A look at our new home

I have been losing sleep the last week or so thinking of the many things that need to be done in order to complete our move. It is very difficult to move out of your home when you do not have a place to go. That thought was just really difficult to get around. Finally, Jeff and I came up with plan B. Instead of closing on the house and paying cash for the 5th wheel, which would then need to be delivered, we decided to finance the 5th wheel, have it delivered early and begin moving in so that we are mostly settled by our closing date. This has its own risks, we realize, but the other way was just not working out for us. The second part of this plan allows us to actually use the equity on our house to instead pay off ALL of our consumer debt, which is currently at a higher interest rate than the RV. There should still be money leftover to go ahead and pad our emergency fund with. This plan in turn frees up another $500 per month to add to that fund. It's a good plan, as long as closing goes on without a hitch. I'm praying all will work out.

As for space inside when we move, I still lose sleep over that one. My bedroom is awesome. I don't see that I will be bothered by that one iota. The TV and couch and recliners seem like they will work very nicely. The kitchen is beautiful, but I'm not sure how it will work out. I will need to relearn how to prepare meals for a family of 6. My most often used cookware items will not fit in the space. There are lots of big families who RV full-time who share their methods, so I will be spending more time looking at those options. I'm thinking an instant pot might be a sanity saver and an electric griddle might be really nice. We shall see when we get there. I can make due on a crockpot and a blender for now.

Here is a floor plan so that you can get an idea:


We I chose black leatherette and the more colorful curtains. It looks really pretty. The brown was just too blah for me. The color name is "stone," which one may think of as gray, but it is truly black.


The master bedroom holds a king sized bed. (We have measured and are bringing our king mattress to replace the one that comes standard.) The bed pops up so that items can be stored under the mattress. There is a good-sized closet, dresser, and a washer/dryer closet. The kitchen has a 23 cu ft refrigerator, oven and stove with fold down corian countertop, convection oven/microwave, and under-mounted double sink which has corian covers to increase counter space. The floor plan above shows a table and love seat, but we opted for the u-lounge option, which converts the entire slide into a couch with recliners on both ends and a queen bed in the center. There are 2 pedestal tables that can be installed in front of the lounge when we need them. The island also acts as a bar on that side, so our bar stools will do well in that space. There are 2 freestanding recliners (in front of the door) and  a TV that is angled across the room. The bunk room houses 3 twin beds and one futon. We will replace the kids' mattresses immediately to give them a more comfortable night's rest. They have a small closet, huge drawers, and an entertainment system in their room. They have their own 1/2 bath and an exterior door. Next to that door outside is an outdoor kitchen with a mini fridge, microwave, 2 burner stove and sink. Here are some pictures. Here is a virtual tour.

Now begins the not-so-fun portions of the move. Picking up and installing the utility pole, digging for septic, canceling services here, selling the remaining furniture and packing. Oh! And our truck broke down this past weekend. That was fun. I'm just thankful Jeff was able to get it to a safe place. All-in-all I believe I'm ready to get it all over with. Waiting and not knowing drive me a little crazy. I'm really thankful for my foam roller right now! I have been able to relieve shoulder/neck pain by myself, which is super nice! (That's where I carry my stress.) Speaking of the foam roller, I'm sure I hear it calling my name right now!

On the Market

Monday:
I don't think anyone enjoys the process of selling a home. There is so much work that goes into getting it ready and I don't know that it can ever be all completed. Once it's ready enough, there's the getting out during showings phase, which is where we are. This weekend we had at least 6 showings. I really don't know how many for sure, since we got multiple calls for the same time. Either people crossed paths or someone really wanted to make sure they were scheduled. Add the big dog and now we're out of the house and can't really go do anything. We ate dinner one evening at a place we could watch our still running locked car so that the dog and cat would be fine. (The dog has her own seat belt harness- a purchase I'm very happy with, as she now stays put in her seat as we travel.) We have a couple of friends in the area that have opened their homes to us while we show the house, which I am very grateful for! We hope our house sells quickly, as our 5th wheel has been ordered and should be ready in a couple more weeks. The seller has agreed to hold it longer for us, so hopefully everything will work out. In the meantime, we wait.

