Biscuits on a Stick- Campfire Cookin'

A fellow camper shared this "recipe" with us this summer, and we fell in love with it!

Biscuits on a Stick!

 You need biscuits, butter, and jelly if you want it.

 Take a canned biscuit, grease your hands with butter, then roll the biscuit up like you would a playdough snake.
Butter the cooking end of your stick. Start at the end, and wrap your biscuit snake around the stick. You want it to be in a tight coil, with the end closed off. Press together as needed to seal.

 Roast over a fire till done. You'll know it's done when it slides off the stick easily.

 Fill with butter or jelly (the squeezey kind works best) and enjoy!

My Family did the Sweetest Thing...

I was having a rough day. In a mood. Tired. Blah. Not a happy camper (ha ha ha!)
Went into the camper to cook Chicken Parmesan, which is a little time consuming.
When dinner was ready, I opened the camper door to...

• A well- dressed young man who held my arm and escorted me to the dinner table

• A sign proclaiming Tonight's Special: Chicken Parmesan

• A dressed up young lady waiting at the table, set with a red checked tablecloth, wineglasses, candles, coasters, the works
• A handsome guy to hold out my chair for me
• Italian music playing

Does my family rock, or what???







Ok- imagine there's Chicken Parmesan on the plate. I was too hungry to stop and take a picture before we ate. Sorry!

What I've learned about my kids...

After reading my kiddos' responses to their magazine interview, I noticed a few things...

• They love spending time with us! (Taught kids that family is the most important thing ever? Check!)
• They truly believe Home Is Where You Park It! Their favorite place is not a place, it's camping!
• They don't mind living in a 31 by 8 foot space (wow!)
• We keep our camper waaaaay too cold at night! (I still maintain, that's why you have blankets!)
• They don't miss their friends.
• They have a lifelong love of camping. It's a way of life for them now. (YAY! We have succeeded!)
• One kid is waaaay more introspective than the other. His answers are more heartfelt and thought- provoking. It's amazing how mature he is getting, and how his character is developing. 

Warms my heart....

An Interview with Kids on the Road... Madison Version

The Interview... Part 2.
It amazes me how many of Madison and Hunter's answers are similar, even though they were interviewed separately... 

 What it is like to be a kid on the road? What does a normal day look like for you?
Being on the road means waking up, knowing that I’m at my most favorite place in the world, getting to
spend tons of time with my family, my most favorite people in the world, playing new, exciting games,
seeing cool places, volunteering, and having the opportunity to know I can swim whenever I want to. 

•         What is your favorite thing/way to study on the road? Do you work from a set curriculum? What are
you learning on the road that perhaps you couldn’t learn or experience in school?

Camping teaches me to be grateful for what I have. Many people aren’t as lucky as I am. I’ve learned
how to live in a small area. I’ve learned that you have to be very organized to live on the road. You learn
that you don’t truly need a whole bunch of belongings… a lot of what we had at our real home was just
junk.


•         How did you make your rv into a home? How specifically have you decorated or individualized your
personal space (like your bunk bed or sleeping area, if you added bulletin boards, curtains, have special
stuffed animals, toys, etc.)?

I’ve put peace sign stickers on the mirrors above my bed. I love to decorate the cabinets by drawing on
the mirrors with dry erase markers. I have to have my area planned and have everything in a certain
place for it to work for me. I sleep on the couch, but I have to have it personalized with my comforters,
throw blankets, and pillows. I hang my peace sign quilt on the window behind my bed to decorate it even
more. We also have a bulletin board and dry erase board for reminders and shopping lists. We keep our
school stuff on a bookshelf we put in. We have hooks everywhere to hang hats, keys, towels, clothes, and
jewelry.


•         Is it hard living so closely in a smaller space together with your family? What do you argue about
(and is this different from what you argued about when you were not on the road)?

