena) or Western Barbie (Bozeman). I wish I was kidding, but I am far from it. Regardless, it is a treasure you must experience, for the breathtaking views if not the people, at least once in your life.

Fort Peck Lake, Montana.

If you want to live life like when the “West Was Won”, West Montana is calling your name. (You probably can’t hear it because they don’t have cell service in a lot of areas and probably still use pony express for as long as Amazon took to get to us but they are calling you!) But there is a particular kind of beauty in an area where time stands still, there’s not a Starbucks in 100 miles, let alone a Walmart, where yesteryear knocks on your door, asking you to come live the way your ancestors did, slow, steady, with meaning.

Every Sunday, while we were in West Montana, we would go fishing at Fort Peck Lake and it was glorious, peaceful and absolutely wonderful, with or without fish being caught. Our Sunday tradition eventually included another wonderful family who grew to become part of our family. It was a day each of us would looking forward to and a tradition (and part of our family) we miss everyday. I can’t help but think that this is how God intended our Sabbath to be practiced.

Easy like Sunday Mornin!

Looking back on the 2 years we have been on the road, we have met so many amazing people, had many laughs around a campfire or a picnic table, many serious conversations that have led to realizing no matter where you are in the world, no matter your age, race, or gender, we all have the same problems, worries and fears. And you can always find someone to walk with you through the storms. You are never alone, if you don’t want to be.

God pushes for your story to change because He places people, places and things in our path for growth. There is still so much to learn and so many places to see (yes, even in our own country) and so many people to meet that all of this could change your world for the better, if you let it. You just have to accept the offer God is giving you and trust in His timing.

Embracing His word while listening to the world around me.

The leaf changes colors and falls from its home gracefully, knowing there is a bigger picture to be seen.

God is Good always! Trust in Him and you shall see the change.
How much?

June 14th, 2024

Dearest gentle reader….just joking as I am on a Bridgerton binge and it got me thinking that I have not posted on our blog in some time. Apologies, as I have come to live in the moment of our family adventures and not so much posting about them. But there have been adventures and many more to come.

But this blog post won’t be focused on our adventures…but yours.

To start off, hello from the “Big Sky” state or the “Treasury” state, Montana!! As we enjoyed the southwest area of the United States, almost one full year of going back and forth from California to Texas and back was more than enough! Mind you, it was in the same areas of each state….along I-40 (I am sure you can imagine the boredom!!) So being told we were headed to Montana was a welcome change!

If you have not been to the Big Sky state, PUT. IT. ON. YOUR. BUCKET. LIST. Spacious, green, beautiful mountain ranges and some of the nicest people. A state that respects the ground God gave them along with the people as well. And the food!! Montanans pride themselves (as they should!) for homegrown, local ingredients in their food and boy, can you tell a difference.

But be prepared to experience all 4 seasons (and more) with a 24 hour period!!

For my 34th birthday in May, all I wanted was to go to Glacier National Park and it was the best birthday yet! We had planned to tent camp (see previous paragraph about the weather) but ended up renting a cabin at the local KOA in St. Mary’s, only 1 mile from the National Park entrance. I could not have asked for a better, relaxing and enjoyable birthday exploring and appreciating God’s work.

But I have noticed something in particular in the 3 national parks we have been to in the two years on the road (Grand Canyon, Zion & Glacier). I have seen more foreigners visiting our National Parks than Americans.

I do not mean this in an insulting way. I am all for anyone and everyone who respects this country to come and enjoy what we have to offer! What I mean by my previous statement is that there is a huge percentage of Americans who have not been given or taken the opportunity to truly enjoy our homeland. We have been conditioned to work our bones to death and only take breaks on the weekends to get things done that have been neglected in our home/lives, only to wake up and it be Monday again. Going through this vicious cycle for 40+ years until we are possibly too old to travel.

We have accepted that our knowledge of our country is only to be obtained through social media or books.

Raise your hand if you remember learning (albeit, briefly) about Lewis & Clark & Sacagawea? **raised my hand** Raise your hand if you remember WHAT you learned exactly? **crickets**

Where we are located right now in Montana is Lewis & Clark county. You can’t drive a few miles without seeing something referencing these historic figures, whether it’s a motel, caverns, museums, part of the trail they took while navigating through the Rocky Mountains.

