The Ultimate Update #2 WITH PICTURES!!!

I am able to use the hubby's computer while he's working so I have been working on getting some pictures sized for the blog.

This post is, I guess, the picture half of The Ultimate Update post. If you read this blog at all, you know how much I love my pics and the story just isn't right without them, so I hope you enjoy seeing our faces again and meeting Chili Moon!

ENJOY

Me and my little Owling get tattoos

My new boots and my first pair of skinny jeans (yes I returned them and got the right size!)

We went to Tahoe

J' finally got his Metal Detector!!

We got surprise tickets to the Giants game!!

J' went riding

I'm spending more time with Claramae...and actually learning stuff!

 (Some of) J's handy work on the van

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We played Tourist for a day

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[caption id="attachment_5112" align="aligncenter" width="224"] Pure Magic[/caption]

And last but not least,

Get your giggles & awwww's ready because you are about to see one of the cutest things on this Earth...

Introducing (drum roll, please)

Chili Moon

I told you....she's stinkin' cute, isn't she!

So there you go, I hope these pics give you the same smiles and warm fuzzies they give me. We are gettin' 'er done and (this much) closer to being back on the road... refreshed, rejuvenated and ready to rock 'n' roll!

Can't wait to see you all very soon.

PEACE

The Ultimate Update!!!

Since we are rounding the end of September and it's been almost two months since an actual (fun) post, I figured that I would update you on all you've missed...because there's no way I'm going back and writing two months of past posts! HA!!

So everyone knows that I went to Orlando to help the moms move at the beginning of August...right? Right.

Here's what happened after the trip:

While in Orlando, my little owling and I got matching Owl tattoos on the underneath side of our arms (mine on my left, hers on her right).

The moms new house is big and gorgeous and I was able to see my sister, Brooks.

We spent time in the pool with the pups, bought me a bomb pair of boots (the only reason why I can't wait for the weather to get cooler!), and I got my first pairs of skinny jeans (that I have to go return because they are too loose!)

We went on a weekend trip to Tahoe with friends...where we saw a dozen bacherlorette parties taking shots, playing games and beer bonging a flamingo!

J' got a metal detector...yes finally....remember the trip to the Superstition Mountains? That's all he talked about! (Weaver's Needle)

We got surprise tickets to the Giants vs. Red Socks game, where we got free beer, spent too much on food and J' broke one of his back molars!

J' picked up full weeks of work with a longtime friend to be able to pay for all the dental bills (now do you see why we're still in the Bay area!?)

J' has been dirt bike riding a couple of weekends, something he loves!

I learned a full song on the guitar! My computer broke...yes, still broken. And I got a new hat.

J' has been fixing up the van on his weekends. Look at how handy this man is:

• New Radiator


• New Water Pump


• New Rancho front shocks


• Suspension Belt


• AC Pump (done in the shop)


• Power Steering Pump (done in the shop)


• Put "pucks" in front, lifting it about 5 inches


• New shackles in back


• New Leaf Springs (5 springs now instead of 3) in back


• New Rancho shocks in the back


• (All of the work on the back raised us up about another 3 inches...yes about 8 inches of a lift overall)

He is a hard working man I tell ya, all that work, other than the two pumps, were all done by his own two hands, on his time off on the weekends! Yes, ladies I am a lucky girl....he saves us a lot of money too!!! We still have a few more items that we are staying here to work for...plus the dental bills, but it's turning out to be a great thing. We are pretty much pushing a huge refresh button on our home, it's amazing!

Alright, there's still more to review here. Let's see.....

We moved back into the van full-time. At first it wasn't the easiest of all things but has turned into an adventure again and it's nice to be in our own space and something that WE own!

We were given a 2nd bicycle, so I started riding my bike a little bit here and there. I'm not too keen on riding it around the city because people are totally crazy whack-a-doodle drivers here and I'm afraid of getting hit, so I put the bike in the van and go to this awesome park we found and ride. One day I got on it in my flops and rode 9.5 miles right on the bay, it was delightful!!

We've been to a few State Beaches: Half Moon Bay, Montara, and Pacifica.

