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Back to the bus!

Posted on July 30, 2019 by erikamae82

We wrapped up Vail Colorado with Matts childhood friend Gavin, you saw him in our honeymoon post from 2017. Now he’s officially “Uncle” Gavin! It’s such beautiful country up there! We were sad to leave but excited to get back, with only an overnight stay in Oklahoma we kept on driving. Shanti is such a great traveler! She was either talking to me or snoozin away.

3000 miles in 10 days leads us back to Arkansas where our bus was eagerly waiting for us to return home.

This weeks goals for the bus is to install the floors and start the exterior paint. The flooring is being provided by my families business out of Hot Springs Arkansas. O’Bryan Family Floors is a well known local company that offers quality product with a personal touch. We are so proud to support the family that’s actually let us live on their property in the mean time. You can see our current location by reading The wheels on the bus go to Arkansas!

Painting sounds like a quick task, or at least it did to me, but turns out there are a few steps that make it a 10 day process! I’ll make an entire post about those shenanigans once we’ve completed the challenge.

Before painting, it’s necessary to prepare the surface. We power washed it in order to get rid of any dirt, rust and buildup that would be in the way of sanding it down. Proud to say I got the privilege to attack this task! There’s something extremely gratifying about aiming and firing with force at a beast of a vehicle. This left me with muddy feet, sore shoulders and a natural high… and no pictures of it. Boo.

Meanwhile, Matt was scrubbing down the top to get it ready for the first coat. We’ve picked out the color scheme for the entire bus (to be announced later) but for the top it’s a white silicone based product. We chose this not only for the clean look, but it also seals the roof and helps reflect the sun giving us a cooler interior temperature.

After the prepping we had all of the boys in on the for a Sunday Funday paint day!

Unfortunately the photographer of the day, Lacie Lane, didn’t get in any of the pictures! Next time we’ll get proof she’s there.

The boys finished up at sundown which meant it was time for games, guitar and family… what a perfect way to end the Sunday Funday! We didn’t get too many photos, but here’s a few someone snuck. Clearly a bundle of smiles all night! A HUGE thank you to Bryan, Reggie, Dane, Jessie, Lana and Lacie for the extra hands and amazing energy!! Lub Lub Lub

Next step: Scraping, sanding and another solid wash. Sneak peek!

Categories: Bus life, Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Short hold on the bus, it’s time for a wedding!

Posted on July 21, 2019 by erikamae82

July 20, 2019 is the wedding day of my little brother Ben. The little brother that some of you may recognize from all of the years on this blog. Here is one of the first pictures I ever posted of him, adorable!…and year after year…

Then my little bro grew up into a young man out of nowhere!

Fast forward even farther and now I’m doing hair for his bride on their big day! What a special event to be a part of, Shanti was pulled down the aisle in a wagon and of course they had Matt as their photographer, here’s a few photos from the day!Ben and Rachel, I wish you all of the happiness and growth a marriage can bring. We love you so much!

Matt and I left the bus back in Arkansas and took our little family on a road trip through Oklahoma on the way to Colorado (that’s where the wedding took place). We’ve really enjoyed the back drop of mountains, rivers and wildlife everywhere! Here are a few snap shots so far, we’re currently in Vail so you’ll get the rest of the journey once we get back “home” to Arkansas.Here’s a typical 6am roadside diaper change in front of a gas station that didn’t have a changing table. Nailed it!

Here we stopped at a park for some fresh air and leg stimulation. She was such a good girl just hanging out while I reorganized the car. Happy to be alive with not a care in the world.

It’s not uncommon for us to stop for Matt to jump on some sort of wheeled apparatus. This day in Vail was his new electric skateboard!

I tease him about showing off but he clearly has bragging rights! You are so talented babe!

I’ll close this post with a video from one of our leg stretching stops in a Delta Colorado!

Fun fact: I was born there:)

Categories: Baby Talk, Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The wheels on the bus go…. to Arrrrrkansas!