I honestly had not given these historic figures much though throughout my life until we were stationed here in Montana. But stopping to take a look around and to think, these three people WALKED with no pavement, no car, no GPS, trees galore, all to be but forgotten has made me sad. We learn about them in History class for a week but don’t truly appreciate what they did for us to be who and what we are today until you come up to Montana and see it for yourself.

It makes you feel small and sadly, weak. How we rely on Amazon, restaurants, frozen dinners, etc., with zero ambition to change the world or at least experience it because we have been conditioned that what we are doing is enough.

How many national parks have you seen in your lifetime?

How many historical places have you visited to pay respects too?

We went to an old western town/ghost town called “Virginia City” and it was a sight to be seen. Most of it was closed until after Memorial Day but we got to peak into the dilapidated yet frozen in time buildings that have stood for centuries to give us a glimpse of what it was like before everything was modernized. Back when America was strong.

A mile down the road was a forgotten ghost town called “Nevada City” where they dredged for gold in Alder Gulch.

Before I get too much into that story, most people don’t stop and think that every single state, city, town, road, all connect and build this amazing country of ours. So most people don’t pay any mind to history anymore as centuries ago has nothing to do with them….when in reality, it has EVERYTHING to do with them. Once you remember that, you will remember to be grateful again. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming…..

Have you ever heard of Alder Gulch? How about Nevada City, Montana? No? Ok how about an easy one. Have you ever heard of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

What is the correlation, you ask? In the early 20th century, $126.7 million (in today’s prices) was dredged from Alder Gulch in Nevada City, Montana and sent to help fund Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 2,412.6 miles away. Still think all history doesn’t connect and mean something today?

Our country is something to be proud of. The world is ever evolving and it is a vicious cycle of the older people hating what the younger people are doing/wear/saying etc. But allow me to give you small spoiler alert, the younger generation will eventually be the older generation who hates the younger generation.

Every time I write a blog post, it helps me to be grateful for the opportunity my family and I have been given to travel the country. To experience it and appreciate it. Yes, I do understand we were given a rare opportunity but it was an opportunity we could have missed out on. How many opportunities have you missed out on due to fear or some other excuse? You don’t know what you could have had otherwise if you stay in your comfort zone. I always say, “your comfort zone will kill you”.

Something we have learned through experience, which is, no offense, way more credible than anything you have read on Facebook, or watching on YouTube, is this…..

OUR COUNTRY IS NOT AS DIVIDED AS THE MEDIA WOULD HAVE YOU BELIEVE!

Call me crazy or full of bologna (yes, I just sang the jingle to type “bologna”…Thank you, Oscar Meyer!) but I have seen a lot and it still has only been a small portion, but I have seen enough to know that Americans are all mad and we are more alike and united than social media would have you believe. But you can believe what you would like, real life experiences or your social media feed because you would rather live vicariously through someone else and by extension, believe what they believe.

Instead, why don’t you get out and see for yourself! Take one trip a year! Plan in advance to pay for it ahead of time, a little at a time. When Keegan was at his previous employers, we weren’t making anything. I was only able to stay home with my babies because they gave us company housing. Blessed, yes, but without that, I would have been working for daycare. But we still were living paycheck to paycheck. Regardless, we still went to New Orleans, San Antonio, the mountains every year, Lake Tahoe, etc. How? Because I planned ahead and payed a little at a time.

AND. IT. WAS. WORTH. IT.

You don’t have to do the expensive, fun extracurriculars to post on social media. You don’t have to eat at the finest restaurants. My favorite trip was when Keegan took me to Santa Fe for a weekend. $300 to our name to get there and back (our hotel was already paid for **thankfully**) but our first night was a 6 pack and burritos from Allsups (IYKYK) and we went to a piano bar the next night for dinner and an amazing show! The rest of the time was walking around and enjoying just living. No souvenirs, no spa days, no extra activities. Just walking around and enjoying each others company.

Another piece of advice….

TAKE YOUR KIDS WITH YOU! It shapes them into amazing little humans. Yes, trips with your spouse or adult only trips are great occasionally but your kids deserves excitement and breathtaking views too!

It is not worth to work your life away only to travel and enjoy life after retirement. You can not bet on your health, or your expenses, or if the places you really want to see will still be there at that time. You can’t even bet if YOU will be around when you retire. You can always replace the money you spend. You never know how much time you have. So spend your time wisely as it is more precious than gold!

Let me ask you one last question. If you were guaranteed to be around for your grandchildren. Would you have any amazing stories to tell about your adventures and experiences?
Holy S*%#, where’s the Tylenol?