We went to Golden Gate Park and were able to get some pics in front of the Golden Gate Bridge! (How magical and romantic it is by that bridge!?)

And last but definitely not least, the freshest thing in this family is our newest gypsy addition, Chili Moon a 4 yr. old Deer Chihuahua with the sweetest face & temperament and thee longest legs you'll ever see on such a teeny pup!

I may be missing some things but you can see that we've been quite the busy little bees in the Bay area. While we were only planning on visiting a friend for a month and moving along, we are glad that we are able to get everything needed and wanted for the van, pay off the dental bills, see our friends, make new friends, tour around the San Fran area and get our new lil gypsy!

Being here has been a huge reminder to us why we chose the traveling lifestyle and the life we lead. It's made us appreciate everything A LOT more, as well as each other and our relationship with one another. We cannot wait to get back on the road and live the free life once again, where J' doesn't have to wake up to an alarm and be away from us all day, where we can frolick in the enchanted forest or dance in the desert, where if we want to snuggle in the fort all day then it's totally on and that's what will happen, where we make our own rules... then break them, where anything goes because that's the way we like it.

Yep, we can't wait and when we become free birds once again, we are going to celebrate like we know how, with smiles on our faces, a beer in our hand, a dog on each lap with friends swapping stories of anything and everything.

We are counting down the days and hope to see you all very soon. I think our first stop will be the Winter R.T.R. in Quartzsite (what better place to celebrate)....so we'll see you there!!

Come out and LIVE your life with us!

See you soon

PEACE

Computer Update

Hello, hello everyone!!

The update on my computer situation:

She's broken. Booooo....waaaaaahhhhhh.....boo, hiss booooo.

Turns out my graphics card has gone to poop and every time I turn on my computer, it white screens on me. I talked to quite a few people at Best Buy, because I was hoping someone would give me an answer I actually wanted to hear...but no, they all said the same thing, "That would be your graphics card, Miss."

We tried many, many things to make it work...even if just for a moment and BAM! We got white screened every time.

The good news?

We were able to start it in safe mode last weekend and I was able to save the pictures, videos, documents, etc., that I was so sad that I would lose. So to me, that is awesome news. I did not want a new computer, for a few reasons. I really like my laptop, it's mine! I've worked really hard on my awesome sticker collection on the cover. I know how to use it, I know where everything is and it does exactly what I need it to do. And it's only about two years old, so it's not like it's old or anything!

We will be shopping around for a new one but probably not getting a new one until around November, due to finances and a million other things that need to come in front of a new laptop. That's the sucky part...but J' has let me use his computer when he is not working on it or when he is gone during the day (he has picked up some work from a friend during the week). He's a real sweetie! It's all good though, I've been focusing more on practicing my guitar, spending more time with Savannah, although she's not too fond of that! And I've been working out...so don't piss me off!!! haha I showed my muscles to J' last night and he was like, "Whoa, babe...you're getting ripped!" I giggled.

All in all, things have been up, things have been down and they've been allllll around a few dozen times but we are still healthy, happy and just getting through this "phase" of life right now.

There are a ton of positives on the horizon for us and each day we get closer to being able to leave the Bay area and get back to our life on the road, with like-minded people and the awesome taste and feel of true freedom.

Keep the good juju chugging along out there for us and don't give up on us.

With your love, support and laughter, everything is going to be just fine!

Thank you for keeping us close in thought. The positive energy is truly felt.

Love ya'll

PEACE

P.S. I can't wait to be able to post pics again!! hee hee

Please be patient...

To all of my amazing readers that keep coming back for more...

I'm having major difficulties with my laptop lately which makes it hard to post anything; pictures, posts...anything.

Please keep a kind prayer out there for me that I do not need a new computer, because I love the one I have and it's only two years old. Right now I am using J's due to his "working for the rig" status, but am still wishing and praying and keeping the faith that mine comes through, due to the thousands of pics and videos I have on it.

So again, please be patient with me and the distance between posts. I know you are all just chompin' at the bit to get another update.

We are doing good and getting things handled!