Posted on July 14, 2019 by erikamae82

As you saw in the previous post, we were making our way from Florida to Arkansas to park it where it’ll be stationed for a majority of the renovation. Along the way, it started overheating whenever we’d go up hills or if the engine was pushed too hard… no good. While letting it cool down in Mobile Alabama, we decided to take it to a diesel specialist who spent hours diagnosing it with an estimate higher than you can imagine or at least more than we wanted to hear.Check out the sign they put on our beauty queen. (It says “this is not trash”). Priceless. So Matt decided to contact Steve (the magical mechanic from back home) to see if there was an alternative. Steve said that it wasn’t hard to fix as long as you had the right tools and instructions. With that said, Matt was willing to park our beast road-side and do it himself! During a phone conversation, we got the most unexpected news, Steve was going to drive all the way to help Matt fix it! Sure it was only a few hours round trip, but would you want to drive that after working all day!? Here we have yet another helping hand willing to contribute to our journey. We’re so grateful! Fast forward through the evening, Matt and Steve got the bus dialed in and it’s ready to roll. 8pm seems like an ideal time to check in for a good nights rest however it’s also the perfect time for Shanti to sleep through the drive, so we decided to skip the bed and keep on trekking.

Our goal was to get to Jackson Mississippi and find a hotel to close our eyes for a few hours so we could continue fresh(ish) onto Arkansas. We accomplished our goal to Jackson however finding a decent hotel with a reasonable price at 4am didn’t pan out. Plan B? Sleep in the bus! We found a gas station with diesel parking and we made it home for an hour nap.

Thank you Matt for capturing this photo even though I was not into it. This will go down in history as our first night in the bus!

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise next to a gorgeous open green field that welcomed us with the faint scent of cow manure. Other than the smell (cough-gag-cough) it was perfect!

We fueled up and headed north. Just a few more hours coasting at an average speed of 50 mp, we arrived to the surprisingly green Arkansas.

Here’s the view of the new location for our new home! It used to be packed full of forest but they’re currently transforming it into a self-sustaining farm with a spring fed pond. How lucky are we!?

Looking outward from the property.

Birds eye view. How amazing is this spot for our bus conversion… Space, privacy, security and family (help hehe)! See our yellow buddy down there?

Thank you cousins for the instant smiles and open arms that welcomed our project. It wouldn’t be the same without you!

Next post, updated bus pics! I can’t wait to show you how far it’s come. Here’s a sneak peek with a sweet video of two of our helpers:)

Categories: Accommodations, Bus life, Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Friday Fitness week #13 – Turns Out it’s Tuesday.

Posted on June 25, 2019 by erikamae82

I committed to write a post on health and fitness every Friday and so far, I’ve pulled it off. Well that’s about to change. I’m still eager to share with you my thoughts and research findings, however from this point it’s going to be spontaneous Friday’s (Aka – write when I want to).

The rest of this post is simply to encourage you to bring it back to the basics. Get outside and move! Enjoy the fresh air, take off your shoes and get dirt on your feet. Ever heard of “grounding” or “earthing”? To sum it up, it’s connecting with earths natural energy through touch to raise your vibration. For an extended scientific video click here. It always gets me excited when science backs up a “tree-hugging hippie” theory.

When I was I Penang Malaysia , I found a reflexology rock path that combined grounding with pressure points. Imagine starting or ending your day with this!

If not solid ground, find some natural water and get in! When was the last time you jumped in a lake, swam in the ocean or even just walked barefoot through a stream? Here was a “backpackers shower” while I was trekking south in New Zealand !

..and an amazing waterfall in Tobago with Ryan from Barbados!It’s so easy to get wrapped up in daily routines and forget that just outside is a world full of walking paths, singing birds (you don’t hear them unless you listen) and endless things to look at. Seriously friends, things… to… look… at! Not a phone, TV, romance novel, pile of laundry or dishes. Guess what, those dishes will still be there after your walk but the mind-clearing you’d get from the walk would be lost if you didn’t go.

Here is our family last week choosing nature instead of Netflix. Confession: A movie and snacks followed this walk but at least we got it in!

Thought for the day: Instead of hoping your mind will feel better after your body changes, try changing your mind so your body will begin to change.

Your body will follow your thoughts. It listens.

What are you telling it?