November 5th, 2023

I have been blessed for 33 years to be generally healthy. With the exception of being born with severe asthma, one major car accident in 2005 and 3 births, any injury or illness has always been minuscule.

I was born in Denver, CO and with high elevation comes issues for a lot of people. I was born with a severe case of asthma but otherwise, healthy. I was hospitalized often and had steroids pumped in me like it was oxygen. Looking back at baby pictures, I can barely tell the difference between myself and the marshmallow man (I was significantly tanner, so I knew who was who :)).

Once my mom moved us to the Oklahoma Panhandle (of all places, Mom, really? No man’s land??! **slaps forehead**), my respiratory issues disappeared….

Until October 31, 2023.

I was released from Western Arizona Medical Center on November 2, diagnosed with pneumonia and (you guessed it) asthma. I wound up having a severe asthma attack in Panda Express after taking the kids trick or treating while my husband was at work. There was no emotional trigger because, let’s be honest here, I was in Panda Express and the only emotions allowed in PE is hunger and happiness!!! And no, I didn’t get a chance to order my beef and broccoli and I’m pretty peeved about that….

My life is my husband and my children. Nothing else. I do not have a 9-5. I bring in no income. But I change the world. So to watch the horror, worry and fear in my girls’ eyes as they watch their mom stop breathing in front of them is a nightmare I hope no one ever endures. The strength my oldest displayed was beyond this world and while I am so proud she possesses that strength, I pray that she never had to be strong for her mother again. Both of my girls had face makeup on for their costumes (my oldest was the female Michael Myers ((we called her Michaela Myers)) and she had smeared makeup and blood splatter on her face and my youngest daughter was a scarecrow with stitches and patches all over her face and body) and it was gone by 10 pm from all of the crying. My son is too young to understand but he was worried (he kept telling the nurses that mom had a heart attack).

ALL parents need a break occasionally. I am with my children 24/7. It is rare we are around friends and family. And even if we are, we rarely take them up on their offer to watch the kids for a bit for us (we were just in College Station, TX, where my mom, brother, and nephew live and we were given the option for a babysitter for a weekend and never took my mom up on it. Yes, we are dumb sometimes.) When I say break, I was thinking nails or a salon day, not a hospital stay!!!!!!

But I believe God gave me the break I NEEDED.

2 days of silence.

2 days of loneliness.

2 days full of tears as I replayed over and over again hearing my middle child keep telling the nurses and doctor that she doesn’t want her mom to die.

2 days of my husband and children visiting me and each time they left, my children cried and begged to not leave me, knowing they didn’t have a choice and I had to watch them leave, knowing I couldn’t go with them or comfort them.

Life is unbelievably short. We all know this but we don’t think about it until something happens to make us think about reality. We hide behind our phones, laptops and filters, but in the end, NONE of that matters.

Your income DOES NOT MATTER. You can always live below your means and you should.

Brands, price tags, likes and follows DO NOT MATTER!

Yes, you look great. You drive the nicest car, eat at the fanciest restaurants, have the biggest house on the block. But are you a good person?

Anything is possible with money except the things that are the most important in life. It costs NOTHING to be a good person. It costs NOTHING to be a good parent.

In this day and age of social media, we are programmed to believe that in order to be a good parent, you HAVE to take your children to Disney World every year, ON Christmas Day, WITH the fast pass, or you failed. We are programmed to believe that to be a good wife, you have to be fit, with the top of the line makeup, clothes and purses, always have your house in tip top shape and be prepared to upgrade that house every few years. You know, gotta keep up with the Joneses.

So we follow TikTok more than God. We are quick to judge others (or ourselves) because of a TikTok reel or Facebook post, when God’s love has never judged us. Why would I want to follow and live my life like an influencer who doesn’t even know I exist when God has loved me unconditionally since my first heartbeat? Why would I want to buy the next trend that will be out of style in a week when Jesus’ love never goes out of style??

I spoke to God a lot while I was alone in the hospital. I thanked him for saving my life while giving me the scared straight tactic I needed to get my life in order.

I will no longer worry about the newest trend when the breath in my lungs (pun intended) and the love in my home matters more (and it’s free). I will no longer fight with my husband about nonsense when in the end, he is my rock (I’ll try not to be his hard place LOL). He went above and beyond for the babies (and for me) but seeing him walk into the ER room with tears and worry in his eyes as he watched the nurses poke and pry on me while I just lay there is something I refuse to do again. I vow to start taking better care of myself as I only have ONE life to live and I will make it count where it matters most, in my home!