I think the reaction to our plans has been almost the same across the board. Shock, questions, and commendation. There are not many people who would downsize so drastically. In a way, I would prefer to watch this unfold for someone else. It will be interesting. If you are following this blog you likely want some details that would help this whole thing make sense. First, I'll start with the plan and how it came to be.

In January I signed Jeff and myself up for Financial Peace classes, which was offered by our church. He wasn't thrilled about this endeavor, as he's the kind of guy that doesn't like most social settings and always dislikes classes. I had read the book, Financial Peace, 12 years ago and told him all about it. The way things usually go in cases like this, is that I learn all this great information and share it with him. I often get some details off or even leave some out, although not intentionally, and he gets a partial view of what I have read. He doesn't often care to read what I do, so this is the version he takes away. The point is- we attended this class together and it changed the way he thinks about money. I don't feel like I learned much, but since I'm not the action person in our relationship, what I know doesn't always translate into what we do as a couple. All that to say that we were determined to figure out this debt thing and put it behind us.

Besides having debt, we know that Jeff's company has plans to lay off 30% of its workforce in 2020. His current job description will no longer exist. At work they tell him not to worry, he won't lose his job, but realistically, many will. He is taking the continuing education classes and getting all the recommended certifications to help him be "relevant" when the change occurs, but he is still a sitting duck in our current situation. Four years from now, even if we did pay off our consumer debt, we would still have a mortgage to think about. We also have kids and pay for any activities and classes they do. Two of them may want to go to college in that time. Jeff has been stressed out thinking of all these things and not having a solution.

As we walked to our 3rd Financial Peace class, we were talking about a family that vlogs about dumping debt who had just sold their home to live in their RV while they build a tiny home. Both of us thought of it as a little crazy until I said, "Could you imagine if we sold our house and bought an RV- we'd be out of debt in no time!" Jeff stopped and looked at me.  Very few things give him pause, so that's a big deal. He said, "My heart just skipped a beat. That could really work." This is where I say- wives, be careful what you say to your husbands. In my case, this was an offhand comment not meant to convince him of anything. However, he saw a solution in the simplicity of it.

Tuesday:
I got a call while writing the above paragraph that our mama goat was in labor and had already birthed one kid. We made the house ready and went over as quickly as we could. By the time we got there, Mae had birthed 3 baby goats. Names had been decided already by the kids; we just happened to get the right sexes for the names to work out. :) In birth order, Asriel (boy), Polly (girl), and Chewbacca, or Chewy (boy) were all born healthy. Mae tested CAE positive, so the plan had been to pull the babies from her and bottle feed them so they don't succumb to the illness. (Arthritis/Encephalitis condition) Due to our living circumstances and the fact that Mae is such a sweet mommy, I decided not to take them away from her. I plan to consult with a homeopathic doctor about an article I read about success with CAE positive animals and pray for healing through homeopathy.

During the time I was assisting Mae and bathing her babies, we got word that there were 2 offers on our house. WOW! They weren't good offers, so we told them to come back with a real offer. Both offers came back significantly better and last night we accepted a full price offer on our house!

Today I am off to both grandparents' homes to locate house-related paperwork and hold the baby goats. Last night Maddox received his Wolf rank at Cub Scouts and we gained a new boy in our den!! For anyone who didn't realize, Maddox was the "Lone Wolf" for most of the year. This was further complicated because the other dens meet at the same time as AHG, so we couldn't do any group activities with the other boys since I lead at AHG too. Next year promises to be much better for Maddox, as AHG has moved their meetings to another day, and we have gained 2 boys in our den, with the possibility of another! All he needs now is a haircut and his life will be perfect! ;)

Now that the living situation seems to be ironing out, Korbin is getting ready to move forward with his Eagle project. We will talk with the deacon about the prayer garden the church is looking forward to and then he will speak with the Eagle mentor and get started! Next month is also his Philmont trip! this really is an exciting year, although he's pretty stoic and doesn't exactly get excited.

Lacey's dream has always been to live in a tiny home ever since watching a show about it a couple years ago. She was the most thrilled about the move, but now realizes we are leaving the home she grew up in. Jeff and I are pretty steady people. While we are very fluid in our ability to go with the flow, we are not what I would call adventurous, so this is new to all of us. I think Lacey's favorite part will actually be sharing a room with all her siblings.

