FAQ's

People are often perplexed by our travels, especially since we aren't yet senior citizens.  These are the most frequently asked questions we've heard on this trip:


Do you homeschool?
This questions, of course, comes from people we meet along the way.  The answer is 'Yes.'

Where do you sleep?
Typically, Travis and I have the queen-sized bed in the back room.  Lincoln prefers to sleep in the recliner by himself.  The dinette collapses into a bed.  Taite usually sleeps there.  The couch works like a futon and folds into a bed as well.  Calla usually sleeps there.  Parker will sleep with either Calla or Taite...depends on the day.

When we have friends join us, like the VanSumeren's, we let the other adults sleep on the bed in the bedroom.  That's where Stacey and Tim slept.  We have a twin blow-up mattress.  Travis slept on the mattress.  Connor slept with Taite on the dinette bed.  Tyler started the trip in the passenger chair.  We turned it around 180 degrees (facing Lincoln) and leaned it back.  He chose to share the bed with Connor and Taite the rest of the week.  I shared with Calla and Parker.  There is a little bit of a downward-sloping lip on the couch.  With Trav's blow-up bed next to us we had no worries about anyone falling off the couch/bed.  As these kids get older we won't be able to continue to sleep like this.

One funny/cute thing we experienced was our nighttime salutations.  When Travis and I slept with the kids we became the Walton's.

Taite:  Goodnight, Mom
Me:  Goodnight, Taite

Linc & Bug

Calla:  Goodnight, Mom
Me:  Goodnight, Calla.  Goodnight, Lincoln.  Goodnight, Parker.  Goodnight, Connor.  Goodnight, Tyler. Goodnight, Dad
Connor:  Goodnight, Miss Kate
Lincoln:  Goodnight, Mom
Tyler:  Goodnight, MissKate
Parker:  Goodnight, Mommy
Connor:  Goodnight, Mr. Travis
Taite:  Goodnight, Dad.  Goodnight, Connor.  Goodnight Tyler
Tyler:  Goodnight, Lincoln.  Goodnight, Parker
Travis:  Goodnight, Connor.  Goodnight, Taite

You see where I'm going with this.  Every last person said goodnight to everyone else in the room.  Instead of counting sheep, you could help yourself fall asleep by remembering each person in the room and bidding them goodnight.  I'm sure by the time we were done there were a few kids already asleep.  I could take up 4 pages on this nightly event alone!  It was seriously long, drawn-out, hilarious, friendly bedtime love. 

Like last year, I regretfully don't have a picture of the sleeping arrangements.  One of these days...

A one month bucket of mail at my mom's house.  Neatly organized.

What do you do with your mail?
USPS lets you put your mail on hold for one month.  We did that, had it delivered, and (with a reminder set in my phone) put it on hold again.  My mom was kind enough to pick it up.  (Thanks mom!!!)  She sorted it and found tons of junk mail, a couple of bills (which we pay online anyway), some tax statements (we'll need in March for our tax appointment), and a few other random items.  Almost all of our communications and payments are done electronically.

Doesn't Travis have to work?
He does.  And he is.  We traveled to his meeting.  He's spent time everyday (except weekends) on the phone with co-workers.  He's led webinars (internet meetings) and conference calls.  We've stopped and connected with many of his co-workers in person.  We call this adventure 'a trip' not 'a vacation.'  We are just doing life in a different place other than 15250 Nautica Circle NE.  




Are you still doing your business, Kate?

You betcha.  (Throwing in a little Minnesotan there.)  I have been able to get on conference calls, make phone calls, and stay updated on the happenings through www.monavieonthemove.com.   We went to Las Vegas for MonaVie's semi-annual meeting mid-January.  I've met people along the way who have either had an interest in health or making more money.  (Perfect candidates.)  I've taken time to set goals and review my purposes. 

How do you do school?

Linda bought me a jean dress and bonnet.  It's perfect.

