Slipping into a Routine

Well, we are slipping into a routine here at the RV, though it is not ideal. 

Since it is just a transition for us, noone is really treating it like home and it is even awkward saying it is home.  Such as, "Let's head back home." is "Let's go back to the RV."

We are making it work though and this time will give us what we need financially, but we all agree we will be glad when it is over. 

So, the weekends are still up in the air because we have to look at home things so often.  The kids don't like to go, but we make them to get them out of the RV.  I also make them get out daily and take a walk at least. They don't feel extremely comfortable as many people sit out on their little patio areas and Laney feel like they are staring at her.  She liked the trail we had by our last house.

My back is not doing so great.  I really do not have a place to do my stretches like I should, so I am paying for it.  Hopefully the chiropractor can help keep me at bay while we go through this time.  Yesterday evening, my leg went numb.  Not good.  I do not want to start falling again and have to go back in a wheel chair.  So, I am implementing a walking time for me (several times a day) and the tens unit on bad nights.

We have gotten the cooking thing down though.  We had steak, baked potatoes, stuffed portobella mushrooms and asparagus for dinner.  I made the baked potatoes in the crock pot and Darrell grilled the rest of it.  Tonight, we are having stuffed, bacon wrapped chicken with steamed broccoli and tomato/cucumber salad.  I will stuff and wrap the chicken that Darrell will grill, and we cook the broccoli on the stove top.  The salad I will make this afternoon so the dill can come out fully.

It is cumbersome when preparing, but the cooking part we have gotten down.

Sleeping is also good - I am sleeping better and more now than I have years. I mean a luxurious 8-10 hours a day.  My body feels like it is starting to repair itself from all the stress.  My back needs work, but everything else is getting better - including starting to lose weight!

 During the week, we get up when we get up.  I have coffee while the kids get their breakfast.  After a cup, we either start school in the RV or go to the Rec Room.  Come back for lunch.  I go check on things at the land and get the mail.  Then, when I get back, we work on history and literature.  After that, I clean up a little bit and read.  Then Darrell comes home, we cook, eat dinner, watch a movie, go to bed.

That is about it.  Very slow life, but at least we have a routine.  Yes, every other week we go to the Library and I am trying to find things we can do that do not revolve around food, but house happenings have kept us close so far.  This is definitely a hands on project.  We did go to the movies a week ago and have plans for the contemporary art museum.  We may go on a rainy day since I know no work will happen!  ;)

Glad to finally be at this point, even if we feel we are still in limbo. 

Good Weekend

It was a laid back weekend - there were things to take care of, but we did them at a slow pace.

For starters, Laney had a wand making class Saturday morning.  She spent 2+ hours making this wand with a bunch of very hard core Harry Potter Fans.  I mean they go to immersion weekends and all!  She was one of the youngest there and one mom with her two kids left.  Sad really, these were very accepting, albeit slightly odd people and they all made my mildly into Harry Potter child feel welcome.

Then we went to purchase the appliances for the new house - lots of sales this weekend.  So, we ended up buying a Refrigerator - french doors with 30 cubic feet!, Deep Freezer, a double oven Range (17,000 BTU),  Microwave, Washer, Dryer, and Dishwasher.  The fridge, microwave, dishwasher and range are the black stainless steel.  GORGEOUS!  We got white for the rest.  Delivery which is far from the store, installation and all the tubes, wires, cords, etc - $7,200.  We saved $5,500 from full prices!  I thought we did pretty good getting exactly what we wanted with some bells and whistles. 

Then we drove around just getting more familiar with our area and came across a granite store.  We are not ready to buy, but they had a slab of leathered black granite - just like I want.  It was even more stunning than I imagined and found out it is a level 3 which is what we have been budgeted for - even better news!

Sunday we just cleaned up a bit, made a menu - went grocery shopping, did laundry, and the guys got their hair cut.  My son had a uni-brow and allowed them to do hot wax!  This is my sensitive skin and skiddish boy.  I was stunned!  He is growing up - I am so proud of him!

Today, we had lunch with some dear friends and showed them our land.  Then Darrell and I went to Lowe's for a tree limb trimmer - one of the really long ones since we have to trim trees before the shed can be built.

I could not play with my camera too much - we were busy and it rained most of the time.  However, I was able to play for a few minutes Sunday before the storm came in.

This is the view from the door of our RV using my new wide angle lens.  I still need to work with it a LOT!

Hope you all had a great long weekend!

Week 17 Update

Not too much has happened, some good news which I already told y'all about.  We have finally kind of settled in, so life is just cruising on.

1. Land Home - Well, we finally got HOA Approval this week.  We also started the process of the shed.  The contractors finishing cutting down all the trees and are burning the remnants.  That will take a while - it has been mostly raining this week and they are having trouble with the fires.  They have to get very hot and they are not getting there.  I did not go up there yesterday, but I will today, so I will see their progress.

Yesterday, I sat down with the builder and made decisions on window placements and sizes.  I did add 2 smaller windows  - 1 to my daughter's bathroom and 1 to our water closet.  Our ceilings are 10' high, so the windows are thin and high - 1 ft tall by 2-3 wide at the 8 ft mark.  I am a little excited because there will be seven 8ft tall windows with no obstruction in the living room area. 

I also finalized the color of the windows and the roof shingles.  We got word from the county that the culvert needs to be wider, so we will be adding a few feet to it sometime soon.  It is a new standard size - lucky us!

I did ask when the concrete pad would be done.  Here is the excitement - as long as weather holds, the select fill pad should be done by the end of next week.  (which also means we can start the shed!)  Then, our builder said he would need a couple of weeks to prep for the concrete pad, but he saw no reason for the concrete pad not be poured by the June 16th, 19th at the latest!  It will start really moving then!

Oh, I got my wide angle lens yesterday!  I cannot wait to take a picture - I will be able to get the whole open area now! 

2. RV Living - We are doing ok.  I still say if Darrell and I were retired and traveling, this would be more doable, even fun.  Living here with teenagers, not so great.  They are lovely and such wonderful kids.  There are no major complaints, only when we are all lamenting together.  We all agree, it is not bad until you are trying to cook or shower.  That's when it is a pain. 

However, we are making it work.  I have no intention of changing our situation and it is actually going better than I thought. 

Darrell and I are getting closer, so that is one good thing.  The kids are getting closer as well.  They went through a period of verbal fighting, but we had to talk with them and they are actually talking to each so much nicer.  "Koen, I know it is hard, but could you please chew with your mouth closed - it is driving me insane."  LOL - our daughter is a trooper living with 3 brothers.  The fact they are saying please to each other is a very good thing!

3. Homeschooling - Going great!  Another week in the books.  We are progressing along nicely and we went to the rec room every day this week.  They love it!  It gets us out of the RV and they have separate tables. 

We started reading the Constitution.  It is a little dry, but I am bringing in stories as we go, so it is taking a long time to get through - that is ok.  I would rather they remember it then press through and they not remember anything.

We did make a final decision to NOT start Latin or Science until we move in the house.  Latin is important as this will count as their foreign language for graduation, so it needs to be taken seriously.  Science has a ton of experiments that are just not conducive in this RV.  Plus, as we get further along in the building, I will need to be at the land more.

I am good with this.  I felt guilty for a few days, but it is not like they are Not going to get it at all.  We will be moving in the house this year.  It is just one semester.  (see how I am talking myself into this?)


So, there you have it - a little slow, but good.  I hope over the next month, there will be a LOT more pictures to show you - at this point, they are just moving piles around and it is not exciting.