Buying a new RV was a big decision for us. A really big decision. Our old RV was already paid for and it had become our home so we were reluctant to part with it. However, our family was in the midst of some changes. Last summer, we found out we were expecting another child. Around the same time we decided to stay on the road indefinately but felt like our preteen and teen needed more personal space so we began our search for a new RV.

After looking at more models of RVs than we could count we found one with a floor plan we loved, the Heartland Gateway 3650BH. Our only hesitation was that it was a brand new model and we had planned to buy used. It would be another year or so before used RVs of this model would start to hit the market. Back and forth we went on whether to buy new or used.

After looking at nearly every bunkhouse fifth wheel on the market, we felt like if we were going to buy used we would basically be getting the same floor plan we already had. The Heartland Gateway was the only RV that had nearly every feature we wanted. Finally, we decided the new RV would give us the extra comfort and space we craved. (You can read more about the features, why we decided to finance it, and watch a video here.)

So our search for an RV took a new direction as we started shopping for the Heartland Gateway 3650BH with the features we wanted at a price we could afford. Our search led us to Dixie RV Superstore. One early morning, I couldn’t sleep so I got out of bed and went online again to search for more dealerships carrying the Heartland Gateway line. I came across Dixie RV and they had a lot of Gateway bunkhouses in stock. They also had quite a few with the optional features we wanted. So I sent them an email with an offer. Later that day, we received a phone call from Dixie RV and began the purchasing process.

It was January and Indiana, where we were staying, was being hit by heavy winter storms. We weren’t able to get down to Dixie RV which has locations in Florida and Louisiana for a few weeks so we took care of the paper work to get financing over the phone and by E-mail. Everyone was so nice and helpful. I was particularly nervous that’s my role in the marriage) because we had never purchased a large item brand new. Dixie was able to get us a great rate and our payments ended up being lower than we had budgeted for! I was shocked by how smoothly everything went.

The Gateway with the features we wanted was located in Louisiana so we made plans to go there to pick up our new RV. A few days before we were scheduled to pick it up, Dixie contacted me and said they had found a crack in the bathtub and wanted to make sure it was okay if they switched us to another stock number with the same features. Brent and I were  grateful that they had found the crack in the tub before we got there to pick it up. While the crack would have been covered under warranty, it would have been a hassle to get it fixed. Their thorough inspection saved us time I’m sure.

The day we picked up our RV was exciting. We got there early so we would have plenty of time for the remaining paperwork and to take pictures and video for our blog.

First, we met with the finance department to sign our final loan documents. Regina in finance offered us a few different extended warranty packages but there was never any pressure to buy. We decided to pass and stick with the factory warranty and the Lifetime Warranty that covers a few other major components as long as you keep up on the yearly maintenance.  It is my understanding that the maintenence can be done at different participating dealerships throughout the country. We haven’t used the Lifetime Warranty so we can’t speak of its service but it’s nice knowing we have it.

There was a bit of an unexpected wait to pick up our RV because Dixie had noticed a small chip in the front cap paint and wanted to fix it. A rock had probably hit it while it was being transported from the Heartland factory in Indiana to Louisiana. It didn’t really matter much to us but Dixie wanted to make sure everything was perfect. While we waited we explored the facilities.

Of course, the boys wanted to look inside some more RVs. It was nice that we felt welcomed to explore the RVs at leisure inside the large indoor showroom.

The outdoor lot is GIGANTIC. If you can’t find an RV to meet your needs here you won’t find one anywhere. It’s always interesting to see the different floor plans and features even if they aren’t what you are looking for.

We spent some time hanging out in the customer lounge.

The customer lounge is attached to a Camping World. Dixie is really a one stop shop for all your RV needs! We made a few purchases for the new rig.

Outside there are many service bays and RV pads with electricity for customers to take possession and stay in their new RVs. Dixie even let us stay an extra night so we could drive into New Orleans for a day!

Dixie asked us if we would mind giving a customer testimonial for their YouTube channel while we waited. Dixie has their own video team who produce videos of their inventory and customer testimonials. It was fun way to pass some time by reenacting the buying experience and sharing our story of full time RVing with a family with them.