When ever and however we can fit it in.  We are mostly doing 'unschooling' and learning through the experiences we've had along our trip.  We've kept up really well with our history and science reading.  We've also put a great dent in our math.  Normally Grammy (my mom) does reading lessons with Lincoln and we haven't really squeezed those in along the trip.  (Nana is starting to fill in for Grammy a bit just to keep him learning.)  Taite and Calla have read tons of books on their own.  And for writing, the kids are journaling.  More important than all those subjects, we've remained consistent in our Bible studies, we've worked on manners and interpersonal skills, and we've all worked on our character - especially choosing our words, managing our emotions, and thinking about our actions before we act.  It's not just our children who have worked on those things.  We have all grown immensely on this trip.  This trip is a bit like selling books - you either stay the same, quit, and go home or you change, develop your character, and become stronger.

Did you notice the special herbs in Colorado?
Boy did we ever!  We were walking the streets of downtown Grand Junction and the scent was overwhelming multiple times as hemp smokers walked past us .  When we arrived in Denver, there was a corner store called "Cannabis Care."  I went to Google and typed in "Cannabis Care Denver" and eight different sites came up.  ;-)  The store next to Cannabis Care was called Voodoo Doughnuts.  The line for them was out the door and down the block!  We are guessing there are some special herbs cooked into those doughnuts.  

Cannabis Care Center

Have you seen much wildlife?
No.  Nothing compared to last year.  Last year we saw wild dolphins, whales, sea otters, big horn sheep, pronghorn, and more.  This year seems to be more geology- and astronomy-focused.  Not intentionally.  Different, but cool.

Do you miss home?
Of course!  We miss our family and our friends.  We have the best of the best family and friends in Minnesota.  But when it's so cold outside it's not even fun to visit friends because you have to walk from the car to their door.  ;-)  I also find that we sometimes go two months without seeing some of our very best friends because of everyone's hectic schedules.  We'll be patient and plan playdates and dinners for when we return.  We plan to shower family and friends with love when we get home.  They will barely notice we've been gone.  (And maybe next year some of them will visit us in Costa Rica. ;-))

Have you sold your home?
Not yet.  It will remain on the market until February 20th.  

I plan to wear this on the farm.

Did you buy a farm yet?  or Where is your farm?
Again, not yet.  (Which is why it's probably a good and God-thing that we haven't sold our house yet.)  Travis has already returned home and is researching our favorite parcels.  We'll see...

How is it, being together all the time?
Usually people ask this with wide eyes, imagining what it would be like to be with their own children and spouse all the time.  Travis and I really enjoy spending time with our kids and each other.  I suppose when you spend this much time with each other, you get to know the others better.  You learn what makes the others tick (or flip-out).  You understand all the small things that warm the hearts of your children and spouse.  You learn how verbally, visually, and through mannerisms to most effectively deliver the message.  It's less about manipulation and more about managing your environment.  It's also fun, when you've experienced the same things, to reminisce or sympathize.  I guess it's fun to be on the same page.  

How is this year's trip different from last year's trip?
Since we are traveling to the same general area, you'd think we'd do and see many of the same things.  Not so.  Last year we experienced cool weather everywhere we went, including Southern California.  (We didn't even pull out our swimsuits.)  We saw lots of wildlife.  We were gone for six weeks.  We traveled where we wanted to go, and saw friends who lived in those areas.  (The people we visited were fabulous!!!  So glad our paths crossed.)  Last year we traveled according to our schedule.  Travis was great about planning where we'd stay and for how long.


This year we experienced lots of hot weather - and cool weather where we expected the cool weather.  We swam so much this year Taite's face dried up.  We saw very little wild life - a few mule deer in California and some pronghorn in New Mexico.  This year we planned our travels around who we wanted to visit instead of what we wanted to see.  We went sight-seeing in the places where those friends live.  We didn't see very many of the same friends as we saw last year (sadly).  But we have absolutely loved our time with the friends we've visited this year.  We'll be gone nine weeks this time.  Nine weeks is definitely do-able.  Especially when Minnesota is having their 13th coldest winter on record.  Brrr.  Finally, this year we have a much more general and flexible schedule.


Both were amazing trips.  I'm pretty sure our kids have no idea how cool it is that we get to do this.  Likely, it won't be until they have their own families and contemplate doing something similar that they understand what all goes into a trip like this.