I hope you have a wonderful day and a wonderful Holiday weekend (Labor Day).

Peace to you all

Flyin' High, Flyin' Low...Flyin' to Orlando!

On my second plane of the day. The time is roughly 5 p.m. on this Thursday evening. We woke up at 4:15 a.m., took care of "The Bugs" morning rituals, fed myself with a ham and cheese toasted sammie and diet coke...yep, the breakfast of champions! By 5 a.m. we were out of the house. My flight didn't leave until 7:25 a.m., but I wanted to be a good flyer and earn my wings and get to the airport 2 hours early like "they" say. We were at the San Francisco airport in about 25 minutes and I was checked-in and through security in about 9 1/2 minutes!! I found a plug and opened my computer to do some "work"...uploading pictures...I was only able to load half of an album due to the slow connection, but it's half of an album that I didn't have loaded, so it's all good! The plane boarded and left pretty much right on time for Charlotte, NC...where my layover was.

[caption id="attachment_5063" align="aligncenter" width="350"] See ya Charlotte[/caption]

The flight was about 4 hours and 45 minutes long but it went by pretty fast due to my awesome luck of being seated next to two amazing women from Hawaii. We talked for the majority of the flight, in between napping, reading, stretching and potty breaks. While I am flying to Orlando to help 'the moms' move...they are enroute to Rome! They flew through the night last night, flying from San Fran to Charlotte and they're going to keep on truckin' to Rome, then once in Rome they will take a small cruise ship to Greece! How awesome is that!?

During the flight we talked about all kinds of stuff from our van-life to their lives in Hawaii. One of the women, Vicki, can watch her kids and hubby surf from her kitchen window as she makes brekkie for the fam and at times, when it's mating season, has to close her windows due to the whales making so much noise splashing their tales and bodies and moaning! They spoke of how amazing the sunsets are and how they never get old to watch, as well as how magical the views are...even after living there for 30 years! We talked about our kids & our husbands, our mothers & our siblings...and of course, the Nana Bug!

It was great to be seated next to such wonderful energy, I sure needed it after the few days leading up to this trip. For some reason, I was majorly stressing about the flight, which flying has never bothered me or scared me before. I'm sure it was driving J' totally batty listening to me for three days about how nervous I was! haha So thank you ladies, my prayers were truly answered by sitting next to you and I hope you (Margaret) had an amazing 80th birthday reminiscing in the magical city of Rome! (I'm upset I didn't get a picture of them, darn.)

They gave me a pretty good push to truly start writing my book. I've really got to get my thoughts in order to start that thing, just seems like something else always gets done before that...hmmmm. So another thank you, to you, ladies!

So...yes, back on the plane. We took off about 15 minutes ago out of Charlotte and should be arriving in Orlando in about an hour or so. I'm pretty excited...actually I'm super freakin' stoked! I not only get to see my mom (after almost two years) and hug and kiss her... this mama gets to see her Baby Owl too!

My, not so little, girl and I are going to have a sleepover and just be giggly girls together and of course I get to put the official mother's stamp of approval on her man, her house & her pup! She's a really great "kid", so I'm sure her life and everyone around her are just perfect. It should make for a really nice trip all the way around and if I get to see my best Aussie mate, that will make it even better!

[caption id="attachment_5065" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Rainy Florida[/caption]

For the next 7 days, I'll be giggling with my little owl, moving the moms, unpacking boxes and shopping for furniture for her new home and I'm sure a lot more that I haven't planned for, purty fun stuff...actually, it does sound fun to me! haha I'm always happy for the time I get to spend with anyone I love even if we just lay on the floor, stare at the popcorn ceiling that hasn't been scraped off yet and using a shower curtain for a blankie! Just kidding mom...you can have the shower curtain! I'm there for the quality time and adventure.

We're coming in for a landing.

[caption id="attachment_5066" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Crazy Cloud!![/caption]

So, here we go.......

PEACE

 

JULY = Our month of celebration!!

