RV Project - Update

 Not much is 100% completed...but lots of projects are in progress and have been started on the inside of our RV.

 Projects we have been working on:

* Removing 1 twin bed from the back room (going to be future desk/craft area)

* Primed the bathroom, front room, kitchen, part of the hallway

* Wallpaper done on bathroom walls

* Painting done on the kitchen - lighter green on upper cabinets, dark on lower cabinets

* We also painted the entire front room, hallway and kitchen walls - photos to come!

 

1 twin removed - future desk / craft area! 

Still to come: Priming, painting, carpeting, curtains, new wood frame around rear windows.

Bathroom - From yucky wallpaper - to priming - to new wall covering!

We were originally going to wait until WAY down the road to do anything to the bathroom but decided to do the walls & going to get a new mirror.

Still to come: (in the way future) Prime-paint cabinets, new sink, re-do very yellow bathtub/shower.

Kitchen upper cabinets: We sanded, primed and painted - all done!

We primed the front room and hall.

Gorgeous 'black evergreen' for lower kitchen cabinets.

Lower area - green.

We've now just yesterday hung the lower kitchen cabinets and also painted the front room and hallway. All interior painting is done with the exception of the back room. 

Small next project will be adding the covering for our accent wall by the front door- and re-do the kitchen counters as well.

After that we will be replacing the wood beneath the entry way, securing a floor storage - - then finally laying carpet and tile! 

After that we'll move all the furniture from the back room to the front and get started on the back room! While us girls are getting the back room done the boys will be doing the minor mechanical items on their list like a tune up, oil change etc as well as flushing the tanks, cleaning the tanks, they will paint the propane tank, take care of repainting the exterior front door and a bit of the back where paint is chipped. There's a LOT on our list. Plus we are at the same time going through the house and downsizing. Count down has begun and it can feel overwhelming but daily we're making progress and enjoying the process to making our new temporary home a home for our family.

Enjoying the journey and looking forward to the future.

 

Happy New Year! 2021 we're ready for you!

Christmas was quiet but still wonderful just our little family of four together. We didn't get to do our normal Christmas 'events' around town like we usually do but that was okay - we decorated the house, listened to Christmas music and watched Christmas movies and just spent time together. It was a blessing to have a quiet simple day filled with enjoying each others company.

New Years brings for our family many changes for the upcoming year. We were blessed with an older vintage RV, a 1981 Holiday Rambler Presidential 33 ft and we're going to make it our new temporary home on wheels come spring time this year. Our family is off on an adventure for a few months...then back to our beloved farm and homesteading life. 

We have plans to go out to California to see family, head back across Arizona to see more family then hit the road to to New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. And who knows where else! And of course make stops along the way to explore, take in new sights and enjoy all the beautiful USA has to offer in a few states we've never been to.

Our classy RV definitely needs some interior love and we're ready to take on this project as a family and paint, re carpet, get her all cleaned up and tuned up to get ready to hit the road! 

Here's some before photos....before any updates have been made!

The day we went to go pick her up and drive her home....Classy right!? We love the lines and think the RV is definitely good looking and got some personality compared to new rigs. We officially named her 'Eleanor' (since she's the Presidential model).

Interior - very dark, we're looking forward to lightening it up and replacing the carpet. We already removed the futon/and wood shelf and have a couch/bed for the front living space that will pull out to a queen and also have storage underneath.

Again - more BROWN walls to be painted. And brown cabinets. Kitchen will be sage green cabinets with a butcher block-type look for the counter tops. Not 100% decided if we will immediately replace the backsplash or just wait since its in decent condition.

We even have a tiny bit of counter space! Microwave and stove/oven.

Down the hall is the fridge and freezer/and kitchen cabinets across from the kitchen. Then next is the pull out door and wardrobe cabinets and drawers. Across from the wardrobe is the bathroom/shower. Then in the back is the bedroom with two twin beds.

Tiny bathroom with tub/shower, toilet and upper and lower cabinets.

Back bedroom. Bed on left will be ripped out so it will be a single twin and a desk along that wall. Window tint that is peeling will be taken off and curtains instead of blinds put up.

A few more exteriors:  (hubbie had the front off to get into the engine etc...

Going to repaint these logos. We all love the red-white-blue striping on the side!

The model we have.

We're excited to see where God leads us through our adventure and prayer and being together bonding as a family. We're looking forward to exploring and spending time together before our children are grown/moved out/on their own and living their own lives. There is no better time than NOW to soak up all life has to offer, embrace change and adventure and take a leap of faith...together.

Sunday Trails & Other Happenings

 We love FALL! Hiking yesterday on Sunday was SO amazingly gorgeous. Being in nature, outdoors, talking, walking, soaking in life with my oldest is always time I look forward to each week. We had a great hike, good chats and took pictures of the beauty surrounding us. We have so many great trails where we live its always the debate....which one to choose!? But this one around the lake did not disappoint.

 

Fall I use the crock pot at LEAST 2x  per week! A few meals of the last week included; 

CROCK POT Rotisserie Chicken  (for our daughter who loves chicken!) - we've tried a normal 'rotisserie' rub and also a lemon-pepper rub. Foil balls on the bottom keep it from sticking. 8 hours on low. Then transfer to the oven on broil to crisp the skin for 5+ minutes- until crispy outside.

We also tried a new soup using my preserved summer squash from our garden. We ate it before I could take a snap shot but it was amazing!

CROCK POT Yellow Squash Soup with Parm & Herbs (Vegan/Veggie)

2 lbs yellow squash cut in chunks
1 cup veggie broth/stock
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp lemon zest
Salt/pepper

Cook low - 6 hours
After 6 hours:
Add: 1/2 cup almond milk
Blend
4 tbsp (or to taste) grated Parmesan cheese (or vegan if non dairy)
Sprinkle with parsley and tarragon

Tennis time weekly with our son. Our favorite downtown courts. Photo doesn't do it justice but there is the best view of downtown and the mountains here.

Around the farm....kitties getting big.

Our last batch of eggs before most of our chickens were taken by predators....

Ro-Ro girl!

Trying to find treats we hid.

Scarlett pig and one of the chicken girls that is still around.

Poor guys, life on a farm means sometimes you loose birds.

The boys - our sweet pups.

  Life is busy, good, blessed and we are embracing Fall and remembering daily all we are thankful for in this beautiful life. There are so many blessing surrounding us. The warm sun coming up each morning, our animals here, the ability to be together daily- learn-work- have fun as a family. Happy Thanksgiving week.

Hiking & Halloween

We've been hiking weekly if not more...we tend to do MORE hiking during the fall and winter vs the spring and summer. We usually hike September through May and skip the summer/and monsoon months around here. We're loving the changing of color of leaves. The air is definitely crisp around the lakes, but gorgeous.

Halloween we thought would be cancelled and even when it was for our town, the residents petitioned the city to keep the spirit and open up to go forth with Halloween and they said yes. There's a street downtown that nearly every house goes all out in decorating. The town closes the street so everyone can walk and see all the decorations. Kids trick or treat. Music is played and everyone has an awesome time. This year was no different than last or the previous years- everything felt and seemed back to normal. It was a great family evening spent enjoying our town celebration!

 

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Not all houses handed out candy - but nearly all the houses participated in decorating and there were some awesome houses this year! We love our town!