{Airstream Rehab} It's Livable!

As mentioned in a previous post, we got Marge's Barge to a workable and livable state. Our maiden voyage was a wonderful trip up to Acorn Hill Resort, on Leech Lake. The nearest town is Walker, Minnesota, which is about 4 hours north of the Twin Cities. It was the perfect distance for a first adventure with the camper and our new tow vehicle.

The few times that we had towed the Airstream with our Dodge Dakota, Hubs and I both knew that it just wasn't quite right. We told ourselves that we think the Dakota would make it up north with the camper. We think it'll be just fine. The gas mileage will be crap, but we think it should all be just fine.

But then we came to our senses. A 2007 Dodge Dakota. Towing a 31 foot camper? Really, people? Not smart. So we got a new vehicle. And now we own two trucks. A 2007 Dodge Dakota. And a brand spankin' new Ram 1500. And man, that thing tows Marge's Barge like a charm.

Oh. My. Is this what my blog has become? Talking about trucks? Ugh.

Back to our most amazing week camping with our Airstream for the first time. It was beautiful. It was perfect. It was awesome.

The camper made it up to Leech Lake without a problem. Hubs got Marge's Barge nice and level next to the cement patio. He got everything set up while I took the kids to the playground. Can I just say that I got the better end of the deal? Play on the playground with the kiddos while the husband sets everything up? Sign. Me. Up. I'll do that again every camping trip we have (especially since he's totally okay with me reorganizing and moving things around).

Marge's Barge did spring a few leaks. One was right over our bed, bummer. Especially since it rained for a majority of the time. We placed a bowl on our bed to keep everything dry and made notes of where to place the crack filler.

The fridge doesn't work, but we brought my husband's fridge from college. Worked like a charm.

The dinette, oh the dinette! In all her perfect glory, the dinette was the best thing ever. The husband worked endless hours to build the J-dinette. And then he spent a few more hours cutting and staining the table. I added a special touch to the top and the dinette was absolutely perfect. We fit eleven (ELEVEN!) people around the table one rainy day (keep in mind four of them were under the age of five). Two people played checkers, two more played backgammon. Seriously! We put a checkerboard and backgammon on the table!

As with most of our projects, it is still a work in progress. There are still a few things we'd like to do: curtains, paint. Paint, paint, paint.

That, and figuring out where everything needs to go. I also have 3 cushions that I need to finish (as you can tell by the random assortment of cushions and pillows at the dinette).

Oh, and. I'd like to re-do the counter tops. Orange is definitely one of my favorite colors. But not necessarily for the kitchen.

And this last picture. Oh, this last picture. My littlest camper. Isn't she just the cutest thing there is?

It's Summer!

We have been a busy bunch this summer, with endless projects and kid activities. To be honest, I'm bummed that it is already mid-July. But I look back over the last month and a half and am overwhelmed with how much we have accomplished.

The biggest accomplishment, you ask?

Our camper is livable! It's not 100% done (the fridge still doesn't work, but that's another story), but we can use it. It can be towed, it keeps is warm and (mostly) dry. Big huge props to the hubs - he worked night and day on that camper. We still have a couple of projects to go, but it was nice to have some time to enjoy the Airstream, instead of just work, work, work.

Kid has grown, grown, grown. He and I butt heads quite a bit. His stubbornness shines through many times a day. He's spirited, as they say. I know that it will one day be a strength of his, but right now, it is so, so difficult to parent. He tries my patience day in and day out. But, oh, how it pays off. His endless questions are a glimpse into his thirst for knowledge - how does that work?, what does this do?, do just caterpillars become butterflies or do bees, too? He's a bright boy. He's a happy boy. It's hard to believe that he is already three. And in the next breath, it's hard to believe that he is only three.

In just the last week, his bike riding skills have blossomed. His love for SCUBA diving (really, he's snorkeling) has grown. His interest in letters is just beginning to sprout - trying to write the first letter of his name and recognizing other letters.

Little Miss is dang near one and a half. Whoa, has that flown by. She's finally starting to use the sign language we've been teaching her since 9 months. Initially, she refused to use any and all signs. She knew exactly what they meant, but preferred to point and whine instead. Finally, though, she will sign "more" and "please." We're still working on "thank you" and a few others as well. She is also starting to use more and more words. She's said the typical first words for quite some time -- mama, daddy, ball, hi, bye-bye -- and is now beginning to use "pleee" for please, and "da-doo" for thank you. She has also mastered "bubble," which is important for any child in summertime.

