Posted by Tagged with Family travel, familyroadtrip, Florida, Floridakeys, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

Christmas in the Keys

Our daughter Tabby arrived in Florida at midnight on the 22nd of December. We were so, so excited to see her for the first time in 4 months.

We stayed with our friend Greg Blake in Key Largo for the 9 days between Christmas and New Years.

Packing and unpacking are some of the hardest days of life on the road. Adding a 5th person in the car with Tabby’s arrival was a challenge, but we managed to squeeze in for the 2 hour drive from Naples to Key Largo.
🌴
The first few days in the Keys were cold and rainy. We didn’t have internet access and the kids were sad about being away from family at Christmas. It was one of the harder transitions of the trip so far. Thankfully, by the 27th of December, it warmed up and the tropical climate of the Keys returned.
We started our days with coffee on the porch and a slow wake up for the kids while Mark went to the local Starbucks to work. Then in the late morning or afternoon we swam in the neighborhood pool, played tennis, and explored the area.
🌴
One of the interesting things about the Florida Keys is that even though it is surrounded by water, there are very few swimming beaches. Most people enjoy the water on boats.
One sunny day, Greg treated us to lunch at The Pilot House, and we got an up close look at some of the gorgeous boats docked in the harbor.

Another new experience was being near the Everglades and seeing so many water birds, alligators, and iguanas. We stopped along Hwy 42 at The Oasis Visitor Center where we saw about a dozen alligators taking a nap in the swamp.

We also visited the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary for injured birds in Key Largo. Many of these birds had been hit by cars or shot with pellet guns. They were brought to this bird sanctuary to be rehabilitated and returned to the wild when possible.

The Florida Keys is home to dozens of State Parks. We went to several. My favorite was the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo. They had a visitor center with an aquarium where we saw some beautiful fish and coral.

The park also had kayak rentals, snorkeling, and glass bottom boat rides for an extra fee. We rented two double kayaks for an hour. I am not proud of my kayaking skills or teamwork skills. I was partnered up with Malia and we argued with each other the entire hour. Tabby said we could have been a model of how NOT to kayak.

One of my favorite days was when we visited the Theater of the Sea. We saw giant turtles, sea lions, parrots, and our favorite – the dolphin show!

On New Years Eve we made the long drive (2+ hours) to Key West. There are 42 bridges connecting all the Florida Key islands. The longest bridge, Seven Mile Bridge, connects the mainland of Florida to the Florida Keys. Driving over this bridge was a highlight for me. We hesitated to make the drive because of all the complaints we had heard about the traffic and crowds, but I’m glad we did.
🌴
Key West is a charming place. There are walkable streets with cute little shops, art galleries, coffee houses, and unique restaurants. Popular buildings include the home of Ernest Hemingway and Harry S. Truman’s Little Whitehouse.
We were only in Key West for a few hours – long enough to walk around the downtown and see the sunset along with a huge crowd of New Years Eve partiers at Mallory Square. I would have loved to have a few days there. Maybe another time.

As far as how we celebrated Christmas itself, the 24th and 25th were kind of like any other day and it felt strange seeing photos of a snowstorm and record below zero temps back home. We opened gifts and called family back in Minnesota and Elliot in Boston. Grandma Karen sent a box of cookies and other goodies in the mail, so we enjoyed those. My Aunt Lea from North Carolina surprised us with an Instacart delivery of food which included lasagne, bread, salad, and a beautiful cake.
We had gifts for the kids to open and I made a ham and mashed potatoes on Christmas Day. We also went to church and worked on a jigsaw puzzle.

Looking back, we really had so many great experiences in the Keys in such a short time. It was different than the rest of Florida and I’m glad I got to experience it. I’m grateful to Greg for giving us a place to stay and also so thankful that Tabby could join us for the week. She spiced things up and made it more fun for Malia and Ivy.

We may never experience a Christmas break quite like this one. I will remember this Christmas as the year we broke the mold and escaped the cold.

Posted by Tagged with Family travel, family US roadtrip, Hilton head, southcarolina Posted in Uncategorized

Surprise Sunset

One of my favorite days of our trip so far

Hilton Head, SC

When Mark texted me and said he wanted to rearrange our itinerary to work around the extended forecast, I rolled my eyes.
I may appear spontaneous on the Internet, but the truth is, I hate sudden changes in plans.

The idea came because Mark wanted to see Savannah and Hilton Head on a sunny, 70 degree day instead of a rainy 50 degree day.
Now that I write it down like that, it makes so much sense, but I was worried about so many things. How would it affect our lodging back in Macon, would it be an added cost, and did it practically make sense apart from the weather forecast?


