Full Time RV living - Page 5

[Pilgrim]

Aimee - that's the most beautiful rig I've ever seen. I'm totally amazed by all the beautiful work in there! I would love to hear more about your life on the road. I am finding it very difficult to find a rhythm or structure at all. It has helped that we are staying put for some months. But also, being stuck in one spot is driving me batty! LOL!

We've been our RV since January. We were "on the road" until July, and then DH got work, so we've been in one spot since then. I must say, being "on the road" is much more fun than "living in an RV in one spot!" We think we'll be here until May. But work is work, and that's critical!

MoonStar - our "stuck" spot is Portland, OR. (And I love it very much here! But Portland winters are yucky! I would so much rather be in Florida about now! LOL!) Where do you think you will stay? It's kind of hard to find RV places here (at least in the summer.) PM me if you wish - maybe y'all can stay at our park. What part of Portland will you be looking at?

[CageFreeFamily]

MoonStar, my Dh had a bit of a time adjusting too. He isn't really the Everything is an experience and I can handle it as it comes kind of person like I am. So, say, when our fridge door flew off and skidded down the hallway as we tried to get out of the mountains before dark (failed!) and discovered that our heater wouldn't light in below freezing temps... he didn't find it quite as amusing as I did. LOL I got a Best Post on the Web nod for writing about that one, though
He had an easier time as we went along though. I imagine his experience was a little different, being the driver and the mechanic though. He once had to replace the carborator in a parking lot in West Yellowstone. Oy, that was fun!

Pilgrim, Thank you! It was a lot of work, but I actually enjoyed working side by side with Dh on such a creative project.
I agree, living in an RV in one spot can be VERY trying. Like you said though, work is work. We were stuck in Austin (our hometown) for about a month and it was nearly unbearable. Austin turned out to be the only inhospitable place we stopped (out of 26 states) and we were constantly being asked to leave places. Whole Foods security was at our door before we could even gather our shopping bags (we'd just spent $500!!) and we stopped for gas at an empty station and were asked to leave before Dh could get buckled in- we'd just bought $50 in gas and the whole station was empty!!

Winters in an RV can be harsh for sure. We were roped into being in WI for Christmas and I still regret that decision. Oy!

I wrote a lot about our travels for the first few months we were on the road on my blog http://CageFreeFamily.com but I think the posts changed a bit along the way to traveling as a backdrop for deeper pondering...

[kimmom]

Hey Everyone. We have been a year in our 5th wheel and travelled the year as a family and also checked out sustainable living projects as we did.. We bought a farm 1 year later to the date of selling our home and hitting the road. Part of our journey was to look for land We went full circle and ended up back on the island and found our dream piece of land. So we are here now as of early Sept. Built a greenhouse around our 5th wheel and we will be building a cob home next spring! So we are in one spot. It was hard last winter we got snowed in and were blowing through a TONNE of propane (its more $$ in Canada) . With our greenhouse and straw bales around the bottom we shouldn't use nearly as much this year! We have a family website too www.canadianfamilyrobinson.com

[kimmom]

Was going to add we did the same thing, stopping for work! It actually was great but hard to transition a bit for us all But when we did hit the road again it was great to have $ saved from working
We also got (and still do) all sorts of unwanted feedback from others (family included) but they see how happy we are and how settled the kids are and I think it is sinking in that what we have chosen is the best for our family!
This is a great quote
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Theodor Seuss Geisel (otherwise known as Dr. Suess)

[MoonStarFalling]

Rvers, how do you handle the holidays? Do you visit with family or do you make holiday meals in the RV? Do you celebrate or decorate as usual? What kinds of gifts do you get/give since you're in a very limited space?

I've just started thinking about rounding up some small gifts for the kids. Hints, tips or tricks?

[Dahlea]

Our family is far away and we don't celebrate the same holiday, so we won't be visiting. We'll just make a special meal in the RV, and decorate some-but nothing over the top, just small things.
As far as gifts, we just stick to anything small! When we get new toys or clothes, we try to donate others to keep the same amount of "stuff". For our kid, we like to get puzzles, stuffed animals, anything that is small or can be folded/made small to be put away.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by MoonStarFalling

Rvers, how do you handle the holidays? Do you visit with family or do you make holiday meals in the RV? Do you celebrate or decorate as usual? What kinds of gifts do you get/give since you're in a very limited space?

I've just started thinking about rounding up some small gifts for the kids. Hints, tips or tricks?

This will be our first Christmas in our RV, and we are actually going to celebrate twice. Once in the RV, and then once again because we are flying to TX to celebrate w/ family. (UGH - I think it's ridiculous that we are flying, but DH would have to take 2 weeks off of work to drive the rig back & forth, and we can't afford that.)

Anyway, I've been buying up little things over the months. DDs will be getting: DVDs, Leapster Games, dress up, rainbow silks, books, these adorable organic wool lamb hand muffs (atoygarden.com), rainbow crayons, sticker books, and other little stuff. For us, small is key! This will also work very well because a lot of that small stuff will be entertaining on the airplane.

