Live Lightly Tour

Shawn and I met in Akron, Iowa when I was…well…young. I can’t even remember how long it’s been. I think we’ve probably known each other for over 20 years. Scary. Our families lived across the street from each other…and when we moved to Waverly, Iowa, Shawn’s family moved there too. Our lives and families have been intertwined for as long as my memory goes back. We even went to prom together…as friends We have always kept in touch…but he’s been all over the world since he and Erin got married, and we have rarely been able to see each other. So when the opportunity came up to spend Thanksgiving with them…we jumped at it.

Shawn and Erin have a cute little house just outside of Nashville in a town called Murfreesboro. He is currently the manager of a Starbucks there during the day…and at night he morphs into a rock star. Shawn Fin and The Flipping Birds. Check him out. Erin in a fine arts professor at Middle Tennessee State University. She was particularly glad to see us pull up…she was hiring Matt to build a wall in their garage to complete her art studio. They did indeed complete the wall…I’ve never seen Erin so happy

We had such a fantastic, leisurely time with them…Shawn made “authentic” Starbucks caramel lattes for us whenever our little hearts desired and Erin and I cooked up a storm Potato Corn Chowder, Tofu Tacos, Fresh Spring Rolls (yum!). Kelli, Erin’s sister came over on Thanksgiving to spend the day with us. I had met her many years ago in Iowa, so it was great to see her again. The weather was so beautiful…and Bella loved being outside with Athena the Dog and swinging on the tire swing.

Matt and Shawn (and Bella) had fun playing in the music room. Shawn has a recording studio in his house…complete with a sweet harmonizing machine that automatically harmonizes with you when you sing into the microphone. It was crazy! Bella was pretty delighted with this little contraption and spend many hours in their singing with her daddy.

Erin is pregnant with their first child so we had fun talking about all things birth and baby. We are so excited for them to reproduce…what fun to have a little mixture of them running around. It was such a blessing to have all that time to spend with them…it’s been so long. Reunions are great!

Photo album here.

Vintage Remedies is a sponsor of our tour…so we were very excited to pull into Spring Hill, TN and meet Jessie…our “herbalist on the road”! We got the RV parked and headed inside, where Jessie made us the most delicious coffees Yum! It made me want to find an RV-size espresso machine! Bella was anxiously awaiting for the arrival of “the kids” from school…and when they did get there, it was crazy!

Friends began to arrive for supper…and we enjoyed some yummy homemade pizza while the kids played and played. We loved talking with all of their friends…so many like-minded folks. Good times.

We’ve been so happy with Jessie’s sponsorship…she is a really terrific herbalist, and has been such a help to us. If you are looking to get more familiar with holistic medicine for you and/or your family, but don’t know where to start…do check out her site. She does long-distance consulting and also has a correspondence Master Herbalist course. The course is taught with a Christian worldview and is really informative. She’s offering a free aromatherapy cleaning kit if you purchase the course before Dec. 20.

Photo album here.

It was after 11:00 p.m. when we pulled into the church parking lot…but Angela was still there to meet us (what a trooper!). Her father is a pastor there, and we were able to enjoy a private little corner of the lot, with electricity! Angela and I have corresponded via email for several years now…it was a delight to finally meet her in person. We hugged, and chatted, and then agreed that we had better get some sleep!

The next day, we met many of Charlie and Angela’s friends…had a great time chatting, drinking tea, eating cookies, and doing laundry. On Sunday, we attended Heritage, her dad’s church and thoroughly enjoyed the fellowship and sermon. After lunch, we went out for Indian food with her parents…yum yum! It was my birthday, and a I enjoyed my birthday lunch immensely! That night, we attended their church, The Assembly (a 3 year old church plant). Charlie is the pastor there… and it was great to see him in “action”. It was so neat to see all that God is doing in their lives and in the lives of their friends.

We headed out on Monday morning…but we made plans to meet back up in Asheville, NC the next weekend. So stay tuned!

Photo album here.

Blacksburg, VA. What more is there to say other than “Go Hokies!” ? This is a town OBSESSED. They breathe, eat, and sleep Virginia Tech. It was an interesting experience. Iowa Hawkeye fans are crazy. Nebraska Cornhusker fans are even more crazy. But Blacksburg wins the craziest award. Crazy in a weird way

It was dark when we pulled into Shadowlake Village…and our contact, John, came out to guide us through their little co-housing community where we would be having a potluck that night. We settled into their common house…in which Bella immediately located a fun playroom to hang out in. John got busy making some pasta and bread…and soon we were joined by several other families.

As people were milling about, I looked over and saw a new face in the crowd. He was tall and dreadlocked and held a beat up guitar in his hand. As I walked toward him, I saw that he had an Another World is Possible sticker on his guitar. I immediately asked him if he had connections to The Simple Way. Indeed he did! Turns out that Jes went to Eastern with Shane Claiborne and is quite involved with their organization…providing the music for their DVD’s. I’m always excited when I can talk with someone who knows about The Simple Way…so we had a great time chatting and listening to him share about his experiences.