Finally that afternoon, we took possession of our new RV, our dream “home”.  Anthony from service led us on walk-through inside and out and taught us Brent how everything worked. After weeks of discussions and searching for a new RV, it was surreal to finally be in it. That night as we went to bed I knew that we had made the right decision and I was thankful that Dixie had helped make the process so smooth.

Special thanks to our little photographer who helped take pictures!

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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My mommy was the first to hold me after 19 hours of back labor followed and 1.5 hours of pushing. (Sorry mom, I know you wanted me to turn anterior but I just couldn’t.) Her belly was so warm and squishy. I recognized her heartbeat right away. She kept smiling at me and crying. This is us an hour after being born.

My dad is awesome too. His hands are so big and I feel so secure against his chest. He was right there when I was born, helping mommy sit up. Mommy says Daddy never once left here side while I was being born. She says she could’t have done it without him. I can already tell they make a good team.

My big brother instantly fell head of over heels in love with me.

My big big brother was a little more nervous to hold me but he came around and realized I wasn’t going to poop on him. Not yet anyway. He he!

I’ve spend the majority of my week sleeping with my mommy and daddy. Mommy says her midwife gave her a “21 day rule” which means she can’t do much for three weeks. Mommy also said it’s been “dreamy” to slow down and bond with me. I agree.

I am one happy camper especially when I’m being held.

Here I am 4 days old!

I also took my first car ride. Good thing I liked it. Mommy and daddy say I have a lot of miles ahead of me.

Dear Thing 3,

Welcome to our family. You cast a spell on me the moment your warm slippery body was laid on my belly. We can’t promise to be perfect parents.  In fact, I’ll  let you know ahead of time that, unfortunately,  we’ll fail more times than we will care to admit. What we can promise is that we will always do our best and seek the Lord for guidance and no matter what we will love you bigger than the sky times infinity. Our hearts are overwhelmed with gratitude for your life. We look forward to all the adventures we will have as a family and watching God’s plan for your life unfold. We love forever and always.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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The post Thing Three – Week 1 appeared first on Newschool Nomads.

So why did we decide to go with a new fifth wheel? Two reasons, floor plan and Dixie RV Superstores. We first saw the Heartland Gateway 3650BH in Texas and, despite the hotel-like appearance of the interior, we immediately we fell in love with the floor plan. At the time we still had our old RV and thought there was no way we could buy a new RV so we kept looking at used ones. The Gateway is a new line from Heartland so there weren’t any used ones available. We found a used Cedar Creek Silverback we liked not loved in Michigan but the weather was not cooperating to go pick it up.

A few weeks later while waiting for a break in the nasty weather, we went to the Indianapolis RV show and saw the Heartland Gateway 3650BH again. We walked in and every one of us knew it was a perfect floor plan for our family. We sat in it for about 30 minutes imagining what it would be like to live in it. It had EVERYTHING we wanted: a full size refrigerator,  tons of kitchen counter space, a gas stove and oven, a pantry, a huge bunk room with two slides, a booth dinette (we didn’t want a table and chairs), washer and dryer hook ups (which we decided to use as a place for Brent’s office), a second half bath, and a bathtub in the full bath.  It’s so cute to watch babies play in the tub!

The next morning I got up early and started contacting RV dealerships. I made a few offers and Dixie RV got back to me. Dixie RV was awesome. Not only are the prices on their rigs great, the customer service is phenomenal. (We are going to write a post with video detailing the entire process of buying a new RV from Dixie soon so stayed tuned.)

Anyway, as you may know the weather in the midwest was horrendous so it took us almost two weeks before we could get down to Dixie RV to pick up our new rig. In the meantime, I needed to see my doctor so it was more cost effective for Thing Two and I to fly down to Florida than for us all to drive all the way down and then back up to Dixie in Louisiana. Plus it gave us some special one on one time with the boys. Our family was apart for 10 days which was really hard but eventually we reunited late one night in Pensacola during that crazy ice storm. The next morning we drove to Dixie to pick up our new RV.

