Leavin' in a Minivan...Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again

We’ve been looking forward to this trip for so long, that I was a little surprised by how difficult it was to leave.

These last 4 weeks, since we got an offer on the house, were a frenzy of activity. We were so busy going through the motions of getting ready to leave that we barely had time to think, let alone cry. Well, I made up for that…

I cried as I walked to a friend’s house for one last morning exercise. I rang the doorbell, tears streaming down, nose running, and asked for a Kleenex…nice greeting, huh? I cried when the hubby and I stood together gazing out our patio door one last time. I cried when we walked out after the closing, with the realization that we had no home to go to – only our van.

The most embarrassing, though, was crying in the bank as we waited in the teller line. The assistant branch manager, who I met just last week when we rented a safe deposit box, even gave me a hug!

Of course, I cried when we picked up our kids from a good friend’s house, and we said our final goodbyes.

Sadly, the day we departed, I found out a relative of a family friend will be going on the waiting list. It sure brought a sense of urgency to our mission of promoting organ donation…Colorado here we come!

- The Mom

Do Florida Homes Require Alligator Inspections?

Every time we've sold our house and left for a trip around the United States, we've written a poem three days before we left...so we're up to...one poem.  Enjoy.

Just 3 little days,
Then it's time to go.
Our living space will shrink,
While our gas expense will grow.

The house is all empty.
Our belongings are few.
Not a termite is stirring,
(We paid $45 for a review.)

The daughter has the knock knock jokes.
The son will tell the groaners.
Yet serious moments there will be,
As we register all the organ donors.

We look forward to your support.
Though we can handle some rejection.
Just know if you don't hear from us
We're just looking for an internet connection...

-the dad

(See the Countdown on our Trip Page)

Lego My Secret Handshake

A few last minute opinions from the kids about the trip and life in a slowly emptying home:

 

"I think the trip will be really weird because I will be leaving my friends, and I won't be able to make new friends because I'll never see them again. I'll have to wait a whole year to make friends! I'll probably forget all my secret hand-shakes with my friends. I do think that the trip is going to be really fun! Bye." 

-the daughter 

"Hi Dr. Dorito here, and I'm talking about life right now. It's really weird to be sleeping on the floor, because my old bed was a loft bed. I also have no dresser. My socks and underwear are in shoes boxes, and my pants are lying on the floor (not that that is any different than normal). They don't take up much space because most of my clothes are in my suitcase.

I'm also a big Lego fan, so I own about seven Lego sets. My mom sent them to my Grandma’s though, so instead of my room being a wreck, my Grandma’s basement is a wreck. Now I only have a few things to play with. This is Dr. Dorito signing off."

-the son

365 Day Trip Preparation – Chapter 8 Keeping Track of Stuff

I should have been a Boy Scout. At least, I’m hoping that I’m that prepared! We have 4 places that we are storing things. To keep everything straight, I’ve created a spreadsheet which has 4 columns. I’ve numbered each box or container, so column one lists the box number. Around box 23, I started describing the box, realizing that it would be easier to locate box 57 – a red Rubbermaid, than just box 57 in a sea of Rubbermaids.  

The 2nd column lists where the container is stored, and the 3rd column lists generally what is inside, for example “kitchen.” The last column gives a more detailed listing of what is inside: “cooling racks, muffin tins, cookie sheets.”

I’m hoping that if we need anything on the trip, we’ll be able to easily locate it. I just wonder what will be so important that we need to call the "stuff keepers" and ask them to locate a box for us? Find box 48 – a clear container and send us the winter hats and gloves?? Find box 62 – a green Rubbermaid and FedEx us the toilet plunger?? Find box 21 – uh, no idea which one it is! Ship us the instruction manual for the camcorder!

I guess if I were truly a Boy Scout, I’d have thought of all these things in advance and brought them on the trip…

Be prepared!
-The Mom

(Since she can't earn a real Boy Scott badge because...well, she's a girl, I have granted the Mom an honorary badge of love for her 18 years of undying dedication, beauty, and love in a mutually serving relationship with me, her husband.  Now I need to get one more Rubbermade ready...one for her to throw up in when she reads that last sentence.)

She's Just Not That Into You-zing a Mattress

Every night from now to April 26th I'm sleeping on the floor with no mattress. I am also wearing the same five outfits each day because all my other outfits are either in my suitcase, being stored, or sold. My suitcase is all packed. I'm as ready for a trip around the USA as any nine year old girl can get. Oh, by the way I don't even have a dresser any more, so my shorts, socks, and pajamas are just sitting on the floor. All that is in my room right now is blankets, a pillow on the floor, and piles of junk. Thanks for listening. I hope you have pity on me!