She runs, she dances, she loves going down the slide. She's a daredevil, just like her brother. I doubt she will have any problems keeping up with him!

{This was posted on the go - I apologize for the lack of photos!}

2016

Every year, I enjoy reading blog posts about people's New Year's Resolutions. I think it is so wonderful to have a set of goals. It keeps the year focused and can really motivate. Some people.

Then, there's me.

I don't know why, but New Year's Resolutions are just ... lame for me. I never follow through. Like, ever. I can look back on resolutions past and think, "oh, that was a good one!" But it lasted until March or April and then ... well, it was forgotten.

I'm not writing New Year's Resolutions this year.

This year, I'm writing hopes and dreams.

I hope we get our camper up and running for our first trip scheduled in early July. The Barge (we're still deciding on names for the Airstream, so it may change) was welded back together yesterday and is in storage today. And we have a lot of work to do on her. A lot is an understatement. Either way, I hope she is ready to go by July. My dream is to someday (before Kid is 12) drive the Airstream up to Alaska.

I hope I make more sales on a teaching website of which I am a member. I would love to supplement our bank account with a little more cash. Our funds for camper renovations are pretty tight, so money from the website would be put toward The Barge (I swear, it's not just a random name; there's a story behind it).

I hope I can find balance for the rest of the school year. I have struggled this year with keeping things up and organized at home and at school. Unfortunately, school has come first. Which is great for my kindergarten students, but not so great for my family. We are always behind on laundry, we eat out more than I would like (which is why ::Dinner Plans:: have returned).

I hope I can bring more traffic to this little blog of mine. I'm still a little shy about the blog. I just shared it with my mom and sister rather recently. My best girlfriends don't know about it. For some reason it is easier to share with people I don't know in real life. I hope to build the blog and my confidence as a writer.

What are your hopes and dreams for 2016?

{Airstream Rehab} Cleaning

We've jumped right in to Airstream rehab. So far it has been a delight! Keep in mind this rehab project is of a 1973 camper. It's been sitting in a field for the last number of years, and unused for a good 10 years before that. Needless to say, the projects are numerous.

Take a few minutes to catch up:

Here and here.

First things first, a tour of the before. And, can I please give a warning? The after will be a long time coming.

Look at that beauty of a couch! Hello, 1970s. I wish we could have salvaged some of the fabric, but the condition was not up to snub. We plan to get rid of everything fabric. The curtains will stick around for awhile, as I will be using them as a template for new curtains. But everything else fabric related: gone, gone, gone. The couch sits at the front of the camper, with a little bit of storage underneath. With the cushions gone, the couch looks to be in fairly decent condition. Although the condition is good, we intend to get rid of it.

I suppose it's time for another disclaimer or warning: we will not be restoring this Airstream to its original state.

To the side of the couch sits the fold-away table, which I've learned is quite typical of the Airstream. Do you see the carpet!? Whoa! Ugly, FYI, and super tattered and worn.

 And the carpet is GONE! Woo hoo! I know the plywood will not be our final flooring choice, but I kind of like the way it looks. Can you picture it with a white couch and table? Freshly painted walls, and bright curtains? Oh, this camper will be so beautiful.

And here is the view to the back of the camper. Our kitchen, complete with stove, oven, and fridge. I have to admit that I love the orange counter tops. Again, they won't stay orange, but it's just so perfect (orange = one of my favorite colors). Just beyond the kitchen is the bathroom (honestly, I don't even want to show you pictures of the bathroom (gross!)) and an enormous closet/wardrobe. We've been throwing around the idea of changing the closet/wardrobe to some bunks, but then we would be completely out of storage.

Seasoned Airstream people: how is the storage?

And there, my friends, is a beautiful view of our first load of garbage. I know that this is only the beginning, and that there will be plenty more to come. Thus far, we've enjoyed the ride!

{Airstream Rehab} The Ride Home

If you're new to the series, my great aunt and great uncle owned a 1973 Airstream Land Yacht. As they aged and used the camper less and less, their hoarding took over. The camper was filled to the brim with junk. When my great uncle Bob passed away, my aunt purchased the Airstream from his wife, Marge. My aunt had the hopes of restoring it to its original state. When quote after quote came in far too high, she gave up and had the camper stored out in a field.