Well, long story short, I flexed with the idea and boy am I glad. It was THE BEST two days of our trip so far. We strolled through the Savannah parks, enjoying the huge trees and historic buildings. I tried some fried chicken, collard greens, candied sweet potatoes, corn bread, and peach cobbler.


We carried on to Hilton Head and arrived just as the sun was setting. It was a race to the beach to get there in time. Seeing my girls experience the ocean at sunset was priceless. We rented bikes the next day and road the seemingly endless shoreline. I got to talk to my older two college kids, Elliot and Tabby, on the phone that day too, which made the day even more perfect.


After we decided to change our plans and stay in Macon for two extra days, we found out that there was a youth tennis tournament on those days. If we would have stuck with the original plan, Malia would have missed that opportunity. It all worked out.

Moral of the story – Stay Flexible and don’t be afraid when plans change.

Do you remember a time when plans changed at the last minute?

Posted by Tagged with Christmas, family, Family travel, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

How much is “enough” at Christmas?

I don’t know about you, but for me Christmas stirs up feelings of not having enough to give.

I want to enjoy going to the stores and filling my cart with the perfect gifts for everyone on my list.

Wouldn’t it be great if I could make some of those perfectly decorated cookies?

Maybe I could snap my fingers and have a pile of cute Christmas cards with our family photo on them addressed and ready to send?

Maybe this will be the year we finally have matching PJs and stockings with my childrens’ names on them?

Wouldn’t it be great to be invited to a Christmas party where we sip mulled wine and listen to live jazz while the kids are at home with a babysitter who volunteered their time to give us a night off?

OK – Stop the Daydream already.

I had forgotten these sentiments since being on our road trip and away from the usual December crazy.

Today, I went into Hobby Lobby and the feelings all came rushing back. I saw the crowded aisles of shoppers filling their carts with wrapping paper, ornaments, and craft supplies. The stress and overwhelm of December wrapped me in its grip.


As a mom, I feel a lot of pressure to give my kids a great Christmas.
I want them to be happy. I know that celebrating Jesus’ birth was never intended to become what it has in our American culture. I’ve tried the advent devotionals and simplifying mantras, but the feelings of inadequacy creep back in so easily.

I’ve made room for the little voices in my head.
“Your kids will never have as good of a Christmas as their friends because you can’t give them ______________” (name the things you are missing)

This year, my Christmas will look very different. We will be in the Florida Keys. I have no idea how to plan for it or what to expect. We will be missing Elliot, our oldest child who will be in Boston (our first Christmas without all 6 of us). We won’t have snow, and we may not have a tree or the usual gifts. My kids are not happy about “missing Christmas” back home.

I am amazed at how we can be in a tropical paradise and the kids can still find things to be unhappy about.


The reality is that Christmas is a beautiful mess of wrapping paper piles, burnt cookies, and crying children.

Along with the crazy, we all hope for moments of wonder sprinkled in. These moments help us realize that we are ALIVE and BREATHING, and that is a miracle in itself. This beautiful and weird life we are living is ours. We don’t need to be like the others.

LOVE cannot be bought.
It is freely given and can be freely received. That is the best news for those who don’t feel like they have done enough to deserve love and don’t have money to pay for it.

I AM looking forward to Christmas in Florida. It will be different, but different isn’t always bad. Look at Jesus. He was very different. He chose a group of rag tag followers that were rejected by the rest of society. He did not have a home. He was not born under a beautifully decorated tree. He was born in a barn. It smelled. It was uncomfortable. His parents felt alone and probably didn’t fit in with their friends or family.


My Christmas wish for you is that you would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are enough.

You don’t need to try harder or spend more money or do more things. Your gift to those around you is being comfortable in your own skin and loving the best you know how.

Merry Christmas from the Sunshine State!

Posted by Tagged with Family travel, hospitality, travel Posted in Uncategorized

A Warm Southern Welcome

We have stayed in almost a dozen different homes since beginning our trip on November 1st. I’ve been overwhelmed in a good way by the gift of hospitality we have experienced. I don’t know why it has surprised me so much. Maybe because I just assumed that people would feel obligated to host us and were kind of “putting up with us” instead of enjoying it. Thankfully, quite the opposite has been the case. I’ve felt almost every person we’ve stayed with has been genuinely thrilled by our company. Not only that, they have gone to great lengths to make sure we have felt cared for.