- The Daughter

365 Day Trip Preparation – Chapter 7 Eating Strange Things

The last several months I’ve been careful of what I purchase at the grocery store - no weird spices or food that you use for a recipe you plan to make and never do or make once, and the rest of it sits there in the fridge or a cupboard for an eternity. Never the less, we still have those strange items sitting in our cupboards…What exactly did I buy cream of tartar and unflavored gelatin for?

Recently, I’ve been just buying milk, bread, and fresh fruits and veggies. It’s been interesting using up what’s in the cupboard. A few nights ago, we had pasta and a buffet of different toppings. I used the last of the pesto, the Son spiced up the last of the tomato sauce, the Dad used oil and parmesan as his topping, and the Daughter melted some cheese on top. Last night we had tacos and Spanish rice. Nothing strange there, but I didn’t have any more diced tomatoes for the rice like the box called for, so I used the remaining can of tomato paste. Interestingly enough, everyone seemed to enjoy the more intense flavor, and no tomato chunks made it appealing to the kiddos…and the Dad.

Tonight I’m depleting the last of the ground beef in the freezer to make BBQ and using rolls for buns. For veggies, we’re down to pretty much just corn – oh, and that frozen okra that’s been there since the beginning of time…except I’m not sure that I can ever make that more appealing to the kiddos or the Dad!

-The Mom

Little Homeless Family in The Hotel

Our house looks strange.

We are sleeping on a mattress on the floor (which, by the way, feels quite good on the back).  We have tables that are missing chairs, strange blank areas on the walls, and open areas where there should be furniture.  The process of selling off all our items has begun and the reality of our soon to be homelessness is setting in.

We are to the point of deciding how many pairs of underwear we are taking (no we aren't selling the extra...although I've heard you can sell anything on eBay.  Hmmm.) and trying to figure out how we will wash our clothes.  My idea of sending the kids into the hotel bathroom with a washboard and the dirty laundry was rejected.  I told them they could dress up in Little House on the Prairie outfits to make it real...rejected even stronger.

It has made us realize what little we really NEED.

We will be taking along 5-7 days of clothes, the kids school stuff, our work stuff, some games, a few movies,  workout DVDs, and transplant medications.  That's it....for a year.  Why did it seem like we needed so much stuff before?

It all seems necessary at the time, doesn't it?  Do you want to make someone's day?  Take some of your extra stuff and give it to someone that needs it.  Extra stuff is such a waste otherwise.  Oh, and if you haven't already, please sign up here to give the organs you won't need to someone else after you're gone.

That feels better doesn't it?  Helping someone out is a good thing.

Oh, and if you happen to have an old washboard and maybe a bonnet...

- the dad (who doesn't really want a washboard, except on his stomach)

365 Day Trip Preparation – Chapter 6 In the Beginning

The other day we received 3 very cool journals in the mail from Journals Unlimited. They sent their “All 50 States” Journal and even printed each of our names on the front cover! Each one is organized by state, with a map, fun facts, and 3 pages for writing, one with prompts. View it here.

We’re really looking forward to using them, and I’m so glad we received them before we left! After all, it just isn’t the same starting your “All 50 States” Journal 7 states into the trip.

I realized how important it is to figure out our goals, what we’ll collect, what identifying picture we’ll take in each state, and all that other good stuff - BEFORE we leave, so we can do it in ALL 50 STATES!

We do have things we want to do in each state like visiting the most popular tourist attraction, hiking, trying local foods, etc, but a member on our travel community suggested something we hadn’t thought of: geocaching. We looked into it, and treasure hunting certainly appeals to the kids, so we’re in…from the beginning.  Another member suggested collecting those smashed pennies. Both the son and daughter have since decided to collect them. They especially liked the price of 51 cents each - much more affordable than 50 charms like the daughter originally wanted to collect!

One thing we haven’t figured out is how to take a picture in each state that identifies it as in that state. Roadside signs would be cool but not feasible from the interstate. I’d love your suggestions for THE state picture or things to do or collect in general in each state…and please let us know SOON as we’ll be leaving in less than 4 weeks, and you know how I hate to start something 7 states into the trip!

-The Mom (the practical one, maybe borderline obsessive in this case)

Fastest Blog in the West

Hi Dr. D here, and I'm blogging on the thing I want to collect on the trip. The one thing I want to collect is a smashed penny with the logos on them from every state.  I think that these pennies are cool, especially because it’s fun to crank the handle to get the penny out. This is Dr. D signing off.

- the son