The Kitchen and Living Room

The full size fridge is the most exciting part! It means no more playing tetris after going to the grocery!

Lots of counter space is going to make preparing meals much more enjoyable.

It’s hard to tell in the picture but there is a lot of open floor space in front of the couches. If we wanted we could comfortably fit a coffee table. Many of the fifth wheels we looked at had an island but then the floor space in the living room felt cramped.

The Master Bedroom

Meow Cow thinks the “king bed” means it was made for him. (He’s on the top right pillow.) 

The washer and dryer hookups are behind the louvered doors. We orginally thought we would install a washer/dryer combo but decided it would be more space effective to use it as Brent’s office.

The Full Bathroom

Again it’s hard to tell but the bathtub is actually quite large.

The Bunk Room and Half Bath

There is a ton of space in the middle of the bunkhouse.

The half bath taken from the outside door.

As far as renovations and decorating goes, we aren’t sure what we are going to do yet. While we had a blast painting and reupholstering everything in our old rig, we just don’t feel comfortable sanding and painting brand new cabinets or tearing off perfectly good fabric. To be honest, we don’t have the time for a full renovation anyway with the baby on the way. Another reason we decided to go with a new rig. We do know we’ll make new curtains and get a new bedspread. Gold is not our thing. We also have to come up with a solution for the leather couches and headboard because Meow Cow will turn them all into his own personal scratching posts and getting him declawed is not an option. So we may swap out the reclining couch and recover the lounge and headboard with fabric that could easily be removed by a new owner if we decide to sell the rig in the future. Lastly, we are going to build desks spaces for the boys in the bunk room and add another storage cabinet.

So that’s the new RV, a Heartland Gateway 3650BH. We filmed a tour for those of you who prefer video over pictures but haven’t had time to edit it. We’ll  get that posted next week.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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The post Our New RV – The Heartland Gateway 3650 BH appeared first on Newschool Nomads.

But simple “backyard” moments built from driftwood, salty air, laughter, and the smell of bbq are the moments that send my soul soaring. I wouldn’t trade these sort of days for a trip to see the Taj Mahal.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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The post Our Backyard: Driftwood Cabana BBQ in La Connor, WA appeared first on Newschool Nomads.

And tried to packed everything into a tiny U-Haul.

It seemed appropriate that the sun was setting as we took our last family picture before saying goodbye. This “house” cost a fraction of what our home in California had cost but it was a 1000 times harder to say goodbye. So many memories in such a small space.

We couldn’t be more thrilled with the new owners who share our passion for adventure and simple living. They are planning to take off soon.

We said goodbye to my best friend and her family who had generously let us stay with them for 15 days. She’s special this one. There are not many people who would welcome our family and all four pets for that long and not once make us feel like we were over staying our welcome. And frankly, there’s not many people who I’d want to spend 15 days with in their house.

Then we left Austin in our slightly bigger U-Haul.

Our first stop was Baton Rouge where we had beignets for breakfast. So bad but so good.

Getting all of our stuff and the menagerie into the hotel room was quite the effort. Another reason why I love RVing so much.

The next day we drove and drove.

And got to Florida just in time.

We stored our stuff until we find a new home.

It’s been a whirlwind of a week. Along with moving to Florida, establishing our new residency, and searching for a doctor to deliver our baby who is due in a few months, I was a contributing writer for a new book!

It’s called Chicks Without Bricks, a compilation of travel stories from other unconventional women and starting today you can pre-order it now through Dec 23 for just $2.99! After that the price goes up to $7.99.

Chicks without Bricks!

Considering our present situation I couldn’t think of a more fitting title.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Then Saturday we had stopped for propane on our way out of Austin when I checked my email. In my inbox was a message from a couple who really wanted to see our RV which I had listed on Craigslist a few days before not really thinking I’d get a response. Posting the ad was kinda of a “let’s just see what happens” sort of thing.