     It’s not really hard living in a small space. We’re a close family, even when we were not on the road, we
were always together.
     The hard part is trying to get past each other or walk around each other in the camper. We argue when
all four of us are in the same area, trying to do different things. Everybody wants everybody else to sit
down, stand up, or just get out of the way!
     Our parents are always telling us to pick up our stuff and quit jumping around or being so loud. That’s not
really arguing though. When we were at home, we still argued about picking up our messes.
     We really do argue about how cold the camper is. My parents keep it 55 degrees in here. I wake up
screaming in my head because I’m so freezing. It feels like needles sticking in my legs!
     The worst part is the toilet… do I need to say more?
     The good thing about the small space is that you know where everything always is. We all get along well
enough that we can sleep in this close space together all the time and not mind.


•         If you are rving with an end date in mind, do you miss your friends and your school? How do you stay
in touch with them?

I don’t really miss my friends because I always know I can see them again, and I have made so many
new friends across the country. I can stay in touch with them by texting or Facebook.


•         Do you have certain chores you are responsible for? If so, what are they for each family member?

We have to wash dishes and clean up the kitchen every night. My brother and I take turns. On even days,
I do it. On odd days, he does. We have to keep all our stuff picked up and make up our beds. (I sleep
on the couch, and Hunter sleeps on the kitchen table.) Sometimes, our parents make us help with the
campground host duties, like cleaning the bathrooms (we sweep the floors) or picking up trash. We also
have to help dump the poop tank- it’s very nasty! We have to dump it every Monday- Gross!

•         What have been your favorite stops along the way?
Hart State Park in Hartwell, Georgia. 

•         What has been the very best moment of your adventure so far?
Doing sports and activities with my family.

What has been the worst moment?
Cleaning bathrooms. That is just disgusting!

•         Do you have any tips to share with other kids along the way to make it easier for them to adjust to an
adventure on the road?
Be organized. Keep your stuff to your area.

•         What has been your favorite meal that you have helped make/cook on the road (either over
campfire or in your r.v.)?
Biscuits on a stick. You roast them over a campfire, on a stick, and fill with butter or jelly.

•         Where/how do you do your laundry? Where do you store your clothes (for instance, do you
have a few drawers, do you keep things in a suitcase, etc.)? What about toys and games?
We go to the laundry mat to do clothes. Everybody helps. We each have cabinets above our bed for our
clothes. Mine is in the living room. It’s filled to the top with all my favorite garments. Toys and games go
under the TV in a cabinet that’s stacked with amazing games. 


•         What have you learned during this adventure? Has it changed the way you see or relate to people in
your family?
I’ve learned how to live in small spaces.

•         Would you ever want to do this again?
Yes, of course. I would love to live in the camping world for the rest of my life!

An Interview with Kids on the Road... Hunter Version

We were recently very excited to be contacted by a writer from Cobblestone Magazine, who is doing an article on families on the road. We were honored to be featured in it. She asked our kiddos some very interesting questions, so I thought I would share their responses here as well. I was surprised and touched by some of their answers.

•         What it is like to be a kid on the road? What does a normal day look like for you?
When I wake up, I see a peaceful, calm, quiet, relaxing lake. Every morning, I know that my parents are
so awesome, that they took me on this trip to happiness. I have a lot of chances to meet new friends on
the road. I get to spend a lot of time with my family. 

•         What is your favorite thing/way to study on the road? Do you work from a set curriculum? What are
you learning on the road that perhaps you couldn’t learn or experience in school?
My dad and I have Industrial Arts 101. He teaches me to fix all kinds of stuff, like dumping the sewage
tank, how to fix cars, fans, my bike, and how to work with tools. I learn life skills like cleaning, helping
out, washing dishes. I learn how to volunteer, meet new people, and how different people are. 

•         How did you make your rv into a home? How specifically have you decorated or individualized your
personal space (like your bunk bed or sleeping area, if you added bulletin boards, curtains, have special
stuffed animals, toys, etc.)?
I have Georgia Bulldog stuff all over my bed so everyone knows it’s mine. We put all our meals and
menus on the bulletin board.

•         Is it hard living so closely in a smaller space together with your family? What do you argue about
(and is this different from what you argued about when you were not on the road)?
It’s not hard at all. It’s perfect. You get used to living in a camper, so it’s really easy. Our camper is a little
bit small, but as soon as you live in it for a little while, you get used to it. This is the perfect lifestyle.

