Quick Update

This week has flown by and I'm afraid all I have time for is a quick rundown of the progress we've made in the past seven days, so here we go!

- We've secured a P.O. Box and can start transferring our regular mail. My husband will pick it up when he's in town for business.

- The kids have been getting their regular check-ups taken care of so we have the most updated records and we know everyone is in good health.

- Tomorrow we pick up the trailer! HOORAY!!

56 days and counting... A huge thank you to all who have emailed me with travel tips!! Keep 'em coming!

- Jen

Sunny Days

Western Washington summers usually begin after July 5th. Before that you can count on sweatshirts and soup. Well not this year! This past week has been filled with 80+ degree days and everyone has been out enjoying the sun. It's truly an amazing place to live, especially when everything is in full bloom and alive with activity. Here are a few pictures (taken by me) to give you a glimpse.

View of Seattle from the ferry

 

One of our seasonal residents near Anacortes

Snoqualmie Falls

 

Totem pole at Beaver Lake 

On a clear day "the mountain" (Mt. Rainier) reveals itself. Usually it's veiled by cloud cover. Sometimes when it's really clear, and if you're in the right spot, you can see both Mt. Rainer and Mt. Baker at the same time. Two sleeping giants, blanketed by snow, trees, meadows, and animals. Magnificent.

This was taken during one of our spring trips to Mt. Rainier. Seattle is very close to both the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges.

 This sign about sums it up!

I mentioned in an earlier post that I'm a member of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). This weekend is our State Conference and that's where I am right now. Once a year we all gather together so the chapters can give updates to the State Society on what we've been up to all year. It's also a time to honor special people who are making a difference in their local communities. At the various meals we sometimes have speakers, demonstrations, or hear music. One of my favorite memories was when the dancers from the Chemawa Indian School came up from Oregon to dance for us. They are so talented and it was an honor to meet them. Chemawa is just one of the schools supported by the DAR. http://www.chemawa.bie.edu/

Since I'm busy at State Conference, this will be a quick update. Here's the skinny on where we are in our preparations for the trip:

- I've been busy boxing up dishes, books, quilts, and more for storage. After realizing how many books I've packed, I can officially declare myself a bibliophile.

- Since the original person we spoke with about renting our house hasn't signed on the dotted line, our house has reverted back to showcase mode for house hunters.

- We've been going from one appointment to another to make sure everyone is current on their dental/physical/eye/vet check ups. We'll be gone for more than a year, after all.

- The camping fabric has been turned into pillowcases for the trailer. One more week until we pick it up!!

We'd love to hear from seasoned RVers about things we should know. Should we join an RV club? What should we avoid? Any tips in general? Let us know! We'd appreciate it! Only 63 days to go....

Now I'm off to give my Junior Membership State Report.... busy, busy!  Have a great weekend!

- Jen

Renters and Quilts

We've found a renter! That means that we'll be leaving in 77 days no matter what. I had mixed feelings about showing our home. On one hand, it meant that we had to drop everything and let strangers walk through our house. Our sanctuary. They had the opportunity to criticize and comment on the home we love. They had access to our personal space and possessions. It's a bit of a vulnerable spot to be in. On the other hand, our whole family had to work together to make the house consistantly spotless and show-ready. It was really nice to enjoy it at it's best, with everyone pitching in to keep it that way.  Now that it's spoken for, we're back to "Whose day is it to do the dishes?" Oy!

I've been on Craigslist this week, selling all kinds of things that we don't need anymore. I love how it makes space in our home and also puts money in our pockets for things we might need or want on the trip. Our oldest son has a few items he's selling because wants to buy a certain laptop to help him with movie-making. He's a pretty responsible kid (proud mom!) and I have no doubts that he'll reach his goal. I love watching his process when making a big decision. He does extensive research on the item he wants and then looks for all the options to get it. Which brand and model are best? Does he want a new computer or would it be just as good to buy a refurbished one? Who should he buy it from? Is it really worth the money? Oh, if only we all (myself included) were that discerning about what we spent our money on! I only pray that he continues to use such wisdom in all his life choices.

We pick up our trailer at the end of the month and I'm just itching to get my hands on it to make it "ours". Like I said, we'll be packing only the bare minimum, but there are personal touches we can add to make it more comfortable (and fun!). I bought some trailer fabric to make pillowcases. It's the little things, people.... ;-) It's flannel and so soft!

Next week I'll show you the completed bathroom project. My husband has the before pics on his phone and I want to make sure you can really see the transformation. All we have to do now is add the hardware to the cabinets, which will be done this weekend. Instead, I'll show you pictures of the quilt tops that were finished this week. I'll be dropping them off at the quilter in a few minutes, which leaves only one more to finish before we go!! Hooray!!