Categories: Fitness, Fitness Friday’s!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Friday Fitness #13 – Breastfeeding Flapjacks

Posted on June 14, 2019 by erikamae82

There I was, laying by the pool in a tank top and skirt soakin up the Florida sun. From my backside, I roll over to my stomach and glance down, I totally lost it. Laughing out loud by myself as I witness my boobs just hanging there, literally. The left one tucked in nicely (as proper as a floppy flapjack could be) and the right one doubling in size, full of milk and trying to crawl it’s way out. Once I finally got a grip on my giggles, I laid there sincerely analyzing which position would best suit my situation. Should I lay on my left side so they look more similar in size? Maybe my right side so I don’t leak milk down the front of myself? I could stuff a nipple pad in, but I’d have to go get one first…Then the laughter kicks in again. Two summers ago I was analyzing which way to sit in the sun to accent my curves for Matt. Ten summers ago I was in Vegas after a trip to Mexico, who knows what I was thinking while flaunting in the sun!? And now, here I lay debating which boob to support. Oh life… you’re hilarious.

When we arrived to Florida a year ago, I was in my second trimester and starting to show a little bump. Looking back now, I should of rocked out my growing belly and kicked it beach side, but my ego wouldn’t allow it. I would still get my toes in the sand but always fully covered in a sun dress or something that resembled a “moo moo” as my Grams called it. As time went on, my self consciousness and distorted body image only got worse. It peeked once the doc told me to “lay low or else you’ll be on bed rest” as this news wiped away all workouts from my routine. I felt like I was turning into a pile of squish. Of course I was in love with my tight round tummy and the little one growing inside, however I despised the cellulite dimples on my arms (didn’t know that was even possible!) and thighs that could no longer squeeze into anything I owned.

Fast forward to now, I’ve got a beautiful little girl that has grown into a healthy infant solely on my milk. I was told throughout my pregnancy that breastfeeding would help knock off the pounds and “you burn soooo many calories that you don’t even have to worry about weight loss”! Lies… all lies! At least in my case.

My habit of researching everything health and fitness led me to trying to find a reason (or a valid justification) on why I wasn’t shrinking. Although I knew these things deep down, I guess it was nice to be reminded.

Common thought: “I eat clean and never binge on calorie dense food” (Aka – not eating enough).

Facts say: “Under eating causes your body to store excess fat in order to protect and nourish your baby and milk production.”

Common thought: “If I stay awake while she sleeps I can continue to be active therefore burn more calories”.

Facts say: “Sleep deprivation causes significant changes in hormones, primarily the ones that regulate hunger, appetite and metabolism”.

Common thought: “I’m totally exhausted (mentally and physically by 7pm, I must be using up all excess energy (fat).”

Facts say: “Daily stress (being a new mom and/or life) can cause Adrenal hormones to go straight to your waistline to protect your brain”.

Common thought: “My cousins, neighbor and half the women I know just shrank while breastfeeding, why not me!?”

Facts say: “Hereditary genes play a huge roll in body shape and the challenges that come with it. Ever heard of the 3 different body styles; ectomorphs, mesomorphs and endomorphs… look it up, it’s fascinating!

I suppose the conclusion of this Friday Fitness is to simply do your very best with what you have while working for what you want.

Today I will eat to provide health and happiness to my body therefore nourishing Shanti.

Today I will activate my muscles, stretch my joints and elevate my heart rate.

Today I will be an example to my daughter and fully embrace myself with love and care.

Categories: Baby Talk, Fitness Friday’s!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , | 6 Comments

Bus conversion – Making it a Clean Canvas!

Posted on June 8, 2019 by erikamae82

Our first family photo in our first owned home! (A proper fixer-upper to say the least).The last week has been filled with many discussions over coffee about the layout of our new space. As you can imagine, the decisions we make now will determine our comfort and functionality of our future living. Luckily there are several nomads who have done this before us so it’s been helpful to look at other people’s ideas for our bus conversion.

Even though we’d (I’d) rather be drawing out the design and spending time on the color scheme, first things first… create a clean canvas. Matt has definitely gotten his workouts in by removing everything in the bus so we can clean, seal and protect the shell of our home.

