It's all coming together!

With the bunks done, we needed to find mattresses to put on them. Since they are custom made, they are not a standard size.

The first plan was to buy foam and cover them with a slip-cover. I went to Jo-Anne Fabric to look for foam. The 1/2 inch foam was about $16 a yard... but who can sleep on 1/2 inch foam?? The good foam that was 4 - 5 inch thick was between $60 and $80 a yard!! I could NOT believe it! We would need about 2 1/2 yards per mattress.

OK... so we needed to come up with a better plan. Kent suggested that we look at lawn furniture cushions. We had to return table legs (more on that later) to Lowes, so we decided to check out the cushions. I found pillow-top chaise lounge cushions that were the perfect size! They were about 4 1/2 inches thick and were only $50 each. And the best thing about it??? I don't have to sew! YEA!! They are already covered and really comfortable.

Now, about the legs... The table in the motorhome needs help. It won't stay attached to the wall, and the one leg is crooked. We have been trying to figure out how to fix the leg and make it so it stays in place. I thought maybe we could add new legs (like banquet table legs) to the table. They had replacement legs at Lowes, so we decided to see if they would work. They were too wide and could not fit between the benches. So, the legs went back.

We came up with another plan for the table. I was at Staples today and found a small indoor-outdoor table. Because of a slanted area against the wall, we can't use the legs closest to the wall while it is in the motorhome. We are going to fix and re-use the hardware to attach the table to the wall. The table will be removable. The legs closest to the wall will be tucked up into the table when in the motorhome. Since there are two sets of legs, the table will be able to be used other places. Another good thing about the new table, is we can take it out and just have the benches (like couches).

I also found a little bitty cabinet at Staples. It should be perfect to go in the spot where the TV cabinet used to be. The more storage, the better!

So, everything in the motorhome is coming together. We will have a test run to Illinois for a family wedding next week. This weekend we will put the finishing touches on our projects. I will take photos and upload them soon!

The bunks are done!

Kent finished the bunks... and they look GREAT!

O.K, I have to admit I was a little concerned whether they would work out or not (Sorry, Kent! You know I love you even if you don't have that "handy-man" gene). They are going to be perfect.

Kent built my little cupboard/pantry and attached it into the motorhome. He demolished the old TV cabinet for me as well. It was a very productive day. THANK YOU!

This week I need to return a few items that didn't work out, and some extra hardware. I need to buy some foam to make mattresses (as the bunks are not a standard size) and figure out how to make a slipcover. I also need to look for a wall mount for the TV and DVD player.

It's all coming together...

My man working on the bunks... he should have them done tomorrow. I need to get some more organizing things in there, and the motor home should be a lot more space efficient than the last trip!

An interesting turn of events...

So, yesterday I was waiting for Skyler to get through with his art class. I got a call from my boss. She needed to talk to me right away. Ever get that feeling in your stomach like something big is happening? I got it. We made arrangements to meet and she said it was OK to bring Sky. I figured it couldn't be something horrible if she had me bring my son, right??? Well, she let me know that she is resigning from the company as of Monday!!! Since my job depends on her job, it meant I also would be resigning on Monday!

She had been trying to decide what to do, she was unhappy with the way the company was heading and with her position. I had let her know we would be leaving as soon as we decided, but I told her I would work through the end of April. Just the other day Kent and I had been talking about how I wish I wasn't working... so I could devote more time to getting ready for the move and the trip. Be careful what you wish for right??

Anyway, I think it will all work out well. She asked me to continue working for her for 6 weeks. I will help her as a real personal assistant... not as a company personal assistant. I will help her get set up in her new office and help her turn her old home office into a scrapbooking room! I think I can do that! I think I may go less than the 6 weeks... so I do have that extra time to do things, but still have a couple of paychecks coming in before our trip to Illinois!

So it all worked out for the best, right!

Trial and error

Well, "Plan A" didn't work.

Plan A.
Taking out the couch to provide more space. The plan was that I would sleep in a cot didn't work out. The space where the couch was is shorter than any cot we have been able to find. I borrowed dad's cot to try it out. I thought I could slide it far enough so I could use it. WRONG! The cot is extra wide and I couldn't even open it up. Oh well. I slept part of the night on the floor on the cushion, and the rest squished on the dinet/bed with Kent. It was a LITTLE bit small... less than a full size bed.

Time for plan B!

Plan B.
Doing a built in "bunk bed" system for the kids including some storage. I will sleep in the upper bunk... which is about a queen size bed. We will be attempting "Plan B" this weekend.

Camping weekend...

Heading to a campout this weekend with my dad and his camping club. Kent is driving so I decided to get on the laptop. We haven't even gotten on the highway yet and already I am motion sick. I was hoping to do my homework on the way... maybe once we get up to cruising speed? I hope!

Time to customize the camper...

After finding out how upside-down we were on our motorhome, we have decided to just go for it and do what we need to customize it. I have been sleeping on the couch/bed. It is SO uncomfortable .
We decided to get rid of the couch to open up the living area, and I bought a really nice cot to use for sleeping. I can fold it up during the day to create an open area. There will also be room for a small pantry cabinet.
The passenger seat was also removed. There will be a built-in with a place for the the kitty litter box on the bottom, and the shelf over the top will house a place for an animal bed (dog? cat? whoever claims it!).
Kent finished putting the new steps on the motorhome. There were major issues, but hopefully they are good to go (oh please let them be sturdy!).
I am working on getting some shelves in the closet for folded clothes and shoes. I am also working on better storage options.
Lots to do!!! We will test everything out this coming weekend... although I may test out the cot in the house. It has to be better than our 13 year old mattress! (sorry Kent!)

The time line...

The time line we are looking at now is:

March -

• sorting out the garage
• customizing the motorhome for the trip
• repairing the steps
• de-winterizing the motorhome
• taking the motorhome to Elephant Butte (shake down after storage)

April -

• more sorting & cleaning
• MOVING SALE
• trip to Illinois (family wedding)
• preparing for household good packout

May -

• packout
• carpet cleaning
• house cleaning

June -

• Kent to Korea
• Temporarily to Edgewood to help dad get ready to move back to Ohio
• On the road....

Of course there is a lot more to do... but this is a start!

Welcome to our blog!

As we move closer to our trip, I wanted to start a blog to keep everyone updated. This blog will let everyone know where we are and what we are doing.