July has always been a pretty exciting month for me, as a child...it was the time of Summer, school was out, I could play with my friends all day long, and it was my birthday month. Now as an adult, it still holds the same excitement but now I get to share the month with my babaa', our daughter Brittney and Savannah due to all of their birthdays and both of our anniversaries all in the month of July. For us, it is truly like it's Christmas in July!!!

Last year we were celebrating in the mountains of Shaver Lake in California with our traveling friends: Bob, Steve & Miss Cheri. This year we are back in California, in NoCal...the Bay Area, but celebrating with our 'sticks & bricks' friends that J' hasn't seen in about 13 years and I'm meeting for the first time. It's been a great time and fun is always had by all. On J's birthday, we woke up to homemade french toast among other amazing foods for brekkie made by our friends Jenn and Scott. The rest of the day was spent lounging in the pool then for dinner I took him to Applebee's and had one hell of a feast for the price.

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For Savannah's birthday, she was able to pick anything in the world to do and she picked taking it easy by tanning poolside.

[caption id="attachment_5038" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Birthday baby[/caption]

For our Anniversaries, the day seemed to more get away from us then going out and celebrating so we made burgers at home and just hung out. It was a nice day and really every day seems like our Anniversary because we get to spend every single day together and being together is the most important thing!

For my birthday, Jenn and I went for a 4 1/2 mile walk in the morning, made some sloppy joe's from scratch (I'm not a "sloppy" girl, but I am now, those things were the bomb!) We ended our nice time together by cleaning her porch and garage...hey friends gotta do what friends gotta do! haha Later that night, a couple of our friends took us to a restaurant named Ceviche's whose food is to die for...O.M.G.!! The shrimp looked like baby lobsters... they were so huge! We had a great time together, it's so great meeting and getting to know all of these people I've heard about for the last 8 years. Oh my gosh, I almost forgot...J' came home with TWO DOZEN roses for me. They look and smell amazing and the only request for dinner from J' was that I wear a flower in my hair...done!

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The only celebration we will not be able to attend is our 'Lil Bit's 21st birthday which is happening right now, today, this moment. I hope she stays safe, has fun and knows that we would give anything to be with her on this day...well every day!!! We love you very much and wish you the happiest birthday!

The month is almost at an end and has been another amazing month to remember and to celebrate. It's awesome that we've been able to come together with friends of the past and (for me) making everlasting friendships. This July of 2013 is sure to go down in the record books of being one of the most amazing celebrations to date! Thank you to everyone that made every memory worth remembering and smiling about for years to come, we love you so very much!

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[caption id="attachment_5050" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Here's to July[/caption]

We hope your July was as much fun as ours...maybe even better and if not...there's still three days left!!

 Here's to an even better August and more unforgettable days.

PEACE

 

 

A Million Dollar Good-bye

I've been meaning to get this post out for, well ...forever now but life seems to be moving a little fast these days so it has slipped under things, put on the back burner, blah blah blah....

No more excuses.

We are on our way to California and so we have to say "good-bye" to our friends in the Enchanted Forest of Flagstaff. The past two weeks have been not only inspiring, but for me, also eye opening as well as having the opportunity to open my heart and mind to things that have been shut off for many years. I truly met a Soul Sister for life and I will never forget the time that was spent listening, laughing our butts off, and loving this life that too many people take for granted. This blog post is about the GOOD in good-bye. There are a few different links to this post due to the awesome friends we have and them being up on their "game" in the blog world. I hope you are able to view all of the links and can enjoy every minute as if you were there.

We hope you can join us next time!

Randy the poets blog post= http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com/2013/07/discovering-good-in-goodbye.html

A video Laurie made including a song she wrote and some great photos = http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMJUYcBRw38&feature=youtu.be

A video J' took of our "Million Dollar Good-bye"=

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x11vd6g_a-million-dollar-good-bye_tech#.Ue6nd3eAfXo

We will never say good-bye, only see ya later...I mean, could you say good-bye to a friendship like that!? I don't think so. We are forever tethered and we are so grateful to have met such a great group of people and be able to call them, not only friends, but family.

We love you and can't wait until we meet up again some time very very soon!

PEACE