I'm thinking we'll have a real Christmas tree outside of the RV with lights and decorations, and maybe a little one inside. I think it's probably time to buy one of those table tops you stick on the steering wheel to make a table! LOL!

We do have the advantage of being stuck in our "hometown," so all of our Christmas decorations are in storage, and we have access to that stuff. I'm also going to be giving our younger DD some of older DD's discarded toys. DD1 is totally on-board with this. (We do Santa, but DDs know he's pretend.)

And a side note - I have a tendency to make Christmas "too big." So I've already started giving some of the gifts as practicality demands. For example, I already gave them their wool muffs because it's cold here! I gave some dress up last night (in exchange for the candy).

I'm looking forward to hearing ideas from others!

[KellyandKatie]

wow- what a great thread- I am enchanted

[MaryJaneLouise]

Subbing, mostly as a fantasy but :xfingers: someday a reality!

[Thystle]

Originally Posted by CageFreeFamily

I miss the travel for so many reasons and am aching a bit at the thought of selling our rig after all the work we put into renovating it.

SO excited for all of you who are traveling and getting ready to travel!
It's such an incredible experience, and I really do hope to do it again some day.

That's not a rig... that looks like a party palace!!!

[CageFreeFamily]

That's not a rig... that looks like a party palace!!!

[gypsypoet]

Rainbow

Hey Families living on the road be sure to check out the Rainbow family while you're on the road

http://www.starsrainbowrideboard.org...irror/rainbow/




LOVIN YOU

[almadianna]

hello mamas, there were two threads about RV living so I merged you guys together.

[MoonStarFalling]

Hello Rving families! We have been trying to get out of Montana for a week. First we popped a couple strips of siding loose in Great Falls and had to wait on the repair guy and now it looks like we burnt up our power convertor. I'm just glad it looks like a fairly cheap part that DH might be able to put in himself. Last night we had no furnace or fridge and that's a little scary thinking about being stuck in Missoula w/ snow coming. We hope to make it to Portland this week.

Yesterday we drove over snow covered mountains and the kids were so excited. They are loving the adventure.

[enfpintj]

Originally Posted by CageFreeFamily

I can't believe I didn't know this group was here! I'm so bummed.
After a year and a half on the road with two kids, DH and two dogs I could have really used the support of a group like this. Especially when I began to let the land-locked crowd begin to define and judge "our situation" for us. When I first started blogging about it we had SO much support, but somewhere along the lines that crowd became quiet and the judgmental group became louder, making assumptions about the stability of our children's lives as if they had ANY idea what it was like to live on the road.
I wish I hadn't let it get to me because it really tainted our last few months of travel.

For what it's worth I love your blog and your writing. I just never commented. It did sound like y'all had a rough time there toward the end. I always meant to comment because it seemed like you have a similar personality (i'm myers-briggs enfp), and I liked your ponderings. We're also doing different things with our family and most people just don't get it because they don't step outside of their box and wonder why anyone would.

[Irishmommy]

Originally Posted by sweetpeppers

I want to get an RV, but not so much to travel in. I want to have it parked most of the time on my parents property. Has anyone done that? I have a two and a half year old son, so it would just be the two of us and lots of space to play outside.

Self propelled units are designed for moving. They don't do well in one spot. If you don't want to travel, then I would suggest a trailer or a 5th wheel over a Class A, B, or C.

[MoonStarFalling]

Time to put up the christmas lights! I will have to scour the thrift shop for a few decorations or find some evergreen limbs to make wreaths. We have no idea where we will spend christmas. We will be somewhere in the southwest (somewhere warm, perhaps Texas). Any suggestions?

[HappyFox05]

Argh, stupid county! (rant)

The county just told our campground owner that all skirting and decks have to go. I wonder what the best way is to let them know how much I appreciate them taking away our insulation just prior to winter with a newborn. Grrrrr....

Thanks for letting me vent.

[Dahlea]

We're still loving living in our RV full time so far. This week has been the first chance we really had to travel. My husband had to go to Orlando (an hour from our base) to set up for a convention, so we went with him, and have bounced around a few different areas having fun. We also finally got some new curtains for the front (replacing the original 20 year old ones, yuck!) and a foldaway computer desk from Camping World.

[tayndrewsmama]

Originally Posted by HappyFox05

The county just told our campground owner that all skirting and decks have to go. I wonder what the best way is to let them know how much I appreciate them taking away our insulation just prior to winter with a newborn. Grrrrr....

Thanks for letting me vent.

What!? Did they ask why? That is ridiculous. Any chance they don't understand that? A lot of people don't really get it when it comes to winter insulation. I hope you can get something figured out. That is not cool at all.

Dh just called and told me to plan on us devising a plan to be in a Coachmen bunkhouse by the summer. I can't wait. Right now it's pretty much impossible to have the five of us, one being a newborn, and two dogs in the trailer we have now. He's so lonely at work right now and he only went back on Monday.