How do you pack clothes for a trip like this? 
That is a great question!  I am no expert.  We packed 10 layer-able outfits for each person.  (Everyone only has one cubbie or drawer.)  Of those 10 outfits, one had to be a church-worthy outfit.  Everyone had between one and three sweatshirts.  We needed one swimsuit for each person.  (We accidentally had an extra for each kid in the RV's dirty laundry bin - oops.) We needed skiing/sledding gear.  Helmets, goggles, boots, hats, scarves, mittens, snow pants, and winter coats got thrown into duffel bags and stored under the bed. 

KC and his buddy/cousin Ruger

Where is KC while you are gone?
I have an amazing mom.  She's taken care of KC the majority of the time we've been gone.  She's also flushed our toilets and turned on our sinks on extremely cold days to make sure our pipes don't freeze.  (We'll have to consider that for next year.)  She watered my plants.  And she's picked up our mail and packages.  She's really been there for us.  I have no idea what we would do without my mom.  There was a week she joined us and our stupendous neighbors took care of everything for us - including KC.  (Why are we considering moving?!)  They have definitely watched out for us and our home.  The neighbor boys are even shoveling our driveway.

What day is it?
That's the question I most frequently ask.  It's hard to keep track of the days when you really have little reason to keep track of the days.  ;-)

Calla

When are you coming home?!
Although it's changed a few times, we've settled on February 20th.

Are you going to do this next year?
Absolutely.  And every year the Lord allows.  Costa Rica, here we come.

Can we join you next year?
Undoubtedly, YES!  Usually people are joking when they ask this, but we aren't!  This is our invitation for you to join us, meet us, and/or travel with us.  We don't yet know where we'll go for sure.  We're going to check out Costa Rica in April as we'll be there for the wedding of our friends, Rich Strobel and Jessie Hounsell.  We'll make a decision then.  (Thank you Rich and Jessie for getting married in Costa Rica!!!)

Linc

Do you miss home?
"I can't wait until we go home," said Lincoln with a very sad and desperate voice.
"Why do you want to go home?" I asked.
"Because then I could see my friends.  And I could have frozen strawberries and frozen pineapple.  And I could have roast beef.  And I could have raspberries and blackberries and blueberries."
"You can eat those things here.  Why do you have to go home for them?" I asked.
"Well, not frozen pineapple and frozen strawberries," Lincoln assumes only Minnesotans eat frozen fruit?  "I'm hot.  When I'm hot I want to have frozen things.  That's why I want to go home."

As for the rest of us, we are super excited to go home.  We'll see Grammy and Mimi.  We'll see our friends.  We'll get back on a schedule/routine.  We'll engage with our church family again.  The kids will go to their homeschool school and co-op where they both learn and see friends.  I'll get to go to BSF, attend my Christian Health Cooperative gatherings, and get back to business.  We'll all sleep in our own beds and have a wide variety of clothes to wear.  We'll be able to get groceries from our typical sources.  We'll have a mailing address for letters and packages.

Yes, we're excited to come home.  But we'll only be gone for a total of nine cold, winter weeks.  No rush.

How do you get around?  Do you drive the RV everywhere?
Yet another great question.  No.  We often set up camp and rent a vehicle.  The RV can stay in one spot and we can drive in a smaller vehicle that can fit in more places - like packed parking lots, sharp turns, and Starbucks drive-thru's.  We love our Honda Odyssey, but our research strongly discouraged us from pulling it behind the RV.  (Something about ruining the transmission. ;-))
 

What's been your favorite part of the trip? 

Poo

Calla:  Going to the Ferré's ranch.  (See 'A Visit with the Ferré's in Northeastern Oregon)
Lincoln:  Going to the zoo.  (See Mile High Fun)
Taite:  The Ferré ranch.
Parker:  The whole thing.  (Not really an acceptable answer, but we'll work on it.)
Travis:  The flexibility of this trip.  It's been great to make last minute decisions to change directions, return dates, and attraction plans.  I like the spontaneity of the trip.
Me:  I love that we've gotten to visit so many of our favorite people all over the country.  Boy, God has absolutely blessed us with amazing friends.  A gift.




I'm sure there are more FAQ's.  I'll add them as I hear them.  ;-)