Back On the Road

I've spent some time recently thinking about this blog and how I've been sharing our adventures. As I begin documenting our adventures from this most recent road trip, I've decided to try to do so as less of a "diary" and more of a reflection on what we've seen and done and got out of our experiences. I hope I can accurately share some of these awesome places we've seen.

This road trip felt very different from our first. I think we learned quite a bit during our first leg about the things we liked and things we didn't. For sure we spent more time in National Parks and in a "camping" environment, rather than always staying in RV parks. We started off on a really high note, visiting a place that has been on my bucket list for a long time - Banff National Park!

If you've never gone I urge you to make an effort to see this natural wonder. The trees, the mountains, the clear blue water - all of it is so stunning! We made a solid drive from the afternoon we left BC to arrive at Lake Louise in less than 24 hours. We decided to camp at the Lake Louise campground and I'm so glad that we did. The views at the lake were stunning in both cloud and sunshine. There's something about the mountains and water that just make me feel alive and happy. 

Halle took every opportunity she had to stick her hand into the water, and she was beyond impressed by how blue it was. Even Nolan would squeal with excitement every time he saw the water. 

It was nice to see the mountains surrounded in clouds, the moodiness of it. The clouds and cool temperatures during that afternoon kept the crowds away as well. The following day we visited both Moraine Lake and Lake Louise in the sun and it was even more breathtaking being able to see those impressive peaks beyond the lakes edge. There is just something about snowy peaks that make me feel at home. As much as we are headed to the east coast, my heart will always remain in the mountains!

While Lake Louise is far easier to travel around with walking paths and boardwalks, Moraine Lake had a much more lovely view, residing in the Valley of the Ten Peaks. I was so glad that Brett insisted we see both lakes in the sun before we packed up camp.

Our second visit to Lake Louise was much shorter - just to get a sunny view of it and a family photo. I was so thankful that we asked the kind stranger we did to take a photo of us. He knew his way around my camera and captured my favourite family photo from all of our travels. Even Halle wanted to pose all on her own, and I loved the photos I captured of my little beauty in front of this natural Canadian wonder. 

Exploring the remainder of Banff took my breath away. The scenic highway through the park to the town of Banff was beautiful. Lucky for us we had a napping baby and enjoyed the towering trees and clear blue rivers and lakes. Again, it was the mountains that most won me over. I'll never tire of snow covered peaks set against a brilliant blue sky.

I wish we'd had more time to spend in the area - especially to head further north to see the Ice Fields and Jasper. We didn't get to hike as much as we'd like either, but that is something that we are often limited to with such small kids. Halle's little legs can't always handle the distance or inclines that Brett and I would like to do. We've agreed that we will need to revisit these iconic Canadian parks in the Rockies when the kids are a little older, so we can see and experience more than we did during our short visit at the end of May.

Nolan most definitely is our little bottomless pit!

The view out our trailer door at Chain Lakes Provincial Park in Alberta

We made a few more stops north of the border in Alberta. Stopping in Canmore for some beer and small bites and then camping at Chain Lakes Provincial Park south of Calgary. We had a beautiful campsite with grassy vistas, and a quiet place to camp during the rain storm that rolled in. I love that on rainy nights we'll gather around our dinette to play a game with Halle. We definitely make the most of rainy evenings, turning them into quality family time instead of time around the TV. I love those silly bonding moments where we all laugh and enjoy ourselves. 

After a restful night we had the most incredible experience at Waterton Lakes National Park in southern Alberta. The Park is actually an extension of Glacier National Park in Montana, and not only are the views incredible, but the wildlife is very cool as well. We took a drive into the Bison enclosure and had our first experience with these huge animals. We had no clue what the rest of our trip had in store for us, so we were excited to see these animals up close and personal in Alberta. (We remained in our car and always kept a safe distance from them... don't worry).

Oh Alberta! Those majestic Rockies, blue water and wildlife won us over! There's so much we haven't seen in the province, but we know that won't be our only visit there. I'm just glad we made it before we left behind the West Coast...

Reflecting on Life on the Road

Well, I'd say this post is long overdue as it's been almost three months since we left behind our home in British Columbia to embark on life on the road. Over these two months I have had a lot of time to think about what this journey means to not only me, but also to our family. 