Jes has spent the last 10 years in Belize as a river guide and musician…and is currently back in the US touring around and spreadin’ the love with his lyrically rich music. We were blessed with an impromptu concert in the RV…and again back at John’s cabin around a crackling fire. He is on the road full-time…so if you can, swing by his MySpace site and buy a CD (just $10!) to support him. You’ll love his island-inspired music! My current favorite is the title track…”Try on Life”.

We thanked John and Jes for the lovely evening and headed back out into the chilly night…our headlights directed towards Johnson City, TN. Off we go again!

Photo album here.

We left Lynchburg and made the short trek to Salem, VA to stay with Justin, Carrie, and their boys, Shannon and Tristan. We were greeted warmly…Carrie had baked us a fresh loaf of bread and promptly made me a delicious cup of tea! We spent most our time there watching Bella and Shannon run around and play, play, play. They had so much fun. Carrie organized a really great potluck so that we could meet some of their friends and people from their Green Drinks group. She also took me to their local food coop in Roanoke, and showed me around the town. There were still a few fall leaves to be enjoyed! We had a couple of reporters come over to chat with us about the journey as well.
It was a quick, but wonderful visit…and then we headed off to Blacksburg.

Photo album here.

We pulled into Lynchburg, VA late on a Tuesday night and headed over to Lynchburg College. We found the parking lot that we were supposed to park in for the night, and as we were circling around to set up “camp”….we were greeted by some enthusiastic students who thought it would be fun to moon the big blue bus. We got a good laugh.

The next morning we had the opportunity to speak with some environmental science classes and tell them about our journey. We were parked in a pretty conspicuous spot on campus, so the lunch hour drew many students and faculty in and we had fun talking about living green. Our tour coincided perfectly with their “Year of the Environment” We had such a great time chatting with them and hearing what they have been doing to reduce their footprint on campus. We even had one kind student bring us some organic vegan chili as a little gift! It was delicious (send me the recipe if you’re reading this!). The Lynchburg College campus is gorgeous and the people were so kind. We were treated to a great lunch in the campus cafeteria…and we even filled up the RV with their grease!

After the college, we headed over to a local elementary science magnet school to do a demo. The kids lined up on the sidewalk and Matt told them about the wonders of veggie oil. After that, they came into the RV to check it out. It’s always fun to see your home through the eyes of a child :). We heard excited screams of “y’all have a TV in here?!” and “can I come with y’all?”. They loved the RV and we loved them. What a fun bunch of kids. They also loved having their photos taken…so be sure to check out the album.

We had the opportunity to talk with 3 television stations and 2 newspapers there as well. Our voices were almost gone at the end of the day!
Before we left town, we went out for pizza with Liz. Liz is the younger sister of Jackie…and she the one who helped set us up in Lynchburg. We have also emailed back and forth for years…but were finally able to meet face to face.

If you are ever in the area…be sure to check out this lovely town.

Photo album here.

“Take 3 Rights and 1 Left and you’ll see our house…”

This is how people who live in Virginia give you directions I asked Jackie if she knew the street names…but she didn’t. I laughed because that was how people all throughout PA and VA had directed us…by turns or landmarks. We decided the reason that no one knows the street names is because they are SO poorly marked! You can’t see the street sign until you are right upon it and squinting your eyes to see it. Completely different than in Iowa where they are HUGE and go across the entire intersection. It’s a strange world out here…y’all.

We met Jackie and Shane while working for SportReach in Lincoln, NE in 2002BC (before children). We had a huge group of friends there…and we had such a great time hanging out, going to church together, having BBQ’s. When we all went in our own directions a few years later, we kept in touch and have followed each other through life’s changes.

They are currently living near Fredericksburg, VA and have three adorable little girls. We had a fabulous time catching up and encouraging one another. They are truly “life friends” for us and we love them dearly.

Photo album here.

I “met” Cindy many years ago on the Mothering….I was fascinated by her boat-dwelling life and had corresponded with her several times. When we were planning the tour, I knew we had to hook up with her family in Annapolis! Cindy has lived “on the water” for the last 10 years…most recently in a 44 foot catamaran with her husband, Doug, and her 3 year old son, Zach. AND of course, we can’t forget their dog…affectionately referred to as “Schooner-dog”.

We had so much fun hanging out with another family who understands what it means to truly live small. I was really surprised at how much space they do have in the boat. The exterior is very deceiving…but there are so many great nooks and crannies down below. The kids had the most fun exploring it all. They were like little monkeys…climbing and hanging on everything they could get their hands on.

We parked the RV in the marina parking area and on Sunday morning, awoke to the sun glistening off the water…and beautiful boats all lined up in the harbor. This is probably one of my favorite things about RV life…having a different view everyday. The night before, we had attended a wedding “party” of their friends across the dock. We enjoyed meeting their friends and seeing another beautiful catamaran.

Cindy and Doug have traveled the world (and have plans to go again!)…and have the stories to prove it. You can read about one of their adventures in the book , The World is a Kitchen…in which she was a contributor. This family was a delight to visit and we enjoyed their company so much.

Photo album here.