My husband and I enjoy camping and have lived out of a pop-up camper the last few years. Now that Kid is getting to the age of potty training, we thought it'd be nice to have a camper with a bathroom. So we asked my aunt about the old Airstream.

And she gave it to us.

Check in here for our first adventure - checking out the Airstream.

Now you're all caught up.

As mentioned, the Airstream had been sitting in a field year after year. Previous to that, it had been hanging out in a driveway, unused. It was finally time to bring her home (where she will sit in our driveway). She won't yet be used for camping, but the rehab process will soon begin.

We woke up early to get ready for our adventure. This meant borrowing a big (huge!) truck and gathering all of the tools we may have needed. The condition of the tires was unknown, so we had air compressors, jacks, a whole range of hand tools. I packed snacks for the kid and promised a stop at the "donut store" (read: gas station).

The ride up was uneventful. Hubs drove the big truck, I followed in our Explorer. The kids were with me. Little Miss slept the whole way, Kid and I chatted about getting the camper and where we should take it first. He thinks we should go to "Cola-ado."

We pulled up to the storage facility - some guy's house - and headed to his back field. There sat our camper, untouched form a few weeks ago. She was still dry inside, luckily for us because we had gotten a ton of rain!

I checked the tires for flats (looked good!), we hooked her up to the truck. And by we, I mean that the hubs did it. I did back the truck up a few times.

It sounds like it took 2 minutes to get her ready to go, but we were there for a good hour. And then, we were off. 

I had strict instructions to follow closely. To not let any cars between us.

Our ride home was slow. We were concerned with the age of the tires - how long would they last!?

It took us a good hour to get home, and it was uneventful. The tires held the entire way. The back panel didn't fall off. Our camper made it home in once piece - hooray!

And so begins the amazing (-ly slow) process of rehab-ing our vintage Airstream.

{Airstream Rehab} Camping in 1973

On some whim, my aunt decided to purchase the Airstream originally owned by my great aunt and uncle to restore to its original state. After realizing how much that would be, she dropped that thought by the wayside and left the camper to sit in a field.

Maybe you know this, or maybe it's news to you, but my husband and I enjoy camping. We currently travel with our pop-up camper towed behind our black Dodge pick-up truck. It has been a wonderful camper for us, but we are soon getting to the potty training years (the pop-up has no bathroom).

And, it doesn't have AC. If you know me, you know that I can be pretty crabby when I'm hot. Not having AC in the pop-up has been tough. Especially this last summer - the temps hit 95 degrees during one of our camping trips. Needless to say, I was less than delightful company.

On some whim (maybe those whims run in the family), I questioned my aunt about the old Airstream in early October

Where is it?
What's it like?
How long has it been sitting where it's sitting?

Those were the questions I was going to ask. But before I even finished the word "Airstream," it was mine. "Are you interested in it?" Nod. "It's yours." Jaw drops.

She spoke with her people, who contacted my people (because, you know, I have people). The next week, Hubs and I were off to visit our new camper. Our 1973 Airstream Sovereign - Land Yacht.

Holy smokes! We have an Airstream!

Tips & Tricks :: Camping with a Toddler

We are a camping family, through and through. We left this summer for just over a month of camping, and have a few more camping trips on the calendar.

I have to admit, though, that I am not currently the type that we pop a tent and sleep on the ground. Not with Kid around. When he's a little older, we will think about it. We have a pop-up camper at our disposal, so we use that instead. We only ever "tented it" when we were backpacking and hiking into far off campsites. Now, we drive up to campgrounds and camp that way. Kid loves it ... he really is a nature boy.

Be Prepared!
Anything can happen when you're camping. Add a toddler into the mix, and there is a whole new definition to "anything can happen." Be sure to be prepared as possible. Before camping with a child, we always brought along a first aid kit that included Band-Aids, instant cold packs, ointment, your typical first aid kit materials. Since Kid has joined us, we have added Tylenol, a thermometer, a nose aspirator, kid-friendly bug spray and sunscreen, and children's Benadryl.

We are not only prepared with a first aid kit, though. We bring favorite toys, loads of extra clothing, Kid's favorite Little Tykes rocking horse, and plenty of diapers. And food. Food, food, food. Think of everything that could happen at home, and be prepared for it.

