Category: Thoughts on Life

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Backpacking Biking California Hiking Mommy Diaries On the Water Outdoor Adventures Rock Climbing Utah

Join Me at REI’s Outessa Summit This Summer!

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In the last two years of traveling we really haven’t made an effort to attend any conferences or workshops. Pre-travel I would attend at least one photography workshop a year, and Sam would often have 2-3 tech conferences he attended. All part of keeping up our skills, networking, and getting inspiration for new projects or ideas. Conferences were also a way to get some dedicated “me time” in and I’ve missed that a lot!

This year we’ve decided to remedy our imbalance. I’m feeling a little stagnant and definitely ready for a weekend away where I can focus on my needs and projects without guilt or interruption. There’s just something about have at least 24 quiet, magnificent hours all to myself that lends itself to increased satisfaction and productivity when I get home. Sam already has a few tech conferences he’s been missing so we’ve added those to the calendar, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted.

As I searched around for blogger conferences or something along those lines (since photography isn’t my main focus at this point) a friend mentioned REI’s Outessa Summit. I knew instantly I wanted to attend.  After some discussion with Sam about logistics, travel schedules, and plans for the rest of the year we both agreed that this would be really good for me.  Even better, through some other connections I was able to talk with the co-founder, Julia Stamps Mallon, and volunteer as a photographer/blogger for the event in exchange for discounted admission. I’m looking forward to an awesome weekend of outdoor recreation and sharing it with all of you!

Outessa Summit is a women’s only weekend getaway at either Kirkwood, CA or Powder Mountain, UT. With over 200 activities to choose from, professional guides and mentors, plenty of healthy, fulfilling food, and beautiful mountain scenery I’m completely stoked for this event! I’ve signed up for the Powder Mountain event that will take place from September 9 -11, 2016 in Eden, UT. They are also setting up “Camp Outessa” where you can bring your own camping gear to sleep, but they provide showers (most appreciated!) & bathrooms.

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After registering, you’ll be able to log in and sign up for classes. While I would love to mountain bike ALL day, each type of sport is limited to one class so that everyone gets a chance to participate. I think this limitation also encourages women to sign up for activities they normally wouldn’t try. Have you always wanted to try rock climbing but don’t know how? What about trail running? Nervous about backpacking, kayaking, or even just how to cook around a campfire? They seriously have classes for all of the above!

I’ve signed up for an intermediate rock climbing class, intermediate mountain biking, GRID foam rolling, making healthy granola bars and snacks, a night trail run (Hello! NOT a runner!) as well as an ElliptoGO class. My goals are to hone and develop my skills for activities I already love while trying out some new sports as well.

After breaking into classes for most of the day, everyone comes back for a family-style dinner in the evening, campfire chats, and s’mores.

I’ll admit I was a little hesitant at first about the “women only” designation. I’ve never been one to need a girl’s night out, or feel more comfortable hanging out with my girlfriends rather than my family. Sam is, and always will be, my favorite choice for an outdoor adventure partner, even if it sometimes is logistically inconvenient for both of us to be away. However, recently I was able to go on a ride with a friend from Lehi who loves to mountain bike, as well as hike with Alyssa from Kidproject.org (and all of ours kids!). I’m learning there’s something powerful and comforting in finding like-minded girlfriends who love to be outdoors as much as I do.  So even though it may be a little outside my comfort zone, I’m looking forward to making connections with other women like me – those who love and live in the outdoors as much as they possibly can.

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Event Details:

REI Outessa Summit: Powder Mountain, Utah
Friday September 9 @ 8am – Sunday September 11 @ 5pm
Registration Link

REI Outessa Summit: Kirkwood, CA
Friday August 19 @ 8am – Sunday, August 21 @ 5pm
Registration Link

Categories
Mommy Diaries Utah

Still in Pajamas at Noon

DSCF5617I really do like having a loose, pre-determined schedule. Our days are usually loosely planned out (school/work, exercise, lunch, tablet/quiet time, adventure, dinner, bed) as well as our general plan for the next few months. If you look at our Travel Schedule you’ll see we have a loose plan through the year 2017. I think I just like to know what our options are both short and long term. Somehow I convince myself I’m more productive if I plan things out rather than just waiting around.

However, there are days where we are still in our pajamas at noon and there is no schedule.

This week had more than a few of those days. Somehow having a set place to be at 5pm has made the rest of my day completely unproductive. Its like a crutch. “We can’t go out and explore because we have pageant practice.” Or, “I probably won’t have time to get any editing done, we have pageant practice.” Its a ridiculous mindset, but something I just can’t seem to get over.

I’ve also found myself checking into Instagram and other social media sites less often. I had these grand plans to come to Manti and we would get all caught up on blogging, Airstream projects, and everything on the “to do” list. So far a week has gone by and I feel like I have gotten next to nothing accomplished. The kids have done well in school (we are finishing up a few pesky subjects from last year still), Sam has gotten work in, but looking back I’m struggling to see what I’ve done. Usually our days our defined by what we go see, which hike we did, or if we earned  Jr. Ranger Badge. And now we are just…normal. Which I figure is mostly uninteresting to our social media crowd so therefore there is a severe lack of posting. It also makes me lazy.