But my biggest vow is to always be present with my family. Every day. Embrace the mess as it will be there later, your children, eventually will not. They will grow up and start their own life, with you on the sidelines, watching firsthand at what YOU TAUGHT THEM WHEN THEY WERE GROWING UP. They are always watching, learning and imitating, even when you think they aren’t. So make sure you are teaching them the important things in life.

God and happiness, not bronzer and eyelashes. Laughter and memories, not Starbucks and likes!

This is how I will do my part in changing this scary world we live in. Thank you to the nurses and doctors for helping me get better after that scary time. Thank you to all of my friends and family for getting ahold of me, but if I am honest, I am sad it took a tearful, scary post to hear from y’all! And I know I am just as much to blame in the silence.

But thank you so much to my husband. He works so hard for us and he never wavered in strength for me or our babies. God sure has blessed me.

God is Good. Let’s change the world with what matters.
A Year in the Life – Reflection

August 13th, 2023

It has been a hot minute since I have updated the world on the Culver Family Adventures, we have covered a lot of miles in 6-ish months! Take a ride down memory lane with me….buckle up!

Women’s bathroom sign at Damacios Bar & Tapas in Albuquerque!

We agreed when we decided this was going to be our new lifestyle that after one full year on the road, we would sit down and assess the last 365 days, and countless miles, and decide whether or not to continue this nomadic lifestyle. Not just a mental health checkup, if you will, for Keegan and I, but the kids especially.

We have been on the road one full year as of August 11th (can you believe it??? Seems like it has only been a few weeks….) and we can say for certain, it was the best decision we made since deciding to keep the kids (Calm down. It was a joke….:)).

Bushnell, Illinois – Sept 2022

We all know the Lord works in mysterious ways and as he would have it, Keegan received a call from his previous employer asking if he would be interested in coming back, which was humbling, but we could’t help but laugh at the timing. It is like God is telling us that if we are going to reflect on the previous 12 months, we need to be reminded why we made this decision in the first place.

We have been together for almost 11 years, married for the last two. We have been through hell and back and then all over again. We have had many laughs, many tears, and so many memories in between. But we have traveled more miles in the last 12 months as a family than in the last 10 years before August 11, 2022 and we are blessed.

Authentic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza – and that was a medium!!!!!! Highly recommend Giordanos!

We have been to Illinois, Missouri, west to California, to New Mexico, Texas, Arizona, back to New Mexico, Colorado, back to (take a guess!) New Mexico. Basically if you were to hand a crayon to a toddler and give him/her a map of the Southwest United States of America to doodle all over, that would be our breadcrumbs of where we have been the last 6 months. I know I-40 and Route 66 in the southwest region like the back of my hand, I almost put in another change of address (don’t worry, I came to my senses!!)

We spent a few weeks in Fort Sumner, NM after leaving the west coast, home of Billy the Kid. If you ever get the chance, stop through that quaint little town and step back into the wild west, go to the Billy the Kid Museum and then head south to see his grave. He lies 6 feet in the ground, under a cement pad, encased in a locked cage. Why you may ask? Because his headstone kept being stolen….

Billy the Kid’s grave in Fort Sumner, NM

People have been curious about true crime from the beginning.

After Fort Sumner, we were able to go “home” for almost 2 months, to Amarillo, Texas. It was nice to be able to see family as much as possible.

Roadkill Cafe in Seligman, Arizona.

After our pitstop home, we were sent back west on I-40 to a “quirky” (their word, definitely not mine) town west of Flagstaff, Arizona called Seligman, Arizona, the birthplace of Route 66, the road that is in better shape today than I-40 just one mile south. “A vibrant slice of Americana” – visitarizona.com, it is an interesting play to stop for the day, but 1 month was a stretch. But….

76 miles east and 46 miles south of Seligman is Sedona, Arizona, a gem in this country that EVERYONE needs to see, even for those who are not outdoor enthusiasts. We took a day trip and it was well worth every second. The drive from Flagstaff to Sedona is the perfect trek in a convertible or a motorcycle, slow and full of switchbacks and breathtaking views you must see to believe. We hiked 4 miles up to Devil’s bridge and had a picnic on a rock, overlooking the area. Take my word for it, put Sedona on your bucket list.