We argue about the air conditioner. Sometimes, when it gets time to go to bed, it’s too cold. Mom and
down run the air down so cold that us kids can’t bear it. It’s astonishingly cold. 

•         If you are rving with an end date in mind, do you miss your friends and your school? How do you stay
in touch with them?
No. When you live in a camper with your family, you meet friends along the way, but most of the time
they’ll go away. Really, your family is the only ones that you really care about. 

•         Do you have certain chores you are responsible for? If so, what are they for each family member?
Every night, after dinner, we have to do the dishes and pick up after ourselves and make sure we don’t
leave any mess anywhere. We help pick up trash around the park. 

•         What have been your favorite stops along the way?
Hart State Park. Lakey Lakey Hart. Because of all of the unique, beautiful places here. 

•         What has been the very best moment of your adventure so far?
Spending time with my family. On the beach, in my favorite shirt, watching the sun set, it was so perfect, it
made me think, “I’m glad to be on this earth.”

What has been the worst moment?
Nothing. Everything has been perfect. Well, there is one. Cleaning out the sewage tank.

•         Do you have any tips to share with other kids along the way to make it easier for them to adjust to an
adventure on the road?
Always listen to your parents. Be prepared for anything, because you never know what’s gonna happen
on the road. The main best thing ever is to have fun.

Is there one item you are glad you brought and couldn’t do without?
My bike. I can travel and do tricks on it.

•         What have you learned during this adventure? Has it changed the way you see or relate to people in
your family?
I’ve learned to expect the unexpected. I’ve also learned to try as hard as you can to have fun.

My family has gotten to know each other a lot better. Even though we lived in the same big ol’ house, it’s
way different living in a small camper. We really know each other now, not just existing with each other.

•         Would you ever want to do this again?
Oh, yeah! I would love to camp every day of my life. I love to do this so much, I will cherish it every day of
my life, until the day I die. 

First Day of Homeschool/ Roadschool

 Sixth Grade....

 So excited....

 Student and Teacher...

They're signing K 12... the curriculum we're using....

Campin' Cats

How to Make a Peace Sign Ice Cream Cake

While camping, none the less...

You need: a round pan, 2 cartons of ice cream, sprinkles, and frosting.
Let the ice cream melt SLIGHTLY. Spread one flavor in the bottom (I used Cookies and Cream), then another flavor on top (I used Birthday Cake). Smooth out the top, then sprinkle with sprinkles (ha ha!). Put in the freezer for a few hours till re-solidified or until you're ready to serve.
When you're ready to serve, get out your icing. I cheated, since we're in a camper and all, and didn't feel like making homemade icing and dragging out all the little tips. I bought a $3 can of white frosting that comes with all the tips. I used a flower tip to go around the cake, and a ribbon tip for the peace sign. Add more sprinkles (you can never have enough sprinkles!), and BRAVO! A beautiful, easy peasy, and YUMMY cake! The girls declared it the Best. Cake. Ever.

 I recommend blowing out IMAGINARY candles, since it is ice cream...

Yep, I'd say it's good!

Camping Craft: Upcycled Handmade Beads

Thanks to my awesome Mother's Day Gift, I have had a blast making jewelry. I've been a little to prolific at it though... I have bracelets, necklaces, and earrings coming out my ears! I've used up most of my really cool beads and need to buy some more. I've tried selling my creations... Etsy was a big ole flop, and I've sold about $34 worth to friends and colleagues... so still not a huge hit. Oh well... that's just one of my many schemes  on how to make money on the road.

I came across this idea on the internet for making beads, and decided we just had to try it. See those lovely beads there? Yes, I know, they are astonishing. Amazing. Just perfect, you say? You'd like to order a thousand? Great! 

You'd never imagine that they are handmade... from trash....

Yes. You know that saying about one woman's trash being another woman's treasure?

Yes ma'am... these awesome, one of a kind creations are made from ordinary plastic water bottles!

And they are easy peasy! Definitely a parent-and-child kind of creation, unless your kids are middle school or above... but easy!