Once the bulky items were removed (and we got a day full of rain) any leaky holes or loose seals were quickly taken care of. Rust was removed then protected with Rustolium and any gaps in the floor were patched up with fiberglass and magic.

I’ll have to be honest with you, it was hard for me to visualize anything besides a bus until I saw it completely gutted out. Now I can see the endless possibilities for our home on wheels. Of course due to the small square footage, every space needs to be accounted for and every item needs to serve a purpose with multiple uses.

Nerd alert… This excites me!

The following is my husbands quick breakdown of his experience this past week working with his new found love.

Matt + Fiberglass = Endless creations

“Laying the fiberglass is a messy, but super crazy awesome process. Especially when you think about all the possibilities and things to create with it.

First Step- Buy raw fiberglass sheets, and Bondo epoxy resin.

Second Step- Find all the spots that need to be sealed, and cut small fiberglass sheets to cover those areas. Prepping is key because the epoxy resin starts to set in about 12 minutes.

Third Step- Mix the resin one to one and have a brush ready! It time to move quick.

Fourth step– Completely saturated the fiberglass with the resin. I started brushing resin on the floor and then on to fiberglass to saturate it. I quickly found that that was not fast enough so I just started dumping it in with my hand!

Fifth step- Lay it out and smooth it with your hand or brush.

And boom! We are all fiberglass experts! That’s how I felt at the end of this process. It was a little stressful because of the time crunch, but it’s a easy process. I’m thinking there will be a lot of this stuff around the bus now!”

Something to look out for! Matt has been filming our bus journey and will soon be posting the videos online. That channel will soon be announced!

Categories: Accommodations, Bus life, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , | 3 Comments

Friday Fitness #12 – Downward facing baby!

Posted on June 7, 2019 by erikamae82

Remember when you were little and you could do the splits, or at least touch your toes? When it comes to flexibility, one thing is a guarantee, if you don’t use it… you lose it!

I’ve started back to working out (look for some weight lifting posts soon!) which means soreness and tighter muscles. By “tighter” I don’t necessarily mean less cellulite, I mean less flexibility. I sat on the floor in a straddle to play with my little girl and could barely reach in front of me past my feet. Eek! I used to be able to lay my stomach to the ground!

Today’s fitness suggestion is to get back in the routine of elongating your body. It’s been proven time and time again that being flexible is good for your health, beyond just being bendy.

  • Corrects and maintains proper posture.
  • Prevents injury (it helps when you can bend verses snap)
  • Increases blood flow
  • Healthier state of mind
  • Boosts balance
  • I believe it also provides a sound body for better sleep. But that’s just me.

We all know yoga is the prime way to connect with our breath and stretch out, but we also know that not all of us are amped on going to a studio with a few dozen yogis at 4am on a Saturday. Just sayin. So why not do it in the comfort of your own home!

There’s several online instructors that you can put on your device that will guide you through a proper session. Orrrrr you can just get on the floor and stretch. Try reaching for things you haven’t touched in awhile. Fingers to your back, hands to your feet, what about making the bottoms of your feet touch? To give you a visual I thought I’d find the most flexible person in our house to be my model.

Nailed it!

Here are some of our attempts (and excuse to show off Shanti).

Straddle sit with forward stretch.

Cobra pose

(Almost) Pressing the bottom of ones feet together.

(Assisted) reach to touch the toes.

Mom trying to get daughter to touch both feet at the same time (that’s me laughing in failure).

Categories: Fitness, Fitness Friday’s!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Drum roll please…..

Posted on June 2, 2019 by erikamae82

Matt and I had so much fun watching the poll from our first post about living on the road, thank you to everyone who voted! Jenn, Donna, Dustin, Brie, Shane, Gloria and Tiffany, it was awesome to get your comments too, thank you! Here is the final results from all of you that voted!

We looked at a few RV’s and although they would be easier and quicker to move in to, we realized that’s exactly what we don’t want! Designing the bus, taking the time and hard labor to build our home from the wheels up is just as much of the journey as living in it.