Undecided if we should just keep on driving, we sat in the parking lot of the propane place discussing whether I should call the number in the email. My first response was no let’s just keep going. Afterall, we just had 10 wonderful days at our friend’s house and had spent the morning packing, cleaning, and saying our goodbyes. We were ready to move on and get to our next destination, New Orleans. Then Brent said I could call the number and just explain our situation and they could meet us on our way out of town, assuming, of course, they wouldn’t want to do that.

I called the number and the person who answered told me it was the wrong number. I sent an email explaining I tried calling but the number was wrong and we were headed out of Austin. I mentioned if they got the email soon they could call me back. Then we headed on our way.

A few minutes later my phone rang and a woman explained she and her husband were really interested and they could meet us right away. Thirty minutes later, after a mad cleaning spree, we were showing the RV. Thirty minutes later they made an offer.

What?!?!?!

That was Saturday and they couldn’t get a check until Monday or Tuesday so we went back to my best friend’s house. Sunday morning the buyers sent over a deposit. Today, we spent the day trying to pack up all of our stuff into a much too small U-Haul trailer.

Now here we are still in Austin waiting and wondering….what have we done?!?!?!  Yes, we wanted to sell this RV. It’s been on our radar since we found out we were having another baby and deciding to stay on the road. The back bedroom is a little cramped for Thing One and Thing Two. We want a double slide out in their room so they can have their own space to study, create, and play. We’d also love a little more counter space and a second bathroom. If budget wasn’t a limiting factor, we’d also have a washer and dryer, bathtub, and kitchen island. A girl can dream! Right now our priorities are a bigger back bedroom and a space where Brent can work.

BUT…

What’s next? Unless we find a new rig here in Texas in the next few days we are going to head to Florida with our stuff in a U-Haul. We’ll stay at my parent’s place until we find a new home.

AND…

Even though we have wanted a new RV for a few months, I’m still sad. Really sad actually. This RV is our home where created incredible memories and tomorrow we will say goodbye.

I realized this weekend as I was cleaning the RV up getting her ready to go I never shared pictures of our RV redecorating makeover project.

Like most RVs, ours was lacking in decor. If we were going to use our RV for the occasional weekend trip we would have kept our RV interior design as it was but this was our home. Brent and I wanted to feel like we were in our home and not staying at a hotel. So we spent the next month and a half sanding, painting, sewing, and doing some minor remodeling. It was a lot of work but I don’t regret a minute of it.

This was our home and how we brought it to life.

Living/Dining/Kitchen

You know you have good friends when they spend 12 hours at your house helping you reupholster your RV couch. I got the fabric for the couch, dinette, and most of the curtain fabric in the LA Garment district, one of the most fun places in LA!

Since we have a small fridge I try to buy lots of fruits that will keep at room temperature.

LEFT: The chandelier was the the last thing to be hung. It was another Ikea purchase from years ago that I had been planning to hang in our house bedroom. I hung it at midnight the night before our “open house“. RIGHT: Small details

TOP LEFT: Glass bowl from Target that has since cracked. BOTTOM LEFT: School books and a basket to store dish towels. RIGHT: Small vintage globe on loan from my mom.

LEFT: Apron hooks from World Market. MIDDLE: Map garland was a gift from a friend who I met for the first time in person when we hit the road. RIGHT: Bird curtains and wall sconce. We painted the metal of the sconce and glued a little trim around the bottom of the shade to give it character.

LEFT: This is the moulding around the slide. It was covered in the same fabric as the couch. Instead of taking all the fabric off, I took of the wood trim and stapled burlap over the fabric and painted the wood. TOP RIGHT: Key holder from Urban Outfitters. BOTTOM RIGHT: Glass knobs on all the kitchen cabinets. I really liked these because I had the same knobs in a different color in my sticks and bricks kitchen so they felt “homey”.

Bedroom/Office

In place of the headboard we painted with help from another friend a silhouette of the London Bridge. We were engaged in London and that morning after I said “yes” we walked along the Thames River where we took this picture. The quilt was made by my grandmother using an Amy Butler pattern and fabric.