We were especially excited to arrive in Washington, D.C…because my parents would be joining us! We arrived on Sunday night at got settled in at the Cherry Hill RV Park in College Park. It’s a lovely little place…with nice amenities. They had a full laundromat, sauna, hot tub, wi-fi, playgrounds, a café, grocery store, and a real wood fireplace in the lodge. We would be staying there the entire week with my parents.

On Monday morning, we took the bus to the Metro station. The bus was filled with college students who had camped at the campground overnight in tents (and it was coooooold!). They were armed with protest signs and bright eyes…and had come from colleges all over the nation. They were all heading to the capital to take part in Step It Up 2007…a rally focused on creating global warming awareness. It was fun to chat with them and hear the passion and excitement in their voices as they got ready to make a difference…each in their own way. We arrived at the Metro station and headed inside. We felt like pretty experienced train riders at this point…so finding our way to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was a piece of cake.

We arrived on time and located my parent’s gate. Bella picked a spot on the floor and settled in with the iPhone to watch a movie until they arrived. We craned our necks as we watched passenger after passenger walk down the hallway. I think they must have been the very last people off the plane…because FINALLY we saw them walking toward us with big smiles. Bella dropped what she was doing and sprinted towards them. Hugs, hugs, and more hugs….followed by kisses and more hugs. We promptly purchased some coffee and headed out for our adventure in Washington, D.C.!

We made so many memories and had wonderful adventures. Here are the highlights of our time together:

National Zoo * The Archives * Smithsonians * National Air and Space Museum * Museum of Natural History * Chinatown * Thai Food * Bee Movie * Open Top Double Decker Tour Bus * The Capitol * Union Station * The White House * National Geographic * Dupont Circle * Georgetown * Lincoln Memorial * Vietnam Memorial * Korean War Memorial * Busboys and Poets * Postal Museum * National Gallery of Art * Arlington Cemetery * JRF’s Gravesite * Tomb of Unknown Soldiers * Iwo Jima Marine Memorial * La Tasca (Tapas!) * Annapolis * Naval Academy * Chesapeke Bay * Ft. Meade * Defense Information School * Baltimore * Inner Harbor * Hard Times Café

Details on our favorites:

The Archives: We loved seeing the REAL Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. What a great experience. We’re big fans of National Treasure, so it was fun to remember that scene in the movie.

Open Top Tour Bus: We took the bus around the city and it was so much fun to ride on top and see everything from 14 feet up! It was fun to see DC that way. It was a little chilly at times, but well worth it. Bella loved riding WAY up there…all cuddled up in the sling. The tour guides were often quite amusing as well :).

Dupont Circle: This was probably my favorite part of town. There was such diversity and cool little places to go. We ate at a sushi restaurant there on the first night in town…it was such a beautiful night and we enjoyed walking by all of the stately brownstones and apartments on our way.

Lincoln Memorial: All of the memorials are moving and profound. But this one was breathtaking. Such a beautiful view…and Lincoln is…well…HUGE! There were a lot of events going on around all of the memorials because it was just a few days until Veterans Day.

Busboys and Poets: This was by far my favorite restaurant in the city. The food was phenomenal, the prices low, and the atmosphere ripe with optimism. It’s a coffeehouse, bookstore, restaurant, and performing space all in one…and the focus is on social awareness and peace activism. Be sure to try the goat cheese salad if you go!

Postal Museum: We LOVED this one. It is very kid-friendly and being that I have a slight obsession with sending and receiving “real” mail…it was highly entertaining and informative. It was right outside of Union Staion, which made it super easy to get to.

Arlington Cemetery: This was a sobering and memorable experience…one that everyone should take part in sometime in their life.

Ft. Meade: This was where I attended the “Defense Information School in 1998-1999 for the Air National Guard. I was a photographer in the military for 6 years…and DINFOS is where all of the “artsy” people go to train (all 5 branches of service). I made so many wonderful friends there and had so many great times. It was so much fun to go back…and show my family where we marched, learned, and lived.

On Saturday morning, we all got ready and headed out for one last cup of coffee before mom and dad flew back to Iowa. It was such a fantastic week…I feel so blessed that I can stay in a small RV with my parents and love them more when they left than when they arrived! It was indeed a sweet time of fellowship and fun.

Photo album here.

After Philly, we headed West past Lancaster to Marietta, PA. It was a short, but delightful visit. We were parked at the Susquehanna Waldorf School and we had the chance to meet so many interesting people.

Hilary and her children Jahna and Simon stopped by…and brought us tomatoes from her garden, maple syrup, and homemade strawberry jam. Yum! Bella had so much fun swinging and climbing trees with the kids. It was the first tree she climbed all by herself! They live just blocks away from the school and they own a cafe in town.

Kristy from Hampton, VA was in the area for a retreat, and she stuck around to meet up with us! She and I were both photographers in the military and went to the same “military art school” at Ft. Meade, MD (at different times).

Janelle made the trek over from Coatsville, PA and we made tea and had fun chatting about life

We also met Scott, another “greaser” (he wrote an article about us here) and other parents from the school. Be sure to check out the photo album and see the cute little strawbale house that the Waldorf students made!

Photo album here.