I’m not sure I can handle being normal or uninteresting or even lazy. Far from relaxing, I seem to be stressing out.

Perhaps this is the reason most of all I’m scared to STOP traveling full time. That days will blend into weeks, then months and it all becomes a blur of the same, routine activities over and over. That sounds like my own personal version of purgatory. I think we’ve become addicted to new, exciting, and even difficult day to day living. Anything less feels a little empty.

Its also hot. We don’t have air conditioning and I think the heat is zapping all the energy right out of me. But those are just excuses. In my head I know that if we just get out the door everything seems to work itself out. So here’s the deal. This week I’ll be more proactive about getting out with the kids and exploring. There are beautiful mountains not far from us (escape the heat! go hiking!), a fabulous rock climbing canyon, and the cutest, small town of Manti to explore. We’ll go to swimming lessons, play in the splash pad, and get up the canyon for a picnic lunch. I’m going to enjoy the time we have to sit for the next few weeks, not stress about what we aren’t doing an fully live in the moment.

Then we are going to start moving again.

Categories
Daily Life Mommy Diaries Utah

Our Spontaneous Plans for the Month of June

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Sometimes the best plans are the most unexpected ones. Our original spring plan involved visiting the Very Large Array in NM, heading through Flagstaff and Page, AZ, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and then driving north. Instead, however, we decided to spend more time in Arkansas, and take a direct route from New Mexico to Moab to meet up with some traveling friends. One of my favorite (and least favorite) parts of traveling full time is the certainty that plans will change.

Our new route took us through Blanding, UT where some Northern CA friends had just relocated last November. We love these friends, and it was great to catch up, see their new small-town life and get reacquainted. They have six kids still living at home which provided plenty of opportunity for games and play dates.

While we were there, my friend Janae, casually mentioned she had just signed her 10 and 18 year old daughters up to participate in the Mormon Miracle Pageant in Manti, UT and they were still looking for more participants. Immediately, we thought, “no way we can make that work” but after our traveling friends made the decision to skip Moab and head to Idaho we realized we didn’t have any pressing commitments for the month of June. Our thoughts immediately became, “why not?”

Following our sign up, we raced north to Sandy, UT to take care of some housekeeping items, visit with my family, and get some truck repairs done. We needed to be in Manti by Sunday, May 29th for an opening fireside devotional and then rehearsals which started June 1st.

For those who are not familiar with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, aka “Mormons”, the Manti pageant follows a fictional young couple in their search for religious truth in the early 1800’s, the events surrounding Joseph Smith and his translation of the ancient record, and the depiction of Jesus Christ visiting the people in North America after his crucifixion and resurrection as recorded in the Book of Mormon.

We are excited to share our faith and testimony with the thousands of people that come to see the pageant every year. We will be participating in large group scenes together as family and this will be a learning experience for all of us! Rachel is also going to learn how to square dance for a scene with the Mormon Pioneers, and we will all get a “road school” lesson in theater, production, working in large groups, and performance.

We have settled ourselves into an RV Park for the entire month of June (a first for us!) and plan to still work, school (and sleep!) during the day while attending rehearsals in the evenings. The pageant performances run from 9:30-11:30pm and many of our rehearsals are also very much past the kids’ bedtimes.

While I’m nervous about being in one place for so long, not having air conditioning (our spot is only a 20amp electric hook up!), and being up late at night, we think the experience for our family will be worth it. We’ve learned that mixing things up once in awhile is a good thing and are excited for this opportunity.

"Manti Temple"
Photo Credit http://www.jarviedigital.com/
Categories
Mommy Diaries Outdoor Gear

Aventura Spring Clothing Line – Modest & Comfortable

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For those of you that have seen the inside of our Airstream closet, you know we don’t have much room. Its not even the size of a normal person closet, yet we cram 5 people’s worth of clothes in it.  Top a small closet off with the extreme dislike of shopping and its a wonder I don’t wear my pajamas all day. Although we don’t have a lot of clothes what we do have are our favorites, so I’m super picky about the clothes I keep and wear.

Last year, I was introduced to Aventura – a company passionate about creating fashionable clothing with a low environmental impact. Every year they select Brand Ambassadors, and this year I was selected to be one! I couldn’t be more excited. As an ambassador we are given complimentary outfits in spring and fall in exchange for expressing our opinions and sharing the brand through our blogs and social media channels. Sweet deal, right?

Of course as soon as I committed I had cold feet. What if I  didn’t like their clothes? Let’s face it, I really don’t have room for more clothes. This is silly, I hate putting photos of myself out on social media. I’m SO not a fashion blogger.

All of these thoughts and more kept running through my head until I actually got my first shipment of clothes. Now? I’m seriously in love. Super comfortable, fashionable, and modest. I actually bought my first pair of colored capri pants as well – whoa! Totally branching out here. It helps that my family keeps telling me how cute I look (if the clothes fit Rachel I would definitely buy her some), and I feel great.

