YOU GUYSSSSS!!!!!!!!!

We've been planning a trip to Florida for a couple weeks now. We're visiting Jeremy's family, and then my parents. We're driving there and back, and my parents are coming home with us. Yep, they're moving to the PNW! Eeeek, I can hardly believe it! So as we've been figuring out the best, most economical, budget and child friendly way to go about these 6,000 or so miles, we considered flying, renting a minivan, renting a motorhome, and on occasion we would look online to buy a RV, just for fun to see the options. It was crushing to see those numbers. $4,000 to rent a motorhome, you've got to be kidding me!

A couple summers ago, we drove to Florida and back in our truck, but after having to replace a few things from the trip, it nearly broke the bank. As convenient as it would be, the cost of potential repairs is astronomical, so we really hoped for another option.

And then it happened!

While looking online, we found a few vintage motorhomes at pretty reasonable prices, but that's a lot of miles on something older than we are. Then this Toyota Dolphin popped up, at a good price that we knew we could get for cheaper, and would run good. Their motors are "bulletproof" as my dad says. So, we spent about two hours going over every inch of this thing, test drove it, and once the guy accepted our offer, we were able to drive it away immediately. I coudn't believe it!

Since I was about nine or so, I watched the TV show, Promised Land, all the time. It's a show about a family who lives on the road, traveling with their airstream. My Grandparents both had RV'S, and we moved so much when I was a kid, the idea of just living on the road was like a dream to me.

...and here I am. I have the exact same kind my Grandma had when I was about 3 to 5 (that's when I remember it). So the nostalgia had me through the roof. I am so thrilled, also incredibly nervous, but more excited than anything to have this experience with my family.

So for the past few days we've been driving it like crazy to see how it does, had our first lunch in it, the husband and his friends are doing some maintenance to ensure it's as road ready and safe as we can make it, and I'm in the process of cleaning and decorating it. It's pretty neat to see how well it's held up over the past 32 years. I'm utterly curious about its history, knowing it started in California, then moved on to Montana and Idaho before making its way to Washington. So here's to letting the legend live on and making this our own as we travel across the country with two kids and two dogs.

Stay tuned for all of our travel tips, secrets, and adventures of our three weeks on the road (trust me, it would longer if we could, but don't worry, we're going to put this baby to good use!). It's going to be SO GOOD!