Here are some examples that come to mind.

Colored Towels – One of our hosts called ahead and asked specific questions like whether we liked mushrooms and green peppers. This same host was so detailed in her questions that she even asked each of us to pick out the color of bath towel we liked best.

Spontaneous Invitations – On our first Sunday in Macon, GA we were staying at an airbnb and decided to visit a local church. We didn’t know anyone and were surprised when the couple sitting in front of us introduced themselves and asked for our phone number. Later that day, I got a text from them asking us over to their house for dessert. It was such a pure and genuine invitation and so unexpected. We ended up having a great conversation which led to my coming back to their house several times to teach them piano lessons.

Sacrificial Giving – At one house, our hosts gave up their own bedroom while we were there. That meant them sleeping in a smaller, less comfortable bed for 6 nights. I’m sure it was a big sacrifice for them, but they insisted we take the master bedroom while we were there. It really moved me. They also cooked special foods for us and went out of their way to plan activities and show us around their town.

These are just a few examples of the hospitality we have experienced. It has made such an impression on me that I am determined to make hosting others a regular part of what we do when we move back to Minnesota. If someone ever asks for a place to stay overnight, we will jump at the opportunity to host.

When you welcome someone into your days, it is one of the most generous gifts you can give.

How have you experienced hospitality from others?


It’s not too late to join our Postcard Club

Posted by Tagged with family, family memories, Family travel, family US roadtrip, familybonding, parenting Posted in Uncategorized

Daily Life on the Road

In this post I will be answering some commonly asked questions we get about our 6 month road trip.

How can you be gone from home so long without an RV?

The way we get around not having an RV is by staying with people that we know. We sent out a letter to a bunch of people that we hoped would host us about 6 months before the trip started. Based on those who responded, we planned our route. We knew there would be a few places would settle for a longer time in an airbnb, but for the most part, we wanted to stay with people.

This was not only a financial decision, but also because it aligned with the vision of the trip. One of our goals was to step into peoples’ normal lives and to see friends and family we wouldn’t normally see.

How is this trip different than a vacation?

We are staying with people we know instead of in hotels. We keep eating out to a minimum and pack drinks and snacks in a cooler when we are on the road. We have a daily routine that includes school, work, and alone time. Each day, the kids and I do school in the morning while Mark does DJ work. In the afternoon we go exploring. It’s not constant excitement. There are plenty of boring days and quite ordinary days.

What does homeschooling look like?

I would say my homeschooling style is “eclectic”. I draw from a wide range of different resources and educational methods My comfort zone leans more towards unschooling, but my kids have come from traditional school and will return to traditional school after this year, so I’m trying to keep the subject content similar to what they are used to.
I carry all our school books and supplies in this one bag. We started with a larger tote, but then realized it needed to be small enough to carry in and out of a the van, a library, or a coffee shop.

This bag was originally my piano teaching bag, but now has morphed into my homeschool bag.
A normal day of homeschool includes

✍️grammar from a textbook

🟰math from a textbook

🇺🇸 study of the state we are traveling through (the girls love to guess the state bird, state tree, population, year of statehood, famous people, rivers, lakes, and mountain ranges)

📖read aloud

✍️Spanish.

🩻Science – the human body

If we do all these subjects it still only takes about 2 hours, so we have lots of time for exploring or visiting with friends we are staying with. Malia enjoys looking for tennis courts to play on and trying new recipes.

You must really like each other?
This question cracks me up. It IS a lot of time together in tight spaces. By the grace of God, we are getting along so far. We have been bonding as a family in a way that we wouldn’t if we were back home. I’m grateful for this time to get to know my husband and kids in a new way.

What has been hardest so far?
The kids have been complaining about missing their friends and schools (especially the first week). I worry about if we are doing the right thing and whether we will regret any of this year. I have felt like I am letting down my piano students by leaving them this year. Not having a regular community of friends and jumping from place to place can be challenging. Being away from our families and older kids, especially on holidays is hard.

What are you most looking forward to?

🌊Being by the ocean in Florida and California.
🏠Seeing friends we haven’t seen for a long time.
📚✍️Extra time for daily reading and writing

🙏🏽Time to focus on God with fewer distractions.

Join our Postcard Club
Posted by Tagged with Family travel, family US roadtrip, illinois, indiana, kentucky, traveling homeschool family, wisconsin Posted in Uncategorized

Just Getting Started

Here’s a rough run down of our first 4 days of traveling for those who have shown interest in “following along”.