Be Flexible!
Toddlers throw timing and schedules out the window. Especially when they are taken out of their "normal" environment. While we try to keep nap time at the same time, it just doesn't always happen. Being outside is exciting! It may take an extra hour for the kiddo to tire out and fall asleep. Or, they may need to nap an hour or two earlier. Go with it. It will make your camping trip much more enjoyable!

Do What You Have To!
A lot of parents are concerned about creating bad habits. Me, too. But when you're camping? You just have to do what you can to make it work. Kid thinks our camper is pretty awesome. In fact, he has woken up on various nights at three in the morning thinking it's play time. So we did what we had to do to get him back to sleep. Co-sleeping worked in the past, but not this time. So we strapped him into his car seat and drove to town and back. Is this something that we would do while at home? No. Kid loves the car too much as of late. I think he'd want a car ride before bed every night. But to keep our sanity on the campground (and not disturb the other campers, peacefully sleeping)? Drive the car around. Lull him back to sleep. Don't be afraid to "ruin" the child's behavior. Just do what you have to do to keep everyone content, including yourself!

Hello, Again!

I'm posting from the Northwoods of Minnesota, as we are on our yearly camping trip to Cuyuna. The hubs and his dad SCUBA dive the old iron pits while the ladies (and baby, er...toddler) hang out in the sun. We've been blessed with another year of fabulous weather.

I'm posting from the front seat of our truck, seat belt on, ignition off. We are parked right behind our camper.

Why aren't you in the camper, you ask?

Someone (not naming names, but I bet you can guess) decided to wake up at 3:10 and had no desire to go back to sleep. We fought for an hour, then decided a car ride would do the trick. And the kid had been asleep since the moment the truck rumbled to life.

We can hear gun shots over head as day has broken on the duck hunting season opener. The pup is watching out the window as the mountain bikers emerge from their tents. He, too, is listening to the gun shots. I think he know that someone somewhere is hunting. If dogs feel jealousy, he's feeling it today for sure. 

And while I sit here and watch the sky turn from black to pale blue, I realize how much I've missed this space of mine. I realize how much has happened since July, and how I have enjoyed every moment, but missed so much.

The hubs and I are back to work. Slowly, we get back into a routine. It's difficult to adjust to new routines, but it is a must. We now have the unfortunate job of tearing Kid out of bed every morning, the sleep still in his eyes. He slowly wakes up in the car, and enjoys breakfast when we finally get to our destination. We hurry off to work and put in our time (except teaching is so, so much more than that), only to hurry home to play with Kid. The house chores get pushed off, there's always a mess to pick up.

But our sweet boy is happy and healthy and loving life. Even at 3:30 in the morning in a Saturday.

As a parent, can you ask for anything more?

Summer (and my 50th post!)

Hello friends!

I finally feel as though summer has started. My husband and I returned home last night from a 5 day camping trip. Oh, it was heavenly. It was our first excursion of the year and it was beautiful. We made the five hour trip to a campground just north of Bayfield, Wisconsin, right on Lake Superior. The Apostle Islands were in sight.

This trip marks another first for our pup, Finnegan (whose "grandpa" likes to call him "Finnian"). He did remarkable well, and learned quite a few new tricks. Like opening the pocket doors of my in-laws' motorhome (we can't use their bathroom as containment anymore!) and using his nose to open the door of a pop-up camper (yup, pushes right on the black handle of the door!). He learned that his K-9 uncle, Kirby (a black lab mix) has no patience for puppies-Finn's nose may have been "nibbled" on more than one occasion.

During this trip, I earned the "Crappy Wife of the Year Award" for the second year in a row. Upon leaving home for our trip, I was certain that something had been forgotten. I just couldn't put my finger on it. Like in Home Alone, when the mom knows that something is missing. Like her, it took me awhile to figure out exactly what it was. An hour and a half into the drive, I realized it. Mr. Husband's birthday present. The sad part? The same thing happened when we were on our honeymoon the year before. Whoops! Next year can only be better, right?

I did give the gift to him upon our return home (I also made a cake for him, but messed up the homemade frosting).

Needless to say, we had a wonderful vacation. We spent long days navigating the waters of Lake Superior, stopping on the many islands for lunch on the sandy beaches. Scuba diving (Husband) or snorkeling (me) near shipwrecks, watching fireworks in Bayfield, and being able to see the show over on Madeline Island.

Yes, after a wonderful vacation, it finally feels as though summer has begun.

One tired pup on the way home