Nolan loves being thrown in the air! {Washington - April)

When we first left BC I thought to myself, "what if we made a mistake?", but since that first time that question honestly hasn't crossed my mind since. There was some adjusting for me to things like showers in the trailer and sometimes at RV resorts (not always as nice as showering in your own home) and laundry at RV resorts (we've had some iffy incidents), but overall I adjusted better than I had expected. At the end of the day, the adventure and time together outweighs anything that we may perceive as a negative.

Back in BC - May 2016

We're still working on living with less. I mean, we did sell the majority of our stuff, but some things didn't sell and some things we wanted to keep for when we do settle down in one place again. Since we're unsure of where we will end up, we've managed to fill a 5x10 storage unit until we find our home. 

As we go, things have left the trailer as well. Living with access only to a small closet, both Brett and I have realized we only wear a very curated collection of clothing. We definitely don't need as much as we had before. Out of season clothes are stored under our bed in suitcases and then our small selection of favourite seasonal clothes are in our closet. 

It's harder with children, we don't want to, nor can we force Halle to get rid of things that she loves, but considering she is only four she is very good at donating items she no longer loves or plays with. She got a lot of nice toys while we were in Florida, and once we got back to BC her and I went through all of her toys and she picked a lot to donate which lightened the load a little. This has also helped us to realize how little they need. Halle uses her imagination far more when we are just out in nature hiking and exploring the natural world around us. 

Nolan loves finding sticks and rocks and just playing in the dirt

We still have a long way to go before we are truly "minimalists". You can't just get rid of all of your stuff overnight, it takes time and effort but we'll get there since our focus at the moment is our family. 

To me the best part is the adventure, the unknown and the time spent together. As I have mentioned previously most days we start out and see where we end up. Brett drives and I keep my eyes on the Road Atlas to direct us to our next destination. 

Halle had a blast fishing at the trout farm we camped at in Mission, BC back in early May

When I think of life before everything changed, I know that we were happy. Life had found a happy routine for the most part but Halle and I missed Brett on those long days that he was at work. Is that "normal"? Yes, for most people, but it's not the life we want to live anymore. In the months surrounding Brett leaving his job a lot happened to remind us just how short and precious life can be - so why aren't we together enjoying it and doing the things that we love? Will we spend the rest of our life on the road travelling? No, probably not. Will we find jobs we love that still give us plenty of time together and to see great places? YES! Will we spend money on travel and experiences instead of "things" and "stuff" that take up time and space! Absolutely! That will always remain our focus moving forward.

Hiking at Rolley Lake Provincial Park in BC

Admittedly, not every day is perfect. Somedays we are tired and cranky, and somedays our children are a handful to deal with... just like any other kid. Our lives are still not "perfect", but we are all so much happier at the moment. We're exploring and seeing sights that some people may never see in their lifetime. For that, we are extremely thankful. 

Rolley Lake Provincial Park in BC

The other day I said to Brett, "At the end of each year, I always wonder how the next year will top it! I really didn't think 2016 could be better than 2015, but look at this! How could 2017 possibly be any better?". Yes, we still have half a year ahead of us to enjoy and soak up... but I'm already intrigued to see how our future plays out after this. All I know, is we'll continue to live it to the fullest.

On Time...

For so long, I seemed to spend my days waiting for Brett to get home, waiting for the weekends or a holiday. There always seemed to be a focus on what came next, next, next. Time would either drag on endlessly or fly by while I attempted to freeze it for just a moment longer. There was never a happy middle point,  but sometime over these past two weeks we've all been learning how to enjoy the little moments.

The beach in Manzanita

As I write this, we've only been on the road for about two weeks, but in a good way it feels so much longer. We've seen and done so much in this short time, but most importantly we've smiled, laughed and created some awesome memories. 

We're not glancing at the clock that often these days. We aren't worried about when and where we need to be, and to be honest we're not evening rushing the kids off to bed at the end of the day because we're all enjoying our time together. We go to sleep at night, happily exhausted from a day of exploring and laughing together and we usually sleep until 7:30 or 8 in the morning. If it's a day that we need to check out, we eat and once we're finished we have a routine of cleaning up, getting dressed, packing up and heading out. Somehow, by the time we all pile into the car we'll find that it's right on time for us to be checking out of our site. 