DAY ONE – Wisconsin

We stayed in Madison, Wisconsin at Ben and Ellen’s apartment. Hannah came over for dinner and brought corn bread to go with the delicious chili. We know these friends from their years as students at Macalester College in St Paul. Mark also DJed their wedding.
I loved how these friends took an interest in Malia and Ivy and asked them lots of questions. Hannah played banana-grams with the kids. Ben showed us his bagpipe and we admired Ellen’s needlepoint. It was a pleasant evening of conversation and a great first night.

DAY 2 – Illinois

On our way to our home stay tonight, we stopped in Mendota, Illinois at the farm of Ben and Esther Hagenbuch. This was a fun stop where we saw chickens, rode a go cart, and had some delicious coffee in pretty tea cups. Esther was someone I could see myself being really good friends with, so our time there passed way too quickly. Maybe we will return another time.

We carried on to Normal, Illinois, where my Uncle Larry and Aunt Marianne live. My cousin McLean and his wife Sandra joined us for dinner. We had chicken nachos and berry pie with whipped cream. Larry told some great stories about his childhood that I had never heard before, and we played a classic board game called Uncle Wiggily.

DAY 3 – Indiana

We took our time getting going today. It’s been an experiment of learning a balance between driving time, visiting time, and quiet alone time. We also don’t want to completely neglect the homeschool while we are on the road. Today we did some school work at a Starbucks before driving to Indianapolis where we stayed with my cousin Delci, her husband Chris, and their 3 kids.
We also made a quick stop to have what Mark calls “life changing tacos” with friends and DJ clients, Ryan and Tori.


It was the perfect fall day at Delci’s house and the kids had fun making a huge leaf pile. Chris is a toy and game collector who has invented several board games. We oohed and ahhed over the arcade games and He-Man action figures housed in glass cases. We had fun playing one of Chris’ original board games called “Trick or Treat”.

DAY 4 – Cincinatti

We woke up early and headed out to meet a friend of a friend, Kells, who offered to show us around Cincinatti. We had brunch at a delicious place called Yuka and did some window shopping. The girls wanted to find stickers for their water bottles. Our main destination for the day was a walk across the John Roebling suspension bridge. This beautiful structure crosses over the Ohio River (the Mason-Dixon Line) between Kentucky and Ohio. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and we were able to walk around downtown Cincinatti and see some historical markers and make some wishes in an impressive fountain.

After our walk in Cincinatti, the girls were ready for a long rest. They were hot, tired, sick of traveling and there was no hiding it anymore. It was melt down time! I figured it was bound to happen after 4 straight days of being polite and kind to new people in constantly changing surroundings and strange sleeping arrangements.
We drove to our next home stay, hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. We didn’t know the family we were staying with and had no idea what we were walking into. Russell and Jenna were friends of friends who formerly lived in South Minneapolis, but are now pastoring a small Lutheran church in Greensdale, Illinois. I have to say, this stay was such a lovely surprise. I don’t know if I have ever felt so welcomed or cared for in someone else’s home. Jenna attended to so many details to make us feel comfortable and when we left the next morning we felt refreshed and ready to carry on to our next few days of camping in Kentucky.


I can’t believe how many lovely people we’ve been able to meet and spend time with in just 4 days. Do you have someone we should meet? Are you following along because you are interested in traveling in a similar way yourself someday? Or maybe you are just curious as to how long we will keep living the traveling life and what might come of it? Whatever the reason, we are happy to share our journey with you.
Join our Postcard Club!

https://www.patreon.com/midlifecreative?fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Posted by Tagged with Family travel, family US roadtrip, traveling homeschool family Posted in Uncategorized

It’s Time!

The countdown to travel is over. Today is the day of departure. It’s Time!

When I woke up this morning it felt very similar to the day I went into labor with each of my 4 children. When I was pregnant, I read about it, talked about it, and planned for it. I’ve done the same for this trip. I have been preparing for this day for over a year.
Even after months of pregnancy, nothing can fully prepare a mother for the day of birth. The emotions I felt driving to the hospital during early labor were anticipation and uncertainty. As the labor progressed to the transition period, there were moments when I said, ”I can’t do this.”
The word transition means movement, passage, or change from one stage to another. The transition phase during labor is known to be emotional. The woman giving birth may feel scared, overwhelmed, or uncertain.

Leaving our house and packing up all our belongings brought on similar feelings.
This morning, we loaded up what we could fit into the back of our van, knowing we wouldn’t be returning to the comforts of home for 6 months.

