So last year went off with quite a few mishaps. Between the sewer connection coming loose and spilling waste all over our spot and a site where bugs were so hungry they were eating us before we even got out of the truck, it was interesting1 We sold the little Cub last year because even with all the fun we had, we needed something that suited us better. After half a dozen RV shows in 2 states, we settled on a 2012 Salem 26Tbud. W pick it up in less than 2 weeks and I cannot wait! We went shopping for camping supplies last night and now I am even more excited! Below are some pictures: Will update as soon as we pick it up!

Little Bitty Things

I hoard free samples. It's pretty bad. I have personal care samples to easily last the whole family an entire camping season. I just like the itty bitty bottles and vials all that stuff comes in. It's so cute and portable. And it makes me feel tall. I am only 5' tall so it takes a lot to make me feel big. I don't travel much (yet) so I have a lot stored up. I'm hoping they will come in handy while camping.

So my latest discovery at my local Chic-Fil-A was the new Heinz packets. Clearly, it does not take much to get me excited these days. Just show me a cute condiment package and I will walk around with a dumb grin on my face for the rest of the day. But these things are cool and super convenient for travel. Plus, they hold three times the amount of ketchup that the typical packets hold.

They are cute, right? So anyway, I am not one to steal condiments. But if I just so happen to take my kids to Chic-Fil-A every Tuesday (because that is free kids meal night and I love free stuff) from now on and happen to leave with one or two extra ketchups, I think that I will be ok with that.

I'm Waving To You!

So, if you stumbled upon this blog hoping for a full timing RV family, real camping pros, or lots of tips and tricks about how to survive family camping in a travel trailer -- move along. That is not what you are going to find here. What you will find here is typical rookie mistakes in the world of RVing. Well, I think you will find that eventually. Right now we haven't even taken delivery of our "new to us" expandable travel trailer.

I am just obsessing over how and what to pack for our inaugural camping trip. I am actually out of gear to look up reviews on and can't actually purchase any camping related gear until the husband can come with me and pick out his own stuff. Patience is NOT my thing. I am a planner, but mostly out of necessity. See, it's not just me and the husband on these weekend getaways. We have a full crew of useless beings coming with us. And by useless, I mean not helpful with packing, setting up camp, cleaning up, cleaning themselves, driving, etc. They have uses in other areas of life, but not in the RV world. All they really count for right now is poundage I have to calculate into our tow capacity.

Oh yes, the crew. Well, there's me. We've met. I'm Jen. I am 28 for a little while longer and run a home daycare. And the husband is Joe who is 32 and runs the family painting business. We have two kids - Matty is five and is not excited to go camping and Caroline who is two and has no idea what camping means because she doesn't remember when we went that one time last summer. We also have a lovable, but messy dog named Tyson. He is seven but acts like he is two. He also has no idea what camping is but he likes being outside and I think he will bring a useful skill with him because he loves to eat bugs.

So here I am. We spent ONE NIGHT in a friend's travel trailer last summer and decided right then and there that camping was the vacation tradition we wanted to share with our family. We spent the fall going to RV shows and drooling over every tricked out big rig we saw. We lusted after quite a few travel trailers and expandables along the way (the slides, the add ons, Oh my!). But being so new to this lifestyle, we decided it was more practical to buy used. We went to a few dealers and finally found THE ONE. She has everything we wanted and everything we need. Lots of counter space, tons of storage, and outside shower, a tub in the bathroom for the kids, and a decent upholstery pattern. Our new to us, 2005 Aerolite Cub.



Look at that whole wall of counter space.


Pure heaven. So this summer we will likely stick close to home and stay in the NJ, PA, DE area. I think we are going to try and hit Hershey Park at some point. That would be a fun stay for the kids and for me. I like chocolate. Joe is a freak of nature who doesn't. But he like amusement parks, so he will be content for a weekend.

Our eventual camping master plan is to drive down to Orlando and stay at Fort Wilderness in Disney. It's a few years away because we want the kids to be over napping and be able to hold their bladders for more than an hour at a time, but I am already planning for it.