With our active lifestyle, I feel like my clothes need to hold up against wear and tear, move easily, but still look great. Although we rarely travel with suitcases, I’ve also heard their clothes pack well for vacation.! One friend even told me she’s had a skirt for years, taken it all over the globe, and it still looks like new. Perfect.

I feel like the entire spring line is light weight fabric, so although many of my choices are long sleeved- they aren’t too warm. Perfect for those cool days that aren’t quite summer.

Okay, so out of all the clothes in their spring line what did I pick? Here’s a run down of my favorites:

Outfit Combo #1

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The Arden Capris come in 11 different colors – so its super easy to mix and match with their various tops. My only complaint is that the waist is a bit big for the size and I have to wear a belt. I think next time I’ll order a size smaller and see how that goes. I love the Savannah Top as its flowly, yet still feminine and not baggy. The Erin top in black was a safe bet, but I’m thinking about ordering another one in pink. I love the sleeves and the back detail on the Raleigh Top and it goes great underneath the Redford Jacket (which also comes in 9 colors!) and has become one of my all time favorite pieces of clothing. Ever.

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Hanging out in Hot Springs, AR
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Evening walk with the family in Bella Vista, AR

Outfit Combo #2
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I needed a new skirt, and the Arlington is long enough it comes just below my knees. It has the right amount of “swish” while not being too flowy and showing everything. The Pinellas Top is another stretch for me – its super cute and lightweight but I’m not sure how much I’ll wear it. Hoping to branch out my style and really learn to love this one. The Kyle Wrap has also become a staple! It looks great thrown over practically anything, and is a great piece to grab if you’re unsure what the temperature will be in a few hours.

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Meeting up with friends for pizza in Comfort, TX

Outfit Combo #3
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Another pair of capris – surprise! I already own shorts and my long, convertible hiking pants, so capris were a naturally addition to my wardrobe. I LOVE the Neema Hoodie, although I feel like it runs a little large. The Lulu Top is a bit more fancy. Its hard to see but there’s actually some green underneath the lacing. Not sure if I love that part, but it also goes great with my black pencil skirt for church.

 

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Sunday afternoon walk down by the river.

Outfit Combo #4

Once I retired one old skirt, I decided they all needed to go so that meant I needed another Sunday, church outfit. I love the Ashby Maxi Dress. The detail on the bottom is super pretty, and it has wide shoulders which work great with the Kyle Wrap in black or white. This is what I’m wearing on Mother’s Day and I’m super excited!

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I really had a hard time deciding on my outfits, and actually ended up ordering quite a few more pieces myself. It was definitely time for a wardrobe change, so I don’t mind. Excited to keep wearing these outfits all summer and can’t wait to see what they have for fall.

If you are interested in trying out Aventura (or already love them and just need some new clothes!) comment below and I’ll email you a 60% off coupon good for up to a $250 order. They have also recently started a customer appreciation program called #AventuraLife. Its totally free to sign up and you can earn free shipping and discounts on clothes as well. Wahoo!!

For other ideas check out these posts from other Aventura ambassadors:

Alyssa- kidproject.org
Amy – Pit Stops for Kids
365 Atlanta Family

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San Antonio, TX Riverwalk
Categories
Mommy Diaries

We Need to Seriously Slow Down

DSCF4585-EditI’m a true believer in needing opposition in all things. Its hard to experience joy when you don’t know sadness. Beauty is all the same unless you’ve also seen something ugly. Travel and living adventure is fabulous, but only if you also have downtime.

We had a great time in Florida this winter, and I felt our pace was unhurried. We spent 14 weeks just bopping around the state from place to place and experiencing the different environments and ecosystems the state had to offer.

Then we headed west, and things started picking up. We ran into friends along the Emerald Coast, in New Orleans, and had a few meet-ups in both San Antonio and Austin. Combine friends with big cities, lots of tourist attractions, and plenty of outdoor activities and suddenly we started running ourselves ragged.

Its been a real struggle for me. More than just our most recent schedule, however, I’ve had an underlying feeling of needed a bit more community, and honestly less route planning would go a long way in reducing my stress levels. A frantic schedule on top of those feelings led to me being a bit of a mess the last few weeks. I apologize if you’ve seen me and I’ve been ragged, tired, and a bit short with my attention span.

We’ve been holed up in Hot Springs, AR for almost a week. In a campground where most people only spend a night, we’ve been here six and its been fantastic. Drizzly, overcast weather has helped keep us indoors to just get things done. We’ve been cranking on school, work, blog organization, and I’ve even read a few books.

While its a temporary fix, slowing down and spending a week in places where we normally would only spend 3-4 days will hopefully help us bridge the gap until we execute Phase 2 of the Currently Wandering plan. While we aren’t exactly sure what that phase will look like, we have goals and and ideals we’d love to incorporate into our family life that are difficult to do full time on the road.  So, maybe we’ll graduate to a more hybrid approach. Whatever we end up doing, this year is bound to be exciting!