Travel Trailer & Family Update May 2016

We haven’t done much of anything on the camper, it’s been a pretty busy couple weeks, I did finish building the fire pit, we officially crossed the deck project off our list so we can move onto the camper guilt free BUT the weekends have been packed.  I have been running out during nap times and working a little on it a few days a week but not usually more than 20 minutes at a time so it’s going SLOW!

I have been getting some good ideas for the exterior and I have been collecting things as I go too.  Last time I mentioned that I got a killer deal (70% off) all the fabric for the inside… well I was thinking it over and kicking myself for not picking up SOMETHING to do an awning with.  They had some great indoor outdoor fabric, UV protected and would have been perfect.  Well, I went back, got perfectly matching fabric in yellow and grey chevron pattern, enough to make a 9’x10 awning for $16 bucks.  $16 bucks!! 90% off is what they gave it to me for.  I made yet another, third, trip to get something to make the kids’s mattress covers, I found a great textured and lined material that went very well with the colors for a great deal as well!  I am just so leased to get all that for so darn cheap, that is a good portion of our budget right there!  The other stuff will add up but fabric is expensive!

Here are some pictures of our limited progress though (more below):

Some bed material for Hazel and Miles's bunks

Turns out the camper USED to be yellow and white, I can tell as I spray, grind, sand and strip the layers of goop off!

I can't say I've found the best way yet to strip the paint, this section was using a paint stripper, it's probably taken 2.5-3 hours and about 8 bucks in materials to get this far (not super economical)

this was done with a $3 wire brush drill bit and about 10 minutes (not bad but not super easy either)

I need to get a more clear shot of this side so I can do a mock up of our map project. TBD

Cutting the inside part 2

wreckage

I am saving all the little aluminum pieces and appliances for reuse, its a MESS!

LOVE that front window though!

We are going to have to cut the furnace to get it out and save the vent cover I think, it's stumping us. We think it must have been spot welded along with the build

We'd like to save this piece and put it back even though it will be non functional, it will be an ugly patch job if we don't save it

We want to do something like this on the exterior of the trailer but blown up huge sized, take a picture of us in each state, blow it up, print it on a vinyl sheet (UV Safe), cut it out and decorate the trailer with proof of our adventures! WE may incorporate all 58 national parks as well, I want to hit the lower 48, james wants to hit all national parks, I think we can do both! 🙂

This weekend, the plan is to get the demo done and get an idea of how much rebuilding we’ll be doing on the structure.  I’d love to rent a sandblaster or even a pressure washer and see about getting the rest of the paint off too, we will see what we can do.  We will also be taking Hazel and Miles to a Sesame Street Live performance, which Hazel is pretty stoked about! (Elmo is her favorite)

Family Stuff

Here down is family update style (which I think will be fun to go back through later… so I document, you’re not going to offend me if you aren’t into it 😉 ) are a couple funny videos of the kids followed by pictures of things:

The last piece was connecting the new deck with the walkway out front, James did a great job!

this made for a great planter area to the left (which is now planted but I have no pictures, Ill get on that!), grass to the right, working on it... its for Denver to poop in so its low priority... 🙂

This is my roommate, Hazel, she insits on dressing herself... I love it!

The new patio, and fire pit I built, the top still needs to be mosaiced, which I will do just as soon as I find some funky free glassware to break up and use!

the other angle

Miles has to hold his hat on... we went on an hour long walk and he held it the entire time. then he found out how to remove it and thats his favorite,

Might be the cutest thing I've seen, ever, We went to the zoo with Hazels friend, Maddy the two girls love each other and one of them just took the other ones hand all day and they walked along!

this way

impromptu snack attack

then that way

those cats were 'sleeping in their own beds' that's what she said. We've been working on that with her... a little while after Miles was born she decided she wasn't done co sleeping and EVRY NIGHT she would crawl into bed with us... its driving me batty so shes been doing really well at learning to sleep in her 'own bed' again!

We got to ride the merry go round!

Even Miles got in on the action, side by side, he rode the bunny, Hazel rode the horse.

And the penguins!

followed it all with some dip n dots

and this one tuckered out!

The next day, while stopping at Qudoba for a delicious burrito Hazel thought it was a good idea to run full speed into the corner of the table.

Poor girl hardly cried, I think I wanted to cry more, Popsicles and snuggles helped. Please no one call CPS on me!

Miles met a friend at a baby shower too

they examined eachother for a while

After the pain wore off... Its been very simple to tell other toddler parents in crowds with this shiner... they are the only ones who don't have a look of disgust when they see the shiner, I have been asked 'table?' a few times 🙂

It's been pushing 100 degrees here lately, we took a stroll to the new park down the street, it was hot and miserable but does this look like people ready for a 100 degree day!? My mom, dad and grandmother 🙂

Miles's first selfie

We all got involved

Hazel...

Pretty cool...

'wait, I think she saw me...:

'Crap'

Fun at Miles's baby class! He's starting to get really interactive with the other babes!

His friend, tehy ONLY like the same toy, no matter how many toys are around they want 'the one he's playing with!'

LONG day! He sat in the bouncer not even 3 minutes, I turn around and he does this!