Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Life on the Road.


We bought our RV about a year ago and it has been awesome. Our shared goal this year is to spend more time together as a family and with the various road trips we’ve already taken, we are making it happen.  RV camping isn’t exactly roughing it but with small kids and a busy schedule, it works for us.

Some of my earliest childhood memories include camping with family.  Our time together was filled with playing make believe games around the campground, riding bikes, playing board games (Yahtzee was a favorite), and stories around the campfire.  A couple regular spots we visited growing up include Honeyman Memorial State Park in Florence, Oregon and Loon Lake Campground near Reedsport, Oregon.  I want to give them the same experience.

I love to travel and be on the road.  Experiencing the quiet and beauty of the outdoors has been good for all of us.

I love that it's something we all like to do, together.

I love that it's one of the few activities we use to do when we were their age.


I love all the anticipation and preparation it takes getting ready to sit and do nothing.  Mostly I love the doing nothing part.

I love the look on their faces as we pull out of the driveway in route to our next adventure. Each time, they are as excited as the first.

For as little as I enjoy grocery shopping, I love stocking up for a camping trip. My grocery cart always ends up fuller than planned.


I love (and so do they) that it has become a tradition to buy mini boxes of sugary cereal before every road trip.


I love the trashy celebrity gossip magazines I bring along on these trips.

I love the many hours of travel that allow Matt and I to catch up and dream about our next adventure together.

I love the moments we sit in silence because there is nothing left to say, idling with no agenda.

I love naps on the road. While Matt drives, we often nap. It's the only time I can get them both cuddled up next to me, asleep. It's the best.


I love the exploratory first hour after arriving at our destination. Usually it involves bikes.


I love the absence of the expectation to be busy and productive. At the best places, our phones don’t even work.

I love the ease and simplicity of meal preparation.


I love breakfast time when we camp, it’s the slowest part of our day.

I love my hot cup of coffee in the morning.  Camping coffee just tastes better.

I love that there's no hair, makeup and sometimes no shower.

I love the camping journal we use to record the details of each trip so we can remember the good spots to revisit.

I love having everything we need in one place.


I love an evening glass of wine (and sometimes afternoon) with Matt while the kids ride their bikes and play.

I love that the first and last sounds of the day come from them. It’s the only time we all sleep late, there’s something about being so close to one another.


What I love most is the amount of time we spend outside. The stillness of the outdoors allows time to pass more slowly and patterns get interrupted. When we pull away from our routine, it quiets the distraction of everyday life.




What they love most:
Matt loves having our family in close proximity to one another.

Ava loves time around the campfire, especially the s'mores.

Carson loves going bye-bye.

No comments:

Post a Comment