Devils Bridge Trail, Sedona, Arizona.

After Seligman, we had a brief stop in Williams, Arizona where my grandpa highly recommended we ride the train north to the Grand Canyon (we were entertained with live music to and from and even had “bandits” stop our train and “rob” us as they did in the Wild West. Jax was a hero and ran to tell the sheriff and helped him catch the bandits!!).

“There will never be a photograph of the Grand Canyon that can adequately describe it’s depth, breadth and true beauty”
Stefanie Payne

Time stands still at the Grand Canyon. Your problems and worries (except the sheer terror of the possibility of falling to a most certain death) fade away when you are there because her beauty is captivating. Thank you, President Theodore Roosevelt, for establishing the Grand Canyon as a National Monument and President Woodrow Wilson, for establishing it as a National Park to preserve its beauty for my family and I to see 120 years later. This is proof that your choices shape the world for future generations.

South Entrance of the Grand Canyon

Next was a week in Winslow, Arizona (yes, we listened to the Eagles. We took it easy and we stood on the corner….if you don’t understand, just…go away!) then we rode off into the sunset to Albuquerque.

Let’s just say….it was there. Albuquerque is an experience. If you know, you know. If you don’t, consider yourself lucky and keep it that way.

We were able to leave the blue state of NM for a brief second to head to Rocky Ford, CO and see my dad for a minute and eat some amazing fruit from the local farmers markets only just turn back around and head to Raton….which brings us to today.

The view from the top of Capulin Volcano in Raton, NM

No matter how many times we have had to come back to New Mexico, this last year has been priceless. We have met so many amazing people, many of which will be life long friends and we have had so many experiences that Keegan and I are so blessed to be able to share with our children, most more than likely wouldn’t have happened had we not decided to take the plunge and leave our comfort zone.

“There is no growth in the comfort zone.”
Jocko Willink

Change is always scary, big or small, but beautiful things can come out of change, you just have to be open to the possibilities. It was terrifying making such a drastic change that affected every part of our life but looking back, we wouldn’t trade it for the world. Looking in our rearview mirror to appreciate the last year has us looking forward to the miles ahead and excited to find out what adventures await the Culver Family.

Time sure flies when you’re having fun….and it’s true! God is Good!

Sugarite State Park, Raton, NM.
When you don’t want to….that’s when you should.

January 31st, 2023

California is like a coin. There are two sides to it. The north is full of trees and water while the south is the desert and dry (with the exception of Los Angeles, it is green). The north is slow and spacious while the south is bustling and overflowing. Which is better is a personal opinion.

We have always said, for years, that we never wanted to go to California unless it was for the National Parks.

The irony? We spent our honeymoon in Lake Tahoe, California. It is barely in California, but in California none-the-less (and it is stunning! Not one regret, minus the McDonald’s with no drive thru).

So when we were told in October that we would be leaving the Midwest to head as far west as we could go, we were not enthused. But we knew it was part of the job.

Our time in Bakersfield was relatively uneventful, not by choice but because of the constant chaos and the expensive cost of living. Constant police/ambulance/firetruck sirens day in, day out. Nightly laps from the police helicopter around our campground at least once, if not more. A week or two before we left, there was a 7 hour police standoff with a pedophile just 1 mile from our campground, an area of town I frequented often. We were ready to leave.

On top of an already unnerving experience in Bakersfield, we watched the KOA we were staying at, quickly go downhill due to poor management. This lifestyle is all about freedom and Bakersfield KOA is trying to ruin that for a lot of people. The campground was full when we got there in November, and when we left on the last full week of January, it wasn’t even a 1/4 of the way full. 6 pages of rules with small font, and they enforce every. single. one of them. A complete power trip. If we wanted a lifestyle with a bunch of rules, we would live in a community with an HOA. We do not recommend spending one penny there.

We are now just south of Sacramento, the entry way of wine country, and I couldn’t be more happy. If I am going to be in California, why not be in wine country, surrounded by forests and mountains….and wine drunk LOL!

We have been living this lifestyle for 5 months now, 3 of those months have been spent in California and to me, that is also complete irony. God humbling us. Telling us, “although you say you don’t want to be here, watch this”. We have met some of the greatest people during our stay in Bakersfield.

