Where Are We Now

Recently, a couple of people have reminded us of this blog and I somehow, began to miss it. I began to miss the chronicle of our life with our kids and with each other and it made me nostalgic. Steve even mentioned we should start it back up and chronicle our new life. Of course he never worked on the blog before so my response was "what the hell are you talking about?".

What is our new life. Well, it involves five people living on a 40 foot bus together parked in the driveways of houses we now rehab from foreclosure nastiness to flipped beauty. Some of the houses we keep for rentals and some we sell to buy more rentals. We basically live in Monopoly except we ourselves don't live in a house.

We have found the perfect balance. With the bus at the houses we are working at, the kids have everything they need with them at all times. We are never very far away. We eat all of our meals together and can work very long days and yet still be with our kids most of the day.

It has become the perfect lifestyle, for now. Everything is just for now. We work very hard and very long hours/days and we cannot sustain this lifestyle for more than a few years. But until then it is balls to the wall and get 'er done. My dream of having Steve retired by 50 looks more and more promising as each house sells.

I promise to make more of an effort to get photos up because honestly, I haven't taken the photos. I have a shit ton of before and after photos of the house but must get more of the kids before they leave for college.

Thanks to those of you that have checked in on us. We're still alive and kicking around. Planning to head out this August for some of the good life.

Where Are We Now

Interpretive Art

http://youtu.be/kWq60oyrHVQ

Finally, Someone Notices

This article in USA Today is finally showing the ridiculous power of the press to ingraine an idea in American's heads that is clearly blown out of proportion. We have spent months in the border towns of Mexico and have only once, seen anything unusual (an oddly dressed Mexican man on the beach staring out into the ocean with binoculars, two days later a military checkpoint was set-up in that town). A friend of ours visiting us in San Felipe though thought every single person was trying to sell him coke despite the fact that none of them were. Before he came he was googling "dangers of Mexico". So when he came, he was looking everywhere for evidence of drugs and they simply weren't there. I think he was disappointed but I'm sure he went back across the border and told everyone that it was very obvious something was going on. If you look for something, you more than likely will find something to prove your point - unless you have an open mind. So, for the people of Mexico that have a very struggling economy, don't believe the hype! 99% of it is hype, 1% is as dangerous as Washington D.C.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-07-15-border-violence-main_n.htm

Life is still good but the boy is bigger and now we have a cat.




Mainly showing the coat rack above the driver's seat for winter coats. Really genius idea by my hubby. The shoe rack was also fantastic this winter when we used multiple shoes and they were usually wet and needed some airflow around them. I threw in some photos of the curtains because they are one of the best skoolie ideas ever and I stole them off of skoolie.net. There are two inch magnets in each corner at the same witdth as a window. I used some white sheets I found at a thrift store and have them mostly at 2-3 windows per panel therefore using three-four magnets each panel. They are super easy to fold onto eachother using the magnets when you want to "open" the curtains up for the day. They have worked fantastic and I cannot imagine any other way of making curtains in a vehicle that bounces and jiggles and moves from side to side, all made of metal. I believe any other kind of curtain would make noise when you drive. These do not fall off either. Bought the magnets at Home Depot. My mother-in-law and friend made nine panels total for the bus with the front window using stronger magnets we got at Harbor Freight as the window is longer therefore using more fabric.

Another fun Hollow's Eve

Another year of amazing costumes made by the hands of "Omy", Steve's Mom. Thanks again Omy for the very original costumes!

Ultimate Scavenger Hunt

Steve and a friend of his plus two big boys did a Halloween Scavenger Hunt similar to the Amazing Race. The organizers do them monthly in Portland. Check it out if you want to have a good time. Teams of four people required! Pictures coming soon - Tom, pictures?

http://www.pdxhunt.com/