You take a clean, dry, water bottle and cut off the top and bottom. Cut the cylinder open, then cut thin strips from the plastic, about 1/2 inch wide and as long as the bottle. Cut going around the bottle, not up and down. You are going to curl them, so take advantage of the natural curve of the bottle.

You will also need permanent markers in whatever colors you love. Color the inside of the strip (make sure it's dry!) with 1-3 colors. Don't worry about a picture or pattern of any kind, just scribble!

Now coil the strip around something small, like a paintbrush. You're wanting something smaller than a pencil, if possible. Once it's coiled, hold it closed with tweezers.  You will need to have a small cup or dish of water handy for the next step. 

Use a lighter to melt the bead, turning as you melt it. The tweezers will keep a hole in the bead. It will bubble up, and seal closed. Watch it until you are satisfied with the way it looks. Mine usually take about 15-45 seconds per bead, depending on colors. 

Drop the bead into the water for a few seconds to allow it to cool.

And there you have it! One of a kind, beautiful, eco-friendly beads!

How to Celebrate a Birthday While Camping

 Decoratin'

 Wakin' up to balloons...

 A Pizza cake with Cheese stick Candles...

 A hose rodeo..

And love from Dad...

Roadschoolin'

Ways Full-Time Camping Changes Children

Our kiddos have changed and grown so much since we started this adventure. They have blossomed in so many ways and amaze us at the character they are developing...sometimes! This experience has definitely changed them, for the better.

• They have become so much more responsible and so much more of a help around the house camper. At home ("home" home, that is), chores were a battle. They really didn't do much around the house, and nothing without a fight. That, I know, is our fault. But, here, the kiddos wash dishes and clean up the kitchen. Every. Single. Night. Do they love it? No. Who does? But they alternate, even and odd, every other night. They know it has to be done, so they just do it, never  rarely ever complaining. They help with the laundry, they take out the trash, they clean up, they just do what needs to be done. They even help dump the poo tank! I think part of their willingness to help is that, even if the camper is an absolute disaster, it will only take 15 minutes max to make it sparkling clean again. It's not such a seemingly insurmountable task. 
• They are more financially responsible. They've understood why we camp instead of going to the beach or on a "fancy" vaca (other than, of course, we love it) for a while now. But, part of our roadschooling is discussing finances, economics, and opportunity costs.  We're not lottery winners or anything like that, unfortunately. We're like most families. Money is tight. We have enough, but we have to be relatively frugal with what we have. These are life lessons. And, apparently, they are making an impact. The other day, Brian and Hunter were on their way back from an errand. Brian asked Hunter if he wanted to stop at McDonalds' and have a biscuit. Hunter replied, "No, Dad, we are almost at home. I can just eat a Pop Tart there, and that will be much cheaper." A year ago, that kid would have jumped at the opportunity to go to Mickey D's. They compare prices when we shop, and frequently turn down the offer of an ice cream cone or  treat so we can save the money. 
• My children are sweeter to one another. We tell them they are the "Two Musketeers: All for one and one for all". If they fuss, we remind them that they are the Two Musketeers and should be each other's best friend. Most of the time, they are. They have become much closer as siblings and choose to do kind things for one another without being told to do so. Case in point: Madison was bringing some friends home last night for a slumber party for her birthday. On his own, Hunter cleaned up the camper, folded and arranged all the blankets and pillows on her bed/ the couch, cleaned up outside under the awning, and even put the TV on Gnomeo and Juliet, which is Madison's current obsession  favorite movie. How sweet is that?? He has really learned the sweetness lesson. He buys snacks (with his own money) for "me and Maddie" when he goes to the store, without one word about being paid back. He will spend his last dollar on something they can share. We're still trying to get Madison to learn to be so selfless...

We are so blessed...

What Girls Do on a Camping Slumber Party

Signs You're a Good Parent...

When you walk outside and spy your son lying in the grass, staring at the sky. You ask him what he's doing, and he, ever so matter of factly replies, "Just talkin' to God..."

YES! We are raising them right....

When my big middle schooler still loves doing crafts with me...

When my kiddos are sweet  and selfless to each other...

When, to steal a line from Rodney Atkins, your child talks to God like he's talkin' to a friend...

You're doin' an all-right job as a parent...