You know you have been somewhere too long when your kids know and love some of the people who work at the campground by name (shout out to you, Ray!!), you know your neighbors and their dogs (willow, cotton, WAYLON!!) and your heart is ripped out of your chest when you have to say good-bye to friends who have grown into family, thanks to God putting you in places you never wanted to be but He knew you needed to be there, whether that’s in a crime ridden town or having your tank explode in your camper (not ours, but that how we met some forever friends).

We think we know what we want, where we want to be, who we want to be. But do we? Honestly? They say “if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans.” And boy, has he been laughing.

We are learning that the beauty of this lifestyle is that there are no rules. No strings. The possibilities are endless of where we want to end up. And we are learning to embrace the possibilities. And we have never been happier. But it is not this lifestyle that grants us the freedom of life, it is God that gives us a life of freedom. The freedom to choose who, what, when, where and our why to life. You are not stuck. You can always choose change and change can be good! Change is exhilarating and liberating. Life is short. Why not live it to the fullest?

Did you ever sit and listen to the elders at the coffee shop, always telling stories? If you didn’t, you missed out for sure. But if you did, then you remember the captivating grip they had on their friends (and those eavesdropping around them) because THEY HAVE LIVED LIFE WELL. They didn’t just work and go home. They lived this life to the fullest, and so should you! Society is slowly teaching us to work and go home. That that is what “life” is. It is not.

One of my favorite movies is “Eat. Pray. Love” starring the amazing and stunning Julia Roberts. (If you haven’t seen it, RUN, do not walk, and watch it ASAP!!) While in Rome, Liz (Roberts) is told by Luca Spaghetti (yes, can’t make this up),

You feel guilty because you are American. You don’t know how to enjoy yourself….it’s true. Americans know entertainment but don’t know pleasure….Americans! You work too hard, you get burned out. Then you come home and spend the whole weekend in your pajamas in front of the TV….But you don’t know pleasure. You have to be told you earned it. You see a commercial that says “It’s Miller Time!” and you say “That’s right! Now I’m going to buy a 6 pack” and drink the whole thing and you wake up the next morning feeling terrible. But an Italian doesn’t have to be told. He walks by a sign that says “You deserve a break today!” and he says “Yeah I know. That why I am planning on taking a break at noon to go over to your house and sleep with your wife!”

That the moral of life. Besides making me want to go to Italy and Bali (not so much India but I’d go given the opportunity), this movie makes you think of what society has molded you to think life was and how much you miss out on because you don’t feel you deserve it or “can’t” afford it. YOU CAN AND YOU SHOULD. Most people are not happy with what they define as pleasure. Why? Because what we define as pleasure is only temporary when we should figure out what our permanent pleasure is. THAT is what makes a happy life.

Start collecting amazing stories to tell your grandkids. Make memories that create a life well-lived instead of just a life lived. God gave you this ONE life to live, why not LIVE?! Why choose to be miserable thanks to what society says when you can be happy based on your preferences? God is good and YOU ARE WORTH IT.
79 days and 2,997 miles

November 8th, 2022

We have been called many things in 79 days. Nomads, gypsies, crazy, blessed. The list goes on and I am certain it will only keep growing.

While I like the terms “nomads” and “gypsies”, and I resonate most with “crazy” (I mean, 3 kids, ranging from ages 4-11 in a 43 ft. fifth wheel staying, as Keegan has grown to saying “anywhere from 24 hours to 3 months“, in one location LOL. I only wish he were joking.) What I have come to believe is that we are, in fact, blessed.

Living in the panhandle of both Oklahoma and Texas, there is not a lot there. The term “growth” is almost non existent for many things, from personal growth to the growth of vegetation without countless hours of extra and hard work, that to which not everyone is capable of producing with only a handful of bountiful careers available, the options are scarce. “Comfort” can be found anywhere. Comfort was found in the panhandle by not knowing any different, at least it was for my family and me. It was safe, staying in the panhandle. Our family was near. We had friends. We knew the people, the crime rate, the schools, etc.

I am humble enough to know that without my hometown, I would not be who I am or have what I have and for that, I will always be grateful but I am more than confident that my children deserve more than what little my hometown has to give them.

Stepping out of the only comfort zone Keegan and I had ever known was not easy, but day by day, it has proven to be the best decision we have ever made. Not just for us individually, but for our family as a whole, as well.

