Selling the pop-up

Oh, the adventures we had :) And the memories this camper could tell :)

But we had so much fun and with our growing family, we have decided to upgrade and are selling the pop-up. All reasonable offers considered, we are asking $5000.00

2001 Coleman Bayside Pop-up camper.

This camper is fully loaded and has lots of extras.

2001 Coleman Bay side by Fleetwood. King beds on both ends - slide-out dinette - foldout kitchen - 3 burner LP Gas range - extra 2 burner LP Gas outdoor stove - AC/DC Gas Refrigerator - Awning.

For sleeping this camper has the two king beds, a dinette table which folds down to a double bed, and a side sitting area, which we used as a toddle bed with a toddler bed-rail. We slept 2 adults and 7 children comfortably. The A/C and forced air furnace work great and we had no trouble keeping it cool or warm enough.

Some of the extra's the camper has are forced air furnace - External Bunkend Hideaway - ABS cover - Yakima Rack system - Camper Caddie - Storage Shelf over sink - Deluxe Add a Room - Portable lights - Sink cover.

The camper specs are - 19 feet closed up - 25'9" open - Gross Vehicle Weight Rate is 3350. We used our Town and Country Van to tow it and it towed great. We do have a sway bar included.

I show the flaws in the pictures but here is the list - the outside light is missing the cover - several of the cabinets are starting to peel on the very top - canvas over the dinette slide-out has two very small corner tears which have been correctly patched - one of the ez stabilizers broke, and now has a regular jack. An ez jack can be purchased from camping world online for around $50.

You can take a look at the floor plan brochure at http://www.popupportal.com/MGalleryItem.php?id=3112

I also have some videos up on youtube





If you are interested, let me know :) The camper is parked on display just south of the house on Hwy 61 if you are interested in taking a look at it.

We're going to go, go go . . . .

on an adventure. In the thingamajigger, up, up and away!

At least that is what the Cat in The Hat would say.

The bags were packed, the pop-up was loaded, and fun was had by all.

We took our first major trip of many a couple weeks ago, and now we officially feel road worn :)

John started the 900 mile one-way trip with the three big girls and I joined him 10 days later - yes that is correct, John set off for Biloxi with three girls, 8, 6, and 3 all by himself, and according to the girls it was an awesome trip! John, on the other hand, didn't quite use the same words. But when I arrived, no one got lost in the swamp, eaten by alligators, or tortured by fire ants, so in my book life was good.

Our Mecca to Biloxi was for Benjamen's (our youngest grandson) baptism, and some good old fashion southern love! Benjamen was the star of the show, and a wonderful star at that.

But one starless night heading back to camp from the in-laws/out-laws, we spotted a gem in the dark - a cluster of several shrimp boats anchored near shore, probably readying for an early morning departure. It was a beautiful sight, and the picture doesn't do it justice.

Then, one morning we finally met up with the infamous resident alligator. This turned into a great learning experience for the girls as they witnessed Alli eating a morning snack, and calling for his/her buddies (it is mating season, and was quite impressive).

Ask the girls about alligators and how you tell them apart from crocodiles; they love rattling off their newly learned facts.

After our alligator lesson, we headed off for safer waters, the Biloxi Beach, which John claims is just as dangerous with all the chemicals and run-off. Even though he didn't go in the water, the girls weren't scared and drank plenty while swimming in the waves, and no one even came down with a bout of dysentery, so it truly was a great day :) .

We even enjoyed a rare treat at the IHOP on the beach. WE LOVE US SOME IHOP PANCAKES!!! Although we all agreed that the water must have been one filter away from the beach water.

While we were there, Lexi turned 6 (where has the time gone), and she received the royal treatment, as right for such a beautiful princess.

Then it was time to head north, and just in time. The weather was brewing up a nasty southern storm just as we pulled out of the campground! Memphis was the final stop on the trip, and I must say I felt as rough as I looked!A big thank-you to all the southern hospitality and love! We love you and miss you all!

Our Ticket to Ride :)

After much debating, praying, and him-hawing, we are excited to announce we are officially camper owners! I know, some of you will not think a pop-up (folding) camper is "really" a camper but for me, this is the best of everything! I love tent camping; the feel of being outdoors; waking up feeling nature first thing in the morning and before you drift off to sleep. I want the kids to grow up loving nature, preserving and caring for it. John on the other hand, likes having 4 walls, a solid roof, and A/C. John likes to go out and enjoy nature but likes to come home to comfort.

The pop-up is perfect for both of these. I get the feeling of a tent, and John can run his A/C to his hearts content. YEAH!!!!!

And now we are ready :) The girls are excited to be out cleaning and making it their own. After we got done putting it up, Lexi laid on the bed, that will be the kids, and stared at the ceiling dreaming, "I need to get my dream catcher from the house, so I won't have bad dreams here. And I need to bring out my underwear. Mom, I also need to put some ice cream in the fridge". I love that the kids dream and think the world is so simple. I can honestly say she probably chose that side of the camper because it was closest to the the fridge.


So here are a few pictures, but I am sure there will be more to come as the year progresses.


Maybe we will just go nomad :)

Spring is beckoning . . .

and I am not quite ready. I am a winter person, and it is this time of year when I am reminded of The Waste Land

I'm a closet introvert, which I know surprises many. I love my friends and family dearly, and I do love social occasions and having fun. But after I have spent my energy out in the world, this bunny needs to hole up and recharge her batteries. So the winter recharges me. . .fills my love tank. . .nourishes my soul; however, this year, with so many activities outside the house, I didn't get recharged. I am not ready to shed the blanket of snow.

