December 16'th Apopka, Florida

Were in Apopka for Christmas and we have met some great people here. Most are snow birds and a few residents. There are allot of kids here so Lexi is a happy camper this stop. It has a restaurant and store here so not to bad for us. The day we pulled in they had a Christmas party for the children so we have been pretty busy since we pulled in. With all the kids here Lexi wants to be at the park first thing in the morning. I keep telling her normal kids are still sleeping at that hour. It's pretty cold out right now and the nights are even colder so I have the electric heater plugged in. I guess the cold is helping me to get more into the Christmas spirit though. It's hard to get the Christmas feeling when it's 80 out, at least for a Michigander. But the day after I want warm weather again (PLEASE).

From our family to yours,
Have a Merry Christmas & a safe and happy New Year.

2010 here we come!

December 14'th - 16'th Jetty Park

On the way there as we went over the bridge we started to hear a sound from the engine (it sounded like a belt). After we settled into our spot we found it was the fan belt to the alternator that broke and shredded. Our back neighbor was nice and wonderful enough to drive Eddie over to a place to pick up a new one, so were all good now. I'm so grateful he is able to fix everything so far that needed it. He is my superman.
The beach was amazing and a blast. Dolphins playing and riding waves all around us. The weather was perfect for those couple days and we took advantage of it by being at the beach. Lexi and I were there by 9am and we found the sand there is pretty good for building sand castles.
Krista went out a bit from shore and was finding hugh clam shells. We decided these were way to big to be made into practical necklace or earrings. So now we need to get crafty and find a use for them.
Body boarding was great fun with the boogie boards and Lexi found that the waves were big enough to flip her over if turned sideways.
We had a hugh tree over our RV that dropped the most gorgeous red flowers on our yard. I want one of those if we get another stick house. Have to find out the name of coarse and a yard to put it in. I hope to come back here again some day.

December 7'th - December 14'th Ocala RV Resort

This was a 1 week stop to get our bearing's and get everything done. It was supposed to be relaxing and a fun place to stop. The resort was a bit ran down and the pool was heated with a solar cover (not warm enough). The ants were all over their ancient playground and there was a slide that you could not slide down. It was walking distance to cracker barrel (plus) and it did have a ok clubhouse. Was not worth their price they charged.
Will not stop here again.

December 4'th - 7'th Manatee Springs State Park

WOW! We saw 3 manatee right away. I have been waiting to see a Manatee in person since I was 12 years old. This stop meant allot to me personally. Then we saw an armadillo by the sink hole that has divers in it most of the time.
Lexi was looking into the sink hole while I read the info board to her and then she was scared witless. A head with a mask popped up out of the green algae of the water. The diver felt really bad about scaring her and she was leery of that place for a while. I spent the whole day explaining divers and their gear to her and why they are under the water.
The birds there are everywhere. The nature shots I took were amazing. The natural spring is so warm there but the girls would not go in (the temp. outside was not warm at all).

November 30'th - December 3'rd Mexico Beach, Florida

We were only going to stay here for a couple days but a bad storm came through so we sayed a bit longer. The storm took out the WiFi so of course that put me back on keeping up my posts. The days were to cold and wet to enjoy the beach so we stayed inside and I caught up on laundry. Not to fun!

November 28'th - 30'th Grayton Beach State Park

We had a great time playing and walking the beach there. The dunes were beautiful and the park was just a great place to stop and visit. The sand was white and fine as sugar, the girls had a blast and it wore Lexi out by the end of the day. We stayed in the older section but some had a pond in their back yard, still if we ever stop there again we want to stay in the newer section with slabs (and less sand being tracked into the RV).

Map of the United States: States we visited.

visited 19 states (38%)
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October 28'th Florida

We made it!!!!
Were finally in Florida, in the panhandle for now,
We were in our first ever tropical storm. It was not as bad as the weather experts were expecting but we did have allot of rain.
The park is mainly filling up with senior snow birds but what do you expect, Florida in the winter is full of them. Nice people and they seem to enjoy watching Lexi running us ragged. She loves the older crowd, she sees them as all grand-parents to her.
The no car is a bit hard seeing that the teens want to eat 3 weeks of food in 1 week and the cupboards are getting bare fast. They have a store at the park but they do not keep it stocked at all times.
Big plus is we have a heated swimming pool here and a HOT tub that is really HOT. There is a lake and boat rentals, a play ground, putt-putt, basket-ball, volley-ball, horse-shoe, movie nights, and a restaurant. We are not bored here at all.
Haley turned 15 while last week and we had a cake for her. Boy these kids sure do grow up fast, don't they? Makes it easier to enjoy them more now that were in a 33 foot space rather than a 3,000 square foot home. You can't help but see them all the time now.

Milan, Michigan July 20'th - Oct. 24'th

We are at KC campgrounds and we were only supposed to stay for 1 month. Sh_t happens and then you change your plans.

Our computer hard drive burned out while we were here and we had to get a new one installed. All our pictures of our travels were on the hard drive so what was not put to our my-space's was all lost. I did have a few on my phone I was able to send to my email and all was not lost completely. But it was a sad moment for me to lose all those memories. I did ask my daughter to back them up on disk a few week before but she put it off (a little to late). Now she does it about every other week. Since she is the one ALWAYS on the computer.