Kailyn just finished her 2nd year of sign language and we are looking into having her volunteer at a local equestrian therapy facility nearby. Unfortunately, the ranch was devastated by flooding and we have been too crazy here for her to volunteer thus far with the clean up. Hopefully things will settle enough for her to start with that.

Bible reading update- There's an app for that!

Okay, so I have started in on my second week of reading through the Bible in 40 days. The first week was kinda stressful, to tell you the truth. I was falling behind. Friday night I realized I have the Bible on CD, so I could listen in the car. Saturday morning I realized I could move those to my iPhone and listen even more. Later that day, my friend Becky told me about this great app with an audio Bible. (Lo, and behold, I had that app!)

So now I listen to the Bible, and if I can sit and read, I read along with the author on the iPad. Jeff asked me last night if I'm truly listening, and I said that yes, most of the time I am. There are times where I realize I have just zoned out and didn't "get" it, but I do that when I am reading anyway. Last night I was at the grocery store listening and the narrator said something that sparked my attention. I had to rewind a chapter and listen again. Yesterday something else stood out to me, so I paused the reading and grabbed my physical Bible to highlight the verse and write a note. I am getting so much more out of listening than I would be getting from reading right now, because sitting down to read is not always practical. Yesterday I got laundry done, lunch made, and the kitchen cleaned while listening to the Bible being read to me. Having a 13 and 12 year old is great for that because they can let me know if I'm needed, since I can't hear everything going on with earbuds in! Last night I actually "read" ahead by 6 chapters. It helps that I've read it all before, so much of this is familiar. When I get past Isaiah I wonder how it will go.

The kids have been great through it all. Spring has truly sprung here, and all they want to do is play outside. That's not all I let them do, but since summers are so miserable here, I think it's best to let them play while it's still nice out. I haven't let them in on the secret yet, but as of tomorrow, we are going down to just math and our literature so they can have more time to play. I was planning to teach through summer anyway, so we will do more work when it's hotter. In the car they haven't had problems with me listening to the Bible reading. (The phone plugs into the car radio.) But I don't do it the whole time.

In case you're slightly curious and aren't familiar with Eastertide (the time between the resurrection and Pentecost) here is my timeline:
Mon Apr 1 - Sat Apr 6 -- Genesis 1 - Numbers (Sunday rest)
Mon Apr 8 - Sat Apr 13 -- Deuteronomy - 2 Kings 5 (Sunday rest)
Mon Apr 15 - Sat Apr 20 -- 2 Kings 6 - Psalm 50 (Sunday rest)
Mon Apr 22 - Sat Apr 27 -- Psalm 51- Jeremiah 18 (Sunday rest)
Mon Apr 29 - Sat May 4 -- Jeremiah 19 - Malachi
Mon May 6 - Sat May 11 -- Matthew - 1 Corinthians
Mon May 13 - Wed May 15 -- 2 Corinthians - Revelation

That gives me 3 days at the end. I would like to finish on time, but maybe I'll need those days to finish, maybe not.

OH! and in case you're curious- the app is YouVersion Bible app.

Finally reading the whole thing!

I haven't really mentioned that I was doing this, I suppose, as a way of getting out of it if it proved too difficult for me. I'm still not convinced it's possible for me in the "season" I'm in. However, my heart has been hungry for the Word for so long and if I can read as many books as I do, what is my real excuse? I have started reading through the bible a couple of times. Beginning in Genesis I have gone as far as Isaiah. Starting in the New Testament I usually fizzle out in Romans or Galatians. Now, I think some of my problem is a lack of goal-setting. Sure, I want to read the whole Bible, but when will I finish it? Whenever. But that doesn't work for me. For someone who procrastinates, time unfolds into years with no progress. For someone who works well under pressure, then pressure must be good. (Sometimes, anyway.) And what better thing to pressure myself to do?

So here's the plan. Out in the open. Not to be judged if I don't make it, but maybe to make it a real goal for me. I am reading the Bible in 40 days. Insane? Yes. Unattainable? We'll see. Not very convenient at the end of a school year where I'm homeschooling 4 kids among other things. But I will try.