So after test driving, researching, reading, talking and YouTubing, we’ve decided on our new home. We will soon be a family of 3 on the 6 wheels of a brand new (20 year old) school bus!!

…but ours currently looks like this.

As the journey progresses, I’ll be going into full detail of how we transform this beauty into our new home. Pictures, videos, and maybe even an online video series?!

For now, I want to share with you the story behind these wheels and the family that made it happen.

Air Force Captain Nathan, his wife Jennifer and they’re little Eva are the family you want as neighbors and even more so as friends. They’re the type of people that welcome you with open arms, huge smiles and tons of genuine energy. After enduring what most of us would call a living nightmare, they have every reason to live in a world of self pity. Instead, this power duo carries a backpack-of-back bones with eyes focused positively forward.Imagine your significant other leaving in the condition of the top photo from below and returning unable to look you in your eyes (bottom photo).I now know what it’s like to be pregnant and I truly can’t imagine getting the news Jennifer woke up to just 90 days before delivery.

I was sitting here trying to describe what Captain Nathan had survived until I found this perfect recap made by Building Homes for Hero’s :

“Captain Nelson barely escaped death when a rocket-propelled grenade fired by Taliban extremists hit his forward operating base in Afghanistan in September of 2013. Tragically, his body took the brunt of the blast. He suffered a severe spinal cord injury, collapsed lungs and would lose 46 units of blood.

After undergoing several life-saving operations, he was flown to the Walter Reed Medical Center to be reunited with Jennifer, who was six months pregnant, and she has never left his side ever since. His recovery from the shrapnel wounds, TBI, collapsed lung, severely bruised organs and a massive blood transfusion, is still ongoing.

For his service and his sacrifice, Captain Nelson has been awarded the Purple Heart, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, and several other honors. He is now paralyzed, and has limited use of one of his arms, but he and Jennifer have become inspirations to everyone they meet”.

Up for a good solid soul-cleansing cry? Watch this video of Nate sharing his experience and incredible perspective. Kind of makes your unbearable bad hair day seem a bit silly and much more tolerable.

Back to the bus…

During Nathans recovery, Jennifer bought this bus as a (brilliant) form of therapy. She was able to smash windows and rip out seats all while envisioning a new path for her and her family. She was designing the bus to be totally handicap accessible so that her husband could travel in comfort. As the years went on, Nathan not only recovered like a champ but went back to work. Meanwhile, Jennifer was also now back to work, playing supermom and maintaining wife of the year. Little time was left to spend in a dusty bus let alone traveling in it.

Fast forward to a pizza party we attended in which we were introduced to this amazing family. Our mutual friend casually said, “Hey Jenn, do you still have your bus?” (I was thinking – Cool, another traveling friend!) But to my surprise she said, “Yes, but I’m selling it now”.

I physically grabbed Matts arm when my guts alarmed me that this would soon be ours.

After viewing the bus and having a mechanic verify the engine quality (thank you Ray!), it was a no-brainer, we were going to buy it!

Except…

When discussing what the final price would be, Jennifer spoke up with confidence. (I’m paraphrasing according to what I heard).

In a gentle voice she said, “Me and my family are so blessed and have been given what we need… I believe in paying it forward and I’d be honored to be a part of the joy you’ll get and also bring to so many with this bus. I feel very good in my decision, I’d like to gift you the bus and just sign the papers over. It’ll be my contribution to your journey”.

This is when Matts jaw dropped and my eyes filled with tears. Unexpected and completely beyond our wildest dreams… in fact, it is the beginning to our wildest dreams!

Their gift will allow us to continue our adventure sooner than we thought possible! Next up, let the renovation begin!

To the Nelson family, “Thank you” seems like such an understatement for the gratitude our little family feels. We invite you to follow the process and watch as we transform your 20,000 lb baby into our new home on the road!
Categories: Bus life, Polls, Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Friday Fitness #11 – The Dirty dozen and Clean 15!

Posted on May 31, 2019 by erikamae82

Every year, a list of the “Dirty Dozen,” are announced to the public. This consists of the top (or bottom rather) 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest amount of pesticides when grown conventionally versus organically. When testing, the Environmental Working Group uses 40,900 samples for 47 different produce.