An evening walk together as a family

Our driving days usually work out well with our schedule. Nolan's morning nap usually lines up nicely with our departure time, so he'll fall asleep easily in the car. If it's a short day of driving (2 or 2.5 hours), he usually sleeps most of the drive. If our day is longer, we'll usually stop after 2 hours of driving for lunch, eat, stretch our legs and maybe explore, depending on where we are, then Nolan takes his second nap as we continue driving.

I'm seeing time, especially as a family, very different these days. The days are happier and easier when we're all together. There isn't as much to take our focus away from each other. There isn't a big house to clean and keep tidy, no bills to pay, or other things that need our immediate attention, other than being with each other. 

These are the exact reasons why we did this. Quiet moments being together, evenings by the campfire, bed time cuddles, playing at the playground, running on the beaches, exploring the Redwoods. This may not be life forever for us, but it's life for the next few months. It's a chance for us to change the way we view our lives and our priorities. I hope that wherever we set down roots in the coming months, we can take these memories and lessons with us. I hope we always remember that creating these memories together are what is most important, and that we continue to focus on experiences rather than items. 

True love - their bond continues to grow and blossom

We are only given so much time here. So much time with our children while they are small... and so much time to love these people and places. We plan on doing our best to take advantage of each and every one of those moments as best as we can, and I hope you all do too. 

On Big Life Changes

Am I making this sound easy? Just sell all our stuff, move into a trailer and travel for a while... then move to the other side of the country. Piece of cake, right? Well, not so much. This whole process, while extremely liberating, exciting and freeing, has been equal parts scary, emotional and stressful. Many nights I lay awake wondering if we're doing the right thing, if we will miss our life here and all of those other late night nagging thoughts. This sh*t is hard! Excuse the language.

While we are crazy busy finalizing plans and downsizing, I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Once everything is done here, we will be out there exploring and spending more time together doing the things that we want. Today's post is a little more personal, giving you a bit more insight into some of the crazy and emotional thoughts running through my head recently. 

Are we doing the right thing? Well, YES! Of course we think we are. A couple of years ago, Brett's sister came to visit and told us she was thinking of quitting her job to go back to school. Her decision would bring her and her fiance to the opposite side of the country and be a huge life change. We cheered her on, encouraged her and told her that sometimes you just need to let go and trust it will all work out. Now we find ourselves taking our own advice. While we have done a lot to prepare for this new chapter in our lives, there is still so much left to do and there are a ton of unknowns in the months ahead. Despite the stresses, I keep reminding myself the most important thing is that we will all be together, and we have friends and family who support us in what we are doing.

Our very first visit to Vancouver in March 2012 to find a home

I often remind myself that only four short years ago we were just visiting British Columbia for the first time. Back then I was thrilled that our little family would have the opportunity to live in and explore one of Canada's most beautiful provinces. At the same time, in the back of my mind I was terrified of this big change. We were leaving behind our families and friends to move to the opposite side of the country, and we had no idea if we'd like it. When we arrived, we did our best to embrace it. We met so many wonderful people, went on fantastic adventures and made the most of our time out here, rain or shine. We learned that change is hard and scary, but so worth it. We also learned that going into something with a positive attitude and outlook can drastically effect the outcome of any situation. So this is exactly how we will move forward on our new adventures.

Will we miss our life here? OF COURSE! I bring myself to the brink of tears almost daily thinking about the friends we are leaving behind and all of the things we still want to do. We didn't build our life here overnight. It took a long time to make this place feel like home, and we are surrounded by some seriously awesome friends that have become our family. I will miss them dearly, but they are also the best reasons for us to come back and visit as often as possible.

July 2012 - our first trip to Vancouver Island with our friends who we now consider family

Each night as I snuggle the kids to sleep, I look around whichever bedroom I am in and think of all of the wonderful family moments we have shared here and my heart aches a little. I know at the end of the day a home is strictly bricks and mortar, and it's the people and memories we make that truly matter. Saying good-bye is never easy, and leaving this home where Halle grew into a little woman and where Nolan was born, will not be easy.