As John and the girls rejoice at the coming of Ra, I find myself grumpy and as disheveled as the wandering stars. I long to wander the hills in meditation, stroll among the goats in silence, and snuggle into the gentle warming of a bonfire. Then, as the soul is recharged, filled, nourished, I can gently welcome spring - hopefully more like a lamb, than a lion.

And through all this, may I teach my girls the beauty in quietness.

Long Beach Vacation

John and I ventured off for a business/personal vacation the middle of March for 5 days. We both began the vacation in hopes of some much needed R&R, yet quite apprehensive since we have NEVER both left the girls at the same time. By the end of the 5 days, we were tired, over stuffed with fabulous food, and missing our babies!

Our trip began at the convention center for the Juice Plus Conference on a bright and sunny day. It was nice going from 50 degree to 80 degree weather. I soaked up my Vit. D eagerly.

Did I mention that we ate lots of wonderful food! I tell you, "Long Beach and LA are the place to eat, especially if you are a vegetarian!" Everywhere we ate there were yummy, yummy, yummy, vegetarian options. But our favorite place was the Creme de la Crepe Cafe - I love crepes, but these took it to a whole new level - so yummy!


On another evening we went to the Grand Queen Mary, where we walked the galleries and ate our evening meal overlooking the water. We then strolled the aft deck under the light of a full moon. This vacation happens to be the first time John and I have been away since we first got the girls over three years ago, and it the first non-family vacation we have ever taken since being married - 19 years ago, so to say it was a romantic evening would be an understatement.

The Long Beach Skyline at night from the Queen Mary was extraordinary!

Even though we had a wonderful time, we were ready to welcome spring back at the homestead.

Thanks to Lisa, we came home to happy, healthy girls, who are already asking us when we will go on vacation again, so they can go to Mama Lisa's house :) Although, I am not so sure Lisa is ready for that anytime soon ;-) I can only imagine how quiet her house must seem right now!

Teaching With Snow

There are so many fun things kids learn with snow :-) and we have been having a blast exploring.

First is the fact that more + more = a LOT! And a lot of something can be really fun or a disaster. In this case, a lot of snow is fun, but a lot of meatballs falling from the sky is not fun (thanks to cloudy with a chance for meatballs movie). We have a lot of snow on the ground, and a bit more everywhere else. We had snow up to our window. (I know, they aren't very good pictures, but our real camera went kaput).
Later we learned the classic, "Don't eat the yellow snow", and had a very interesting and detailed discussion about that. I will spare you the details :)

We also made fresh snow cones with Pina Colada mix, or Peanut Colada's ?!?!?!?!? as Hanna calls them, generously poured over the snow. Nothing better than the real thing for snow cones. We also decided this kind of yellow snow was okay to eat :)

We had a medical discussion on brain freezes, and confirmed that we did not like frozen brains.

We dug snow tunnels, and agreed some tools work better than others. At times the hand is the best tool for the job. We also talked about gravity, weight disbursement, and weight loads.

Lessons of small, smaller, and smallest and big, bigger, and biggest were enjoyed by all.

As night fell, we finished up with some creative engineering - as John lit up their snow tunnel with white lights and we all enjoyed the quietness of a snow laden night under a starry night.

It's That Time of Year Again

While most of my friends are planning their gardens and projecting yields, I am planning our summer trips. I always feel guilty because I know I should be thumbing through my seed catalogs, drooling over the amazing heirloom tomatoes, and plotting out the green beens and radishes. But no, I am dreaming about family trips to South Dakota, weekend excursions to Wisconsin, and our annual week long retreat to PSG.

My thoughts turn back to last year. On how I procrastinated my seed order until the end of April, got the garden planted the end of May, and now, among the jungle of overgrown tomato and pepper plants, I still have onions frozen and dead in the ground. I think to myself, "I have got to get my act together". But my heart is just not in it.

What if this year, I live a guilt free garden year. Instead I plan on hitting our local farmers market once a week while we are home, and then we can enjoy the treasure of finding all the cools ones while out on the road. The thought of this delights me, and I instantly feel giddy inside - then the guilt sets in. The guilt of having 40 acres of beautiful, black gold, dirt, and not planting food that would be filled with all that nutrient rich goodness. The thought of this seems so ridiculous, that it makes me think about how I need to get my seed order in.

And so, as everyone else is joyfully placing their seed orders, I am once again torn.

To Plant or Not To Plant - That Is The Question . . . .

Oh, I just remembered, I better sign up for the visitors guide for South Dakota :)

Ciara Mae Trochesset

officially became part of the family on Friday January 21st, just a little after 11 am. Thanks to all the support people, Judge Cruse (who has been with us during this entire journey), Emily Reynolds (the adoption worker), Chad Reckling (Ciara's Social Worker), Pat Brau (our adoption attorney), and many more friends and family!

This adoption was different, I suppose much like when the second baby is born. There were not the worries about something going wrong, and we just relaxed in the moment. Enjoying the excitement of the day, and banking the memories of the event. I didn't do that with the older girls, I was too worried about something not going the way it was suppose to, and how everyone looked. This time around, we didn't even have a big celebration with external family and friends; instead, we came home, ate a pot of chili, and snuggled in for a movie. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and weekend that followed. With Hanna and Lexi, there was a big party to orchestrate, and lots of family and friends to celebrate. With both, memories were made to last a life time, and both tell a story about where our family was and is at each point in life.

Ciara Mae Trochesset - Ciara is Gaelic for Black or Dark and Mae is Gaelic for earth goddess - so Ciara is our little Nubian Princess :) We feel very blessed to have her old soul in our family, and look forward to many more years with her. She has a lot to teach us all.