We were here at the same time they had their Milan Blue Grass Festival and it was packed to the gills. Great music and the bands were wonderful. Everyone in the park seemed to play an instrument so when the bands were not playing everyone else was at most corners of the park playing theirs. We met allot of great people and made some new friends.

The day everyone pulled out there was a fire left unattended and it was not in a fire-ring. To the eye it was a mound of ash, to a 2 year old kid walking barefoot it was a pile of sand. Lexi walked over it and it was still HOT and her little feet were burned on the bottom of them. One foot was really bad, the burn was under the curl of her toes. On the up side we were 1 hour away from her pediatrician and it was a month before it was all healed and no infections.

Ready to leave yet? Nope!

My Mother was taken to the hospital and was in serious condition. Didn't want to leave state till she was in the clear.

Leaving on September 24'th and the girls and I were doing last minute running before we hit the road and on the way back to the campground the minivan started to have smoke coming out of the dash. Yep, the dang thing caught on fire. No one was hurt but the van, the van is totaled. It looked like we were stuck here till the insurance was all settled.

Now we are only travelling in our RV and no extra vehicle at this time. We know it will be an adjustment but it will only be temporary.

Now it is October the 23'rd and we are leaving Michigan tomorrow and heading south for the winter. It's getting cold up here to but the fall colors are great. I will miss Michigan's full colors if we never make it back up here again.

On the Positive : Krista and Lexi both had a birthday while we were here. Lexi is now potty trained. Were going to save so much money not paying for an extra vehicle. Snow is not going to find me this year if I can help it.

Have Happy & Safe Halloween!

Jackson, Michgan. June 20'th - July 20'th

We were at Holiday Camp Grounds in Jackson about 1 hour away from family. We drove from Kansas to Michigan straight thru being chased by a big storm. It caught us a hour after we plugged in at the campground and the next morning I had to drive for a family baby shower.
Holiday is a tree filled park that made a hugh mess of the RV and no satellite for a month either.
Eddie hated it more then the kids did.
Our friends Colleen and Gary were at the same park and it was bearable with friends. The management was not too bright and would disappear for a day or two without notice. Not fun when you need change to do laundry. Will not stay there again.
No fire bans in Michigan so we finally get to cook outside over a open flame. We ate allot out side!
We went to our home town for the 4'th to celebrate in the morning and Colleen went with us too, she is my BF's mother. So were both from our small boating community where everyone knows everyone. We had allot of fun! That night the park had karaoke and we had so much fun with the kids and helping them pick songs. Eddie got up there a few times and showed off too.
Our oldest daughter stayed with her Best friend the whole time we were here so we were down to 2 kids mostly when Krista didn't have friends over to stay.
I spent alot of time potty trainning Lexi while we were here, almost getting it.

Northern New Mexico / June 5 - June 16, 2009

On our way to Albuquerque we stopped off at a couple of great places:

First stop was at the Walnut canyon Natl. Monument to see the ruins there and to walk allot of steps. It was a not planned stop but we were happy we took the time to stop there and learn more about history and the people who lived here.

Our second stop was planned and that was the Petrified Forrest. Now that was very beautiful and a great stop to see. It was amazing all the colors in the rock forms that were once trees. I would love to stop here again if we ever get by there again in our future travels.

Now were in Albuquerque and were in a small campground. We went to turquoise Trail and drove over to Madrid which is like a small gypsy art stores and other goodies. This is the town where Maggie's restaurant is in the movie "Wild Hog's". I went back the next day with the girls to do more window shopping and picked up a couple gifts too. Beautiful drive to get there also.

We took one day to do the Rio Grand Zoo and it was a fun relaxing day at the zoo. Always love to watch the baby monkey's with their mothers.

Northern Arizona / June 1 - June 4, 2009

We went to Williams, Arizona to see what else, "The Grand Canyon". We had soo much fun there and Krista looks over the edge and says "it's not so big". I guess teens these days expect more. Lexi made me a bit nervous trying to get a closer look like everyone else. I had some great shots to keep me happy and to remember it all by. (we lost all pics when the computer hard drive burned out and I only backed up a few to my myspace page.)

Then we had a great time at Slide Rock State Park. We first heard of this place through another family's blog on family on the road. What a great time for everyone. Eddie and I jumped off the small jump by the river. We all slid down the natural water slides and had the rock burns and bruises to show for it. Lexi made some little friends in the shallow area. I would love to move here for the view alone.

Our last free day there we decided to let Eddie rest and the girls and I went to route 66 to do some souvenir shopping and have lunch. So much fun window shopping dragging the girls from shop to shop and picking up a few items for friends and family.

California / April 2 - May 30, 2009

We were at Joshua Tree Natl. Park for a week and we had a great time hiking and climbing. If your ever debating whether or not you should go there, you defiantly should. What a wounder of a place, so different in every different area you go too. We saw humming birds there and a desert tortoise. It was a great week!