The hardest part by far is knowing that Halle struggles with it. We're doing our best to keep communication open with her, while not burdening her with unnecessary details or worry. We stay positive when we discuss it with her or in front of her, and she's enjoyed things like picking out our new truck and trailer. But still, she'll frequently approach us out of the blue, with a tinge of anxiety in her voice and announce, "I need Mama/Dada snuggles" and we know that she's feeling nervous or anxious about what is to come.

We talk about how we will miss our friends and our home, but we will visit and we will make new friends. She knows that we'll have a new house with lots of space to run and play and she'll get to help us decorate her new bedroom... she may also get a cat. I am most reassured when I think about how much she loves travelling, nature and adventure, and how she will flourish with all of these new experiences.

As much as we are about to set out on an adventure we have always dreamed of, I am still feeling small bits of worry along the way. It won't always be easy, but I know deep down it will most definitely be worth it.

Choosing to Live with Less

For years I have had the desire to downsize the amount of stuff we own. When we bought our first home in Toronto we were operating with about 1100 square feet total, and owned way more than we needed. I would attempt to get rid of things, but was never all that successful. Though we manage to keep a tidy home, things get hidden in corners and closets and before you know it the accumulation of items is out of control. Why do we own so much?

These days we live in a consumer driven society. Earn more, spend more, own more! Bigger homes, faster cars. We fill our closets with the latest trends, and then shop seasonally for clothes that society tells us we "need". We work, work, work to spend, spend, spend and our priorities seem to be way out of whack.

Personally my biggest issue with too much stuff and too many commitments is the way that they control my life and my time. Instead of focusing on my husband and children I get caught up in organizing and cleaning a big house full of stuff we don't necessarily need. My view really changed last summer when we spent two weeks living our 17' Boler as we travelled around Vancouver Island.

Camping in Stamp River. Port Alberni, Vancouver Island

Living in such a small space and moving around frequently forced us to bring only the items that we really needed... or thought we needed. We discovered over that two weeks that we didn't even need everything packed into that trailer and could have brought much less with us. Each day I was content to lay down with our napping baby and read a book, rather than scroll mindlessly through social media posts. We were all happy and relaxed, and as soon as I got back to that big ol' house of ours, the stress of maintaining all of that space and "stuff" came rushing back. 

I found myself losing patience with my daughter while I was trying to clean and organize and all she wanted to do was play. My priorities were seriously misdirected, and I knew I needed to address this head on. Not only did we have a lot of stuff, but our children had far more toys than they truly needed.

Over the course of a summer outside, camping in various locations we noticed our daughter was far more happy and confident when out in nature playing with the dogs, sticks, rocks, dirt or just a ball. She listened better and used her imagination more. We would build, discover, swim, splash and just be - so why not have less toys that keep her busy inside and spend more time experiencing life outdoors?

An afternoon climbing, throwing rocks and just "being" on a beach in Ucluelet

As we prepare for our move to the east coast, we are selling the majority of our possessions. Our focus is on items we no longer use or need, and items that it would cost more to ship than it would be to replace. We would like to not spend too much shipping stuff across country, and of course attempt to live with less as we travel in our trailer for a few months.

From owning less, I hope our whole family also finds less desire to buy items. I'd rather collect memories than tangible items. 

When looking back on my own childhood I remember time spent with family more than I do the items they bought me. Not to say I wasn't thankful for the gifts I was so lucky to be given, but my fondest memories of Christmas are of the time spent with family. Annual trips to the tree farm to chop down a tree and decorate it while watching classic Christmas movies, and visiting with family and friends we only saw a few times a year. 

So many people are trying to understand what we are doing. Why are you getting rid of everything? Will you be able to work when you get out there? The whole purpose of our move is to completely change the way we live. No, we won't be making the same money we did out here, but we won't need that much money. Our goal is to be mortgage free, consume less and live a much more simple life. When boredom strikes I would much rather set foot outside to explore with the kids, instead of heading to the local mall to spend money or buy more items that will not bring us happiness.

In beginning this journey, I have heard from others who desire to simplify their lives as well. I hope that in sharing our experience, I can inspire more people to do the same. If you're looking for further inspiration, I suggest the following blogs:

- becoming minimalist

- The Minimalists 

- The Art of Simple

- Be More with Less

Have any of you thought of simplifying your life? What does it mean to you?