Growing up in the panhandle, you accept how it is and if you choose, attempt, with what little control you have, to change what you can. The holidays in our home town has always felt, for lack of a better term, bleak. No one goes all out. You don’t feel the holiday spirit, whether it’s easter, 4th of July or Christmas. 1 house every few blocks has their light on for trick or treaters on Halloween. My mother in law didn’t have ONE trick or treater last year and she lives on a very busy residential area (and don’t blame COVID. It’s been minimal for yearS).

To me, that is robbing our children of the innocence and imagination they are due. And now that I have traveled, even in the minimal sense of the word, to places that actually celebrate and feel more like a community than our hometown, I am set in my feelings.

In Geneseo, IL, Naperville, IL, and Hannibal, MO, almost every house was decorated for fall/halloween and not just the bare minimum, a pumpkin or two and a dying mum. No, their homes looked like their local Walmart or target couldn’t keep the holiday inflatables in stock. 2 or 3 houses on each block had one (or multiple) 12 ft skeletons in their front yards. Lights, countless pumpkins, Michael Myers everywhere. It felt like a movie on Hallmark Channel (minus the cheesy, unrealistic love scenes). Every local store, coffee shop and restaurant had seasonal food, drinks, decor etc. that it was actually fun to walk around down town or Main Street. I am so happy my children were able to experience what a real town holiday felt like. I wish we were able to stay in one these areas a little longer but it’s a consequence we knew existed.

Coming home to the panhandle for Halloween to do our annual TRUCK or treat with the family is always a good time but after experiencing areas in the Midwest during this time of year, made me feel like I had to try a little harder to make my children’s time fun to make up for the lack of trying to be festive in the Panhandle and that’s not a fun feeling. My oldest even made a comment of how it was different back home than where we had been.

Most people don’t understand what I am talking about and that is ok. The only thing I can tell people is to get out and travel. Go see new places as often as you can. My husband and I made a pact years ago to “go somewhere new once a year, whether local (within a few hours of home) or somewhere that takes days of planning and saving. IT. IS. WORTH. IT. You may not get the full experience just visiting but even a glimpse of what is out there is better than a lifetime of obliviousness.

There is a vast amount of knowledge and experiences waiting for you (and your family if you have one) that will shape your life and memories. So why not? We are not in control of our hometown as children but we are in control of your location as an adult. If you are happy in your life long hometown, great! I am so happy for you. And I hope you are making other’s experiences in your hometown enjoyable as well, not just during the holidays, but every day.

My hometown is somewhere we do not plan to ever lay roots in again. My family and I have outgrown it, which leaves room for others to grow and flourish and I hope nothing but that for you! But coming home for a small period of time to celebrate what is a small holiday made me sad because while there was some effort (and great effort at that) to make everyone’s Halloween a success, more often than not, no effort or care was made. Many homes gave dark streets and shut doors to happy and excited children, ready to make memories and they will always remember the houses and blocks that don’t care. Do better, America. In many ways, do better.

We complain about how our votes don’t matter. That our efforts don’t matter. Start small. Make a difference in your community and you will see growth. YOU MATTER. And you can make all the difference in the world to one person that could change the future.

God is good, y’all.

We are in Bakersfield, California and it is not ideal after the amazing fall we had in the Midwest. We went from colorful trees where the leaves were just beginning to fall and the small town charm to wayyyyy too many people who care only about themselves and dirt. California is a large state with vast areas of nothing and overpopulated cities. To say I am uncomfortable is an understatement but I knew, going into this new lifestyle, we would eventually end up somewhere we weren’t keen on but I intend on making the best of it for my children. We have plans to go to the ocean, visit all of the national parks in the area, possible revisit Lake Tahoe, where Keegan and I spent our honeymoon last April. As much as I would love to see the Hollywood sign, famous cemeteries and much more, I am not sure Los Angeles is on my list to see. Too. Many. People. With. No. Manners. LOL.

We are closing in on the end of year and our first holiday season without our family close and while it is difficult, just like being in California, I plan to make the best of our situation. It has been a great (bumpy at times) almost 2 1/2 months. It has already felt like a lifetime that we have been on the road but we already have a lifetime full of memories and we have only just begun.

Remember, money is temporary. Your home is temporary. You cannot take any of it with you when you are joined with our Lord. What stays long after you’re gone is the legacy and memories you leave behind. Not only with your family but your friends and your community too. Take the trip. Buy the tickets. Go all out for all holidays. You only live life once and why not live it to the fullest and go all out. It will be worth it.

Just to ruffle some feathers, MERRY CHRISTMAS! LOL have a blessed and holiday season!!