We wake up everyday before the sun, eager to start the day, like kids on Christmas morning. We have a daily mantra that sifts through our thoughts minute after minute … “We are so freakin lucky!” And we have another darker mantra that rears it’s daily head more often than we care to admit and it’s something like, “Are we freakin crazy? What are we doing?” Living in a 36′ RV with 14 people will do that to you, I’m certain it’s inevitable. We’ve learned so much about ourselves and about traveling over the past 18 months since we started this adventure that I want to take a moment to share them with you. Hopefully when you and your family set out on your next vacation, you’ll be able to use some of this knowledge!
1) Happiness is the number 1 Weight Loss Program!
2) Hunger makes 14 people turn into 14 grouchy, angry, dramatic, & EVIL people!
3) Traveling has brought our family 10,000 times closer & we were close before we dropped everything.
4) Traveling enforces your belief in the goodness of people.
5) California Beaches are hands down the most amazing place on earth, even in October!
6) Moab, UT is the most spiritual place on the planet. You arrive haggard, you leave rejuvenated.
7) If we can bail on “normal life” with 12 kids, anyone can! No excuses!
8) Our family needs to make time everyday to do something exciting, extreme and crazy. It’s our currency. Try it … you might have a life altering experience!
9) Traveling is by far the most freeing thing we’ve ever done!
10) Life is about living in the moment. Traveling enhances those moments.
11) Being sick on the road … SUCKS. Healthy eating & living habits are an absolute must!
12) Traveling and living our adventurous lifestyle keeps us very very fit!
13) Never miss a West Coast sunset!
14) Ottawa, Canada is the most chill place EVER! With the most amazing River!
15) Stay open-minded, just be alive, be ready to change your “plans” to stay longer or get the heck outta dodge!
16) Get away from the children every once in a while – it’s absolutely mandatory!
17) RV traveling with 12 kids forces you to get creative romantically which kicks back your relationship to the early days! 🙂
18) Southern California locks their bathrooms, you must be a customer to access codes, or pay!! For bathrooms! I find this incredibly fascinating!
19) Fast Food, while convenient, is death. Stop at local Farmers Markets, support local families!
20) You learn to pee, at least, anywhere!
21) Boys are the luckier gender when out in the middle of nowhere … know what I mean?
22) Take a moment to swim with the dolphins or breathe the salty air … imprint the beauty of the world around you into all your senses.
23) Be prepared for emergencies … kids, at least mine, are crazy and they don’t think before they do.
24) Open your eyes to different cultures. Don’t fall subject to stereotypes … we didn’t die in the streets of LA! Though Dan did fist pump a Salvadoran Gang Member.
25) Southern Hospitality is the real deal!
26) Alabama has no trash receptacles anywhere! Hence, there is trash everywhere. Travel heightens your resolve to be a steward of the earth!
27) Showers are, in fact a luxury, HOT showers are orgasmic. Paying for showers sucks and I bristle. Though I think I earned the title of “Fastest Shower-er” I’m a winner!
28) You learn the value of water, quickly!
29) No matter how many times you visit Washington, DC you’ll still be overwhelmed by the history and the power.
30) Tear up the Bucket List, wipe the “I’ll do this later” from your thoughts, there will never be a perfect time, you’ll never have “enough” money. Do it today, right now! You might not have a tomorrow!
31) Hug Your Kids and Show them, not tell them, you really can make dreams a reality.
32) Teach your kids by doing, seeing, and intriguing. Book smarts are nice, Life smarts are great, Experience is, well priceless!
33) Traveling the country and visiting so many churches each week awakens your Hope for the world at large!
34) RockStar Energy Drinks really ought to Sponsor us! Really, someone give them a call, please – they literally sustain Dan (and Kerry).
35) And on that note, so should Fleetwood or Winnebago or … we really aren’t picky! 🙂
36) Children keep you young! When you have kids you can do anything in the name of “quality time”.
37) Life ROCKS!
38) You are never too old to start something new or to start all over! Age is a mentality …
39) Traveling makes you more social, more adventurous, more adaptable, more confident, smarter, happier and focused on the important things in life!
40) To God all the Glory!
Love Your Blog!!!
Thank you!!! :)))
Are you still interested in selling your house? From an interested neighbor in GWS.
Just found your blog and have bookmarked it. I am looking forward to keeping up with the Kelloggs! I’m in West Virginia, BTW.
We just started following your blog and love it! Our family is preparing to start our travels next month. We are so excited to show our children (6 under the age of 9) God’s beautiful country! Thank you for sharing!
Os escribo desde spain. Os admiro y me gustaria vivir como vosotros pero en mi pais no permiten vuestro tipo de ensenanza escolar. Tengo 2 hijos de 11 y 10 anos que os siguen. Que Dios este con vosotros.
Mom and dad are the batteries that keep the family going. Your children are the chargers for the batteries. No intended pun for the energizer rabbit.
This is the most jaw dropping family I’ve ever seen. So much energy, focus on all the right things, and self sufficient. I’ve sent this link to my children who both have families and are stuck in the rut of the live to work instead of work to live. I hope they get the subtlety! Keep moving forward family, you are inspiring.
Cool.
Amen!
Oh my gosh, this list is amazing.
Hi, all the time i used to check web site posts here in the
early hours in the break of day, as i love to find out more
and more.
Great blog, I’ve always wanted to travel full-time, but like most can’t figure out how to make it actually happen.