Across from the bed is our dresser, office, and shower. When we bought the RV there was a sink where the desk is now. We bought an small Ikea sink and put it in the water closet (toilet room).

My friend, the same one who helped with the couch, helped me sew (Okay…she did most of the sewing.) new curtains for every window in the RV but these turned out to be my favorite.

LEFT: I didn’t keep many things from our old house but couldn’t part with this metal cat that I found at a thrift shop. It opens up and I store jewelry in it. RIGHT: The knobs and drawer pulls were on sale at Anthropologie and I love having impressions of nature inside since a big part of this trip is about exploring the outdoors.

LEFT: When Brent and I met he said, “we fit together like Legos”. For our first Valentine’s Day I made him the “I <3 U” out of Legos because we were too broke to buy each other real gifts. We eventually decided to quite celebrating Valentine’s Day altogether but he still kept my Lego message.  TOP RIGHT: I painted an old mirror white and bought some organizers from Ikea to make a little makeup vanity. RIGHT: It’s true.

Bathroom

We didn’t do much to this room except paint and add the the Ikea sink. Changing the sink plumbing was much easier than you would think!

The photo frames are a mixture of Ikea purchases and painted thrift shop finds.

Bunk Room

Thing One wanted to keep all the cabinetry its original color but we painted the room and made new curtains.

Two years and 48 states later, I never got tired of nor regretted our RV makeover. It made it home.

Now it’s time to say goodbye and move on to a new chapter and another blank canvas.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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The post Sold Our RV!!!!! And RV Makeover Pictures. (Better late than never!) appeared first on Newschool Nomads.

Perhaps you’ve imagined yourself standing at the edge of the high dive or kneeling in the starting blocks with an empty track stretched out before you.

I don’t want to speak for the boys (Dream big fellows!) but it’s probably safe to say that visiting the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs is the closest Brent and I will ever get to being in the Olympics. Even if I can throw a pretty solid side kick.

No doubt, the best part of our day was getting to see the Martin family again. We met the Martins last Fourth of July when I tweeted them after parking next to their truck on our way to the Boston Pops.

Maybe you have never dreamt of being an Olympic Athlete but I bet you wanted to fly a jet after seeing Top Gun?

Yeah, me too.

Our second must-see-spot in Colorado Springs was the Airforce Academy where we learned about the daily life of the cadets. While the visitor center was cool, we’d all agree that the chapel was the best part. That is if you don’t count the falconry club.

Then two days before we left Colorado Springs I got a text from our dear friends, the O’Dells!!!

Over the winter they had stayed with us in our RV in Breckenridge proving what I already knew: they are, indeed, kindred spirits.

Now they were on their way back home to Minnesota but wanted to stop and see us en route.

We hung out. We hiked. Three of the boys slept outside in tent.

. 

And much too soon we had to say another goodbye.

And then another when we spent our last night (unfortunately we didn’t get a picture) with our longtime friends, the Fields.

Such is a life on wheels.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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Tonight as I sit at my computer, a year after leaving home, my fears are not of the unknown but of the known. My fear stems from knowing what it’s like to live the fast paced American way, a life that is too busy to count the freckles on my children’s faces, too busy to watch the sunrise illuminate the changing leaves, too busy to take a friend’s call, and too busy to breathe those big gulps of air that fill every crevice of your lungs and leave you pleading with God to freeze time.

We were there and after 24,717 miles on the “scenic route”, the “fast lane”, especially in southern California where the speed is extra fast, scares me. I’m not afraid of a house without wheels—there are many wonderful things about having a home in a community—I’m afraid of a life without brakes.

This past year we have swam with manatees, canoed with alligators, explored caverns, visited almost 70 National Park sites,  walked in many of the paths that shaped America’s history and numerous other things that I haven’t had time to write about yet but nothing, nothing, compares to the many slow hours with the boys and Brent. When I think back over this year the memories that stand out are cuddling on the couch with schoolbooks while the rain pours outside, sitting around the table as a family for 3 meals a day, and hanging out with my cat but that’s only because he hypnotized me and has nothing to do with being a crazy cat lady.