This quilt is for my new nephew. I bought the plaid homespun blocks at my guild's annual show this year. I've been a member for several years and the members are seriously talented- like international show winners talented. Sometimes little orphan blocks end up in the boutique. Who am I to say no when they are calling my name? So, they came home with me and this is what I did with them. I think he'll like it. Plaid is always so homey. Plus, it works as great camouflage in case of baby "accidents".

I added some Moda graphic prints as borders. Dots make everything more fun!

This Alexander Henry print has been "maturing to perfection" in my stash, as Nan from Pots and Pins www.potsandpins.com would say. I love these cowboys! They're perfect for the back. I'm a big fan of Alexander Henry and their novelty prints.

This top is for the daughter of a dear friend. When her oldest was just a baby, he was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was a really hard time for their family and she walked through it all while pregnant. I made a quilt for her son during the hardest days to add what little comfort I could. I'm thrilled to say that he's healed and going strong today! In his honor, I'll encourage you all to make an appointment to donate blood or platelets. If this little guy can go through what he did, then we can handle a little bit of discomfort now and then. You might just save a life like his!

Now that that chapter is over, I thought it high time his little sister received her own quilt. Rainbows are so joyful, don't you think? This pattern is called "Tangled Tracks" by Kristin Gassaway for Connecting Threads. It was fun to put together. I see days of picnics on the lawn, blanket forts, super hero capes, and many other activities ahead for this little quilt! I'm so thankful that they're now able to enjoy the fun days- together. <3

Wishing you all a wonderful week!

- Jen

Trailer Secured!

This past weekend we visited the RV show (yes, again) to make sure we felt good about our trailer model choice. After all, we’ll be toting it all over North America for more than a year. We’ve decided on the 2016 Viking 17BH. It’s small, lightweight, and features bunk beds so our family of five will be able to sleep comfortably when the need arises. Of course, we all had fun looking at the mammoth RV’s that boasted separate rooms full of storage, entertainment centers, kitchens with islands, and expanding walls- but that isn’t what we need for this trip.  It was still fun to look, though! We are happy to announce that the deposit has officially been paid and we pick it up in April! This will give us enough time to prep it for the trip but we won’t have to store it longer than necessary.

Scouting activities sprinkle our schedule over the next few weeks. We’re planning on meeting up with local troops wherever we stay so the kids can participate in outdoor activities and service projects with kids their own age. This will allow them to make new friends but will also help us to contribute to the local community and meet all kinds of people while we’re there. We want to learn about different cultures and places, so this affords us a more personal opportunity to do that. So far, I’ve reached out to a troop in Alaska. They’ve been kind enough to respond that they’ll be happy to receive us when we arrive. Meanwhile, less than five months till launch!

- Jen

Lists, List and More Lists

Let's face it, I'm a list person. You know those people who have lists of lists? That's me. This trip has its own set of lists already- a list of things to do to our house, a list of national and international legalities to learn about, a list of accounts to set up and close, and the list goes on. I just don't like the feeling of forgetting something and so my way of maintaining some semblance of control is to create lists and check them off.

This week we are working on the 'House Needs" list. There are small fixes that stay on the to-do list for years on end because they really aren't important enough to make a priority. Things like changing out doors and pruning trees. That's the beauty of moving out. It forces you to address those little issues so your home will be more attractive to others. The bonus is that when we return, those things will be taken care of. Plus, moving out also forces us to finally purge the items we've been living with but don't necessarily need/want. We've started this process over the past week. Boxes carrying holiday decorations and other items we won't need for the next few years have been building up for the move to storage. It's a lot of work, but let me just say that it is SO freeing! We're not hoarders by any means, but it's still amazing how many things we unconsciously allow to remain in our living space.

This week we've also actively started looking at trailers. We'll be living in a home in each state, but the trailer will be perfect for the in-between times and also when we travel up the Dalton Highway to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska (or as close as we can get. Not many towns with lodging along that route!). Our family visited an RV show a few months ago to gauge the best sizes and layouts for our needs. My favorite model was the 2016 Spree Escape Bunkhouse but we'll see what we ultimately end up with. The goal is something that is 20ish feet with room for 5 people to sleep and move. Oh yeah...and at a reasonable price. We'll see what this weekends' search yields!

Here is a little art project that was made in our excitement for the trip. A little wishful thinking on my part (I love vintage). I wonder if we'll actually see buffalo? I guess we'll have to add it to the list!

- Jen