I heard about such craziness through our Deaconess at HopePointe. She follows this blog: http://margaretfeinberg.com/our-gift-to-you-free-reading-plan-for-the-40-day-bible-reading-challenge/#more-13905
Margaret followed this plan for Lent. During Lent I was reading through the Proverbs and thought maybe next Lent for the Bible. But somewhere along he line I felt like now is better. So during Eastertide, which is actually 50 days, I decided to take on this challenge. I rewrote the dates on a checklist for myself but kept the readings the same.

So far I have had difficulty at night finishing between 2-4 of the final chapters, so I start the morning catching up and then some. My regular reading time is bedtime, so I am adjusting to reading at other times. That is improving day by day. I am not getting to spend much time "soaking in the Word;" it's more like "breathing" it in. You'd be surprised what a fresh breath it is! There is even fresh breath to be had in Leviticus. (That's today.) So I must be on my way. I won't promise to blog about my progress, but maybe some Fb status updates. As of this moment I'm slightly surrounded by little people vying for my attention. And maybe a little breakfast. So I should go. :)

Vitamix

Jeff & I recently ordered the Forks Over Knives movie along with the companion book, cookbook, & Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue. If  you haven't seen this movie, I highly recommend it! So many of the recipes would be easier with a blender, or at least a food processor. I have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, a toaster, and some knives. We have purchased 2 blenders and they have always just made me mad. :)  Both blenders are long gone, so Jeff suggested I go buy one. I thought another blender was a good idea, but he really wanted a good one... He wants homemade plant milks and nut butters. So we got the Vitamix! I didn't realize it functions not only as a blender, but as a food processor, ice cream maker, juicer, and it heats up soups- ready to serve! It also cleans itself...as if it is its own dishwasher! It came with an instructive dvd and a huge hard cover cookbook! It was pricey, but it takes the place of multiple appliances. (At least it does in my kitchen!)
So our first go with the Vitamix was a wonderful recipe on wholefoodmommies.com, a chocolate smoothie with spinach. This is the kids' FAVORITE! I promise you canNOT taste the spinach!! Today I made two more smoothies, berry for breakfast and mint chocolate chip (with spinach, of course) after lunch. Tonight's dinner was roasted veggie tomato sauce with noodles. YUM!!

Here's what I did:
1. Lay veggies on a roasting pan and put a bit of olive oil on them. (I added onions chopped by the Vitamix too!)
2. Roast these at 350 until the onions are done.
3. Place in Vitamix with oregano (I used YL oil), tomato paste, garlic, basil (from my garden), salt, and purée. This was hot from the blender and ready for the noodles.

Next time I might use less carrots, but it was really good! It also feels great to use food from the garden. (both basil & bell pepper came from there.) The little kids weren't so fond of it, but I'm sure I just need to find the right combo for them. This recipe was my variation on what I found in the Forks Over Knives cookbook and the Vitamix cookbook, based on what I had on hand.

I am not good at getting dinner on the table for the family, so I hope this will help. Dinner was super easy tonight, and I'm looking forward to many more!

Paper clutter solution!!

I have researched ways to solve my issues with paper clutter time and time again, each time coming up with very few solutions that work for me. The biggest problem with my paper clutter is that I have many "active" papers that I cannot complete for a time. I'm sure there are many out there like me who wear many hats. As for me this school year, I homeschool four at home, teach between 1-2 classes per week in a Classical co-op, am a unit leader twice per month in my daughter's AHG group, and also have responsibilities as a nursery pastor at the church. We have papers! I purge as much as I can, file less than I should, and stack, stack, stack. You (ok, I) cannot file active papers. My active papers include unread mail, periodicals, coupons, receipts (lots of returns at the finish of projects when not all supplies were needed and I will be reimbursed), stacks of non-consumable pages we use each week in co-op, and the books, supplies, and name tags for AHG. To organize these items, I found the perfect place!! I suppose it's a dresser, but to me, it's an "active paper file." (It's my new indispensable piece of furniture!)
Each drawer contains a different stack of papers. I even used a labeler to identify (discreetly) the papers that go in each drawer. This way, my entire family is privy to my system. ie: they can help. :)

Advent Conspiracy Promo Video

This is something we have been praying about this year. Seeing this video today is confirmation.