So if you’re not going to eat 100% organic, at least make these in your organic choices!

The Dirty Dozen!

  1. Strawberries

  2. Spinach

  3. Kale

  4. Nectarines

  5. Apples

  6. Grapes

  7. Peaches

  8. Cherries

  9. Pears

  10. Tomatoes

  11. Celery

  12. Potatoes

The EWG also grants us a list of the 15 fruits and vegetables that test with the lowest amount of pesticide residue.

So if you’re limited in organic selection, these ones can slide by as being safer to consume.

So fresh and so clean clean (for all of you OutKast fans)!

  1. Avocados

  2. Sweet corn

  3. Pineapple

  4. Frozen sweet peas

  5. Onions

  6. Papaya

  7. Eggplant

  8. Asparagus

  9. Kiwi

  10. Cabbage

  11. Cauliflower

  12. Cantaloupe

  13. Broccoli

  14. Mushrooms

    Honeydew melon

Hopefully this knowledge gives you a little more confidence when standing in the store debating on your selection. Depending on my options, I’ve often considered these lists when making my decision at the market. For example, I’d go for a non organic pineapple over non organic strawberries any day! In fact, I’d confess to grabbing a side of cabbage over the popular spinach or kale salad if a restaurant couldn’t confirm organic or not.

Side note for thought: I wonder if we’d make the same food choices if we saw the entire process…

Categories: Edibles!, Fitness Friday’s!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Friday Fitness #10 – My New favorite Green Drink!

Posted on May 24, 2019 by erikamae82

Ok it’s time. My blog has been active for over 7 years and I’ve never promoted a specific brand to this extent until now. So listen up!

Disclosure: I’m not getting paid to write this post however I’m now selling this magical product so please use my code of HerHappyTrails when ordering to get your $50 discount!

Friends, family and fellow health nuts… I introduce to you, Purium!

Purium has greatly exceeded my expectations in all areas of what’s important to me. Here’s 3 examples how:

Plant based – Produce from the earth to your doorstep. This video explains it all!

Organic – Plain and simple. No artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, binders, fillers, hormones, pesticides, irradiated or genetically modified ingredients. Just real food.

3rd Party tested – None of that “We tested it ourselves and think we’re the best” kind of nonsense. Purium has sought out to be tested by outside sources in order to confirm that their labels speak truth.

Today I’m going to brag about my favorite product, the Power Shake! It’s the ultimate green drink that provides pure, raw phytonutrients. It’s earths medicine in a green powder form! Seriously, you can almost feel the energy instantly. Another video here!

Besides “Original”, the flavor option is “Apple Berry”. Confession: I love apples and berries but I don’t like apple or berry flavored things… however this flavor is D-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! It’s the first green powder I actually enjoy with just water!

This morning I’m choosing to dress it up a bit for a few reasons. First off, I’m breastfeeding which means I don’t mind the extra nutrients for my milk supply. Secondly, we have a huge day ahead and I know this powerful stuff will keep me going and going. Lastly, I just love the extra goodness!

It could be a new mom glow orrrrr maybe I’m radiating from this amazing Power Shake! Try it out and see for yourself, you deserve it.

Here’s the deal, you go to the Purium Website, snoop around and load up your cart with all of your wishes and dreams. Enter HerHappyTrails in the code section and viola! $50 off your purchase or 25% if it’s over $200.

My husbands first purchase was the 10 day cleanse. I’ve never seen Matt wake up in the morning with both eyes open and ready for the day as much as after this detox.

My dear friend from Cali (I won’t expose her personally but her name starts with a “J” and ends in “ennifer”) also did this cleanse and lost 9 lbs, 4″ off her waist and 1.5″ from her hips… say whaaattt!?!

Matt’s mom transformed in front of me with a fresh face and bright skin after the 10 day cleanse and I truly thought she had gotten Botox (no joke or no judgment)!

Botox, weight loss and alert energy… all with just a whole food product!

So to review – CLICK HERE to order and enter HerHappyTrails in the code section to get your super savings. Then be prepared to fall in love and elevate to a new vibration!

Categories: Edibles!, Fitness Friday’s!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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