Our two kids, Malia and Ivy, were feeling the birth pains. Mark had a videographer come to film or departure and the girls were NOT having it. After a fun night of trick or treating, they were sad to leave their friends and questioning the unknown. The last thing they wanted was to be filmed.

It didn’t take long for them to perk up. We pulled onto 94 on our way to our first stop, Madison, WI. Mark cranked the tunes and we rolled down the windows and felt the seasonably warm October air blowing in our hair. The sun was shining and a peace washed over me.

I’m excited to do a lot of writing on this trip. I was gifted several journals from friends who know me well. I’m taking a break from piano teaching and will be focusing on writing during these travel months.

I, Anna, did all the packing and then Mark arranged everything in the back of the van. We are a good team.

Have you joined our postcard club?

We would love to have you support my writing during this trip in a small way ($6 a month from Nov-May) If you don’t want to contribute, but would still like to receive a postcard, message us your address. (We even have a Patreon supporter from Sweden!)

Here’s the sign up link.
https://www.patreon.com/midlifecreative?fan_landing=true&view_as=public

Posted by Tagged with family memories, Family travel, moving, roadtrip Posted in Uncategorized

The Road is Home

What is ”Home?”

Is it a place? A house? A feeling?

My favorite spot in our last home and in my childhood home is looking out the window, especially when it’s raining or snowing.

As we have moved from our house of 10 years to the carriage house we are renting, I’ve pondered these questions of ”What is home?” What I’ve come to realize is that for me, home revolves more around feeling than place.


I associate home with relaxation, being able to kick my shoes off, say what I’m thinking, and be myself. It’s a place I don’t need to pretend to be anyone but me.

Home feels warm and inviting. It’s a place to rest after a busy day. Home can be a gathering place, but it can also be a place to be alone. It is where I sleep, recharge, and find shelter.

Can I find home on this 6 month roadtrip where our home will change from month to month, and sometimes even from day to day? A few wise friends have suggested having certain things that don’t change like taking a morning walk each day, writing in a journal, an evening reading/prayer time as a family, and set times each week to check in with loved ones.

For those who have moved a lot or travel for work, how do you find ”Home on the road?”

What makes a place feel like ”Home” for you?

Posted by Tagged with Family travel, family US roadtrip, Midlifecreative, parenting, traveling homeschool family Posted in Uncategorized

3 Week Countdown to Travel!

I wanted to give you a quick update on our trip. It’s really happening, and after a year of this being an idea, it’s coming up in just 3 weeks! We leave November 1st.

Here are some of your most asked questions answered:

Did you buy an RV? Nope. Our vehicle is a Honda Pilot. We are traveling light.

Where will you go first?

We plan to take about 9 days to get to Macon, Georgia where we will stay in an airbnb for a month. On the way to Macon, we intend to stay in
🏠Madison, WI
🏠Normal, IL
🏠Indianapolis, IN
🏠Cincinatti, OH
🏕Cumberland Falls State Park and
🏠Chatanooga, TN

We have planned the trip intentionally so we only drive about 4 hours in a day. (This is a marathon, not a sprint 😁) If you want to know if we are coming through your state in the next 6 months, send me a personal message.

I’m not going to list the whole trip’s itinerary in this one post. You’ll have to follow this blog (or personal emails and texts are always welcome) if you want to keep up with us. You can also sign up for our Postcard Club. It’s a simple way to support our adventure in a small way with $6 a month and we will send you postcards from the road.

Learn about the postcard club

https://www.patreon.com/midlifecreative

(If you can’t swing the $6, but still want to get postcards, just send me a message with your mailing address)

What do the kids think about the trip?

“I feel more and more everyday that this is the best decision for our family, but what if I can’t get the kids to see it?”

Both girls have struggled with switching to homeschooling this year and all of the life changes we’ve made (including having both older siblings move away to college). We have had some great days and some really hard days. I have seen our relationships grow closer these last few months and we have made so many memories together through simplifying our life and routine. Its amazing how much time was spent doing homework, packing lunches, and rushing to get to school in the mornings. Now, our days feel unhurried and more restful.
Our older two kids, Elliot and Tabby, are practicing their ”adulting skills” at college in Massachusetts and NYC. They just spent their fall break together which made me very happy.

Will Mark be DJing on the trip? Will you be teaching piano lessons?

Mark will be booking weddings and events for summer of 2023 and 2024 and overseeing his other DJs from the road. He will be flying home for 3 weddings during the trip. I will be taking a complete break from teaching, but hope to connect with some piano teachers in other states during the trip.