I feel like I have lived wonderful 10 years in one.

That’s not to say living on the road has been perfect. Raising a preteen in a 300 square foot space is not a fairytale for him or us.

Sitting on the side of the road screaming obscenities fighting in front of the kids is not our proudest moment.

Convincing myself that my 9 year old son won’t get bit by a viper if I let him catch frogs in stream takes the courage and faith of a bungee jumper.

Pulling the boys our of a pit of “quicksand” makes a mess and nearly sent me to the psychiatric ward.

Watching friends go to parties on Facebook makes me feel like a left out 15 year old girl.

Wondering if a payment from a client is going to come through so we can fill our gas tank is not fun.

I still don’t like it (and may even drop a choice word or two) when cans or shoes or mouthwash come crashing out of cabinets onto my face because, for the life of me, I can’t remember that stuff shifts while we are driving.

Putting away groceries in our tiny fridge is like playing a game of Tetris that can’t be won.

I don’t even want to talk about the big black spider I killed in the campground shower this evening.

We have been forced to deal with each other. The good, the bad, and everything, oh yes everything, in between. When you are together all the time in a 300 square foot space there is no sweeping things under the rug. The rug is just too damn small and the dirt just too much. We lost that parental luxury of “pretending not to see” and oh how do I miss it! Problems are always two feet away and retail therapy isn’t an option when your closet rod is already breaking under the weight of too much stuff. I needed my leopard print wedges, damn it!

People always ask me what is the hardest part of living in an RV. Besides trying to convince myself I’m not “living in a van down by the river”, the hardest part is trying to deny the images my children reflect back at me and having no where to hide and no way to deflect the real me. I knew before we moved into a tiny space that I had “stuff to work on” I didn’t realize I was a “real piece of work”. (Okay well maybe I did but I was better at hiding it.)

That is hard.

Yet, it is all worth it and I wouldn’t change a thing except for spider free showers.

While our list of imperfections is great, God’s love is greater.

We may have a moody soon-to-be-teenager but we also have a preteen whose greatest influence right now is not tv or video games but experiencing life outside of the system. Someday when he is confined to a cubicle, he better will think, “I had the coolest parents ever.”

We have an almost 10 year old boy who had gotten to spend countless hours exploring the woods, building fires, fishing, and catching frogs even if it meant his mother had to get an Xanax drip.

While our friends back at home are irreplaceable (You guys know how much I miss you!), we’ve reconnected with old friends all over the country and unexpectedly joined a community of like minded gypsy hearts.

Marriage is 300 square RV is at the same time mundane and magical because there is magic to be found in the mundane. You just have to slow down to see it and when you are stuck in a campground because the gas is almost $5 a gallon you can choose magic or mundane. I didn’t think it possible but a year later I love Brent more than before. I’m certain that someday my heart is just going to burst and, like confetti, be carried away on the wind. Go ahead and gag.

The person reflecting back in the mirror is amazingly even less put together than I once thought but I mysteriously feel more loved than ever before.

I could write so much more about places we have seen, the people we have met, and the freedom that comes with simplicity but that would need a book.

Yes, we have a list of memories as long as the miles we have driven and I wouldn’t trade this year of my life for anything in the world.

And we’re not done. One year wasn’t enough. We still have mountains to ski, highways to drive, states to see, but most of all, memories to make. Memories of boys who are too quickly becoming men and parents who, at heart, refuse to grow old.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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The post Ten years in One – Our One Year Nomadiversary appeared first on Newschool Nomads.

I want to remember…

Each campsite we call home for a few days or weeks.

Reading around a morning campfire before we go to George Washington Birthplace National Monument.

The sweet faces of these five (and Meow Cow whose not allowed out.)

The smell of campfire and the sound of young voices in harmony which is not often enough.

Our little neighbors.

My backyard gyms.

I even want to remember the mundane like laundry.

And amazing soft serve from random ice cream stands in small towns.

I especially want to remember Brent bustin’ a move at the Saturday campground shindig.

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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(I want to go back to the Outer Banks.)

Love and Laughter,
Jenn

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