We drove over to San Diego for a month and a half. We were at the Mission Bay area and we had so much fun at the beaches and parks. The beach shops were a favorite of our oldest daughter, Haley. The amusement park was Krista's favorite hangout and Lexi loved it all! We loved taking Roxy to the dog beaches and parks. Fiesta Island was amazing for dog lovers, you could let them off the leash and they could run the beach and play in the water. Roxy loves to run and swim even though Bulldogs do not do either one very good, if at all. By the way Bulldogs don't swim they sink!

We went to see the harbor seals who took over one beach. Dolphins swimming at mission beach with the surfers. At Mission Bay one day a seal was jumping out of the water trying to catch seagulls. we also went to Cabrillo Natl. Monument and saw the light house and whale look out. We also took the girls down to the tide pools to see what they could find and identify.

Arizona / March 19 - April 1, 2009

We went to Wilcox and we went to so many places there. Cheicaha Natl. Park, Cochise Stronghold Coronado Natl. Forrest, Fort Bowie, Dragoon Rock, Tombstone and a rattle snake store right by there.

At Fort Bowie it was a 3 mile hike and just as we were coming to the last curve to get to the parking area Krista walked up on a 6 foot diamond back who was coiled up and rattle going like crazy laying on the edge of the path. We were stuck waiting there for a half hour , the Ranger was new and unsure what to do. While holding a 2 year old this whole time and I had to carry her half way thru the hike, my back was screaming. I gave up on the Ranger and did a hugh No-No, I walked off the path and far around the area with the rattler and left with my family in tow. Our first and only encounter with a diamondback.

We went to Tusan to meet up with friends of ours. We were not able to stay where they were because they did not allow children there so we went down the street and stayed at BLM land and roughed it for a week. The view was awesome, our own cactus garden and a small mountain to climb right next to us. At night the stars were all over on top of us.

We went to the Saguaro National Park there to view the rock drawings and the grand cacti that is only found that area of the State. We went to Reid Park Zoo and the girls had so much fun seeing all the animals. They had an albino male peacock that was so majestic.

The Last place we visited in Southern Arizona was Maricopa where we went to see the Casa Grand Ruins. It was really interesting and we had a Ranger walk us through and tell us about everything plus she answered all our questions.

New Mexico / January 31 -March 18, 2009

We stayed at Carlsbad, New Mexico for a month and a half and we had so much fun with loads to do.
The Caverns are there and what an educational experience that was. Were talking about a Reef that was under water a very long time ago and is now mountains you can hike, climb and explore. What fun we had!
Rock Hounding for Pecos diamonds, we found tons of them but had to smuggle them aboard so Dad would not freak out over more weight in the RV.
We spent a day going to see the aliens at Roswell and we also went to Mc Donalds to play in their space ship, well Krista and Lexi did anyway.

We went a few times to the Living Desert Zoo, it was small but packed with a large assortment of animals for all of us to watch and the animals were all up close to appreciate and learn about.
Sitting Bull Falls was a grand sight with the water level down we were able to rock crawl and climb all through the gorge. Then we climbed up to the top and explored the Indian circles there.

We also drove down to Guadalupe Mountain Natl. Park for the day.

Texas / December 28, 2008 - January 31, 2009

Our first major stop was Canyon Lake, Texas. We stayed at the Yogi Bear there which is ran by a wounder family and we were made to feel right at home. What a wonderful start off for us we stayed there for over a month and the views were so amazing there, were talking hill country. OK so now I need to remind you all were from Michigan where the land is flat. Small hills were greeted with yippees for it was a change in the landscape. We just fell in love with the area but we were not ready to stop yet we just started our adventure.

We went to the dam there. We took some great hikes. Then a visit to the Dinosaur Trackway at the Heritage Museum was a big treat.
Then we had a great idea to go to Corpus Christi. We went to Mustang Island State Park where the beach was a perfect place to shell hunt and I found sea glass but the park bathrooms were EWE. Quite pricey too so we did not stay more then a few days. The Texas State Aquirium was small but perfect in every way. They have a viewing for the dolphins under water and they would mimic us. The girls were extreemly happy we stoped there and we had a blast to.

Were a Family of 5 and were full timers.

We are the Smith Family and we hit the road on Christmas day of 2008. We are living in a 33 foot Airstream motor home and it is a close fit for the 5 of us. We are home schooling our girls and exploring this great country of ours together.

We have Eddie who is Dad , I'm Gayle who is Mom, (our 3 girls) Haley is 14, Krista is 13, and Lexi is almost 3. But lets not forget our mascot Roxy our 2 year old English bulldog.

Our goal is to find the perfect place for us to settle down and enjoy our lives. We are from Michigan but the weather there is not for us and is not a healthy environment for our family due to health reasons.

We have spent the last winter and spring in the south-west areas and summer back in Michigan so the girls can visit friends and family. Now we are planning on heading to the south-eastern areas. Due to the fact that we can always change coarse when needed we could end up anywhere.

Were are great fans of http://familiesontheroad.com/ be sure to check it out and read about all the other families out there doing what we are and more.