What are you most looking forward to?

ANNA –

  • I’m looking forward to seeing new parts of the country, especially National Parks. I look forward to being near the ocean in December and missing out on the MN winter.
  • I’m also really excited to meet new people and bring attention to seemingly “ordinary faces” who don’t get noticed, but are really quite extraordinary. I want to inspire others to become Story Hunters looking for great stories from people in their everyday lives who have been overlooked.

MARK –

  • I’m looking forward to walking about the United States to discover fresh purpose for the 2nd half of my life.
  • Making memories with Anna and the kids.

MALIA – I’m not looking forward to the trip much at all, but if I had to say something –

  • the dogs and
  • the ocean.

(if we could send her home with a dog (or a bunny), it would all be worth it 😂)

Ivy is the one who is always saying, ”Take a picture of me!!”

IVY –

  • I’m looking forward to eating Asian food.
  • I’m excited to play in the ocean, see dolphins and dogs, ride horses, see cactus, and hike in mountains.

What are you hoping to gain personally from this trip?

I want this trip to stretch and challenge me (Anna) to grow in several areas.

#1. My willingness to ask for help.

#2. Boldness and confidence in speaking to people I am meeting for the first time.

#3. Courage to speak up about things I care about that may be controversial.

A few more thoughts

Do you have a dream of trying something out of the traditional box that scares you? Do you hold back because you are afraid of what people will think?
Maybe its not travel, but a business idea or a new life direction, a parenting idea, or even something that seems small to most people, but is really a big change for you.

Encourage your Midlife Creative self today to see how far you’ve come and ask yourself, ”What small changes can I make to become more fully myself”

Posted by Tagged with Family travel, parenting, roadtrip Posted in Uncategorized

We Are Moving!

BIG NEWS!

We are moving out of our home of 10 years on Juno Avenue in St Paul at the end of August.

Tabby and Ellie will both be moving out to attend colleges on the East Coast, and we will just have Malia and Ivy, ages 11 and 8, with us.  

It’s a new season in our family as our older two kids have both entered adulthood.

Every year, we take time to consider the next year and what it holds.  Both Mark and I have been feeling like we are on the brink of change. We’ve decided not to re-sign our lease, but before moving on to a new home, we are planning a 6 month U.S. road trip.   

We see this family travel as a pilgrimage, a time of learning, and a chance to see God in new faces and places.

The idea for the trip came back in the summer of 2021 while Mark and I were on a drive to Chicago for a wedding. We started noticing license plates from different states and writing them down. We were just dreaming together as we drove down the road and Mark said, “What if we took a trip and made a show called “Where Will We Move?”   

I usually reject these kind of big ideas immediately, but for some reason this time, I felt a resounding, “Yes, Let’s Do It!”  Maybe not a show, but the road trip.  

We told our friends Ross and Jenn about it, and they said they knew a family who had done something similar a few years back.  We set up a meeting with the Schenk family of five and they shared with us stories from their road trip which lasted 9 months and spanned most of the United States.

That meeting gave me faith that this kind of thing was possible.  I had only heard of people traveling longer term with an RV, but this family had stayed in the homes of their friends like we envisioned doing.   

The next step was to tell our kids, our families, and my piano students.  Even though we are only planning to be gone for about 6 months, it will be during the winter months and we will miss the big holidays of Thanksgiving and Christmas back in MN.

Mark’s main DJ season ends November 1st and that is when we plan to begin our trip.  He will have occasional weddings and events during the trip and will also be booking future business in MN while we are gone.  I will be taking a break from teaching piano and focusing on homeschooling Malia and Ivy and doing some writing.  

Where will we go?  Where will we stay?

We are in the beginning stages of setting up an itinerary and finding people to host us.   We envision our trip starting in November, lasting 6 months, and covering most of the Southern states.  

Places we know we will be visiting are Illinois, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, California, and Utah.    

Let us know if you would be interested in hosting us, or know of people we should meet. 

I want to include Malia and Ivy as a way of keeping in touch with people we care about.  We will document the places we visit, the things we see, and stories we hear in a newsletter called “The Story Hunt”

If you would like to support our travels in a practical way, you can join our patreon community. For $6 a month, we will send you a postcard from the road and our ”Story Hunt” newsletter over email each month starting in November. Enter your email address below to get details on how to follow our upcoming adventures.

Also, let us know if you would like to host us as we come through your state or if you have people you think we should meet or places we must see. 
   

Thanks in advance for your support of this big adventure!

Anna, Mark, Malia and Ivy